[IC] The Golden Way (Land of Thesk)

[dantiesilva]

"Brother Ivor IF I had any doubts about my abilities and dealing with the dead, I would find someone more skilled on hunting them before trying such an adventure. And oh look my friend Grundar here is a Paladin, perfect for stopping such nasty fiends, wouldn't you agree Grundar?" Agaros says with a knowing look to the paladin, it was easy enough to point their lot at a target, even more so when it was undead. It was one of the many reasons why he kept his own well hidden as to not draw unwanted attention.

At the mention of waiting till the next day for the remainder of the funds he looks to those he will be traveling with. "If we wait a day we can buy everything we will need for the journey, for example looking at the map we will need winter blankets for the nights, and at least 2 weeks worth of rations for each of us, just to be on the safe side mind you, but still rather go over prepared then under. Add in other miscellaneous things like tinder for campfires at night, unless we wish to spend time looking for some as we travel which will slow us down,...." he drowns on counting on his fingers all the different things they would need. "Best to find a sturdy carriage and some pack animals to pull them as well to carry all that weight if you ask me. It can also then double as shelter overnight if we cannot find any, though perhaps double up on the winter blankets and use the second ones to add another layer to the carriage's simple tarp to try and keep in the warmth. What say you all, I know where to find a few of these things, however if anyone has anything else to add or better ideas?" he asks, waiting to see if they had anything to add, or any reason not to wait another day for the 200 extra gold they were waiting for.

[wilphe]

Benaress stretched himself awake, enjoying the feeling of running his paws through freshly washed and brushed fur. Cities had their comforts, but he had been here nearly a tenday already and he was itching to move on.

Descending, settling his inn bill and calling his companion from his spot by the fire he snatched up some sweet buns and some sugared tea and headed out looking for his next employment, . Arriving just in time to see the two red wizards attach their notice and the other group follow them inside.

Gobbling down the last bun he moved with characteristic speed to the doorway, turning to the wolf STAY please Dave.

Entering he looked for the red robes and headed towards them, his nose twitching at the various scents. He didn't indulge but didn't begrudge those who did; neither did he mind taking Thayan gold. He had it before and knew it smelt no difference

His excellence Ivor Jedmerek. I hear you need a Crypt cleaning? I am Benaress. I j know little of crypts but I know a lot about not dying in the wilderness on the way there and back

The nezumi has dark brown fur currently clean and excellently brushed; and is wearing leather armour dyed a mixture of yellows and browns. A slate grey cloak and a wide green hat complete his ensemble and he carries a sling and sickle at his belt.

[wkwkwkwk1]

"Aye, my axe's got plenty of blade for the evil dead. An' some extra gold an' supplies never hurt anyone, now did they? Best go in prepared than come back dead."

[dantiesilva]

Hearing Grundar's confirmation with his statement Agaros looks back to Ivor as if to say, see I know what I'm doing, when another figure stepped forward. He noted the wolf just standing outside of their view infront of the doorway to the drug den and was decently sure they had just gotten a guide as well. However looks could always be deceiving, and as such he waited for the nezumi to speak for itself.

"Greetings Benaress my name is Agaros, and as you can see those gathered with me have also come to speak with Brother Ivor about said job. I admit my skills of survival on the road mostly involve being able to read maps, and if you would be willing, I believe I can say with certainty we would all welcome your skills along the road. After all maps often don't say here there be shelter." the red wizard said with an amused smile.

"That would by my count raise the price of the job an extra 200 gold though as it is another head Ivor, after all another mouth to feed. I assume you can still cover this?" he says referring to the payment at hand, after all he knew the man didn't come from any family of importance, and his abilities in crafting were spotty at best, no doubt because of his choice of behaviors, but still.

[sandmote]

"Benaress and Dave, please to meet you." Sanya gestures to himself, "Sanya." He doesn't press the money issue at the moment, but will make sure to give Dave time to get a good sniff when the party leaves.

[sarge67]

Brother Ivor looks amazed at the Nezumi and proclaims "I have yet to partake in my purchase, yet with the spectacular effects of the indirect consumption reveals that I shall have one grand adventure with the pipe this day." he waves off Agaros and the group "Brother Agaros, go tell Morbyn the amount we are short, he will pay you and I'll just repay him. Now if you all please, We're in a hurry to enjoy our grand experience."

[wkwkwkwk1]

Grundar cannot help but stare in awe at the furry newcomer, a wholly new sight for him.

"Shall we go, then?" he says upon brother Ivor's dismissal. "We have our own adventure to enjoy, after all."

[wilphe]

Brother Ivor looks amazed at the Nezumi and proclaims "I have yet to partake in my purchase, yet with the spectacular effects of the indirect consumption reveals that I shall have one grand adventure with the pipe this day."

I am glad to be of service replies Benaress dryly, Enjoy your day millords he bows and takes his leave

[sarge67]

Sister Durzila almost stumbles in the doorway as Brother Ivor shoves her to speed up their entrance to the drug den. As the two proceed through the hallway Ivor's voice rings out once more "Enjoy your adventures, for I intend to enjoy mine." as the figures begin to disappear in the thick mist of multiple smoking blends. Cheering voices of enjoyment, singing, and frolicking patrons dancing through the narrow pathway.

[dantiesilva]

Agaros tries his best to hide his disgust at the two wizards wasting their talents and time in such a place as he begins walking back towards the enclave once the group was dismissed, not even bothering to adress Ivor and Durzila any more. "Well everyone you heard Ivor, if you would all follow me back to the enclave I will finish getting out payment for this task and we can draw up a list of items together we believe are needed before splitting the rest of the payment amongst ourselves, fair?" he asks no one person in particular, though the further he gets away from the drug house the more he seems to relax.

Once at the enclave he begins asking around about Brother Morbyn this way the group wouldn't have to run around the place looking for the wizard, and thus seeing stuff they probably shouldn't. Once directed to where the man was Agaros directs everyone in the straightest path to the man that avoids anything that may cause Grundar to look a bit closer at things, as that would benefit no one and no doubt get the paladin killed depending on who he interfered with.

[wilphe]

"Well everyone you heard Ivor, if you would all follow me back to the enclave I will finish getting out payment for this task and we can draw up a list of items together we believe are needed before splitting the rest of the payment amongst ourselves, fair?" .

Fine with me, though if we are being paid in advance we'd better find what your friends want. I don't want to upset them, they might turn me into something freakish and distinguishing like a monkey or something

[sarge67]

The group made it to the enclave undisturbed and found Morbyn sitting in a stall with bars between you and him. He looked up "Don't say it, I got stuck at the accounting bin again. Sometimes I hate Ivor and his accidental assignments. How do you get so lucky?"

[dantiesilva]

Making sure they are well out of earshot before replying, Agaros turns towards Benaress with an amused smile. "I would not count Ivor as a friend, if he wasn't a wizard at all I wouldn't even consider him a person worth paying attention to. As for the staff, he assumes it is there from what I have gathered. Truth is Ivor is rather lazy and likes to indulge himself if you couldn't tell. The fact he has so much money is surprising given he is hardly more skilled than myself and comes from no special family back home. So either he has been saving up for a while hoping the Staff of Skulls will be able to raise his power greatly or he is the middle man working for someone else and he is to stupid to ask questions so long as he can keep feeding his habits." the red wizard explains.

"Also by the time we return and with whatever we find truth be told myself and possibly even Sanya, he says indicating the individual in monk like clothing "may even be just as powerful if not more so than he. You see he specializes in necromancy so I doubt he has spent the time to learn how to transform others into anything. Perhaps with an illusion, but those go away once you break his concentration, which is not that difficult. Sister Durzila on the other hand is a conjurer, and if she didn't stand by Ivor she may actually be dangerous, still mind you not from any important house mind you." Agaros reassures Benaress, letting the Nezumi know that in truth the two were not much of a threat so long as they kept not applying themselves.

"I stay out of the game and make sure my research helps everyone." Agaros says with an amused smile as if sharing a joke with a friend. "Sadly Ivor hasn't finished ruining your day just yet Brother, seems he put up a sign that all of us here are interested in, and well you know how he is with money. Told me to come here and get the rest from you and that he would pay you back." Agaros says respectfully to the man, his tone showing that he respected this individual a great deal more than Ivor. "Also I don't suppose we have a spare healing kit lying around I could borrow for the journey? I'll replace it when I return of course." he offers to Morbyn after explaining the amount they were still needed to be paid as well as a list of items they were looking to buy.

[sarge67]

Morbyn slides a ledger toward Agaros "Go ahead and fill this out. You only need to jot down who is paying, who is receiving, and how much. I can fill out the rest." the wizard rolls his head around as though falling asleep "It will at least give me something to do for the next six hours" he pulls a tray from under the bin "How much is he short?"

[dantiesilva]

Agaros takes the form with practiced ease filling out Ivor's name on one side before looking to the others. "Are we using my name as the reciever or do you want to come up with a name for ourselves?" He asks them politely.

While waiting he turns back to Morbyn. "Not as much as you would think given how little real work he does. Only 400 gold. Which given he spends every copper he earns on what he does is rather impressive that he was able to cover so much. Has he gotten a new patron recently for the amount of gold hes tossing around?" Agaros asks filled with curiosity as well as hoping to buy the others time to make up their mind.

[wilphe]

Your's is fine

[wilphe]

Benaress looks around him for anything sweet he hasn't tried yet or some bright shiny object or childrens' toy to be apparently distracted by whilst actually paying great attention to the exchange between the two wizards

[dantiesilva]

With Benaress stating it was fine for him to simply sign his own name and no further suggestions or comments from the rest of the party Agaros signs the paper and slides the ledger back to Morbyn. "I believe everything is in order now?" he asks, making sure with the wizard in charge of accounting for the day.

[sarge67]

Morbyn slides a wooden container through the cage "He has a secret, I'm not supposed to know about." the scribe looks around before leaning forward to whisper "He has found a way to make copper look like gold, so he's been cheati..." he paused again before shaking his head "Nah. he wouldn't cheat a fellow mage." he slides the log back inside the bin and corrects the debtor information.

[dantiesilva]

Agaros's eyes narrow dangerously at this revelation, he knew the man would stoop to low levels but never would have thought he would go this far. Taking out the sack of six hundred gold he places it onto the counter between Morbyn and himself. "Ivor has little morals Morbyn, the only way he would think about not cheating another is if he knew he couldn't get away with it. Can you please make sure these are correct, and hope for his sake they are. I may no longer play the game, however I will not be duped by a fool who can't even stay clean for a day." the scholar says angrily as he waits for Morbyn to confirm one way or another the validity of the coins.

[sarge67]

Morbyn shakes his head in a mournful manner "Sadly my friend, all I saw was the alteration of the coin. I do not know how to make the process work nor do I know how to identify whether a coin was copper or gold in its original state.. I have inquired about it with the senior mages and if they know will not share the knowledge."

[wilphe]

Pardon me if I spend my advance before we leave

[wkwkwkwk1]

Grundar follows Agaros, marveling at the exotic (for him) architecture of the temple.

Spoiler: OOC

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Is Agaros having this conversation within earshot of the other party members?

[dantiesilva]

Agaros takes in all that Morbyn says and internally confirms someone is indeed backing Ivor, if Morbyn's question wasn't answered. Meaning it wasn't necessarily Ivor who wanted the staff either which made things difficult. Some of his colleagues were simple people, a little ambition but not enough to ruin the empire, others however, espically those who practiced the art of necromancy like himself would do almost anything to rise in power. Those were the ones you didn't want to give more power than they already had. "Well thank you Morbyn for the warning, I at least know to make sure we spend as much of this coin as soon as possible. Who knows if it is some form of illusion or a transmutation that expires after some time." he says looking to the others to make sure they understood what was said.

" I think it would indeed be wise Benaress to spend every last coin the fool gave us on that off chance it is fake. If everyone wants I can handle the grunt work of our purchases, however the individual cuts you would have to buy yourself though I am willing to go with you of course. Fastest way to get everything done, lets say we all meet up back here when we are all done shopping before finding a simple inn to stay in until dawn?" he suggests, this way everyone could get what they needed before they left in the morning.

Spoiler: @ wkwkwkwk1

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Yes Agaros would be speaking in front of the rest of the group (after all it is their paycheck and such and he wouldn't hide stuff like this from them.), he is a man who loves information and is very transparent when it comes to things like pay and such thus he wouldn't have any qualms saying all of this infront of the group.

[wilphe]

That would seem an excellent idea, but does it have to be a simple inn? This will be the last of civilisation for a few tendays - I'd like to enjoy what it has to offer

[dantiesilva]

"I'm personally used to sleeping in dusty tombs as I study ancient Netheries writings and artifacts so honestly anything with four walls and a fire is fine by me. Add in I have housing here, I see no reason to pay more than is needed, at least for myself. If you and the others are so inclined to pay for a fancier establishment by all means, I will not stop you." Agaros explains to his traveling companion, as he understood the want to stay in comfort, however as they would be gone from it for so long in his eyes it would be worse to be used to it and lose it then to simply not have it.

[wilphe]

That sounds fair says Benaress, What say the rest of you?

Spoiler: OOC

Show

will this be relevant or we skipping to the next morning?

[wkwkwkwk1]

Upon hearing of the possibly fake gold, Grundar's face twists as if he'd bitten down on a lemon, but keeps himself from talking. He does, however, make a mental note of it.

"I've been travelling too long to need many comforts. As long as there's ground under me, I shall be fine."

"And I would rather keep the gold," he grins under his beard.