AMiH Sidequest: Siegfried's Fresh Start

[inexorabletruth]

You awaken slowly in a small dark room in Albertson's Taint. One of the resident whores rolls off you and sighs as you rise to a sit. A strong, mostly used opiate rests on the nightstand near her, so you can guess she will probably be out for a few more hours. (Implying she did the drugs here… it’s up to you if you did them too.)

There’s a small bowl of water on the nightstand for washing your face, but other than that, the bed, and the nightstand, the room is minimally furnished. The window is shuttered closed, but a sparse amount of light slips through the cracks, revealing that it is dawn.

[TheEggKing]

Slipping out of the bed, Siegfried places a pair of silver pieces on the nightstand before getting ready for the day. The water in the basin feels cool as he wakes himself up quietly, hoping not to have to make small talk with the whore. He pulls out his armor maintenance kit to take care of any damage his scale armor had taken during the other day and making sure it looked good before putting his kit away and his armor on. Ready for an interesting new day, the knight errant walks out of the room with a fresh body and down into the common area.

It's far too early in the morning for the bar to be open, so the few that are milling about there are typically bums and layabouts. Not paying them much mind, Siegfried heads out onto the street to get his day started with an errand before making his way back to Grundy's and the group. Taking streets he's taken before puts outside the Dented Skull, rowdy even in the morning. Offering a grin and a halloo to some of the people milling about, he stops to stare at the notes bounty board, looking for anything that piques his interest.

[inexorabletruth]

You pass through the winding streets of the Poor District, past the haunting asylum, the monastery, various warehouses and small shops and on through the Cemetery. A strange mist covers the ground and swirls around the Ruby Tower, one of the few active structures in the Cemetery. You plod on, and eventually, the stench of filth and decay are replaced by the smell of cooked meat, seductive perfumes, and exotic oils. The cracked and narrow hewn stone floors feed into broad, lantern-lit cobbled roads. And the welcome sound of cheery merchants, peddlers and street performers begin to blend together like a chant to the gods of commerce.

You cut all the way through the Merchant District until you get close to the city gates, where you find a giant wooden sign swinging from a rusted chain. "The Dinted Skul" it reads. The sign hangs over a weirdly designed, giant shack, made of a combination of hides, wood and old shields.

http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110202031910/fallout/images/4/47/Aerotech_office_tent.jpg

Inside, you hear a raucous, as if a dozen grizzly bears were all fighting each other at once. The interior, though difficult to see through the full length wooden shield being used as a door, seems to be lit with an orange light. Long, broad shadows flit about it in an excited frenzy. Something collides into the door jam with such impact that it shakes the whole building.

You open the door to find almost exactly what you expect to find in a place that can't spell "dented" correctly. The inside is solidly built of strong wood and iron. A warm fire glows in a hearth near the back of the room, giving off an undulating orange-brown light, and a candlelight chandelier dangles from a high vantage point in the middle of the room.

http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2011/144/d/5/in_the_tavern_by_tamplierpainter-d3h3qfw.jpg

The room is filled to bursting with mercenaries, adventures and cutthroats who mill about near various tables. The place vaguely resembles a cross between a tavern and a town hall.

A hairy half-orc stands behind a bar in the one clean area of the whole place, sliding frothy mugs of beer to anyone who tosses him a handful of coppers. Next to the bar, a small band of awful musicians honk out a ragged old bar song. The table to your right shudders from the loud percussion of a hard-knuckled fist slamming to its surface. An arm wrestling match ends abruptly with the champion launching himself to a stand, holding a bag of coins that he'd just won off his opponent. The table to your left has a group of people playing cards. Two tables down, two men are playing a strange dice game of unknown origin. And at the back, opposite the hearth, is a massive orc, Krusk himself, sitting on a makeshift throne. He appears to be getting invited to a game of darts. Next to him, you see a large banner that reads:



Dinted Skul Mersonery Gilds Bownty Bord!
Dinted Skul gets 10% uv all yor ernings up frunt no exepshuns!

Underneath the banner is a large board with several pinned up sheets of parchment.

A squat, fat little goblin greets you as you close the gap to the bounty board. "Welcome back Siegfried! You gonna take a bounty today, or shall I set you up with a game?" You recognize the little fellow as Krusk Thundertusk's assistant. He handles most of the contracts for the mercenary guild.

[TheEggKing]

"Just lookin' at some bounties today. Most like gonna skip off on another bit o' work I got for today, though. Anythin' goin' on that y'think I'd be interested in?"

[inexorabletruth]

The goblin gestures to the bounty board for your perusal. "Remember to see me before taking a mission." You scan the bounties and discover some fairly easy ones that still haven't been claimed:

CR1: 100 GP (Al levl 1 arcayn casters ar 100 gold: ded or aliv)
Ibra Down needs assistance patrolling the city streets of the Poor District. You'll mainly serve as a deterrent, but if trouble breaks out, you will be expected to respond, as well as send for help from the city guards. Report to Sergeant Greenwald to apply.
Requirements: Minimum two people to work as a team. No arcane users. Some skill with a weapon. Lawful alignment preferred.

Gandy Fox runs an exotic tavern in the Poor District that can sometimes get a little rowdy at nights. He needs you to keep the peace. You'll get your pay plus a share of the tips, provided you keep the dancers safe. Report to the tavern an hour before sundown.
Requirements: No arcane users. No weapons.

Mister Silverwater needs acrobats, wrestlers, jugglers and musicians to keep the crowds entertained while the actors prepare the stage. First come first serve for the applicants, but new auditions are held daily.
Requirements: Arcane casters must pass a sanity exam. Some experience entertaining crowds preferred. All applicants must pass an audition to be accepted.

Within the same grouping, you also see a sealed bounty with the stamp of Stiletto on it.

There are several more for higher bounties and greater challenges if you are interested...

[TheEggKing]

Siegfried takes a long look at the board, weighing his options before grabbing the notices for the Night Patrol and Bouncer jobs, and after thinking about it, decides to pull down the Stiletto notice to see what that one was about. Who knows, what are the odds that it'd involve Grundy's forge?

[inexorabletruth]

You feel a small hand slap yours and take the sealed bounty away from you (unless you resist).

It appears to be Krusk’s assistant. He has an irritated expression on his face. “What did I just say?” His voice is shrill and unpleasant to listen to, even when he isn't angry. But adding frustration to his tone seems to raise his voice a half an octave. He almost sounds like a boiling tea kettle. He carefully places the sealed bounty back onto the board and holds out his hand for the rest of the bounties. “Besides, I don’t think a person of your…” he pauses while he tries to think of a nice term for lawful good pious prick, “moral rigidity,” about as nice as a goblin can say it, “would really be interested in a Stiletto bounty.”

If you wish to use bluff or intimidate to gain access to the restricted bounty, you may make an attempt.

“Now… hand over the bounties. They’re fair game to all until you’ve signed the contract. Don’t make me ask again.” In spite of his un-atheletic build, you know that the little goblin is no novice to adventure. He’s earned enough respect from his own exploits to have even earned a place as Krusk’s assistant.

http://archive.wizards.com/magic/images/mo/graphic_settings_avatar_05_spin.png

He’s wearing his typical outfit: a fashionable, flowing hooded tunic, fitted leather pants and polished riding boots. His belt is clasped with an electrum buckle and is slotted for a variety of items, including wands, scrolls, daggers and pouches. A finely crafted mace dangles from a loop on his hip. His wrists are clasped with ornate armbands, intricately marked with strange writing. He removes his spectacles to try to look more intimidating.

[TheEggKing]

"Oi, what's th' harm in lookin' at 'em, eh?" Siegfried says, scowling at the mouthy creature and puffing up his chest as he tries to tower over the assistant. "How's about I repay you for that slap, huh? I promise it won't be no slight sting, though" he says with ill-humor in his voice and his hand on his sword's pommel.

Intimidate check: [roll0]

[inexorabletruth]

The little goblin eyes you more appraisingly, trying to discern if you can back your threats. “Lay a hand on me, knight, and Mister Irontusk will see to it that you draw from your off hand for the rest of your life.”

In spite of his angry words, the goblin does seem to tone down his haughtiness. And you now have Krusk’s undivided attention. His eyes are unreadable as he stares at you from a dart game. One of his friends tries to tell Krusk it’s his turn and Krusk grabs the man by the face and throws him to the ground without turning his gaze from you.

“I simply meant to explain that there are rules. The rest of the people here have as much of a right to the bounty as you do until you sign for it. If there’s one you’d like to sign for, tell me and I will draw up the paperwork and remove the board,” the goblin continues. “Don’t act as if you’ve never seen this done. Surely you’ve at least seen a mercenary draw a bounty during the times you’ve visited here.”

[TheEggKing]

Seeing Krusk giving him the death glare, Siegfried suddenly realizes that he just poked a bear cub with mama bear on the other side of the room. He takes a gentle step backwards, holding his hands to his sides and grinning. "Ah, sorry t'get snippy. Had a long night last night. No 'ard feelin's, ay? Was jus' tryin' ta help you out anyways. Figured I'd just bring ya th' bounties I wanted t'look at, save ya some trouble. And no, this place is rowdier than a dwarven bar, I never saw th' whole process fer grabbin' bounties." He scratches the back of his head and leans backward on his heels, adopting a casual stance. "As fer bounties I was int'rested in, I was thinkin' that guard duty one may be kosher if I could round up one o' me workin' mates t'help, and th' bouncer job seems right up me alley."

[inexorabletruth]

The goblin straightens out his clothing a bit and stands more proudly now. He adjusts his spectacles and produces a scroll from somewhere within the folds of his robes. Unrolling it, he clears his throat and reads:

"Taking a job from Master Thundertusk constitutes an agreement between the Dented Skull and the client. Failure to complete the bounty offered will result in loss of pay for the bounty to go to replacement mercenaries. Further action, up to and including your assassination depending on the terms of your failure, may also result from said event, since the reputation of the Dented Skull is at stake under these circumstances. The Dented Skull holds no guarantee of safety to, nor does it offer protection for, the contractor, the client, or any affiliated parties, but simply acts as a broker between client and contractor. The Dented Skull does not morally censure the nature or legality of an assignment, as that is the responsibility of the contractor to determine for himself or herself. In cases where the client choses to remain anonymous, all transactions between the client and contractor will occur between the contractor and Master Thundertusk or an appointed liaison," he pauses and lowers the scroll to look Siegfried in the eye, "that would be myself," then goes back to his scroll. "for matters of mission acceptance, completion, payment and any other questions pertaining to the bounty in question. If you are a client seeking to offer a bounty, request a private audience with Master Thundertusk or an appointed liaison--again that's me--and an appointment will be made for you to discuss the conditions and price of the bounty. Master Thundertusk or an appointed liaison must receive the mandatory 10% advance on the bounty before a bounty can be posted. If you accept these terms, please step forward and sign your name, or leave your thumbprint on the," he gestures toward an opened book on a pedestal next to the bounty board, "registration book before you."

He rolls up the scroll, and takes a deep breath. "Well? Get on with it then!"

[TheEggKing]

Siegfried fills out the paperwork for the pulled jobs sheepishly, glancing sidelong at Krusk to see if he was still in considerable danger

[inexorabletruth]

The goblin adjusts his spectacles and clears his throat.

"Do you have a partner to go on patrol with you? If not, you'll have to be on standby for this task until another mercenary can be paired with you. But the bouncer job is free for you to take tonight. You report at Old Fox's Den at dusk and will receive your pay from Gandy when the task is completed." He signs off the bounty and places the scroll onto a pile in a small crate with something branded on it in what you can only assume is Goblin, then pulls out a small map.

"In case you don't know where the rendezvous point is, here is a map. Remember, no weapons and keep your hands off the girls while your on the clock."

Krusk returns to his dart throwing game.

[TheEggKing]

"Alright, I'll come back with a friend for th' watch job. See ya later, gobby!" Siegfried strides out the door quickly, eager to be quit of the rowdy tavern and move on with his day which already felt like it was moving too slowly. Looking around to make sure he wasn't about to run into any unsavories, Siegfried takes off at a brisk pace to get to Grundy's forge, worried about being the last one to get there.

[inexorabletruth]

You arrive at the forge to find Natalie standing outside the door, which seems to be closed.