In reply to Hitomi (msg # 2):

A plump half elven woman opens the door, with an eye roll toward some of the mercenary types lounging about. One of them might not have been able to, having hooks for hands.
"Hitomi! How can I help you?"

"Is master Rigo available?  I would like a bit of his time if he can see me."

In reply to Hitomi (msg # 4):

"Hitomi  I am here. How can I help you?"

"What can you tell me about our situation with the Merchants Guild?  I understand they are resistant to allowing the merchant Rushagorn to advance, and that this in turn is impeding our efforts to open trade routes with the trolls.  Do you know who needs to be convinced?

In reply to Hitomi (msg # 6):

Rigo gestures you forward  into a quieter office, with maps and trophies on the walls and, closing the door, settles into an armchair behind a desk, and indicates a comfortable  chair
opposite.
 "Rushagorn is an ally of ours, one of several
agents we are trying to advance within the Merchant's guild.
I take it Ashbury  and Camilla have done a minimal amoubt of
briefing, There is a fairly complex organization of alliances
within our sister guild, but I think they can be destabilized
to our advantage if a few of them were in our pocket.
Alphonso Citrine, Malcolm Chantelle, and Pierre Racine make up the core opposition.  Chantelle might be the hardest to
Compromise, his issue is always the problem of cost when
 dealing with the Haederic beaurocracy."

"Where is cost a consideration?  Is it the cost of the writs?  I understand that Flavius of the Haderum is vulnerable to pressure on account of his love of the dice and wine."

In reply to Hitomi (msg # 8):

"Really? That's a useful tidbit. Chantelle is
always against spending any guild monies, the tightwad.
Getting writs and licensure at a discount would be worthwhile
Let me set you up with Vilgar's agent Laurence Castile."

"What does Castile do for Vilgar?"

In reply to Hitomi (msg # 10):

"Vilgar is a convicted felon, and cannot own real property. As his agent, Laurence, whose primary business is dealing in sdistributing spirits and other intoxicants, holds the deeds for Vilgar's assorted businesses, which the guild holds an interest in.  Laurence is a
merchant and nominally a member of that guild.  I think you might find another ally in the
wine merchant Lamont DuClair. He hired that mountain elf who looks like Marie the bard to
clean out his winecellars. from Haskell's description, the area the trolls inhabited would
 make an excellent staging ground for launching our business; he might be interested in leasing the space to us, but get Laurence to talk wine with him before bringing that up."

"Sounds like Castile is indeed the right place to start then.  Quite a web though.  Do you know a good hustler?  Someone who can play to Flavius' weakness without any suggestion of cheating and get him more in our debt.  I am sure I could lighten his wallet, and have not objection to doing so, but that is thinking small and I think we want to go bigger."

In reply to Hitomi (msg # 12):

"Castile is quite a smooth operator, if he could
get someone to buy some of the swill he pushes, he can work over a plutocrat."

"Just how bad is his swill?  Might be a place in the Redlight district he could sell it, customers don't go there for the wine."

In reply to Hitomi (msg # 14):

"That is where he sells most of it, places luke the Wastrel's  Hope."

"Is his wine a hard sell?  How much more do you think he would need to move to lend us a hand?"

In reply to Hitomi (msg # 16):

"That would certainly sweeten things, although he
knows guild business benefits his boss."

"Do you think a few casks would be enough or would it take more?"

In reply to Hitomi (msg # 18):

"He would probably do it for less, especially as he
gets a cut of Vilgar's gains here, but anything would help. Why not kill two birds, and have him buy a cask of DuClair's
 Madiera for me. It will favorably dispose all parties...
Make it two casks."
 He tosses Hitomi a pouch of silver,
"And use the rest to handle whatever bribes you need to get through to that pkutocrat. If he needs a flat rate for something sweeping, get back to me with specifics."

The pouch has $500 as 25 silver coins!

Hitomi catches the proffered bag and quickly disappears it beneath her robes.

"I will see to it.  You want the wine delivered here?"

OOC:  What should she expect to pay?

18:09, Today: Hitomi rolled 11 using 3d6.  Merchant @13+/- - market price for a cask of DuClair's madeira.

This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 18:03, Wed 30 Mar 2016.

In reply to Hitomi (msg # 20):

A small cask goes for $55; the amount of cash is really generous -(check  the reaction roll I made...)
You might wish to hire a laborer, those cost $20 per day.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:27, Thu 31 Mar 2016.

Hitomi heads down to Kobold town to hire some of the porters she has used before.

In reply to Hitomi (msg # 22):

Several of the kobolds greet you as you head over toward their part of the undercroft.
"It is Hitomi Returned!"

"Good to see you too.  Has it been all that long?"  Hitomi warmly greets the kobolds she sees.  "How are your children?  Getting enough to eat I hope."

OOC:  What is a small cask?  Need to judge how heavy they will be.  See below for a point of reference.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_wine_cask_units

In reply to Hitomi (msg # 24):

"The small one hurt by the triger is strong now, walking and laughing. We eat...often."


Small casks would be roundlets, 18 gallon kegs, best carried
by two when not rolled.

"Often?  But not regularly enough?  I will have to think on what might be done about that, but for today I need four strong porters to help be move some wine casks.  Think you can help me out?  Usual rates, i don't anticipate any danger."

In reply to Hitomi (msg # 26):

"Yes, right away!"

He quickly gathers three others, two of whom you have worked
 with previously.