Ullar eyes widen, anxious to find out what this man knows, but he's afraid to show that he is so eager and by that attitude drive the price even further up. "What would it take to get that information, regarding what the Bishop thinks of us. And frankly, how can you possibly know that?" says Ullar, who tries to maintain a voice as calm as possible.
"And just what would you consider a good price for the information you have?" Ratlin asks with a sly smirk.
Akhitos smiles, gesturing grandly outside to his twenty wagons, "That which you see out there, my friends, is only half my trade. I conduct a much more lucrative practice in information! In this part of the country, the man of most import is the Bishop, and thus his opinions and thoughts are valuable. And so obtain such, as I would any item of value." He looks intently at the two, "For one of the white horses, I would be willing to share with you what I know about his goals in this area, and for another I would share with you all that I know about his thoughts concerning you, Lord Ullar, though I would guess that you have not officially merited such title yet. Oh yes, my friends, you are a hot topic at the courts of Florence, and I know more than most. I would venture to say that you would find such information a bargain at the price I am offering." He pauses, looking at everyone, other than Tolik, who is still outside, "In fact, I have details about each of you that you would find intriguing. All for a price, my friends!" He smiles once again, as he has done for most of the conversation.
Ratlin's eyes widen, thinking that two horses is a fair price if the information is good,
"Okay.. you throw in the information you have regarding us and the Bishop, we throw in one of the white horses. Together with the merchandise that seems a pretty good deal for you." says Ullar, trying to look a little disappointed but very anxious to know what rumors about 'Lord Ullar' are known to this man.
"Ah, my friend, for all that information to be traded for a single horse would be quite foolish on my part. I am in a giving mood, but generosity is the downfall of a working-class fellow like me." He chuckles, "For the one horse, I can provide you with limited information, and I judge that the information I will provide will be that which will do you the most good. However, for information from Florence and the Bishop, I will require another horse, and for what specific information I have regarding each of you, another still."
Having only been assured he will be given one of the horses, Akhitos provides you with an interesting story. "Our most recent stop was in the town of Arezzo. A backwater, as I am sure you all realized when you boated through there what? a month ago?, and certainly not a town at all when compared to the grandeur of Florence." He sighs, clearly remembering some pleasantry in that town, much more pleasant than the experiences you all had.
"In any case, we just departed there two days ago, and the place was abuzz with the strangest rumor. Seems a local wizard was attacked in his tower, raided by a much wanted criminal mercenary group, and his tower was sacked for rather a large amount of money." At that Akhitos looks passively at the saddlebags full of loot the party bears. "In any case, this fellow was quite incensed. He was a skinny fellow, wearing yellow robes, named Golthar if I recall correctly, which I usually do." He stops for a moment, savoring his thick mead.
"Some time after that, he was seen with a tall dark-skinned woman, who soon after that was seen several times scouting taverns, inns, and other social centers, asking for the whereabouts of a group that bore more than a passing resemblance to you all. One of my men was in an inn she came to, and she had a list long as your arm for the crimes of each person in the group, authorized by the local militias and the Bishop of Florence himself. Indeed, there were some handsome rewards for information leading to your capture. For the charges, and how valid they are, it'll cost a little more." He grins, happy at having a captive audience.
"Word on the street is that this fellow is a Master of the Iron Ring, a slaver group that centers in Sicily, but has operations all throughout Italia. The group employs and manufactures what they call Hounds, brainless former slaves who will do whatever their masters say without question, even unto suicide. The methods involved appear to be quite unsavory. Most of the time, the group employs what they call Reavers. Mercenaries like yourselves, they have individual thought and work for money, and usually have troops of Hounds with them. Dozens of such squads have been sent after your group, as well as the local authorities of every town within a hundred miles of here alerted to arrest you. My guess is that you have managed to stay hidden in this outback, but you'll be in trouble if you try to return to civilization." He sits back, his story apparently told.
Arkady grimaces as the accuracy of this information. "Ullar give him another horse and find out chapter 2 of this tale."
Ullar looks at the man in utter frustration. Shaking his head in disbelief he stares at the merchant, trying to get a confirmation if this is really true. Judging from the man's eyes it is true and a curse escapes the gladiator.
"Ok, you've convinced me that the information you have is really valuable for us. So what if we pay you the amount you offered to Stephen and Taras for a white horse, instead of a white horse. I'm sure your proposal was a fair one.." says Ullar, a slight smile appearing on his face.
Once such negotiations are thrashed out, Asif approaches the merchant with a special favor for which he is willing to pay a good price.
"Efendi home shall I see not again, but family do mourn my absence so far from home. Take if you may some letters to the city of Amnara. Seek private audience with Vizier Mansour Kheperkara of the Court of the Sultan of Amnara and tell him his most pious son still lives, and that his love for his mother and sister remains strong. Give these letters to him alone, and no greater thanks could I give. I can but compensate you a little for such a favor, but my father is a rich man and will reward handsomely news of his distant son. The blessings of Aten upon you efendi for this. Such a favor as this shall never be forgotten."
"Indeed, mourn for you they do, and others do more than mourn." He hesitates, seeing this is information Asif is interested in, "I shall take your message to the Vizier, and much should it please him, though others will not be so pleased. What price?, and would you hear more of your homeland?"
Asif whispers quietly to the merchant, his hawk like eyes watching to the left and right wary of being overheard.
"My fortune on hand is limited as you may expect efendi. A man alone can carry little when the trappings of his upbringing remain back where he was born. One hundred gold dinars can I give you now and a letter to my father asking that you be rewarded for the great service you do my family. My father also has control over what estate remains in Amnara in my name. A small stable and a few slaves... Pray tell me what news you have of the holy city. Especially (Asif coughs) pray tell what news of the Princess Drina? Is she well? Does her heart still mourn for he who was lost or has time allowed her to find another?"
(Asif eyes water slightly his exile a still festering wound despite the expiration of 12 months since it was received.)
"This price for sending the message is agreeable. In addition I would tell you all the knowledge I possess about Amnara, and the cloistered princess. If your funds are limited, I would gladly take one of the jeweled swords you bear in trade for relaying such information." Akhitos gestures toward the two straight blades that Asif bears, taken from the elf-spirits in the tombs so long ago.
"Such small a price efendi!!! You are indeed a most honorable enlightened man. Take one of these blades with my blessing, the words of hope you shall take to my family cannot be measured in coin. Now tell me efendi what news of the most holy city of the world"
Once Asif has given over one of the jeweled swords, his helm with the gem on the brow, and the agreed price of one hundred gold coins, taken from the party stash, Akhitos gives over the turbaned helm and the coffee, having agreed to relay Asif's message to his father, tells the following tale.
He speaks in flowing Arabic, "It has been some time since I last was in Egypt, since not long after you left, and so some of this information has been relayed through several sources. Thus it may not be entirely reliable, but I believe it to be largely factual, as there is no benefit in deception therein." He takes a long sip of his glass.
"I shall begin with your banishment, which was rather well-known news at the time. Less well-known was the fact that the Vizier, your father, used considerable influence to bring that fate, rather than an execution, which several members of the court wished. You know well that your father's policies do not make him an ally of much of the Court of the Sultan. The public execution of his favored son would do much to bring him dishonor." he pauses for a moment, making sure Asif has kept up.
"But the banishment served them as well, lightening your father's star at the Court, and lessening his influence. Many who were his allies no longer are. This situation is compounded by the Princess Drina, who refuses to wed her arranged groom, an eastern Prince of high standing. The prince arrived to claim her not long after you were banished, and now demands your head for befouling his bride. The Princess does not appear to have changed her affectations as easily as you seem to have. It is reported that even now she cries often, wailing loudly from her tower, where she often will not eat, and has grown quite sickly, if the rumors are true.
All this would be bad enough, but your father has kept his position, through strength of character and many favors owed. Until very recently, and this is where my information becomes a bit sketchy, as the flow from so far away is often difficult to verify. What I have been told is that the Imam of Amnara has been contacted by the Catoliks, and been informed of grievous wrongs done to their Church by the Vizier's banished son. This unusual contact between faiths has ruffled quite a few feathers, and must have been a very trying thing for the Bishop to avail himself of, but it served it's purpose. That part of the court that previously wanted your execution now holds sway, and has laid a sentence of immediate death upon you.
This seems to have sentenced doom to your father as well, who know holds his position only by his fingernails, and will almost certainly be removed from the Court within the year. Your brothers have reputedly distanced themselves from you, as have all but your twin sister, who has been banished from the Court herself for her defense of you. Your father makes no further claim to support you, but the family name has been colored, and it will be nigh impossible to reclaim it. Of the Princess Drina, I have not so full information, but it is rumored that she has been captured twice trying to escape the city, and even now is under heavy guard while the eastern Prince Akheem, whose father holds sway over dozens of Arabian desert nomad tribes, now supplants your father in the Sultan's court, awaiting his bride to be given over to him."
Sitting next to Asif while the merchant tells his news, Rhune's excitement that her love has finally gotten a chance to hear something grows slightly lessened. His family fortunes taking the turn they have all because of a moment of indiscretion and the lies of the bishop make her both sad and angry. Her love for him deepens even as she searches his face for the effect this news has on him. Tentatively she places a hand on his shoulder.
The merchant concludes his monologue with another long sip of his sweet drink, "Many of you have similar tales, though not so easily acquired as the Faris' was. For a similar price, I will relate each to you." His long speaking appears to have had no effect on his eagerness to continue talking, nor on his voice, which is strong and smooth still.
Arkady shakes his head. "I have no need of news from home. I know Russia is as eternal as the snows of the far north. When I return nothing will have changed but a few names here and there."
Sitting next to Asif watching his eyes light up at the mention of his homeland, Rhune thinks of the gold clasp and counts in her mind to see if there is some way she can afford the clasp for him. She then walks outside for a moment, trying to clear her head.
Tolik, unable to focus all his attention on his spell book, has been watching the proceedings with the merchant from outside. With a sigh, he closes his spell book. In elven, he calls to Rhune. Nonchalantly he tells her, "I don't plan on making any purchases." He raises an eyebrow, but doesn't say anything more, leaving her to figure out what he meant.
Settling back against the tree, he opens the spell book up again and continues to try to get an idea of the new spells in his book.
She looks up at him and smiles, "Thank You Tolik." she replies in elvish, "I appreciate it very much." she adds his share to what she would be getting still trying to figure out if it is enough.
Tolik, not even looking up from his spellbook, waves his hand dismissively, as if he honestly doesn't consider it that important of a matter. A flip of the wrist and another page and the matter is entirely forgotten, as Tolik works to gain understanding of the complicated patterns of the spell.
She smiles to herself knowing that the cynical elf is not quite so cynical as he would like others to believe. She returns to the hostel.
Ratlin walks over to Ullar and pulls him away from the group a bit out of earshot of the others, "I am willing to forego most of my share of any treasure we come across in the near future so I can buy Rhune a wedding gift. I'd like to get her that bolt of white silk if we can afford it."
Going aside with Akhitos for some time, the group can see Dakath doing some hard negotiating for them. It takes almost an hour, with their penchant for exaggeration obvious, particularly as it is obvious that both have much in the way of means.
Dakath smiled and directed Akhitos away from the others. He smiled knowingly at the Eastern Merchant. "It is good to finally meet a fellow merchant." He produces his bill of ownership of the Bittersea Trading Company and hands it to the Easterner. "How are your business ventures back home ?" he asked Akhitos innocently "Ohh that's right you wouldn't of been home for a long time now so you aren't sure are you? What you need is a shipping company to meet you half way from the east, a company that knows the back roads and trails to avoid all that unnecessary taxing of goods, I mean with such large caravans it must be such a burden on the kingdom's tax men. I can certainly improve your operation."
Akhitos smiles broadly at Dakath's words. He then replies with no hint of being fooled or beguiled by any of it. Indeed, his response is of such a tone that Dakath himself feels impelled to buy his goods. Student has not yet reached the level of master, it occurs to the con-man. "My friend, I have contacts across thirty countries, thousands of miles, tens of thousands of men. I know what is going on from the Russian steppes through the Persian desert. From the Far East to the Canary Islands. My homes and wives prosper in my absence, under the care of several fine sons. Indeed, were I to turn over my trade to a rogue agent, what certainty that this agent would have my best interests at heart?" He laughs, "No my friend, every aspect of my business is controlled by myself or one of my loyal sons. However, if it were in my interest, I might be persuaded to engage in trade with your company, once I inspected it's letters of credit and was confronted with actual goods to support this grand document." He hands the ownership papers back to Dakath. "Now, I sense there is other business to be done here. Shall we get on with it?"
Dakath smiled at the fellow merchant and placed a hand on his shoulder "Anyway that is something for you to think about. Let us deal with the present, I for one know that this is a fortunate turn of events to encounter a group like this, one who has recently come into a lot of money and is eager to spend it." He paused a moment to let that information sink in.
"Indeed..." Akhitos bows deeply at this, "Such fortune has smiled upon me for certain." "How you choose to deal with my companions is your own business but I would of hoped that we can come to a much fairer arrangement between our good selves. We both know that your unlikely to cover the costs of this large caravan in the next few villages you travel through, with this unexpected turn of events it is likely you may even profit from this venture, what you charge the others is your own affair, all I am asking is for more reasonable prices, a merchants' discount if you like?" Dakath grinned "I have an expensive shopping list as it is, with an added discount I would feel compelled to add a few more items to my list I wouldn't normally purchase."
"What do you say my friend ?"
Akhitos bows once again, "For certain I shall give you the best prices for these items that you might find anywhere within Italia. Of course I must make some money on the deal. I have thirty wives and nearly a hundred children to feed, after all!" He laughs "I am certain I have all that you would wish for. Perhaps not so certain that your finances will allow you to purchase all that you wish, but mayhap they will!" He smiles grandly.
OOC- Other than the shopping list below Dakath will use his NWP : Observation to look through the merchant's wares for anything else he may have some use for.
Akhitos maintains complete supervision over any wares. Indeed he only offers up what has been asked for, and at no time is Dakath able to penetrate the wagons to see what else might lie in them. The guards and drivers are militantly vigilant, and Dakath is certain that there is something to hide within this caravan. Dakath's Shopping List High Hard Boots - Black Silk Breeches - Light blue with dark blue trim Full Cape - Light Blue with dark blue trim Silk Chemise - White Fancy Cloak with Fur - Dark Blue Doublet - Blue Silk Gloves - Black Wide Brimmed Hat with Yellow Feather - Blue Money Belt Wig - Blonde Curls
Akhitos has several pairs of footwear of all shapes and sizes, from hard soldier's boots to fine velvety nobleman's shoes, and Dakath easily finds just the perfect pair for himself: 20 gold. Flowing silks of all colors and fineries, purportedly from China itself! Breeches for 70 gold, Cape for 20, Chemise for 10 gold, Fur Cloak for 150, Doublet for 10, Silk Gloves for 30, Hat with magnificent yellow feather for 20 gold, Money Belt for 7, and fine blonde wig for 20 gold. All of these prices are after extensive negotiation from Dakath, as he starts at truly obscene prices. He shall provide you with the whole lot, tailored to fit perfectly and to match equally perfectly, for the paltry sum of 350 gold pieces. It is certainly a steep price, but Dakath is certain that he will have a lot of difficulty finding such fine wares, so well-matched, in any town smaller than Florence itself.
Both cheered by the rousing session, they return to the table.
Akhitos looks upon you, "You chose the right man for the job. He is a man of great speech and convincing ability. And your woman's tears are a good tactic as well. They would turn even the hardest man's heart to mud. Indeed, my wives will gnash their teeth when they hear of how much I have sacrificed in this negotiation, and my sons will be hard-pressed to support their own wives with the proceeds. I can only hope that Venice can recoup some of the losses I will suffer here." He goes on for some minutes wailing about the injustice he has gone through.
Rhune hears his words and tries very hard to keep her surprise from showing. She had not even considered that tears would have swayed this man. The merchants of Asif's homelands must do things very differently than the ones she is used to.
Asif sees Rhune's raised eyebrows and whispers. "Surely my love you are not surprised. Even the merchants of Arabia and the Nile have great warmth in their hearts despite the great allure of gold, coins and jewels. Trade is not only a matter of business but social interaction. In the desert one may travel for days without company. Meeting a merchant upon the road is a blessing, and a time to share hospitality."
"Actually I am Asif. The merchants I am used to in my homeland would haggle but not nearly as much and no amount of tears would help. And too it is business not a social event." she answers