Gryphonwing Exports [5e Homebrew INC]

[Croverus]

The warehouse is filled with sights and smells from different parts of the realm, but the strongest smell for four new hires of Gryphonwing Exports is that of their new pack elephant, who munches eagerly on a bale of hay that has been brought to her by a warehouse worker to keep her busy. A dwarven man in practical business robes scribbles his signature on several forms, handing some of them to a page who sorts them into a bag. The dwarf is Kurdond Stonefist, a well known Tradesmith of the guild. His dark brown hair is carefully braided and knotted, with several silver and gold rings decorating his beard. Six of his fingers are adorned with rings and a necklace around his neck displays the guild's seal, a stylized gryphon holding a hammer in one talon and wheat in the other. He signs the final paper and looks at the four recruits - two humans, a kenku, and a bugbear. He gives the last one a nod of recognition. He speaks then with all the authority and confidence of one who has worked all his life to be where he is now.

"You four have been selected as a new Gryphonwing Exports exploratory group. You have all been assigned the entry level rank of Clerk in the Adventurer branch of our organization. Based on your performances over the next few weeks some of you may have opportunities for promotion to higher ranks. As you all have the same rank you all have an equal say on how your group opperates. The guild leaves it to you to decide how you will handle your internal function, just so long as you are maintaining a steady workload. Even performing long term trade between two locations is considered acceptable, though this group was put together to accomplish more than the mundane acctivites that could be accomplished by are Merchantile branch. I have a small list fo three jobs that you can choose from to get you started. An evaluator will be sent out to check on your progress in two weeks. I'm hoping to hear good things when they report back. I can answer 5 questions, then I must be off as I have a very busy schedule the rest of today."

He hands Taash a small folder which has the group's official guild membership forms as well as three job forms currently marked with glowing runes that all of them were taught during their initiation. The current runes signify the jobs are all pending and simply require the group to come to a consensus to take the job or turn it down, at which point the runes will change and the paper will have a duplicated copy auto-magically manifested in one of the GE corporate offices. The jobswill take some time to go over and decide upon so the group does not have much time to ask their questions.

[Xihirli]

Taash nodded a little too quickly as she fumbled with the papers, appearing just a little too nervous in the presence of this dwarf. She quickly thumbed through the papers, hoping to get the gist of each of them in time to come up with some questions, more because she was expected to than because she had any.

[Xihirli]

First Job: Head North East towards the mountains and investigate caverns that could be used as potential mines for the guild. Any pre-existing mines that are discovered should be looked into to see if deals can be made with current owners. (50 gold per mine scouted, an additional 100 if the mine has a rare material like mithral/adamantine/diamonds, plus commision for any deals made with mine owners)

Second Job: Pick up a shipment of Weapons and armor from the Jade City of Zhoriya and deliver the shipment to Dalvesh. Half pay on pikcup, half upon drop off in Dalvesh. (750 gold altogether)

Third Job: Visit regional farming villages that lack a GE presence and determine potential trade with them. (first pick on trade deals with villages that have potential, 200 gold per village that proves to have potential)

"Well, our options are to check some mountain mines and scout out as many as possible with the possibility of a large payout based on performance... erm, 50 gold pieces per mine scouted with the possibility of more... we could... deliver a shipment of weapons for 750 gold pieces... or check out a few farming villages and see if we should open trade with them... 200 gold per village that's actually found to be useful, which means we might not get paid at all... Taash Akhan looked back and also down to those she'd be working with.
"We'd do well with the mining operation, I would think."

[Ramsus]

Seirsha Garnet Human Lore Master and Mercantile Child Prodigy AC: 13/16 PP: 11 PI: 11 Initiative: +4 Concentrating on: -- Siersha hadn't been sure what to expect. She'd had a good time so far on the trip here. All sorts of new sights to see and things to learn about. But she'd been afraid her first assignment might have been something she wasn't interested in at all. So when she hears what Taash has to say she jumps up excitedly and says, "Oh yes! Can we please do that one? I'm sure we could find all sorts of lovely stones and metals!" ((I will note that unless someone introduced her, she has not yet introduced herself or asked anyone's name. Or even really seemed to pay much attention to the fact other people were in the room.))

[Xihirli]

Taash squinted somewhat at the much smaller-than-expected coworker. A gnome? A... child?
"How would we travel there?" Taash asked for the first question.
"Um, sir."

[Shades of Gray]

Skinner Legault, Nobody's Fool

The unshaven man in the warehouse looks through the documents, examining them incredibly quickly. He's either a speed-reader or merely putting up appearances. Eventually he stands up, practically holding himself up by the suspenders on his overly wide pants.

"D'ye fink we'll really find..." Skinner begins counting on his fingers, double and triple checking his math. "Twelve mines? Or five rare'uns? I reckon we should go fer the weapons. Easier, guaranteed coin 'n' all. Then again, I'm good if yer all good." Pleased with his (wrong) arithmetic, Skinner sits down, resuming fiddling with his suspenders.

[Tome]

The robed kenku nods along to the instructions, layers of charms and knick-knacks rattling with the motion. Nothing immediately relevant to his search up for offering, but that's hardly to be expected for the first job.

"Digging deep has been my stock in trade, but I've never been one to care what soil I shift. Just that it's old or shiny. How about you?" Spades rasps in a patchwork response to the fledgling's suggestion. Exploring caves would be familiar territory for the weathered kenku he'd admit, but they'd need someone who could actually tell aurum from pyrite to properly survey them. No getting paid just to find shiny rocks.

He stalls for a second, glancing into thin air, then adds "but if there's examples, ah could ask aboot". He wriggles his fingers in a gesture reminiscent of spellcasting. "The dead tend to know the ground they're buried in".

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Spades is alluding to casting Locate Object in the third paragraph there.

[Ramsus]

Seirsha Garnet Human Lore Master and Mercantile Child Prodigy AC: 13/16 PP: 11 PI: 11 Initiative: +4 Concentrating on: -- For pretty much the first time, Spades feels like Seirsha is actually looking at him like a person and not like "yes that's an uninteresting object that happens to be in this room". "Oh, yes. I know a..." she was about to say "a lot" but she hesitates knowing she's young and not wanting to seem like she's unaware there are plenty of things she doesn't know yet. "..good amount about gems and metals. I'd know platinum from silver at a glance or quartz and purple topaz and even gold from orichalcum!"

[Croverus]

The older dwarf chuckles at some of the enthusiasm coming from the group, then turns to Taash and motions to the elephant. "The coin from your entrance and training fees has gone into requisitioning this lovely pack elephant for your group. He should allow you to carry a greater amount of good than a simple cart and horse could offer. And nothing makes an impression like one of these beasts." Seeming to realize it is being spoken about, the elephant gives a trumpeting sound, which Kurdond chuckles as his page flinches at the noise. "Take care of him and he'll be vital in making your lives and jobs easier."

[Xihirli]

"It seems that many of us are willing to deal with the mines. Are there any threats we should know about?" Taash's Common was overly polished, giving away that it was not her first language.

[Ramsus]

Seirsha Garnet Human Lore Master and Mercantile Child Prodigy AC: 13/16 PP: 11 PI: 11 Initiative: +4 Concentrating on: -- The elephant's trumpeting halfway knocks Seirsha over, but that doesn't stop her from running up to it giddily and examining it all over. She'd never seen one in person before and it was much more exciting than whatever it was she'd been doing a moment ago.

[Croverus]

"Caves typically have wolves, bears, and other cave dwelling beasts, but simple animals should be easy enough to drive out if a cave can prove a valuable mine for the guild. As far as humanoids, tribes of Orcs, Goblins, and Kobolds may be taking up residence in some caves. Interact with them at your own discretion.
Regardless if the Empire considers them monstrous, if we can do business with such a group we're willing to. Elementals will be common in some caves, though an abundance of them may indicate a thinning between our realm and an elemental plane. Such a cave will have its own treasures and dangers so be careful. Some dwarf clans might have abandoned mines in the region you'll be exploring. Reclaiming these mines could do us some favors towards improving relations with the clans that once owned them." The page whispers something into Kurdond's ear and he glances out at the sky and nods. "I've got a meeting to attend to, I can answer one last question. After that my assistant Reggie will help you sort out any details of your departure and make sure you have all the supplies that have been requisitioned for you. I'd also suggest coming up with a name for your elephant. I'm sure he'll appreciate it." He gives a wink as he looks to the four, a glimmer of pride in his eyes as their success or failure will be his own as he is responsible for hiring and training them.

[Xihirli]

"I don't think we have any more questions," Taash nodded to him.
"Good luck. You... you won't regret this," she promised.

[Croverus]

Kurdond gives a wide smile at the group and nods. "I have good feelings about this group. Prove me right.
Show the company what you can do for them." He nods one final time and confidently walks off, exiting the warehouse and entering a carriage to take him to his meeting. The page takes the files and taps the mining contract, the magical writing changing from 'PENDING' to 'ACCEPTED' while the other two remain as they are. He ahnds the accepted fine back and smiles.

"I'll have some surveying gear and mineral sampling tools added to your requisition so that you ensure you can do your jobs correctly. If you have any last minute requests I can take them nwo, though these will be deducted from your group's combined funds. You are expected to pay for your own traveling and lodging once you leave the warehouse."

[Xihirli]

"I'm sure we'll manage, thank you." Taash answered the page, eying the elephant.
"So... how do we control it?" she eyes the large beast with uncertainty, and a not-microscopic amount of distrust.

[Shades of Gray]

Skinner Legault, Elephant Whisperer

"I'm pretty sure all beasties love music." Skinner says all-too-confidently, leaning down and opening a rectangular wooden box. He produces a brass trumpet, seriously scratched due to over-cleaning. He then turns to the elephant. "How 'bout itt big guy? Ready to follow Papa Legault?" He asks, before proceeding to start playing what he hopes to be a heroic fanfare.

performance - (1d20+3)[15]