February 17th: Marblebush

Zeiss leans back in his chair, trying to find a position that is more comfortable.

"If I may, could I ask why the need for secrecy? It doesn't seem like you are doing anything wrong after all..."

Caladrius, who has been listening closely the discussion, speaks up.

"Exactly. Most of your people seem quite happy with this arrangement... And while I think of it, couldn't you trade with the Olthoi and the Exchange? The revenues would be a little lower, but as I learned in my youth, it is better not to put all his eggs in the same basket."

"Secrecy?" She laughs faintly. "Not secrecy, merely being cauthious. We sthill have no idea whath gutted so much of the managementh of the Undermarketh. We are simply thrying to survive. Or are you implying, with all these threats you sthate, that you are not doing the same?"

She leans back and glances at Caladrius. "Thrading with both you and the Olthoi might be feasible if we got more workers, but they're buying 100% of what we mine and harvesth right now. But I'm amiable to a deal."

She turns finally towards the Human. "I'm afraid the only work I allow in my thown is work for the Slates. Nothing personal, justh keeps things thidy."

Rory's eyes narrow into a knowing glare. "I see."

He lets his enmity tarry for a moment, then gets up from the table in search of an empty one. Finding a familiar face, Rory sits down at the table with Z--due to associating a different face with the one that threw insults earlier, as well as recalling the gift she gave him. He opens a bottle of mead and throws it back, taking a long draught. He takes a swig after each moderate interval, during which he broods clear as day. As he ponders, his face adjusts to the glare he adopted earlier.

*Z doesn't visually acknowledge Rory, but says,*

"Any particular reason you are so worried about finding a job?"

Z wrote:*Z doesn't visually acknowledge Rory, but says,*

"Any particular reason you are so worried about finding a job?"

"Not a job. Work. There's a difference. I'm flat broke, but that ain't what I'm worried about. And I'm not worried."

"Well I don't really care too much about what you worry about or not, but if its going to compromise our aims then that's another story. So I'll ask you again 'Why are you so adamant about finding work?' and I'm suggesting you give a straight answer."

*There is a slight trace of annoyance in her tone, but you detect no trace of threat there yet.*

Z wrote:"Well I don't really care too much about what you worry about or not, but if its going to compromise our aims then that's another story. So I'll ask you again 'Why are you so adamant about finding work?' and I'm suggesting you give a straight answer."

*There is a slight trace of annoyance in her tone, but you detect no trace of threat there yet.*

Rory took a swig. "I told you, I'm broke," he echoed while stifling a short chuckle, genuinely amused. His glare falters as what he was brooding over fades into the back of his mind.

"It doesn't get more straight than that. A simple in-town delivery would have been fine, or heavy lifting. Maybe hunting. I need gold if I'm gonna keep on living, lady. 'Sides, I'm not too--" he stumbled, trying to work his head around the word she used, "--bent on it. I just want to be able to pay my own way."

"Well this isn't the town to do it in, and besides a job like that at a common town, you might make a handful of copper. If you want quick gold go hit the Adventure's Board."

Z wrote:"Well this isn't the town to do it in, and besides a job like that at a common town, you might make a handful of copper. If you want quick gold go hit the Adventure's Board."

Rory's face turns halfway to his earlier mood reflection. "Sure, let me go do that. Let me just abandon the favor I owe, and the people I've been traveling with. Is that what you want?" He takes another drink.

Snarg picks at his nail absentmindedly. "No one seems to be hiring right now I've noticed, at least not publicly. It seems a win-win for you any way I look at it: hire some more workers, sell to more than one group, and bring in more profit. If you're satisfied with your small business though, then I can't argue with that." He takes a gulp of his drink. "However, it seems like you're passing up a free opportunity here. Take the trade deal ... and if it doesn't work out? The Olthoi are already buying 100% of your supplies, so just reallocate your workers to giving them a larger 100%. What's to lose?"

"Ah but you've hith on the key dilemma my Gnoll friend." She folds her hands in front of her on the desk. "We are ath full capacithy on the mines, and the woods! More workers would not mean more producth, merely more risk, more danger for our people. Neither do we wanth." She taps her iron tooth a few times, thinking. "However, I do like the idea of having more than one custhomer, justh in case." She ponders the idea.

"Not only would you have one other customer, the Exchange would value this partnership greatly, making sure to share important informations with the Slates. And you would also have an easy access to the tools our crafters are making. At a discounted price, of course."

The woman leans back, folding her hands and considering for a long, tense moment.

"Alrighth, what exacthly are your therms, hm?"

"We already have an idea of how much resources the Exchange desires to acquire. But may I ask before we talk specific terms how much lumber and ore you manage to get on, let's say, a monthly basis?"

"Oh, well righth now we're working pretthy efficienthly, pulling 20 Units of Precious Metals, 10 Units of Construction Lumber, and 5 Units of High Quality Lumber every month."

Rory wrote:

Z wrote:"Well this isn't the town to do it in, and besides a job like that at a common town, you might make a handful of copper. If you want quick gold go hit the Adventure's Board."

Rory's face turns halfway to his earlier mood reflection. "Sure, let me go do that. Let me just abandon the favor I owe, and the people I've been traveling with. Is that what you want?" He takes another drink.

"It is possible to go do quick adventures without 'abandoning' us. You did notice that when we hit Holtburg several of us went off to do our own thing. It is possible to get things done on a personal level and then rejoin us half a day later. Doesn't take long to knock out a small band of thugs."

Javan, that was mostly quietly making himself look like a 'bodyguard' just a moment ago together with Gwydo, approached Zeiss and whispered in his ear, "Those numbers... they actually sounds a bit high for the size of the town. Might want to ask for a tour, so we can check the goods. If it's legit, we might be able to sell a few ideas to other places to raise efficiency. If it's not, we can do our hero stuff thing."

Z wrote:"It is possible to go do quick adventures without 'abandoning' us. You did notice that when we hit Holtburg several of us went off to do our own thing. It is possible to get things done on a personal level and then rejoin us half a day later. Doesn't take long to knock out a small band of thugs."

Rory shakes his head. "No. Unless we're splitting up, I'm staying here in case something happens. No work to be done here, but so be it,"--he lowers his voice--"but I don't like that. You heard what she said, right?"

Zeiss whispers to Javan :

"Good idea."

He returns his attention to Gretta.

"Before we decide to invest in this arrangement, which I aim to be profitable for all of us, would you consider giving us a tour of your facilities? So that my colleagues may witness the efforts your workers give for their town. And we could discuss the terms of our eventual partnership as we walk."

"Absoluthely noth." Gretta shakes her head no. "For any number of reasons, including securithy, risk, interuption, but mosth of all, I don'th quite trusth you yeth." She pauses, then opens her hands, palms outwards. "No offense."

Rory wrote:Rory shakes his head. "No. Unless we're splitting up, I'm staying here in case something happens. No work to be done here, but so be it,"--he lowers his voice--"but I don't like that. You heard what she said, right?"

"Yes I did, what of it? Its not at all uncommon for this to be the case. In fact it makes perfect sense to me. This town used to be a part of the undermarket, and their entire network was just shut without warning or visible cause or reason. If I were them I would be very suspicious of outsiders and do everything in my power not only to protect my business interests, but also my people. Easiest way to do that, don't associate with strangers."

Snarg idly twiddles a silver dagger in his fingers. "'Not trusting' is putting it a little light," he mutters under his breath.

Zeiss accepts Gretta's response rather rapidly and speaks again, like if it did not bother him at all.

"The terms then. Compared to the market price, what are the Olthoi offering you?"

Z wrote:"Yes I did, what of it? Its not at all uncommon for this to be the case. In fact it makes perfect sense to me. This town used to be a part of the undermarket, and their entire network was just shut without warning or visible cause or reason. If I were them I would be very suspicious of outsiders and do everything in my power not only to protect my business interests, but also my people. Easiest way to do that, don't associate with strangers."

"Is that so? And where do you draw the line between protecting the people and stepping on them? Restricting them--threatening them, who knows--from asking whoever they want for help they'd gladly pay for?"

Rory downs the last of his drink. "Deciding who to do business with is a choice the people make for themselves. They're not children. Even if the Slates have authority, it's still wrong."