The Testing
You easily find the smug guy from earlier, and ask if he saw who killed the idiot you were going to use.
Well, it wasn't me. That guy you were talking about had it coming his way for quite some time. You can't be too aggressive when you're surrounded by hundreds of killers. Too much attention, and people start getting... stabby.Did you do it?No. I killed the guy that stole my money yesterday. I believe you picked me up while I was lying down just after. The guy was big, but a good stab while they're sleeping, and nobody survives. He chuckles to himself.
Still, I'm assuming you wanted to get some people under your direct command, no? Most lieutenants try to. I can get you some proper guys, if you want."Nobody does anything for free". Those words echo through your mind as you look at him. He's got all the airs of a conman, but still...
What's the catch?He freezes for the tiniest moment, and then rapidly proceeds to smile even wider than before.
I knew I liked you... some suspicion is very healthy! Anyway, there's no catch. Consider it pay for getting me more popular. People that saw me cooking appreciate me quite bit more.You look at him with suspicion, but eventually, you relent. You let him gather up some guys for your ranged training.
While you wait for him to get back, you try to convince karliah to scream again. It's not quite as spontaneous as last time, and it's a little stiff. You pretending like you're going to sting her turns it around into a genuine scream. You apologize right after, but she knows that this is still better than actual torture. She goes back to laying on the furs, looking quite bored. Knowing the horrors of boredom, you eventually decide to take her with you. The chains will give everyone the idea that there's no shenanigans going on between you two, so it should be fine. You're interested in seeing how people react, anyways.
When you walk outside, with your "prize" right beside you, the smug guy is already here, with some lean looking people. Most of them don't look like much, but they seem a lot smarter than the average bandit, at least. You make Karliah and the smug dude carry the extra bolas you made, and you try to find a nice open spot to begin the practice. You find a perfect spot with little trouble, there's even some men made of straw still there, though they look quite damaged. Some silk makes sure it doesn't fall apart completely, and you order them to hit the target at a distance using either bolas or a ranged weapon of choice. Most pick the bolas, although some went for daggers. The results are... surprisingly good. The smug guy knows how to pick them, and they quickly learn how to do a basic throw. Their form's not great, and the aim is a bit off, but strength and speed is certainly there. The people that used daggers, which includes the smug guy, range from utterly disappointing to impressive. Smug dude hits the straw-man straight-on, not missing once. Some others fail to even come close.
A small crowd has begun to form, looking at your training. You decide to make this an advantage:
It's try-outs, you motley bunch! Hit the target at this range with a weapon of your choice, and I'll consider keeping you around as my little entourage. If you have some other type of skill, feel free to show it!This proved to be very effective. Dozens of people actually applied. Most of them boring, however. Some tried to impress you with some basic tricks, such as a handstand. The second one that tried that was quickly pushed over by you, and the withering made it clear you might prefer something more... substantial. After a while, they were really laying it on thick, even bringing you something to sit on as you watched. You rather appreciated it, actually, and you made note of the main ass-kisser here. A small, green guy with some massive ears. A goblin, from the look of things, by the name of Geldstone. He's quick to try and please you, which he succeeds at. Most bandits try their hand at the ranged test, but very little of interest seems to appear. The collection of people trying to impress you, however, is worth it all. You feel a strange sort of satisfaction at seeing them all scurry about trying to beat what the other does. It makes you feel like a queen.
You can CERTAINLY get used to this feeling.
Still, after some time, most of the people have tried their best, and Geldstone delivers you a piece of parchment and an inkfeather ( a small, enchanted feather that holds about just about an entire inkwell inside. They are very inexpensive.) You write down the impressive ones.
Smug Guy is at the top of the list, for a combination of connections and throwing knife accuracy. His name is, as it turns out, Laiko. The following people are new to you and are as follows:
Geldstone: Excellent assistant and asskisser. Small, and non-threatening in combat.
Robbie, Bobbie, Flobbie: Teamwork and Bola-throwing. Also shown to be tricky combatants. They are a team of brothers, so they are inseparable.
Nakir: Massive guy, that cleaved one the wooden training dolls in two in a single strike of his greataxe. Seemed quite stupid, but eager to please.
Rouge: A strange lady dressed in black leather. Extremely agile, but seems very suspicious. Would not give her proper name.
Midas: Twitchy, screamy guy. Extremely fast and accurate, but will never, ever shut up. Was also dressed in what seem to be a jester's rags.
Thorgal: well-built guy, showed off some skill with his longsword. Seemed a bit quiet and potentially aggressive, but mostly just lonely.
Skoom: A dwarf that destroyed a small boulder with his warhammer. Has no tongue, but seemed clever, otherwise.
Harahkilaka: A beastman, looking like a mix between a human and a hare. Jumps good, and has unorthodox weapons. A sai and a long dagger. Strange figure, in general.
Yunikki: Oriental lady, with heavy armor. The only person here to wear a lot of armor. She wielded a longsword, and didn't have much skill with just the weapon. She can still move comfortable
Howard: A duckman. Nothing special, but he was hilarious. although he also gave you a poison-box of his own make, which is a sword-length metal box with a leather cover, allowing you to sting it and poison swords. otherwise, however, he seemed mostly unremarkable.
The crowd has dispersed, and you have a list to ponder. Dinner will need to be taken care of soon, so you've got a choice in what to do next, and also what to make for tonight. If you don't choose the food now, you'll think of something when the time comes...
StatsLevel: 3
HP: 19/20
Mana: 10/10
Equipment:
Sharp studded leather armor
Leather harness
Steel sword
Wooden shield(Well-made)
Items:
Poison-box (in your tent)
Skills:
Poison Stinger (Potentially lethal)
Major experience in blocking and swords.
Climber
Crafty: Bolas
Cooking skill: excellent