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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2009 19:01:18 GMT -6
"Darsiaas is overcome with his own success as a bandit chief," Bothess replies. "He has grown fat and lazy, and is no longer the warrior he once was. If we can sneak through his guard he should be a ripe fruit for the picking. I am also suspecting that our efforts to recover the artifact we need to send my master's soul to its reward will yield arms and armor that will aid us in our mission."
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Post by tavis on Sept 11, 2009 8:05:16 GMT -6
"I'll gladly collect my hiring bonus again," Berist says, "but why would I expect that you'll actually take me on your expedition this time, or that it'll meet with more success than your last venture in leadership?"
He still refuses to meet Bothess' eyes, and addresses this speech to her torso instead.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2009 9:58:38 GMT -6
"Let us just say, old friend, that this time our business relationship will be unhindered by outside influences and leave it at that," Bothess replies with a smile. Noting the direction of his gaze, and wanting to pull his chain just a little, she continues "Do you see anything you like down there?"
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Post by tavis on Sept 11, 2009 10:18:42 GMT -6
Berist turns away, frowning. "I see 500 gold at the end of a difficult road," he says.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2009 12:04:47 GMT -6
A lilting laugh greets this riposte. "The 500 gold is right now, good Berist, for naught but the promise that you will set out with me on my mission. There is the promise of more if we win through to the end but, as is the way of such things, I cannot say how much or how soon." She offers her (organic) right hand. "Deal?"
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Post by tavis on Sept 11, 2009 13:52:52 GMT -6
Berist leaves her hand hanging in midair and addresses the others. "Venture like this, I'd want good men by my side. What say you, sirs? The miners are hiring guards, too, y'know."
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Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2009 15:40:19 GMT -6
Purple cheeks coloring almost to black, Bothess withdraws her hand. She orders another round of drinks all around, then sits quietly. She obviously awaits the group reaching a decision.
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Post by abecross on Sept 11, 2009 20:43:46 GMT -6
E'ssej: "How soon do we leave?"
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Post by waysoftheearth on Sept 12, 2009 3:51:40 GMT -6
"500 gold pieces to start, free drinks, stout company, and the promise of more to the good should we succeed..." murmurs Gimyip, "It's well good enough for me." Besides, he muses to himself, it isn't as though he has any more appealing options.
"Your gold will buy my loyalty for now, Lady... if that is what you truly are," he announces to Bothess, "But anything other than my strong arm will cost you something more dear." he states, glancing sourly below her supple waistline for just a moment.
He catches himself before his eyes linger too long, and takes a deep draft of his fresh drink as he reminds himself that these cyborg types can scarcely be trusted any further than they can be thrown...
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Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2009 4:28:14 GMT -6
Bothess nods, "We have an accord, then. You may accompany me to the house of my assistants here in Jaftgong, where I can pay all or part of your retainer fees as you see fit. You have one day to spend it on whatever you wish, the following day we begin our mission. "We will be headed north into the mountains to recover the artifact, Harbinger's Lotus, we need for the ritual to free Obregon's soul. I'll bring a beast of burden* laden with food as well as a few lackeys to look after our needs and guard our camp, the rest of your equipment will be up to you. "I have much to attend to before we leave. Shall we attend to your payment now?" Unless the party has further questions, she will take the PCs to the house of her agents in Jaftgong, Vudele and Cinotalel, at location #10 on the map. There they may claim all or part of their money. You have today (and a full day of game time) to attend to any equipment you may wish to buy and any other needs, your journey begins tomorrow morning. *The Kannemeyeria, from Bert's PbP Carcosa en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kannemeyeria_DB.jpgen.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kannemeyeria_BW.jpg
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Post by abecross on Sept 12, 2009 19:50:05 GMT -6
E'ssej collects all 500 and stashes 300 of his gp+his marker back in a trunk at the Tent City. He buys 50' of rope. He spends the night before they leave sneaking around the area around Vudele & Cinotalel's house, trying to gleam any sort of extra information on Bothess.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2009 4:18:40 GMT -6
E'ssej spends the night around house #10. Vudele and Cinotalel don't get home until late, coming from the west. You see them walking together, and Vudele is speaking. Oddly enough, however, he doesn't seem to be talking to Cinotalel ... but nobody else is with them. Judging from their directuion, you suspect they may have spent the evening at "The Silver Pick" but, if so, neither appears to have been drinking.
Do you approach them, or let them pass by undisturbed? Are you standing openly, or concealed? If so, how?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2009 4:19:21 GMT -6
Does anyone else have any actions they wish to perform before the expedition departs?
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Post by tavis on Sept 13, 2009 6:05:54 GMT -6
OOC: Berist will claim all of his money, giving him 600 gold to spend (100 from the caravan, 500 from Bothesss). He intends to allocate this roughly as follows (using contacts he made last time he was left cooling his heels in Jaftgong):
100: Hiring a local gadfly and giving them money to buy drinks and bribes to learn as much as possible about Bothess (specifically what she's been doing since she returned to town, who she's talked to, where she slept) and her lackeys (specifically their local reputation, and gently sounding out their loyalty to her).
300: Hiring men-at-arms, especially those with experience as mine guards; will start by approaching mid-ranked sargeant types & offering each at least a 20 gp "consultation fee" to keep the offer under wraps from their higher-ups and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of potential recruits, who might be persuaded to join such an expedition, and the best way to appeal to them.
200: Greasing a local merchant to offer a selection of their arms-and-equipment type wares at dawn; will promise new recruits that, if they show up for duty, they can go on a shopping spree to kit themselves out.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2009 9:24:42 GMT -6
@ Berist:
You see a rather obsequious fellow standing at the bar in "The Lusty Virgin" who is ogling the working girls as they take their customers up the stairs. His purse looks a bit light, so you wander over and flash him a bit of coin. You explain you want him to spend a few hours ferreting out information about your new employer, and with the 100 gold coins you intend to pay him he can hire the services of the women he is admiring so much. The fellow looks unconvinced until you advance him 10 gp as retainer, at which point he smiles and, scraping and bowing, heads off into the crowd. You idly wonder for a moment if you've just lost 10 GP, but you recognize his type and you're confident he'll be back for the rest of his gold.
As it turns out, "the Lusty Virgin is also an excellent place to recruit men-at-arms. One patron explains to you that this bar is favored by fighter types, both guards from the mine and those from the incoming caravans; the merchants and mining guild both know to come here to recruit sword hands. You find two green Sarjeants, Huff and Kelz, who are convinced by your display of gold help you sort the available manpower. Most of the hired swords are looking for caravan work, but your two aides rapidly sort out seven likely looking candidates for you to interview. They are:
Arkell: green man, tall and agile. Huff says he is inexperienced but has the toughness required to be a good man-at-arms. Kelz thinks he may be too inexperienced but allows that the raw material is there.
Buiq: bone man, average height and weight. Huff doesn't like bone men, but says this one is "an okay fellow." Kelz says Buiq fights with two weapons and is deadly in a close up fight.
Casal: red woman, average height and wide as a house. Her smooth shaved head and tough-as-nails demeanor actually have you looking twice to confirm she is, indeed, a she. You're still not completely convinced. Huff says not to mistake her bulk for fat, she could "bend you in half" with ease. Kelz shudders when he looks at her and refuses to comment.
Depiat: blue man, short and thin, with a rather furtive look about him. A detail man, Huff explains, sharp-eyed and a good scout who can move quietly. Kelz thinks he is a bit too quiet and not to be trusted.
Ebin: blue woman, average height and build. A natural fighter, explains Huff. Kelz agrees, stating that, of all the group gathered around the table, this one probably has the greatest potential to become a sarjeant or even a captain.
Foran: white man, slender and rather slow moving. Lazy, says Huff, but a good guard with the proper leadership. Kelz isn't convinced, but does agree he's never actually caught the guy shirking his duties.
Gace: yellow man, young and attentive. Another sharp-eyed fellow, says Huff, but he's in love and seems easily distracted of late. Kelz agrees, the kid is a good fighter but has been mooning over some girl for weeks.
The group is sitting around two tables in a corner of the bar, ready to speak with you if you wish. Kelz expresses a desire to hire on as sarjeant for your small band of hirelings, Huff rolls his eyes at this and shakes his head, he is obviously happy working for the mining guild. Kelz tells you that, if you wish him to lead your hirelings, he would be happy to interview them in-depth and do the hiring for you. He will also be happy to accept your choices and still lead them for you.
About this time, the "ferret" (as you've come to call your hired gadfly) shows up. He nods and winks to let you know he has some information for you. Huff notes the exchange and shoots you a questioning glance.
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Post by abecross on Sept 13, 2009 16:25:40 GMT -6
E'ssej stands openly. If they spot me, I ask them where I might find Bothess for some last minute planning before we leave.
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Post by waysoftheearth on Sept 13, 2009 16:58:16 GMT -6
Does anyone else have any actions they wish to perform before the expedition departs? Gimyip collects only a fifth of his coin from Bothess. He purchases a small pack of additional trail rations, and some rope. Then he goes back to the Lusty Virgin and gets himself a good solid feed, a wash, a private room and a decent night's sleep so he can be fresh and rested by dawn the next day.
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Post by tavis on Sept 13, 2009 19:16:35 GMT -6
Berist will count out 90 coins for Kelz. "You're hired. I'll address these recruits, then if they stay give them 10 apiece as a signing bonus. 20's for you."
He approaches the table and spends a moment standing there with his hands behind his back looking over the group, waiting for them to become quiet before he speaks. "Kelz says you folks might have what it takes. If'n you sign on with me, we'll find out. He'll give you ten gold tonight, and I'll have another ten for you if'n you're on the edge of town at dawn, ready to go with your gear n' weapons. You'll take orders from him, and he'll take orders from me. That's the way I want it. If'n you think of selling me out to some un else, just wait and see what happens." Berist then walks away without waiting for a reply.
On his way out, he confronts the ferret with his hand on the hilt of his sword. "I don't like you winking at me, sir. Step outside with me, if'n you're not too much of a coward."
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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2009 19:44:36 GMT -6
E'ssej stands openly. If they spot me, I ask them where I might find Bothess for some last minute planning before we leave. As Vudele and Cinotalel approach you, Vudele's eyes go wide and he mutters to nobody you can see, "Can't talk now. I'll fill you in later." His hand moves up to his right ear and then to his pocket, you think you may have seen something small in his hand but you aren't sure. When you ask where Bothess might be found, Vudele jumps and gets a guilty look on his face before Cinotalel give him a look and answers you, "She in the Guildmaster's Inn, luv. Nothing but the best for her nibs!" She gives you directions to the Inn. ((The Guildmaster's Inn: #6 on the town map))
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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2009 19:59:35 GMT -6
Berist stalks out of the tavern, followed by a bowing and scraping Ferret, "A thousand pardons, milord. I meant no offense."
Once outside, he eyes Berist's hand on the hilt of his blade. "No need for that, sir. No, indeed. Ol' Rimblus has what you asked for, sir. Don't need no weapons for that. No, sir."
He then launches into relating all that he's heard. Bothess was the Captain of a company of green and red soldiers in the service of a red man sorcerer named Obregon. Obregon and his apprentice, an orange man named Darsiaas, became locked in some sort of power struggle. Bothess' troops and Obregon perished in a pitched battle south of town. Depending on who you speak to, Bothess either turned coward and fled the battle to save her skin, or, the battle ended in a draw and Bothess was one of the few survivors on either side. One fellow, who claimed to have been at the battle, insists Bothess' personal guard fought a delaying action to enable her escape.
Darsiaas survived, and rumor has it he has been attempting to unify the many brigand and bandit troops plaguing the trade routes to the south of Jaftgong.
He was unable to find out how or why Bothess came to sport her cyborg parts.
"Now, guv'nor, he continues, holding his hat out. "I'll be receiving the rest of me pay."
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Post by tavis on Sept 13, 2009 20:21:00 GMT -6
Berist cuffs and berates Rimblus only until he is out of sight of onlookers. Once they are unobserved, he hands him 45 gold coins. "You done good, far as it goes. Tell this'n who says he was at that fight I want to see him. Pay him out of that coin if that's what it takes. You'll get the rest once I talk to him."
Berist then goes looking for a merchant willing to sell his men some equipment at dawn - especially shortbows, arrows, torches, rations, waterskins, ropes, picks, shovels, hammers, chisels, and flasks of oil. He'll offer a 10 gp retainer if necessary. He also has an unusual request. "I need a calf or a pig, about as big as a man curled up. Also a sack big enough to hold it, and a muzzle like you'd put on a dog. I'll pay full price, but you can re-sell 'em tomorrow morning. Mind you, the beast'll be dead, but dead clean, and the sack'll have some holes. I'm fixing to test out these bows you'll have for me, and I swore a vow I'd never shoot at anything I didn't mean to kill."
His last act before (hopefully) meeting with the survivor of the battle will be to look for an isolated spot about ten minutes' walk out of town. It should ideally have a tree with a branch high and sturdy enough to hang that beast and sack; ten yards or so cleared ground around the tree; and a place where someone could conceal themselves but have a good view of that clearing.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2009 4:28:59 GMT -6
Rimblus tells Berist he himself will guide him to Vantresos' general store at dawn. "He'll be up and about, and he'll have everything you need. He's a sharp one, that Vantresos."
Rimblus the Ferret then reenters the Lusty Virgin to find the survivor of the battle. A few minutes later he comes out leading a drunk red man. The fellow identifies himself as Tremephoat, and affirms his claim to Rimblus he was at the battle of Prigruin Tor. He sways as he stands talking to you but seems coherent.
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Post by tavis on Sept 14, 2009 8:47:14 GMT -6
"Good t' meetcha, Tremphoat," Berist says. "So ya fought with Bothess, I hear. What weapon did you wield? During the fight, what did you see her do?"
He'll pursue the first question to verify that Tremphoat's answers are plausible for a man-at-arms, and to learn as much as possible about the tactics, marching orders, etc. that Bothess used previously.
He'll press the second to glean any clues about her personal capabilities - "What 'bout that silver eye of hers? Didja ever see it shoot a beam, or feel it could see things you couldn't?"
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Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2009 9:28:56 GMT -6
"My weapon?" Tremphoat asks, confused for a moment. Then his hands come up, about a foot apart, as if holding the shaft of a pole arm. "It was halberd, milord. I fought with the heavy foot, in the center of the formation. Bothess ... sir, she fights with a terrible will, sir. Like some demon from hell (shudder), I tain't never seen the like." He pauses thinking for a moment. "Her steel arm shoots some sort of energy beam,, wider at the far end than it is at her hand. I've seen folks with energy weapons, sir, they tend to conserve shots. Not Bothess, she blasts everything in sight as if she isn't worried about running out. The fingers of that steel hand can crush rock sir, no ... I'm not making it up!" he adds when he sees your expression. "By the Elders Ones (spit) it's true! Never seen none of that from her eye, though, but I've seen her see things too far away for the rest of us ... even in the dark!"
Seemingly, he's run out of words, standing still and shuffling his feet in the dirt; and looking down with a very dejected air about him. After a moment, he looks up, and you see tears running down his face. "Folks'll tell ya' she's yeller, sir. That she turned coward and ran, leaving us to die. Tain't true, sir; not a word of it. The only reason she left us was try to figure out a way to help Obregon. Beggin' your pardon, sir, but it's true. Bothess is a solid gold ally and a fierce warrior. "
Finally, he seems to focus entirely on you; red-rimmed and blood-shot eyes. "Listen to me, and listen to me good," the alcoholic haze seems to have temporarily lifted and you see a bit of the steel backbone most old soldiers have. "Beware the beast Darsiaas commands. It killed Obregon, the strongest among us, with the greatest of ease. You won't last past the first exchange of blows."
((unless you have further questions. . .))
With that, he lowers his head and stumbles back into the tavern. He seeks solace, poor though it is, at the bottom of a bottle.
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Post by tavis on Sept 14, 2009 11:25:19 GMT -6
"Yep, you done good," Berist tells Rimblus as he hands him the 45 gold he's owed. "If'n you want some more, see me at dawn with some dirt on what Bothess or the folks she's hired are doin' tonight."
He will then go see Vantresos, as he needs to acquire the sack, muzzle, and animal (plus a few short lengths of rope and leather strap) tonight.
Berist will also seek to get a few words with Kelz in private. "I'm figgering to put on a little show tomorrow. Kin I trust you to do as I say?"
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Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2009 12:22:42 GMT -6
"Yep, you done good," Berist tells Rimblus as he hands him the 45 gold he's owed. "If'n you want some more, see me at dawn with some dirt on what Bothess or the folks she's hired are doin' tonight." "Done, sir!" he hurries off into the night. Vantresos answers your knock on the door, sleepy-eyed but he doesn't seem put out by the late call at his store. He is a little taken aback, however, at your odd request and asks if are a sorceror. You wisely deny any knowledge of the black arts and that seems to satisfy the storekeeper. He quickly gathers the supplies you need, mentioning off-handedly the rope is make locally and is of very good quality. The animal is a bronar, the local herd/food animal, it is a sort of a cross between an ostrich and chicken (and temperament somewhere between the two). A full grown specimen is the size of a pony, this one is (per your request) about the size of an adult human curled up into the fetal position. "I'm your man, sir," Kelz answers without the slightest hesitation. "I'll back your play."
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Post by tavis on Sept 14, 2009 12:39:06 GMT -6
"Good," Berist tells Kelz. "Meet me at the clearing half an hour before dawn."
He then seeks out the other adventurers who hired on with Bothess. "I'm mustering some potential recruits at dawn, sirs. Some might not want to hire on with me, and if'n so you're welcome to take 'em. We'll be doin' some target practice, too, if you want to come just for that. We'll be meeting at a clearing near town; to get there, just..."
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Post by abecross on Sept 14, 2009 21:42:25 GMT -6
If there's time, E'ssej ponces over to the Guildhouse to see if he can catch a glimpse of Bothess. If not, he returns to the Tent City.
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Post by crusssdaddy on Sept 14, 2009 22:45:39 GMT -6
Gozer collects his five bills and does a little shopping: 2 weeks rations, waterskin, full wineskin (top-notch wine!), a dagger, two hand axes.
Ready to rock!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 15, 2009 9:36:00 GMT -6
((turn will be delayed today ... sorry for the inconvenience))
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