>>594051
you fools, he said no, that means it is not too much to ask!
what a missed opportunity.

Ah well.

Stay up there a little linger, and enjoy the heat before you come down.

Let's get some of that turned into a scarf or belt or something, which you will be wearing at all times. There should be enough left over to make some ceremonial garb as well.

Also get to your training. Pursue martial strength like a mad dog.

Well that went well. She knows how you feel and told you straight out that if you could achieve your goal in time she would be interested in dropping Shup for you.

Well no use making any long term plans until they leave. Shup is a wildcard and he could ignore you or conscript you or who knows what else. Just be on your best behavior and roll with the punches as they come.

I would carefully pack up your gifts and get them stored somewhere safe and private. Then maybe get some more training in with your brother while they get ready to leave.

>Her stonebearer chimes in from below.
>"No!"
Was that a "No, it's not too much to ask for," or "No, you cannot ask for that?" It would be quite humorous if the stonebearers were suggesting Lily agree to hug you.

Well, at the very least, you can hope that once you do become a noble (No ifs, young man, you go train with Zizi to ensure you have the strength to do so!), you can at least be friends with Lord Shup's estate. His estate including Lady Lily. I'm sure sponsoring a barbarian turned noble will get him a good bit of fame, after all, it does not sound like something he would turn down.

Go back to your village, ask your mother what sort of ceremonial garb she thinks could work best for the Dragon Cloth, and get back to tribal duties and otherwise training.

1/2 Fen 2014/09/15(Mon)20:45 No. 594281 ID: d470e9
File 141083913068.png - (50.98KB , 800x800 , 119.png )

I lay down for some time longer. I don't know why, but I don't want to move.

When I do get the energy to go, though, I head down, finding everyone of the northern empire gone, and some of us cleaning up. I head to my mother.

"Hey, mom. I got this, uh, dragon cloth. I don't know what exactly yet, but could you make something out of it?"
>"Oh, no, Fen, you didn't steal that, did you?"
"Of course not! Lily gave it to me."
>"Good. Are you doing alright?"
".... yeah."
>"That little girl must be richer than I thought, or care for you quite a lot. No, I won't tailor you anything made out of that. I can make adequate things, yes, but Fen, this piece of cloth is worth more than most people can get in a lifetime. That, and it is a tough material to work with. If we ever do something with it, we're going to have to hire the services of a proper tailor. For now, let's just keep it hidden in our lockbox to keep the dust off of it. To be honest, I'm not sure what we can do with it."
"Lily suggested that I just use it for ceremonial events, or perhaps make emblems, since wearing it by myself normally would make me a target."
>"She started thinking, but that conclusion is a little naive, don't you think? Dragon cloth is exclusively made in the northern empire, and how would it be seen wearing something like that, either as an emblem or during our own, neutral events? I'm sorry, Fen, lots of people would kill for this, but in our case, we have no use. If you ever go to the northern empire, though, it might have use. It's attention grabbing, but it's often the sign of nobility and elite classes, too, so would be pickpockets and muggers would think twice before targeting you."
"... okay. I'll think about it, and just keep it safe for now."

2/2 Fen 2014/09/15(Mon)20:45 No. 594282 ID: d470e9
File 141083913635.png - (22.82KB , 800x800 , 120.png )

Even though people are busy, the village seems quiet.

I ask Zizi to spar, using a training sword that Tevliss left behind after all. I do better. Much better. He's still better by a longshot, and I still get the impression he's going easy on me. Even though he's not a good teacher, he is very patient, and I don't think there's going to be a single time that he'll decline helping me train.

>"Finally getting the hang of things! So, you want to hear my ideas on how to get nobility?"
"Yes."
>"Okay then. First off, promise me you will not tell your sister! She'll kill me. Now, noble marriage may take awhile, but if you're gonna get up there fast, you gotta act fast. Now, who would trust just anyone out of the forest to become a noble after mere months of military service or whatever?"
"... would anyone?"
>"Anyone would if they see the benefit! You just have to go in wherever and take your surroundings as yours by storm. Now, that's not gonna happen if you just go to peaceful old northern Fisher's Run and get garrisoned in a port town in the off chance some enemy ships sail near. By the way, that doesn't happen. No, you've got to go big. You've got to go to the Dragon's Fall."
"The capital town?"
>"No, Fen, that's... oh wait, yeah, that is the capital, but it's also the name of the region. Anyway, you got two options that I see. You can enlist in the army there. Those guys get sent on some of the toughest missions, and are usually reserved for the best of the best. In your case, you're egonna need some recommendation or a test of skill or somethin', I dunno, I wasn't in that one. Anyway, you impress people there, and you can get anywhere. Now, a near guarantee to get nobility in a few months' time is to go opt to be a gladiator. There's a good sized arena I hear in the capital, and there's weekly games! The gladiators are well fed and taken care of to give a good fight, and people who give a good show get a good reputation."
"... why isn't everyone a gladiator, then?"
>"Well, the life expectancy of two weeks or so is a deal breaker for some. Most. Well, really, volunteers for the arena are pretty rare. But, all you gotta do is live! As long as you make a name for yourself, you'll be put against better and better fights, and eventually an exit route is given to you."

>Well, really, volunteers for the arena are pretty rare.
>eventually an exit route is given to you.
Hold on, is he saying that even if you volunteer for it, you're stuck in there until you get your "exit route?"
Regardless, as quick as that may be, you can't even beat your brother yet. You'd have a much better chance of making a name for yourself in the army, than the arena.

Well how far away is the wedding? That's the time limit you are up against.

Now the army is a good choice but could you climb the ranks fast enough? There are battlefield promotions but you would have to be in the right spot at the right time. Also you would most likely be working with a team of soldiers. Get in good with your platoon and you would make some nice connections and some valuable friends and allies for later. Depending on your time limit could be a good option.

On the other hand if you only have a few months until winter the Gladiator is the way to go. Quickly rising in the ranks would be more up to your own skill than anything. While I am sure some fights are to the death most would be more about playing up to the crowd and displays of skill.

So figure out how much time you have left and then ask your brother more about the levels of nobility. Can you be a wood noble with no holdings? Or do you get a land grant or something like it when you become a noble? You will need both status and enough wealth to help support your family and Lily's for this plan to work.

Also you have to account for Shup in all of this. How much more powerful is a Mythril noble compared to a wood noble? I doubt he will give up Lily just like that if you come knocking. So you need to make sure you can stand up to him physically and politically.

How long is a tour of duty in the army? If you got shipped off somewhere for six months it would be a problem.

Ask your brother more about how nobility works in the empire. Would becoming a Wood noble be enough or do you need to aim higher?

Ask how far you need to improve in your training before you start on a path.

...not that I don't appreciate the help, but do you really think I have a chance of surviving something like a gladiatorial arena? I mean, I've learned enough to see I have potential, but that's a far cry from being able to beat an entire arena's worth of lifelong fighters who have been forced into it for some horrible crime or another.

I mean, not that I'm not willing to risk myself, but I don't want Lily to feel terrible if I get myself killed jumping into this arena for her.

Well, either way, you kind of have to travel in the same direction, don't you? We should worry about how you're going to get to the north before we worry about what you're doing when you get there.

I know this is a bit out of line, but wouldn't a better way to achieve nobility be to unify the surrounding tribes and build a proper village here?

Remember what Lily said Fen, she would be devastated if you just ran off and got killed chasing after her. Your fighting skills may be improving, but if you can't even defeat your brother then you may want to think twice about rushing into gladiatorial fights to the death. Ask how tough the army is, and how it compares to being a gladiator lifespan wise.

In any case, you're going to have to do or become something great to just swipe Lily away from Shup, greater than a Mithril Noble at least.

>>594306
It's a bit farfetched, but I like it. Although it may be a bit selfish to involve the entire tribe just for a girl...

Lily said she was going to be engaged at the end of winter. While its not full on marriage I am guessing you would have to have at least Mythril noble status to break things up after that point.

If its early spring I would aim for the army. Impress them to start and get into a elite unit and you will have on the job training and plenty of friends to watch your back. Being a soldier is a good profession with no limit to how far you can rise. Many a high general has sat on the throne in his later years. With a bit of luck and maybe some battlefield looting you could get the rank and wealth you would need in time.

On the other hand if its getting into the middle or late summer the gladiator route might be your only option. Successful gladiators tend to be immensely popular and have all sorts of wealthy patrons. Win a few games with flair and you could be a new rising star. But make sure to ask more about the culture behind the games and the rules.

I know in ancient Rome the arena was a lethal form of professional wrestling. Lots of plots and intrigues and the popular gladiators tended to watch out for each other. But your arena could be mostly bloodsports and 5 guys vs the ogre mage events.

>"Fen, even the most gloriously celebrated warriors took years before becoming a noble."

The army route is not a good long-term plan. However... going there for a little while could get you some more tutelage and a variety of experience, as well as some clout. If you can do some army work in preparation for putting your life on the line in the Arena, that would be best. On the other hand, even getting into that army would be a daunting task. You need some sort of edge before doing ANYTHING.

You need to train, and train hard, until you can beat your brother. Then you can go out into the world, and try to get into the high-risk army position thing. Get training there, reach your peak in physical ability, then go for the Arena.

I don't know that going out and getting Fen killed in such an extreme manner is the best idea. I like the unify the barbarian tribes idea. It's something that pays off for our friends and family beyond elevating Fen to such a position.

>>594477
The big problem with that idea is time. It could take years for a unknown tribal to unite the clans. Fen only has a few months to pull this off. He needs to get noticed and knighted fast.

>>594478
Get some sort of garment made from the dragon cloth. Approach one of the nearby tribes, act like the whole unification-and-conquest process is already halfway over and they just haven't heard. Do it right, and by the time they realize it was a bluff, it won't be anymore. You've seen how Shup acts, now; use that knowledge. Project arrogance and invincibility.

>>594526
This is not the worst plan I have ever heard. I don't know if the empire is going to be handing out noble titles to newly minted barbarian lords, but starting your own kingdom with blackjack and hookers might get you a queen. I don't know how excited Lilly and her family will be about the standard of living though.

Okay, guys, look...
>>594526
Uniting the barbarians? They're still barbarians. Lily doesn't want that. She likes the freedoms of Fen's tribe, yes, but all the tribes have different ideals, and a lot of them she would not like.
>>594307
Note that a lot of us are in agreeance that getting yourself killed is a bad idea, but think of this: Lily would NOT like it if you ran off to voluntarily join the Gladiators. That is purposefully putting your life on the line against the strongest trained people, whereas joining the army would just be putting you against some strong (Not stronger or stronegest!) people who your training would give you a chance against. The army generals aren't morons, they aren't going to send you on a suicide mission against somebody stronger than you, just somebody they believe you can handle, even if it will pose a challenge. You might have a risk of losing, but they'll have others to pull your ass out of the fire so that you don't die even if you lose.

Stick to the army. The only reason you should think about the gladiator arena is the worry that you'll commit some crime and be thrown in there, involuntarily.

Fen 2014/09/21(Sun)20:43 No. 595179 ID: 602cd8
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It's currently late winter. So, I've got just a about one year to become a wood noble. I think Lily hinted that all she wanted was to have someone that could care for her family, so in that regard, just getting wood noble is enough. But, she also said mithril nobles had far, far more political power and wealth than a wood noble, so to get a girl that Shup had his eyes on... it's complicated. I don't know about those things, but I get the impression it's weird.



"Zizi, what if I tried unifying all of these tribes? We could live in peace, and maybe the northern empire would give me nobility if I ended up handing them a village without them needing to lift a finger."

>"OOooooh.... Fen, that idea is creative, bold, rash, and the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Let me tell you why that's a bad idea! First off, we've enjoyed decades or centuries of aggressively being independent, some other guy trying to unify is gonna be a real tough thing. Second off, maybe the southern empire would go for that, but the northern one loves showing off their military and conquering by force. They probably won't like it if you do it for them. Third, I like it like this. Just last week I told you why this was the life! Sure it's hard, but it's simple and no one is under 4 layers of heels from a chain of command above them."

"Alright, alright, I get it. Really, though, what honestly are the chances of me surviving the arena?"

>"Good enough for a man on a mission!"

".... and what about the army?"

>"Good enough for a man on a mission!"

".... is it possible to be a wood noble with no holdings?"

>"Well maybe initially, but once you get wood nobility, you're not gonna be waiting long for some land to be given to you. There's more villages out there than nobles."

"Okay, well... Lily's going to feel just awful if I run out and get killed. If I go to the arena, can I honestly have a chance, when there's people there who have probably been fighting professionally for years?"

>"Uhhh... I dunno about that, Fen, most of 'em are just slaves that are kept around for entertainment, and don't really have their heart in actual fighting. You could probably beat 'em up right now! Pretty sure gladiators have access to trainers anyway."

"And the army? Is there room for advancement so quickly?"

>"Well, yeah. Look, summer's a good time for rebels to pop up. No one starts shit right before winter, it's way too cold up north. You sound like you're starting to second guess this, bro."

"No. You all would have to keep me chained underground to keep me from going. I'm just trying to be smart about it. Whatever it is I'm doing."

2/2 Fen 2014/09/21(Sun)20:43 No. 595180 ID: 602cd8
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Zizi and I go over it some more. It's possible to join the army for small periods of time, although Zizi says they won't invest as much in me if I just want to spend a few months there.

When I ask, Zizi is confident that I'll do well no matter what choice I make. Asking him just doesn't give me a realistic picture.

My plan, as I currently see it, is to stay here for the rest of winter and some of spring. I'll train as hard as I can with Zizi during then. Then, I travel to the north, so that I end up in the capital a little while before summer is declared. I'll join the army, then, for 6 months. Depending on how well things are going, I may join the arena during winter to try to finish off what I need to do to become a noble.

>>595180
Let's do this.

Sounds like a good plan. One thing to remember is that whatever path you end up on will be a violent one. Have you ever killed anyone before? Will have to get used to the idea before you head out.

Other than learning to fight you need to learn more about the empire and its culture. Do not want to get that far and then ruin it because you crossed the wrong noble.

And finally do you know how to read? Might be good to start now in between training with your brother. Might have to wait on it but never to early to start.

Sounds reasonable, for now.

>>595179
not a single one of the things he said was a reason for why you shouldn't do it. they are all reasons why he wouldn't like you to do it, and reasons why it would be hard.

Once you get to the army you will have to find out how they run things. There should be plenty of career soldiers there who have children and wives of there own. So they might have no problem with you running off and getting married over the winter break.

I wish you had a better trainer than your brother. He knows a lot but you said he was not the best teacher. I would spread your training out if you can. Sword work with your brother, Archery with your best hunter, and so forth if you can find people willing to help.

The more you know the easier it will be to impress the army recruiters. At the minimum learn to fight and take care of your own equipment well. Learning to read even a little would be huge. Being able to receive and send out written orders can be a big step on the road to becoming a officer.

1/2 Fen 2014/09/23(Tue)20:06 No. 595535 ID: 602cd8
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>Have you ever killed anyone before?
Yes... sort of. I've inflicted wounds on two people that I hear died later.

>Can you read?
I can do a degree, but I have trouble with it.

>Being able to receive and send out written orders can be a big step on the road to becoming a officer.
I'll work on my reading ability, but mix it with Lily's board game, which I guess is popular with military leaders.

>Not a single one of the things he said was a reason for why you shouldn't [unite the tribes]. They are all reasons why he wouldn't like you to do it
Most of them were, except he doesn't seem to think the northern empire would appreciate an outsider doing it for them. Even if they did, I don't think I want to go against Zizi, and I don't think my tribe would think much better of it.

I don't rest much over the next few days. I train with Zizi while he's around, as top priority. I also have one of our better hunters start teaching me how to make good bows and how to shoot them, as I'm told that armies almost always use bows over slings. Apparently with the formations they use, needing room for a sling is a bad thing, and not enough people in the army know how to use a sling well, anyway. I dodge around questions as to why my motivation came with simply saying that I'd like to be able to get a girl like Lily if one like her ever comes around again.

I don't think one like her will. I don't want to say that I want to leave the village. To be conscripted is just part of our lives, but to want to go is something that almost never happens unless the village can't support its own numbers. My mother also takes up Kimankara. She's not bad, and we seem to be an even fight.

2/2 Fen 2014/09/23(Tue)20:06 No. 595536 ID: 602cd8
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A couple of weeks pass. I'm terribly tired, but I can't stand the thought of wasting any time, so I start downing one of the left over rations of Zizi's that he lets me have.

>"FEN!" Kiki screams from across the village.
>"Sorry, bro!" Zizi's voice follows.

It's all followed by Kiki running up to me.

>"What are you doing?!"
"...eating.. breakfast?"
>"Zizi told me you are off chasing that pampered girl!"
"... what if I am?"
>"You are not allowed! Have you come to hate us? We can get you any girl, in this tribe or another. There are lots around. But your diseased brain wants to get a noble girl from the north who could not live here?"
"I don't want to live here for the rest of my life, Kiki."

She looks like she's going to stab me.

>>595536
Kiki is one of the few intelligent girls among the tribes. You aren't into incest, so you can't say anything on her appearance, but you certainly haven't seen an intelligent girl who was also beautiful, like Lily was. That's what you want. Beauty, intelligence, kindness, tact... Really, she embodies just about everything good.
Kiki, are you trying to force your brother to have a miserable life?!

I should point out that if you unified the tribes you wouldn't have to be offering the territory to the northern empire. You don't need a noble title or their approval, you just need the money and influence that could potentially provide you, so turning your little backwater into a thriving trading village would serve just as well, and bring improvements to friends and family. That said, it's really to tall an order for someone to do in one year.

As for Kiki... dude, you gotta just be honest with her. There's something missing from your life, there's a bigger world out there and you are gonna try your hand it, sooner or later. You've found something worth chasing and now is simply the time.

Before you start arguing with your sister remember that if you drive yourself to exhaustion you will waste time recovering. So do not be a idiot and get a good nights rest when needed.

Kiki I love you and our family but I have known for a long time that I was not happy here. I just never realized how bad it was until she showed up. If I want more out of life I have to go out and grab it with my own hands.

Our life here might be simple but its far from easy. One bad hunting season or tribal raid and we could lose everything we have. Even if things never work out with Lily I can at least try to find a better way of helping the people I love.

Kiki, I have family here, safety, but not satisfaction. I do not hate it here, but I cannot bear my seemingly pointless life. I feel like I'm simply drifting through to my death.

I'd like to chase after the girl, but I'm not an idiot, odds are very against me, but I'm mostly just using it as motivation to find something, anything that I actually need. It isn't about a girl or who I want to be with. I need more.
Why do you want me here so bad, Kiki. I know you care about me, but why keep me alive for just a bit longer if it just feels so empty here. You want a drone of a brother?

This isn't a decision we're making lightly. I'm not following my dick, or rage, or anything your expecting me to follow beyond the fact I have nothing here but family, and while family is important, all this is not enough for me. Hopefully, we'll see each other again when I'm a better man I actually like being.

>>595536
If she actually tries to stab you, disarm her to show her how much stronger you are now.

However, you need to make it clear you are not doing this lightly. You've never really been happy here. If you must leave to be happy, to follow your heart and dreams, you will, even if you don't want to abandon your family. Even if it breaks your heart to leave.

>unite the tribes?
There's also the matter that if you did, you'd be basically dragging your entire family and everyone you ever knew along with your scheme, and changing their lives for what you want.

That wouldn't quite sit right with me.

>You are not allowed! Have you come to hate us? We can get you any girl, in this tribe or another. There are lots around
*Sigh* We don't have nobles here, Kiki. There's no one to tell me I'm not allowed to try something different if I want to.

I haven't come to hate you. I know maybe you don't understand it, but I haven't been satisfied since the northerners came. There's some part of me that wants to see that world, and try.

>She looks like she's going to stab me.
I'm half inclined to let her. Get it out of her system, show her we're serious.

Do I look like I am lazing about pining over some girl Kiki?

I am working my ass off so I can go join the army, become a noble, and then steal her away from her fiance.

>>595536
she's not actually going to. no point in being afraid. (and even if she would, you should be good enough to dodge by now).

calmly explain that it's your choice how you will live your life and that you expect her to support your decisions.

1/3 Fen 2014/10/01(Wed)21:51 No. 596753 ID: 602cd8
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"Of course I don't hate you. Stop exaggerating." I've made it a point to be nicer, but she makes it difficult. She means well, but her ability to communicate is about as good as Zizi's teaching. She won't actually stab me, but sometimes she makes me wonder. "This isn't some light decision. I don't hate the people I live with, and I wouldn't even say I hate how my life currently is, but I'm far from happy with it. If I'm going to change it, I've got to go out and change it myself, even if the odds are poor."
>"You will not change how you live, you will only die!"
"If I continue this route, then I'll already be like a zombie."
>"Then choose a better route! Joining with the Dragon army? As a volunteer? That is suicide!"
"Zizi doesn't appear to think so."
>"Zizi does not think!" She does have a point, although it misses the current point. "What would our mother think?"
"She would want me to be happy."

She huffs at that.

>"Come, then! Let's ask her ourselves.

2/3 Fen 2014/10/01(Wed)21:52 No. 596754 ID: 602cd8
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Kiki runs off, and apparently manages to explain the whole situation to our mom in the time it took me to catch up.

>"I'm sorry, Kiki, but I've got to side with Fen on this."
>"What?!"
>"Have you ever seen him so, well, alive? Even if he does die, it's because he took a chance to make living worth it. Doing so alone is more living than many people can say they have. Fen, we rarely have tribesmen with your ambition, but I have seen them. Some of them decide it's not worth it, and stay here, but they didn't convince themselves fully. They live and die, and what I usually see is an old age of regret. Of course I'll just feel awful if I live to see you die, Fen, but I would rather see that than imagine you spending your autumn years feeling your life was wasted."

Kiki calms down. She's unhappy, but our mother is one of the few people who she won't be so argumentative against. She does wander off, but it's a calm walk, so I know that she's relenting. I hug my mother for that.

>"She's just worried about you, you know. She'll be fine, and she'll come around. She always does, she's just not good with change."
"I know."

3/3 Fen 2014/10/01(Wed)21:52 No. 596755 ID: 602cd8
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>Get a good night's rest
It is possible that my training is worse off overall without rest, so I try to get to sleep earlier in the night. Still, any rest that I take is filled with an itch that I should be doing everything that I can do. My heart just isn't into sleeping the days away.

Eventually, after a week, I come to terms with it believing that training at anything below maximum is wasteful in itself, so I mix a decent amount of rest in. Nonetheless, regardless of what time I go to bed, I am always awake at dawn, and Zizi shows his support by waking up with me.

A month and a half or so passes us, and the shaman declares that spring is well underway. I'm not sure how the shaman decides what season it is, exactly, and come to think of it, I don't know why we don't use a calendar like I had seen the northern empire use.

Zizi follows me out of the tree at dawn the next morning as usual.

>"Ready for your big journey?"
"I've been waiting for this for several weeks. Of course I am."
>"That's my bro. Here, take this."
"A bag of... metal?"
>"That's silver. It's a decent amount."
"Oh, money? I don't know much about this."
>"Pretty simple, think of it like a universal good or service you can trade. Crap, I've got to explain the usual prices. The prices are pretty stable from what I heard so... well, we don't need you paying a full gold coin's worth for a meal. Food ain't that much, but people might try to convince you otherwise. I'm gonna share with you a bit of good info. When you get into marketplaces, people are gonna be friendly. I mean really friendly. But they don't have your intentions at heart! They're there to swindle all your money."
"Why?"
>"... yeah, I got a lot to teach you. Oh, to get to the capital, you just go northwest."
"That's it?"
>"Yeah. Just follow the roads. They all lead there in some sort of manner. And you can always ask for directions anyway. I used to have a map, but I traded it during the Great... well, Moderate Food Shortage of a few years ago. It's probably outta date anyway, with the rate northern kobolds rebel, villages and forts are quick to rise and fall. Oh, you gonna bring Lily's cloth she got you? If anyone can make something of it, that someone's out north. And like mom said, it's gonna be one stupid bandit to attack you when you wear it. Even if you're rough around the edges otherwise, you're gonna be too big a target for all but the biggest dumbasses. Yeah, you're probably safer with it on. Otherwise, you're gonna look like some no-name savage, and people'll give you a hard time for it. Oh, yeah, try to take baths regularly."
"I will. On both accounts." Lily made it sound like it might be dangerous to wear, but she probably meant out here with enemy tribes. It just seems right to bring the gift from the person who motivated me to go north in the first place.
>"Anything else you want to know before making your farewells here?"

>>596755
Yeah he didn't mention specific prices. That would help. Knowing how much is too much is important. Secondly, what items and materials are rare in the markets? Thirdly, does he know anyone out there we can contact for a friend in the field?

Well other than learning about money you should ask about where you should be sleeping during the trip. Once you get into civilization you might have to be careful where you settle down for the night.

Also ask about any factions up north you should be wary of. How to deal with nobles and other tribes and such.

Oh and ask about laws you should watch out for. Lily had that whole can't touch the ground thing so I bet there are other crazy things you might want to know about.

And the big question is how to present yourself to the army when you get there.

Oh! And food. What sort of city food is good?

Do you have any way of contacting the tribe while you're away Fen? Could you write a letter home?

Hmm ask for advice on how to act once you get into a town or city. How to avoid getting scammed by locals. Tricks on how to not look like a complete barbarian in social situations.

>"Why?"
Because money can be traded for goods and services. Food, water, tools, and little luxuries that make life easier. If a trader can can get you to hand more money over without thinking just by being nice or using tricky words, they've made their life easier or better with very little effort. (Also why theft is so popular. It's hard to steal work, but easy to steal the thing that gets you the same results).

Need a sense of scale? Ask Zizi what kind of wage someone would get for the amount of work you're used to doing to stay alive in this village. (If you know a coin is the equivalent of a full day's work, you'll respect that more).

Good general strategy, when you're not in a hurry, could be to hang back and watch how much other people are paying for something.

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"I'd like to know what I can actually get with this kind of money. How much do things cost?"
>"Uhhh... geez, it's been awhile. A few copper for a night's rest? Every town worth staying at's got at least one inn, cause most people don't have their own home. If there's no inn, it's probably remote enough you can sleep in the wilderness. Probably the same cost for a day's meal. Uh.. most places haggle though, so make sure you don't jostle your coin bag too much, otherwise you're gonna see prices triple just for you. And attract triple the bandits."
"I'll be careful."
>"Yeah, and you don't need to buy anything right away. You can just linger around markets and stuff and watch what other people do. Follow their lead and all."
"I was just thinking that. And what kind of factions should I watch out for?"
>"Besides the empire itself and the big 7 mithrils? I dunno. I was never into politics. The smaller factions get upturned all the time though, so I dunno anything up to date there."
"And any laws I should watch out for? Lily couldn't even step on the grass."
>"Oh, those are just hoity toity laws for the higher ups to look higher up. I mean there's gonna be laws for the peasantry, but it's just your basic stuff like no murder, no stealing, no looking at officials funny. When in doubt, eyes on your feet, body and mind to yourself."
"What city food is good?"
>"If the water's a weird orange or black, don't trust the merchants, you'd be better off dehydrated. Just use your head, you've got a better sense of good and bad food than any city 'bold."
"Do you know anyone out there that I can speak to? I'd like to be able to trust someone."
>"Careful who you trust! But yeah when you get up there to join the army, just tell 'em you're Zizi's brother. I may not've been in that army, but they'll know me decent enough to at least give you a shot at joining."
"Is there any way I should present myself?"
>"Nope. Just give them respect and your wish to join."

>Do you have any way of contacting the tribe while you're away Fen? Could you write a letter home?
Actually, there is. There's runners that Zizi sometimes sent home. It was only once every few months at least, though, and I'm pretty sure it's kind of expensive.

Zizi's answers are vague, but I try to get a scale of money.

"How much does an average peasant make in a day?"
>"Dunno, three or four copper I guess."
"... you said it was a few copper for a night's rest and a few for food, though."
>".... yeahhhhh. Watch your bag and your back out there, Fen."
"I don't like the sound of that... is there any way I can fit in and not act like I'm from out here?"
>"Don't open your mouth."
"I'm serious, Zizi."
>"Hey, so am I! Really. We have accents. We speak like barbarians. They'll know you're an outsider the moment you say a word."

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Zizi's answers to anything else get even more vague. If dad were around, I could have learned a lot of how things function, but as it is, I'm going to be about as prepared as I can get. Zizi starts giving me a few last pointers on my swordsmanship. It doesn't take long before Kiki and mom get up and give their farewells. Kiki doesn't look me in the eye, but she says she'll forgive me if I leave only if I make it back alive. I do promise that. Mom gives me some food, and some of her better bags to keep my stuff in while I make my last preparations.

Everyone else in the tribe comes one or two at a time throughout the morning to wish me farewell. It's somewhat awkward, as it's so rare for someone to leave the tribe like this on their own decision. Eventually, I have to go say farewell to the people who didn't find me, as I want to get a fast start this morning. I get a lot of mentions that no one will think worse of me if I stay.

Fen Quest - Thread 1 END Fen 2014/10/29(Wed)20:59 No. 599784 ID: 602cd8
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Which would almost be true, if not for myself.