[IC] Goblins at the Gate - League of Extraordinary Merchants

[Throndir]

Jin only. Or anyone who works with Jin to be in it as well.

A tall man wearing a set of leather armor, and all sorts of various tools and small weaponry on his belt smiled sharply at the armored man who had just come into his captain's quarters. He had a muscular and toned body underneath the clothing, his skin, tanned from months of working as a sailor and captain of his crew. He sported a variety of scars across his bare arms, and likely the wounds probably spread towards his torso as well. Various strips of cloth covered parts of his armor, making him look more like a citizen from the desert country of Shadar than one from the country of Korinthia. Rato, out of habit or practice, bowed low at the armored man.

"Rato of the Procurement Division welcomes you to the Lady Luck." The man said simply. He didn't really need to welcome the imposing figure before him, but it was as good as any for any introduction.

"The upgrades we talked about, are almost to their completion." Rato continued as he pulled forth from his desk what looked to be a blueprint with of the warship Lady Luck.

"The last of the modifications to our rudder control should be done right about now for that matter." He pointed towards a section of the scroll, detailing out a series of enhancements and physical modifications to steering and rudder controls of the vessel.

[Lance]

"Well met, Rato," the armored man replied while making his way into the spacious cabin, his thoughts lingering on a certain set of words. "Procurement Division though?" Jin grinned beneath his armored helm. "I'll admit, it's still somewhat odd hearing tales of the famed Sword Demon rampaging around while... procuring things," he continued, knowing full well how much Rato disliked the title. An ill fit, he'd always complain whenever Jin brought it up. Still, the many tales and stories revolving around the man before him were always spoken in reverence and that nickname too, no matter how embarrassing Rato thought it to be, was held in high regard by the people of the realm.

After all, it's not every day that a legend is born.

"Now, onto more important matters - the cost," the armored man said while adjusting a majestic feathered hat that he now wore despite the presence of his obstructive helm. "As we agreed upon beforehand-Gods, how do you wear this thing!?-Ahem, I'm willing to invest perhaps 5,000 gold in order recoup your losses."

"However, before we get down to that..." Jin began, his tone suddenly taking a somber turn. "Rato," he said seriously. "Won't you buy back your old hat?" He finished, while pointing emphatically at the dignified hat hanging precariously in a not-so-dignified position.

"Perhaps for, say... 4,999 gold?"

[Throndir]

"Sword Demon." Rato balked at the title. "An ill-fitting title if I do say so myself. I'm simply a merchant. After all Codes of Profit #167 does clearly state 'start negotiations with a flare to get their attention'. My trade routes just happen to be on the open seas, and my trade negotiations... well, they are started off with more of an explosion than a flare." His eyes glinted.

But then darkened as Jin, the founding member of the League of Extraordinary Merchants offered to sell him back his hat. He had since replaced it since their first encounter months ago with a particular princess of Lorule, but he still frowned. That was his favorite hat.

But the man's eyes contained a bit of mischief as he walked towards a large map of the Ysilia that stood hanging on the wall.

"How about you pay me back that hat, pay that 5000 gold that the great Jin so graciously offered, and my next expedition will lead us to..." He paused for dramatic effect as he playfully tapped a few pins scattered on the large map. On each of the pins were some quickly scribbled notes.

"Another one of us?"

[Lance]

"Aye, but this hat is a perfect fit," Jin remarked only moments before the hat fell down ungraciously to the floor.

"I meant that."

Picking up the hat from the floor, the armored man gave it a quick savage dust-off, truly testing the item's durability before once again squeezing it into place atop his helm. Despite the fabric bending, buckling, and otherwise being on the verge of being torn asunder altogether, the hat finally managed to stay in place. "That's better - as expected of a hat worth 5,000 gold... or was it 5,001?"

"Rato, I do believe this hat is priced at 5,002 pieces of solid gold coins, am I right?" Jin asked tentatively. "Or perhaps it was 5,003? No, then 5,004! My, this hat sure keeps rising in price, only a fool would refrain from buying now and Rato, my dear friend, I am certain you are no fool."

The armored man took a moment to stabilize the errant hat before continuing once more. "In any case, the hat's current price is sitting precariously on a measly 5,005 gold coins. Truly a low price for such a fine object don't you think? I'd imagine someone as fine as you would not hesitate to buy now if only to cherish those old memories filled with your past hopes and dreams; and as you well know, you can't put a price on hopes and dreams (Codes of Profit #34)."

"At any rate, such a memento of your past would be worth a fortune to the proper buyer. Many strange collectors are absolutely dying to get their hands on any of the Sword Demon's past belongings - from weapons to underwear, they want it all!" Jin exclaimed. "I truly am taking such a loss for selling it to you for a mere 5,006 gold, but it is with great sacrifice that I extend this offer."

"After all, what are friends for?"

"But speaking of friends, our next primary heading..." He paused in direct mimicry of the man before him before tapping a small almost barren area of the map marked as 'Powderkeg.' "Should be here," Jin grinned.

"Word tells me that profit... is not too far away."

[Throndir]

Each time his hat was roughly handled, squashed, bent, and forced on atop that spikey helmet of Jin's, Rato continued to cringe. Finally Rato laughed.

"If you're able to sell it for 5000 gold coins, be my guest." Rato said, almost challengingly.

He looked at where Jin had pointed to.

"Powderkeg? The wooden fort town marked as the trading stop for all things east to Aztia, Kyl'Marn, and Lorule. A population of roughly 300, with perhaps half that number in individuals as traders, caravans, and their crew. Primarily deals with exotic goods, woods, and furs." Rato recited almost from memory.

"Codes of Profit #58: Know the lay of the land to better profit." He continued again.

"Even with the new... upgrade, our max speed is about 30 miles an hour. I would guess about 900 miles from here to there. That is a journey of a little less than 2 days atleast. And why Powderkeg? Is there something in that small trading town that speaks of profit?" Rato asked, genuinely interested.

[Lance]

"Hopes and dreams, my friend," the armored man reiterated. "Hopes and dreams."

"As for a more tangible reason, I've heard from an ill-reputable source that there are a great many 'treasure-hoarding green critters' amassing in great numbers around Powderkeg's zone of influence," Jin grinned. "Like a congregation of wallets - ripe for procurement." For it was common knowledge that goblins loved all things shiny, which was also the reason why competent adventurers both loved and hated the little green-skinned monstrosities. There was no telling if the goblin in front of you held something of great value or simply found fragments of a glass bottle. Thus, hunting goblins was akin to buying lottery tickets. Only, with goblins gathering in so great a number, the chances of winning was almost guaranteed.

There was, however, that slight problem - a great amount of goblins leads to a great amount of risk. After all, goblins have proven to be both resilient and crafty as a species, continuing to survive even with the combined offensive of many other races. Many of these race's adventurers, even those few heroes known to have slain dragons, can still fall against a goblin's deviousness despite popular belief in the contrary. In the eyes of the 'civilized' races, goblin-kind has always been physically weaker, less sanitary, and above all less intelligent. They both mock and snub the threat posed by goblins and as a result many overconfident adventurers have met an untimely end.

After all, it was known to be the height of 'civilized' arrogance to think that no other race apart from them could possibly birth individuals above and beyond the known capacity for their race, that no other would have heroes or even any legends of their own. However, even those deemed as 'less than human,' those mere monsters, possess a life all their own. And in time, an individual does rise up; one with the strength to survive the bitter onslaught he will face, one armed with courage enough to fight against his cruel fate, and one possessing a deep-seated grudge against all the rest of the world - a goblin hero.

That was what made goblin uprisings so dangerous. The horde was one thing but the greatest threat came from the one capable of controlling and managing a force akin to the very embodiment of chaos itself. Still...

"Where there is danger, there is profit. (Codes of Profit #4)"

"So long as Lady Luck is with us, however, we'll be safe from most of what the goblins throw against us while we bombard them from a distance. Furthermore, I hear the bounty placed on these goblins are at an all-time high considering the circumstance and I'm sure I need not remind you that the townsfolk would be more than welcoming of our timely aid... for a fair price that is," Jin explained.

"For the moment, though, we should make a quick stop at Ternaden, where I can not only verify the validity of this claim but should it be proven true, perchance cash in on advance pay. Who knows, perhaps we could receive enough funds for a second 'upgrade' for your armada; even procuring another ship may not be too out of the question. After all, in such times of need, the guild has already proven to be anything if not generous."

"And despite my indisputably dubious source, I'm willing to chance that there is some truth in all this," Jin finished. "I'll bet this hat on it."

[Throndir]

"The hat you say?" That got Rato's attention. He beckoned towards Jin as the captain made his way back up the deck, he spotted what he was looking for, another crewmember.

"Boatswain!" Rato commanded, the crewmember, a young lad who didn't seem to be older than 18 at most, realizing that he was called fumbled out a long whistle, almost like a thin pipe, and blew into it. A shrill tone resounded from it alerting the rest of the crewmen.

"A-all h-hands!" The crewmember called out in a stutter shortly after.

"Raise the anchor! Hoist the sails! Prepare for disembarking! Send the release call to the port workers!" Rato yelled out shortly once the crewmember got everyone's attention. Once they heard the commands the crewmen exploded into action, many of them rushing to fulfil the orders.

"Garrus! The upgrades are complete?" He asked quickly turning around to yet another crewmember, this one was stocky dwarf with an eye-patch.

"Aye cap'n! The final pieces were installed just 10 minutes ago. The Lady Luck be ready, I give ye' me word on that!"

Rato made his way up higher towards the ship's wheel as the cacophony of the ship being prepped for launch resounded around him. Next to the ship's wheel, a magnificent new rod was set next to the pedestal, just an arms reach from the wheel itself. It was a lever that could be pushed forward or pulled back.

"Call when ready!" Rato yelled out in his booming captain's voice.

"Anchor ready!" One called out.

"Moors released!" Another voice echoed out not a moment later.

"Acknowledgement from the docks!"

"Sails are set!"

"A-All ship r-ready sir!"

Rato grinned as he lightly caressed the ship's wheel, and touched the tip of the new rod beside it.

Usually the helmsman was in charge of this particular duty. But for the first test of their new 'upgrade', Rato, the captain of the Lady Luck wanted to be the first to use it. Grabbing the rod he pulled back on it. Suddenly the warship lurched forward, the sails suddenly filling with a wind that didn't seem to actually exist. Then, it took an unexpected maneuver as the ship slowly started to become lighter and lighter, the water seemingly pushing up on the keel of the ship. The ship continued to rise, most of its hull was already above the water, but yet it continued. The onlookers and other sailors watching from the docks of Gelon looked on in awe and wonder as the Lady Luck continued to float even higher upwards, the waves of water below no longer even hitting the warship. Onwards it kept rising. Like a large lumbering beast it continued its path steadily until reaching around 100 feet in the air did the ship finally stop its ascent.

"Setting a course for Ternadan!" Rato called out as he began to turn the ship's wheel.

"Sails directed! Heading due east!"

"C-course laid f-for Ternadan!"

And with that, the warship lurched forward again, this time in a forward direction, heading towards the home city of the Guild of Galas'nor.

"All haste for the city!" Rato called out. In a lower voice Rato recited another one of the codes to Jin.

"Codes of Profit #19: More riches to those who are the earliest."

We can close the RP at this point, and merge it back in the main thread once more progress on main thread has been completed. Or we can spawn off a new one and we can play down the events that happened in the main thread, and just work off with what you plan to do to get the ship to Powderkeg in a reasonable time. Lastly, you can continue this thread if you wanted and just state Jin's actions.