<strong>"Well, you came in with a merchant caravan, din't ye?"</strong>the man answers the cat-woman, jerking his thumb towards the door they had entered in, just as their dwarven caravan master was coming in, two of Gerion's companions in tow. They looked less than happy. The man didn't really seem to notice that trio, though, instead gaping at Gerion and Raz.<br/><br/>The first speaker, Tev, laughed and slapped the table.<strong>"Mercenaries, then! If you're that hard-up for work, me an' Rolf here ain't who you want to talk to."</strong>he ripped off a piece of dark bread, stuffing it into his mouth.<strong>"Only a couple coppers in our pockets, ain't that right? I guess-"</strong>he interrupts himself with a swig of beer<strong>"- if you really want coin you could talk to Mayor Lardbum."</strong>Apparently this is a common title for the man.<strong>"Or talk to Gellie, she runs the orchard? She's poor as the rest of us anyway, though."</strong><br/><br/>The other man - Rolf - pointed into the air with his finger.<strong>"And it's not like they're <em>normal</em> apple trees, anyway. Ain't like we have a problem with those little gremlins making off with some fruit."</strong>He quaffs his beer as well.<strong>"We grow 'em from the seeds of the apple the little shits sell us. hell, we barely got the gold to buy <em>that</em>, tell you the..."</strong><br/><br/><div class="floatleft">(https://www.medieval-shop.co.uk/3530-thickbox_default/pirate-leather-bag-with-8-spanish-coins.jpg)</div>Rolf quiets hismelf as Tenber Halfaxe and the other two mercenaries approach the table.<strong> "That fucking mayor and his <em>tariffs</em>,"</strong>the dwarf sneers, literally making air quotes with his fingers.<strong>"Road's been clear this far north, and hte mayor says he ain't heard piss about anything north of this muddy little hole full of sheep-shit."</strong>Tucking his hands into his vest, he produces a few pouches of rough canvas cloth, tossing them onto the table with the heavy and light clink of coin within.<strong>"So. I no longer require so many guards - and couldn't afford to pay ye fer the whole way <em>anyway</em>."</strong><br/><br/>There's a purse for everyone at the table - except Gerion. One of his companions offers out a fist, with several straws clasped in it.<strong>"He's keeping five of us and leaving three,"</strong>the man - Alsbarn by name - explains.<strong>"We decided drawing lots was the best way to decide who among us gets the short."</strong>The man clearly isn't happy about it, but business is business.<br/><br/><strong>"'Course, if you want to <em>buy a ride</em> northward..."</strong>the miserly dwarf offers, eyeballing the coin pouches he just tossed out...<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">OOC</div><div class="spoiler_body"> Sorry for the long delay, getting my other games up and handing RL has kinda left this one in the lurch this week. Should be good now!<br/><br/>Each of you has a purse containing 15 gold pieces, 5 silver, and 10 copper now. Except Ixelshasi, who has a purse containing 9 gold, 2 silver, and 12 copper. This is, as you might understand, rather less than your characters agreed to before taking this particular job.<br/><br/>And sorry to dispel any tension, but <em>of course</em> Gerion gets the short straw (and with it, the same amount of pay.) True to what they said, two other members of the mercenary group are similarly stranded, as are two or three other members of the caravan.<br/><br/>In short, this sucks. What do you do now?</div></div>