Kibibblepep stumbles forwards a few steps with the unintentional force of the blow. He at first glares back at Gallak, thinking perhaps the newcomer meant to embarrass him, but when he hears the rest of the comment his glare quickly fades to a wide grin of pride and he hooks his thumbs proudly in his belt, puffing up his small, virtually non-existent chest.
He then takes one of his thumbs, points to Gallak, and says to the others [b]"I like this one, he's smarter than he looks. He can stay."[\b]
Kragg will gladly hoist some of Kib's gear for him on the way to the dwarven consulate. Once there, Kragg will disperse his load in his chamber and pay whatever the going rate is for a room. After that a nice solid meal while others figure out which merchants need to be aware of goods and pricing.
perception check for people following the dwarves through the city +2 if human
Aye, a right spot o' brilliant Ah be. Where ye all off ta', naow?
"Well, tha caravan we came in with is movin' out, so we're 'eadin' ta where Nar's been stayin'. After we're done here, we'll be headin' back ta tha clan an' give Rock a report."
Well the'n! Ah'll be mooch obliged tah stay in ye cumpany, as mah rahd's done flew oof.
Magnum leaves and returns with some delicious smoked fish from a street vendor. Enought to feed two parties of hungry dwarves.
"There is a group that unofficially runs things throughout the lands called the Society of Secrets. This society is an association of thieves that is highly organized and has one of their major headquarters in this city. According to the local merchants their influence is still quite strong."
"Well, are we heading to the Battered Shield tonight?"
Gallak smacks his lips.
Ach, a lung flaht hurr it's been. Ahm in.
Kragg will look towards Brask to see what his inclination is. If Brask is going to keep an eye on the younger dwarves, than Kragg will stay back to ensure the safety of their items. If Brask is going to stay here, then Kragg will journey forth to keep an eye on Hon, I mean eye open for trouble.
Make the contacts how you can but watch out for your backside. Too much of a good thing is still too much. Be careful.
Kibibblepep has no desire whatsoever to hang out and drink in a bar of smelly, stinking humans. Having to speak their tongue sometimes is bad enough, having to spend a whole night with a whole roomful of them shouting their course language at their top of their lungs would be enough to make him want to kill someone.
No, he'll much prefer drinking some real ale and getting to know his 'fellow' dwarves in the consulate. He'll take turns guarding the loot if it's deemed necessary and will spend some further time considering his upcoming purchases and as well on the intriguing mystery of Khazad's axe.
"G'wan an' 'ave yer fun carousin' just keep outta trouble an' try not ta give yerselves too big o' a 'angover."
Brask stays behind and keeps an eye on the gear and takes the opportunity to check on his equipment and clean it up as best he can to make it look as nice as possible.
"Hon's been acting a little to much like a human, and from the feelings I'm getting from the rest of you, I think you agree with me. If you get a chance to feed him some good humble pie, that'd be great."
You can learn much about people by watching them at play. The soldier bar 'The Battered Shield' has a jousting tourney tonight. The contestants dress up in costumes that are somewhat similar to a knights costume. One of the more popular pieces of headgear is a hat with a broom mounted on top for a plume. The 'knights' have joke names like 'Sir Fartsalot' and actually enter their names on the official rolls in the bar. 'Knights' gather favors from the ladies present before jousting twenty feet off the ground with padded quarterstaffs.
Magnum points out in his report to Brask that this shows the obvious disgust the people feel for the nobility who ride around on their horses and take advantage of their birth. Even the common soldiers have little respect for their officers and the nobles of the area.
@Kib - The axe is somewhat quiet, no words out of it since the last statement. Maybe you imagined it?
Kragg will gladly join in the festivities leaving his gear behind him. The only gear of note he will take besides a small amount of gp is the dagger he will try to conceal on him.
Brask stays behind to clean his weapons and look around occasionally. Kib points out two humans that he saw outside. Brask investigates further and notices they are spying on the warehouse. They are unsuccessfully trying to hide on a somewhat moonlit night in a somewhat barren city block of warehouses.
The disrespect shown to the upper class perturbs Gallak visibly. Though he remains quiet on the matter, he has only one ale and a heaping warm meal before excusing himself from the raucous tavern, his poor view of human honor cemented. He spends an hour or so perusing local shops before heading back to the warehouse to meet up with his new friends before they set off to the consulate.
All plans for his prank on Hon flee his mind as he sees the two humans spying on the warehouse. He thinks for a moment as he ponders the possible reasons they have for spying on the warehouse.
"Kib, stay 'ere an' raise an racket if anything happens."
Brask, ever the one to start trouble, walks out of the warehouse and approaches the humans position, trying to appear nonchalant.
One of the men looks to his companion and then Brask, "Jeremy, I think we are in the wrong neighborhood. Excuse me, Mr. Dwarf, where is the Frosted Darling Goody Shoppe?"
Brask gives them a smile that could make an imp cower in terror and closes the distance to them.
"Now lads, ya know it's bad luck ta try an' lie to a dwarf, right? Not ta mention ya really can't succeed in tha first place."
"Do we not look like we could use some tasty treats?" The human is dressed in well tailored clothes of a simple material. He is tall for a human with light blonde hair. His companion is small and dark.
Realizing they are caught, "Well, maybe we are just making sure we know what is going on in our city. Kind of like a citizen patrol if you will."
"Any particular reason yer here instead o' at tha taverns? I know 'umans an' dwarves are different, but I thought that if trouble's gonna be brewin', it's always gonna be at tha tavern."
The smile is gone, but the look he's giving them now is certainly a good replacement.
"We are more interested in monitoring commerce and trade. This business district here, this is where most of our commercial activities occur."
He shows Brask a receipt. 'Paid to Dark Owl band 50gp to escort caravan. Tax to Society = 10 gp'. It has two signatures at the bottom, one of them of the caravan master.
"Any business in town, especially big deals, should go through us. We have factotums, accountants, and negotiatiors that make sure things go smoothly. Transactions not involving us have been known to end badly."
Gallak returns to see Brask talking with two humans (description above). Brask seems a little agitated.
Hon actually avoids the swipe of quarterstaff and easily dumps his off-balance opponent with a well-placed blow. The somewhat nimble cavalryman seems surprised to lose, but is quite gracious afterwards. Hon is invited back the next evening to compete in the semi-finals. He returns to a special brew saved for him by Kragg. It seems a little 'off' and he can't quite place which of the varieties of ale it tastes like. It tastes a little like a sampling of different stale flavors.
Magnum keeps a low profile, but does manage to buy a complete keg of 'Beard of the Dog'. "We can't be expected to drink just water in the warehouse." He asks for some help rolling it home.
|
After collecting his winnings, he hurries to interrupt Magnum's rolling of the keg. Looking a bit cross but his tone is gently chiding an ignorant well-meaning person, "Please don't roll the kegs, it loses its bubbly and stirs up the sediment. Basically changes the character of the beer. Lets hire a cart, we will need one anyway for moving our gear..."
For all eyes
After arrival at the warehouse, Hon sees a lonely (yet suspiciously untouched) mug of beer, compliments of Kragg. Accepting gracefully after all we just got done pulling a cart, he sips a bit. Lifting his tankard up in a silent salute and a muttered "Thanks Kragg, life is too brief to drink this pissant beer.", he puts it down without hesitation to tap the new keg.
I think you missed the timing Hon. Kragg would have bought the ale while still at the bar, not at the warehouse. The ale would have been waiting for you at the table after you won.
Who needs a wagon. Besides at this time you probably can't get one anywyas. Here. With that Kragg will attempt to lift the keg and carry it home. Hopefully it is within his carrying capacity and others at the bar see this and know not to mess with the dwarves.
Brask is actually very agitated, but he's smiling at the two "gentlemen".
Tax to the 'Society' and subtle threats. Sounds like thieves to me, I'd like to think if I was going to be taxed, the city would send someone who was upfront about it.
"Ah, I see what tha problem is. If ya'd follow me, I'll get this mess straighten'd out. Just wait right 'ere," Brask points to a spot in front of the warehouse door as he approaches, "an' I'll be right back"
He opens the door just enough for him to squeeze through and closes it behind him.
Once the dwarf is inside, he walks over to Kib and whispers to him as he puts on his mithral chain shirt. (+3 Light Fortification)
Brask finishes donning his armor, accepting any help for Kib to halve the time. He then grabs his greataxe and returns to the two thieves outside.
"Now then, I believe that I can provide you lads with a service or a favor instead o' coin. My going rates are five gold coins an axe-swing."
One would be hard-pressed to call Brask's smile friendly as he hefts the axe in two hands and readies to swing if they don't scram.
The humans run, "You'll be sorry" sounds somewhat cliche as they get out their last retort.
An hour later the dwarves return with Magnum and a keg from the Battered Shield.
"Yer Right, no one's going ta believe I didn't whack ya."
Brask shouts back and chuckles as he closes the door and gets out of his armor.
"Do you know any illusion spells, Kib?"
"What was that all about?"
Nar asks that almost absent mindedly, not really inquisitively.
As Magnum returns his cheeks are still rosy from a second night on the town. "This is the best beer ever brewed in a human town. Hon has the makings of a good balance-jouster."
Upon being updated on the events of the evening his great mood is quickly dampened. "Making enemies of the Society is serious business. They have been known to bring an entire kingdom to its knees. Their main weapons, believe it or not, are economic ones."
"My plan was to keep a low profile and get our trade done quickly. They have a policy of allowing the first trade to be a freebie. Now they will play hardball and try to take their cut 'coming and going' so to speak. I kept a low profile and I don't think anyone has recognized me here. Now visiting the merchants may cause further problems and endanger the merchants' lives. I may have to call a professional courtier in to do some negotiating for us."
"It is two days till market day--they can do much in two days, and I have been out of touch here a while. This is the city of my birth, by the way."
"Ya mind explanin' what this 'Society' is? I just figured they were a couple o' theives runnin' a scam."
Great, nice going dingbat.
Brask looks concerned, and more than a little confused. His main worry is that he may have just made life harder on his fellows.
Magnum leaves and returns with some delicious smoked fish from a street vendor. Enought to feed two parties of hungry dwarves.
"There is a group that unofficially runs things throughout the lands called the Society of Secrets. This society is an association of thieves that is highly organized and has one of their major headquarters in this city. According to the local merchants their influence is still quite strong."
"Well, are we heading to the Battered Shield tonight?"
"Brask, I remember telling you yesterday some things I heard while getting us some fresh fish from the street vendors. This Society is kind of a crime syndicate that works throughout human society. I once remarked to my uncle about why no one ever gets rid of them. He said, and I quote, 'I once had a rusty chain shirt. I thought of removing the rust, but it was the only thing holding the shirt together." Well, these days the Society is the rust holding the commerce together."
"Oh...bloody hell. Leave it ta you 'umans to go muckin' up somethign as simple as commerce an' crime."
Brask seems a little embarrassed about forgetting what Magnum talked about. Maybe the fish was a little too good. He is still more than a little angry about how things in this city are starting to go. He continues muttering to himself as he walks around the warehouse.
"First, visions of giants, then bandits, and now this mess! Fine leader I'm turning out to be!"
Ho! Wot's the fuss, then? The albino looks annoyed at his forray into the town.
Once he's brought up to speed, he remarks,
Ach, damnable humans. Well, wot's ta be done about it, Mag...Mig...Mug... longlegs?
"It's Magnum, an' he's a better dwarf than our sneak."
Brask calls out while walking around the warehouse trying to clear his head.
What we need to do is go look up the tax laws in the city. We abide by those laws and screw anyone who says otherwise. Tomorrow, 3 of us look up that information while the rest make the contacts with the merchants. Let the merchants know that this is a taste of what is to come. Now's the time to do business. When we come back we are only doin business with those that we dealt with the first time. See how that makes them squirm.
Magnum also walks outside to give Brask some advice, "Well we could try to run and hide somewhere for two days. Run away before they can get organized and come back. We'd have to pack and leave right now. Running may upset them more though, but they can't expect it. We just need to make it 36 hours without being discovered until the market opens."
"How important is it to move freely throught the human lands? If it is really important, getting on these guys bad side is about the worst thing you can do. On the other hand, dealing with these Society guys will cut down our buying power significantly."
"One last possibility is to pay them in full and demand protection from the giants. They pride themselves on offering protection to keep the business climate stable. If they take a cut after we make it clear we have rivals that threaten us and expect them to help, we kind of force them to handle the giant problem for us. Well, I guess that is why you are the leader, you get to make the tough calls. Good luck on that."
Magnum waves as he heads in for the night, "Well I better check and make sure Hon isn't sleeping with his hand in a bucket of warm water."
Gallak curses.
Ah've a fair mahnd a' research an' a knack fer phrases an' loopholes, but this 'ole business tis rotted through.
He strokes his beard a moment, after glowering at Gallak's out of hand comment.
Ah cannae be expected tah 'amember e'ry 'uman name, eh?
Ah kin be a mite persuasive, as well.
Kib is happy to help Brask on with his armor, but a frown of concern sits on his face the whole time. When Brask goes out to confront the pair the Gnome is hard pressed not to join him. But he had his orders and, besides, he didn't want to leave their belongings completely unguarded in case the two out front were simply the distrction for some elaborate robbery attempt. There was, after all, no despicible act he would put past the base humans. So he spends his time in the doorway, looking back and forth between Brask and their stuff.
When Brask returns and gives the tale of his encounter Kib claps him on the shoulder for a job well done. To the question asked of him he answers, with a combination of confusion and curiosity "Why yes, I am able to conjure several types of illusions, of either the audible or visual variety. Why do you ask?"
When Magnum returns and makes clear the full extent of the situation Kib spits in disgust "Pah! See?? Humans. Just another example o' their weakness n' depravity. I'll tell ye fer certain tha no proper dwarven king would allow such nonsense tae corrupt tha business o' a dwarven hall. N' I'll be a beardless Gnome if I'll be lettin a bunch o' human scum be tellin' me who I kin do business wit o who I can't! N then wantin' a cut of tha profits fer a deal they 'ad no part of? Never! If this human society be so rusty, then I say it's time fer a new set o' mail!"
As Kib speaks and mentions his beard he strokes the few scraggly hairs desperetly hanging on to his chin as if it were a luxurious beard. While those who have known him for some time are mostly used to such behaviour, chances are good it at least raises an eyebrow or two from those who've just met him.
When after several beats the axe fails to speak again, if it ever truly did, the small sorcerer laughs somewhat nervously and self-depreciatingly and shakes his head "Kib old boy, you're not getting crazy already like great uncle Frimple Counts A lot, are you?"
Chuckling to himself, he continues with his investigation of the axe. For all his mirth though, he is stil very careful not to cast any spells directly on the axe.
Would that be enough for him to hypothosize that's it's actually an intelligent item? Or just that it could be potentially dangerous or what? I know you made the info about the axe public OoC, but I'm just wondering how much Kiob would be able to figure out to tell Khazad. Or will the PC be finding all that out on his own?
"Kib, ya are a beardless gnome."
Brask's voice is deadpan as he makes his observation.
The excitable little fey sorcerer face immediately turns red in fury at Brask's words. Barely able to sputter out a reply he yells [b]"What?? How dare you! Why! I've more dwarf in my little finger than you've got in your whole ugly hide!!"[/i]
Realising how close he is to doing something potentially disastrous, Sparkle Eye storms off to a hidden corner somewhere. Those with excellent perception rolls think they might be detecting the sound of very quiet weeping.
"I don't like the thought of hiding but neither do I like the thought of being taken advantage of by humans. What we need to decide is what is important to us and make that happen.
Demanding protection by the humans is not something I can get behind easily. We need to handle our affairs ourselves."
Khazad, who watching over Kib as he inspected his axe (not that he didn't trust the gnome, it was the axe which was giving him shivers), is outraged at Brask's story.
"Argh, the damned humans are up to no good, as always! Magnum, you did wise to abandon that honorless lot! And no way I would trust them to deal with the giants - what's to stop them from cheating on that promise in exchange for some of the giants' treasures? Normally if I was offered to run away from the humans I'd spit the coward in the face, but in this case I feel this is the best we can do. The less deals we have with those clanless bastards, the better. I feel dirty every time I encounter the human treachery."
Khazad's axe has an opionion on the matter and chimes in boisterous dwarven, "Humans are nothing but low-down, double-dealing, backstabbing, larcenous perverted worms! Hanging's too good for em. Burning's too good for em! They should be torn into little bitsy pieces and buried alive!"
Khazad silently stares at the axe.
"It's not me who said that, alright? I hope everyone's clear on that."