Mite the Merchant

Before her ascension, the goddess, Karre, lived on a farm and had pious, Eldro-fearing parents, but Karre burned with an immortal passion that would not be restrained by filial obedience. She took many lovers and scandalized the village, until the day Eldro found her.

Mite scanned the patrons of the Purple Moon in a calculating manner. He watched for Raul's men. Raul, of course, would be aware of his presence. One of Raul's lieutenants would soon approach and put on a solicitous embassy, but while he was engaging Raul's man, perhaps one of Mite's would discover something useful.

Mite thought, “Damn that Raul. What is he up to?” Mite sold Xain, the flower, to Raul as quick as he could bring it. His rapacity didn't bother Mite. He wanted customers that bought as much as he could sell. No, what bothered Mite was Raul's rituals with the addicts. He didn't just milk them; he appeared to be doing something with them. Mite thought he knew everything about the flower, so this business troubled him.

Mite also watched for prospective mules. He needed a certain type of individual or, better yet, a group of such people: desperate but not dissolute; hungry for power, not the flower; and, most importantly, not in any way associated with Eldro and the Eastern fanaticism. Mite had two men working the room for prospects. They lead with drink, food, and Xain. Mite watched their reactions.

Humani nihil a se alienum putat.

As he drank and watched, Mite also worried about a third piece of business. The Eastern Empire was encroaching on the Southern States and the free plains where Mite's enterprise flourished. Those zealous bastards were killing every vestige of the arcane and destroying the trade that so benefited Mite. They didn't even allow for an officially sanctioned monopoly, as in the Southern States. They killed wizards, burned Xain, and destroyed arcane lore in any form.

So close to the border, Mite employed scouts to watch for Eastern movement, but he feared that a sudden incursion would catch him unaware. He contemplated moving the terminal point of his operation further west. Unfortunately, that would cut deeply into his margins.

To make matters more opaque, the town was deluged in the last two weeks with rumours of some catastrophe in the north. By most accounts, the Easterners experienced a crushing defeat at the hands of the dwarves. However, some stories also spoke of a simultaneous dwarven debacle. Some said the dwarven capitol and the invading army were annihilated by a tremendous evocation.

In any case, Mite thought the attention of the Easterners would be in the north for awhile. The south had always been the lesser front. “With the war in the north not going so well, they won't risk a major assault on the south,” Mite supposed, “ ... but even a minor push could be deadly.”

Karre, we invoked for rain;
We called on Andro for food;
They did not hear our prayers—they could not hear.
No cloud appeared in heaven,
No nightly dews came down.

Mite regarded coolly the men clothed in black as they approached. From their appearance, they might have been from any southern city-state, and they might have been any followers of Hro. They even wore the telltale chains and cropped hair. Mite would have felt at home with such men, but these weren't typical unbelievers. These were Raul's men.

Mite's guard announced his presence by shifting feet and a hard glance. Raul's ambassador seemed to ignore him, and he stepped forward, saying, “The Purple Moon is honored by your presence, sir. I imagine that we have important business to discuss. Will you dine with me?”