It was after the first day of air sailor training, Stilicho had just finished going over the day’s events. He turned to his second officer and said, “Skram I believe you had something to say.” Skram stood and walked to the center of the crew formed into half circle in front of him and said, “As the newly appointed second officer I have been placed in charge of helping the boat to make money to help pay the crew labor cost and upkeep of the boat. One of the first Ideas is to move goods, basically to become a merchant ship. This will also help give us a cover story. The boat and all the crew members will be given an option to buy in to shares at their rank. The boat will get a 35% buy in at 175 silver. The officers and the unchained will cover the next 30%. Each will cover a 5 % cost buying in at 25 sp each. This will add 150 silver. The crew will cover the last 35%. Each crew member will have an option to buy in at 12.5 silver giving them a 2.5% share. This will give us a starting cash pool of 500 silver pieces. I plan to buy a large about of honey for here at the reach for cheap. We will transport it to Throal and sell it there for hopefully three times what we paid for it. If all goes well we will have the money to pay the crew back their investment back in a week. When we make sales we will split a 3rd off what we made and pay the crew it’s percentage of that and hold two thirds for buying new product.”
“We have an experienced merchant on our crew by the name of Stolod that I will be relying on to help me with this.” Said Skram. “ He has traveled all over and knows how to deal with people.” “I will also ask help from Suulin and Quorra to help soften the buyers at times.” Skram smiled, “Along with their people skills it never hurts to have a something there to distract the buyer while we are taking money out of his pocket. I do believe that we can make some money at this, help our cover, and pay the expenses of the boat.” Skram looked around the room at his friends and crew mates, “Does anyone have any ideas, thoughts, or questions? If not I will be taking your payments as soon as you can give it to me.” Any one that does not want to buy in the boat will buy your share. ”
Skram became very serious and a dark look came over his face, “If you are killed on the trip. I will make sure that your share will be kept and paid to your next of kin when I return to the reach. I hope that that does not happen but I wanted you to know that your kin would receive your share. “
Skram looked at the crew(knowing that his friends had gold in their pockets), “If you do not have the 12.5 silver to spend on this venture but still wish to participate in this financial venture, talk to me and I will see if we can work out a loan out of my own pocket. I want every person going on this venture to have an equal chance at the financial gains.” “Please see me as soon as possible with your payment or with your refusal, so that I can start buying goods for the first trip.” Thank you and get a good nights’ sleep, there is more training tomorrow.”
Dremnin looked down at Hannah and smiled, then back to Skram and the assembled group. He boldly affirmed his friend’s idea, saying, “I think this is a superior plan to handle expenses of our voyages, and also to allow all aboard to feel that they rightly have a stake in the well-being of the ship and ultimately our successful trading operations. I have two questions for you. First, if the regular crew decides not to buy in, how do we determine who may opt to buy their shares? Second, my friend, does my daughter count as one of the Unchained, or as a regular member of the crew for her share?”
Skram looked to Dremnin “I did not count Hanna in the shares as I figured she would be under yours or even if she was going. I can work her in easily at a 2.5% share or 12.5 silver. As for any one eles that does not want to buy in the boat Stilicho and I had decided that the boat it’s self would buy those shares added to its 35%. That is unless so many people do not wish to buy in that the boats shre would be to large. The I will have to re figure the plan.”
Dremnin nodded as he listened to Skram’s words. “Let me buy her in at 2.5%, so that she can begin to reap the benefits of working with our group. I will pay her share along with mine.” He smiled at Skram and Stilicho and waited to see if there were any more discussions.
Skram smiled, “Good, bring the silver to dinner tonight. I will mark the two of you down in the ledger tonight.” Skram announced in a loud voice, “I will eat dinner in the common grounds tonight if any one else wants to meet up with me there to make payment.”
That night while Skram sat in the common grounds having dinner will Fa’ala. His ship’s ledger sitting open the table beside his plate, a growing bag of coins in front of him. Skram had added his coins and the buy in from the ship to the bag. Stilicho was the first to show up, he had coin for himself and his squire Wheeler. Urgral and Dremnin showed up together and sat at skrams table and while talking about their day tossed coins on to the table in front of Skram. Vridich walked by the table and dropped off his coins and said that he was taking dinner to Grimlock at his house. Suulin showed up, the last of the unchained, and sat down at the table she had a smile on her face and seemed glad to be getting ready to move on from the troll village. Her coins clinked on to the others as she dropped them in to the bag.
I could see that the crewmen were all sitting together at a table. I would guess that they were discussing the trade deal and whether or not to buy in. Stolod came in to the common area from the kitchen with a plate full of food and a couple of mugs. He came over to my table and gave me a mug of mead and said that he would like to discuss the deal. Stolod wanted to by a 10 % share of the trade business. I told him that it had been divided up so that it was even amongst the crew. He persisted that he would like to buy in for more and for that he would run the trade goods for me and I would still hold the purse strings. I told him that if any of the other crew members did not by in I would be okay with him buying more shares. I also told him that I would have to check with Stilicho first as he is the captain. He agreed and started to talk about trade goods we could buy here in the reach to take to Throal. After he left to go get some more food the crew got up from their table.
They formed a semi-circle around the front of my table. Eldwulf, Solara, and Osrack stepped forward and told me that they did not want to buy in and that it was not due to not having the money. I thanked them for letting me know and they left.
Hakka and Arrius came forward and told me that they wanted to buy in but needed a loan. I turned the page in the ledger and wrote each of their names in a column and wrote 12.5 silver behind it. Then I had each man make his mark on the top of his column. Just so there was no mistake that they money was put in to the pot I took 25 silver out of my belt pouch and placed it in the bag on the table in front of the rest of the crew. Tekil, Draiden, Kerick, Herrod, Korack, and Quorra all came forward on at a time and paid their 12.5 silver and I put their names in the book.
Just as I was about to close the book Hanna came bouncing in as skipped up to the table and sat next to her father. She whispered in his ear and Dremnin gave her a small pouch. Hanna came around the table to me and said quietly that these were her coins to buy in at her crew’s share of the business. I took the coins and wrote her name in the book. I showed her that she was in the book and held out the bag for her to put in her coins. She dropped the whole pouch in and went back around the table. Dremnin said that he had something to do. He got up from the table and said good bye and headed out of the common area Hanna skipping alongside him. I tied the coin bag full of 500 silver coins closed and placed it in my shoulder bag with the ledger. I turned to Fa’ala with the intent of sitting and drinking with her for the rest of the evening.
Comments
Legend Awards:
Skram 300 LP
Dremnin 225 LP
Suulin 225 LP
Urgral 225 LP
Vridich 150 LP
Stilicho 225 LP
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