A dwarf, in sellin' town

[Gorath the Strong]

You notice a dwarf, stocky and the color of pale cream, entering calmly into your shop marked out front as one that sells arms, armor and other assorted wears. You notice behind him, entering just as quickly, if not a little too quickly, as though he were afraid to be left alone, is a massive man standing at a towering seven feet eight inches, a stolid three hundred pounds in pure muscle weight and who looks like he's seen better days. It isn't his face that makes you wonder this, but the fact that he has two extra arms, folded calmly across his chest while the two connected at his shoulder dangle at his sides. The big man stops, his eyes twitching excitedly across all you have on display, a large smile creeping onto his face. You see in his eyes the glee and wonder usually associated with a young child, eager and very exploratory in their ways. The dwarf pays the big man only enough attention to see that he is alright, perhaps like an uncle checking on a nephew while the dad goes to check the food on the grill. Not overly caring, but not caring at all either. Just checking to see if he's alright and if he might, perhaps in the fullness of time, come to his sense's and leave well enough alone, you've seen it a dozen times before.

He shifts his gaze from the man to you, smiles brightly and begins to speak with a voice heavily laden with accents from Kachuck.

"Ya mind telling me good sir, what kind of prices you be running here on various small daggers of all metal types, as well as long spears, preferably of at least eight feet in length with a good foot of pointy metal on the end. I do be asking you in further by wondering, is there by any chance I could be getting a discount? Seems to me I recall entering this establishment some weeks earlier, carrying some dwarven craft for you to sell."

His smile broadens and you quickly try to recall, whether or not you really had seen this dwarven man before. Behind him the massive man moves with a surprising lightness and quickness to a near by rack of swords, maces and short spears, peering at them in wonder and occasionally reaching out to brush one of his hands against the gleaming metal.

[Artifex Felicis]

The merchant smilied at the smaller dwarf, though even a casual observer would have noticed his eyes shifting every once in a while towards the other person who entered his shop. The massive four armed man was diffrent, and in all respects scary. He seemed the type that could destroy nearly everything in his shop while simply trying on two pairs of gauntlets. Still, the very soft sound of an arrow being notched came to his ears, as the merchants guard remained vigilent and ready. He looked strong, but an arrow through anyone's head would stop them easily enough.

"Daggers it all depends my friend," the merchant began to explain. He licked his lips, then gestured towards the small set he had. "Though anwhere from 20 for a steel one of reasonible quality and upward. The cheapest spear I own is 75 gold however. But I'm assuming this is for your friend over there. For 100 gold I'll give two iron daggers and a single spear for him."

[Gorath the Strong]

Almost immediately you notice a frown develop on the dwarf face, and his fingers begin to drum a rhythmic rattle on the counter top. You notice his eyes, shifting back and forth, up and down, study the surroundings for a moment before resting finally on the merchants guard who is staring hard at his four armed friend.

"Gorath," the dwarf calls calmly without taking his eyes from the guard. "I think it best you wait outside, lest you break something you don't want to be breaking."

You watch as the massive man, Gorath the dwarf called him, nods his head slowly and turns toward the door. In less than a few seconds the big man has ducked from you store and is standing some three feet from your establishment, already focusing on something distant.

"Right," the dwarf says, in a suddenly cheerful tone. "I think your guard friend there should be able to put that thing away now, he'll no be needing it now." The dwarf then squares himself to the counter and leans his elbows on it, casually looking from you, to your wears, to your guard, and then back to you again in no particular order. After a few moments he speaks again.

"Now, the daggers I agree to being iron, and the spear head too, but iron rusts to fast and is a might to heavy for what I had in mind. Have you ever thought of fixing them with bronze blades instead of iron? Bronze be a soft metal sure, but it stays sharp and works wonders against lightly armor foes, and it's cheap to come by. At least, it was last I checked. You have any of that kind of stock laying around some place?"

The dwarf abruptly takes on a serious posture and looks you straight in the eye, waiting patiently for an answer, but demanding he get one all the same.

[Artifex Felicis]

The guard visibly relaxed, letting the tight drawstring of his bow lose tension until it was bent no more than normal, and it's ammo would fly no further than the ground. The merchant was relieved as well. Giant four armed men with muscles the size of his chest were often not the most delicate of creatures. Not that themerchant had ever seen another like him before. It was just a guess.

"Thank you sire," the merchant said aloud to the smaller dwarf. "As for bronze. We don't get much demand here, and I had a slip of the tongue when talking about the daggers. I meant two steel ones with the spear. Though, I could give two bronze ones and a spear with a steel head if you prefer. It's all your choice my friend. The bronze daggers cost around 6 gold apiece, and the steel ones cost 20. The spear I'll let go for 60 with iron, but only if you buy a pair or two of daggers as well."

[Gorath the Strong]

It seems to you that this dwarf is in a constant state of distress, because for nearly the whole time you've conversed with him, he's worn a small frown. Now that frown deepens and he stares blankly at the wall behind you, his eyes glazed slightly. After a few moments he blinks and seems to come too; inhaling with a sigh and shaking his head slowly, while speaking softly to himself.

"Right right, bronze looks like the best way to go for us, we be a little short on cash. Iron'll work, so long as we take care of it. That'll give me something else to teach the lad. Steel on the other hand, if it's been stain proofed, is rather easy to take care of and doesn't chip quite as much. A delema we seem to face. Buy the spear, and two steel daggers. Or the spear and two, possibly four bronze daggers but -"

He stops suddenly, as though aware that he has an audience and gives himself a shake. He looks at you in the eye, squinting slightly, his eyes accusing you of eavesdropping. Finally, after what seems minutes of him staring at you, he nods and leans on the counter-top, his face suddenly split by a smile.

"How long be these daggers you be selling to me lad?"

[Artifex Felicis]

The merchant smilied, going around his counter and drawing three diffrent weapons from the larger stand. There were more, almost like they were candy. Daggers sold well, as they were often cheaper then buying a whetstone and lasted longer than most blades anyway.

"Three diffrent styles you can get, you can take your pick," the merchant explained. He laid all three onto the table, the shortest one from the base of his palm to his elbow, and the longest where his fingers began to his elbow. Large daggers to say the least, but the merchant always made it a point to sell anything smaller as a knife. "For a little extra I could get a custom blade for you as well. Also, something tells you you only have 100 gold, right? Also, I'm willing to bet that these are for the big one who left. I would suggest keeping only a single side sharp on these. I could have my assisstant use a fiel to take the edge off of one side if you wish."

[Gorath the Strong]

"Three styles aye," the dwarf muses to himself, slowly running his fingers down one of the three blades. You notice his eyes keep drifting toward the guard, as though he doesn't quite trust the fellow. You can't really blame him; having the business end of an arrow pointed at your face can have that effect on a man. The dwarf hefts the largest of the blades and studies it intently.

"I think you be right about only having one edge sharp, leaves the other side to be a bludgeon weapon and cuts back on sharpening time. You'll see to it that it's done, if I understand correctly? Good, good. Now, you be right about the fact that I've only got myself one hundred gold to flit away on weapons and me thinks that you'd might and gone and gotten yourself a sale here." He points the largest of the blades hilt toward you. "How much for this one with only one side sharpened? Depending on the price, I might go and buy myself more."

His smile shows teeth, a bright white for a change, and he watches you with a familiar gleem in his eye. You've always noticed that gleam when a man buys himself, or one of his friends a weapon. Must be a warrior thing.

[Artifex Felicis]

"Well, then, it'll only be 15 for the two smaller daggers to only have a single edge, I carry them in both versions anyway, but the large ones will be twenty with one side or two able to cut," the merchant replied. He hefted the largest dagger, showing it to him. "But since I carry these in only double edged, getting one side dulled will cost the same, and that is set at 20 gold pieces a pop. "

"You wanted a spear right," the man said, not really taking it as a question but merely as an explanation of what he was doing. "Well, I think I showed you it before, but an iron head spear with a oak staff will be 60 gold. Howzabout I let 3 of the smaller daggers go unsharpened and a spear for 100 gold. Seems fair, no?"

[Gorath the Strong]

"Fair," the dwarf mutters. "Hmmm, I guess."

Suddenly the dwarf barks a laugh and slaps the counter-top, a large smile on his face.

"Dammit, it's a deal. I'll take the spear and however many more daggers you can give me with the remaining forty gold. Preferably the larger ones, but four of the medium sized ones with a single sharpened edge will do just fine as well."

He then extended his hand.

"Before we're finished I must say, it was a pleasure doing business with you."

[Artifex Felicis]

The merchant took a moment, shaking the smaller man's hand carefully with a smile to match his own. He pushed across four of the medium daggers, each with a single edge ready to slice and the other side dull. He took the dwarf's gold, counting it up carefully and handing over the spear as well. anything metal gleamed, and the wood was shiny an free from any blemish.

"It was a pleasure sir," he replied.

((right-o, Transcation Complete. 100 gold taken, 0 remains at time of thread completion. I'll close this tomarrow or so, so if you wish to get a final post in be my guest.))

[Gorath the Strong]

The dwarf takes the four daggers and the spear, balancing them all carefully in his criss-crossed arms. He gives you one last well to do smile, then turns and heads for the door. Half way there you notice the massive head of the four armed brute duck away from your display window, two of his four arms falling to his sides from where he had had them propped up against the glass.

The man had been watching.

The front door of your establishment opens as if by some unnatural will of its own and the dwarf exits. The door begins to swing shut and before it closes completely, you see the four armed brute grab a hold on all the weapons, carrying them easily in his four massive hands. The dwarf begins explaining something but it is cut short by the latching shut of your door.

You slowly shake your head in disbelief and go back to working the inventory papers that should have been finished hours ago.

[Artifex Felicis]

((doubly finished transaction woo.))