A Deal is a Deal is a Deal [Straylor]

[Nimh]

Early Aperitus in the
Season of Spring

Ieffreon was a city of merchants. Merchants and politicians. There was the occasional household of noble blood, but it was rare--very rare; a family came to wealth by securing the best trades deals or climbing high in the political ranks. Very little else mattered when it came to wealth here on the island. You were either merchant blood or a politician's brood. One or the other.

He could, of course, try to condense things as a whole where trading was concerned, but they determined status on their trade deals. Delicate politics indeed and risky, if he wished to avoid offending powerful merchants.

Straylor had been given several names for both the grains and the textiles. They were wholly different markets and the merchants who handled one often snubbed their noses at the other.

Grains Philomele Bransios, 60 Sea Star Drive* Halena Vastare, Three Tree Estates Brik Branditross, 10 Cobblestone Terrace Textiles Angelis Trax, 5 Saltwood Street Kelly Kirst, 20 Wide Wave Way* Gresitele Cristos, Olive Hill Manor

The Commerce Director had starred the names of the most prominent merchants in their field, but indicated that it might be possible to secure better deals with the other merchants, should he wish to explore his options.

[Straylor Leonard]

Merchants and politicians. Fortunately, Straylor was both.

He thanked the woman a second time as he recieved the notes then returned to his office via In-A-Snap. After tipping the driver, Straylor entered the Consulate and immediately summoned some servants and clerks for two things: paperwork, drafts, and something to eat. The summer weather of the isles always made him hungry, it seemed; and thirsty; and generally uncomfortable. His flesh was still rebounding from the harsh winters in the Carmelyn; and being in Ieffreon was like tossing a frozen fish into a baking oven. The iced creature either melted or thawed but never both.

Tearing off his shirt and tossing it to a maidservant, Straylor passed one of his clothes chest and plucked a blue sleeveless tunic and tossed it onto his naked back. After fixing his air against his reflection in a looking glass, Stray returned to his seat behind his large, dual purpose desk in the main offices of the Consul. Its drawers contained a near limitless supply of parchment, inkpots, and quills along with official wax seals and scroll tubes. All thanks to the Empire, or the Kingdom under Milo.

So, first thing's first.

He waited for his drink (which was Medonian red) and Straylor summoned his Shield of Arcana and idly wove a spell that cooled the drink by drawing water particules from the air, licking the surface of his goblet with them, and evaporating the water. It was a trick he devised some time ago, following his experiments with Water Bending and Temporal Rain. Water was one of the few elements Straylor could manipulate as a Druid; and good thing too. After a moment or two, Straylor took a sip of his wine and smiled, stretched, and then began to draft the first note -- a standard letter with an opening, a preliminary greeting and an end.

When the clerks came, Straylor passed it to them. "I want six copies of these" he said "I'll fill in the body of the letters when you finish." He nodded, thanked the clerks, and then leaned against his high back chair. Closing his eyes, Straylor cast a brief Detect around his person, just out of habit. During his training the druid was taught how to enter the consciousnesses of animals and insects alike. It was a curious sensation and experience altogether. This was how druids trained themselves to refrain from animal meat, after all; who would want to eat the flesh of a creature one has had such an intimate (though magical) tie with?

Soon enough (and when) the clerks returned, Straylor thanked them a second time by name before plucking each of the copies from their hands. He sprinkled some sand on them, allowing the ink to dry a little faster, before steading his favorite quill into a pot of black ink. Then he began to write.

He wrote a letter to each of the six merchants / businesses on the note provided to him by the director of trade and commerce. They were all then signed Straylor Felix Leonard, Lord Thane of Trysvale and Royal Consul to Eunesia. Once he pressed his seal on them and packed them neatly into scroll tubes, Straylor summoned some messengers and had them delivered immediately.

[Nimh]

The responses arrived the following brightening, in varying scripts and sealed with colorful waxes printed with house designs that were as different as a tern was from a wren. All of them were politely worded, although several varied in their acceptance of the invitation to meet--Halena Vastare was out of town on business and his wife was ill-equipt to deal with arrangements such as these; Straylor could call back in a month, if he wanted; Angelis Trax had no desire or space to bring in more merchandise, but thank you for the offer.

So there were four who had agreed to meet--Philomele Bransios, Brik Branditross, Kelly Kirst and Gresitele Cristos.

All four requested times that might work for Straylor to meet with him--although Philomele was more direct, stating quite simply that she had a strict schedule to keep and would be better suited to meeting over lunch rather than picking apart a space in her brightening that would work for him and not her. The others seemed more flexible.

They all awaited answers.