Cycle 1063 (Winter): Day 14: Dancer (group)

[atpollard]

Cycle 1063 (Winter): Day 14: Shift 3: 5 Bells [Poage Fleet]
Jacques Bonnet, Remy Hernandez, Mercutio Routledge, Samuel Linkletter, Josephine Baxter-Smith, Nathaniel

Josephine commanded the thief to empty his pockets.

“You got it all wrong.” he said with a nervous smile as he began to comply by setting the pencil and piece of paper on a crate.

He removed a small leather coin purse (contains Cr 48) bearing the name ‘Richard’ from a pocket and set it beside the pencil.

Then he removed a small wooden box which he opened to reveal two, polished Bronze Five-cent (1/20 credit) coins.

Half of a sandwich wrapped in wax-covered paper (you can smell the spicy sauce).

One hard-boiled egg.

Carved wood figurine of a club-shaped fish covered in star-shaped spiked scales.


A roughly scribbled map on a piece of paper, folded up three times.


Linkletter was heading back to the ship, slightly annoyed deep-water folk in general and the local population in particular, when he saw a man climb out the window of the ‘Dancer’ and take off running. Ready for trouble, Doc drew his large frame revolver and hurried aboard. Entering the Cargo Hold the man had just fled from, Doc discovered Jo holding a large wrench and threatening a boy a little younger than herself. Doc pointed his gun at the prisoner.

“I just wanted to make a deal.” said Richard, his voice rising an octave as his eyes became large and round.

[Urson]

Jo
Jo lowered the wrench a fraction. I have it wrong? Please, enlighten me. Her voice is still calm and conversational.

[atpollard]

Cycle 1063 (Winter): Day 14: Shift 3: 5 Bells [Poage Fleet]
Jacques Bonnet, Remy Hernandez, Mercutio Routledge, Samuel Linkletter, Josephine Baxter-Smith, Nathaniel

“I just wanted to make a deal.” said Richard staring at the pistol pointed at him.

“I have it wrong? Please, enlighten me.” calmly responded Josephine.

Robert took the folded paper and pencil and began reading and scribbling … “Do you have anything besides machine parts?” he inquired. “Any Precision Instruments or Manufactured goods?” “Any live animals or spices?” He stared at the large bore pistol Linkletter was holding and whispered “Do you have any Military Weapons?” He offered a small smile “Those command a very high price right now.”

Richard explained that under ordinary circumstances, he would actually be able to get a pretty good price for the machine parts, but you arrived at a bad time to sell and the local market is very soft. The best he can do is 6 credits per kilogram, which is a half credit better than they will get on the street. [FYI: Machine Parts = Cr 10/kg base price].

“Are you looking to buy?” Richard asked hopefully. Consulting his scrap of paper, he can offer you his best deal on Basic Food (Cr 2 base) for 1.7 credits per kilogram or Luxury Food (Cr 20 base) for 17 credits per kilogram. He claims that is 5% below the street price for Luxury and 10% below the street price for Basic. He can also get you a good deal on bulk Pharmaceuticals (Cr 100 base) at 90 credits per kilogram, Spices (Cr 6 base) at 5.7 credits per kilogram and Illegal Luxuries (Cr 50 base) at 47.5 credits per kilogram.

If you are just interested in some hard to get items, Richard has a lead on some Partially Refined Tin Ore (Cr 20 base) for 20 credits per kilogram, Illegal Biochemicals (Cr 50 base) at 52.5 credits per kilogram and Illegal Drugs (Cr 100 base) at 115 credits per kilogram.

“I saved the best for last” Richard said with a little more confidence. “I couldn’t help but notice that you have an empty gun mount on the bow. I know where you can get a weapon to fill that spot.” Richard shrugged “If something like that might interest you?”

Richard has three weapons to offer …

A 9 cm Bronze Howitzer with a 108 cm barrel that fires 3 kg solid iron shot with a 0.5 kg charge. The gun weighs 267 kg and costs Cr 1,366 (base).
Point blank range = 20 m = 2+ (2d6) = 31d6 damage
Short range = 277 m = 6+ (2d6) = 26d6 damage
Medium range = 450 m = 8+ (2d6) = 23d6 damage
Long range = 549 m = 10+ (2d6) = 21d6 damage
Extreme range = 590 m = 12+ (2d6) = 21d6 damage

An 8 cm Iron Howitzer with a 96 cm barrel that fires 2 kg solid iron shot with a 0.3 kg charge. The gun weighs 272 kg and costs Cr 136 (base).
Point blank range = 20 m = 2+ (2d6) = 26d6 damage
Short range = 274 m = 6+ (2d6) = 21d6 damage
Medium range = 442 m = 8+ (2d6) = 18d6 damage
Long range = 537 m = 10+ (2d6) = 17d6 damage
Extreme range = 576 m = 12+ (2d6) = 16d6 damage

A 10 cm Iron Carronade with a 60 cm barrel that fires 4 kg solid iron shot with a 0.3 kg charge. The gun weighs 266 kg and costs Cr 133 (base).
Point blank range = 14 m = 2+ (2d6) = 25d6 damage
Short range = 193 m = 6+ (2d6) = 22d6 damage
Medium range = 321 m = 8+ (2d6) = 20d6 damage
Long range = 397 m = 10+ (2d6) = 19d6 damage
Extreme range = 428 m = 12+ (2d6) = 19d6 damage


[FYI: Just for comparison, here is the classic Navy 24-pounder Cannon (not available through Richard).]

24-pounder: a 15 cm Bronze Cannon with a 270 cm barrel that fires 12 kg solid iron shot with a 4 kg charge. The gun weighs 1856 kg and costs Cr 9,281 (base).
Point blank range = 26 m = 2+ (2d6) = 87d6 damage
Short range = 368 m = 6+ (2d6) = 75d6 damage
Medium range = 604 m = 8+ (2d6) = 68d6 damage
Long range = 743 m = 10+ (2d6) = 64d6 damage
Extreme range = 800 m = 12+ (2d6) = 62d6 damage

A quick note on bronze vs iron guns. A Bronze gun is stronger, lighter and safer, but 1 kg of bronze costs 10 times as much as 1 kg of iron. The greatest difference is in safety since bronze fails by stretching and tearing open, while cast iron fails by exploding like a pipe bomb. In game, an iron cannon must roll a save anytime a natural roll of 2 comes up on the “to hit” (1,1). Roll 6+ for the gun to be fine; 3-5 for the gun to develop stress cracks (damaged) and exactly 2 to explode like a bomb. [an explosion requires four consecutive “1’s” (1 in 1296 chance).]

[Bluetongue]

Nathaniel

How long are we planning to stay here? I might be tempted to dive, especially for pearls but realistically that is a full working day and I think we have more pressing concerns?

If the purchase and fixing of a gun delays our departure then he will use that time to befriend a diving crew and assist their operation.

Nathaniel: Sub-aqua +1 End +1 [2d6+2]=3+2=5

[Monsieur Rose]

Jacques

He thanks the group for the information and wishes them all fortune during the winter.

Jacques will head back to the ship to relieve Jo, as promised.

[Urson]

Jo
Jo is very skeptical, and it shows. My friend, I grew up in a Trading family- The Baxter-Smith Consortium. I never saw a Trader- or a Port contact- who snuck aboad a vessel to offer his wares.
Dr Linkletter- do you believe this man?

[ffilz]

I’m rather skeptical. So why are you really here?

[atpollard]

Cycle 1063 (Winter): Day 14: Shift 3: 6 Bells [Poage Fleet]
Jacques Bonnet, Remy Hernandez, Mercutio Routledge, Samuel Linkletter, Josephine Baxter-Smith, Nathaniel

Nathaniel pondered the chance to Deep-Dive and search for valuable pearls with these elite divers and his mind wandered into fantasies of treasures and adventures. It was while drifting off in a flight of fantasy, that an old-timer with a shaky hand from some sort of permanent nerve damage told a tale of being overcome by the feeling of drunkenness that creeps up on a man in the Deep just before you slip into the darkness. Suddenly you are laying on the deck of a ship surrounded by divers with a look you never want a man to look at you with. They tell you all about how they dragged your lifeless body from the water. They tell you about the 20 minutes that the Medic worked to revive you. They tell you how it is some sort of miracle that you are still alive.

“… but you don’t remember none of it. All you know is that you can’t stop your hands from shaking and your career as a diver is over.” said the old man.

Deep diving suddenly seemed a lot less glamorous to Nathaniel. Somewhere in the distance six-bells marked the hour.

[atpollard]

Cycle 1063 (Winter): Day 14: Shift 3: 6 Bells [Poage Fleet]
Jacques Bonnet, Remy Hernandez, Mercutio Routledge, Samuel Linkletter, Josephine Baxter-Smith, Nathaniel

“… who snuck aboard a vessel to offer his wares.” said Josephine.

“So why are you really here?” said Linkletter .

“I got no wares to offer!” snapped Richard “I’m no artisan. That’s not what I do.” He turned angrily towards Dr Linkletter “… and I told you why I was REALLY here.”

“This is all YOUR fault!” Richard said to Jo and Doc, waving his arms to indicate that he meant the entire ship. “We asked what you had and what you wanted when you first arrived, but all of you just brushed off the locals to stomp off on your own. As if you had any chance of finding a deal that I don’t know about or getting a better price than I can negotiate.” Richard picked up his paper and pencil. “Creating a deal required finding a buyer and a seller. Finding a buyer and a seller requires knowing what it is that you have to sell.” He rolled his eyes and spread his hands “but no, YOU are all too busy or too important to talk to me. So here I am trying to figure out what you have and what you need without any help at all from any of you.”

“Your ungrateful, that’s what you are.” Richard said as Jacques stepped aboard the ship to relieve Jo and find out what the commotion was that he heard as he approached.

“You are ungrateful.” Richard said pointing at Jo.

“… and you are ungrateful.” Richard said pointing at Doc.

“… and you are ungrateful.” Richard said as he turned to point at Jacques as he entered the cargo hold.

“I don’t care what dad says, no commission is worth this.” grumbled Richard. Holding his head up he announced “I don’t want to help sell your stupid cargo. I don’t want to help you purchase supplies at a discount. I don’t want the 5% commission. I decided that I just don’t like you people.”

Richard stared hard at the Gun in Doc’s hand “The only really sad part about your shooting me …” he smiled “… is that I will not get to see Uncle Lucius hang you up in a cage and leave you to rot for it.”

For anyone that can make an ability check to evaluate Richard (roll in private, I don’t need to see):

Roll INT or less on 2d6

Richard is not a criminal mastermind (whatever else his strengths or flaws might be). He is impulsive, acting on instinct with little thought of either the future or consequences. He is physically more nimble than strong and might have outrun you if he had thought to try.

Roll EDU or less on 2d6

Richard is actually fairly well educated. Not a college scholar, but someone trained to think and manage rather than just a menial laborer. His callouses are from writing, not from a hammer.

Roll SOC or less on 2d6

Richard is solidly from the middle class. He has had some formal education, learned some manners and adopted a position within society’s hierarchy. He appears equally accustomed to giving orders as taking them. Probably the son of a shopkeeper apprenticed in the trade … above a mere craftsman but below a professional.

[Bluetongue]

Nathaniel

Well I am glad the bells do not toll for me just yet. An inauspicious death, he doesn't want to be fish food just yet.

He will thank the guys and medic. Once dry and back in his feet he will try and question the medic politely regarding any amounts of quinine, comfrey and sedatives he might have or be able to trade.

"There is a Doctor on our ship but I believe his supplies are running low. Perhaps I could
introduce you both?"

[atpollard]

@ Nathaniel

Just to be clear, Nathaniel was daydreaming in a bar when an old diver told a tale about an event like the one that you rolled which happened to the old sailor. Had Nathaniel been Deep Diving and failed a “survival” roll … I would have let you choose one ability to subtract (-1) from as a consequence of dying and being revived. The attribute would have defined the “scar” from the event.

-1 STR = dead muscle results in permanent weakness in one arm/leg and a dull ache that never goes away.
-1 DEX = permanent neurological damage resulting in small tremors.
-1 END = lung damage results in cough during exertion and vulnerability to colds.
-1 INT = loss of cognitive function; has to work at focusing on something or your mind wanders.
-1 EDU = loss of memories; short term memory loss.
-1 SOC = PTSD; people avoid you.

… as it is, Nathaniel just drank in a bar, thought about diving and heard a story about a dive that ended badly. I was not clear enough.

[Monsieur Rose]

Jacques

Jacques comes on the scene just in time to be chastised. His eyes narrow and his hand twitches for his gun, but eventually, he just laughs.

"I can't quite tell if you're joking, crafty, or just crazy. I think I'll settle on ballsy. Yup. That's the biggest load of bull I've heard come out of someone's mouth besides mine."

"Stay still and quiet for a moment while I catch up, will you?" Jacques asks for and presumably gets the entire story of Richard the ballsy.

"Ah. Interesting." He turns back to Richard. "Let's start over, shall we? I'm Jacques and I'm the Captain. You didn't insult us, and we didn't find you snooping about and pull a gun on you. In return, you tell us who your dad is, and then we can discuss business and the expected way of doing it."

"What do you think?"

[atpollard]

Cycle 1063 (Winter): Day 14: Shift 3: 6 Bells [Poage Fleet]
Jacques Bonnet, Remy Hernandez, Mercutio Routledge, Samuel Linkletter, Josephine Baxter-Smith, Nathaniel

"What do you think?" said Jacques as he extended a verbal olive branch Richard, your quick-tempered “thief”.

"At least tell me you have more to sell than just these machine parts," Robert replied with less anger but still an attitude of general mistrust "and I can at least have my lunch and personal belongings back." (Without waiting for a response, he began to retrieve the contents of his pockets from the crate where he set them.)

"My father?" Richard said with a tone of curiosity "Why do you care about William Poage?" [after some prodding for information, you learn that William Poage is in the Polymer business, producing rubberized seals and specialty adhesives from the ‘latex’ extracted from certain plants. His products have few direct retail applications but are valuable to other manufacturers and tradesmen. William had a lot to say about how Richard should run his business to be a success. Richard was forced to hear, but doesn’t always listen.]

Ultimately, Richard is a young Broker with limited experience but not without training. If the group expresses an interest in actually buying or selling something, Richard suddenly expresses a great deal of enthusiasm. The emotion is not faked, Richard is just emotionally volatile and lives in the moment.

[ffilz]

Satisfied that Richard isn't out to cause trouble, Doc Linkletter will holster his gun and leave it to the others to deal with Richard.

[Bluetongue]

Nathaniel

'Gosh, that story seemed so real' he thinks of the old seadogs story. Feeling a bit like a 'Jonah' bringing an impending storm, he finishes at the bar returns to the steamer.

[Monsieur Rose]

Jacques

"Glad to see we could dial things back a bit." Jacques smiles as the situation gets back under control.

"I'd be interested in a gun mount, and I'm sure others have ideas of their own. Those seals and adhesives sound interesting."

[Urson]

Jo
Jo frowns deeply, but seems to relax a bit. You have a LOT to learn about Trading, young man. I hope you survive long enough to learn.
To Jaques: Thank you for returning so quickly. I believe I will stay onboard- at least long enough to hear what this young Broker has to offer. The sarcasm in her voice when she says 'Broker' is thick enough to use for axle grease.

[atpollard]

Cycle 1063 (Winter): Day 14: Shift 3: 6 Bells [Poage Fleet]
Jacques Bonnet, Remy Hernandez, Mercutio Routledge, Samuel Linkletter, Josephine Baxter-Smith, Nathaniel

“I'd be interested in a gun mount” said Jacques as the negotiations began under Jo’s watchful eye.

“So you’ve nothing else to trade?” replied Richard, followed by a brief pause and a soft rebuke directed towards Jo’s sarcasm “Not really much of a trader are you. However, gold is always accepted by local merchants.”

Richard explained that he collected a fee of 1% of the price of the sale for arranging things. Upon examination, Richard collects 1% from both the buyer and the seller (2% total).

If you are interested in selling the Machine Parts:
Machine Parts (10 Cr/kg) … local market = 5.5 Cr/kg … Richard = 6 Cr/kg

If you are interested in buying speculative cargo (100 kg to 4000 kg):
Basic Food (2 Cr/kg) … local market = 1.9 Cr/kg … Richard = 1.7 Cr/kg
Luxury Food (20 Cr/kg) … local market = 18 Cr/kg … Richard = 17 Cr/kg
Pharmaceuticals (100 Cr/kg) … local market = 95 Cr/kg … Richard = 90 Cr/kg
Deep Water Spices (6 Cr/kg) … local market = 6 Cr/kg … Richard = 5.7 Cr/kg
Illegal Luxuries (50 Cr/kg) … local market = 50 Cr/kg … Richard = 47.5 Cr/kg
Tin Ore (20 Cr/kg) … local market = 21 Cr/kg … Richard = 20 Cr/kg
Illegal Biochem (50 Cr/kg) … local market = 55 Cr/kg … Richard = 52.5 Cr/kg
Illegal Drugs (100 Cr/kg) … local market = 120 Cr/kg … Richard = 115 Cr/kg

If you are interested in buying heavy weapons (each):
9 cm Bronze Howitzer (267 kg, Cr 1,366) … Richard = 1,069 Credits
8 cm Iron Howitzer (272 kg, Cr 136) … Richard = 231 Credits
10 cm Iron Carronade (266 kg, Cr 133 ) … Richard = 160 Credits

Raw Polymers (7 Cr/kg) will require visiting Richard’s father to convince him to sell. He is a commercial manufacturer (wholesale) and does not sell products for retail or speculative trade.

If you are looking for some really small guns, Richard might know someone with a couple of 7 cm guns on swivels capable of about half the range and damage as these guns (+/- 14d6 at point blank range) … but less than 100 kg each, so two men can carry them wherever you need them.

Nathaniel returns as Jacques and Richard are discussing Small Bronze Cannon (Swivel Guns).

[Urson]

Jo

Jo soon tires of the young Trader. You gentlemen do what you think best. I would prefer a good swivel gun, so that we can hide it easily when we wish to be friendly.
She excuses herself, and leaves The Dancer. She browses the marketplace, looking for exotic foods and other rarities that would be likely to fetch good prices.

[Bluetongue]

Nathaniel

As the guys consider a mount for the gun, Nathaniel will make a few notes and discuss any adjustments necessary to bulwark the deck and cushion the recoil effects of such a weapon on the ship stresses.

With his carpentry forte, he can make himself useful while the ship is at anchor.

Nathaniel uses skill to assess Craft (ship building) [2d6+2]=9+2=11