The next day, Orlon heals Kairos and Nason, so everyone is ready to go.
Kairos stares slowly at the group.
"You are fools. There were many signs indicating that we were taking on too much at that tower of unspeakable evil. I said we should try one of the lesser towers, but you were blinded by your arrogance. I cannot succeed in my mission to destroy evil when I am surrounded by such foolishness."
Drandar shakes his head slowly, and speaks another cliche that he learned at the whore house. "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread."
Kairos looks sadly at Badd. "Goodbye, Uncle. Now that I know you are back where it is safe, I must make my way alone from here on."
Drandar stands up, then sits down and laughs.
"Whatever," he says to Kairos, "Good luck on your quest. You'll need it."
"Good luck, Kairos. We never did learn your measure, but I wish you success in finding your own way."
Badd runs over and hugs Kairos.
"I think I should stay with these people," he says. "I have nothing else, and I don't think I can manage on my own, so soon after losing the rest of my family."
He wipes a tear from his eye. "Good luck, lad."
With that, Kairos turns around and departs.
You also note that Emm is not present.
"Things have been eating at him," says Robert, "He was still upset over Ray Jay turning his sword into a celery stick...even if he did turn it back eventually. He was also wanting to get back to Sincity to take his revenge on those people who threw him into the bay. Yesterday when we were drunk he said he was going to go back to Earth and look for Al. He'd promised to help him."
Over dinner again, the discussion continues regarding the elves, the dwarves, and their tithes.
Tragon asks politely, "Would you be willing to pay the tax on our behalf, sir?"
"What? You are complaining about the tax on principle alone...but you would be happy if someone else were to pay it on your behalf?" Akitrom asks, growing incredulous. "What kind of paladins is St Cuthbert turning out these days?"
"I didn't say I'd be happy, but I did want to gauge your reaction. You believe they're okay for us to pay the taxes, so that you can get paid."
"Look at it this way," replies Akitrom, with a glance at Badd, "The dwarves are paying for your meals."
Tragon laughs. "Then we'd better bring out quite the haul or they'll go broke!"
Tragon turns to Malbar.
"That is quite true, sir, but if you were truly interested in just getting the sword and getting back out, you'd do it without our involvement. And as every beginning adventurer knows, you never get enough gold to pay for your training and other expenses. So, we're very eager to hold on to the gold for that reason. And magical items are even more valuable in the long run than the gold."
"Good point," says Malbar. He looks at Badd, Gonzo, Drandar, Lo, Zanax, Occa, Orlon, Darian, Robert and Gilstrock. "Perhaps we should send these mercenary fellows on their way, if they are so concerned with their money, perhaps justifiably so. Regardless, they are achieving nothing but talk. We have a higher goal than loot alone. Why don't we go in and deal with these ogres ourselves, and then take it from there?"
Tragon says, "Well, based on Darian's advice, I think we should try downstairs. Unless Sir Malbar thinks we should go after the sword right away?"
"I have already voiced my opinion," says the lord of Furyondy.
Zanax sighs. "Do we have any idea where the sword is? The gold and magic are trivial compared to completing our quest. The party has a multitude of gold and magic items...although, at Occa's mansion."
"Somewhere in the ruins," replies Malbar, "That is all we know."
Lornard raises his eyebrows. "Although I hesitate to sound overly interested in the excessive accumulation of wealth, as Tragon noted those who would improve themselves have substantial expenses. Still, our party - that party of which I am a member - does not have this great wealth of which you speak. It does not surprise me that you, our employers, would be wealthy, but that does not benefit us greatly when it comes to meeting our expenses. Or does it?"
"Well, the loudest complainer about the tithe is Tragon," answers Robert. He looks at Badd, Drandar, Lo, Zanax, Stump, Kelene, Nason and Lornard. "What are your thoughts? I might add," he adds, "If the money for training and expenses is your main concern, that as members of this party most of your expenses are covered by the community pot. There are people in this group who will usually train you for little or no cost. If for whatever reason you cannot be trained within the party then funds are usually to be had to lend to you or to pay for your training outright."
"Ah," Lornard says. "If that is the case, then the situation is very different from what I had been assuming."
Gilstrock listens to Lornard go on. The blond warrior mutters out of the side of his mouth to Darian, "Damn, he does like to hear himself talk."
Lornard turns to Tragon. "Given that the Lord of this land seems to think that the elves and the dwarves guarding the are there... well, if not fully legitimately, at least with his tacit leave, and given that he does not consider their 'tax' outrageous, and finally given that it seems that our most important needs will be met so long as we are useful, I would say that the tax is not so onerous as we had at first thought."
"I would propose," Lornard continues, turning to the rest of his party, "that in light of this new revelation we venture down into the tower underneath the dwarves. Because, as you note, they are asking a less dear price than the elves, that may-- hopefully-- signify that the challenges underneath that tower are the lesser ones, and thus the ones we should tackle first."
"That is awfully generous, Robert. I had no idea that you folks would be willing to train us or even cover our expenses if we had to go elsewhere to get trained."
Tragon sits back in his chair trying to grasp that idea. "Well, then. While I still think the dwarves and elves are in the wrong, if you're going to cover our training expenses, then I think we should go back to the towers and hold our tongues when it comes time to pay their extortion. Someday, St. Cuthbert willing, we'll be able to say no to them and be strong enough to deal with the consequences."
"Besides," the warrior lord concludes, "If they can clear out the easy areas all the better for me. I'd like a vacation. I've been going non-stop for over two years."
Badd shrugs. "I've got no principled objection" he says, grabbing a couple of apples from the table and stuffing both at once into opposite cheeks. "I just don't like to be screwed. If they're a necessary part of the whole business..."
He shrugs.
"I'd love to get screwed," murmurs Robert, casting a longing glance at Risotta.
"Let's do it. I could be more effective if I could get some more training right now, but I suppose everyone's eager to get going."
"Yeah, me too!" Gilstrock says to Robert. "It's time for you'n me to go out and do some hunting and running and wenching, eh?"
Gilstrock claps Darian on the back and says, "And you can come too for the first two, but the last one, we'll, I don't think Jessee would approve."
"Works for me," the dwarf says. "Let's go."
"Who knows what condition we will be in when we return from below," Lo muses. "Let us go and then we can re-negotiate when we come back up!" he says with a smile.
Arching one eyebrow, Lornard says, "I doubt Tragon would agree to that. No, we must deal straight with these dwarves, however we feel about them. And, indeed, given the condition we were in as we fled the ogres, I would only suspect that our condition coming back up would be less advantageous for any renegotiation. We will have to hope that at least the dwarves will stick to their word."
"That is quite true, Lornard, I wouldn't agree to that. But, if the dwarves don't keep their word, we've got friends here, like Gilstrock, who will fix that behavior."
"Enough talk, all your philosophizing is giving me a fragging headache," Lo sighs. "Let's go and get into the dungeon already."