Town Business IV - Vaul

[KingOfCowards]

A worn-down Kennit Buckthorn wanders into the Assessor's office, scratching his head nervously, and clearly out of place.
"Sorry ta' trouble you sir. I've come across a string a bad luck...I...I was hoping you could give me a loan.
I know I must seem like an awful credit risk, but I actually had quite a bit of money before some bugbear stuck a sword through me.
Well anyways, all I have on me is the tools for my trade, and not enough coin to feed myself. So it's either the path of a highwayman or ask for a loan.
I can leave my short bow as collateral. It was worth 25 gold pieces when I got it. Not like I got any arrows for it anyway."

[Keehnelf]

The Assessor's hawkish face peers over his half-moon spectacles at the young, battleworn halfling and his mouth screws up in a tiny knot. "The crown of Vaul is not in the business of offering loans, young man," he says, drily, allowing the words to hang in the air like a judgment for a long moment before he continues.

"However. You are the one who was captured, are you not? It occurs to me that you might be among the very best at identifying the lieutenants of the host that assailed our town recently. I would be willing to offer you five gold pieces for a detailed description of each of them, so we might recognize which have survived and which have not, and the rest of the sum you request in exchange for your agreement to pursue those who have fled and bring them to justice in the name of the Crown."

[Keehnelf]

Lug is seen hurriedly departing the Wooden Keep, alone and agitated, just before the wizard Nihilius enters in the company of Sir Galen. While they are inside, Varas Varkain reappears, moving casually across the square toward the tavern once more.

[KingOfCowards]

The Assessor's hawkish face peers over his half-moon spectacles at the young, battleworn halfling and his mouth screws up in a tiny knot. "The crown of Vaul is not in the business of offering loans, young man," he says, drily, allowing the words to hang in the air like a judgment for a long moment before he continues.

"However. You are the one who was captured, are you not? It occurs to me that you might be among the very best at identifying the lieutenants of the host that assailed our town recently. I would be willing to offer you five gold pieces for a detailed description of each of them, so we might recognize which have survived and which have not, and the rest of the sum you request in exchange for your agreement to pursue those who have fled and bring them to justice in the name of the Crown."

Kennit cheers up, a better offer than he could have hoped. He starts counting off the lieutenants on his fingers as he speaks.
"Well, there was Viscarg. I'm sure you'd know him. Catstrangler was his bugbear. You wouldn't miss him either, he's about 7 feet tall with a mouthful of sharp teeth and one ear cut off. He had one those white-skinned goblin who had scars all over his body and a big "X" on his shirt. He rode a wolf, and rarely ever left Viscarg's side that I saw. The captain of his archers was a white-furred gnoll, a hyena-looking dog type guy. And then there was two huge orcs. They each carried scimitars and wore plate mail and rode dire wolves. You'd have to tell me who survived the battle, because I barely made it through miself.

If the Assessor seems unimpressed with his descriptions, he'll start embellishing; a mixture of physical details he can remember and made up quirks that you'd never tell from a dead body. The gnoll archer was actually crosseyed and the white goblin spoke with a feminine lisp.

[Keehnelf]

The Assessor seems a bit underwhelmed at first, but asks pointed questions for some time and eventually seems satisfied with the results, though he does give the halfling a few stern glances as he offers plausible but useless details in the course of things.

As a reaction roll:
Kennit's embellishments [2d6] = 7

Finally, he hands over the five gold coins as promised, admiring his copious notes. Then he becomes more businesslike once more. "So, pleasure on this exchange is all mine--please let me know if you would like to make an agreement with regard to the other part of my offer."

[AleBelly]

Lug is seen hurriedly departing the Wooden Keep, alone and agitated, just before the wizard Nihilius enters in the company of Sir Galen. While they are inside, Varas Varkain reappears, moving casually across the square toward the tavern once more.

Those watching from the outside see Varas stop at the entrance of the tavern, gather himself, and pull the hood of his cloak down low over his head. He enters...

[KingOfCowards]

The Assessor seems a bit underwhelmed at first, but asks pointed questions for some time and eventually seems satisfied with the results, though he does give the halfling a few stern glances as he offers plausible but useless details in the course of things.

As a reaction roll:
Kennit's embellishments [2d6] = 7

Finally, he hands over the five gold coins as promised, admiring his copious notes. Then he becomes more businesslike once more. "So, pleasure on this exchange is all mine--please let me know if you would like to make an agreement with regard to the other part of my offer."

"What exactly would that offer be sir? An agreement to hunt down the remaining officers? Or a bounty for their heads? I'd like to know which ones I would be hunting as well."

[Keehnelf]

"I will have to visit the field to confirm this, but I believe that the white-skinned goblin attaché, one of the orcs, and the bugbear known as Catstrangler all escaped in the retreat. Our deal would be: I pay you 20 gold coins now in exchange for your agreement to lead, or sign on to, a venture to bring these to justice either in the wild or upon their return here to Vaul. The Regent has placed a bounty in the Adventurers' Guild, and I am sure that a member who chose to organize such an endeavor would split the profits, while you would find yourself ahead 20 gold in advance."

[KingOfCowards]

Try as I might, I cannot find the bounties listed at the adventurer's guild.
Kennit gives it careful thought. "I have a score to settle with Catstrangler anyway. So I'll take yer gold. But if that bounty's not high enough, it will be tough to convince others to come along."

[Keehnelf]

That's because the Assessor doesn't yet have permission to post that bounty, but he will soon

[Keehnelf]

"Rest assured, it will be high enough, when combined with the desire for revenge that many already carry."

[KingOfCowards]

Kennit is seen leaving the Assessor's office with some extra coin in his belt pouch, he begins searching for Rhodri, the elf.

[Spartakos]

Kennit finds Rhodri sitting on the rooftop of a stables, watching the sunset over the walls and swigging from a bottle of wine. When he sees the much-scarred halfling approaching, he slides down the gently pitched roof and drops lightly to the street. Dusting himself off a bit, he gives Kennit a small and sardonic smile and offers him the bottle.

"Never thought I'd see you alive again, after those hobs caught us. But I proved too slippery for them, and you proved too tough. Well, I'm not one to dwell. How are you fixed for coin and work?"

[KingOfCowards]

Kennit manages a smile, and accepts the bottle from Rhodri.
"Yeah, a fine pair we make. Both of us captured, but too stubborn or stupid to die. I don't know which.". He takes a long swig off the bottle, it's the first decent drink he's had in days.
"Coin could be better. I managed to squeeze out a few golds from the Assessor, but it's not nearly as much as I left Vaul with all those weeks ago. As for work, it so happens that there will be some bounties up at the mercenary adventurer's guild for those rat bastards that captured us. The pay could be good, but I also owe that bugbear a good skewering."

[Spartakos]

Rhodri puts on a pained look. "Revenge may be sweet, but it can be bad for your health. I don't mind collecting a bounty if the money is commensurate with the risk, but I'd want to be careful about our hunting. You got an idea of which way they were heading?" He starts leading the halfling back toward Ghrym's, so they can plan more efficiently over a few pints.

[Zorroroaster]

Orrin wanders into the general store and asks to purchase the following:

1 shortbow
1 quarrel (20 arrows)
1 hammer
12 iron spikes
1 lantern
2 pints of oil

With markup it comes to 48 gold, 8 silver, 4 copper. He hands the merchant an even 49 gold, collects hs items and hurries out.

[Keehnelf]

May 20, 1 VC - 6:40am

Morning dawns, and with it a new era in the life of our young town. Effective today, the Regent has ordered the gates open to those who would journey back into the wilderness for profit, glory, or whatever other motive might drive them forth. Those who have been planning such expeditions gather in the morning in their various places in expectation, hoping for good weather and good fortune on their way.

The air is cool, but the sky is clear and it will likely turn quite warm by the afternoon. A sign hangs outside the Wooden Keep announcing that today will be the first Open Court session and announces the agenda (see the Open Court thread).

Feel free to do the final organizing of expeditions in the tavern (or wherever is appropriate to your group and mission, like the Adventurers' Guild) and I will get them posted.

[Zhym]

Melvin rents a room at the inn, paying for two weeks in advance (-1.4 gp) and requesting that he not be disturbed.

[Starbeard]

A very bald Seadu returns to town with Melvin and also books a basic room for two weeks (to 3 June), plus stabling for his loyal but understandably freaked out mule, Capilla.

(-2gp 8sp)

[Marullus]

Bromricreturns with Seadu, Melvin, Mokatoah, Martin, and Abi Sadira. He stables Gustav his stoic little pony and rents a private room as well. He is seen the next day getting a new handle for his axe and inquiring about excavating materials.

(-3gp 8sp)