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 Posted: Fri Jul 22, 2016 7:59 am
Job:The Rising Tide
Client(s): Meta Chapter 7: The Rising Tide, The Time has Come
Payoff: 205 Words and fought in the battle of the Extremists
------------------ Dovev had nearly forgotten about the battle against the Alkidikes, but as he followed a merchant caravan through Jauhar on a job, he was suddenly reminded. Not all Alkidike, after all, were willing to allow earthling merchants in their lands, and some had decided that, as a compromise, they would exact a 'toll'. Dovev's job was to hold them off long enough for the merchants to escape this toll, and he did so well, but it was difficult.
The Alkidike, he had learned in his travels, were fierce. They fought with all the ferocity of a wild beast, but with infinitely more cunning and discipline. Indeed, this was a fight that he had to flee from, taking unfamiliar jungle paths away from their thirsty blades and hungry arrows.
Finally, he found his way back to the road and to the caravan, who had managed to reach a Shifter settlement unmolested. They were grateful. They payed. They offered him further work. He accepted, and nursed his wounds. Such was the life of a mercenary.
He fought for money, but why did they fight? What did they have to gain or lose by fighting? It was a curious thing, but he doubted he would understand their answer.
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Posted: Fri Jul 22, 2016 8:11 am
[ Job:A Choice of Morals
Client(s): A small Sauti Village (Class Solo)
Payoff: 184 Words and fought in the battle of the Extremists
------------------ Dovev gasped as the dream ended, sitting up abruptly as he waited for the images to leave his mind. Small and white, it was small and white, and it no longer moved. Never would move again. His fault.
He was born to be a fighter, to violence, but he rarely dreamed of it. In fact, he rarely dreamed at all. Just the occasional action-fuelled sequences, or intimate dream. But this... this haunted him.
Though the details of the event with the bandit slaughter had faded mostly from his memory, he still remembered that little white bundle. Dead. No longer moving.
He shivered, though he was not cold. In fact, he was in the blazing Tale, which was still hot even in the cool of night. Yet that image brought with it the chill of Zena and the realization of guilt.
He lay back down and tried to summon back sleep. There was nothing he could do about the baby in the snow. That was the life he led, and he had paid a price... but for how long would he continue to pay it?
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Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:17 pm
Job: Undesirable Raise
Client(s): Formerly, a Zenan fur merchant
Payoff: 767 Words and almost made a deal with an obnoxious client who decided this one was too much for him. What a terrible 'shame.'
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Dovev always kept careful track of his contracts. He charged very specific rates to people for very specific things, and while he did occasionally bend his rules for others – they were, after all, his own rules – he sometimes used them like a weapon to get what he wanted.
“What do you mean, you aren't coming with us?” snarled the fur merchant. He was an Zenan, a member of the ice tribe, and his face was turning a truly fascinating shade of purple with anger.
“Good sir.” Dovev said with his usual melodic calm, “When you hired this one as a bodyguard, you stipulated a specific number of months that this one would be contracted to you.”
“I didn't stipulate anything, finboy, you're the one that negotiated a time limit!”
“That is immaterial.” Dovev said dismissively, “This one is only contracted to you for a specific amount of time. That is, four months from the time of contract. This one has already stayed here beyond that, as the four months were up during a time in which we were between towns.” He knit his fingers together, “Thus, this one is no longer in your service.”
“I paid you a good sum of money!” the merchant insisted, “A very good sum, you glacier-fish! I expect a lot more than this for my money!”
“Were you not satisfied with the quality of this one's service?” Dovev tilted his head, “If so, why would you wish this one to continue with you? It is very illogical.”
“Augh! No!” the merchant swore something in the tongue of his native northern lands, “You are being unreasonable!”
“This one's prices are very reasonable.” Dovev said, bowing, “And now this one bids you safe travels.” he stood up and turned to leave.
“Wait, wait!” the merchant grumbled to himself and pulled out a scroll of parchment, “Just stay there.” Dovev turned and waited patiently. “Lets draw up a new contract. I'll pay you the same amount, and you finish the season with me.” The merchant began to write a contract out, the ink glittering on the dull parchment like blood. “How about it.”
“Mmm.” Dovev contemplated the merchant and the contract and the promise of money. This hadn't been the best of jobs for the young mercenary to take. The merchant and the other guards had been rude and insulting throughout the journey thus far, even as he had acquitted himself against bandits and beasts. Obnoxious employers like him were a shell a dozen, and Dovev knew that there was likely something better for him in this town.
However, he would be getting a significant sum of money. Money was power. It bought advantages. It bought trade goods. It was Dovev's lifeblood. And this person was more or less full of money, and they were offering it right there in front of him. It was a classic choice – dignity or money? It was also a logical choice. “Double.” Dovev said, “Twice what you bought me for before.”
“What... but...” the merchant grimaced, “Fine. I'll throw in a fine pelt on top of...”
“And coin.” Dovev said. Not that he would say no to a fine pelt, but it wasn't enough to compensate him.
“Very well.” The merchant scribbled on the contract, “There.”
It was a very good offer. One-and-a-half of what he'd been promised before, with a fine fur thrown in. It did cover things well, and Dovev felt that it was something he could live with until later on in the route. “In advance.” he said. It was not always how he did things, but he did not trust this merchant to not attempt to cheat him.
“In... Ugh.” Dovev wondered how the merchant was successful if he grew so flustered over a simple negotiation. Why be so flustered? It was what Dovev was due, after all. “Never mind.” the merchant crumpled the contract into a mess of folded parchment and wet ink. A waste of valuable resources. “Get out.”
Dovev shrugged, smiling slightly. “Very well.” He turned and left, tapping the small bauble he'd swiped behind the merchant's back. It was minorly valuable, and would fetch him what he considered a reasonable tip for his hard work. In the end, the negotiation had resolved itself satisfactorily. He would find something better – something new – here in this settlement. He moved at a steadily increasing pace, hoping to leave this encampment behind before the merchant realized he'd taken anything at all. He hefted his sword on his back and moved, out into the bright Talean sunlight.
So far, a productive afternoon. On to the next job.
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