Almost immediately after leaving through Cottis’ huge eastern gate, Ringo spurs on his horse to close the gap and pulls four heavy money purses from his saddle bags.
“I didn’t get a chance to give you this before we left the capital, but I sold the eleven bandit horses as you asked and here’re your profits.”
Banaal, atop his faithful mule; Murmul, notices that Ringo is now riding Maurice. The horse that Fortu had previously been riding before being given his huge current one; Night Fever. Banaal had also noticed Liga Bur’s suspicious look but dismissed the similarity between this horse and the description he’d been given of Hetzabah’s flaming hooved Nightmare as mere coincidence.
The other two of the triplet brothers had been given fresh riding horses too but Banaal hadn’t heard their names spoken aloud yet.
Three of the money bags contain 145gp each and these are handed out to Fortu, Banaal and Liga Bur.
A smaller one, containing 72gp is for Rifkin.
Rifkin smiles and thanks Ringo, but in response, pulls out three, almost identical, magical longswords from his own saddlebags and offers them to the three brothers. The only noticeable difference between the swords are the three different coloured leather grip wrappings.
“When I was selling the two tiny magical daggers we took from that Halfling psycho; Marvin, I was offered a much better deal on a trade rather than just straight gold.”
Rifkin looks to Fortu, Liga Bur and Banaal.
“I hope that’s alright with you?”
Locket, Chape and Ringo all initially hesitate but Rifkin does his best to reassure them.
“You’re not allowed to take payment or a fair cut of the reward for Marvin and his bandits. You’ve even just handed over all the gold you got for selling those horses! Surely though, you can’t refuse a small gift? A gift that makes your jobs of protecting us and completing your mission easier.”
The three brothers, then tentatively reach out in turn to take one of Rifkin’s proffered swords and their matching coloured scabbards. Each one is skillfully stitched with the initial of each brother; R, C and L. Rust red for Ringo, cerulean blue for Chape and a lemon yellow for Locket.
“Thanks” they say in turn.
Turning back to Fortu, Banaal and Liga Bur, Rifkin shrugs.
“Turns out that three standard sized, ‘minor’ magical, standard steel swords, cost a great deal less than those two tiny, ‘slightly more’ magical daggers though…”
And Rifkin takes out three more bags of gold and hands them out.
“Here’s another 400gp for Banaal and Fortu.”
Then, with a nervous shrug, he passes over a smaller pouch containing just 50gp to Liga Bur with a slightly worried expression.
“I took what you owed me from Nonogonagal’s magic emporium out of your share. Again, I hope that’s alright?”
Current gold totals
Banaal:
Gold: 1520gp
10 gems (worth 100gp each)
4 gems (worth 50gp each)
Fortu:
Gold: 1851gp
6 gems (worth 25gp each)
Liga Bur:
Gold: 325gp (All debts cleared)
Rifkin:
Gold: 1508gp
7 gems (worth 25gp each)
In addition:
Locket: +1 magical Longsword with Lemon yellow hilt and scabbard.
Chape: +1 magical Longsword with Cerulean blue hilt and scabbard.
Ringo: +1 magical Longsword with Rust red hilt and scabbard.
