Board Thread:Roleplaying/@comment-5543592-20150615234235/@comment-5583506-20150617022858

Smells good, she reflected.

She then curled herself into a ball fell fast asleep, tired after the day's events.

"I have about five men at your service and ready to your bidding, my lord", said the Enforcer at the inn. "However, they are... not exactly free... If you catch my drift?"

"No sellswords", grunted Arngrim Bearsbane.

"I understand that you are highly opposed to such men. I can understand that, but if we could just discuss..."

"No sellswords", repeated Arngrim, this time more forcefully. "I will have men who are ready to do their duty for mankind or I will have none at all. What good does gold do when you are lying dead in a ditch with an Orcish longaxe buried in your back?"

The patron tried to find some clever answer, but there was none to be had. "Maybe... maybe we could make some other sort of deal? How about loot?"

"Loot?"

"Yes, loot. You take some of my men out to scavenge bandit dens and you can consider whatever loot you find in there to be their payment. What do you say?"

Arngrim gave the idea some thought. He glanced over at the Altmer mage sitting next to him as if he expected her advice on the matter.

"It's... it's a start", said Mystara and raised her shoulders.

The Bull grinded his teeth as reflected over the matter. "Five more men..."

"I have colleagues as well", stated the Enforcer. "If I send the word that lord Arngrim Bearsbane is in dire need of recruits to fight against the Orcs I think I can give you up to two hundred or even four hundred men, provided you pay them in loot. I have never heard of any soldier who says no to a well-payed job under such an admirable commander such as yourself."

"200? 400?" Mystara sounded impressed. "That's more than we lost, my lord."

Don't call me that.

Arngrim stroke his beard. "Aye, and what happens when I run out of bandit camps to plunder? Hm? What then? Will your 'loyal' men simply walk away and leave me out there on the battlefield to take on the butchers of mankind myself?"

The Enforcer shook his head. "As I told you. They would take payment in loot. As long as you keep bringing them victories there will always be more loot. And they know that. Only a fool would abandon a succesful cause when he knows that there is always more to be had."

The Bull didn't like the idea, but it sounded much better than down payment for soldiers who could just as easily abandon him as they were to fight for him. "Fine then", he grumbled. "I will take these five men of yours for now. I expect you to send a message as soon as possible that I want all of your colleagues to bring me more men."

The Enforcer smiled. "I am glad we were able to strike a deal. With the Bull at the head of a growing army I am sure that the Orcish legions won't stand a chance..."