Exalted - Money with Menaces

Money with Menaces
Adam Hattrell
2011/10/23 17:12

Table of Contents
Apr 22 2011 	 # 

Apr 22 2011
We were on our way home from the Wolf’s Pelt when a short cut turned less appealing. A shadow stepped out of a nearby doorway and resolved itself into a leering gentleman who demanded money with menaces.
We weren’t really up for menaces, but weren’t too keen on handing over the not insignificant amount of jade we had with us to procure services for the circus either. Olvir engaged in some not-so-barbed banter and goaded the rest of the thug’s posse out from their hiding places. There were 5 of them – and only three of us (not counting Teela, who was busy keeping Olvir’s neck warm).
As Song and Caelan reached surreptitiously for their weapons Olvir tried a classic distraction technique and tossed the lead thug his purse of drinking money, (relatively light in coins by this point in the evening). It landed with a satisfying clink a little closer to us than the thug would have liked and right about where Olvir had deliberately mis-aimed his throw. The lead thug gestured to a minion to pick it up and as he reached for it Olvir swung his club with mountainous strength and knocked the man’s head clean off. It sailed away across the rooftops as the corpse dropped to the floor and battle ensued.
Caelan took a knife in the shoulder from one of the thugs before downing him with a well-placed arrow or two. Song’s struggle with her opponent went her way surprisingly quickly after he lost his knife in the folds of her cloak and she employed her practiced knee action. Olvir made taking down the other two – including their leader – look easy, though he was battered and bruised by the end of the fight and blood oozed from several cuts.
Despite his injuries he was determined to return to the unfriendliest tavern in Eagle’s Point – he wanted a word or two with Balen. Song, having roughly patched up the thug with arrow holes and relieved the rest of any excess jade and weapons, made a show of tending to Olvir’s wounds, leaving him looking more robust yet frighteningly intimidating with the blood streaked artfully across his muscles. Picking up the lead thug Olvir marched (slowly) back to the Golden Flame where he deposited him in front of Balen and explained – pointedly – that after paying him for ‘security’, we’d not tolerate being attacked. The tavern seemed to get the point.
With that we headed back to the River Rat, and sank into freshly drawn baths to scrub away the dirt and blood. Song ensured both men were patched up and cures applied before we all retired to our beds for a much deserved sleep.
We had a relaxed morning before heading out for our meeting with Lord Astor. Dressed in our finery (or at least, the best we’d been able to muster at short notice) we made our way across town – momentarily distracted as we passed through a square containing a fountain since resting on the stone edge of the water feature was the man we’d seen at the guild house the day before. His feathered ruff was evident and as he saw us notice him, stood and bowed. We went over to introduce ourselves whereupon he introduced himself as Adler of the Golden Feather, the god of the city. Impressed, Song recalled tales of Adler, his dispute with the Censor of the East some centuries past and his favoured occupations. She knew he had little power beyond the city but was an active player within it. We told him our reasons for being in the city – and that we were on our way to attend to the high mannered Lord Astor. He seemed to share our feelings on the city’s ruler – and perhaps in sympathy, gave Song a feather which she tucked in her hair – a way of making things go easier, he said. We were honoured – and yet more so when he invited us to dinner the following day.  We accepted, unsure of why he wanted to see us but happy nonetheless to attend. 
With that we headed boldly onwards to our political fate. We were greeted by the same attendant as yesterday and despite our punctuality had to wait some minutes before Lord Astor saw us. This was entirely expected, and we had time to admire the opulence of Astor’s manse as we were led to see him. A statue of Adler stood with other gods and people of note in niches along the hallways, and inlays of marble and jade reinforced the obvious wealth. Lord Astor’s reception room – or throne room, perhaps – had Astor at the centre, seated upon a raised dais.
We greeted him with what we hoped was appropriate deference and stepped forward to present him with gifts.  Song offered a decorative vial of one of her finest perfumes and Caelan presented him with a finely wrought dagger, one he’d carried with him from Brightwater.  It seemed to impress Lord Astor enough, which was our intent.  We told him when the circus was due, asked for his approval for us to perform in the city and invited him to choose an evening’s performance at his mansion as well.  It was our our usual agreement, but he’d already looked a little askance at us when it became obvious we weren’t the Dragon-Blooded White Clouds he was expecting, and we tried to let him feel every inch the ruler.  Song tried to look demure – tilting her head slightly so Adler’s feather was visible.  He evidently noticed it – and perhaps it made the difference.  We could deal with him being a little snooty if we got what we needed.  Arrangements made, we went on our way, bowing our way out of the audience chamber and promising that the White Clouds would meet with him when they arrived.
After our success with Lord Adler and wanting to build on it, we headed again for the Golden Flame. We needed to get ticket sales sorted out and discussed various options as we made our way to the tavern. It was mid-afternoon and quieter than the previous night and we sat down with the innkeeper to hammer out a deal. He was as high handed as the night before, wanting an eighth of sales as opposed to the usual tenth. We were keen to keep to the same deal as agreed with the other inns - and and as Olvir pointed out, to avoid a situation in future years where he’d demand a seventh, a sixth – and so on. He was dismissive of our notion that other places could sell as many tickets – and while we thought we could probably offload them through smaller local establishments it would also make things more trouble for us. It looked as if we’d again reach an impasse when Song, mindful of the deal we’d so recently agreed with Lord Astor offered him the chance for a performance at the inn itself. It would bring people flocking to the place and offer him the chance to make plenty of jade if he capitalised on it. Finally, we seemed to have an option he liked – after pondering it and hammering out the exact details we made the deal and walked away content that we’d come up with a solution for all parties Selene would accept.
Flushed with success we went to the Golden Auroch to relax. The Golden Flame wasn’t exactly our scene, especially after the previous night – and Jeret was a much friendlier publican, anyway.   He greeted us by name as we walked in - the place was busy but not packed and we found a corner to settle down in. As the evening went on we struck up a conversation with Jeret, who was especially interested to hear we had an audience with Adler the following day.  We couldn’t elucidate further, but told him we’d let him know, if it was information to be shared.
Olvir entertained him (and the other occupants of the inn with long ears who listened to the strongman’s booming voice) with the tale of how he came to be known as ‘boarcatcher’ and acquired Teela.  Curious as to his own origins, we asked, and Jeret told us in a quieter tone how his family had been worshippers of ‘unpleasant things’. He’d escaped them and in so doing, been granted his great strength – though he didn’t go into more details. We told him about our encounter with the Yozi worshippers to the North and Song supplied details when he seemed interest and questioned further, recalling the twisted sand pattern and evidence of their devotions to Cecylene. It wasn’t the easiest of conversations...
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