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Cerebral Paladin's Storyhour (updated 4/22)
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<blockquote data-quote="Cerebral Paladin" data-source="post: 2087168" data-attributes="member: 3448"><p>Lhovrik, decked out in a particularly foppish outfit, smiles at Sister Aurora and Melania. "I feel like shopping for a slave." His efforts at levity are not rewarded, but the group soon reaches their destination. The slave market is in the Docks, but near the Merchants Quarter. One side of the market abuts the main avenue that separates the two quarters. Usually, the areas near the border are the nicest sections of the Docks; Melania lives in one of those neighborhoods for precisely that reason. But the area around the slave market has an oppressive feel to it, and seems to draw many shady people.</p><p></p><p>The slave market itself is a sprawling complex. A stout wooden palisade with guard towers manned by archers surrounds the entire complex. Near the main entrance are a collection of nicely appointed buildings decorated with banners and signs; barkers stand outside each of these buildings trying to convince the customers that their employer is the best merchant to use. Beyond those buildings, the various slave pens sprawl, occupying most of the complex.</p><p></p><p>After a quick discussion of strategy, Melania waits at a nearby tavern, busking to pass the time, while Lhovrik and Aurora head in to the complex.</p><p></p><p>Lhovrik and Aurora walk past the barkers and in among the cages. The slaves are roughly sorted, so several cages are filled with strong,unskilled adult laborers and another is filled with human children and so forth. After a few minutes of searching, Lhovrik and Aurora find the set of cages filled with halflings. They begin carefully examining the halflings inside; while a few of the halflings look somewhat similar to Marna, they cannot find her. After a while of searching, a young halfling man bounds up to the edge of the cage.</p><p></p><p>"Looking for a servant, m'lord? I'll do great work as a valet or household servant, or whatever you need!"</p><p></p><p>Lhovrik shakes his head. "I'm sorry. We're looking for a specific halfling." He briefly describes Marna.</p><p></p><p>"Can't say I've seen anyone like that. But you should buy me anyway. I can do domestic work, and I'm sure I can do anything that she can." He pauses for a second. "Well, almost anything..."</p><p></p><p>Sister Aurora and Lhovrik finish their search of the halfling cages. They make a quick swing around the rest of the cages, in case Marna ended up in the wrong cage. They do find some other halflings scattered about, but no Marna. After about an hour of searching, they return to the tavern where Melania has been waiting and give her the news.</p><p></p><p>Lhovrik says to Melania, "Don't be afraid to spend really prodigious amounts of money to get her back. You may need to."</p><p></p><p>"You know, Lhovrik, not all of us have prodigious amounts of money..."</p><p></p><p>Lhovrik hands Melania a heavy purse. "This should take care of it."</p><p></p><p>Melania walks straight in towards the barkers and merchants. She heads straight towards the largest building, and says to the barker outside, "I'm looking to buy a slave."</p><p></p><p>"Then you've come to the right place. My principal has the best selection in Lir Sanek."</p><p></p><p>He leads her into a large room where several people are bustling around. A heavy, balding man looks up at her. The slave merchant is dressed in fine, expensive clothing, with some gaudy jewelry as well.</p><p></p><p>"Good afternoon. I'm Brek Ferund."</p><p></p><p>"And I'm Melania. I'm hoping you can help me out."</p><p></p><p>Brek smiles. "First things first. Are you buying or selling?"</p><p></p><p>"Buying."</p><p></p><p>"I'm sure I can meet your needs then. I have the finest and largest selection in all of Lir Sanek." At a gesture from Brek, a servant brings over two glasses of wine. Melania makes a show of sipping hers, but does not actually drink much. Brek does the same with his glass. "What sort of slave are you looking for?"</p><p></p><p>"I'm actually looking for a specific slave, a halfling maidservant." Melania describes Marna. "She was sold by mistake-- my friends were going through a confusing time. But she has a lot of sentimental value, and they want to get her back."</p><p></p><p>"Ah. About when was she sold?"</p><p></p><p>"Within the past few days."</p><p></p><p>"I don't think I've seen any new slaves that match that description, but let's take a look to be sure."</p><p></p><p>Brek leads Melania to a set of slave pens filled with halflings. They search for Marna, but to no avail. Brek then leads Melania to another set of halfling holding areas, but again, there's no Marna to be found.</p><p></p><p>As they head back to his office, Melania slips a few silver to Brek, "Thank you for your help. If you do see a halfling that matches the description, let me know. My friends would be willing to pay to get her back." Melania gives Brek her address.</p><p></p><p>"I'll certainly keep my eyes open. If any of the other merchants acquire her, I should find out fairly quickly, and I'd be happy to work as your friends' agent and acquire her."</p><p></p><p>"I'm worried that in the confusion, my friends may have sold her to a less reputable merchant."</p><p></p><p>Brek sighs theatrically. "Many people try to set up deals outside the legitimate trade to save a few gold on fees. But those fees pay for the reliability and service we provide. You know when you buy from me that everything is perfectly above board. Because I only deal in merchandise that I know was fairly purchased, I don't deal with any of the less reliable, unofficial dealers."</p><p></p><p>"Do you know any of your fellow merchants that might be a little less careful?"</p><p></p><p>"We're all guilded, of course, and the guild tries fairly hard to eliminate any unsavory business practices." Brek looks around to make sure no one is likely to overhear him. "But you might try Salish Verr. I think he may cut some corners and deal with some underground sources. Not that you heard it from me, of course." Brek smiles at Melania, who passes him a little more of Lhovrik's money.</p><p></p><p>"Thanks for all your help."</p><p></p><p>"My pleasure. You know, I understand the sentimental attachment that your friends had to their servant. But they'll still need someone to take care of her tasks. If we can't find their old slave, I'd be happy to help them get a good replacement."</p><p></p><p>"Thanks. I'll keep you in mind."</p><p></p><p>Melania heads to the smaller, less ostentatious building Salish Verr operates. Salish is a younger man, with a compact, heavily muscled frame and a nasty scar on the left side of his jaw that is only mostly concealed by his thick beard.</p><p></p><p>"How can I help you?"</p><p></p><p>"I'm looking to buy a halfling maidservant."</p><p></p><p>Salish frowns. "I don't have a big stock of halflings. Most of my slaves are human laborers..."</p><p></p><p>"I'm looking for a specific halfling." Melania describes Marna again. "My friends sold her by accident and are trying to get her back."</p><p></p><p>"Hmm. I don't think that I've seen that halfling. Do you know who they sold her to? Brek Ferund handles most of the halfling trade."</p><p></p><p>"I'm afraid that it may not have been to a legitimate dealer."</p><p></p><p>"I'm not surprised. Guild dealers have rules to prevent these sorts of things, but underground dealers will try to rush in to make deals without following the rules, like when a death in the family leaves people desperate to settle newly discovered debts." Salish rubs his chin. "I can keep my eyes open, of course. If the dealers try to sell the halfling to a legitimate dealer, I'll buy her to hold onto her for your friends. But if they make a direct sale, there won't be much I can do."</p><p></p><p>"Thanks for your help."</p><p></p><p>"You might also check out some of the institutional buyers-- inns, taverns, maybe a brothel. But in order to do a full search would take a full time agent, and wouldn't be cheap."</p><p></p><p>"Thanks. I'll see whether my friends are interested in going that far."</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Cerebral Paladin, post: 2087168, member: 3448"] Lhovrik, decked out in a particularly foppish outfit, smiles at Sister Aurora and Melania. "I feel like shopping for a slave." His efforts at levity are not rewarded, but the group soon reaches their destination. The slave market is in the Docks, but near the Merchants Quarter. One side of the market abuts the main avenue that separates the two quarters. Usually, the areas near the border are the nicest sections of the Docks; Melania lives in one of those neighborhoods for precisely that reason. But the area around the slave market has an oppressive feel to it, and seems to draw many shady people. The slave market itself is a sprawling complex. A stout wooden palisade with guard towers manned by archers surrounds the entire complex. Near the main entrance are a collection of nicely appointed buildings decorated with banners and signs; barkers stand outside each of these buildings trying to convince the customers that their employer is the best merchant to use. Beyond those buildings, the various slave pens sprawl, occupying most of the complex. After a quick discussion of strategy, Melania waits at a nearby tavern, busking to pass the time, while Lhovrik and Aurora head in to the complex. Lhovrik and Aurora walk past the barkers and in among the cages. The slaves are roughly sorted, so several cages are filled with strong,unskilled adult laborers and another is filled with human children and so forth. After a few minutes of searching, Lhovrik and Aurora find the set of cages filled with halflings. They begin carefully examining the halflings inside; while a few of the halflings look somewhat similar to Marna, they cannot find her. After a while of searching, a young halfling man bounds up to the edge of the cage. "Looking for a servant, m'lord? I'll do great work as a valet or household servant, or whatever you need!" Lhovrik shakes his head. "I'm sorry. We're looking for a specific halfling." He briefly describes Marna. "Can't say I've seen anyone like that. But you should buy me anyway. I can do domestic work, and I'm sure I can do anything that she can." He pauses for a second. "Well, almost anything..." Sister Aurora and Lhovrik finish their search of the halfling cages. They make a quick swing around the rest of the cages, in case Marna ended up in the wrong cage. They do find some other halflings scattered about, but no Marna. After about an hour of searching, they return to the tavern where Melania has been waiting and give her the news. Lhovrik says to Melania, "Don't be afraid to spend really prodigious amounts of money to get her back. You may need to." "You know, Lhovrik, not all of us have prodigious amounts of money..." Lhovrik hands Melania a heavy purse. "This should take care of it." Melania walks straight in towards the barkers and merchants. She heads straight towards the largest building, and says to the barker outside, "I'm looking to buy a slave." "Then you've come to the right place. My principal has the best selection in Lir Sanek." He leads her into a large room where several people are bustling around. A heavy, balding man looks up at her. The slave merchant is dressed in fine, expensive clothing, with some gaudy jewelry as well. "Good afternoon. I'm Brek Ferund." "And I'm Melania. I'm hoping you can help me out." Brek smiles. "First things first. Are you buying or selling?" "Buying." "I'm sure I can meet your needs then. I have the finest and largest selection in all of Lir Sanek." At a gesture from Brek, a servant brings over two glasses of wine. Melania makes a show of sipping hers, but does not actually drink much. Brek does the same with his glass. "What sort of slave are you looking for?" "I'm actually looking for a specific slave, a halfling maidservant." Melania describes Marna. "She was sold by mistake-- my friends were going through a confusing time. But she has a lot of sentimental value, and they want to get her back." "Ah. About when was she sold?" "Within the past few days." "I don't think I've seen any new slaves that match that description, but let's take a look to be sure." Brek leads Melania to a set of slave pens filled with halflings. They search for Marna, but to no avail. Brek then leads Melania to another set of halfling holding areas, but again, there's no Marna to be found. As they head back to his office, Melania slips a few silver to Brek, "Thank you for your help. If you do see a halfling that matches the description, let me know. My friends would be willing to pay to get her back." Melania gives Brek her address. "I'll certainly keep my eyes open. If any of the other merchants acquire her, I should find out fairly quickly, and I'd be happy to work as your friends' agent and acquire her." "I'm worried that in the confusion, my friends may have sold her to a less reputable merchant." Brek sighs theatrically. "Many people try to set up deals outside the legitimate trade to save a few gold on fees. But those fees pay for the reliability and service we provide. You know when you buy from me that everything is perfectly above board. Because I only deal in merchandise that I know was fairly purchased, I don't deal with any of the less reliable, unofficial dealers." "Do you know any of your fellow merchants that might be a little less careful?" "We're all guilded, of course, and the guild tries fairly hard to eliminate any unsavory business practices." Brek looks around to make sure no one is likely to overhear him. "But you might try Salish Verr. I think he may cut some corners and deal with some underground sources. Not that you heard it from me, of course." Brek smiles at Melania, who passes him a little more of Lhovrik's money. "Thanks for all your help." "My pleasure. You know, I understand the sentimental attachment that your friends had to their servant. But they'll still need someone to take care of her tasks. If we can't find their old slave, I'd be happy to help them get a good replacement." "Thanks. I'll keep you in mind." Melania heads to the smaller, less ostentatious building Salish Verr operates. Salish is a younger man, with a compact, heavily muscled frame and a nasty scar on the left side of his jaw that is only mostly concealed by his thick beard. "How can I help you?" "I'm looking to buy a halfling maidservant." Salish frowns. "I don't have a big stock of halflings. Most of my slaves are human laborers..." "I'm looking for a specific halfling." Melania describes Marna again. "My friends sold her by accident and are trying to get her back." "Hmm. I don't think that I've seen that halfling. Do you know who they sold her to? Brek Ferund handles most of the halfling trade." "I'm afraid that it may not have been to a legitimate dealer." "I'm not surprised. Guild dealers have rules to prevent these sorts of things, but underground dealers will try to rush in to make deals without following the rules, like when a death in the family leaves people desperate to settle newly discovered debts." Salish rubs his chin. "I can keep my eyes open, of course. If the dealers try to sell the halfling to a legitimate dealer, I'll buy her to hold onto her for your friends. But if they make a direct sale, there won't be much I can do." "Thanks for your help." "You might also check out some of the institutional buyers-- inns, taverns, maybe a brothel. But in order to do a full search would take a full time agent, and wouldn't be cheap." "Thanks. I'll see whether my friends are interested in going that far." [/QUOTE]
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