[Game Thread] Prologue

[Tsukos]

"When do you expect us back? I would imagine there is a cutoff time at which you assume we have all died horrid deaths." Mai said.

[Pard]

"Now, elf-lady, ye be with Gundin's emissary to ye world! No such thing'll happen so long as ye 'venture wit me! Gundin watches those who call his emissaries comrades." The dwarf contently puffed on his pipe, speaking out of the corner of his mouth.

"What ar' tha items ye gave us for? Ye didnae want ta keep it, since ye gave it back ta us."

[Antebellum]

Ingolf glares at the dwarf and shakes his head to himself. "When was the last raid??" he asks Kattianna. "If the town was raided recently, we have some time while they recoup their supplies. If not, we should make haste."

[DrakurRedragon]

"Thirty days should be enough time to report in. We will have an emissary meet you there. As for the items, they simply told me who exactly called you here. Keep them if you wish, or don't keep them. It matters little to me," Kattianna began. She looked to Ingolf as he spoke. "The town was raided last night, so we have time until the next one occurs."

[Tsukos]

"So, one night to rest in this inn. We ought to leave after noon tomorrow, and we shall have the morning in the markets to resupply any items we may have used on our way here. Setting out after noon, the town will be about a week away by foot. If we can pool the gold for mounts, that time can be reduced to 3 or four days. Assuming similar conditions upon returning, we will have slightly more than two weeks to investigate before we are assumed dead, three if the Shadowhand is sending someone out to receive our report. That is a lot of time for a supposedly urgent problem." Calculated Mai.

[Pard]

"Mounts?" The dwarf grew visible paler. "Nay elf-lassy, 'tis tha cart ye want! And alas, I just so happen to 'ave such a cart. We can all fit in me cart fine e-nuff. 'til save us a wee pretty penny it'll."

The dwarf, regaining his rosy complexion, turned to the drow, "Kaa-ttina, how 'bout ye pay us some up front? If ye trust us wit such a mission, why not trust us wit some coin as well? I'd say tha half of 20,000 would be well enough. An' while ye at it," The dwarf smiled and looked at the bartender out of the corner of his eye. "do ye know anyone who'd like to buy some REAL DWARVEN ALE, MADE BY A REAL DWARVEN DWARF?"

[Tsukos]

Mai placed her head in her hands. "By Gundin" she muttered to herself. "Dwarven Dwarf, really?"

[Kavrae]

Ryn frowns a bit when the word "mount" is mentioned, his dislike for the beasts topped only by Grac's. "While a cart is far from ideal, leaving us vulnerable tending to it, I suppose it's our best option. You won't find me riding any farm animals, and walking would waste far too much of our limited time."

As soon as Grac starts to mention money up front Ryn looks at him, eyebrow raised. Half upfront for a potentially suicidal mission? Waste of money for them I'd say. Heh,but if so I could sure use a few potions. Gorn knows I could use some Dreg Venom on this one.

He begins to stare off, lost in his own thoughts, wondering at how he could use various means to poison the goblins. At the words "Dwarven Dwarf" however, Ryn fades back to reality. ...did he just say? "By Gorn, please tell me you're not thinking what I think you're thinking...."

[DrakurRedragon]

"Mounts will be provided by a man named Jonas Argon, near the southern gate. His stable is the only on at that location. Heavy Warhorses will get the lot of you there within a day. These will come free of charge, but are only considered loaned to you for the time being. I suppose it would be a good deal better than a cart," she says, amused by the concept of the group assembled riding in a cart. "As for the meeting, our agent will meet you there, at the village. No need to return here. And as for money upfront, I would never consider such a ridiculous sum. However, given the specific nature of this mission, I suppose you could be ill prepared for it. I will give you 1000 a piece, up front. No more than that. I would not care to be extorted." She shook her head at the dwarf. "And for sale of your brew, you would have to talk to the tavern owners. But I don't know that there would be much market at the moment. After all, we do get our supplies from the Dwarvern Kingdoms, and they are all "dwarvern dwarves" as well."

[Tsukos]

"Miss Lightbringer, if your influence reaches so far and your power so great as to command that warhorses so fine as to achieve such distance so quickly be given to such unproven warriors, and that an agent should meet us to receive our report, then it is clear that you have already arranged for services that are likely worth almost half our reward already between the cost of these mounts, and of moving agents across the Empire. I am quite suspicious of your true motives now. I understand that the situation is urgent and there are factors that I cannot consider, but the cost has risen far beyond simple goblins. For that I might be persuaded to take half the price. You want the small fry occupied, and occupied quickly, to afford you the chance to deal with larger threats.

In short, it appears to me that you are buying time, in a certain sense literally so. Mai said.

[Pard]

"I donnae understand ye. Ye send four people, two of which are just little humans, to meet an entire force. Ye ask that we look and see what is goin' on there, because ye own people have never returned. Ye then ask that we accept 20,000 gold coins for a task that proved impossible for ye own people. Ye have tremendous power, aye, ye 'ave shown this ta be true. Ye arranged for us to come to ye queer little tavern here, given us... mounts. Somethin' is not right here and I donnae think 2000 gold coins per person right now is unreasonable. An' it looks like some of us could use some new gear."

[DrakurRedragon]

"You are astute, young wizard. Yes, we are keeping them busy. We do also suspect that they are being guided by a greater force, but we can't confirm that. That is what you are doing, finding out who is behind this. You are not, suffice it to say, the only party of mercenaries we've hired to do work. Other groups have been dispatched on other missions. Once we can confirm involvement of a larger force, then we can get involved. Until we know, it would be an utter waste of our resources to investigate it directly. We only have 500 members for the whole empire. Gold is no shortage, however, so we can afford more than the average employer," Kattianna explained. "And as for you, warrior, I would like to point out a few things. I am sending the four of you on a mission that my own people are too busy to perform. The mission I spoke of earlier was not this one. This task is not impossible for the Order, simply put it is not yet worth our time. 1000 coins is quite a sum to start off, given that I have no clue who any of you are. And 20,000 gold is quite a large sum for a mission that may not require you to lift a sword, or axe, at all. 1000 it is."

[Antebellum]

Ingolf listened intently to Kattianna and tried to ignore the drunken prattle of the dwarf. The half-elf didn't seem to have any concept of time or distance; perhaps she was used to traveling an hour or two a day at most. But she was a wizard, interesting. It was also strange that the human, Ryn, disliked animals and had such a disdain for them; most in the Shadowhand Empire lived in the vicinity of animals and tolerated them. As she continued, Ingolf stood and bowed a respectful, yet cold bow, "The advance of one thousand gold would is a grateful gift. It will come in very handy. As will the mounts. Thank you." He glared at the dwarf who was giving the woman little respect.

 

I'm going to start to change Ingolf's 'voice' from what I have noticed sounds like hatred, to something that sounds more like disrespect (what I had originally envisioned).

[Tsukos]

Mai nodded, agreeing with the human. She stepped from her stool and walked up to Kattianna, holding a gold coin, and extended her hand.

"I, Mai of the Mage's College of Markander City, accept and agree to the terms of the contract offered by Kattianna Lightbringer, to obtain information in exchange for the sum of five thousand gold pieces, one thousand to be paid in advance."

she said, invoking a Sorath tradition of the swearing of a deal over gold as she held the coin in her palm and offered the Drow a handshake.

[DrakurRedragon]

"Thank you, Ingolf. I appreciate the kindness," Kattianna said, returning the bow. She then turned to Mai. "And you, young wizard, thank you as well for accepting this task," she said, shaking her hand. She looked towards the other two, hoping for some gesture of kindness from them as well.