Vignette (Mercenary)

Like all Vignettes in The Age of Decadence, this is essentially linear; it is the opening sequence of events which delivers The Map into the hands of a specific character-type (in this case, the Mercenary).

Lore
''You make a living providing "protection services" to the inn's patrons. When you were too young to know any better, you spent your days drinking and fighting. Your dedication to the craft was noticed and you were offered a job at the inn. Now, you're paid to break heads when the locals are getting too drunk and out of control, and the drinks are on the house.''

. ..

The innkeeper is looking for you.

Quick Walkthrough

 * 1) Talk to Innkeeper
 * 2) Guard Gracius for the night
 * 3) Deal with the Assassin
 * 4) Talk with the Innkeeper
 * 5) Decide who to work for

Detailed Walkthrough
NOTE'': At the 'Talk to Vardanis' stage, the Journal states: "You can still say 'no' ..." This is not true; the only way out of the room is locked and cannot be picked, and the only three available interactions with Vardanis are to (a) buy/sell, (b) ask for a moment (to equip new gear or whatever), and (c) head for the tavern. Of course, you can still walk away from the whole thing when the thugs show up.''
 * 1) Talk to Innkeeper
 * 2) * Selecting the option to purchase better gear will let you shop at the Teron Merchants Plaza, but only within the merchant guild. This does however include one of Teron's two Alchemists and a weapons & armor dealer; you are only missing out on cloth goods and the Blacksmith (for now).
 * 3) Guard Gracius for the night.
 * 4) * Perception:[6] to catch a thief:
 * 5) ** if you fail this check, Gracius loses his gems, ring, sword, ingots, and 85g (and neither of you notice).
 * 6) ** if you succeed, Gracius is grateful (because you mistake the thief for an assassin) and refers you to his associate Kemnebi in case you are ever in Maadoran.
 * 7) Deal with an Assassin.  (You are too late to save Gracius.)
 * 8) * Let him walk away.
 * 9) * Kill him. He carries: Bronze Yatagan, Leather Armor, Hood, Standard Crossbow, Bronze Regular Missile, 60g
 * 10) Talk with the Innkeeper. He suggests selling Gracius's possessions to Cado:
 * 11) * Walk away.
 * 12) ** Ask for work at this point, and the Innkeeper will direct you to Feng or the Imperial Guards.
 * 13) * Talk to Vardanis: you may purchase equipment from him, then must accompany him to the Tavern:
 * 14) ** The deal goes quickly and smoothly (therefore suspiciously), and on the way back to the inn, you are accosted by two thugs. They only care about Vardanis:
 * 15) *** If you walk away, Vardanis and the money disappear, you return to the inn, and the innkeeper advises you to look for work elsewhere.
 * 16) *** If you fight, and keep Vardanis alive:
 * 17) **** Either return to the inn, or demand a pay increase: Streetwise 3?
 * 18) ***** If you pass, gain 120g and return to the inn.
 * 19) ***** If you fail, return to the inn or attack Vardanis:
 * 20) ****** If you kill him: either return to the inn, or return to the tavern and try to get a job from Cado (Streetwise ?):
 * 21) ******* If you fail you are killed.
 * 22) ******* If you succeed,
 * 23) *** If you either lose Vardanis before killing the thugs or kill him yourself, loot 250g, 1 Iron Pugio, and a Short Robe. The thugs have 2 Leather Armor, 2 Bronze Jambia, a Hood, and 22g between them.

Tips

 * Vardanis might get a few good hits in on a thug, but he is unarmored, and if you can't get in the way of at least one of them, he is very unlikely to survive.
 * That being said, there doesn't seem to be any benefit (reputation, future dealings, etc.) to keeping him alive ...