The Lone Wolves Company Heads Back to the Marketplace

After purchasing three head pieces consisting of two straw hats and a hood hackon, Till of the Firm Grip heads back to the marketplace to purchase more ammunition and bandages. He thinks he may have made a small mistake with Wiggled and the hat, and that the company may not forget it. The company has only 32 crowns, which is surely not enough to pay the brothers' daily wages. Till realizes that the company must earn some money and fast.

The brothers quickly discuss their options and decide to leave Grottenhaven, Gratenhaven, and more importantly, the contracts. As a result, the company heads on a two-day journey south to Nuakai with only 32 crowns on the way there. Some of the brothers are asked to wait for their daily wages as the company does not have enough money to pay everyone. This decision does not go over well with those left out, and it adds to the tension among the group.

Upon arriving at Nuwakai, the brothers quickly hear claims of disappearing villagers. Till is eager to find work and plans to not hesitate like he did with the Bergen Meister up in Grottenhaven if there is a contract available. The feeling in Nuakai is tense and nervous, as locals are uneasy about strangers entering the village after all. Villagers are disappearing, and no one has any answers.

Conrad comes along with a small boy racing at his side when they get to Till of the Firm Grip. The pair talks stops and starts again, but then holds his hand up and points to the little boy. The boy immediately says that Ulric the Elder wishes to see the company. Then, Conrad points to Conrad's brother and says a local has birthed puppies and maybe the Lone Wolves could take one.

Till purses his lips and tells the little boy to lead him to the master. His master is already outside and waiting to speak to the company eagerly. Ulric the Elder crosses his arms, purses his lips, and then says ordinarily he wouldn't ask some strangers to guard a caravan but his usual crew is a little out of it. He thinks you get it what's important is that he has valuable cargo going to Dry Giffren about two days to the northeast.

Ulric smiles and says he will offer 660 crowns when the contract is done, which Till finds too low for the amount of time. So, he holds on signing until he can confirm no other contracts in the village to be had as it turns out there is another contract that deserves his consideration. Markov the Steward gets a few dogs at his feet, all tuckered out with their tongues lulling the dogs.

The steward has spent the last few days hunting for missing folks, and folks are seemingly disappearing to the gods nowhere he leans down and pets one of the hounds scratching it behind the ear. Usually, a dog would respond to that but the poor thing barely responds. The village people don't know what the steward knows which is that folks aren't just disappearing they are being taken against their will horrible beasts are afoot.

The village needs professional help to drive them away or better yet destroy them. The Steward places his hand on Till's shoulder and offers him 330 crowns when the contract is complete, which Till of the Firm Grip accepts.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: eninside the city of groton haven a cowl-shaded man hisses at the lone wolves company his teeth and nose are winking momentarily from the darkness of his hood the brothers are in no mood dealing with lepers and jokers and demand the man move out of the way but instead he starts talking my master requires your services he's heard of your new company the lone wolves follow me and i shall take you to him till of the firm grip rests his hands on the end of his spear and nods a dog is snoring at the feet of garelf the bergenmeister he leans forward to gently pet the hound behind its ears i hear you have a new company and that you might have a nose for finding people mister for i may be even solving problems till of the firm grip nods garelf looks pleased and says good oh good i have a task for you a simple one something of great value to me has been stolen my crystal skull i need you to track down those who stole it kill them obviously and then bring back the item till of the firm grip is interested and more desperate to see what the contract is worth giroff nods and says you look able so i am willing to pay quite a bit you'll get 280 crowns when the contract is done till isn't overly impressed with the offer but 280 crowns are better than nothing considering the company's current dire money situation so he reluctantly accepts the amount thinking it is best not to risk losing the bergen meister's interest by asking for more then suddenly conrad blurts out hey dill don't you think we need some time to think of this first we need to consider provisions supplies and more drink for the men till agrees and asks for more time to think the contract over okay as he's looking out the bergenmeister's window till notices watchmen loading a few wagons with goods gerolf joins till with two goblets of wine in hand till eagerly takes the goblet and drinks it all in one swig geralt stares and says you know that till that wasn't cheap you're supposed to enjoy it till shrugs and replies sorry can i try another to get it right geralt turns around and walks to his desk and says to till look maybe this contract will interest you more i need a caravan guided to nori it's two days to the northeast of here pretty simple right there's plenty in it for you if you're interested till answers how much are you offering girls girl smiles this will make you a rich man my friend you would be paid 860 crowns when the contract is done till again accepts the amount but asks for more time to think it over okay uh back again in the city the brothers decide to check out the marketplace for another visit they see some exciting armor pieces wooden shields hoods helmets and a few good looking weapons there is so much to choose from that the brothers are finding it difficult to commit to anything just yet finally the first purchase is made and it is a spear that has seen better days and needs repair but the price is right at 191 crowns and the brothers are convinced they can work with it they continue shopping through the marketplace and settle on a decent looking short bow for a whopping 268 crowns and a knife and dagger for an additional 283 crowns with new weapons in hand the company hurries off to a quiet corner to discuss and disperse the items among the brothers first manfred receives the damaged militia spear to help defend the front lines with a better reach next anselm the fool is handed the short bow until of the firm grip grabs another secondary weapon the knife he believes it will help him perform quick attacks to the head purposely avoiding damage to the enemy's armor and hopefully be looted and in fine condition for the brothers afterward next hakkon with still no weapons to his name is given the dagger and finally the bald monk wiggled steps up and receives the knife the newly hired brothers hakon manfred wiggled and anselm the fool remove their tunics and the other rags they happen to be wearing then knowing they are not adequately armed for battle they hope the leaders will head back to the marketplace and buy some new armor the self-appointed leader of the lone wolves till of the firm grip recognizes the poor state of armor or lack thereof so he marches back to the marketplace but is also very concerned about the company's dwindling supply of crowns he remembered from earlier for a hundred and twenty-one crowns a padded surcoat in excellent condition that the company just might afford he hands the merchant the crowns and walks back to the company just a few paces away from the marketplace now the problem for the leader is who receives the new armor poor hakon is topless as are the other three newly hired brothers after serious consideration till hands the padded surcoat to manfred because he recognizes the real potential in manfred's exceptionally high skill level when it comes to melee manfred happily and gratefully accepts the circode with not enough crowns and no choice hakkon grabs his linen tunic and puts it back on wiggled the monk and enselm the fool the other two brothers follow hakkon's lead with their old and worn out robes and tunics due to till's astuteness he notices the brother's disappointment in not receiving new armor or protection however he understands that the positive morale of the company is crucial when it comes to battle so he quickly heads back to the marketplace and purchases three head pieces consisting of two straw hats and a hood hackon and manfred are to receive the straw hat and hood which at least provide the brothers with a little more protection to the head rather than wearing nothing at all till of the firm grip is not happy seeing heinrich the cross bowman without protection for his head so he moves past the monk wiggled and offers heinrich the straw hat heinrich is not as vocal as the rest still he does have a fair amount of experience in understanding the importance of company morel heinrich surprises the company and instead offers the straw hat to wiggled who is placed in the front line of battle to graciously accept heinrich's offering of the hat hmm uh till of the firm grip heads back to the marketplace for one last purchase more ammunition and bandages he thinks he may have made a small mistake with wiggled and the hat in front of the men and that the company may not forget however even a costlier error is that the company has only 32 crowns this will surely not be enough to pay the brothers daily wages so the company must earn some money and fast wiggled the monk wearing only a worn out robe is given the bandages in case he gets cut and starts to bleed the applications of the bandage will help till counting on it also helping to make up for the earlier mistakes with the straw hat without explanation till of the firm grip and the other two original brothers of the lone wolves company heinrich and conrad make a grave mistake after much discussion the three brothers chose to leave grottenhaven gratenhaven and more importantly the contracts as a result the company heads on a two-day journey south to nuakai with only 32 crowns on the way there some of the brothers are asked to wait for their daily wages as the company does not have enough money to pay everyone naturally this does not go over well with those left out brothers upon arriving at nuwakai the brothers quickly hear claims of disappearing villagers till of the firm grip is eager to find work and plans to not hesitate as he did with the bergen meister up in grotenhaven if there is a contract available he will gladly take it the feeling in nuakai a larger spread out community that relies on fishing and some trade is uneasy as the locals are nervous about strangers entering the village after all villagers are disappearing and no one has any answers it is very tense and given the brothers are not being fully compensated makes matters much worse for the leaders of the lone wolves especially till of the firm grip conrad comes along with a small boy racing at his side when they get to till of the firm grip the pair talks stops and starts again till holds his hand up and then points to the little boy who immediately says that ulrich the elder wishes to see the company till then points to conrad and the brother says a local has birthed puppies and maybe the lone wolves could take one till purses his lips and tells the little boy to lead him to the master his master is already outside and waiting to speak to the company eagerly ulric the elder crosses his arms purses his lips and then says ordinarily i wouldn't ask some strangers to guard a caravan but my usual crew is a little out of it sickness drunkenness the sensuousness i think you get it what's important is that i have valuable cargo going to dry giffren about two days to the northeast and i need someone watching it are you interested till knowing damn well he needs the money tries to hide his eagerness by saying calmly let's first talk money ulric smiles and says i will offer 660 crowns when the contract is done till accepts the offer but thinks it's too low for the amount of time so he holds on signing until he can confirm no other contracts in the village to be had as it turns out there is another contract that deserves till's consideration markov the stewards got a few dogs at his feet all tuckered out with their tongues lulling the dogs have spent the last few days hunting for missing folks folks that are seemingly disappearing to the gods nowhere he leans down and pets one of the hounds scratching it behind the ear usually a dog would respond to that but the poor thing barely responds unfortunately the village people don't know what the steward knows which is that folks aren't just disappearing they are be taking against their will horrible beasts are afoot the village needs professional help to drive them away or better yet destroy them the steward places his hand on till's shoulder and offers him 330 crowns when the contract is complete till of the firm grip accepts the steward's offer till of the firm grip leader of the lone wolves company signs his first contract with markov the steward to hunt down the beasts you\n"