Heroica RPG- Quest #96: Tying up Loose Ends

[Scubacarrot]

"So yes, we have the Keystone in our possession. Now, do you have any idea where these Wolfgang 'round-the-clock-masters are keeping their headquarters? Or should we just lure them to the vault and do a big showdown there? Any thoughts?"

"Ehm. I am sorry, I honestly don't know. I've just been dragged from warehouse to cellar to dark room for a long time. If the Wolfgang know where the vault is, maybe that is where they are?"

"The Wolfgang eh? Still not the proper etiquette... But yes, the Wolfgang. They have been making appearances in Strivvi, new gang. They're competing with local gangs sometimes, although they take care not to attract major attention... I don't have any names for you I'm afraid. Yoren's square, you'll find some there, I'm sure... Although I heard something went down there."

[Waterbrick Down]

"The Wolfgang eh? Still not the proper etiquette... But yes, the Wolfgang. They have been making appearances in Strivvi, new gang. They're competing with local gangs sometimes, although ary take care not to attract major attention... I don't have any names for you I'm afraid. Yoren's square, you'll find some there, I'm sure... Although I heard something went down there."

"Well perhaps ya'd like to fill an ogre in on proper etiquette then, I'm a sellsword not a diplomat."

[Zepher]

Boomingham bites on his cheek. "Seems we're not as friendly as we thought, boy-o." Boomingham tosses ten gold onto the counter. "An easy one for you, hopefully. The political state of Strivvi. Who do the armored chaps serve? Last I heard Macros and Maxis were both looking to put themselves into power, but surely there have been elections by then? Or is it still a bit of a split?"

[Scubacarrot]

"Well perhaps ya'd like to fill an ogre in on proper etiquette then, I'm a sellsword not a diplomat."

"Pay the gold, get information. That's all there is to it. No cheeky asking for your favorite subjects. The soldiers. They serve the city. The palace. The viscount. There is no viscount, so they serve the captains in charge, or rule themselves, basically. Of course there have been votings, but no viscount has been decided on as of yet. If there was no split, a decision would have been made. Macros is right over there, training, perhaps you should try talking to him." The bartender is starting to get annoyed, but that doesn't stop him from taking the money.

Edited March 31, 2014 by Scubacarrot

[Zepher]

"Well, no need to be snippy. That was an easy ten gold. If we switched spots I would have thanked you for the ten gold with a sloppy kiss." Boomingham gets out of his chair. It squeaks in relief. "Ratabor, Mlle. Ruby, Purple, Russus, Ogre-" it was clear that Boomingham had trouble in general with the nicknames they'd picked, "have fun with this chap." Boomingham walks over to Marcos and gives a salute. "Howdy there, Macros. How are you? I imagine you don't remember me. Blackhood. I'm from the High Kingdoms. Sword for hire. We met, a long while ago, very briefly. Luckily I've got a brain for faces and names. Last I was here you and your brother were both vying for the high and mighty position of visocount. How goes it? I imagine not too well, if you're sparring in a bar."

[CMP]

Atramor just grumbled at the bartender, returning to Ellaria and Mortimer.

"Damn swill-slingin' cheapass....we should stop at the Silver Anvil before we hit the vault, mate. I'd like to see what this voucher's all about, and we should probably get rid of those weapons, too. Also, ya' never divvy'd up that gold and ruby from the warehouse."

[Waterbrick Down]

Skrall takes his lager and looks for an open seat.

[Pandora]

"Don't know much, I was always paid by the ginger guy in the Wolf-outfit. You probably killed him. I think the Daymaster was his boss. I always guarded doors. I could show you the doors I was guarding lately, if you'd think it'll help you. Working for the Wolfgang is much less exciting than you'd think."

"Do you know, it might actually be quite handy to know which doors you've been guarding for the Wolfgang. Do you think you could give Elpis, the other girl, some directions to those doors please? She's good at writing things down and remembering stuff."

Nyx keeps her mouth shut as her companions question the bartender. Once they've all moved away to the courtyard she smiles apologetically at the barman, shrugging sheepishly.

The bartender then pours Skrall and Boomingham their drinks, and answers Nyx' question: "Half Tonic, half Firewater. It goes well with our special of the day."

"Firewater sounds like my kind of thing, I'll take one please, but I'm not so hungry so just the drink thanks." She slides 25 gold across the bar and continues talking while she waits for her drink to be prepared.

"Sorry about all that. I see now that you just know stuff and you'll tell them it if people pay for it. It's just that most of us are used to asking questions and ... rewarding the answers, but I guess that's the other way round to how you do things here, and that's ok. We're just not used to it, that's all."

she pauses, glancing around the bar at its occupants

"So my colleagues have given you a fair bit of gold already, and asked you questions. And unfortunately offended you. Can I just ask what information you have? I don't want to fork over another 10 gold, sorry, and I figure we've given you quite a bit already. No worries if you don't want to, it's just a suggestion, seeing as I'm sat here for now anyway. And I just thought I'd ask nicely, no threats or undercurrents of anything."

she shrugs at the end, by way of punctuation.

[Scubacarrot]

Macros is still mock-fighting with a dwarf and an elf when Boomingham walks up.

"I am good, yourself?" Macros parries a blow from the dwarf, and knocks his staff into the direction of the elf. "Hold on one second." In a sweeping motion, he knocks the weapons out of the hands of the opponents. "Right. Well fought. We'll catch up later, let me adress this fine man."

The man smiles, and leads Boomingham to a bench, and offers Boomingham some fruit, drinking water himself. "Hardly a fair fight. A smith and a singer make for poor opponents, even two to one. A traveller then? Captain, perhaps? Yes, my brother still seeks to take my place as viscount, to my grief. However, I'm sure he will soon relent. A bar is a better place than most I've found. I am surrounded by pleasant company, food and drink is plenty, why not use a tavern this way?"

Skrall finds a few chairs and stools standing near the side, if he wanted, he could sit and join wherever he wanted.

"If you'd really want to visit all those places I guess we could, but you'd never find your way if you don't know your way around. We never went tot he same place twice though, wouldn't surprise me if they were all abandoned."

The bartender hands Nyx her drink, and answers her:

"Of course. Your way is not very advantageous to the seller of the information. The buyer might simply refuse to pay for any reason that he or she wants, whereas in the right way, the buyer will always get information that is of worth because the seller is a good and trusted man. It might be I have some inklings for some small jobs smart people might be rewarded for disproportionally. And it might be I could set them up."

Edited April 1, 2014 by Scubacarrot

[Waterbrick Down]

The ogre pulls up a chair next to the cyclops. "Afternoon, chap. Good to see another fellow green-skin out and about. Buy ya a drink? The name's Garlin, by the way."

[Sandy]

"Ehm. I am sorry, I honestly don't know. I've just been dragged from warehouse to cellar to dark room for a long time. If the Wolfgang know where the vault is, maybe that is where they are?"

Ellaria lets out a deep sigh. "All paths seem to lead to that vault... Thank you for your cooperation, Mortimer, it has been very valuable. Now all we need from you is a map showing the location of the vault. You can then take a long rest at our safe house, until you feel ready to face the perils of the world again."

"Now if you'll excuse me..." Ellaria moves to the center of the courtyard where Boomingham is talking to the young lord. She herself approaches the two opponents.

"Good day, gentlemen. An impressive fight you two put up there. Lord Macros is certainly a tough one to beat, eh? I'm curious to know do you always fight as a pair?" Ellaria gives her best doe-eyed expression.

[Pandora]

"Of course. Your way is very advantageous to the seller of the information. The buyer might simply refuse to pay for any reason that he or she wants, whereas in the right way, the buyer will always get information that is of worth because the seller is a good and trusted man. It might be I have some inklings for some small jobs smart people might be rewarded for disproportionally. And it might be I could set them up."

Nyx sips at her drink, and smiles uncertainly at the barman.

"I hear what you're saying. You want the money up front, and it sounds like you have something interesting to say." she pauses, sipping more "But the thing is, my companions have already given you 30 gold, and I really like my own gold, and I hate losing it. So I'm sure you can understand I'm a bit worried. You don't feel like .. just telling me, seeing as you've already made a good profit from the others?" another shrug accompanied by a hopeful smile

[Zepher]

"A traveller? That's certainly a more romantic view of my profession. A traveller." Boomingham bites into the offered fruit. Juice runs down his cheek and settles in his beard. It will certainly be sticky later. "I... well, I'm not a captain among my men. But my daughter is, and I taught her all she knows. And I still carry some weight, of course." Boomingham looks down at his stomach and laughs. "Perhaps you can see that, huh, chappo?"

"I'd have to agree with you - a bar is generally better than most other places in the entirety of Olegia. When I was- when I lived under a King he frequented the bar quite a lot. Quite a lot. Of course, he had money to blow." Boomingham licks his lips and then smacks them together a few times. "Sweet. I must tell you, Macros, that I've quite a passion for politics. So, let's hear it - why are you more deserving than your brother? I don't doubt you are, of course, Hel, you seem a likable and even-minded chap, but tell me what you'd do with the city!"

[Scubacarrot]

Skrall decided to mix among the patrons, and decide to plonk down (after the usual fitting and moving) next to the cyclops. The man responds to him:

"Ehh Garlin. Me... Speaks... Common Ehh bits! bits... Yesss. Drinks! Yesss!"

Ellaria in the meantime decides to have a chat with the elf and the dwarf Macros was just fighting.

"Always? Impressive? Were you even watching kiddo?"

"Now, Sultan, be polite. To the girl. I think she's just enamored with your muscles after seeing you in action."

"Geeeehhh, you're taking the piss Daffodil, and so is the girl. Macros easily beat the both of us with a stick with us carrying the best weapons mortals can forge."

"Macros has been a soldier since his hands were strong enough to carry a sword, while your hands are those of a smith."

"And your hands are almost exclusively used for fondling that lute and for playing with girls, or is it the other way around?"

-

The barkeep smiles back at Nyx. "I am afraid not. With many friends come many eyes, and when they see I give you this for free, I would not be able to refuse any one asking the same without insulting them."

-

"My brother... I know my brother. He would rule from inside the palace and give orders to people that might interpret those orders in their own ways. My brother... He's loves his books more than is good for him. But out here, the city, you need to be able to talk to people, do things, take action, lead. My brother does not have the skills to rule Strivvi. The city would break, that can't happen. I would have it be so that we fortify our army, lower taxes for the people that have little to spare, break down hard on crime. All that I would do, and I have raised proposals for these things, but my brother's supporters are blocking this. Not because they disagree, but out of spite. To deny the success that would come from these actions. My brother wants to close the gates, and he'd close the bay if he dared too, and wants to hope for the best. That is no way to go on as a city..."

Edited April 2, 2014 by Scubacarrot

[CMP]

Is Daffodil a Witcher reference? I'm sure I know that from somewhere.

Atramor leaned against a nearby wall idly, watching everyone go about their business, McCafferey perched on his shoulder as usual. Despite the fact that atmosphere could surely turn hostile at any moment, the place reminded him a bit of the Hall. He turned his head sideways, towards Mortimer.

"Anyone know where the hell this vault even came from?"

Edited April 2, 2014 by CallMePie

[Sandy]

Ellaria lets out an inane giggle as she listens to the elf and the dwarf banter.

"Tehehe, you two are funny! You should do a skit and go on a tour. I honestly thought you did well. What's your story? Do you travel the world breaking the bones of men and the hearts of women?"

She sensed that these two might be recruitable. It would take all the muscle they could get to beat down the Wolfgang.

[Waterbrick Down]

Skrall decided to mix among the patrons, and decide to plonk down (after the usual fitting and moving) next to the cyclops. The man responds to him:

"Ehh Garlin. Me... Speaks... Common Ehh bits! bits... Yesss. Drinks! Yesss!"

"Tis no problem at all. Drinking is a universal language." Skrall orders a mead for the cyclops. "Tell me, what's an ogre got to do to get a job around here? Just shipped in from the North looking for warmer waters. I see there's the local army, but I'm not a fan of all that parading and "yes sir" "no sir", there's got to be somethin' more suitable to someone of my... tastes." Skrall flashes his crossbow holstered on his hip.

[Scubacarrot]

"Anyone know where the hell this vault even came from?"

"No one knows this sort of thing. But the best guess is that they were made by an ancient civilization that has since died out. Some scholars suggest that Strivvi's walls were made by the same people. What we do know is that there have been vaults opened in the past, although I was never able to figure out what the results of those uncovers were. Heh, just imagine what the vaults might have brought forward. Perhaps some of the greatest heroes of the past were openers of the vaults, perhaps kings and kingdoms would not exist if not for the vaults. The deserts of Abra hold many secrets, this is just another one, it seems. As a scholar and an archeologist, I know what I would choose if I had the possibility of opening the vault... Knowledge. There is just so much we do not understand or what is forgotten."

-

"I am a Blacksmith of Strivvi, a worker of Darksteel. The finest, one of the few that can make real Darksteel. I do not go on tour, my apprentices would destroy the shop."

"We are mutual friends of Macros. And although he'd never admit it, Sultan adores me."

"Thinks he is so funny."

"Myself, I don't mind a bit of travelling. There are many songs to be sung, but I only know a few, I am always looking to expand my collection. Broken bones I'd like to avoid, the hearts of women, they come with the job."

-

"Good Drinks! Garlin Fighter man Yess! Hmmm... Jobsss... Workss? Yesss Worksss. Me.... Uhhh... Skinss.... Hides.... Hideworkss Yesss. No Fighter Man. Drinks Man Worksss Givess to Fighter man!"

Edited April 2, 2014 by Scubacarrot

[Waterbrick Down]

"Good Drinks! Garlin Fighter man Yess! Hmmm... Jobsss... Workss? Yesss Worksss. Me.... Uhhh... Skinss.... Hides.... Hideworkss Yesss. No Fighter Man. Drinks Man Worksss Givess to Fighter man!"

"I see, well I suppose I'll have to talk to 'Drinks Man' about that. You enjoy that mead friend, it seems I've got some business to chat about."

Skrall wandered back to the barkeeper.

"Hello again, word is you're in the temporary employment business. Looking to get a few odd jobs accomplished?"

[Scubacarrot]

"As I was telling your friend, I might have an inkling of who would have suitable jobs that pay well, but I do not benefit from that knowledge, so to get my share regardless, if you want to have a job for you, you will pay me the fee, I will dig into my mind, and everyone will benefit."

[Waterbrick Down]

"As I was telling your friend, I might have an inkling of who would have suitable jobs that pay well, but I do not benefit from that knowledge, so to get my share regardless, if you want to have a job for you, you will pay me the fee, I will dig into my mind, and everyone will benefit."

"Standard information fee, or we talkin' something different?"

[Scubacarrot]

"Yes."

[CMP]

"Maybe we're not s'post to understand," shrugged Atramor. "Look what these bastards are doin' just to break inside onna these vaults. If this ancient race was smart enough to design vaults that gave the opener whatever the hell they wanted, they probably wouldn't've died out. Maybe they figured out they were just sowin' the seeds of chaos for the future and wised up. Try to learn too much and ya' end up half-mummified in a city sunken in a desert full'a demons over a book."

[Scubacarrot]

"I must admit you have peaked my curiosity, but I will refrain from asking. Perhaps you're right. Or perhaps they simply moved on and are somewhere else and everyone simply forgot, or perhaps the keys were lost. Many a thing gets lost in the Abran desert and found again later."

[Zepher]

"My brother... that is no way to go on as a city..."

"Your brother sounds a great bit like the King I used to know." Boomingham licks his lips again. "And you sound quite a bit like a better alternative. Tell me, Macros, is there anything I can do to help you? You're plans sound like they were made to get specifically at my heart, so I wouldn't mind giving a helping hand if there's one to give."