Oren came strolling up, joining Danos and Haere. "Sorry, couldn't help but overhear. Oly has elected to withdraw? Pity, but adventuring isn't for everyone. It takes a certain entrepreneurial attitude."

He squared his shoulders. "I'll take his place. But we'll need at least one other. And we'll need either a loan or a sponsorship to finance the trip."

"Oly is still a partner in the venture as we were the original people who found and decoded the map, but he won't be coming along. Oly's agreed to provide some money, to the tune of $800, but he's entitled to $1200 back and 1/3 of a partners percentage of any additional profits. I've got some money as well - I'd rather not take on additional outside sponsorship if we can help it."

As Danos struggles to recount the business details, he is clearly starting to get in way above his head.

"And I understand about the entrepreneurial spirit, but I had thought I had joined an adventurer's guild, not a guild of accountants!"
This message was last edited by the player at 14:32, Wed 25 Mar 2015.

"That's why men like me exist," Oren said. "To take care of those details so you can run around fighting monsters. Oly's offer is extremely generous, so let's take it and see if we can find one more to accompany us."

"Well I certainly appreciate it. Sorry Haere, I don't mean to exclude you from these negotiations - I've assumed that you are amenable to everything we're doing but please speak up if you wish."

"What is sponsorship?  We go on canoe?  Me make boat but need big tree and fire.  We go now?  Me show you big trees for boat."

"We can't get where we're going by river," Oren said. "Not from here. We're looking at a long overland trip, so we'll need supplies, and a donkey to carry those supplies. And, hopefully, to carry back all of our treasure."

"Donkey eat too tough.  Donkey slow me down.  No take more me can carry."

"A donkey slows you down? Good. You can run ahead and scout while the rest of us struggle to keep up. Because what slows me down is stopping to hunt every day or carrying a month's worth of rations on my back.

"We need food. One-hundred and sixty-eight meals to get there, the same to get back. Hunting will slow us down a lot more than a donkey."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:22, Wed 25 Mar 2015.

Harry growls at Oren.  "Little man no tell me what do.  Little man no good to eat but make good bait for bear.  Bear good meat."

"That slows me down too. Is that what we're looking at? A month's travel time?"

Oren growled at Haere. "I'm not telling you what to do. I'm telling you that you're an idiot and you should leave the planning to people who know what they're talking about. Now sit down, shut up, and let the adults talk before I turn you into a fucking rug."

ooc: Intimidation-15. Passed by 1. Resisted by Will.

He turned back to Danos. "Two weeks there. Two weeks back. We might be able to resupply... I'd need to see the map... but we're still carrying almost a hundred pounds of food per person each way. And taking the time to hunt every day only slows us down even more."

"How many moons we walk?"

While speaking he takes a stick off his belt then turns and throws, hitting a pigeon that was too careless.  Retrieving the pigeon and his stick he returns to Danos' side and offers him the bird.

"Bird not so stupid outside but still good to eat.  Much food outside."

"Food that still has to be caught and carried; little of is is waiting by the side of the road. You want to catch a bear? Spend at least a day tracking it, then you're stuck carrying hundreds of pounds of bear meat.

We walk fourteen moons there. Fourteen back. One hundred meals per person."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:46, Wed 25 Mar 2015.

Danos, having seen Haere's difficulties communicating with cityfolk before, accepts the bird.

To Haere: "I understand that you are an excellent hunter, but I still think we should bring food at least for Oren and me, and that will mean a mule. If you would prefer to hunt while scouting I'm sure you'd be capable of it."

Danos then turns to Oren, and unrolls the map with the tantalizing 'X' scrawled on it.

To Oren: "Oly translated the Shevnian notes. Apparently this X is just a few miles south of a town called Lescreu. We might be able to save some travel time and weight by resupplying there. But we will almost certainly require someone who speaks the language, even if we bypass the town."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:27, Wed 25 Mar 2015.

"I speak the language. But hunting isn't the problem. I can hunt. I can live off the land, but it's a lot slower than just walking, unless you're hoping to rely entirely on game crossing your path. And I don't know about him, but you and I, if we just eat meat we're going to fall ill. Scurvy. Malnutrition."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:48, Wed 25 Mar 2015.

"You don't have to convince me. I'm an elf, and my coming to the city was exactly intended to avoid having to live off of the land any longer because it's a pain.

"But do you know anything about this town Lescreu? Could we buy supplies to get us to there, then stock up for the final leg in the city? Or should we bring everything with us from Northport?"
This message was last edited by the player at 18:29, Wed 25 Mar 2015.

"Never heard of the town, sorry."

"Thing is, we're going to need supplies. Tools. Camp gear. Medical supplies. Estimate another twenty pounds per person, added to your arms and armor. Then whatever food you need to carry on top of that. Ten pounds if you can hunt, twenty if you can't.

"Unless you want to lug around another twenty pounds, we're going to want a pack animal."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:58, Wed 25 Mar 2015.

"Yes, of course, we need an animal. But what's the next step?"

OOC: I think we might be having a miscommunication? I'm not arguing with Oren on any of this, I think we're both in agreement already.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:07, Wed 25 Mar 2015.

"Find a fourth partner. I'll work up a travel budget. Then we'll buy the supplies and set out."

"Excellent. I'll try to scare up some interest in the local bars. Do you have any further leads to follow?

What about you, Haere? Know anyone who might want to slog through the Shevnian lands in search of Big Things and adventure?"

"No.  Me only one who leave home."

"Me too."

Danos heads to the bar where he drinks, and waits for anyone who might have heard his news through the staff from bars in the area to come find him.

Stringfellow walked into the bar, looking for the contact he had heard about. Spotting a person that seemed to match the description, he wanders over to say hello and get more information.  "I understand you are looking for gentlemen adventurers for a worthwhile quest."

"Yes," Oren said. "But replace 'Gentlemen Adventurer' with 'Capable Professional' and 'Worthwhile Quest' with 'Lucrative Treasure Hunt.' Are you interested?"

"I am always interested in opportunities to participate in an adventure.  After all, many of the most well known epic ballads were based around 'lucrative treasure hunts'.  I welcome the chance to create my own entry into those ranks.  I think you will find my blade effective, and my ability to keep a group's spirits high, welcome during a long journey..". Stringfellow pats the woodwind poking over his shoulder, on the opposite side from a bow.