Head over to the corkboard and try and listen in on a few conversations read said corkboard as well.
Laura sort of shuffles over to the cork board and stands around, staring blankly into space as she devotes all of her brainpower to listening to people having bar conversations. Moments pass in a torrent of raucous echoing gibberish before one voice rises above the chorus.
"Hey! Hey, you!" Laura has picked up on a conversation! A paranoid spark flashes behind her eyes as she looks around suspiciously before realizing that the voice is coming from a very, almost shockingly ugly man who is standing right next to her. "Read the corkboard. Read it. Stop just standing there and read the corkboard. Hmph."
Laura stands staring in shock at the hideous man. He grabs her shoulders and sort of turns her body so she's facing the corkboard.
My Ad: "High quality Cook For Hire, Moderate Experience with Adventurers and Chaotic Problems While Cooking, Price To be Decided before Hiring.
Also, Currently Selling The Best meat this side of the Boundless Desert Find to Contact at The Crazed Ferret Tavern! Ask the Bartender for Florain!"
Certified Monstrologist from Velbacia's MonstrAcc Seeks Adventuring Group for Field Studies
Are you a daring and audacious adventurer ? A grizzled veteran or an ambitious youth ? A lone wolf or a balanced party ?
Well, did you know that elementals are actually a colony of smaller beings working like a hive-mind ?
Did you know that zombies are attracted by mana emanated by living beings ?
Did you know that giant dungeon spiders will only attack creatures that enter their territory ?
You didn't ? Then you are in dire need of a Monstrologist !
As a scholar specialized in the field of monstrology, a monstrologist knows all there is to know about the various creatures you will encounter during your adventures.
Giving you room to prepare battle strategies, and strike at the weakest points of your enemies, the valuable knowledge of a monstrologist will save your lives more than once !
Then this is your lucky day !
For I, Merenio Estobari, Monstrologist graduated from Velbania's prestigious Monstrology Academy is looking for a party to explore the various lands around Ronke, in the hopes of studying more monsters.
I am ready to grant my full knowledge of monsters to my contractor, and I can protect myself decently if needed.
…
Wage salary beginning at [scribbled] coins per week, subject to variation.
Contract breaching will inquire additional fees.
I am free to break the contract if the terms don't fit my goals, or if you are jerks.
A huge wanted poster, dominated by two grisly portraits. On the left, a portrait of a man's face, completely wrapped and obscured by coarse bandages. His baleful eyes radiate malice, and the hilts of two swords are visible over his shoulders. Underneath, in huge letters;
WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE: "Tumbleweed"
For Murder, Banditry, Battery, Assault, Assault on an Officer of the Law, Theft, Arson, Cruelty, &c.
REWARD: TWO HUNDRED GUINEAS
NOTES: ARMED AND DANGEROUS
On the right side of the poster, there is another portrait. This one is of a grizzled badass of a man with flowing hair, an iron scowl powerfully carved into his features, and a huge eyepatch shaped like a human skull. His single eye seems to fix the viewer like an electric jolt. Whoever drew these made them look way too cool to be good wanted posters.
WANTED ALIVE, FOR TORTUROUS EXECUTION: Jalak "The Camel" Sinostri
For Murder, Banditry, Battery, Assault, Theft, Womanslaughter, Forgery, Camelstealing, Horsepoisoning, Bigamy, & the rest,
REWARD: TWO HUNDRED AND FIVE SCORE GUINEAS
NOTES: RECENT LULL IN ACTIVITY MAY INDICATE NEW NEFARIOUS SCHEME
RONKE CITY GUARD
Join today! Exciting positions available for full time
guardsmen, as well as for specialists and contractors for
special missions, training events, logistical support.
Inquire with local guards! Wow!
Adventurers Wanted
His lordship, Carlyle von Ronke, is seeking enterprising individuals to complete certain non-standard tasks. All interested persons are to contact the von Ronke manor. Individuals will be grouped into parties and parties must sign up with the names of all members in the party.
***
Monster Hunting
Beasts both pesky and dangerous roam the lands surrounding Ronke. Bounties will be paid for the extermination of these creatures according to the threat they pose. Proof of death is required to receive payment. All monster parts will be considered the party's property.
***
Rare Creature Identification
A rare and unknown creature requires identification. A qualified party is requested to search for clues as to the discovery of the creature's nature. A representative of the von Ronke family will accompany the party to determine the validity of the clues and aid in the investigation. Necessary activities may include but are not limited to: the raiding and/or delving of dungeons, tombs, ancient ruins, otherworldly planes of existence, and libraries. Payment will be given for useful clues. All loot gathered by the party will be returned to the citizens of Ronke should they have claims on it. Otherwise, all loot gathered will be kept by the party.
DO YOU WANT TO BECOME A SUPERIOR BEING?
DO YOU HAVE ANY MONSTROUS FEATURES (not necessarily your own) THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SELL?
ARE YOU TOO POOR TO AFFORD ANY OTHER HEALING SERVICE?
COME VISIT THE GRAFT SHACK TODAY!
Warning: Customer safety not guaranteed. The Graft Shack and its associates are not responsible for any injuries, psychological damage, or rip-offs that customers may receive.
THE COMING OF EIZKOL ARB
As prophesied in ancient times, the great serpent EIZKOL ARB (pbuh) will soon rise from the desert to devour the world and ferry his faithful on his back across the great celestial sea forever. The unsaved will not be spared. Embrace your squamous destiny and hail the legendary serpent, become one with the order of the chosen and be carried across the gulf of night. Inquire at 123 Snake Street, Inner West Ronke.
Enquire about the state of our funds. Regardless of the answer, head out to the shopping district and have a look at what weapons, armour and survival gear might be on offer. Also subtly inspect the people of Ronke whilst browsing. Leave the soap on the table, and make sure I remember the way back.
"Right now, we have three hundred guineas as allocated in the will. Violaceous Turaco left an additional undisclosed sum to be distributed when the company accomplishes certain tasks, such as killing ogres. Fifty golden guineas are to be granted for each dead ogre, but I'm personally not sure that's worth it. Either way, three hundred is a very large amount of money. You should have no trouble purchasing whatever equipment you need that is not already in the house." Phineas fishes a small pouch out of his pocket and slides it across the table. [3] The chamberlain catches it at the table edge and quickly counts it; about ten guineas worth of silver coins. Even this is a lot of money to be carrying around unarmed.
Pyotr swishes his cape with a flourish and steps out into the blaring daylight. The street stretches out in either direction to an undefined horizon, puffs of sand swirling on the light desert sirocco. He picks a direction and starts walking, observing people as he passes. The chamberlain is well acquainted with the general character of Ronke; the people are pale, small, and slender. Strange morphologies are more common here than elsewhere, and no one who isn't keeping it a secret knows why. It isn't unheard of for someone to be born with too many arms, or with a wide serpentine mouth, or any number of other bizarre teratomorphic things. In spite of (or maybe because of?) their unusual character, the people of Ronke are generally very accepting of outsiders. Hospitality is considered very important here, as is dueling, the husbandry of exotic beasts, and various apocalyptic cult religions.
But enough about all that, [3 + 1 = 4, for operating as a bandit in the area before] Pyotr finds his way into one of the bazaar districts. Stalls line the streets and alleys, merchants loudly extol the virtues of their wares, and fragrant and oddly colored smokes drift from the occasional den of exotic vice.
A large stall is lined with piles of mass produced hammered bronze plate armor, stacked in sheaves and for sale by part. Another is full of polearms, and that well-respected traditional Ronke weapon; the pole-saw. One has enormous weasels with glossy coats twisting and frolicking in wooden cages. A particularly ratty looking stall labeled "The Graft Shack" seems to be peddling emergency street surgery. Someone else is selling large glass jars of viscous colored fluid that you can't identify.
You can buy anything in this city. You just need to know where to look. What are you looking for?
Drubjarred would do his best to ignore the block of "Soap" and go to the nearest guard post offering to train the guardsmen.
[6] Hmm. Yes. Not thinking about that huge block of black lotus soap at all. Absolutely not at all. Palms are sweating because your hands are warm. God, your hands are so warm right now that it's making your mouth dry. Thank god you have this gigantic block of soap to- wait, no. Not thinking about that.
Drubjarred staggers out into the street and wanders down to the nearest guardpost; a small tent with two guys in canvas armor standing outside. One of them has a shortsword, the other has a pole saw. [2] They look at him with an unenthusiastic glower. Maybe he looks like a vagrant or something.
"Hail. What do you want?" The guy with the pole saw asks dryly.
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Topic: Turaco's Sellswords RTD: Turn 17: I Guess This Counts As Taking Casualties (Read 28946 times)