"You want to eat more, Harnry?? I hope that you are invulnerable to injury, because if you keep eating like this, none of us will be able to lift you! I like to eat, but I prefer to be a 'lean wolf.' Since I can no longer be a 'lone wolf,' you understand. But, then again, maybe when you reach that point you can have a floating disc to carry your ponderous butt around." Houwlou says all this in a very non-confrontational, easy-going way and he simply intends to be joking around, if he is a bit rough in his manner.
"Yes, you have the right of it. I believe returning as a unit is the right choice. Besides won't we save on the cost of a guide if we go together?" He pauses for another bite. "A song...Well, we haven't done much to sing about yet, but I'll give it some thought as we make our way to the commander. Maybe something that plays up the adversity of our meeting--forboding weather and wolfhounds circling." He begins to hum softly as the verses take shape in his minds. "You know though, such a thing could be seen as mighty presumptuous from a bunch of green recruits."
Their morning repast taken care of, the would-be mercenaries settle their bill with Kelly and head out into the warm pre-dawn air. Kecil quickly locates a guide and pays the young boy a silver piece for an escort to the Mercenaries Quarters.
The group makes it to Commander Tadhg’s office with a few minutes to spare – the glow of the morning sun is just beginning to show over the wall of the city. The Commander answers his door himself, showing no visible signs that the early hour is any different from any other time of day for him. He escorts you into his office, where you are greeted by the sight of one of the largest half-orcs you’ve ever seen seated in the only other chair in the room.
Houwlou & Keeland
This is the very same half-orc Houwlou encountered in the Ruffled Feathers last night.
The Commander speaks in cordial tones. “This is Gearr Cruin, the Captain of my irregular forces. He’ll be your immediate superior should you decide to join the Bees, and the only person other than me to whom you will be responsible. He tells me that you handled yourselves well last night, in spite of some provocation.”
Captain Cruin stands and offers his hand. ”A good job last night. I think you’ll do. Ready to get to work?”
OOC Re: Bar Bill
Ale is 2 sp/Pitcher, or 4 cp/Mug. Night lodging is 2 sp (includes breakfast). I don't feel like backtracking to see how much you bought; deduct what you ought and we're cool!
"The terms are acceptable then? You all wish to enlist with Bronágh's Bees?"
As Commander Tadhg speaks the Captain retrieves a sheaf of papers from the desk and begins passing out contracts. The contracts are straightforward - In return for payment of their Bond for one year, a gold piece per day pay, free billeting and resupply of basic equipment at Guild facilities and additional sums (usually in prizes of war) specified in the contracts being fulfilled by the Bees - minus 10%, which goes to the Bees, each of the party members agrees to enter exclusive service with the Bees for one year, to live by their Code and submit to their discipline for infractions against that Code, the policies of the Guild or their Bond.
OOC
The Code specifies behaviors that are in line with what you would do anyway as Good characters, and although the stuff about following the chain of command and submitting to discipline doesn't sit well with your chaotic tendencies you figure that as irregular forces you'll be operating without direct supervision most of the time.
The captain gives Aodhán a toothy grin. "Yeah, I get that a lot. Since you weren't actually under my command yet, I'll let it slide - this time." In spite of his casual attitude, there is a core of iron in his voice.
He shifts his attention to include the entire group. "We keep things pretty casual in the irregulars. The chain of command runs from each unit through me to Commander Tadhg and you're expected to follow it, but I'm not a stickler for all the saluting and constant need for supervision that most of Tadhg's pantywaste soldiers seem to require." As he says this he tosses the Commander that same toothy grin - it's obvious these two have been working together for a long time. "Most of the time you'll be beyond our reach and in many cases you won't have time to check in for orders anyway. So you'll be expected to think for yourselves, act on your own initiative and pay the price (good or bad) for your actions when you come back in."
"One more question, Captain Cruin: I understand that we are to get our communication from Commander Tadhg through you, but I am wondering how many other units besides us there are that are under your direct supervision? Are we one "Platoon" in a Company, or are we more like an "orphan unit" that you supervise?"
When Keeland and Kecil have signed their contracts, Commander Tadhg shakes your hands and formally welcomes you to Bronágh's Bees. He dismisses you, and Captain Cruin gestures for you to follow him. After a walk down a short hall he ushers you into a meeting room and motions for you to be seated around a long table.
"To answer your questions, Houwlou, you are one of 20 irregular units in the Bees.
We've got a solid mission for your first. Should be pretty much a cake walk, and there should be opportunity for you to get some negotiation experience, along with some scouting and recon and likely some straight up fighting.
You'll be meeting with a merchant named Almah to negotiate terms for escorting her to the ruins of a trading outpost in the mountains south of here. Once you've seen her and her caravan to the region you'll help her clear out any undesirables and make the area safe for her to set up shop.
This Almah is supposed to have some other guards or fighting types along as well, but I'm not sure how much I'd rely on them for support.
I'll leave it up to you how much to try and get out of her, but don't take less than 200 gold.
Her outfit's parked about two weeks south of here at a watering hole called the CrágRi (OOC: King's Claw).
Don't forget you can visit the depot and top off your supplies if you need to before you head out.
"Yes, Sir, I have one: I guess we'll be transferring the 200gp to the Bees? If we negotiate for more than 200gp, are we expected to turn over the entire price, or just the 200?"
"The entire fee you negotiate will come to the Bees. Any spoils you obtain - and rights to spoils must also be negotiated and put in the contract - are yours, less 10% (in goods or gold). That 10% comes to the Bees as well, but half of it will then go to the Guild. Good question."
"So, Sir, when we give over the 10% to the Bees, will you take care of the Guild's share from that? We're not authorized to actually deal with the guild ourselves, are we?" Houwlou still feels pretty foolish about what happened the other night, by the way, and desperately wants to earn Captain Cruin's respect.
"And I have a few more questions, Captain Cruin. Just why is this merchant, this Almah, wanting to set up her shop in a ruined outpost in the first place? And, I am curious, why was the outpost abandoned, and how long ago it was abandoned? Also, how safe do you wish for us to make the place for them? That's pretty wild country, so there may only be so much we can do by ourselves."
"Commander Tadhg takes care of the Guild fees from the 10% you turn over to us.
As to Almah's eventual goals, I have no idea. She specifically asked for help clearing the outpost, so I would judge anything beyond the village itself could be subject to additional negotiations. On the other hand, we've got a reputation for being worth every penny of our fees, partly because we take care of our clients.
In regards to the history of the place, I suspect Almah could tell you more about that."
The huge half-orc retrieves a small map from a shelf on the wall as he waits for other questions. If there are none, he unrolls the map and points out the location of the CrágRi, where you are to meet Almah and her caravan. Once you've had a look (Kecil actually takes out a small leather bound journal and sketches a quick map) he dismisses you, but asks Houwlou to remain.
"Houwlou, a word if you please."
Houwlou
"I sense you're fretting over our run in last night. (OOC: Sense Motive Check: 23) Don't. You were provoked and allowed your anger to guide your response. But when you remembered your mission you swallowed pride and did what you had to do. A little more experience and you won't even make that first slip - unless an angry response is what's required to achieve your goals.
Houwlou listens stoically to Captain Cruin's words, and when he dismisses Houwlou, the Olcan instantly snaps almost audibly to attention and crisply salutes the Captain, with smiling eyes, if not mouth. The very split second that his salute is returned, Houwlou makes haste to act upon his dismissal.
![LoF - A Merc's Life [IC 01]](http://www.enworld.org/forum/iconimages/playing-game/lof-mercs-life-ic-01-a_ltr.gif)
I like to eat, but I prefer to be a 'lean wolf.' Since I can no longer be a 'lone wolf,' you understand. But, then again, maybe when you reach that point you can have a floating disc to carry your ponderous butt around." 
Houwlou says all this in a very non-confrontational, easy-going way and he simply intends to be joking around, if he is a bit rough in his manner.
Linear Mode
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