[Play-by-Post] Tales from Fourtower Bridge

[vazha]

"Oh Om-ni-potent Authoriteh figgah" - Mumbles curtsied daintily, a somewhat eerie thing to behold - "We wus told you'd fur-nish us with a cart, two mules, a pony and... a mammoth or a donkey, whichever's available atm. We runnin' 'rands for the BROTHAHOOD y'see [nudge nudge, wink wink], gotta go to that monastary place."

 

[Nortar]

With nothing to add to Mardrey and Mumbles, the dwarf just stood there, with thumbs behind belt, nodding occasionally and looking all around.
One thing Kilur was curious about professionally: the door has a bar, a bolt, or a key lock. And the other just curious: does the good
captain bear any marks of the Brotherhood, such as the sun tattoo on his wrist, or, you never know, blink strangely.

 

[Catacombs]

"Oh Om-ni-potent Authoriteh figgah," Mumbles said. "We wus told you'd fur-nish us with a cart, two mules, a pony and... a mammoth or a donkey, whichever's available atm. We runnin' 'rands for the BROTHAHOOD y'see -- nudge nudge, wink wink -- gotta go to that monastery place."

Miller stared at Mumbles, translating the half-orc's stuttering and foreign accent.

"Hmm.... yes. I'm aware that Desmond and his... colleagues reserved between four and six horses from our stables to get you to Brookhaven," he said. "However, I'm not aware of the need for mules, ponies, donkeys, or a 'mammoth.'" He air-quoted the last word.

"If you require mules, a cart, or any additional transportation vessels, then that is a separate conversation, which we can certainly have, if you have the coin."

 

[Nortar]

"If you require mules, a cart, or any additional transportation vessels, then that is a separate conversation, which we can certainly have, if you have the coin.

Aha, so it's only a matter of coins. Kilur thoughtfully scrubbed his beard.
"Say, Master Captain, can we just take one cart instead of the sixth horsie ye've kept for us?
I can bet a silver nugget against a loaf of bread, that even an old nag costs ye more money than a new cart."

Spoiler

Can I roll perception? In addition to my previous question - does Miller have any Brotherhood marks, I'm now also curious if, given Captain's mercantile approach to negotiations, he has anything that does not match his status or station? Maybe expensive rings; or especially richly decorated weapons?

 

[Catacombs]

Spoiler

Can I roll perception? In addition to my previous question - does Miller have any Brotherhood marks, I'm now also curious if, given Captain's mercantile approach to negotiations, he has anything that does not match his status or station? Maybe expensive rings; or especially richly decorated weapons?

Spoiler

Roll perception to see if you notice any Brotherhood marks or insignia.

Miller wears an armor and garb that matches those of a commanding officer of the Fourtower Bridge garrison. In his office, he has a simple desk and chair, with shelves lining the walls that hold books, manifests, and other important documents. He does not have much of value, from what you can see, in the room. Even if he did, he's savvy enough to keep them locked away in his room, located in an undisclosed location.

 

[Nortar]

Spoiler

Roll perception to see if you notice any Brotherhood marks or insignia.

Spoiler

I have a feeling that I'll use up my dice-rolling luck before the rolls start to really matter.

 

[Catacombs]

Spoiler

Roll perception to see if you notice any Brotherhood marks or insignia.

Spoiler

I have a feeling that I'll use up my dice-rolling luck before the rolls start to really matter.

Kilur studied Miller very closely, to the point that the dwarf could, given time, figure out almost everything that's happened to the soldier in the past few years. A scar on the captain's face could've been from the recent troll wars, in which Fourtower Bridge sent a brigade of brave soldiers to help in the Battle of Valley Green, most of whom didn't return; the fading stripes on the captain's arm showed he'd been climbing the ranks of the Fourtower Bridge garrison for a while; the paper on the captain's desk consisted of what looked like to be contract documents. However, despite Kilur's astute observation of Miller, he did not see any clues that could tie the captain to the Brotherhood.

 

[Scroo]

"W-well I don't have extra money so I will j-just take a normal horse." Mardrey said openly into the room. "I-If everyone is fine with that, of course!" Mardrey quickly added, biting her lip. She didn't want to ruin anyone's plans on getting more out of that serious looking captain.

 

[Nortar]

"W-well I don't have extra money so I will j-just take a normal horse." Mardrey said openly into the room. "I-If everyone is fine with that, of course!" Mardrey quickly added, biting her lip. She didn't want to ruin anyone's plans on getting more out of that serious looking captain.

Some say a man's life is a box.
Like any box, it can be opened, if you find the right key.
Kilur was not such a cynic to think this way, but even he had enough common sense to realize that the veteran is better approached from another angle.
Mardrey's comment gave the locksmith a moment to consider his words more carefully.

"Any plan is good until the battle started. And them monksters made plans before they even hired us. They asked for six horses, but ye see, there's only five of us. I'm not asking for more than you've promised, Master Captain, but we need a cart more than a spare horse. Don't know if they told ye, but we're off to find them missing monks. Who knows, we might have to transport the wounded... or their corpses."

Kilur poked Mumbles with elbow, urging the sirenic half-orc to add his voice to the plea.

 

[vazha]

Spoiler

On it, lemme get to work first and waste work time

 

[vazha]

Mumbles produced his notebook again.

"Ehm.. Second Proto-cool of Ad-van-ced Adven-turing, chapter 6, health and safety measures, para-graph 17, " - he announced solemnly - "Thou shalt not deny up-and-coming adven-turers a cart, lest one of them miserable wannabe bravos be grievously wounded during a valiant gobbo-hunting and needz be carried back home."

"It means" - Mumbles explained, as he would to a small and particularly dimwitted child - "We gets the ride, you get the horse. Cool?"

Spoiler

*Roll Decepshun / Pershuashun?*

 

[Catacombs]

Spoiler

*Roll Decepshun / Pershuashun?*

Spoiler

Persuasion. You're not fooling anyone

 

[vazha]

Spoiler

*Roll Decepshun / Pershuashun?*

Spoiler

Persuasion. You're not fooling anyone

Spoiler

LOL

 

[Nortar]

Spoiler

*Roll Decepshun / Pershuashun?*

Spoiler

Persuasion. You're not fooling anyone

Spoiler

LOL

Spoiler

Considering I had persuasion attempt too, can I also make a check?
If not separate, at least supportive to provide +2 to vazha's roll. Is there even such a thing in 5E, it's been awhile?

 

[vazha]

Spoiler

help action is indeed a thing, but usually you would have declared that before my roll. Lets see what our mercifur dm decides

 

[Catacombs]

Spoiler

help action is indeed a thing, but usually you would have declared that before my roll. Lets see what our mercifur dm decides

Spoiler

vazha is correct, Nortar. The result stands.

In the future, when the situation arises, chime in when you want to assist with a roll. Player's don't roll until I give the OK, so if I don't see anything beforehand, we proceed.

I didn't interpret your previous post as a persuasion attempt, more like a plea: "I'm not asking for more than you've promised, Master Captain, but we need a cart more than a spare horse. Don't know if they told ye, but we're off to find them missing monks. Who knows, we might have to transport the wounded... or their corpses."

 

[Catacombs]

"Any plan is good until the battle started. And them monksters made plans before they even hired us. They asked for six horses, but ye see, there's only five of us. I'm not asking for more than you've promised, Master Captain, but we need a cart more than a spare horse," Kilur said.

Mumbles agreed. "We gets the ride, you get the horse. Cool?"

"Hmm..." Miller said, taking a beat to ponder. "As I said, the Brotherhood reserved between four and six horses, dependent on the number of representatives that arrived. There are five of you."

He pulled out a medium-sized sack and plopped it onto the table. Coins jingled inside.

"The Brotherhood paid for six horses. Seeing as there's only five of ya, we're loaning five horses for the price of six. And, these are very nice horses," he continued. "I'm not interested in your business with the Brotherhood, and I prefer not to know. Those fellas are bad news.

"I'm willing to grant your request for a cart with the following stipulations: 1). We can agree for a temporary loan at 5 gold pieces, a discounted rate; 2). You're responsible for the cart. If you lose it or bring it back broken, you pay full price. Trust me, you want to avoid losing it. 3). You agree to return it within 100 days. I'll also throw in the necessary equipment so one of ya horses can drag it. How does that sound?"

 

[vazha]

Spoiler

3 is gud. And then we burn it on the 100th day just to spite him

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Brytter considered for a minute. "I wager the halfling could share saddle with one of us, in which case, would you consider loaning us four horses and a cart for the price of six horses? Assuming these terms are not disagreeable to you." This last bit directed towards the smallwoman.

 

[Nortar]

How does that sound?"

"Like a ripoff it sounds!" - grumbled Kilur under his nose and added louder - "So how much it'll be if we won't bring it back?"

 

[vazha]

Spoiler

stop nitpicking, folks, in 100 days we'll either be dead or rich enough that we can purchase an entire stable. Lets get on with da story!

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Spoiler

stop nitpicking, folks, in 100 days we'll either be dead or rich enough that we can purchase an entire stable. Lets get on with da story!

Spoiler

Mind the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves.

 

[vazha]

Spoiler

Says the barbarian with just a loincloth on. I wonder where you store them pennies.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Spoiler

Says the barbarian with just a loincloth on. I wonder where you store them pennies.

Spoiler

In banks bro.

 

[Catacombs]

"Let me remind you that The Brotherhood paid for these horses," Miller said. "To your question, barbarian, it does not matter if you take four or six horses. What matters is any additional vessels. Your group requested an extra cart, an outside expense, and I've made a proposition."

"Like a ripoff it sounds!" grumbled Kilur, under his nose and added louder. "So how much it'll be if we won't bring it back?"

Miller glared at the dwarf.

"Sir, I request you lower your voice," he snarled. "If you do not bring the cart back, it'll cost you triple its value. Refuse to pay, and we'll issue a warrant for your arrest. If you flee, we will hunt you down. The choice is entirely yours."