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[IC] The Port Opal Underground - Part One
- Thread starter Reprisal
- Start date
Reprisal
First Post
Nolan shrugs as he deals out the first card to everyone, face up. He then deals out the next four cards face down. "I guess it's true that we're fairly eclectic, but I wouldn't go so far as to call it an odd group. I think the best explanation is that we're all fairly good friends, or at least associates."
Kelly coughs as Nolan checks his cards and continues, "As far as what we have planned when we get there, I think I'm going to join the entertainers' guild with Moira and Haley... other than that, we're all pretty certain that we're going into business together in some way. Sticking together and all that sort of thing, you know?"
As Brenodan sits, he finds that there's already a hand of cards waiting for him. Kelly pulls out his bag of wooden chips and asks, "You want the same as Tweek? A gold piece should be more than enough for a short game, eh brother?"
Nolan nods and throws in a black chip, "Ante up."
Mischa glances at Tobius, "I wouldn't worry too much. There's plenty to keep an inquiring mind occupied in such cramped quarters. So many people means a lot of conversation, that means a lot of stories. Surely one as yourself can see the value in that much life experience in such a small area?"
Moira giggles.
Mischa smirks and rolls his eyes, "Or so I'm told..."
- - - - -
Kennewick surveys the board with a white stone in his fingers, "Yes, well... they're actually fairly interesting books. As the Great Sage said, 'Continual self-improvment is perhaps the greatest reason for existence.' Now, to be fair, I'd add say that it's the greatest secular reason to live, but the Sage was never a supporter of Vanaria's 'glorious' religions..."
The gnome places the stone in a vitally important position -- had he not done that, the game would have ended right there. "You're learning quickly, Kaufman, I'm impressed. It took me nearly three hours to teach Tweek how to play."
"Bah," Tweek said loudly, "It's not worth playing if you don't win anything!"
"Winning isn't always the most important thing," the gnome snapped back automatically, "sometimes the journey is more important than the destination."
Tweek rolls his eyes and looks at his cards again and throws a blue chip in with the black ones, "I bet five."
The gnome falls silent as Kaufman places his piece, "To answer your question though, Marec, we're going to start a business." He hesitates as Mischa glances back at him, "Well, more of a benevolent society, really..."
Nolan smirks, "They're gonna help 'the little guy,' or at least they think they're gonna..."
"Hey!" Haley shouts in annoyance. Looking up from her conversation with Frem, she picks up a chunk of wood and throws it at Nolan. As it hits him squarely in the back of the head, Haley says, "No making fun! We're serious!"
Nolan yelps and rubs his head, "That hurt!"
"I agree with Haley," Moira says, "It's not like you're doing anything to make it better for any of us here..."
"I'm afraid she's got you there, bro," Kelly smiles. "Out of all of us here -- newly arrived associates excluded -- you're the one who hasn't paid into the Union yet, have you?"
Nolan shrugs, "I'm not entirely convinced that it'll work..."
"What?" Kennewick stands up in astonishment, "How many times have I explained it to you?!"
Nolan frowns, "Not enough, it would seem."
Kennewick sighs in annoyance, "I'm telling you, it'll work."
"Yeah?" Nolan responds skeptically, "Where are you gonna get the gold you need for it then, eh? Explain that."
Kennewick falls silent and looks at Mischa.
Mischa exhales, "We'll have enough when we arrive."
"Where are you going to get that much money, Mischa?"
"When I ask something of my brother," Mischa glares at Nolan, "He does it."
Nolan swears under his breath in goblin, and adds, "I'll believe it when I see it."
"It'll be there," Kelly adds, "Nikita's a good man. If he says he'll have it, he'll have it." He smirks after checking his cards, "Unlike some other siblings around here..."
"Boys! Boys!" Haley calls out angrily, "Will you shut up!? I can't hear my dear friend here speak!"
"Mischa," Moira says quietly, taking his hands. "I think we should get some food before everyone else starts thinking about it."
Mischa nods and stands up, "That sounds like a good idea." He walks over to a corner and pulls out a burlap sack and a dagger. He puts the dagger on his belt and swings the sack over his shoulder, "You said you wanted to get topside, didn't you -- uh, Mongrés, right? How about you there, Tobius? I can give you two a quick tour of the ship while we're at it."
Kelly coughs as Nolan checks his cards and continues, "As far as what we have planned when we get there, I think I'm going to join the entertainers' guild with Moira and Haley... other than that, we're all pretty certain that we're going into business together in some way. Sticking together and all that sort of thing, you know?"
As Brenodan sits, he finds that there's already a hand of cards waiting for him. Kelly pulls out his bag of wooden chips and asks, "You want the same as Tweek? A gold piece should be more than enough for a short game, eh brother?"
Nolan nods and throws in a black chip, "Ante up."
Mischa glances at Tobius, "I wouldn't worry too much. There's plenty to keep an inquiring mind occupied in such cramped quarters. So many people means a lot of conversation, that means a lot of stories. Surely one as yourself can see the value in that much life experience in such a small area?"
Moira giggles.
Mischa smirks and rolls his eyes, "Or so I'm told..."
- - - - -
Kennewick surveys the board with a white stone in his fingers, "Yes, well... they're actually fairly interesting books. As the Great Sage said, 'Continual self-improvment is perhaps the greatest reason for existence.' Now, to be fair, I'd add say that it's the greatest secular reason to live, but the Sage was never a supporter of Vanaria's 'glorious' religions..."
The gnome places the stone in a vitally important position -- had he not done that, the game would have ended right there. "You're learning quickly, Kaufman, I'm impressed. It took me nearly three hours to teach Tweek how to play."
"Bah," Tweek said loudly, "It's not worth playing if you don't win anything!"
"Winning isn't always the most important thing," the gnome snapped back automatically, "sometimes the journey is more important than the destination."
Tweek rolls his eyes and looks at his cards again and throws a blue chip in with the black ones, "I bet five."
The gnome falls silent as Kaufman places his piece, "To answer your question though, Marec, we're going to start a business." He hesitates as Mischa glances back at him, "Well, more of a benevolent society, really..."
Nolan smirks, "They're gonna help 'the little guy,' or at least they think they're gonna..."
"Hey!" Haley shouts in annoyance. Looking up from her conversation with Frem, she picks up a chunk of wood and throws it at Nolan. As it hits him squarely in the back of the head, Haley says, "No making fun! We're serious!"
Nolan yelps and rubs his head, "That hurt!"
"I agree with Haley," Moira says, "It's not like you're doing anything to make it better for any of us here..."
"I'm afraid she's got you there, bro," Kelly smiles. "Out of all of us here -- newly arrived associates excluded -- you're the one who hasn't paid into the Union yet, have you?"
Nolan shrugs, "I'm not entirely convinced that it'll work..."
"What?" Kennewick stands up in astonishment, "How many times have I explained it to you?!"
Nolan frowns, "Not enough, it would seem."
Kennewick sighs in annoyance, "I'm telling you, it'll work."
"Yeah?" Nolan responds skeptically, "Where are you gonna get the gold you need for it then, eh? Explain that."
Kennewick falls silent and looks at Mischa.
Mischa exhales, "We'll have enough when we arrive."
"Where are you going to get that much money, Mischa?"
"When I ask something of my brother," Mischa glares at Nolan, "He does it."
Nolan swears under his breath in goblin, and adds, "I'll believe it when I see it."
"It'll be there," Kelly adds, "Nikita's a good man. If he says he'll have it, he'll have it." He smirks after checking his cards, "Unlike some other siblings around here..."
"Boys! Boys!" Haley calls out angrily, "Will you shut up!? I can't hear my dear friend here speak!"
"Mischa," Moira says quietly, taking his hands. "I think we should get some food before everyone else starts thinking about it."
Mischa nods and stands up, "That sounds like a good idea." He walks over to a corner and pulls out a burlap sack and a dagger. He puts the dagger on his belt and swings the sack over his shoulder, "You said you wanted to get topside, didn't you -- uh, Mongrés, right? How about you there, Tobius? I can give you two a quick tour of the ship while we're at it."
Tobius seems quite interested in this concept, and asks Kennewick if he could explain it further.
"What kind of society are you talking about? What would it do? I've known a few groups that cooperate well, but none to the benefit of others," he laughs.
Other than that, Tobius is willing to take a look around and go topside with Mischa.
"I wouldn't mind a last look at land either, now that I think of it. Besides, I'd like to see how the sailors get this ... beast ... moving."
-Frelaras AS Tobius Roeper
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Inez Hull
First Post
"Yeah, let's see how you feel about that at the end of this journey", Marec mutters. "Personally, if they could magick me over there in an instant I'd be saying 'damn my soul' quicker than Nolan here shuffles."
"I'd wait and till you get the lay of the land in our new home before you make too many plans. With the amount of opportunists making their way over, things are gonna be pretty rough an' tumble for those of us without any connections. Stick together, sure, but don't expect everyone else in the new world to want a part of your ... business. Believe me, our new home 'aint gonna be no haven for idealists. Free-thinkers - yes, criminals - definitely, but bleedin' hearts might as well paint 'target' across their forehead."
Tonguez
A suffusion of yellow
Like Tobius, Kaufman is also very interested in the concept and as the various voices pipe in on the subject he begins to form a picture and to see where his particular set of skills might fit in and be able to assist. He begins to hum again as the sights, sounds and actions around him weave together and begin to resolve into something new
"Yes" he affirms "friend Kenniwick please tell us more about this union"]
"Yes" he affirms "friend Kenniwick please tell us more about this union"]
maddmic
Explorer
As the chatter seems to die down a bit, Frem looks at Haley and clears his throat. In something barely more than a whisper, he asks her, "Tell me of this union. What is it about and what is required?" As she turns and betrays a bit of surprise to Frem's question, he winks and replies. "I'm not always quiet you know. It's just that I'm not always the one to speak first or even the most." With that he smiles and pulls out a bit of cheese and bread from his pack. He breaks off a bit and offers it to her.
Toric_Arthendain
Explorer
Brenodan nods and tosses a gold piece onto the table. "I'm in," he says to Kelly and Nolan. "So, what possessed you boys to take to the high seas and set out for the so-called 'new world'?"
While listening to their answer, Brenodan looks around the crowded room. A few months ago, he would never have imagined himself crammed into a cabin on a ship with goblins, halflings, gnomes and an elf. He glanced down at his purse, a bit nervous about losing what little wealth he had, but then decided that it would be pointless to worry. He hoped that since they were all forced to live together while onboard, that they would be able to trust each other.
Looking over the top of his cards, he grinned at the others playing. "I ain't much of a card player so go easy on me!" he grumbled.
While listening to their answer, Brenodan looks around the crowded room. A few months ago, he would never have imagined himself crammed into a cabin on a ship with goblins, halflings, gnomes and an elf. He glanced down at his purse, a bit nervous about losing what little wealth he had, but then decided that it would be pointless to worry. He hoped that since they were all forced to live together while onboard, that they would be able to trust each other.
Looking over the top of his cards, he grinned at the others playing. "I ain't much of a card player so go easy on me!" he grumbled.
Reprisal
First Post
Kennewick ponders deeply for a moment as he puts another stone down, "Hmm... I'm not certain that benevolent society is the best word. You are familiar with Imperial Banks, correct? The fact that they are mere holders of money, and do not lend it, is perhaps their greatest weakness. For a very long time, if one needed money, you would have to do one of three things: work for it, ask a local nobleman, or steal it. Now, this may not be the worst of problems, but it's not tapping a resource that we already have... What does a pile of gold do while in an Imperial Bank? Nothing, well, actually, it slowly decreases due to protection fees if left alone. It's my belief that the money that sits in the banks can be put to work, so to speak, that we can give people with a strong business sense loans. Those loans can then be used by the person to create an entirely new business, or way of making money. While he's doing this, his debt would slowly be paid off over time plus a percentage added on for our benevolent risk taking. Essentially, we would loan money to people who might never have been able to get a loan from a rich merchant, bureaucrat, or petty aristocrat."
As Kaufman places his piece, the gnome continues, "Once we have a core of strong businesses paying us a steady stream of income, we can use that income to give more loans and make more money. At the same time, we'll be improving the lives of these people while we make a tidy sum for ourselves!"
Kennewick grabs an Imperial book from the stack titled Risk and Reward: Gnomish Banking in Perspective, and starts to talk excitedly, "It's all right here! Think of it, if we're able to make sure that the businesses that these people start make money reliably, not only can we better the lives of our customers, but also ourselves! It's brilliant, and I wonder why people didn't think of this sort of thing before!"
Nolan rolls his eyes, "It's because not everyone is going to be able to pay back the loan. I bet there would be a lot of people out there that would just run with the money you give them! Even if they didn't, what would you do if they couldn't? Beat them? Kill them? How would you get your money back then, eh?"
Kennewick stopped dead in his tracks, he muttered a gnomish curse to himself and searched for words in vain.
Mischa put his leather coat on and sighed, "All that would be necessary would be to make sure that they understand that we're taking a risk, and that the debt must be paid -- whether through gold or labour. We have them sign legal contracts, and we pay the Empire a good fee to accept and enforce those contracts."
Nolan groaned and let his head hit the table, "Oh, don't bring the Empire into this! They'll just leech all of the money out of you! They're not too fond of the little folk, or haven't you noticed?"
Mischa shrugged, "Everyone has their price."
Nolan stopped, and pondered. After a moment, he nodded, "I suppose you're right..."
Kelly leaned toward Marec quietly and whispered, "I wouldn't worry about that, as far as we're concerned this Union will have teeth. We'll be able to defend ourselves from the predators out there -- if not by the Empire's law, then by our own hand. We're not sheep sent out among the wolves, oh no, we're most definately something else, like a bull or a bear even... Yeah! A bear sounds like a good one."
Haley smiles and takes a bit of cheese, and as she nibbles on it, she shrugs, "Oh I'm not certain exactly, but I can tell you that it won't be as benevolent as Kennewick thinks it might be. People are just too greedy to want to make good on old debts, they'll try and cheat us, and I'm afraid we might have to punish them..." Haley studies the cheese, "This is good. Not any kind of cheese that I've ever had. Where did you get it?"
Shortly after speaking to Marec, Kelly returns to the game and shrugs in Brenodan's direction. "The hope of a better life, really. I mean, my brother's always been skeptical of everything, but I'm not. Kennewick walked me through how they're going to do that whole lending thing and it seems like it could work with the right enforcement. I mean, what we'd be doing is definately a good thing, but I'm fully aware of the fact that there will be people who will try to abuse our kindness. Those people would need to be punished. Whether by the Imperial Constabulary, or by us, I don't really care... There are far too many poor halflings, and gobbos, and gnomes -- and even dwarves, well, the ones who live outside the dwarven realm -- that are far too skilled to be poor. It might be Kennewick's gnomishness rubbing off on me, but I think people should be measured by their merit, not by their creed or station."
Mischa looks at Tobius as Mongrés steps by him and out the door, "I suppose we should catch up with him, friend."
As Kaufman places his piece, the gnome continues, "Once we have a core of strong businesses paying us a steady stream of income, we can use that income to give more loans and make more money. At the same time, we'll be improving the lives of these people while we make a tidy sum for ourselves!"
Kennewick grabs an Imperial book from the stack titled Risk and Reward: Gnomish Banking in Perspective, and starts to talk excitedly, "It's all right here! Think of it, if we're able to make sure that the businesses that these people start make money reliably, not only can we better the lives of our customers, but also ourselves! It's brilliant, and I wonder why people didn't think of this sort of thing before!"
Nolan rolls his eyes, "It's because not everyone is going to be able to pay back the loan. I bet there would be a lot of people out there that would just run with the money you give them! Even if they didn't, what would you do if they couldn't? Beat them? Kill them? How would you get your money back then, eh?"
Kennewick stopped dead in his tracks, he muttered a gnomish curse to himself and searched for words in vain.
Mischa put his leather coat on and sighed, "All that would be necessary would be to make sure that they understand that we're taking a risk, and that the debt must be paid -- whether through gold or labour. We have them sign legal contracts, and we pay the Empire a good fee to accept and enforce those contracts."
Nolan groaned and let his head hit the table, "Oh, don't bring the Empire into this! They'll just leech all of the money out of you! They're not too fond of the little folk, or haven't you noticed?"
Mischa shrugged, "Everyone has their price."
Nolan stopped, and pondered. After a moment, he nodded, "I suppose you're right..."
Kelly leaned toward Marec quietly and whispered, "I wouldn't worry about that, as far as we're concerned this Union will have teeth. We'll be able to defend ourselves from the predators out there -- if not by the Empire's law, then by our own hand. We're not sheep sent out among the wolves, oh no, we're most definately something else, like a bull or a bear even... Yeah! A bear sounds like a good one."
Haley smiles and takes a bit of cheese, and as she nibbles on it, she shrugs, "Oh I'm not certain exactly, but I can tell you that it won't be as benevolent as Kennewick thinks it might be. People are just too greedy to want to make good on old debts, they'll try and cheat us, and I'm afraid we might have to punish them..." Haley studies the cheese, "This is good. Not any kind of cheese that I've ever had. Where did you get it?"
Shortly after speaking to Marec, Kelly returns to the game and shrugs in Brenodan's direction. "The hope of a better life, really. I mean, my brother's always been skeptical of everything, but I'm not. Kennewick walked me through how they're going to do that whole lending thing and it seems like it could work with the right enforcement. I mean, what we'd be doing is definately a good thing, but I'm fully aware of the fact that there will be people who will try to abuse our kindness. Those people would need to be punished. Whether by the Imperial Constabulary, or by us, I don't really care... There are far too many poor halflings, and gobbos, and gnomes -- and even dwarves, well, the ones who live outside the dwarven realm -- that are far too skilled to be poor. It might be Kennewick's gnomishness rubbing off on me, but I think people should be measured by their merit, not by their creed or station."
Mischa looks at Tobius as Mongrés steps by him and out the door, "I suppose we should catch up with him, friend."
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