An Age of Sails and Free Men

G: “You know there’s only one way to find out”

*The slaver gets on to showing off the other slaves, the ‘Buxom lass’ apparently being saved for last*

"You want to buy him?"

“I was gonna say why not ask the Slaver since you seem interested”

"You're supposed to wait until the end to do that."

“I don’t think he’d mind being free of that Elf...Speaking of Which I think he’s seen you”

*The Elf is staring at Khalista studying her features seemingly perplexed by the horns and tail*

"Think he's never seen a tiefling before?"

“Judging by that look...yeah. He’s probably working out what the hell you are and if he could catch you. Look at him, he’s calmed down. Fucker is probably wondering if you’re one of those ‘forest beasts’ that plague the Elves”

(are we going for a kinda celt/gaul barbarian feel to the wood elves?)

"Hmn, well wood elves aren't exactly the book type."

OOC: Yeah pretty much, they don’t have guns, cities, or anything like that. Instead they live in little family tribes which are generally loyal to a larger group. They’re far more religious than their civilised brethren but it does hamper their technological advancement.

“Not exactly the reasonable type. 24 men he said, and that was after he ambushed them”

"Thats obviously exaggerated."

“Maybe, though I guess it depends on where he caught them and how they reacted”

"and if he had help."

“Seeing as they only caught him, I doubt it”

*Another slave is dragged onto stage, this time a woman. Rags adorn her body in much the same manner as the Elf’s only these are less revealing. The woman is slim with ruby red hair that shines in the sun. Her skin is pale and dotted with freckles, though the skin around her wrists and ankles is a bloody red where she’s tried to pull them off*

OOC: Sorry for the rather lacklustre description. I’m even worse at describing women. But this is Gor’s character.

*Khalista seems to show no interest. Slaves like this are two for a copper, save the red hair, that would probably draw a slightly more 'exotic' price.*

G: “She’s cute”

Slaver: “THIS RED HAIRED BEAUTY WAS CAUGHT OFF THE COAST OF THE NEW LAND! WE FOUND HER SHIPWRECKED ON A LITTLE ISLAND PARADISE, AND BOY IS SHE A FIERCE ONE! SHE NOT ONLY SURVIVED FOR WEEKS ON HER LONESOME BUT EVEN MANAGED TO KILL ONE OF HER CAPTORS DURING AN ESCAPE ATTEMPT! FOR JUST 15 SILVER PIECES OR 150 REALES SHE IS YOURS!”

*With all the slaves shown off, and these two being the only ones of any worth, the bidding has begun*

the girl seems to be, somewhat spitefully, surveying her potential 'owners'

*Over the next few minutes the other slaves are bought, with the Elf and Redhead being saved for last drive up the price*

"Fifteen silver?... That is something of a bargain actually."

“She cost nothing to capture, they make a profit no matter the price”

*A fat man’s hand shoots up, offering 15 Silver. The looks around seeing if anyone will pay more for the Redhead*

Khalista: "Oh we both know what he wants. hmn." *she puts up a hand.* "Twenty!"

*She sees momentary panic in the fat man’s eyes*
FM: “1 GOLD!”

OOC: Here I am playing Rome 2 with the Divide Et Impera mod.
My cavalry routed when fighting shattered units

OOC: Genius. I find that in rome 2 base game cavalry are overpowered as hell.

Khalista: "I... mmmmm.... Worth more than a gold do you think?"

Gideon: “How about I buy her, you get the elf. That way we both win”
Slaver: “ANY MORE FROM THE TIEFLING IN GREEN!?”


OOC: I have just realised that I’ve basically just renamed Pound Sterling. Bronze = 1p, Silver = 10p, Gold = £1, and Platinum is a touch more. Only not equivalent at all in value when compared to Sterling.

OOC: Depends how far back you go in inflation terms.

Khalista: "If all else fails i'll wave another dwarf coin at someone. Ships are rather pricey as it goes. I have quite a few."

*Gideon raises a hand and shouts ‘1 Gold And a Silver’ Causing the crowd to look back to the fat man who immediately dived into his purse and holds up a second gold piece. The back and forth continues for a minute or teo before the now slightly flustered slaver accepts Gideon’s bid of 3 gold. Much to the Fat man’s distaste as he threatens to have Gideon killed for claiming ‘his prize’*

Slaver: “COME CLAIM YOUR TROPHY! AND LET THE BIDDING OF OUR FINAL PRODUCT TAKE PLACE. STARTING AT 5 GOLD FOR THE WOOD ELF!”

OOC: Feel free to control the crowd

they see her glaring at both them and the fat guy

Khalista: "we're going to have to deal with him later. Anddd..." *she raises her hand for the five gold.*

*The elf seems to be popular, multiple other people bidding higher. A large, shaven headed man, probably from one of the fighting pits, bids five gold, and six silver.*

*The Elf mostly watches Khalista, having finally understood why everyone is shouting*

*Khalista steadily out bets everyone, in the end paying eleven gold*

*The crowd slowly dissipates with the Elf and Redhead being handed over by a very pleased slaver*

*The Elf who as it turns out, doesn’t seem to speak common has yet to try and escape as his chains are placed into Khalista’s Hands.*

OOC: So we’re all in the middle of the street. Khalista has the Wood Elf literally by the throat due to his chain collar, and the Redhead is being held by her handcuffs

she tries to pull away from her new captor's grasp almost immediately, to no avail

Khalista: *looking at him, then gideon* "How do you say buyers remorse in elvish?"

Gideon: “Haven’t the faintest fucking clue. As for you, what’s your name?”

*The Elf watches Khalista silently and then quite calmly pokes her arm*

"...Ellia"

*she bats his hand away.* "You'd think they'd have chained the serial killer a bit better....also We need to go to the market."

"...what are you going to do to us?"

"I need salt, and charcoal. Unless you speak elvish?"

she shakes her head

“Market is this way.”
*He leads Khalista toward the market*
“As for you Ellia...what are you good at?”

*The Elf seems to take offence at this and makes a show of being unable to escape the chain that binds his wrists*

she pauses at that, not sure what he means...a bit worried by what it might mean

"Oh you do understand a bit of basic?"

Gideon: “If you are to serve as part of my crew, I need to know what you’re good at”

Elf: *He utters a Sentence in old elvish, enough for her to recognise that its old elvish and thus she can translate elements of it. So from what she does know: “You own me?”

OOC: So the language of magic is old elvish.

Ellia:...crew?

OOC: Khalista is using infernal, so lets say they have decent overlap, explaining why she can understand him a bit.

Khalista: "Yes, I do."

OOC: Alright, in that case I’ll make what she understands a touch harder to work out.

Gideon: “I don’t need a sex slave, I bought you because I need a larger crew. They found you in a shipwreck, so what are you good at?”

Elf: *Another sentence* “Owner species?” *The language overlap is tedious to work with, as although many words are shared their tenses and meanings often aren’t.*

"...If I work for you...you'll free me?"

Gideon: “In a sense yes. If you run I’ll catch you, but if you work hard and remain as part of my crew for about a year your freedom is all but guaranteed”

"...I know my way around the rigging. And I can handle myself in a fight"