The Winter Merchants' Faire

There are three main plazas in Lucimburic City- Clear Fountain Plaza, the Plaza of the Army and Kneudler Plaza.  Of these, Clear Fountain Plaza has been reserved for public functions- so the merchants have swarmed onto the other two, which are seperated by several short but busy streets.  Both plazas have monuments and statues throughout- the Plaza of the Army features statues of Lucimburic's great military heroes, and the Kneudler Plaza has a statue of the first Werebear leader of the Lycanthropes, over a thousand years ago.

The Plaza of the Army is also home to the Boar's Den, a noisy, raucous, and inexpensive dining and drinking hall that is very popular with the "working class"- especially Wereboars.

Many of the merchants here are travelers, and have set up shop to take advantage of the festival here- apparently, not only did word of the upcoming wedding leak out, but it spread out over the area.  The merchants have set up a village of tents that spreads across both plazas, adding to the existing shops of the city.  Most of them intend to be here for at least a couple of weeks- Lucimburic is expecting a long festival.

By order of the Duke, everything will be closed on Solstice Day, because the town needs a break sooner or later.  The rest of the time, the merchants are hungry to capitalize on every moment here- so the shops will be open late.

They have come from across the Elven Kingdom, and from some Human areas as well- there are merchants from Treverorum, Sedanensis, Laodunum, and elsewhere.  There are a few who managed to get in from more distant areas, and even a few Halflings.

It's crowded and busy, as the people of Lucimburic are eager to see the wide range of goods brought in from places they rarely get an opportunity to see.

It's not just goods- services are available as well.  There is a masseuse from Treverorum with large, warm tent, and an appointment book that is filling rapidly.  There are a variety of street performers, and a few fortune tellers.

Dunduin will take some time in between other activities to both see what is available for sale and to see what he can get for the goods he acquired recently. He pledged to do this on behalf of his troops so he took the task to heart. Despite being 'out of place' he found himself enjoying all the new sites and social interactions. It was interesting in that while the creatures themselves were different, many of the social interactions were the same. He postulated that, that was probably true for most humanoid races.

When they have time, Cirostis will bring his gear and the community gear he has on his wagon and stake out a spot to trade. He will tell the story of the battles and the destruction of many enemies, including the demon of late with a marvelous description of the virtues of the Dwarven waraxe. If there is downtime, he will sharpen his tools and even offer his services as a BeardCarver on a sliding scale, dwarves legionaires of the lowest ranks get it free, others pay according to salary, he calls it practice and uses it as a time to chat- he does not advertise this but it helps him relax. In classic Cirostis fashion he begins this practice by calling out any legionaires who fail to present a good military appearance and orders them to submit to his ministrations.

We didn't come here to party, Soldier - but if we must party you will present a good image of the empire.
 

       After having seen to the stabling, care, and feeding of the war ponies, the Dwarven
Patre seeks out the wagon that has their stores of highly sought after prescious bolts of
rare cloth.  Once he's located the valued stores, he set up a stall in the merchants
quarter in the hopes of being able to trade and sell off the wares.  He also wishes to
see if he can have a portion of the rarer materials that have servicable properties to
be made into 'special tabbards' for himself, his personal guards (w the devices of the
Dwarven House of Scopulous as well as the symbol of Mars and the appropriate Legion device
too), Centurion Dunduin (with a Device for their assigned Legion/and Vulcans symbol), and
Cirostis (Legion Device/and the barber pole device) . . .

Arctos, Cirostis and Dunduin are actually running two days ahead of the other PC’s here, (In the other thread they are still a day from the city, and the faire is closed on the solstice day.)  But there is plenty for them to do here, so we can sort of start things out early for them.  In the meantime, though… a little story…

Once upon a time, there was a wizard, living on a cold, grey coast, who over the course of years accumulated a substantial trove of wealth and magic.  He wasn’t a good wizard, and he was always concerned that while he was out traveling (which he often did to acquire more wealth and magic) some group of adventuring heroes would storm his home and make off with his treasure.  So he had an idea:  he constructed a complex underground system of vaults and chambers, and placed his treasure in them with a variety of traps and guards.

The wizard was a brilliant man, but like many brilliant men, he was also an idiot.  He had hired a group of Wererats to guard one particular treasure vault, and for some reason he believed them when they assured him that they would patiently wait in the rooms provided, and when the adventurers showed up, having already gotten through past the traps and the kobolds and the minotaur and the grey ooze and other defenses, the Wererats would slay them.  The Wererats expressed some disappointment over their pay schedule, and the days off they would be allowed.  The wizard generously told them they could keep stuff they found.

What a surprise:  during the wizard’s first trip away from home, the Wererats “found” a substantial treasure right there in the very room they were guarding.  With it, they paid off the minotaur and he left,  a very happy minotaur.  They disarmed all the traps, tossed the Kobolds into the Grey Ooze, and beat feet back for Lucimburic with all the loot they could carry.

Two things came of this.  First, after that debacle, the wizard was widely laughed at,  and anyone even suggesting hiding treasure in underground dungeons with traps and monsters was regarded as brain damanged.  Second, a tradition of “ruin scrounging” by crews of Wererats from Lucimburic was begun, and still continues.

The “Scroungers” do not maintain permanent shops.  Too much of a liability, and too tempting for thieves.  They should know.  They wait for occasions like the Winter Merchants’ Faire to set up temporary shops to sell the “neat stuff” they’ve recovered over the course of the year.  In part because of the operations of the Wererats, the Dwarves discover that Lucimburic is a shopper’s paradise- but very disorganized, and slow- they have to look things over one at a time, and negotiate with different buyers and sellers.  It will take them some time to get to understand the full scope of the goods and services for sale here.  Fortunately, they’ll have time.

Aelasuria enters the Winter Merchants fair Eager to find something for Theo. While she has a new cloak in mind for him. Depending on how the old one is holding up she's open minded. You never know when you will find that perfect gift. Perhaps a piece of armor, a useful weapon of some sort, A article of clothing, a chess board or other sort of game he might enjoy briefly pops into mind. at the moment she didn't think he would want or need another horse. She tries to remember Theo's favorite things as they of course would make a good gift.

"Rita do you have any particular item you want to pick up? IF you know what you want we can stop at that type of store first." She notes the Masseuse with a grin. "Now I wonder if I can talk Theo into enjoy that. I bet he has never had a massage in his life!" If it's possible she discretely inquires with the Masseuse about making a apointment.   "Do you have a opening for possibly two or even three if Rita is interested?"

pm

       The Patre and his two personal guards (Skippio and Burris ) set up their booth and
continue to man it as they try their best at trading a (1-2 bolts) portion of their goods
so as to have as many silk tabbards made for such an exhange, and possibly find someone
that will take trade healthy and breedable warpony stock in exhange for several of their
bolts of rare cloth, and mayhaps some coin as well.



       0-------------------------------------------------------------------------------0

This quote was taken from the Dwarven Company  Thread *(message #46) and involves the booty that had been aquired by Arctos as his spoils after the battle of Tullum.

12 Bolts of Fine Cloth . . .

Among the wares a very good looking dwarf sports is a beautiful magical cloak. It is soft and warm and allows you to store stuff in it, in fact it is a cloak of weaponry who's color has yet been described in game, worth 2300 new this dwarf will take the best offer he is not secretly looking for some elvish magic for his Waraxe, or perhaps an elvish cloak or boots for sneaking around or maybe jumping or moving or maybe turning invisible or being stronger or more agile -  something he can impress his friends and neighbors with back home. Something with lots if intricate elvish design that will be an heirloom someday or special magic on the thing he has ... Of course money is good too.

Or ... Just the thing for a wedding gift matching hers and his saddles, very high end (with a bonus to ride) these saddles have intricate ivory carvings and soft supple leather a bargain at 450 each a third and fourth are available. But the Dwarf would prefer to keep one.

He has other wares but these would best fit what the lady is seeking.

Dunduin assists in setting up the 'Dunduin's Dwarves Downright Deep Discount Daily Deals' dwarven goods pavilion. They need three stalls just to hang the banner. The dwarves are exited about doing something other than fighting for a change and put their best effort into it. Rumor has it they even bathed for the occasion.

The Dwarves start checking out the Scroungers’ Shops,  because these look like good places to buy or sell various exotic things.  The Wererats are creative, adventurous merchants and acquire things by exploring old ruins.  So they say.  The Wererats will also buy interesting things they think they can resell.

Of course, they will only pay a fraction of what the retail price for those items might be.  This is fairly normal- a merchant buying an exotic item is taking on a lot of risk.  He might not sell it.  Maybe he will end up hanging on to it for years.  Maybe it will get stolen.  And he’s got the expense of running his operation to think about.  The Scroungers frequently throw an added twist into it- if someone is into both buying and selling exotic things, they will frequently offer more than they would to someone who is just selling- but they will offer it in the form of “store credit” only.

The hitch is that there are three different Scrounger shops.  Each is the tent of a different “crew” and each will only give “store credit” for stuff in that crew’s shop!  Also, each Scrounger Crew gets a little paranoid when they see customers talking to the other Scroungers. They don’t like the idea of customers talking to other sources.  Choosing any one crew to talk to, even if it’s to inquire about prices and other details,  creates a penalty when dealing with the others!

Scrounger Crew One:  The Grund Gutter Go-Getters:

Magic Things on Display:
An Elven Rapier, Breast plate armor with Wolf figure, a peculiar looking crystal cube (they say it opens doors between far away places), colorful looking quilted armor, magic sling bullets (5 for a gold piece!  A bargain at half the price!), a suit of red chain mail armor (stealth, shmelth, who needs it!) and a four inch high pyramid of bronze.

Scrounger Crew Two:  The Feisty Filchers

Magic Things on Display:
A magic anklet that enhances dancing.  Probably does something if worn as a bracelet, no one’s tried.  A bucket of magic sludge.  Magic Sludge?  Yes.  It makes a little golem, but it turns back into sludge if it gets wet.  Several vials of See No Evil, a magic ointment that makes you invisible to evil creatures, A Druid;s Scythe, a magic axe with an icy blade, and Fireproof, Waterproof Parchments:  2 sheets for a gold piece.

Scrounger Crew Three: The Shadow Shifting Sugar Shufflers

Magic Things on Display:
A net with a handle.  A suit of scale armor they call spear-blunter, which can cause weapons striking it to break.  Axiomatic Crossbow Bolts, which cause extra damage to Chaotic creatures.  A magic goblet which changes the moods of those who drink from it.  A magic Lute.  A bucket of magic sand.  Sand?  Yes, it sticks to things and makes things gritty.  A magic throwing hammer.

A final twist:  Each crew’s “front man” insists that they have other things… for the right customer!  (And the Right Customer wouldn't be the type who goes around to those... yech.. .other crews' shops)


The Dwarves also learn that adeptness in the marketplace is a function of several skills.  None of them are professional merchants, and they are more at home on the battlefield than in the market place.  However, being successful traders requires a combination of Appraise, Bluff, and Sense Motive skills.

* * * * *

Meanwhile, Aelasuria inquires at the Masseuse’s tent.

Udna is a quite strongly built Wereboar woman, who is normally at Lecterna but figured she would get some extra cash running her business in Lucimburic over the festival.

She would be more than happy to make room in her schedule for Aelasuria and any friends.. Udna promises to very delicate with Elves, so Aelasuria need not worry.  She was at the Temple of Aesclepius in Treverorum for a while, and she learned about Elves and other kinds of people.

With the Masseuse Udna Aelasuria nods and smile looking happy that she had appointments still available. "Please make one for Theo and I Udna. I am sure I can convince him to come by at the appointed time. If for some reason I can't then I will bring him by to try to work out a agreeable time."

Smiling at Cirostis Aelasuria is indeed attracted to his stall when he begins to describe his offers. It's obvious that she likes the cloak and finds it's magical qualities attractive. She lightly touches the fabric inspecting it. Then the saddles which she nods looking quite happy at the idea of matching saddles. Although when she hears the prices asked for the items Aelasuria takes a step back. "I am afraid good dwarf I have not the coin to purchase such exquisite wares. I do have magic though permanently enchanting a weapon is beyond me. I will however keep your needs in mind. Perhaps something can be arranged at a later time."

OOC: Cirostis has 5 ranks in bluff, 8 ranks in sense motive and 5 ranks in profession, he is smart enough to understand how appraisal works, and has been working in the market for years as a BeardCarver - this shouldn't be too foriegn for him.
 
Cirostis continues his attempts to sell directly to the public, there are so many people around - and particularly for the items that Arctos and Dunduin may have some claim to, it would be a far cry easier to split money than store credit, , but having noticed the three rat shops and with the concern that the right buyer might not just show up he gathers Arctos and Dunduin.

What do you say we each check out one of those stalls over there? Who knows? maybe trading for store credit will be quicker.
 
We could divide up the things I got the other day between ourselves ... Or one of us could trade in the lot for some enchanted bolts we could all use?

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This message was last edited by the player at 03:20, Thu 14 Mar 2013.