Morthak looks at Jareen, stating simply, "It is my focus. Slavers, raiders, brigands... they must be destroyed to repay the balance of blood owed to..." He waxes uncertain once again. "... me?"
He shakes his head and grunts. "From here, I am not sure. After some time in the wastes, supplies are needed."
Arakan gives Morthak a wierd look, then nods, "Well, vengeance is a cause I can get behind. Personally, not many better reasons for doing anything than getting back at someone for doing you wrong." Looking the dwarf over, he asks, "How much experience you have survivng in the wastes by yourself? Good enough to help a small group do the same?"
He turns to Jareen, "Don't know about you, Old man, but I don't like being attached to these caravans and having orders barked at me when they don't even realize how useful we've been."
Ignoring Morthak's reply for a moment, Jareen looks at Arakan. "You are considering that we split from the caravan before our destination? I like the situation no more than you, but I doubt we would survive alone in the desert. Unless we have a great need I wouldn't want to go that way."
Turning back to Morthak he says "You fought well then, our small group could use your skills, and you will have more chances for vengeance I expect. We seem to attract that sort of trouble."
Morthak nods to Arakan, "Ah can handle me own in tha wastes. Ah suppose ah can help a small group as well. Never tried, though."
To Jareen, "Thanks. Me leads are dryer than a inix's arse now. Ah could help yeh... But where are yeh going?"
That evening the adventurers find themselves in an inn within Silver Spring. The mood is subdued. The Blacksand Raiders have been preying on many caravans along this route and several traders sit morosely, nursing their flagons. The place is half-empty - the raids have put off many, and traffic is sparse these days.
Tawfik strides in. With him are a few other weathered looking men - experienced caravaneers, by their looks. They walk over towards the group.
"You lot did well earlier today. How would you like to earn a real pay day?"
To Jareen, "Thanks. Me leads are dryer than a inix's arse now. Ah could help yeh... But where are yeh going?"
"Sometimes I wish we knew."
"You lot did well earlier today. How would you like to earn a real pay day?"
"What do you have in mind?"
"We need someone to track down these bandits and find out where they hide out. Their attacks are killing trade along the road, but what with the situation in Tyr none of the rulers seem to want to do anything about it in case the provoke the others. But if we find out where they hide out, we can get some mercenaries together and deal with them once and for all.
"That's where you come in. You've shown you can stand up to them. We'd like you to track them down, find out where they lair, and get back to us. If you can kill a few along the way, so much the better."
"I am Ori of House M'ke," says one of the other merchants. He wears baggy pantaloons and a large blue turban and his accent is strange. "It seems that these attacks are well coordinated, and I and many others suspect that the bandits receive intelligence on the caravans on the road. If you can also find out how they receive this information, you would be rewarded greatly."
"What do you say?" asks Tawfik. "Seven-fifty clacks in trade goods, and a bonus of another two-fifty if you find out who's helping them?"
"That sounds like something we could help with. What's with the Templars and the kid they lost? They seem to have taken an interest in us since he disappeared, it would be nice to know you have our backs if they decide to pull any Templar tricks."
Jareen's comments bring a sharp intake of breath. "Child? What child?" asks Ori.
"I don't ask templars about their business," replies Tawfik tightly.
Jareen ignores Ori's question and focuses on Tawfik.
"I didn't say ask them! If I was that suicidal I'd walk out into the desert right now. I asked what you knew, and wondered if you could find anything out while we are helping with your bandit problem. Call it a favor we owe you, how big depends on what you find out."
"I don't ask templars about their business. And I don't know anything about the children they lost." He pauses. "But it's odd they should take children in a cage, going to the effort of fighting past the guards. Given they were headed to Draj and we were in a House Tsalaxa enclave just before." Tawfik and the other merchants exchange looks. "But right now that's just speculation. We can't act without proof."
"What is just speculation? What acts can't you make? If this concerns ancient legends, they have a nasty habit of coming true and destroying the world."
Arakan barely contains a scowl, before blurting out, "Dammit old man! You're as subtle as a sun-reddened boil on the nose."
Turning to the merchants he explains, "Okay, now I understand that the higher the risk the greater the reward, but you want us to hare off after a group of bandits that struck a whole caravan? To top it off, as a total you are offering us a total of a thousand clacks, at best, if we not only track them down but infiltrate them enough to get information?" He grabs Morthak and leans him in closer to the group, "That means a mere two-hundred a piece for our efforts. I'm willing to help, but it's got to be worth more than that to you all. Oh, and nevermind the babbling idiot and templar's children, he gets like this. We don't care about whatever kids he thinks he's talking about." Arakan gives Jareen a look, like 'just shut up'.
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"We can't ignore them forever Arakan, if the children they had have any connection to the Wind, we may all come to regret ignoring them."
The merchants nod knowingly to Arakan. Old guy... a bit doolally... trouble with wind...
"We aren't asking you to destroy the bandits single-handed, just to provide intelligence and survive long enough to get back. But alright - nine hundred for the location and three hundred for who is helping them." Tawfik and the others are clearly limbering up for a tough negotiation.
Arakan looks at the men shrewdly, before asking, "Could I have a moment to confer with my associates? This is a risky venture, and I need to discuss options with them before speaking for them."
Assuming the merchants agree, he pulls the group aside a few feet, and begins speaking in a whisper. "Okay, there really isn't much to discuss, I'm still going to ask for more. You three," he points to Th'Kal, Cahel, and Morthak, "talk quietly about something. I just needed to talk to Jareen." Facing each member of the group in turn, and feigning like they are offering sound points, he speaks directly to Jareen. "Dammit Jareen! If we go looking for the bandits, we will find out about the kids without playing our hand. We control the chips when dealing with the templar if we already have or know what he wants. Plus we are able to get info from the kids if possible. So would you stop messing up my negotiations for once?"
Breaking up their quick sidebar, he returns to the merchants "Okay, here's the deal. You are right, we don't need to fight them. We can't get info though without having to get real close, and I mean infiltrate close. That means not only do we have to snaek right into the mouth of danger, we have to come back out as well. That's like asking someone to feed a hungry mekillot by hand. The location isn't the large part of the problem, that's a sound value at an even thousand. It's the intellignece that makes this whole venture truly a challenge. That alone is worth five-hundred extra easy. We all know that the real power lies in what you know and can use against someone."
Jareen uses the "silence is golden" tactic to not screw up Arakan's plan. ;)
The merchants consider for a moment. "OK, seems fair," says Tawfik. "If you need gear, we can give you preferential rates. But you need to get going tomorrow."
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Morthak nods grimly, trying to follow both threads of the negotiation.
I would track these scum down for naught, but I suspect they don't want to hear that...
When he gets a free moment, Morthak asks the others, "What is all this talk 'bout children?"
"If you join us, we will update you in the desert. I'm not sure you will want or need the whole story though....."
Th'Kal rarely gets involved in negotiations. He trusts Arakan to fix whatever Jareen might get them staked for... He began to bristle, his exoskeleton softly rustling, as Jareen agitated the strangers at the mention of Templars.
Then Arakan fixed it and Th'Kal visibly relaxes.
To Jareen and Arakan, "I look forward to this new hunt." Waving a lower elbow in the direction of Cahel and continuing, <zzzt> "We should also takes the spirittalker with us. He is useful in a hunt." And, although he wouldn't admit it, Th'Kal likes the presence of the half-giant. It makes him feel less strange in the group.
He's not sure about the new dwarf. He liked his old dwarf and doesn't like change.
"If you join us, we will update you in the desert. I'm not sure you will want or need the whole story though....."
Morthak shrugs, "If ya think its important..."
Cahel stands up taller when Th'Kal indicates him. "Yes. I can help. Mend wounds and maybe track."
After the negotiations the adventurers have another beer and head for their sleeping accommodations. They have a busy few days ahead.
As they leave the drinking den they see the templar again. He is looking disheveled and seems to have been drinking, leaning precariously on a wall in the narrow alley. But it seems like he has been searching for the group.
"You! You there! I have a proposition!" He lurches towards them.
"Black-wearing man again." Cahel says, pointing with his meaty hand at the Templar.
"Is he trouble?" Morthak asks quietly.
Arakan signals the others to stop, crosses his arms, and lifts a single eyebrow. He says nothing, knowing that sometimes his smart mouth doesn't always work in his favor.
Jareen will follow Arakan's lead, although he also is thinking through his spell list...
"I hear that the merchants will be asking you to track down the bandits?" It's more of a statement than a query, but he waits for an answer, swaying slightly.
"I have a proposition. The bandits took something from me. I'd like it back. I can make it worth your while."
"Is the street the best place to discuss this? What was taken"?
"You are right, perhaps we should...?" He nods towards the inn doorway.
The templar sidles into the bar, and takes a table in a darkened corner.
"I and my compatriots were transporting two very valuable items to Draj - two slaves, children, a boy and a girl. The bandits took them. I very much would like to get them back. If you get them back for me, I can reward you greatly. In Draj I am a powerful man. If you assist me, the lord Tectuktitlay will smile upon you."
Arakan can't help himself, "If you're a powerful man in Draj, hauling precious cargo, what are you right here without them? I'm going to need to know more about what I'm looking for. What if they are already dead when we find them, is that a problem? What if they don't want to be returned to you? Should we trade one kidnapper for another? What can you tell us about these two children to make us feel it is worth our efforts to recover them, beyond being 'rewarded greatly' by you?" He keeps his arms crossed, waiting to be convinced.
The templar scowls. "They are slaves, lawfully purchased in Balic. What they may want is irrelevant, as are the wishes of any slave. And you do not seem the sort of people who need to feel that your efforts are worth anything beyond the rattle of the contents of your belt pouches."
He pauses and takes a deep breath. He clearly isn't used to explaining himself to the lower orders. "The children were specially selected to, ah, take part in the celebrations of holy Tectuktitlay day of descent to Athas. They have specific characteristics, in particular the specific astrological significance of their birth dates and the birthmarks of the two moons on their shoulders, so they cannot be replaced. They are worthless to me dead, but I would be surprised if they were stolen simply to be killed - the Black Sand Riaders are well-known slavers.
"As a senior official in the temple of the blessed Tectuktitlay I will, once the children are recovered, be able to provide you with adequate recompense. If you serve me well, you will also be in good standing with the temple, which has many rewards, both spiritual and, ah, temporal."
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Jareen speaks quietly to Arakan, making sure the templar can't hear.
"You know that those slaves aren't going to survive the celebration in Draj. We are low life merchants for hire, but are we that low? That we'd sell out kids to die? I also remember what happened the last time we were at a ceremony with ritual sacrifice and I'd rather not see that happen again."
Arakan nods to Jareen, rolls his eyes in a 'yeah, yeah' fashion before waving him off. "Don't worry, that's a discussion for another time. Let me just handle the current conversation with this... this... Templar." He bites his tongue, avoiding any number of names he wants to call him for fear of being overheard in his irritation.
"You may think what they want is irrelevant, but clearly you speak from the position of someone that has others handle their heavy lifting. How easy is it to manage unruly slaves? Especially if they know they are needed kept alive. You can't put a fear of real repercussion in them. If the Black-sands are slavers, then these kids, may be better off as someone elses slaves, even worse if they know it. Do they know what they were going to be used for? What they want is what I have to keep in mind for what the job is worth to me... us."
He raises a finger to continue his point, "Secondly, we will have to deal with two child slaves, but if we get to them too late, or they've already been sold what it our compensation? Returning with the children is a hefty task, but there is a lot we are undertaking and may only learn that they are now out of our reach. What makes working for you worth our time in that instance?"
"I don't see how dealing with children is especially hard. I only require them alive, in one piece and not permanently damaged, but you can beat them as much as you like to make them behave. It would be harder to manage adults who do not wish to cooperate.
"And I am reluctant to shower you with riches before you depart - I need you to be incentivised to return, not to just disappear with easy money. And I also do not wish to pay for the information that they have been lost.
"But I appreciate that perhaps a confidence-building measure might be appropriate. Is there something you have in mind, to demonstrate that we are both serious?"
Morthak follows the discussion with an ever-deepening scowl.
"Yeah, buts adults are better at taking care of themselves if things get dicey. If we have to not only find and return these kids, but make sure they return alive, it's more of a rescue mission than finding lost or stolen goods. I'm not asking to be showered with riches, but at least something to make the mission a little less of an extreme hassle." He strokes his chin in thought, "How about mounts That will help us in regards to making a speedy search, recovery, and return with the 'goods' so that they are back by the time you need them."