Launching a Trade (Ask/Invite)

[Torgar]

The young Dwarf's pack felt heavier then usual on his shoulders, as it had for days now. Finding his way down from the Ularian Ridge had not been easy. Yet he almost wished his pack were heavier, since the weight in it was only the weight of his tools. His food rations had finally run out, the day before, and he was starving.

He leaned on his pick-axe like a walking stick as he approached the gates of Tamasha Village.

"Ho, hey! A midget! Fancy that!" the gatekeeper jeered.

Torgar looked up at him in wonder, more concerned with how he looked then with what he was saying. "So... you're a human," the Dwarf muttered thoughtfully, crossing his arms as he eyed the gatekeeper. "I always thought you'd look bigger... At any rate, can I come in? I'm a craftsman looking for work."

"Yeah, yeah, just don't cause any trouble," the guardsman replied, waving his hand with a careless shrug. Torgar thanked him and proceeded inside.

The bustling place within the walls was an immediate culture shock for him. People constantly walked into him, not seeing him among the crowds of taller races, and twice he had to defend his pockets from petty thieves. The sounds and sights were all foreign, and the smell in the air made him a bit .

At least one thing looked relatively similar to how it was back underground - a tavern. The one Torgar spotted had a sign marking it as 'The Grey Ravens', and the scent of ale and roasting meat was irresistable. He hurried inside, only to find that tables were too high for him. Grunting, the Dwarf approached the counter, and climbed up onto a stool.

The bartender looked his way. "What'll ya have, Master Dwarf?"

"Er... what kind of food do you have up here?"

The bartender chuckled. "First-timer surfacer, eh? How about chicken? It's a little animal that we fry, tastes heavenly, I assure you."

"Uh, sure... I'll have 'chicken'," Torgar replied with a small smile. "And a pint of ale!"

"Comin' up!"

Moments later, the Dwarf was tucking in eagerly. Between mouthfuls, he tried to get a little information from the barkeep.

"Know anyone looking for a craftsman around here?"

"Hmmm... can't say I do. Sorry, mate."

"Damn." Finishing his meal, Torgar paid the bartender a few silvers and hopped down to the floor again, drink in hand. The tavern was crowded, but he didn't know anyone, and he didn't know how to tell when humans were looking for work done.

Without any better ideas, he climbed up on top of a table and shouted above the din. "Dwarven craftsman for hire! Smithing, repairs, and general construction! Working for cheap!"

He remained on the table, hoping he could find a customer this way...

[Ruby]

The door to the busy tavern's servant's quarters flew open, and though this went largely unnoticed by the crowds of men enjoying their drinks, a few were forcefully shoved out of the way as two women came through the door in a whirlwind of arguments and insults. The first was backing away, red hair a mess and hands flying in expressive- sometimes rude -gestures as she squabbled with the tavern keeper's plump, red-faced wife, who was advancing on her.

"I said if ye want yer bread to play some-ut was lively! Some bard ya are! Can't even follow no orders as simple as that!" The tavern keeper's wife screeched in her heavy accent as she kept up her steady advance.

Exasperated, the red head threw up her hands, groaning, "Jigs are lively! Or did you not know that? It's a tune people can dance to. You wanted lively and that's what you got!"

"This ent no place fer dancin'! This is a place fer drinkin'! You come in here and think you can act like some all demanding and like! Not in my place, ye can't!"

The bard was beyond fury now, but rather than giving that woman he satisfaction of seeing her truly lose her temper, she took a deep breath and forced a smile. She slipped a hand under her belts and brought it up holding an entire evening's worth of pay. She pushed it at the other woman.

"Fine," she said simply, "take this for the trouble, but I still want the agreed upon meal."

The tavern keeper's wife pulled back as though the bard had produced a snake, her face full of distaste. She looked down her long nose at the bard, looked at the money, sniffled, then stomped her foot and turned back to the servant's door.

"I'll not take no money from some vagabond! And..and no, about the meal!" She shrieked, slamming the door and-thankfully-vanishing from sight.

Ruby smiled to herself, pocketing the money she had picked off the woman and fixing her appearance before looking around her. A few men had noticed the scuffle, and had watched with some interest. The one nearest her was chuckling and, catching her eye, mimed a salute. She gave him a friendly nod before drawing her shawl around her and blending into the noisy crowd.
Across the room, she could hear someone shouting their trade. This piqued her interested as an idea hit her and she quickly wormed her way through the common room towards him. She found him standing on the table, and a good thing too, for she might not have seen him otherwise. She grinned, fisting one hand and knocked on the toe of his boot.

"Heya, Master Dwarf! Are you familiar with wagons?"

[Torgar]

From his vantage point atop the table, Torgar managed to see the heated argument between the young redheaded bard and the cranky old wife. It was most amusing, and with his belly now full and a welcome bit of alcohol in his veins, the Dwarf found himself laughing easily at the spectacle. He certainly wasn't the only one, either.

Eventually, though, the bard gave in to the shrieking hag before her. The poor girl had played a song and gotten nothing out of it... or so it seemed.

Torgar, after he stopped chuckling, began shouting his advertisements once more. However, it wasn't long before someone gave him a tap on the boot. He was more then a bit surprised when he looked down and saw it was the very redhead who'd given the tavern such a laugh! Delightedly surprise, at that, for she seemed a good sort (not to mention the amount of gold she held up during the squabble).

"Aye, I am! Torgar Eriest, at your service, Lady Human," he replied, sweeping off his stocking-cap and bowing at the waist in the typical dwarf-fashion. After straightening up again, he eased himself off the table and onto the floor, smiling up at the bard and fitting his cap back onto his rather round head. Beckoning for her to follow, he moved out of the crowd and back to the bar, where they would be able to hear one another more easily. This also allowed Torgar to signal to the barkeep, for a refill of his mug.

Sipping his ale, the stocky man couldn't help but begin to chuckle once more. "Major ordeal you just went through there, eh?"

[Ruby]

Ruby waved a hand at him once he had looked down. She grinned and nodded at the dwarf's introduction and answer and waited as he climbed down from his perch before she extended a hand to him.
"A pleasure," she said, sounding friendly enough, "and I would be Ruby, a bard as you might have heard from all that mess. I can assure you I'm better than that old bat makes me sound."

She jerked her head towards the servant's door to indicate the loud argument she'd just concluded and her face settled on a smug but content look. "Ordeal?" Ruby tsk'd, "I wouldn't say that. She may be pushy and have no taste in music, but I'll hardly be bullied by her sort."

As if to prove her point she patted a hand to her hip, the movement causing the picked money to jingle. Ruby shrugged and then straightened, deciding it would be better to reign herself in before she earned any more trouble. Perhaps a change of topic was in order. She remained quiet as she followed him to the bar, and once he had placed an order to refill his mug, she launched herself at the original topic.

"So, you are familiar with wagons then? Well! That's good news for me. Not many are, and of those even fewer are willing to accept work from common folk. I've been thinking for a time now about having one built. It makes travel that much easier and safer. If you would feel up to the task then my search may be over. It's good luck then, running into each other, and I'm not one to ignore good fortune."

[Torgar]

Giving her a firm handshake, Torgar answered casually but courteously: "Pleasure's all mine, I'm sure." Misunderstanding her when she patted the purse of coins at her hip, he laughed and said, "Yes, it was shocking how she turned it down, wasn't it? Some people are much too proud for their own good..."

Quieting down, he listened to her closely as she returned to the matter of her wagon. He was surprised that wagon-building was such a rare skill in these parts... almost every Dwarf had known how to build one, or at least a rickety mine-cart. But then, his people were known for their crafts.

"Good fortune, indeed!" he agreed. "I have to admit, I need the work badly. I've been a bit lost, ever since I wound up here on the surface... But don't let me bore you with my troubles. What sort of a wagon do you want built, and what would it be worth to you?"

[Ruby]

The bard nodded in sympathy as he explained that he needed the work. "I know how it goes," she said, "Good work can be a hard thing to find."

Ruby began drumming her fingers together as she thought about his question. Here, all of the details would matter. No wagon was exactly like another, and almost all were built at least a little differently. Still, she was indeed lucky. It was common knowledge that dwarven craftsmanship was among the best. To have a wagon made to such standards would be quite a prize.

"It would need to be relatively lightweight," she began conversationally, "after all, I've only one horse to pull it, even though she is strong enough. It would need a small cook stove, some storage, a few hiding places for valuables and money. If it can be large enough to sleep two or three, should the need arise, then that would be a nice bonus. As for what it would all be worth; I could pay you partially in gold coin and partially in jewels."

She withdrew a gold coin from her purse and slipped an emerald ring off of one finger before holding both items out towards him as an example. "Quite real," she added "On my honor, it all is."

[Torgar]

Torgar knew immediately that the gold and the emerald ring were legitimate. He didn't even have to touch them, as he knew real gold and jewels from fakes by merely a quick look. He had worked with such materials all his life.

"And your honour is sound!" he replied with a small grin. "That sort of payment should be more then sufficient, Ruby. I've only one more question about the wagon. How decorative do you want her to be? I can make her beautiful, but it will take more time and materials that way... which, naturally, would make the job more expensive."

[Ruby]

Ruby once again pocketed the coin and slipped the emerald ring back on her finger, content that he found them to be enough. She paused when she heard him mention the topic of decorating the wagon. The idea held great appeal to her own flamboyant-though some might say "gaudy"- sense of style. She grinned at the idea, images of bright colors and patterns taking shape in her mind.

"Oh, not that much more expensive," she countered, "but I do think adding some style and color would be a very good touch."

True, he wasn't too far off the actual mark of price, but perhaps with a little haggling she could drop the price further. It was, after all, all part of the game of business.

[Torgar]

The Dwarf chuckled deeply, crossing his arms while his bearded lips pulled up in a smirk. "Not that much, eh? You're a shrewd businesswoman, I see. Well, we can work out the exact price once she's finished..."

Still chuckling a bit, Torgar finished his ale and preemptively shook his head at the bartender, who was going to inquire about another refill. He gestured for Ruby to follow him, as he started to make his way out of the tavern.

"So. Will any materials do, or do you want her built with certain metals and kinds of wood?" he asked casually, keeping an eye out for pickpockets or other dangers as they left the tavern and moved out into the streets. He was thinking he might simply purchase (or prospect and extract, if he had the time) a bit of iron for the axles and wheels, and then chop down wild trees outside the village for the wood. But if Ruby had certain materials that she preferred then he would need to know.

[Ruby]

Ruby smirked at his reply, resisting the urge to laugh. "Indeed I am, but there's nothing to fear. The price will be fair."

She watched as he downed the last of his ale and waved away the refill before gesturing to her. She followed him out of the tavern, blinking as her eyes adjusting to the natural lighting. From the other side of the building, she could hear the animals in the stables where her own beast was put up. Torgar caught her attention again with another question.

"I am not particular about the materials," she admitted casually, "still, it must be light and strong enough to hold up to life on the road. I know little of the different building materials, so I will trust your judgment on that."

She continued speaking as they walked, carefully stepping over the cracks in the street as if minding some old wive's tale. "How long do you think it will take? Start to finish, or there abouts? I'm hardly skilled at it, but if my own help will speed it along then I could certainly lend a hand."

[Torgar]

Torgar nodded happily. That Ruby was not particular about the materials would make this much easier, and he was confident he could build her a sturdy mobile home without using anything too extravagant. He couldn't help but notice the way her dainty feet avoided the cracks in the street's rough paving-stones, and he silently wondered at the bard's eccentric behaviour before replying to her.

"Hmm... Building from scratch, and without a proper workshop, it could take as long as two weeks. And that's before I paint her. Your helping hands would no doubt speed up the process, but I do worry about how that will cut in to my payment. A Dwarf's got to eat, you know." He smiled wryly at her, stopping and leaning on a lamppost at a crossroads of the bustling village.

[Ruby]

Ruby slowed to a stop, then taking a deep breath, clapped her hands together in obvious excitement. "Well, the sooner we start, the sooner it will get finished and I'm quite looking forward to this. Don't worry about the pay, as I've said, it'll definitely be fair...and what's more, there may be other work for you after. I'm currently a bard of few possessions and there are a number of other things I'll most likely need made. You won't be out of work for a while yet, Tor."

She gave him an encouraging nod. Hopefully she wasn't being too demanding, after all, he had said he needed the work. Even if her lack of possessions was a difficulty for her, it could be good news for his savings.

She snapped her fingers then, another thought occurring to her. "Speaking of getting started, will you need to measure the horse for the fittings and the harness for the wagon? I can't imagine that being one size fits all."

[Torgar]

"Hmm... Aye, I'll accept that. I must admit, I'm eager to get started myself." The promise of further work when this job was done seemed to have sated Torgar's penny-pinching. He thought now that perhaps, with Ruby's steady business, he could truly get himself settled on the surface world.

"And, right you are! I was going to start with the wagon's frame and the axles, as those're the more difficult bits. But now that you mention it, perhaps we ought to head back to your horse. We're going to be harvesting materials and build her out there in the wild, after all, so we may as well bring the horse out there and find a good area for us three to work."

Torgar felt a bit silly now, not only for having haggled so shrewdly, but also for having forgotten about her horse. The young exile was trying to look bold and confident in a world he truly did not yet understand. It now occurred to him that this wagon would be a great deal larger then any he had ever built before, as he was used to making them fit for only goats or small donkeys - this would be a bit of a challenge. Not that he didn't think he was up to it, of course!

[Ruby]

Ruby nodded happily at his words and started walking again. "Good, come on then. Let's go get her and we can get to work."

She started off around the building towards the stables and within a few moments was pushing open the gate to it. The air here, of course, smelled strongly of all things 'horse'. Fresh hay and oats, the scent of leather for tacking, and the thick musky smell of the animals themselves was everywhere. To Ruby, it was all quite familiar. One didn't live in a traveling family without learning their way about horses. A short way down the aisle, a large black and white head poked from its stall, large dark eyes glittering with interest.

She chuckled as they approached, reaching up to give the mare's head a firm pat. "This would be my lucky girl, Fortune," Ruby said, introducing Torgar to her horse, "She's big, aye, and strong as an ox, but she's right gentle and willing to do whatever's asked of her.

The horse was indeed large. She was barrel chested and well muscled with strong legs and large feet. Her mostly black body gave way to a streak of white down her nose and a few large spots of white on her side. The tufts of fur at her hooves were white as well. Fortune pricked her ears froward as she inhaled, taking in the scent of both her master and this newcomer.

[Torgar]

Nodding, he followed the bard toward the stables, having to walk a bit briskly to keep up with her. To Torgar, the sights and smells of the stable were quite shocking. His nostrils were barely more adapted to surface-scents then his eyes were to the sunlight, and while he could recognize the smell of the leather, everything else was completely new. His Clan hadn't had any horses, for obvious reasons.

"An honour to meet you, Fortune," Torgar said to the towering animal. He moved forward rather tentatively, opening the stall door and letting the animal get a good sniff of him before he dared to stroke its flank. His fears were groundless, however - Ruby had spoken the truth when she said the horse was gentle.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Torgar pulled up a stool and stood upon it. Retrieving a number of thin iron instruments from his pack, he began to take the horse's measurements.

He recorded them on a slightly crumpled piece of parchment, using a curious Dwarvish replacement for quills called a 'pen'. The ink bottle was actually inside of it, and the ink just came out slowly when you turned a nob! It was a rather clunky thing though, little suited for any hands but a Dwarf's.

Eventually, he closed the pen off again and smiled up at Ruby, patting the horse. "All done! Before we go out to set up a camp and start work, though, I should get the supplies we'll need - other then the wood, I mean. Let's see..." He began mumbling to himself about the various components he'd need, walking toward the shops.