House Kaliaxix Session 14

<SqueeGM> When we left off, the group had set off with the new addition to their caravan and enough tents to house them all and had continued on the road to Lakehxixehdnehohsis-em-a. On the way, they were ambushed by four bandits. This is their story. I mean, the story of the people who killed three (two and a half) of them and are currently standing over the bodies.
<Latrehkiks> "Well, I guess we should probably leave before anything ELSE happens to us here. Unless we're going to move the bodies off the side of the road."
<Kerosis> Wounded all tended to then?
<SqueeGM> Yes; last time.
<Lehkurehn> We were setting off while dragging the one butt with us as he hasn't woken yet and Kerosis wanted to tell him/her how they really died
<SqueeGM> Kerosis, you're using your bandages to bandage his neck so he doesn't bleed on the merchandise when you throw him in the back?
<Kerosis> pretty sure I'd already done something like that, yes
<SqueeGM> Right. You're down to two makeshift bandages then.
<SqueeGM> I assume you used your herbs on treating the guards?
* Kerosis is now known as Kimik
<SqueeGM> I'll take that as a yes, then.
<SqueeGM> Well, it doesn't take long of organizing the caravan back into shape to get moving that the ghosts of the bandits raise, looking vaguely confused.
<Latrehkiks> Latrehkiks rubs the bridge of his nose. "Looks like our 'friends' have returned to us." He says, looking at the ghosts. His head turns to the one that had surrendered initially, looking to see if he had raised too.
<SqueeGM> Shortly thereafter, yes! Each in the order they were struck down.
* Zehrahlixia (cgiirc@Rizon-E4916D08.phlapa.east.verizon.net) has joined #tombdogs
* Latrehkiks walks over to the last to raise, then, rubbing the back of his neck. "So uh.. Sorry. I figure you should know how you died at least, since I promised that you would be bandaged and live still."
<SqueeGM> The bandit's ghost sits up on his body and blinks, looking around. "What happened?"
* Zehrahlixia growls in disgust "We spared the last of you, only for him to go and kill you on the way out!"
<SqueeGM> "Oh. That makes sense."
<Latrehkiks> "The last of your... Uh... Compan-" He blinks and looks at Zehrahlixia. "Yes, that."
<Latrehkiks> "Makes sense, though? Dare I ask why?"
<Zehrahlixia> "THAT MAKES SENSE!?! WHAT SORT OF TWISTED HOUSE ARE YOU FROM!?!"
<Lehkurehn> "The kind that doesn't like loose ends."
<SqueeGM> One of the other bandits tries to attract Latrehkiks's attention. "Can you bring us back to the town? That is where our tomb is," he requests meekly.
<Lehkurehn> "I'd rather we not. The other dude is supposedly buying us time."
* Latrehkiks shifts his gaze to Lehkurehn. "I'm afraid I can't guarantee that. And that's why."
* Zehrahlixia "Yea sure, assuming that buttjerk isn't just setting a trap
<SqueeGM> "Well, leave us here then, so someone else can find us?"
* Zehrahlixia whispers to Latrehkiks and Lehkurehn "What say we take em with us, and bring them back on the return trip, if anything?"
* Latrehkiks crosses his arms. "I don't think that's a good idea, Zehrahlixia. Besides that'd mean we'd have to cut close to the town that wants us dead." he'd whisper back, before addressing the ghost again. "That's what we were going to do, but I don't mind letting travellers know to keep an eye out for you and the others as well."
* Zehrahlixia nods and then looks off in the distance where the buttjerk dog left.
<SqueeGM> He is no longer there. The ghost dogs mostly just mill around, getting used to being dead.
<Zehrahlixia> "loose ends hunh? What sort of loose end is a ghost that's going to want to be buried back in his town?"
<Zehrahlixia> "Nothing but a begger, helpless before dogs who JUST had their trust violated."
<Lehkurehn> "He wouldn't notice we were still alive. Let's just get out of here."
* Zehrahlixia growls angrily "Yea, this just steams me up so much...
<Zehrahlixia> "Honestly? I'd like to see that jerk buried someplace hard to find."
* Kimik is now known as Kerosis
<Lehkurehn> "We're trying to avoid these people. All our efforts up until this point have been for this. This is why we hired you, Zehrahlixia." Lehkurehn gives a curt bow. "We cannot take you into town, but I assume you won't mind considering your intention to kill us."
<SqueeGM> "It was nothing personal."
<Lehkurehn> "It rarely is." Lehkurehn turns to the others. "Shall we away before more come or does anyone have more to do?"
<Zehrahlixia> "The sooner we're out of here the better! Don't wanna run into any more dogs from House buttjerk!"
<Kerosis> "So um.... just why exactly would anyone just attack people at random and try to steal from them?"
<Latrehkiks> "I'm pretty much set. Just wanted to let the last one know what had happened to him considering."
<SqueeGM> Haeliksis gets the water-guzzlers moving as soon as everyone is on board.
<Lehkurehn> "Because we insulted him? We don't even know him." He gets in the wagon.
* Lehkurehn shrugs
* Latrehkiks takes up his guard position alongside the wagon as it begins moving.
<Zehrahlixia> "Bah, insults and returning them. Seriously, if a Dog is so stinking important he should maybe ACT like it!?"
* Zehrahlixia takes a point position, helping the gaurds make their way
<SqueeGM> Anything you want to talk about in the interim before the wagon arrives at the city?
<Lehkurehn> "I always act like it," Lehkurehn says with a chuckle, puffing up his chest.
* Kerosis is mainly just going to be double checking nobody's injuries are infected and appologizing more for the whole killed after surrendering bit
* Latrehkiks wouldn't have too terribly much to say as he keeps his eyes on the road and the side of the road while he walked.
* Zehrahlixia is in little mood for small talk.
<SqueeGM> The rest of the trip passes without incident. Soon you can see the gates to the city of Lakehxixehdnehohsis-em-a, as well as several armed guards in House Hadnehrxix colors who stop the caravan before it can go inside. "What is your business here?" the guard asks Haeliksis and Lehkurehn gruffly.
<Lehkurehn> "We have goods for trade."
<SqueeGM> "We'll need to search them."
<Lehkurehn> "Go ahead. We are trading to Hadnehrxix."
<SqueeGM> One of the guards stands in front of the wagon while the others go around to the back in front of Kerosis, and climb inside.
<Kerosis> (Their guards?)
<SqueeGM> (yep)
<Kerosis> "Um... hello. Were you looking for something?"
<Kerosis> "In particular, I mean?"
<SqueeGM> "Excuse us, we are searching the wagons." They lift boxes and look around in the crevices of the wagon, prodding the wood in places, before prying open a few of the boxes and peering inside, then putting the lid back on. They hop down and move into the back of the second wagon.
<SqueeGM> The group can hear them opening boxes in there as well.
<Kerosis>  /me will go check and make sure they aren't taking anything.
* Latrehkiks lets them do as they need to. Although he does turn his head to watch what he can.
* Kerosis will also not randomly hit space before /me
* Zehrahlixia just politly stays out of their way.
<Kerosis> "Again, is there anything in particular you're worried we might be carrying?"
<SqueeGM> It's hard for Latrehkiks to see anything from where he's standing, but when Kerosis rounds the back she spots one of the guard pocketing some textiles into his armor, who proceeds searching boxes as though nothing had happened. "We are looking for any contraband or stowaways, as well as anything out of the ordinary."
<Kerosis> "Well, that cloth there is nothing dangerous, I'm quite sure we were just coming here to try and sell that."
* Latrehkiks would still watch anyway out of curiosity.
<SqueeGM> "Please do not interfere with our search, miss."
<Lehkurehn> "Say what now?"
<Kerosis> Any of these guards look to be more in charge than the others?
<SqueeGM> Well, one of them is speaking, of the three that are searching the wagons while the other one just stands in front of the wagons to keep them from moving into the city.
* Zehrahlixia is bored
<Zehrahlixia> "Kinda wish I wasn't just...Hey, Gaurd, mind if I lend a hand here?"
* Kerosis heads over to the one up front. "Um... excuse me but, one of the people you have searching for illegal goods seems to be stealing from us."
<SqueeGM> The guard speaks without looking at her. "Please don't interfere with their search, miss."
<Zehrahlixia> "Wait, what are you talking about Kerosis?"
<SqueeGM> The guard puts the last lid back on the crates. "We have it under control," he informs Zehrahlixia, and the three of them hop back down and head to the front of the caravan, nudging the one standing in front of the water-guzzlers. "You're clear to enter," he informs Lehkurehn.
<Kerosis> "I'm not trying to interfere with anything, but I just saw one of them pocket a handful of fabric, and well, it doesn't do to have dishonest people handling such jobs now does it?"
<SqueeGM> "Your materials were confiscated for evaluation," the guard tells Kerosis, stony-faced.
<Lehkurehn> Sits up and leers. "Please don't interfere with our trade. Return our stuff, Hadnerhxix nor Kaliaxix would appreciate your theft."
<Lehkurehn> 3d6+2 influence
<Dicey> Lehkurehn, influence: 12 [3d6=1,6,3]
* Zehrahlixia rolls eyes " Anger and insecurity in the last town, greed and sticky fingers in this one?"
<SqueeGM> The guard turns his stony expression onto Lehkurehn. "If you object to our searches, then you are free to not enter the town."
<Kerosis> "What was your name again?"
<SqueeGM> "I am the guard at the gate of Lakehxixehdnehohsis-em-a who determines whether or not visitors are permitted to enter the city."
* Kerosis just kinda huffs and sits back down.
* Zehrahlixia folds arms "I presume then, that we're simply new to your proceedures then?"
<SqueeGM> "You are from one of the merchant towns on the coast, I presume? Likely."
* Zehrahlixia nods "I figured as such...I suppose we should apologize right?"
<SqueeGM> "No need. You are free to enter at your leisure."
* Zehrahlixia lolls toungue "Nice to hear that."
<Lehkurehn> "Take us in."
<Lehkurehn> "Always bandits," he mutters
<SqueeGM> Haeliksis shrugs and pulls on the leads, guiding the water-guzzlers into the city. "The honest merchant's way of life," he comments sympathetically.
* Zehrahlixia walks over to Lehkurehn "All this fighting is wearing us all down. I'm just the naive newcomer to this, aren't I?"
<Latrehkiks> "If the past few days are anything to go by, you're just seeing the tip of things." Latrehkiks states while he walks.
<SqueeGM> The inside of the city is awfully... modern. It's certainly unlike the town they just left. Since they're close to the river, they can see gigantic water wheels turning in it. They're hooked up to complicated machinery and seem to have something to do with large, industrial buildings scattered along the coast, some of which smoke rises from.. They can see a huge tower rising up above the roofs of the tall, square buildings ar
<SqueeGM> ound it, on each side of which are faces that show the time of day, season, and phase of the moon.
* Zehrahlixia stares in awe at the sights.
* Latrehkiks likewise looks at the surroundings, his gaze exploring over the buildings. ". . Well this is new."
* Kerosis is still pouting a bit. "So who do you suppose we'd want to talk to to report those people for theft?"
<Zehrahlixia> "It's not so much theft, as quality control I think."
<SqueeGM> The road under them is paved with cobbles, and there are street signs pointing the way to different districts of the city. They can see the occasional sign hanging down from the side of a building, announcing, sometimes in several different languages, the presence of a shop. There are few streetcart merchants to be seen, if any.
<Lehkurehn> "We report theft to the people who stole from us."
<Zehrahlixia> "Basically, they're seeing if it's worthwhile TO be worth messing with us, those gaurds give a good report, we get to do business...I think. I'm not entirely ignorant of how things work, even if I do perfer the woods to a town, even one as curious as this one."
<SqueeGM> "Lehkurehn is right," Haeliksis says. "It's obvious they were all in on it, whatever 'it' was. No point in pursuing it further. We're just here to make our deals and leave back for home."
<SqueeGM> On the whole, Haeliksis doesn't seem terribly affected by the sights, or at least not as much as the others in the group.
<Zehrahlixia> "Oooor they're greed jerks."
* Zehrahlixia face palms
<Latrehkiks> "Personally I'd also rather not get in many more fights than I have over the past few days as well. ." Latrehkiks sighs.
<SqueeGM> "Right, we're looking for the Lineage District. That's where all the important people live, and where the House Hadnehrxix manor will be. It may take a day or two for us to arrange a meeting."
<Zehrahlixia> "Sooo more sitting around in town, more trying to ignore my old wounds..."
* Zehrahlixia sighes
<SqueeGM> "That's entirely up to you. We only need you for the way back, anyway. Only picked you up because we didn't want to head back there."
* Zehrahlixia shrugs "I'm here, and this place does look interesting. It's old wounds, from when I was just a beggar pup."
<Lehkurehn> "Burned that bridge when they tried to murder us. I'll head to the Lineage district with the cart and guards. Everyone else is free. Umm? Did we have anything else to do?"
<SqueeGM> "Not that I know of. Just get a good deal, with continued trade interests, and head back home. I'm sure you can find plenty to do if you wander around a place like this."
<Kerosis> "I don't know. I mean, if the guards rob you, how bad is everyone else?"
<SqueeGM> "Couldn't tell you."
<Zehrahlixia> "Can't be too bad, but then again, maybe this town is here because it gets along with angry buttjerk town well."
<SqueeGM> "Think it's more the other way around," Haeliksis suggests.
<Lehkurehn> "Believe me Kerosis, it gets worse. You should of read what was in those papers we risked our butts for."
<Kerosis> "What papers were these now?"
* Lehkurehn kicks at the ground. "House Politics at their finest. A contract signed in Lefix blood."
<Latrehkiks> "I'm glad I never much had to deal with politics."
<Zehrahlixia> "Ok, enough of houses and how they suck. It hasn
<SqueeGM> "Haven't heard anything about this," Haeliksis comments.
<Zehrahlixia> 't even been a day and I feel like they'er a plaugue."
* Zehrahlixia starts looking around for vendors or entertainment or something.
<SqueeGM> "Lehkurehn, are we headed to the Lineage District?" Haeliksis asks.
* Zehrahlixia spins around and re-joins the caravan
* Latrehkiks will be following the caravan where ever it's headed.
<Lehkurehn> "Yes."
<SqueeGM> Haeliksis nods and turns the wagon to cross the river on a bridge. "S'pose everyone's coming with, then."
<Lehkurehn> "Onwards to, hopefully, profits."
* Zehrahlixia lolls tounge "To useless shiny rocks!"
<Latrehkiks> "And away we go, hm?"
<SqueeGM> Haeliksis stops in front of an ornate gate, behind which rest several buildings of intricate and grand design. There is a Housedog guard in front of the gate who looks up as Haeliksis stops the caravan by the doors. "Your business, please, strangers?"
<Lehkurehn> "Trade with House Hadnehrxix."
<SqueeGM> "And you are?"
<Lehkurehn> "Lehkurehn, Of-Kaliaxix. We come to fulfill a contract under house name."
<SqueeGM> The Housedogs nods and pushes open the gates. "Please wait here." He steps inside and disappears for a while.
<SqueeGM> When he returns, he nods at Lehkurehn and company respectfully. "Someone will speak to you inside."
<Lehkurehn> "Thank you."
<SqueeGM> Inside, a corpsebound is waiting for them. "Greetings, of-Kaliaxix. I understand you are seeking to trade with our House?"
<Lehkurehn> "Greetings, of-Hadnehrxix. This is correct."
<SqueeGM> "Do you have a manifest of your goods?"
<SqueeGM> "Yes," Haeliksis interjects, opening his pouch and withdrawing a rolled parchment, handing it to the corpsebound, who opens it and looks at it. "We don't have quite that much left, however. But still most of it."
<SqueeGM> The corpsebound taps the bone of his chin, his jaw wired shut. "Well... I believe I can offer you something like five hundred Hadnehrxix dollars for these goods."
* Kerosis is easily impressed by that there big number.
<Lehkurehn> 3d6+1 merc
<Dicey> Lehkurehn, merc: 15 [3d6=6,5,3]
* Zehrahlixia is currently examining something that could lead to unfortunate hilarity
<Lehkurehn> Lehkurehn takes the scroll and tries to add up the good in his head, estimating the loss.
<Lehkurehn> goods
<SqueeGM> Lehkurehn determines that it would not even cover the cost of purchasing the resources from overseas in the first place.
<Lehkurehn> 3d6+1 psycho
<Dicey> Lehkurehn, psycho: 12 [3d6=5,5,1]
<SqueeGM> Also, he estimates there to be about 75% of the original cargo remaining.
<SqueeGM> Well, it doesn't take a master psychoanalyst to tell that this guy is obviously fucking with him and knows exactly how low the price he's offering is.
<Lehkurehn> 3d6+1 merc to know the proper price
<Dicey> Lehkurehn, merc to know the proper price: 15 [3d6=3,5,6]
<SqueeGM> For the cargo they're carrying, it would probably be more about in the range of 1,250 dollars.
* Lehkurehn lolls his tongue. No sign of slight. "This is a good joke. Come now! Let us talk real business."
<SqueeGM> The corpsebound tilts his head. He smiles, but it's not nearly as friendly. "You do not like my price?"
<SqueeGM> Or, well, what flesh he still has on him does. He's pretty much grinning all the time anyway.
<Lehkurehn> "I feel your price does not do my cargo justice. Kaliaxix has trekked miles and encountered such hardships to bring you these rare spices and luxurious textiles." His merchant tone in full force. "Surely you know the worth of these goods?" Lehkurehn grabs Guard B's hand. "See his hand? Wounded by marauding bandits after our goods. It is such that we've been
<Lehkurehn> assailed thrice in reaching you. This cargo so coveted."
<Kerosis> "And then there was that business with the guards when we first arrived too."
* Zehrahlixia looks pointedly at Kerosis
* Kerosis shuts up.
<Lehkurehn> 3d6+2 sales pitch
<Dicey> Lehkurehn, sales pitch: 12 [3d6=3,1,6]
<SqueeGM> The corpsebound folds his arms, which creak, the guard folding his ears back as Lehkurehn grabs his hand to make an example of it. "All mercantilism has its inherent risks. If you are unprepared for them, perhaps the trade is not for you, rather than you taking it out on your customers. I cannot pay you more than what I offered. I am a clerk, I do not make purchases any bigger than that."
* Zehrahlixia lols tounge "Soooo what you're saying...Is chunks, am I hearing that right?"
<SqueeGM> "What?"
<Zehrahlixia> "multiple smaller purchases.
<Zehrahlixia> "like, instead of eating a  spineboar in one sitting, you do it in pieces. The head for breakfast, the butt for lunch, so on and so forth...Ooooor I'm basically way off here."
<Lehkurehn> "Then you must show me to someone amongst you permitted to make such purchases."
<SqueeGM> The corpsebound ignores Zehrahlixia completely. "I must, you say?"
* Zehrahlixia lolls toungue amusedly, and walks back over to Kerosis and Latrehkiks
* Kerosis whispers "I'm not sure why he's acting like this is so strange a premise."
* Latrehkiks rubs his nose a bit with a hand as he tries to keep out of these... Negotiations, as they are.
<Lehkurehn> "No disrespect, but surely you have a merchant amongst you, else you would not of summoned us."
<SqueeGM> "You summoned us. You wished to trade, and now you spit on our generosity."
<Latrehkiks> "How do you figure, Kerosis?. . I admittedly have little clue about these sorts of things." Latrehkiks whispers.
<Lehkurehn> "Hmm. There seems to be some misunderstanding. I was told Hadnehrxix had agreed to trade for these goods. That is why we were sent out."
<Kerosis> Still whispering. "Well... I don't know much about money, but I know what it's like not to be able to afford what I want. If he only has 500, give him 500 worth of what he wants. Then just find someone else to buy the rest, or maybe give him time to find more money."
<SqueeGM> "As I understand it, that was your request to us at your House's discretion and our grace to accept."
* Latrehkiks rubs his chin curiously and nods, his mind obviously in thought as he continues whispering to Kerosis. "That would make an awful lot of sense. ."
<Lehkurehn> "If this is true then please accept my apologies on part of my house. There must of been a miscommunication." Lehkurehn tallies up invisible numbers on his fingers. "Kerosis has the light of it, I can offer you this much for that much," pointing out the figures on the manifest.
<SqueeGM> The corpsebound folds his arms again. "If you wish to go back on what your House said then we have nothing more to say to you. Good day, and good luck to you."
* Zehrahlixia "Hang on a second!
<Zehrahlixia> "What exactly DID the House say again?"
<SqueeGM> "Your House contacted us and asked us for the opportunity to negotiate a trade deal between the Houses. They promised to send a caravan down with a merchant who would negotiate the deal along with a cargo of goods for a first shipment."
<Kerosis> "Well... if you can't even afford to pay for this first shipment, I doubt there'd be any more in the future."
<Lehkurehn> "Which has happened. We have brought you goods, but what you offer is hardly their worth."
* Zehrahlixia looks positively baffled
<Lehkurehn> 3d6+2
<Dicey> Lehkurehn, 3d6+2: 16 [3d6=5,5,4]
<SqueeGM> The corpsebound smiles his creepy always-smile. "Perhaps you'd like to speak to the heads of the House?"
<Lehkurehn> "Please."
<SqueeGM> "Right this way, then," the corpsebound says, finally stepping away towards the manor.