"Maybe don't lead when you don't know where we're going," Joe chuckled.
"Ha. Ha," Kilniara mockingly said.
The other two only giggled in response and Joe smiled and shrugged his shoulders. No one said anything for a mont and Joe changed the topic.
"Zilnek, should we be going together like this?"
"They will likely wish to et you," Zilnek replied after a pause.
"True, but not your sister or Garnedell."
Zilnek stopped at that and looked between all of them before shrugging, obviously uncertain how to respond. Joe nodded at that and turned to the other two.
"Kilniara, Garnedell. I think it would be best to head back to the inn. We'll be back soon."
Garnedell looked about ready to object but Joe cut him off, "Garnedell. Please. Trust . I'll explain when we are back at the inn. It is not you or Kilniara. You will understand, OK?"
Garnedell frowned but nodded before turning away, Kilniara following after. Joe nodded, a bit disturbed that he couldn't explain, but speaking in the middle of the street about eting with the criminal elents of a city was the perfect way to get in trouble.
Zilnek led the way towards the walls of the city but away from the gates. As Joe expected, the further they went, the dirtier and poorer the area beca. But even Joe's expectations were greatly exceeded as they went ever further and the poverty declined to levels that Joe couldn't believe possible and refuse increased to insanity. Joe couldn't believe just how bad things could possibly be. He stared around and could only find discomfort in what he saw. He knew, intimately and deep in his soul, that nothing he did would make a difference. If he gave them wealth, they would be destroyed by the strong stealing it from them. If he tried to help by giving them better hos, then the stronger would steal their current hos, which might still actually help the poor. The initial violence might be bad, but the poor would then likely take over the hos of those who abandoned them to take theirs. But whether such things happen or not, the taxes of either ho would likely destroy the poor.
To make any aningful changes would require long term effort of a trustworthy person. Which ant he would likely have to do it alone and stay here for pretty much the rest of his life. Even then, his power was aningless since he would need to make the changes under the thumbs of the current political regi or kill everyone and take over the city. But given this city seed to be under the control of another, Joe would be in an ever upward fight spiraling up to an entire kingdom. Even if kingdoms don't exist here, the clan's still pretty much work as one.
Joe let out a deep sigh before letting his thoughts free, refusing to consider it anymore. He had wealth that would boggle the mind, but it was useless without aningful power. And now wasn't the ti to be thinking of it anyway. He still had too much to do in this remaining year, plans for a future would need to wait for the future.
They soon ca into the dirtiest part of the city. Nothing much stood here, with most of the buildings ramshackle lean-tos at best and at worst, more cloth tent than anything that could be aningfully called a building. In the midst of all this was a dilapidated old two story building that seed to be on its last legs, wooden slats barely covering the building adequately.
But when Joe stepped into the building, he imdiately realized the ruination was all a façade. The building had good bones, as the saying went, and much of its interior was actually in immaculate repair. In fact, the building was actually originally stone and the wooden exterior was erected to hide its rather excellent state. This seed to once have been a mansion once upon a ti and the entrance was a reception area.
Joe waited silently as he was uncertain what to do. The room was filled with lounging ruffians, all looking up when they entered with several standing to move forward, obviously guards for the entrance. Zilnek did not move, so Joe did not either, both standing and waiting although Joe was uncertain why. After so ti, one of the sitting n slicing so fruit with a long dagger like so two bit actor from a poorly written gangster film spoke up. Joe was able to hide his laughter, but still struggled to hide the mocking grin.
"So. What you be doing 'ere."
Heh... nice? Joe found his struggle to keep his humor contained much harder, and had to raise a hand to fake a scratch on the forehead so he could hide his face. He kept his silence and turned slightly to look Zilnek to see if he was saying anything but he remained silent. Joe wasn't sure what to do, so he looked up to the man and bowed his head.
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"Apologies, but I'm uncertain of the protocol here. Zilnek, do you want to lead or should I? I'm uncertain what to do."
Zilnek looked up at Joe, tension revealing panic and Joe realized that Zilnek had nothing to say and knew nothing. Joe smiled and turned back to the man who had spoken.
"It seems I am to speak. How am I to go about seeking information."
"And who be you?"
"An adventurer."
"And we would care?"
"Because of money?"
"And what stops and mates from takin' it all!"
Joe said nothing, only smiling but Zilnek interjected with a quiet, "Seven digits."
"What you say, boy?"
Zilnek was quiet for a few monts before replying again and Joe waved him off.
"He didn't say anything of importance. But you would not like to make this an issue. I will pay you and you give information. A simple business transaction."
Despite how quiet Zilnek's statent was, the whole room still froze and didn't say anything. The smarmy thug had retreated slightly and stared at Joe with so consternation but kept up his bravado.
"And what says you be worthy of such things."
"Who is worthy of anything. I bring money to pay for what I desire. Do we have to keep going through this?"
"You says you are strong, but you…" the gangster cut off when Joe pulled out a sword. The whole room tensed but Joe simply swung the sword in a simple form before then taking out his shield and continuing the form with a shield variation. He then pulled out his spear after sheathing his sword, then put up his shield to show a two handed spear movent. After the spear, he showed his staff movents, daggers, hand to hand, and fired a bow and arrow expertly before sheathing his final weapon and walking over to pull the arrow out of the target he'd used. He then walked back to stand by Zilnek, who was now grinning in pride. Slamming his spear down in the ground, he leaned on it and looked over the group.
"How many weapons did I use?"
The whole room remained silent at that, and when the young man spoke up, another voice resounded throughout the room.
"Don't antagonize the very powerful and well trained adventurer, Holniak."
The young… Holniak quickly turned and bobbed his head, "Aye mister Boss."
A rather sophisticated looking woman of common birth and dress stepped into the room. She wasn't exactly obvious in who she was or what her origins were. Her clothing pointed to life on the streets fighting, and winning, for the scraps needed for survival. Her speech and movents, however, spoke to a well-trained and educated background; one that trained her in speech, movent, and how to hold the attention of the room.
Her appearance was plain and did not attract attention of any kind, but as she ca nearer, Joe quickly recognized the artifice that hid her beauty as clothing and makeup draped across her fra to hide shape and identity. She had arranged her clothing, hair, and makeup, if Joe's eyes were working correctly, to just slightly hide her appearance, reducing her to rather plain both in beauty and in recognition, the cowl of her cloak pulled far from her head and shaped, sohow, to not drape, pointed upwards to each side up above her head. It left her face in deep shadow and difficult to see, especially at a distance. He couldn't know if she was actually beautiful, but if he had to guess, the hints that he noticed seed to indicate above average at least. The most eye catching thing he noticed was the rather obvious bushy tail swishing lazily back and forth. Joe noticed the way she carried herself and smiled before bowing a bit more formally. Huh... tail... wolf? Not... concerned to see us... but... still wary... wait... Did I make assumptions as if she's a canine? Should I?
"My lady. Who do I have the honor of eting?" Joe asked with a slight smile.
The woman froze for the slightest mont, a hiccup that nobody noticed, but interrupted her calm veneer and froze her smile for a second before she continued, "You give too much honor."
"Do I?" Joe asked honestly, but said nothing else.
This seed to put the young woman on the spot and she had nothing to respond with, finally opting to simply pass on the conversation, "You seek information."
"Yes."
"What information."
"I wish to know about the job change skill and how to acquire it, amongst other things."
The woman laughed, shaking her head, "You beco a follower of a god. All know this."
"Hmm. Yes, they do. But I seek more significant knowledge."
"And what paynt would you offer."
Joe smiled as he pulled out a core and held it up but said nothing. The punks in the room grew a bit agitated at that, but the young woman didn't even move, simply staring at it before looking back at Joe.
"You do have useful paynt. What information do you seek and we will negotiate the price."
He nodded his head at that and then spit out his questions, "What job opens the job change skill and at what level, if possible? Tell anything and everything you know about the job change skill. Also, how do the temples keep track of their mbers joining? How high can a mber rise in the hierarchy before attracting unwanted attention? How much control do the gods and temples have over their mbers? How do they control, if they do? What is the easiest way to get the job change skill? Tell about criminals and criminal jobs. How do you change a criminal's job? What happens when you change a criminal's job? What happens to the priest if you change a criminal's job? What happens to the criminal? What about Loki? What's the deal with that god? What happened to his or her temple and priests? Why are they taboo? What is their history? Tell everything you know about jobs, secret or otherwise. And, finally, may I know your na."
The woman stared at Joe, smile growing as she heard the questions before laughing and shaking her head. "You are quite the curious one, are you not? Many of these questions are not difficult to know, but the information about the temples and gods will cost significantly. While the story of Loki and his temple is well known, I assu you wish to know the truth and not the lies given to the populace, as well for the criminal information. You would not be asking for simple common knowledge, so this… subject will raise many eyebrows. And to ask of nobility? You reach… high. This information is not impossible, but I do not know you have the wealth to pay for it."
"I've shown you mine. Now, what is the price."
The woman seem to mull over the price a bit, thoughtful before cocking her head to the side arrogantly, "Thirty cores."
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