Jun 12 13:14:01 108 PA - Working for a dwarf
From Chronicles
The current game time is: Sat Jun 12 13:14:01 108 PA.
The small farm is a ways to the south of Kingsdale. The summer day is warm as the corn and grain from the fields ripples gently in the breeze. A small farmhouse is next to a barn and a grain silo. A well worn path leads up to the farmhouse where a dwarf with a short beard sits in a large chair. An energy rifle rests within easy reach of him as he smokes a pipe. He looks up as he spots travelers coming down the path to the farmhouse.
Bartholemew parks his hovertruck, that he rode out in, at the end of the path up to the house. As he walks up towards the farmhouse he raises his arm in a friendly wave calling out to the dwarf on the porch, "Howdy, you Losk?"
Valeriya is as usual, probably over armed. But better safe than sorry. To her credit she is short one weapon for today. She follows quickly behind Bart, looking comfortable in the role of subordinate. She looks to be trying to look like brawn for his brain with a slight smirk to the farmer as Bart says hi.
The dwarf nods his head in greeting to Bartholemew as he stands up from where he was sitting. He takes a step forward to lean on the rail of his porch. "Aye I am Losk." He mentions as he glances over towards Valeriya briefly before his strong gaze turning back to Bartholemew. "What can I do for you lad?"
Bartholemew gives a smile to the dwarf, "Heard you was lookin for an exterminator to rid yourself of some varmints. We're here to see if we can help ya out. The names Bart, this is Val." giving a glance and nod to the woman following him. "So whatcha got goin on out here?"
Valeriya gives a small wave but says nothing yet. Ever cautious she turns her eyes to the surrounding area while the grownups talk. Her senses keen to pickup and sources of magic near by. (1000 feet or line of sight) She nudges her helmet slightly and a large bright red lizard hops out to scamper into the bush. Do some recon or take a potty break.. Probably both.
"Aye you are the second person to be asking about helping me out. A boy by the name of Gabriel was by a little earlier." Losk says with another nod of his head as he puffs on his pipe. "My livestock is being raided by little suckers that look like they are made of bone. Me and the boys have to stay up at night keeping watch for them. They usually flee after a shot at em, but it is sure getting old having to keep watch all night. I sure would like to get rid of them. Mayhaps you can work with that boy and help a dwarf and his kin out."
Bartholemew chuckles giving a nod, "Yeah, my team can work with Gabriel, we've worked together before. What are ya looking to pay to be rid of these critters?" getting to the bottom line as the rest seems pretty straight forward.
Valeriya glances just briefly at Losk's belt, not wanting to stare. Though she might be accused of checking him out none the less. Dawrves are knonw for their stamina. Still she remains quiet for the moment.
"Well I've got about twenty thousand credits saved up that I can part with if you can take out these bone things and guarantee that they won't come back. I know it isn't much as these things go, but it is all I can afford. Take it or leave it." Losk says with a quick puff on his pipe. "My savings have been depleted trying to replace chickens and goats after those fuckers take one from under my nose." The smell of marijuana mixed with tobacco drifts with the smoke from his pipe. "They are about three feet have an equally long tail. Cowardly little suckers but nasty. Like I said look like they are made of bone."
Bartholemew nods as the little man describes the pests, "That sounds like a fair deal for eliminating the problem for good. Is the direction they run or come from random, or do they seem to come from one side of your farm than the other?" he asks trying to get a better picture of how these things might be coming from.
"Made of bone.. Thats odd." Valeriya notes, breaking her silence. She seems to think on that a bit, trying to recall if she's heard of such a creature before. "Might need a tracker, unless they have magic." She notes to Bart.
"Well often times they come out of the fields at night so it has been a great problem figuring out where they come from. I'm not much of a tracker myself. If you are I'm sure you'll be able to find their tracks and trail without too much of a problem. Sorry I'm not able to help you much with that, but I'm a farmer not a tracker." Losk says as he rubs his bearded chin with one hand. "Mostly they go after the chicken coops or goat pens. Luckily they don't often go after the live stock in the barn. They seem smart enough one will try to attract attention away from one going for a chicken. Strong suckers too, but very cowardly. Most nights me and my kin manage to scare em off with a shot or two."
Bartholemew nods, "Thats fine, do you mind my team and I camping out for the next few nights on your property? I'd also like to set up some measures to prevent your animals from being gotten again, some vibro wire around the coops and pens, and some motion detectors around the property. That be alright by you?"
"I can set some detection spells too, will alert me if anything is disturbed." Valeriya notes to Bart. "I dont recgonize the creature off hand, but I'm still learning the local fauna. Thats if its even local.."
Losk raises an eyebrow and frowns. "I think that would kill of my livestock. I don't want to destroy my farm by having my livestock run into your wire. This is a working farm. Your motion detectors are going to go off all night with the movement of the fields lad, or at least it seems that way to me. Also how are you planning on following them through the fields? Those suckers are fast, and it seems to me that truck of yours would crush my fields." Losk says after a few moments thinking and rubbing his beard. He takes another puff on his pipe. "You can stick around here though if you want, would help if we could get a good nights sleep for once."
Bartholemew chuckles, "Don't worry bout your fields, the truck is not our only means of transportation. Up to you though, I don't want to interfere in your daily business, just suggesting some extra precautions to prevent any further losses. We'll get em either way, don't worry bout that. We'll be back before the sun goes down to set up camp and work on settling this for ya" then turns to Val, "While back in town, think you can figure out what these things might be?"
"Detection spells it is, no harm to anything and no false alarms. Magic is nice like that sometimes. Between those and a carpet of adhesion we should catch a handfull in the act. Then take some super test fishing line and let em lead us back to the nest." Valeriya suggests for an alternative to the problems given before nodding slightly to Bart. "Maybe if they are local the wilderness scouts will know what they are. If not its luck of the draw."
"Sorry lad, but I can't take chances with livestock or with the little ones around. Nothing like mines or vibro wire." Losk says with a shake of his head. "Alright well I'll see you later tonight then. Though keep in mind if they have a nest taking out one or two, might not do much. Being cowardly and smart I wouldn't put too much faith in them leading you back to their nest las, but I won't tell you how to do your job." He gives a quick nod of his head to both Bartholemew and Valeriya. "I appreciate your help."
Bartholemew smiles extending a hand up to the man on the porch to seal the deal, "Very well, the safety of your livestock and kin will be of the utmost priority in this. See you in a few hours."
Valeriya shrugs. "Then we need to find a tracker. Actually Sage is known as an outdoors person. Maybe she'd be up for it?" Valeriya notes with a slight shrug as she follows Bart back to the truck.
