Kesh thinks
"No offence meant here, but you aren't exactly swimming in collateral. If you're using the shares as collateral then if anything goes wrong you'll have trouble paying at the same time as I desperately need money!"
Kesh continues talking, almost muttering to himself
"Still - I suppose the difference over investing myself is that I'll have some guaranteed income... "
"Alright. 4 and a half percent per month, paid to me when the shares pay out."
He smiles a little as something occurs to him
"Of course if you do get over a hundred shares your company will qualify as a full shareholder."
Odds are you're buying his shares anyway, and given that you could probably talk him down to 4%.
Mr. Kesh... We could quibble over terms, but that would be amateurish and petty. We are neither. If my colleagues would do me the honor of agreeing, I would agree to your terms. We look forward to a long and beneficial relationship at any rate, pardon the pun.
Tarek smiles genuinely, looking to each person in the room.
At the discussion of all the numbers and particulars of the possible loan, Pepper promptly loses interest. He, somewhat subtly, makes eyes at the Councilor's assistant while wandering the room a bit to look at various decorations and odds and ends.
"So four and half percent on 10,000 is 450 gold per month. One-hundred and twenty shares, although the income can vary from 12 to 1,200 gold, produces on average about 360 gold per month. Odds are we would be short more often than not. Instead of taking on this loan, we can invest a portion of the 8 ingots in the venture but use the rest to help grandmother and then, as Weyland mentioned, we can look into other revenue streams. If you really want to be full shareholders, (and what benefit does that give anyways?), we can invest 5,000 gold for 100 shares and use the remaining 1,000 on grandmother."
Anton, I will make up any difference personally, if needs be. Mother will have all she needs.
Kesh narrows his eyes a little
"One point though - if you are planning to continue to undertake dangerous missions, I'm going to need your company to have some sort of guarantee, or have additional collateral. I trust that you'll intend to return but" he shrugs "Troubleshooters can't buy insurance for a reason."
Nothing, too dangerous. Certainly nothing like that portal of yours... We had nothing to lose, before. Now, we do and we'll not be so reckless. The loan will be paid off within 6 months to a year, if we take it.
Marya wanders over to Pepper, and speaks quietly to him
"So, you're setting up the 'See something you like' line?" she asks, the hint of a smile on her lips.
"I suppose as long as I have a veto on anything too suicidal that sounds reasonable."
Marya rolls her eyes slightly
"I suppose as long as I have a veto on anything too suicidal that sounds reasonable."
"I agree with this. "
Marya laughs softly
"Oh really?" she asks playfully "And what do you think that job is?"
Mr. Kesh, we would always value the advice ofa successful individual like yourself. But, our independence and sovereignty remain intact. We merely wish to borrow funds. The funds will be repaid. You hold shares worth 60% of the loan as collateral.
You collect on 10,000 but only risk 4,000. Yes?
"Let me make a counteroffer then. Form a company with at least five of you, and the money I've just given you. One share each. I'll buy three shares for 10000. That way I need to convince one of you to stop something, and two to push something through - plus I'll get three fifths of your profits."
With all due respect, Sir. We know little of morality, ethics and proclivities. The as long as the company is only worth what it holds in liquid assets and dispersal of said assets dissolves any ties, effectively freeing one or more parties from the arrangement without expectation of retaliation.
And, I nearly heard you say three eighths, not fifths. You risk coin, we risk life and limb. With each operation, 80% is distributed while 20% is held by Anton as company reserves.
"Slip of the tongue - I meant three eights, of course."
"So long as ownership of equipment is considered to be a payout, and shared group equipment is considered a liquid asset I find this acceptable."
"And don't forget that if you represent an income stream for me I am more likely to offer favourable rates, and will look for better jobs. I do have an extensive network of contacts."
Tarek considers.
Sure... One more thing, more of a favor.
If your... network comes across any information regarding our home, homes or family... you please bring it to our attention.
All points noted and agreed.
"I can agree to that. I'll have a contract and charter drawn up if your companions agree."
"I agree"
"I hope you know what you're getting us into Tarek. I don't fully understand what's going on. Have you been practicing as a barrister rather than a barista?"
I just know what my gut tells me, Anton. It's not every night someone believes in you enough to hitch themselves to your wagon and put money on it. Says... something. And I've got you all to keep us from the truly crazy It's a beginning.
Tarek nods, making eye contact with friends as well as business partners.
"I guess it's acceptable"
Suddenly Marya breaks off talking to Pepper, and walks over to Kesh
"I just got a call. They've found him - he's in Blackthrone. Do you want me to get a team together?"
Kesh turns to Marya "No - I'll do it."
"My apologies gentlemen - it seems the man who is responsible for this disaster is seeking shelter with Whitethrone. I hope you don't mind, but I'll need to reschedule our discussion for another day. Marya will schedule it."
Bowing abruptly Kesh swivels and exits the room.
After Kesh has left Aku speaks up
"Look, this dealmaking is interesting, but my share is ealmost enough to open a tattoo parlour of my own. I'm going to take my share and the money for grandmother and go see the temple about getting her healed. See you back home?"
Marya politely escorts the group outside. Just before they leave she offers
"If you want a high stakes job, comes see me."
Marya notices the light of avarice enter your eyes.
"Meet me two doors down in twelve hours."
Twelve hours later you are at that door.
You know this area. That door is new.
The door doesn't make conventional sense - it would open on to a tiny area, barely a closet, given where it is located
Looks like a spell has been used to temporarily create a demiplane. Not cheap - that's a sixth, maybe seventh order spell. Would cost nearly a grand to get a spell like that cast.
As you reach the door Marya opens it from inside and beckons you in
Beyond the door is a magnificent sitting room. Crystal chandeliers hang from a painted cieling. The walls are black marble, and the floor red velvet. Eleven overstuffed purple leather chairs stand in a circle, with coffee tables filled with food nearby.
As you enter a transparent butler offers to take your coat.
Marya - wearing the same outfit as yesterday - walks in and casually sits in one of the purple leather chairs.
Know Arcana
Know Dungeon
Know Engineer
Know Geography
Know History
Know local
Know Nature
Know Nobility
Know Planes
Know Religion
Spellcraft
Linguistics
Survival
Whispered to the group
"The door is not real in the traditional sense. it links to a pocket dimension. It's somewhere near sixth circle and would cost about 1000G to have cast. "
Shaezon cautiously enters the pocket plane. He looks around fascinated looking for telltale signs of magic construction.
Enwrapped in looking at not the decadence of the room, but the edges where walls meet, etc. Eventually he remembers why he's there and turns to Marya with an "oh yea" look on his face.
"Mam." Shae says with a little respectful nod.
Weyland follows Shae into the door.
Anton enters with the others.
Following the others in, Tarek watches the group's back.
"If anyone thinks they can't keep what gets said here a secret, leave now."
Really?
When none of you leave, she nods and is suddenly all business.
"Alright. This mission is going to all but bankrupt me, but I can pay you, and in advance."
"Aregenyu is one of the oldest Black Dragons in existence. She has a palace on the Elemental Plane of Water. She rules over a brood of other Black Dragons, and only her power keeps them from declaring independence. I want to raid her Hoard."
"I'm not sure how much you know about Black Dragons, but raiding her Hoard will shame her. If she admits something was taken then the other Blacks will fracture away. Logically her only option is to pretend nothing has been taken."
"I've arranged to meet with Aregenyu. I know what she wants, and she's agreed to meet with me. I can keep her - and most of her 'court' - busy for about thirty minutes."
"The Black Dragons are too proud to do their own housekeeping. They enslaved some local Gillmen who do all the cleaning, maintenance, anything that needs hands."
"You'll go in when I do, transformed to look like Gillmen. We'll arrive at the stables. There you'll go through a secret passage that Aregenyu isn't aware of to the Vault. You wait for your transformation to end, then go in. The Vault is kept dry because a number of Aregenyu's treasures would be destroyed by water."
"There you put certain of her treasures onto a pre-prepared cloth and activate a certain scroll. Activating any magic in the Vault should cause it to lock down, but the secret passage will remain open. If a spell doesn't cause it to lock down, then use fire. You take a potion to transform into Gillmen again, go back into the passage, swim back to the stables, and leave with me."
"There'll be seven of you all together. The vault will detect non-humanoids, active magic and fire. I need enough of you to move a few of the larger items of treasure."
"Everyone who goes gets forty pounds of gold. Don't bother negotiating, it's all I can borrow. Aregenyu knows every item in her hoard intimately, has the magic to track them down, and a burning desire for revenge. Feel free to grab any coins in the Vault though - as long as you spend them quickly and discretely."
"After the mission I should - eventually - be able to get anyone who dies brought back, so try to take as much of the body of anyone who dies as you can. I'll give you some acid - use it on anything remaining."
Tarek listens carefully... It's a death-trap.
She's pretty good at hiding her emotions, but a couple come through.
She's excited - the idea that this is something she's been working to for a long time jells.
She's got a dash of vengeful though... and she never actually said she thought the Black Dragon would hide it.
Almost like this isn't about the theft.
But the emphasis on certain items? There's something she wants gotten out. She wants it bad.
Tarek speaks in a language not everyone understands. এটি ব্যক্তিগত, এটি না হয়? এটি এমনকি কোনো আইটেম না. আবেগ তোলে তা বিপজ্জনক ... একটি ঝুঁকি নিতে রাজি. ঝুঁকি সঙ্গে ... আমাদের জীবন. সম্পর্কে, কিন্তু আমি ক্ষমা চাইতে হবে আপনি কি ড্রাগন মাথায়? The young man bows respectfully, awaiting a response.
This is personal, isn't it? It is not even about any item. Emotion makes it dangerous... a willingness to take risks. Risks with... our lives. Forgive me, but I will ask are you dragon-blooded?
"Ahhhh, not to seem ungrateful for the offer, but what exactly is stopping this dragon from immediately using magic to find who robbed it's hoard and the murdering us all?"
Marya looks at Tarek, then at Weyland.
"The item I most wish you to retrieve is my father. He was petrified into a statue, as were several others. Once he is back here I will have him restored."
A moment of indecision crosses Marya's face, but she continues.
"My father is one of the Ancient Primal Dragons. It is his palace she occupies. Once freed he can call upon his liege and vassals, and when word of her Hoard being robbed spreads she will lose many of her fractious allies. She will almost certainly be too busy to do the sort of tedious magics necessary to track down those she considers pawns unless she believes she can recover what was taken."
"So we're stealing a dragon from a dragon for a dragon and all at affordable rates. Well if nothing else, assuming we don't all die, it'll make an impressive addition to the CV. I'm in."
That about sums it up my friend. With all due respect, I respect Dragons... But, I'm more concerned with the watery environment at this point.
This is all within Black Dragon community, I presume? What's our timeframe? Urgency?
"It's an ... interesting plan." Shaezon says.
"I have my appointment a week from now."
"The Gillmen form should remove most of your worries about a watery environment. While there is a brief period between regain human form and opening the vault, it should not be very long."
"I suggest you each take a large sack - chances are you will be able to take more coins than you can carry."
"I suppose I can give you the plane shift scroll. If you exit and determine I am taken you can shift out. Make sure you are outside the palace before doing so, however."
Tarek considers. My brothers and I can understand the loss of a parent. I watched my own torn from this world before my very eyes. Gone, forever.
This goes beyond money. I suggest to yourself and my brothers that we do it as a favor, for some reciprocal favor in the future. It would seem you will need resources to help your father upon his return. We can make due with what we find.
Where and when shall we meet?