Oy, gameplay thread here fellas!
Kendryl adored his friend Rozalic and was thrilled to see her: which was really saying something given how he felt about women in general, and Drow in particular. They didn't always agree on everything; but much like his goddess wasn't particularly all that good, Roz had a capricious streak that she tended to make Kendryl act out for her. It worked for them, it made their friends laugh, and it was a good excuse to have drinks every now and again too.
"Deros hasn't poisoned anyone yet ... right?"
She liked Kendryl, his wit was sharp and his observations were cutting. Most of all she could relax around him. He hated other half-drow so there was little chance they would get to him and through him to her.
"Not yet Kendryl, but there is time. I'm sure mother gave him orders to do away with me should I become an embarrassment. The little sheep-dip dose so like his toxins, now pass me that bottle before you down the lot"
With a wry chuckle, Deros tosses back a drink with a cheer, Here's to all my secrets being known. Do tell how did you know what I volunteered to do? The dwarf says to the Crinti inquisitor.
With a wry chuckle, Deros tosses back a drink with a cheer, Here's to all my secrets being known. Do tell how did you know what I volunteered to do? The dwarf says to the Crinti inquisitor.
She takes the bottle and pours herself a glass and smiles at Deros before taking a sip while looking at him.
"I did not know Deros, not until you just told me"
Kendryl was sweet and Deros, well Deros was loyal and nether of the understood what it meant to walk to halls of Crinti power. She knew her mother and knew she would not have let her out without a means to get rid of her should the need arise. Of the two the toxic dwarf was far more mothers style. What was suspected was now confirmed, but she was yet to work out what mother had over him.
Then a thought hit her.. Would Kendryl also turn out to be in mother's employ, even with his dislikes, well she would work out a way to make them both loyal to her.
She poured them a drink each.
Dear Matron mother the things I do for you. I now am babysitting someone that knows it and is headstrong. This makes things much harder on me especially so willful. plsth plssst. I'll charge her more for the task now. The dwarf says spitting to create punctuation and emphasis. He especially growls and spits in the direction of Roz.
I might drink that but I wouldn't suggest you drink that. I am to babysit for a bit not kill you immediately. But if you die due to incaution especially near me his wry almost eager laughter comes out in a dry chuckle, then I'll take credit anyway and be done with this. Drink if you dare!
I laced the bottle with centipede poison. Did it just to build my immunity up again but this may turn out interesting if Roz is going to incautiosly drink my stuff without checking. Could be funny seeing some of the others so topsy turvy and tipsy tumbly.
She smiled at the dwarf, then bent down and pulled a second bottle of wine from under her seat. She placed on the table the two bottles that looked just as non-descript as each other.
"Let's play a game of guess which is toxic. Did I just pour you each a drink from my own bottle or.. from the one Deros was so keen to know the vintage of earlier."
She takes another sip from her cup with no signs of distress.
"Deros I'm Crinti, from birth we are trained to watch for danger, attacks from outside, Assassins in the night and most dangerous of all, each other."
She took another sip.
"This may seem odd, but I appreciate your attempts to poison me. It keeps me on my toes, keeps me sharp and paying attention. And the truth is mother sent you to do just this."
She placed her cup down.
"Do not take this the wrong way but if my mother wanted me dead, she will send someone who would show she has honor and respect for the way things are done. My death would be a message and as such, she would send a professional killer, someone like a red-hand Assassin. And it would be very public and very messy, So have no fear Deros, drink up its safe."
Meanwhile, we wait for the other three.
I had the antidote ready, and it wouldn't affect me anyway. I'm immune to that one due to my study with the Trunadar.I was more seeing who would be gullible and who would be cautious. That is information all of us might depend upon later. The slightly irked dwarf says at being bested at his own game.
Iocaine, huh?
She leans back in her seat. What was keeping the others, they had arranged to meet here and they were late. She felt like she needed to small talk to carry on, also she needed to make clear why she had faith in Dero's motives.
"The fact Deros, I would be worried if you were NOT working for my mother. Because if you were not you may be working for one of my sisters. And those little &%£*'s have no honor or respect for the right way of doing things."
Then under her breath, she whispered.
"The others are late, it may be nothing but keep sharp"
Then she leans back and said.
"Kendryl, tell us that story again about that Elf's naked boyfriend and the vegetables"
Kendryl raises an eyebrow, and smirks just a touch, yet there did seem to be a LOT of muscles rippling as he prepared to answer.
"You understand dear Roz, I am a man of divine purpose now, right? As the first to represent the sky itself, I do have a divine standard ... hehehehe like the wind."
"How much more to the story do you think there is? Do I tell everyone what kind of vegetable it was? What it smelled like? How big it was? or the part that the Elf was VERY into vegetables and it was actually the only thing we could use to "train" with to be ready for the main event?
WAIT
You mean the part where we were very very done with the training AND the first round of practice, and then the human walked in, his whole place smelled like "salad" and his beloved Elf was spilling "vegetable juice" ...? In all fairness, I blame the Elf for the timing. I'm not even sure the human noticed the ceiling though."
"Does it seem unusually warm today? Wow ..."
"Thyme-ing, I see what you did there"
She busts out laughing, then added.
"Yes! I bet he want radish when he saw his boyfriend sprout something!"
More fits of laughing.
"He did seem a little tossed, that is for sure!"
More laughing from Roz, then
"I do hope he did-ent leek to much when you played with his oregano"
Then she winked at Deros.
"Come on Deros join in"
That's all berry puny but I beat that he dug into the rutabago with relish. comes the almost bored comment of the poisoner.
It's a hot day, in the Dry Season. Farmers are harvesting their crops for the season. Some are on horses, moving cattle from place to place. Although in the capital of Cathtyr, you find many children are playing and jumping into the river for a quick dip. Most people here have a little drow blood in them, which accounts for their dark skin. Some have purple eyes.
You meet in Rozalic's apartment. Far away from her mother's villa. Are you searching for adventure? Or perhaps something else? There are taverns nearby, but Roz already have some drinks for you to use.
"Lettuce put this one to bed and Fennel our effect into what we can do next, now the backward home shipment has left the city. The offer here runs itself and my stipend on this apartment. I, we need do nothing, but I would find that so dull as to be soul sapping. I say we go look for something to do."
She stood up.
Let look for a job. A bit of side cash is always handy. Besides that I'm a bit short on weapons where I had to leave my dagger in the eye of a mark. The dwarf casually says. Unfortunately, the employer wouldn't pay the fee so they took my last one.
He stands and stretches checking to make sure that all his gear is in easy reach.
"Lettuce put this one to bed and Fennel our effect into what we can do next, now the backward home shipment has left the city. The offer here runs itself and my stipend on this apartment. I, we need do nothing, but I would find that so dull as to be soul sapping. I say we go look for something to do."
She stood up.
"I think it's perfect; I finished my last caravan a short while ago also. It's not that I couldn't minister to the faithful ... but let's see what's out there. Together we have a pretty incredible amount of talent, but zero practice keeping each other alive. Why not give it a shot?"
He smiles that smile, all the mischief of the wind
"Let's go to that bar where I took that chick's eye out! They must be DYING to see us again. I gave a really great tip to the busboy ...
"Pretty much anywhere but here would be good. Your puns will kill me faster than Deros' poisons. Perhaps mi'lady would know of an undertaking that would be fruitful and put a bur under the saddle of our d@mnable leaders." Alexio offers.
As Alexio arrives Roz goes and gets another bottle of wine. Her apartment was not small but with six planned to be in the team, They could all just about sleep and work from it.
"Alexio good, you're here, have you seen Adil? He said he was going to bring pastries."
Roz find the wine bottle and grabbed some more glasses. I true noble Crinti would have had servants to do this, the indignity of serving over lower than them would have been too much of a shame. But Roz had spent years working the warehouses and dealing with trade-persons. Glass had its place but in a day's work, it was often the chinless wonder of a noble who was the 1st to fail. She had learned from the gangmasters of the great caravan. If you want your men to follow you need to show them respect.
"Well I have been asking around and there may be a few things we could turn our skills to. But we better wait for everyone to be here. Then we can do a meet and greet. Before we jump into options."
She skipped over the bit about the revolution that Alexio wanted. Right now getting more than her mother's stipend behind her cash-wise would help keep them safe.
I have some matter that won't allow me to stay in the city where your wench mother resides, Roz. I'm afraid I made a mistake and an enemy that won't let me go that easy. I would prefer leaving to another city to start our endeavors. Deros says almost sullenly looking just a tad bit chagrined.
A knock on the door, light and low. Whoever opens the door doesn't initially see anyone, until they look down. Then they see the hooded figure, carrying a small basket. "Sweets yes?"
Bout time Deros says as he quickly stuffs a sweet into his mouth.
Roz looks over the pastries and picks out a honey take, breaks off small bits she dips them in her wine. Before eating them.
"Suooe wee are just missshing Ulthok"
She says between bites.
"Speak of the devil, and the devil comes!" A gnoll announced as he swaggered his way inside. It was always hard to tell when a gnoll was smiling, given that it looked like a grin was permanently etched upon their canine-faces, but it was clear that he was in a good mood. "What dangers do we face? Trolls? Giants? Orcs? Farmers who have not paid their taxes?"
"Ulllthaakk"
Roz says as she half chocks on her pastry. She swallows it fast.
Then went over to him.
"That is what we are just talking about. But before we start that how about we all introduce ourselves to each other. Not all of us have met."
brining him over she sat back down and addressed the others.
"I want to thank you all for coming to this 1st meeting of the Insightful Company I think you all know me. I'm the youngest daughter of house lric -Qill. As such I am what they call a low-Noble, which means I have title but little real rank. I'm in the city to start training as a Honglath by means of being an Investigator for hire. I am formally educated so have the knowledge on a lot of things, and some skill with a bow, thanks to Alexio's training. Last, of all, I'm broke, other than this apartment The proposed offices of the Insightful Company my mother has left me to fend for myself. Hence me calling you all here. If we can get hired for a task, we all share in the profits. But more on that later. So who wants to go next to introduce themselves?"
Ulthak bowed his head, respectfully. "And I am Ulthak of the Gnollwatches, hailing from the Blacksnout confederation. I am a bodyguard, ready to fight and kill for hired loyalty." Having finished he stood at a respectful distance behind Lazy Rozalic, a friendly smile and keen eyes fixed on the rest of the group.
I'm Deros. I mix thinks when things need to be eliminated. comes the comment from a smaller dwarf feeding his face. He stands slouched with a conglomeration of bottles and pouches. He has a bottle of spirits in one hand and a half eaten pastry in the other.
"Hi, I'm Kendryl, First Knight of Akadi ... I am a protector also, generally scouting for caravans and providing messanger services. It's nice to meet you finally."
Alexio stands, quiet but resigned, "I am Alexio," he says with a foreign accent though he has lived in the south most of his life. "I steal from the rich, defend the weak, and when times are good I get paid for both." He then sits down seeming tired but watchful particularly of Kendryl.
There is a town crier going about. Saying that there is a lion in the wilderness that has been killing several.
"A lion is in the wilderness, killing and maiming many!" says the town crier. "A reward will be given to whomever can kill the lion!"
"See? The work can come to us! Let's find out who posted the reward ... I mean, if the lion is killing the right people, we should probably just let it do the work."
Kendryl smiles, and then looks over at Alexio
"So if a rich person is weak, they're defended AND robbed?"
"Adil Alhazrad. Worker in the house of Iric -Qill, servant to the drow, devoted servant of my Lady Rozalic." Adil takes a long bow. "My lady required my presence, and so it is my honor to join the call."
There's something slightly off about what Adil says, but you can't quite put your finger on it. Besides, he's far too small and absentminded to have any real secrets.
”Yes, who and how much. See? I am good luck! I come and fortune falls into our laps.”
The dwarf walks to the door and opens it. Let's go he motions waiting only momentarily before leading the way.
"It is quite possible Kendryl, though those who are rich are seldom weak in this society. Mayhap on occasion and in that case I would leave him in his bloomers albeit bodily unharmed, mostly." Alexio replies.
Regarding the lion, "As for the lion. A rogue lion is an indiscriminate killer. Regardless what has made him start hunting man, the lion does not understand wealth and its corrupting touch, merely the speed or lack thereof of its kill. So, lead the way Deros, let us track down and rid the area of this beast."
"It is quite possible Kendryl, though those who are rich are seldom weak in this society. Mayhap on occasion and in that case I would leave him in his bloomers albeit bodily unharmed, mostly." Alexio replies.
Regarding the lion, "As for the lion. A rogue lion is an indiscriminate killer. Regardless what has made him start hunting man, the lion does not understand wealth and its corrupting touch, merely the speed or lack thereof of its kill. So, lead the way Deros, let us track down and rid the area of this beast."
"I was really only teasing you ... mostly ... rich or weak, strong or poor, I will gladly help anyone learn the boundaries of wrong and right."
"Was mostly teasing about the lion as well, but with that said, I was serious about finding out who wants the lion put down: if it's a nice, normal, hard working person who doesn't offend anyone's sensibilities, great. If it's some schemeing Crinti using a lion in their plot to off their mother's sister's grandfather's handmaiden, well, I would just as soon skip it.
Leaving yet? The somewhat blunt dwarf asks around the last bite of his pastry. He brushes his hands on his vest and then quickly runs through his vials and component section on his baldric and belt. Sure that they are all in place, he makes a mocking bow to the Lady and motions her to proceed him out the still opened doorway.
Roz smile as they seem to be getting on.
"Good, we have now introduced each other. And I think going after the Lion may be informative, both on who wants it dead and who has been killed by it. There is one last bit of business before we head off and it's this."
She unfolds a document on the table.
"It's a founding letter of incorporation for our mercenary Company. "The Brave-Way Company Please look it over and sigh. In this way, under law, each of us will have lawful rites to an equal share of the company's profits. As all signatories get one share each. We are also responsible for our actions when working on company business only. This limits the rest of us from anyone wrongdoing while they are not on a company mission. We stand or we fall as one."
She took a pen and signed it.
"For use to carry on under the law of the land we have to be registered as a legitimate mercenary Company. Once signed we can head out to find this Lion or whoever is trying to be one."
She holds up the pen to the others.
If you check it, it is just what she says it is. You get one share = an equally divided share of the company's profits after medical aid and expenses have been approved, all such decisions to be agreed on by a majority of shareholders. All other company decisions are to be agreed on by a majority of shareholders.
What she means is should anyone of the company kill or harm someone by accident, then the 'Company', not the individual will be able to pay compensation or blood money, which is the normal way of doing things.
It's to cover your backsides.
Also being registered as a mercenary Company they are bear arms where others can't when on a sanctioned mission.
Roz smile as they seem to be getting on.
"Good, we have now introduced each other. And I think going after the Lion may be informative, both on who wants it dead and who has been killed by it. There is one last bit of business before we head off and it's this."
She unfolds a document on the table.
"It's a founding letter of incorporation for our mercenary Company. "The Brave-Way Company Please look it over and sigh. In this way, under law, each of us will have lawful rites to an equal share of the company's profits. As all signatories get one share each. We are also responsible for our actions when working on company business only. This limits the rest of us from anyone wrongdoing while they are not on a company mission. We stand or we fall as one."
She took a pen and signed it.
"For use to carry on under the law of the land we have to be registered as a legitimate mercenary Company. Once signed we can head out to find this Lion or whoever is trying to be one."
She holds up the pen to the others.
If you check it, it is just what she says it is. You get one share = an equally divided share of the company's profits after medical aid and expenses have been approved, all such decisions to be agreed on by a majority of shareholders. All other company decisions are to be agreed on by a majority of shareholders.
"Adil Alhazrad. Worker in the house of Iric -Qill, servant to the drow, devoted servant of my Lady Rozalic." Adil takes a long bow. "My lady required my presence, and so it is my honor to join the call."
"Dear Friend ... you would understand that if the pen were to pass to Adil without, well, at least some sort of "gentleperson's" agreement being stated, there might be members of the group who would look askance at what amounts to 2 votes for you, right? The introduction was a stunning pledge of allegience really, the only thing missing was your mother's flag."
Kendryl smiles, walks over to Adil, puts his arm around his shoulder ...
"Adil will stand free of any influence in this, correct? There will be NO consternation if any shareholder wants to ensure that, correct? If I were to say, check to discern evil. If another of our companions were to cast a divination to check for, geas or compulsions. this would be perfectly understandable in the context of the shareholder's agreement ... correct?"
Ulthak looked over the boring words. What he understood was that he was getting an equal share, which was more than he was used to. He signed, knowing that there was probably a trap, but with the understanding that it was a large nation and worst comes to worst he could always just run away.
She gives Ulthak the document and pen, but addresses Kendryl.
"All of what you have said is true. But the objective of forming a mercenary Company is to bind anyone to the company and to each other. While protecting us. Because by law each one of us is required to place the shareholders of the mercenary Company before others consideration, Outside commitments, and affiliations. When a mercenary Company is contracted, by law the considerations of the mercenary Company shareholders come before any outside affiliations. It means that if we are contacted to say, fight my own house. I must by law fearful me a contract or leave the company. Should I choose to stay in the company, I can not by law be held accountable by my house. mercenary Company contacts are held in the highest respect because of this. And ALL houses know that to be blacklisted for not respecting them means death for the house in the long run. None of us, myself, Adil or any other can place the house before us."
She smiles.
"Sorry that was a long one, but if it makes you feel better, I will place a line in the contract that states that any member of a house can not vote on a proposition related to that house. Also, any member of the company must also declare any inflations and state the conflict of interest before any vote. And if they find out after they MUST declare it as soon as they are able to."
She looks at the others.
"This is no trap, this is freedom. Once we sign this we are only accountable to the law and each other. I worked hard and too long to get to this point. Sign this and we are free of any house, just brothers and sisters of the company. And I propose a change of name. To the mercenary Company Lion hearts. For fate as give us out 1st contract."
"The Lion Hearts!" Ulthak exclaimed. "Yes, and once we slay the beast, we can have the pelt tanned. It can be a symbol of our mercenary company, for all of us to wear it's pelt on our persons, so that when seen all know our name."
Alexio takes a quick look at the document and signs in the appropriate spot. He then walks over and pick up his pack from where it lays and slings it over his shoulders. "I'm ready when you are."
She gives Ulthak the document and pen, but addresses Kendryl.
"All of what you have said is true. But the objective of forming a mercenary Company is to bind anyone to the company and to each other. While protecting us. Because by law each one of us is required to place the shareholders of the mercenary Company before others consideration, Outside commitments, and affiliations. When a mercenary Company is contracted, by law the considerations of the mercenary Company shareholders come before any outside affiliations. It means that if we are contacted to say, fight my own house. I must by law fearful me a contract or leave the company. Should I choose to stay in the company, I can not by law be held accountable by my house. mercenary Company contacts are held in the highest respect because of this. And ALL houses know that to be blacklisted for not respecting them means death for the house in the long run. None of us, myself, Adil or any other can place the house before us."
She smiles.
"Sorry that was a long one, but if it makes you feel better, I will place a line in the contract that states that any member of a house can not vote on a proposition related to that house. Also, any member of the company must also declare any inflations and state the conflict of interest before any vote. And if they find out after they MUST declare it as soon as they are able to."
She looks at the others.
"This is no trap, this is freedom. Once we sign this we are only accountable to the law and each other. I worked hard and too long to get to this point. Sign this and we are free of any house, just brothers and sisters of the company. And I propose a change of name. To the mercenary Company Lion hearts. For fate as give us out 1st contract."
Kendryl winks at his friend
"Paper? I worship the wind itself, you know this; your word as spoken is placed with my mistress Akadi, that is all I needed. I will sign ... and I will also give my word to each of you as well. The paper is legal, but my word is a sacred pledge to each of you."
"That is four of us, Deros, Adil will you sign, and join us?"
She offers them the Pen.