A new day, a new mark (Chyril 25, MT)

[Guest]

Dren strolled through the Market Square, thumbs hooked on his belt. He looked back and forth, eyeing everyone he passed. A new day meant a new chance for business, and Dren was in the business of taking what he wanted. It was only a matter of finding the right person in the wrong situation.

Unsure of where to start, he shrugged, deciding it was best to start the day off at the Drunken Duck. A day at the Duck was never dull, and never failed to present several opportunities.

With that, Dren veered off his current path and headed into the tavern.

[Adanedhel]

As it was still morningtide, it was not as thronged as it would be tonight. Just the usual customers who came by every day, as well as a few travellers. Most of them having breakfast and only a few of them at the bar with a good mornings meal of ale.

As Dren came in, the barkeep already bellowed at him "Close the door before the cold gets in! 'N what can I get you?".

The barmaid was in the kitchen, by the sound of the chatter there.

There were some merchants inside, who hadn't opened their shops yet, and a lady whom Dren knew to be a whore in the Watertown district. She looked quite unhappy. Last, but certainly not least, there was a man he hadn't seen before. He wore a skirt, fine leather boots and a normal muslin shirt. His cloak hung over the back of his chair and a few daggers could be seen hanging on the inside.

[Guest]

Dren shut the door immediately, and loosened his grip on his cloak, letting it fall limp. He then took a few moments to glance at each patron in the bar, sizing up each one, and finally resting on the unfamiliar man.

Without taking his eyes off the man, Dren said "Whiskey." He moved to the man's table and draped his own cloak over the back of a chair, then sat in it.

"Well met good sir, care to share a drink with me?"

[Adanedhel]

As Dren sat down, one of the barmaids came to the table and put a glass of whiskey in front of the young criminal, and a bowl of stew in front of the stranger. "Thanks, lovely." he said as he handed her a lance.

He then looked Dren up and down. "I don't know if meeting you is all good, so I'll skip the niceties. You can sit down, drink all you like, as long as you will let me eat my stew and don't speak unless spoken to. " he said as he took the spoon in his stew and put a spoonful in his mouth.

"What are you doing here and why did you seek me out in a place like this? I'm poor, I'm a traveller and you can smell the shit on the soles of my boots a mile away."

The stranger kept eating in between his sentences and looked Dren straight in the eyes. The brown eyes of the man looked experienced. This man had seen much in his life and didn't need to be told anything.

[Guest]

After the man finished speaking Dren, who had a grin on his face the entire time, took a sip of his whiskey and sat silent for a moment. "Since when can two travelers not just sit and make small talk? I'm just back in Dort from a business trip. And from the shit on your shoes I smelled a mile away, I can tell you've got a story to tell."

Dren leaned back in his chair, putting his hands behind his head. "I'll tell you what. How about I buy you a drink, no strings attached. Then you can decide whether you'd like to loosen up a bit, maybe exchange a few stories."

[Adanedhel]

His head hanging down, eating his stew, the stranger glanced up briefly at the mention of free whiskey. "In that case, well met. First off, the name's Angus and I'm a freelancer. Currently, my wits are taking me here. Not many stories I can tell. None other than job related though. I catch criminals for their bounty. That's about it." he said, taking another spoonful of his beloved stew. "An' what do you do for a living, master...? Where do you hail from and what business have you been up to, lad? Any stories on your sleeve?" he asked Dren.

As the man had processed his stew, his hand raised for a moment. A few flickers later the waitress came to their table. "How was the meal? Anything else I can get you men?" she asked, tapping her foot impatiently. "Very good, dear. Hadn't had a stew this fine for a very long time. Then again, it has been four yahren since I've been to the Golden city of Dort. I believe my friend wanted to order." Angus said, wiping his hands off his shirt.

[Guest]

Dren smiled wider as the man opened up. "Well met to yourself Angus, I am called Dren. I actually hail from right here in Dort, but it's been some time since I've been back in the city. Work you know, keeps a man busy. I do a little freelance work myself. I find people, things, whatever. Sometimes I do a little guarding. Whatever I can find."

Dren leaned back in over the table, getting close. Then he realised the waitress was still standing there waiting for his order. "Eh...I guess...well, he enjoyed his stew, I'll have the same lass."

Dren turned back to Angus. "Well I'm sure you know how it is with freelance work. Lots of stories, no glory. A little of this and a little of that, hard dirty work that pays little."

"So what brings you to Dort? Friends? Family? Or a job perhaps?"

[Adanedhel]

Angus nodded as Dren spoke. It was true, for a freelancer it wasn't too easy to find work, and they took everything they could to come by. As Dren ordered, the expression on Angus' face changed. He stared intently at his guest and added "'N he wants two whiskeys for us, please".

The waitress nodded and repeated the order. "One stew for the Dortsman, and two whiskeys, one for each of ya, paid by the Dortsman. Be coming right up, sirs." she said, smiling towards Angus and walking away towards the counter.

The clansman continued when the lady was out of earshot. "Loads of stories yes, no glory... true I think. Dirty hard work, you got it all right, but I think you must be doing something wrong. My pay has, overall, been quite good. Maybe it's just a difference of skill I think."

Angus laughed out loud at the last question asked of him, and it sure did get some looks of the other patrons in there. "I don't have friends and I support my family, who live in Islay. There's no job, just a chance, and I want to be the one to take it. Didn't you hear it?" he said, and leaned over the table, close to Dren, whispering "There's a two hundred crown bounty out. Read the signs, mate. It'll make you rich."

[Guest]

"Oh dear," exclaimed Dren, "where were my manners. Yes, a whiskey for each of us. Keep them coming as long as my new friend wishes them, on me of course."

"Two hundred crowns? I'm suprised I havn't heard, usually talk of such a bounty spreads quickly. Perhaps it's because I'm just into Dort this mornin'." Dren put his hand to his fuzzy chin. "Pray good sir, do tell. Perhaps I could be of some assistance, seeing as how this is my hometown."

[Adanedhel]

Angus sat back again. He seemed to ponder the offer Dren had just made him. "And of what kind of assistance could you be, young man?" he asked, fiddling with his hair somewhat.

"Certainly, two hundred crowns is quite a lot and splitting the money would still get each of us enough. If we'd be able to hook up with a few more, it might be easy money. Whaddya reckon? You got any friends that might want to help?" he said, crowns already rolling in his eyes.

"I'm a veteran at this, but my knees have some trouble lately. So my knowledge with some extra skills could be the right thing to apprehend this Jubal."

Then the barmaid came back and placed a plate of stew in front of Dren, and a whiskey aside it and gave a wink to the clansman as she handed him his drink.

[Guest]

Dren smiled inwardly. Weak knees eh? Good to know, he thought.

"Well, I know my way around town quite well, and I may know a person or two who might help out." He began to eat the stew, taking a few moments to enjoy it.

"I'm sure with your experience and my youth, we shouldn't be able to collect on this bounty. But first, please tell me more about this...Jubal."

Dren set his hand on his chin and slowly sipped his whiskey, waiting attentively for his companions reply.

[Adanedhel]

The eyes of the highlander scanned over Dren again, as if measuring the young Dortenese man. A sigh escaped him before he began to speak again.

"I guess you are right. Kind of. We all need help at times, and I'm not what I used to be. Jubal, he leads the Waterstreets for as far as I know. He's male, probably mid thirties. Apart from that, I was hoping to find out here. See if there are some people who... know certain things. I wish I could tell you more lad, except for the fact we should consider anyone around this Jubal armed and dangerous. Maybe the man himself too."

Taking a swig from his whiskey, he looked at the clear goldenbrown liquid in his glass. "You really think you're up for this? And your friends too? It'll be tough work, and I can't guarantee we find or capture the man. 'N I won't pay you for yer time."

[Guest]

Dren abandoned his toothy grin and took up a somber, serious look. He hand't been thinking of taking work on this side of the law, but money was money, and if push came to shove he could turn on his new companion and side with Jubal. It all depended on how things played out.

He put his hand on his chin thoughtfully after Angus finished. "I'm most definately ready for this. It's the sort of thing I've been working up to for quite some time now. I've another friend, a decent fellow, good with a sword, who might be willing to help, so long as you don't mind achadhiels. He lives a bit outside town though, so I'd have to go see him, I'm not sure what kind of timetable you're working with here."

Dren rocked back in his chair a few times, looking pensive. "Payment is not a problem, I'm not wealthy, but neither am I a pauper by any means. I don't expect anything unless we actually capture the man. However, I do believe some sort of agreement should be reached before hand on the division of the reward, should we be able to claim it."

[Adanedhel]

Angus smiled as he heard the young man still wanted to team up with him. The bountyhunter opened his mouth as if to speak, but then quickly swallowed his words. Taking a look at the bar and the rest of the room he gently nodded.

"Yes, we will be a fine team, young 'un. I don't have a time table, so you go on ahead and find this... friend of yours. See if he wants to help. Do remember, I'm making this agreement with you and not with him. Though it probably fetches you more than you make in the same amount of time."

He rubbed his cheek for a moment and looked at Dren, "You know what, I'll stick around here and start hunting the best I can. If you and your friend still want to follow up with me, come here at lunch or breakfast. I'll be at this very table then. I offer you four crowns out of every ten crowns we collect. Whaddaya say, lad?"

[Turi]

Archived without skilling due to player inactivity