Business is business [Calairiel please]

[Tarot]

OOC: Grandfathered spring thread. I'm not sure about your timeline, so feel free to add your own timestamp.

IC: This was the brightening that the Podesta's office had set for Calairiel's (and Nimavel's if he so wished) appointment with the man who ruled the Island of Wonders. The Podesta, as the Thane was called around these parts, resided in the tallest building on the island, the Thanal Tower. A beautiful limestone tower, decorated in a baroque fashion and speaking of the strange, fascinating and somewhat decadent and melancholy nature of Chelseanna, its doors opened to its newest visitors, a dark-haired woman in a bright yellow dress ushering them in and leading them upstairs.

Surprisingly narrow corkscrew stairs were the only pathway to the Podesta's office, which rested on the top floor of the Tower, past a small antechamber where a guard sat in the unlikely event of someone wishing harm upon the Thane. At this point the woman, who had introduced herself as the Thane's daughter, excused herself and went back to her business downstairs.

The office was simple and tidy, pretty much square and lacking much in the way of furniture except for the Podesta's desk, which was neither too messy nor too organized. A map of Eunesia and the coat of arms of Chelseanna - featuring the pentaskelion, a figure of five bent legs connected in the middle like a wheel - were on the wall behind him. A paperweight shaped in the form of a small violin covered a small stack of documents.

Laertes Vidocai was a big man, and everything about his was big. Not really a giant, just a big man, the kind of protective dad you hear about in fairytales. With a powerful jaw and a masculine haircut, it was surprising how he managed to wear the bright colors of Chelseanna without looking ridiculous, but he did. His voice, a deep baritone, was warm and hinted at singing skills, though there was always something shrewd about his gaze.

"Serale and welcome to our humble island, Lady Mynendil," he rose from his seat and gestured for his guest(s) to take a seat.

[Calairiel Mynendil Gil'dae]

Calairiel Gil’dae was by no means innocent in the ways of politics or business. Having been around the Syl’rosyan Combine for quite some time, she knew that sometimes the subjects went hand in hand. Therefore, she was well prepared for the gentleman before her.

Her request was simple…and therefore she didn’t see any issues getting through the meeting and getting on with business.

Smiling warmly, she extended her hand with the intent to shake it.

“Vedui and thank you for the opportunity to visit. A beautiful place your island is. A different kind of beauty then my forests but beauty nonetheless. I suppose we should get down to business, as I don’t want to take up anymore of your precious time then need be. I’m interested in building an elven tea shoppe here in Chelseanna. Nothing too large…more quaint then anything. I have a quality supplier in Syl’rosya that will be supplying me with the best tea leave available, allowing your residents or tourists to explore the vast world of elven tea.”

Sometimes it wasn’t easy to sell non-elfs on the idea of elven culture but she was going to give it all she had.

[Tarot]

Vidocai may have been a fatherly-looking big man, but the glint in his eyes testified to his shrewdness as both a politician and a businessman. It had not been easy for him to become Thane here. Elected by popular vote rather than what the population considered to be a fake governor, Theodien of Ieffreon, Laertes Vidocai had had to face some of the worst competition around, but had come on top of it. And right now, Vidocai knew he would love some foreign money in the coffers of his island, but he would love that money even more if it were invested the way he wanted.

"Ah, I do remember your proposal... Arwen? I hope I did not butcher it too badly. Elven tea is a commodity that is not currently for sale on the island, and there is possibly a market for that. Of course, there is no guarantee it would be a success, as I am sure you will understand, which is why I tried to stress the benefits of financing local touristic projects in my letter. We are in the process of upgrading Hotel Magnifico into the resort of the century, and inviting select foreign investors to take part in the project."

"But..." he said with a slightly dismissive tone to his voice, "I suppose there is one empty shoppe available for rent - not purchase, I am afraid. We are a small island with our old traditions... it was one of our family-owned shoppes, passed down through the generations like each and every one in Port Chelseanna. Old man Viatici passed away last era. No-one else wanted to continue on his footsteps or even claim the shoppe, unfortunately. His craft is somewhat misunderstood nowadays for some reason, and I personally mourn the loss of yet another artisan whose art found no heirs."

"He certainly made some of the best coffins in Eunesia," the Podesta said quickly.

[Calairiel Mynendil Gil'dae]

OOC: Sorry for the short post. The other one was eaten by my computer. =-(

Business as usual in politics. Of course…people always liked their ideas better then those that might be brought to the table by others. However, it didn’t hurt to let those people ramble about the ideas -they- wanted first.

One never knew what could be accomplished by simply listening…and Calairiel was the patient sort.

Smiling, she nodded her head and settled back.

“Then by all means, if you would be willing, lay out your idea for me, including what you wish from me in monetary terms and what I would expect back in profit. If the idea is sound and terms agreeable, I’ll consider it.”

[Tarot]

"Oh, it's a simple idea, really," Vidocai smiled brightly, "you would be renting poor Viatici's workshop - may Ioannes keep him in his glory - for a probation period, say, two eras. At the end of this period, if your business is successful we can renegotiate a contract of a more permanent nature, one that will involve actual ownership of the building. As you can imagine, Port Chelseanna only has so much space to offer, and we want to make sure that all of it is profitably employed." Not to mention that mainlanders were only trusted on a case-by-case basis, which was the truer purpose of this rule. On the other hand, no-one on the island wanted to have anything to do with Viatici's shop, so...

The large Thane of Chelseanna pointed a finger at a spot on the map behind his desk, depicting the island and the only inhabited settlement on it, Port Chelseanna. He was indicating a point not far away from the Piazza del Mare, but not too close to the harbor. "There," he said, "it's convenient for your particular commodity, as well. We don't recommend selling products of a delicate nature too close to the sea. The air is highly saline around there."

"As I realize that setting up a business with the uncertainty of your shop being reclaimed after two eras is not the most appealing prospect, I can set the rent and licensing to a symbolic price... say, 50 Crowns per month. That would be all, and you could start at any time, if you already have your own shipping and handling arrangements."

[Calairiel Mynendil Gil'dae]

Calairiel looked at the map carefully, noting the location. His terms seemed fair…although she knew enough to know that there was –something- he wasn’t telling her. As long as she had the location, she didn’t much care about anything else. Most anything could be overcome with a little work.

Nodding her head, she smiled.

“ I agree to the terms. I will begin making the appropriate changes and bringing in everything we need. I will be handling the transport of product myself so there is no need to concern others with those details. Is there anything else?”

She was anxious to get to work on her newest project and see exactly what needed to get done.

[Tarot]

Vidocai's big face lit up as the Elven lady agreed to his conditions. "Ah, excellent, I am sure we will both benefit greatly from this, Arwen!" The Podesta opened a drawer and pulled out some parchment with the island's seal, the ubiquitous five legs radiating from a center, as in a wheel. The contract was almost filled out, and Vidocai only had to insert Calairiel's name as well as the figures for monthly cost and duration of the deal. Finally, he signed it in his large, flamboyant handwriting, resembling the waves of the Eunesian sea as they crashed into a cliff.

He then handed the contract for the lady to finalize with her signature, offering her his quill. It had been taken from some local bird, not resembling a goose at all. It was a warm golden color that got a little darker near the tip of the feather.

If Calairiel signed, Vidocai would pull on a thread that was hanging from the ceiling and ring a high-pitched bell. After a few seconds, a man decked in the bright colors of the Delot fencers showed up at the door. He was wearing a bold, pointy moustache and seemed quite proud of it. His hat carried a plume that was a bright chartreuse color.

"This is Damiano," Vidocai said, "he can show you to the building right now, if you so wish. Damiano, the Lady Mynendil Gil'dae. She has expressed an interest in Viatici's workshop." Damiano's brown eyes looked at the Elven lady, regarding her as an object of curiosity, but the fencer said nothing save for a simple, "Serale, signora."

[Calairiel Mynendil Gil'dae]

Calairiel signed the contract, handing it back over to the clerk and smiling.

“ Please make sure I get a copy of that. I like to keep everything neat and orderly.”

Nodding to the man that came following the bell, Calairiel smiled at the strange outfit and plume.

“Vedui. A pleasure to meet you. If there is nothing else?”

She waited to make sure they were done with the transaction, remembering at the last minute to push the first 300 crowns across the counter.

“ For the first six months rent. I’ll be putting a good sum of money into renovation so you won’t recognize the place when we are done.”