Chapter 84
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Chapter 84
Retrieving the bodies of the spiked rollers was almost as hard as the battle to defeat them in the first place. They could only be dragged with their legs down which was still extremely high in friction- just better than trying to drag them with the half-meter spikes on their back and sides digging into the ground. Nobody was quite sure what would be the most valuable about them, but most of the weight was in the metal parts, which definitely should have some value. The smaller ones could be carried by one person, as long as that person was Anton, Catarina, or Hoyt. The three of them together eventually lifted the larger one as far as they could go in a short burst, then relied on the others with them to drag the creature with ropes and the like for a while. They were just fast enough that stopping to cut down logs to roll the creature atop wasnt necessarily going to be faster, since they would have to be close to the same size and individually strong enough to support a portion of the uneven weight.
Mervyn whistled, Damn, thats not something you see every day. Has to way more than a cow. What the hell did it eat to get so big?
Cultivator cache, Hoyt explained.
Really? Mervyns eyes lit up, Did you find anything interesting?
Hoyt shook his head, Not much. As it turns out metals are very widely used. Theyre strong but can be flexible as well. It seemed pretty old, and most of the non-metal things were broken down. Even with enchantments.
A shame, Mervyn said. Hope you got something of worth. We cant afford to pay you what this deed was worth. Of course, youll get the top end of the combat pay we negotiated.
Well also talk to our contacts to try to get you a reward for protecting the road, Ebba added.
Dont worry, Hoyt said, We just couldnt leave them behind to attack others.
Thats right, Anton said. Though well gladly accept your help trying to get a reward. If nothing else, building up some favor here in Estary should be useful.
Letting people know what youve done shouldnt be a problem, Mervyn said. And these things wont go unnoticed. Well have to shuffle stuff out of one of the wagons to support them he frowned.
Anton could see the way he looked at the wagons. Perhaps one of us should stay in the wagon to keep it reinforced with energy.
An old cache? Any markings? Anton shook his head. Find anything good? She held up a hand, You dont have to say. Just curious. But I can appraise things. Its one of my jobs.
Actually, Anton said, I found a strange thing. It seems to be a bow, but has no string and is impossible to bend. He pulled it from a wagon, where it was sitting among other good simply wrapped in cloth. He held it out to Elder Byrne for her to inspect.
She carefully unwrapped it, squinting her eyes even as she put her face up close to it and looked along its length. She very carefully ran a trickle of energy over it. She also made a few attempts to bend it. I see. I cant say for sure out here but I think youre just not strong enough.
What do you mean? Anton asked.
From what I can tell, Elder Byrne said, It should be flexible. It is just that the point at which it starts to bend should be greater. Its a four, maybe five tonne draw? she gave a small nod. Though that wont do you much good without a string. Somethings odd about that too.
Five tonne draw Anton shook his head. Hed used a seventy kilogram bow before he was a cultivator, though mostly when he wanted to show off. Such a high draw weight wasnt necessary for hunting in most cases. But tonnes? Hed have to be as strong as a hundred men. When could I even be that strong Anton pondered, mostly to himself.
A young, strong cultivator could probably do something around early Essence Collection, Elder Byrne answered his casual question. Probably later, if you rely purely on the strength of your body. I dont know the inner workings of the Ninety-Nine Stars, but Id expect somewhere around there with a mix of body and energy.
It would be years, then. And by that point, it might not even be worthwhile. Heavy draw weights werent the only factor in whether a bow was good. Plus there was the matter of the string. He couldnt just get any random string, it had to match the bow.
Now, about these spiked rollers, Elder Byrne returned to the subject. She handed over a weighty sack, This is for defeating them. Misty Hill Palace benefits from Southports prosperity, and people need to be safe to travel for that. For the materials, I can offer the same again. Im also willing to appraise anything you found there- or elsewhere- if youre interested. That bow is likely worth more than the same amount. Possibly much more.
Anton used his energy senses to count the coin. Getting an exact amount would be difficult, but being within a few percent was easy enough. It was, once again, more money than hed ever had. Even splitting it, he had little in the way of financial worries if he intended to free more people. Since he shouldnt be heading into Ofrurg in the near future just in case, maybe he could even offer a mission. The only problem would be getting the right people- he had some details to give, but strong dark haired young men sold to work would likely not be the only ones in a particular area. He didnt mind buying the freedom of more slaves except for who the money would be going to. But still, being a cultivator was clearly extremely lucrative. He was several times stronger than he had been when farming and during The Hunt, and the few spiked rollers they had fought were honestly a similar threat than the whole of the beast attack on Thuston, just compressed into a few creatures instead of hundreds.
Since half of the point of transporting the spiked rollers was to sell them, they accepted the offer. It was within what they had been expecting, maybe even a bit more. Hoyt seemed to have a better idea for what cultivator prices were like, though he also admitted to it being guesswork. The important part was the reputation of the buyers. Elder Byrne representing the Misty Hill Palace would be offering a fair price. Anton could feel that much, at least. And he very much wanted that bow to be appraised. The other objects theyd found were nebulously owned by both Hoyt and Catarina, but of the three of them obviously Anton had first pick of the bow. Even if it couldnt be used, he wanted it.
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Chapter 84
Retrieving the bodies of the spiked rollers was almost as hard as the battle to defeat them in the first place. They could only be dragged with their legs down which was still extremely high in friction- just better than trying to drag them with the half-meter spikes on their back and sides digging into the ground. Nobody was quite sure what would be the most valuable about them, but most of the weight was in the metal parts, which definitely should have some value. The smaller ones could be carried by one person, as long as that person was Anton, Catarina, or Hoyt. The three of them together eventually lifted the larger one as far as they could go in a short burst, then relied on the others with them to drag the creature with ropes and the like for a while. They were just fast enough that stopping to cut down logs to roll the creature atop wasnt necessarily going to be faster, since they would have to be close to the same size and individually strong enough to support a portion of the uneven weight.
Mervyn whistled, Damn, thats not something you see every day. Has to way more than a cow. What the hell did it eat to get so big?
Cultivator cache, Hoyt explained.
Really? Mervyns eyes lit up, Did you find anything interesting?
Hoyt shook his head, Not much. As it turns out metals are very widely used. Theyre strong but can be flexible as well. It seemed pretty old, and most of the non-metal things were broken down. Even with enchantments.
A shame, Mervyn said. Hope you got something of worth. We cant afford to pay you what this deed was worth. Of course, youll get the top end of the combat pay we negotiated.
Well also talk to our contacts to try to get you a reward for protecting the road, Ebba added.
Dont worry, Hoyt said, We just couldnt leave them behind to attack others.
Thats right, Anton said. Though well gladly accept your help trying to get a reward. If nothing else, building up some favor here in Estary should be useful.
Letting people know what youve done shouldnt be a problem, Mervyn said. And these things wont go unnoticed. Well have to shuffle stuff out of one of the wagons to support them he frowned.
Anton could see the way he looked at the wagons. Perhaps one of us should stay in the wagon to keep it reinforced with energy.
An old cache? Any markings? Anton shook his head. Find anything good? She held up a hand, You dont have to say. Just curious. But I can appraise things. Its one of my jobs.
Actually, Anton said, I found a strange thing. It seems to be a bow, but has no string and is impossible to bend. He pulled it from a wagon, where it was sitting among other good simply wrapped in cloth. He held it out to Elder Byrne for her to inspect.
She carefully unwrapped it, squinting her eyes even as she put her face up close to it and looked along its length. She very carefully ran a trickle of energy over it. She also made a few attempts to bend it. I see. I cant say for sure out here but I think youre just not strong enough.
What do you mean? Anton asked.
From what I can tell, Elder Byrne said, It should be flexible. It is just that the point at which it starts to bend should be greater. Its a four, maybe five tonne draw? she gave a small nod. Though that wont do you much good without a string. Somethings odd about that too.
Five tonne draw Anton shook his head. Hed used a seventy kilogram bow before he was a cultivator, though mostly when he wanted to show off. Such a high draw weight wasnt necessary for hunting in most cases. But tonnes? Hed have to be as strong as a hundred men. When could I even be that strong Anton pondered, mostly to himself.
A young, strong cultivator could probably do something around early Essence Collection, Elder Byrne answered his casual question. Probably later, if you rely purely on the strength of your body. I dont know the inner workings of the Ninety-Nine Stars, but Id expect somewhere around there with a mix of body and energy.
It would be years, then. And by that point, it might not even be worthwhile. Heavy draw weights werent the only factor in whether a bow was good. Plus there was the matter of the string. He couldnt just get any random string, it had to match the bow.
Now, about these spiked rollers, Elder Byrne returned to the subject. She handed over a weighty sack, This is for defeating them. Misty Hill Palace benefits from Southports prosperity, and people need to be safe to travel for that. For the materials, I can offer the same again. Im also willing to appraise anything you found there- or elsewhere- if youre interested. That bow is likely worth more than the same amount. Possibly much more.
Anton used his energy senses to count the coin. Getting an exact amount would be difficult, but being within a few percent was easy enough. It was, once again, more money than hed ever had. Even splitting it, he had little in the way of financial worries if he intended to free more people. Since he shouldnt be heading into Ofrurg in the near future just in case, maybe he could even offer a mission. The only problem would be getting the right people- he had some details to give, but strong dark haired young men sold to work would likely not be the only ones in a particular area. He didnt mind buying the freedom of more slaves except for who the money would be going to. But still, being a cultivator was clearly extremely lucrative. He was several times stronger than he had been when farming and during The Hunt, and the few spiked rollers they had fought were honestly a similar threat than the whole of the beast attack on Thuston, just compressed into a few creatures instead of hundreds.
Since half of the point of transporting the spiked rollers was to sell them, they accepted the offer. It was within what they had been expecting, maybe even a bit more. Hoyt seemed to have a better idea for what cultivator prices were like, though he also admitted to it being guesswork. The important part was the reputation of the buyers. Elder Byrne representing the Misty Hill Palace would be offering a fair price. Anton could feel that much, at least. And he very much wanted that bow to be appraised. The other objects theyd found were nebulously owned by both Hoyt and Catarina, but of the three of them obviously Anton had first pick of the bow. Even if it couldnt be used, he wanted it.
Chapter 84Retrieving the bodies of the spiked rollers was almost as hard as the battle to defeat them in the first place. They could only be dragged with their legs down which was still extremely high in friction- just better than trying to drag them with the half-meter spikes on their back and sides digging into the ground. Nobody was quite sure what would be the most valuable about them, but most of the weight was in the metal parts, which definitely should have some value. The smaller ones could be carried by one person, as long as that person was Anton, Catarina, or Hoyt. The three of them together eventually lifted the larger one as far as they could go in a short burst, then relied on the others with them to drag the creature with ropes and the like for a while. They were just fast enough that stopping to cut down logs to roll the creature atop wasnt necessarily going to be faster, since they would have to be close to the same size and individually strong enough to support a portion of the uneven weight.Mervyn whistled, Damn, thats not something you see every day. Has to way more than a cow. What the hell did it eat to get so big?Cultivator cache, Hoyt explained.Really? Mervyns eyes lit up, Did you find anything interesting?Hoyt shook his head, Not much. As it turns out metals are very widely used. Theyre strong but can be flexible as well. It seemed pretty old, and most of the non-metal things were broken down. Even with enchantments.A shame, Mervyn said. Hope you got something of worth. We cant afford to pay you what this deed was worth. Of course, youll get the top end of the combat pay we negotiated.Well also talk to our contacts to try to get you a reward for protecting the road, Ebba added. Dont worry, Hoyt said, We just couldnt leave them behind to attack others.Thats right, Anton said. Though well gladly accept your help trying to get a reward. If nothing else, building up some favor here in Estary should be useful.Letting people know what youve done shouldnt be a problem, Mervyn said. And these things wont go unnoticed. Well have to shuffle stuff out of one of the wagons to support them he frowned.Anton could see the way he looked at the wagons. Perhaps one of us should stay in the wagon to keep it reinforced with energy.An old cache? Any markings? Anton shook his head. Find anything good? She held up a hand, You dont have to say. Just curious. But I can appraise things. Its one of my jobs.Actually, Anton said, I found a strange thing. It seems to be a bow, but has no string and is impossible to bend. He pulled it from a wagon, where it was sitting among other good simply wrapped in cloth. He held it out to Elder Byrne for her to inspect.She carefully unwrapped it, squinting her eyes even as she put her face up close to it and looked along its length. She very carefully ran a trickle of energy over it. She also made a few attempts to bend it. I see. I cant say for sure out here but I think youre just not strong enough.What do you mean? Anton asked.From what I can tell, Elder Byrne said, It should be flexible. It is just that the point at which it starts to bend should be greater. Its a four, maybe five tonne draw? she gave a small nod. Though that wont do you much good without a string. Somethings odd about that too.Five tonne draw Anton shook his head. Hed used a seventy kilogram bow before he was a cultivator, though mostly when he wanted to show off. Such a high draw weight wasnt necessary for hunting in most cases. But tonnes? Hed have to be as strong as a hundred men. When could I even be that strong Anton pondered, mostly to himself.A young, strong cultivator could probably do something around early Essence Collection, Elder Byrne answered his casual question. Probably later, if you rely purely on the strength of your body. I dont know the inner workings of the Ninety-Nine Stars, but Id expect somewhere around there with a mix of body and energy.It would be years, then. And by that point, it might not even be worthwhile. Heavy draw weights werent the only factor in whether a bow was good. Plus there was the matter of the string. He couldnt just get any random string, it had to match the bow.Now, about these spiked rollers, Elder Byrne returned to the subject. She handed over a weighty sack, This is for defeating them. Misty Hill Palace benefits from Southports prosperity, and people need to be safe to travel for that. For the materials, I can offer the same again. Im also willing to appraise anything you found there- or elsewhere- if youre interested. That bow is likely worth more than the same amount. Possibly much more.Anton used his energy senses to count the coin. Getting an exact amount would be difficult, but being within a few percent was easy enough. It was, once again, more money than hed ever had. Even splitting it, he had little in the way of financial worries if he intended to free more people. Since he shouldnt be heading into Ofrurg in the near future just in case, maybe he could even offer a mission. The only problem would be getting the right people- he had some details to give, but strong dark haired young men sold to work would likely not be the only ones in a particular area. He didnt mind buying the freedom of more slaves except for who the money would be going to. But still, being a cultivator was clearly extremely lucrative. He was several times stronger than he had been when farming and during The Hunt, and the few spiked rollers they had fought were honestly a similar threat than the whole of the beast attack on Thuston, just compressed into a few creatures instead of hundreds.Since half of the point of transporting the spiked rollers was to sell them, they accepted the offer. It was within what they had been expecting, maybe even a bit more. Hoyt seemed to have a better idea for what cultivator prices were like, though he also admitted to it being guesswork. The important part was the reputation of the buyers. Elder Byrne representing the Misty Hill Palace would be offering a fair price. Anton could feel that much, at least. And he very much wanted that bow to be appraised. The other objects theyd found were nebulously owned by both Hoyt and Catarina, but of the three of them obviously Anton had first pick of the bow. Even if it couldnt be used, he wanted it.
