Blackback the entrepeneur finds a ripe market

Post by **Griatch** » Sun Aug 31, 2003 6:38 am

Name:
Blackback the Entrepeneur (Often called just Blackback).
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Species:
Mountain troll
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Gender:
Male
----------------------------------------
Evil/Good:
Good, but treat everyone equal when it comes to
business.
----------------------------------------
Age:
In his fourties
----------------------------------------
Human Age Equivalency:
50
----------------------------------------
Mature Adult at Age:
13
----------------------------------------
Appearance:

Blackback stands seven feet tall when having his legs normally bent
--his legs are adiapose, with double back-bent knees. His head,
mounted almost directly on top of his wide shoulders, is elongated
into a broad snout tipped with two long tusks and adorned by two
grey-furred ears. His eyes are completely black orbs, but are
surprisingly expressive.
Blackback is covered in a rust-coloured fur except for his back and
head-hair which is long and black - hence his name. He has long,
muscular arms that almost reach the ground. His claws, placed at
each end of each five-fingered hand are retractable.

Blackback dress quite extravagantly, in strong colours. He prefers
(large) sacky trousers and a large leather coat. He also always wear
a huge hat with a large red feather in it. He does not wear any shoes
- his large, clawed feet being a hindrance in that respect.

Image of Blackback in front of his wagon.

----------------------------------------------
Personality:

Blackback is an entrepenur in the truest sense of the word. He is
always looking for a good trade, a chance to earn money, wealth or
luxury (preferably all at the same time). Albeit not really greedy per
se, Blackback cannot turn away from an opportunity to do business,
it's in his blood and he has no scruples as to who he is dealing
with.

Blackback is jovial, outspoken and usually friendly to people he
meets - after all, they are all potential customers! He is extremely
vain (he is quite confident that he is to be considered to be a very
handsome troll) and like to dress extravagantly - no snide
comments or even failed deals can shake his good self-confidence.

----------------------------------------
Abilities:

Apart from the physical advantages of being a seven-foot troll,
Blackback has an linguistic capability that allows him to learn all
kinds of languages very quickly. His frame is large enough to allow
him to even speak Dragontounge, the language of dragons (but
he admits he gets a soar throat after a few sentences). He is good
at most handywork and is quite an accomplished cook.
Like all mountain trolls, Blackback has a natural immunity to all
magick - trolls are very physical beings, rooted in the mundance,
physical world. All forms of magick just seems to pass him by.

That said, should he decide to take to brute force, it must be
emembered there is a reason why troll bouncers are in high
demand for bars all over the human realm ...

----------------------------
DIsadvantages

Blackback can't resist a good trade, no matter who wants the trade
or who is asking for it. He is strictly business, and holds no
preferences as for who he deals with or what he sells, also to
possible enemies of the Forest or himself.

As said, Blackback is immune to all magic. Unfortunately, this also
includes magics benevolent to him, like healing. This is true for all
magical effects, also those of magical potions or artifacts. Blackback
is also completely incapable of casting any magic on his own; the
only magical effects he use -- mostly for mundane tasks, and then
only for affecting someone or something else than himself -- must
be embedded in an item or potion and prepared by someone else
beforehand.

----------------------------
Family:

Blackback was the third son in a large troll clan. Many of his
brothers followed his father in the more traditional troll occupation of
robbery and petty theft, whereas Blackback happened to get more
from his mother who came from a wealthy clan family (whom his
father kidnapped in a rather bloody and shrewd campaign against
her home that bought him respect all over troll territory - it was all
very romantic, but let's not delve into troll courtship rituals more at
this point.)

------------------------------------------
History:

Having inherited the lust for wealth from his mother, Blackback soon
left the confines of troll territory for richer pastures. Unlike many of
his brothers, he was capable of holding a conversation with more
than four words, something often baffling to hear when coming from
a seven-foot troll. He has worked as practically everything in his day
- from bouncer and streetsweeper to market salesman and barkeep
in many different cities and realms.
After a, shall we say, misunderstanding with local authorities
(just a pesky 'tax' thing the humans invented) Blackback spent his
hard-earned cash on a wagon and some good merchandice and
slipped into the wilderness with his investment. Having walked
eastward for several months he was meeting fewer and fewer
wanderers to bargain with as the empty plains became more and
more the realm of wild beasts rather than buying customers. As the
winter didn't affect him much he pressed on, certain that if he just
walked long enough, he would find a virgin marketplace noone of
his coleagues had ever heard of ...

Updates: Being accepted into Deep Forest by Gaeva,
Blackback has set up a total of three wholesales, selling all sorts
of things from weapons, shields and magical potions to cloth,
sewing needles and children's toys. He has had little involvement
in the various greater plots, apart from fleeing from the firestorms
in the meadows and selling weapons to both sides in the civil war.
As the Forest Village was built, he has built a permanent shop there,
Blackback's Emporium
and is doing healthy business. He has a
deal with the village elders on using part of their harvest for beer-
making (by building a brewery).

Blackback is the only merchant in Deep forest.

-----------------------------------------
A few lines IC (In Character) of your character
entering the Forest:

The snow lay calm and undisturbed on the vast plains. The day
was unusually calm and clear. The storms that had ravaged the
plains for days had finally moved further south. Now the sky was in
a colour so brilliantly blue one could almost sense the vastness of
space beyond.

Over the plain came a wagon. The wagon was large and bulky and
covered with a large weaved tarpaulin, mended here and there
with pathes of cloth. Its two weels bounced over the
uneven ground, pulled by the efforts of the single reddish creature
that held its beams in a firm grip. The troll, because that was what it
was, was shrouded in a huge leather coat that must at some point
have been sewn together by at least half a dozen human pieces of
clothing. He had a large leather hat that rested on top of his large
furry ears. The troll's name was Blackback. He wistled a loud and
quite out-of-key tune as he, seemingly without disconfort, pulled his
wagon forward at a good pace. The only sign of his effort was the
clouds of breath that formed around his long tusks.

Suddenly the troll stopped and sniffed in the air. The smell of fresh
flowers was brought to him by the wind. Flowers? Here? He
continued forward and beyond the next crest he found the source
of the smell. In front of him loomed a large forest, reaching as far as
he could see north and south. In the east the woods lined the
slopes of a distant mountain range.

Blackback had seen forests before, of course. He had even lived in
a few in his life. But this forest was strange. The day was cold as
a troll-mums kiss. The harsh storms must have raged here only
a day ago. Yet the forest was green. Blackback could clearly
see large pieces of light-green from his high vantage point. There
was no snow there. And the smell of flowers... Very unusual.
Blackback pondered a minute, then he continued down the slope
and on to the forest edge. Only a few steps into the forest the air
changed, became less stinging.

The forest's state was due to some sort sort of magic, he guessed.
Magic wielders were usually a good sign of potential profit, at least
in human realms. Human wizards had that good habit of wanting to
pay immense amounts of money for totally useless things, like bat
wings and weird little rocks. This could be good.

Blackback pulled up his bulging wagon to a tree and gathered
some fallen wood from the ground. He prepared a little fire at a small
clearing in the fuselage. Soon a pot was cooking spreading a tasty
smell among the trees. Blackback poked in the pot while
resuming his out-of-key whistling.

Post by **Anita4442001** » Mon Sep 01, 2003 1:22 am

"Hello," Karma, the white wolf the Mithren Pack, greeted, coming out of what looked like a snow bank. "Sorry I spied on you. I was practicing my...invisiblity skills." 
He was trying to vanish in places that wasn't snow colored, but all he managed was a faint little mist. "Who're you? I'm Karma."

<img src="http://imagecache2.allposters.com/image ... 8_2139.jpg" style="border:0;"/>

Post by **Griatch** » Mon Sep 01, 2003 1:39 am

The troll jumped when the young wolf appeared as if out of nowhere. 
 
"Ah, hello there, wolf." Blackback said when regaining his 
composture. He grinned a smile so wide it seemed impossible to fit 
inside even his huge head. 
"So it's that kind of forest, this huh? With talking beasts and 
stuff? Haven't seen one of them for a while." He shook his 
scraggy head and beconed the newcomer closer to the fire with a 
huge hand. In doing so, the sweet smell from the pot dispersed 
over the clearing. 
"Step closer -- 'Karma' was it? Quite a nifty skill you have there, 
kid. I didn't see ya coming at all. Blackback's me name. Trader of 
finest wares, that's me. 
Do wolfs eat hot stew?

Post by **Anita4442001** » Mon Sep 01, 2003 1:43 am

Karma sniffed the strange smell. "I guess so," he said carefully, staring up at the tall creature because he himself was so short. "Who-what are you?"

<img src="http://imagecache2.allposters.com/image ... 8_2139.jpg" style="border:0;"/>

Post by **Griatch** » Mon Sep 01, 2003 2:11 am

Blackback reached behind him where he sat and grabbed a 
wooden bowl from a crate at the front of his parked wagon. 
 
I'm a troll, me" said Blackback, and poured a large portion of 
stew onto the bowl. He placed the bowl in the snow, within reach of 
the wolf. A mountain troll - the tusks you see?" he tapped one 
of the long tusks with a clawed finger. Only nice full-breed 
mountain trolls have two of these sweet things... Oh, and be 
careful with that stew, there, young friend. It's awful hot if you're not 
used to it. It'll cool soon.  
 
Sure enough, the bowl was settling into the snow, making a wet 
mess all around it. But it was also cooled itself in the process. The 
stew was a mixture off odd roots and meat. To (most) it smelled 
quite nice. 
 
Blackback set out to eating directly from the pot. The boiling heat 
didn't seem to bother him.

Post by **Anita4442001** » Mon Sep 01, 2003 5:15 am

Karma edged forward and swiped a piece of the meat out of the bowl as the steam floated upwards. He wasn't too keen on eating the roots, but the meat would do just fine. "You're a trader?" He asked, mouth slightly full. "What do you trade?"

<img src="http://imagecache2.allposters.com/image ... 8_2139.jpg" style="border:0;"/>

Post by **Griatch** » Mon Sep 01, 2003 7:37 am

"I trade in all things, young Karma" smiled the troll, "I..." 
 
Blackback didn't get any further in his answer before the world turned 
into a flurry of violet feathers. Blackback only just managed to salvage 
his stew from spilling all over the ground. 
 
"It sure is traffic in this forest" he murmured. Carefully he 
placed the pot back on the holder before inspecting the newly arrived. 
 
Quikly he came to his feet. Unless violet unicorns with wings 
and with golden stuff all over were common practice in this 
parts, this was a mare of importance. 
 
Blackback swept his eneormous leather hat in a wide arc and 
bowed for the winged unicorn. Now that my stew is salavaged, 
I am fully at your service, beautiful mare" he said sincerely. That 
bow he had learned by a very drunk human nobleman at a very wet 
after-party. But although he never were all that sure where the 
noble greeting ended and the nobelman's drunken stupor began, 
the gesture was overall very elegant and not something one 
usually expected from a seven foot mountain troll. 
 
"I am Blackback the entrepeneur, troll extraordinaire. I am a 
merchant and long time wanderer. If I may, I aim to venture to the 
nearest marketplace to sell my rare goods." 
 
In his bent-over position, Blackback took the chance to discreetly 
stop the pot from once again falling off its stand. He continued: "I 
suppose I must also contact your merchant guild and would be 
most grateful for directions". 
 
The troll rose to his full length again, looking down on the mare and 
the wolf. "I am also willing to pay any trade tolls", he added 
hastily. "I may be a troll, but I will" --Blackback cleared his 
throat -- "pay my merchant taxes, don't you worry." 
 

Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub123.ezboard.com/bunicornsvisi ... Griatch</A> at: 8/31/03 23:14

Post by **Griatch** » Tue Sep 02, 2003 5:31 am

When the the winged unicorn didn't answer right away, Blackback 
held out his hands toward the bubbling pot. "I'm talking too much, 
ain't I. And where's my manners, I bet you ask. Here you stand, 
wanting nothing more than to try my delicious stew, and I 
just blabber away!" Blackback took a step backwards and placed 
himself behind his pot. "Young Karma liked it, I believe. If meat does 
not please you, fair mare, I have some herbs here, the likes I bet 
you've never tasted the likes of!" he said, grinning so wide the 
clearing almost went brighter from reflected light alone.

Post by **Anita4442001** » Tue Sep 02, 2003 6:32 am

When Gaeva had entered, Karma instantly went transparent with suprise and managed to dart away right before she landed. Coloring enough for them to be able to tell where he was, he crept back, grinning slightly. "Crash course in landing?" He inquired and finished eating his meat part of the stew. "What exactly do you sell or trade?" Suddenly his ears perked up slightly. "Gaeva, if we get that town up by spring, he could actually have some business going."

<img src="http://imagecache2.allposters.com/image ... 8_2139.jpg" style="border:0;"/>

Post by **Griatch** » Tue Sep 02, 2003 7:44 am

OOC: Blackback must catch his breath eventually, so I'll wait a little 
to post in order to allow Gaeva to get a word in ... ;-) 
. 
Griatch 
 

Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub123.ezboard.com/bunicornsvisi ... Griatch</A> at: 9/2/03 22:32

Post by **milkshake276** » Wed Sep 03, 2003 9:56 am

Wolfgang the were-mouse crawled next to the unicorn and cleared his throat, stood up on his hind legs, then said "oh, hello! I dont mean to interupt, im waiting for permmision to enter this interesting forest, im glad to see their are other people here. you seem to be a trader, im afraid i dont have anything of value. May i ask your name?"

----------------- 
 
"in basebase, theres alota stuff goes on" - Tony Laruso 
 
"Video games wont breed in captivity" - SomebodyEdited by: <A HREF=http://pub123.ezboard.com/bunicornsvisi ... hake276</A> at: 9/3/03 1:08

Post by **Griatch** » Wed Sep 03, 2003 5:55 pm

Blackback looked down along his snout and found that a large 
mouse-like thing was talking to him too. Apparently the slight 
disgust humans often displayed against trolls didn't exist in these 
woods. 
 
Being in the middle of a conversation already, as well as being 
stared down by a purple, winged unicorn with gold all over did make 
him feel somewhat preoccupied however. In the spur of the 
moment, he fell back to old routine: "Oh, hi there. I'll be with you in 
a minute, friend." he murmured. 
 
Then the comment from the young wolf struck him. He looked down 
on the wolf. What do you mean, 'get up the town by spring'? 
Doesn't this place have a town?" He thought for a second 
and added: "... Or is the town foldable or something?" 
Having seen a wolf, a purple horse-thing and a talking mouse at the 
same place made the idea of a foldable city that was only brought 
forth every spring not to be all that far fetched in his mind.

Post by **Anita4442001** » Thu Sep 04, 2003 5:56 am

"Not foldable," Karma corrected. "New. We're going to have a town maybe by spring. But there's places you can go until then. Dragons like treasures, you can go to the dragon caves with stuff, and some of the little creatures in the meadow might like a toy or two." He glanced at the herbs. "And there's healers in these woods. Rare herbs are pretty good."

<img src="http://imagecache2.allposters.com/image ... 8_2139.jpg" style="border:0;"/>

Post by **milkshake276** » Thu Sep 04, 2003 6:48 am

now understanding that the creature was here to sell things, wolfgang wondered what he would buy from a trader. Then he realized that he had no money of any sort, "What would one generally use to barter with around here?" asked Wolfgang.

----------------- 
 
"in baseball, theres alota stuff goes on" - Tony Laruso 
 
"Video games wont breed in captivity" - Somebody

Post by **Griatch** » Thu Sep 04, 2003 9:32 pm

Blackback stared. "You have no town?" he asked, tone full of 
misbelief. 
 
------------------------------------------ 
 As for "money" or things to barter with; there are plenty of stuff in a 
magical forest that Blackback could sell on to the outside world 
eventually. I see good roleplaying opportunities all around to obtain 
stuff to barter with! 
 

Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub123.ezboard.com/bunicornsvisi ... Griatch</A> at: 9/4/03 12:37

Post by **Anita4442001** » Fri Sep 05, 2003 5:36 am

"Not currently," Karma replied, grinning at his face. "We're going to soon, though. Good time to get stocked. They're gonna want things. It's actually an advantage. Instead of a town with everything they need, you'll have no one fighting you for prices." 
Suddenly he cocked his head. Since when did he become an expert in such things?

<img src="http://imagecache2.allposters.com/image ... 8_2139.jpg" style="border:0;"/>

Post by **Griatch** » Sat Sep 06, 2003 5:08 am

Upon the wolf's words, the troll looked a little sheepish: "Now that 
you mention it, you have a point, young one. " Then he 
laughed a very trollish laugh and whispered playfully to the wolf: 
"Say,  once I've set up shop, why don't you come by me and 
I might have a job for you, if you're interested." 
 
To the unicorn, he said: 
"Oh, I trade in all things, fair mare", said Blackback, grinning. 
"I have with me something for everybody, methinks." He 
waved around him with a clawed hand, pointing at the unnaturally 
green trees: "And I suspect there may be good things to barter 
with, with all this magic stuff going on." 
 
Blackback smacked his hands together. "... So where do I go to 
set up trading rights in these woods? As I said, I'm a troll who 
obeys the local laws!"

Post by **Anita4442001** » Sat Sep 06, 2003 5:34 am

Karma looked a little sheepish. "I was out hunting, recently." He explained, head low. "Practicing, really. And I was practicing my vanishing magic. It worked, kind of. The human people didn't see me when I started to talk to them. I think one was an elf. I'm not sure of the other." 
 
OOC: I won't be around for the weekend, but if you get accepted, good luck!

<img src="http://imagecache2.allposters.com/image ... 8_2139.jpg" style="border:0;"/>

Post by **Griatch** » Sat Sep 06, 2003 6:06 am

--------------------------------- 
OOC: Oh, I suspect it'll take quite some time to get a business 
going, so even if Blackback is accepted this very moment, not much 
will have happened after the weekend! ;-) But thanks anyway! 
----------------------------------

Post by **Griatch** » Sat Sep 06, 2003 6:15 pm

Blackback stared at the mare. 
 
"That's it?" he asked. No trading taxes, no tolls?" Then 
he burst into a wide smile and bowed all the way down to the 
ground."I thank thee, fair mare!" 
 
As if he was just struck by an idea, he then reached under the 
tarpolin of his wagon and got out a large box that nevertheless 
looked tiny in his large hands. He opened the box, hidden from view 
of the others, and dug around until he found what he was looking 
for. 
 
"To show my gratitude for your kindness, fair mare, I will forego a 
lifelong habit and offer you a gift for free", he said. 
 
In his hand he held a small and surprisingly lifelike sculpture of a 
rearing, winged horse - and it was purple. 
 
"This is my gift from me to you.", Blackback said solemly. 
"Technically, I suppose this is a pegasus, since winged 
unicorns aren't exatly standard" he said in an aplogizing 
tone, "... And..." - the troll gazed between the legs of the 
sculpture - "...this one is male I believe. But it's purple and 
winged, and I always found it very nice. Now it's yours. And it's 
the thought that counts, right?" 
 
<img src="http://user.tninet.se/~dut963a/BlackBackOfferPlain.jpg" style="border:0;"/> 
 
----------------- 
OOC: Put this little pic together just for the occation ... I call it 
"Would you buy a used pegasus from this troll?" ... :-)

Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub123.ezboard.com/bunicornsvisi ... Griatch</A> at: 9/11/03 11:52

Blackback the entrepeneur finds a ripe market

Blackback the entrepeneur finds a ripe market

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