Chapter 4: Riverbend Outpost

The outpost is a thriving and busy place. There is a market, multiple inns and pubs, at least one blacksmithy, and other businesses with actual storefronts. The first order of business, the two agree on is finding food. They’re not starving, but it sure feels like it to them. Neither of them has ever had to go any significant length of time without a meal.

Following the delicious aromas, they purchase some cooked fowl that tastes nothing like chicken. The flavor is out of this world is the first thought that comes to their minds as they take their first bites. This purchase cost them one bronze for the 1000 grams of meat they purchased. Not far off, as they are enjoying the tasty flesh on a skewer, they discover a woman selling something that has an appearance similar to corn on the cob, but smells more like a baked potato with herbs and spices. They split one to try it and immediately purchase a second one. This sets them back four coppers, but they feel it is worth it.

Hunger sated, they start looking for somewhere to sell the rest of their items. All the while, Brandon is listening to the way people are haggling over prices. He’s seen this on TV and at the movies, but never in person. It’s a new experience for him. Tracy notices it as well, but her focus is more on possible merchants who might buy their goods.

The biggest impediment to selling the items they gained from the two beasts they killed is that they are clearly rubes. The various merchants know that they can take advantage of the young and out of place couple.

Realizing this, Brandon makes use of the drama lessons he has taken as an elective for two years running. He starts by approaching a meat vendor and starts asking how much it would cost for a measure of pork. When he gets the answer, he follows the examples he’s been observing and starts haggling with the man. When he gets the man down to the lowest he will offer for a measure of pork, Brandon turns the tables on his and exclaims, “Wonderful. I’ve got 20 kilograms of pork to sell you!”

The merchant blanches and says, “I was offering to sell at that price, not buy. Are you trying to rob me, boy?”

“No more than you are trying to rob me, Sir. Make me a reasonable offer based on the price you are willing to sell at, and I won’t go calling the guard on you for being a thief,” Brandon tells him.

While Brandon is bluffing, the merchant cannot take a chance on such a claim being made against him. So, he offers to buy the boar meat 20% lower than the selling price. This is reasonable in Brandon’s view, and he accepts it. For the 20 kilos of boar-meat, Brandon receives ten gold. The margin of profit is still significant for the merchant, so he is not too put off.

The merchant, to his dismay, discovers Brandon is not done with him when Brandon asks, “How much for ten kilograms of juvenile primate meat?”

The old man looks at Brandon with a gleam in his eyes, “Did you say you have ten kilograms of ‘juvenile’ primate flesh to sell?”

“No, I asked how much it would be worth.”

“Which I take to mean you have it. May I see it?”

Brandon looks to Tracy, who pulls out the meat, still wrapped in the beast’s hide, and allows the merchant to inspect it.

“For the meat and the hide, I’ll pay you 30 gold,” he tells them.

“Something tells me that this is worth a bit more,” says Brandon.

“Oh, it is, boy. But you won’t get more for it. The hide must be properly cured, and I’m quite sure you don’t have the necessary skills. The meat, when properly prepared, is highly sought after by body cultivators,” the merchant tells him.

“How much for the pelt, and we get two kilos of the meat prepared for a body cultivator?”

“Twelve gold. That’s ten for the pelt and two for the eight kilos of meat. I’ve deducted the cost for the two kilos of the prepared meat based on the preparation cost,” the old man says.

“I accept. When can we pick up the two kilos of prepared juvenile primate meat?”

“Come back tomorrow morning, and I’ll have it ready for you.”

“One last thing, would you have a use for, or know who would buy, the pelt of a boar and its tusks? Oh, and I forgot, we also have the penis of the primate.”

The old man nearly faints hearing the last and tells them, “I’ll buy the hide and the tusks for two gold. I cannot afford the primate penis, but you can go to that shop over there, and they will purchase it for a healthy sum. Just tell them old Hei sent you.”

With that, the deal is finalized. They pass over the pelts, tusks, and meat. In return, he gives them a receipt for the two kilos of prepared juvenile primate meat along with the 14 gold. Brandon offers the man a cupped fist salute, as he as observed others doing, which the man returns with a smile.

In the end, they get a decent deal. The prepared meat will sell for 50 silver per centigram or six gold per kilogram. The primate pelt is worth 20 gold correctly prepared.

Heading directly to the shop, old Hei told them to visit, Brandon opens the door for Tracy and follows her in. Inside, they approach the counter, and Tracy pulls out the primate penis and places it on the counter top.

Tracy then says, “Old man Hei sends his regards and told us to see you about selling this juvenile primate penis. How much will you offer for it?”

The man behind the counter is at first put off by the young woman when she plops a piece of meat on the counter. Upon hearing what it is, he picks it up and inspects it to see if she is telling the truth.

“Hmm. This is an excellent specimen. Let me weigh it, and then we can discuss payment,” the merchant tells her. With that, he turns around and places the item on a balance type scale to determine its weight. A moment later, he turns around with a chart in hand and states, “At ten gold a kilogram for such a specimen, I can offer you three gold.”

Tracy looks at him like the man shot her pet dog and says, “But, you just said per kilogram.”

“Indeed, I did. This specimen is 300 grams, thus three gold. Take it or leave it,” the merchant says nonchalantly.

“We’ll take it,” says Brandon as he puts a calming arm around Tracy’s waist. While she’s been working the deal, he has been looking around to see what the store has to offer.

“Sir, do you have any books, scrolls, or such on the cultivation of body or Qi or even books on spells,” he asks.

“We do. What exactly are you looking for,” the merchant asks.

We need to gain a better understanding of cultivation of the body, Qi, and Mana. I need information on spells, or if that’s too general, a few simple spells I can use to learn with,” Brandon tells him.

“I am going to guess that you’re new to all forms of cultivation. Give me a moment,” he tells them and hurries off. A few minutes later, he returns with several scrolls. “Here we are. Let’s see,” he begins as he lays the scrolls on the top of the counter.

“Here’s a scroll on beginning body cultivation,” he says.

Hearing this, Tracy picks it up to look it over. She gets a general idea of what is in the scroll but nothing more than a synopsis as it is protected by a formation to prevent visual memorization within the building. This is true of all the scrolls, manuscripts, and books.

“I think I know most of this, but I think it may contain some information I may need. How much is this one,” she asks.

“That one is one gold, but let’s wait to see what all you buy. I may be able to give you a small discount,” the merchant responds with a smile.