The Great Kallvek Rough Draft (Patreon)

Slowly recovering from Covid. I've been managing a little writing, but my thoughts are scattered all over the place. This happened last night and this morning. I'm debating when they show up.

Roderick shook hands with the gate guards as they left the Grand Station, quietly pressing a gold coin into each hand. He was known as a 'generous' merchant, one who knew the rules, didn't make trouble, and paid a little extra to make his road easier. Time was money, and he rarely had to wait in long lines to travel.

The money also meant that his manifest was glanced at, and his goods weren't pawed through. Opening a cask of gourmet bacon around hungry guards was a good way to lose half a cask.

The steets were quiet at this time of night, but never deserted. The oil lamps of the street lights gave enough illumination to move through the streets, aided by the light streaming from the better shops. Some merchants paid the city council to place extra lamps near their builds, or installed their own. A well lit building had far less to worry about from thieves than one left in the dark. A few of the more exotic shops in the city had gone to the extreme to have the fae light their buildings.

Fairy lamps never had to be filled with oil, seemed to know just when the sun rose, and gave off light in different shades depending on the day and time; a warm yellow to compliment the rising sun or a stark white as the full moon soared across the skiy. They were horribly expensive, and meant dealing with the one fae trading house in the city. If you could find the damn thing. The small cottage seemed to move from place to place, and often no one was there if you did find it. Trading with the Fae took perseverance. Or something very interesting to trade.

Needless to say, the Roderick Kallvek considered such lights to be too expensive, both in gold and in the time to arrange the deal. His trading house was known for its open doors and willingness to trade silver with anyone, despite your social level. What difference was it if the silver for a barrel of salt pork came from a farmer or a nobles minion? It was one of the reasons Roderick liked traveling to the different Legion outposts that had merchant faires attatched to them. Granted, they had started out as a benefit for the new players coming into the world, but as time went on, more and more business was done at them. He wondered how the expansion of Rowan Keep would effect that? Another reason to look for land or a building near Sedgewick, or in Gadobhrah.

After a short bit of travel, his little group arrived at his home the few times a year when he was home. The Kallvek compound, like many of the oldest merchnt houses, more resembled a small fortress than anything else. The city had grown from several villages surrounding a feudal lord. Back in the day, a merchant protected his own from raiders, thieves, greedy lords, and civil wars. Even as those villages merged and became a larger city, the threat of thieves or looting was still something to worry about. The Kallvek family had continuously purchased land near them to increase their holdings and paid to have thick walls to protect their goods and loved ones.

They entered through a tunnel in the walls. In theory a portcullis dropped down between the two sets of stout doors, but it had been ages since anything beyond the outer set of doors had been closed. But the other defenses were tested each month, and the machinery and hinges oiled. They'd be ready if ever needed.

Which might be soon, Roderick thought. The city of Lysitania would be hosting the Festival of Wintertide in just a year. Preparations for the every-10-year were already underway. Normally it was a huge boon to all merchants with people from all over the empire traveling to take part in the three week long festivities. The city normally had a population of just over a million. The festival added half that again with huge tent cities surrounding the capitol and rooms in any village inn within a days travel booked solid. Residents rented their entire homes for steep prices and slept in their basements.

This year however, the festival would also be attented by one million players. New breweries were being built just to build up the stocks of beer and ale. Merchants were building new warehouses near the city and filling them with long-term goods like salted pork, barrels of fruits pickled in wine, and Crunchy Brownback Stompers. Players were often powerful and unpredictable. Anything could happen. But on the bright side...that was his father's problem, not his. It was one of the reasons he liked to travel.

His father met him with open arms in the courtyard. "You are home early. And traveling with goods by teleporter? This old bones smells a story and opportunity for profit. What else could make my good merchant of a son pay the highway robbery of teleporter fees? " As usual, he father wanted the details of the business first. Roderick thought that was a good habit. Details could get lost in the shuffle of family greetings, and details could mean the difference between profit and no profit.

"You nose is as correct as it is large, my father. I bring new opportunities for profit, and several odd stories to tell. But let's get a bottle of wine and sit down, you may need both."

It actually took a meal and several bottles of wine. As the conversation grew and options were looked at both his mother and his wife joined them.

The Great Kallvek was leaning back, smoking a long pipe and pondering the news his son had brought. "How large was this little village before these new people arrived?"

That information had come to Roderick from the keep. Soldiers often talked when bought a beer or a meal. "Barely fifty people if you counted the children. And two years before that less than thirty. To pre-pare for the arrival of the Players an Inn was built and a Mage's Guild agent set up a scriptorium. An alchemist was found who would move to the area. All things needed to support the players who would adventure in the Hollywood. The area is very low level with a few higher level encounters if you dug hard enough."

Roderick laughed. "That has certainly changed. Just within the last year the recurring threat of the Old Wolf has reappeared. A war was fought over the village, which triggered the overflow of the local dungeon. It took no less than General Themis, an order of Paladins, and the Legion to put that down. The town was totally destroyed. And then something happened."

His mother waited for him to continue. She didn't appreciate long pauses. "And what would that be?"

Roderick learned forward in his seat. "I don't know. No one is talking. NO ONE. It's like the soldiers don't quite remember, and my one spy in the inquisition just told me it was best not to pry. But somehow the entire town was rebuilt better than before and the ancient City of Gadobhra re-appeared to the north. The city chose a Baron and has proclaimed itself open for business."

His father looked serious. Only one thing fit. "Gods."

Roderick nodded. "So I surmise. Something big happened. Gods got involved. Shit happened. Most people forgot and the rest aren't talking. Although to be truthful, I may have been asking questions in the wrong places. I may have to be a bit rude and inquire of my new friends and ask around the village. Those aren't normally villagers, they might remember something where normal villagers would not."

His wife added her knowledge. "Two of my customers in the archives have ties to the inquisition. They found it strange that the several inquisitors were looking any information on the Circle of Druids and a lost city to the north. The only infomation that was found mentions that the Druids had 'ringed the city in Holly and Rown, Oak and Apple. It's darkness was contained and they would remain to deal with it lest it corrupt the natural world.'

"Interesting. There is certainly a magical forest there. It regrows nearly as fast as cut." Roderick chuckled. "Not nearly as much oak as their was. The village and the Oak Treants got into a dispute and the oaks marched on the town. The town won. There are huge piles of oak timbers being hauled up to the Legion Keep for use in the rebuilding."

The Great Kallvek had heard enough to make a decision. He cleaned his pipe and began pacing before the fire, and then spoke. "I smell an opportunity. The expansion of Rowan Keep will bring in a large number of soldiers that need to be supplied, and farmers will follow to do so. Farming in that area was always dangerours, but far less so now. We should buy or claim land nearby. And a building in both Sedgewick and Gadobha. We need to buy while the price is low."

"You are already turning a large profit with the magical items you have traded for, not to meantion the bacon! I can easily sell the weaponized variety to any number of people. Who knows what else these people have? It's easily worth the gamble."

He turned to his wife. "Authorize the money counters to allow my son to draw what funds he needs for a mercantile establishment in Sedgewick and Gadobhra along with a warehouse for goods. Begin the shipping of foodstuffs to the village. Take what they are asking for and multply the number by ten fold, adding anything you think appropriate. Cheaper to send one large caravan than several small ones. Higher the Golden Lions as the guards.

His wife raised an eyebrow. "The Golden Lions charge triple what we would pay other mercenary guards."

The Great Kallvek nodded to her, acknowledging her point. "True, But that is a long road, and The Golden Lions are made entirely of retired Legionairres. They can be trusted, and won't flinch of Baron Pinchpenny comes looking for "road taxes".

"Roderick, fill the order as fast as you can. We will return by teleporter. I think it good to move quickly."

All three looked up at that statement. "We?"

His father nodded to him. "I want to see this little village where you smell so much profit, and gaze upon the ruins of Gadobhra. I don't get out much anymore. Time to stretch my legs. And if things work out and you move your family there, I'll be traveling now and then to visit grandchildren."