Ressys nods to Bennar when he greets them. "A blacksmith is usually not the services I need but my new companions and myself find ourselves in need of additional supplies. I do seek some hides to better protect myself. It seems Durnham has some, perhaps his are sufficient for me. I would be willing to part with my leather armor in that case if it is worth anything anymore."
Other than that, Ressys stands out of the way allowing Brandon to lead the discussion. The metal armor held no interest to him and he had the weapons he needed.
Bennar’s smile sours at Durnham’s news of the poison and the afflicted family, dropping into melancholy.
“That’s...most unfortunate, and to happen here in our town. Elro is right to appoint explorers to seek a cure for our guests, although I’m surprised at some of his choices, truth be told. I see some strong arms and some wise heads, but with all due respect ahhhh...”
He seems to be searching for words more than embarrassed by his potential to offend: “...a little gnome girl and a young academic might be best served hiding behind this other three”
He coughs and continues “But you’re a Wenth, and they rarely stray from a path they have started. Plus you’re a son of Palebank, so I’m duty-bound to make sure you have the best kit you can afford for your journey. So, what are we looking at?”
At this, Brandon steps forward with honeyed words and business to propose. Bennar listens intently and nods throughout the soldier’s spiel, taking mental notes as to the deals being requested. Once Brandon has finished, Bennar inhales deeply and then blows out through puffed cheeks, a long exhale that seems a habit of preparing to negotiation.
“Now then, that’s quite a list. The scimitars I’ll give you 10 gold apiece, same for the crossbows. Fifty for the chain mail is fair. That’s a hundred all told in my opinion, so we're not far off agreement there.
Then your shopping list – I have a decent chain shirt and a suit of hide that I can get sized up the big man before sunrise. Plus a climber’s kit – a full set, and studded leather for the little one” he winks at Qidira, acknowledging that he heard her, “I think we can call that a square deal, no need for any money to change hands”
He holds out his hand to seal the trade, thick but nimble fingers steady as a rock fixed in space. As he waits for you to meet his hand, he says to Qidira without moving his head “I’ll sharpen those blades for free. Any blades you want to leave me overnight – it can make all the difference over there, from what I hear”
"That's very generous as I see it.Might you have a Glaive among these treasures?" She says admiring the fine weapons hanging from the walls. "It would look fine in my friend Kotar's hands and because you do not charge me for the blades or the Studded Leather, I find myself able to purchase it. You are very correct in that I do prefer distance and stealth as my form of fighting, a Glaive would go far in our defense in his hands." Then pulling her 4 daggers and shortsword from their sheath to lay out for sharpening, "Perhaps a loan of a shortsword in the meantime? I feel quite ill equipped without a blade at my side."
Somewhat mesmerized, he watched the negotiations. Despite his time traveling the Greying Wildlands and living in Uthodurn, Kotar was not exactly used to the intricacies involved in trading. Especially when it came to buying weapons. Back at home steel was either given according to one’s skill wielding it or gained in competition. Most of what he carried had come from duels. Looks like it will take time for a Ironhunter to become an Irontrader, he acquiesced to himself.
“We can share the cost, Qidira.” He said when the gnome offered to buy him a glaive. Lost in his thoughts the fighter had forgot about it. “And Bennar, you should have seen those two in action. Durnham shoots motes of fire with the same ease and precision an experienced hunter releases an arrow and Qidira is not only good at scouting, but knows how to deal sudden blows. She hits hard.”
And they weren’t the only ones. Brandon was a capable warrior in his own right, with more than a few tricks for ranged combat. Ressys was also a caster of spells and could even heal.
“Now, just give me a moment to take off the chain mail.” Kotar says putting his backpack on the ground and starting to doff his armor.
Durnham responds to the slight from the smith “You’d be surprised what they taught me in Uthodurn. I may never be able to use your steel Bennar, but I have weapons of my own,” and he holds up a hand and produces a fire bolt, which he tosses into the dirt and snow outside the shop. It fizzles out quickly in the snow ground but makes a sizable puddle out of the snow around it before it dissipates.
”I can still make use of your armor, however.” He removes his hide armor and exchanges it for the chain shirt. “Thank you Bennar, this deal will help us be more prepared for this trip.” He shakes his head as he slips the chain shirt on. “Those poor little girls... we have to find the cure.”
Qidira nods to Kotar laying half the gold asked for on the counter for the Glaive if its available. Then glancing at the forge. "What do you use for fuel in your forge? MIght I suspect coal? If so, would you consider selling some to us? We're anticipating traveling into possibly woodless regions and I suspect it could do in a pinch?"
Then later she moves closer to Durnham whispering in his ear while the others are distracted by negotiations.
"Could I borrow the 'bag' for the night? I need to do some 'shopping' at Pelc's before Elro and the lot do their inventory for an auction. I picked it up outside where you left it to return to the barracks for your discussion with Elro."
Durnham bends down towards Qidira to better hear her whisper. He nods to her request and smiles “of course, no need to ask me. It’s as much yours as mine.”
Brandon stares hard at Bennar for a long moment, locking eyes, “I can see 10gp for the weapons, they are not in the best of shape. With ten weapons, that would bring the total to 150 gp with the chain mail, then. We were hoping to have some gold left over for other supplies..” he then breaks into a wide smile and shakes the dwarf’s hand. “You negotiate as well as you smith. You drive a hard, but fair bargain, friend, especially with the addition of the studded leather and the sharpening. We accept. It is a pleasure doing business with you!"
Hearing Qdiria’s question he adds as well “Can you throw a glaive in for my tall friend here at half price, say 10gp? We would pay additional for any coal as well”
Bennar grunts appreciatively at Qidira’s request; “A glaive is a fine weapon indeed, in the hands of a trained user. And our tattooed friend here will certainly look the part, give me a moment”
He steps inside the cabin next to the forge and returns with a fearsome-looking polearm, a shaft of dark solid wood mounted with a long, slightly curving blade which glints along its painfully sharp edge.
“They’re not cheap, but they’re fearsome. For twenty gold you can take it now”
@Kotar:
As Bennar holds the weapon out, you experience a strange sensation. Bennar shimmers and splits into two identical, parallel versions of himself; one hands you the glaive happily and the other puts it away begrudgingly. Instinctively you know that you are seeing two possible futures and that you can choose one to follow – or take a path unseen. As fast as the vision appears, it is gone, and you are facing Bennar again, glaive in his hand.
As Kotar removes his chain mail and Durnham makes his display of magical prowess, Bennar shrugs in amusement “Interesting...skills. Palebank doesn’t produce many wizards; don’t forget us when you’re featuring in all the bards’ tales, lad”
When Qidira asks about the forge his nods appreciatively “Aye, coal – I get a regular shipment from Uthodurn and can spare you a bag if you wish? One gold would cover it”
(OOC: one bag is 20lb)
At this point Brandon makes his counter-offer for the glaive and coal.
“I bet you slay as many foes with that tongue as you do with that blade, soldier. From the looks of those eyes you’ve certainly seen enough battle. OK, here’s where we end up: you pay twenty for the glaive and I throw in the bag of coal, plus enough kit to allow you all to climb using the same kit”
For a moment, a brief moment, Kotar saw Bennar as two. At the same time the master of the forge seemed to bring fort a glaive and satisfyingly put it away. The fighter recognized the sensation. He had trained his senses to feel the world like that, what was and what could be at once, for so long. Actuality and potentiality, the voice of Lo-Kang echoed in his mind.
“It is a beautiful piece.”He said putting the chain mail over his left arm, suddenly remembering the light crossbow he carried in his backpack. “And by the way, I suggest you avoid describing any goliath as tattooed.” Kotar continued casually, while taking out the ranged weapon.“Those are mottles, and we are born with them. Our shamans teach us that they speak of our fates so at best the clans see a tattoo as a symbol of desperation to change one’s fate. At worst an imposed humiliation. Either way, usually nothing anyone would like to remember and most definitely something that can be taken as an offense, start a fight.” And one to the death, if knew his brethren. As he finished speaking, he handed armor and crossbow to Bennar.“How much can you lower the price in exchange for that?”
Bennar frowns at the feedback from Kotar: "My apologies, no offence meant and I appreciate the advice for future"
As Kotar produces the extra crossbow, a look of impatience flashes across the dwarf's face: "But we just- ah now, business is business. It's a good piece - add it to the deal and I'll pay ten gold for it"
“Tattoos can be imbued with magic... I’ve heard of such in my studies.” He looks to Kotar, “You may need to adjust your thoughts on tattoos in the future, other cultures view them as a form of art and beauty... not an attempt to change fate or to humiliate someone... though there have been instances of people tattooing slaves to indicate they are property.” He shakes he is head, “My point it’s that there can be power and magic in tattoos. Perhaps your mottles are a natural form of power or strength of some kind... maybe your people are right and it’s tied to your fate.”
“No offense taken, Brennar.” Kotar said dismissive, while getting ten gold pieces from his purse. “I personally don’t care about tattoos, but someone more… Let’s say aggressive, can make trouble out of that. I thought it better to give a heads up.”
He handed the coin, the mail and the crossbow to the smith, taking the glaive into his hands. The weight was familiar, recomforting even.
“And Durnham, you misunderstood me. I told what most of my people believe, not what all or even what I personally believe.”The fighter then started putting the splint armor that he received from Elro. That was a day of good trades. “But even if I shared this belief I would have no reason to, necessarily, change my thoughts and your own words are argument enough to this point - different things have different meanings to different people and, if I may complement the saying, no one needs to change how they think about anything unless by acting on their thoughts they intentionally offend or hurt someone.” Specially their family, he completed in his mind. “To be honest I think the mottles are no more than birthmarks shrouded in superstition, but if we find any goliath in Eiselcross we are better off avoiding this topic.”
“You could be right Kotar... but there can be wisdom in ancient traditions and superstition... sometimes...” He shrugs, “As long as you don’t think less of me if I decide to get a tattoo some day. Some can be quite powerful.”
Qidira watches the exchange about the markings happy to have this information as she'd mistook them for Tattoos also.
She'll carry whatever is passed to her and join the others back into the snow heading to their next stop. Tents, food and snowshoes it seemed were next on the list of necessities.
“You won’t ever need to worry about that, Durnham.” Kotar said honestly and with a smile in his lips, struggling a little bit to put his new armor. “I would like to get your opinion on…” He paused to close the left arm’s bracelet. “On some superstitions from the clans. I’ve lived so long amongst them that at this point I find hard to differentiate where they are just misguided belief from when they are practices turned common by how efficient they are.”
The animistic nature of the goliath’s faith, if one could call it that way, was one of the things in which he wanted the wizard’s opinion. Specially after seeing how the worship of gods worked in Uthodurn.
“By the way, Qidira, I didn’t throw away your kindness. You can help me with gold later.”He turned to the gnome, trying to show gratitude for her offer. “You wouldn’t happen to sell snowshoes, would you?”
Kotar asked Brennar, hoping the dwarf would at least point them to a place where they could find the shoes. It would be good if he could tell us where to find healing potions, the goliath thought to himself. Better yet if he had some. Of course, he doubted things would be that easy.
“That’s the tricky part. Superstition and tradition are based upon something that is often lost to history. Most of the time they are just rules or warnings against things forgotten or not understood. Sometimes though... the traditions or superstitions are right... even if people don’t understand where they come from, they work... ignoring or dismissing those superstitions could be dangerous. Knowing which are useless or silly beliefs... and which are important is difficult.”
He looks at Kotar with a serious expression “I would be careful in dismissing all Superstition or traditions as useless.”
Bennar looks at the floor awkwardly as the discussion about belief systems; "Ah now fellas, I didn't mean to start anything. Best you save those kinds of chats for the journey ahead"
When Qidira asks about snowshoes, Bennar looks relieved and his face animates unexpectedly "Sadly not little one, you'd best try Esta or one of the crews down at the docks"
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Ressys nods to Bennar when he greets them. "A blacksmith is usually not the services I need but my new companions and myself find ourselves in need of additional supplies. I do seek some hides to better protect myself. It seems Durnham has some, perhaps his are sufficient for me. I would be willing to part with my leather armor in that case if it is worth anything anymore."
Other than that, Ressys stands out of the way allowing Brandon to lead the discussion. The metal armor held no interest to him and he had the weapons he needed.
Bennar’s smile sours at Durnham’s news of the poison and the afflicted family, dropping into melancholy.
“That’s...most unfortunate, and to happen here in our town. Elro is right to appoint explorers to seek a cure for our guests, although I’m surprised at some of his choices, truth be told. I see some strong arms and some wise heads, but with all due respect ahhhh...”
He seems to be searching for words more than embarrassed by his potential to offend: “...a little gnome girl and a young academic might be best served hiding behind this other three”
He coughs and continues “But you’re a Wenth, and they rarely stray from a path they have started. Plus you’re a son of Palebank, so I’m duty-bound to make sure you have the best kit you can afford for your journey. So, what are we looking at?”
At this, Brandon steps forward with honeyed words and business to propose. Bennar listens intently and nods throughout the soldier’s spiel, taking mental notes as to the deals being requested. Once Brandon has finished, Bennar inhales deeply and then blows out through puffed cheeks, a long exhale that seems a habit of preparing to negotiation.
“Now then, that’s quite a list. The scimitars I’ll give you 10 gold apiece, same for the crossbows. Fifty for the chain mail is fair. That’s a hundred all told in my opinion, so we're not far off agreement there.
Then your shopping list – I have a decent chain shirt and a suit of hide that I can get sized up the big man before sunrise. Plus a climber’s kit – a full set, and studded leather for the little one” he winks at Qidira, acknowledging that he heard her, “I think we can call that a square deal, no need for any money to change hands”
He holds out his hand to seal the trade, thick but nimble fingers steady as a rock fixed in space. As he waits for you to meet his hand, he says to Qidira without moving his head “I’ll sharpen those blades for free. Any blades you want to leave me overnight – it can make all the difference over there, from what I hear”
"That's very generous as I see it. Might you have a Glaive among these treasures?" She says admiring the fine weapons hanging from the walls. "It would look fine in my friend Kotar's hands and because you do not charge me for the blades or the Studded Leather, I find myself able to purchase it. You are very correct in that I do prefer distance and stealth as my form of fighting, a Glaive would go far in our defense in his hands." Then pulling her 4 daggers and shortsword from their sheath to lay out for sharpening, "Perhaps a loan of a shortsword in the meantime? I feel quite ill equipped without a blade at my side."
Somewhat mesmerized, he watched the negotiations. Despite his time traveling the Greying Wildlands and living in Uthodurn, Kotar was not exactly used to the intricacies involved in trading. Especially when it came to buying weapons. Back at home steel was either given according to one’s skill wielding it or gained in competition. Most of what he carried had come from duels. Looks like it will take time for a Ironhunter to become an Irontrader, he acquiesced to himself.
“We can share the cost, Qidira.” He said when the gnome offered to buy him a glaive. Lost in his thoughts the fighter had forgot about it. “And Bennar, you should have seen those two in action. Durnham shoots motes of fire with the same ease and precision an experienced hunter releases an arrow and Qidira is not only good at scouting, but knows how to deal sudden blows. She hits hard.”
And they weren’t the only ones. Brandon was a capable warrior in his own right, with more than a few tricks for ranged combat. Ressys was also a caster of spells and could even heal.
“Now, just give me a moment to take off the chain mail.” Kotar says putting his backpack on the ground and starting to doff his armor.
Durnham responds to the slight from the smith “You’d be surprised what they taught me in Uthodurn. I may never be able to use your steel Bennar, but I have weapons of my own,” and he holds up a hand and produces a fire bolt, which he tosses into the dirt and snow outside the shop. It fizzles out quickly in the snow ground but makes a sizable puddle out of the snow around it before it dissipates.
”I can still make use of your armor, however.” He removes his hide armor and exchanges it for the chain shirt. “Thank you Bennar, this deal will help us be more prepared for this trip.” He shakes his head as he slips the chain shirt on. “Those poor little girls... we have to find the cure.”
Noob
Qidira nods to Kotar laying half the gold asked for on the counter for the Glaive if its available. Then glancing at the forge. "What do you use for fuel in your forge? MIght I suspect coal? If so, would you consider selling some to us? We're anticipating traveling into possibly woodless regions and I suspect it could do in a pinch?"
Then later she moves closer to Durnham whispering in his ear while the others are distracted by negotiations.
"Could I borrow the 'bag' for the night? I need to do some 'shopping' at Pelc's before Elro and the lot do their inventory for an auction. I picked it up outside where you left it to return to the barracks for your discussion with Elro."
Durnham bends down towards Qidira to better hear her whisper. He nods to her request and smiles “of course, no need to ask me. It’s as much yours as mine.”
Noob
Brandon stares hard at Bennar for a long moment, locking eyes, “I can see 10gp for the weapons, they are not in the best of shape. With ten weapons, that would bring the total to 150 gp with the chain mail, then. We were hoping to have some gold left over for other supplies..” he then breaks into a wide smile and shakes the dwarf’s hand. “You negotiate as well as you smith. You drive a hard, but fair bargain, friend, especially with the addition of the studded leather and the sharpening. We accept. It is a pleasure doing business with you!"
Hearing Qdiria’s question he adds as well “Can you throw a glaive in for my tall friend here at half price, say 10gp? We would pay additional for any coal as well”
Qidira thanks Durnham, and watches as Brandon does his magic - negotiating.
Bennar grunts appreciatively at Qidira’s request; “A glaive is a fine weapon indeed, in the hands of a trained user. And our tattooed friend here will certainly look the part, give me a moment”
He steps inside the cabin next to the forge and returns with a fearsome-looking polearm, a shaft of dark solid wood mounted with a long, slightly curving blade which glints along its painfully sharp edge.
“They’re not cheap, but they’re fearsome. For twenty gold you can take it now”
@Kotar:
As Bennar holds the weapon out, you experience a strange sensation. Bennar shimmers and splits into two identical, parallel versions of himself; one hands you the glaive happily and the other puts it away begrudgingly. Instinctively you know that you are seeing two possible futures and that you can choose one to follow – or take a path unseen. As fast as the vision appears, it is gone, and you are facing Bennar again, glaive in his hand.
As Kotar removes his chain mail and Durnham makes his display of magical prowess, Bennar shrugs in amusement “Interesting...skills. Palebank doesn’t produce many wizards; don’t forget us when you’re featuring in all the bards’ tales, lad”
When Qidira asks about the forge his nods appreciatively “Aye, coal – I get a regular shipment from Uthodurn and can spare you a bag if you wish? One gold would cover it”
(OOC: one bag is 20lb)
At this point Brandon makes his counter-offer for the glaive and coal.
“I bet you slay as many foes with that tongue as you do with that blade, soldier. From the looks of those eyes you’ve certainly seen enough battle. OK, here’s where we end up: you pay twenty for the glaive and I throw in the bag of coal, plus enough kit to allow you all to climb using the same kit”
Qidira happy to see the coal and the Glaive grins at Brandon hopefully as he negotiates putting in her share of the coin as appropriate.
For a moment, a brief moment, Kotar saw Bennar as two. At the same time the master of the forge seemed to bring fort a glaive and satisfyingly put it away. The fighter recognized the sensation. He had trained his senses to feel the world like that, what was and what could be at once, for so long. Actuality and potentiality, the voice of Lo-Kang echoed in his mind.
“It is a beautiful piece.” He said putting the chain mail over his left arm, suddenly remembering the light crossbow he carried in his backpack. “And by the way, I suggest you avoid describing any goliath as tattooed.” Kotar continued casually, while taking out the ranged weapon. “Those are mottles, and we are born with them. Our shamans teach us that they speak of our fates so at best the clans see a tattoo as a symbol of desperation to change one’s fate. At worst an imposed humiliation. Either way, usually nothing anyone would like to remember and most definitely something that can be taken as an offense, start a fight.” And one to the death, if knew his brethren. As he finished speaking, he handed armor and crossbow to Bennar. “How much can you lower the price in exchange for that?”
Bennar frowns at the feedback from Kotar: "My apologies, no offence meant and I appreciate the advice for future"
As Kotar produces the extra crossbow, a look of impatience flashes across the dwarf's face: "But we just- ah now, business is business. It's a good piece - add it to the deal and I'll pay ten gold for it"
“Tattoos can be imbued with magic... I’ve heard of such in my studies.” He looks to Kotar, “You may need to adjust your thoughts on tattoos in the future, other cultures view them as a form of art and beauty... not an attempt to change fate or to humiliate someone... though there have been instances of people tattooing slaves to indicate they are property.” He shakes he is head, “My point it’s that there can be power and magic in tattoos. Perhaps your mottles are a natural form of power or strength of some kind... maybe your people are right and it’s tied to your fate.”
Noob
“No offense taken, Brennar.” Kotar said dismissive, while getting ten gold pieces from his purse. “I personally don’t care about tattoos, but someone more… Let’s say aggressive, can make trouble out of that. I thought it better to give a heads up.”
He handed the coin, the mail and the crossbow to the smith, taking the glaive into his hands. The weight was familiar, recomforting even.
“And Durnham, you misunderstood me. I told what most of my people believe, not what all or even what I personally believe.” The fighter then started putting the splint armor that he received from Elro. That was a day of good trades. “But even if I shared this belief I would have no reason to, necessarily, change my thoughts and your own words are argument enough to this point - different things have different meanings to different people and, if I may complement the saying, no one needs to change how they think about anything unless by acting on their thoughts they intentionally offend or hurt someone.” Specially their family, he completed in his mind. “To be honest I think the mottles are no more than birthmarks shrouded in superstition, but if we find any goliath in Eiselcross we are better off avoiding this topic.”
“You could be right Kotar... but there can be wisdom in ancient traditions and superstition... sometimes...” He shrugs, “As long as you don’t think less of me if I decide to get a tattoo some day. Some can be quite powerful.”
Noob
Qidira watches the exchange about the markings happy to have this information as she'd mistook them for Tattoos also.
She'll carry whatever is passed to her and join the others back into the snow heading to their next stop. Tents, food and snowshoes it seemed were next on the list of necessities.
“You won’t ever need to worry about that, Durnham.” Kotar said honestly and with a smile in his lips, struggling a little bit to put his new armor. “I would like to get your opinion on…” He paused to close the left arm’s bracelet. “On some superstitions from the clans. I’ve lived so long amongst them that at this point I find hard to differentiate where they are just misguided belief from when they are practices turned common by how efficient they are.”
The animistic nature of the goliath’s faith, if one could call it that way, was one of the things in which he wanted the wizard’s opinion. Specially after seeing how the worship of gods worked in Uthodurn.
“By the way, Qidira, I didn’t throw away your kindness. You can help me with gold later.” He turned to the gnome, trying to show gratitude for her offer. “You wouldn’t happen to sell snowshoes, would you?”
Kotar asked Brennar, hoping the dwarf would at least point them to a place where they could find the shoes. It would be good if he could tell us where to find healing potions, the goliath thought to himself. Better yet if he had some. Of course, he doubted things would be that easy.
“That’s the tricky part. Superstition and tradition are based upon something that is often lost to history. Most of the time they are just rules or warnings against things forgotten or not understood. Sometimes though... the traditions or superstitions are right... even if people don’t understand where they come from, they work... ignoring or dismissing those superstitions could be dangerous. Knowing which are useless or silly beliefs... and which are important is difficult.”
He looks at Kotar with a serious expression “I would be careful in dismissing all Superstition or traditions as useless.”
Noob
Bennar looks at the floor awkwardly as the discussion about belief systems; "Ah now fellas, I didn't mean to start anything. Best you save those kinds of chats for the journey ahead"
When Qidira asks about snowshoes, Bennar looks relieved and his face animates unexpectedly "Sadly not little one, you'd best try Esta or one of the crews down at the docks"