[WFRP] Ill Met By Morrslieb

[-Sentinel-]

Pieter politely refused the purported relics and artifacts. Not hungry yet, he told Vincenzo: "I'll shop for some better armor." His injured arm still itched where the knight had cut him with its accursed sword. "See you at the inn."

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Something I've been meaning to do for a while: I'll go looking for a leather jack, or perhaps some sort of service to have sleeves added to my leather jerkin.

Gossip 71: (d100)[52]

[goblinpaladin]

Whups, spoiler tags. I forgot before.

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Lothar brushed at the battered surface of his old shield. "Aye, a fish. Quartered blue an' yellow, an' a big ol' fish. Don't really need the colours any more, but it'd be nice to have the fish." He rolled his shoulders and followed the burly smith to the weapons cupboard.

"An' a patch, I guess. Ladies keep faintin' when I enter a taproom..." He trailed off, whistling up at the zweihander.

"She's a beauty, that one. Not sure I'd even be able t' lift her, though...

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1. What's our time frame for this market-town? I doubt I've got time for Serious Repair Work, more's the pity.

2. What is the asking price for the (Good quality? Best? Just pretty? zweihander? As well as armour & shield repair, a fish, and an eyepatch, if there's time for those sorts of things.

I'll haggle, although I'm untrained in it (hence the whistle): (1d100)[10]

FP: (1d100)[57]

[Exeson]

Ithelus and Illiiya

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Ithelus looked uncomfortably over Illiiya. It was the first time that he had seen a reaction like this to their race.

'Um... I'm, eh, sick and I was hoping you could make a... diagnosis?' Ithelus mumbled out all the time shooting Illiiya more glaces.

[Destro_Yersul]

Lothar, Pieter, Vincenzo

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Vincenzo elected to stick with the others. For one, he was being paid to protect them, and for another it made poor sense as a mercenary to stray far from the pay chest, as it were. Food could wait, and Lothar might need to buy it anyways. Vincenzo trailed behind the other two when they went to visit the blacksmith, looking around at the weapons but not saying much. He had no money to pay for a new weapon even if he wanted one. At the mention of Lothar getting an eyepatch though, he chuckled.

"He is right, Signor Fischer. You scare away all the pretty ladies looking like that, yes? Make a lot of friends, though. Everybody want to hear the story of how you get it."

[LCP]

Lothar & Vincenzo

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"Well," said the smith, deliberating, "I'd be sorry to melt it down, for sure. Maybe if it don't turn out to be to your likin' this feller'll take it off your hands?"

He motioned to Vincenzo with his thumb.

"Sixteen crowns and it's yours. I'll take three schillings for the mail and fixin' up your shield, and another schillin' for my niece." He sucked his teeth in a "this is my professional face" sort of manner. "Should be done in a couple of days."

OOC:

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Nice haggle roll! Price reduced by 20%. The greatsword is just common quality, though.

With regard to the time frame: there won't be much time left of the day once you're done shopping, so the baseline assumption might be that you're staying the night. Beyond that, though, I'd say Lothar's got at least as much of a say in deciding things as Hal and the Grimpenhof gang.

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Pieter

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With Otfried and Walther still tailing aimlessly behind him, Pieter soon found another merchant selling all manner of jackets, jerkins, boots and other hard-wearing items of clothing. Many of them looked second-hand. One jerkin had what Pieter was pretty sure were stab-wounds, and stains that the vendor insisted were red wine.

Sorting through the eclectic wardrobe on display, Pieter found two sleeved jacks that were suited to his needs. One was plain leather, while the other was a slightly faded yellow. Both looked more than adequate to provide the kind of protection one might need in a barfight... but when he thought of the sword that had ripped open his arm in the crypt of the Verlorens, these thin layers of leather suddenly seemed like they offered hardly any protection at all.

"Ah, a gentleman of taste, I see," said the man selling them, scuttling forwards like a greedy sort of crab. "Nice colours, aren't they?" He picked up the yellow one and turned it over in his hands. "Fourteen crowns and I'll throw in a hat with a matching feather. Why, you'll be the envy of the town."

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Ithelus & Illiiya

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"Hoping!" exclaimed Balanzone. "Why, of course I can. Was it not I who diagnosed the doge of the Bleeding Sickness, when all his court physicians were at a loss? Was it not I who banished the swamp ague from Miragliano with my efficacious elixirs?" He gave a grandiose flourish of his gown. "Come, sit down. Show me your tongue. Si, si, like so. Tell me, how is it you are feeling of the sickness? What are la sintomata?"

[-Sentinel-]

Pieter

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Pieter was not too trusty of the merchant, but in a small town like this one, he was hardly spoiled for choice. "I was thinking about trading my leather jerkin as well, since I won't be needing it. How's the jerkin and eight crowns for the jack and the hat?" he offered.

He would not have considered the hat otherwise, but now that he thought about it, why the hell not? It had been a while since he last went out of his way to dress stylishly.

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Untrained Haggle 35: (d100)[68]

With Otfried and Walther still tailing aimlessly behind him,

Never paid attention to those two in your posts... They're in our gang, right?

[LCP]

Pieter

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The merchant motioned for Pieter to let him have a look at the offered trade. He sniffed dubiously at the battered leather.

"This looks old to me," he said. "What's this? Blood?" He shook his head, tutting slowly. "I don't know... maybe the leather'd fetch a crown or two, if they cut it up at the saddler's..."

Picking at one of his teeth, he seemed to fall deep into thought. "Tell you what," he said, "I'll give you two crowns for this, and that's picking my own pocket. Then all you've got to pay is a round dozen."

OOC:

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I made a table of the Grimpenhofers for you in the OOC, with pictures and everything. Go look them up yourself!

[-Sentinel-]

Pieter

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"What's this? Blood?"

"Red wine," said the initiate, deadpan.

He suspected that the leather his jerkin was made of was worth no more than a few shillings; if the merchant would pay two crowns for the jerkin, he must have been intending to sell it whole. But Pieter had no time or inclination to turn the town upside down in search of a better buyer.

Pieter glanced at Otfried and Walther: "Any of you would pay two crowns or more for my leather jerkin?" he asked without much hope, well aware that both men put together may well not even have two crowns.

(if they won't buy it)

"Alright then, mister, you have your deal." He removed his jerkin and gave it to the merchant, along with twelve crowns from his purse. Had better be a pretty nice hat, he thought.

[LCP]

Pieter

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The clothes-seller avidly took Pieter's money. The hat, when he produced it, turned out to be a rather flamboyant affair, all folded leather and upturned edges. It did indeed, however, have a rather dashing yellow feather.

[-Sentinel-]

Pieter

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Pieter chuckled and tried on the hat. Too ostentatious to his taste, but it could be used to his advantage; sometimes the key to a good disguise was one very obvious, easy-to-lose element that distracted other people from the rest of your appearance.

"Thank you very much. A nice evening to you."

In the absence of any easy-to-find healing poultices, his shopping was mostly done. He went in search of the other members of his group.

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Not going to the inn just yet -- Pieter will take a stroll around the town. But if you eventually have to fast-forward to everyone's meeting at the inn, I won't mind.

[goblinpaladin]

Sword-brothers

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Lothar pursed his lips and nodded. "Alright, done. Make it an extra schlilling for your niece, eh?" He dug through his purse to find the coins.

"You need anythin', Vin?" Lothar peered over at the Tilean. "Maybe somethin' big an' spiky to make up for your lack of scars for the ladies?"

[Exeson]

Ith and Ill

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A bewildered Ithelus sat down, 'Well I guess I've been shivering and coughing... I just feel weaker than before. My eyesight is sometimes blury and my heart feels like it's trying to beat it's way out of my chest...'

[LCP]

Ithelus & Illiiya

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"Hmm," said Balanzone, stroking his bearded chin. "Hmm, si, si." Crouching down in front of Ithelus, he sniffed - and coughed, as he caught a noseful of rather more than he anticipated. "Yes," he spluttered, recovering his composure, "I know what it is you have. Why, I have treated fourteen patients of the same in the last month!"

Rising to his feet, he turned in a swirl of back robes and paced to the back of the wagon, where he began rummaging in a deep wooden chest.

"It is the Vanidicus Morbo, the trembler's disease," he said. With an audible puff of effort, he lifted out a large wooden case that opened on brass hinges. Inside were rows of square green bottles, each one wrapped in a parchment label. "Fortunately for you, I am having just the thing. This salve I make myself, from the roots of many rare herbs of my homeland."

He certainly seemed to have made a lot. There were at least a dozen of the squarish bottles inside the wooden case, and the bottles weren't small. Picking one up, he turned to Ithelus.

"One rubs it on the back and on the chest, so that it may warm the lungs and animate the vital humours. Here, I will show you. Remove your shirt."

[BloodyAngel]

Illiiya Jaelrae

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And this will help? Illiiya asked the flashy gentleman pointedly, Because I fear greatly the touch of the fly lord at work.

She glanced about the place with narrowed eyes, taking in the doctor's many, many trophies and trappings. She returned Ithelus' gaze with a slightly nervous eye. She was skeptical, but deep down wanted to hope.

I am also wary of a man who's home is a wagon. We had a... poor experience.

[LCP]

Elves

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Balanzone was in full flow, and it seemed he wasn't prepared to let Illiiya's skeptical questions put him off.

"Ah, you have been deceived, signorina! Many of the peasants here, they think sickness is the work of the gods. Many in my beloved Tilea, also. But no! Balanzone tells them, medicine is science, not magic. All the learning of the world is here in my little jars." He tapped the bottle. "Come, you will see for yourself. Let us apply the salve!"

---

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Humans

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Taking a wander around the town, Pieter saw that there really wasn't much to see. A few hundred yards away from the market square, more streets ran together around an old stone fountain made to resemble the weeping figure of Shallya. A thin trickle of mossy water ran down her eroded face, and horses drank from the broad bowl of the fountain at her feet.

There was a Sigmarite chapel opposite the market cross, and open-air shrines to Handrich and Ulric that many of the passing travellers seemed to touch for luck. The town had one sprawling coaching inn, about the same size as the Wolf and Hammer - it called itself the Dancing Weevil, which seemed like an odd name for an inn.

Back in the market square, he met Lothar and Vincenzo coming back the other way. Lothar had pitched up at the same market stall where Pieter had bought his new attire, and Pieter was surprised to see the soldier carrying a huge wave-bladed zweihander over his shoulder. Lothar, meanwhile, couldn't help but notice Pieter's natty new yellow jerkin and feathered hat. Inconspicuous the Ranaldite was not.

"What can I do you for, mein herr?" asked the stall-keeper, scurrying forwards at the sight of a new customer. Pieter noticed he seemed a fair bit less pushy with Lothar than he had with him; perhaps it was something to do with the enormous sword. "Anything take your fancy?"

Steffan and Gismar, meanwhile, appeared to have secured the provisions Hal had instructed them to find. They were loading up a couple of barrels of stuff onto the back of their mule, and looking for the others. Many of the Grimpenhofers seemed to have drifted off into the crowd, seduced by the bustling bright colours of the "big city".

OOC:

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Anything in particular that Lothar's looking for in terms of replacement clothes?

[-Sentinel-]

Humans

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Pieter paused at the fountain of Shallya for a brief prayer for Ithelus's swift recovery, then reunited with Lothar and Vincenzo at the market square. Ignoring the merchant, he raised an amused eyebrow at Lothar's huge new sword.

"Nice acquisition there, Lothar," he said, the corners of his lips quirking up. "Illiiya isn't making you feel inadequate, I hope?"

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Pieter wants you to know that he's wearing his new feathered hat ironically. :P

[goblinpaladin]

El Humaneroes

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Lothar was holding up a length of undyed cloth; rolling out, it turned out to be a cloak, a little threadbare but serviceable, unadorned. He nodded to the man. "Aye, this sort of thing'll do nicely. Need some new travellin' gear."

He turned as Pieter approached, and raised a still-healing eyebrow at the Ranaldite. "Not as nice as that yellow feather you've got there, Pete." He tilted a head back at his new sword. "Local smith, friendly fellow, picked up a bunch o' weapons after the war. Got a breastplate an' a couple o' blades, if you wanna upgrade from your leather-an'-small-sword get up."

He looked back to the merchant and deliberately winked with his missing eye. "I don't need anythin' as fancy as my friend here, though."

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Just a cloak and a set of common quality clothes, basically.I don't know why a cloak is five crowns (!) but that should come to a total of six.

I'll roll an untrained haggle check, see if the sword and scars help:

(1d100)[65] - ha, no.

[BloodyAngel]

Team Elf: Illiiya Jaelrae

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Ith?

She gave Ithelus a questioning look, worried enough for his welfare to consider tossing her hope behind the odd "doctor". She'd had a poor track record with them of late, but she new not what else to do. Shallya surely would not grant her another boon, no matter how much blood she spilled.

What... say you? I am willing to trust... She said quietly.

[-Sentinel-]

Humans

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"Local smith, friendly fellow, picked up a bunch o' weapons after the war. Got a breastplate an' a couple o' blades, if you wanna upgrade from your leather-an'-small-sword get up."

Pieter shook his head. "Thank you, but such things just aren't the way of Ranald and would only slow me down. Besides, I like people to underestimate me... When you see me in my new feathered hat, do you think: My, what a dangerous-looking man?"

[LCP]

Man-things

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Pieter noticed the used-clothes trader looking at him askance when he mentioned "the way of Ranald". Sidling back behind his stall, he surreptitiously re-examined the coins Pieter had given him.

"New clothes for the road, is it?" he said to Lothar. "Think I got some that oughter fit you. Here, let me have a check."

Digging through piles of clothing that could only generously be called folded, he produced some crumpled breeches, a fairly presentable tunic and slightly moth-eaten jacket. The breeches and tunic were both shades of off-white, while the jacket was a faded blue.

OOC:

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Yeah, WFRP prices are a bit borked. I'd try to fix them but I don't have the knowledge... I fear I'd just make them more inconsistent.

[goblinpaladin]

Daß Humäns

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Lothar grinned lopsidedly. "Dangerous to fashion, maybe. Not that I'd know what fashion is, anyway. Yellow an' blue, them's for me."

When the trader emerged, Lothar nodded. "Aye, that's exactly it. Jacket's a bit et, but it's just gonna get mud on it anyhow. Done."

[Exeson]

Elves

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Ithelus looked at the bottle suspiciously. 'And this will take how long to work?'

[-Sentinel-]

Humans

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"Dangerous to fashion, maybe. Not that I'd know what fashion is, anyway. Yellow an' blue, them's for me."

"Speaking of fashion, I could use a shave before I start looking like you," Pieter noted, sliding a finger along his jawline. "I'll find the rest of you at the inn at suppertime."

He turned to the trader. "Is there a barber in this village?"

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Roll in the OOC thread. You can skip over the whole thing if the Elves are almost ready to go to the inn.

[LCP]

Elves

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"You will feel-a the soothing effects right away, signor elf," said Balanzone, approaching with the green bottle. "But you must keep applying it, yes, until all la sintomata are vanished. I will make you a bargain of six bottles, very reasonable."

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Humans

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The first local that Pieter asked scratched his head in a rather bucolic manner.

"You could ask old Grasser," he said. "He used to be a barber-surgeon for the Graf's army. Don't know if he does that stuff no more, though."

OOC:

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Elves are being slow. Take the scene at your leisure.

[-Sentinel-]

Humans

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A brief silence hung in the air while Pieter waited for the villager to get to the helpful part of his answer. When that failed to happen, he sighed: "Right. And where can I find Grasser?"

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You can fast-forward me there. I know I'm not lacking for time while the Elves do their stuff, but I'd still rather skip over the glaringly obvious (see above).

[Exeson]

Elves

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Ithelus's eye widened slightly. 'Six bottles? I don't plan to be sick that long but I suppose I must take the word of such a... acomplished physician. What is the price?'

[BloodyAngel]

Team Elf

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The price is no worry. Illiiya offered. I will pay for it from my share of our coin, Ith. I just want you to get better.

She gave the doctor an even look, her hand resting upon Ithelus' shoulder.

I will trust you, human. But keep to mind how very, very long a wronged elf has to draw out retribution if this cream of yours causes him harm. She told him with firm sincerity, Even your children's children would have reason to fear.

[goblinpaladin]

Lothar

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Gathering up his new purchases, Lothar paid the man and set off in search of his new soldier friends. He had to see how they were getting on with supplies, after all, and the soldier-turned-deserter-turned mercenary was beginning to think of the future again. A future with comrades and a way to earn money in this post-war tumult.

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Okay, I'm looking for the others. See if they need help with gettin' food or accommodation organised. Think I might try and recruit our friendly scout on a more permanent basis, too.

[LCP]

Elves

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Balanzone seemed slightly taken aback by Illiiya's cold promise of revenge.

"Well... " he said - and for a moment Ithelus thought his accent seemed to slip - "usually it is three gold crowns for a bottle." He fiddled with his collar, aware of Illiiya's eyes on him. "But for you, signor, only one. My privilege, to serve the fair ones!"

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Pieter

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"On the east road," said the passer-by, as if it were obvious. "Just ask for Grasser, people'll show you the way."

He evidently had business of his own to be going about. Taking his leave, he took a last look at the top of Pieter's head.

"Nice hat," he said, before departing.

~

Sure enough, the people of Bokel mostly seemed to know who he was talking about when Pieter asked for Grasser the barber-surgeon. He found the man occupying a cramped garret on the east side of town, the blood-and-bandages barber's pole hanging from the upper window the only sign of its occupant's trade.

Inside, he had to pass through a cobbler's on the ground floor and ascend a flight of rickety stairs to reach Grasser's narrow door. Knocking, he found it opened by a woman in her mid-thirties. She wore her hair in a bun, but a narrow lock had escaped its prison and hung bedraggled over her face. She looked tired.

"What is it?" she asked. Pieter told her he was looking for a barber, and the woman looked over her shoulder as if worried he had been overheard.

"Nicklas isn't in the best of moods today," she said, keeping her voice down. "Maybe it'd be better if you came back tomorrow."

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Lothar & Vincenzo

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Lothar found the Grimpenhofers easily. They had gathered under the market cross, where Hal and Frieda were going through what Steffan and Gismar had bought. It seemed a reasonably solid haul to Lothar - black bread, salt pork, and a bag of wrinkled little apples that looked as hard as stones. Then again, when one considered how many people they had to feed, it was clear it would go fairly quickly.

Looking up from the food, Frieda raised an eyebrow at Lothar's acquisitions, the rest of her face not moving an inch. "Big sword," she said, in a level tone of voice.

[-Sentinel-]

Pieter

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"...Oh. My apologies," said Pieter in a low voice. "Good evening to you." He felt a tad frustrated, but at least he now knew how to find the place again.

OOC

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I feel there may be a plot hook in there somewhere, but Pieter has no reason to insist to know more.

I'll see if Lothar and Vincenzo are still near where I left them.