Balician encounter


Sun Singer's chronicle #3 (08/26/96)


It's really seizing how Balic is busy and pleasant compared to the time when the sorcerer-king Andropinis was the ruler of the city. I especially like to wander the streets without seeing any templar gazing suspiciously at me. By the way, I heard that they no longer have any decision-making power now that a council of 3 trading houses (Wavir, Tomblador and Rees) has been set as the official government. The agreement is that each trader lord rules a definite part of the city, thus making for an interesting situation because of their very different view of the way Balic should be governed; Wavir as a democracy, Tomblador as a dictatorship and Rees as a trading metropolis.

In fact, when you stay in town for a couple of days, you realize that the trading houses are more rivals than anything else, and that each one would do everything to build its power on the back of the two others. Today, I even witnessed an House Tomblador's agent killing a human wearing the coat of arms of House Wavir in a back alley. When he got aware of my presence nearby, he started to point his bloody dagger toward me, moving in a defensive fashion. Realizing I was not a simple citizen, the scruffy assassin offered me 3 silver pieces to keep my silence.

"Do I look like someone that can be bought?", I asked the human.
"Is there such a thing as an elf that can't be bought?" he replied, somewhat laughing.
"I don't know. I guess you can take the chance that I won't report your murder to Wavir without needing a bribe. Do you like to gamble?"

Perplex, the man stared at me then began to move nervously, looking around frantically.

"So, what's your decision?", I inquired him, keeping my composure.

Suddenly, he leaped in my direction, trying to stab me at the chest. I dodged his attempt and retaliated with a hook of my fist, hitting the agent straight on the side of the head, making him fall to the ground, his weapon slipping from his hand. Not losing a second, I invoked a sunblade then slashed at him with all my might. Seriously wounded, he walked away from me erratically until he disappeared from my view beyond the shadows of a narrow street, where I stopped to follow him, not wanting to insult the sun by screening me from his brilliance. I just had the time to send back the blade to the sun that four men passed me by, seemingly running after the assassin. Then, an impressive half-giant dressed in a strange manner hailed me from my left.

"Stay put, elf, I have something to tell you."
"What can I do for his muscleness?", I said to the half-giant, a bit on my guard.
"You just severely punished an agent of Lord Kaladon of House Tomblador, elf."
"I know, half-giant. Do you have a problem with that?"
"Of course not. Let me introduce me. I am Stalkor of House Wavir. We were expecting an attempted murder from Kaladon's agents on the person of one of our most important administrator, so we substituted him with one of our people that we suspect was working for Rees as a double-agent. I think you saw what happened next."
"You look wise for an half-giant.", I told him, at the same time staring at the strange amulet he was wearing, which looked like hardened sand in the form of a wave.
"I'll take that as a compliment, but enough talking. Would you consider working for us? We pay well those who deserve it."
"Wait a minute. You don't even know who I am and you want me to work as an agent for House Wavir?"
"I know who you are, Sun Singer. The silt and the sun are close cousins you know..."

A priest of silt. Half-giants usually are just good to be guards, mercenaries or gladiators, it's why I probably didn't guess. That Stalkor is really an interesting fellow, but even if he said he knew who I am, I think he wasn't expecting me to ask as much as I did to work for Wavir.

Yes, under 100 gold pieces a month, I have better things to do. Sorry Lord Tabaros of Wavir, it's not that easy to have a Sun Singer under your command.