"Oh, yes, of course we'd tell you the route. I don't have it here in front of me, route planning is really more of a Scout responsibility, I'm a Guild employee. Just deal with the jobs and the accounting, really. But if it's important I can go find a Scout dispatcher.
I do know that these things are usually planned to be about two weeks round trip, and go to where the Scouts know the least. They seem to be pretty good about guessing where there's dangerous stuff, too, stuff that needs dealt with. I always seem to get a rush of new jobs posted after the Scouts come back."
All the more reason to take one of the escort jobs, I'd say. Either we deal with a job that could have come up while on the mission (and I'm sure we can work out a deal where we get paid equitably for pre-empting the problem), or we already have a rough idea of the general area and details of subsequent jobs - which we'll also have first dibs on taking, as we'll be around when they're posted.
Grouk - you know, a scouting mission that passes through a goblin-infested mountain range would be perfect for that plan of yours..."
-- Don’t forget.
Always, somewhere,
someone is fighting for you.
-- As long as you remember her,
you are not alone.
Mariel, you are correct as always. We could indeed glean a bounty of information from an escort mission, especially one of Royal influence. Perhaps even somthing that may be of particular use in our future endeavors. I only fear for our company's unity, something that might be tempered in something more... straightforward. And you know how I detest zombies.
“The wind went mute and the trees in the forest stood still. It was time for the last tale.”
I grew up in the woods and was orphaned at a young age. I wouldn’t have made it without the training my birth parents gave me. My birth-mother was a field medic and a naturalist, while my birth-father was a King’s Archer. They trained me well in my youth before getting themselves killed. My parents crafted a small bow for me to use as a child, and ever since then I’ve been well practiced in use of the bow. As I got older I started venturing out into the cities, and got mixed up with some bandits. At age 12 I killed another person for the first time. He didn’t deserve it. After that I left the bandits, and took to protecting the farmers from time to time. It didn’t mean I was above stealing a spare rabbit or chicken when I was hungry though.
-- Eventually I ended up killing the bandit leader that had first taken me in, while protecting a wizard. That wizard turned out to be related to me, so he took me in, and taught me a thing or two about the planes, and ancient languages. His wife, my adoptive mother, was a master craftsman of bows. She wouldn’t let me fool around with the official orders, but she’d give me a few spare bows to play around with, and plenty of arrows. She apprenticed me for a time, in making bows, and I did well enough by it, but it was never my primary interest. I had more fun listening to my new father’s stories about the planes, about terrifying demons and magnificent angels. He told me of dragons so old that only ancient magics could keep their bones held together.
-- One day, after a particularly harrowing quest, he got a hold of this glowing, orb like artifact. He had a possessed look about him after that … kept muttering “Kan Savassi,” “Kan Savassi.” He started poring over all his tomes of demons and devils, a dangerous hobby for any nation, but especially so in Damara. About a year later he was hanged for ‘consorting with demons.’ A false judgment I’m sure … but he was sure mixed up in something dark. I just don’t know what exactly. My mother was accused of treason and unjustly exiled, and I was stripped of my privileged position, as it was only due to the status of my parents. So, I took two of the best bows I could find from my Mother’s armory, the awesome sword my father had bought me a year earlier, as many books as my pack could carry (including my father’s journal) and I fled back into the forests, riding upon my mother’s horse. What possessions I didn’t take were impounded by the court, taken as property of the king.
I don’t hold ill will against the King, but I do wish to restore my family’s name. I don’t care what people say about past allegiances with Demons or Nar fell, the Lucifex family is no ally to demons, or any evil Outsider for that matter. To restore my family’s honor I will have to prove that, and by doing so, I think I will have to exterminate all vestiges of demonic influence from Damara once and for all. When I gain my strength … these evil doers will suffer a vengeful wraith as they have never suffered before
------------------------
I'd agree with Grouk, we should collect as many ears as we can. Surely a nest of goblins or some such would be a veritable gold mine towards our efforts. Still, the lass is right as well. Besides, what good is a guild if we don' take up on the offers eh?
How bout dis lasses n lads, lets interview both scouts. See if one's sharp as a tac, and tha' other's dim as a kettle. Take the smarter, braver, sharper lad wit' us. Then, on our way to the destin'point, we find as many little nesties as we can bother to scrounge up eh? Maybe if the scout is halfway decent with a bow, he could help us out too.
Anyways, I saw we interview the Scouts before makin our final decision eh? But perhaps, if need be, we could go ahid' n say we'll take one o da escort quests. Whatd'ya say?
Mara sat quietly, watching the others and listening to them talk. An oddly matched selection of people, she could only trust that Marcus knew his job. She was pleased to see Menas had found his way north & nodded a greeting to him, would be good to work with him again. She looked through the list of jobs once more, mentally categorising them by expenditure and gain in the same way Papa had taught her to consider possible trading opportunities. She wrote off the Damaran Reclamation immediately - 20% of what, precisely? A very poorly worded contract. Or a very well worded contract for the other side.
Her thoughts were interrupted by one of the half-orcs speaking up, suggesting to pay for goblin left ears. She frowned & shook her head, she was sure the guild would see that as a violation of the terms of the overall contract. Swapping long term gains for a petty profit now didn't seem a good bargain to her. And speaking about it in front of the agent was poor tactics. Turning back to the list of contracts she also ruled out the peace brokering, even if it was the largest prize. Going into a delicate situation before they knew how to work together sounded like too high a risk of losing the bonus to her. The obsession of the elves with information was curious, but the woman, Mariel, was making a good point about the returns being quicker from those Vaasan & Damaran contracts. And the potential advantages of being first on the scene for new contracts. The wording about extra bonuses 'at the King's discretion' did not sit well with her, but if the King consistently decided against paying for the work they did then she would consider the contract void and move on.
The habits of the last 5 years were keeping her quiet, but she remembered another of Papa's sayings: In a true partnership everyone brings something to the deal. If she wanted to be part of the group rather than another hired hand she needed to speak up. So after Bradwyn finished speaking she gathered herself up and spoke:
"My suggestion is that we take one of the scout escort jobs to learn to work together. I know Menas & myself have done similar work before. Perhaps we can combine the elven suggestions and first escort the scout to Vaasa, treating it as a reconnaissance mission for a second trip to clear out the lair of zombies?"
She felt it went without saying that they should collect left ears of any of the races the bounty was for as they travelled, to maximise their profits.
Mara, my dear... It is Mara, yes? Good. Yes, Mara my dear you are absolutely correct. The two missions would easily meld into the next. I am convinced. You two lovely ladies have done me in. Mara, is your friend... Menas? also amenable to this course of action?
“The wind went mute and the trees in the forest stood still. It was time for the last tale.”
Well, I must say that it would appear to be a bit foolish to go saving people when we aren't really familiar with our own whereabouts. I myself am a stranger to this vast frigid landscape, and knowing what areas are in danger and who we can look out for and help will be helpful for our cause.
Plus, while I trust that the rest of you are of a good and noble cause, I can agree with the wisdom of testing each other's personalities and inclinations amongst ourselves without the threat of a war with barbarians breaking out. After all, we will not be a help to those in need if we cannot even establish a basic sense of comradeship and purpose in our own party.
So I would be glad to accept the scouting mission. Let's go with the scout looking through the northern lands of Damara first, since that is closer to our base here, and like it has been said we do not want to stretch ourselves too thin!
Sir Marcus, how soon may we get in contact with the scout that is wanting to trek northward? I own a horse-drawn wagon for carrying of extra supplies that I would like to bring along in case a need arises, but I would like to ask the scout if he thinks the general terrain he wishes to check out would permit the passage of a wagon through it.
(February 10th, 2013, 00:12)Grouk Wrote: Clearly, we need to find a nest of goblins first. Pay the greedy little gits 2s per left ear, and you will have enough money to bankroll anything you want to do.
Brother Grouk, must you be so hasty to plan out tricksy ways to earn coin? We have not even seen the citizens and denizens of this land, let's not be so quick to contract with them in a harmful and potentially complicated way when their existence is still unknown.
Well, I can't argue with helping agents of the local government, it seems like disorder is a real issue in this kingdom. A very "free" land here, eh, Gunther?
*Grouk lowers his voice to let only the party hear.
Something to also watch; don't assume in such a disorderly country that these Royal Scouts aren't also riddled with corruption. Understanding the nature of these Scouts would probably be wise.
If only you and me and dead people know hex, then only deaf people know hex.
(February 10th, 2013, 00:12)Grouk Wrote: Clearly, we need to find a nest of goblins first. Pay the greedy little gits 2s per left ear, and you will have enough money to bankroll anything you want to do.
Brother Grouk, must you be so hasty to plan out tricksy ways to earn coin? We have not even seen the citizens and denizens of this land, let's not be so quick to contract with them in a harmful and potentially complicated way when their existence is still unknown.
Tongue wedged firmly in cheek, little brother, no worries.
If only you and me and dead people know hex, then only deaf people know hex.
