Day 44: The Last of the Bounty

[Stix]

Just after everyone has eaten their midday meal, Piers calls over to the other boats. "I finished repairing the Bacchae's things," he starts with a smile. "We have -- hold a moment, I'll come right over."

Leaning over the side of the boat, he pours a silvery liquid from a small bottle and murmurs something softly, making a few brief hand gestures. Where the liquid touches the water, it expands into a reflective disc like polished steel, three feet across. It rises to hover knee-high over the water, and Piers steps gingerly onto it, drifting over the sea to cross the gap between boats.

(As Piers continues talking, he sends the disc to and from Nuuko and John's boat, giving them a lift across one at a time if they so choose.)

"There were various pieces of jewelry among the petitioners' belongings," he continues. "I also found a few small items of statuary that are particularly interesting." Beginning to unload a large sack, Piers shows each piece and lists a market value.

Plain gold ring, likely an inexpensive wedding band (10 GP)
Wooden bottle, engraved with a scene of grazing goats (10 GP)
Red wax sculpture of a phalanxman, excellent detail (20 GP)
Bronze torc, shaped like a venomous snake (30 GP)
Ivory statuette of a lion (100 GP)
Bronze pendant with silver inlay in the shape of a bowman (120 GP)
Beaded necklace with round red stones and golden seashells (200 GP)
Copper drinking horn with finely engraved wooden figure of Dionysus for handle (400 GP)
Masterwork wooden aulos (Greek "double flute"), inlaid with silver, with finely etched bronze sliders and turning sleeves (600 GP)
Topaz and electrum cameo of a singing woman (800 GP)
Silver statuette of a bull with opal eyes and jet hooves (900 GP)
Silver, sapphire-studded circlet in the shape of a crown of fruiting vines (1900 GP)
Collar made of a lustrous rose-colored metal, with a spherical translucent reddish-purple stone suspended in an inflexible metal net (2000 GP)
Gold crown with golden beads/bells on chained tassels (2400 GP)

Setting the last piece down, he continues. "Many of these have some sort of religious significance, and I do collect... but I wouldn't have come across any of this without you cutters, and so it would hardly be proper to simply keep it all without giving you each the chance to take your share.

"Here is my offer. I am prepared to give each of you a one thousand gold piece credit." He gives a moment to let that sink in, enjoying the awe that slips through the cracks of even the stoniest expressions. "We don't carry that kind of jink on-hand, of course; it will be made payable once Robert and I have the opportunity to return home and send payments by courier -- less the value of any of these items. My brother tells me he's already divided the precious stones among you; should you wish them to be appraised or to use them as payment for those items exceeding your credits, I will gladly oblige."

[feq]

"Well, I must admit that the beaded necklace catches my eye. Perhaps its the sea shells. I'd love to hang onto that, if nobody objects. Other than that, I'll wait and see if anything else catches my minds eye."

[john]

"I'll take the credit, personally. I am not one for personal adornment of any sort beyond that which is purely practical."

[Stix]

Piers observes Vatndir's comment with a brief nod as he listens to John. "Of course. If at any point you should like to claim something as collateral or a security or whatever term you should choose to use, you are more than welcome... tax-man," he says with a smirk.

[feq]

"Hey Holgar, you should really consider the Copper drinking, I think it suits you." Vatndir says with a smile.

Vatndir had a deeper thought, and then added "I'd like to consider the rose collar, for a friend. I'm not sure I want it, but I'd like to consider it, if nobody else claims it later."

[john]

"There is no need. I trust you. Collateral or security or the like is only something to be used where trust has not been earned. Besides, -you- employ -me-. The collateral and security is my continued interest in preserving you both."

[TheGratefulNed]

admin said:

Leaning over the side of the boat, he pours a silvery liquid from a small bottle and murmurs something softly, making a few brief hand gestures. Where the liquid touches the water, it expands into a reflective disc like polished steel, three feet across. It rises to hover knee-high over the water, and Piers steps gingerly onto it, drifting over the sea to cross the gap between boats.

(As Piers continues talking, he sends the disc to and from Nuuko and John's boat, giving them a lift across one at a time if they so choose.)

The white-haired Athasian very hesitantly approaches the side of the boat and slowly, carefully steps onto the strange floating disc. He holds onto the railing of the vessel almost too long as the magical transport tries to pull him toward the other boat. When he is out of arms reach of the boat his legs visibly tense. He looks as though he's preparing to jump - which, in fact, he is given his recent accidental submersion in this putrid liquid the others here insist is water.

admin said:

"Here is my offer. I am prepared to give each of you a one thousand gold piece credit." He gives a moment to let that sink in, enjoying the awe that slips through the cracks of even the stoniest expressions. "We don't carry that kind of jink on-hand, of course; it will be made payable once Robert and I have the opportunity to return home and send payments by courier -- less the value of any of these items. My brother tells me he's already divided the precious stones among you; should you wish them to be appraised or to use them as payment for those items exceeding your credits, I will gladly oblige."

The dark elf watches closely as each piece of treasure is laid before him. These people have no idea what they have here, that pendant alone could feed my tribe for years. At the mention of the thousand gold credit his eyes obviously register surprise as he calculates that figure into the fortune he's managed to amass already.

feq said:

Vatndir had a deeper thought, and then added "I'd like to consider the rose collar, for a friend. I'm not sure I want it, but I'd like to consider it, if nobody else claims it later."

Nuuko picks up the ornate, metal collar and inspects it closely. Nodding to himself, he addresses Vatndir, "I think this suits me well." Even as his raspy, accented common carries to the others, he holds it up to see how it looks against his near-ebony skin.

[Stix]

"It's githyanki in make," Piers comments idly. "Very fashionable in the Cage and many of the gate towns."

After a pause, he adds: "Well, I shouldn't say that with such certainty. It looks githyanki, at least -- I've never seen that metal, nor that style before. Unique."

[john]

"Don't be too quick to pick up things of Githyanki make. They're liable to take them back at a moment's notice , and violently at that."

John comments for a moment, then peers at the item. He looks for any script upon the item, seeing as how he can speak, and read gith (assuming he's literate in the language he speaks as one of his bonus languages, and since he paid for literacy.)

[TheGratefulNed]

admin said:

"It's githyanki in make," Piers comments idly. "Very fashionable in the Cage and many of the gate towns."

After a pause, he adds: "Well, I shouldn't say that with such certainty. It looks githyanki, at least -- I've never seen that metal, nor that style before. Unique."

Nuuko nods at the human's words, remembering the gaudy adornments that some of N'tehv'in's kindred wore. If this soft, water-saturated human hasn't seen its like before, it's definitely worth my having.

john said:

"Don't be too quick to pick up things of Githyanki make. They're liable to take them back at a moment's notice , and violently at that."

Nuuko replies in the Githyanki tongue, "well...if they want their language back, they'll need to take it back violently."

[john]

"I'll warrant that isn't as hard a task as you would think. They're very dangerous. I'd rather fight a devil or a fiend than a gith."

[edisoncarter]

Nilou's been silent for the entire exchange, looking at all the items.

"May I see the crown, please?" she asks.

The colors are a bit unlike me, but it might be appropriate for a few dance pieces. Especially with the bells. ...But I think my best bet would be the aulos. Well worth learning to play.

[feq]

"The wooden bottle." Vatndir said out of nowhere. "Of course, i imagine I shall take that. However, I question, did I imagine it with contents? or a lid? My decision to take it remains the same either way."

[Stix]

Piers hands the crown to Nilou to examine. It's heavier than she'd expected, and jingles melodically with every slight movement.

To Vatndir, the Athar says: "Unfortunately, the bottle, like most of these items, was in several pieces when found. It's taken my full complement of spellslinging every day for a week to put everything back in order."

[feq]

"I'll take it anyway" Vatndir says with a smile. "And please remember, dear employer, that I am always available to help you with any appraising, repair or spell slinging work you may require assistance in."

[TheGratefulNed]

feq said:

..."And please remember, dear employer, that I am always available to help you with any appraising, repair or spell slinging work you may require assistance in."

Nuuko considers Vatndir's words for a few seconds before adding, "while I've some eye for quality and value of items, I'd warrant it's not as trained as yours, Piers. But if you come across any damaged bows, let me examine them before you try magicking them back to good repair. I might be able to save you the hassle and it'd give me something to do."

[edisoncarter]

Nilou can't resist. SHe places the crown gingerly on her head, takes a dancing stance, something that's slow and sweeping, something that won't jangle, something deliberate. Finding enough space to at least practice some of the moves from the dance she's called up from memory, she starts to move, just to hear the bells ring...

[Stix]

"Actually," Piers says to Vatndir, "we really should get around to comparing notes again. When we're up for breakfast tomorrow, remind me to find my records."
[whisper=Feq]If Vatndir plans to take him up on that, feel free to start a new thread for day 45.[/whisper]

After Nuuko speaks his piece, Piers adds "Of course. I was unaware of your craft; I will have to keep that in mind."

As Nilou moves, the crown's beads and bells and chains move with her, as if each individual tassel were keyed to a limb or digit. The faint sounds, tintinnabulation barely making itself heard over the waves, serve to enhance her every movement, commanding attention.
[whisper=edisoncarter]In game terms, this piece will add a +2 to all Perform/Dance checks.[/whisper]

[TheGratefulNed]

admin said:

After Nuuko speaks his piece, Piers adds "Of course. I was unaware of your craft; I will have to keep that in mind."

Nuuko nods solemnly, "I would do my tribe a great disservice if I found myself just over a dune from a hunting pack of kreen and unable to lead them away from the tribe or even harry them because of a broken bowstring or splintered arrows."

[john]

John grunts and looks over at Nilou
"Interesting trinket." He then looks over to Nuuko, the concept of a tribe being converted to that of a gang in his mind, and, reminded of his own squalid beginnings, he asks, "What was your tribe like?"