Play by Post D&D: The New Begining

[Viking]

Starbuck heads off to investigate the shops.

"Mind your step," he murmurs to Nathan and Orloid.  "If someone bumps into you, there's good odds that they've just tried to pick your pocket."

(OOC: Starbuck is looking to find a shop where he can sell off the looted items first, figuring he can ask for directions to other stores at such a shop.  He wants to sell, resupply, and leave with a minimum of fuss.  Apart from getting away from all the unsavory characters, it also gets the party back together faster.)

[Glitch Girl]

(you and me both Viking)

You find what appears to be a junk or pawn shop not to far away.  The inside is dim, the merchandise iffy, and the shopowner not very questioning.

He pokes though the stuff you are offering to sell: what are you trying to sell BTW?

[Uncle Yuan]

(It had not been my intention to take anything beyond the money and anything that was immediately useful - arrows, weapons that Daniel or someone else needed, food, etc.  If Starbuck or someone else did otherwise, they'll have to chime in here.  It had been my impression that most of the stuff was fairly poor quality and not worth schlepping around for a few silvers resale.)

[Viking]

From the spoils of battle, I imagine we would have tried to carry off and resell the following:

4 swords of average quality
3 bows of average quality
Some knives
A simple ring of tarnished gold
Possibly the suits of leather armor of average quality, at our GM's discretion of what we could reasonably carry off.

The stuff that was listed as "below average", "poor", or "damaged" would have been left behind.

[BlueBard]

OOC: I was under the impression that we were leaving personal items behind... and I know that Whisper specifically left Johnas' sword.  Certain items, like the crossbow, bolts, arrows, and food, we did take as spoils of fortune but they were items that we really needed.  Especially if we'd been forced to bypass Stuarton.  Taking stuff we didn't need and pawning them off for money smacks too much like highway robbery in my mind.  Granted, we could probably use the money for outfitting for the quest.  A gentle reminder, though, we should all watch out for alignment drift in our activities.

[Viking]

OOC: If it belonged to a survivor, I would have left it.  If it belonged to a dead person who had attacked us, I'd have considered it fair game.

[Glitch Girl]

OOC: The ring belonged to one of the ones you killed, hence the reason you got it without protests.  Same with most of the personal items.  The armor and weapons though were from both the living and dead.  I'm guessing you left the scale mail (due to bulk, though correct me if I'm wrong), so that'd leave 3 suits of no-longer needed leather armor, three swords of average quality (one belonged to Johnas) and three bows plus the knives.  Feel free to come back and correct me on this if I'm off.


IG:

The man looks over the stuff you dump in front of him, remarks "been busy" as he looks it over, and finally offers you a price which seems painfully low.  After some quick bantering back and forth between Starbuck and the shopkeeper (I'm asuming you would bargain Viking) you manage to wrangle a few extra coin out of him.

He also directs you to a few other shops where you might get supplies. 

[Viking]

OOC: I would say you figured correctly, GG.  The scale armor was low-quality, damaged, and bulky, and thus got left behind.  Yes, Starbuck would have done some quick haggling, with the realistic expectation that he wouldn't get full market value, because this seems like the kind of place where people buy and sell stuff, "no questions asked."  He'll haggle with the same expectations when it comes to purchasing stuff, as well.

[Uncle Yuan]

Barring some sort of encounter, I'd be willing to fast forward through most of this.  The shopping list Starbuck proposed seemed good, although I'd like to pick up some extra arrows anyway.  What are our chances of getting a half-way decent pack-mule here?

[Glitch Girl]

Figured as much.

Most of the supplies you are able to find and most are overpriced, but not by too much.  You are only able to find a few "tools" for Daniel through regular channels, the rest would require a bit more information gathering unless you guys want to really stick out more than you already do.

You manage to find a mule.  It looks kind of old and seems to have a bit of an attitude, but it seems to like you Orloid.  You think it will do the job though (and you don't have enough gold left to buy anything else, it's up to you if you want to get it)

While you're there you overhear a few tidbits of information, mostly about bandit activity in these parts, and something's got the local orc tribes stirred up.  Oh, and someone's hiring people for a fort construction higher in the mountains.  Mosy people think the builder is crazy or suicidal. 

   

[Viking]

OOC: I need to make sure I understand GG's post correctly.  Do we have enough cash to buy supplies and the mule?  Or do we only have enough cash to buy the supplies or the mule?  If the former, then I propose that we buy what we can find, and leave Stuarton with no further issues.  If the latter, then I suggest to Orloid that we're better off getting the additional supplies instead of the mule.

[Glitch Girl]

Supplies AND a cheap, old, somewhat ornery mule.

[Uncle Yuan]

Well, seeing as how we can afford the mule and he's taken a shine to me, we might as well get him.  He will allow us to travel a little quicker if we're not all encumbered with tons of supplies (not to mention fighting better if something comes up).  Besides, most of the way there he should be able to forrage pretty well.

I figure the quicker we get back on the trail the better.

[Viking]

OOC:  Sold!  It seems like we're in agreement, then - we'll buy the supplies and mule, and leave town quietly.  Since the mule's taken a shine to Orloid, Starbuck will defer to Orloid in all matters mule-related.

[BentonGrey]

OOC:  Haha, maybe we should name him Bill? ;)  A no-prize to anyone who can guess that reference.

[BlueBard]

OOC: Respectfully, the Ranger with Wild Empathy and Animal Handling skill ought to be able to handle the mule, too...

[Glitch Girl]

Orloid and Starbuck: you pack your purchases on your somewhat reluctant pack mule who tries to bite Nathan at least once, and all of you and your lightened purses start heading back to camp.  The gate guard barely notices your passing.

Everyone else:
Sometime later, you hear the sounds of your comrads approaching your campsite.  They've got stuff and things! :)

[BlueBard]

Whisper attempts to befriend the mule.  (Just because.)

Oh, and he makes sure they don't step into any snares he might have set while they were gone, too.

[Viking]

Starbuck, having seen the mule try to bite Nathan, carefully avoids the duty of unpacking stuff from the mule.  He will happily take items that are passed to him for redistribution, of course.

He will present Daniel with such "tools of the trade" as he was able to find.  

"Sorry we couldn't find more," he says with an apologetic shrug.  "We were without your... particular shopping expertise, and we wanted to avoid calling attention to ourselves."

[Glitch Girl]

Daniel looks over the stuff.  "Yeah, good plan. Hmm.. it's not bad.  I think I can make it work.  Thanks."

Whisper approaches the mule, who looks like it's ready to bite anything that isn't paying attention, and manages to calm it a little. The rest of the supplies are dealt with without incident, however Dakkon, youcould swear the thing was giving you and Annia the evil eye. 

[BlueBard]

Whisper looks at Daniel's map again and tries to plan the best route through the barren mountains.

(What progress have we made in disguising Daniel as a monk?  Does he look like he might pass casual inspection?)

[Lord Elcorion]

Annia notes the mule's gaze and just rolls her eyes in a "great, another judgemental, predudiced fool, and this one's not even intelligent" kinda way..

[Uncle Yuan]

"He may be cranky, but he's ours now.  Less schlepping for all of us.  And if Whisper manages to bag some large game we can manage to carry a decent amount with us for a day or two."

I will set about packing the mule, unless someone has Teamster or someother usefull skill . . .

[Panther_Gunn]

Having been completely bored while waiting for the shoppers' return, and not allowed to take a nap (Whisper said something about "not so close to town", which Og didn't quite understand), he cheefully accepts the new distraction from his boredom.  Og walks over to the mule, face to face (well, more like face to chest), leans down, and gives it a couple of inquisitive sniffs.  He then reaches over & pats it on the head (*trying* to be gentle), saying "nice horsie", smiling like he's made a new friend.

[Glitch Girl]

Aww, isn't that sweet Og, your new pack animal just gave you love nip.  (never mind the fact that it probably would have taken finger off a lesser being, it's still cute :D )

Daniel, at the moment, is looking slightly les than his "cheery" self (though the addition of the tools made hium brighten up a bit.  Bits of hair still cling to his clothes and his hair... well what's left of it is looking pretty monkish.  He does not look happy, but at least he looks relatively pious until he starts trying to hide the various thieves gear under the robes he brorowed from Nathan making him seem more like a felonious monk*.

*(Oh good grief, I went there.)

The sun is starting to go down.  What do you want to do?  The town is within travel distance before nightfall, though the base of the mountains is a little farther, and there's always camping here.

[BlueBard]

OOG: yes, yes you did.  :P  But I love a good groaner.  :lol:

Whisper states, "I believe we should camp here for the night.  This camp is as secure as I can make it and we are surrounded by trees which will help to screen us from prying eyes.  If we attempt to pitch camp elsewhere we may not find a place better to our advantage.  Agreed?"

[Uncle Yuan]

Sounds good.  We have enough folks here to make for short watches - say an hour and a half?  I can take first . . .

[Viking]

Starbuck shrugs.  "I'll trust in the good judgment of our ranger friend.  I'll note that the nearby town of Stuarton was full of unsavory types, and I wouldn't complain at traveling as far as possible from Stuarton while it is still light."

Starbuck studiously tries to avoid looking at Daniel, whose felonious appearance also makes him look like a fallacious monk*.

*(And we'll all go there together when we go...)

[Glitch Girl]

Okay in that case, give me a watch order.   There's roughly time for 4 watches (5 if you sleep late)

Daniel volunteers for second

1) Orloid
2) Daniel
3)
4)

[BlueBard]

Whisper already volunteered for the mid-watch, so watch #3.