Chapter 22 - Miserly
“Is this it?” Eliza asked.
“I realize that it isn’t much to look at now, but, believe it or not, House Baen used to be a rather powerful and influential trading house in the city. It still is in some ways, but they have fallen on hard times lately.”
Alma and Eliza stood outside of a large wooden structure on the eastern edge of Falcon’s Hook. The building abutted the cliff face that looked out on the bay far below, sunlight refracting off the constantly moving surface of the water. The crash of waves beating against the cliffs caused a dull roar to cascade up from the bay below.
As Eliza inspected the dilapidated structure, she noted that the boards were cracking and crumbling, rot riddling their surface. A single shingle dangled by the entrance and creaked on rusty chains as it swayed in the wind. The image on the sign’s surface was faded and worn. They were the only pair waiting outside the door and most of the townsfolk passed by the building without sparing it a second glance.
Looking at the trade house itself, Eliza was a little skeptical that Lord Baen would be able to pay the bounty he had posted for the Silver Stag. Alma must have picked up on her thoughts because she placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and squeezed. “Don’t worry, girl. I will make sure our good Lord doesn’t cheat you.”
With a sigh, Eliza pushed open the door and stepped inside. The building’s interior did little to ease her worry. The entry chamber was a large rectangle, rows of desks stacked up against one wall. There was no line to wait for an attendant. Instead, the pair was met by the bored expression of a single young man sitting in the center of the cavernous room.
“Hello, there,” the man said, trying to muster some enthusiasm. “Welcome to the Baen Trading House. What can I help you with today?”
“We’re here to collect…,” Eliza began.
“We’re here to deliver some potions to Lord Baen,” Alma said, stepping forward and interrupting Eliza before she could finish speaking. The older woman gave Eliza a subtle shake of her head to warn her away from mentioning the bounty. “He ordered some healing potions a while back – mentioning a cough.”
The small flicker of excitement that had initially entered the young man’s eyes quickly died out. “Ahh, in that case, Lord Baen’s office is upstairs. Third door on the right,” he said, before immediately turning his attention back to the papers on his desk.
“What was that?” Eliza whispered as the pair made their way up the stairs, Eliza supporting Alma’s elbow to help the older woman make the climb.
“There’s no sense telling that brat that we’re carrying something worth 500 gold. Do you really think he’d have let us into Lord Baen’s office?” Alma asked. “We’ll have a much better chance of collecting the bounty if we speak with the Lord directly.”
Eliza couldn’t help but shake her head. She hadn’t really considered that the young man might try to cheat them – which made her feel a little naïve. Maybe it was a good thing that Alma had volunteered to come with her. It wasn’t as though she needed the money, but she would prefer to get something out of the Hippie’s asinine quest.
The pair soon stood in front of a solid oak door, and Alma rapped the surface with her cane in a sharp staccato rhythm. “Come in!” someone barked from inside the room and Eliza opened at a gesture from Alma.
Despite the appearance of the rest of the building, Lord Baen’s office was breathtaking. The room was immaculate and had been organized with military precision. A fire burned off to the side, casting a warm glow about the office, the light reflecting off the polished surface of the wooden furniture lingering about the room.
Yet it was the view that took Eliza’s breath away. The entire back wall of the office led out onto a terrace overlooking the cliffs, providing an unimpeded view of the bay far below – the waters stretching out toward the horizon. A gentle breeze drifted through the door to the terrace, heavy with the tang of salt.
“Ahh, Alma,” Lord Baen said, his voice more cordial once he saw his guests. “I thought you were that boy downstairs. He’s always pestering me over the smallest matters,” he offered with a small smile, rising from his seat with a low groan.
Eliza finally had a chance to inspect Lord Baen. She wasn’t sure what she had expected, but the hunched and aging old man that stood before her didn’t quite match her mental image. Just like Alma, he walked with a cane, although he seemed to favor his leg as he approached – indicating an ancient injury.
Lord Baen offered a hand to Alma. “It’s always a pleasure,” he said, his wrinkled face split into a kind smile. Then he turned his attention to Eliza. “And who is this young lady?”
“My name is Eliza,” she managed to squeak out. There was something in the older man’s eyes that sent a shiver up her back – like he was calculating and weighing her as he would a sack of grain. Maybe it was best if she let Alma do the talking. The older woman seemed to be familiar with Lord Baen and Eliza was already worried she might mess this up.
“She’s my new apprentice,” Alma explained in a cordial tone.
“Ahh, it’s about time that you took on someone younger to help with your business. I worry about you traveling to and from town by yourself and lugging around those potions,” Lord Baen said, motioning for the group to take a seat near the fire. “As we get older, we need to rely on more youthful arms and legs.”
“Indeed,” Alma said, although Eliza noted the flash of annoyance on the alchemist’s face at the implication that she was no longer fit to travel on her own.
“So, what brings you here?” Lord Baen asked as they settled in their chairs – the two women flanking him on either side.
“We’re actually delivering a batch of fresh potions,” Alma explained, gesturing at Eliza to pull out the crate and set it on the small table in the center of the cluster of chairs. “You mentioned you were nearly out, and I know how your leg pains you.”
“Ahh, thank you!” Lord Baen said appreciatively. “It must have slipped my mind. I suppose that’s another side effect of age.”
“Perhaps. How is business lately?” Alma asked, shifting the subject delicately.
Lord Baen grimaced slightly. “We continue to lose our trade ships heading north along the coast. The mists around Anguine Island have begun to spread further afield, and any ship that enters the fog simply disappears. Our crews have become increasingly nervous, as I’m sure you’re aware.”
Alma frowned slightly. “Is Lord Cairn encountering similar difficulties?”
“Our competition seems to be thriving, and a more suspicious person might begin to think that he’s behind many of these disappearances – or at least that he is taking advantage of our misfortune,” Lord Baen replied with a grimace. “Lately, his cargo holds seem more full than usual.”
The older man sighed, waving his dismissive hand. “But you likely didn’t come all this way to about my problems. Was there something else I can do for you ladies?”
“In fact, we also have another matter to discuss, which is why we didn’t simply drop off the potions with your man downstairs,” Alma replied, a small, sly smile gracing her lips.
“Oh really? What exactly did you want to talk about? Are you finally thinking about renegotiating our arrangement?” Lord Baen inquired, the same hawkish look reappearing on his face. “I may start venturing south along the coast if our family’s ill fortune continues much longer, and I know a few merchants that may be interested in your particular merchandise.”
Eliza’s eyes snapped to the old trader at this comment. Did he know that Alma manufactured poisons in her secret lab? That certainly seemed to be the implication Lord Baen had given. Although, on second thought, how would Alma sell her poisons without a connection to at least one of the trade houses?
“Not exactly,” Alma replied evenly. “We actually came to collect on the bounty you offered for the Silver Stag. Eliza, could you show him the pelt please?”
Eliza quickly obliged the alchemist
, pulling the leather from her bag and placing it gently over the top of the crate of potions. She noticed how Lord Baen’s eyes widened in shock, unable to control his expression at seeing the silver fur.
“Hmm, are you certain this is the pelt?” he asked, directing the question to Alma. He had recovered quickly, and Eliza could already tell that he was trying to figure out how to wheedle his way out of paying the full amount for the leather.
“It is,” Eliza said calmly. “I slayed the beast myself.”
This earned her another surprised expression from the older man, and she noticed Alma smirk in amusement behind his back. “Really?” he asked in an incredulous tone. “Your apprentice is full of surprises apparently!”
“She is indeed. I’ve found Eliza to be a remarkably capable young woman. You can inspect the pelt yourself to determine whether it is fake or not,” Alma said, gesturing to the pelt.
Lord Baen leaned forward, brushing his fingers gently against the silver fur that lined the leather as his eyes reviewed an invisible series of notifications. “Hmm, this does indeed appear to be the genuine article – or an uncanny forgery.” He held up a hand to forestall Alma’s retort. “Not that I’m implying that this is a ruse. You know me well enough by now to know that I’d sell even a knock-off if it were this high quality.”
“Your standards are impeccable,” Alma offered in a dry voice. “Now, about the matter of payment…?”
“Ahh, well I see that a small strip has been cut from this corner,” Lord Baen said quickly. “I’m not sure I can offer the full bounty for partial goods… Perhaps 400 gold would be more appropriate?”
“480,” Alma said calmly, unperturbed by the older man’s attempt to weasel his way out of payment. “And not a coin less.”
Lord Baen grimaced and glanced back at the balcony, his eyes resting on the waters of the bay for a moment as he contemplated the counteroffer. Then he turned his gaze back to the group, focusing on Eliza with a thoughtful expression. She shifted uncomfortably under his scrutiny – again reminded of a predator.
“How about 475 and a favor from your new apprentice?” the old trader asked.
Eliza frowned, her mind wheeling as she tried to anticipate what this favor might entail. “What exactly did you have in mind?” she asked hesitantly.
“Nothing too strenuous,” Lord Baen said with a shrug. “Particularly for someone as competent as yourself. I’d just like you to investigate a farm north of town.”
“Really? And we’re expected to believe that this is a simple visit?” Alma asked with an arched eyebrow.
“Well, technically, this farm is owned by Lord Cairn’s trade house – or at least I suspect it may be. I would like to determine if anything unusual is happening at the farm. Eliza has proven to be quite capable of handling herself, and no one would suspect an alchemist’s apprentice.” He leveled his gaze at Alma, giving her a knowing look. “As I am sure you are well aware, your profession opens many doors.”
“I don’t think that…” Alma began.
“I’ll do it,” Eliza said quickly, Lord Baen’s grin widening at her answer.
“Are you sure?” Alma asked, concern in her eyes.
Eliza nodded at the alchemist. If she were being honest with herself, she was curious to explore other parts of the game world. Besides, it might be best if she postponed her “other” activities for a while. People might start catching on to her traps and might grow suspicious of the young alchemist who always seemed to be out in the forest collecting herbs. Besides, Lord Baen was right. She had some recent firsthand experience with how easily other players and NPCs seemed to discount her as a threat.
New Quest: Merchant’s Quandary
Lord Baen has asked you to investigate a farm north of Falcon’s Hook that is owned by a rival trading house. Of course, the lord was incredibly vague and didn’t give you specific instructions. So… yeah, you’re probably going to fail at this. But good luck!
Difficulty: B
Success: Investigate the farm and report back to Lord Baen.
Failure: Ignore this quest or fail to bring back juicy intel.
Reward: Money you were already entitled to. Good job?
Eliza couldn’t help but let out a soft sigh as she reviewed the quest prompt. It felt like the notifications kept getting more and more judgmental. Not that it mattered. She had already committed herself. Besides, snarky or not, the prompt wasn’t wrong.
“What exactly should I be looking for at this farm?” Eliza asked Lord Baen as she swiped away the quest prompt.
“Nothing specific. I’m just interested in whether you notice anything unusual. My own investigations have come away with little information, but I suspect that Lord Baen is up to something out there in the wilderness. Why else would he invest in a farm in the middle of nowhere?”
Eliza grimaced. Maybe the prompt was right. That was pretty vague, and just a little worrisome. She anticipated that there was more to this seemingly innocuous quest than appeared at first blush. “Fine,” she finally said, chewing on her lip. “I’ll make the trip tomorrow. In the meantime, I believe you promised us some gold.”
Lord Baen smiled broadly, beginning to stand up. “Of course. Let me just retrieve the funds from my safe.” He hesitated for a moment, meeting Eliza’s gaze once more. “I look forward to working together. I think this is the beginning of a lovely new relationship.”
Eliza wasn’t certain she shared the man’s enthusiasm, and the look in his eye sent a shiver up her back. She didn’t exactly trust him, but she was beginning to realize that nothing in this world came without a little risk. At the same time, it was just a farm. Honestly, how bad could it be?
Chapter 23 - Haphazard
Eliza was hunched over a workbench in Alma’s secret lab. Her brow was furrowed in concentration as she waited for the liquid simmering on the burner to reach the appropriate temperature. In one hand, the young mage held a small disc covered in a gray fungus. She was being extremely careful to avoid touching the substance. She had quickly discovered that Carnivore Mold wasn’t something that should be toyed with lightly. Even the smallest amounts would eat through skin and flesh at an alarming rate.
To make matters worse, the mold had a minor paralytic effect. In the wild, it deadened the nerves of its target – acting similar to a local anesthetic. Eliza expected that the mold would be incredibly dangerous if a creature weren’t aware that it had touched the substance. The mold would likely eat away at the animal’s flesh before it even realized that it was in danger. She had no idea how Alma had managed to harvest the mold in the first place, but she wasn’t about to question it.
The way Eliza’s wands were designed, it was quite difficult to utilize multiple poisons at the same time and combining the tinctures had proven ineffective. Her hope was that she could invent a new poison that would have both a paralyzing effect while also causing damage over time. That was the goal anyway. She hadn’t quite figured out the exact formula yet.
As the mixture in front of her reached the appropriate temperature, Eliza tilted the disc forward and gently scraped the mold into the boiling water. She then disposed of the disc in the fire that lingered in the corner of the lab. She had already made the mistake of accidentally bumping into the little petri dish and wasn’t about to repeat that mistake a second time. The still tender flesh along her wrist and the empty healing vial sitting beside her did a good job of reminding her of her own stupidity.
She watched anxiously as the mixture on the table flared, changing from orange to a bright yellow before settling into a neutral water-like substance.
Potion mixture failed.
“Damn it,” Eliza muttered, dumping the content of the dish onto the fire – where it sizzled and popped – before leaning back against the workbench and rubbing at her eyes beneath her glasses. That was at least the twentieth experiment that had failed.
With a sigh, she looked up, noticing faint rays of sunlight beginning to leak through the shutter
ed windows of the lab. It looked like she had spent yet another full night in Alma’s secret laboratory – the older woman having gone to sleep long ago. Unfortunately, Eliza didn’t have much to show for it.
While she and Alma had been in Falcon’s Hook, Eliza had made sure to stop by Evan’s shop to order some new merchandise. She’d purchased new equipment for herself, and for Alma’s lab with the funds provided by Lord Baen. At the very least, she could partially repay Alma for all of her help and guidance by replacing some of her older alchemy tools. Once they had made it back to the compound, Eliza had also been excited to try out the new equipment.
Now she needed to complete Lord Baen’s silly quest. She wasn’t certain what she might find at this “farm” – if that’s really what it was. She didn’t know why the old trader couldn’t afford to hire other spies. Maybe he really was desperate and broke. If that was the case, at least she’d managed to get her money upfront.
I may as well get started.
With that grudging thought, she grabbed her pack and headed for the door. As she exited the lab, she spared one final glance behind her – noticing that the building blended seamlessly back into the forest as soon as the door closed. If she hadn’t known the lab was there, she would never have thought to look for it beside the tool shed.
“And how is my favorite little water mage doing this fine day?” a voice said from behind Eliza. She couldn’t help but groan, already knowing what she would find when she turned around. Yet that didn’t make the infuriating grin on the Hippie’s face any easier to bear.
“What do you want?” Eliza asked bluntly.
“Is that any way to greet your friend and divine benefactor?” the god asked, placing a hand to his chest in mock offense.
“I’m not sure I agree with either of those two descriptions,” Eliza muttered, stomping past the god and heading for the trail leading to the main road. She had carefully plotted out her course last night after Lord Cairn had updated her map with the location of the farm.
Awaken Online (Book 3.5): Apathy Page 17