- Location
- Italy
When you put it like that it IS pretty funny.
We got the blessing though, unless the god gets bored by our repeated failures.
We also have a turn left. Third time's the charm?
Industrialization Quest
- Thread starter Rockeye
- Start date
- Original
We got the blessing though, unless the god gets bored by our repeated failures.
We also have a turn left. Third time's the charm?
Time in Ganz part 5
Rockeye
Plausible Engineer
- Location
- Midwestern U.S.
[Pewter Casting: 6 + 16 + 10 (Minor Blessing of Dreselin) + 10 (2nd attempt) = 42]
"Back again, are we?" The pewtersmith looks at you piercingly. "Remarkably fast to get new molds. First set didn't come out so well?"
"Oh, we had these prepared already," You lie easily. "And anyway, the first few times always come out pretty rough, you know?"
"Mm." He grunts. "Since you seem closed-mouthed about whatever you're up to, I can't offer advice. I think it's a foolish thing to do, carrying on so secretively. Whatever you're trying probably comes out badly. That boy you've got helping you is just a journeyman, you know - and I don't think he's worked with pewter for more than a couple weeks. But it's your money to spend."
"Indeed it is. Regardless, I'll stay my course. I'll pay you as arranged."
Once again, you're shooed to the back wall. Once again, a thin stream of dull red metal and a loud hiss---
------------------------------------
"These are as bad as last time. Look at this. Crumpled, ugly - blotchy. I think a piece of sand broke off there-" You pick at a black splotch on one of the holy symbols and a few crusty fragments flake off. "Yeah. Most of these are coming out really bad."
"It's kind of amazing that we can cast like fifty things in six hours. Even if most of them came out badly. Casting is supposed to take forever."
"That's where the key to the future lies - working more efficiently. That's why you and Master Smith are so important. With good tools, everyone does more with their time, has more - frees folk up to do interesting and fun things, to learn stuff."
"You've said stuff like that before, but you really believe it, huh?"
"Yes. That's what I want to do. That's what I did with the mine, what I'm going to do with the new plows... I have another big idea, have I told you about the water mill?"
"You have." He nods. "Sounds like a lot of metalwork, which is good for me."
"...I suppose it was a little vain of me to expect it all to work out, first try."
"It wouldn't be Masterwork-worthy if it were easy," Timothy notes. "I think you were on the right track with the air holes and needing to pour faster. But now I'm wondering if it's something about the sand? Or the pewter? Maybe I should try it with more tin in the mix? I don't know much about working things that aren't iron, though..."
"You're right. We really shouldn't have expected this to be easy. I bet I can sell some of this stuff..."
"Nothin's ever easy. With enough hard work, maybe it gets a bit better eventually." Greens stalks his way out.
You sigh. It could have gone worse, probably.
After that slightly depressing realization, you decide you need some time away from the smiths. The long trip from the rough ground of the Wald into the more populous areas of Veschwar has hammered home the need for good shoes - you're still wearing the ones you were sent out here with. They're not bad shoes, but they're not really meant for the outdoors either, and they're getting kind of worn.
Searching for new shoes is straightforward enough. You ask for sturdy shoes, not truly heavy boots but good for the outdoors. have your feet measured by a cobbler - thankfully for your pride they don't really smell, you've been getting the incredible luxury of regular baths and clean socks at the inn - and come back in an hour to pick from a selection of appropriately-sized shoes they've picked out. Your new leather shoes clop nicely against the paving stones, they're warmer, and you can already tell they'll be better for the rough ground of the Wald.
With that, you devote the rest of your day to shopping. It's been a while since you could wander the markets without any kind of agenda, just seeing and hearing and smelling. There's a life to the riot of color and noise in the various market squares dotted around Ganz. You find yourself slowly wandering from place to place with a cheese bun in hand, the sounds of city life washing over you.
You eventually end up in the 'nicer' section of the city, where burghers, relatively poor knights, and third sons and fourth daughters of minor noble houses make their homes. Not quite a collection of manors, manses, and mansions, but the buildings are generally a lot cleaner, with more space between them. There are gardens here and there, and the Lord's Market in the center of this zone has a commensurately pricier and more interesting collection of peddlers. There's even a busker playing Golden Hills Of Harvest, a cheerily bucolic flute song.
This is where you find the interesting things. What is bought and sold here changes on a daily basis. It's a realm of curiosities, fine weapons and clothes, and rare luxuries. All you have to do now is browse...
Most of the flashy trinkets on offer, you pass over immediately. But the one that actually stops you is a set of faceted and polished glass objects - mostly clear, but some brown or other faint colors. They're not gemstones, they're just glass. But the way they play with light is fascinating. Holding one of the objects in the light, the merchant casts a tiny rainbow into the shade of his stall! The others all play with light in slightly different ways - bending it, or allowing only pure colors through. In the shadowed shelter of his tent with only a sliver of red glass through, you find yourself unable to tell a black swatch of cloth from a green one! He insists they're magic, but they don't really match the aesthetic of most magical things you've heard of. They set your mind to frantic wondering. What is light, anyway? The stones and soil hold secrets, but light itself does too???
Strange Glass Things. The way these crystals play with light is intriguing. They are supposedly magical. Perhaps they can reveal the secrets behind light itself? Interesting curiosities, either way. 3 Profit.
[][Glass] Buy
[][Glass] Don't Buy
You find yourself peering at various bits of luxury, missing the comforts of home you used to have. Surely one really nice thing couldn't hurt too much, could it? Dazzling jewelry is much too expensive, fine linen bedsheets would be ruined by your straw mattress, paintings and tapestries aren't really your speed... What's this? A pleasant smell wafts out to you, and an Ionian-looking man offers you a drink of 'tea', some kind of herbal drink kept hot in a small round cast-iron pot, decorated with winding trails of smoke and strange animals.
You have a sip, and it is good. A sort of almost-pepper, almost-basil taste... Except not actually like anything you have tasted before. In a world of bland bread and oats and potatoes and the occasional bit of meat or fruit or cheese or honey, such a new taste is very welcome.
"Tea is mildly invigorating to the mind and body, a refreshing flavor to give you glimpses of faraway lands and lighten your soul. I have several varieties. Of course, I will include detailed instructions for how to properly brew it..."
Ionian Tea, several varieties. Dried leaves that can turn into a flavorful and possibly medicinal drink. Comes with a decorated cast iron teapot and ceramic cups. It could last you a while if taken only occasionally. 1 Profit.
[][Tea] Buy
[][Tea] Don't Buy
...What is that fool doing selling niter in a market used by city dandies and rich burghers? Okay, admittedly he has quite a few interesting colored vials and powders. Practically an apothecary in a stall, purporting this oil for callouses and that paste for herb gardens and this special variety of chalk to sharpen weapons with. You're rather skeptical to be honest. But he also has niter.
You spend a few minutes examining it, but you're sure it's the same stuff the Codex Crystal has been showing you - it seems to think that there is a huge potential in this bland white powder. He details a procedure for making tree stumps rot, for more efficient clearing of land - bore a hole into the stump, put a little powder in, and pour boiling water on top of that. If it's true, that's one more use for this material among any others you figure out.
Niter. The merchant was marketing it as a stump-remover, and didn't seem to be doing much business. Very much the wrong tack for this crowd. But you happen to know the Codex Crystal is very interested in this stuff...
[][Niter] Buy a whole wagonload and arrange for shipment to Nesiwald. 5 Profit.
[][Niter] Buy a couple of sacks, to experiment with. 1 Profit.
[][Niter] Don't Buy
[Merchant Contacts: 38]
Looking for merchant contacts is a slightly shady business. For every honest merchant out there, there are three who will bend the truth a bit, or make promises they have no intention of keeping. When you look for folk willing to send things up to the Rostwald or come north and trade there, you have to sort through the dross that promise to do so if you buy something now, the ones who just laugh at you, the ones who complain about the region's difficult roads and lack of anything profitable, and more.
It seems that most merchants really just want nothing to do with the Rostwald. It has a reputation as an empty hinterland of broken ground and endless forest, possibly filled with monsters. One of the last remaining unsafe places in Veschwar, and a long wagon ride from anything else where there's good business to do. In the end, you give up and go directly to the merchants' guild, who apparently cannot help you - if no merchant wants to go up to the Wald, who are they to do anything about that?
They do offer to arrange certified subsidies for merchants coming up to the Rostwald, a complex contract where you provide the merchants' guild money, and the guild will publicize a small reward - they'll pay a little bit extra on goods bought and sold in the village of Nesiwald, sort of a reverse tariff.
It's... Not a good deal. At all. There's no way you can take this deal in good conscience - and what would you do with a lot of extra merchants coming up to Nesiwald? That step should wait until you have some unique product or industry coming out of the town. Merchants are like water, flowing here and there to meet the little demands that the central planning of nobles or the Lord Governors' staffs don't anticipate - but if there's no demand to fill, why bother? If you improve the roads and create demand, the merchants will come on their own.
You do argue with the guild representatives for a while until they agree to letting you send letters in posting prices for things you'd like to buy or sell, and to forward messages to specific guild members, for fairly reasonable fees. You suck it up and peruse their lists of merchants for a while - copper merchant, wine merchant, spice merchant, ooh - armor merchant - copying some of the names and details into your notebooks. You don't end up arranging anything with the courier office - it would be too expensive when you don't see yourself having a use for couriers except very occasionally.
[Maisah: 73]
Maisah Touati has practically transformed her little stall in an out of the way corner of one of the markets into a glimpse of a foreign land. You imagine it's deliberate - it'll draw the eye, even if half the time that eye is a disapproving one, suspicious of anything that seems like foreign culture. She moves slowly and carefully - probably exhausted and trying not to show it.
"...I'm sorry, shan. Maybe if you'd come to me two weeks ago there would have been opportunities, but now all the easy chances to profit I can see have been taken, by me or others."
"So there's no way I can help you?"
"I didn't say that. I just said it's probably not worth your time. No big money in it, no glory or intellectual glimmer."
"-Hm. I set aside this day to come see you, so what might I help you with?"
"You talking about something business or personal? Do you want to make a contact or a friend today?"
"...Well, I can't say I actually know you. It's only a few elements of shared history that bind us together. But can it not be both?"
She shrugs. "I don't know if our courses in life have much to do with each other. If you want business, fine. I can do that. If you want a friend, I think it'll be a waste of time. Not because I do not approve of you, but because we are not the kind of people who become friends."
"I hope we can have a positive relationship, even if it's not called a friendship. You seem like a good soul."
Her warm smile is only slightly disarming. "Aww, I thank you. If you are still volunteering to help me, I recall you had very neat handwriting. I would appreciate it if you made a few signs for me."
"I can do that, I suppose. I was expecting to double-check your accounts or something..."
"Information has value, young man. And I don't trust you looking at my accounts. I don't trust anyone that far anymore, if you understand."
You nod. "Of course, of course."
...Sign-making is easy enough after a couple of false starts. Your attempts look a little rough compared to what professional calligraphers can put out, but compared to Maisah's chickenscratch it's an enourmous improvement.
Once you finish with your request, you mention, "I'm glad I could help you at least a bit. That coin you gave me is helping me a lot, certainly. There is something else... I'm trying a novel method of pewter casting. I've made quite a few holy symbols and decorative statues. They come out a bit cruder than ones made by masters, but I can make a lot of them for very little work - so I want to try to sell them at a low price, and still make a profit."
Maisah tries to look nonplussed as she tents her hands and rests her chin on them, but you see her eyes sharpen in interest.
"Okay. That's pretty good, if I understand it right. First, a piece of advice - they're not 'a bit cruder'. They're 'more affordable' or 'made for the common man'. Got it?"
You nod. Simple enough, putting your product in a good light.
"Second, How many do you have? I assume you brought the products along, at least a sample or two?"
You nod again, and bring them out. "A few dozen, and I might make another batch. Which really ought to go better than the first two, but who knows?"
She clucks her tongue as she examines the little rooster statuette from all sides, and makes more impressed noises about a holy symbol of Dreselin that came out quite well.
"...You might have something big here. I'm not in a position to buy the secret from you, but d'you want me to handle moving these for you? I'm mostly waiting for a few people to get back to me before I leave the city at this point, to be honest."
"What kind of fee would you want?"
"Let's say half the proceeds."
You slam a fist on the table in shock. "Half! That's absurd."
"What were you going to sell these for, hm?"
You know enough about negotiating not to answer that.
She continues, "I think this will go for two Dena and a few coppers, if I pitch it right. It's still a lot cheaper than these kinds of things normally go for."
You had planned to sell it for one! If Maisah Touati can get more than double what you can, 'half' is almost reasonable. But the negotiator in you won't just bow, of course.
"You can have a fifth." And remembering her comment earlier about not trusting anyone you add, "And I want a proper contract made before an auditor from the merchant's guild."
"Reasonable. I was going to ask the same. I want a third, and we split the auditor's fee."
"...Let me think about it for half an hour."
"Take your time."
Let Maisah Touati sell all your pewter castings? She keeps a third of the proceeds. You don't have to spend a day on this. You'll have an official contract so she can't just take them and run.
[][Maisah] Yes, it's a deal.
[][Maisah] No deal.
...Well, your time in the city of Ganz is rapidly coming to a close. It's been productive and useful so far, and you're not sure how to feel about your imminent return to Nesiwald. On the one hand, the city is far more full of opportunities and excitement - on the other hand, you know people in Nesiwald, and you're starting to think of it as a duty, a place to invest in and improve. Hmm.
What will you do for your LAST four days in Nesiwald?
Before making any purchases above, you have 15 Profit and owe 4 to the smith upon your return to Nesiwald.
[ ] Write-In - ask the QM if there's anything you want to do in the city that isn't listed above.
Plan Vote this time since there's a lot of things going on, please.
"Back again, are we?" The pewtersmith looks at you piercingly. "Remarkably fast to get new molds. First set didn't come out so well?"
"Oh, we had these prepared already," You lie easily. "And anyway, the first few times always come out pretty rough, you know?"
"Mm." He grunts. "Since you seem closed-mouthed about whatever you're up to, I can't offer advice. I think it's a foolish thing to do, carrying on so secretively. Whatever you're trying probably comes out badly. That boy you've got helping you is just a journeyman, you know - and I don't think he's worked with pewter for more than a couple weeks. But it's your money to spend."
"Indeed it is. Regardless, I'll stay my course. I'll pay you as arranged."
Once again, you're shooed to the back wall. Once again, a thin stream of dull red metal and a loud hiss---
------------------------------------
"These are as bad as last time. Look at this. Crumpled, ugly - blotchy. I think a piece of sand broke off there-" You pick at a black splotch on one of the holy symbols and a few crusty fragments flake off. "Yeah. Most of these are coming out really bad."
"It's kind of amazing that we can cast like fifty things in six hours. Even if most of them came out badly. Casting is supposed to take forever."
"That's where the key to the future lies - working more efficiently. That's why you and Master Smith are so important. With good tools, everyone does more with their time, has more - frees folk up to do interesting and fun things, to learn stuff."
"You've said stuff like that before, but you really believe it, huh?"
"Yes. That's what I want to do. That's what I did with the mine, what I'm going to do with the new plows... I have another big idea, have I told you about the water mill?"
"You have." He nods. "Sounds like a lot of metalwork, which is good for me."
"...I suppose it was a little vain of me to expect it all to work out, first try."
"It wouldn't be Masterwork-worthy if it were easy," Timothy notes. "I think you were on the right track with the air holes and needing to pour faster. But now I'm wondering if it's something about the sand? Or the pewter? Maybe I should try it with more tin in the mix? I don't know much about working things that aren't iron, though..."
"You're right. We really shouldn't have expected this to be easy. I bet I can sell some of this stuff..."
"Nothin's ever easy. With enough hard work, maybe it gets a bit better eventually." Greens stalks his way out.
You sigh. It could have gone worse, probably.
After that slightly depressing realization, you decide you need some time away from the smiths. The long trip from the rough ground of the Wald into the more populous areas of Veschwar has hammered home the need for good shoes - you're still wearing the ones you were sent out here with. They're not bad shoes, but they're not really meant for the outdoors either, and they're getting kind of worn.
Searching for new shoes is straightforward enough. You ask for sturdy shoes, not truly heavy boots but good for the outdoors. have your feet measured by a cobbler - thankfully for your pride they don't really smell, you've been getting the incredible luxury of regular baths and clean socks at the inn - and come back in an hour to pick from a selection of appropriately-sized shoes they've picked out. Your new leather shoes clop nicely against the paving stones, they're warmer, and you can already tell they'll be better for the rough ground of the Wald.
With that, you devote the rest of your day to shopping. It's been a while since you could wander the markets without any kind of agenda, just seeing and hearing and smelling. There's a life to the riot of color and noise in the various market squares dotted around Ganz. You find yourself slowly wandering from place to place with a cheese bun in hand, the sounds of city life washing over you.
You eventually end up in the 'nicer' section of the city, where burghers, relatively poor knights, and third sons and fourth daughters of minor noble houses make their homes. Not quite a collection of manors, manses, and mansions, but the buildings are generally a lot cleaner, with more space between them. There are gardens here and there, and the Lord's Market in the center of this zone has a commensurately pricier and more interesting collection of peddlers. There's even a busker playing Golden Hills Of Harvest, a cheerily bucolic flute song.
This is where you find the interesting things. What is bought and sold here changes on a daily basis. It's a realm of curiosities, fine weapons and clothes, and rare luxuries. All you have to do now is browse...
Most of the flashy trinkets on offer, you pass over immediately. But the one that actually stops you is a set of faceted and polished glass objects - mostly clear, but some brown or other faint colors. They're not gemstones, they're just glass. But the way they play with light is fascinating. Holding one of the objects in the light, the merchant casts a tiny rainbow into the shade of his stall! The others all play with light in slightly different ways - bending it, or allowing only pure colors through. In the shadowed shelter of his tent with only a sliver of red glass through, you find yourself unable to tell a black swatch of cloth from a green one! He insists they're magic, but they don't really match the aesthetic of most magical things you've heard of. They set your mind to frantic wondering. What is light, anyway? The stones and soil hold secrets, but light itself does too???
Strange Glass Things. The way these crystals play with light is intriguing. They are supposedly magical. Perhaps they can reveal the secrets behind light itself? Interesting curiosities, either way. 3 Profit.
[][Glass] Buy
[][Glass] Don't Buy
You find yourself peering at various bits of luxury, missing the comforts of home you used to have. Surely one really nice thing couldn't hurt too much, could it? Dazzling jewelry is much too expensive, fine linen bedsheets would be ruined by your straw mattress, paintings and tapestries aren't really your speed... What's this? A pleasant smell wafts out to you, and an Ionian-looking man offers you a drink of 'tea', some kind of herbal drink kept hot in a small round cast-iron pot, decorated with winding trails of smoke and strange animals.
You have a sip, and it is good. A sort of almost-pepper, almost-basil taste... Except not actually like anything you have tasted before. In a world of bland bread and oats and potatoes and the occasional bit of meat or fruit or cheese or honey, such a new taste is very welcome.
"Tea is mildly invigorating to the mind and body, a refreshing flavor to give you glimpses of faraway lands and lighten your soul. I have several varieties. Of course, I will include detailed instructions for how to properly brew it..."
Ionian Tea, several varieties. Dried leaves that can turn into a flavorful and possibly medicinal drink. Comes with a decorated cast iron teapot and ceramic cups. It could last you a while if taken only occasionally. 1 Profit.
[][Tea] Buy
[][Tea] Don't Buy
...What is that fool doing selling niter in a market used by city dandies and rich burghers? Okay, admittedly he has quite a few interesting colored vials and powders. Practically an apothecary in a stall, purporting this oil for callouses and that paste for herb gardens and this special variety of chalk to sharpen weapons with. You're rather skeptical to be honest. But he also has niter.
You spend a few minutes examining it, but you're sure it's the same stuff the Codex Crystal has been showing you - it seems to think that there is a huge potential in this bland white powder. He details a procedure for making tree stumps rot, for more efficient clearing of land - bore a hole into the stump, put a little powder in, and pour boiling water on top of that. If it's true, that's one more use for this material among any others you figure out.
Niter. The merchant was marketing it as a stump-remover, and didn't seem to be doing much business. Very much the wrong tack for this crowd. But you happen to know the Codex Crystal is very interested in this stuff...
[][Niter] Buy a whole wagonload and arrange for shipment to Nesiwald. 5 Profit.
[][Niter] Buy a couple of sacks, to experiment with. 1 Profit.
[][Niter] Don't Buy
[Merchant Contacts: 38]
Looking for merchant contacts is a slightly shady business. For every honest merchant out there, there are three who will bend the truth a bit, or make promises they have no intention of keeping. When you look for folk willing to send things up to the Rostwald or come north and trade there, you have to sort through the dross that promise to do so if you buy something now, the ones who just laugh at you, the ones who complain about the region's difficult roads and lack of anything profitable, and more.
It seems that most merchants really just want nothing to do with the Rostwald. It has a reputation as an empty hinterland of broken ground and endless forest, possibly filled with monsters. One of the last remaining unsafe places in Veschwar, and a long wagon ride from anything else where there's good business to do. In the end, you give up and go directly to the merchants' guild, who apparently cannot help you - if no merchant wants to go up to the Wald, who are they to do anything about that?
They do offer to arrange certified subsidies for merchants coming up to the Rostwald, a complex contract where you provide the merchants' guild money, and the guild will publicize a small reward - they'll pay a little bit extra on goods bought and sold in the village of Nesiwald, sort of a reverse tariff.
It's... Not a good deal. At all. There's no way you can take this deal in good conscience - and what would you do with a lot of extra merchants coming up to Nesiwald? That step should wait until you have some unique product or industry coming out of the town. Merchants are like water, flowing here and there to meet the little demands that the central planning of nobles or the Lord Governors' staffs don't anticipate - but if there's no demand to fill, why bother? If you improve the roads and create demand, the merchants will come on their own.
You do argue with the guild representatives for a while until they agree to letting you send letters in posting prices for things you'd like to buy or sell, and to forward messages to specific guild members, for fairly reasonable fees. You suck it up and peruse their lists of merchants for a while - copper merchant, wine merchant, spice merchant, ooh - armor merchant - copying some of the names and details into your notebooks. You don't end up arranging anything with the courier office - it would be too expensive when you don't see yourself having a use for couriers except very occasionally.
[Maisah: 73]
Maisah Touati has practically transformed her little stall in an out of the way corner of one of the markets into a glimpse of a foreign land. You imagine it's deliberate - it'll draw the eye, even if half the time that eye is a disapproving one, suspicious of anything that seems like foreign culture. She moves slowly and carefully - probably exhausted and trying not to show it.
"...I'm sorry, shan. Maybe if you'd come to me two weeks ago there would have been opportunities, but now all the easy chances to profit I can see have been taken, by me or others."
"So there's no way I can help you?"
"I didn't say that. I just said it's probably not worth your time. No big money in it, no glory or intellectual glimmer."
"-Hm. I set aside this day to come see you, so what might I help you with?"
"You talking about something business or personal? Do you want to make a contact or a friend today?"
"...Well, I can't say I actually know you. It's only a few elements of shared history that bind us together. But can it not be both?"
She shrugs. "I don't know if our courses in life have much to do with each other. If you want business, fine. I can do that. If you want a friend, I think it'll be a waste of time. Not because I do not approve of you, but because we are not the kind of people who become friends."
"I hope we can have a positive relationship, even if it's not called a friendship. You seem like a good soul."
Her warm smile is only slightly disarming. "Aww, I thank you. If you are still volunteering to help me, I recall you had very neat handwriting. I would appreciate it if you made a few signs for me."
"I can do that, I suppose. I was expecting to double-check your accounts or something..."
"Information has value, young man. And I don't trust you looking at my accounts. I don't trust anyone that far anymore, if you understand."
You nod. "Of course, of course."
...Sign-making is easy enough after a couple of false starts. Your attempts look a little rough compared to what professional calligraphers can put out, but compared to Maisah's chickenscratch it's an enourmous improvement.
Once you finish with your request, you mention, "I'm glad I could help you at least a bit. That coin you gave me is helping me a lot, certainly. There is something else... I'm trying a novel method of pewter casting. I've made quite a few holy symbols and decorative statues. They come out a bit cruder than ones made by masters, but I can make a lot of them for very little work - so I want to try to sell them at a low price, and still make a profit."
Maisah tries to look nonplussed as she tents her hands and rests her chin on them, but you see her eyes sharpen in interest.
"Okay. That's pretty good, if I understand it right. First, a piece of advice - they're not 'a bit cruder'. They're 'more affordable' or 'made for the common man'. Got it?"
You nod. Simple enough, putting your product in a good light.
"Second, How many do you have? I assume you brought the products along, at least a sample or two?"
You nod again, and bring them out. "A few dozen, and I might make another batch. Which really ought to go better than the first two, but who knows?"
She clucks her tongue as she examines the little rooster statuette from all sides, and makes more impressed noises about a holy symbol of Dreselin that came out quite well.
"...You might have something big here. I'm not in a position to buy the secret from you, but d'you want me to handle moving these for you? I'm mostly waiting for a few people to get back to me before I leave the city at this point, to be honest."
"What kind of fee would you want?"
"Let's say half the proceeds."
You slam a fist on the table in shock. "Half! That's absurd."
"What were you going to sell these for, hm?"
You know enough about negotiating not to answer that.
She continues, "I think this will go for two Dena and a few coppers, if I pitch it right. It's still a lot cheaper than these kinds of things normally go for."
You had planned to sell it for one! If Maisah Touati can get more than double what you can, 'half' is almost reasonable. But the negotiator in you won't just bow, of course.
"You can have a fifth." And remembering her comment earlier about not trusting anyone you add, "And I want a proper contract made before an auditor from the merchant's guild."
"Reasonable. I was going to ask the same. I want a third, and we split the auditor's fee."
"...Let me think about it for half an hour."
"Take your time."
Let Maisah Touati sell all your pewter castings? She keeps a third of the proceeds. You don't have to spend a day on this. You'll have an official contract so she can't just take them and run.
[][Maisah] Yes, it's a deal.
[][Maisah] No deal.
...Well, your time in the city of Ganz is rapidly coming to a close. It's been productive and useful so far, and you're not sure how to feel about your imminent return to Nesiwald. On the one hand, the city is far more full of opportunities and excitement - on the other hand, you know people in Nesiwald, and you're starting to think of it as a duty, a place to invest in and improve. Hmm.
What will you do for your LAST four days in Nesiwald?
Before making any purchases above, you have 15 Profit and owe 4 to the smith upon your return to Nesiwald.
[ ] Make more decorative pewter castings using what you've learned, keeping the sand casting method as secret as possible. 1 Profit.
[ ] Get a master pewter smith to help you make more castings, revealing that sand casting exists and the overall method, but not how to make the sand. 2 Profit.
[ ] Get a market stall and sell the pewter castings you have already produced (as well as any more from a second try) at low, low prices so they go quickly.
[ ] Put on your merchant hat and trawl the marketplaces looking for opportunities to do some side-trading and earn a little extra money.
[ ] Seek moneylenders and merchants who might be willing to give you a loan, and inquire as to their terms.
[ ] Get a master pewter smith to help you make more castings, revealing that sand casting exists and the overall method, but not how to make the sand. 2 Profit.
[ ] Get a market stall and sell the pewter castings you have already produced (as well as any more from a second try) at low, low prices so they go quickly.
[ ] Put on your merchant hat and trawl the marketplaces looking for opportunities to do some side-trading and earn a little extra money.
[ ] Seek moneylenders and merchants who might be willing to give you a loan, and inquire as to their terms.
[ ] Find a reputable doctor and dentist and get yourself a checkup, just in case. Costs 1 Profit.
[ ] If you want to find something specific, you could search the markets for it.
-[ ] Write in what you are looking for.
[ ] There's no public library, but see if there are any private collections you can get into to do some research or possibly buy some useful books. Costs 1 Profit.
-[ ] What research topic?
[ ] If you want to find something specific, you could search the markets for it.
-[ ] Write in what you are looking for.
[ ] There's no public library, but see if there are any private collections you can get into to do some research or possibly buy some useful books. Costs 1 Profit.
-[ ] What research topic?
[ ] Spend more time with Genevieve Casinet, discussing the economy of Veschwar and the relative merits of various tax policies. Fascinating stuff!
-[ ] Hunt down a copy of that book about the architecture of spires and towers you mentioned to her, as a gift between friends. 1 Profit.
[ ] Spend time in taverns and markets and gardens chatting socially with middle-class folk. Perhaps you'll meet someone interesting and make a new friend.
[ ] Take some time to do nothing much, rest, recover, and relax in your inn room. Not really the height of luxury, but cheaper than carousing in excess.
[ ] There are luxuries you haven't thought about in months accessible here, and a brief taste of them would certainly be relaxing. 1 Profit each.
-[ ] Gambling? That's always a thrilling pass-time, and you'd like to imagine you're better than average at reading your fellow gamblers. Might win money back... Might lose more than 1 Profit.
-[ ] Drinking and feasting? Nesiwald had simple fare and plain beer, but here you could get all sorts of fine wines, spiced meats, honey mead, a minstrel playing while you dine...
-[ ] A play or poetry? Surely there's some interesting performances going on. A good story with music, actors, and flashy costumes is always a great way to escape from one's troubles.
-[ ] Bring Timothy Greens along to any of the above for 1 additional Profit.
-[ ] Hunt down a copy of that book about the architecture of spires and towers you mentioned to her, as a gift between friends. 1 Profit.
[ ] Spend time in taverns and markets and gardens chatting socially with middle-class folk. Perhaps you'll meet someone interesting and make a new friend.
[ ] Take some time to do nothing much, rest, recover, and relax in your inn room. Not really the height of luxury, but cheaper than carousing in excess.
[ ] There are luxuries you haven't thought about in months accessible here, and a brief taste of them would certainly be relaxing. 1 Profit each.
-[ ] Gambling? That's always a thrilling pass-time, and you'd like to imagine you're better than average at reading your fellow gamblers. Might win money back... Might lose more than 1 Profit.
-[ ] Drinking and feasting? Nesiwald had simple fare and plain beer, but here you could get all sorts of fine wines, spiced meats, honey mead, a minstrel playing while you dine...
-[ ] A play or poetry? Surely there's some interesting performances going on. A good story with music, actors, and flashy costumes is always a great way to escape from one's troubles.
-[ ] Bring Timothy Greens along to any of the above for 1 additional Profit.
[ ] Write-In - ask the QM if there's anything you want to do in the city that isn't listed above.
Plan Vote this time since there's a lot of things going on, please.
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That pewter smith is getting suspicious - if we go back a third time with yet another slightly different set of molds he'll likely catch on. We should probably just throw in the towel on complete secrecy and make sure we get a good handle on the proper sand casting methodology.
We could go to a different smith.
- Location
- somewhere
[][Niter] Buy a whole wagonload and arrange for shipment to Nesiwald. 5 Profit.
[][Maisah] Yes, it's a deal.
[][Maisah] Yes, it's a deal.
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The thing is with the amount of money we have already spent I am not sure we can afford to spend another 2 profit on this without any guaranteed income. If we do not gain or spend any we will return with 11 profit after paying back our debt, that is already 4 less profit than we started the trip on. We still need enough to build the watermill and other investments and owe ten more at the end of the year so we cannot afford to just spend all our cash on this venture. Honestly I think that this needs to be shelved for the trip.
We definitely cannot afford this option, it would put us down to only 6 profit once we return to the village. And that is excluding any other expenses.
- Pronouns
- She/Her
This... Might be a good thing. If we can whip up interest we might get more merchants coming by.
While I'd like to buy a wagon-load of niter, I'm not sure how we'd make money off of it. We don't own fields, and the farmers might not trust us enough to want to buy all of the niter. It costs 5 Profit too so the tea and glass might not be worth buying after that.
I'm willing to take Maisah up on the deal. We MIGHT end up with less money, but we'll hopefully have a better relationship with her, and we won't have to spend a day on it. She's also an experienced salesperson.
Spending time with Genenieve would be nice, and so would taking Timothy out for a good meal. I'm not sure what else to vote for other than trying casting again. Maybe making money through merchant activities?
I'm willing to take Maisah up on the deal. We MIGHT end up with less money, but we'll hopefully have a better relationship with her, and we won't have to spend a day on it. She's also an experienced salesperson.
Spending time with Genenieve would be nice, and so would taking Timothy out for a good meal. I'm not sure what else to vote for other than trying casting again. Maybe making money through merchant activities?
We're supposed to vote by plan this time.
We should make some money off of the trinkets, though I have no idea how much. We can also vote to "put on our merchant hat" to make some more Profit.
@Rockeye if we do not get casting working here could we keep working on it back at Nesiwald?
The thing in neither opportunity is guaranteed to earn profit. So if we spend under the assumption that they will earn profit and they do not due to bad rolls or overestimating how much we will earn we will be in a bad spot
Rockeye
Plausible Engineer
- Location
- Midwestern U.S.
Yeah, but it'll be a whole action with costs and stuff. Probably Stewardship. Actually, could be either Stewardship or Learning.
Edit: swapped plan later
[] Plan Mastery and Socialization
-[][Glass] Don't Buy
-[][Tea] Buy
-[][Niter] Buy a couple of sacks, to experiment with. 1 Profit.
-[][Maisah] Yes, it's a deal.
-[] Get a master pewter smith to help you make more castings, revealing that sand casting exists and the overall method, but not how to make the sand. 2 Profit.
-[] Spend time in taverns and markets and gardens chatting socially with middle-class folk. Perhaps you'll meet someone interesting and make a new friend.
-[] There are luxuries you haven't thought about in months accessible here, and a brief taste of them would certainly be relaxing. 1 Profit each.
--[] A play or poetry? Surely there's some interesting performances going on. A good story with music, actors, and flashy costumes is always a great way to escape from one's troubles.
-[] Spend more time with Genevieve Casinet, discussing the economy of Veschwar and the relative merits of various tax policies. Fascinating stuff!
At this point, we need a master smith's aid. That's crucial IMO. We need it to go well.
Not getting the glass because it's expensive and we don't have the facilities, and the niter would be useful but I doubt we can afford the full load of it and still get the mill up unless we take out some truly punishing loans. Get a few sacks now, and once we are ready to really use it we can order more then.
[] Plan Mastery and Socialization
-[][Glass] Don't Buy
-[][Tea] Buy
-[][Niter] Buy a couple of sacks, to experiment with. 1 Profit.
-[][Maisah] Yes, it's a deal.
-[] Get a master pewter smith to help you make more castings, revealing that sand casting exists and the overall method, but not how to make the sand. 2 Profit.
-[] Spend time in taverns and markets and gardens chatting socially with middle-class folk. Perhaps you'll meet someone interesting and make a new friend.
-[] There are luxuries you haven't thought about in months accessible here, and a brief taste of them would certainly be relaxing. 1 Profit each.
--[] A play or poetry? Surely there's some interesting performances going on. A good story with music, actors, and flashy costumes is always a great way to escape from one's troubles.
-[] Spend more time with Genevieve Casinet, discussing the economy of Veschwar and the relative merits of various tax policies. Fascinating stuff!
At this point, we need a master smith's aid. That's crucial IMO. We need it to go well.
Not getting the glass because it's expensive and we don't have the facilities, and the niter would be useful but I doubt we can afford the full load of it and still get the mill up unless we take out some truly punishing loans. Get a few sacks now, and once we are ready to really use it we can order more then.
I doubt we'd make much profit from the merchant hat action. We're not really a merchant, after all, and there are lots in this city who are.
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[X] Plan Austerity
-[X] Put on your merchant hat and trawl the marketplaces looking for opportunities to do some side-trading and earn a little extra money.
-[X] Make more decorative pewter castings using what you've learned, keeping the sand casting method as secret as possible. 1 Profit.
-[X] Spend more time with Genevieve Casinet, discussing the economy of Veschwar and the relative merits of various tax policies. Fascinating stuff!
-[X] Take some time to do nothing much, rest, recover, and relax in your inn room. Not really the height of luxury, but cheaper than carousing in excess.
-[X][Glass] Don't Buy
-[X][Tea] Don't Buy
-[X][Niter] Don't Buy
-[X][Maisah] Yes, it's a deal.
This plan is built of the idea of spending as little as possible. That means no purchases, no plays, and no master smith. At this point we are already returning to Nesiwald poorer than we set out and as discussed when we set out that was already quite the tight spot. I do pay for one last try with the regular smith just in case but we do have confirmation that if that fails we will be able to continue back at Nesiwald albeit for a full action and likely at a higher cost. I admit the niter is tempting but at this point I feel we already have enough to do and not enough money to do it adding another money sink is not the best idea.
In total this plan leaves us with 10 profit upon returning to Nesiwald assuming no income.
-[X] Put on your merchant hat and trawl the marketplaces looking for opportunities to do some side-trading and earn a little extra money.
-[X] Make more decorative pewter castings using what you've learned, keeping the sand casting method as secret as possible. 1 Profit.
-[X] Spend more time with Genevieve Casinet, discussing the economy of Veschwar and the relative merits of various tax policies. Fascinating stuff!
-[X] Take some time to do nothing much, rest, recover, and relax in your inn room. Not really the height of luxury, but cheaper than carousing in excess.
-[X][Glass] Don't Buy
-[X][Tea] Don't Buy
-[X][Niter] Don't Buy
-[X][Maisah] Yes, it's a deal.
This plan is built of the idea of spending as little as possible. That means no purchases, no plays, and no master smith. At this point we are already returning to Nesiwald poorer than we set out and as discussed when we set out that was already quite the tight spot. I do pay for one last try with the regular smith just in case but we do have confirmation that if that fails we will be able to continue back at Nesiwald albeit for a full action and likely at a higher cost. I admit the niter is tempting but at this point I feel we already have enough to do and not enough money to do it adding another money sink is not the best idea.
In total this plan leaves us with 10 profit upon returning to Nesiwald assuming no income.
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- Location
- Australia
So we get a loan from here.
- Location
- USA
Yo can we get some decent rolls for this, or do the dice gods just hate us?
- Location
- USA
We're already in hock to the governor. Piling on more debt, this one with interest rates, even? I don't like it.
We already are in deep debt, 10 at the end of the year, 15 the next, and 20 after that. I do not feel comfortable adding more to that.
[X] Plan Scrooge
-[x][Glass] Don't Buy
-[x][Tea] Buy
-[][Niter] Don't Buy
-[x][Maisah] Yes, it's a deal.
-[x] Put on your merchant hat and trawl the marketplaces looking for opportunities to do some side-trading and earn a little extra money.
-[x] Spend more time with Genevieve Casinet, discussing the economy of Veschwar and the relative merits of various tax policies. Fascinating stuff!
-[x] Spend time in taverns and markets and gardens chatting socially with middle-class folk. Perhaps you'll meet someone interesting and make a new friend.
-[x] Take some time to do nothing much, rest, recover, and relax in your inn room. Not really the height of luxury, but cheaper than carousing in excess.
We have 11 profit to work with and I would like to be as stingy as possible. In addition I think the pewter molds have been attempted enough at this point. We can't really spend a lot more money we don't currently have. The glass (optics/physics), and niter (engineering/chemistry) are both interesting, but the tea (medicine/biology) is personally rewarding, and primitive medicine is a low hanging fruit in terms of potential improvements.
-[x][Glass] Don't Buy
-[x][Tea] Buy
-[][Niter] Don't Buy
-[x][Maisah] Yes, it's a deal.
-[x] Put on your merchant hat and trawl the marketplaces looking for opportunities to do some side-trading and earn a little extra money.
-[x] Spend more time with Genevieve Casinet, discussing the economy of Veschwar and the relative merits of various tax policies. Fascinating stuff!
-[x] Spend time in taverns and markets and gardens chatting socially with middle-class folk. Perhaps you'll meet someone interesting and make a new friend.
-[x] Take some time to do nothing much, rest, recover, and relax in your inn room. Not really the height of luxury, but cheaper than carousing in excess.
We have 11 profit to work with and I would like to be as stingy as possible. In addition I think the pewter molds have been attempted enough at this point. We can't really spend a lot more money we don't currently have. The glass (optics/physics), and niter (engineering/chemistry) are both interesting, but the tea (medicine/biology) is personally rewarding, and primitive medicine is a low hanging fruit in terms of potential improvements.
We actually have a reasonable amount of money if we do forge management actions once we get back. More importantly, we can probably sell the sand to the master smith once he sees how it works, and that's worth a ton of money.
Also, even another failed forge action will almost certainly make a profit thanks to Maisah.
Also, even another failed forge action will almost certainly make a profit thanks to Maisah.
@Rockeye I notice that the purchase items are given vote brackets. Does that mean they are seperate from the plan?
Ie vote like this:
[] Plan
-[] Action
-[] Action
-[] Action
-[] Action
[] [Masiah] Action
Or should they be included in the plan?
I'm tempted, but what can we gain from studying light? Also, they are clearly overpriced. Can anyone think about what we would gain from studying light? Cameras? Too much additional work I think. Basically this is evidence of refraction. Something not known until the early 1600s. @Rockeye Are there spectacles, looking glasses, telescopes, or microscopes in the world?
Only thing I can see this used for is entertaining important visitors. Is it worth 1 profit?
Got to buy at least a few sacks. But I don't think we can afford a whole wagonload.
Yeah, take the deal.
Ie vote like this:
[] Plan
-[] Action
-[] Action
-[] Action
-[] Action
[] [Masiah] Action
Or should they be included in the plan?
I'm tempted, but what can we gain from studying light? Also, they are clearly overpriced. Can anyone think about what we would gain from studying light? Cameras? Too much additional work I think. Basically this is evidence of refraction. Something not known until the early 1600s. @Rockeye Are there spectacles, looking glasses, telescopes, or microscopes in the world?
Only thing I can see this used for is entertaining important visitors. Is it worth 1 profit?
Got to buy at least a few sacks. But I don't think we can afford a whole wagonload.
Yeah, take the deal.
[X] Plan Get a Master and Research
-[X][Glass] Don't Buy
-[X][Tea] Buy
-[X][Niter] Buy a couple of sacks, to experiment with. 1 Profit.
--[X] Make sure to get contact information in case you decide you want to buy more of it.
-[X][Maisah] Yes, it's a deal.
-[X] Get a master pewter smith to help you make more castings, revealing that sand casting exists and the overall method, but not how to make the sand. 2 Profit.
-[X] Spend time in taverns and markets and gardens chatting socially with middle-class folk. Perhaps you'll meet someone interesting and make a new friend.
-[X] There's no public library, but see if there are any private collections you can get into to do some research or possibly buy some useful books. Costs 1 Profit.
--[X] Mining, ironworks, and weapons made from iron/steel
-[X] Spend more time with Genevieve Casinet, discussing the economy of Veschwar and the relative merits of various tax policies. Fascinating stuff!
I think it's time to accept that we can't figure this out ourself, we need a master to help. With the deal from Maisah, we will at least break even on the new castings from the master. Depending on how things work with the master, perhaps we can get a contract to sell him the special sand mix (and eventually sell it to other pewter smiths as well, give us an export product).
Meanwhile, I think we ought to get information on current mining, ironwork, and weapons technology, since that is going to be a major aspect of our income for the next bit.
-[X][Glass] Don't Buy
-[X][Tea] Buy
-[X][Niter] Buy a couple of sacks, to experiment with. 1 Profit.
--[X] Make sure to get contact information in case you decide you want to buy more of it.
-[X][Maisah] Yes, it's a deal.
-[X] Get a master pewter smith to help you make more castings, revealing that sand casting exists and the overall method, but not how to make the sand. 2 Profit.
-[X] Spend time in taverns and markets and gardens chatting socially with middle-class folk. Perhaps you'll meet someone interesting and make a new friend.
-[X] There's no public library, but see if there are any private collections you can get into to do some research or possibly buy some useful books. Costs 1 Profit.
--[X] Mining, ironworks, and weapons made from iron/steel
-[X] Spend more time with Genevieve Casinet, discussing the economy of Veschwar and the relative merits of various tax policies. Fascinating stuff!
I think it's time to accept that we can't figure this out ourself, we need a master to help. With the deal from Maisah, we will at least break even on the new castings from the master. Depending on how things work with the master, perhaps we can get a contract to sell him the special sand mix (and eventually sell it to other pewter smiths as well, give us an export product).
Meanwhile, I think we ought to get information on current mining, ironwork, and weapons technology, since that is going to be a major aspect of our income for the next bit.
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typo, but a good point to mention.
Anyway, any particular reason you're spending 1 profit on finding the book for our friend? She's in a better position than us to get it, since she lives here. I'd be willing to vote for your plan if you provide good reasoning for the book purchase. (Or if you remove it)