A sage and self-promoted "dragon tamer" named Matinswell was consulted who warned Budokai that Dave was not a "pet" to be trifled with like a cat, but a creature whose intelligence and power could very well exceed his ability to constrain without warning. There were two options, in his expert opinion. One, the creature should be disposed of, or two, Budokai should aggresively and harshly force it to submit and remain submissive before it realized its advantages over its "owner." Budokai decided a sale was in order.
Another expert, Lloyd Sotherbe of the Cork Street Auction House in Wanderhalt was asked about terms for a quick sale. Upon seeing the dragon, Lloyd was sure that it could be sold the same day for 5,000 crowns, easily. His take would be 30% from which he would draw any advertising or other expenses. However, he cautioned that a dragon auction could very well be a huge draw which could command tens of thousands in a sale if properly promoted and perhaps six months to a year given to allow people from other kingdoms to come and bid.
Matinswell Dragontamer argued that if that was the plan, Budokai would have to hire proper guards and provide a more secure facility. By the end of a year, the beast would probably prefer more than a daily live goose for dinner, and might find the constraints of a simple wooden shed too easily defeated.
Still considering matters, Budokai went to see his comrade in arms, the former Scarlett Hood, now King of Collonia with his concerns. After two days of waiting for an audience, he was admitted to find his friend surrounded on all sides by sages and experts who were arguing the dangers of having the beast in kingdom limits let alone, the city proper. King Rigelson heard his friend out and agreed to allow the beast six months residence under close guard if Budokai would personally vouchsafe its conduct, and take responsibility for any damages caused, under the law of runaway horses. He would not, under any circumstances agree to house the beast on his estates or upon royal property.
With those warnings ringing in his ears. Budokai returned to his retinue and explained his desire for a sale conducted soon, within days. The sage saw some wisdom in this. The auctioneer did not. He stridently argued for at least two weeks to allow folks from Peakshadow at least, to attend. Budokai would not relent and the auction was scheduled for two days out, at noon, sharp.
For two days, criers circulated around the cobbled streets and dingy byways of the ancient city announcing the open auction in north market. Still others went out along the highway and the byways to announce at all villages and hamlets within two days walk. On the morning of the afternoon in question, the groundswell of excitement was felt palpably in the sheer numbers of people moving, like a slow river toward the market place. Everyone in or near Wanderhalt wanted to see the creature which had been born within its walls and even more so, everyone wanted to know who would buy it.
A fresh pinewood platform had been built overnight and a sheet covered cage was center stage. A man in strange robes with wizardly symbols upon it stood nearby uttering his arcane imprecations. Criers reassured the crowd that they were safe with one such as that wizard in attendance. Auctioneer Sotherbe had hired all manner of jugglers and street performers to entertain the crowd while they waited for the big unveil. Enterprising merchants, folded their movable stands and took to selling every square foot of the marketplace to whomever wanted to spread a blanket. Rooftops, balconies, and windows of the surrounding buildings were covered with folks all vying for a glimpse of the dragon. The crowd pressed on all sides, the best estimate put their numbers at near 26,000 souls -- men, women and children.
At the stroke of noon a trumpet was heard, banners depicting red satin dragons upon fields of white fell from high poles set strategically on either side of the platform. The crowd cheered loudly and just as quickly went silent. Then suddenly a great roar was heard that made even the hardened adventurers among them quale. Men gasped, women screamed, children cried, but when nothing swooped from the sky to accompany Mai's auditory illusion, the crowd cheered ever louder, except one. The sage, Martinswell, who was dressed head to toe in heavy armor and equipped with a shield on each arm was heard to cry, "We're nossed," before diving into the crowd and pushing his way out of sight.
His retreat was quickly forgotten, though, as the Sotherbe drew back his curtained box and allowed all near enough, or with eyes sharp enough, to see, the hatchling dragon blinking in the sunlight. A voice bid, "10 crowns," immediately without being invited. The price climbed to 100, and then five and then started skipping through thousands. The nobles of Collonia joined at the five thousand mark and the price began to be bandied about in gold bars -- a unit of coinage most folk didn't know existed. The price sailed from five gold bars to ten, then onward toward twenty and then tapered. At least once during the exchange, the dragon itself is believed by those nearest the stage to have bid in a voice remarkably like that of Lord Waldron.
When the price flagged near twenty gold bars, a thin man emerged from a small coterie of other men in robes and took the bid to thirty. He was quickly outdone by a cry of thirty-five from somewhere mid crowd. Not to be outdone, the thin man bid thirty-six and the disembodied voice asserted thirty-seven. Sotherbe licked his lips nervously but accepted the bid, even as he squinted to see from whom it came. The thin man came again with thirty-eight. The price held and silence reigned across the square.
Then a richly dressed goateed man in a green trimmed ermine cloak stood upon his wagon in plain sight. He was surrounded by a group of armed men in gleaming scale mail with green cloaks whipping in the breeze -- each of them with the same strange crest upon their chest plates. The nobleman's factor stood alongside of him and cried out in a rich baritone pronouncement of, "Forty-four Gold Bars!"
A gasp rippled through the crowd. Nobleman and commoner alike were awed by the display they saw. The first for the amount of wealth they knew it to be. The second for the obviously ostentacious display of skipping from thirty-eight of something to forty-four when a mere forty would probably have sufficed.
The auctioneer swiftly jumped on the offer, heard no raises and announced the sale. The strange nobleman's factor was helped onto the stage as the crowd erupted into applause and huzzahs. Suddenly the market had the feel of a massive festival once again. Street performers, no longer paid, but simply working for tips from the crowds resumed their shows. Hawkers sold their refreshments and barkers announced specials at nearby public houses and taverns. This was clearly the biggest event in recent memory and recalled the recent celebrations at the end of the Seige of Wanderhalt the year previous.
While the commoners relived what they thought they just saw and opined loudly about the significance they imagined it would be, some in the crowd, like Mai and Sir Oghren strained to follow the actions of the strange and wealthy bidder. His men in scale mail quickly loaded the cart and drove off while the auctioneer and the factor settled the terms of sale. All of them retired behind closed doors of the Golden Chalice -- the most expensive and exclusive inn of Wanderhalt.
When Mai and Sir Oghren attempted to enter, they were politely told by a green-cloaked guard with some obvious flourish and training in formal etiquette, that the entirety of the inn had been booked for the night and the next several besides. The guard offered them a leaflet that explained the the inn was closed and would be closed for some time for "remodeling." Said leaflet said the business would reopen for guests in a week and was signed by the Master of the House. Then guard then explained that he was unauthorized to answer any questions on behalf of his lord, and that he had no opinions of his own to offer on any subject, whatsoever. Stymied, Mai and Oghren took note of the coat of arms boasted by the guardsmen and left.
Meanwhile, the auctioneer and the factor had come to acceptable terms with the usual banking apparatuses put in place by the Oxmen, as Sir Budokai, a man of some station but no noble familiarity looked on. When the papers had been signed and countersigned, waxed, sealed and stamped. The factor took his leave and the auctioneer turned to Budokai beaming.
He offered the battle-hardened and elderly knight the following words, "I can give you 8,800 crowns tonight," he said, "the entirety of my life savings.The rest will take me as many as six months to turn to cash and bring from Peakshadow. My cut is the agreed 30% from which I will deduct the costs of this extravaganza. Your total take should be an additional 50,000 crowns once they are converted from Gold Bars."
Budokai went to Cork Street, took the down payment in cash from the Auctioneer, and went immediately to seek the stone cutter to arrange for a more ornate tomb for himself, his deceased first wife, and the Farrunish woman he recently espoused.
For their part and unable to put aside their curiousity, Mai and Oghren went to the librarian sages of Wanderhalt and availed themselves at personal expense of the existing wisdom on heraldry. Two days later, the report was returned to them that the coat of arms, as they sketched it did not exist in the The Known Magisters and Colleges of the Four Lands, The Registry of Greater Nobility of the Eight Kingdoms of Westrun, The Noteworthy Clans among those of the Northrun Barbarians, The Imperial Houses of Eastrun with their Eminent Vassals and Subsidiaries, The August Men of Byza, Midir and all Southrun, nor the Realms of the Four Lands and their Recognized Monarchs.
One of the librarians they hired was of the opinion that the coat of arms must have predated and then escaped the conditions of Norming Accord of 5775, and was a very minor house with limited economic transactions. The other librarian flatly offered that it was a fake. A few days later, the second librarian's opinion seemed validated when the Sotherbe's shop was found closed and shuttered, the owner of the Golden Chalice returned without any record of leasing his inn under repair.
Quotes of the Day: Accepting nominations.
The Haul: 8,800 Crowns for Budokai.
The Books: 8,800 xp each for some of the strangest and most enjoyable role play I have had in some time and a perfect example of why combat cannot be the only way to measure success at the table.
Oh man, I wish Samantha had purchased that Dragon. It sounded like an awesome time!
ReplyDeleteDid you miss the price of 44 Gold Bars, or 88,000 gold pieces? Perhaps your first wish for Peggy would be that she had that much money!
ReplyDelete