D1: Ashin's Commission (El Jefe judging)

[doghead]

Ashin Hanasisar, male human merchant

"Horses are an expensive proposition. I can not provide you with them, but I could introduce you to a trader who will see you straight. Your retainer would be enough to cover the cost of a couple of riding horses and tack.

"If that is the way you wish to go, I will do make some inquiries this afternoon, unless you want to organise the horses yourself. If you meet me tomorrow at morning bell, I will give you your retainers, and introduce you to a horse trader. Meet at my shop. The address is on the back of the map."

Indeed, written on the back of the map is the following:

Hanasisar & Co.
Traders in Fine Materials.
Westbourne Street.
City of Orussus.

Ashin glances up at Ros, then over to Michael. For a moment he looks like he will say something, but he doesn't.

"Would you like me to make enquiries about horses?"

ooc: Its about mid afternoon now. Morning bell signifies the start of a working day, about 7 am.

Re: taking one more - we have three OK's, one no indication. Awaiting two more responses. I'll go with the majority.

Rystil, I couldn't say. Don't know what loquacious means.

 

[Rystil Arden]

(OOC:

Re: One More--Zaeryl will definitely say no if it can win the majority, but otherwise he will not, as even Zaeryl realises that there is no sense in provoking hard feelings by telling someone who is going to join anyway that they are not wanted.

Loquacious: It basically means well-spoken and talkative. Y'know, using words like dogma and understanding words like belligerent and loquacious )

 

[ajanders]

(OOC is it too late for Ros to join up? Sorry Ajanders, I missed some posts due to work.)

[sblock]
Nothing to be sorry about. Life happens. You see how bad I've been about posting.
[/sblock]

 

[ajanders]

The Rosalynn issue

Michael says quietly, "We may as well have this discussion now to be straight with Ashin. Rosalynn, I have no objection to you coming -- but I'm a bit on sufferance myself, so I probably ought not to speak for the group.

Is anyone going to be in a bad way for money if someone extra comes along? Failing that, does anyone have any other objections to Rosalynn specifically or others in general. Speak your piece now -- it's a bad thing to be counting coins in the middle of a fight with devils. Or zombies. Or, I should imagine, zombie devils."

 

[ajanders]

And now getting there being all the fun...

Michael looks at the map and frowns.
"Ironwolf, I don't think I'm reading the map the way you are."

His thick finger traces the road south from Orrusus.
"According to this, there's no crossing over the Grelligo. If there's a ford or a bridge not marked, then, as you suggest, we can cross the Grelligo and come up the south shore of the lake. It's cross-country travel, but as you say, we can hardly miss the lake and the river. That may be the best way: it keeps us well clear of Fallon and we can go by horseback.

Otherwise, the only land route I see takes us through Fallon. That has some benefits: if Lord Fallon is planning to send a relief force or an invading army, we'll hear about the muster -- and that will likely explain who's behind the trouble in Duvik. Or at least, who's trying to take advantage of it."

He pauses for a moment, reflexively dipping back into his belt pouch, drawing out a somewhat familiar blue-grey stone, and smoothing out a nearly imperceptible roughness with his thumb.

"Unfortunately, most of us are a tad distinctive. A big closed carriage would be even more obvious."

He looks at the rest of the group sympathetically.
"I hate to say it, but the best way to do this is probably with a boat. We go aboard in Orussus, we debark at Kinthriver, and we try to get horses or mules there to get to Duvik. Nobody in Fallon hears or sees anything of us. If we find a captain willing to run nights, we'll go pretty quickly: the river doesn't go to bed when we do."

He chuckles at his accidental joke.

"If we want to get fancy and can find a boat willing to take horses, we can make a straight shot to the foot of Kithsul Lake, meet them there, get ferried across to Kinthriver, and then mount back up."

He stops to point out one other thing.
"All this crosscountry travel means no inns -- which we might want to consider -- and no stables, which we need to consider if we bring horses. Do we need to haul fodder?"

 

[B4cchus]

"This boat and horse plan sounds good too. We can also take a boat to the edge of the lake, to cross the river if there is no bridge. Are there things we have to buy together? Like some magical things to heal?"
Hulgyr stares off distantly, obviously trying to think of something. He takes a good drink of his ale and his face lightens up as if something genius came to his mind "Hulgyr also needs a new sword! Made good money just then, anybody know a good smith in town?"

[quote(OOC: Heh, so does Zaeryl, with his 6 Cha and 13 Wis. Then again, even Ironwolf decided that Zaeryl was going too far, although, Hulgyr is rather deluded if thinks that his counterexample proves that orcs aren't "Often Chaotic Evil". It's more that I would expect someone with those mental stats to talk more like Fang, the orc character from Festival of Halina.)[/quote]

ooc: is this adventure going to be an all ooc discussion? I admit that i may be playing Hulgyr a bit too wise for his stats, but i'm quite tired of the "Me Hylgyr! Me smash!" routine everytime a character has lower mental stats. Wheter Hulgyr convinces you or not, it matters quite little in an ooc remark. So let's all move along...

 

[doghead]

Ashin Hanasisar

Ashin leans forwards.

"There is a ford a few miles up the Grelligo. Its not the best, but at this time of year it should be managable so long as there are no heavy rains. There are no fords across the River Roars, but its a fairly sedate river. I've heard of people swimming it. There is also a small village around where the lake becomes the river. They have small boats there. Not big enough to carry six at once, but you could do it in stages.

"We have used both routes for the deliveries. I like to mix up the routes.

"The boat I had lined up in case you chose to use it would be too small for six plus horses."

Ashin scrubs his chin for a moment.

"It is possible that there is a boat in at the river docks big enough to take you and your horses upriver, or across the Kithsul. I can't say for sure the the moment, but I wouldn't like to bet on it. And it would be expensive. Especially if you want a sole charter."

"I don't think you will need fodder. Duvik is well below the snowline, there should be plenty of grass around the town and on the way up there."

"As for adding another, if you wish to do so I have no objectionss. So long as they are willing to swear to having no ties to Fallon, and you understand I can offer no more for them. You will have to sort out the financial side yourselves."

Ashin looks around the group at the table. Seeing that the majority are in agreement, and no one is objecting, he removes the case from his pocket and rod from the case.

"Ros, I understand. If you wish to join this party, then there is something I need you to do first, as the others have."

Once Ros has done so, he packs away the rod, again.

ooc: I'm just going to leave the whole 'how a character talks' thing well alone ...

OK. Four ayes makes a majority. Seven is a little more than I expected. But I've done my share of sitting around in the tavern waiting for a game. No fun at all really. So welcome aboard jennileerose. I've fudged the ic details a bit to get Ros activated.

I don't know much about horses. But if there is grass, they shouldn't need feed/fodder/whatever. Wild horses manage don't they? The area around Orussus is fairly temperate, so I image grass is fairly plentiful.

 

[Erekose13]

Eternity smiles as Ros joins the group around Ashin, "Nice to meet you Ros, I am Eternity. You'll be joining us then?"

As the discussion returns to transportation methods, Eternity adds, "Unfortunately I do not have a horse, nor the money to purchase one at the moment. While I do not mind sharing profits with more people, lacking a horse would mean that I will be walking alongside everyone else."

 

[B4cchus]

"I think i can spare the money for your horse, need one myself too. So are we all agreed we go by horse?"
He drink the last of his ale continues "Are there any other purchases to be made? I need to visit an arms and armor smith and maybe get some of them healing potions."

 

[Erekose13]

"Wow thank you Hulgyr. I'll pay you back for it once we have some money from this venture." replies Eternity.