Post by TheUdjat on Jun 15, 2009 13:03:48 GMT -5
(OOC – Buying/Selling/Wealth)
Amalric, Jakob, Rupert-
Taking control of the situation as ever, Amalric urges his fellows on to completing the tasks set before them by the Covenant—seeking out Old Grigori, purchasing supplies and reagents, and getting business concluded.
When the others have their tasks, Amalric moves back out of the spotlight so that what buying and selling yet remains can be done without his aura’s negative influence. This forces the somewhat unfortunate Jakob into the role as the next most fit conversationalist. Thankfully there isn’t much that he needs to do. Much of the work has already been tended to.
Rupert moves about easily in the crowd, and indeed occasionally pulls away from a vendor’s stand with more than he possessed when he neared it—the merchant’s own failing, not keeping better track of his goods. He eventually winds his way back to Jakob, beginning to inquire about his wood carving.
Having been himself uncertain about his creation, Jakob looks down to discover he’s been toiling away at a new haft for his axe, something a bit more sturdy and decorative than the previous one. It seems to be in his unconscious nature to fashion tools or weapons, as his training is geared towards such a thing. Had he the proper metal-working tools, he could even craft a new axehead.
While Jakob explains his latest work, he begins to perceive something unusual transpiring in the area. There is no want for guards and men of the watch in the market square, always nearby to deter thieves, pick-pockets, and other criminal business. But it seems to the woodsman that there have been an abnormal number of the men in their particular section of the market square. None have advanced or caused problems, but it is still quite curious.
Amalric, too, has taken notice of this in his usual observant nature. Certainly this is unusual behavior, or else they have picked a spot common to criminals and ne’er-do-wells.
Arnaud-
At his caravan host’s behest, Arnaud takes his leave of the buying and selling—with some relief—and goes about the much more leisurely task of asking questions, taking conversation, and finding about this mysterious ‘Old Grigori’ the magi seem so eager to find.
Normally such a task would seem easy, but again, Freiburg proves troublingly devoid of people with useful information, or perhaps Arnaud has merely failed to get acclimated to the local customs and environs. Though none are particularly off-putting, the locals don’t offer anything useful about an ‘Old Grigori’, and his inquiries are met with nothing substantial. Perhaps with more time he could pin down a person with the knowledge he seeks, but the hours spent during market time are fruitless to say the least.
He does ascertain that the city as a whole appears to be aware of the Covenant’s people, however. While most do not know that they come from the Covenant, most are aware of them as an organized group of travelers, and the reactions to this vary from suspicion to intrigue. Visitors are not uncommon in Freiburg, but the Covenant’s guards and queer folk make a lasting impression. Especially the magi. For all the information is tricky to pry out of these people, word seems to get around fast. [Sorry man, bad Gather Info rolls
]
[whisper=Badasterysk,TheUdjat]Hunting around for this ‘Old Grigori’ doesn’t distract Arnaud so much that he’s unable to keep tabs on Thomas, who has set off with Joseph and Tawno. The trio go about their duties as expected, with Thomas keeping an eye out for trouble—but it seems to Arnaud, watching from a distance between his questioning, that the man is looking for something in particular besides trouble. Arnaud isn’t sure what this might be until he notes the man’s countenance change upon seeing a group of city guards passing by.
But Thomas appears to lose his chance to approach them as Joseph and Tawno move on. He diligently tends to his Covenant duties, but it is clear that he has a desire to speak with those guards—or perhaps any guards. What might he be about?
Arnaud does all of this, careful to stay away from Thomas’s field of vision. The troubadour is only a novice at skulking and hiding, even in a crowd, but Thomas is distracted enough that he doesn’t spot him.[/whisper]
Joseph, Tawno-
At Amalric’s behest, Tawno and Joseph head off with Thomas, along with most of the Covenant’s coin, to purchase those peculiar items that magi are so in need of. Several are tricky to locate even in the sprawling market, but Tawno’s clever tongue soon tracks the important items down. Frequently the gypsy woman must be left out of earshot while the magus and guard watch from a distance, wary of how the Gift might interfere with negotiations.
She tends to the task well enough, and despite some reluctance to deal with a strange foreign woman, she is able to see to each of the Covenant’s needs, one after another. Unfortunately, even as diligent as she is, it is clear that some of the less common articles the Covenant seeks will have to wait until the next day to be procured, as vendors make a note to bring such rarities to the square. One does not simply carry mandrake, nightshade, rosemary, raw flint, oil of vitriol, and other such sundries all the time.
“I suppose that will have to do for now,” Thomas says after a while, eager to get back. Perhaps because he’s been left to carry most of these things—which, while generally lightweight, do tend to add up.
However, before they can quiet leave, an old man looks over from a stall—the one with the precious vellum, incidentally, so recently purchased. “Giving up? A terrible trait. Or maybe that’s patience. Always open to perspective, I suppose.” He grins, and it is a grin that instantly makes Tawno uncomfortable and distrustful of this strange old man. There’s something creepy and unsettling about the set of his eyes, as if they see too much, and his smile seems somehow malicious.
Thomas seems to share this sentiment, hand drifting to his sword. “Move along now, old man, we’ve got business elsewhere.”
“Well!” the old man snaps. “Is that a way to treat one’s elders? I ask you that!” He seems to be directing his question to Joseph in particular, who shares none of his companions’ discomfort about the old man.
Elric-
Deciding to ward off his boredom by giving into the serving girl and striking up conversation, Elric invites her to sit for a spell, with a drink in hand. She complies with a brilliant smile—though she attempts to conceal it behind a certain air of professionalism, giving a little curtsy and hurrying off to fetch the desired drink.
Soon enough she returns, sliding into a seat across from him. In her brief disappearance, it appears she’s tried to straight her slightly-mussed hair and straighten her clothes a bit, without a great deal of success. There’s only so much one can do. Asked her name, she responds, “Lisbet, m’lord. And… what do I want to do with my life?” she repeats his question curiously. Glancing to either side briefly, she leans forward to speak in confidence. “My folks say I should hope for a good, hard-working husband and healthy children, but to be honest, sir, the thought interests me not at all! I think, more than anything, I’d like to see the world. I hear so many travelers talk of it, and it sounds so exciting and interesting—much better than the life of a serving girl, no doubt.” She frowns prettily. “But I’m afraid that’s likely a silly dream, or so say the other girls.”
“What about you, sir? Are you doing what you dream of? I have to wonder at what has a young man sitting alone with nothing to do on such a day. Most would call you a layabout, but you don’t have the look of one.”
(Character Status)
Amalric – Normal
Arnaud – Normal
Elric – Normal
Jakob – Normal
Joseph – Normal
Rupert – Normal
Tawno – Normal
Isabeau – Normal
Covenant Guardsmen:
Helmut – Normal [w/ Cart]
Thomas – Normal [w/ Joseph]
James – Normal [w/ Cart]
Joost – Normal [Absent]
[True20 uses a wealth system very similar to d20 Modern, in that characters get a ‘Wealth Bonus’ instead of actual coinage, and must buy and sell by making rolls against DC’s set based on the item in question, the difficulty to obtain it, whether it’s black market, etc. I haven’t assigned Wealth Bonuses to the characters in this game yet, as it might be a non-issue, but if one wishes to purchase something personally, we can do that, In general, most folk from the Covenant don’t have much money to work with (or they wouldn’t be at the Covenant). Arnaud and Tawno will have a little more, Jakob might fair okay with his Craft, Rupert will have almost nothing due to his background, etc. Those sort of factors come into play. Elric has already effectively used some of his bonus to make a ‘purchase’ of the clergy, in the form of a bribe.
The Covenant also has a pool of wealth bonus. I originally intended to make this market scene into a sort of buying/selling challenge based on Wealth rolls, diplomacy to haggle, gather info to speed up the process and find the required goods, etc. This now seems like something that is basically a waste of time in the context of the Short, and not all that heroic or entertaining, so I’m going to more or less gloss over it so we can stick to the good stuff. It’s the other aspect of the mission that’s more important, anyway.
Still, if anyone wants to go making purchases on their own coin, we can run through this. Just let me know.]
The Covenant also has a pool of wealth bonus. I originally intended to make this market scene into a sort of buying/selling challenge based on Wealth rolls, diplomacy to haggle, gather info to speed up the process and find the required goods, etc. This now seems like something that is basically a waste of time in the context of the Short, and not all that heroic or entertaining, so I’m going to more or less gloss over it so we can stick to the good stuff. It’s the other aspect of the mission that’s more important, anyway.
Still, if anyone wants to go making purchases on their own coin, we can run through this. Just let me know.]
Amalric, Jakob, Rupert-
Taking control of the situation as ever, Amalric urges his fellows on to completing the tasks set before them by the Covenant—seeking out Old Grigori, purchasing supplies and reagents, and getting business concluded.
When the others have their tasks, Amalric moves back out of the spotlight so that what buying and selling yet remains can be done without his aura’s negative influence. This forces the somewhat unfortunate Jakob into the role as the next most fit conversationalist. Thankfully there isn’t much that he needs to do. Much of the work has already been tended to.
Rupert moves about easily in the crowd, and indeed occasionally pulls away from a vendor’s stand with more than he possessed when he neared it—the merchant’s own failing, not keeping better track of his goods. He eventually winds his way back to Jakob, beginning to inquire about his wood carving.
Having been himself uncertain about his creation, Jakob looks down to discover he’s been toiling away at a new haft for his axe, something a bit more sturdy and decorative than the previous one. It seems to be in his unconscious nature to fashion tools or weapons, as his training is geared towards such a thing. Had he the proper metal-working tools, he could even craft a new axehead.
While Jakob explains his latest work, he begins to perceive something unusual transpiring in the area. There is no want for guards and men of the watch in the market square, always nearby to deter thieves, pick-pockets, and other criminal business. But it seems to the woodsman that there have been an abnormal number of the men in their particular section of the market square. None have advanced or caused problems, but it is still quite curious.
Amalric, too, has taken notice of this in his usual observant nature. Certainly this is unusual behavior, or else they have picked a spot common to criminals and ne’er-do-wells.
Arnaud-
At his caravan host’s behest, Arnaud takes his leave of the buying and selling—with some relief—and goes about the much more leisurely task of asking questions, taking conversation, and finding about this mysterious ‘Old Grigori’ the magi seem so eager to find.
Normally such a task would seem easy, but again, Freiburg proves troublingly devoid of people with useful information, or perhaps Arnaud has merely failed to get acclimated to the local customs and environs. Though none are particularly off-putting, the locals don’t offer anything useful about an ‘Old Grigori’, and his inquiries are met with nothing substantial. Perhaps with more time he could pin down a person with the knowledge he seeks, but the hours spent during market time are fruitless to say the least.
He does ascertain that the city as a whole appears to be aware of the Covenant’s people, however. While most do not know that they come from the Covenant, most are aware of them as an organized group of travelers, and the reactions to this vary from suspicion to intrigue. Visitors are not uncommon in Freiburg, but the Covenant’s guards and queer folk make a lasting impression. Especially the magi. For all the information is tricky to pry out of these people, word seems to get around fast. [Sorry man, bad Gather Info rolls
][whisper=Badasterysk,TheUdjat]Hunting around for this ‘Old Grigori’ doesn’t distract Arnaud so much that he’s unable to keep tabs on Thomas, who has set off with Joseph and Tawno. The trio go about their duties as expected, with Thomas keeping an eye out for trouble—but it seems to Arnaud, watching from a distance between his questioning, that the man is looking for something in particular besides trouble. Arnaud isn’t sure what this might be until he notes the man’s countenance change upon seeing a group of city guards passing by.
But Thomas appears to lose his chance to approach them as Joseph and Tawno move on. He diligently tends to his Covenant duties, but it is clear that he has a desire to speak with those guards—or perhaps any guards. What might he be about?
Arnaud does all of this, careful to stay away from Thomas’s field of vision. The troubadour is only a novice at skulking and hiding, even in a crowd, but Thomas is distracted enough that he doesn’t spot him.[/whisper]
Joseph, Tawno-
At Amalric’s behest, Tawno and Joseph head off with Thomas, along with most of the Covenant’s coin, to purchase those peculiar items that magi are so in need of. Several are tricky to locate even in the sprawling market, but Tawno’s clever tongue soon tracks the important items down. Frequently the gypsy woman must be left out of earshot while the magus and guard watch from a distance, wary of how the Gift might interfere with negotiations.
She tends to the task well enough, and despite some reluctance to deal with a strange foreign woman, she is able to see to each of the Covenant’s needs, one after another. Unfortunately, even as diligent as she is, it is clear that some of the less common articles the Covenant seeks will have to wait until the next day to be procured, as vendors make a note to bring such rarities to the square. One does not simply carry mandrake, nightshade, rosemary, raw flint, oil of vitriol, and other such sundries all the time.
“I suppose that will have to do for now,” Thomas says after a while, eager to get back. Perhaps because he’s been left to carry most of these things—which, while generally lightweight, do tend to add up.
However, before they can quiet leave, an old man looks over from a stall—the one with the precious vellum, incidentally, so recently purchased. “Giving up? A terrible trait. Or maybe that’s patience. Always open to perspective, I suppose.” He grins, and it is a grin that instantly makes Tawno uncomfortable and distrustful of this strange old man. There’s something creepy and unsettling about the set of his eyes, as if they see too much, and his smile seems somehow malicious.
Thomas seems to share this sentiment, hand drifting to his sword. “Move along now, old man, we’ve got business elsewhere.”
“Well!” the old man snaps. “Is that a way to treat one’s elders? I ask you that!” He seems to be directing his question to Joseph in particular, who shares none of his companions’ discomfort about the old man.
Elric-
Deciding to ward off his boredom by giving into the serving girl and striking up conversation, Elric invites her to sit for a spell, with a drink in hand. She complies with a brilliant smile—though she attempts to conceal it behind a certain air of professionalism, giving a little curtsy and hurrying off to fetch the desired drink.
Soon enough she returns, sliding into a seat across from him. In her brief disappearance, it appears she’s tried to straight her slightly-mussed hair and straighten her clothes a bit, without a great deal of success. There’s only so much one can do. Asked her name, she responds, “Lisbet, m’lord. And… what do I want to do with my life?” she repeats his question curiously. Glancing to either side briefly, she leans forward to speak in confidence. “My folks say I should hope for a good, hard-working husband and healthy children, but to be honest, sir, the thought interests me not at all! I think, more than anything, I’d like to see the world. I hear so many travelers talk of it, and it sounds so exciting and interesting—much better than the life of a serving girl, no doubt.” She frowns prettily. “But I’m afraid that’s likely a silly dream, or so say the other girls.”
“What about you, sir? Are you doing what you dream of? I have to wonder at what has a young man sitting alone with nothing to do on such a day. Most would call you a layabout, but you don’t have the look of one.”
(Character Status)
Amalric – Normal
Arnaud – Normal
Elric – Normal
Jakob – Normal
Joseph – Normal
Rupert – Normal
Tawno – Normal
Isabeau – Normal
Covenant Guardsmen:
Helmut – Normal [w/ Cart]
Thomas – Normal [w/ Joseph]
James – Normal [w/ Cart]
Joost – Normal [Absent]
