diplo roll 18+12=30.
"five thou minimum's fine, and 2 thousand of THAT 5 thou up front, with the remaining three thousand minimum to be paid later, as a percent of the take from this go is more than reasonable. As far as the 40 percent being bandied about.....uh.....we'll go you 20 percent. You have to understand that our line of business there's extremely high overhead. Scrolls don't grow on trees, well....not with spells written on them. Wands....well you get my point. I think 20 percent is fair, all things considered."
Okay....that's what I say. No more editing, I swear it.
diplo roll 18+12=30.
"five thou minimum's fine, and 2 thousand of THAT 5 thou up front, with the remaining three thousand minimum to be paid later, as a percent of the take from this go is more than reasonable. As far as the 40 percent being bandied about.....uh.....we'll go you 20 percent. You have to understand that our line of business there's extremely high overhead. Scrolls don't grow on trees, well....not with spells written on them. Wands....well you get my point. I think 20 percent is fair, all things considered."
"Considering the task ahead, the minimum presented seems more than fair. A down payment, acceptance of the crew, these seem to be items we all agree on, as well. The share of any booty seems to be the only items we don't have complete agreement on. It would appear that we will work well together."
"Something we should point out lest it be overlooked: Our expectation is to work with you and your crew as a team. Among our group, we have... abilities... that aid our allies. I'm sure you are aware of the type of thing I refer to. We have no intention of excluding your crew from those benefits. Of course, some magic is limited in how many it can affect, so we may have to choose, but nothing says that my friend here," she indicates the dwarf, "and Janosz wouldn't be the best choices. If they are, they should receive that aid. In short, we're aiming to bring everyone back with us, not just the ones we came to the table with, however that need be done."
"Hmm, OK - thirty percent."
“That sounds fair,” says Lightbringer. “Let us not bargain further on what monetary cost to put on vanquishing evil and saving our friend’s soul.”
"Alright, thirty percent it is. Where are you staying? We'll put this to the crew and let you know their decision tonight. Assuming they agree, we'll set off at first light tomorrow."
Lightbringer gives the name of the inn that one or more of them have been staying at, suggesting to the others that they all stay there together tonight, in case the cult should send any assassins after them.
"Pleasure doing business with you all, sir....I look forward to a wonderful partnership."
The party retires to the nearby inn to await the deliberations of Marrius' crew. The answer comes back about an hour later, brought by a Sivis courier - they are in.
I'm good.
Might buy some iron rations and a 10 foot pole; other than that I'm cool.
Gil will stay close to the others - she saw the look in Rolund's eye when she came up to the table after being "alone," so she's decided to behave for a while... She'll be using her persona as Cassandra for the time being.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
The night passes uneventfully and party arrive at the ship's mooring place in Dalan's Refuge at dawn. The ship is ready to go as they arrive, and as the last of them troops aboard the gangplank is pulled in and the hawsers cast off. The half-elf helmsman seizes the wheel and the air elemental in its containment ring roars into life, propelling the ship away from the dock and out across the East Hilt River.
"Right," says Marrius as the group admires the view from the fo'c'sle, "I'm afraid that as this is a fairly small ship, and there are a lot of you, you will have to sleep in the hold with the rest of the men. However, for the ladies" - he nods to Jalana and 'Cassandra' - "we have spare cabin available which you can share."
"That will be unnecessary," says Jalana in her accented Common, "I am a warrior, I will accept no special treatment."
"Lassie," says Barkhad in consternation, "It'll be full of men who will be, y'know, away from their wives and sweethearts for a long time. A wee lassie down there might, ah, inflame their passions. They're good lads but they're only men. It would'na be wise," he finishes imploring.
"Exactly. They are only men, but I am Valaes Tairn. I will be perfectly safe," she replies haughtily. While Barkhad looks aghast, Valentis smirks from where she leans on the rail.
Marrius, blinks, then shrugs and carries on. "Most of the senior crew you have met, but that's Trinkis at the helm and that's Ferez down there," he says, indicating the shifter woman as she secures some of the supplies for the journey on the main deck. She looks up and gives a mock salute.
"It'll take us about five days to get to Taer Valaestas, and we have no planned stops on the way so it will be a straight flight, assuming no untoward weather conditions. We'll head south-east across Zilargo, then east across Darguun and Kraken Bay to Valenar. House Lyrandar has some close connections to the elves in Valenar so there should be no problem berthing there. I suggest you eat your meals with us in the captain's mess, otherwise I suggest you relax and enjoy then trip.
"Any questions?"
“I do not know how a vessel like this operates,” says Lightbringer. “Can you tell me where on deck I may stand watch that I will not be in the way of your crew? I do not require rest or relaxation.”
"Er, sure, just stand where you like and don't get in the way, I guess."
"You've done this before....I have no questions."
Runzyl smirks slightly at the exchange between Barkad and Jalana, but mentally makes a point to stay alert for any such advances. While he knew Jalana to be a capable combatant, he was unsure of how she would fare against numerous opponents.
"I don't suppose there is much that poses a threat to us in the air? No airborne monsters or sky pirates that we're apt to encounter?"
"Well, it's not impossible, but it's unlikely. There are maybe a few airborne creatures in the wilds - wyverns, manticores - that could maybe kill some crew, but I can't think of anything that could down a ship this size except maybe a big dragon or something. I'm assuming you haven't pissed off any of them in addition to the Blood of Vol and the Emerald Claw?
"And while it is possible to find a few airship crews with few or no morals, it is unlikely we will encounter sky pirates - these ships are simply too valuable and fragile for serious battle.
"So I don't rule anything out, but I wouldn't worry unduly."
Runzyl nods in affirmation. "I will keep my bow in hand for this voyage, then. My blades are not likely to be effective in the sky."
"I'll be updating my memoirs."
Rolund spends his days brooding in the ship’s hold, rarely appearing on deck unless trouble arises. He remains silent and grim and any attempt at conversation with him results in an uncomfortable stare or a harsh reply until they leave him alone.
How much longer is this going to last?
"I'll be updating my memoirs."
Gil has flown a few times before as Cassandra - one of the perks of working for House Lyrandar, and helps Lightbringer find a location where he has a good range of view but is not where he's tripping the crew. Mostly, she's going to enjoy the sensation of being airborne once again, watch countryside with Janosz if he'll have her, chat up crew with small talk if they'll let her, and offer to help where she can. In particular, she will try to visit with her newest buddy, Barkhad, to get his story.
She graciously accepts the captain's offer, though her smile indicates she's not overly concerned, and she shrugs at Jalana's refusal to join her.
Rodergo settles toward the back of the ship; tries to be out of the way of the boom or whatnot.
He takes out twenty hawthorn branch sections and spends his time whittling stakes, trying not to muss up the ship with wood chips, trying to whittle them over the side.
If the opportunity presents itself, Lightbringer will converse with some of the more martial minded crew-members about their preferred fighting style, and what sort of foes they have faced in the past. If anyone shows any interest in the Silver Flame he will discuss religion with them, even gently try to convert them if he feels it will not cause offence, or else refer them to Rodergo.
If he can, he will find a time to ask Marrius or any other Karnathi crew who might be knowledgable about such things what they know if the Emerald Claw, the organizations resources, and what links they have to the Blood of Vol cult.
He will spend time speaking to Runzyl and Jalana about Valenar and Areneal and the customs of elves. Also anything specifically they may know of their eventual destination, and how their mission might be received by the elves’ ruling body.
The airship cuts east, skirting the King's Forest that lies to the north. To the south a narrow belt of settled farmland, dotted with woodland, villages and roads, eventually drops away to the cliffs that border the ocean, hazy in the distance. The ship maintains a steady height of about a thousand feet and the weather is reasonably clear, with a few fluffy white clouds, and while the air is relatively cool it is relatively pleasant this far south.
The crew take to their various tasks with practiced ease. Marrius sits at a small folding table on the fo'c'sle, plotting course with dividers over detailed topograpical charts, conferring with Salvorazo and calling instructions to the helm. The rest of the crew swab the decks, paint the woodwork, caulk the timbers, check the fastenings in the hold securing the supplies, cook, or keep watch. The containment ring pulses steadily, blowing a strong breeze across the rear part of the ship as the elemental propels the ship across the sky.
Sometime around midday the craft passes imperceptibly into Zilargo. The landscape is mostly rolling, with terraced fields and villages intersperced with lush woodland. A flock of cranes wheels below - an unaccustomed perspective on birds in flight - over wetlands nestled in a broad loop of a river. Ezreal stands by the rail, watching the scenery drift by as Salvorazo takes a break and walks over to join him.
"Enjoying the trip?"
The shifter woman, Ferez, practices throwing knives at a wooden target - a much-knotched couple of planks roughly knailed together to form a square - standing on the poop deck to the rear. She stands casually facing the target, then swiftly draws a knife and hurls it at the target with unerring accuracy. Sometime she alternates the routine and pulls two knives at the same time, one in each hand, and throwing them both, or simply practicing going from empty-handed to holding a pointed dagger with bliding speed. She notices Lightbinger watching her from his position on permanent and turns to him, hand on hip, and casts a critical eye over him.
"Never fought with warforged before. You look heavy, slow and loud. Big sword, though." Her voice is a sort of feminine growl, her teeth are pointed and her eyes are a disturbing predatory yellow.