EZ_nimblez
05-18-00, 11:45 AM
My Life as a self-employed entrepreneur
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"Congrates, Nimbles you have learned much and are ready to earn your way in the world. Take the skills I have learned you and annoy the world with your presence.", Lendel said as he gave Nimbles a hardy slap on the back.
With a sly grin on his face, Nimbles thanked his trainer and asked "What now, sir?"
"HA, HA! Nimbles I can teach you no more you must go forth and learn life's lessons on your own now. But first, here take this." From a chest in the corner Lendel produced a tattered tunic and a small dagger. "This should help you start. Go down stairs and talk to Ace Slighthand, you maybe able to be of help to him. I am sure he will reward you for your service."
Nimbles slipped the tunic on and hefted the dagger in his right hand. With a sly grin he twirled the dagger on his finger and with a flick of the wrist tucked the weapon of his sleeve.
"Thank you sir for all you have done. I shall never forget you."
With a quick handshake, Nimbles bounded down the stairs with a mischevious gleem in his eyes. Rounding the corner he stood surveying the room. Through the shifting clouds of smoke a rough looking crowd could be seen playing cards and drinking. The man dealing the deck was a small halfling and had the look of someone who knew both ends of a dagger. As Nimbles watched, he began to notice that as the dealer delt, he would quickly drop the bottom card to himself while dealing from the top to the rest of the men.
'Hmmm', Nimbles thought. 'That's gotta be the guy I'm lookin for.'
Grabbing a short beer off the tray of a passing waitress, he made his way to the table and sat down.
"Greetings Ace. I am Nimbles", Nimbles said to the dealer.
"Hmmph, you may know me but I don't know you and I don't think I want to. Who sent you?"
"Lendel said you may have some work for me."
Before the sentence was finished, Ace snatched up the cards and said "Games over you thugs, get outta here 'fore I take the shirt of yous backs!".
The thugs just about tripped over themselves getting away.
"Now, Nibbles what did this Lendel tell you?"
Taking a long pull of beer he said,
"Lendel just said to see you about some work, nothing more. And the name is Nimbles, Nimbles Stumblefoot."
Ace smiled.
"Ok whatever kid. Lean closer and I will tell you what needs doin."
Nimbles leaned in excited about the possibility of putting his talents to work.
"Ok Nibbles listen up." Ace looked around to make sure no one was close enough to hear. "The armourer, Kelvin Diggs owes me several gold that he lost in a poker game and I need someone to collect for me. It's simple enough, Kelvin keeps the money hidden under his pillow. It is a simple in and out job. You up for it?"
Nimbles rubbed his hands together and said,
"No problem I am the man you need. But people don't just leave their money laying around. Whats the rest of it?"
"Smart boy Nibbles, I like you. See, he has a rather nasty
dog by the namer of Mangler. I have sent several others but none have been able to get past the beast. Still intrested?"
"It's Nimbles," he mumbled. "No dog will keep me out. I will do it for a price."
"Of course Nibb....uh Nimbles. I shall pay you 3 silver for your help. Deal?"
"I will do it for five. Two now and three upon delivery."
Ace looked Nimbles over and said "Deal! Good luck boy."
That evening Nimbles sat crouched in the shadows of an elm that sat outside Kelvins shop. 'Peice o cake' he thought as he watched Kelvin shut door, turned and began to walk home. Like a ghost Nimbles faded deeper into the shadows and crept silently towards the door. Trying the knob he discovered Kelvin hadn't even locked it. 'Amature!' Nimbles thought as he slipped quietly inside and closed the door behind him. Turning around he quickly took note of the space. A shop counter and a hallway beyond which must lead to the room Ace had told him about. Before Nimbles had taken two steps he heard a low rumbling growl that churned his stomach. From around the corner came the biggets dog he had ever seen.
Teeth dripping saliva and eyes that seemed to see everything, Mangler wasn't just a dog, he was a shadow wolf!
"Damn a shadow wolf. I hope my allergies don't screw this up." Nimbles cursed under his breath. "This raises the pot some, but a job is a job. Let's get to it." With the swiftness of a cat Nimbles manuvered from shadow to shadow. Moving quietly he approched the hallway the Mangler stood gaurding.
"Well I hope Lendel's training was worth something. Here goes nothin."
Quickly and silently Nimbles moved beyond Mangler, barely managing to stifle a sneeze, and found the bed. Under the pillow, just as Ace had said, sat a bag of gold. Hefting it in his hand "There must be a platinums worth in this." Smiling, Nimbles thought of what could be had by just taking the money and running. Probably a bad idea I gotta make friends and have connections. Shrugging he stuck the pouch in his pocket and beat a hasty retreat.
The next day Nimbles hurried to meet Ace before the poker game the night. Dashing in to the fools gold, he found Ace at the same table. With a sly smile Nimbles plopped himself onto a stool and drop the bag of gold onto the table with a 'THUNK'.
"Debt paid Ace, and I believe you owe me a bit more. You didn't tell me it was a shadow wolf! I am allergic to them! I want 1 gold. I'm sure that bag you have won't miss one gold peice."
Ace frowned and said "You didn't ask me to specify what type of dog. As far a an extra payment, sure I suppose I could up the ante considering of five people sent, you actually made it back."
Ace placed a gold coin on the table and pushed it toward Nimbles.
Deftly grabbing the coin, Nimbles bit it to make sure it was real and then began running it across his knuckles.
"Thanks Ace good workin for ya."
"And you kid, thank you. You seem a good lad, whatch'a say I buy a round of ale and play a bit of cards, eh Nimbles?"
"Sure I'll take the ale, but I will pass on the card game."
They both laugh as Ace hails the bar maid.
'This is just the beginning', Nimbles thought.
..More to come.....Nimbles<Song of the Shadows>, Rogue of the 7th hand stwill73@pacbell.net
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"Congrates, Nimbles you have learned much and are ready to earn your way in the world. Take the skills I have learned you and annoy the world with your presence.", Lendel said as he gave Nimbles a hardy slap on the back.
With a sly grin on his face, Nimbles thanked his trainer and asked "What now, sir?"
"HA, HA! Nimbles I can teach you no more you must go forth and learn life's lessons on your own now. But first, here take this." From a chest in the corner Lendel produced a tattered tunic and a small dagger. "This should help you start. Go down stairs and talk to Ace Slighthand, you maybe able to be of help to him. I am sure he will reward you for your service."
Nimbles slipped the tunic on and hefted the dagger in his right hand. With a sly grin he twirled the dagger on his finger and with a flick of the wrist tucked the weapon of his sleeve.
"Thank you sir for all you have done. I shall never forget you."
With a quick handshake, Nimbles bounded down the stairs with a mischevious gleem in his eyes. Rounding the corner he stood surveying the room. Through the shifting clouds of smoke a rough looking crowd could be seen playing cards and drinking. The man dealing the deck was a small halfling and had the look of someone who knew both ends of a dagger. As Nimbles watched, he began to notice that as the dealer delt, he would quickly drop the bottom card to himself while dealing from the top to the rest of the men.
'Hmmm', Nimbles thought. 'That's gotta be the guy I'm lookin for.'
Grabbing a short beer off the tray of a passing waitress, he made his way to the table and sat down.
"Greetings Ace. I am Nimbles", Nimbles said to the dealer.
"Hmmph, you may know me but I don't know you and I don't think I want to. Who sent you?"
"Lendel said you may have some work for me."
Before the sentence was finished, Ace snatched up the cards and said "Games over you thugs, get outta here 'fore I take the shirt of yous backs!".
The thugs just about tripped over themselves getting away.
"Now, Nibbles what did this Lendel tell you?"
Taking a long pull of beer he said,
"Lendel just said to see you about some work, nothing more. And the name is Nimbles, Nimbles Stumblefoot."
Ace smiled.
"Ok whatever kid. Lean closer and I will tell you what needs doin."
Nimbles leaned in excited about the possibility of putting his talents to work.
"Ok Nibbles listen up." Ace looked around to make sure no one was close enough to hear. "The armourer, Kelvin Diggs owes me several gold that he lost in a poker game and I need someone to collect for me. It's simple enough, Kelvin keeps the money hidden under his pillow. It is a simple in and out job. You up for it?"
Nimbles rubbed his hands together and said,
"No problem I am the man you need. But people don't just leave their money laying around. Whats the rest of it?"
"Smart boy Nibbles, I like you. See, he has a rather nasty
dog by the namer of Mangler. I have sent several others but none have been able to get past the beast. Still intrested?"
"It's Nimbles," he mumbled. "No dog will keep me out. I will do it for a price."
"Of course Nibb....uh Nimbles. I shall pay you 3 silver for your help. Deal?"
"I will do it for five. Two now and three upon delivery."
Ace looked Nimbles over and said "Deal! Good luck boy."
That evening Nimbles sat crouched in the shadows of an elm that sat outside Kelvins shop. 'Peice o cake' he thought as he watched Kelvin shut door, turned and began to walk home. Like a ghost Nimbles faded deeper into the shadows and crept silently towards the door. Trying the knob he discovered Kelvin hadn't even locked it. 'Amature!' Nimbles thought as he slipped quietly inside and closed the door behind him. Turning around he quickly took note of the space. A shop counter and a hallway beyond which must lead to the room Ace had told him about. Before Nimbles had taken two steps he heard a low rumbling growl that churned his stomach. From around the corner came the biggets dog he had ever seen.
Teeth dripping saliva and eyes that seemed to see everything, Mangler wasn't just a dog, he was a shadow wolf!
"Damn a shadow wolf. I hope my allergies don't screw this up." Nimbles cursed under his breath. "This raises the pot some, but a job is a job. Let's get to it." With the swiftness of a cat Nimbles manuvered from shadow to shadow. Moving quietly he approched the hallway the Mangler stood gaurding.
"Well I hope Lendel's training was worth something. Here goes nothin."
Quickly and silently Nimbles moved beyond Mangler, barely managing to stifle a sneeze, and found the bed. Under the pillow, just as Ace had said, sat a bag of gold. Hefting it in his hand "There must be a platinums worth in this." Smiling, Nimbles thought of what could be had by just taking the money and running. Probably a bad idea I gotta make friends and have connections. Shrugging he stuck the pouch in his pocket and beat a hasty retreat.
The next day Nimbles hurried to meet Ace before the poker game the night. Dashing in to the fools gold, he found Ace at the same table. With a sly smile Nimbles plopped himself onto a stool and drop the bag of gold onto the table with a 'THUNK'.
"Debt paid Ace, and I believe you owe me a bit more. You didn't tell me it was a shadow wolf! I am allergic to them! I want 1 gold. I'm sure that bag you have won't miss one gold peice."
Ace frowned and said "You didn't ask me to specify what type of dog. As far a an extra payment, sure I suppose I could up the ante considering of five people sent, you actually made it back."
Ace placed a gold coin on the table and pushed it toward Nimbles.
Deftly grabbing the coin, Nimbles bit it to make sure it was real and then began running it across his knuckles.
"Thanks Ace good workin for ya."
"And you kid, thank you. You seem a good lad, whatch'a say I buy a round of ale and play a bit of cards, eh Nimbles?"
"Sure I'll take the ale, but I will pass on the card game."
They both laugh as Ace hails the bar maid.
'This is just the beginning', Nimbles thought.
..More to come.....Nimbles<Song of the Shadows>, Rogue of the 7th hand stwill73@pacbell.net