Tales From a Guild Member

Toxicity - A Friend's Tale

As she strolled through Taverly, Roz didn't know which was worse, that the Imperial Guard was not making much headway against the Trolls, or that those pompous and arrogant merchants were still gouging the victims of the war.
As she strolled through the crowds of the refugees, soldiers, and traders, 'Excuse me! ... Yes you. –ugh- Excuse me!!" shouted from behind her.
"Whatever you have to sell, I'm not interested."
"What? Why would you think I wanted to sell you something?"
"Why else would all you merch's be annoying every passerby?"
"No, I'm not trying to sell you something. I was actually hoping for some help if you wanted to get in on the ground floor of a grand investment opportunity."
Roz could only roll her eyes. "You are trying to sell me something then. This time instead of gouging me for money, you must think I'm dumb enough to get ripped off on some pyramid scheme?"
"Er. A what?"
"Pyramid scheme ... ya know a ... er ... never mind ...actually even better that I don't give you people any more ideas "
" Lady, if I may ... what was your name?"
"Like I'd tell you."
"Fine, but I meant it when I needed help. I'm truly wanting to start a business. I have it all planned out, I just need some help getting some stuff to complete it."
Roz was still skeptical, but her interest was slightly piqued. "OK, and just what was this business you had in mind?"
"Ah good, you are interested, but not out here in the open. Meet me at the Pick and Lute."
"Ugh, fine, but this had better not be some lame sales pitch."

At the pub, the merchant started to lay out his entire business model.
"You might be the thirtieth person I've made this presentation to. You know about Sanfew Potions?"
"Yeah ...."
"Well" the merchant started to look really smug, "I just managed to procure the formula."
Roz could only roll her eyes again, since she already knew the 'secret' formula that the Druids shared with a number of individuals who had helped them or were part of their community. The only tricks were being skilled enough to make it in the first place or getting your hands on all of the ingredients.
The merchant prattled on "Water plus Snapdragon plus Red Spider Eggs plus Ground Unicorn Horn Dust plus Snake Weed and finally some Nail Beast Nails. Cures and protects and against poison, and even rejuvenates your body and faith." He beamed a smile that could probably be seen in Lumbridge.
"Yeah, ok, thanks for the little herbology lesson, about the only thing it does not do is protect against dragon breath. But how exactly does this fit into your plans? Especially with me?"
"Well, that is easy, I plan to mass produce vials and vials of it. I've got some plans for the distiller, but getting enough ingredients will be a bigger issue."
"Issue? You merchants should be able to buy all the ingredients you need."
"Ordinarily, yes. However ... I spent all my money on this organically grown batch of Snapdragon ... and I plan to MASS produce it ... the ingredients available for a single vial is easy to get, but for hundreds or thousands of vials, I need something stronger."
As Roz looked over his Snapdragon herbs, she failed to see how they were any more 'organic' than what she could grow. Her doubts about this man's competence were starting to grow. But the prospect of diversifying her financial portfolio started to creep into the back of her mind. Who can live off adventuring or slaying dangerous beasts all their lives?

"OK, but again, if you have such a brilliant idea, why haven't you been able to get anyone else to help you?"
"I did try to get other merchants involved, but no one else was willing to invest. As for you adventurer types, I tried to see if they would volunteer to help, but none were interested. Figure I'd offer a limited partnership to see if that could help."
*Rich idiotic arrogant man seeking gullible adventurer type to do hard work for free* crept into the back of her mind.
"OK" she started to seriously take up his offer. "But before I even think of committing, what would I have to get?"
The merchant fidgeted for a moment. "I ... I don't want to give out the list unless I knew you were on board. I've already spent all I had just to get this far. I can't risk competition."
"But you do know what I need to get?"
"Yes."
Finally caving in, "Alright, I'm in. What on the list?"
"Oh good, you won't regret this."
Roz was certain she already had, and that it would only get worse.
"Firstly, there is a species of Snake Weed ... oh what was its name? I can't even read my own hand writing. Anyways, it is not rare or extinct, just hard to find from what I hear, located somewhere close to a village called ... "
"Tai Bwo Wannai, along the marshes south-south-west of the village."
"Oh, you have heard of it. Yes. But no one has seen THIS Snake Weed lately, perhaps the villagers know what happened. You should also know that the herbs and vines give off an aroma and an odd sap that attracts a venomous type of Red Spider, so you should be careful. With a little luck, if a spider was in the vines, you may find a nice cluster of eggs."
"Spiders and plant finding ... nothing new for me."
"OK, secondly the claws. We can't use plain old Nail Beast Nails."
"Oh?"