In reply to Syvanus (msg # 133):

"Likewise, nice to meet you all. May Grom be with you. I will be in my room until our meeting tonight."

"Before you go, I'll need the money so I can buy our supplies," Oren said, putting out his hand.

In reply to Oren (msg # 135):

"Of course. Here is $100. I only have $126, and I may need the rest later."

Oren took the money, but just stared at it. "It's not $100. It's $160. You think the merchants are going to accept $1640 when I have to pay them $1700? No. They need to be paid, and it's not fair if you pay $100 when everyone else pays $160. You short me $60, and that $60 comes out of my pocket."

He poked Kirpich in the chest. "You get that other $60 by morning. I don't care how. If I gotta cover your broke-ass I will, but you gotta pay me back when we're done... with interest. I cover you for $60, then you're gonna pay me back $100."

"This ain't no charity. Got it?"

In reply to Oren (msg # 137):

"This is setious then. Good thing I just sold a couple of light stones.
 Here is the $160, and while I get that we are getting a tent and some food out of this, I would like to know what we are looking for in the Hetlands."

In reply to Marlena DuBois (msg # 138):

"What we are doing is seeking out the lost Paytrain of the September Desertion, in Lescrue. Here is my share."

"Good on you, Snorri."

In reply to Oren (msg # 140):

"Chunky already has group basics, and we have a lantern and 2 small casks of oil."

"Let me first say that you, Kirpich, are the one who's part of this expedition. Not Chunky. I mean, if he wants to follow you around for free and help out he's welcome, but he doesn't get a share of what we find."

"That said, if you want to give me Chunky's group basics as part of the $160 you owe that will knock off $50 from what you owe, but I'll still need $110 in cash."
This message was last edited by the player at 00:17, Fri 03 Apr 2015.

In reply to Oren (msg # 142):

"Chunky is my assistant, given by Grom, and we go everywhere together. We are glad to carry it for the group, though see no need to give it away. Of course it is our contribution, as is my ability to create food. I can offer $110 for other goods if that is needed, but I need very little myself, and Chunky needs nothing. He is living earth."

Oren waved his hands. "Listen, the buy in for this adventure is $160. You can pay in cash, or you can pay in equipment, but it all becomes the property of the group. That's just the way it works. I'm paying $160, Snorri is paying $160, Danos is paying $160. If you want in, you gotta pay $160, and part of that can be the group basics... but you're giving it to the group."

He shook his head. "Shit, you can probably have it back when we're done, kid, but you have to put in just as much as everyone else, or it's not fair. During the expedition, it belongs to the group. That way if you die or quit, we're not stuck without group basics. Understand?"

In reply to Oren (msg # 144):

"My unit did not riot, as our commandant paid half shares from his own
pocket, but the deserters had not been paid for at least a month when the train was lost. They were a company of fifty stalwart men. If what we seek
 is there, you would not begrudge a cookpot."

"Right. When we're done we'll be rich or we'll be dead, so there's no point in being stingy now."

In reply to Oren (msg # 144):

"Ok, that is fair. I was not aware of the group buy in. I guess that comes from coming in late. But for the adventure, it makes sense to have it as part of the groups equipment. Any reason chuncky should not carry it for the group? He could probably help in carrying other stuff as well..."

"He can carry whatever he agrees to carry," Oren said. "But if he's going to be fighting, it might be better keeping it on the donkey."

Having collected everybody's money, he goes off to buy the equipment and supplies.

In reply to Oren (msg # 148):

"Oh, chunky is not much of a fighter. I can call some other Earth elementals for that though..."

Stringfellow returns later that evening.  If there is someone waiting to talk, he will join them, otherwise he heads to bed to rest up for the long journey.

In reply to Stringfellow Hill (msg # 150):

The mage's eyes widen at some of the figures.
"Um, the going rate for even a common soldier for a month is $750.
If Snorri is right, we could be looking at a few pounds of silver. If the pay
 train was late when it went missing, or if some of the deserters were being
paid at a higher rate, it could be a lot more than that. Fifty elite soldiers
would have been paid twice that, over seven pounds of silver, and if it was nore than a month's pay..."

"And bear in mind that these coins may be worth more than their face value to coin collectors and historians."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:36, Fri 03 Apr 2015.

"Definitely a worthwhile quest.  I'm looking forward to the challenge.". Stringfellow smiles.
"I have 87 lbs of gear for the donkey, is that ok?  Two pouches of food, two spare wineskins of water, and my normal backpack."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:11, Fri 03 Apr 2015.

In reply to Stringfellow Hill (msg # 153):

If there are vital supplies, I would suggest Chunky here carry them, as a mule is likely to run from danger, right when we would need the supplies!

"The mule is going to be carrying a full load with just the gear I'm buying for the group," Oren said. "Anything extra, you carry yourself, unless you want the elemental to carry it for you... but even then, a backpack only carries so much weight, and with all the lamp oil its carrying, all it takes is a single stray spark and the whole damn thing is going to explode."

"My advice? Pack light."

"The reason we are bringing a donkey is to carry all of the supplies, food, water, tools, equipment, loot, and treasure, so that we can make the journey quickly without delays to get supplies, hunt, carry heavy weight, and such."
Stringfellow smiles at Chunky.
"The supplies needed by all of us to travel quickly would dwarf Chunky."
Turning to Oren.
"I am pretty sure I remember you mentioning that food and supplies could be carried by the donkey.  I can bring less, but the food and water still weighs 60lbs.  It is two weeks there and two weeks back, right?  That is 80 meals total, in case we can't resupply."
This message was last edited by the player at 22:29, Fri 03 Apr 2015.

In reply to Oren (msg # 155):

Kirpich laughs.

"It will take more than a spark to light a wooden casket with lamp oil in a backpack, and even if it lit, it would not explode. It simply is not volatile enough! But I will get him a larger pack, all the same. Come get me when we are ready to depart."

Kirpich puts a frame backpack on Chunky, and transfers some items to it. He then waits in his room until informed they are departing.

"I originally hoped to buy a larger mule," Oren said. "But with most of you barely able to afford $160, we had to go with a smaller animal. A small mule is $1000, a large one is $2000."

He sounded a little annoyed by the fact. "We could hire some porters, but then we have to carry food for them as well, which sort of defeats the purpose."