Feldard eyed up the four men while Stephan talked to the elven horsetrader. Didn’t matter what the female said, Feldard didn’t trust her or her men. Anyone in business with goblins couldn’t be trusted.
Maruc, however, was relaxed. Horses were horses, he had no idea if white was a common colour for horses out here. In his experience of elves so far, they were friendly so he was surprised at Stephan’s somewhat anagonistic approach. But then again perhaps this was how horse traders dealt with each other. Life in a cloister had shielded him from all this comercialism. He watched with open interest as the conversation progressed, his hand slowly resting on the hoop of his flail when he read the faces of the warriors as Stephan approached.
“Methinks something foul here,” Stephan muttered to his friends as they cautiously approached. “If this one deals with gobs, her profits are forfeit.”
His hand was instinctively on the hilt of his scabbarded sword. Keeping an eye on the ruffians, Stephan looked over the three wagons wondering if more were concealed in them. He hoped Hasan was at a good vantage for all this.
Miklos eye’d the elf with a mixture of concern and doubt. Elves in general were not selfish or driven to shady deals by trade. He had no doubt she felt the party was a threat and if she had been a horse trader for a while she would have traded with the Sukiskyn clan. She may well recognise that Stephan was of their kin and be tempted to some rash pre emptive action. Especially if he pressed her early in the conversation.
The spell casting was another concern. It could be anything, illusion, divination… charm? It was pointless guessing, but it showed she was used to dealing with potential enemies. She obviously felt that we, being strangers were such. He could hardly blame her. If she had dealt with the goblins then they would have told them some details about the raid. Maybe even our descriptions. She has four mercinaries but what she was doing now is gauging us as opponents. If she had any hint of our reputation she would do well to give up the horses, but it all depended on her skills and arrogance. Sadly, elves are known for their arrogance …and their skills.
Miklos looked like a mage. Not the ‘covered in stars and moons’ mage but the traveled, introspective mage. He pointedly made no offensive spellcasting gesture in response to her fumblings. But he did allow Denetiata’s wand to cross from one palm to the other in such a way that a keenly observant individual might notice it.
Subtle. But it would serve as a sufficient warning. Being well versed in casting his sleep incantation at short notice in stressful situations Miklos stood ready to take down all five of them. With a word.
“Good day…Fyodoryll, it is? How is business?”
“Business is well as ever,” she replied. “As you can see we have a fine selection. You have arrived at a fortuitous time. We have just acquired two dozen pure whites only just today.”
Stephan bristled at her words, but tried not to let it show. He started off with some banal talk to assess whether the elf bode evil or no.
“Have you been in these parts long?” The wagons had clearly been there for a long time. The elf and her crew seemed to have commandeered them for a makeshift horse corral.
“We travel to various locales throughout the Dymrak,” replied Fyodoryll. “We shall be here for trading throughout the month of Thaumont.”
Stephan wondered if this elf was profiting from goblin raids. The strategy was simple: provide a mobile market for the goblins to make quick sales of loot. Just follow the clans around on raids and make a tidy profit without having to dirty ones hands. She’d have to pack some formidable defenses, however. It wouldn’t be long before the goblins figured out that this elf must have an ample supply of silver and gold. The dwarf remained in his position at the back of the party where he could keep an eye on each of the four men. If there were more, he couldn’t tell so didn’t concern himself with them, that was Hasan’s job.
“And have you heard of any troubles? Or had any?”
“We are peaceful traders here,” she said smiling. “We avoid trouble wherever we find it.”
“Those are some beauty horses,” Stephan said, nodding to the corral. “They look a bit wet. Have they been run recently?”
“As I’ve said, they are new arrivals, from early this afternoon. You are lucky indeed to be the first to have an opportunity to buy such fine stock. I shall have no trouble finding purchase for this unique breed. In fact,” she continued, “I will most likely be making a journey to Rifllian to see the Calaari, so if you have interest, I’d recommend making a quick and abundant offer.”
Hasan cast the little cantrip he learned long ago, ventriloquism, then circled to the left on the outskirts of the clearing, his subtle movements as innocuous as the waving forest ferns. The humans would never see him, but he could not be sure his skill would defeat the elf’s greater sight.
6 Comments
June 15, 2009 at 2:42 pm
Maruc: 10xp+5xp
Miklos: 10xp+5xp
Feldard: 10xp+10xp
Hasan: 10xp
Stephan: 10xp+10xp+10xp
TOTAL:
Maruc: 18,290/24000
Miklos: 18,365/20000
Feldard: 18,375/34000
Hasan: 17,455/32000
Stephan: 17,295/32000
June 15, 2009 at 11:38 pm
Maruc listened to the conversation with interest, this wasn’t his theatre, so he stayed silent and watchful. Awaiting any sudden movements.
June 15, 2009 at 11:43 pm
Miklos tried to to play devils advocate with his inner desire to mistrust this elf. The goblins may have handed over the horses to the Iron Ring and their associates may have sold them to her. Maybe her only fault was asking a lack of questions? No, elfs are cleverer than that.
This is goning to end badly.
June 16, 2009 at 12:55 am
Hasan could hear little from his distant post, but what he saw suggested the two parties were in a holding pattern, circling around one another. He tried to get all the way around the confident strange elf, who was beautiful in a raw way his own refined Rahasia did not share. Nonetheless,his instincts pitted him against her. Directly opposite his companions, he now saw only the backs of the strangers. He stayed hidden but prepared to advance from behind.
June 16, 2009 at 2:11 am
“Ah”, Stephan feigned patience, “you are in a hurry to sell, it seems.” He turned to eye the horses.
“They do seem to be a fine lot.” He started walking toward the corral, leading the group and Fyodoryll. His horse-trading sense was kicking in. “And only just arrived. Did the seller say why he needed to make the sale here, in the woods? The real trading is in Rifllian and often good prices.”
The Sukiskyn clansman approached a white mare.
“There, there, lovely,” he spoke softly, easing her. The horse responded with a cautious exhale but she turned to Stephan, obviously interested.
“She seems a bit spooked.”
His hands gingerly caressed the mare’s neck. His fingers probing behind the ear for the Sukiskyn mark: a tattoo of two curving “S” marks crossed by two bars — the same emblem that marked his ring recently parted in oath to his brother. He was not too surprised to see the mark had been crudely burned into a ragged patch. The goblins must have taken some time to erase any marks of ownership. The brand was recently burned. The horse winced at his palpitations.
Stephan made no secret of the ear check. Fyodoryll clearly saw his action and the horse’s reaction. He shot the she elf a side glance to make sure they had an unspoken understanding: the horses were clearly illicit.
Bending to check the back left hoof, Stephan spoke. “From what I’ve heard, you’re lucky to have no troubles in Dymrak of late.”
He examined the inside of the hoof, there, clearly carved was the Sukiskyn brand. The secret, secondary mark was a trick his grandfather concocted to better ensure ownership.
Stephan’s patience ran thin at sight of the mark. Turning to Fyodoryll, “I don’t know from where you hence but in this kingdom trading in stolen horses warrants death under hoof!”
A telling glance to his scabbard directed the she elf’s eyes to the clearly embossed Sukiskyn emblem decorating the metal clasp.
“Check the hoof, she elf! Your purchase is forfeit! I claim these 24 whites in the name of Sukiskyn!”
June 16, 2009 at 8:14 am
While Stephan and the others seemed intent on the horses and playing the part of prospective buyers, Feldard hung back to keep watch on the 4 hired help.
He noted how they watched him warily. The dwarf grunted and moved closer to the covered wagons.
“Bah, all this concern over horses, ” the dwarf muttered to himself. Feldard had no interest in the stolen horses – not really; what he wanted to know was where the goblins had gone to after off-loading the herd.
Then he heard Stephan’s ultimatum and grimaced. He kept his eyes on the 4 men and his hand on the handle of his axe.