IC

[The_Wanderer]

The man looks offended. "I am not an armorer, nor am I a swordsmith! I am a salesman, thank you very much!" Goshawk and Feargus can see that, while there are currently four items within, there were once at least two more weapons on display here.

"Ho there fine sir, I mean no disrespect. To the contrary, I only mentioned it because that is what I seek! I would be happy to observe a noble salesman at work! What do you have to sell today? I see you have had some success already - no surprise given your obvious talents."

Feargus is laying it on pretty thick but is intending to be sincere in his approach.

[thirdkingdom]

Gardo finds that the guards don't really care. "You want to practice sparring with a friend? I really don't care where you do it, as long as no one get's killed. Outside the wall is better, but if you knew the number of fights -- real fights, not pretend -- we've had to break up today . . ."

Gardo

"As long as we can get back inside after we have finished." He will go outside the walls to find a suitable spot for sparring, make sure he has more gold for the night, and return to the main square at his appointed time.

"The guards suggested that outside the walls would be better suited for a spar. I have located a place. Whenever you are ready, Notai, we can go."

During the spar, he will be more on defense, judging her ability. After a few tries, he will attempt to stun her (unless that would not be part of a spar). Anytime he is able to do so, he will step back and allow her to recover before resuming. He will hopefully be lucky in avoiding any of her blows.

The pair spar for ten or so minutes. Notai is clearly skilled, and has an equal reach to Gardo, but she is clearly not an equal to the warrior. She steps back and salutes him. "You are my better," she says, "and worthy of mating with me, should that be what you desire."

[thirdkingdom]

The man looks offended. "I am not an armorer, nor am I a swordsmith! I am a salesman, thank you very much!" Goshawk and Feargus can see that, while there are currently four items within, there were once at least two more weapons on display here.

"Ho there fine sir, I mean no disrespect. To the contrary, I only mentioned it because that is what I seek! I would be happy to observe a noble salesman at work! What do you have to sell today? I see you have had some success already - no surprise given your obvious talents."

Feargus is laying it on pretty thick but is intending to be sincere in his approach.

The salesman gestures at Newton. "That gentleman is looking at the knife . . ." he looks Feargus up and down, "but you strike me as a someone who prefers a longer blade. I have two that are heirlooms, relics of bygone ages forged with techniques lost to time. The third, this one, was enchanted in the mageforges of Gorsab, across the Silver Sea. It is not cheap, though. I will sell it you for . . . fifteen thousand alcedes."

[VonAlric]

The pair spar for ten or so minutes. Notai is clearly skilled, and has an equal reach to Gardo, but she is clearly not an equal to the warrior. She steps back and salutes him. "You are my better," she says, "and worthy of mating with me, should that be what you desire."

Gardo

He salutes Notai back. "You have skill, that is something I appreciate. I cannot deny a desire to see your skill in bed but I have something else I desire first. I desire some of your time and knowledge. Let us find a place to eat and drink inside so you can tell me of your travels, your people, and this city you salvaged stuff from"

He allows Notai to pick the location for their repast. After some time of hearing things, Gardo will stop her and talk. "Notai, I find it confusing that a warrior with skill like yourself is just going around selling small trinkets. I think you can do more than that. I would like to offer you that opportunity. I would consider it an honor for you to join me as I travel this land. I would cover your living expenses and you would get a half share of whatever our group finds. What do you think?"

If Notai doesn't wish to eat, Gardo will go ahead and make his recruiting offer to her. Then ask for 100 gp back if she refuses.

[thirdkingdom]

The pair spar for ten or so minutes. Notai is clearly skilled, and has an equal reach to Gardo, but she is clearly not an equal to the warrior. She steps back and salutes him. "You are my better," she says, "and worthy of mating with me, should that be what you desire."

Gardo

He salutes Notai back. "You have skill, that is something I appreciate. I cannot deny a desire to see your skill in bed but I have something else I desire first. I desire some of your time and knowledge. Let us find a place to eat and drink inside so you can tell me of your travels, your people, and this city you salvaged stuff from"

He allows Notai to pick the location for their repast. After some time of hearing things, Gardo will stop her and talk. "Notai, I find it confusing that a warrior with skill like yourself is just going around selling small trinkets. I think you can do more than that. I would like to offer you that opportunity. I would consider it an honor for you to join me as I travel this land. I would cover your living expenses and you would get a half share of whatever our group finds. What do you think?"

If Notai doesn't wish to eat, Gardo will go ahead and make his recruiting offer to her. Then ask for 100 gp back if she refuses.

Notai

"Very well," she says, "I will share some wine with you, but I do not like confined spaces, so if we can purchase a bottle and enjoy it under the stars that would be preferable." A suitable bottle of wine is located, and the two settle down to palaver. "I am from the north," she says, pursing her lips as she examines the map the adventurers possess. "Your map only shows the southern edge, but far to the north of here is a wide expanse of hill country. This here," her fingers follow the River Sarn north, towards the mining camps the adventurers had heard of, "is but the southern tip of what we call the amagquma, the . . ." she searches for the translation. "The barren hills, is probably the best translation. My tribe is -- was, I should say -- nomadic. We traveled east to west, following the moon. There are countless ruins there, amongst the mesas. The remains of a great city, Isendan, can be found near our migration route, and my peoples scavenged what they could from the wreckage. We do not like being indoors, so most of what we found was scattered about, in the open. On our trips to the east we would meet traders who would buy these antiques. For years this was the case, until one year a trader convinced my father, who led our herd, to bring her and her men along with us. These fools ventured into the deeps of Isendan, under the ground, into the tunnels and sewers and hidden places, far from the light of the sun and moon. They loosed something from within the bowels of the earth, something horrible. It is so horrible that I cannot place it in my mind, but it was ravenous, and consumed all of my peoples. I am the only one left of the Longstriders, and came south, as I have heard there are more of my kind to the south, closer to the great waters."

She considers Gardo's offer. "It is a generous offer, but I think I must refuse. I will continue south, instead, and seek my own folk."

http://orokos.com/roll/746746: 4#2d6+1 6 5 5 7

[shaidar]

Newton sucks air in through his teeth and looks thoughtful when the price of the dagger is revealed.

He replies to the seller:

"It looks like a fine weapon, but you're asking a fine price for it too. For such a price I would have to be sure, may I handle it to see if it is what I seek?"

[thirdkingdom]

Newton sucks air in through his teeth and looks thoughtful when the price of the dagger is revealed.

He replies to the seller:

"It looks like a fine weapon, but you're asking a fine price for it too. For such a price I would have to be sure, may I handle it to see if it is what I seek?"

The merchants nods his head, his hat bobbing crazily. The dagger feels perfectly balanced in Newton's hand. It seems like an exquisitely crafted weapon.

Crits on a 19-20*, can be thrown 20/30/40 due to the balance.
*for purposes of dealing maximum damage, not auto-hitting.

[The_Wanderer]

Feargus

The salesman gestures at Newton. "That gentleman is looking at the knife . . ." he looks Feargus up and down, "but you strike me as a someone who prefers a longer blade. I have two that are heirlooms, relics of bygone ages forged with techniques lost to time. The third, this one, was enchanted in the mageforges of Gorsab, across the Silver Sea. It is not cheap, though. I will sell it you for . . . fifteen thousand alcedes."

"I certainly have interest in the longer of the two heirloom blades. And for the enchanted blade, do you have any information on what enchantment the blade holds? I could be persuaded to part with, say 8,000 alcedes without knowledge of the specific enchantment if I can receive confirmation from a mage that the blade is enchanted without a curse. If you can provide more specific information, perhaps then my interest will grow. And by the way, what can I call you?"

[Pulpatoon]

Aldus enters the small tent. It's dark, and redolent of a musk he can't quite identify. There's a man within, pale, with a thin mustache, but otherwise bald. "You look like a man with questions," he says, "sit down and for ten gold I will answer them." Aldus, looking around the crowded tent, sees a number of things that could be interpreted as guildsigns. Nothing he can read or interpret -- a tablecloth folded just so, knick-knacks arranged thusly, the way the dried flowers are arranged -- but its obvious to his trained eyes that there is a hidden meaning to be discovered.

Aldus settles in comfortably. "More of a pervading curiosity that specific questions. Let's have a fortune, and see where we are then." He passes the man a gold coin.

[Pulpatoon]

Wulfka, flush with cash beyond her dreams of avarice, decides it might be time to upgrade her armor. She seeks out the party's warriors for advice on buying plate. Not spotting Gardo around, she trails Feargus to the arms-monger and joins him and Newton, looking at the blades. When the salesman states the price of the third sword, her eyes go wild and her face pales. That there should be so much money in the world!

[thirdkingdom]

Aldus enters the small tent. It's dark, and redolent of a musk he can't quite identify. There's a man within, pale, with a thin mustache, but otherwise bald. "You look like a man with questions," he says, "sit down and for ten gold I will answer them." Aldus, looking around the crowded tent, sees a number of things that could be interpreted as guildsigns. Nothing he can read or interpret -- a tablecloth folded just so, knick-knacks arranged thusly, the way the dried flowers are arranged -- but its obvious to his trained eyes that there is a hidden meaning to be discovered.

Aldus settles in comfortably. "More of a pervading curiosity that specific questions. Let's have a fortune, and see where we are then." He passes the man a gold coin.

Fortune-teller

A brief frown crosses the man's face, but is gone just as quickly. "Very well," he says, "I will do so." He looks Aldus up and down. "You have slender, nimble fingers," he says, "that speak of a dextrous mind. Let us see what the cards have to say." He reaches into his robes and pulls out a deck of cards unlike one that Aldus has ever seen. It looks like a deck of tarot cards, but ones with suits that he is unfamiliar with. The fortune-teller shuffles, and Aldus notes that he is not the only one with nimble fingers, as the man sends the cards dancing and spinning. "This is a deck of txartelak cards, from the kingdom of Slaphe, to the far west. The Men there are not like men here; they spend their days drugged, dreaming of decadence. But they see far in their stupors, and it is said that the folk of Slaphe have the third eye. Txartelak is their game of chance, and in their bordellos and bawdy houses they bet not with gold, or gems, or goods, but with happiness, with a memory, with their own names. We will not play a game, though. I will instead have you draw a card, and will tell you what it means."

His shuffling done, the man spreads the cards out, face down, in one smooth motion, and gestures for Aldus to take a card.

Pick a number between 1 and 42.

[thirdkingdom]

Feargus

The salesman gestures at Newton. "That gentleman is looking at the knife . . ." he looks Feargus up and down, "but you strike me as a someone who prefers a longer blade. I have two that are heirlooms, relics of bygone ages forged with techniques lost to time. The third, this one, was enchanted in the mageforges of Gorsab, across the Silver Sea. It is not cheap, though. I will sell it you for . . . fifteen thousand alcedes."

"I certainly have interest in the longer of the two heirloom blades. And for the enchanted blade, do you have any information on what enchantment the blade holds? I could be persuaded to part with, say 8,000 alcedes without knowledge of the specific enchantment if I can receive confirmation from a mage that the blade is enchanted without a curse. If you can provide more specific information, perhaps then my interest will grow. And by the way, what can I call you?"

Micma Ume

"I am called Micma Ume", the man says, "and am a purveyor of . . . interesting weapons, shall we say. This sword here, that you mention, is called a 'hand-and-a-half blade. The hilt is long enough to be wielded with one or two hands, the blade wider and slightly longer than a normal sword. This style is favored by the ronin of the Sable Principality. This particular blade is of unknown provenance, but was likely forged two Cycles ago in the Sablelands. I know that when I obtained it the last wielder was the paladin Lyed Rismi, of the freehold Fortincan, north of here. Lyed was slain by the dragon Sthenncor, but before she fell managed to allow the escape of those within Reker Keep, before it, too, fell to Sthenncor's foul breath. It is said the dragon claimed the Keep as his own, and dwells there still, curled up in the battlements. This was not Lyed's primary blade, but had been given to her squire mere days before she died."

The blade is well-made and balanced, a weapon not of grace and finesse but forged for a singular purpose: dealing death. "I will sell you this sword for 1300 gold."

The bastard sword deals 1d6+1/1d8+1 points of damage, plus this blade inflicts an additional +1 damage due to its masterwork quality. It also is less likely to break, gaining a +4 bonus on all saves.

[VonAlric]

Notai For years this was the case, until one year a trader convinced my father, who led our herd, to bring her and her men along with us. These fools ventured into the deeps of Isendan, under the ground, into the tunnels and sewers and hidden places, far from the light of the sun and moon. They loosed something from within the bowels of the earth, something horrible. It is so horrible that I cannot place it in my mind, but it was ravenous, and consumed all of my peoples. I am the only one left of the Longstriders, and came south, as I have heard there are more of my kind to the south, closer to the great waters."

She considers Gardo's offer. "It is a generous offer, but I think I must refuse. I will continue south, instead, and seek my own folk."

http://orokos.com/roll/746746: 4#2d6+1 6 5 5 7

Gardo

Hearing her refusal, Gardo looks dispirited. He ponders for a few moments, absentmindedly sipping the wine. He finally returns his gaze to hers. "I can understand the desire to find kin, people who you can feel a connection with. My family was not really the best for making one feel warm, safe, understood. Dad was more about money so he could drink and gamble more, my brothers were just about making me miserable when they could do so. Once I left them and was working for my last boss full time, I found out that different people that had a common cause felt more like kin than what I was born into. Mariusz is more my brother than what I grew up with. This group of adventurers I'm with are more family than my father. One can always make their own kin."

"I would hope that you would reconsider my offer. While you are skilled, it concerns me that it might not be enough. We've encountered some serious things in these lands, bandits being the least of one's problems. Maybe some time travelling with myself and the group would allow you to hone your skills to a level where you could make the journey with fewer issues."

He stands up and stretches. "Earlier, you stated that I am worthy. If you would allow me, I would like to spend the rest of the night, comforting you from the loneliness you must feel. In the morning, after you have slept on it, if sleep even occurs, you may have a different thought on my proposal. Come, allow yourself to be comforted."

Anyway I could use my Lucky Knack to get a re-roll on some of those reaction rolls? I know it is outside of what is stated in the knack but it never hurts to try. Kinda wonder if I took this in a direction that you didn't expect.

[shaidar]

Newton returns the dagger to the vendor

"A pleasure to wield. I'm more of an axe man myself, but I don't suppose you get many of those?"

[thirdkingdom]

Notai For years this was the case, until one year a trader convinced my father, who led our herd, to bring her and her men along with us. These fools ventured into the deeps of Isendan, under the ground, into the tunnels and sewers and hidden places, far from the light of the sun and moon. They loosed something from within the bowels of the earth, something horrible. It is so horrible that I cannot place it in my mind, but it was ravenous, and consumed all of my peoples. I am the only one left of the Longstriders, and came south, as I have heard there are more of my kind to the south, closer to the great waters."

She considers Gardo's offer. "It is a generous offer, but I think I must refuse. I will continue south, instead, and seek my own folk."

http://orokos.com/roll/746746: 4#2d6+1 6 5 5 7

Gardo

Hearing her refusal, Gardo looks dispirited. He ponders for a few moments, absentmindedly sipping the wine. He finally returns his gaze to hers. "I can understand the desire to find kin, people who you can feel a connection with. My family was not really the best for making one feel warm, safe, understood. Dad was more about money so he could drink and gamble more, my brothers were just about making me miserable when they could do so. Once I left them and was working for my last boss full time, I found out that different people that had a common cause felt more like kin than what I was born into. Mariusz is more my brother than what I grew up with. This group of adventurers I'm with are more family than my father. One can always make their own kin."

"I would hope that you would reconsider my offer. While you are skilled, it concerns me that it might not be enough. We've encountered some serious things in these lands, bandits being the least of one's problems. Maybe some time travelling with myself and the group would allow you to hone your skills to a level where you could make the journey with fewer issues."

He stands up and stretches. "Earlier, you stated that I am worthy. If you would allow me, I would like to spend the rest of the night, comforting you from the loneliness you must feel. In the morning, after you have slept on it, if sleep even occurs, you may have a different thought on my proposal. Come, allow yourself to be comforted."

Anyway I could use my Lucky Knack to get a re-roll on some of those reaction rolls? I know it is outside of what is stated in the knack but it never hurts to try. Kinda wonder if I took this in a direction that you didn't expect.

Sure, I'll allow that. And no, I've kind of assumed that players will try and recruit anyone that seems interesting. I'm also, btw, assuming that we will fade to black on any bedroom scenes. I'm fine with including romance in games, but not interested in porn-y levels of detail.

Later that night . . .

One thing leads to another, and Gardo and Notai end up entangled under the velvety night sky. It is the day before the new moon, so the only light is that of a thousand stars, spread across the black like the ocean spume caught in a sunbeam. Later, she props herself up on her elbows. "Very well," she says, "I have reconsidered. I will accompany you and your companions, at least for the time being."

http://orokos.com/roll/746776: 4#2d6+1 7 11 7 6 That eleven is enough.

[thirdkingdom]

Newton returns the dagger to the vendor

"A pleasure to wield. I'm more of an axe man myself, but I don't suppose you get many of those?"

Micma Ume

"I have on occasion come across an axe. Next time you are in Rhea's Ford you may wish to find me again; inquire at the Dancing Fool inn. I maintain a private room there, even when I am not in the city, and the owner knows how to get in touch with me. I also purchase items, if you have any to sell."

[shaidar]

Newton

"I'll certainly keep in touch in case you come across an axe, and if we come across anything we think you might be interested in we'll let you know"

[VonAlric]

Anyway I could use my Lucky Knack to get a re-roll on some of those reaction rolls? I know it is outside of what is stated in the knack but it never hurts to try. Kinda wonder if I took this in a direction that you didn't expect.

Sure, I'll allow that. And no, I've kind of assumed that players will try and recruit anyone that seems interesting. I'm also, btw, assuming that we will fade to black on any bedroom scenes. I'm fine with including romance in games, but not interested in porn-y levels of detail.

Definitely not expecting this to be X-rated posting. I don't know you that well.
Thanks for the reroll.

Later that night . . .

One thing leads to another, and Gardo and Notai end up entangled under the velvety night sky. It is the day before the new moon, so the only light is that of a thousand stars, spread across the black like the ocean spume caught in a sunbeam. Later, she props herself up on her elbows. "Very well," she says, "I have reconsidered. I will accompany you and your companions, at least for the time being."

http://orokos.com/roll/746776: 4#2d6+1 7 11 7 6 That eleven is enough.

Gardo

Smiling in the dark, Gardo speaks in a hushed tone. "Please, don't mention those guys, I don't want to think about them right yet. Thank you for reconsidering. Once the day dawns, let us go and see what gear you may want. Also, if you desire, the.... leir? that I purchased from you, you can use it as needed. Now, stop thinking on those things until then."

Dang! I'm going to have to put some serious cajoling into other hirelings if I keep rolling that badly

[The_Wanderer]

Feargus

"I did not come here to purchase anything but my man, Goshawk here nearly died recently and I feel responsible. I will buy this blade for him...Goshawk - this gift is not given lightly...Next time keep your shield up...." Focusing on the merchant, he says, "and what of the enchanted blade, do you know what gifts it holds?"

[shaidar]

Newton

"I'll certainly keep in touch in case you come across an axe, and if we come across anything we think you might be interested in we'll let you know"

Newton turns to leave, pauses for a moment and then turns back to Micma Ume

"We do have something you might be interested in. I didn't mention it immediately because it's enchanted and we haven't yet had it examined by a mage or decided whether to keep it or not. Perhaps there is something you can tell us about it or direct us to someone who can examine it's enchantments"

He shows the magical spear to the weapon vendor.

always good to get a locals take on the mages available to examine such things