• Graded • Upstart

[Vorval]

51st Of Zi'Da 717

For Vorval it was all about cashing in and learning the trade. Him and Luwellyn were like a couple of lawman serving up some sweet sweet justice for breakfast lunch and dinner morning noon and night. The toiling was endless as they did quite literally the impossible for the ungrateful. Most of these power hungry mercenary contractors were all the same , and it had only been several hours since Gangui had put up a ten thousand gold nel bounty and shit was getting out of hand in sunny slope and at the best of times the place was particularly fucked up.

More and more damn plebeians were starting to pick up arms and call themselves mercenaries it was like Yaralon at this point. Even with only a few breaks for news of the bounty to spread, the poison had started spreading to Etzos. Every mercenary, thief with a knife, two-bit murderer, drunkard, drug addict hunting for nel for a fix, good for nothing pieces of shit was arriving on the scene looking for a chance to change their entire lives and turning blades amongst themselves and the innocent, as a businessman Vorval spotted this personal relations nightmare from a mile away.

He had been over the books, over and over the numbers were not lying maybe he had a ton of money locked away but he had a sinking feeling this was a rouse that was going to bottom out and they were gonna be quickly ascended balls deep in political turmoil a muddy and dirty place he knew very little about. He was the one that was constantly out in the shit, he was the one always in danger of being cut, he was getting tired and Gangui’s antics had yet to stop they only grew worse exponentially.

So he went over the boss’s head to the next person up the chain of command. It was sorely obvious that Gangui had lost his flipping mind in pursuit of some grim birdman thing. He did not have the skills to run a business, he had the charisma and the right words but lacked a real understanding of dos and do nots when taking care of a business.

Very few among the Sons of Justice knew that Gangui had his own backers from behind his undeserved turkey throne. Not that it was a particularly guarded secret or anything: most who signed up didn’t care enough where their nel came from to ever ask questions they just wanted to hit the bar so hard they'd black out and find themselves in some random alley.

But Vorval did, he had a penchant for this sort of thing like a rat to cheese and he did love the chedda! It was simple enough to mark a few conversations Gangui had mentioned about ‘reporting in’, take the trail back to the Garrison and follow the unofficial chain of command tying the sons to the administration, and here he was.

In a dimly lit side office with a young woman that would have looked pretty if she didn’t look like she wanted to disembowel him at the moment. It was a look women often gave him and he was no stranger to the evil eye. Except… this one was different. He could feel the raging hostility fuming off of her, like a wildfire that wasn’t going to burn away anytime soon, and it did make him grimace a bit.

[Zip]

“If there’s nothing important,” The woman who he knew to be Miss O’Connor said even before he fully opened the door after knocking. Her glare didn’t linger on him, returning to the paper on her desk as she continued. “I would kindly ask you to get the fuck out. I’m bloody busy.”

“Yea me too, ive fucking had it with my employer. He’s a walking disaster and I want off this sinking ship, an Onyx Nel i can't believe it. Does he think he's going to drop trow and squeeze one out on the desk? People are getting restless and it’s only been a few hours.”
She looked up again from her papers, and this time her rage was of a different shade: scathing, more condescension than open anger, dismissive.

“What is a Son doing here in my office?”

“Gangui is at it again-”

“When is that cunt not, in your words, ‘at it again’.”

“-I’ve never seen such a shit show, since I’ve started it has been one side show act after another. Do you know one of his people forgot payroll when we were on patrol and it turned into a bloody mess? The man is the personification of catastrophe, three people died over that” said Vorval utterly enraged about how volatile his working conditions had become.

Vorval noticed a brief flicker of something at the mention of the payroll on Miss O’Connor’s face, but then it had passed. He didn't act on it or even understand what it was about miss O’Connors secrets were her own and they would remain that way as even if it was out of place he didn't have the skill or no how to call it out with finesse was “If you see that cunt, please inform him that he’s due here two breaks ago.”

“Hes supposed to be running a business, not bankrupting it in a span of a day, i can run this ship better than he can. He blinds you with pretty words but when the words start to fade you see the man for what he is! His steel is Weak!”

[Zip]

“Who i will or will not be recommending for the leading position of this law enforcement wing is none of your concern, Son. Your primary role, in light of this complete idiocy, is to keep the peace in the fallout and FIND. YOUR. ESTEEMED. LEADER.” She banged the table to punctuate each of the last four words, each one pound louder than the last.

“I’LL LOVE TO!” he pounded three times on the wall himself. “ But he’s out gallantly telling mercenaries in droves he's got money he doesn't have over this guy.” As he finished he stepped across the expanse of the small office and slapped a leaflet on Miss O’Connor’s desk

“Wait till these make it to Ne’hear. Or better yet Yaralon. What then? The High Marshal’s gonna be hanging us by our ball sacks and beating us like pinatas.”

“I have no idea what a pinata is,” she said, her eyes finally shooting up to his to truly meet his gaze. “And I assure you the High Marshal is both too important and too occupied to personally deal with this errant idiocy in a small portside town - but the principle of it is not wrong. Vorval, was it? You’re the Son from that incident down by the docks.”

“yea i was i got mugged, held prisoner for days, fought in a pit to save my hide, then forced to sign a contract in a language i don't understand. So i can serve my esteemed Leader the biggest damn turkey of em all.”

“And this leaflet.” She picked it up, grimaced slightly at the sight of the birdman on it - though it wasn’t an expression of panic. Gangui once mentioned that he was boss was a ‘a bit of a uptown priss’ when it came to stuff. “How many have gone out?”

“Enough to worry me about a bounty going overseas-”

“It already has moved beyond Foster’s. Word on the wind is some of the pirates have turned to a different kind of treasure to the tune of ten thousand golden nels.” she said. “But pirates are just a relocated problem. We border Gauntrel on the west, and I do not want Lotharro mercenaries in Foster’s. I do not want errant plagueborn moving past the walls for a buck. I do not want foreign assassins from distant lands massing here for a bounty that no one is going to pay.”

[Zip]

Vorval was quick to offer a solution that might absolve them of this slippery mess. His business senses were tingling and he felt an promotion was on the way.

“Listen, i know i came in fuming pissed.” She rolled her eyes, as if saying, right, HE was the only one solely pissed at the situation. “But im telling you if you fire Gangui and put me in his place there is still time to say he was being a wretch for being fired and it was a big scandal a big lie to cause problems. I’ve got enough experience to start up on my own contracting business, I have the right stuff for this. How about we sweep him under the rug and forget this mess.”

“You talk like him,” Miss O’Connor said scathingly. “But can you walk like him? I don’t know you.”

“Who you think handled business at the trove, i was buried neck deep in pirates bullshit and treasure hunters so drunk they were pissing there pants? And where was GANGUI?”

“One small instance of success does not a resume make.”

“Are you shitting me, I’m the man that mortally wounded Veljorn Burhan as he absconded jorichs keep and your gonna tell me I don’t got the walk?”

“You’re talking as if that name should meaning something to me.” Miss O’Connor stared blankly at him, her patience clearly running thin. “You’re talking to me as if, even if those words meant something, I should take them at face value.”

“You should hes the man that almost killed king Cassander of Rynmere”

“Words, Mister Vorval.” she said. “Just fuckin’ words. What makes you different from Mister Gangui in that regard?”

“Consider this my resignation then, i know enough about business to spot a sinking ship when i see one. And ill remember that when sunnyslope caves in when everyone and their grandmother go hunting for halflings. There’s blood is on your hands M’Lady, and when your begging me to fill Ganguis boots when mercenaries from Yaralon and Scalv and Gaunthrel decide if the money's not there to simply seize the port for themselves if it doesnt turn into a flipping warzone, who will be left to blame when the high marshal has to come? But your right its only words.”

Vorval did his best to play his hands wisely…. And he had a small feeling he pushed the envelope a little too far and she was going to explode on him big time.

[Zip]

She did not.

“You have a lot of things to say -and claim- for a foot soldier I know little about.” Miss O’Connor said, but maybe it was just him, but she didn’t seem quite as angry as she did when she came in. “I’m curious as to why you keep bringing some distant pirate island into the picture.”

“Fosters is a port town, how many drunken sailors on merchant ships you think gonna be flailing those leaflets around when they start setting sail and landing in there taverns across distant shores. How many is it going to take to make it a big deal, its not word of mouth you have literal wanted posters leaving the port as if to courteously invite the dregs in. I might have been just a foot soldier but i came here on the promise of coin. Do you want to break that sort of promise, when ships start coming in?”

She shrugged in the way people shrugged when they were trying to show they didn’t care. “I’m still hearing words of what could be, not what is. If you wanted this to be an actual display of competence, instead of more words, words, words, you should have at least brought Mister Gangui over to me.”

“Wasn't he supposed to be here two breaks ago?” Vorval chortled. “He’s not very punctual for our high and mighty leader.”

“You want the first step in the door? You want to show you’re more than boasts that can neither be verified nor substantiated? Find him for me. Find that shitstain and send him my way.”

Vorval smiled “I’m glad we are seeing eye to eye on this.”

“And spread the word that the bounty has been rescinded.”

He took a moment twisting one of the luxurious curls of his handlebar mustache. He'd have to do better than just tell them the wanted poster was a sham, he'd have to abolish the leaflets its the only way they'd be able to maintain order.

[Vorval]

“With pleasure, i'll let you stuff that turkey yourself.” Vorval waited a moment before stepping back a bit as he thought about the course of action.”Now, we need to make this official undoubtedly some may be unhappy about this, but if its sign sealed and delivered im certain his men will fall in line if not we can always dissolve Sons Of Justice into Lemon Tree Inc, Or Mountain Dog Armaments its simply firing his loyalists and filling the boots with the influx of mercenaries due to arrive. Ill send Luwellyn out to find him, and i'll go find these leaflets and do what i can to suppress the ludicrous offer a more fitting term for this situation is damage control.”

“You talk a lot of ‘what if’s’ and ‘what could be’, Mister Vorval, but I need to see what can be before anything can happen.”

“And how do you expect me to handle this business without giving me the authorization to commandeer it from him?” Vorval felt this was the biggest hurdle in their partnership, the woman wanted results but without any resources.” with what i have right now the most i can do is send him your way.”

“You claim to be a resourceful man, Mister Vorval.” Her smile showed teeth and no warmth. “Remove those leaflets, destroy the posters, I don’t care - but we have a system here and I cannot appoint a soldier with little pedigree to his name to some position of authority. Prove yourself with guile and -I assume- the few that are loyal to you. When the dust settles, you will be compensated for your success.

“ I bet!, just like the promised gear and provisions that never showed up. I got a better idea, clean your own mess.” Vorval clearly had enough, empty promises after empty promises he was chasing the dragon with these words of compensation. The only agenda was clear a want to facilitate requests at his expense, there was no guarentee on her part that she wouldnt leave him on the side of the street with his dick in his hand after she got what she wanted. This seemed to be the issue that they could not find a resolution for, hed opt to let Gangui go wild.”Consider this my resignation.”

“Then consider this an appeal to the idea that either of us believe you would actually do that, Mister Vorval. Mister Gangui’s a lot of things but it seems there have been some major misjudgements with how he runs things. There will be changes. Those with initiative-” she gestured towards him. “-Will have a say.”

[Vorval]

The mercenary was serious, he carried turky corp for far for too long. They should have left after the payroll incident, but that rhetoric was so strong so convincing even a man that perpetuated greed got hooked on this fairy tale of honor.

“You do what you do to fix this mess,” Miss O’Connor said. “I will handle Mister Gangui and the other side of it.”

“Absolutely, your right those with initiative will prosper. I apologise in advance for being so crass on the subject.” Vorval nodded curtly heading out the door. His hand clenched upon a dagger made of pig iron, a gift from saori. Unsheathing the dagger, he handed it too Luwellyn who waited for him outside.

“Tell Gangui, Vorval says your words are strong but your steel is weak we quit. Miss O’Connor is waiting for him and she is displeased with his performance, give him this crusty brittle dagger as a paltry farewell gift it's not personal well it is and it's good business for us.” Vorval chortled again particularly pleased despite what seemed a terrible circumstance. “We will meet up where we are living and discuss our business arrangements for next season and we will be laughing our way to the bank got this idea to go in for a business loan we don't need much kid a paltry hundred fifty for a sizeable loan we've learned enough to do it on our own.”

Vorval decided it was best to delegate the jobs to cover more ground in less time. Efficient resource management as it were, there was much to be done given the circumstances. Those glorious arches in his whiskers bounced about as he wriggled his nose in disbelief he had been struck a monumental loss in his endeavor. O’Connor was a shrewd negotiator but it was a bad deal for Vorval all around and he knew it, the sheer lack of resources and reckless spending was either going to bankrupt them or land them in heaps of trouble.

He was becoming quite the entrepreneur though after all even if his coupe had been a flop his upstart business next season should certainly do well without the unnecessary risks. He carried himself with confidence almost proud of his handy work, he was his own man now and would be his own boss. He had the skills now to readily handle this as a competent business man. He wondered if Miss O’Connor would realize her business mistakes, he was certain however by the time she realized what she let walk out the door the next time they met hed have superior leverage he sucked at negotiation and would have to improve on it to be able to secure jobs.

The pamphlet nonchalantly pitter pattered in an outside breeze catching his attention, maybe Noth needed a man with his competence managing his nefarious dealings. Maybe just maybe being a good guy was whack, and it was time to start playing the field for suitable employers no endorsers ones that would provide what was promised before making demands for more and more. Maybe this Noth fellow could help an upstart like himself make those big business moves sooner than later

[Gangui]

Vorval

Knowledge:
Business Management; Attempting To Seize Financial Oppurtunity.
Business Management; Attempting A Hostile Corporate Takeover.
Business Management; Deciding to branch out and become your own boss.
Business Management; Spotting A Reckless Employer.
Business Management; Finding A Solution To A Financial Crises.
Business Management; Promoting Yourself A Capable Candidate Worthy Of Promotion.
Tactics; Using a bad situation as an employee and taking advantage of it by becoming a entrepreneur.
Tactics; Retreating from a failing business is not an act of cowardice.

Loot:

N/A

Injuries:

N/A

Fame:

N/A

Magic:

These points can NOT be used for Domain Magic

Devotion:

N/A

Skill Points:

15/15

Zipper

Knowledge:

Business management: Crisis management
Business management: Creating a response team to tackle an incident
Deception: Hiding a Eureka moment
Deception: Projecting a lack of concern
Intelligence: Weaponizing projected ignorance to get a target to spill more
Linguistics: Adapting to the slang of a foreigner from Rynmere
Linguistics: Puzzling over a strange word
Politics: The life cycle of a major bounty
Politics: Sometimes the best move you can make is the least stupid one

Loot:

N/A

Injuries:

N/A

Fame:

N/A

Magic:

These points can NOT be used for Domain Magic

Devotion:

N/A

Skill Points:

15/15

Comments:

Very interesting read you two... *stabs Vorval and Zip* HAHA just kidding, anyways, its always fun to read about betrayal and political scheming. Zipper is cold as always and Vorval just grabbed his nuts and went all in. Can't wait to see this play out. Good job. PS. Vorval remember to remove all mention of corporations in your Knowledges. We don't have corporations here.