Collect Five Men/Transcript

Contents 1 Introduction 1.1 Defeat Bandit 1.2 Player Defeated 2 Quest Briefing 2.1 Defeat Bandit 2.2 Player Defeated 3 After Decline Introduction[] You are exhausted by the time you find the inn in (capital), and fall asleep quickly. However, you awake before dawn and are eager to explore your surroundings. You venture out onto the streets, which are still deserted. All of a sudden, you hear a sound that stands the hairs of your neck on end -- the rasp of a blade sliding from its scabbard. Defeat Bandit[] "Are you all right? Well.... I guess you're alive, at any rate. I'm not sure that we can say the same for the other fellow. That's one less thief to trouble our streets at night, although Heaven knows he won't be the last.... Anyway, maybe you can help me with something. Let's talk more inside. Out here, we don't know who's listening" The merchant takes you to his house. Once inside, he stands by the door for a while checking the street, and then, finally convinced you have not been followed, comes near you to speak... Player Defeated[] You are struck down. However, before you lose consciousness, you hear shouts and a rush of footfalls... You awake to find yourself indoors, weak but alive. Quest Briefing[] Defeat Bandit[] "Now... Let me explain my proposition Player Defeated[] Ah -- you're awake. It's good to see that you can still walk. You're lucky that we came along. I had been speaking with the watch, when we heard the sounds of a fight and ran to see what was happening. We didn't arrive in time to prevent you getting knocked down, but we may have saved you from getting your throat cut... Now... Maybe you can help me... We always had brigands in the hills, driven to banditry by war, debt, or love of violence. Recently, however, they've been getting bolder -- leaving their camps in the wild and venturing into town, looking for unwary prey. The watch commander tell us it's because of all the fighting on the frontiers -- fewer men to keep an eye on the streets -- but I'm not sure what to make of that. It seems to me that the most logical explanation is that these bandits have an ally inside the walls, who helps them enter unnoticed and helps them identify particularly tempting targets... Last week, you see, they took my brother. I don't know what my brother was thinking -- a lad from a prominent house, out alone after dark in times like these... Well, I suppose you were too, but you're a stranger here, and didn't know how bad things have become. He had no such excuse. But he's family, so what can you do? If you don't protect your kin, then people will start thinking that you can't protect your investments, either, and I can't have that... No doubt the gang will soon send word about a ransom, but I don't care to pay it. So here's my proposition. You look like you've had a bit of experience with a blade -- and more importantly, you must have a bit of fire in your belly, or you wouldn't be coming to Calradia to seek your fortune. So here's what I'm asking you to do: gather a small party, track down these bandits to their liar, teach them a lesson they won't forget, and get my brother back safe. In return, you'll earn my lasting gratitude and a bit of silver. What do you say?" I am interested. "You won't be able to do this by yourself, though. If you try and take on the whole gang singlehandedly, the hunter will become the hunted, I'll warrant. You'll first want to round up a group of volunteers. There's always a few lads in the villages around here, looking for a bit of work that's more interesting than tiling the soil or hauling water. They'll follow you if you pay. So... Take this purse of 100 denars. Consider it an advance it an advance of your reward. Go round to the villages, and use the money to hire some help. I'll reckon that you need at least five men to take on these bandits." Player: "Very good, sir. I'll go collect some men from around the village" "Good. You can find me again in the tavern here in (capital) after you got your group together. Then we'll speak bout what we do next." I am not interested, have more important business to do. (Decline) After Decline[] You may do as you wish, sir, but I am disappointed. You would do well to reconsider. I am a rich men [sic], and would show you my gratitude in coin. You make a persuasive case. I will help you. As I say, I have more important business elsewhere.