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Shadows of the Past

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Yeah, we need a font of fast money so that we can spend most of our time training. This is why we came here, right? To train and learn. Since danger pays more, we need to find something that is hard for the people here, but not that hard for us... Maybe there are some unexplored ruins nearby?
@Azel what do you say, is there some unexplored ruins relatively near?
 
Metrux said:
Yeah, we need a font of fast money so that we can spend most of our time training. This is why we came here, right? To train and learn. Since danger pays more, we need to find something that is hard for the people here, but not that hard for us... Maybe there are some unexplored ruins nearby?
@Azel what do you say, is there some unexplored ruins relatively near?
Click to expand...
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Since you're voting for rumor gathering, you will learn of a few things that pay quite well if you are willing to risk your life for it.

Mostly mercenary work, but ruin delving is always an option.
 
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Chapter 4: Marketplace
  • Threadmarks
    • [X] Look around the market.
    -[X] Get a feel for the market and how things seem to work, how people go about trading on such a large scale.
    -[X] Scout out which stalls sell herbs or other things you would need to sell your skills as a healer.
    -[X] Try to learn about any healers that are already in the city and what their skills are.
    -[X] Listen for any rumors you can overhear.
    -[X] Buy yourself something nice to celebrate coming to this place. Perhaps a Honey Tamali.
    -[X] If at all possible, see if you can learn anything about the Wise Men taking apprentices.
    -[X] Spring for a private room when it's time to go.

    1.6.17.10.7.15 - 15th day of Water​

    While there are many places you would love to explore here in Tlamaca, the market you are standing by just draws you in. The busiest trading you've seen so far was in the farmer's village, and that was just a few hunters haggling with the merchants and farmers. Here, though? Wherever you looked, everything was full to the brim with people trying to shout over the din to make their offers heard. So much they had here. You walk by stands nearly spilling over with fresh fruit, some of them selling so fast that there seems to be a steady stream of haulers bringing new crates for the trader to empty out again. Others offer stone goods, from obsidian blades to pretty pearls of every color. Cloth and leather is sold, and not just in plain browns and greys, but with colorful patterns and artful pictures that remind you of the murals of old. Strange and yet pleasing smells waft from some of the other stalls who offer powders of all sorts as seasoning while others are content with selling just plain salt. And to think that this was a normal day for these people...

    You don't know how long you've spent just wandering, but at least the hubbub becomes too much for you and so you drift back out towards the edge of the market. A city is, you decide then, more about people than about buildings. The empty ruins of your home just can't compare to this place crammed full of more people than you would have thought to live in the entire world. At last you stay at a stand with something more familiar to you than noise of people: the herbs and tinctures you've spent your youth learning about. It's a small offering compared to the grand stalls at the center and yet you spent more time examining finely dried leaves and carefully ground pastes than you put into any other stand.

    "Something I can help you with, young lady?" You give a start at the voice and look up to the merchant. The older woman just smiles and looks at you expectantly. Odd, that. All the other traders were happy to ignore you unless you spoke to them directly.

    "Just looking around a bit." Carefully you stuff a branch of something you didn't recognize back into its pot. It smelled a bit weird. Like moist wood after a few days of rain.

    "And quite carefully at that, though you are not from around these parts."

    At this you look a bit self-consciously down to your clothes. While you are not the only one wearing leather, you still noticed that they are vastly in the minority here. "The clothes?"

    "Nah. It's mostly people from the tribes that come to me anyway. Fetching something from here is easier on them than finding everything themselves out in the wilds, but you didn't recognize the Xalxocotl. Quite common around here and safe to handle, and yet you looked at it like something that could poison you." She chuckles lightly at that and beckons you to sit next to her on the stone bench. "A healer yourself, I gather?"

    "Yes. Shaman of my tribe taught me everything. I was wondering if I could earn a living by doing that here."

    "Hm... Not easy in Tlamaca." She gives a curt nod towards the towering palace of the Wise Men. "They are doing most of it. Takes a bit of waiting, though, and since the Wise Men never leave their thicket, you are out of luck if you can't make the trip. Some healers ply their trade next to the line to those not wishing to wait or go to the homes of those who've sent friends and family to fetch someone. Good work, but a bit risky if you follow them."

    You steal a small glance at your necklace and grimace. It seems Ollin wasn't trying to scare you when he said to stay on the main roads and be careful in the winding streets away from them. However, this seems as a good a chance as any to learn a bit more about the people ruling this place. "I was wondering about the Wise Men, actually. I've heard they take apprentices."

    Another small chuckle and she leans back and shakes her head. "It's a bit more complicated than that. You see the three stairs?" From here it's actually a bit hard to spot them, but you've seen them on your way and follow her pointing finger with your eyes mostly out of politeness. "No one is allowed to go any further than those unless you work for them or are one of them. They hold some trials now and then to prove your worthy of joining them, but passing those just gets you a hearing where they judge you. Don't really know what exactly they look for and can't tell you more about the trials. They don't take kindly to the people taking them knowing anything ahead of time."

    "So what? I just walk up to the stairs and ask someone to test me?"

    "Nah. You get into the line and ask the one taking questions for the day about joining them. Then you get a riddle and can take the trial if you can figure it out. Very mystical a lot of people say."

    The tone of her voice draws a snort from you and you are inclined to agree that it sounds a bit self important to make such a fuss about the whole thing. From there on the talk drifts to lighter topics and you stay a while to just talk with someone. Everyone on the market just seems so busy and rather rude, so the friendly old woman is a nice respite from getting yelled at for not moving fast enough. Not many customers come in the time you chat and it seems that selling herbs won't earn you much either.


    1.6.17.10.7.15 - 15th day of Water​

    The sun is already setting as you spot a familiar face, which you are rather proud of to have managed among all these people. You are still standing next to the tavern, the last few bites of a tamallin with honey in your hands as Ollin comes closer. A quick wave with your free hand and he walks over to stand next to you.

    "Seems you heeded my wise advice. Your first one?"

    You wave him to wait a moment as you stuff the last piece into your mouth and savor the taste awhile before replying. "Third. They are great and people get much more friendly and actually talk to you when you stand on the side and eat something instead of shoving each other around in the middle of the market."

    "Sure. That's probably the reason." The looks he gives you is stuck somewhere between incredulity, amusement, and plain disbelief. "I hope you got your bearings a bit. I've paid for a room for you as I promised. Been to your Wise Men yet?"

    "No, just walked the market a bit. Heard a few interesting things at least."

    30 + 50 (Charisma) + 50 (Charisma) + 40 (Charm) + 50 (Circumstances) = 220
    Caught the general things.
    Charm +39 XP
    Charm 2 -> 3

    Vultures in the West
    It seems Ollin isn't the only one that has trouble with bandits. Those who you have spotted apparently belong to a rather large group that is terrorizing the routes to the west and north-west of Tlamaca. The city guard is mustering a force to strike back at them, but they will probably be beaten by the many small groups of warriors rushing against the bandits. They have managed to rob at least one caravan with bronze goods and everyone wishes to be the one to take these spoils from them.

    Excavation Work
    While the palace of the Wise Men seems pristine to you, it apparently sits on a vast network of underground tunnels which are not entirely accessible. They seem to hire a lot of people to clear them out right now and pay handsomely for it, but some say that not everyone going into those tunnels comes out the same as he entered them. Or at all.

    Scared Workers
    Marching to the north for a day or two seems to lead you to a settlement names Xoxohuictetl, which is a small tributary to Tlamaca and has something to do with metal working from what you gathered. Something is spooking the workers there and they claim the spirits are coming from them. From what you heard, they are threatening to lay down their work if nothing is done about it, but the Wise Men are unwilling to chase figments with their guards.

    Successful Thief; Or Not
    Apparently there are more ruins in the hills behind the Wise Men's palace that they lay claim to on penalty of death. Some young men has not heeded that decree from what you heard and found something of great worth there. The guard caught him when he attempted to leave the town with a suspicious bundle and it's deemed unlikely that he will leave the palace again.

    Red Forest
    To the north-east, there is a stretch of hills and jungle that some people spoke of only in hushed whispers as the Red Forest. Strange things seem to be happening there, though you couldn't hear any details.

    "Well, I'm going to leave in a few days again. The bandits are probably still around, so I wouldn't mind if you would come along again. No need to say anything now, but come over if you want to lead me again."

    You answer him with a brief smile and nod, though you doubt that you will take him up on it. There is still much you wish to do here.

    What have you planned for tomorrow?
    [] Go to the Wise Mens Place

    [] Go to the artisan district.
    -[] To see how metal is made.
    -[] To buy something.
    --[] Write-In what to look for.

    [] Look around the market.
    -[] To buy something.
    --[] Write-In what to look for.
    -[] Talk with people there.
    --[] Write-In about what.

    [] Try to find work.
    -[] Write-In what.

    [] Do something entirely different.
    -[] Write-In what.


    AN: I think it's clear what prompted that circumstance bonus. ;)
     
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  • Threadmarks
    • I don't know, I'm super tempted to take Ollin up on that job offer. We already know it's one of the most well-paying jobs around, we're on good terms with the employer and have a record of success, and we could always use more XP.

    And best of all, we can come back right after.

    [X] Look around the market.
    -[X] To buy something.
    --[X] Local clothes to blend in better so you aren't singled out and targeted. Nice, sturdy, comfortable and functional, less importance placed on style but not so far as to compromise it.
    --[X] If necessary, ask Ollin or that nice herb lady what you should buy.

    [X] Go to the Wise Mens Place

    We did get an IC hint that we stand out way too easily.
     
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    [X] Go to the Wise Mens Place

    Might as well get it done. There is a lot we can do here and a lot of potential from those rumors, but if nothing works out at the WMP then I say we re-up with our current Caravan for now. I like Ollin, the work suits us, and we need XP and money.
     
    You don't really stand out that much. Unlike the farmers village, you are not the only tribal here.
     
    Azel said:
    Vultures in the West
    It seems Ollin isn't the only one that has trouble with bandits. Those who you have spotted apparently belong to a rather large group that is terrorizing the routes to the west and north-west of Tlamaca. The city guard is mustering a force to strike back at them, but they will probably be beaten by the many small groups of warriors rushing against the bandits. They have managed to rob at least one caravan with bronze goods and everyone wishes to be the one to take these spoils from them.
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    I regret not killing that one bandit. :( He probably had some bronze stuff on him.
     
    Maybe they only let in people who have/can do some sort of magic? That might work out well for us. Of course if they only let in the very clever, INT 5 Yaxkin might be out of luck.
     
    Duesal said:
    About that. @Azel, what could we do to actively increase our ability scores? How could we increase our INT?
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    Click to shrink...
    Training. When your skill gains XP, the associated attributes do too, but they are 5 times as expensive.

    Speaking of getting more awesome, I will probably switch to a turn format again soonish, when you've settled in a bit. Makes it easier to get those training actions done.
     
    Azel said:
    Training. When your skill gains XP, the associated attributes do too, but they are 5 times as expensive.

    Speaking of getting more awesome, I will probably switch to a turn format again soonish, when you've settled in a bit. Makes it easier to get those training actions done.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    I wouldn't mind taking herbalism lessons from that nice old lady, and maybe working for her for a bit. Maybe we'll be sent out to collect herbs and we'll get to learn more about the local geography.
     
    Why do you want to go to the Wise Men so soon? We may not have a chance to explore the surroundings while we are sitting in the mage tower.

    Torn between helping Xoxotown against the spirits and just working for the herbalist.

    [] Try to find work.
    -[] Gathering herbs for the old woman

    [X] Do something entirely different.
    -[X]Go to Xoxo and try to help with the spirit problem
     
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    [X] Go to the Wise Mens Place
    -[X] Ask if they would appreciate it if we help with the problems the workers are having

    So, just a little adendum (I don't know how to write it in english :V) because this seems liek a good idea, and I don't know if we should test for that yet. Maybe do something about those workers and then leave with Ollin? We need to get better, and training with the Wise Men is good, but I don't know if we can get there yet...
     
    Duesal said:
    I regret not killing that one bandit. :( He probably had some bronze stuff on him.
    Click to expand...
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    He was part of a larger group and expected to take on a caravan with 3 warriors and win. We only saw the one guy.

    [X] Do something entirely different.
    -[X]Go to Xoxo and try to help with the spirit problem
     
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