TUW: The Steel Trade [IC]

[MacConnell]

Bolo ...while she is surrounded by the Maldrog all speaking their language, uses Way to slowly open her mind to the community around her, attempting to get a feel for the language and the specific cultural aspects around her.

GM: Taking this different approach gives Bolo some insight to the emotions and intentions of the people surrounding her. While it does not help gather any specifics concerning speech, especially in so much confusion, it does isolate any differing individuals within her given range. The Maldrog, with few individual exceptions, seem to be a benevolent people, though they are prone to pranks and revelry. A few people within the immediate vicinity are motivated more by the violence than the entertainment. With the press of the crowd, Bolo is unable to see the specific targets, but she can still sense them. She could point straight at them if asked to, but for the time being it is enough to know that not everyone can be trusted. Even the Smith fighting Tor is only motivated by entertainment. He harbors no malice that Bolo can detect. The most frequent divergence is toward greed rather than entertainment.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Merin senses what Bolo is doing, and approves. But his idea is slightly different; Merin concentrates on sensing only malice and jealousy, whether it be financial (the intent to cheat or deceive the Seekers) or physical (the intent to harm the Seekers); once this is done, he will try to narrow his focus, in order to determine the source of that ill intent, and even attempt to pick up surface thoughts (if possible) of the malcontents.

 

[MacConnell]

Merin senses what Bolo is doing, and approves. But his idea is slightly different; Merin concentrates on sensing only malice and jealousy, whether it be financial (the intent to cheat or deceive the Seekers) or physical (the intent to harm the Seekers); once this is done, he will try to narrow his focus, in order to determine the source of that ill intent, and even attempt to pick up surface thoughts (if possible) of the malcontents.

GM: Merin is completely taken aback by his findings. He detects not a single thought of malice from anyone within the crowd. Furthermore, he can only sense petty jealousy, which mostly resides in young children. Some adolescents and young adults portray some minor envy with regard to the smith and Tor, but this too is typical of that developing age.

 

[MacConnell]

Day 129: The Contest

GM: The two combatants are once again reset, back to back, with much jeering and jibes from the crowd. Feeling his success from the previous move, Tor spins once again at the clap. The Smith instead of stepping forward, crowds the spin. He rolls with Tor's lead arm and catches the following arm in an unfamiliar pinning maneuver. Holding the arm, the Smith kicks Tor's plant leg and rotates his body forward and planting and elbow in Tor's chest. Tor hits the ground with an exclamation of pain. If the Smith shifts slightly to his left, Tor realizes that his arm will break. Instead, the Smith slides back, releasing the arm and helps Tor to his feet. This round goes to the Smith. The crowd cheers. Tor rubs his elbow and rotates his shoulder. The combatants are reset. At the clap, Tor spins again keeping his arms in close, hoping to use his height as an advantage to be able to knock the Smith down. The Smith lowers his center of gravity, slamming his shoulder into Tor's hip and catching his thighs, simultaneously. As Tor falls backward, the Smith leans in pinning Tor's neck at the ground and arching his back awkwardly. In a moment of panic, Tor realizes that this is a kill move. With the Smith's body mass, he could break Tor's neck or back. For half a second, Tor's fears for his life. The Smith does not press. The crowd makes the same HooHah sound as before and stomps twice. The contest has ended. The Smith helps Tor to his feet and claps him on the shoulder. He seems very happy. He says a rapid number of words which Tor does not understand, then makes gestures as to drinks, pointing at the near tavern.

The Seekers can all sense that Tor is uninjured. Sheldon applauds with the crowd.
"Go with him Tor. We will join you in a minute. I think it would be good idea. We can handle the negotiations, as limited as we are as yet to the language."

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Tor smiles, rubbing his neck. He claps the smith on the back, and laughs heartily, following him toward his liquid, barley-malted reward. Tor does his best to communicate to the smith how fun the contest was; he realizes the smith is his better, and he's perfectly OK with that. Tor is very happy to have found someone who could potentially be a mentor to him, both in the realm of melee, and in the realm of metal crafting.

Merin follows Sheldon, grumbling cynically about his lost wager. Sheldon can tell that the grumbling is good-natured and superficial, and that Merin actually shares Tor's enthusiasm about the outcome.

Merin smiles at Sheldon, saying "Lead the way, my friend. Let's go do some negotiating."

 

[MacConnell]

Plot Development

OOC: Ignoring the fact that there is a language barrier, state any desired knowledge the characters wish to acquire from the Maldrog, and any desired knowledge they wish to provide to them.

OOC: Sheldon would like to know with what peoples the Maldrog have already established trade. Indigo would like to know if there is an herbalist in town.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

OOC: Tor would like to know if the smith would accept him as a blacksmith apprentice. Tor would like to know if the smith would accept him as a wrestling / grappling student. Merin would like to know if any of the Maldrog are cartographers; Merin would like to refine his crude map-making skills. Merin would like to learn the techniques that the Maldrog use for locating large ore deposits. Merin would like to learn about Maldrog mining techniques. Merin would like to learn about Maldrog-style architecture. Both Merin and Tor would like to become fluent in the Maldrog language.

 

[Kwargrow]

San-Bolo will work as a team with the Maldrog. While Bolo fusses and frets over the burros, demonstrating their ability to accept commands, Sannit will negotiate for whatever ones the Seekers do not need for their lodging and food. They will attempt to learn as much of the Maldrog language as they can while teaching Ansylin, Centrin, and Rheini. They will teach the specific aspects of Southroad Fair, Rheini, and Spiothfest culture.

Sannit will work with the melee fighters, attempting to learn and teach what methods he has available, and Bolo with do the same with bows.

Bolo will work with Turtle to teach the Maldrog about bears and other animals the Seekers have encountered, including the mighty lizards that they wear the skins of. Bolo will learn what the maldrog know of herbs and plants and give what knowledge she has.

Sannit will inquire about the surrounding area and the other settlement that this one trades with.

 

[MacConnell]

Days 129-136: In Bergbaulager

GM: Once the contest is complete with Tor and the smith heading toward a near tavern, the Head Foreman speaks a few more words to the remaining Seekers then departs. The Foreman of Finance then proceeds to develop some understanding of the Seekers desires but he lacks sufficient skill in non-verbal communication. Rather than become frustrated, he has someone show the Seekers where they can tether their caravan and manages to convey that they will communicate later in day. The Seekers are left to wander town in an unrestricted manner. They are not looked upon with suspicion, but they are, occasionally looked upon with intrigue. As a matter of significant convenience, the base currency in town is a tin coin and the Ansylin clam held by the party members is acceptable for commerce.

Merin would like to know if any of the Maldrog are cartographers. He would like to refine his crude map-making skills.

GM: Once the other interested Seekers join Tor in the tavern for a meal and some revelry, they see that Tor has already learned a few words in Maldrog, albeit they are related to drinking. Later, Sheldon tries to convey information about the dead mining community the Seekers discovered. Merin retrieves one of his maps to aid in the conversation. Seeing the map, a younger man makes an exclamation of surprise and quickly departs the tavern. He returns momentarily with an elderly man carrying some rolled skins. Thoroughly intrigued with Merin's map, he uses as much body language as possible to gather and convey information about it. Clearing another small table of its fare, he motion for Merin to join him. He rolls out one of his skins and weights it open on the table. The skin contains a well detailed map of a large mining area. The man is very proud of his work and jibes at the crowd about the importance of his skill. (Apparently it had previously been under valued.) At the end of the conversation, Merin determines that the man is inviting him to come see more of his work and gives directions.

San-Bolo will work as a team with the Maldrog. While Bolo fusses and frets over the burros, demonstrating their ability to accept commands, Sannit will negotiate for whatever ones the Seekers do not need for their lodging and food.

Sheldon suggests selling only the colts and keeping the one new adult mare. He thinks that way any difference in the ease of training and behavior will be attributed to the animals being colts.

GM: Once it is understood that the Seekers are interested in trading the burros, a foreman from one of the mining crews expresses his interest and lays hard coin on the table for his offer. The animals are worth significantly less here than in Southroad Fair, but some back and forth negotiation with the trade garners a better price and seems to be enjoyed by the Maldrog. The 6 colts are sold for a total value of 1200 clams. After some discourse, the miner pays over 120 silver coins instead of the 12 gold coins originally negotiated. It seemed, collectively, to the Seekers that the silver coins would be better to have for any future commerce.

Tor would like to know if the smith would accept him as a blacksmith apprentice, and if the smith would accept him as a wrestling / grappling student.

GM: Everyone learns that there are four smiths in town, 1 armorer, 1 weaponsmith, and 2 blacksmiths. The particular smith with a pension for wrestling is one of the blacksmiths and is affectionately called, Noggin. Noggin is surprised at Tor's interest in smithing and invites him to join him at his shop. As to the idea of training him to wrestle, he laughs. Apparently Noggin is more the pursue than study type of fighter.

Bolo will work with Turtle to teach the Maldrog about bears and other animals the Seekers have encountered, including the mighty lizards that they wear the skins of.

GM: The Maldrog seems quite fascinated with the bear, especially the children. They never really warm up to the idea of Myth, though. As it turns out, one of the mining foreman also has a bear. It is a black bear that he found and raised from a cub. The man, without any ability to manipulate way, shows some extensive skill with the animal and is very friendly toward Turtle. The two bear even enjoy fishing together in the river that flows through the center of town.

 

[Sylvar B.]

Saemund seeks out the Maldrog's warriors and attempts to get across a desire to train with them. Saemund also seeks out any Benders the Maldrog may have and asks that they teach him to leave behind traces of way that could be triggered later. If they know how. Finally, Saemund seeks out a metal artisan to see if he can carve runes into the head of his battle axe.