by Han Yang
When she finished, I paused and said, “No chance of help if we go to Seqa Valley?”
“If you capture the mine, we may, and may is a big stretch, help secure the road. One thing is certain. If you occupy Kato, the centaurs will literally run over the defenses. That’s assuming the humans don’t evict you first. If you fortify the mine in the Seqa Valley, any invading army will freeze during winter and die trying to find shelter,” Ginli said. “There is no easy option, and you can reside here as a super easy mode, but you’ll never leave. You’ll stagnate and eventually get evicted.”
Bell smirked, reviewing the reports. “You just want the mine open.”
Ginli shrugged and said, “It's not like you don’t have an excess of free labor.”
I sighed and said, “I have heard of most of these threats, but what is a spider queen? You’ve mentioned them twice now.”
“Human body that ends at the knees. Eight eyes from forehead to cheeks. They trap sentients and then starve them. When they’re near death, the queen will offer her milk from her breasts. It builds a slave-to-mistress link. Her children and slaves become her army. The offspring will never grow that large until the females venture out to start the cycle anew. And… careful, they do turf war, but even dwarves used to do that,” Ginli said.
I rubbed my temples. “How would I beat them?”
“Depends on the power of the queen and the size of her army. Like any other foe, you fight until one side dies. Spider queens tend to nest in no retreat areas. A fire mage will do wonders, and her slaves normally fight to the death. If you free, for instance, a captured dwarf, restrain them for a few months with water and bread. They’ll lose their craziness and return out of their enthralled state. Necromancers have an advantage with spider queens because their minions are worthless and won’t feed the opponent. You have a disadvantage against ogres, which also are nomadic when breeding,” Ginli said.
I snapped my finger and said, “Books. Is there a book seller out there?”
“Yes, more than a few. I highly recommend Seqa Valley for numerous reasons,” Ginli said, and a new dwarf arrived carrying a ledger. “The auction over?”
“Indeed. Eighteen crowns and thirty-seven gold. Impressive haul. The stallion went high because someone bought the prized pup,” the dwarf said.
“A hundred gold is a crown. A plain ram, used for hauling, only fifty gold. So, I was right. The stallion was worth more than a dozen rams. Prices will go wild if you start removing all there is on the market, though,” Ginli said.
“And a Zorta to gold?” I asked.
“We have a lot of gold from constantly digging and no Zorta to hand out. A crown to a Zorta, give or take, and most will happily accept that rate,” Ginli said, shooing us out. “If you’ll excuse me, I have a three headed puppy to bond with. Good luck, Damien and Lady Bell.”
“Same to you, Champion Ginli,” Bell said with a proper curtsy.
“Uh… thank you, and I look forward to shipping mining stuff down a jointly secured road,” I said, and she rolled her eyes.
I had failed my proper protocols again.
We were escorted to our weapons and then out towards the market.
“So, easy, medium, or hard?” Bell asked.
“Medium and hole up for winter. I fucking hate snow,” I said, and Bell snickered. “I really hate snow. Even though I try not to swear too much, that’s how much I hate it.”
“You’re just thinking about the centaurs,” Bell said, our steps echoing as we descended.
“Damn straight I am. They’re coming in force, and you defeat cavalry by fighting in choke points. No place better to do that than a mine shaft. Hell, things go too awry, you collapse the tunnel and dig yourself out months later,” I said.
“And how do you plan on shopping now that you have a destination in mind?” Bell asked.
I smirked, bounced my eyebrows and said, “Like we’re fighting for our very survival. Every crown, gold, and Zorta will go to improving our chances of securing a home.”
“It’ll be tough,” Bell said.
I nodded, knowing she was right. I had to hope my growing group could weather the coming challenges. To do that, we needed to properly prepare.
CHAPTER 30
Zozo Hold’s Courtyard
“Thanks for your business,” the dwarven wagon master said.
I clasped his forearm with a nod. The stern dwarf’s wide grin spoke of true unexpected happiness. His two daughters eagerly trotted over rams, attaching them.
“Thanks for keeping them here and helping us load up. You said Tama Hall main market?” I asked.
“Aye, if you want something custom, feel free to give a wee deposit, and I’ll trust ya fer the rest,” he said.
Bell handed over the amount due.
There went another thirty Zorta for a carriage and another seventy for three more wagons with rams.
Asha had returned over an hour earlier, giving up our blessbaa. My side adventure quests were nearly unlimited, but… I did add finding a new blessbaa onto the list.
Not long after we gave up the seemingly sacred prize, I signed our treaty, allowing us access to Zozo Hold’s internal markets. I certainly wanted to dive into the depths of the dwarven capital and visit an inn, but I worried for my tribe. These adventurer humans eyed me with too much curiosity.
Before the wagons, we purchased tents, linens, cloth, wool, mining tools, needles, hide, boots, cooking pots, and the list of basic supplies went on and on. The goblins and trolls asked for mostly quality of life stuff.
Well, besides one of the goblins who asked for a war hammer with godly powers. I did ask our guide, but he wasn’t nearly as amused as me.
The busy market forced us to avoid running into dwarves. It reminded me of a mall in China - move or get bumped into. As the sun peaked, so did the amount of activity.
I saw all sorts of dwarves; short, tall, handsome, homely, portly, skinny, and even others sharing Asha’s fate. The general population kept a moderately youthful appearance. Even if the dwarves weren’t raiding nearby strivians, they certainly farmed and fought in the depths. The Ramstars likely wanted a veteran look, telling me not all was as bleak as I surmised.
Each vendor’s stall or station we visited was unique, their stores a point of pride. No surprise, the vendors wanted raw Zorta over crowns or gold. With most of the generic items complete, it was time to shop exotic animals.
We faced a dilemma, one which the human traders probably considered a boon. The Nara adventurers bought with Zorta, sold to obtain gold, and then likely went to Nara to turn that gold into a whole lot of wealth.
We had no outlet for the gold ourselves, and this was a problem. Until we started a trade run to Nara, I simply didn’t need the gold and tried to get rid of it.
The wagon master offered a twenty percent discount to take Zorta, and I bit the proverbial bullet, accepting his offer.
Bell and I walked by a bustling bookstore. We glanced at the spines, not seeing anything that leaped out at us. Currently, Asha was shopping at the bookstore for us, using his elva knowledge to get the best books, and I had to trust his judgement.
We left the busy area, heading to visit the stable section of the market. The crowd was lighter here, the humans avoiding buying animals. Bell appeared regal, smiling down at the dwarves without an air of superiority but one of respect.
The courtyard paths changed, ending regular vendors. We arrived at a section with horizontal fencing, and a livestock smell assaulted my nostrils. I passed cows, pigs, ducks, and more common species with alien variations.
We really needed to establish our own home before buying these, making most of this market useless. I just didn’t see the merit in trying to keep ducks while not having a home. However, I wanted to see the hunting animals. The cerberus may have been rare, but when we arrived at a back wall, good ole hounds were available in surplus.
“I didn’t expect dwarves to have hound dogs,” I said, kneeling beside a k
ennel with six small, floppy eared puppies. Their tan hides were freshly groomed. I glanced down to see the price. A rule of the market was prices had to be displayed and could be haggled later. Twenty gold each. “Damn, Bell, these dogs could be hunters, every last one of them earning their weight in a single night. Yeah, that’s .2 Zorta a pup. Almost as cheap as upgrading a damn goblin.”
“Yes, but they’re cooped up and not used in that manner by the dwarves. Not saying you’re wrong. Just, if you get these, there goes any stealth,” Bell said.
I shook my head. “We don’t need stealth. We have that already. These won’t primarily be hunting dogs. They’ll be guard dogs and infantry support. When they hunt, they crash through the forest and trees or push animals into traps. I’m thrilled they’re here.”
I glanced down the line, seeing about a hundred puppies. Altogether, no more than twenty Zorta as these bigger pups were worth more than runts and smaller breeds. I continued down the line, leaving the dogs to see a mole type creature.
The gray animal had fifteen claws on each hand and hissed at me angrily, its nose sniffing furiously. I turned my head in confusion. The fat body, the lack of eyes, and soft skin certainly didn’t tell me this was a predator.
“Excuse me,” I said to a dwarf who waited for my summons. He wore plain brown robes and bravely sported sandals in a shit filled area. “What does this creature do?”
“Digs.”
“That’s it?” I asked.
“Yup.”
This dwarf wasn’t a talker.
“And what does it eat?” I asked.
“Shrooms. I got like a hundred of these below. They hate the light, but Semu here is a sweetheart,” the dwarf said as the mole creature continued to hiss.
“Umm… okay. Maybe once we establish our mine. I do like the concept. I’m leaning toward buying all the pups,” I said.
“You’ll do what?” he asked with a laugh, as if expecting me to be joking.
I stared at him flatly. “All the puppies. I just bought spare wagons from the wagon master, Santri.”
“Sarrni?” he corrected.
“Yeah, that’s the one,” I said with a smile. “How much for all the pups? And do me a favor, walk me through the rest of these animals.”
“That’s like twenty Zorta. No one buys that much -”
Bell handed him two orbs, and his eyes glazed over, verifying the amounts.
She pulled me aside and said, “The hundred dogs are not worth Charlie.”
“Bell, we need troops. Can I hire mercenaries?” I asked, and she shook her head no. “Can I buy slaves?” I asked, and she shook her head no again. “Will the dogs act as troops in a pinch?” She conceded with a nod. “Charlie will pay for twenty rams. He was worth that, and we both know it.”
We returned to the seller, the dwarf tugging on the braids from his beard. His squinting eyes, scrunched face, and huffing told me he was perplexed by us.
“But there’s finer pups on the other side of the market,” the dwarf grumbled in confusion.
“Not everything is as it seems. I suggest you take the orbs, sell us the pups, and show us the rest of your animals,” Bell said sternly.
I held in my comment that I’d likely be buying those too.
“Aye, I hear ya. Just an odd day. I normally have to explain how good these animals will be. I fight for a sale, trying to explain how my costs are higher than Ordan because it's only me and my family running my farm. Twenty Zorta is enough to change a dwarf’s life, and most of the humans go to Ordan’s large market,” the dwarf said, folding his arms.
As if on cue, Gronbri showed up and bellowed, “Larrin, I see you’re doing business with our new trade partners.”
Larrin, the cagey dwarf in front of me, cued into what transpired behind the scenes. His eyes flicked between Gronbri and I. He pointed to a pile of dung the Ambassador almost stepped in.
“Always knew you were one of the good ones,” Larrin said to Gronbri. “I’ll corral the best pups into a key pen. Unless... Do you want any older dogs to manage them?” I nodded, and he smiled. “Well, I got some old girls who aren’t much more than just howlers for invaders. I’ll need to take a trip under to get them. Real cheap, though, and they’ll help manage the pups just fine. Gronbri can walk you through the other animals.”
His need to convince me to buy an older hound wasn’t needed. Cheap and potential minions were a winning combination. We had three animal healers. If they added a little Zorta to their spells, we could reverse the aging. It was a cost these dwarves likely couldn’t afford.
Larrin pocketed the Zorta Bell handed him, hurrying to leave.
Smart dwarf.
Bell said, “I’ll buy another wagon with a ramp, and a bed of straw or whatever they have. We’re going to have an excess of goblin toddlers soon, too. Here’s a hundred Zorta. Asha should be moving onto crossbows next, and then you just need to grab some basic swords.”
Gronbri and I watched her take off before walking down the line of pens.
“Can I help you?” I asked him.
“The humans were asking for a sit down meeting with the other party leader. You’ve stirred interest with your large earnings. They managed to defeat a single ogre and his thirty goblins, each only having a single Zorta to spend. They call it Z, though, no matter how many times we try to get them to honor the gods’ gifts, they stick to their ways,” he said.
I shook my head. “Not interested. I’ll likely try to avoid them. If I already have their attention, there’s no telling if they’ll attack.”
“Not near our lands they won’t. The oaths protect you for now. The most they can do is challenge you to a combat wager, and even then, we normally decline the approval. We don’t need blood shed on these grounds when they’re meant for trade,” he said.
I nodded, hoping the threat of angering the dwarves would be a deterrent. “I need to increase my power by spending my Zorta. What do you recommend?”
“The pups will take half a year to mature, but, sadly, we don’t use them for their full potential,” Gronbri said, walking me down a line of middle-aged dogs, a few wolves, and then a set of bear cubs. “In the depths, the tunnels grow numerous, dogs are set at points of entry as alerts. They bark, retreating when there’s a threat, and this allows the guards time to posture for a fight.”
“Ah, so they don’t fight spider queens?” I asked.
“Nope, we buy hounds from Nara all the time. These ones that are for sale go back to work when they’re not bought. I know it's hard for a being of the sun to rationalize, but there’s more tunnels than dogs,” he told me.
“Are the bears like the dogs?” I asked, eyeing the two bear cubs who snoozed. “In the sense they’ll mind me without many issues.”
“The bears are unique. You can unleash them on their own, but they’re slow breeders. Think of them as the stallion of dwarven society. Well, the griffins are better, but these will cost a few hundred Zorta each. A fully grown bear, trained for battle, and rideable, at least three hundred. But Ordan is the right man for that purchase,” he said. “And if you’re willing to sink some Zorta into an old bear, he probably has some out of date breeders.”
“I take it you raised the bears from cubs to get them to be docile?” I asked.
“A beastmaster handles converting aggressive predators into mindful animals. Not too different from a necromancer, and certainly different from an animal healer. All mages that are beastmasters can heal their beasts. Not all healers can become animal tamers. It really gets complex, and I’m sure our scribes have sold your elva something for you to read.
“You’ll likely have a goblin or troll who will naturally always be helping the animals,” he said and waited for me to ponder. I shrugged. “Get a mix. Some old dogs, some young pups, and a few of breeding age. The bears die to ten dogs but cost infinitely more.”
“I hear you,” I said, deciding to leave the stables.
Larrin needed time to return anyway, so I drift
ed to a weapons vendor, picking out fifty basic short swords. There was no haggling. The price was cheap, and I told him to deliver them to the wagon master.
When I arrived back at the animal pens, Larrin glanced around in confusion with a half dozen old female dogs looking to him for guidance.
“I’ll take them, and as many pups as possible. Two quality studs to boot,” I said with a positive tone.
He gasped, understanding my plan.
“No one spends Zorta on reducing a hound's age. They just collect the Zorta and move on,” Larrin said.
I shrugged and replied, “I have some cats, great earners above ground. You’d be surprised by what they fetch me. The valley is loaded with an excessive amount of birds, rodents, and other critters not used to scentless hunters.”
He nodded in understanding. “Secret’s safe with me,” Larrin said. “Every cat I try to tame becomes an ornery little shit and vanishes.”
We shared a chuckle, understanding that cats were hard to tame.
Asha arrived, noticeably light of crossbows or books. Before he could even reach me, Bell arrived with a new wagon. Adding to the complexity of the situation, someone else interrupted my two friends.
My desire to avoid the Nara party met fate, and fate was a tall woman with long blonde hair and piercing blues. At her side was a hawk nosed man with sunken eyes. The shorter man carried a war hammer, thick metal armor, and his face was twisted with a sour scowl.
She leveled a charming smile at me, bypassing an eye rolling Bell.
Asha stepped out of the way, and the woman paused, staring down at him. The man stopped behind Asha, gazing at him with a predatory grin. Their posturing concerned not only me but also Gronbri.
“An elva, with white hair. You’re rare beyond words, and now it makes sense how you’ve earned a fortune in Z. Are you his guide?” she asked Asha. Asha glanced at me. She wagged a finger in Asha’s face. “Ignore him. I can double his rate.”