Homecomings

[Hades' Watchdog]

Salos nods at Nas's proposal. "Okay, let's put the contract together. Where would you like to go? I know a nice tavern a few minutes' walk from here." He gestures down the street.

[Shademan]

"yes offcourse! we need...whetstones! to our blades! And blankets!" Kabrakhan followed the swordsage. "i dont think he likes me..." he whispered to Fashai

[Seffbasilisk]

Bram Leafgarbed

Taking a nut, Bram smiles and offers it to Jacob who immediatly refuses. Popping it in his own mouth, he swallows it down before responding with "I've a few things. Squirrel, Rabbit, Deer, a few plants... I'll be glad when we move on. Don't want to upset the natural balance any more then it already has been. Heh, have I told you about my younger days? Burning lumber camps and raising animals against furrers... I was so full of fire in those days. Never really thought out what I did beyond the immediate result. Long gone. Hmm...How about we pick up the pace? Mind riding along with me on Jacob again Tom? Roac...you could hang onto one of us if you don't think you can keep up."

[Daryk]

Roac greedily accepted an offered nut from Tom, but was still working on it when Bram asked his question. His speech was mangled as a result:
"Eh? I -ah -ee- uh..."

As Nas and Salos moved away from the street corner, a few steps brought Aldamir to their side. He smiled at Nas and slowed his pace to match the monk and their employer. He nodded at Salos, but kept his mouth judiciously shut.

[CGCL_Andy]

Tom

"Sure, lets go! I enjoy riding with Jacob" Tom replies to Bram. He then continues, "Be careful Roac, we don't want you choking. If you need to get back to your master, we'll bring you back a bite. I'm sure Bram won't mind."

[tumble check]

IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE:

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Everyone look at the DM's edited post, is anyone else going with Salos to discuss terms of the agreement? I doubt you would want Dvurr to solely represent us lol.

Dvurr

Dvurr finally repays his attention to Salos and expresses his desire to go with him.

[thevorpalbunny]

Fashai
Fashai takes Kabrakhan aside after they turn a corner from Nas and Salos.
"Kabrakhan, you outright lied to Salos twice. You don't survive in the underworld by being trusting; he almost certainly saw right through you at least once. Could you perhaps think a bit more before you try to match criminals – who are professional liars – at their own game? Not to mention that he still might choose not to hire us."

[Shademan]

"calm down Fashai. Ive been working in the underworld before, right?" Kabrakhan attempet a innocent smile. it looked like the smile of a man that had just finished eating babies with puppy suace. "now,now! let us do something FUN while we wait! like... picking random fights or sink a few pints!"

[Shadowofdeus]

OOC

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Sorry about the lack of evening updates. I'll do a full post in the OOC thread later about it.

Nas

Nas glances at the direction each of his comrade's chooses to go. Nodding at both Dvurr and Aldamir as they join him, he begins walking with Salos.

Lead on, friend. I'm sure we have quite a bit to talk about. Allow me to introduce ourselves properly. My name is Nas. This here is my comrade Dvurr, and the other gentleman is Aldamir...

As they walk to the tavern, Nas continues to introduce the rest of the party by description, using preferred names or nicknames for those who wouldn't want their actual names given out.*


* - OOC

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Yeah, that was a bit of metagaming with the 'intro by description' action text. But I'm not sure if any of your character's have nicknames. (Maybe like using 'Kab' instead of Kabrakhan, as an example)

[Hades' Watchdog]

After a few minutes of walking, the Nas, Aldamir, Dvurr, and Salos arrive at a small tavern that does seem, as Salos said, "rather nice." There don't seem to be any loud or violent drunks there, at least.

After they sit down and Nas has finished describing the party, Salos pulls out a quill and a small square of parchment. "So, shall we get down to business? I estimate our journey will take two weeks at most, accounting for delays and bad weather. What would you like to be paid?"''

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Make Spot checks, you three with him.

Also, for future reference, my spoilers are for everyone unless designated otherwise.

[tumble check]

Spot - (1d20+6)[11]

[Shadowofdeus]

Nas

The monk gazed at the trader, contemplating their current situation and who their employer was before finally speaking.

Say, three hundred fifty gold pieces for myself and each of my comrades, plus a combat-recovery bonus equal to say... 5% of your profits? Purely for healing potions and the like of course. Also, salvage rights to any gear from those of a mind to challenge the caravan.

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Spot Check:
(1d20+11)[30]

[Daryk]

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Spot Check: (1d20+9)[10] (No Roac)

Aldamir smiled at Salos' question and replied, "A reasonable amount."

[Hades' Watchdog]

Salos considers. "Hm. How about, instead of a percentage of the profits, you tell me what you need, and I'll maybe get it. I assure you that nothing is more important to me than your ability to continue keeping us safe."

[Daryk]

Aldamir's eyes widened a bit at their potential employer's reluctance to share a percentage of his profits. His mind cast about to guess what they could be moving that was so valuable. He ultimately decided it was probably best not to speculate. Glancing at Nas before speaking, Aldamir said, "You seem to have a means to conceal our passage, but have you given any thought to speeding it? The less time we are on the road, the less likely we are to be attacked, and speed will be invaluable in evading pursuit."

[Hades' Watchdog]

Salos shrugs. "Well, if you want a cut of the profits instead, that's fine. I was just suggesting a more convenient method. Your original terms are acceptable."

[tumble check]

Dvurr Warondurt


"Instead?" Dvurr asks.

He looks to his comrades, "Gents, I'd much rather enjoy a flat price than one based on the value o' these goods. You assume that we're escorting things of exceedingly high worth, but that's not our business. We must at least have an absolute fee that doesn't vary."

He slowly turns his head back to Salos. "Melord... can we agree that our wages do not depend on the conditions of your goods upon arrival?"

[Daryk]

Aldamir's eyes narrowed as he looked at Salos more closely. The smuggler had seemed to respond to what he was thinking rather than what he had said. Shifting his eyes to Dvurr, he said, "No argument there, friend. I was simply asking about possible means to speed us on our way. Nas proposed a mixture of the two payment methods. I'm not predisposed either way."
Looking back at Salos, he thought to himself, 'I'm on to you' and studied the smuggler's expression for any reaction.

[Hades' Watchdog]

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Blaaaaaaargh. I'm slipping. I didn't mentally separate your speech and thoughts enough. Sorry.

Although it would be nice if you could [color="SeaGreen"]color[/color] your speech so that it would be easy to avoid my disorganization of thought.

Salos raises his right hand in the air and makes a strange gesture. "We travel fairly light, following our own advice about heavy luggage. Does your halfling friend have any spells to get us through snow or across ice?" Moments later, a female elf strides in and sits next to the smuggler. She wears a heavy winter coat with curious, wide seams down the sleeves.

"Nas, Dvurr, Aldamir, this is Istasa. Istasa, meet our new employees." The newcomer inclines her head slightly to the other group. "She supplies what spellpower we have now."

[Daryk]

Aldamir sat up a bit straighter when Salos introduced Istasa. At her acknowledgement, he said, "Aiya Istasa Ilya, vanima yende i elda. Mai omentane."

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I don't know if you have settled on the second part of her name, so I made an educated guess. If Aldamir has heard of her, then it makes it that much more appropriate. If you don't like what I picked, I'll edit it out. Rough translation I was aiming for: "Hail Istasa Ilya, fair daughter of the elves. Well met." Aldamir's elvish "surname" would be "Atta-mau" (two hands) if she were to return a formal greeting.

[Shadowofdeus]

Nas

Nas listened to the verbal exchanges so far. After the conversations had split into other introductions, Nas felt it prudent to bring the subject back to that of payment.

Being able to supply us with specific items would definetely have advantages to an uncertain percentage of profits. I would be willing to accept that condition in the agreement with a clause allowing for renegotiation of this at a later date.

From what you say however, I take it you're amenable to the other two conditions for now?

[Hades' Watchdog]

Istasa tilts her head curiously when Aldamir speaks. "I believe that you have me confused with someone," she replies in Common. "My family name is Visarisai. Pleased to meet you." She speaks without any trace of an accent, strange given that she appears to comprehend Elven just fine.

At Nas's proposal, Salos nods. "Yes, I'll be fine with your current payment scheme." He begins scratching the parchment with his quill (oddly, without any ink). "So, three hundred and fifty gold each, plus equipment. This is correct and all?"

[Daryk]

Aldamir flushed a bit, and said, "I'm sorry. Istasa is an uncommon name in the south, and I'd only heard of the Ilya using it. I would still call you vanima, though." Aldamir matched Istasa's Common with the exception of the compliment. It wasn't every day he met a fellow elf, and being they would be working together, he wanted to make a good impression, despite his slip.

[Daryk]

Roac, still working on the nut Tom had given him, flapped his way after Jacob and the halflings, but quickly fell behind, losing sight of them in the gloom. Cursing to himself, the raven flew back the way he had come, only to discover his master had also left. Spiraling out from the intersection where the group had met Salos, Roac searched for any sign of Aldamir.

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If he finds any other familiars to talk to, great. If not, he'll eventually perch back over the door to the inn where everyone stayed last night and wait for his master to return.

[Hades' Watchdog]

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Roac finds no familiars.

[Shadowofdeus]

Nas

Nas nods a silent affirmation to Salos, agreeing to the contract as it has been negotiated for now and ordering drinks for people at the table to finalize it.

ATTN: DM

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Please pm me a ballpark figure for the cost of the drinks of the 5 at the table.

[tumble check]

Dvurr

"Just water for me, Nas." says Dvurr.

He nods contently to the opposite negotiators.

[Daryk]

Aldamir smiled when Nas offered to buy drinks. "Mistavan if they have it, naught if they don't, please," he told the server.

Roac was again caught off guard when Jacob suddenly swooped up from behind him. He'd been circling out from the intersection, looking for his master, then suddenly found himself in Tom's arms.
"Blazes, Tom! What's it going to take to get you to quit sneaking up on me?" he croaked over the wind noise. This was a new game with the rogue, and one the raven seemed to be losing, much to his chagrin.

[Seffbasilisk]

Bram Leafgarbed

Guiding Jacob to the clearing they'd prepared thier last kills at the night before, Bram sets to work building up a fire, often having Jacob carry large loads of wood or shatter logs into smaller pieces for him. Once he has a nice blaze going, he takes off for a moment, and returns with a fresh kill a few minutes later. Sharpening up a few skewers with his belt knife, he sets pieces of meat to dry, and others to cook on grill made of green sticks. While the meat cooks, he asks Tom "So, why did you leave the guild? I don't recall hearing that tale before."

[Hades' Watchdog]

"Nothing for me, thank you." Salos lays down the quill and waves the parchment back and forth through the air to dry it. "You can hold onto this if you like," he says, waving the parchment at the three people opposite him. "I can remember the terms."

"Water would do," Istasa adds to the list of drinks. She appears deep in thought.

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Everyone with Salos and Istasa, make Will saves. Everyone else, Spot checks.