Open Chronicles Notice Board: Escort Merchant from Lazular to Elbion

[Qiven the Tall]

Lazular was, as it normally was, busy and full of movement. Thousands bustled through the streets getting urgently to their destinations-- getting to trade deals, to appointments, making sure they got to their stalls and stores on time, making sure they could start their day with breakfast and coffee. The morning sun had not yet had the opportunity to scorch the streets, and much of the city was still shrouded in shade as the sun creeped across the sky.

In one plaza, sided by street food vendors setting up for the day, there stood a notice board covered in a variety of different requests, announcements, flyers, and quests. Most notably for us, however, was the parchment requesting escort:

Greetings sellswords and warriors,
Your assistance is urgently requested in escorting a merchant and his caravan of goods to the city of Elbion. The trade paths between cities can be cruel to a lone trader. A capable party could ease that cruelty, through protection and through company. Thirty gold pieces will be paid unto each member of the escort party-- half upon contract and the other half when completed. If interested, please contact me in the tavern on the southeast side of the city. I would like to be on the road before noon.
Yours,
Yelna Looner

The quest was short, simple, and concise. It was not, however, readable to the giant Qiven the Tall, whose literacy in Common was nonexistent. He could speak it... passably... but the only words he'd managed to learn so far were those advertising food. He still tried to read, of course, in the interest in learning through exposure, just as he did with spoken Common. Written word was so much more complicated, however. His people did not use written language; oral tradition was more than efficient at spreading knowledge and information in small villages. It was a new concept to him. Luckily for him, he overheard a few passers-by read aloud under their breaths. Those big floppy ears were good for something.

Listening to them read aloud as he attempted to read the script, he was able to connect some spoken words to their written brothers, like "greetings" and the names of the cities. Thirty gold in payment was appealing to him. That could be food for a while, or an upgraded wardrobe. Qiven considered the quest with some delight. Perhaps the giant was not a fighter, but he was large and strong and, if he could not fight a bandit, he could scare them off with intimidation. Just as well, the trader Yelna Looner also mentioned "company", which Qiven could provide with his lute. Thirty gold for a few days of playing music and being friendly? It would be one of the easiest paydays of his life.

Sure in himself that he would take this quest, Qiven lingered near the board to see if any other takers would come.

 

[Garrod Arlette]

It was rare for Garrod to find himself this far to the West. The desert, and all its arid winds, never quite agreed with him. He was a creature that seemed to prefer places colder and wetter. With humidity.

Like a slug, Belephus barbed. And the demon within the jewel of his gauntlet grinned wide within the dark of Garrod's mind. Or so much slime, Oh bearer mine.

He paid it no mind. Least, as little mind as he had left to pay with. Tired eyed and sullen faced, Garrod looked up at the giant folk that stood beside him. "Takin the job, huh?" the monster hunter, sometimes mercenary, asked, as he eyed the tall big eared stranger that loomed over him. He huffed, and gave a slight nod. "Guess I'll take it too then," he grabbed up one of the copies of the job. "What's your name, big fella?" he asked as he tucked the paper into his gambeson. "Mine's Garrod,"

Starting off chatty this time, are we? Belephus smiled, and Garrod could feel its green flame mouth spread within the gaps of his mind.

"Probably best for us to make our way over to the Tavern, eh?" Garrod said, his face tired as ever. "I don't get paid any more if you aren't there, mind you," he said with a wry smile. And the job will be a whole lot harder if you aren't. He left unsaid as he walked away from the board and the big folk.

Qiven the Tall

 

[Shiv]

The day's heat had yet to hit and for that the mercenary was grateful. Shiv's previous contract had brought him to the city but now he was eager to leave. There were a few souls in Lazular that he preferred to avoid. The longer he stuck around, the higher the chance of an unfortunate meeting. Gods only knew he had enough of those in his time. Best thing to do was find himself a quick job that got him out of the city. Shiv had been in the business long enough to know that you don't travel on your own coin if you can help it.

Luckily Shiv made a few friends the previous night and they put him onto the notice board. The mercenary wanted to get their early so as not to lose out on the best, and more importantly, leisurely contracts. Shiv moved through the streets with familiarity until he found himself at the plaza. A quick glance at the board was all he needed, especially after catching the last bit of the one-eye's conversation. The man looked like he knew his business, and that was more than Shiv could say for most.

"Wonder if the first person to accept gets a bonus," Shiv said in mock challenge as he caught up with his prospective party members. If the giant had decided to follow along, Shiv would turn to look up at him. "Gods, talking to you is going to be a trial." The remark was clearly made in jest though Shiv's neck might not agree in a couple days.

Garrod Arlette Qiven the Tall

 

[Qiven the Tall]

Qiven flashed a fangy smile at Garrod. "Name is Qiven. It's nice to meet 'ya, Garrod". His voice was thick of the accent of the Giantish tongue-- slow and smooth-- and his tone ever-upbeat.

As Garrod started to move off in the direction of the tavern, Qiven lingered for a moment to see if there were any more potential party mates, but just for a moment. He caught up to Garrod quickly with long, lanky legs. His eyes flicked down to view Garrod's bone-white gauntlet with some curiosity. The eye-like jewel, too, was near hypnotic to Qiven. Something in him, however, told him it was better not to ask about it. It is cool, though...

Near immediately after, Shiv had reached them as well. "Gods, talking to you is going to be a trial" he heard the half-elf say. Qiven chuckled. "I can bend my knees for you, if you like," he joked back, then doing it for a few steps. It did bring him down nearly a foot, but as giants are giant, he was still a tower of a man. "If naught else, you can use my big shadow for shade when we hit the road."

 

[Garrod Arlette]

Garrod smirked at the newcomer. "Guess we'll just have to find out, won't we?" he said between strides, no urgency in his voice, nor greater quickness in his step as they rolled through the City of Lazular. " well met, Qiven," he replied.

The new one traded words with the big one.

"Oy, Shorty," Garrod called to the elf-eared merc. For if they walked like a merc, and talked like a merc, they were probably a bloody merc. "Never did catch your name," And I'm pretty sure you caught ours, and I ain't keen on giving free advantages. "Less shorty works for you," he grinned with some playful malice in his one green eye.

That's right, Garrod, that's right. Poke and prod and stir us closer. A laugh, like smoke, and the eye of a jewel gleamed with the day's light, the bone white of the gauntlet near iridescent.


Qiven the Tall Shiv

 

[Shiv]

"Already proved yourself more useful than most I've traveled with," Shiv chuckled. "Glad to meet someone with a sense of humor in this business," the mercenary said as he tossed a sideways glance to their white-haired companion. "Though, you don't strike me as someone normally in this line of work." Shiv did not see any weapons on the big man, though he probably didn't need them in any case. Still, he saw it as good fortune that Qiven did not have a stick up his ass.

He wondered if the same could be said of their other companion.

"No, you didn't," the half-elf replied, a hardness to his voice. Moments later his faced relaxed into a casual smile. "Name's Shiv," the mercenary said before adding with a shrug, "Can't be too careful in this business." The Elbion native was more than happy to get along with other folk but sellswords could be a difficult lot. Many simply took his amicable nature as being weak, and Shiv learned that could lead to problems. Best to let others know you aren't keen on being pushed about.

"Don't suppose either of you has an idea as to which bloody tavern we're supposed to meet at?"

Shiv wasn't overly familiar with that side of the city but there was a tavern on every other street.

Garrod Arlette Qiven the Tall

 

[Qiven the Tall]

"I am not much of a... warrior, I think," Qiven replied to Shiv. He spoke slowly, choosing his words carefully with the limited vocabulary he had. "I play music. I sing. But I am big, and that is usually enough to scare riff-raff away. I think, with three of us, and the merchant, that is numbers and bandits hate counting. Easy coin."

With his hand, he shielded some of the sun from his eyes to better see signs on the streets. "I think the tavern is close. Think I played at it when I got here. If it's the one that is south-east, that is. 'Sordid Sunset' or something like that. 'Silken Sunshine'. I don't remember. Had an 'Sssss' sound."

Indeed, the tavern was just around the corner. It was a relatively modest sized building, but with great colorful banners marking the entrance. Red-to-yellow gradients sewn in, with a simple white sun embroidered in the middle. The Silken Sunset. Qiven had it close, but mixed up the words. It was not as popular this time of day, mostly some day-drinkers and a few that got breakfast here before they went to their jobs. Every time the doors opened, the smell of fresh bread and cinnamon escaped.

 

[Garrod Arlette]

"Ain't that the truth, Shiv," Garrod replied. A moniker. One that made him laugh. "Like a knife in the kidneys," he said with a weird smile on his face. "Yeah, that's a good one,"

When Shiv asked about the tavern, Garrod responded in the negative.

Lucky them then, that Qiven seemed to have a solid lead. Something that started with an S, and involved the Sun. Wasn't long before they found the The Silken Sunset.

"Smells nice enough," Garrod said as a big bellied man walked out of the establishment, a pick for his teeth being used to dig through the gaps between his molars. Garrod looked to his fellows. "Shall we then?" he asked and stepped through the door.

Above the entry a little tin bell did ring. "Mornin darlins!" came a call from one of the servers. A strong lookin man, with a broad chest and round face. "Have a seat anywhere you would like!"

The site that greeted them, was a sea of rough looking mercenary types. Just like them. And they all seemed to be swarmed around a table where a sunkissed elf sat, fine spectacles adorned her green eyes, and she sat back in her seat with some exasperation on her face as she interviewed each mercenary and goon that was offering to be her escort.

"Well, shit" Garrod said as he took it all in.

Shiv Qiven the Tall

 

[Shiv]

"You are at that," the mercenary replied to the comment about the bard's height. Shiv certainly wouldn't have pegged Qiven as a man of the arts but everyone had their talents. Music certainly seemed like it made for a safer life. Shiv didn't know what the coin was like. Apparently not all that great if the man was taking a job as a caravan guard. There was no judgement in the mercenary's thoughts, just a sense of kinship in that most were simply just trying to make a living. Better than the bloated bastard's like Shiv's father and the rest of the Eleven.

Shiv merely shrugged at Garrod's remark. He couldn't remember the last time anyone had called him by his proper name. 'Course his current moniker suggested he was a devious shit. Honestly wasn't the worst reputation to have in his line of work.

They eventually found themselves at the Silken Sunset and it wasn't half bad. Problem was that their contract had turned out to be quite popular. Shiv echoed Garrod's sentiments. It was normal to see some competition but this was likely going to be difficult, no mistake. The mercenary didn't have a plan just yet but he knew how to get his mind working.

"Seems we may need to get creative, I'll grab us a round," Shiv said as he headed off towards the bar.

Qiven the Tall Garrod Arlette

 

[Qiven the Tall]

"It looks like most of the people trying to talk to her are... rough around the edge," Qiven noted. "I do not know your word for it. They look like they could be the bandits that she worries about."

And indeed, they did. The majority of candidates were thuggish and brutish. Someone like her might not take kindly to her company spelling like piss and liquor. She may prefer those more refined, or at least more professional. It's a shame I can't talk to women, he lamented. Not that I'm professional.

"Shiv, if they have it, if you could," Qiven called after Shiv sweetly, "I like mead, the more honey the better!"

He hoped that Shiv would hear him over the ruckus in the tavern, or that the tavern sold such a thing. Forest giants were prone to sweet-tooth and Qiven was no exception. Should the merchant turn their party down, then at the least he could have a sweet treat.

Turning to Garrod, he said, "if one of us has to most of the talk, it should be you. My Common isn't strong enough, and Shiv might look too rough like the others. You look more like you know what you are doing."

The comment about the strength of his Common was only a half-truth. Qiven respected Garrod already, and would feel embarrassed for him to know one of Qiven's silliest flaws. He was terrified of women. He could not talk to them very well, if at all. It would leave a terrible first impression on both the merchant and his party mates if they saw whatever wreck Qiven would wrought if he was first to speak. He would prefer to be the pretty face smiling and nodding in the back.

Shiv Garrod Arlette

 

[Garrod Arlette]

"A dark stout," Garrod put in with Shiv. "If they have it," he added only after hearing his much taller and friendlier companion call out.

What to do. The monster hunter thought as he scratched his chin with his bone-white hand.

You could let me devour one or two of them, oh bearer mine, his demon whispered with a laugh behind their voice. I'm sure seeing a few folks drop to the floor would take attention away from the potential employer. Jewel gleamed, and almost seemed to squint with joy as Belephus' voice laughed joyously from within Garrod's skull.

"No, no. definitely not that," The swordsman said absently, and his hand fell to his side.

The big man turned to him. You look more like you know what you are doing.

Garrod blinked at the compliment, slightly taken aback by the sheer earnestness of it. He cleared his throat and seemed to stand a little taller. "Right, I'll do the talking," he tried to act cool as he rolled his shoulder and closed his eye.

"Still, the crowd is the problem," he looked at the big man, and grinned, devilish. "But you, my floppy eared friend, are a giant bard." He nodded sharply, and pointed his finger over at an empty stage. "How about, you go and ply your trade, put on a little tune to pull their attention." his green eye gleamed and he looked back at the elven merchant. "It'll make getting to our client all the easier." He smirked, and winked at the big man before he started weaving his way through the tightly packed ruffians.

Qiven the Tall Shiv

 

[Shiv]

Shiv caught the two orders before making his way into the crowd. Seems his new companions weren't content with the usual tavern piss. The half-elf couldn't handle the sweetness of mead but who was he to judge. As long as whatever you were drinking led to bad decisions, that's what mattered in the end. He doubted they'd be drinking like that today but the mercenary wouldn't rule it out either. There was competition for the job and not getting it would certainly put him in a foul mood. He hated the idea of letting easy coin slip through his fingers.

"An ale, a stout, and some mead," Shiv stated, not wasting any time as he reached the bar.

"Enterprising sort, are ya?" the barkeep quipped.

"Just trying to make new friends is all," the mercenary explained and then took a moment to look back at the crowded hall. "Business always this good?"

"I wish, friend. No, word a few weeks ago was that one of the big silks was looking to expand his trade, if you get my meaning. Lot of your type came here after hearing that. Nothing happened in the end and now everyone's short on coin."

The mercenary sighed as he gathered the three newly proferred libations. Desperate sellswords could make for trouble. Best hope his companions had come up with some clever scheme instead.

Qiven the Tall Garrod Arlette