Arabesu's Eyes of the Lich Queen; Flashback - IC

[moritheil]

Rosa's eyes flicker between Faris, Fenwick, and Sur'kil. "Well, the job as a whole seems acceptable to my associates, though perhaps the exact amount or nature of renumeration will bear some discussion. We appreciate your candor concerning these relics. We will need all the information you have concerning the location and, if not a description, some standards of determining the particular relics you want."

 

[Vertexx69]

His plate cleaned and his hunger satisfied, Hightower leans back for a moment and stretches his huge arms wide. "Hmmm... maybe taking a walk across these lands for a time would be agreeable. But I would wonder if there weren't some other interested groups that could be seeking out these ancient writings at the same time we would, that you may have innocently forgotten to mention?" As he fixes their host with a deeply hooded and penetrating stare.

 

[Arabesu]

"The specific location will be described en-route for reasons of security. I have already suggested a price, a fair fee in my opinion, and I would greatly prefer your decision before we adjourn. As to competitors, there are always those 'collectors' who would compete with me, the foremost among them being that insipid Bellock. But he is neatly tied up with his hunt for the horn, so I gather, so you should have no fear of his intervention."

 

[renau1g]

Fenwick will speak up after this comment "You mentioned 250 gold per week, just how many weeks would you expect this excursion to require? I think it sounds like a reasonable sum to me and as long as my companions are in, you can count on my help." Looking to the others for confirmation.

 

[Arabesu]

"Four weeks, with the option to extend the contract at your discretion, should you find our endeavors sufficiently profitable. In my opinion, this period is a gross overestimate of the time required to complete the task, but I wanted to hire you for time sufficiently long to permit you the opportunity to approach the task as carefully and cautiously as you prefer."

 

[Jack of Tales]

Sounds fair to me. All we have to do is go in and bring some artifacts back with us along with whatever else we can salvage from the ruins. As long as these primitive tribes you talked about don't have more of a right to the remains then we do, then I'm fine with it.

 

[Vertexx69]

Hightower grunts his agreement and stands up with a single fluid motion. In a signal that conditions have been settled to his satisfaction.

 

[moritheil]

Rosapila judges how sincere the man is about all this information he's offering, as well as how honest his unwillingness to pay more appears to be.

Sense Motive (1d20 3=15)

"And the payment is literally in coin, I take it?" clarifies Rosapila.

Assuming she does not sense very much duplicity:

"Well, gentlemen and esteemed lady, I think our host has been pretty clear on the terms," she says, and looks around the table.

 

[Arabesu]

coins

OOC Rosa senses that there are probably details he hasn't shared yet, but that he intends to provide later. She can guess that he might have negotiated upward on the fee, but now that several of the party members have agreed to the offer that it would be difficult to haggle at this point. He seems like a fairly trustworthy fellow, but is guarded. He's also very likable and charming for a post-middle-age gentlemen, much like Sean Connery from Last Crusade.

To answer Rosa's question about coins, he snatches up an empty silver breadbowl and upends a two pound-bag of platinum coin into it and sets it on the table. Speaking softly: "Meet me at dock fifty three to board my chartered ship, the Swiftwind, immediately after lunch. That should give you time to make a few last minute preparations; I wish to leave as soon as possible and to break free of the dagger by nightfall."

OOC there is 120 platinum pieces in the bowl.

 

[renau1g]

Fenwick will take his share of the advance and tell the others he'll meet them soon, rushing out the door to make his last minute preparations. There were a few scrolls he'd wanted to pick up and now seemed like a good time.

[sblock=ooc] I'm assuming this is included in our starting wealth, we don't add it to our funds available, correct? [/sblock]