Erwin looked at the woman at his side, and he pressed his lips together as he just stood there, he had no trust in the woman in front of him, nor the trader trying to make his hasty escape. He just slowly looked at the Jaz as if she was an idiot, and pressed his lips together for a moment before composing himself and looking at the man in the cart.
"I don't mind if ya sleep here, I just wonder why you approach a camp at the middle of the night to sell things." he said looking at the man, "It is more or less my role to my uncle to keep his lands safe, to keep his people from harm, even from those whom he has allowed relative ease of access to travel. I am thankful my grandfather and his bookkeeping has some form of civility to my uncle's plans."
"But... again, it is not wise to push goods at night... some consider that peddling, and on private crownland is something else. But, I know you aren't who we are looking for, just... someone with some odd wares, again I ask that you stay to the south. Other lords, and squires, specially puritans like myself do not take things lightly further north close to the border due to how fragile it is there with the warring parties. The stock of mana I would suggest selling around the capital before heading north, or wholesale it to someone there in case you run into any other sherrifs, tax collectors, or diplomatic and or trade envoys. Also, I suggest finding a boat around Meche and Tregador. Your goods will get you killed in Meche, and in Tregador, well... You are more likely to be arrested at the border before you reach it with your current goods no matter how lesser the magical imbuement."
His vision went over to the woman, and he pressed his lips together before he held his rifle about still hung to his chest slanted down.
He looked at the woman, and raised his eyes, "Not shopping, working... Don't forget that we are looking for those who are trading, contraband from the war to the north..." he said sighing a bit before he took a few steps away, and just sat there staring at them.
He made sure his rifle was in his hands, as he just looked at those in front of him, "But he is cleared by me... His things seem legit, only thing that concerns me is his spare stock of mana potions and the direction he is travelling. If we were a larger group, I would saw we split off some to escort him to his trade and back south once he was done, but... since we need all those here to head to the pass we need the full company."
He hoped the woman would be smart enough to play along with him and his the few falsehoods he told, but so far he did not have faith in that seeing as how everyone was acting he did not believe that anyone would be competent enough to investigate.
Ignoring the bares for a moment, he smiled at them and went back to looking at the merchant.
"But those wares aren't from a dangerous area are they, it's a short boat trip to get them here, relatively inexpensive process. But, that isn't twenty percent, that is more like forty or fifty depending on where you got them. Those didn't come from Meche or Tregador, they came from slightly farther, but far more peaceful and tame.
"But still, I am sure they are not that expensive." he said looking at him, "And to the northeast towards the passes to Tregador, then heading west word to each of the other passes. Hopefully, we can catch someone coming over the border, going either way. We don't want anything going to or from that place so war isn't declared. But, the border towns are our first areas to the East."
Erwin wouldn't have handed anything out to the man and would keep Louise from doing the same.
He looked at the man, and nodded some, "It's my role... For five years, making sure that traders are true, and that when we trade outside of our nation those individuals are protected. But, again, stay to the south, peddlers aren't well-liked at the moment due to certain individuals peddling magical wares, and war trophies taken from our neighbor to the north. And definitely do not do them at night, it is extremely shady, and unprovoked to those who might be trying to sleep. You caught the sheriff's prison wagon going North, Northeast to the passes to see if we can find this band of petty crooks, and peddlers."
"Right now... Tregador is a problem with the turmoil up there, and the amount of magical goods about is... not good, but also putting a halt to trade past our northern border as well. We can't fuel the conflicts there in case if one of them decides to turn south. Might I ask where you were going with mana potions? Also, I believe those prices regardless are a little steep... for items, that are relatively mundane, and magical, most of them would only be... twenty to thirty, those are the prices for things that aren't mundane."
Erwin looked to the woman as she clung to his side, and he nodded as he looked at her, then the brooch, then back at the man as he looked at him.
"And what is it that you were looking at?" he asked looking at her, "plus wouldn't it be better to look at it in the morning when it's light out?"
"He might have something that catches your eye then." he said with a relative smile as he slowly moved his other hand to her head and rubbed it gently. He slowly took her close and started towards the cart of the man, hoping to get a peek at whatever it is the man might have. "So do you know what all he sells?"
Shook his head and chuckled a bit, "While yes I am in line of blood, it does not mean my place is there. I am more or less a tax man, a diplomatic envoy, or tradesguard depending on whom you speak to, and what my ward decides he is at that moment. Or what our lord tells him he is at that moment. At the moment, I am checking upon a fraudulent trader, and I am checking to see that you are not him."
Heh smiled a bit as he looked at the papers, and he continued to reach, "So... these papers seem fine, knowing my grandfather's signature, and that it's hard to replicate it. This figure seems to be legit. Sorry for wasting your time, but I do suggest you keep to peddling wares to light hours and towns. In areas like this, it is unknown who might be the lord over this area, that will require a different stamp of approval, plus one from the capital. It usually takes six to eight weeks to catch up to the office signed. Beuracracy, at it's finest isn't it?"
At this point, it was as if he had become a dignified tax man, and someone who could bullshit, but he couldn't swindle and rob this man; for the most part, the papers were legit, and his grandfather was asleep. "But, I do warn you after this, and you head back north, these papers will be invalid in the next month or so. Head south, and they should be settled from there." he blathered on, continuing the apparent search of the man's documents before handing them back. "Also, keep watch for some folk peddling goods, especially magic ones or those found in the warzone to our north."
With that, he looked at Louise, and smiled, "Go on dear, buy your things and go to bed. I'll take watch."
The man smiled and he looked at him, "Yes, hold on, let me get my paperwork." with that he went to the wagon, got a bag, and then walked back as he slowly opened it up to reveal a leather-bound booklet with official recordings upon the cover.
"Also it is not a law, it should be posted openly within the shop, or present at any sale. Since this is a mobile shop, there is likely several marks of legality depending on where all you travel to and fro; typically for someone of your wares, it will be Fanghorn, skipping over minor settlements,the capital, and several port cities and towns that connect to larger trade routes. But charters are a different matter; these are internal routes. This is closer to Hrud, so... I believe that is the next Dutchy over; well regardless... there is probably several things I can find, what schooling does for a young man, am I right?"
He continued to blather legal nonsense for a minute more before he looked at the man, "Papers, please, if I may?" he said as his booklet was open to his royal signifiers as a guardian of tax, trade, and diplomacy.
He smiled softly as he looked at her, and then the bears, "make sure he has it before a deal okay..." he said quietly before he took a step back, "if he doesn't you can get a better price, or get it for free."
He smiled a bit, "After all, a merchant that doesn't pay his taxes, doesn't pay the king for protect. And thus isn't a person we protect right?"
Erwin's head slowly turned towards the merchant as he looked at him, smiling bit, "Have a crown signatured license of some kind? It's one thing to peddle a group in the middle of the night; it's another to do it illegally my friend."
He took a deep breath as he stared back over at them, and he slowly placed his hand to his face. With that he hopped off the wagon, and started walking towards the tradesman, the bears, and the betrothed woman. He smiled as he held his musket in hand, and sword on his hip. "Miss Ironside... do you not remember grandfathers teachings?" he asked looking over at her with a smile as he came to her side.
"Ask for the license if they are on the road... see if they are a legitimate business or not, then... haggle prices with fair accordance to what they say."
Death stared as those he was speaking to just left his dwarves, and he sighed a bit as he looked at his creation left there alone. “Dig… but I will find a place for you to be free without living with those around you. This place is something beautiful, but with time… I will be back, live here with the gifts of life, and remember her beauty, procreate and grow…”
He turned and left the tree, going back into darkness to where he had the few dwarves he kept for himself in the afterlife, and he brought them through his maze, through stone and life before he placed them upon the ground looking over a river, then he awoke them. “Live free my children, this place is strong with what you need… There will be one who comes soon, spread out… and live.”
With that to the rest of his children, he stepped back into the portal before he began to wander. He wandered for some time, but then he stepped out of his realm again, looking at a man.
“We are similar…” he said as he stared at the god of heroes, “I… believe you should meet someone, she seems to have a lot of need for someone like you. But, I wanted to come here, and see if you wished to make something… a creature full of ambition and freedom… something like us for her to use. While she wishes to create order, and you seemingly wish to do the same… but you feel free. I want to see how freedom breaks the cycles placed in with most creations here.”
Galaxor was…somewhere. The business concluded with the rivers, he was about to finally go to the tree of life. It’s been a wish that he had for a while. Ever since the tree appeared above the place he chose to place the Goblin Underground. ‘Alas, distractions kept appearing. First the holy temple setup and now Jaxx again. Something was going on at the river with him. Something interesting. Annddd…right as he wanted to teleport ...a divine presence. A god. The smell of him reeked of death. A smell well known to Galaxor. A smell he made things smell of for aeons. Galaxor turned to the deadly divine and smiled. His muscles bulged, his hair straightened, the aura around him sharpened and even the sand beneath his feet turned golden.
“Similar you say? HA! HA! HA! There’s none like me, holy spectre. For I am Galaxor, The God Of Heroes, The Hero Maker, Divine Artisan of Heroes, Celestial Forger of Legendary Champions, Master of Heroic Destinies, Architect of Heroism and Valor, Weaver of Epic Tales, Cosmic Mentor of Heroic Prodigies, The Legendary Enabler of Greatness, Creator of Champions, The Mythweaver, The Cosmic Patron of Heroic Aspirations, The Celestial Architect of Legendary Deeds ” quickly said Galaxor while still laughing before eventually stopping.
“I don’t create, nor bring order, holy spectre. I simply give people the opportunity to choose for themselves. Order, chaos? Neither matter. Heroes can be born out of both. But…very well. As a personal favour, which I’ll come to collect eventually, I shall see this person you’re talking about. ” added Galaxor with a wink, letting himself get teleported whenever the divine being wished.
Death chuckled a bit, and stared at the man in front of him, and he slowly held his hand out, “Being able to teleport seems to be such a wonderful thing, but… since you are one of the reason I am around, I tend to have my own way to watch as everything happens in the world around. But, I was hoping to create a people, with willpower and freedom, who strive to be greater than they are. Those upon this plane now seemingly do not have such a thing, they seem to be made in a way that drives them in a single direction. Each one, elves have a love and fondness for the earth and life, those dwarves that I’ve scattered around the world just now are filled for industry and greed. Goblins will be easily swayed by evil, greed, and destruction, many others have a purpose, but what about a race that does not have a purpose. That has to find it’s own, one that forges it’s own path. That is something I believe we both wish to see.”
With that, death held his hand out towards him, and smiled softly, “We will be working well together, for I also have another idea, orders of warriors bound by the gods they follow… One that worships life, and sees death as sacred… One that honors protection, that honors glory and honor. Watch the world grow with fantastical and grand opportunities for our heroes and creations.”
“See? That’s where you’re getting wrong. While the elves might want what their goddess wants and the dwarves with their greed…they don’t hold a candle to my Goblins. You’re saying they’ll be swayed by evil, greed and destruction. What makes you think that? They are free to do whatever they wish. Heroes will be made either way. If they’re evil, a hero will rise to bring them down and if they’re good, a hero will rise to take over them. For me, it’s irrelevant. I care not about good or evil for they’re concepts that we divine define. Let me give you an example. ” said Galaxor before lifting some earth from the ground and making two goblins figurines out of it.
“One of them is you, the other is life. What’s good for you, is not good for life. What’s good for life is bad for rebirth and the cycles. If I throw a goblin in a box that you can’t see the inside of, is the goblin alive or is it dead? The answer is both. They’re dead and alive at the same time, depending on the observer and when they observe the goblin. All of this…it’s irrelevant. Heroes tho’? They’re eternal. Be they good, evil or something in the middle, they’re always there. You may take them to your realm, death but they’ll still be alive in the minds of everyone they saved and if they’re alive, they’d be wished dead by their enemies. ” explained Galaxor as the two earth-goblins moved to exemplify what he was explaining, similar to a movie.
“Nonetheless. If you want an order of warriors, I see nothing wrong with that. Heroes will be born out of them, after all. So, very well. I’ll lend you my power, holy spectre. ”
“I care for progress, for beauty and realisation. Many people see reincarnation as the true way, when in reality, it clogs everything, it spreads and decays many things when it comes down. Souls are an infinite thing, this plane is not. Everything we stand on has a spirit. It is more or less a choice, of if you wish to keep balance or not. I give back to life, because death is not the final step. It is the souls, it is the space. There is too much created. Your goblins may be created and formed by you, but others will put their own gifts upon them. They may have already had gifts placed upon them you don’t know, my creations have. But, something created, and forced into being free of mind. With some of the other divine, you have a place to create heroes. Not just champions, but warriors. Goblins can do so much, they are… frail, compared to those I’ve seen, but…”
In his hands he brought his hands out and moved the earth, and then he took it to a shadow, and out two figures that mimicked them both appeared, “Imagine… those who look like the divine, something based on us, and with your will, to live and create and be free. They will spread far, and be true to their purpose. A race that spreads far, and is of no purpose.” He took a step back and did it again, with two other figures both female.
“I just need to give them life, and you, true free will… true freedom to do as they need and wish. Let them be the equaliser in this world that this world needs.”
“We clearly see things differently, holy spectre. Very clearly. Anyone can place whatever gifts they may wish upon my goblins, I don’t have a problem with that. They’ll make more interesting stories that way. Heroic stories but I’d lie if I won’t say that you’ve made me curious about your vision. In fact, I’m very curious about what you’ll make. Let’s see what we can make together, Death. We two have worked against each other from before I was a divine after all, always chasing to take me and I always escaped you. Might as well see what happens…when we work together. ” replied the Heroic Aspect of Galaxor.
He took a step back from the now four figures and created man, an aging species. The four figures would die of age, they would live and be everything. He gave them life, and he would allow others to give them something. But he also gave them something, the ability to choose fate, and the ability to choose their mates. To interbreed with those species he has helped create so far. “All they need is free will to learn as they need. But I do not chase; I just walk, for I am inevitable for all, to meet all. I care more about balance, than I do watching things die. I would rather see things live. ”
Galaxor laughed as he saw the creatures the holy spectre created. They looked so feeble. Weak. Insignificant. Yet Galaxor knew that from weak creatures, heroes are made.
With a tap on each of their heads, an aura appeared on the creatures and they would find themselves having the knowledge of freedom, what it truly means to be free. This new race will experience true freedom or at least, have the knowledge of what it should look like. What they will do with it…that will be up to them.
"And done. Your new species knows freedom now. The true freedom. They shall never accept servitude. They shall never be slaves. They'll be free…if they want to be free. "
Death chuckled a bit, “they are their own, not driven by any god… I thank you.” he said smiling. “But, when they grow and produce themselves in the world… but with time, we will meet again for an idea I have with them… And with civilization as well.”
“I will see you at the tree, or next time our paths meet, when they grow, and when all things grow… we will meet again.”
"Very well. 'Till we meet again, holy spectre. " replied Galaxor as he stepped into nothing, teleporting himself to Jaxx’s location.
With that Death took a step back, and brought some of his creations blindfolded back into the afterlife to bring them throughout the world, then he stopped back at the tree of life, and he walked back out with his newest creations so that these may see perfection.
Galaxor: Available - 3 -1 MP to bless humans with the knowledge of true freedom. What it means and how it feels. Everything there is to know about the elusive feeling of freedom as well as the desire to seek it. +1 point to Knowledge domain (currently at 4/4) Remaining - 2 MP
Death: Available - 11 mp -3 mp for creating humans -1 for giving the ability to choose their fate -1 for giving them the ability to interbreed with elves/dwarves/future creations that involve death in their initial creation. Remaining mp - 6
Death spreads dwarves through the world, and finds Galaxor. He asks to create a race truly free, to choose their own destiny. Thus, they create humans, a race full of freedom and able to choose their fate. Death also allowed them to interbreed with other creations of his that he had a part in. Before he dipped to spread them out across the world, again keeping a few for himself.
Member
The Raven Calls
Fetzen
Hannah
Nev
Kaithe Dame
Harrington
Nallore
Noctis
Gelatinous Cube