Thursday, August 6, 2015

Thursday Quick Adventure #5 - BEGGAR

I stumbled on this strange letter the other day. I decided to post it here to Master of Dungeons. Any morally questionable group looking for profit would likely do well working as thieves, or any upstanding group of adventurers could likely help the poor submarine captain out.

Dear Magnificent Investors,

Bartholomew Engle's Gambling, Games and Recreation (or BEGGAR for short, which also doubles as what many of our customers turn into) has long been the most profitable gambling establishment in the southern isles. Sadly our exponential increases in profits have temporarily stalled, due to hurricane season causing the ferry in to be less than appealing to the usual tourists. We've tried everything, from offering discount rates, to an ill-advised foray into hot air balloon travel (now we know that hot air balloon travel is if anything, more dangerous in a hurricane). Our newest venture however has been much more profitable.  

As you most deep-pocketed of investors surely remember, this humble gnome acquired a large submersible craft last year, after a wealthy Atlantean literally "bet the boat" playing orcish bone toss. I've had the island's most skilled engineers modifying the craft all year, and now I am proud to the BEGGAR Submersible (or BEGGARS for short). This underwater craft will travel the coasts of the most wealthy kingdoms and free cities, staying while the profit is good, and then setting sail (proverbially, the craft as I understand it uses a system of pulleys and arcane magic) for brighter horizons.

Now I know what you may be thinking, it sounds very costly to transport the profits back to the southern isles.  This is most definitely true, oh most astute of financial backers, that is why I have devised the most devious of plans. When the boat starts to get bogged down with gold and gems, I will hire a band of thieves to steal the treasure, delivering it to me safe and sound at the main BEGGAR. Then I will make an insurance claim towards those greedy dwarves, who will also deliver safely to the island. Add in the extra benefit of docking the captain's wages, for allowing this heinous robbery to occur. For this reason, and to get him out of my hair, I've appointed my dim-witted brother to captain this vessel. Maybe if I get lucky he'll go down in a blaze of glory trying to defend the treasure after three or four robberies.

As long as my brother isn't smart enough to hire additional security, in the form of adventurers from the mainland, our plan should be foolproof. Soon, I'll pay the thieves to sink the ship, as well as robbing it, the added insurance payout will definitely boost our profits, and by then hurricane season will be over and no one will be the wiser.

Your humble servant,
Bartholomew Engle
CEO of Bartholomew Engle's Gambling, Games and Recreation
Owner of 2 out of 6 Southern Isles
Venture Capitalist

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