Reeling away from my quest giver, I decided to search for someone who might be able to help me convince Basilgaraad as to why a trade route with the forest is a good idea. I myself don't know why only that in my previous plane plenty of...unsavory people liked to come in and kill my friends. From what they told me, it was to sell them off at a city. Of course, that's second-hand knowledge due to my lack of knowledge of the common language.
Which also makes it hard to find anyone who would be able to help me...
After finishing this nice talk, Manyvat Adruo looked up at the ceiling before playing with a coin and wondering about what he should do. While checking quest reports seemed like a good way to receive enough information for him to form a plan.
That is something he did not wish to accomplish yet. If there is no alternatives, he shall do so. Nonetheless, what did he know about this city's institutions? Not much. Perhaps there is another way to gather these. The only thing he needed was to wander in the streets and find out what intrigues him.
A sigh escaped his mouth as he bumped into someone in the tavern. A lady with fiery hair, more or less in an odd sylvan cloth accompanied with a scent of soil. Who was he to judge someone's outfit anyway? Whoever she was-- manners take priority.
"I apologize for bumping into you."
"Hm?" I respond, unsure of what was said to me. I turn around, seeing who bumped me. What I saw...scared me. A man was looking at me, or at least I assumed he was. His face was covered by a mask, with his eyes being shaded by a triangular black hat. He wore a dark green cloak, covering his body even more. Everything about him told me to run away, which I was about to until Hana leapt onto him, grabbing at his cloak.
Seeing such, I shout in Sylvan, "Hana! What are you doing?!" I quickly say to the man, "I'm sorry, Hana just seems to not like you." Of course, I don't mention the chills I'm getting from him either. I may not know who he is or his background, but I didn't want to take chances on getting on his bad side.
'That is not a language I know. Does that mean that--'
Was it the case? Why would she even be here if she could not speak a common language? Assuming she is here-- she is likely now an adventurer. Then how did she even get registered? How did she come to know the existence of an institution named the Adventurer's Guild? In any case-- these questions cannot be answered if he does not switch to any language. Let's see. Considering her outfit, the red fox named-- Hana. At least, that is what he understood. Better than nothing he supposed. What kind of language could he speak to get himself understood?
While doing so, the merchant rubbed the tip of his mask and stared at the lady who replied to him. Honestly, while the fox grabbed his clothes. It was not even his own clothes-- neither could they really be damaged as far as he knew.
"Mmm, let's try something in another language then." Although, since he wished to have a bit of fun. He decided to speak Demonic-- secretly hoping that she would not understand what he will say at this instant. "Well then, can you understand what I am saying now?"
Seeing him mutter something to himself, I assumed he didn't understand me. Just as I was about to try and change to a different language to address him, I heard a low, deep wail come from his mouth, followed by some shrieking too. It felt ominous, almost as if I was going to be dragged down to the depths of hell just by listening to it. Fearful of how horrid he sounded, I quickly started asking him in the Primordial tongue, "Ah! Stop stop stop stop stop! Whatever you're trying to summon, it's probably going to kill us all! So please, stop!"
During that time, Hana also scurried over to my feet in fear of the man, grabbing hold of my left leg to keep herself up. It was at that time that I noticed eerie darkness starting to surround the man and I. Was he trying to kidnap me? I desperately wanted to cast detect magic at the moment, but I already spent all of my mana for the day, leaving myself in a dangerous situation. What's more, is that everyone else seemed to be under some sort of spell to not even notice what's happening! I couldn't even call for help in this state!
Indeed. Speaking in that language was, in fact, a good decision. The merchant could not help but laugh as he fiddled his hands together. Although that was not polite. Since it permitted him to chuckle, showing such an insight personality was worth it, he supposed. In any case, he cleared his throat and then wondered what language he should try now. Try with another worrisome one, or? Questions remained. Just last time, and if she understands, so be it! If she doesn't, laughter shall be!
"Mmmmm. I need to get this right... one... two... three."
After this sentence, still spoken in Demonic, the merchant switched to Draconic that he learnt a long time ago in his childhood. When he heard stories of how dragons hoarded treasures like how a lord gathers heirs and heiresses for the sake of establishing relationships with other counties. After all, his dream was to become a successful merchant-- how could he not try to speak Draconic when Dragons probably have unmeasurable treasures?
"Once upon a time, I believed that men could make out peace if they understood each other, but alas-- Whatever, since it is unlikely that you will understand me. I suppose that I should just stop having fun and speak another language, one that you may understand... I may as well apologize to you once again."
"I...er...what?" I said, also speaking in Draconic. I was also wondering why he knew Draconic, but after that language, I'm not terribly surprised that he knows it. However, that begs the question, would he be able to help me with the dragon? All that needs to happen is that he needs to know some merchant skills, but anything is better than mine.
"Uh...you're forgiven? I guess?" I still don't know if I should trust him, though. He did scare Hana, after all. "You are...?" Learning their name should be safe at least, right?
"That is... surprising, I suppose. Mmmm... yet… there is no draconic signs so far."
Dragons in disguise? Unlikely. They would at the very least know how to speak Common despite enmity. In any case, after sorting his thoughts and putting everything into place. The merchant introduced himself, holding his hand on his chest while the other was behind his back.
"Excuse me for my rudeness-- my name is Manyvat Adruo. While it may not look to be the case due to my current outfit and my lack of belongings and products, I used to be a tradesman before coming into this world if I may say so." At some point, he had to accept it as an axiom. Whether that was the case or not, he should hold it as true as any kind of scholar would do, so their theses can make some sense. "I do hope I have not offended you by accidentally scaring you."
"No signs of draconic...? Never mind that. My name is Lily. No surname or such as I grew up in a forest, and raised by the animals that live there." Okay, he at least seems friendly. Still, was scaring me truly an accident? "You're forgiven, then. Though, what do you mean by a tradesman? Were you a merchant in the past?"
I'm also a bit curious about what brought him here. I can only hope it's not a reason like mine. Oh! Right! I forgot to introduce Hana! Ah, but he looks like he's about to speak. I should hold off for a bit.
"Mmm. Lily? Noted." After recording that name into his memories, Adruo planned to reply to her question. Although his eyes were attracted by the little red fox. He needed a few seconds before speaking. Still in Draconic which was a bit of a bother-- but, at the very least, they were able to communicate this way.
"And yes, I was a merchant by the past. Before coming here that is. Since i replied to this question, I will ask you one-- why did you ask that?" It was likely that he did not need to ask her. She would probably explain on her own as it seemed that she was searching for a merchant. In any case, that was an especially lucky coincidence for her. Although, rather troublesome for him-- he did need to go around the city.
"Ah...well...I'm needing help with negotiating a trade route with a dragon in the forest," I said nervously. I mean, how are you supposed to say that with a straight face? "I don't have any experience with negotiating, however, I believe it's definitely worthwhile for both the dragon and Scribel."
"A... dragon?" Indeed, it was rather hard to believe. While that may explain why she could speak Draconic. Why would there be a dragon nearby? On top of that, negotiating for a trade route? It would mean that the Dragon is beside a path frequented by merchants?
"Are you sure it is a dragon?" Nonetheless, whatever that is. Manyvat should be able to help, there may even be rewards for him, which would be appreciated for sure. Plus, he would be able to check whether he speaks Draconic properly or not. As, despite speaking the language, he never met any dragon.
"...actually, whatever that is. That should be my field of expertise. May you explain everything from the start? For example, where is the dragon?"
"Uh...well, I was doing a quest to find gather some Silverface Spider spider silk. They're found in the forest to the north. While I was looking for them, I stumbled upon a green dragon named Basilgaraad. I got into a conversation for him about negotiating how I would be able to get a place to live in the forest. Of course, I'm asking his permission because he rules over the forest and...oh, gosh, I'm rambling, aren't I?" Taking a deep breath, I continue.
"Basically, I offered to try to help set up a trade route with him and Scribel in exchange for a place to stay. However, he wanted me to come back when I was able to properly negotiate with him, hence why I'm looking for a merchant for help. Of course, the person who sets it up would have a huge monopoly on the resources of the forest, but the problem is finding someone who's able to speak Draconic as well."
Pausing to catch my breath, I finally say, "Which is why I'm wondering if you'd be able to help me?"
Once he heard that it was possible to have a monopoly on the forest's resources, whether that is true or not did matter. The question now was-- how to obtain that monopoly and thus please the dragon? How would a trade route bring profits to the dragon as well? What are its goals?
Unfortunately, it was impossible to anticipate until he met it. In any case-- "At first, since I thought it would be risky. I would have done it only if you provided me with a reward but... the word monopoly is too appealing for me to ignore it. I do not even feel like asking anything anymore."
After making his point and clearing his throat, the merchant's pupils probed into Lily's eyes, wondering whether she was trying to trick him or not. Was it worth a gamble? Of course, it was! "Be it as it may... I do hope that my Draconic and experience shall be enough to deal properly with this situation. I accept to help you."
"Alright. Are you prepared to head out now, or do you need time to prepare?" Did he accept? ...Well, he may be scary, but that's probably the kind of person you need to help negotiate with a dragon, right? What could go wrong!
"We can go right now. I need to satisfy my curiosity now. Of course, you lead the way." It felt necessary to go there right now. As if a little voice was whispering in his ears, urging to go there and discover what he can seize and sell, to regain his past glory. For sure-- he did not wish to stay without a stable income for too long. If he could, at the very least, own any kind of home, that would be perfect.
"Alright. Follow me!" I said, heading out the door of the guildhall, but not before grabbing some fresh fish on our way out. As a druid, I had a very keen sense of the environment and could help us navigate straight to the forest without any detours. But then I'd miss out on all of the animals and beasts along the way! Which is why I made sure to stop by any that weren't too far out of the way. Like a griffon. They're not the most friendly, but they're not evil either! Plus they're extremely cuddly when you get to know them better!
Now this one was circling high above us as we were heading to the forest. They tend to fly a ways away from their nest in search of food, especially over forests and plains instead of the mountainous cliffs they call home. Naturally, we weren't targets for food, but I had a plan to fix that.
Grabbing the fish, I threw it up while screaming in griffon, "Hey, I want to talk to you! There's more fish for you if you do!" Hopefully, that'd be enough to get its attention.
Following her closely, Manyvat simply looked around and wondered how was she able to wander with such ease. Nonetheless, it was probably in her nature as-- since she does not speak common languages, she must have lived in such environments her whole life. In any case, while he was initially surprised. Now, his muscles were contracting, his mouth contorted, his pace slowed down as a witness of her actions. Looking up, there was one of these beasts circling around, one that was always avoided for the sake of trade routes-- usually in his previous world. Yet, Lily just grabbed fish and called out to the flying griffon.
'Is she really calling one..? Mmmm, that should not be dangerous, right..? I should ask in case anything goes wrong.'
Clearing his throat as the monster above, progressively, seemed to go down little by little, the merchant, with a dubious trust in Lily's attitude, voiced his thoughts after a dozen of seconds. "Is it not dangerous to call out one of these? As far as I know, while they do not mind passerby, they tend not to appreciate when any creature is coming close to their home."
As the griffon slowly flies down, I respond, "What, you don't trust me? Besides! It's just a griffon! Give them enough food and they're just a giant pile of feathers and love! Well, at least that's how it was on my plane. But they can't be that different, right?" Soon the griffon flew close enough so that I could speak normally.
"Hi there! What's your name?" I said, throwing it another fish. It squawked out its name at me before happily eating the fish. Turning to Manyvat, I said, "See? It's perfectly fine!"
"If I did not see your attitude when calling out to the griffon, I would have already left. I trust your-- gestures rather than you. It has not even been a day since we met after all." That was a bit of a lie. Even if they knew each other for over a year, Manyvat would not be able to trust her. Nonetheless, his eyes proved to him what could be trusted. And that was indeed her abilities. When he saw the griffon goes down, a shifty smile could have worn his visage if no mask had been applied with his consent.
"That is... impressive. And.. uh, I assume you want to ride on it to get to the dragon, right?" Hardly believing his own words, a sigh escaped the trader's mouth. In fact, he was hoping for the dragon to be both true or false. If that is true, then, it is a potential danger to the surroundings, if that is false, he will be greatly disappointed. However, he would have discovered a new means of transport thanks to Lily.
In both cases-- profits could be found.
"Well, we can certainly do that. I mainly just wanted to feed a griffon, though," I said, looking at Manyvat. "Mostly because griffons aren't the most cooperative unless you raise them from an egg. Sure they're friendly when you feed them, but they're also extremely prideful and need a bit of coaxing. If you wish, though, we can spend a bit of time trying to calm the griffon down to try and ride it?"
'Do it!', a little voice kept telling him. However, that was hardly a good idea. What if an error was made and someone falls over the griffon and crushes their bodies against the tree? Nevertheless, before rejecting an idea, trying to see its possibilities and thus its uses is necessary to judge properly the situation.
"...Well, I am willing to try. Although, if it is too risky, I would prefer that we stop right away." Unless it endangers your life and reduces the chances of one of them surviving.
"I mean, it's not too risky. We just need to make sure the griffon stays happy." Saying that my dragonmark started glowing on my right hand as I attempted to use the Animal Friendship spell...but the griffon shook off the spell without even glancing at me.
"...Well, this is going to be harder than I thought." Sighing, I started a quick negotiation with the griffon, trying to persuade him to come with us. He agreed, but he said he wanted more fish as he squawked at me. A bit annoyed that they were all going to be used upon one griffon, I tried to tell him that he already got plenty. Foolishly, it believed me, and allowed us to fly on his back to the dragon! I'd need more time to properly tame him, but for now, this is a good start.
"Okay, he's agreed to take us. I'll need more time to properly tame the griffon, but we've shaved off a good chunk of time with this." Saying that, I straddle the griffon and wait on Manyvat to follow suit.
'Will it really work..? It feels too easy...' What is the worst that could happen anyway-- Dying, likely. That is fine, he already went through that once, supposedly. A second time would not hurt as much, will it? After warding off all of these thoughts out of his mind, the merchant slowly approached the griffon and first poked it to see what reactions it would provide him. It just turned its head, stared at his mask and then looked away, likely waiting for him to get on so it could fly and get to the dragon.
A sigh escaped the adventurer's mouth as he really had no choice but to saddle on the griffon? And thus, he did so. Obviously--
"Excuse me." Getting behind Lily, his arms hugged Lily as tightly as it could without hurting her. Of course-- he was scared of falling down, so holding the... tamer seemed like a good idea. "Let's... get going I suppose..?"
"Yep! Appa, yip yip!" That's what the griffon said his name was, at least. Once I did, he started flapping his wings slowly until we were up in the air. He obviously had a lot of strength, but as a consequence of our weight, we didn't have much speed. It still beat walking, though, and that's the most important part.
Having a bit of fun with the wind caressing my cheeks and blowing my hair behind me, I decided to look behind me to see how Manyvat was taking all of this.
Adruo was not taking this well. While inside, he was deeply worried, he tried to keep his calm as much as possible. Luckily, her hair seemed to cover his view. And thus, his eyes were unable to see what could have been the straw that broke that camel's back.
"...how lo... I mean... how long are we gonna stay up there... I am getting stressed, you see." If they fall, Manyvat would make sure to put his head forward, to end this quickly. Anxiety was creeping in his bones as his legs kept trembling.
"Hm...probably another half hour? The forest is still pretty far, even at these speeds." Seeing his legs trembling, I had to suppress a laugh. After all, who wouldn't laugh at someone they found scary shivering due to a high altitude! They were maybe only a hundred feet up, anyway! Worst that could happen is a broken bone or two. Nothing that couldn't be fixed up by a cleric or priest in a day or two!
...Then again, this is a different plane of existence, so maybe they do get killed from a small drop like this.
"...ah. Well then, is that fine if I hold you tighter in the meantime..?"
While these words left his mouth, his thoughts already commanded his body and thus-- he was already holding her much tighter than before. Fortunately, he had not much strength. Trying to feel less uneasy, the merchant closed his eyes and decided to ignore every sensation he could feel and simply think about something else such as--
--the possible profits he could get from opening a trade route.
"Mm, sure. Though I don't see why. Most people would survive a fall from here, after all. At least where I come from." Sure, most of the people I knew were able to see the future, summon monstrosities, reap souls, and more...but it couldn't be that different from others' homes, right? Well, aside from the way it ended.
"...Most people would die with half that height..." That was Manyvat's comment on the situation. For sure, nobody would survive a fall from such a height due to either the shock or the injuries they would sustain. Of course, his eyes stayed shut while he quietly hoped that they would arrive soon and no accident happens on the way.
"Eh? Half this height? Even a goblin boss has a fifty-fifty chance of coming out of the fall conscious, and even if they don't they'll only be unconscious! How frail are people here?" Am I the strange one? I don't think I am. I'm only raised in a forest, after all.
"Frail? People are just normal unlike you... And what is even a goblin boss..." Instead of feeling scared, now his heart slowly began to feel at ease. As for why? That is pretty simple. The lack of common sense that girl had, as well of her words about the place she came from, bewildered him and simply made it so questionable that he could almost forget the situation he was in.
"Seriously. Even if someone survives from this fall, their legs would break, their wounds would infect, and they would die..."
"...Eh? Really? I thought that only happened to wizards who didn't bother to cast Feather Fall... Weird plane this is, I tell you." Seriously, didn't everyone at least have a Feather Fall spell scroll if not another way to avoid damage when falling? It's not even that expensive of a spell scroll, though for here it is. It's nearly a whole week's wages! But then again, by the time people do start flying it's not much at all! I'm not the one who's strange!
"You're the weird one... hahaha."
Afterwards, the merchant only let out a small laugh. It seems that some, while they came from another world, it was one which the average power of the average man seemed to be way higher for sure! Otherwise, there would be no such confusion. In any case, the previous terror he felt had completely faded away for now.
Manyvat even thought about speaking in Demonic tongue just to scare her. Although, that would be a pretty bad decision. Thus, he shall not do it till they're on the soil.
"In any case... are we soon there-- I think I begin to have cramps now!"
The merchant was in a much more cheerful mood by then. The fact that he could have disappeared from the surface of the earth made the situation quite grim. However, now, it did not seem so dangerous. Wasn't the flight pretty steady?
'Okay, calm down... you're not safe yet, just continue to hold on her~'
Yet he did know his temper and his tendency to take things lightly once they begin to go well. Immediately, it seemed his voice lowered until it became quiet.
"Mm...about fifteen more minutes?" Ignoring the comment about me being the weird one, I wondered why he's so impatient. Even if he did fall, the griffon could always swoop down to pick him up. I did think about having the griffon fly upside down to scare him...but I'm not that mean! Honestly, why couldn't he be as well-behaved as Hana? She's just curled around my neck like always, licking her paws as we fly through the air.
Oh well. I'll just need to make sure that Manyvat never lives this down!
"Gah. A bit too long to my taste, I already miss the soil!" Trying to keep an ironic all along the conversation to push away the sense of reality, Manyvat was still trying to keep his mind busy. Topics away from flight and such, thinking about the trade work did not work anymore as griffons could be considered as a 'reliable' means of transport. Thus, he began thinking about what kind of products were present in the forest-- likely, most are unknown. Who would approach a dragon after all?
--except that crazy girl whose name is Lily.
"Mm, well the air is nice too~!" As I say that, I let go of the griffon for a bit to stretch my arms out to feel the breeze even more. It felt nice, and the sun shining down on my face was so warm. If I didn't have somewhere I needed to go, I'd definitely fall asleep like this. Maybe when I can Wild Shape again I'll do that.
"Oi oi oi, don't stretch your arms, just keep holding the griffon while I am holding you!" Basically, let's not change position until the griffon landed on the soil, nearby the dragon's lair where they will finally be able to start dealing with it regarding the trade route. The merchant still needed to think about what kind of things a dragon would like. However, the current situation did not allow him to run his mind properly.
"Haa, fine." Saying so, I once again held onto the griffon as we continued flying to the dragon. It was rather boring since I wasn't allowed to make any detours or have fun. I definitely need to learn how to wild shape again soon.
Since she decided to listen to him. His worries felt lighter and his mind quickly thought about what could the dragon wishes for. Or what it could "need" after listening to them-- as it owned the forest, it was likely that-- only manufactured goods could feel attracted to it. However, it needed to be investigated in-depth. It was not impossible for the dragon to desire something else, both of them simply needed to think about it.
While he was thinking of what they could use to trick the dragon into negotiating with them the trade route, it seemed that the griffon began descending and they soon were to land on the earth that Manyvat dearly missed.
Reaching the ground, I tossed Appa one more fish before walking towards the dragon. It was still another ten-minute walk, but I couldn't risk the griffon being eaten by Basilgaraad. Still, I had to at least turn around to make sure Manyvat was still following me.
"Never again shall I find believers silly!"
Immediately when his knees reached the ground-- yes his knees, Manyvat joined his hands together and seemed to be thanking some kind of entity. Likely overjoyed to have reached the ground without harm. In any case, he needed this "prayer" by kissing the ground once or twice before standing up and-- right.
"Ooops, I gotta hurry." That would be a pity to be left behind when they finally landed, when he could, at last, feel safe and sound. Everything would have been for naught as-- he did not know how to get back to Scribel City. Fortunately, it seemed like she hadn't gone too far, likely only some dozens of feet away from him. And thus he began to trot towards her for the sake of following her to the dragon.
--to face danger again, unfortunately.
Still waiting, I decided to play a harmless prank on Manyvat by using my Druidcraft to create the faint smell of a skunk right in the surroundings of Manyvat. It's not a very big effect, as it barely takes a step to escape it, but it's still enough to get someone to clench their nose in disgust usually. I used to play pranks like this all the time on the animals living with me, and as such I know it's harmless~ Unless he's allergic to magic, that is...
Smelling a horrible scent which came out of nowhere, Manyvat's face twisted as he took a step back and wondered where it comes from. However, once he receded, the smell faded like it never existed. Unsure about what it was-- he let out a sigh and established some conclusions. It must have come from a plant? Or someone could have provoked it.
That certain person could be-- his eyes, as sharp as a blade, stared at Lily and at that same moment, the merchant spoke in Demonic tongue. "Curses!"
Hearing more of the wretched language that Manyvat spoke, I quickly switched my Druidcraft to make the sound of a small animal walking behind him. I then started petting Hana to calm her down, while staring right at Manyvat. Honestly, who knows what he might attract with that kind of language!
"Huh... so it's not you." Thinking that scent came from the animal that came nearby-- or at least, he could only hear it. A small sigh escaped Manyvat's mouth as he continued to walk towards-- actually, his legs just kept following Lily until they arrive to the dragon.
"Mmmmm... I wonder how a dragon would react to Demonic language..."
"...Go ahead, but I'm standing behind you if you want to ask him." I say as I walk further along to meet Basilgaraad. Hopefully, he'll be in and not hunting. Actually, I should probably make sure we're heading to him. Thinking so, I quietly cast Locate Plants and Animals to find the dragon and turned slightly to the left. It wasn't much of a turn now, but later on we would have had to do a lot of travelling.
As long as there was no flying, Manyvat was ready to walk for hours and hours. And thus all he did was following Lily until they arrive.
A short ten-minute walk later, and I found myself face to face with Basilgaraad once more. Bowing slightly before him, I began speaking in Draconic. "Hello once again, O Ancient One. I have come once more, this time with someone more knowledgeable on trade than I." After speaking, I motioned towards Manyvat to speak.
Seeing the dragon that was in front of him, Manyvat began to feel worried-- negotiating with such a massive creature? It was easy to feel the shadow of death looming on him, ready to reap his life anytime. Likely, his legs could have been trembling-- but these were not, instead his heartbeat kept accelerating, his voice was on the verge of being shaky-- but little by little, it stabilised, trying to focus his spirit on the-- commerce. He was partially successful.
"G-Good…. morning, I am named Manyvat… Manyvat Adruo... while I am knowledgeable on economic matters... Even the wisest sage cannot do anything if no information is given to him."
Far from being the wisest, the merchant came to approach the most important matter in this deal to him. While, at first, he was planning to ask what does the dragon own and can provide. However, when considering that the whole forest was Basilgaraad's-- he did not need to know anything specific, there would be something that will bring profits to him. For sure.
"What do you think you're lacking? Not only in terms of belongings but anything. Be it living beings or knowledge."
"Mm...I'm not lacking anything in particular. If I was, though, it'd have to be cute little maidens coming straight into my claws." Basilgaraad said, with a slight amount of vibrant green flames coming from the edges of his maw. "You see, ever since I took over, no one's really come to visit me save...you two."
"Mmmmm. So-- you lack people in general?" That is actually a fair point. Who would come here and speak to a dragon except for guys with something missing in their head? Likely Lily. And unfortunately, him as well as he accepted her proposal, didn't he? A sigh escaped his mouth as he wondered about what he could draw out from this.
"... what if we brought people here and made them construct a tribe..." A tribe that would venerate the dragon and turn this place into a settlement? That sounds like a difficult issue, perhaps even impossible, as well in terms of transport but also-- morals as well. The latter can be temporarily excluded from the equation. Nonetheless--
"What about... manufactured products? Such as... mmmm. Alcohol, drugs, tobacco... and perhaps dice games, card games, board games or such." Remembering the games he played at the tavern in his previous world, he wondered whether there were equivalent of these in this world or not.
"Hm, I haven't had any good ale in a long time. However...what are these games you speak of?" Frowning a bit in confusion, Basilgaraad questioned Manyvat. Perhaps he's been living in seclusion for so long that he hasn't been paying attention to mankind's progress in entertainment.
Manyvat then proceeded to explain the rules of a game he often played-- Fox and Geese. Although with some flaws as he had always played the one-player variation of it. Afterwards, he explained the Nine Men's Morris and wondered what the dragon thought of it.
Every time his mind felt hazy, he would play this type of game, forcing himself to stay awake but also for his thoughts to stay active. Since one of his most dreadful fear was losing, his senses would sharpen and he would try to think about how he should complete the game the quickest possible. As shameful as it could be, he never had the time to play with someone else.
However, the merchant allowed himself to comment on his own words.
"However, that is not a fair exchange. You need people to play those games with. You could play alone, but at some point-- you would stop after some weeks."
"Hm...a trade route through the forest in exchange for ale and games. I suppose it'll work, provided you send people to play games with me." Basilgaraad said. It was an interesting prospect for sure. "Mayhaps you could bring a sample of said games for me before I decide, though?"
"Indeed... that is an issue we will be facing-- people. Compared to it, games and alcohol is a problem easily solved." Commenting on such an issue, Manyvat wondered what kind of people could be brought to the forest to settle them and play with the dragon-- not many, that would be a short... no a medium-term solution. So far, the people who could be brought are slaves and orphans. Both require something specific, is that they have nothing that attaches them to their past.
For example, a slave ripped out of their lands and know that he will be unable to go back there will be more submissive than others. He needs no affective ties as well. Somehow, these people could be compared to the otherworlders-- no family, no friend, nothing tying them to their previous world.
In any case-- another solution would be attracting people to the forest, but what could attract them? The forest's products? People living with a dragon (albeit unwillingly)? How long this process would take? There were many unstable factors. It also a rather... unique request.
"Ah yes, and we will bring you back the games for you to test it. I have dozens of them in mind, there ought to be at the very least four that you will like."
“Mm, very well. I’m planning on hunting soon, so perhaps have it ready in...say, one week from now?” Basilgaraad said.
Stepping in before Manyvat tried negotiating the time, I said, “Sure! That works great for us! Thank you so much for your time, Great Old One!” I didn’t want to be around when he went...hunting. And the longer we stayed, the greater the danger he posed us. Thus, I started heading back towards Appa. Hopefully, Manyvat will follow me.
Seeing that Lily seemed to be hurried and did not wish to stay longer next to Basilgaraad, Manyvat let out a sigh and followed her. Getting back home was a priority, they would need to establish a plan later on. But in more quiet circumstances-- staying here would likely wreck their nerves.
'Let's go.', telling that to himself, the merchant thought that he would need to know more about the people from the low-class, slaves and such type of person. Likely, he would need to travel to the Spire Reef to know more about these-- although, slaves could likely be crossed out of the list.
Walking along with the clearing, I threw the griffon a fish once more before straddling it, waiting for Manyvat to follow suit.
"You know what? I think I prefer being flying on a griffon that could let me go anytime than facing a dragon ever again..." And thus, Manyvat joined Lily on the griffon, hoping that it would fly away from this land as quickly as possible.
“So does that mean I shouldn’t ask for dragon eggs to hatch and raise?” I inquired as we flew closer to the city. It would probably be nearly an hour before we landed due to the travel time to get to the griffon before. Not to mention they also had to stop before the city to avoid suspicion.
"That dragon is... lonely I guess. So if you ask for its offspring, if it does have any-- you can guess, that's not gonna go well!" In any case, now, all they had to do was to walk to the city. Finally, while this trip did not last a day. It felt terribly long as if weeks passed in a few hours.
“Even if it doesn’t go well, it would still be fun to help raise a dragon!” Who said that we had to do it full-time? Maybe the dragon needs some help every now and then!
"Just be sure that... once you decide to do that to never approach me again. I do not wish to be part of the collateral damages you see." Common sense was what she was lacking, definitively. Nonetheless, Manyvat just kept walking towards the city and now had a few questions regarding the dragon. Wondering whether it noticed or simply ignored it. Whatever that is--everything went well.
"In any case, have any idea about how we're gotta make this deal a long-term investment? Games, alcohol and such are not enough to please the dragon. We need to bring people to it. Likely, with people 'round it, when it will be boring, we will be long gone."
Hopefully, Lily would understand what was the predicament-- how would they bring people? And then, try to come up with an answer.
"Hm...how to make it a long-term investment? Well, from what I know, elves are the most likely to settle down in a forest without destroying it. However, we could also commission some dwarves to build a sort of underground building for people to live. Or, even better, we could turn it into a sort of resort, with elvish architecture above and dwarven abodes below. It would allow us to bring in ales, beverages, and more from both kin, along with heritage. The only problem is...do they exist here?"
I wonder if I rambled too much. I'd often heard stories of dwarves and elves, along with their beautiful cities. It would be beautiful to get to see both in one place.
"Good question-- Dwarves exist for sure, in the North in Gelderholm? I am unsure about the name. I was not particularly interested... but then, you forgot to consider something- the cost. Do you think we, two mere adventurers, have enough funds to do such a thing? Of course not. That's why we need... to find alternatives."
Unsure whether that would be a good idea to speak about it with her or not, Manyvat let out a sigh and scratched his head before opening his mouth. Leaving out the more-- sensitive topics, or so he thought.
"Take advantage of people's situations, more particularly, the poor ones. We would need to strike another deal with the dragon-- to nourish them either. Because we don't have the funds to do that, do we?"
"Hm...take advantage of the situation, huh?" I said out loud while thinking. What would we be able to do lure people into settling in the forest? Surely there was a treasure that the dragon was hiding, but he's our business partner. No, instead we should think about what would the two races get out of it. Dwarves would love it if there were precious resources to be mined, whereas elves prioritized fairies and nature spirits. Those would take time to get information on, as well as money. Right now we can't exactly afford to get someone to prospect the forest for good ores, and I'm not able to sense many forest spirits now either.
Instead, we should focus on what to do temporarily, such as the staff for the resorts. For that, people who don't have a job might be best... In that case, why not just hire some adventurers? They don't stay long, sure, but they'll be good security for a small amount of money. Still, that's not possible without money in the first place, which we don't have. No, instead, we should focus on orphans and such who have no food or home. Offering them shelter and some goodberries for food should do for now. Thinking such, I responded to Manyvat.
"Indeed. Orphans and the impoverished make for a good starting place. I can offer them food in the form of goodberries for now. I can create ten a day, and each one can sustain a person for a whole day. While I do that, we could be working on a farm for them, which would be able to be turned into a staple of the forest if we're skilled enough. Of course, it will require the dragon's approval like you said. We could focus on that while he's distracted with the game. Which would be its own set of difficulties to make, but I can leave that to you. Instead, I'll go around looking for young ones?" I decided to talk about my other plans later when we've finalized our next step, so as to pace ourselves better.
Hearing her-- ability regarding goodberries, Manyvat became thrilled. Would it not solve the whole situation? Even if they took the indigent ones to Basilgaraad, they would not have been able to nourish them. However, thanks to Lily's ability, they do not need to worry about such a thing as food. They can solely focus on the plan. Nothing more, nothing else. Is that not perfection?
Nonetheless, they will do it in another way--
"We need the dragon's approval, explain to him why we wish to bring people to him. As long as he can understand that it will relieve him from his boredom, he would likely accept. Bringing people behind his back? That is nothing else but suicidal, incurring his wrath is the like thing we would like to do. No matter what we do, as long as it does not upset him and that we obtain his approval, we can do it."
At the end of the day... "The most important thing is-- How patient can Basilgaraad be? How long will he be able to bear with our plans? Will he wait till the end or get bored with our shenanigans and wipe us out? We cannot know how a dragon who lived centuries think. Thus, we have to avoid risks as much as possible. Even if the situation becomes increasingly difficult."
"That...is true. We'll definitely want to find a means of insurance. Perhaps hire a great wizard or warrior to protect Scribel. However, we cannot do now. First, we should worry about making the games. I can scout for potential personnel instead, and we'll only finalize it once we get Basilgaraad's approval." It's a bit of a stretch, but it may be worth doing.
"Lastly, this doesn't need to be the end of our venture. The dragon probably doesn't get welcomed into places very often. We could use that to our advantage by bringing in many different races, rich with culture and stories, to enrapture the dragon's attention. Dwarves crave ores and smelting, all while living underground. Elves like the natural spirits and open spaces. We can definitely bring them in provided I invite nature spirits and you find someone to prospect the forest for ores. We could also probably find some other races willing to live here, such as beastmen. Of course, that's not for the future. First and foremost is making the games. If you need some materials, feel free to hit me up."
"Mm, for sure, however, those plans are still far-away. We will only be able to accomplish those only by succeeding our initial projects: games and indigents-- as for the games themselves, I just need wood and a carving knife. These are enough to make most of the games I thought of."
After having this fruitful talk, Manyvat's eyes looked forward to the future. Many opportunities awaited. Dwarves could be picked up the same way as the indigents, but instead, they had to travel to Genderhorm then come back here. Nonetheless as for now, all he wished for was to rest. Yes, simply rest. This day has been a bit too eventful.
"We should soon arrive at Scribel City... in any case, I am looking forward to our partnership. Although-- I will still appreciate if we could avoid flying on a griffon."
“Hmm...so you’re not wanting to fly on a griffon? Then let’s try for a hippogriff next time!” They’re basically the same thing, but he doesn’t have to know that. Oh! It looks like we’re just about at the city.
“Guess we’ll be landing soon. Thanks for the help, and hit me up if you need anything.”
"That's not what I meant!" Feeling urge to facepalm, Manyvat let out a sigh and decided to bid goodbye before becoming more exhausted due to her-- follies. "Oh well... see ya in less than a week I suppose?"
“Yep! See ya in less than a week!”
