Phoebus' Personal Blog

Sulla Chapter3

· 627 words · 3 minutes to read
Categories: fiction

Sulla prowled the streets to find work. Naturally, he walked up to the message board near the closest pub.

“Kill elf bandits. Only good bandit is a dead bandit. GENEROUS REWARD if dead, even more if alive.”

Sulla, his interest peaked, walked in to the pub to discuss this with the innkeeper.

“Say, who posted the bulletin about the bandits?”

“That, sir, was the local lord of these lands. Bandits have been a nuisance they have.”

“How much we talking.”

“You see, sir, the prices tend to fluctuate. Matters have much he wants them dead at the moment. During the harvest he’ll become more liberal. If right now, I’d say around 100 a head and 150 alive.”

“So where do this bandits congregate. This should be an easy task for such a laudable hero as myself.”

“That I couldn’t tell ya. I suggest you go over to the mercenary’s guild to figure that out.”

Sulla turned around and made towards the decrepit building across the street from the pub. Inside was the reception desk, and the other was a board with job postings. 10 or so people were crowding around it. Sulla figured he’d need about 1000 gold if he wanted Shizuka. The 10 here, he figured, would be more than enough. Sulla approached the adventurers.

“Gentlemen, I have a proposal for you brave men.”

They looked upon Sulla with suspicion.

“Spit it out.”

“I have located a den of banditry. The baron pays good money for bandits. I presume we should find around 20 of them or so. If we sneak in at night, we should be rewarded without a spilling a drop of blood.”

They looked at each other then back at Sulla.

“Yeah? You left out the part on how we split the prize.”

“Simple, gentlemen. We have 10 assembled here, each person gets a 10th of the spoils. Surely you gentlemen have no complaints there.”

The adventurers, seeing as they had no particular reason to distrust this stranger, found the proposal temping. Lately work had been tight, and the few jobs available are dangerous. The idea of an easy job was one they found difficult to refuse.

“Gentlemen, I got a wagon that can seat five. The rest of you can walk or bring a horse. Meet me in front of the gate at sundown if you wish to come.”

Without hardly waiting for an answer, Sulla exited out of the building. After idling and making sure he wasn’t being followed, next he went to the sheriff’s building. Ignoring the flustered secretary, he went straight up to the sheriff.

“I got a catch for you. The baron will surely smile on you. I have managed to befriend these men who’ve been fomenting rebellion against king, country, and God. I wish to collect the bandit reward for these scum.”

“Why you here then, bring them in.”

“I can’t take down 10 men by my lonesome. I would also be bringing attention on myself.”

“To claim the reward you need evidence that these men are who you say. Also, you shan’t be getting the full reward because you received help from the sheriff.”

“I stake claim over 1000. The sheriff shall get up to 500, depending on whether dead or alive.”

“I say that’s fair. I’m supposed to catch them whether there’s an extra reward in it for me or not.”

“I plan to accompany them during the night. We shall set off at sunset. Your men you shall set up at the foot of the hills. Once we come into view, I shall give a sign and your men shall round up the bandit scum. Once they’re detained, you can search the wagon and gaze at their plunder.”

“Yes, I suppose that should suffice.”