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sparkindarknessI'm doing my schizophrenic thing again - whenever one set of muses demand attention the others swoop in clamouring for attention. Even this fic that has been lurking around for aaaaaaages is now unrolling into a hige plot.
Well, no, that's a lie. It's unrolling into VAST (and unnecessary) world building that is giving me headaches. The plot is just a distraction from the endless statistics of nations and history and politics and races.
Still, I like it, I like High Fantasy and never ever write it for some reason. Sometimes you have to put aside your angst and relationships and delicate hidden modern magic with lots of modern issues and just pick up a broadsword, slap a red head in some well endowed plate armour and drag up an elf with fire balls! Subtlty be damned, we have dwarfs and dragons!
The first installment is likely in my memories somewhere back in the far mists of time.
“Well, he said it was a simple enough task.” The boy said, trying to sound reasonable.
Asharra snorted. “Simple enough tasks don’t pay 4,000 Suns each. Simple courier duty doesn’t pay more than 300 Suns.”
“Even arduously complicated courier duty rarely pays more than 1,000 Suns. I have never heard of someone paying more than 2,000 Suns for simply carrying a message. The only thing that comes close is when the courier had to cross through magical realms, fierce, hostile war zones, or to carry a message into a castle suffering desperate siege.” Teltherisir poured himself another glass of wine.
“It is also amusing how quickly ‘a task of dire importance for all humanity’ morphed into an insignificant postage quest.” Even without her cowl and safe in the private dining room their would-be employer had given them for their deliberations, Soravzha still seemed to cling to the shadows and have the shadows lurk round her.
“Well… it isn’t something illegal is it?” Simeon whispered, worried. “Maybe he’s giving us a lot of money to buy or silence and unquestioning co-operation for some nefarious scheme!”
Asharra drowned a laugh in ale. “Neferious scheme? You’re on the frontier, lad. You need civilization for nefarious schemes. Out here you get bloody dangerous plots instead.”
“If he had wished for silence he would have stipulated such in his contract. Such a term would hardly be unknown or unlikely here. He is also surprisingly forthcoming and genial for one who wishes to buy unquestioning obedience.” The elf pointed out carefully, swilling the wine around his glass.
“I reckon he just wants to make sure we’ll do it.” Ashara mused – becoming more and more genially disposed herself as her bar tab grew larger. “Let’s face it, it’s bloody dangerous out there and he wants this delivered to, where? Karanak Kar Razkat? That Dwarf hold is in the back of beyond and more. You need an experienced group of skilled adventurers for that journey – and most of us of any merit won’t do postal service for any price. I know I don’t.”
Soravzha nodded, brows furrowed in thought. Simeon’s brows also came together – in confusion. “Why won’t you deliver messages for any price?”
“Reputation, child.” Teltherisir explained quietly. “Only new adventurers or those past their prime stoop to courier work – no matter how dangerous or profitable the task. It is a job for those who can’t get better. Silly, but true – good adventurers will act as mercenaries, will guard people or goods – especially expensive ones, and can be contracted to kill just about anything, but carrying messages will kill your career.”
“True, it has reached the point of ridiculousness.” In the bar outside Soravzha barely drank more than one mug every 2 hours. Having Asharra order the drinks was loosening her tongue. “Now people will pay one of their ordinary workers to carry a message and then pay adventurers to guard him because the adventurers refuse to carry the missive themselves.”
“There’s also the war, of course.” Asharra put in, casually. “Most of the new adventurers who are willing to do courier duty are playing mercenary in the east. Rumour has it that the king’s paying top coin for skilled mercenaries. Causes a shortage everywhere else.”
“How come you’re here then? And the others downstairs? Why aren’t you at the war zone?”
All three of the more experienced adventurers chuckled, even the elf who explained, “ah, the problem is the war is quite a large and dangerous one. And the mercenary contracts are short. I have seen it before, you are hired for a month at extremely high pay, your contract ends and you find yourself ‘conscripted’ for the war effort at less – if any pay. Never play mercenary to a king – lords, certainly, but never a king. They make terrible debtors.”
“Collection’s certainly a bitch,” Asharra added, still laughing.
“Well, at least that explains why it’s so expensive, then.” The boy grinned with relief. “We take the message to Karann.. err.. the Dwarf city, get the return message and, come back and collect our money and you have enough money to make up for your reputation being dented.”
The older three exchanged cynical glances. Finally Teltherisir shrugged, “I will go. Not because I trust our would-be-employer or even for the money. My curiosity is caught.”
Soravzha snorted, “and I thought you elves were coolly practical about everything. I’ll join for the coin, my purse is light and no other job will fill it up better.”
“I guess, I’m in as well.” Asharra tipped her tankard in salute. “I can pick up any bounties on the way and I’m bloody tired of merchant guard work. Besides, sounds like this is going to be a saga of legend. I want my name attached to that.”
“Fame and glory? You dream of being a hero of legend?” Simeon leaned forwards, all eager child.
“Nope, advertising.” She roared with laughter along with the others and drained her tankard. It would be an interesting day tomorrow.
Well, no, that's a lie. It's unrolling into VAST (and unnecessary) world building that is giving me headaches. The plot is just a distraction from the endless statistics of nations and history and politics and races.
Still, I like it, I like High Fantasy and never ever write it for some reason. Sometimes you have to put aside your angst and relationships and delicate hidden modern magic with lots of modern issues and just pick up a broadsword, slap a red head in some well endowed plate armour and drag up an elf with fire balls! Subtlty be damned, we have dwarfs and dragons!
The first installment is likely in my memories somewhere back in the far mists of time.
“Well, he said it was a simple enough task.” The boy said, trying to sound reasonable.
Asharra snorted. “Simple enough tasks don’t pay 4,000 Suns each. Simple courier duty doesn’t pay more than 300 Suns.”
“Even arduously complicated courier duty rarely pays more than 1,000 Suns. I have never heard of someone paying more than 2,000 Suns for simply carrying a message. The only thing that comes close is when the courier had to cross through magical realms, fierce, hostile war zones, or to carry a message into a castle suffering desperate siege.” Teltherisir poured himself another glass of wine.
“It is also amusing how quickly ‘a task of dire importance for all humanity’ morphed into an insignificant postage quest.” Even without her cowl and safe in the private dining room their would-be employer had given them for their deliberations, Soravzha still seemed to cling to the shadows and have the shadows lurk round her.
“Well… it isn’t something illegal is it?” Simeon whispered, worried. “Maybe he’s giving us a lot of money to buy or silence and unquestioning co-operation for some nefarious scheme!”
Asharra drowned a laugh in ale. “Neferious scheme? You’re on the frontier, lad. You need civilization for nefarious schemes. Out here you get bloody dangerous plots instead.”
“If he had wished for silence he would have stipulated such in his contract. Such a term would hardly be unknown or unlikely here. He is also surprisingly forthcoming and genial for one who wishes to buy unquestioning obedience.” The elf pointed out carefully, swilling the wine around his glass.
“I reckon he just wants to make sure we’ll do it.” Ashara mused – becoming more and more genially disposed herself as her bar tab grew larger. “Let’s face it, it’s bloody dangerous out there and he wants this delivered to, where? Karanak Kar Razkat? That Dwarf hold is in the back of beyond and more. You need an experienced group of skilled adventurers for that journey – and most of us of any merit won’t do postal service for any price. I know I don’t.”
Soravzha nodded, brows furrowed in thought. Simeon’s brows also came together – in confusion. “Why won’t you deliver messages for any price?”
“Reputation, child.” Teltherisir explained quietly. “Only new adventurers or those past their prime stoop to courier work – no matter how dangerous or profitable the task. It is a job for those who can’t get better. Silly, but true – good adventurers will act as mercenaries, will guard people or goods – especially expensive ones, and can be contracted to kill just about anything, but carrying messages will kill your career.”
“True, it has reached the point of ridiculousness.” In the bar outside Soravzha barely drank more than one mug every 2 hours. Having Asharra order the drinks was loosening her tongue. “Now people will pay one of their ordinary workers to carry a message and then pay adventurers to guard him because the adventurers refuse to carry the missive themselves.”
“There’s also the war, of course.” Asharra put in, casually. “Most of the new adventurers who are willing to do courier duty are playing mercenary in the east. Rumour has it that the king’s paying top coin for skilled mercenaries. Causes a shortage everywhere else.”
“How come you’re here then? And the others downstairs? Why aren’t you at the war zone?”
All three of the more experienced adventurers chuckled, even the elf who explained, “ah, the problem is the war is quite a large and dangerous one. And the mercenary contracts are short. I have seen it before, you are hired for a month at extremely high pay, your contract ends and you find yourself ‘conscripted’ for the war effort at less – if any pay. Never play mercenary to a king – lords, certainly, but never a king. They make terrible debtors.”
“Collection’s certainly a bitch,” Asharra added, still laughing.
“Well, at least that explains why it’s so expensive, then.” The boy grinned with relief. “We take the message to Karann.. err.. the Dwarf city, get the return message and, come back and collect our money and you have enough money to make up for your reputation being dented.”
The older three exchanged cynical glances. Finally Teltherisir shrugged, “I will go. Not because I trust our would-be-employer or even for the money. My curiosity is caught.”
Soravzha snorted, “and I thought you elves were coolly practical about everything. I’ll join for the coin, my purse is light and no other job will fill it up better.”
“I guess, I’m in as well.” Asharra tipped her tankard in salute. “I can pick up any bounties on the way and I’m bloody tired of merchant guard work. Besides, sounds like this is going to be a saga of legend. I want my name attached to that.”
“Fame and glory? You dream of being a hero of legend?” Simeon leaned forwards, all eager child.
“Nope, advertising.” She roared with laughter along with the others and drained her tankard. It would be an interesting day tomorrow.