Graakt smiled listening to them talk, especially when asked about the gadget he'd had in mind. It had taken a while to come up with anything worthwhile, most fletchers just needed their carving sets, and rarely did innovation beat out good honest training. But he thought he had something decent.

Looking at the harpy, [color=39b54a][b]"Skip our fair village? That would be the mistake of a lifetime. Especially with that pompous guy building that massive ship down in the harbor. I've heard he intends to locate a distant city, in a desert people have only heard rumors about. He's been buying goods from every village and stockpiling. He's also taking on other merchants that are willing to travel with him, good honest work. Lots of people will be wealthy on their return, I'm sure. Should be ready next season. Check out the harbor sometime, its rather obvious which ship is his."[/b][/color]

He looked up as a woman in a ragged tophat and a frilly suit. She looked ridiculous. Clearly a woman of wealth without taste. Her attire was worth more than many people of this village would make in a lifetime. Leaning over to Cole, [color=39b54a][b]"So my gadget will make it a lot easier to feather arrows. It doesn't affect the skill in the making of the arrow, but increases the speed. Should help quite a bit with those big orders I've heard fletchers complain about."[/b][/color]

The woman on the stage raised her hands and everyone fell quiet, eyes fell on her. [color=7ea7d8][b]"We have plenty of goods for today. As you know, everything here comes with a risk, and that is a risk you purchase with it. I have something extra special for the end."[/b][/color] The talking began anew, for every local knew this woman. Her name was Sylvaria, and she ran the Darts, one of the bigger crime gangs in the village. They specialized in high value smash and grabs, mostly knight caravans. Several men and women in skimpy outfits walked out on stage, bringing various goods with them.

Gem encrusted swords taken from knights, artifacts from ruins, many incredibly valuable items, which surprisingly all got sold. Then came the final sale. Sylvaria stepped forward, smiling, [color=7ea7d8][b]"These next items are special. There will be two types of bidding. Life or death."[/b][/color

She stepped back as several knights, in nothing more than their undergarments were dragged on stage in chains. Most had the black pins that signified unranked stuck into their chests, blood lightly dripping down, but one large human man had a crimson sash around his arm, showing his rank as Captain.

Suddenly everyone realized what they different style of bidding meant, especially when the first slave was sold under death. Sylvaria stepped forward, her trademark bladed whip in hand. She raised her hands as if she were dancing, smiling wide, before snapping her arm down. The whip cracked like thunder and the man's head rolled from his neck. This continued onward, some being bought with life and thus becoming slaves, and some death. Finally the captain was brought forward.

The highest bidder chose death.

The whip was about to come down when the doors from the front entrance shattered inward in splinters and dust. Knights poured in, weapons in hand, killing the first people they reached. It was a raid, and they weren't here to arrest, they were here for blood and vengeance.