The Gambler
Administrator
Alea Iacta Est
Posts - 1,984
Likes - 612
Joined - December 2015
|
Post by The Gambler on May 14, 2018 21:10:57 GMT
"You have a discerning palate, a trait your predecessor lacked," Simon replied to Harlan, as he drank from his own goblet and eased back down into his chair, clearly not certain who was in charge yet, as Longinch had always come to these meetings alone.
Simon sent one of his men upstairs to fetch Augie and the new recruits, so he would not have to repeat the briefing twice.
|
|
The Raven
Administrator
Posts - 1,119
Likes - 230
Joined - December 2015
|
Post by The Raven on May 14, 2018 21:30:12 GMT
***
"Master Augie, Master Simon requests the presence of yourself as well as your guests in his office."
Augie nodded before wiping his mouth and standing and picking up a rather exotic and expensive looking scimitar that had been resting beside him. He fastened it to his belt, ordered the three to follow, and lead them to meet the rest of their fraternity.
Downstairs, Augie stops in his tracks upon seeing Vex. "Well... I see the farm job wasn't an utter fuck up. You would be Vex. Longinch spoke of you more than once." The former pirate turned shipping magnate introduced her new friends before taking his own set.
"The one handed man is Sigfry. The codger with the dogs is Boros. The third man is Richard. Gents, this is your current employer and my cousin Simon. Don't let the pretty words fool you. He's as hard a man as Bittersteel himself. The lady is Vex, lady love of the late Longinch. The second man is likely Harlan. Watch your bum and purse around him if I'm right. The lass with both eyes is presumably Barley."
Augie took a chair in the corner. "Already ask the obvious question, cuz?"
|
|
The Gambler
Administrator
Alea Iacta Est
Posts - 1,984
Likes - 612
Joined - December 2015
|
Post by The Gambler on May 14, 2018 22:00:58 GMT
Augie's boorish nature elicited a sigh from his cousin, but he pressed on nonetheless. "Indeed, the infamous Redhands will not be joining us."
With the introductions made and wasting no time for more small talk, Simon cleared the coin and scales from his desk to spread out a map of the surrounding area. "As I am sure you know, wars are an expensive endeavor and the recent civil war have left our new monarchs, long may they reign, in financial straits," Simon began, giving them all the benefit of the doubt. "To that end, in their expediency to pay their various debts, they have mad the unusual demand that their portion of taxes this year will be paid directly to the crown by each high lord, rather than second hand through the Lord Paramount." He paused for a moment, allowing the potential gravity of this for those in their line of work to sink in. "That provides us with a rather unique opportunity. I have it on good authority that Lord Lucamore Roote will be sending the Crown's tribute in three day's time by carriage, twelve-hundred gold dragons all told." He paused again, allowing that figure to sink in. "You will intercept it here," he pointed to a spot along the Kingsroad on the border between the Riverlands and Crownlands between Darry and Antlers. "Abscond with the coin, return here to deliver my 10% finder's fee, and be on your merry way exorbitantly wealthy men and women."
|
|
|
Post by Lucas of Brindlewood on May 14, 2018 22:00:58 GMT
Ser Richard shoved as much of the meat as he could into his mouth before collecting his belongings and following the man down, mouth full, chewing. He cast a critical look over the trio opposite as they were introduced. Didn't look like proper bandits to him. He didn't say anything though, just continued to chew his meal. As he heard that Roote would be their target a grin graced his very full mouth.
|
|
Harlan
Peasant
Posts - 146
Likes - 32
Joined - April 2018
|
Post by Harlan on May 14, 2018 22:30:02 GMT
Harlan nodded at Simon’s comment, “Lucas was many things, including my friend. However, what he never had a good nose for wine, nor a good eye for women.” He snickered, nudging Vex to make sure she she heard jest.
When Augie and the three new recruits entered the room, Harlan got up and offered each of them a handshake. “You’ve no reason to worry about your purses with me. Your bums however, I can make no such promises.” He offered up a wink and a cheeky grin.
Having expected more time to get to know his new companies, Harlan was taken by surprise when Simon’s suddenly started discussing business. When the parameters of the job had been laid out, Harlan sat quietly for a moment and sipped his wine. Besides the reward, none of this sounded particularly good to him.
Entertaining his own morbid curiosity, he asked, “Did your source mention the size of Roote’s caravan? How many men are we expected to be up against?”
|
|
The Gambler
Administrator
Alea Iacta Est
Posts - 1,984
Likes - 612
Joined - December 2015
|
Post by The Gambler on May 14, 2018 22:34:49 GMT
"A prudent question. The shipment's escort will likely consist of eight guardsmen, the carriage driver, and one of Roote's household knights leading the procession," Simon answered.
|
|
Barley
High Lord
Posts - 809
Likes - 166
Joined - May 2016
|
Post by Barley on May 14, 2018 22:51:42 GMT
“First thung we should do is check the terrain.” Barley said looking at the map, “Well need a way to stop the caravan progressing without it being too obvious from a distance that’s what it is”
|
|
Harlan
Peasant
Posts - 146
Likes - 32
Joined - April 2018
|
Post by Harlan on May 14, 2018 22:58:39 GMT
"A prudent question. The shipment's escort will likely consist of eight guardsmen, the carriage driver, and one of Roote's household knights leading the procession," Simon answered. “Can you attest to all of the guardsmen’s loyalties?” Harlan continued. “Perhaps one of them can be bribed or blackmailed into helping us lighten Rucamore’s treasury. I’m sure the twelve hundred dragons is enough to make some of them ask the question without us instigating.”
|
|
Boros
Knight
Jon
Posts - 456
Likes - 205
Joined - May 2016
|
Post by Boros on May 14, 2018 23:00:47 GMT
"They will likely be all mounted. Four by each side, the knight leading up front. " This wouldn't be his first ambush, well at least not on this side of the scene.
"We have to create chaos. Hit them from all sides, maybe get some fire started behind or before them." Boros approached, stabbing a fat sausagy finger against the map. "Then we have to press them closer to the cart. Leave them no room for their horses to charge."
|
|
The Gambler
Administrator
Alea Iacta Est
Posts - 1,984
Likes - 612
Joined - December 2015
|
Post by The Gambler on May 14, 2018 23:06:00 GMT
"I only know the knight commanding the escort and can attest that he is the virtuous sort," Simon answered Harlan, saying the word virtuous as if it were a distasteful thing. "He will likely pick the guardsmen with him personally, as Lord Lucamore has little patience for such matters."
Looking at the map, Barley can see the Kingsroad south of Darry runs through rocky terrain which would serve well enough for an ambush, not opening up until it reached the forested eastern shore of the God's eye.
He simply nodded as Boros spoke, seeing why Augie had hired him for the job. The means in which the job got done were of little concern to him, as long as he got his 10% on the back end.
|
|
Harlan
Peasant
Posts - 146
Likes - 32
Joined - April 2018
|
Post by Harlan on May 14, 2018 23:23:52 GMT
“The virtuous knight, what is his name?” Harlan rubbed at his chin, the cogs clearly turning in his head. “He must have a family, or a vice we can leverage.” Despite his companions comitment to bloodshed, Harlan sought a way to limit their losses long before they sprang their ambush.
|
|
The Gambler
Administrator
Alea Iacta Est
Posts - 1,984
Likes - 612
Joined - December 2015
|
Post by The Gambler on May 14, 2018 23:40:45 GMT
"Ser Oliver Charlton," Simon answered. "Second son of Ser Ganelon Charlton, one of Lord Lucamore's landed knights. As far as I have been able to determine the man does not drink, does not gamble, does not wench, has no wife, has no children, and he strung up the last man that tried to bribe him for daring to besmirch his honor. I should know, as it was my man. Do you think I would have hired you lot if I had been able to see this done with a bribe? We used to have the Warrior's Sons to keep insufferable idealists separate from the rest of us, but alas, now we must suffer their self-righteous indignation."
|
|
|
Post by Lucas of Brindlewood on May 15, 2018 0:03:06 GMT
Ser Richard did not shake Harlan's hand. Any man who made jokes about doing things to his bum was not a man he cared for. Ser Richard may have been a heartless murderer, but in his estimation something had to be off with a man to make jokes like that.
He continued to chew on his food while the others in the room made various, mostly banal, comments about how to ambush people. Richard was well acquainted with ambushing, but he thought it best to let them each speak and prove their ineptitude before he gave any worthwhile advice. Advice he'd have to think over to make sure it didn't give too much away about his identity to this group of strangers, two of who had yet to introduce themselves properly, and one of whom had delusions he could rape him and keep his dick attached. So Richard stood in silence at the back, while he chewed over his eventual answer along with healthy quantity of food he was still working on.
|
|
Harlan
Peasant
Posts - 146
Likes - 32
Joined - April 2018
|
Post by Harlan on May 15, 2018 4:24:08 GMT
Harlan made note of the big man who refused his handshake, it was good to differentiate between those who could entertain humor and those who could not. This man’s passions were clearly gastral, not cerebral.
“I’m disappointed,” Harlan responded, his tone addled. “No offense to you and your’s Simon, it is clear you are quite competent in your endeavors, however I find what you’re telling me hard to believe. I couldn’t find you nine honest men in all of the seven kingdoms, and here you are telling me there are nine right here in Lord Harroway’s Town, and they all work for that scoundrel Lucamore Roote?”
He finished his glass of wine. “All men have weaknesses Simon, that much is true. You say this knight, Ser Oliver, has no wife and no kids, yet he doesn’t wench? Then it’s clear to me he’s a boy lover. Those who appear the most noble are simply the best at hiding their secrets, and that can be used as leverage.” Harlan shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. “If you want us to murder these men in Harrenhal territory to seed dissent between Lord Roote and the Ravensbane, just say so. But I’d caution you against taking us for simpletons.” Harlan was not harsh with his words, but it was obvious he didn’t take to what Simon was selling. “Why don’t you tell us what your real intentions are, that way we can carry them out appropriately.”
(Persuasion: 40)
|
|
The Gambler
Administrator
Alea Iacta Est
Posts - 1,984
Likes - 612
Joined - December 2015
|
Post by The Gambler on May 15, 2018 5:13:46 GMT
Simon glanced to his cousin with a long labored sigh, as if to ask if this was really the best they could find, before turning his attention back to Harlan. Longinch had clearly taken the job tips without complaint and profited for it until his untimely end.
"First, I am not telling you nine men are honest. I am telling you that one is and that my sources have been unable to determine what guardsmen he will be choosing to accompany him. I am certain there are means you could undertake to discover this information, but I did not wish to do anything that may spook our quarry enough to double the guard or transport it by ship instead. Especially when disposing of them is so much simpler."
"Second, Ser Oliver is not a well loved man. He is haughty, self-righteous, and derisive of those he views as beneath him. He thinks he is superior to others and makes sure they know it, but that is not a trait I can leverage. Some men simply cannot be bought or blackmailed, likely the reason he was entrusted with this much coin and the reason why knives in the dark can make a living. If you would like to investigate him further, you are welcome to do that as well, though I would be cautious for the same reason as preciously stated. If anyone gets wind this shipment is going to be robbed or suspicions are roused, you will have wasted our opportunity and months of work on my part, and I am not a man whose time should be wasted lightly."
"Third, I suggested you ambush the transport on the border between the High Lordship of the Bay of Claws and the High Lordship of Duskendale, not on the border with the High Lordship of the God's Eye, though you are welcome to hit it wherever you wish" he said, pointing once more to the map, on the border between Lord Roote's lordship and those of Lord Darklyn in the Crownlands. "If you do not wish to be taken for a simpleton, learn to listen. I have no desire to sow discord between the Blackforts and the Rootes, so do not suggest you know my mind. You are welcome to frame the Crownlanders for the theft to avoid blame, but it is no concern to me how you accomplish the task, just as long as it is accomplished. I am a businessman, not a courtier."
"My intentions are to line my coffers and your own by taking advantage of an opportunity that comes once in a lifetime. Most in your line of work would thank me for cutting them in, not look a gift horse in the mouth."
(+2 Persuasion)
|
|