The Mint Dam
The dam is an impressive structure that almost looks out of place when compared to the relatively backwater town of Stonebarrow. It's existed for generations and is currently under management through a joint effort of the Akwavi and Kadie clans (notably the Wingnuts). It spans a good sixty feet and is composed of earth and timber. The top is lined with three equally spaced waterwheels. One of the wheels powers the various Wingnut workshops that reside near the base of the dam. Another wheel powers the various mills that produce paper and other such items requiring milling, such as flour. The third wheel is for general use and powers many various places in the nearby town that require mechanical power. A menagerie of gearing, drive axles, and catwalks also line the top of the dam, interconnecting the wheels and providing service access to them.

After getting the measurements of Kalila Al Nadia and dropping them off at her room, Djivan and Olivia part ways for the afternoon. The separation came about because Olivia decided she needed to go see Gunther Kettenrad. Djivan, not wanting to be under yet another bush, told Olivia he would go find out what trouble the "Winged Annoyance" (AKA Liliana), was into now and leave crazy squirrels to the negotiating Skeek. After a short and uneventful walk, Olivia found herself in the middle of the Wingnut compound. There Olivia learned from Dieter that Gunther was spotted not too long ago near the dam working on something and doing his best to hide from Zahnrad … whom apparently is also looking for Gunther. So, after another short walk, Olivia finds herself at the Mint Dam. Most of the repairs from the damage suffered during the Necromancer battle look complete, though a large section near one of the driveshafts is still vacant. Much to Olivia's dismay, Gunther is nowhere to be seen.

Olivia hmmms quietly to herself, then starts looking around at the scenery, to see if there's a bush or a large rock that doesn't look quite 'natural.' "Now if I were an obnoxious young Kadie boy, where would I be… ?"

Several minutes of searching pass by. Still no Gunther. Then at long last Olivia spots what looks like might be a Kadie tail sticking out of some bushes at the edge of the woods.

Cautious as usual (or at least, at the beginnings of most things), Olivia picks up a longish stick and pokes at the supposed Kadie tail, just in case it happens to be attached to something a bit more dangerous.

Wisdom has come quickly for Olivia when dealing with the ways of Gunther Kettenrad. After a couple of pokes with the stick, a stuffed dummy looking vaguely like a Kadie pops up from the bushes and sways wildly. A sign hangs from around its neck with simply reads … GOTCHA! The ground beneath Olivia suddenly gives way and down Olivia goes! Figures Gunther would build a trap door leading somewhere.

Olivia gives a loud and startled squeak as she falls with a thump… into the middle of a pile of hastily-made pillows covered with burlap. Now lying quite suddenly on her back in a dark hole, the Skeek sighs. "Well, at least the landing was soft," she grumbles.

Light filters down from the hole some ten feet above her. It certainly won't be an easy climb out. In the dim surroundings, Olivia can make out what appears to be quickly fashioned bars … a cage. The door looks to be about five feet from where the Skeek landed and it is closed.

Olivia looks around slowly, letting her eyes become accustomed to the weak light in here. "Boy, I wish I had Zahn's light-hat right about now," she says to no one in particular, then gets up to feel her way to the door of the cage.

The door is, of course, locked. As Olivia's eyes adjust, she can see there is a small room outside the cage and outlines of a doorway leading to who knows where.

Olivia now runs her hand across one of the bars nearest her, wondering what they are made of. She can't really tell in the dim light.

The bars are made of wood. Through the outline of the doorway, Olivia sees a flicker of candle light. Someone is moving around in the distance.

Olivia calls out towards the candle-light, "Oi! Gunther, is than you? Sorry to disappoint you, but you didn't catch any invading hordes this time – only one weird Skeek!"

"Aw, dangit!" comes the easily recognizable voice of Gunther Kettenrad. And after a few seconds, he comes through the doorway carrying a lantern. "Just what are you doing in there?"

Olivia leans against the wooden bars of the door and waggles her eyebrows at Gunther. "I came looking for you, but found one of your traps instead. Gave me quite a shock, but at least the landing was nice!"

"Wow. Good thing I used pillows instead of wooden spikes," Gunther notes and rubs his chin thoughtfully.

Olivia hmms philosophically. "Yes. Then it would be Skewered Skeek on a Stick!"

"So, you were looking for me? We Kettenrads are irresistible, aren't we?" Gunther asks, grinning.

Olivia rolls her eyes just a bit as she says, "If you say so, Gunther. I wanted to talk to you about increasing security around the safe at the Weaver's compound."

Gunther sets the lantern down on a dusty table in the corner and leans against it. "Really? Why? And, what's in it for me?" he asks.

"Because of Emmett Oggton, that's why," Olivia answers. "It seems word has traveled fast about the dowry my father gave me right before I left town with the gypsies. He made a choice comment about it when I got back, which leads me to believe a little extra security around the safe might be a good thing." Then she gives Gunther an odd look. "Just what do you want as payment, anyway?"

Gunther rubs his chin thoughtfully again and gives Olivia a knowing … and disturbing, look. "Otter problems, you say? Well, that can be tricky. It also depends on what sort of security you want, and how dead you want the trespassers," he notes.

Olivia ers… "Well, I don't want the trespassers dead, but I'm not adverse to something that knocks them around a little. I'm actually more interested in something that hurts their pride more than their heads. You know, a trap or set of traps that leaves them in an awkward position and unable to get away? Do you think that can be done?"

"Oh, anything can be done. But it will cost you," Gunther says and grins in a rather unsettling way.

Olivia looks at the Kadie boy through narrowed eyes. "How much are we talking here?"

"Well, to start, you have to help me get a date with Nene," Gunther replies, head tilted a bit as he watches Olivia in the cage.

Olivia now looks suddenly surprised. "Wait… you haven't gone out yet? I know you like each other and I thought while I was gone you might've, well, got the ball rolling already, as it were!"

"Hah! I have to catch her first. Not so easy as she doesn't walk into camp and poke at things with a stick," Gunther notes and grins teasingly. "Now, if someone were to lead her to a place where she could be trapped… "

Olivia rubs her forehead with one hand, realizing that the courting habits of otters are much more complicated than she had first thought. "A place such as where?" she asks, willing – at least, for the moment – to play along.

"Oh, I haven't thought that out yet," the Kadie replies. "So, are you agreeing then?"

"Not yet… you have to tell me what the other part of the payment is," Olivia says. "You said that this was just the beginning of it."

Gunther snaps his fingers. "Second part is simple. You have to be my spy," he says dismissively. "I want to know everything about the invaders and they seem to trust you."

Olivia sighs and walks over to pull a pillow near the door of the cage. "I thought we might come to that eventually. Guess we'd better discuss it now." Then she sits down on the pillow and faces the Kadie boy quite seriously. "You'll get your chance to meet the 'invaders,' as you call them. They'll want to talk to you soon."

That little bit of news seems to bother Gunther. "Talk to me? Are they already on to me? I know that short one is devious and sneaky, but I didn't think she knew my name already," he complains, his tail flicking agitatedly.

Olivia smiles slightly. "No, no, it's nothing like that – although I think you're right to keep an eye on the 'short one.' Her name is Kalila, by the way." After a pause, she continues, "The Khatta woman staying in the cottage near the inn is called Lady Inaya Al Nadia. She wants to talk to everyone who had a hand in bringing down that necromancer. She read the report I filed at the capitol, that's how she knows he was defeated here."

"That's what she's telling you. How do you know she's not lying?" Gunther inquires and looks at Olivia suspiciously. "Or … is she one of his servants and seeks revenge? Maybe that's why she wants to talk to everyone, to kill them."

"Ummm, Gunther… if she'd wanted to kill Amelia and Djivan and I for our parts in it, she could've done so before now. We've already been to the cottage to talk to her – along with her huge bodyguard, Abdul-Azar. He could've taken all three of us down with one swipe of his massive sword!" Olivia exclaims. "So, I really don't think that's her plan. Sorry to disappoint you again, Gunther."

"She has two bodyguards. Shows how observant you are," Gunther points out. "But then, you're also in a cage right now, so I shouldn't expect much," he says with a grin.

Olivia smiles playfully back at Gunther. "Apparently, you like your girls trapped and unable to move – is that the only way you can get them to talk to you without running away?" she counters.

"Yes," Gunther admits. "And keep that up and I won't let you out!"

Olivia tsks. "Temper, temper, young man!" she chides. "Anyway, where was I? Oh yes… Lady Inaya. Well, the part you don't know, Mr. Smart-Aleck, is that she's Dame Natasha's sister. So you're going to have to be very careful when you talk to her. Natasha doesn't want to see her again, and it's best that they keep apart."

"Oh! Well, that I can understand. I sure don't want to see Zahnrad right now. He threatened to make me eat my tail when he caught me after the incident in town," Gunther notes as he sways back and forth idly. "I'll just tell her that her sister moved on to the next town. Easy."

"Well, we're actually trying to keep Natasha's name out of this completely," Olivia admits. "Lady Inaya thinks her sister was killed by the necromancer long ago and we intend to keep her thinking that. We had a bit of a close call with Djivan but I fixed it." The Skeek grins at the memory.

"Ah. Speaking of that rat, I don't see what you see in him," Gunther notes. "Where is he, anyway? He should be in the cage."

Olivia shrugs. "He adores me and makes me laugh," she says simply. "Anyway, before Lady Inaya sends for you, you and Amy and I should plan out what you're going to say to her. Amy came through with some really good saves when we talked to her, so I think she should be included in our little 'plotting session.'"

"Right, include Zahn's snog," Gunther says with a nod. "Er, so, does she want to talk to all of us together or separately?"

Olivia thinks about this. "We could all go together. It might even be better to do it that way, so we can cover each other if things get tricky."

Gunther nods slowly. "All right. So, to get back to this security stuff you wanted. Do you agree to my terms?" he asks.

"You still want me to spy on Inaya and her daughter, even though you know why they're here now?" Olivia asks.

"Of course! What a silly question," Gunther says and sighs exasperatedly.

Olivia sighs herself now. "Goodness, I don't know why… you'll be meeting Inaya yourself! Plus, Kalila is going to be hanging out with Miranda at the bunny wrangling farm while they're here. You could do this on your own!"

"Because, they're invaders!" Gunther says if that is all the answer ever needed for anything he does. "Miranda, Miranda … oh, yeah, the one who got to close and caught a thrown gear in the face. Right. And yes, I could do it myself, but I need to grow my list of minions… "

"They are not invaders, they're visitors!" Olivia snaps in frustration. "And you say I don't pay attention to things, sheesh! But if it's the only way you're going to put in the security system, fine, I'll do the best I can!"

"Touchy, touchy," Gunther remarks with a grin, "Okay they're visiting invaders." He flicks his tail and seems to remember something. "Oh, yes! I have a message for you. I completely forgot. While you, Zahn, Amy and that rat were off doing who knows what for a couple of days, that Liliana bat came looking for you."

This cools Olivia off immediately. "Lili? What did she want?"

"Something about it's time to redo the dye-work on your arms. And that she wants to extend it further on your body, or something like that," Gunther notes with a shrug. "Personally, I didn't like the way she was looking at me. Like I was dinner or something."

Olivia huhs! "As if I'd let her dye me all over! I know better… gypsy tribe initiation my left foot! The only reason I let her do my arms was so it would get her off my back about it. But they do look pretty cool," she admits, looking down at the patterns dyed there.

"Why wouldn't you let her dye your entire body? You're that shy?" Gunther inquires curiously. He then grins and says, "Oh, you didn't hear this from me. I wasn't spying on her wagon or anything. I didn't hear anything about Liliana saying she once got Djivan to wear a dress."

Olivia sighs and shakes her head at the Kadie. "No, because I'm already looked on as a strangeling in this town enough as it is and I don't need any more gossip flung about behind my back!" Then she blinks. "What's this about a dress?"

"Sssh, you didn't hear that from me! Something about tricking him into wearing one so he could sneak into an 'all girls' wagon or something a couple years ago, or something like that," Gunther says with a grin. "Basically, I think she was just trying to embarrass him. Apparently, there was no 'all girls' wagon."

Olivia starts to laugh. "No, I'm sure there wasn't!" she gasps when she can find words again. "Ooooh, this will be good blackmail material for later! Djivan's always threatened to reveal embarrassing things about me, so I could get him back with this. Thanks, Gunther!"

"Those two sure fight a lot. Think they ever dated?" Gunther asks absently and finally comes over to the cage to unlock it.

Olivia scratches her cheek idly with one finger. "Dunno. Maybe! Or he could've made a pass at her sometime long ago and she just laughed at him. Who knows?"

After a bit of fiddling, Gunther gets the cage door open. He peers inside for a moment, then comments, "You know, I should put something in here for my prisoners to exercise with. Maybe a giant wheel."

Olivia rolls her eyes heavenward again as she steps out of the cage. "I really have no idea where you get these ideas from, Gunther Kettenrad!"

"My amazing genius," Gunther declares and closes the door behind the Skeek. "In case you've wondered, we're in one of the old abandoned construction bunkers used back when the dam was being built. Materials and equipment were stored down here. Some of the old machines are still down here, moldering."

Olivia hmms in an interested way at that. "Are you using any of the stuff in here to repair the damage to the dam, then?" she asks. "I saw that part of your repairs weren't quite complete when I passed by."

"Oh, no, the stuff down here is in no shape to be used. It would take months to repair," Gunther explains and retrieved his lantern. "The open area of the dam is for an experimental gearing system Zahnrad designed. The clan finally relented and agreed to let him install it. It only affects one drive axle so if it explodes, summons demons, or even worse, attracts otters, it won't really affect anything major."

Olivia looks askance at Gunther as they walk down the corridor together. "Er… I don't much care for that word 'experimental.' What exactly does this new gearing system involve?"

The two pass through several dank rooms, each full of moldering crates and dilapidated machinery. "The system? It's a complex assembly of normal gears and sleeve gears. The intention is to allow the axle speed to be constant, even if the flow of water is not. Basically, to allow the dam to auto-adjust to storms so we don't have to climb up on the rigging and disconnect the waterwheels. Heck, the gearing even lets you switch direction of rotation of the axles with the pull of a lever. He's been working on it for a while, I think in part for one of his airship designs." Gunther explains.

Olivia ohs! and thinks this description over. "Actually, it doesn't sound all that bad – even if it's meant to be part of one of his airship designs in the future. And anything that doesn't put you out in the middle of another bad storm is a good thing. I think even Amy would agree on that," she comments, remembering what she heard about Zahn getting smacked on the head by a lever.

"I think that's part of it, too. Zahn's been a lot more … well, careful since he started hanging out with Amelia. Very strange. I think she's slipping him some sort of potion, if you ask me. Mind control," Gunther notes as he hops over some rotting boxes. Ahead is the faint outline of a door, only visible due to the outside light filtering through the edges of the frame.

Olivia grins at this. "Well, it may be mind control of a sort, but I don't think it has anything to do with potions," she quips. "If you do start going out regularly with Nene, you might find out about that."

"Hah! No girl can control me," Gunther insists.

Olivia mmms and doesn't look convinced.

"You see, I intend to use Nene to infiltrate the otter scouts… " Gunther says deviously.

"Or at least, all the female ones, anyway," Olivia replies, her grin getting wider.

Gunther hmphs! "I am not interested in her like that. Even if she is devious and has a cute tail. It's all purely business and keeping the clan safe," he insists.

Olivia uh-huhs. "C'mon Gunther, you like the otter girls! It was written all over your face, plain as day, as soon as Bebe and Nene got involved in the whole necromancer business! And you've been chasing Nene ever since," she adds. "Anyway, there's nothing wrong with liking an otter girl. Since you like to get into trouble as much as they do, I figure it's a match made in heaven!"

Gunther just snorts at that and stomps the rest of the way to the door. He throws it open and the outside light spills in, momentarily blinding.

Olivia shades her eyes with one hand to get used to the daylight again, grinning like an otter who just raided her neighbor's fish traps without getting caught. "So, we do have a deal, right? I spy on the Khattas and bring Nene to you, and you upgrade the security around the safe for me?"

"Yes, we have a deal," Gunther agrees. "So, what, should I sneak into the Weavers place at midnight and inspect the defenses, then?"

Olivia gives the Kadie boy another odd look. "Only if you want my Aunt Augusta to come howling down on you for waking her up in the middle of the night! Nah, come around during regular business hours in a day or so. She knows to expect you then. I've already told her you might be stopping by."

Gunther looks disappointed by that. "Aw, where's the fun in that? Walking in, in the middle of the day? Boooorrrring," he complains.

Olivia throws her hands in the air. "Fine, if you want to risk my aunt yelling at you at the top of her lungs and bursting your eardrums, go right ahead. I'm not going to protect you from her if you do, though!"