Greed is Good (IC)

[Gullara]

Cecily, however, does approach. She tries to give Adrian's shoulder a brief squeeze. Enough to let him know that there are people there for him. She doesn't add to Indrys' word, though. Instead she steps back to stand by Glaffin after a moment.

[Slii Arhem]

Glaffin nods to Cecily, "Best get those shovels if you can anyway. They'll be a help if Thorus wants to move that big rock the bandit said was over the cache. If you dig out under it on one side, you can roll it off easy enough. Excuse me now..." The dwarf steps up to the graves, and kneels between them with his hands against the earth.

"May a mighty tree grow from each who lay buried here, and may a peaceful glen grow from those trees. May this earth be forever salted to those with evil in their hearts, and repulse those who would again use it for such deeds as were seen here today. May this peace last, for as long as the love we hold for you lasts, and for as long as your names bring a song to the hearts of those who would remember it fondly. May this peace follow you on your travels beyond, Janek and Merla, as you find your eternal rest."

Without further ceremony, Glaffin stands, not bothering to brush the fresh mud from his heavy work pants.

"I'll do what I'm able to help strip the camp, but I'd like to be away from here as soon as I can. I don't think I'm fit to stand with them here anymore than these bandits would be." He turns and walks off to begin his share of the looting, perhaps joining Alec on his rounds to help him search.

[Destro_Yersul]

Nodding to Thorus, the bandit started walking again. The most he could manage with his feet tied was a brisk walk, but it was fast enough to get them both away from the graves, something which seemed to be to the man's liking. He led the ex-soldier through the bandit's former camp, around to one of the larger rocks, right on the outskirts of the common area. There he stopped, nodded down at a smaller rock next to the big one, and waited. Thorus had seen that one on his earlier trip searching for the treasure, but it didn't look like it had been moved all that recently. A closer inspection, now that he knew where to look, revealed a few broken blades of grass and some disturbed earth near the base.

---

1

Meanwhile, Alec had brought one of the horses over to the storage area, and was going through the barrels, prying the tops off to look inside and see what they contained. Most of them were full of ale, though one had been packed nearly to the top with salted pork. There were a pair of small crates filled with wine bottles. Pulling one out, Alec read the label. Red wines, from the Dragonspine Isles. He recognized the vinyard, too. These were expensive. Probably fifty gold for the lot, more if they could find the right buyer. The last crate, half buried under sacks of fresh apples, was filled with cloth. Fine silks, in varied colours, and one bolt of what looked like woven silver.

---

1

Adrian stayed silent throughout, sobbing quietly onto the earth. He waited until after Glaffin was finished before looking up, turning his head to face the dwarf. "Thank you," he said. Then, looking back at the ground, his hand still resting on the dirt, he gave it a brief pat and tried to stand. "I hope that reaches them. I'll... I'll stay here, for now. Let me know when you're finished. I... I might be ready to leave by then."

[Blarghy]

The foodstuff only vaguely appeals to Alec, who treats himself to an apple, a thick slab of the pork, and finally some ale to wash it down (taking a cup from the gambling table if necessary, however morbid that may feel). He can't see any of that bringing in large enough profits to lug the barrels back across the hills, at least not without a cart. The rest, though, he pulls from the crates with interest, and soon starts packing it back up for transport.

The wine bottles, he carefully stores in his horse's saddlebags, along with any spare cloth he can find to protect them. If the storage area has a canvas roof, or if there're tents in the camp, Alec has no problem shredding them into strips. He'll need plenty of some fabric or another, not just for the wine but also to wrap the silk. Those bolts, once they're covered up, are tied to the saddle as well. Alec is particularly gentle with the silvery cloth. Depending on the size of the bolts, he might need to use a second horse too.

When he's finished, he looks to see if the guards followed his advice to search for more mounts and helps with that chore unless it's already completed. Climbing either the storage structure or the largest hill/rock in the immediate area should give him a better vantage point to look for the runaway horses.

[Slii Arhem]

Glaffin will help Alec with the packing of the bolts of cloth, having little interest in the wine save for its potential monetary value, but looking on the silvery cloth with curious eyes. Now just what could be made from that...

Dragging his mind away from it for the moment, he goes back to the barrels and grabs as many sacks of the apples as he can carry, so that he can give each of the horses a treat, and a few extras just in case they round up some more. The salted pork is fine for a stationary camp like this, but it makes for poor road rations when water might be scarce. Apples can be eaten for quite a while dried, or fed to the horses if there's no other use for them.

[The Orange Zergling]

Thorus nods and examines the rock and surrounding ground more closely, trying to determine if it is to be moved or if it is actually buried and a shovel will be required. He looks around at his companions when they open the barrels, looking wistfully at the ale and fruit, but figures there will still be some in a few minutes. He returns his attention to the task at hand.

Spoiler

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Search check: (1d20+3)[10]

[Gullara]

Cecily nods to Glaffin and doesn't offer a word. She just goes to track down a shovel or two. Provided she does locate shovels, she'll bring them along with her and go over to Thorus. "Any luck?" She asks as she stops to lean against a shovel and wait.

[Destro_Yersul]

The ground around the rock didn't look too disturbed, which meant they would likely have to move the rock. The shovel could be used as leverage for that; with enough people working on it, it shouldn't be too hard to shift. Though there was, unfortunately, just the one shovel, there was soon to be a surfeit of assistance. The guards had returned, leading three horses by the reins.

"Found 'em wandering nearby," Ehrlson explained. "They must have come back here after their riders got knocked off."

Spoiler

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It'll be a DC15 Strength check to move the boulder using the shovel as a lever, but you can only get help from one person if you do that. Picking the rock up is a DC30 check, but you can get help from up to 7 other people. Rolling the boulder over without the shovel is DC20, and you can have help from two people. The person actually taking the test can take 20, though, so unless you want to try picking the rock up...

[Slii Arhem]

Glaffin drops one of the sacks near the new horses, and gestures to it with his free hand while he hefts the other up over a shoulder, "Should give them all a treat then, to calm them down. They might be liable to buck if they go out in a lather like that." He knows how stubborn his mule can get when it's spooked.

"I'm going to help Thorus out. Think you'll be alright rounding the horses up and having them ready once we get whatever's under that rock pried up?" Glaffin asks Ehrlson with a small smile. The guard was dependable, and the dwarf was already looking forward to the triumphant ride back home, even if none of this money belonged to them. Glaffin knew that his opinion would be in the minority here, but robbing dead bandits didn't sit well with him, and he planned on making a tally of every cent of his share. Some day, he vowed to pass the money on when he no longer had desperate need of it.

[The Orange Zergling]

Thorus stands back from the rock and scratches his chin. "Looks like this's the place. Ain't tried anythin' yet, though." He sniffles and, assuming Cecily lets him, takes a shovel and plants it firmly at the base of the rock. "Gimme a hand with this, wouldja?" he asks, sincerely. Or, at least as sincerely as someone like him can come off as. He throws his immense weight into the shovel, using it to move the rock.

Spoiler

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Thorus will take 20 on a Strength check aided by the shovel to move the rock.

[Destro_Yersul]

"Sure thing." Ehrlson replied, letting the other guard take the reins of the horses while he busied himself fetching apples out of the sack. "Don't be sharing out the treasure without us, though." It was inflected like a joke, and the guard certainly seemed happy enough to feed the horses apples, the big animals whickering happily about the treats, so Glaffin went to assist Thorus.

With the spade, levering the rock up was easy enough. It only took Thorus a few good heaves before the stone rolled over, exposing the earth underneath. It was packed down from the weight of the rock, but it had been disturbed recently enough; their bandit friend was telling at least some truth.

Using the spade for its proper purpose, Thorus started digging. He hit something wooden with a hollow thunk after only a couple seconds. Digging the small chest out took a few minutes more, and then they pried it up out of the hole. The metal latch was covered in dirt, and brushing it off revealed nothing too surprising: a keyhole.

[Gullara]

No doubt Cecily would have provided some help, though likely it was little in comparison to Thorus' strength. Once they do have it moved and it's dug up, Cecily crouches down to get a better look. "I don't suppose anyone found a key, did they?" She doesn't sound especially hopeful.

[The Orange Zergling]

Thorus tosses the shovel aside and, just in case, tries to open the chest anyway. Assuming it is indeed locked, he steps back a moment and wipes his brow. "I didn't find anythin' that'd open this, no." He sniffles and adds, "Might be able to break it open but I dunno what that'd do t' the contents. Or what the contents are."

[Artemis97]

Laelaer wanders over to the group gathered around the newly dug up chest. "Can any of you pick the lock?" She asks, clearly not thinking it was an unusual skill to have. She knew the basics herself, but did not make a habit of carrying the proper tools with her since she came to the surface. Apparently in some places they might arrest you for being caught with them. She wasn't willing to take the risk.

[Blarghy]

After having gotten turned around and nearly lost looking for the horses, only to find that the caravan guards have already collected them, Alec notices everyone gathering in one place and goes to see what's happening. Laelaer's question perks his attention before he gets close enough to see the chest. Unlike her, though, he's usually a bit more cautious about how he announces this talent.

Still, if widespread killing sits better with this group than potential signs of petty thievery, he'd like to know anyway so he can slip away before other craziness raises its head. "I may have spent some time as a locksmith," he muses while rubbing his beard. The implication being that he probably didn't, but they can pretend for the sake of any conscience that might care.

[Slii Arhem]

"I might be able to make you a lock, given some time and a proper forge, but I've never tried before so I wouldn't know the first thing about taking one apart." Glaffin comments, showing no distaste for Alec's thinly veiled mention of his past. What was past was past, and best left there if they were to move on. If Glaffin were to catch the "sailor", or anyone for that matter, committing an illegal act, he'd have something to say about it, but a legal use for what some might consider an unsavory skill merits no real mention.

[Blarghy]

One hopes there'll be no catching, then.

After a short trip back to his horse, Alec returns with a durable leather bag. He sits by the chest and starts pulling out a variety of simple, worn tools.

"This will probably take some time," he says. "I don't mind an audience, but at least a few of you might want to finish stripping down the camp of anything we can take, especially now that we have enough horses to haul everything. Not that I expect to be left entirely alone with our spoils." He laughs with good humor and slides one straight and one hooked pick into the lock.

Spoiler

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I'm almost positive I'll have to take a 20 on this, and if it's a really good lock, I won't be able to do it at all. I'll attempt a straight roll first, just in case (you never know), but if it doesn't work, then Alec will keep at it until he sees results.

Basic roll: (1d20+8)[26]

For the 20: 28

[Destro_Yersul]

Alec had to clean some dirt out of the lock before the pick would slide in, but once he had it went in easily. The lock wasn't a particularly difficult one to open, though he doubted any of the bandits would have been able to manage it without a proper key. It was likely meant more as a safeguard against the honour of thieves than it was for anything else. He popped it open after only a few moments, pushing the lid back.

Small wonder the chest had been heavy. It was packed with silver and copper coins, nearly to the top, as well as a small leather pouch with a drawstring. The pirate checked that first, confirming it was full of gold. The chest itself must have held almost three thousand coins, though it looked like around a third of them were less valuable copper ones. Still, it was a hoard worth talking about.

[Blarghy]

He's visibly surprised at his own success. "...Huh."

Then, pleased, he stands up to let everyone else have a look. "I suppose we could take the whole chest, if we balance and tie it to a saddle properly, but it might be better to divide it up into smaller bags. While we're here, since we have the other coin from the bodies, we could even take our shares in advance for the sake of efficiency."

He deliberately doesn't say how large he thinks those shares should be. If someone suggests that they leave Tallhelm--and, indeed, the whole rest of the caravan--out of the spoils, it won't be the man who just displayed some pretty decent thief skills. His suspicious quota has been about filled for the day. Although, Alec is very much interested in seeing who might do it in his place. Thorus is the easy bet, with Laelaer coming in a close second.

[Slii Arhem]

"We can divide it into eighths, a share for everyone who risked their life for it. That's how fighting men and women of my clan operated, and no one at home expected something they didn't earn." There's an implication there about what exactly Tallhelm didn't do to earn his "share" of the gold from the bodies of the fallen. He didn't begrudge a man who'd fallen in combat a share of the profits, but the boasting afterwards made him regret ever signing on with the caravan. Tallhelm made combat sound glorious even after being mortally wounded and knocked past his senses, and Glaffin despised it.

He turns back to where Adrian and the graves were, and bile rises in his throat, "Maybe ninths. Some of us here have lost more than our lives today." He looks back to the rest of those present, silently asking whether what he proposed will be well received. Normally in a large group like this, he'd have no trouble dividing up everything fairly and everyone getting a pittance instead of a heap. When it came to combat, there was little enough reason to take a man's life even without what you fought over being divided up by those who spent no blood and fear-filled moments looking death in the face and pulling a trigger or swinging an axe.

[Blarghy]

Alec follows his gaze and finds himself surprised for the second time, and once again pleasantly so. "That's an idea," he says simply, his tone thoughtful and plainly only in reference to the second proposal; he deliberately has nothing to offer concerning Tallhelm.

Is this the way it's meant to be? The two of them vying for the boy's attention, to see who molds him? Such a struggle could cause any manner of damage if done improperly, if he and Glaffin fight for it. On the other hand, if they present their methods and ideologies and let Adrian decide over time, perhaps picking from each, the final result could be surprisingly well-adjusted. Spectacular, even. A puppy might experience some confusion over two different trainers, but that's better than the pair each grabbing one end and ripping the poor thing in half. If Alec's way wins, then so much the better. If not...well, he does respect Glaffin. The world needs his sort too. Even if Adrian doesn't follow Alec's path, the pirate can still be satisfied so long as he follows one at all.

"I find myself in agreement, with a small modification: given his age and possible future, I think you should hold his share and use it for his well-being. He'll hopefully be traveling with us. Mister Tallhelm has offered him employment, of a sort, to repay the role he played. Especially with his friends gone, I hope he'll take the offer; otherwise, it's hard to say where he might end up." Hard, but not impossible. Alec decides to keep the most likely destination to himself.

He adds, thinking that some might not like the new split, "A fairer alternative might be for you and I to set aside half of our shares for him. We should not make the decision for anyone else."

[The Orange Zergling]

Thorus whistles in amazement, and can't help but raise his eyebrows. His eagerness is diminished somewhat when he realizes the coins are copper orange rather than golden yellow, but it was still a hefty sum. He was satisfied with the find.

When his compatriots begin speaking of how to divide the loot, he thumbs his nose and adds, "Eight er nine ways sounds fair ta me. Y'all chipped in, after all." Strictly speaking, if he had been calling the shots, Adrian would not have gotten a share, but the sum is being divided amongst enough people either way that Thorus doesn't care to raise the issue.

The Tallhelm issue crosses his mind as well, and while he decides against openly decrying his employer, he does venture a related opinion, in a half-serious sort of tone; "Anyone startin' ta notice that fightin' bandits is payin' a whole lot better than guard duty?" He grins slightly-lopsidedly. While he was largely serious, if anybody called him out on it he would claim to only be joking.

[Gullara]

"I wouldn't mind it being split between us either." Cecily adds. She doesn't hold any incredibly strong loyalty to Tallhelm, and she definitely isn't opposed to having some extra money lining her purse.

As for Thorus' little suggestion, Cecily keeps her face carefully neutral until the others offer their own opinions. The idea of traveling around fighting all the time certainly doesn't appeal to her, however. She's not well suited to it and she'd rather avoid putting herself into positions where she could end up dead.

[Blarghy]

Lately, every time Thorus says something, Alec thinks that their demigod of war will probably end up being one of his most useful allies. Assuming, of course, that Thorus doesn't go off the deep end and start burning whole towns.

"There's always money in justice," he (perhaps) agrees. His tone has a wry hint to it, although it's hard to say about what.

[Slii Arhem]

"No, there's money in murder, that's what went on here today. We risked our lives to put an end to a threat, then risked them again trying to save people long dead. That risk, and the fact that we're still alive, is the only reason there was a greater reward at the end. I refuse to think of what we did here today as just. It was desperate, not precisely evil, and not profoundly good, but I saw nothing just in our actions." Glaffin shakes his head, clenching a fist briefly before letting out a breath.

"As for fighting bandits, there's plenty of that involved in guarding caravans. You just need to be unlucky enough to come across them and determined enough to survive. Anyone else want to raise issue with it being split nine ways? I'll hold the boy's share until he's out of debt to Tallhelm, so he has a bit more to start him on his feet if he wants to part ways, like the sailor says. But I'm making sure he knows every copper penny of what's waiting for him. If one of you don't tell him, I will." Alec's suggestion of a half-share each for Glaffin and himself normally wouldn't provoke such a reaction, but at the same time it implied that somehow their risk was lesser than the other six, or that they deserved less simply because they were showing care for someone recently struck by tragedy. Neither concept he could put into words without sounding selfish or entitled, but he's said what he will hopefully deliver his intent.

[Artemis97]

The drowess frowns. "I must admit, I dislike the idea of earning myself a smaller share of our spoils. However, without the boy, we would not have known this place was here and would have earned nothing. For that alone he has earned his share. I say it should be used to pay off his debt, though. If there is any left over, he may take it and lead his life as he will, to remain with us or move on. Should he spend it unwisely, it will be his lesson to learn. Perhaps a hard one, but he is young still. I am sure he would recover, to become stronger and wiser." She looks pointedly at Alec and Glaffin. "He does not need a nanny."

[Destro_Yersul]

"I'm fine with nine ways, meself. Though, I'm not sure how much you figure it'll take to pay off old Tallhelm for the kid. Barring a few apples, he didn't steal nothin'." Ehrlson had led the horses over to where the rest of the group was standing, having fed them a few apples and loaded the sacks over their saddles.

"Pretty sure Jack would go for nine ways too, looking at that," he added, with a low whistle at the contents of the chest. "How many poor sods you figure they had to rob to get all that?"

Speaking of Jack, the other guard seemed to be going around the camp, checking in all the lean-tos to make sure nothing got missed. Someone, even if he hadn't heard it, seemed to be taking care of Alec's suggestion that they search the rest of camp.

[Sophistemon]

Indrys, who had spent the intervening time attempting to look as though he were doing something while actually doing very little if not nothing at all, eventually rejoined the group shortly before the boulder tumbled over to reveal the broken earth beneath. When the treasure itself is revealed, he issues a long, low whistle in appreciate of their new wealth. Following that, he listens impassively to the group's deliberations, nodding in agreement more often than not to the statements of Messrs. Alec and Glaffin. "I agree that the boy should receive a fair share of the findings, if not only for helping us locate the treasure in the first place, than as... consideration for his tragic loss. I also agree that he is too young to be placed in control of his own financial affairs, and that such dealings should be laid on someone else, whomever that may be. From what I have learned of you thus far, mister Glaffin, you would seem to be the obvious choice, but I'll not deign to force you into a responsibility that you do not desire, and so we can all discuss that later."

[Gullara]

"I'd say just give him the coin if it was my choice to make. He's not that young that he can't be trusted with his own money." Cecily almost seems the tiniest bit defensive about it. "And if he chooses to lose it, then that's his responsibility."

[Slii Arhem]

"The debt is largely for the attempt, as even the apples weren't stolen. If we were to pay it off, the boy wouldn't get one penny of his share after Tallhelm was done with it, and what's more it would only tip Tallhelm off that there was money in the camp to begin with, which means he'll want to know how much we've held back. If we leave the money with the boy to do with as he pleases and Tallhelm finds it, he'll think it was stolen from the caravan since he was searched for belongings when he was first caught." Glaffin spits on the bare earth as he explains his motivations for what he proposed. It all came down to the blowhard who paid their wages, and the greed he's shown for anything that chinks silver and gold.