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Oscar signs the contract and neatly rolls the document up before handing it to Fnipper. "I will be fine with a joint expense account. Though I will say mounts are necessary for at least myself." He addresses the statuesque gnome and says, "Does the guild provide any mounts or is that something that must be procured elsewhere?"
After inspecting the contract to make sure everyone has signed it, Fnipper looks to the group and smiles uncharacteristically warmly. The effect is somewhere between friendly and unsettling.
"Welcome, then, fellow guild members, and congratulations on taking your first quest!" He gestures for you to follow him like a friend welcoming you into his house. "Of cooourse we have provisions. The guild shop is one of the finest in the district, as are the stables. Though I'm sorry to say, most of the mounts have been rented out by the other adventurers. We have a few donkeys, some ponies, some riding dogs, and some miniature ponies. We also have a few, er, exotic mounts, but I don't recommend them until you've developed some skill with animals first. They can be a handful for the unskilled rider. Fimble, you might be interested in taking a look though. I saw in the Book of Legends that you show great potential as a mounted combatant, and you possess some training with exotic mounts. As for you Gordid, come with me after I take everyone else to the stables. You can meet our blacksmith, Gerk. He can sharpen your axe to a hew so keen, you'd think it was enchanted."
You all walk along the dizzying corridors of the deceptively large guild. "Sorry for taking you the long way. The guild hall is magically designed to be as confusing as possible. Not even the finest trackers or dungeoneers could find their way through our labyrinths by mundane means, unless a guild lord or guildmaster guides them. There are short cuts throughout the guild that our guild members use, which you will learn in time. For now though, here we are."
You turn a corner, which opens up to a beautiful, sunlit courtyard stable with ponies and donkeys grazing. A few large dogs are playing with each other amidst some shrubs and some miniature ponies are eating off the hands of some halflings who happen to also be pricing some mounts at the moment.
"We keep the exotic mounts separate, lest they eat our normal mounts. If you wish to see them, stay with me and I'll show them to you after I take Gordid to the blacksmith."
Gordid (and any who are interested in seeing the exotic mounts) continue on down another network of corridors until an archway opens up to a loud chewing sound. "Curse it, Fnip! I'm on BREAK!" comes an earth shattering boom from beyond darkness on the other side of the archway. "Ah heh, heh..." Fnipper chuckles apologetically. "Give me a moment, Gordid." He adjust his spectacles again, and they begin to take on a greenish hue. He walks into the next room.
indecipherable talking
"I SAID I'M ON BREAK!"
indecipherable talking
"Fnipper! I been at th' forge fer nigh 38 hours now, I'm tired! 'E shoulda' come earlier if he wanted some work done! I'm eatin' my mutton, them I'm goin' to sleep!"
indecipherable talking
"Fnipper... yer an ass. An' yu'll always be an ass. Fine. But now we're even. LIGHTS!"
Suddenly the chamber is lit up with magically brilliance, and inside, you see an immaculate smithy and a massive greenish blue-skinned ogre with black horns and tusks, black eyes and small, white pupils towering over the diminutive gnome, glaring down at you. The gnome winces at the brightness and adjusts his spectacles once again. "Thank you Gerk. Well Gordid, anything you want done, he's the one for the job. The guild discount makes his prices manageable, and you won't get such quality craftsmanship for less in Neverwinter."
Gerk waves an impatient hand. "What you want done?" He demands of Gordid.
Fimble follows in dumbstruck awe, only managing to sputter: "Ec...excotic mounts?! Yes, yes please!" he lets Fnipper lead him down the hall, scarcely startled at all by the blacksmith in his eager anticipation of the 'exotic' stable.
__________________
Spoiler
"Players may blunder through dialog with shocking ineptitude, forget the name of the country they are in, or get confused about which side they are on, but once it comes time to roll for initiative they all turn into Sun Tzu." -Shamus Young
Felix looks carefully at the mounts presented until he notices a Husky, one of the older kind (which made him calmer) but still looking strong.
"Humph... this one looks fine. How much do you want for it?" he asks the person responsible in the stables.
__________________
“No matter how subtle the wizard, a knife between the shoulder blades will seriously cramp his style.”
― Steven Brust
“Plan. Yes. Good idea. I should come up with a plan.”
― Steven Brust, Dzur
Oscar had been listening intently to Fnipper's lecture on the guild's unique design. His mind was teeming with so many questions he scarcely new where to begin. As they rounded the corner to approach the blacksmith, Oscar's focus was snared by the Book Of Legends comment.
As they approached the smithy, Oscar took note of the darkness, "Perhaps he is sleepin..." His sentence was cut short by the booming reply. As the light illuminated the smith, Oscar couldn't help but flinch at the sight of the large ogre. Quietly he mumbles to Gordid,"You should be quick with your request Gordid, you interrupted his meal."
Leaving the dwarf behind, Oscar continued with the group toward the exotic mounts. Excited at the chance to observe the rare creatures, Oscar had to use restraint to not walk to fast for his shorter companions. Though his curiosity was not to be ignored, and with a polite tone he asks, "Mr.Fnipper you mentioned a Book of Legends. Is that what the quill was writing upon during our interview? It seems to be able to gather information about whoever speaks in its presence, which is quite unique. To my knowledge, I have not come across a similar object in lore or even at the University's own robust collection of mystical items. Is it an artifact acquired by the guild during its operations or was it something ensorcelled for the guild? On that note, I imagine the guild has at minimum a few members that are practitioners of the arcane arts. I would be delighted to meet them, if such a thing could be arranged. "
Felix takes a good look around once again and decides to organize first. He asks for a piece of paper and something to write and composes a list of what he would like to buy...
Spoiler
(OOC: All of these is paid from Felix's own money. Unless the Feed and trail rations are free during the mission...)
Name - typical price
Riding dog - 150 gp (if he can he would try to buy one)
Military saddle - 20 gp
Feed (Chunks of meat) x 20 - 6 gp
Saddlebags - 4 gp
Dog snacks - ?
Blanket, winter- 0,5 gp
Candle x 3 - 0,03 gp
Case, map or scroll - 1 gp
Crowbar - 2 gp
Flint and steel - 1 gp
Paper x 5 - 2 gp
Trail rations x 14 - 7 gp
Tent - 10 gp
Pencil x 2 - ?
Cold weather outfit - 8 gp
Cookies - ?
Blessed Bandages - 20 gp
Total- 231,53
... and runs around the place, trying to get all that he needs.
__________________
“No matter how subtle the wizard, a knife between the shoulder blades will seriously cramp his style.”
― Steven Brust
“Plan. Yes. Good idea. I should come up with a plan.”
― Steven Brust, Dzur
The stable master sees you appraise the husky and moseys up to you. She's a half-elf with a friendly smile. "Alfie's a fine choice, and only 150 gold pieces to purchase, 25 gp a week to rent" she says as she approaches you. "Come here, Alfie!" Alfie trots up to the stable master, wagging his tail. "Very tame and well trained for combat. Heel!" Alfie sits at your feet examining you in return. "He has served in a battle campaign and is an excellent war mount. He has no fear, and will serve a kind master well. Have you received any training in combat riding?"
Gordid:
Spoiler
The Ogre heaves a rumbling sigh, not overly excited to be alone with a dwarf. He directs his eerie looking eyes to your axe. "Nice toy ya' got there. Would ya like me to turn it into a weapon for ya?"
Fimble and Oscar:
Spoiler
Fnipper smiles at Fimble's excitement. "I love the exotic stables as well. We have three stables on the property: Large Beast and Dire Stables, Magical Beast Stables, and Flying Beast Stables. For obvious reasons, our Aquatic Beast Stables are kept by the bay. I'll show you our dire mounts first. Most of our magical beasts have been rented or purchased, and our aviary was never very full... cold climates and all."
He turns his head to Oscar and adjusts his spectacles again, now fully engrossed in scholarly discussion. "The Book of Legends... hmm. You could say it's an artifact. It was commissioned by Guild Lord Archibald the Chronicler in the Dalelands to the Harpers. It is a valuable resource for the Adventurer's Guild and was created at no small expense to us. Basically, it serves as a tool for chronicling the deeds and capabilities of our guild members and transcribes that information to all its sister books throughout the realms. That way, no matter what guild you go to, they will know enough about you to help you find work best suited to your talents." He raises a finger in the air as if beginning a long winded lecture, "The Book of Legends works in conjunction with the Quill of Telling to detail the precise capabilities, both strengths and..." then in a moment of clarity, pauses. "I'm sorry, Oscar, but as a wizard, you surely understand. We have to keep a few secrets. Although the book is useless without a guild lord or guildmaster using it, artifacts are highly coveted items, and the fewer people know about it, the better...
But, to answer your final question. Yes, casters of all kinds can be found working for the guild. In fact, you're speaking to one now. For 20 years, I served as a Loremaster at Mirabar, and before that I taught at Merriweather Finch's School of Divination in Silverymoon. Admittedly, most adventuring wizards don't take Divination seriously as a course of study, but I can assure you, our talents fetch a fair price in the courts of kings. And besides, it couldn't hurt the adventurer or two to know what lies ahead. Maybe it would prevent more of their journeys from coming to an abrupt and," he makes a line gesture across his neck, "painful end."
As you pass through another archway, the world opens up to an impossibly large chamber. This place looks far less inviting than the green meadows of the horse and dog stables. Iron bars separate you from the glaring, massive beasts that pace from wall to wall. "Ah... here we are. Don't get too close to the bars. I assure you, they are there for a reason. Dires are inherently aggressive and even their play can be deadly." As he mentions this, a large half-orc with a hook hand walks up to you. You can see that his face, neck, and arms are covered in scars. "Oi... Fnip. Wha' brings you down 'ere?" He sizes up Fimble and Oscar. "Fresh meat fer moi babiesh, then? Heh, heh. Leasht ya' could do wash clean em and gut em firsht. HA!" He bellows as he approaches. "Jesht a joke, matesh. They call me Bait. Get it? Caushe Oi'm on a hook!" He shows his hook hand and smiles grotesquely. "Sherioushly though, Bait, at'cher shervice."
Fnipper smiles sheepishly and wipes his spectacles. "Bait, meet Fnipper... I mean Fimble and Oscar. They're interested in some exotic mounts." He turns to you two and smiles, "He's a bit... unorthodox, but I assure you he's a genius in his trade. The exotics love him."
"In more waysh 'an one," Bait quips as he shows his hook hand again. "Keep yer handsh at yer shidesh an' don't approach the cagesh until I shay it'sh shafe. I jusht fed em, but 'at don't mean they wouldn't mind a desshert, if ya catch moi meanin'."
Fnipper takes up the rear and Bait leads the way. You pass by dire boars, bears, lions, dire weasels and a number of gigantic beasts suitable for the nordic climates of the region. You even see empty cages for a wooly mammoth, elk, and (curiously) dire rabbits. "Thish hall here ish fer large beashts and dire animalsh. From 500 pound Dire Badgersh to 1500 pound Polar Bearsh, we shpecialize in large furry friendsh that could SHWALLOW YA WHOLE IN YER SHLEEP! Hahahaaaa! Nah, sherioushly. They're tamed... well ash tame ash you can get 'em without takin' the fight out of 'em." He turns and grimaces at you with eyes flashing menacingly as he twists his hook. "You shee... ya want 'em mean," he growls. "Big animalsh ain't afraid of nothin'. They'll tear through anything in their path an' gobble up whatever tashtesh good to em. An' fer that, there'sh no better companion to take into battle than one o' theshe monshtersh... if you can gain their reshpect. That'sh what it comesh down to. Which ish why YOU," he points his good hand at Fimble, "little fella... would probably be more intereshted in riding what's back there." He points to the next chamber. "To a dire... you're barely a shnack."
He takes you into the next chamber, where you see more cages, but the cells appear to be less barbaric and more like a zoo. These are sorted in alphabetic order, from "Aranea" to "Worg." "We have over a hundred magical beashtsh to chooshe from. Thish ish one of the largesht Magical Beasht Shtables in all the Realmsh... well ushually anyway. Noblesh from Waterdeep hold a carnival each year to stir up shome bushiness, and they rent our magicalsh for the show. We got shome Avalanchersh here... a few Beashts of Malar, Oi think. A blink dog might interesht the little guy, an' Oschar might like the Bulette..." He continues to rattle off names of magical creatures until Fimble interjects. "They're beginners, Bait. What do you have that's affordable and easy to ride?"
Bait stops counting on his fingers and looks up. "Affordable..." he frowns and smacks his tongue against the roof of his mouth as if the very word tasted bad. "Well... we might have a Krenshar left. Noblesh didn' want the Leucrottash thish year, sho we got all o' thoshe. We got a freshly matured nesht of Tomb Shpidersh out and trained... short of. A Winter Wolf, and one Worg, oi think. Though the Worg'sh gettin' a bit tempermental in her old age. Oi'd shell her fer a dishcount, but if ya can't afford the magical beashtsh, then ya definitely can't afford the flyin' onesh, sho we might ash well not bother goin'. Ya can tour the aviary fer fun on yer own time. Tell me how much've ya got to shpend, and I'll tell ya what you can afford to buy or rent."
"I am afraid I am not a good rider. That's why I am looking for a calm mount and a good saddle."
Felix answers with an apologetic smile.
"Although, as people like us often get into fights, I would appreciate... Alfie here, to be trained to deal with combat pressure."
He stops for a while and goes closer to the dog, examining it carefully.
"Do I need to know something specific about him? What does he prefer to eat? How does he deal with low temperatures? Is he trained to track by scent?"
He asks questions as the mercenary in him awakens again...
__________________
“No matter how subtle the wizard, a knife between the shoulder blades will seriously cramp his style.”
― Steven Brust
“Plan. Yes. Good idea. I should come up with a plan.”
― Steven Brust, Dzur
After the impressive tour through the beastiary, Fimble is looking a little sheepish, shuffling his foot across the floor. "Well, you see, I don't really have a lot of money. I have less than 20 pieces of gold left, so I doubt I could buy any of these magnificent beasts. I'm terribly sorry, I didn't want to be wasting your time or anything."
A flush appears on his cheek, and he quickly looks away, catching the eye of a vicious leucrotta staring hungrily at him. With a little shiver he decides to face his companions instead.
__________________
Spoiler
"Players may blunder through dialog with shocking ineptitude, forget the name of the country they are in, or get confused about which side they are on, but once it comes time to roll for initiative they all turn into Sun Tzu." -Shamus Young
"All of our mounts are well trained but none Alfie is the only dog left in my stables with combat experience. He is a prize companion and an excellent choice, but if it's a gentle ride for a new rider you're looking for, consider our miniature ponies. Meet Sugarcane..."
She guides you to a diminutive pony grazing in the grass. "She's well trained and quite calm. She's never seen a battle campaign, but she's trained to carry gnomish and halfling bards, who need a smooth and steady ride to practice their craft during their travels. She knows come, fetch, heel, dance, and stay. Sugarcane, Dance."
The tiny horse looks up to the stablemaster and nickers a bit before prancing around in a circle, and then bowing to you by bending one front leg and extending the other. The stablemaster offers Sugarcane a treat, which Sugarcane eagerly accepts.
"30 gp to purchase... 12 gp per week to rent. We also have other minis for sale starting at 20 gp, but they aren't as well trained as Sugarcane, here."
Fimble and Oscar:
Spoiler
Bait deflates some and rolls his eyes.
Then, Fnipper pipes in. "Well, there is the expense account. Combined, that gives you 80 gold pieces. Also the guild can simply deduct from your pay, up to 50% that is, any purchases you make from the guild. That's an extra 25 gold on credit. Combined with your 20 gold pieces, that's 125 gold pieces to work with. Of course, Gordid will likely spend some of that with Gerk."
Bait follows the math as well as he can, then counts on his fingers again for a moment. "Gerk'll wring 'im dry, if Oi know that old bastard."
Fnipper shakes his head. "He's only going to sharpen the dwarf's axe, Bait."
"Dwarf? 'At'll cost 'im extra. Still a sharpenin' won't take much. But, t' be safe, lessay ya got a hunnerd to work with. Dires start at 400 gold. Now... Oi'd let a Tomb Spider go fer as little as a hunnerd gold, but only cause 'ere's too many of em in 'ere anyhow, and they're libel to eat each other."
"He's a Paladin, Bait." Fnipper interjects.
@Fimble:
Spoiler
Those Tomb Spiders are lighting up with a faint evil aura.
Bait grumbles a bit. "Alright... how about this old Krenshar then? Name's Mr. Smiley. He's gettin' too old by now, and I don't have enough cages to keep him isolated from the young 'uns who keep fightin' him. I'll sell 'im fer a hunnerd, I guess. But I'm not includin' the saddle. 'S' ain't a charity I'm runnin'."
You can see that the Krenshar is indeed quite venerable. The skin on his face has drooped some, giving him a bull-dog look, and his coat is dull and coarse. When he stands up at the mention of his name, you can see numerous battle scars from times when younger Krenshar have battled him for dominance and part of his tail is missing. His teeth are clean though, and his claws are sharp. His eyes are just as sharp as any jungle gat, but with an intelligence that implies comprehension. He hisses at the name "Mr. Smiley" and looks at Fimble and Oscar with a hint of hesitant curiosity.
Felix looks at the mounts undecided...
"Da always said that the best mount for a halfling is a riding dog. ... But I must confess I am not the best rider..."
Then something almost in visible way clicks in his head.
"The pony isn't trained for combat, which means it would panic if we were attacked. And there is quite a high chance for that... if not this time then later... I will take Alfie then."
He concludes with a wide smile.
Spoiler
Final shopping list:
Riding Dog (Alfie) - 150 gp
Military saddle - 15 gp
Saddlebags - 4 gp
Feed x 20 - 1 gp
Dog snacks x 20 - 0,2 gp
Blanket, Winter - 0.3 gp
Candle x 3: .03 gp
Case, map or scroll: 1 gp
Crowbar: 2 gp
Flint and Steel: 1 gp
Paper x 10: 2 gp
Trail Rations x 15: 3 gp ("Thanks Bait")
Tent: 5 gp
Pencil x 2: 2 cp
Cold weather outfit - 8 gp
Blessed Bandages - 20 gp
Cookies - 1 gp worth
Total: 213,55 gp.
__________________
“No matter how subtle the wizard, a knife between the shoulder blades will seriously cramp his style.”
― Steven Brust
“Plan. Yes. Good idea. I should come up with a plan.”
― Steven Brust, Dzur
Fimble approaches the cage both curious and cautious.
"Well, I must admit I couldn't really follow your math there, but if it doesn't get in the way of any of the others..."
he looks up at Oscar for a response.
"Then I'll take him, if he'll carry me. For ninety including a saddle. You'll be glad to get rid of him and make a profit, I'd wager." Fimble smiles playfully at Bait, then bends his knees next to the cage and holds a small piece of dried meat up for the Krenshar.
"And we'll have to find you another name, as well, my new friend."
__________________
Spoiler
"Players may blunder through dialog with shocking ineptitude, forget the name of the country they are in, or get confused about which side they are on, but once it comes time to roll for initiative they all turn into Sun Tzu." -Shamus Young
Stepping towards the Ogre, sizing him up and snorting briefly. "If ya think them stubby clubs ye call 'ands can work dwarven metal as good as Fnipper claims, maybe. 'Less ye got somethin Aye can swing in two 'ands to break open skulls like yer own." He made no effort to hide his hostility against the ogre, but for all he knew, insults were part of the everyday speech between such brutes.
__________________
"But Iron - Cold Iron - Is Master Of Them All"
The stablemaster nods and heads to Alfie. "I'll prepare Alfie for you and have him saddled and by the entrance of the Guild when you are ready to depart. You'll have to sign a receipt for him, and Fnipper will take care of all that with you before you leave. When you're ready, just head to the door marked Main Hall. It's a Dimension Door that will take you to the main hall of the Guild where you met Fnipper."
She turns to Alfie and gives him a hug. "Congratulations, boy! You've got a new master. I'm going to miss you. Let's get you ready for your new life." Together, they begin to walk to the stables.
Fimble and Oscar:
Spoiler
Bait looks at Fimble incredulously. "Yoo've got ta be jokin'. D'you know how much a Krenshar goesh for norm'lly? Oi could rent out Mr. Shmiley fer what Oi'm offrin' to shell him. A young adult Krenshar fetchesh 600 gold mosht daysh... he jusht happensh to be closhe to retiorement, ish all.
"However, if ya' really want, Oi'll let ya rent 'im fer 80 gold a week. That includes shaddle and feed. If he diesh of anything other than old age while yer rentin' him, you owe me the differencshe of the shaddle, feed and agreed upon price of a hunnerd. Fnipper 'ere'll shee that a shtipend comesh out from each gig ya' take. That'sh moi final offer. Otherwishe, she the elf fer a puppy and don't bother me again till ya have shome real money."
Fnipper looks to Fimble inquisitively. "Felix is renting a riding dog now. If you'd like, I can have Goldie, our stablemaster for common mounts, arrange a second dog for your to ride. The rates would be much more suitable to your budget."
Gordid:
Spoiler
The ogre stares at you for a moment, not moving. The says, "Boy... even if you could reach my head, that piece of junk you've got there would crack in half over an ogre skull. I'll sharpen it for ya, though. So maybe you can use it for more than spreading butter, or making enemies laugh at you. 15 gold. That'll make it Keen... for a time. Yer axe is made from cheap metal, so the effect won't hold. If yer looking for an Urgrosh, my apprentice made one..." He rummages through a box labelled "junk" and pulls an Urgrosh out. It appears to be solidly made, if a bit plain looking. He holds it out to show that it's balanced. "Here it is. It's sharp and balanced. Nothin' fancy, but good fer splitting heads. 50 GP and it's yours. If you got the pocket for it, I got a masterwork Urgrosh that I'll let go of for... oh... 70 platinum." He runs his thumb over the mundane Urgrosh, testing it's sharpness.
Note about Gerk's work:
If Gerk sharpens your axe, it will give it a Keen effect. But since it's not a masterwork axe, the edge will eventually dull. So it will only work for (1d8)[4] attacks, whether they hit or not (unless you roll a Nat 1, which is a clean miss).
Fimble ponders over the various offers in his head, not being the sharpest at numbers.
"Well, I need a mount that I can ride into battle, that is what I'm trained for. Otherwise I may as well ride along in the cart. But that sure is a steep renting price compared to buying him.
Tell you what, if I can rent him for a week for 80 gold, and come back and pay the difference between that and the buying price, including saddle and feed, then we've got ourselves a deal. And that's my final offer."
Fimble looks Bait hard in the eye as he lays the proverbial cards on the table.
Spoiler
Diplomacy: (1d20+3)[11]
__________________
Spoiler
"Players may blunder through dialog with shocking ineptitude, forget the name of the country they are in, or get confused about which side they are on, but once it comes time to roll for initiative they all turn into Sun Tzu." -Shamus Young
Oscar had listened patiently to Bait and Fimble's haggling before saying, "Fimble the Krenshar is a magnificient beast but he is a tad expensive. As for myself, I don't necessarily need a horse. I rather just not have to walk." Addressing Fnipper and Bait, "If I or my companions were to rent a cart and a non wartrained horse, what would the price be? Furthermore, in the event of an attack how would the horse react? As I have no previous experience with horses in which to reference."
You all meet out front of the guild hall where Fnipper is waiting to see you off. You can see Gwen sitting by the road, looking dejected, and attempting to dislodge a cobblestone with her dagger.
Fnipper gives you some parting words. "Jarvis Khelgrim is your point of contact. He will be wearing an orange cloak and standing next to a caravan of other merchants. His tradesman insignia is the image of a large exotic fish with a J branded over it, made to look something like a hook. There is a small guild hall in Luskan. Once there, if you wish to follow either of the merchant teams, similar pick up the contract at the guild hall there. If you wish there will be other bids there as well. Or you can just head back to Neverwinter. We always have work. This was the first guild in the region, so this location is far better established than the other guilds around here."
Fimble has tried to take in the wealth of information, but now his head is spinning just a little; with contracts, flying ponies and murder dogs.
"Good to know. Thank you, Fnipper! Guess we'll be looking for that fish to catch."
He then notices Gwen outside, and runs out to her, gibbering all the while.
"Miss Bennett! Gwen! It's so good to see you. You wouldn't believe what we just saw! What happened to you? We saw giant dogs with fangs and evil giant spiders, but they wouldn't let us see the flying mounts even though I can fly some of them! Why are you still here? It's great to see you!"
__________________
Spoiler
"Players may blunder through dialog with shocking ineptitude, forget the name of the country they are in, or get confused about which side they are on, but once it comes time to roll for initiative they all turn into Sun Tzu." -Shamus Young
Gwen lets out a defeated sigh before raising her eyes to meet Fimble's. With frustration obvious in her voice she says, "Well I was going to escort a merchant through the woods," she pauses for a moment figuring out the right words to say "but I'm not strong enough."
Spoiler
She thinks back to her childhood when...
Spoiler
JK JK not farming that hard for RPXP
She struggled to force a smile on her face, "It sounds like you saw some fantastic things in there. Can you really fly things?"
Oscar had accepted the cart and mule gratefully, as even the somewhat unstylish mule and cart was a better alternative to walking. Oscar listened to Fnipper finish speaking before saying, "Sounds like a man with a sense of style, though orange hardly ever goes with anything. Perhaps in addition to protection, I could spare a few fashion related do's and don'ts."
Fimble's sudden outburst snatches Oscar away from trying to shine the Maximillian's bridle. A restrained smile spreads across his face as he spies Ms.Gwen finicking with the road way, "Ms.Gwen would you care to join me in the cart? We are about to set off on our expedition. While you aren't necessarily a part of the guild, our membership does not preclude us from enjoying a friend's company as we travel. Even if it was for the entire duration of the trip. I can't speak for the everyone else but I, for one, would feel much safer if you and your skillful trident accompanied us. But alas, the decision must be reached quickly. I feel we may have dallied a bit to long, through not on the account of any specific person. So let us move onward!
With this his voice begins swelling with a mixture of excitement, unbridled desire and quivering anticipation "Dorian my faithful feathered friend let us away from this place, to seek greener pastures and clearer skies. Maximillian my noble steed, let us start our adventure with a thunderous roar and a sprint of fantastic speed!!!!"With that he snaps the reins, bracing himself to be thrown backward by the mighty force of Maximillian's pull. The donkey gives a sardonic, "Hee-HAW" before slowly clopping several feet and coming to rest once more. Oscar simple sits back down, and asks to no one in particular "How does one initiate a lethargic beast of burden...My skills are of a metaphysical and mystical nature, not of animal husbandry."
After hearing Oscar's stirring statement a legitimate smile tries pulling at Gwen's face despite her disappointment in herself and her abilities. Tiny crows feet formed at the bottoms of her eyes as they formed little upside down smiles. After the donkey's display she lets out a little chuckle and her normal glowing smile is back on her face. She sweeps her fingers through her bangs moving them away from her sparkling aqua eyes and with a slight facetious tone to her voice she says "I think you tie a carrot to a stick and hold it in front of its nose."
She then stands up and brushes any potential dirt off of the blue green brocaded fabric of her skirt and picks up her trident. She takes in a deep breath, like one would bring in a fresh spring air and smiles at her friends. "Surely accompanying you all would be far more pleasurable then sitting here feeling dejected. I would love to join you. Maybe I shouldn't have made things quite so complicated to start with." she subconsciously runs her fingers lightly across the tines of her trident and adds "I think I would do better a little bit farther out of town, where things are a bit more..." she considers the right word to describe "way the hell away from the constrictions of government" and finally comes to "free." She smiles and bites her bottom lip a bit waiting to hear if the rest of the party would want her back quite so soon.
"You must follow your nature, as I must follow mine." Fimble says, squinting into the sun, Sugarcane at his side. "I'm just glad that our respective natures have allowed us to travel together, in spite of our differences."
Fimble smiles up at Gwen. "And well, flying is perhaps a little strong. But that's a tale for another day. I think Oscar needs some help."
He pulls Sugarcane gently next to the cart, to properly reply to Oscar's inquiry.
"It's quite easy, Oscar! Not at all like telling the metaphysical and mystical powers to sit down and shut up. Quite the opposite in fact. Donkeys are very intelligent and social creatures, so, like yourself, they don't like getting shouted at. Try patting him on the neck and leading him by the bridle. Like so."
Fimble gently pulls at Sugarcane's reins, voicing soft commands as he goes. "Come on. There's a good girl. Goood girl." Sugarcane follows him happily and is rewarded by a ruffling of her mane.
"And treats! Donkeys love apples and carrots, and I could eat some too! But if he still doesn't move, try pulling him to the side, that forces him to take a step for balance. Just remember to reward him for it. And be gentle!"
__________________
Spoiler
"Players may blunder through dialog with shocking ineptitude, forget the name of the country they are in, or get confused about which side they are on, but once it comes time to roll for initiative they all turn into Sun Tzu." -Shamus Young
"Orange clothes, right... thank you..."
After saying that Felix turns around and sees Gwen. And quickly runs to her with others. (...although running isn't really for him...)
"...Gwen! You are still here! *gasp* Are you going with us!? *huff**puff* Look I have a dog now! Did you like the cookies? I have more so come with us!"
*Quick pause for catching breath*
"So are you going with us?"
__________________
“No matter how subtle the wizard, a knife between the shoulder blades will seriously cramp his style.”
― Steven Brust
“Plan. Yes. Good idea. I should come up with a plan.”
― Steven Brust, Dzur
Reunited again after a brief parting, your group manages to find Jarvis Khelgrim and his three large covered wagons.
He is a man of average height, with a thick but well-groomed light-brown chin curtain beard. His eyebrows are thick and expressive. He moves with a relaxed swagger that suggests mild drunkenness. This is confirmed when you see him pull a flask out of his waistcoat and take a little sip. His manner of dress is ostentatious to say the least. His head is capped with a large blue hat, tipped by a massive white feather and orange band. His orange waistcoat matches his orange cloak, but seems a bit lighter in color, as if it had been washed more often. Under his orange waistcoat is a blousy white shirt with a green silk cravat and matching green sash that tie up his billowy black trews, which are then tucked neatly into his high black leather boots. On the odd chance that he couldn't be seen in a crowd, he could most certainly be heard. His wrists and neck are jangling with gold jewelry crested with brightly colored gemstones. Each hand possesses a gold band on his pinky finger and thumb, and one of his ears are pierced multiple times from lobe to helix. And his boots have spurs on them, which clang like little tambourines whenever he walks. He's moving from wagon to wagon, inspecting the work of his porters, and calling out orders where appropriate.
Another smaller group of merchants who have paid to tag along are tying up their sacks of goods onto their carts or pack mules.
"That's good! Quite good! Hurry up then! Most everyone else has left already. Is everyone else finished fastening the loads? I can't wait a moment longer! Finish up please!" he shouts to the workers. His tone is polite, but slightly pompous.
Before we were magically whisked away....
The sight of the husky halfling makes Gwen laugh a little more, especially with his new dog bounding behind him. She responds to him "Yes they were delectable, though I still have some. I thought I would have to make them last a bit longer." She bends down and pat's Felix's new companion on the head and gives the dog a quick look over. "He sure is a handsome canine Felix. And it looks like I will be joining you all after all. Funny how life plays out that way some times."
In real time
Upon seeing Jarvis Gwen brings her hand to her mouth to cover up her smile and any snickers that might arise out of her. "That is who you are escorting to Luskan? It will be lucky if that outfit doesn't hail every single monster on the way." She says in a hushed giggle to the nearest party member. Since she isn't with the guild she hangs back to let someone initiate conversation with him, taking glances at his outfit and looking away shaking her head periodically.
Gordid admires the sharpened edge to his ax as he joins up with the rest of the group. He looks over the merchants they'll be gaurding choosing a spot toward the front where he can intercept any monsters or bandits quickly should they be attacked.
__________________
"But Iron - Cold Iron - Is Master Of Them All"
Felix approaches Jarvis
"Hello mister Khelgrim. We... he points others with his hand ...were hired to guard this caravan. We come from Mercenaries Guild. Is there anything we should know about this, some recent bandits attacks or such?"
He says in polite tone and his 'merchant face'.
Spoiler
Like poker face but he shows less emotion. Just polite interest in the other persons words/life/actions... as long as they are paying.
__________________
“No matter how subtle the wizard, a knife between the shoulder blades will seriously cramp his style.”
― Steven Brust
“Plan. Yes. Good idea. I should come up with a plan.”
― Steven Brust, Dzur
Jarvis inspects you from head to toe as if inspecting an item before purchase.
"Mercen- ah yes! Of course. How amusing! You have signed the contract then, I presume?" He unfurls a contract of his own and looks at it. You can plainly see that all your signatures are there. "Perfect! You must be Felix, a halfling... monk?" He inspects you again, this time with a mild hint of confusion on his face. Then he offers a barely perceptible shrug.
"We're almost ready to go. The porters are finishing up now. As for dangers, well. There are always dangers on the road to Luskan. We can expect bandit attacks, orcs, yeti, barbarians, and other such threats. I trust you to protect myself and my wares until we get there. The rest of these merchants are coming with us but are not strictly part of the protection contract."
He looks up at the final call of the porters and nods... causing his massive plum to flop about. "Thank you! Here's another copper a piece for your troubles. Now, to the gates! We've dallied quite long enough!"
He turns to the group. "Are you all ready to go, then?"
Gwen tenses slightly for a moment while Jarvis looks from the contract to the group wondering how he'd feel about an extra mercenary there sans contract. She relaxes with a light exhale as he said nothing further about the number in the party. She considered debated for several moments how he would feel and eventually decided that it would be silly for anyone to be against having an extra paladin along for no extra cost.
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