StickFig

Matthias' list arrives in the pile. When the veterans read it, they can tell that his nostalgia has overwhelmed his pragmatism, as he's requested gifts for several heroes who are no longer ...heroes.

"Fifty, usually... my great-grandfather grandfather made it to fifty-seven, but that was a pretty big deal." Matthias ponders for a moment. "I suppose it's likely I'll outlive him by a long, long time."

Doffing his hat in a tiny bow to Calmcacil, Matthias looks down at himself proudly, not noticing his chest swell with pride as he wonders if he really has. "I'm not yet half as old as a gnome expects to grow, but I feel a thousand years old, yes," the gnome intones. Matthias shakes his head and takes a melancholy draught of cider.

In a contemplative mood, Matthias watches Nerwen select her seat, then grabs a refill of cider from Scheherry and joins the shawoman at the corner table, not saying a word.

Drinking silently in his seat next to Arthur, Matthias hears Vindsuval's voice without quite being aware of its origins, the deep rumbling forebodingly resonant to the half-giant's words.

Stupid bloody elves.

Isn't that already a rule? Like, you cannot take your own characters on a quest?

Tracking all that, I was more meaning which of the Council is the point of contact? Do I PM all of them?

Speaking of this idea, what is the process now for pitching a quest? I've had one simmering in my mind for a bit and school is finally about to let up for a month or so and I might be able to focus on actually planning and pitching, but I will need a lot of guidance (and probably also quite a bit of help with sets).

“Once you were in the hands of a Grand Vizier, you were dead. Grand Viziers were always scheming megalomaniacs. It was probably in the job description: ‘Are you a devious, plotting, unreliable madman? Ah, good, then you can be my most trusted minister.’” —Terry Pratchett, Interesting Times I feel like this idea may have gotten lost in all the discussion, but thank you, @Sandy, for creating this wonderful game world, and thank you @Zepher, @JimBee, @Waterbrick Down, and @Darkdragon, for committing to keep Heroica going for the immediate future. I am grateful to you all... and I, for one, welcome our new Council overlords.

Wait, so what about the apocalyptic battle between Crescent Union, Sunburst Alliance, and Wolfgang? Or did I miss that? Sshhhhhh.

Matthias tips his hat to Pretzel. "I'm sure it will."

Matthias lets the man's offer hang in the air for a moment, wondering if anyone else wants to bid. Hearing nothing, he accepts. "I think that will do. The diamond and 207 gold, if you'll have the gem merged with my XX handcannon."

Done, thanks!

Got it. Ok, @Palathadric, going to need to edit posts to have the Ethereal Garnet removed from Matthias' boots (and 43 gold returned to him).

The truth will out, Matthias thinks to himself. Bloody elves. He looks hard at Buchaire. "Maybe. Or maybe I'll just wait."

Matthias tips his hat to both Pretzel and Buchaire. "My name is Matthias; what am I looking for?" Pondering for a moment, Matthias realizes his lack of gem and scroll pricing knowledge means he could very quickly be out of his depth. "I'm looking for Adamatite, diamonds, sapphires, emeralds - gems of all kinds but opals... scrolls... and lots of gold." Trailing off, he finishes weakly, hoping that the two - and others - will bid themselves up without much goading.

Matthias' senses tingling, SHE'S A BLOODY ELF, the gnome nonetheless pushes his cannon onto a chair and perches on it so he can reach the proffered tankard. "Well, Lady Jinnipher, 300 gold sounds pretty good, and I've never used Myrrh before... but I was hoping to get another gem in trade to extend my collection. It seems there's no good source of gems - or scrolls, for that matter - around Eubric at the moment, so I can't part too readily with the ones I have."

"Monk Pretzel, I admit I prefer the lady's offer. Care to start a bidding war?" Matthias turns to the conversation's newcomer. "A well timed counter-offer, Lady ...?"

I must have missed that. One per weapon, or one per item? 'Cause Matthias just had Pretzel imbue two into a pair of Greaves of the Aubergine Dragoon Gnomish Rocket Boots - I'll have to figure something else out if he can't do that.

Matthias picks up the greaves Gnomish Rocket Boots admiringly. "Rocket boots? Those will do nicely!" He kicks off his sandals and pulls the boots on. "Much more comfortable than those cumbersome greaves. Thank you." "You seemed interested in this last Ethereal Opal," the gnome adds, once he has the boots adjusted to his liking. He lays out a few other items on the table. "I'm also looking to get rid of this Grating Stone, a Crocodile Handbag, this Pongcanis Crossbow, and a pair of Winged Sandals, each for the right price. Anything you fancy?" Never a confident salesman, the gnome rushes through his list and blushes slightly under his top hat.

Matthias nods, having anticipated most of Pretzel's answer. "Perhaps not worth it to you, but it always seems like I'm a few pennies short of my needs. And while I'm not selling that gem, or this one," the gnome puts his Ethereal Garnet on the table and reaches into his pouch to pull out two Ethereal Opals, "I might part with one of these, for the right price. In any case, I would like the Ruby merged with that cannon, and the Garnet and one Opal merged with these greaves as well." The tiny gnome unstraps his Greaves of the Aubergine Dragoon - which are obviously too big and causing him no small discomfort - and pushes them towards the artisan. "Maybe you can have your colleagues readjust the greaves to fit a smaller frame as well? Would 128 85 gold be sufficient to cover those expenses?" Adding a pouch of gold to the pile, Matthias looks up at Pretzel. Raising his voice, Matthias adds for the whole room to hear, "If anyone here is interested in a Pongcanis Crossbow, a Crocodile Handbag, or a pair of Winged Sandals, let me know!"

"Elected? A king? Two kings?" Intrigued, but not convinced, Matthias wrinkles his face in distaste at Cedric's racial slur but lets it slide because the man's news is so interesting. He climbs onto the table and raises his voice to the Hall. "If there is a hero called Boomingham here, I would like to meet them." Stepping down from the table, the gnome seeks out Pretzel. "I need some work done on this cannon," he says to the artisan, holding out his XX Replica Handcannon and an Ethereal Ruby. "Would you mind havving this gem merged for me? What would be your price?" Opening his purse, the druid waits for the man's reply.

Matthias happily accepts the imp's gold. "I hadn't heard of it until today. What is the big deal? Everyone knows the Bonapartes hate the Ji Pei, the Shadeaux hate the Hinckwells, et ceterea, et cetera, et cetera. What makes these new alliances any different? Do they have a purpose, or a unifying aim?"