They're back once again at the fancy restaurant. Sala has a nice dish made from imported seafood, shipped in at what must be significant expense. For it to be fresh it must have had ice. Or ice magic. Ice magic would make it much easier. Hmm. Something to ponder for later when there isn't a lovely bowl of chili to eat. It's less messy than one would predict, mostly because despite there being several times his stomach capacity, Raucous is unwilling to waste food by spilling it all over the table.
"So you taught the rats to use the incendiaries, and they kicked everything off?"
"Yes. I couldn't be in several places at once, and I didn't want anyone to see me starting the fire. Compost can catch fire on its own sometime."
"How'd you do the other stuff? The barrel cart and the other sabotage? I've seen you struggle to pick up a stick"
"Mostly the rats again. They have strong teeth, and after a few tries they got the hang of what I wanted them to do."
"So you can order around ordinary animals?"
"Just ones that are bored, smart enough to understand, and don't want to eat me."
"How about monsters?"
"Nah. Went out hunting with Atalon. Monsters just want to fight me. They might play well with each other, but they seem to hate me. Or maybe it's all ordinary animals. I don't know."
"Could be. There aren't that many ordinary animals around. Just things like insects, gembirds, rats, sheep, pets.. Stuff that monsters wouldn't bother with or people like keeping alive."
"And me."
"And you, yes."
"I do have another job for you, but not just now. After the avian overflight." Outside, the wind howls again, in the late afternoon light.
"Yeah.. I'm going to need more pay. I thought I didn't need money, but I had to buy stuff to deal with Serena. And I know how little five silver is.. this meal cost more than that."
"Ten silver?"
"Try thirty silver for something like the last job. More if it's harder. I still don't need much money, but five is insultingly low."
"So thirty for the next job?"
"Starting with the last job. It's gotta cost more than that to find someone willing to go to a city and beat up a stranger."
And I get to start finding out how important all this is to you.
Unfortunately, that test is inconclusive. Sala does agree to it, after spending some time arguing. But she is a business leader and Raucous gets the idea that she'll argue about money under all circumstances. Still, thirty silver! That's enough to buy a couple nice human-sized meals, or a piece of mundane clothing.
I'll have to ask for more next time. I'm sure she'll come up with a more difficult job in the future. Ten times as much and I'll see where she negotiates it down to?
Sala sits back and sips her brandy, looking pas the bird in a calm and quiet manner. Outside the wind continues to blow. She eventually interrupts the quiet once again.
"Alright. I should be headed home, need to get bunkered down for the avian's visit. Do you have a place to stay, or are you going to do something else? You might be able to fly around it if you prefer."
"How bad are these anyway? I'm new here."
"Well, most of the time they'll just fly overhead, above the clouds. We'll get heavy rain, wind, and lightning, like a major thunderstorm, but then they'll leave and we'll be fine.
Sometimes they attack. Then people will die, a bunch of buildings will be wrecked, and the Knights of the Talon will try to wound it and drive it away. They usually can manage to hurt them, but actually killing an avian is another entirely different thing."
"Huh." The bird says, picking away at the still half-full bowl of chili. "Who are these knights?"
"Oh, they get paid by the kingdom. They're supposed to follow avians around and make sure they stick to causing clouds, rain and wind. And fight them off if they choose to attack. Also, sometimes they will try for a kill, usually if an avian is being too aggressive or is going towards a major city."
"Huh. Do you know how strong they are? I mean numbers-wise."
"Not really. Very strong, there's only several thousand in the whole kingdom. I'm not the one to ask, though. Maybe you can get a look at one of their IDs. A few of them should be in town."
At that, the dinner ends. As the two leave, the restaurant is mostly empty of patrons, and the staff is putting shutters out over windows, getting ready for the upcoming attack. Outside, the darkness is just starting, as the clouds begin to roll in. The rain will be soon to follow.
They're back once again at the fancy restaurant. Sala has a nice dish made from imported seafood, shipped in at what must be significant expense. For it to be fresh it must have had ice. Or ice magic. Ice magic would make it much easier. Hmm. Something to ponder for later when there isn't a lovely bowl of chili to eat. It's less messy than one would predict, mostly because despite there being several times his stomach capacity, Raucous is unwilling to waste food by spilling it all over the table.
"So you taught the rats to use the incendiaries, and they kicked everything off?"
"Yes. I couldn't be in several places at once, and I didn't want anyone to see me starting the fire. Compost can catch fire on its own sometime."
"How'd you do the other stuff? The barrel cart and the other sabotage? I've seen you struggle to pick up a stick"
"Mostly the rats again. They have strong teeth, and after a few tries they got the hang of what I wanted them to do."
"So you can order around ordinary animals?"
"Just ones that are bored, smart enough to understand, and don't want to eat me."
"How about monsters?"
"Nah. Went out hunting with Atalon. Monsters just want to fight me. They might play well with each other, but they seem to hate me. Or maybe it's all ordinary animals. I don't know."
"Could be. There aren't that many ordinary animals around. Just things like insects, gembirds, rats, sheep, pets.. Stuff that monsters wouldn't bother with or people like keeping alive."
"And me."
"And you, yes."
"I do have another job for you, but not just now. After the avian overflight." Outside, the wind howls again, in the late afternoon light.
"Yeah.. I'm going to need more pay. I thought I didn't need money, but I had to buy stuff to deal with Serena. And I know how little five silver is.. this meal cost more than that."
"Ten silver?"
"Try thirty silver for something like the last job. More if it's harder. I still don't need much money, but five is insultingly low."
"So thirty for the next job?"
"Starting with the last job. It's gotta cost more than that to find someone willing to go to a city and beat up a stranger."
And I get to start finding out how important all this is to you.
Unfortunately, that test is inconclusive. Sala does agree to it, after spending some time arguing. But she is a business leader and Raucous gets the idea that she'll argue about money under all circumstances. Still, thirty silver! That's enough to buy a couple nice human-sized meals, or a piece of mundane clothing.
I'll have to ask for more next time. I'm sure she'll come up with a more difficult job in the future. Ten times as much and I'll see where she negotiates it down to?
Sala sits back and sips her brandy, looking pas the bird in a calm and quiet manner. Outside the wind continues to blow. She eventually interrupts the quiet once again.
"Alright. I should be headed home, need to get bunkered down for the avian's visit. Do you have a place to stay, or are you going to do something else? You might be able to fly around it if you prefer."
"How bad are these anyway? I'm new here."
"Well, most of the time they'll just fly overhead, above the clouds. We'll get heavy rain, wind, and lightning, like a major thunderstorm, but then they'll leave and we'll be fine.
Sometimes they attack. Then people will die, a bunch of buildings will be wrecked, and the Knights of the Talon will try to wound it and drive it away. They usually can manage to hurt them, but actually killing an avian is another entirely different thing."
"Huh." The bird says, picking away at the still half-full bowl of chili. "Who are these knights?"
"Oh, they get paid by the kingdom. They're supposed to follow avians around and make sure they stick to causing clouds, rain and wind. And fight them off if they choose to attack. Also, sometimes they will try for a kill, usually if an avian is being too aggressive or is going towards a major city."
"Huh. Do you know how strong they are? I mean numbers-wise."
"Not really. Very strong, there's only several thousand in the whole kingdom. I'm not the one to ask, though. Maybe you can get a look at one of their IDs. A few of them should be in town."
At that, the dinner ends. As the two leave, the restaurant is mostly empty of patrons, and the staff is putting shutters out over windows, getting ready for the upcoming attack. Outside, the darkness is just starting, as the clouds begin to roll in. The rain will be soon to follow.
