Lilith Hauntwood has become an acquaintance of Lord Jackson.
Lilith, with her keen instincts, has started to suspect that the Spicy Travellers, an adventuring group, have unwittingly become pawns in an internal power struggle within the local Thieves Guild. It appears that someone, perhaps Taren Lightfellow has manipulated the group into suspecting Lord Jackson, a potential Magpie, in this game of shadows.
The halflings, it seems, are deeply entangled in the underbelly of crime in Brennans Keep. More disturbingly, it has come to light that they were in some kind of business relationship with Lord Bartholomew, raising questions about his true nature.
The group also discovered that Jackson had recruited the missing people from the docks and trained them in various activities at Brennans Keep. The activities include alchemy, smithing, multiple crafts, and less dubious occupations such as escorts and thievery. This training has resulted in entry into many of the various guilds throughout Brennans Keep. Recruitment has also included the poor throughout the city.
Lord Jackson's activities are benign and have resulted in prosperity for a considerable number of the city's poor. The good he is doing in Brennans Keep far outweighs the lawlessness of some of his other activities. Overall, his actions benefit Brennans Keep. The authorities know of his activities and keep a close eye on him.