Vaylen Trade Guild - Couriers with a Difference

Game Master Wolfwaker

Kalum enthusiastically agrees with Icarus
"Now that, my friend, is a great idea"

Shorga nods, but looks across the camp in the direction the Lieutenant took, "Ash long ash we have the meansh." and he rubs his finger and thumb together in the sign for coinage, "to make shuch a purchashe." He refrains from sighing impatiently, but only just, "We could inquire after a shkinner in the area, ash Otish shuggested."

"I have some money" Kalum observes

To Shorga: "Nei, there ain't much for him to do here. The guards are pretty well trained and the lumberjacks can take care of themselves for the most. He just prances around and keeps me busy."

The smithy ruminates a bit on your discourse before suggesting "A couple of the boys are dab hands with leather... p'raps you'd do well to askin them when they get back from the log face?"

To Otis he responds "Wolves eh? There's a few of em around, more as you get further North of course, but not much truck for the bodies bar trophies... have ye gutted it?"

Soon after, a small boy comes running with a weighty purse and a message. Passing it on to Shorga he says "Mr Lieutenant Naran says the stuff got here ok, so here's the money... he also asked if you're staying the night? He says he might have a job for you in the morning if you're willing." he then rocks on the balls of his feet and waits for a response.

Kalum bugs Shorga "Can I see it?"

Seeing that payment is made, Kiren says to Kalum, "Now you have more money." Kiren opens the satchel that we were given by the seneschal. His ears perk up at the mention of another job.

Listening to Gan, "When might we expect their return? I'm not sure how long we'll be shtaying. The wolf ish tied to our carriage if you'd care to take a look. You probably shee them all thish shize all the time out here." Did we skin it? I don't think so.

Shorga hands the purse to Kalum after taking a peek inside, then looks at the others, "Looksh like it'sh all there to me." He smiles at the lad, "A job in the morning eh?" he turns his eyes to the others. "How about it? I don't recall inshtructionsh to return quickly. I'm game for hearing the Lieutenant out if you all are." While he's talking he absentmindedly fishes a silver from his purse, judging its worth by weight and feel, and hands it out to the youth.

I would not mind a challenge, and we may need to stay a bit anyway if we have to wait for the tack to be manufactured."

The boy nods at your words before moving away and back to the Lieutenant to deliver your response.

Gan replies "The boys should be back from the cutting at nightfall"

Kiren opens the satchel given by the seneschal and finds a heavy set and leatherbound journal within. It is dog-eared, but still in good condition, and the cover bears the words Logbook of ... and there is a space in clear leather where you'd surmise a name once rested. Opening the book and allowing it to sit naturally it shows the inside cover and a mostly blank page on the right.

The inside cover bears a stiched panel that is currently covered by a leather flap. It looks like a spot where one would slip small objects to be held - though the flap covers the mouth of the pouch.

On the first page there are a few words written in a scratchy and imprecise hand - like one that an aged man might develop when his fine control has started to fade. It reads One assumes that the destination has been reached and package delivered. Was payment received?"

Looking back at the satchel you find that there is a small inkpot and quill still within it's belly.

Kalum, entranced, keeps holding up gold pieces, weighing the sack.

"There's so much." he says in a wondering, almost sceptical tone.

Kalum attempts to disbelieve the gold.

Shorga moves behind and to the side of Kiren, reading and watching from over his shoulder. "What an odd logbook, what good will this do ush?"

The gold and writs stubbornly refuse Kalum's attempt to disbelieve their existence.

Otis stares at the money slack-jawed. "If I could somehow get a hold of the whole pot I could pay off all my debts at once... And even some of the accrued penalties."
"Does anyone recall what were the conditions of our employment with regards to the side jobs? Did it say that we must take up a new job immediately after finishing the last one? I don't think it did."

Kiren takes quill and ink and writes, "Payment received" and the date.

Looking from the newly written words to Otis from behind Kiren, "I am fairly shure there wash no language like that, but we did shign that contract, which wash rather vague for my liking."

The ink fades slightly as soon as it is written... then for a minute or more nothing happens. Then further words appear in the same scratchy hand as the first Noted. The guild's due is to be placed in the logbook receptacle.

Then after a short pause Has the conveyance been named? ... and is guidance needed to secure further packages?

"Hey guys - look. This coin has never been shaved. It's like it's straight from the mint!" Kalum is oblivious to Kiren's scratchings and the discussion of new jobs.

Someone shake him

Kiren's curiosity takes over and he stares amazed at the log book.

"It appears our employer is communicating with us. He wants to know the name of the carriage. What do you think, fellows?

Also, he wants to know if we need another job."

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21 to figure out how it works.

Experimentally, he places a single gold piece in the pouch in the cover.

Opening the pouch at the front it appears to be mundane to the eye. Though when the flap is closed with the gold piece inside, Kiren feels a subtle thrum of magical release and the lump where the gold was disappears. Reopening the pouch proves that the coin is no longer there.

Kiren can guess that the journal is obviously magical, but the inner workings of it are beyond his ken. The inkwell and quill seem mundane enough though.

Shorga's eyes widen as the words appear on the page, and he begins to silently and frantically wag his hands in a Come Hither motion to the others. He whispers, as if to hide something from the logbook, "It'sh shpeaking to ush! " He seems oddly disturbed by the object, the whites of his eyes showing, "Do you think it'sh looking at ush? We have our carriage and a job, tell the book that!"

Distracted from his reverie when Kiren takes a gold piece, Kalum is drawn to the book
"Oooh. Nice! I need one of those for my family. Ask it if it is expensive."

Kiren deposits the rest of the guild's share.

49gp in coin and one of the writs for 50 gp

Kiren explains to his friends that he believes the seneschal is communicating with us using another book.

Sensing this is a valuable item, Kiren writes briefly to conserve space: Job pending

So what about a name for the carriage?
The Zephyr (a wind)
The Pigeon (since we carry messages)
The Turnip (I dunno, we "turn up" strange places and we had that incident with the turnip cart)
The Tortoise (slow but sturdy)

The Cavalier turns to Gan and points the direct the lad when with his chin, "Any ideas what the Lieutenant might be wanting ush to do Goodshmith?"

Name for the conveyance eh? Hmm
Thunder or Boots? (in honor of it's means of propulsion?)
Wolfsbane (To remember our first time defending her?)
The Hand or the Hand of 'Something'(Cause there's five of us)

I liked the Tortoise and the Turnip of yours Kiren

Too bad the horse is not Lightning, then the carriage could be Thunder since it follows lightning.

The Dagger (or some other blade) because we sliced through the turnips.

I look with interest at the book, but then realizing it was nothing but a form of communication and money transferal get bored and look for something else to entertain.

I kinda like zephyr, eventually we could get horse shoes of zephyer for the horses

Gan shrugs his shoulders "Beats me, though I suppose you'll find out soon enough" getting back to his feet and starting to move outside "Yer welcome to hang around here if ye like, or get a bed at the flophouse. The lumber boys'll be back soonish to ask about your tackle."

Anything else you'd like to do with the afternoon?

Kalum would like to have a look around, catch up on his sleep, get a decent meal and fix up as much of the carriage as possible.

I'm liking Wolfsbane and Zephyr

Make sure our horses are seen to. I guess somebody could try to do something with that wolfskin.

Shorga see's to the horses and accompanies whomever to talk with the 'boys' about tackle and the wolfskin. Afterwards he'll find some hay near Ursa and roll up in his blanket, worn out from their hectic travel. I vote Wolfsbane, but both those options are awesome, imo.

"So Kalum, what did you find out?"

Kalum looks around, checks the coast is clear and then whispers

"If no one else wants the large wolf pelt I would like to have it made into a cloak if it is within the skill of the leather workers that are going to be handling our tackle."

I suppose I will brows the general store and see what is available.

As per usual, weekend time was limited - update inc. in the morning.

The lumberjacks return that evening, and you manage to corner the leatherworker at what serves for the camp's open air tavern and press him for whether he's able to provide some more serviceable strapping and buckles for your carriage. His initial grumblings smoothed over by a couple of gratis snifters of brandy - he follows you over to take a look. Running an eye and hand along it appraisingly he intimates that with a half-day's work he might be able to give it a fair spruce-up... at a price. He'd need to raid company stores, which carries a bit of a risk for him - so he demands a 30gp fee.

If taken this will remove the dodgy aspect of the tackle and reins - meaning that there isn't any risk of them accidentally snapping unless they are purposefully cut.

Icarus finds one of the workers with a fair hand at tannery and gets an offer of trade. Let the man keep the skull and jaw, and he'll preserve the hide for you. He advises that it will take a few days for the skin to dry out proper like, and you'll need to keep it stretched while it does - but you should be able to manage that even in transit.

If you'd like to spend cash - I find it easier as a DM for you guys to state what you'd like, then I can advise if it's available or not.

The night passes reasonably peacefully... though the lumberjacks sure know how to drink, and remain boisterous well into the night. Once morning comes you enjoy a hearty, but plain breakfast and are interrupted by the Lieutenant's page boy "Lieutenant's ready to see you sirs... if you'll come with?"

Fixing the reins seems like a good idea to me but let's hear from the lieutenant.

Shorga rouses himself quickly, curious what this meeting will bring them. After brushing off most of the hay from his clothing -and waiting to see which of the others are coming along- he nods their readiness to the page boy, "Let ush be off young man, besht not keep the Lieutenant waiting."

I'm for fixing the reins, Shorga will pitch in with whomever else wants to go in on the improvements.

Vote yes for reigns. Kiren, I'm happy for you to keep track of expenses on a document if we cannot find a distributed way to do it

Kalum tries not to be too taken aback at the price asked
30 GOLD? A month's full wages? That's a third the price of the carriage! Still... I guess given how much we just earned it might actually be worth doing it even if it just saves us one day on one delivery
Kalum shivers
In fact...
"If you can get it done before we leave, I'll give you thirty five gold" he offers, going to the carriage and returning with a jingling coin pouch that looks enormous hoisted up next to Kalum's head.
In Kalum's world a five gold bonus is a lot of money

next morning
"Mrph?" Kalum asks, desperately trying to swallow three pancakes with cream, syrup and bacon while also drinking his coffee. Twenty seconds later he is wiping his mouth on his handkerchief and on his way.

The leatherworker is more than willing to take your money, and sets to work on the carriage tackle straight away.

Brought by the page boy to Lietenant Naran's quarters you are permitted entry to his sitting room... only there is but one chair and it is occupied. The lieutenant is not in armor, instead dressed in an elegant set of breeches and smoking jacket brocaded with gold piping. Puffing on a thin but fragrant cigarette he gives you a curt greeting before moving to the heart of things.

"It would seem that you are useful after all, the steaks you brought were both succulent and tasty... which begs me think you might be of further use. The fare here at the camp is so droll, and I yearn for something more flavorful... akin to what I am used to in the city."

Taking a long drag before continuing "I have heard that the areas a little deeper within this forest, beyond where the lumber is drawn from is home to a particularly heady melange of flora and insectoid fauna that combine to create a wild honey that is beyond compare.... I want some."

Shorga stands at a respectful parade rest during their conversation with the Lieutenant. He takes a deep breath as something of the man's priorities and character is revealed, the man wants wild honey and is responsible for tens and maybe hundreds of lives. Shorga tries to move his thoughts back to the room, and answers in a respectful tone, "Shir, do you know the exshact locationsh or the precshice type of honeybee which createsh thish honey? We'd need to know what to prepare for, ish what I'm shaying, sho we can bring the item back with all posshible shpeed."

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23

EDIT: He sensed the crap out of that motive!

Shorga also feels something has been left out, "Any and all information about thish endeavor would be much apprecshiated shir, however shmall or large shaid information may be."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19

With a wry smirk the Lieutenant replies "I am told that the hives are unmistakeable... what with the bees being the size of small dogs..."

"Shmall dogsh shir?... I asshume we may have a little time to dishcussh thish amongsht ourshelvesh?" Shorga looks around at the others, features more than a little worried and uneasiness clear on his face.

Shorga waits for the others to ask whatever questions they might and then bows quickly from the shoulders and follows the others out so they can talk privately.

No more questions here.

Sense Motive 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26
Knowledge Geography 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27

"Hey - I'll get to see a Faerie!"

Vote yes for reigns. Kiren, I'm happy for you to keep track of expenses on a document if we cannot find a distributed way to do it

We should take out all our shared expenses from the party account and take our shares on the profit (as long as we keep some in the party purse for expenses). If someone needs something particularly useful like a better weapon or armor we can give that person an advance on their share.

As far as keeping track, we could use a shared Google document, or maybe start a separate thread here, or we could do it in the discussion thread.

Kiren is untrained so not much use here.

To the others: "I don't know much about giant bees but it sounds like they could be dangerous. I'm not sure throwing a bomb at the hive is a good idea. Anybody got any ideas? Maybe we could get the blacksmith and/or leatherworker to make us a protective suit? And I don't suppose anyone here has any skill in cooking? We could really impress this dandy."

BTW, does the carriage have glass windows, or shutters, or what? Not that that would be much help to the horses or driver.

Naran imperiously waves you away to talk among yourselves, and you step outside to the stoop of his dwelling.

Carriage has wooden shutters

Shorga looks concerned, and that look deepens at Kirens comments, "I've sheen shwarmsh of beesh before, and I do no wish to facshe shuch a number when they are the shize of dogsh! That would make a shtinger..." and he starts with his thumb and forefinger a minute distance apart, and then gradually widens his two hands till their nearly a foot apart, his guestimate on the stinger size of a dog-sized bee. He relaxes enough to pose a coherent question, "Ish thish shomething we want to do? Or think we can do? Maybe shomeone in camp hash retrieved shuch honey before."

I agree with the tanner's trade since I had no need for the skull or jaw in any case and figure that after it is tanned I can find a tailor in the next town we go to to make it into a cloak.

Sense Motive 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
Geography 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23

"I feel that he is trying to use us to take the ire of the Fey while still getting the honey that he desires." I state once we are alone, "However if we could find a way to procure the honey while staying on the Fey's good side in that area I feel that this could be a beneficial job, getting us a rich benefactor that knows we can secure unusual items as well as possibly making friendly ties with the Fey."

"What fey?"

"That area of woods is full of Fey that would probably not be happy with the pilfering of the honey."