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Post by Krakenbox on May 10, 2021 15:34:39 GMT -8
Archie's cautious greeting was met with furious scrubbing, along with quiet snuffling as something on the other side of the shaft way trying to make its way through as the Lost's magic took its time. The Chatelaine straightened, noting the lack of light now that Wayland and Riley were gone. He only had his glowstick, held aloft as he squinted at the mine shaft and waited for his summons to be answered. However, the small determined snout that popped from underneath the digging paws was decidedly not the source of growling. Sweat beaded across his skin as he slowly turned, holding the light as he held his breath to behold the guttural sound. Light caught hollow eyes, still buried deep in the shadows that crushed his small bubble. Saliva shimmered as excited jaws snapped.  Something held the pack back, as the Chatelaine counted at least nine pairs of eyes, the snorting and coughing coming from whatever held their invisible leash as the hounds desperately pawed and slashed at the dim light and fresh meat. Archie pressed himself against the wall, only to find it gone. A three-headed dog sat dutifully on his feet, tail wagging furiously as it panted; waiting for orders."Unfortunately, I do not think he is big enough," a familiar voice drifted from the shadows, unseen other than the illumination of the feline slits. It was speaking Yiddish, with the usual, polite tone of Its diplomatic approach. You know, aside from the Briar Wolves. "You do not belong here, Archie. What am I supposed to do with all that credit if you get yourself eaten?" |
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Post by Deleted on May 10, 2021 18:45:10 GMT -8
Archie disliked the hedge. He disliked the disorder. He disliked the mess. If it was Archie’s house? He would have kept everything in line. But here he was, knees weak, and palms sweaty. The landscape was changing, the hedge was encircling him, and he was helpless to do anything about it. If he wasn't paralyzed by the peering eyes and slobbering jowls he may have ended up kicking the poor pup that he had just taken care to summon, and that would have been rude. So instead the Fairest was busy saying his prayers as this really did seem like the end. Of him. Then the yiddish and those slits of eyes. That Nudnik “Not our normal hospitality, isn’t it? These, uh, friends of yours?”What was normally a civil arrangement was being stressed by the presence of the hungry beasts. “Any chance you know the way to the Goblin Market?”
Giuseppe (Strong King) - Archie — Today at 7:44 PM
RRH
Yes I am scared, but don't show it!
Comp + Sub
@dicecord-CoD Roll 6
Dicecord-CoD
BOT
— Today at 7:44 PM
@giuseppe (Strong King) - Archie rolled 6 dice and got 2 successes. 5 5 7 9 6 10(4) |
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Post by Krakenbox on May 10, 2021 19:06:27 GMT -8
There is a loud clap, and Archie could imagine the hands clasping together in excitement, "Oh! No, not in the sense of what you think. The crossroads comes with a toll, sometimes, and fortunately for you, I am here to barter on Its behalf!"
The eyes floated as the creature paced, still wreathed in shadow as It tilted Its head in profile. "Your motley member is shredding it all up, will nilly, which reflects poorly on your associations. You are fine, though! Frankly you just stood there, so the ire is not as intense as you would expect." The attempt was to reassure, but there was an excited, predatory nature as It babbled and circled. Archie felt like a bird with a broken wing.
"Passage to the Goblin Market I can negotiate with the Thorns for...fifty percent. I made sure you were only a little breathless, rather than getting your skull crushed or cracking a vein of poisonous gas."
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Post by Deleted on May 10, 2021 20:03:51 GMT -8
Archie had fucked up, but he was really not equipped for this he had come to accept this. But Riley? That was a stab in the heart, and it gave him the twinge of wanting to lash out surged through the Fairests body. Sure the cat could have witty banter with him. But he could keep Riley’s name out of his mouth. “Confident aren’t we? You wear it well.”This is what the cat did, he was a steward for a negotiator - not just some head of house setting the table. Words were a weapon, deals were the attack. There was not going to be an easy way out of this. “No guts, no glory, huh? That is a hefty price but…”He eyed the dogs. “You have a pretty good hand.”Still frightening. “But rarely does it pay off putting your stock in one barrel. You have to expand the portfolio. So how about instead of leaning on me, and risk me having one two many chicken fingers and biting the bullet - you take 4 points, one on each of my travelling party. But you get us all to the market. A skilled negotiator like you should be fine with making that happen, no?”
Giuseppe (Strong King) - Archie — Today at 9:03 PM
RRH
Its a good deal, Steward! Meow Meow!
Man + Per + Spec
@dicecord-CoD roll 8
Dicecord-CoD
BOT
— Today at 9:03 PM
@giuseppe (Strong King) - Archie rolled 8 dice and got 2 successes. 3 6 6 6 5 9 7 10(7) |
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Post by Krakenbox on May 10, 2021 21:28:00 GMT -8
Eyes flashed and narrowed, "Oh, you are new to this. That is not how a fairy bargain works Herr Hartman. I am not one of the Gentry, and neither are you; trying to credit your friends without their consent is rude. The favour was never requested, so how would I grant it? We do not give gifts."
The Cerberus licked impatiently at Archie's hands, unsure why it was summoned. A few of the jaws gleamed as the hounds paced and drooled.
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Post by Deleted on May 11, 2021 10:32:14 GMT -8
“Worth a shot, isn’t it? Like Danny Ainge and the Celtic’s they can’t say no if you don’t ask, plus who doesn’t want top try an spare their own back the burden?”
He played into it being a selfish play versus trying to find an easier way out for his at hand Motley.
Glancing down at the pup he would nod his head
“Go find Riley and make sure they make it to the Goblin Market.”
The lil guy wasn’t going to do Archie much good.
“So where were we? Passage at thirty percent?”
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Post by Krakenbox on May 16, 2021 14:33:09 GMT -8
The motives for The Broker were always Geldzinsen, though in this context, the creature was operating with the Hedge as its client. There was a reason Archie summoned it often; keeping to the shadows made for harder negotiation. The hounds and lack of walls only added to the psychological pressure. Keeping to the basics was probably his best bet, given his lack of knowledge of the Hedge and Hobgoblins in general.
The Cerberus barks a chorus to affirm the orders, vanishing to the shadows as the glowing eyes of The Broker dance away from the charging Hob. A few of the hounds charge to follow, before stopping with a loud snap. "I shall entertain the prospect, but it will not be in the format you have initially proposed. Decorum presents limits of operation."
"I said fifty percent, actually, and then you offered to sell your friends for forty. You do not just get to keep going lower without incentive." A white hand with black claws scratches the head of on of the drooling beasts, while the eyes were across and hovering close to Archie. They fluttered and squinted, pupils retracting, "The factors in place is that you are lost in a labyrinth without air or light, unless we choose that there is something to work with. You have fallen far, and are asking me to bring you to the Market as if my client is not displeased and this is serendipity. You did not spin this encounter, Herr Hartman. I am preventing you from being consumed, but the loophole required is the price of favours. Do you want the dog to make it? Or are you giving the Hedge the moth for a lower cost?"
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Post by Deleted on May 21, 2021 7:19:14 GMT -8
Well.
Not a good day was it?
“Fifty right, given the circumstances though you make a strong case. I guess the only chip I have is not meeting a grizzly fate, now isn’t it? So how not this - we call it thirty here and now and you help me get to the market. I would also love to have your assistance navigating the market safely itself, I would say that is worth another ten. We do have a meeting as well now that I think of it, help us with that particular dealing so it ends in our favor and that is ten I would say. Then help us home, and let's toss another ten on that. If I am correct that is sixty isn’t it? That thirty really does grow up so fast.”
More debt, but he could at least try to leverage that into something useful for them. If he could have the Broker’s help without burning more beads that would be a boon to their overall chances for success as he preyed on the hobs love of creating something from nothing. Perhaps the exhilaration of seeing his investment double would trigger the cat brain.
Here was hoping, right?
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Post by Deleted on May 21, 2021 8:33:57 GMT -8
@giuseppe (Strong King) - Archie rolled 11 dice and got 6 successes. 1 7 1 2 6 10(9) 9 3 1 9 10(9)
Aren't I a good bot, @giuseppe (Strong King) - Archie? |
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Post by Krakenbox on May 21, 2021 13:51:15 GMT -8
Well.
He was probably going to summon it anyway.
The hobgoblin chuckled as the Fairest spun a convoluted sequence where they were personally escorted and assisted with the mob, before being walked back. As Archie anticipated, the Broker's eyes darkened with excitement.
"Provide a glamour tithe for the Contract costs, and an embarrassing mistake worth mentioning," it said, a human hand extending from the shadows.
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2021 21:46:46 GMT -8
Was it the best outcome? No. Was it better than the briar wolves snatching jaws? Yes.
He nodded quaintly and took the Brokers hand, the Wyrd evaporating two more of the beads as their compact was sealed
“Shall we? I will tell you about the time I tried to play myself off as a Russian mob boss to another Russian mob boss thinking that was a swell idea.”
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