Chương 11: Making Arrangements, The Black Clam
After washing off all the blood and grime, I donned my new armor an fitted my weapons despite the intensity of the fight shansa took care to avoid damaging my equipment, hidden in the leather armor was a threadbare black shirt and slacks
After dressing I made my way to the fourth floor
"time to finish that Side Quest"
I went to the missions counter. missions were sorted by rank and type the mission fell under the four categories of
-Investigation: these are mostly survey missions but on occasion adventures are commissioned to investigate various strange happenings that occur on the continent. research missions also fall into this category
Subjugation- in short monster hunting, most subjugation missions are seasonal culling operations, occasionally a beast capture quests appear under this category. The pay for these missions rarely fluctuates
Protection - these range anywhere from guarding a caravan to defending a frontier town these mission often include a daily stipend paid on site in addition to the mission reward
Bounty-The business of hunting the guilds enemies quests are posted and open to anyone pay is oftentimes the missions are completed with a quiet but casual exchange, one bowling ball sized sack for its weight in coin. working for the guild is a bloody business after all
The guild has 2 types of currency standard coin and contribution points. the former is easy to earn the latter can only be acquired through guild issued missions, emergency missions, and missions commissioned by special clients.
The missions were kept in thick binders based on level of difficulty, Duration, and type.
"I'm looking for a subjugation missions, duration should be 3 days maximum, I'm looking for beasts nearby with poor sensory ability, preferably territorial, and within a days travel from here."
the guild receptionist took a look at my token and pulled out a binder flipping through it briefly and pulling out a few forms
"these quests should fit the criteria"
there were only 3
Blute Boar subjugation
Rank: Copper
Pay: 20 coppers a head (corpse is redeemable for additional reward) (left rear molar accepted as proof of completion otherwise)
Deadline: None
Limit: 3/Day
Commissioner/s: Guild, City of Muscheln
Location: Woods near Muscheln
Target characteristics: Territorial, destructive, easily enraged, poor peripheral vision and hearing, can be found in most woodland regions
Mole Man Subjugation
Rank: copper
Pay: 10 coppers a head (buck teeth accepted as proof of completion)
Deadline: None
Limit: 10/Day
Commissioner/s: Guild, City of Muscheln
Location: coastal caves southeast of Muscheln
Target Characteristics: poor vision and hearing with a strong sense of smell, primitive matriarchal society, capable of making and using tools and weapons, individually weak, prone to forming packs, rarely leave cave dwelling
Ratmen (Skaven)
Rank: Bronze
Pay: 40 coppers a head (corpse is redeemable for additional reward) (left rear molar accepted as proof of completion otherwise)
Deadline: None
Limit: No limit (kill on sight)
Commissioner/s: Guild, City of Muscheln
Location: Muscheln sewers
Target characteristics: Average senses excluding smell which is moderately poor, prefer sneak attacks, able to use primitive weapons and magic, casters represent a peak silver rank level of danger Variants can reach entry platinum levels, if casters or variants are encountered flee immediately and contact the guild post haste.
Among the targets provided the boars appeared to be the most suitable, but the skaven will probably serve as a suitable whetstone to sharpen myself with when the time comes.
According to some documents provided by the guild Ratmen (also known as skaven) represented a severe threat to most large cites if their numbers grow past a certain point skaven sorcerers can create plagues and other forms of pestilence.
The system added some important information not in the guild books, some of the larger skaven clans run a very extensive black market all but cornering illegal trade wherever these larger clans set up shop. They can also serve as information brokers, these clans are rarely attacked due to unspoken agreements, most subjugation missions target smaller independent clans with no political ties.
mole men are a weaker more primitive offshoot of the skaven. Molemen are mostly subterranean, while mostly docile molemen attack cities if their population exceeds a certain amount and quietly migrate if their numbers grow to scarce, the general consensus is that keeping their population within a certain range is the best choice.
Blute Boars are a general nuisance , strong but stupid, the cumulative property damage they cause each year is incalculable. While the overgrown pigs serve as a staple food source for most veteran adventures the boars are unfortunately, impossible to domesticate.
Scanning the information Into the system, I went over to the help desk
The guilds help desk provides a variety of services to adventures including Banking, Postage, providing lodging arrangement, it also was known for recommending local businesses with a good reputation based on an adventures needs. The guild charged a fixed rate for these services depending on an adventurers rank, and how long they had been part of the guild
my assets at the time amounted to 35 gold coins 10 silvers, and 3 copper coins. The currency of the continent had been mostly standardized by the guild, while most sovereign nations minted their own currency guild coins were accepted everywhere an are the de facto currency in most parts of the continent guild coins had a 10 to 1 ratio of conversion from bronze to silver to gold. making my net worth some 3,603 copper coins most families lived on less than 2 coppers a day with the Money from Silbar I could live quite comfortably for a year or two.
I walked up to the counter
"I would like to make a deposit"
the receptionist was a mild mannered, but professional old man. He was thin, and well groomed with a bushy white mustache, he had a name tag pinned to his vest it read "Wilson Addler"
"yes, certainly place the coins on the scale, one type at a time"
I deposited all of my gold coins and exchanged half the silvers for copper coins
Banking with the guild was a simple matter. This was made possible by one of the functions of the guild card was to record the balance by using a special rune engraving device. The amount was never shown on the card but the information is kept on both the card and at the guild, the card has similar function to a credit card when used in guild shops but it wont work anywhere else. This technology was Instituted over a century ago, but it has never been leaked or reverse engineered the guild still maintains an iron grip on this feat of magic engineering. Its just another one of the reasons the guild wields such an unimaginable amount of influence.
"I also need to arrange someplace to stay cheap, preferably with breakfast included any recommendations"
"Let me look up your information... hmm"
the man gave me a glance as if assessing me after looking at some sort of reference book
"The black clam a good fit, they don't ask questions, it's cheap and comfortable, It's a bit seedy but most of the regulars won't mess with you if you're from the guild. How long do you plan to stay there?"
I shrugged
" I don't know, a months or so, it depends"
"I recommend paying through the guild then, we make and receive deliveries daily from all the service establishments we keep listed, the money will be deducted from your balance, if something comes up and you need to leave town you won't need to worry about overpaying"
" Sounds good, I'll do that then"
"do you need directions,"
"please"
the man took out a piece of parchment and drew a simple map writing some instructions at the bottom
" here you are young man, tell em' Wilson sent you"
"I'll do that, thanks"
The black clam took some getting to in the winding city streets, but the old man's instructions and map prevented me from getting too lost.
the trip took me through a market street, I bought some dinner at one of the stalls It was a kind of roll stuffed with creamy cheese and slices of meat cut from a shank grilled over an open flame. The roll looked sort of like a Philly cheesesteak but the meat tasted like something between bacon and lamb the fresh bread soaked up any excess oil giving it a certain softness and the result was something packed with flavor and greasy in all the right ways.
I arrived at The black clam shortly before nightfall. It was a dusty building located at the end of a particularly dark alley, simple and nondescript but somehow menacing it looked like the sort of low key establishment that relies on word of mouth to attract visitors.
walking in the first floor looked like your typical run down bar the place was fairly clean but if you looked at the tables closely you could see some faded stains caused by blood and ale set into the wood
A small crowd clustered was around the bar making small talk, the sound of dice in a cup echoed softly from the corner of the room, the sloshing of liquor and sound of drunken laughter serving as a backdrop for the bar's goings on.
Walking up the the bar I saw a middle aged man behind the counter he had a handlebar mustache and a bulging belly, dressed in a stained apron with a tan sweat stained shirt underneath
"I rented a room, it was a guild arrangement"
I handed the man my guild card, he gave it a once over and returned it to me pulling a key with a wooden tag out the tag simply read "5"
"upstairs third room on the right"
"Thank you, and you are..."
"Names George"
I felt a hand clamp down my shoulder
"why don't you stay for a drink"
I frowned, turning around as my left hand reached for a dagger at my back
"I have an early morning tomorrow"
the mans hand left hand was hidden
"I, insis..."
His left arm moved presumably for a weapon
I moved my own stamping on his foot and making a backhanded slash towards this throat, my blade was pressed against my forearm allowing me to apply more force over the short distance throwing my elbow into the cut as well to allow for a sharper angle
The man stumbled back and slipping away in a seemingly drunken fashion while pulling out a coin purse, it dangled loosely from his fingertips
"what I mean't was... can I buy you a drink friend"
"I'll be retiring to my room now, I'm a bit grouchy, need my beauty sleep and all that"
I left the first floor going to the room I rented
The bed was furs over wood and some kind of spongy material. Laying down, I closed my eyes and waited for sleep to come
Meanwhile on the first floor
"you need to cut that shit out Guache, your the reason I can't keep any customers around"
"I like him he's got a sense of humor, shame he can't take a joke"
"and how many have you gutted with that joke of yours"
"oh, please I'm retired now, if it was a knife you'd be out a tenant"
the inebriated man muttered
" heard Shansa trained him, that Crazy old bat"
"oh, and you were just feeling him out, yeah right, you haze everybody that comes in here. if it wasn't for Wilson and Silbar I would have had to close this place down because of you"
" hey, hey I have my pride as an educator"
"educator my ass, what do you teach, driving away customers"
"But...."
"CAN IT"
the drunkard Guache spoke quietly with an indignant tone
" its my bar too..."
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