A slight frown appears on Ullar's face, but he says nothing besides a soft mumble about someone called Xania...
Arkady laughs heartily and elbows Dakath. "Da Da a night with a good wench is indeed an investment. I think that such a clause would only get us an investment in 6 feet of land however."
Dakath grins "Perhaps you are right, such depravity sits much better in a large town or city and I'm not quite ready for that type of land."
"Before we do any of that," Forte blurts out, hoping to speak while Ullar stops to catch his breath, "we need to outfit ourselves properly. AFTER that is done, we can talk about giving money away. I mean, investing it."
"I think I'll come to that soon" says Ullar, grateful that he is getting all the attention.
"I do think that we could divest ourselves of a considerable portion of this money and still equip ourselves. All I need is more food; I would guess that that's all several of us would need. What we have in cash should buy your armor and him a sword."
Ratlin smirks at Ullar and replies, "As long as I get first crack at spells and scrolls before they are given away, then it is not a problem. Though Giving away all of the money is not a good idea. We do need to resupply and such."
"Hey!" Ami seems a little miffed. "You'll have to share those spells and scrolls!" He then looks very embarrassed by his outburst. "Sorry," he mumbles, "didn't mean to shout..."
Ratlin grins at Ami, "Oh I plan on sharing them. I meant first crack before they are given away to others."
Dakath leans over to Ami "Don't worry Ami, if you feel left out at all, let me know and I'll be sure to steal some nice items for you." he smiles "After all that's what friends are for."
"Thanks, Dakath," smiles the Gnome, looking down, " it's just that sometimes I feel everything is going over my head... I just don't want to be overlooked, you know?"
Dakath grins "Believe me, being overlooked can work to your advantage you know, it has for me in the past, the ability to blend in or go unnoticed is a very useful one, remember that. Don't worry I'll see your not forgotten."
"Don't worry, Ami, I think between the two of us we could pry a few out of his paws." Tolik adds lightly.
Ratlin smirks. "I'd like to see you try..."
Tolik grows condescending with Ratlin. "Oh you would? I've no doubt that could be arranged human." The last part comes out as almost a hiss.
Ratlin just sneers and looks over at Ami, "Do not worry, I do plan on sharing the spells if you wish to share them as well."
Tolik seems ready to move away from this subject. "Just be sure you do."
"Scrolls, spells, potions, gems. Those are never the issue here. It's just about plain gold; way to heavy to haul with us I think." says Ullar, trying to defend his plan at the best of his abilities.
"I think we just cannot carry all that gold with us; certainly not when we're about to visit some pirates. If we invest 2500 in each camp we still have 2600 left to divide amongst ourselves. I bet we can buy all the resources we want with that." Ullar continues.
"Agreed Ullar. Plus with the more portable cash of the gems and bars we should be set." Arkady assents.
Tolik looks toward Ullar. "Sounds good enough to me. We need to get rid of the weight, no way we can possibly travel with all of it. Plus we would be in bad shape if we got attacked, poor once again."
"That sounds like plenty to me and who's to say we won't find more as time goes on." Ratlin replies with a nod.
"Sounds good to me, Ullar," pipes up Amibar from the corner, " I mean, I wouldn't know WHAT to do with all my share, anyway."
"Think of all the magic dust you could buy," suggests Forte, remembering the effectiveness of Ami's sleep spell in recent days.
"It's not really magic dust, Forte, it's just sand." Ami smiles mischievously. " But now that I've told you, I'm going to have to kill you..."
Grinning Ratlin admonishes Ami, "How dare you tell our secrets."
"Choose your weapon!" Forte demands with mock indignity, "Sword or mace?" He turns to Ullar for a moment, "Ullar, Ami may need to borrow my sword for a moment - just long enough to slay me."
"Hey.. pick opponents who are larger than your sword.." says Ullar, smiling from ear to ear. The warrior does, however, offer Forte's sword to Amibar. "Be careful, little one, for this is his sword and he must have put some spell upon it that only big people can fight with it..."
"I don't think I can even lift your sword, Forte, so why don't I just turn you into a toad, and then Natasha can eat you..." Ami seems to be enjoying this bantering immensely, as if it is completely new to him.
"A toad? Yuk!" is Forte's response. "Couldn't you at least make me a snake, to give me a sporting chance?" asks the warrior.
Tolik grins, "No, no, no Ami. You don't hafta kill him unless you explain the part about blood sacrifices. The sand part is okay as long as you make him get it." He winks at Ami, and tries to resume a serious expression.
"The sacrifices... right..." Amibar winks back at Tolik. "Seems your life is spared, Forte," he says to the big man." For now..." he adds in a mock-menacing tone.
Arkady howls with laughter and rolls out of his chair as he watches this interchange. "A traveling troupe of fools we can be if disguises are needed. See the Mad Russian, Wrestle the Amazing Forte. See A Flying Elf. Ha ha ha ha" He dissolves in laughter.
Asif listens fully to Ullar's words without interruption, his hawk like features nodding with agreement at each interval in Ullar's speech.
"Efendi, wisdom flows from your lips like water flows from the Nile. Be comforted that I throw my total support behind this motion. Fate has brought me to this land, fate has granted me true love. Rhune and I shall soon marry and we must have a place to call home where many fine sons maybe brought up. Investing in these villages which have despite great hardship, opened up there hospitality to us, is an display of true enlightenment. I thank Aten for you wisdom, and as it is said by you, let it be done."
Hearing the words "many fine sons" Rhune sighs just a little she has not yet told him of the problems they may face with that. It is not that she does not want to give him those "many fine sons" it is that she may not be able to because of time. She will have to talk with Asif to explain some things to him and soon.
Dakath grins "Well well well, it seems you were wasted in the Arena Ullar, it looks like you've got merchant blood. Since you seem to be doing so well then I'm happy to go through with your plan."
Ullar returns the grin. "Seems to me that being a guard at a temple of Mercury had some side-effects, like that merchant blood you are talking about."
"Well, if we're gonna run this as a business, I have to ask..." Forte pauses to make sure he has Ullar's attention. "When we set out to rescue Stephen there was some talk of a reward. Where is the reward and how much is it? How much more does that add to our haul?"
"I don't know yet. I've mentioned it casually, but he didn't respond. I will mention it again, this evening, when I make the proposal. If your point is that these people need to be trusted on their words than I totally agree with your suspicion. Is that what you are aiming at, Forte?"
"Partly, yes." Forte looks at Ullar with a bemused smile on his face. "I'm not sure exactly what I was driving at. Thinking of the greater good is fine, but if we are to do any good to them, to us, or to anyone, we need to think of ourselves first. We need things, or we will die facing these 'death heads' and pirates and what not." He looks around at Rhune, Asif, and the others who survived the tower. "Right now, we need armor. Asif needs some, Rhune needs a different type altogether, and I need something better than this," he slaps the leather armor he is wearing. "And I'm starting to miss my sword." With a smile to show he is only joking, Forte quickly adds, "Not really. But I am starting to get out of practice with a sword." The warrior then turns serious, sighing as he says to those gathered 'round, "And this elven city, we may be able to buy some stuff there. But armor for humans? Two-handed swords? I doubt it. And if a horse is lamed or dies, we'll need to replace it - fast. And that won't be easy or cheap."
Forte looks over at Dakath for any reactions to his next statement, "Giving money to these settlements certainly sounds like a nice long-term investment." The fighter looks hopeful, almost eager for Dakath to confirm it's a good deal. "But will 2600 gold coins be enough for everyone to get everything they need? Or almost everything? Armor and swords and horses....it all adds up rather quickly. And Rhune has already given Petr 100 of her gold. I know it sounds like a lot of money, but with our needs we will spend it fast."
Dakath rubs his chin thoughtfully for a moment "2600 gold should be more than enough to provide you with the best offensive and defensive tools, and your forgetting the fortune we've amassed in gems Forte, I say we give them their chance of survival. Even I'm not that callous as to weigh a village's community against a fancy suit of plate mail."
To confirm what he has said he works it out as best as he can "A suit of plate mail can cost anywhere from 400 to 10,000 gold, although you could probably pick one up a decent one for about 600-700 gold, a two handed sword around 50 gold and a good riding horse can cost anywhere between 75 to 150 gold." Dakath chuckles "But with a bit of haggling I'm sure we could alter the costs a little here and there."
Forte almost whispers the next part, possibly to hide some embarrassment. "Recent days have seen us almost killed. All of us. We've got to have better protection before we charge into some pirate den, gnoll kingdom, or magical glowing tapestry mountain hideout retreat hideaway place. As the stakes get higher, so will the danger. And we're still running around like raw recruits - in terms of protection, anyway. Think of the magic needed to create that tapestry. And that's just the map! Somehow, I don't think just goblins will be guarding whatever treasure is there. And I'm getting kind of sick of nearly dying every day. Armor first. Even if it means staying here and making it ourselves."
"Ahh, Forte, you speak as if all we came away with were coins," Tolik says in a calm, rational tone of voice. "You are perhaps forgetting the gems, and the ingots, and the trinkets we picked up in the room where Arkady and I had our falls? If all we had were coins, I would say hold more back and we could just spend it all. But we have things of value more easily carried, I think we want to rid ourselves of most of the coin." The elf opens his mouth as if to say more, but thinks better of it and sits listening to where the discussion will go next.
"I forgot about that ingots and other things," says Forte. "It might be difficult to convert gems to gold unless we're in a city, but with all the things you mentioned, we probably don't have to worry about being broke for a while." Forte smiles. "And I have some gold already stashed away from before the trip to the tower. We can always fall back on that if we need to."
Noticing how long he has spoken, Forte apologizes to the group, "I've rambled on long enough. I just wanna make sure we're ready for the next task at hand."
Pietro ponders for the moment. "Wise words, Forte. I think we should make sure that we are supplied as well as possible. Where we are going, we will need all the help we can get. Bad equipment can get us killed. I will compile a list of the things we definitely need for the next trip. After that we should get as much as possible from that list, pay it with the gold, and see what is left from the money, so we can decide what to do with it. The written contract is a very good idea as well."
Arkady nods and smiles wanly at Forte's words. "You make an excellent argument Forte. I too could use more armor and supplies for our journey. I think that with the gems and the coin we will be keeping that we should be fine in terms of financing. But I am new to the group and I don't know how money is handled amongst you."
Forte laughs at the memory as he tells Arkady, "Well, if I do the negotiations, we lose half our treasure!" He looks at Dakath, thankful that once in the past the 'spice merchant' saved a deal after Forte had bungled it. "We don't have any formal arrangement for handling money. Everyone just sort of carries their own. Just split it equally and to each his own. But now, with so much money involved, we do need to keep better track of it. And maybe we should keep a small pool for group supplies."
Dakath joins the two men "If you'd like when we get into the next town I can purchase a ledger and then create individual accounts for us all. I've dealt with large sums of money before and so it would be nothing for me to create and manage your accounts."
"Sounds like a good plan to me" answers the ex-gladiator
Rhune looks over at Dakath with a mischievous glint to her lavender eyes, "Hmmmmm.....I am certain that you WOULD do a good job of managing our accounts" she smiles at him.
Dakath turns to Rhune, smiling he bows low to her "I would take the utmost care and skill in managing your financial accounts."
Ratlin looks at Dakath and smirks wondering what the con man has in mind, "I can manage my own accounts just fine thank you."
"It's alright Forte. I quite understand your reasoning. I for one would like to have different armor. the 100 gold I gave already could be taken from my share and added to the amount that Ullar wants to give. As for staying here long enough it might not be a bad idea we know that someone may be coming here to get the tapestry. We could help in the battle, perhaps get some of that magic. speaking of magic we got some things that someone should detect on. Perhaps they are magical." Rhune offers.
Ratlin looks at Rhune, a excited glint in his eyes and replies, "I can try to see if they are if you give me a little time to prepare."
"I'd like to see if anyone can find out something about this mace," says Forte. "I can't remember if we ever checked it for magic, but it sure does damage to skeletons. And when I hit a skeleton with it, it makes me feel stronger, somehow."
"Well then, if anyone has anything that they believe is magical , then once I have studied the spell, gather everything and I will cast it." Ratlin replies.
"Give me a couple of hours so I can study it. I will sit out on the meeting if need be, I'd just like to be filled in later as to what went on if that is alright." Ratlin replies.
"Now that is an excellent suggestion." adds Ullar ".. and regarding your speech Forte, you made some good points. I know that Petr and his men wants the horses to be sold to the Rifflians, but if we are going to invest in this camp there is no hurry. So if we are going to get ourselves supplies, armor and weapons first I think it will not be a problem. Or is it?"
"Dakath, Rhune, could you appraise these ingots and these gems on their value? I'd like to split them evenly among the group. If nobody has a better suggestion, I'd like the ingots to become 'group' merchandise where we have to decide upon all together if we're about to spend it." Ullar asks.
"This is acceptable to me. I think having a group reserve is a great plan." Arkady says.
"Fine with me," replies Tolik He pulls out a couple of the ingots and sets them on the ground.
Dakath picks up one of the gold ingots and weighs it in his hand a moment "These are worth about 150 gold each." He then looks through the parties gems appraising them and giving a report to those around him.
He appraises fifteen gems, a dozen worth 500 gold pieces, two worth a thousand, and one worth one hundred.
"Wow.. ok.. so we have 2600 gold, 7 times 150 gold for the ingots AND the gems. I think we are really stashed here!" the warrior says with a broad smile. "Forte, I think we can buy anything we want with that, right?"
"It seems that we do have a lot of money or the potential for a lot money" Rhune replies. "That should be enough for us outfit ourselves quite well, though we may not have much left over at the end."
Ullar ponders the situation after hearing the discussions about magic, religion and his proposal. Seeing that he can benefit from some rest as well, the warrior comes up with one final suggestion:
"Friends, I think we'll find ourselves a city soon enough. Perhaps it's wise to write down a list regarding what we want to have. If we can create one, we can specify what we want to buy for the benefit of the group and what we want to buy for ourselves. Here are my wishes."
Ullar's wishes: - barding for Zephyr (chain) - saddle blanket - flint & steel - lantern - oil (5) - Greek fire (4) - surcoat (to wear over platemail) - knife sheath (for dagger) - map/scroll case (for the two maps) - shirt - soap - clawed gloves - crampons - winter blanket
"Anyway, I think it will become handy if we make up a list of items we want to purchase. So far I've heard the following:
- armor for Forte, Rhune and Asif - a greatsword for Ullar - supplies for Tolik - new clothes for Forte, Ullar and ... - wedding gown for Rhune
Ullar's suggestions for group equipment: - draft horse for carrying stuff - saddle bags - tent(s) Ullar has one, who else? - shovel - grappling hook - block & tackle - supplies for horses - additional supplies for party (food, torches, water) - fishing net