[D7-EM] Lion has wares, if you have coin [open]

Kanade · **Joined:** Tue Mar 31, 2020 10:32 pm **Posts:** 129

Kanade worked her way through the crazed hustle and bustle, being no stranger to busy markets. Jiro stayed tight to her side, carefully dodging being stepped on. She needed a few things this morning. First, and perhaps easiest was to find a dog vendor. She wanted to ascertain if any for sale in nikesake had the traits she was looking for. Then, would be a crafter who was open to unusual tasks.

Lucidicide · **Posted:** Wed Apr 15, 2020 7:02 am

It doesn't take Kanade long before she can hear the sounds of animals and makes her way there.

Sprawled out in a dead-end alleyway between a few buildings and behind a serious of makeshift stalls selling food you find a collection of animals in cages. All of the animals look pretty haggard and underfed, but basically healthy (not certified free range, though).

There's a female lion, a smattering of dogs, two goats, five chickens, two cats, a peacock that is clearly out of place and offended by the fellow company, and a smattering of sparrows.

An unshaven fellow missing a few teeth sees Kanade and shambles over. "Ey, yew lookin' fer some aneemals?" It seems possible that this man never learned how to properly pronounce words.

Kanade · **Joined:** Tue Mar 31, 2020 10:32 pm **Posts:** 129

Having seen worse merchants in her day, Kanade hides any disgust. "Your dogs, sir. I would like to see them."

She hesitated, "also may I ask the prices on your other animals." Kanade wasn't terribly known for being soft hearted, but.... the sorry state of affairs here compelled her to do something. Besides she had an idea, albeit potentially crazy.

Matsu Erina · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 5:52 pm **Posts:** 368

Ore and Kamu have seemed agitated since they came into the city. Usually, guessing what they might be after was fairly simple, but this time, it's elusive.

"Hey! Heeeeeeey hey hey!" The pair of warcats are straying, and Erina is forced to huff and puff to keep up with them, seeming almost as a blur to the people in the side streets.

"Chickens? You smelled chickens? No! We have to buy them first, or get them at the castle." Erina blinks, realizing that the cats were following a wide smattering of animal scents. Along with them is the Mantis girl from before, her dogs in toe.

"Oh, hello there. Are you increasing your pack size?"

Kanade · **Joined:** Tue Mar 31, 2020 10:32 pm **Posts:** 129

"Hai! I am hoping to, if I decide any are a good fit." She got close to Erina, and lowered her voice to the softest whisper, "I feel a bit bad for these creatures. I may see what I can do." Kanade was starting to become quiet fond of this beastmaster and felt it was safe to admit a weakness such as this.

She spoke louder to Erina, so as not to offend the merchant too much. "That lioness there, what do you think Erina-san?" She cocked her head slightly and narrowed her eyes hoping Erina would catch on. If not by her expression, the Carp mon over her heart.

Matsu Erina · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 5:52 pm **Posts:** 368

"Oh. Oooooh." Erina looks over the animals. It didn't take a trained eye to see that they had been maltreated, and the sight of the lioness fills her with scorn.

So that's what had Ore and Kamu all bothered.

Part of her wanted to loose the warcats on this man, but the more she thought about the problem, the more shortsighted that idea became. The Mantis, Kanade was it, was trying to show off something...was that a carp?

Things began to click into place. A way to help these animals, help Erina's overall cause, pick up another ally for Lion and to give this man his due.

"Well...they obviously haven't been taken care of. that well, that much is clear. I suppose that you can just stew the chickens, but the others...well, they are going to take quite a bit of training to be of any use...but I suppose that for an animal merchant it will do, considering the circumstances...it will be a a bit of a slog to find a different one if his prices are too unreasonable."

The words are, strictly speaking, true and without a bit of deception. Erina offers Kanade a bit of a smile though when she suspects that the merchant isn't looking.

Kanade · **Joined:** Tue Mar 31, 2020 10:32 pm **Posts:** 129

Kanade walked from one cage to another, surprisingly confident, as though she did such a thing on an every day basis. Different business, same old job.

"This peacock here, I once trained a peacock in court. Most foul things peacocks, but I suppose some courtier, perhaps a crane may like it for the plumage. However,... look there, how his breast is no longer proud, his quills look a bit ragged..." She guessed the might have simply snagged the bars of the cage but that wasn't the point of this game. She stroked a finger near the bars to get a reaction out of him. "See, ill trained. It will take considerable feed and time investment."

"Here, this cat... look how her ribs show." She stroked it through the cage and it let out a plaintive mew. The tabby was quite cute and really just needed a good bit of love. If it weren't for the dogs, Kanade would take it home for Rei. The other cat in the cage, stayed back shyly but Kanade suspected the scent of dog on her had a part of that.

"Tell you what, maybe we can make a deal you and I.... or maybe I will take my business elsewhere. I am sure you can't stand to lose such an offer as I will make you though.... especially considering my ties among the Mantis and the Yasuki." There was a harsh edge to her voice, a tone she rarely invoked. She was going to save as many lives as possible. Except for perhaps the chickens, it didn't look like there was much meat on them.

Matsu Erina · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 5:52 pm **Posts:** 368

"The training certainly will take some effort...speaking from experience, I assure you." Erina says out loud, petting the two warcats. "Possibly salvageable, but there's always a chance. "As you said, it will certainly take time and investment."

Erina does her best to play it cool, fiddling with her nails. "I trust you to handle the commerce end of things...the only way I see the Lion getting involved is if he somehow committed a crime to get that Lioness. But that is a matter for the magistrates."

Lucidicide · **Posted:** Wed Apr 15, 2020 5:26 pm

The merchant stands idly by, content to let the samurai look through his property.

"Yew look an' tell mah, then yew git a price." He rubs his fingers together in the universal sign of money (one assumes). "Happy ta tell yew 'bout de aneemals, tho some er freshla captured."

With two samurai eyes all of the animals he gets a bit of a grin.

"Dooin a closin' dun sale. Gud price. All gotta gew."

Kanade · **Joined:** Tue Mar 31, 2020 10:32 pm **Posts:** 129

Kanade narrowed her eyes, walked past each cage again and carefully sized up each prospective purchase. There were a lot of animals to transport, trade off, or sell. She didn't want to offend the heimin by offering low. "As some are still wild, and you plan to close your shop. I can make you an offer I think is fair. We will take care of transporting, feed arrangements, training and so on."

Her brain rapidly began calculations. Typically, she was able to mark down goods 20%. A trained pet sold for 1 koku to the general population. These are untrained, plus he is closing. The figures were tallied carefully and efficiently.

Daikoku save me from Arashi's wrath. Kanade inhaled sharply, "Will nine koku be a fair price for you to close out? I'll take 'em and you can do as you need?" That should be a lot of money in a heimin's eyes.

Commerce= 37

Lucidicide · **Posted:** Wed Apr 15, 2020 6:39 pm

Either or both of you roll Animal Handling, TN 20.

Matsu Erina · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 5:52 pm **Posts:** 368

Animal Handling/Awareness-TN 20: 8d10o10k3 31

"Nine?" Erina's eyes widen. "Oh?" But then she remains deliberately tightlipped.

I honestly don't know if that's good or bad!

Kanade · **Joined:** Tue Mar 31, 2020 10:32 pm **Posts:** 129

35, spent a void

Kanade looked at the merchant with a level glare, not backing down. This was her forte, she was in her element.

Lucidicide · **Posted:** Wed Apr 15, 2020 6:55 pm

From the roll: As you observe longer, you're pretty sure the lioness is ill by the way she's acting. A few of the other animals' temperaments show that they've been mistreated, and that's pretty hard to train out of them.

"Neen koku's a lot o' money, but wit the way o' tings, I might be needin' a sight more in the times aheed."

Matsu Erina · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 5:52 pm **Posts:** 368

Erina shakes her head. "That lion is in need of medical attention. You are doing to need medicine to help treat it going forward. You've done harm to your stock, and it's going to take more time than I initially thought to train them."

Erina shrugs at Kanade. "I think your starting offer was too generous"

Lucidicide · **Posted:** Wed Apr 15, 2020 7:02 pm

"Eey now! I ain't dun no 'arm to no aneemals. Got 'um like dese are. Dey ain't been eetin' much 'cause money's been tied. Dese aneemals are fine 'nuf. Yer price seems fair."

Kanade · **Joined:** Tue Mar 31, 2020 10:32 pm **Posts:** 129

Kanade worried a little over 'the way of things.' She took a deep breath and considered changing tact, "I can tell your lioness there is sick. Not to mention a few others. You're on lion lands and are mistreating a cat? Do you know how big an offense that would be to the Matsu? Especially depending on how you acquired her... Maybe we should get an Ikoma down here to do some investigating. Nine koku and you make yourself scarce in these parts, or you may find yourself with no business and nothing to your name. Perhaps not your life!"

28 intimidation

Lucidicide · **Posted:** Wed Apr 15, 2020 7:13 pm

He holds out his hand for the money.

"Dint n'er miztree nuthin'." He probably believes what he's saying, but you doubt that's true.

Kanade · **Joined:** Tue Mar 31, 2020 10:32 pm **Posts:** 129

Kanade half wishes she were outside to call down the fury of osano-wo. Biting her tongue she handed over the coin to the merchant. Never in her life had she felt so personally invested in what she normally would consider goods. She made a stiff not at the merchant. "Stay here, Erina-san. Keep our merchant friend company a bit while I go find some aid in carrying these cages." She hoped the unspoken thought carried through.

She headed off to get a few servants to begin the process of moving the animals to safety.

Matsu Erina · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 5:52 pm **Posts:** 368

"If your servants need to make arrangements Mantis, I would speak to Matsu Kōgyoku. She is quite capable."

Likewise, Erina hopes that Kanade is picking up what she intends. In the meanwhile, she turns to the merchant.

"You cut a stiff bargain sir. But I admit that you have quite a varied selection of goods. If I were to be interested in future acquisitions of my own, how could I catch your ear?"

[D7-EM] Lion has wares, if you have coin [open]

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