Normally I'd ask for some background checks, and what they expect for wages.

But if there willing to launch now, based off Lizzy's asking alone, maybe we've got some leverage on them.

Ask Lizzy if there's anything I should know about these two. Criminal history, if they're banned from any particular areas, etc.

Ask Lizzy about these guys' sexual preferences and kinks.

Mmm, nothing like selling bread...

They have English names, so they might be from the same placer Elizabeth comes.
Ask her how she knows them and what they are asking un return for working with you.

>>985315
How much are their wages? 50 each a week again?
Did you get food and water and medical supplies?

Ask them for what they expect to get pay and get a move on, time is money.

Let's set sail and kick ass! We're all out of ass.

>>985315
How much is expected profit on this run? I don't think we got a number.

Thing is that we need these two so we may as well pick them up, low ball them a bit, let them highball, meet in the middle as expected, hopefully your father or your mentor has taught you something about approximating the worth of navigation and manual labor in your region, you don't want to insult them when providing your first offer.

You couldn't really haggle when Lizzy presented her offer first, now you have the advantage, so long as you have been taught well enough.

Leo 2021/01/16(Sat)11:45 No. 985798 ID: ca2950
File 161082634680.png - (157.02KB , 917x631 , 12.png )

>How much are their wages? 50 each a week again?
Leo negotiates them down to 45, making weekly labor costs 140 seta.

So, accounting for wages, a trip to Bahmad in northern Drevas would yield about 5% profit and a trip to Sarahvi to the south which is about twice as far would yield about 12 - 15%, more than twice as much as going to Bahmad. Goods purchased in Sarahvi won't be subject to the increased transport cost they would in Bahmad, so the return trip could be similarly profitable.

The only real cost is an increase in danger.

You can't make profit if you don't finish the trip. However, we have nonperishable goods, so if we have to take time off to fix the ship, we are still good to go.

What kind of danger are we talking about?

>>985799 That route is dangerously close to the Gadran Empire, whom we are at war with.

More profit?
More opportunities for further trade?
More chances of swashbuckling fight scenes?

Onward to Sarahvi!

>>985798
What are we looking at in terms of risk?
Weather patterns are the primary concern, but we can't discount the possibility of pirates. Have there been any sighting recently? Rumors going around?

Do we have a gun or some sort of defenses?
I have to ask, Izzy's your pilot too, right? How confident is she that she may be able to evade chasing pirates while flying?

What is her advice? If she thinks she can handle the trip that's more profitable, we'll take it, if she doesn't feel confident, we'll take the safe trip, and calculate risk there after weighing our profit margins.

If we're the pilot, just take the safe trip, it's clear you don't know what you're doing because we all know you're no flying ace.

>>985798
>5% profit
That's... very low. You bought 400 seta's worth so you get 20 seta from the trip. Barely even worth considering.

Go for the longer trip.

>>985800
It's not though. It's the opposite side of the continent from the war, in fact.

I say you should take the risks, but what risks are we talking ablout?

>>985798
Shakedown cruise to Bahmad and sell Kand goods. If there are no issues, continue to Sarahvi (keep a handful of goods from Kand, and stock up at Bahmad). Sell at Sarahvi for good profit (Kand goods) and decent profit (Bahmad goods), then fill to capacity and return to Kand for a good profit. Establishes yourself as a trader at each place, and it means a second run to either establishes you as a reliable transport route (i.e. as well as cargo to buy and sell, you could be offered jobs to transport cargo/passengers for a fee).

>>985803
That's 5% profit including wages. So its 540 * .05=27 seta all for Leon/Operating Expenses/Debt/Business Savings/Business Development , assuming it takes a week to reach that location.

Ok, fucking yikes, still bad. 12% is 64.8 minimum.

Never mind, you HAVE to make the voyage to the farther place.

How about this. Go to Bahmad and then decide if we want to continue to Sarahvi based on how well the ship is holding up.

Leo 2021/01/22(Fri)20:46 No. 986107 ID: ca2950
File 161137720833.png - (181.59KB , 754x741 , 13.png )

A return of 40 - 60 seta on the long trip is still pretty bad. After all his expenses, Leo could end up making less than his employees. He could always buy more goods with the money he's holding in reserve to nearly double his takings or maybe triple them if he took the potentially perilous perishable provisions.

More funds available upon arrival means more goods to profit off of on the return trip. It's just a matter of how aggressive he wants to be.

A)Slow and Steady: make a little bit with what you have and wait for an opportunity to arise
B)Grease the Wheels: the problem of not having enough money can be solved by throwing money at it. Buy more goods with half your remaining funds (specify stable or perishable)
C)Fortune Favors the Bold: spend every penny you can and risk it all on the biggest possible pay out. Stuff that basket right to the brim with eggs and hope for the best (specify stable or perishable)

>>986107
B, perishable. This is extra, valuable cargo on top of what is basically guaranteed profit, so your risk is already mitigated.

A. There are too many unknowns right now: how reliable your ship is, how the crew will behave, and how easy it will be for you to even sell your wares. Liquid assets (cash) can be used to solve many problems on your first trip.

B) Test and experiment what works best. Buy a variety pack of foodstuffs, and cook some in your spare time. Do not spend every last penny, risking all is unacceptable.

>>986107
Our grim reality makes B really our only option if we want to be a smart and GOOD merchant.

However, FUCK IT, RIDE THIS BABY INTO THE GROUND! FIRST MISSION IS FLIGHT OR DIE! OPTION C ALL THE WAY BABY! STONKS!

If we don't take Option C, can we really call ourselves a Fox?

>>986117
I forgot to say go for the perishable Option C.

Fortune's call favors the bold. Load up with perishables in case you get into some kind of ship to ship food fight with pie-rates.

I'd go with B and perishables. If things go south, at least we wont lose everything.

perishable Option C

Leo 2021/01/23(Sat)09:14 No. 986138 ID: ca2950
File 161142204188.png - (192.60KB , 751x657 , 14.png )

After nearly being more conservative with his money, Leo buys as much produce as he can get, leaving a bit for fuel and provisions.

Now it's a race to deliver the goods before half of them turn to mush or end up unsaleable for various other reasons.

>what risks are we talking about?

Monsters that can take bites out of you, monsters that can swallow you whole, monsters that can take bites out of ships, monsters that can swallow ships whole, pirates, raiders, bad weather, mechanical failure. Things like that, but it's a heavily traveled route, so the danger is minimal. You know, relatively.

Everything is set, unless there's some last minute details to take care of?

You did buy a gun... right?

Something to pass the time while traveling? A book?

>>986138
Say a prayer before you leave. These superstitions exist for a reason.

You're a wealthy merchant's son; I'm sure you already own several things you can use to alleviate boredom, like a board game and a book or two.

We won't necessarily need a big gun for such a well-traveled route. If a big-ass monster appears, or the empire sends a fleet there, we're just going to run anyway. Oh, but if you do own a personal weapon already, bring that.

You should probably wait to bed the bun until after you're underway.

Say farewell to your family. Ask tour dad "Father, if I die, will you miss me?"

>>986138
Raid your father's pantry for snax
Fuck his mistriss
bail

Leo 2021/01/26(Tue)04:09 No. 986301 ID: ca2950
File 161166297022.png - (237.04KB , 792x737 , 15.png )

After gathering some of this things and saying his goodbyes, Leo and the crew launch off into the wild blue yonder toward their destination.

>you have a gun, right?

Leo has a slightly fancier than average sword. The chances of four people fighting off any kind of organized attack is pretty slim anyway, so they're going to have to rely on seeming like an unappealing target. They're looking the part, at least.

Time to sit back and wait for now. Nothing but free time.

It sure would be useful if you could use this free time to make money by producing something.

>>986302
Or train a skill.

Work on your sailors’ knots.

Get to know the crew? Is important to know who you are working with. Especially if you are their boss.

Leo 2021/01/26(Tue)17:30 No. 986336 ID: ca2950
File 161171104408.png - (209.33KB , 1024x650 , 16.png )

>it sure would be useful if you could use this free time to make money by producing something

There's not really any onboard facilities to make much. There's also not much to make anything out of.

>train a skill

There's nothing but time. It's just a matter of which skill can be trained while puttering along on a boat?

>get to know your crew

Which one? Lizzy is just loitering around. Candice is focused on writing something down and Garrett is currently serving as steering wheel holder.

Ask Candice if we can save fuel by finding some trade winds. She's the navigator, she should know this!

Lizzy's pants look like they might blow away in the breeze. Chat with her.

>>986336
Bother the skunk.

Bother! That! Skunk!

Stare at Candice from behind a barrel until she asks what you want.

>>986336
Strike up a convo with Lizzy.
A nice, easy conversation starter: asking how your dad roped her into this.
And if she's secretly some sorta badass bodyguard.

>>986336
If Candice wore Lizzy's top she'd look like she was from a porno.

Anyway we know Liz is a size queen so lets talk with Candice.

>There's not really any onboard facilities to make much
Any sort of artmaking, like painting or sculpting, wouldn't require any facilities, maybe even woodcutting... say, can those birds be caught?

>train a skill
Train your dancing skills. Those always come in handy.

Talk to the one who has nothing else they should be focusing on; Lizzy.

We know we got Candice and Garrett through her and that she's here on behalf of dear old dad, but we don't know the specifics. Ask how she came to know our father, as well as how she met our current crew — two birds with one conversation.

>>986336
If Lizzy is loitering, maybe ask what should we be doing during downtime, typically, from her experience on board ships, or from any tales her father has told her, if he had the same vocation. Candice can join in.

Garrett looks like he's probably doing too much of an important job to leave, unfortunately. We should probably take turns doing that if that isn't already the plan. Everyone needs a chance to loiter do whatever your supposed to do when loitering on a long boring voyage.