Tanner's Hock Shop

‘That bow will cost you 300 silver.’ Tanner spoke as he continued reading The Book of Five Swords.

“You can’t even draw that bow. What good it is it to you? Faolan the Red said incredulously.

‘Oh I can too. With my legs though. I just can’t fire it accurately.’

‘Yeah, and you looked pretty ridiculous with your feet on the bow and pulling back on the draw string. Why do you want to hang on to it?

Tanner stood up and looked at Faolan. ‘In case you forgot, what happens every time we go to Hell?’

‘Mmm, we have a rip-roaring good time?’ Faolan looked at Tanner.

‘If you call getting ripped open by some large brute with an axe, yeah I guess that is a rip-roaring good time. Three trips to the Underworld, three times I’ve nearly died. And don’t forget that I almost died up top side against said beasties while rescuing your red-headed mage girl over there.’ Tanner nodded at Regan.

‘Yeah and you haven’t died yet.’

‘Only a matter of time.’

‘And your point?’

‘Everyone likes a souvenir once in awhile.’

Faolan got an exasperated look on his face. ‘A souvenir?!’

Tanner looked smug. ‘Yep. Weapons from the Underworld usually disintegrate. This is a rare find. It could be worth lots of silver.’

‘Souveniers are what you get from the Bardstown Fair or Anglia City! Cheap tunics and undershirts. Carvings of Anglia City. Funnel cake! This is a pretty good bow!’ Faolan yelled.

Tanner snickered. Regan looked amused.

‘Since when have you learned to shoot? If it was a sword or an axe, I’d have no problem giving it to you. But it’s a bow.’ Tanner looked at Faolan quizzically.

‘If you’d get out of the library more often, you’d know I’ve been down by the target yard. And you know I’ve been doing special exercises to up my strength. I think I can handle the bow.’

Tanner put his book down and rubbed his brow. ‘Out of the library? Target yard? I thought you’d been spending time with your ‘sister’ or that other girl from the North country. Tell you what I’m gonna do. Since you actually might be able to use this thing, I’ll think about selling it. Let’s go down to the armory and see what the weapon masters have to say. Whatever they say it is worth, we’ll argue price at that point.’

‘Sounds good.’ Faolan grabbed his purse and motioned Regan to come with them. Tanner picked up the bow and walked out with them.

In a while, the trio made it down to the armory. A short, squat man with bulging arms was hammering away on a spear head. Tanner recognized him as a man named Vulkus.

‘Afternoon, Vulkus.’

Vulkus looked up. ‘Commander Hawkwood. Pleasant surprise to see you here this afternoon. Who are your friends?’

Tanner shook his hand. ‘This is Faolan the Red Wolf and his sister Regan. We need your help.’

‘What can I do for you?’

Tanner brought out the bow. ‘We need this appraised. Faolan wants to buy it, and we can’t determine a price.’

‘Let’s have a look see.’ Vulkus took the bow. ‘Defintely not from around here. Where’d you get it?’

‘Not from around here. Let’s leave it at that.’ Tanner said quietly.

‘Ooookay.’ Vulkus tried to draw it. He had success, but it was a chore. ‘A man would have to be exceptionally strong to pull this. I’ve seen some special crossbows made for castle defense that had a draw like this. Took an extra strong cranequin to pull it. The crossbow was made with steel.’

Vulkus looked at Faolan. ‘He looks strong enough to pull it. I think well of you Commander Hawkwood, but you aren’t strong enough to use it effectively.’ Faolan grinned, and Tanner had a slightly sour look on his face.

‘Well what’s it worth?’ Tanner asked.

Vulkus scratched his head. ‘Nothing exceptional about the weapon itself, except that it is powerful. Mmm, somewhere around 50 silver.’

’50 silver?!’ Faolan and Tanner both exclaimed.

‘That bow came from the Underworld! It’s got to be worth more than 50 silver!’ Tanner exclaimed. At that, Vulkus dropped the bow to the floor.

‘The Underworld?! All though I sense no evil about it, how did you come by such a vile thing? Vulkus looked as if he had pointed a loaded crossbow at his head.

‘Uh, we killed its owner’, said Faolan.

‘Oh. Well that’s better’, remarked Vulkus. ‘It’s a bow that’s got a draw so powerful most men can’t use it. Just an oversized bow.’

‘Well, Books, how much do you want for it?’ asked Faolan.

A very sour look crossed Tanner’s face. ‘This ought to be worth more. I can’t believe it. Give me 55 silver and we’ll call it even.’

’48 silver.’

’53 and not a copper farthing less.’

‘Aw c’mon Books, don’t be such a jackass. 49 silver.’

‘A jackass would have had the sense not to go to the Underworld more than once. 52 silver.

‘It’s not like you can use it. What can you do with it?’

‘Hang it on my wall as a reminder of places I don’t want to go. 51 and that’s it.’

‘Damn. 51 it is.’ Faolan tossed a bag of silver across the room, which Tanner caught. ‘There’s 50 in the there. And here’s the last of it.’ Faolan flipped a single silver across the room. It looked like it might hit the ground and roll into a corner, but Tanner caught it as a man might catch a child falling out a window.

‘Is he always like this about money?’ asked Vulkus.

‘Yes, and he’s even worse when it comes to books’, said Faolan.