Hard Bargain

Part 1: Shopping Madness

Hearthsong

While in Hearthsong, speak to Rinatto (1), who is standing near the Celestial Sapling entrance. You catch him in a loud discussion about a heated trading transaction. He screams about Alarhî selling him false products. You can select these options:

• “What do you intend to do about this?”
• “What did Alarhî say when you confronted her?”
• “What is Elardh Golah?”
• “Let me see what you have for sale.”
• “Farewell.”

You can ask all these questions one after the other, except the last, obviously. Next, you can agree to help him or actually see what products he has for sale at Rinatto’s Wares. He carries ingredients. Helping him begins the task.

New Task

Objective: Talk to Alarhî in Hearthsong’s Market

Hearthsong Market

Skip on over to Hearthsong Market (2) in the northwest. Enter and speak to Iwen (3). Tell her you are looking for Alarhî. She tells you she is home, not far from here.

Part 2: Spear of a Young Hunter

Task Updated

Objective: Find Alarhî at her dwelling in the Hearthsong District

Now head over to what you now know to be Alarhî’s house (4).

Alarhî’s Home

Inside Alarhî’s house, you discover her and a Glanfathan Mind Hunter and two Glanfathan Firstblades. Talk to Alarhî (5). She’s not surprised to see you and guesses who sent you. Your conversation options are:

• “I’m here for Rinatto’s money.”
• “I want to hear your side of the story.”
• “I don’t care about the Vailian. Maybe I can help you instead.”

There are many outcomes here; check Reactivity and Rewards to decide how to proceed. For now, ask to hear her side of the story. She says he’s lying about the product not being as advertised. He’s just trying to cheat her. She says if you deal with him, you don’t have to kill him, which is another option. This opens a couple special options for doing so: [Twin Elms: Positive 4] and [Lore 10].

If you side with Rinatto, then you can ask for his money at this point. It comes to a battle or ostracizing here to get the money back from her. However, she gives you a Beetle in a Cage if you side with her. You need to deliver that to Rinatto to threaten him to leave without violence.

Task Updated

Objective: Convince Rinatto to leave Twin Elms

Head back to Rinatto (1). Here you have the following conversation options:

• [Lie] “How do you think Glanfathans will react if they find out you’re dealing in stolen relics?” [Deceptive: Minor]
• Alarhî gave me this beetle in a cage for you. She said your problem would end in the same place if you continue your stay in “Twin Elms.”
• [Leave]

Choose the beetle option and he snaps at you and asks, “Just what makes you think the Glanfathans would believe your lies over my good word?” Your response options are:

• “I’m a Watcher, and the Anamfath will believe anything I tell them to believe.” [Diplomatic Minor]
• “We’ll see about that.…” (Attack)

Attack and kill him for that Reactivity ending or tell him you are a Watcher. If you do, he gets angrier and tells you where you can stick the Beetle in a Cage. Your response options are:

• [Dexterity 15]
• [Constitution 13] Ignore Rinatto’s feeble attack. [Stoic: Minor]
• [Resolve 15] Command Rinatto to stop. [Aggressive: Minor]
• “I wouldn’t do that.…”

All but the last option keeps Rinatto from dying next. If he dies here (by selecting the last option), he gets an arrow through the throat from a Glafathan archer. The Glanfathan Huntress’s reasoning: “I’m sure you understand.”

Part 3: Conclusion

Alarhî’s House

Task Updated

Objective: Tell Alarhî you’ve dealt with Rinatto

Head back to Alarhî (5) and tell her Rinatto won’t trouble you anymore. He’s dead. Or he’s left town (depending on your choices). This concludes the task and you receive the Tiny Beetle if you sided with Alarhî. See Reactivity and Rewards for the many outcomes.