Hairy Minotaur
Explorer
Lord Palmere surveyed the lot of thugs and miscreants that had come to his estate this fine morning. The merchant lord has placed an ad for able bodied entrepreneurs, Lord Palmere had expected the occasional righteous individual, but as he looked over the collection of nary-do-wells he spotted several holy warriors that would have to be weeded out.
Lost in thought, Lord Palmere hadn't heard his butler slave approach him from the foyer to the Lord's left.
"Appears you're bidding will be done mi'lord." The slave spoke but dared not look upon his master's face.
"Yes, begin by moving the paladins and anyone who appears more interested in my home than my offer." Understanding Lord Palmere's meaning, the slave ushered over a dozen other slaves and assigned each one to a guest he had surmised was going to have ethical questions regarding the work his master was about the offer. However the butler mixed in some beggars and known thieves in as well, so as not to appear to the casual viewer that any one particular group was being singled out.
After the obvious representatives from the churches of Maal and Terak were separated from the rest of the guests, along with the known cheats, Lord Palmere spoke to clustered group.
"As you know, my name is Lord Palmere and I have acquired the distinct honor of receiving a very distinguished guest of honor from Virdistan. A powerful merchant in that city and one whom I hope to engage in profitable discussions while he visits our fair city." Palmere paused as a few men in the back left the entry hall and exited Palmere's estate.
"To further my ends, I have need of a select few individuals to help me with a decorating dilemma I face. I shall pay the handsome sum of six-hundred gold kings for this service." Palmere paused again to let the crowd dwindle some more to just over two dozen individuals remained.
"It requires utmost secrecy as the Overlord will not look favorable upon you if you fail." That comment got the group squirming, over half of the crowd quickly and quietly left the entry hall. Now faced with only ten of the job seekers left, Palmere felt the time was right to start on the individual interviews.
He had refreshments brought out for those remaining, small salmon appetizers on flat bread and underaged elven wine that he had planned on throwing out anyway. Palmere left the entry hall, as the last of the desperate filed up to sample the free food and wine, to personally dismiss those that the butler had separated out earlier.
When Palmere returned to the entry hall he noted the eclectic group that had answered his ad. Two ogres, a troll, a centaur, 4 humans, a teifling, and a halfling mulled around the hall, occasionally glancing between each other and the fine art work Palmere chose to display to those who knew nothing about fine art.
Palmere thought to himself that is he could get the two ogres and the troll, he might even get out of having to pay them altogether. The job was a simple one, well simple for those with mean dispositions who didn't like a little blood on their hands.
Palmere had scoured Highcastle for the perfect spot to host and impress the visiting diplomat. Palmere had paid a high marker to learn that the new diplomat was well versed in the performing arts and fine sculptures. Palmere hoped to gain favor with the diplomat and use that to leverage a monopoly on high end gems coming from the mountains surrounding Virdistan. To this end he located a crumbling and decrepit ruin on a small hill just outside of the city's east gate. Normally a haven for goblins, Palmere tried to buy the land and have the goblins removed legally. However he misplayed his hand and bribed the wrong official and now it was too late in the game to start over and go back to the courts to get it done legally.
Thus he arrived at his current predicament, he had placed an ad hoping to lure some people of desperate disposition or at least those with low enough ethics to no care for another creature, but high enough morals to abide by the six-hundred gold king gag order. He needed to remove the Maalites from the equation since their church ran the courts and legal system in Highcastle. Palmere also removed those with stronger ties to the thieves guild than to the gold currency Palmere was trying to buy them with. The overlord would not stand for Palmere circumventing his legal system, so Palmere needed men desperate enough to need the money and unconnected enough that if they were caught, Palmere could buy their silence from a well placed bribe to the Assassin's Guild.
Excited about the future, Palmere strode into his entry hall brimming with the confidence of a man who believed he had all the answers. He chose to speak with the centaur first, the ogres and troll seemed to be enjoying the food too well right now to be interrupted.
"We don't see many centaurs in the city, what brings you to this fine example of haut monde?" Palmere asked
"A desire to see what I could only imagine beyond my valley, and to embrace the sense of curiosity my father possessed." Responded the centaur
"Yes, well how do you feel about goblins?" Palmere asked pointedly
"I have heard of them and eagerly await my opportunity to meet one in person." The centaur answered excitedly
"How long have you been in Highcastle?" The Merchant Lord asked
"Only a few days, I admit to spending most of my time in the horse markets. I have been searching for an excuse to force myself to explore more of what this city has to offer, your posting seemed like the perfect solution for me."
Palmere mulled over the centaur's response, if the centaur had only been in Highcastle a few days, it was likely he had no idea of the local laws and might be perfect to help the merchant with his problem.
"I have recently purchased a small, I thought was abandoned, ruined building just to the southeast of the city. Unfortunately the goblins who were squatting there did not take kindly to my announcement that they would now have to vacate the property. I need some motivated individuals to convince them that it's best they leave. I don't really care how you do it, only that you do it in less than seventy-two hours as my decorators will not be able to turn the property around fast enough without a two-week timeframe."
"And this job will pay money with which to use to purchase services within the city?" The centaur asked
"Oh yes, yes it will." Palmere replied
"Then Xanthos agrees to relocate the goblins."
Palmere smiled, if the rest of the applicants were as socially inept as this guy, it was going to be a simple matter to get what he wanted. Palmere called for one of the ogres next.
"What brings you to the core of civilization my large fellow?"
"Doopa need money." The ogre answers
"Yes, well maybe Doopa should have answered my ad then?"
"Doopa, decorate. Get money, buy big horse." The ogre said through a forced enunciation
Palmere comprehended that the ogre's name was Doopa, "You need to get rid of some goblins first."
"Arrgh!" With the mention of goblins, Doopa became enraged and pounded his heavy wooden club on the floor in front of Palmere
Palmere snapped his fingers and five slaves formed a line between Doopa and Palmere, his butler as well came to Palmere's side.
"Shall I see this one out?" Palmere's butler asked
"Not yet, I think his rage towards goblins may serve me well in my scheme."
Next up was the teifling
"I've seen your kind before, although I've yet to have purchased the services of any hitherto." Palmere started
"Then let's not waste time prancing around your insecurities and get down to you telling me who you need killed." The teifling responded
Taken aback by the bluntness of the teifling, Palmere cleared his throat and began. "I don't need anyone killed, just removed. A group of goblins that are trespassing on some property I own."
"Really? I heard about those guys. You know my brother Tehas? He sent my a letter about some goblins he encountered in a derelict ruin outside of town."
"No, I do not know any of your kind. I am intrigued by your prior knowledge of the situation though. When did your brother visit?" Palmere inquired
"Couple of months ago, the head honcho he was working for told him he wanted to go in a different direction and wanted to start over again. I haven't heard from him since. You're not that guy are you?"
"Heavens no, are you deaf? Have you not heard that I have had no previous dealings with any of your kind?" Palmere exasperated
"Well good, so do you pay me now or when I'm done kicking the gob out of the goblins?"
"I pay you if I hire you, and when the job is complete. Were you conceived yesterday?" Palmere replies sarcastically
"Well your choice is clear then, you should hire me, Menthos Lyptus. Anyone willing to circumvent the Overlord's courts and squat on some squatters can see that." Menthos smiled at the merchant with a twinkle of full understanding in his eye.
Palmere hired the teifling in the hopes that he would die before collecting the money.
Palmere next called for the troll.
"I'm sorry mi'lord but he left. Apparently he smelled the food and followed the crowd in. He became belligerent when he ate the last of the appetizers and killed a tray holder and carried his carcass out the door with him." Palmere's butler reported
"Tsk, what a shame. Could have used that kind of go getter. Oh well, make sure we replace the tray holder by next weekend."
Palmere interviewed the other ogre next and hired him, Turgar seemed a little brighter than Doopa and Palmere especially liked the dragon motif* Turgar had adorned himself with. The Merchant Lord then interviewed the halfling and two of the humans but sent them away after admitted to having no equipment or measurable skills with which to complete the task.
The last two humans were a scout by the name of Kessen, Palmere hired him thinking he could be a guiding light to the ogres and point them in the direction of the goblins and then get out of the way. Plus he hailed from the Plains of Cairns and had previously dealt with ogres and goblins near his homeland. The last human was a Trueborn** named Haimish, blessed at birth by the gods, the Trueborn were outcasts as most people didn't want a visual reminder that they were unfit to receive the god's blessing. Trueborns therefore got along well with the trolls and ogres of society, so he seemed like a good lubricant for the two ogre cogs.
With six individuals chosen, Palmere gave them rough directions to where the ruins were located and told them in no uncertain terms that the goblins must be gone in seventy-two hours or there would be no compensation.
* Turgar's class is Dragon Shaman
** Trueborn are from Dawnforge, they're like high-powered Aasimar
Lost in thought, Lord Palmere hadn't heard his butler slave approach him from the foyer to the Lord's left.
"Appears you're bidding will be done mi'lord." The slave spoke but dared not look upon his master's face.
"Yes, begin by moving the paladins and anyone who appears more interested in my home than my offer." Understanding Lord Palmere's meaning, the slave ushered over a dozen other slaves and assigned each one to a guest he had surmised was going to have ethical questions regarding the work his master was about the offer. However the butler mixed in some beggars and known thieves in as well, so as not to appear to the casual viewer that any one particular group was being singled out.
After the obvious representatives from the churches of Maal and Terak were separated from the rest of the guests, along with the known cheats, Lord Palmere spoke to clustered group.
"As you know, my name is Lord Palmere and I have acquired the distinct honor of receiving a very distinguished guest of honor from Virdistan. A powerful merchant in that city and one whom I hope to engage in profitable discussions while he visits our fair city." Palmere paused as a few men in the back left the entry hall and exited Palmere's estate.
"To further my ends, I have need of a select few individuals to help me with a decorating dilemma I face. I shall pay the handsome sum of six-hundred gold kings for this service." Palmere paused again to let the crowd dwindle some more to just over two dozen individuals remained.
"It requires utmost secrecy as the Overlord will not look favorable upon you if you fail." That comment got the group squirming, over half of the crowd quickly and quietly left the entry hall. Now faced with only ten of the job seekers left, Palmere felt the time was right to start on the individual interviews.
He had refreshments brought out for those remaining, small salmon appetizers on flat bread and underaged elven wine that he had planned on throwing out anyway. Palmere left the entry hall, as the last of the desperate filed up to sample the free food and wine, to personally dismiss those that the butler had separated out earlier.
When Palmere returned to the entry hall he noted the eclectic group that had answered his ad. Two ogres, a troll, a centaur, 4 humans, a teifling, and a halfling mulled around the hall, occasionally glancing between each other and the fine art work Palmere chose to display to those who knew nothing about fine art.
Palmere thought to himself that is he could get the two ogres and the troll, he might even get out of having to pay them altogether. The job was a simple one, well simple for those with mean dispositions who didn't like a little blood on their hands.
Palmere had scoured Highcastle for the perfect spot to host and impress the visiting diplomat. Palmere had paid a high marker to learn that the new diplomat was well versed in the performing arts and fine sculptures. Palmere hoped to gain favor with the diplomat and use that to leverage a monopoly on high end gems coming from the mountains surrounding Virdistan. To this end he located a crumbling and decrepit ruin on a small hill just outside of the city's east gate. Normally a haven for goblins, Palmere tried to buy the land and have the goblins removed legally. However he misplayed his hand and bribed the wrong official and now it was too late in the game to start over and go back to the courts to get it done legally.
Thus he arrived at his current predicament, he had placed an ad hoping to lure some people of desperate disposition or at least those with low enough ethics to no care for another creature, but high enough morals to abide by the six-hundred gold king gag order. He needed to remove the Maalites from the equation since their church ran the courts and legal system in Highcastle. Palmere also removed those with stronger ties to the thieves guild than to the gold currency Palmere was trying to buy them with. The overlord would not stand for Palmere circumventing his legal system, so Palmere needed men desperate enough to need the money and unconnected enough that if they were caught, Palmere could buy their silence from a well placed bribe to the Assassin's Guild.
Excited about the future, Palmere strode into his entry hall brimming with the confidence of a man who believed he had all the answers. He chose to speak with the centaur first, the ogres and troll seemed to be enjoying the food too well right now to be interrupted.
"We don't see many centaurs in the city, what brings you to this fine example of haut monde?" Palmere asked
"A desire to see what I could only imagine beyond my valley, and to embrace the sense of curiosity my father possessed." Responded the centaur
"Yes, well how do you feel about goblins?" Palmere asked pointedly
"I have heard of them and eagerly await my opportunity to meet one in person." The centaur answered excitedly
"How long have you been in Highcastle?" The Merchant Lord asked
"Only a few days, I admit to spending most of my time in the horse markets. I have been searching for an excuse to force myself to explore more of what this city has to offer, your posting seemed like the perfect solution for me."
Palmere mulled over the centaur's response, if the centaur had only been in Highcastle a few days, it was likely he had no idea of the local laws and might be perfect to help the merchant with his problem.
"I have recently purchased a small, I thought was abandoned, ruined building just to the southeast of the city. Unfortunately the goblins who were squatting there did not take kindly to my announcement that they would now have to vacate the property. I need some motivated individuals to convince them that it's best they leave. I don't really care how you do it, only that you do it in less than seventy-two hours as my decorators will not be able to turn the property around fast enough without a two-week timeframe."
"And this job will pay money with which to use to purchase services within the city?" The centaur asked
"Oh yes, yes it will." Palmere replied
"Then Xanthos agrees to relocate the goblins."
Palmere smiled, if the rest of the applicants were as socially inept as this guy, it was going to be a simple matter to get what he wanted. Palmere called for one of the ogres next.
"What brings you to the core of civilization my large fellow?"
"Doopa need money." The ogre answers
"Yes, well maybe Doopa should have answered my ad then?"
"Doopa, decorate. Get money, buy big horse." The ogre said through a forced enunciation
Palmere comprehended that the ogre's name was Doopa, "You need to get rid of some goblins first."
"Arrgh!" With the mention of goblins, Doopa became enraged and pounded his heavy wooden club on the floor in front of Palmere
Palmere snapped his fingers and five slaves formed a line between Doopa and Palmere, his butler as well came to Palmere's side.
"Shall I see this one out?" Palmere's butler asked
"Not yet, I think his rage towards goblins may serve me well in my scheme."
Next up was the teifling
"I've seen your kind before, although I've yet to have purchased the services of any hitherto." Palmere started
"Then let's not waste time prancing around your insecurities and get down to you telling me who you need killed." The teifling responded
Taken aback by the bluntness of the teifling, Palmere cleared his throat and began. "I don't need anyone killed, just removed. A group of goblins that are trespassing on some property I own."
"Really? I heard about those guys. You know my brother Tehas? He sent my a letter about some goblins he encountered in a derelict ruin outside of town."
"No, I do not know any of your kind. I am intrigued by your prior knowledge of the situation though. When did your brother visit?" Palmere inquired
"Couple of months ago, the head honcho he was working for told him he wanted to go in a different direction and wanted to start over again. I haven't heard from him since. You're not that guy are you?"
"Heavens no, are you deaf? Have you not heard that I have had no previous dealings with any of your kind?" Palmere exasperated
"Well good, so do you pay me now or when I'm done kicking the gob out of the goblins?"
"I pay you if I hire you, and when the job is complete. Were you conceived yesterday?" Palmere replies sarcastically
"Well your choice is clear then, you should hire me, Menthos Lyptus. Anyone willing to circumvent the Overlord's courts and squat on some squatters can see that." Menthos smiled at the merchant with a twinkle of full understanding in his eye.
Palmere hired the teifling in the hopes that he would die before collecting the money.
Palmere next called for the troll.
"I'm sorry mi'lord but he left. Apparently he smelled the food and followed the crowd in. He became belligerent when he ate the last of the appetizers and killed a tray holder and carried his carcass out the door with him." Palmere's butler reported
"Tsk, what a shame. Could have used that kind of go getter. Oh well, make sure we replace the tray holder by next weekend."
Palmere interviewed the other ogre next and hired him, Turgar seemed a little brighter than Doopa and Palmere especially liked the dragon motif* Turgar had adorned himself with. The Merchant Lord then interviewed the halfling and two of the humans but sent them away after admitted to having no equipment or measurable skills with which to complete the task.
The last two humans were a scout by the name of Kessen, Palmere hired him thinking he could be a guiding light to the ogres and point them in the direction of the goblins and then get out of the way. Plus he hailed from the Plains of Cairns and had previously dealt with ogres and goblins near his homeland. The last human was a Trueborn** named Haimish, blessed at birth by the gods, the Trueborn were outcasts as most people didn't want a visual reminder that they were unfit to receive the god's blessing. Trueborns therefore got along well with the trolls and ogres of society, so he seemed like a good lubricant for the two ogre cogs.
With six individuals chosen, Palmere gave them rough directions to where the ruins were located and told them in no uncertain terms that the goblins must be gone in seventy-two hours or there would be no compensation.
* Turgar's class is Dragon Shaman
** Trueborn are from Dawnforge, they're like high-powered Aasimar