Xenos Tobler's page

"If he's been through here, it's possible, and Oleg does have a pretty damned good memory. Don't play cards with him, if you know what I mean." He laughs at this.

He waits for everyone to unload what is theirs and then turns the wagon and starts moving slowly like he's bypassing Oleg's Trading Post. You figure he's doing so to make it look more like he's not going there himself.

"Aside from how he'll react to me, he's a perfectly civil man, though he doesn't like to haggle. If y'all want to approach on your own, it'd actually probably be best. I'll give y'all a few minutes to talk with him before arriving. Hopefully he hasn't seen us together."

"I don't think you should expect much hospitality from Oleg, though Svetlana is a pleasant woman. Remember, he still blames me for my wife, his sister, dying. Also, I suspect that flag is just a way to let folk know the old fort is now a trading post, so I wouldn't expect much in the way of 'gracious' welcoming to you two Lebeda's. If I recall correctly, Oleg is more of an Erastil man than Abadar, probably another reason he wanted to up and move out this way." He winks at Connel with a wicked little grin.

He laughs a little. "No worries lad, they're all harmless. If you wear the rings for a week, you'll not need to eat or drink, though you can. You'll also need only 2 hours of rest a night to be ready to go the next day, that includes you spellcasters. If you ever remove it, you'll need to eat and rest as normal, and it'll take another week for the ring to work for you if you put it back on. As for the potions, they're all cure light wounds, not much, but a little extra something to help y'all get along out there."

"As to why I gave these to y'all, I know what you're gonna be up against, and this little trinkets can be worth far more than you think when it comes down to it. I have plenty of extra cash, as I charge what I charge, and turn myself around if those I'm trying to sell to don't want to buy. They usually change their mind before I get half turned." He winks.

"Now, are we ready to go, or y'all have more questions?" He stands there with his hands on his hips. Any who look and see he is wearing a platinum ring on one finger that has the exact same design as those he gave y'all.

The rings are rings of sustenance, Merry Christmas!

Just as Helgash finishes asking his question, Xenos walks in. He takes a moment to check each of you over, looking particularly at your hands. "Well, I see Anni and Theo are wearing the rings I left for y'all, where's the rest of 'em?"

"Varn's a stuffed shirt blowhard, but his soldiers are nothing to laugh at. I think it'd be best if y'all just leave things be, including not messing with this town. She may be small, but there's plenty of folk who travel through here. The size of this tavern should tell you that much." He casually waves an arm, and you all realize just how large the common room is compared to the relative size of this village.

He takes another swig of mead, then continues, "I suggest y'all get some sleep, as the next bed we'll be sleeping in will hopefully be at Oleg's. Oh, and check under your pillows." He says the last bit as he is getting up from the table, with a wink.

"Well, I hope you succeed young man. Just remember, honor don't mean a thing if you're face down in a ditch due to some lucky brigand."

"I'm a general merchant. I take what needs to be taken where it needs to be taken, except slaves, drugs, and other unsavory materials. I've been to every nation on Avistan, and most of those on northern Garund. Twice I've taken the route mapped by Aganhei to the lands of Tian Xia, the first time for work, the second time to place my beloved Cora in the land she fell in love with. Another reason Oleg hates me." His eyes grow a little misty, but he continues. "A beautiful place, Tian Xia, its people much like those here. They work hard to provide for them and theirs. They even have their own fancy flavor of fey called kami."

He changes the topic a little. "So, Theodronis, what's a Mivoni doing working for the Swordlords of Restov?"

A few minutes into the meal, Xenos enters from outside, smelling of horses and hay. "Good, you're all up. Hurry up and eat, we have a long ride today if we're going to make it to Navikta's Crossing before night. How many of you don't have your own horse? I need to know so I can organize things in the wagon so y'all have room to sit."

"Nothing of great importance, and you'd've found out once we reached Oleg's. He's my brother-in-law, but he hates me due to the cruelties of fate." His eyes get a little misty and he lifts his left hand, showing a pair of rings on his ring finger.

Xenos smiles and rubs his hands together. "Excellent! I was hoping for some negotiations regarding these horses." He goes to the side of his wagon and pulls out some simple folding wooden chairs and a small table. He sets them up quickly and pulls a small ledger from inside his vest. There are 4 chairs in total.

"So, what is your offer?"

"Ain't no such thing as borrowing a horse from a merchant. There's buying, and there's stealing. Now, I will sell the lot of them to you for standard price, 300 crowns each for the heavy horses, 45 crowns for the pony. All these are combat trained and ready for nearly anything you can stumble upon around these parts. Once you've found your old mounts, I'll buy any of these'uns at a price of 225 crowns for the horses and 33 crowns for the pony. That's by offer. Deal?"

"Out of respect for Oleg, I've decided not to step foot in his place of business until he welcomes me. I'm sure you understand. Please, join me outside so you all can examine the steeds I have procured."

"Ha! I can't say I'm surprised in the least!" He climbs down and walks up to the gate, but stops at the gate, not moving even an inch inside Oleg's.

"I've taken care of things already. Oleg is the one stuck on the subject." Xenos finishes his drink. "I'm done for the night." He turns to Oleg. "I'll be outside your walls by dawn." Xenos picks up his pack and walks out through the gate.

He's going to sleep in his wagon, which is outside still.

"The two of you aren't related are you?"

"Used to be. I married his sister and she died a few years back when a dozen orcs ambushed us while traveling through Ustalav."

Caelin looks at Oleg and Xenos with a perplexed look in his eyes "In the name of Erastil, do you lads know each other?"

"We grew up together."

Xenos speaks up after spending much of the time just listening to the party, "Oleg, how often have you been bothered by the Sootscales? What other things in the area give you problems? What about other travelers?"

Xenos walks up to Erian and says, "Stable is over there, it's self service in this place. Leave 5 silver in the wooden box inside on the left to pay for the feed and space." He then heads to the Pirate's Slug to enjoy a few pints and a meal of stewed kidneys in vegetable broth.

Xenos yells out to the party before they get to far away from the wagon. "Make sure you all stay at the Pirate's Slug. It's the only inn in town big enough to hold a group our size."

Xenos then mumbles as he starts taking stock of everything the half-drow "borrowed" from him.

"Ey, and we be appreciating the ride and your, your...Hospitality." says a gruff fire bearded dwarf from the corner of the cart. "The names Angus, Angus Skulkiem, and your Xenos..ain't that right?" says the dwarf, extending a scarred, calloused hand to Xenos.

Xenos responds in dwarven,

As folks are about to ride of to do a little hunting, Xenos speaks up, "Hold on folks. Y'all must not be to familiar with this area. In about an hour we'll be reaching Nivakta's Crossing. Not the best of towns, but big enough for us to stay the night. All y'all have some coin to get a room, don't you?"

Everyone see's Xenos quickly pull a finely crafted hand crossbow from under his cloak and point it at Polson, who is just beginning to dig through stuff in the wagon. "Son, if you're hungry, ask, don't take. That 'better to ask forgiveness than permission' crap don't work with me." Xenos puts the crossbow away, then says, "Water's in the back barrel on the left side. Bread in the top crate next to it. Salted pork in the crate under the bread."

"It is a pleasure to meet a fellow follower." Costance responds to Xenos. "I wish I had extra rations, but unfortunately I was expecting to find a place to replenish my supplies before tonight."

"Erastil shall prov.." Xenos is cut off by Erian's enthusiasm.

"Ah, do not worry for food. There is a bountiful table right out there!" Erian points toward the tree line. "If we're short on supplies, I'm sure after a few hours hunting we'll be eating a hearty meal of wild mushrooms, venison, and cattail root!" He seems very eager to demonstrate this as he looks between Constance, Xenos, and the others.

Xenos looks at Erian while saying, "Don't just talk about it son, do it."

Xenos smiles at Constance and says, "I was hoping at least one of you would be among the faithful of Erastil. It's been said that he sometimes takes the shape of a simple huntsman an walks the woods of Golarion. Maybe y'all well be lucky enough to meet him." With that Xenos laughs and asks the horses, "Would you two be so kind as to move just a little faster? I'd like to reach Oleg's before I die of old age."

Polson wipes the sleep from his eyes and holds out his hand to the big man. Polson Lacey he mutters and not much to tell other than my purse is empty! His accent is difficult to pin down and after leaving the silence until it goes beyond awkward Polson withdraws into the wagon.

Xenos gives Polson a firm handshake in return while saying, "Sleeping now means you'll be on guard duty tonight boy, you any good at such things?" Xenos winks knowingly then turns forward again.

"The Stolen Lands, even the Greenbelt, are a dangerous place. Bandits, wolves, mites, kobolds. Well, the kobolds aren't too bad as long as you leave them alone." He waits to see how folks react to that last little piece of info.

Xenos loops the reigns around a post on the wagon and stands up and leans over to shake Ilya's hand. "A pleasure to meet you good sir." Sit's back down and turns to listen to Erian then says while shaking the half-elfs hand, "A pleasure to meet you as well. A proper education is good to have, but getting your hands dirty makes you understand the true way of things."

Xenos yells into the bag of the wagon, "And what about you lad? Just going to sleep away the week long trip to Oleg's? Tell us a little about yourself son."

Shortly after leaving Restov, the merchant Xenos attempts to strike up a conversation, "So what's a fine group of relatively young folk such as yourselves doing heading to a dump like Oleg's? He's not that friendly, though his wife is a very lovely and personable woman."