MERC XVII: You Can't Take the Pay From Me

[Morty]

[Shooting Range]

"It's a shame she's too small for you to ride," Dipsnig jokes. He glances back at Krayger. "Being a lieutenant would give you authority over regular members and licensees, but it would also mean helping to heard this unruly bunch. And dealing with client disputes."

[Deathkeeper]

Shooting Range

Krayger nods.
"I understand. But you do know that I'm not the diplomat that Dena is. I'm an engineer, not uh, I already said diplomat." he admits, though Dipsnig might know that it isn't quite true. Krayger never bothers with flattery or anything like that, but he's very good at remaining level-headed. He can negotiate, he just can't be expected to come across as nice.

[Morty]

[Shooting Range]

Dipsnig nods.

"We've got diplomacy and other wheeling-and-dealing covered between me, Dena and Kirk. So you wouldn't have to make nice and lie to people. But I know you can keep a clear head, and that's valuable in our line of work."

[Deathkeeper]

Shooting Range

"Well, thank you sir. It means something, coming from you." He says sincerely. Dipsnig is probably the most level-headed person he knows, as long as one can define that level as "grumpy."

[Morty]

[Shooting Range]

Dipsnig smiles slightly in amusement.

"Interesting to hear I'm such a model of level-headedness. I'll let you know if I decide to give you that promotion. In the meantime..." He looks to Koshal. "Are you familiar with the crossbow, kid? Not a very popular weapon, around these parts. And none of my eleven nieces and nephews are inclined to my line of work, so I can't even pass it on this way."

[Zefir]

[Around]

After fade brought the client to a safe plac, Likly an unused Cabin, he heads out to seek for either the boss or one of the lieutenants. He had less to do with them so far so his chance to get the answer they want is rather low.

[Deathkeeper]

Shooting Range

Koshal shakes his head.
"Auntie Sawere taught me how to shoot a bow, but there aren't none at the Fort so I haven't use 'em in ages. Never tried any other kinds." he says to the goblin, unsure if he ought to kneel down or something. Talking down to his uncle's boss seems rude but Dipsnig doesn't seem to mind.

[Morty]

[Shooting Range]

Dipsnig's used to people talking down to him. Nothing he can do about it, unless he were to walk around in his golem suit all the time, or something.

"I can show you, if you'd like. Got nothing to do at the moment, which is rare."

There seem to be a few normal crossbows lying around. Dipsnig's magitech monstrosity of a personale weapon might not be the best example.

[Deathkeeper]

Shooting Range

"Sure, sir. I'd love to." Koshal tells Dipsnig. Personally, he doubts he'll find the crossbow really warranted over a firearm, but he admits that it might be fun to shoot, as for sport he felt as though he preferred shooting his bow.

[Morty]

[Shooting Range]

"Alright then." Dipsnig picks up a crossbow and walks over to the range. "No need to put on ear protection, unlike with guns. That's one advantage of crossbows. Another is that it's easier to enchant them... or so our magi-tech specialist tells me. She's done crazy things with my crossbow, I know that much."

[Green Elf]

A man in full black armor walks up to the entrance. "Excuse me. I have a message from Jacob Rancor. He says Fade is the person to talk to. If you could tell him that the demon hunter is currently at Trog's Tavern, whatever that means. Thank-you!" He starts walking away.

[Deathkeeper]

Shooting Range

Krayger smiles and shoos Koshal over to the goblin as he leans against the back wall. His nephew goes over to follow Dipsnig.
"I don't really know anything about enchanting. I only studied a little bit of magic so I know what to do when I see it. Message offered me magic once but I asked for Faye instead." he explains, not really providing the context to that.

[Morty]

[Shooting Range]

"I have about as much magic in me as a rusty bucket," Dipsnig says. "I just use a lot of items. A lot of them made by Rilla personally for me." He takes aim, breathes and puts a crossbow bolt near the middle of a target. "Still got it."

[Dipsnig's Office]

Fade can find the goblin there, as usual.

[Main Base]

The message is received, and will be delivered to Fade as soon as possible.

[Nova_Eclipse]

[Main Base - Outside]

A wizened old man appears outside the gates of the main base. Where he came from is hard to tell; he left no tracks in the snow, despite the geta on his feet. He seems otherwise well-dressed for the cold in a heavy coat and thick, warm pants, though it doesn't appear to be bothering him that greatly, either. His long beard and mustache hang nearly to the ground, while his eyes are nearly obscured by long, bushy eyebrows that frame his face. He leans against a tall walking stick, raising his fist slowly to knock at the door of the compound.

[Deathkeeper]

Main Base- Shooting Range

Koshal inspects Dipsnig's form more than the results of his aim.
"So you aim and squeeze the trigger like a gun, but the arrow drops like a bow?" he asks, observing.

Main Base- Outside

At a later point in the visit, the front door creaks open to reveal a certain young minotaur, still with his messer strapped across his back.
"You should come in, Mister. Uncle Krayger's getting coffee."

[Nova_Eclipse]

[Main Base - Outside]

The old man looks up at the young minotaur and smiles, before speaking in a kindly voice.

"Ah, thank you, youngster." He moves with a seeming spring in his step, his walking stick making a cheerful clunking as he enters the base, then pauses, allowing the teenager to close the door behind him before looking back up. "Might your uncle be the one I would talk to about hiring you folks? I have a job that needs doing, I was hoping to find someone here to help with it."

[Zefir]

[Shooting Range]

"I have about as much magic in me as a rusty bucket," Dipsnig says. "I just use a lot of items. A lot of them made by Rilla personally for me." He takes aim, breathes and puts a crossbow bolt near the middle of a target. "Still got it."

[Dipsnig's Office]

Fade can find the goblin there, as usual.

[Main Base]

The message is received, and will be delivered to Fade as soon as possible.

[Main Base]

Fade recives the note, but currently it is of no use for him. He didn't got the informations heseeks or even prepared all in time. So he heads for...
[Dipsnig's Office]

..to do it. He knocks oce and enters immediatly after it was answered.

"Hello." He says. "I'm here due to a contract I and this Jacob Rancor guy, who was recenty announced as a member, work on. We got our eyes on AMEN right?"

[Morty]

[Dipsnig's Office]

"Not recently," Dipsnig answers. "They haven't done anything that'd warrant surveillance."

[Main Base - Shooting Range]

Dipsnig nods.

"More or less. But the force is greater, and the missiles are shorter, so the arc is a lot flatter than with a bow. Generally speaking."

[Zefir]

[Dipsnig's Office]

"I'm more intressed in old Informations." he says. "Ilpholin Xar'cha, do you know how her current status to AMEN is?"

[Deathkeeper]

Shooting Range

"So, there's more force but it isn't meant for the same things as a bow?" Koshal asks, rubbing his chin in a way very reminiscent of his uncle. Who knows if Koshal got it from him, or it's just a family thing.

Main Base- Foyer

Krayger presently enters the room, shirtless and holding a coffee pot. He sets it down as Koshal closes the door behind the visitor.
"I'd be one of them, aye. What we do for you, sir?" says the mercenary.

[Morty]

[Main Base - Shooting Range]

"Not quite, no. You see, crossbows are precursors to guns in many ways," Dipsnig explains. "They're easier to use than bows, and have better armour-penetrating capabilities. We goblins invented them on our world because they're better than bows for someone our size."

[Dipsnig's Office]

"She was their leader, but she set them up for defeat in Riverside, and then deserted," Dipsnig recounts. "I've heard rumours she's back, but she's operating independently. Either way, no ties to AMEN now."

[Nova_Eclipse]

Main Base- Foyer

The old man looks up at Krayger and nods, one bushy eyebrow moving upwards ever so slightly, before returning to its resting place. He leans on his walking stick for a moment, before slowly taking a seat.

"Ahhh, " he says, leaning backwards for a moment, before reaching into his coat and producing a large map, which he unfolds and lays on the table. "As I was saying to the young lad, I have a job that needs doing. It's fairly simple."

He points to an area that's been circled on the map, in a northern forest in Outside. "There's a ruin here. It appeared a few weeks ago, and I decided to have a look. One of the things I found just inside the entrance suggested there's some kind of advanced tech hidden in there. Some kind of crystal that can manifest energy by spinning, from what the book I found said. I tried going in deeper, and the critters inside chased me right back out. I don't have the gear to take on metal beasties like that, and I'm gettin' on in years for that sort of excitement."

He taps himself on the head with his walking stick. "So I got to thinkin' that maybe I could get some folks to clean the beasties out of there so I can study that rock, if it does exist. MERC has a good reputation for this sort of work, so I decided to come up here and see if you folks might be interested. I can offer a bit of payment up front, along with the rights to everything other than the crystal that might be in those ruins. And I can guarantee that the stuff will be worthwhile for you." He reaches once more into his coat and produces a translucent red gem that's been cut into a perfect sphere, slightly larger than a softball. It vaguely resembles an eye in the way the translucency varies through it. He places it on the table gently, so as to keep it from rolling away. "I found that in one of the cracks before the critters chased me out. So, what do you say?"

[Deathkeeper]

Main Base- Shooting Range

Koshal stares down at the practice crossbow Dipsnig is holding.
"But it's only being drawn back a little bit. Isn't the force going to be similar to a bigger bow that you can pull back farther?" he asks.

Main Base- Foyer

Krayger takes out a notepad as the man talks. "Yes, that should be fine. Do care who's sent on this mission for you? I can keep this an internal affair or open it up to our licensees."

[Nova_Eclipse]

Main Base- Foyer

The old man nods, smiling, then seems to consider for a moment, stroking his beard.
"It doesn't really matter to me, as long as they get the job done. A bit of discretion on their part would be appreciated, and prudent, too, since the more people who know about the ruins, the more chance things will be taken, leaving less for your folks to get, aside from the payment. I'll defer to your judgement based on that, though, as I said, as long as the job gets done, it doesn't affect me either way that much."

[Morty]

[Main Base - Shooting Range]

"It really depends on the relative size of the bow and crossbow," Dipsnig says. "There's more power stored in those short arms, but more importantly, you've got a lever to help you draw it. Useful, if you're goblin-sized."

[Deathkeeper]

Main Base Foyer

Krayger nods, tearing off the page from his pad and showing it to the man. "I'm going to need your name, Sir."

Job Description: Clear monsters and explore local ruins
Contract Type: MERC Licensed Contract.
Hired by: ??? (Nova_Eclipse).
Target: Crystal Ruins (Player name).
Payment: All material wealth within ruins with one exception, plus one very large gemstone.
Notes: Client seeks crystal that builds energy by spinning. Down-payment paid upon delivery of this crystal.

Main Base- Shooting Range

"Oh, is that what that was? I was wondering what those little lever thingies lying around were. You stick it on to crank it?" Koshal asks, possibly not using the correct terminology.

[Zefir]

[Dipsnig's Office]

"She was their leader, but she set them up for defeat in Riverside, and then deserted," Dipsnig recounts. "I've heard rumours she's back, but she's operating independently. Either way, no ties to AMEN now."

[Dipsnig's Office]

Fade nods. "That is qhat I need to know. I was told that she is operating as a Demon Hunter in Riverside, if you want to know that.
Also I set the client up here in the base since she wanted to avoid an attack. She will need to stay until I and Jacob are done with out preperations."

[Morty]

[Dipsnig's Office]

Dipsnig's ears perk up.

"A demon hunter? That's a bit of a departure from her past inclinations. But it's not important. Our client can stay here until you and Jacob can ensure his safety. Do you have a plan for it?"

[Zefir]

[Dipsnig's Office]

"Yes." Fade says still without any special emphasis "I can prepare a crops that will look like the client temporary. It will be near impossible to say notice the difference. We will then do a fake kill on the client where we switch to the corpse. We make sure Ilophen can see it. At best she will be statisfied with a short look otherwise we would need to argue, but I assume she won't start a fight against two over a dead body."

[Morty]

[Dipsnig's Office]

"She might not start a fight, but if she keeps looking for our client, the job isn't done," Dipsnig points out. "Regardless, I'll leave it to you and Jacob."

[Main Base - Shooting Range]

"Sometimes," Dipsnig says. "It's the more powerful crossbow that have external mechanisms. Some are just pulled with both your hands, while your foot is in the hoop at the front. It all depends on the size and strength."