<strong>"'You chose wisely, despite the words of rootless foreigners!', Marc, as Gargantua, announces. 'Wolves, huh? No wolves should be able to resist our spears! But...'"<br/><br/>"Here's your first month's worth of payment",</strong>Paco says,<strong>"without lifting his hood, Ugly hands him the money and adds "and there's half that, as a bonus, for all of your men".<br/>"'Surely a leader of fighting men is worth twice, nay...tenfold as much as any of the men he leads?',</strong>Marc - or Gargantua the 20th - announces.<strong>"Such matters should no doubt be reflected when it comes to bonuses, too."<br/>"Twice. I'll take you to your first word",</strong>answers Paco, and hands him an extra two gold pieces.<strong><br/><br/>"'Surely tis' not the first time the hooded one is doing such transactions', another of the captains comments, to which the captain of the archers answers with a shrug. 'Let's drink to them being safe under Gargantua's defence!' The other ones drink their glasses to that",</strong>Marc adds.<br/><strong>"Does Gargantua seem happy?",</strong>Paco interrupts his narration.<br/>"He seems rather thoughtful", answers the DM.<strong>"The bonus you decided should be good enough. But departing already today? That's lots of hurry."<br/>"I think Gwyn forgot to mention that we also offer a 1/4 share of any tresors we find",</strong>says Paco,<strong>"Then I turn around and start to leave, letting them focus on her."</strong><br/>Marc smiles and rolls some dice behind his screen. Then he frowns.<br/>"Gargantua starts dragging his feet after you. In passing, he screams at the men at another table calling them "brothers of curs". They grumble, but get their spears and shields, which were on the wall behind them. Gargantua the Twentieth himself receives similar armement, which was left near with his men's weapons...the only difference is that he sports a shortsword as well, while they seem to have, at most, daggers. You're ready to leave, though the mercenaries seem to be dragging their feet."<br/>Paco grumbles, but turns to you two.<br/><strong>"Well, hiring mercenaries is certainly an expensive business. There went my proceeds, and now I'm as rich as you. It's a good thing I've paid the monthly upkeep for Ugly...that is, 1% of his experience. I should be safe for...how long is left, Marc?"<br/>"About ten days",</strong>comes the answers.