Events of the 4th of Moonstone, 314Cog was very excited about the trading this year. The gemstones requested would be at least sufficient to finish most of the north mural in the dining hall. Cog arrived just as Ingiz Mengbasen, the Leatherworker turned broker arrived. Cog began poking through the boxes and bins, the energy slowly falling out of him. There were barely 2 dozen gemstones in this order.
Cog turned at looked at Alath, the caravan master, clenching his fists. “Might I ask where our requested order of gemstones is?” Alath, looked at Cog in surprise, “What order? Last year’s liaison said you had more than enough material and not to bother coming to Towersoared this year. Then word arrived 6 months later that you had fallen to a siege, which we found quite surprising. I figured you just dug in, so we came because there’s always a possibility you would need materials after all. The liaison upstairs was ordered here to verify your demise.”
Cog glared at Alath with barely disguised fury. Enough was enough. Cog turned too Ingiz who turned pale at the sight of Cog’s murderous glare. Through gritted teeth Cog said, “It’s time to send a message to those fools back at mountain home. Make our usual trade for gems and metal and anything else interesting. Pay double what our normal generous payment is and once you’ve done that throw double the same amount on the cart to top it off again.”
He turned to Alath who was also looking quite pale but also hopeful, “We have wealth to spare that the mountainhome can barely conceive of and apparently is willfully ignoring. You will deliver half of what we give you directly to our ruler and inform them that Towersoared is well and truly open for business. I expect our ‘liaison’ upstairs will have a much more accurate list for you once I’m done with her.”
With that, Cog stomped away towards Zasit’s office where he was meeting with the liaison this year. Cog was getting angrier by the minute walking through the halls of Towersoared. Those damndable nobles back at mountainhome just couldn't leave well enough alone. Zasit's office door was locked when Cog arrived.
Cog kicked the door in and started yelling. “WE ARE NOT DEAD AND I’M NOT TAKING THIS CRAP FROM MOUNTAINHOME ANYMORE!” Zasit and the liaison were halfway across the room in seconds, retreating from Cog in fear. “WE HAVE AN UNBEATABLE MILITARY, WE HAVE ARTISANS WHO ARE SECOND TO NONE, WE HAVE MORE METAL THAN WE CAN POSSIBLY USE AND WE HAVE A HOME THAT IS GREATER THAN ANYTHING THOSE FOOLS AT MOUNTAINHOME EVER CONCIEVED!”
Cog abruptly went quiet and glared at the liaison. The liaison's face had turned completely white and her eyes were wide in shock. Cog took a breath and continued quietly:
“Now that I have your attention here is what is going to happen. You WILL take our order down and deliver EXACTLY what we ask to the trade council. You WILL make sure the general populace is informed that we have work and space for all who wish to join us here. And you WILL inform the nobility of mountain home that their interference is not appreciated and that I will ensure the demise of each and every one of them if they interfere with my work here again. Do I make myself CLEAR?”
The liaison nodded quietly and managed to mumble out a quiet yes. Cog turned and walked to the door.
He paused before exiting and looked back. “I’ve never seen even a sliver of support from mountainhome; not when I was living there and not since I got here. I don’t know what the nobility hopes to gain by trying to smother dwarven creativity and I really don't care. I intend to ensure a lasting legacy here at Towersoared that no race in this world will be able to ignore. Not even those foolish nobles at mountainhome who seem more concerned with their own pocketbooks than the betterment of Dwarvenkind."
And with that Cog stepped out of the room and slammed the door.
OOC: Heh. Last trading season I accidentally canceled out of the trading screen before I actually made any selections. Hence the poor quantity this year. It's a rather good way to push the story forward. I think things might start getting interesting as time starts moving forward.
@dermonster: Indeed it is. It's going to be a few months before I get you out in the caves, but I'm looking forward to it.
@Abyss, Holder of Light: I actually wouldn't mind actually catching one in a cage. There are apparently ways to make web farms that way. Although I'm not sure that will be necessary!