The Hunt for the Blue Palace (Yoon Suin/Troika!)

[Ancalagon]

Rogue Gallery: OSR - RG: The Hunt for the Blue Palace
Out of Character thread: OSR - OOC: The hunt for the blue palace (Troika!/Yoon-Suin, open).

You are in the Hall of the Blessed Waters, a brick tea-house abutting an enormous warehouse, the Great Granary of Yoon-Suin. You are sipping on tea of the Third Quality and some nan bread, all you can afford giving your dwindling purses. The Yellow City is grand and exciting, but it is not cheap... but all is not lost! You are here because one of you got a lead from an old contact, the apprentice mage Dubi Gan. He apparently has a job for you involving 100 rupees, those thick, fat silver coins the slugmen love so much. He hinted there could be some danger, so you brought along a few friends – the kind you can trust to swing a sword, watch your back or at the very least step into a trap instead of you...

The Hall is busy with the noise of the warehouse workers on break. A slugman golemoligist and a holy woman argue about apotheosis. A woman with a scarred face drinks her tea alone. Dubi Gan should be here soon...

 

[Fradak]

Are you sure your contact, this Dubi Dan, will show up? I don't trust wizards...

Slurp

Spoiler: Subötaï

 

[wingilbear]

“They will be here” I nervously check my six blades.

 

[tuffghost12]

Miu patiently sips at his tea...

 

[Ancalagon]

The door opens, and a young thin man, in the pale blue robes of an apprentice mage, walks in. He sees you, gives Frog Froth a short bow, and sits at your table, and pours himself a cup of tea.

"Greetings, I'm glad you made it - and I see you brought friends with you... a warrior,a seer, a porter... good good, this is excellent. As I said, I have a job..."

He stops and said

"But where are my manners? I'm Dubi Gan, apprentice mage, born in the Yellow City. "

(he pauses to give people the chance to introduce themselves)

"A capital group, I have every hope that you will succeed with such a wide array of talents. So, the job...

It's come to my attention that my master is merely using me as free labor and has no intentions of signing my apprenticeship papers. I pressed him on the issue - politely but in front of a few colleagues, so he couldn't back down on his words. He said he had a final test for me - to find the fabled Halls of the Shimmering Stars in the Deep Blue Firmament - the Blue Palace in common parlance. He knew that I am rubbish at divination spells and that I wouldn't be able to find it."

He frowned and added "Well I can't divinate, but I can research. I bought access managed to narrow down the location to a specific portion of the Old City. I need you to explore that portion and find the Blue Palace. I have a specific description of the building, and a rough map of the area, so it shouldn't take more than a few days at the worse. You don't need to explore or do anything in the Blue Palace, you just have to find it for me. If you do that, I will offer you a 100 rupees reward"

(Frog Froth, you know an apprentice shouldn't have that kind of money, and that he's essentially paying you back money you've paid him for magical lessons.)

"Once I have my Journeyman Status, I will get access to more books and maybe ...." He clears his throat and adds. "I know it's not a huge sum, but it's all I can afford. Plus if you are lucky, you might find treasure of your own in the Old City - there are all sorts of wonders in there. So, is this agreeable?"

 

[Fradak]

Subotai remained silent during the mission briefing, the face covered under his large helmet.

"Treasures... Listening to you, it looks wonderful. Why don't you come with us? Lazy wizard."

He didn't like wizards.

 

[wingilbear]

Yes this is agreeable, the sacred bull will defend our journey and bring us quickly to the blue palasar. (Intentionally misspelled) Ten percent up front please to cover supplies for your task.

 

[Ancalagon]

Dubi Gan 's face showed dismay at Subotai's word.

"But I, I don't know any battle magic! Surely you are far better suited than I at..."

His face hardened. "No, you are right. I can't stay behind books forever. And I don't want my master to accuse me of cheating. I can still help you with magical matters. I will come with you!"

But, if I do, I want an equal share of whatever treasure we find. I trust that this is agreeable sir.... what is your name good sir?"

 

[Fradak]

"Fine. But what if you don't make it, little man? We want half now and the ten percent the monk asked."

 

[wingilbear]

We will all make it. Guzzles tea

 

[JustinCase]

Pinpehlu nodded. The small but rotund man was keeping quiet, a habit from working as an obedient lugger for so many years. He sips his tea and follows the exchange, eyes cast down towards his hot drink.

OOC: Sorry I'm late, needed quite a lot of time to come up with a name and matching picture.

 

[Fradak]

"I like your spirit, monk. We'll need it. And I like fair contracts. Subotai is the name.

So, what do you say, Dubi Gan? "

 

[tuffghost12]

"Don't you worry, young apprentice," says Miu. "We will keep you nice and safe on the journey ahead. And yes, equal share of any goods we might find. It's only fair, so long as you carry your own weight."

 

[Ancalagon]

OOC: @FitzTheRuke, it is up to you to decide how much advance fund you give the party. Only 1-2 more posts before you fully take over the character!

Dubi Gan nodded at everyone "It is agreed then. I have to go get the money and some gear. Meet me here tomorrow at dawn. We can stop on the way to purchase something if needed"

You gathered at dawn, perhaps the quietest time of the day in the Yellow City. You could hear the heavy crunching of the giant cockroaches feeding in the back alleys, and the cooing of their herders, moving their insectile livestock from one garbage pile to the next.

The Grain District was not a main shopping district but basic equipment was available.

Basic meal: 5 cash (round copper coin with a hole in it)
Cheap meal: 2 cash
Provision: 1 silver
Bottle of cheap wine: 1 silver
Pot of tea of the third quality: 2 cash

Sword, pedestrian (a short, hacking blade used by people of low stature. A parang, charay etc): 3 gold
Sword, nice (same stats as a pedestrian sword, but looks distinguished. A scimitar, tulwar, ferengi etc): 15 gold
Dagger, fighting knife etc: 5 sp
Club, well made: 5 sp
stout stick: Free (as club, but -1 to skill)
Mace: 8 gold
Bow, plain: 10 gold
Arrows, 10: 1 gold

Light armor, fit for a ruffian (rhino leather vest) 4 gp
Light armor, fit for a slugman (fine chain vest) 40 gp
Shield, hide and bone: 2 gp
Shield, metal: 15 gp.

Oil vial 2 sp
Sack 2 cash

(edit: If you can think of something else basic, just ask).

 

[wingilbear]

Meet here when you are done shopping. I have all that I need and am eager to head out

 

[Fradak]

"We have an accord."

Ooc: what about crossbow and sling ? 50 roupies=10 gp?

 

[tuffghost12]

"Yes... I'll be right back. Gonna have a little look around."

Ooc: I'll take a sack. And how about rope?

 

[FitzTheRuke]

At the Grain Market, Dubi Gan will settle on giving out an advance of 10 rupees to each hire, insisting that this will cover both the 10 per cent discussed, and the "half now", as there are now five in the group, and the full offer was 100.

OOC: Err. I think? There are five of us, right?

 

[Fradak]

Subotai proposed to give his 10 rupees to anyone needing expensive weaponry (if anyone wants a ranged weapon for example).

OOC: Correct. Even if a lawyer could argue that the employer should not use employees salaries as compensation of his own expenses (Fair Labor Standards Act & Equal Employment Opportunity Commission of 1294, Yongardy Code of Laws § 5102 - 5106 et seq.). 4 hires means 12.5 rupees each. But it's ok, Subotai will not sue you, this time (because we're not in Yongardy). So 10 will do. Never trust a wizard.

 

[JustinCase]

"I am fine, thank you," Pinpehlu says amiably, making the tiniest of bows to Subotai; a habit of politeness he seems not to be able to shake, despite their friendship.

"If your possessions grow too heavy, Pinpehlu can carry some of that weight," the short and heavy porter offers with a smile that never seems to leave his face. He picks up his yoke and with the experience of many years, places the thing on his broad shoulders and lifts it with ease, various heavy-looking sacks hanging on both ends.