186. Introductions: Tabitha

Tāttā, Appā, Mutalil and the bonds met us outside the city. They would guide us to our new warehouse, but apparently, we have to take the western road. They don’t want caravans going through their posh “Central Queens” area.

I was surprised to meet Aṇil and hear the story of Wiremu advising on bonds. I will try to have him present when Selma and her friends try to bond with the wolf cubs. This is the end destination for the caravan, and the contract with Selma ends. The contract with the Comedic Rhythm and the Canine Queens ends in three months.

I suspect some sort of confrontation to happen on our way through the city. The caravan route is well-known, and our timing is not a secret. What manner of confrontation will be interesting? If it is just to rant and rave, we will ignore it. If it is an attack, bodies will be left on the ground. If it is a set-up to have us arrested by the Watch, that will make it more interesting. I am a bit surprised we were not attacked before now.

We reordered the front of the Caravan before entering the city. There is one way for us also to make a statement and be confrontational. Modrica and I would lead the caravan riding our bonds. Modrica and Težka totally dwarfed me. We then had four lions and two wolves arrayed around us. Behind us, Skavt led the Canine Queens riding Oske. Between Težka and Oske, I truly felt small. Don’t worry, Dusk, we are faster.

This arrangement also had the advantage of clearing the roads.

We weren’t far into the city when two patrol officers met us. I found out here they are called the Kirghiz Constables. They were all very friendly and reminded us we had twenty-four hours to register our bonds, and the bonds must carry a bond symbol that we would be given identifying them as bonds and not as wild animals. I invited them to join us on the road to the warehouse, but they had a patrol route they were to follow. I gave them the warehouse address for a Constable or other official to come and register our bonds. There was a fee for this. It was all very friendly. Caravans are a regular occurrence, and bonds are part of the big city.

It was a big city too. It was very multi-species. I had a feeling I was going to love it here.

We came to a large open intersection with a fountain in the centre. There were a lot of suspiciously armed warrior types standing around, not exactly blocking the street, but close. I could see many of them were taken aback at our display of power. I spied Wild Bill standing by a warrior wannabe. That moustache is ridiculous. I ignored Wiremu and everybody else, and we kept moving as if we were not going to stop, which we wouldn’t unless forced to.

A tall thin man stepped out into the road in our path and started yelling, “You stole my Monster Core! That Dire …” He stopped when all the bonds focussed on him, and they all gave a low, menacing growl. His legs nearly gave out, and somebody grabbed him out of our path before Težka walked over him. Well, that was pathetic. We just kept going past and left him behind.

Najprej, Drugič, Ört and their bonds dropped back in case of trouble as the wagons kept rolling, but the caravan guards were on full alert, and we didn’t expect any. If that was supposed to be a threatening display of warriors, it didn’t even raise the hair on the neck of our bonds, let alone threaten us. I don’t know why the Duke hasn’t disowned him. He has plenty of other bastards he could recognise. The Duke probably wants us to remove him and keep his hands clean and /or have an excuse to come down hard on us. That might be a good reason to keep him alive. This would make it very frustrating for the Duke and could be quite amusing. However, based on his recent behaviour, it could be quite difficult to keep the idiot alive. Wiremu will update me in due course. He did well to infiltrate that group this quickly.

We arrived at our new warehouse without further incident. Various of the other merchant groups started separating to their own warehouses after Selma and her crew signed them off as contract complete. The city official came to register the bonds. We affixed an Elemental Traders Symbol to an earring for all the bonds. The lions already had earrings Mayakku had enchanted for them to enhance their hearing. Her bond Cōmpēṟi, the largest and only male lion, also had bracelets around his front paws with Sharpen Enchantments. Nobody could mistake them for wild animals.

The Catkin would stay at the warehouse for a week or so, living out of their wagons. Mayakku will enchant the main walls of the warehouse and yard against common things like fire and sound. This will be the main base of the Elemental Traders for the foreseeable future. We might as well get it set up right from the start. Once she has finished there, they will relocate to the main residence and enchant that.

We waited until early evening, and then I rode out at Dusk with Tāttā and the Canine Queens, with Nyx impersonating Modrica and Težka. We rode to the new residence right through Central Queens, making it obvious where Težka would be. We stopped at the fancy Inn the Comedic Rhythm were staying at, cutesy of the agreement with Eluf in Obalno, so we were well remarked on.

Tāttā got us a good place. We will need a few alterations, but not many. Funny that these townhouses don’t have a den for lions or Dire Bears. Tāttā had got some furniture delivered, but we will need more. That can come. Tāttā is going to be busy setting up a permanent centre for the Elemental Traders here. He needs to make contacts, sell our goods and hire other staff. The Catkin have a history here. They were pushed out by some of the larger trading houses, which is why they ended up in Jern. He doubts they will remember him, although they might remember Mayakku when she sets up an enchanting workshop.

I am going to be busy with the Comedic Rhythm, as shows start in two weeks' time. In those two weeks, Modrica and I need to sort out something with the army, so I need higher-up contacts with Military Intelligence. I also want to make some contact with the criminal elements in Kirghiz.

Tonight though, I am going to register with the Mercenary Guild and get on their Black books. Wiremeu is unaware I created a new identity in Obalno. Black is back. I only have two Effectiveness Marks at the moment, but my time is limited and it should be enough to get me notified of important contracts.

I took a lease on a two-room apartment in Upper Forstad, not far from our main residence, to use as an address for the mercenary guild and registered at the local Upper Forstad office.

The lady registering me took a look at my ID token for Black and said in a bored tone, “Please be aware the Mercenary Guild is not responsible for any illegal activities you may get involved in.” Then she added, “We get a Black Butcher Wannabe registering every so often. Please note the last one is now serving ten years of hard labour at the Coastal Penal Mine. Do you understand?”

I nodded. That was hilarious. People try to copy the Black Butcher. The original Black Butcher was never registered with the Mercenary Guild. She was a straight-up Crime Lord. Her villainous month of butchery ended in a tragic death so I am not sure why people want to imitate her. I think when I created this Black Identity, I was infected by Gwaed. I registered for Item and information acquisition and assassination. It is going to be fun, though, getting back to my Thief and Burglary Classes. I am going to need a fence for the goods, but that will not be from Mercenary Guild Jobs. I browsed their jobs while I was there. I knew the Trading Houses that had driven the Catikin out, and I had good information on the Duke's Business holdings, thanks to Fredrik. Those jobs will get priority. For now, I need contacts in the criminal world.

I went out to the Western Marshlands and met Modrica in a bar. She had left Težka at the warehouse. My Krvne Sestre would be my obvious bodyguard. Modriac the Merciless had been an enforcer in the criminal world for over three decades. She knew all the tricks. We learned there was a recent assassination of one of the crime bosses in the slums, and there is fighting over the territory. Becoming a Slum Lord didn’t sound very appealing, but it could be a way to find out who the big players were.

We got directions to a fence who was also an information broker.

“Come in,” The hulk who answered the door opened it wide.

We went into the normal-looking house, and the lounge was set up with a table serving as a counter. There was another Hulk in the corner. Modrica was still larger. My Spatial sense picked up a third presence in the ceiling. The broker was a Mer, And her smile revealed rows of very sharp teeth.

I pulled out a fancy dagger with several jewels embedded in the hilt and laid it on the counter. I can’t remember which city I picked it up in, so selling it here was very low risk, but it was a very recognisable dagger. Modrica and I were shrouded, so we were not recognisable, although I suspect this Mer had Sonar, and it gave me a clue that the small person in the ceiling was also Mer and probably the most dangerous one in the building, apart from us of course.

“Interesting,” she said, examining the dagger, “very distinctive. Where did it come from?”

“Outside the city.”

Her eyes flashed with some sort of milky lid, which I took as interest. “Can you get more things outside the city?”

“I have contacts.” It is what I have been doing since Jern. “How much?” I nodded to the dagger. The Mer, I'a was the name we were given, was smart. I am sure she understood this was a test.

She looked at me a little longer, then examined the knife. “Quality work, Sharpening and Durability enchantments, partly Spiritual, but I will need to test what type. The gems aren’t just decoration,” then her eyes widened, “They give a bonus to Small Blades. Here in Kirghiz, I will need to alter the look. I will offer you 50.”

That wasn’t a bad price; she identified all the relevant attributes. “I want information as well.”

I’a nodded, “Do you have more out-of-town goods?”

I nodded, “I can also ship goods out.”

“Are you with the Fiske?”

I shook my head, “I am new in town. Who are the major players?”

“The Fiske control most of the Import / Export business. They don’t like competitors.”

“Where will I find them.”

She looked at me as if I was dumb, “The Fiske Wharves, of course.”

“Who else?”

“Janez is the orc that runs the Hazardirati. Mostly gambling and coin cleaning. The Claws are run by Volk, a wolfkin. They are the muscle for hire, protection rackets and cage fighting. The Kings think they run the rich parts of town. The King is the only name for the human in charge. The Krypta and the Mongrels dispute that claim. The Krypta is run by Död who is a sneaky dwarven lass. They have some good assassins. The Mongrels are run by Connor, and they make the biggest noise.”

“Who was killed in the Swamp the other week?”

“Toady, was his nickname, he was a low-level Mongrel.”

“Was it a gang hit?” I asked.

“Nah, Mercenary, we think. He killed a couple of Constables a few months back, but they couldn’t find him. Word is they put a contract out on him.”

“Are you with any of the gangs?”

“I buy and sell, no questions. My biggest dealings, though, are with the Fiske.”

“How much for the knife?”

“40”

“That wasn’t much info for that cost.”

“It includes the cost of me not telling the Fiske you are in town.”

“It had better include a contact for the Fiske so I can come to an agreement with them.”

I’a snorted in disbelief, “Ask for Toby at the Laughing Eel.” She handed over the coin.

We left at that. It wasn’t a bad introduction to the city.