As a master bargainer, Slick requests three days of research for 45 gold.
The sage, Yelid of the Many Hues, acquieses to Slick's request.
So the party will be spending another three days in Ket?
[quote="sulldawga"] Atlic, your comment confused me. Are you looking for guides in Ket or Avauntar? I am assuming that the group is still in Ket. [/quote] Taerad is from Avauntar, and presumably knows the quality of the guides there. If the guides he meets in Ket seem like chumps compared to what he's seen in Avauntar, he'll pass on the Ket ones. My backstory is that he fights orcs all the time, so he presumably has some experience with Badlands guides.
[quote="sulldawga"] So the party will be spending another three days in Ket? [/quote] I'd very much rather not.
It takes at least a week to get to the border from Ket, so we'll be 1/3 through our month before we even get anywhere if we spend that much time in Ket. I don't think the sage's opinion is worth the 2000 gp+ that we'd be paying our troops to sit around.
I stipulated IC that we'd be leaving on the morrow unless there was objection, and no one piped up, so IMO we should all be leaving the next morning.
If we want to have a sage research stuff, we should send our fastest horses ahead on the trip to Avauntar. They should get there ~2 days ahead of the slower horses. If they hire a sage in Avauntar when they first arrive, the sage can be researching while the rest of our force makes it to Avauntar.
In any event, Taerad is leaving on the morrow. I guess faster horses can catch up to him, if they want to tarry in Ket.
Alistar Stone, Slick, Mundo
Slick and Mundo will remain behind, and then take fast horses to catch up.
[quote="sulldawga"]
The sage, Yelid of the Many Hues, acquieses to Slick's request.
So the party will be spending another three days in Ket?
[/quote]
[quote="Atlictoatl"]
I stipulated IC that we'd be leaving on the morrow unless there was objection, and no one piped up, so IMO we should all be leaving the next morning.
[/quote]
Godric
"A bold and brazen claim, when Egil spoke up immediately. For myself I care little either way, and the demands of my own payroll can sway me to leave immediately. But I hope more important matters will be decided in counsel in future."
"Hilda, if I may impose, take a little gold and see about two strong wagon teams and a line of pack mules. If we are staking all on finding a fortune, we may as well be prepared. Eardwulf, go with her to watch her back in the markets."
"And Harold, before I go about things the hard way, find out for me if there are any alchemists with their own labs here in Ket who'd be willing to work a formula if we provided gold and components."
Location: Free City of Ket
Date: Fourthmonth 1, 300 YE
Weather: 50 degrees, clear skies
The party remains in Ket, sorting out their first foray into the wilderness of the Eastlands.
Harold discovers there are three alchemists in Ket. All of them either own their own lab, or have access to one.
One is very busy and couldn't possibly fit you in this month, unless you were willing to pay a bit more to 'jump the line', as it were.
Another will take your 250 gp and have your potion ready at the end of the month.
The third will take your 250 gp and commence work on your potions right away!
Arnolt
Arnolt spends the time in Ket administering the justice of Ammonar to anyone that needs his services as a judge.
[quote="kalstone"] Arnolt
Arnolt spends the time in Ket administering the justice of Ammonar to anyone that needs his services as a judge. [/quote]
The local constables gently but firmly inform you that the Queen handles justice in Ket.
Vinric Lahes, Venturer
"I am ready to leave on the morrow," says Vinric, "as soon as I get my goods sorted out. I have also found myself in possession of several items for which I have no use, and would be desirous to trade them with my fellows so as to maximimze our efficiencies! To whit, I am willing to trade the following items: a shield crafted to turn the hardest blow, a staff containing a sliver of the grace of the gods themselves, that can be used to heal all manner of injury, and a number of spell scrolls that I, while a dabbler in the arcane arts, am unlikely to use!"
Refer to this post: http://autarch.co/comment/26161#comment-26161. Looking to trade Shield +2, Staff of Healing and two spell scrolls. Sorry, I'm behind the curve on this. Also need to purchase a mount, which will be a light horse.
Alistar
I must confess the sight of those scrolls causes a disgraceful amount of salivating on my part. Are you at all interested in these drums? (Drums of Panic)
Mundo
MUNDO WANT HORSIE FRIEND. WALKING MAKE MUNDO TIRED.
Emmon
I believe the lad has a point. We made better time while we were mounted, and it's high time we replaced the horses we lost at Khadgaras Pass.
Billyr
I met a ferrier at the feast last night who said he had some prime horseflesh, and two games of Regicide later, he owed me a horse. Give me the coin and I'll get you three more.
Mundo
MUNDO GLAD ADVICE TAKEN. MUNDO FEEL RESPECTED.
Alistar tosses him the rest of the sack. Slick will buy a Light Warhorse for Alistar, and a Medium Warhorse for Emmon, totalling 360 gold, and then two Medium Riding Horses for 72 gold, thus mounting himself and Mundo. Counting the sage and the handler's pay, that leaves everyone mounted, and Slick holding 33 gold. (NOTE: Slick doesn't have to roll a 25% chance of finding an item worth more than 100 gold in a class 3 market, because as a venturer, he treats it as a class 2 market.) Also, the "he owes ME a horse" is because by spending 400 gold on misc. other horses, the 10% venturer discount is over 40 gp, which is the full cost of a medium riding horse.
[quote="thirdkingdom"]
Vinric Lahes, Venturer
"I am ready to leave on the morrow," says Vinric, "as soon as I get my goods sorted out. I have also found myself in possession of several items for which I have no use, and would be desirous to trade them with my fellows so as to maximimze our efficiencies! To whit, I am willing to trade the following items: a shield crafted to turn the hardest blow, a staff containing a sliver of the grace of the gods themselves, that can be used to heal all manner of injury, and a number of spell scrolls that I, while a dabbler in the arcane arts, am unlikely to use!"
Refer to this post: http://autarch.co/comment/26161#comment-26161. Looking to trade Shield +2, Staff of Healing and two spell scrolls. Sorry, I'm behind the curve on this. Also need to purchase a mount, which will be a light horse.
[/quote]
Vinric Lahes
"Er, I seem to have mispoke. I no longer have those items in my possession." Vinric goes off in search of a map of the surrounding lands.
Vinric finds out quickly that the League of Surveyors have the best maps, hands down, but they are also the most expensive. At least to non-members. Vinric suspects maps may be cheaper in Avauntar.
Getting a map of the general area around Avauntar (six hex radius) would be 5,000 gp. A map extending six hexes to the east of the entire Ket border would be 50,000 gp.
EDIT: the non-League maps would cost 4,000 and 40,000 gp respectively. Cheaper but of questionable quality.
Vinric does manage to catch a pickpocket in the act while walking one of the open air markets. In return for not turning him into the authorities, the scoundrel introduces him to a one legged man who claims to be a caravan guard before he took several arrows to the knee. He agrees to sketch a crude map of a trail between Avauntar and a caravansary to the SE of the town for a mere 10,000 gold. When asked what was on the other side of the caravansary, the man replies "all the people who want to trade with Ket but can't get within 10 miles of the border without ending up in chains".
Any attempts at negotiating the price of the caravansary trail map down are met with derision and flat refusal.
Taered and Tohopka set out to find a guide who knows the Badlands area.
There are upwards of 30 in the city, with around a third of that number familiar with the wilderness outside Avauntar.
Of those 11 guides, five of them are members of the League of Surveyors. You can be reasonably sure they have experience in the wilds.
Of the other six, half of them are old enough that you could believe they have the requisite experience.
How many of these eight guides do you want to interview?
Egil
Egil will relay the gained rumors to Alistar. "So we either look at a book, an artifact or a kidnapping boss... Guess we better keep our ears open when we get closer to the nomads stomping grounds. But anyway, got anything else where I could help?" Before adding a "Otherwise me and the gang will see what else Ket has to offer" with a rather big grin.
If Alistar has no other tasks Egil and his two henchmen will use the remaining time to prowl the city for the next days and indulge in the various illicit past times one can find in Ket, spending around 3d20 x 100 gp.
Alistar
"Barring unforseeable circumstances, I don't believe your services will be required until we reach the badlands. I intend to savor civilization while it lasts; I suggest you do the same. "
[quote="sulldawga"]
Vinric finds out quickly that the League of Surveyors have the best maps, hands down, but they are also the most expensive. At least to non-members. Vinric suspects maps may be cheaper in Avauntar.
Getting a map of the general area around Avauntar (six hex radius) would be 5,000 gp. A map extending six hexes to the east of the entire Ket border would be 50,000 gp.
EDIT: the non-League maps would cost 4,000 and 40,000 gp respectively. Cheaper but of questionable quality.
Vinric does manage to catch a pickpocket in the act while walking one of the open air markets. In return for not turning him into the authorities, the scoundrel introduces him to a one legged man who claims to be a caravan guard before he took several arrows to the knee. He agrees to sketch a crude map of a trail between Avauntar and a caravansary to the SE of the town for a mere 10,000 gold. When asked what was on the other side of the caravansary, the man replies "all the people who want to trade with Ket but can't get within 10 miles of the border without ending up in chains".
Any attempts at negotiating the price of the caravansary trail map down are met with derision and flat refusal.
[/quote]
Vinric Lahes
Vinric spends 5000 gold to get a map of the area surrounding Avauntar.
Location: Free City of Ket
Date: Fourthmonth 2, 300 YE
Weather: 40 degrees, clear skies
The day proves to be colder than previous ones, with the florists tut-tutting about their precious spring blooms.
Vinric pays 5,000 gold coins for a map of Avauntar and the surrounding environs.
Egil and Reinhart wake up to tremendous headaches and strange women in their beds badgering them about unfulfilled promises and missing undergarments. Leila, amazingly enough, is already downstairs in the common room, eating breakfast and looking none the worse for wear.
Taered has narrowed the choices for guides in the city but has yet to interview any.
Alistair has new horses for himself and his companions.
Arnolt walks the streets of Ket, preaching and giving advice wherever humanity gathers. He is always politely received and sometimes warmly thanked.
Harold has three offers in hand from alchemists but has yet to make a decision. Hilda still awaits a decision from her master, Godric, on whether to buy wagons or just mules.
Yelid of the Many Hues begins his second day of research on the warring factions of the Badlands.
Map to be delivered tonight after my kids go to bed. Please deduct the gold from Vinric's total and post in the proper thread.
I rolled the weather on my phone (75 - 53, Abnormal Weather - Cold Snap) but will try to roll on site in the future.
Taerad Orc-Bane
Taerad is anxious to get his seven platoons moving and sets out for Avauntar first thing in the morning, leaving Tohopka behind in Ket to continue the negotiations with potential guides.
Tohopka
Tohopka arranges for his horses to be tended to amongst Taerad's troops, then heads to his appointments with three of the League guides and two of the freelancers, having selected them from the larger pool for their reputations and purported skill.
Alistar Stone
Alistar and Emmon pack up, buy rations, and leave with six platoons at the same time as Taerad.
Tohopka negotiates with the guides she selected. For whatever reason, three of the guides outright refuse to work with her. One is offended that he's dealing with a henchman rather than the boss, one only wants to work for merchants and not adventurers, and one says things are too hot in the Badlands right now. He is obviously not referring to the weather.
Of the two who don't outright refuse, the League-affiliated guide is willing to sign on for the agreed upon rate of 25 gold per month, paid in advance. The other, non-affiliated, guide says he'd do it if Tohopka kicks in "hazard pay".
Lots of bad things happening down in the Badlands right now. 25 gold ain't getting me back in the sand.
The map of the area around Avauntar is up in the Maps thread. Since it's a League map, it should have some of the Lairs and Encounters from those hexes, to coin a phrase. I will roll those up and post them, hopefully tonight.