Amun.
***
"Alright, let's go."
Mostly everyone was more than happy to follow me after witnessing the Exalted Gloom in all her glory. Mostly because of the prospects of the night ahead, but also to get far, far away from her.
Only those of the Black Plume and the Order stayed. Choosing to instead embark on their respective journeys without the presence of their clerics and priestesses. And only the commanders associated with either pantheon showed any eagerness to see her again, offering wistful looks behind them as we fell at ludicrous speeds over the mountain and across the expanse of the Ligin Kingdom, over the Vrurian Empire, and just past the Mazi Council's borders to a bustling city of wide avenues saddled by towering buildings and vast courtyards.
The City of Bards, as it was called, sat inside a roughly diamond-shaped wall centered atop the main road. Yet, its gates were open to any passersby, opening their endless street carts and stalls to the many travelers making their way to Mazi from the port city of Whamebon further up the road to the northeast.
We came to a landing a few ways away from the city just before dawn. Many of the Captains ran off to the city at once and I left them to their whims. Except, of course, Hogaz and Vexx, who took to the skies after me.
Our feet came to a rest on the upper deck of the Moonsliver naught minutes later. Specifically, the second deck of the conning tower, wherein we promptly entered the officer's lounge to see their amiable breakfast interrupted by Vexx's shrill command.
"ATTENTION ON DECK!"
They shot up at once, flinging scraps of eggs and potatoes and fresh fruits about the table while they flicked their eyes nervously between themselves and us.
"As you were." I waved midway to my seat and sent some mental commands to the nearby shadow to fix me a plate, then turned to them. "Just listen as you eat."
"This ship is magnificent, we all agree." Vexx began. "Too magnificent, I daresay. Too complex for us to utilize properly. If we were to use this ship, we would first need to train. And train more in order to understand our roles within this organization."
"Because of that," Hogaz added. "The training will be split into two parts, one year in length each. The first is to learn the inner workings of the ship. And the second will be done later. When you will formally be initiated into the Legio Noctis. What the latter will consist of is up to him." He gestured to me. "But the former will consist of us battling against illusions and cheap boats helmed by the undead."
"Once you graduate from the second course, the lot of you will be Admirals," I said. "Your current subordinates will be your Commanders. And whoever joins you between your training phases will be your Captains.
"For now, you'll join us for a night of relaxation in Chor. Then you'll go on to parley with the other pirate factions around the peninsula. What you do after making contact is up to you, but only after you've met the lot of them will you create your stronghold."
"All agreed?" Vex then turned her eyes over the rest of the nodding crew, then turned back to me expectantly. "When do we begin?"
I met her glistening eyes with a devious smirk before I suffused the entirety of the ship in pale light. "Right now." I chortled, then full-on laughed once the light faded and they simultaneously turned to the nearest window to gaze upon a curved horizon of choppy waters.
A solitary island dotted the perpetual waters of Hogaz's unnamed world in Eotrom. A volcanic isle, it was, with many coves and fjords of varying widths and altitudes lining the coast. The oceans, deep enough to have a floor comprised of exotic ice, were filled with fleets of inexpensive cruisers, destroyers, and submarines helmed by undead crews, toiling away to aim the guns and cannons toward the Moonsliver.
"Have fun." I chuckled. And with a final wave, I Bamfed Hogaz and me to the outskirts of Chor.
We appeared just within the woodline overlooking the city. Far enough so the guards and travelers couldn't hear Hogaz's agonized screams or see his eyes and tattoos glowing with silver light.
He screamed and writhed for seconds onto minutes, then lay in the grass for minutes more, staring absently to the skies until I gave him a swift kick to the ankle.
"Stop daydreaming!"
He shook himself awake and shot to his feet at once, dumbfounded by the sudden realization that he regularly lost time and was mentally broken by the immense deposit of knowledge he just received.
Giving him time to peruse his thoughts, I guided him away from the southern gate and several armored guards conversing or waving to those who approached and passed.
"Where are we going?" He eventually asked.
"Posh cities with no apparent slums always have a darker side," I smirked. "Not just a criminal underworld or a black market. But beggars and the homeless kept away from the main avenues. In this case." I turned towards a small annex raised between the east-heading road and the city wall. "They have a segregated gate for them."
"Welcome to Chor, City of Bards!" a halfling kid, maybe a few years younger than myself but half as tall, bounded up to us within moments. Dressed in rags, with tan skin and a ponytail of brown hair, she acted dissimilar to her appearance by leaps and bounds. "Care for a joke?" She skipped around us, thumbing a lute as she did so.
"Or." She stopped suddenly to cant forward on one leg. "I can show you inside for a small fee."
"Sure." I flicked her a gold coin with a careless shrug. "The rest comes later."
She tried hard not to beam wide after catching it, succeeding only when she read the words minted into its surface.
"Eotrom?" She muttered, glancing me up and down for a few moments before taking a hard, incredulous look at Hogaz. Then, with a shrug, she led us through a crawlspace.
Hogaz seemed surprised at me entering it willingly and seemed embarrassed at doing it himself, looking around this way and that once he came to his feet on the other side.
"Welcome to Shadow Gate!" The kid said, gesturing to the many dirty alleys and small courts filled with people of all ages having jam sessions. "This is where all great bards of Chor come from, whether they like to admit it or not. The famous Galza Strip is just ahead. It runs north from Smith Gate to the central square. If you're here for the concert or just want some food, that's the place to go."
"I'm looking for an auction. Or otherwise somewhere I can buy something… interesting. Who knows." I smirked. "I may buy you something as well."
"I'll hold you to it!" she winked, then followed us down several aisles, stopping at a seemingly closed storefront to knock twice, then once.
An old man opened and frowned immediately after seeing her, then stopped himself from closing the stall after seeing my raised brows and Hogaz's curious gaze.
"Upgraded from shite jokes and window shoppin' eh?" He chortled and turned back to the halfling, smiling greedily.
"Yeah, something like that." She sighed. "You gonna let us in or what?"
He didn't answer. Only squinted at Hogaz and I for an awkward moment until I flicked a gold coin his way. Then, he disappeared and opened a side door a moment later. Shouting. "Come right in! We've got an excellent selection, mind you. But our prices ain't cheap!"
"Quality items never are," I assured his doubts with a smile before ducking through a beaded curtain.
"Indeed." He chortled behind me. "And I give you a fair welcome to Buke's Bizarre Bazaar! One-stop shop for all your exotic needs! Please!" He gestured around to what appeared to be a hundred display cases in this room alone. "Peruse our stock. And feel free to ask if there are any… particular interests you have."
"I'll be certain to."
He shadowed Hogaz, who shadowed me and the kid as I browsed the store- a five-chambered complex carved below the city block above. Four rooms were placed around the central, smallest cube into which we entered. Within it was the general stock. Mostly musical instruments, but also a few ornamental weapons or armor sets coupled with a wide range of gems, goblets, and baubles.
The module directly ahead, labeled 'Arcane,' was a fine selection of enchanted weapons, potions, scrolls, and other items that I took the time to appraise, gaining insight for enchantments to make in a few short weeks until the merchant grew visibly frustrated.
"I'm interested in the finest smokeleaf and tobacco you have. Including seeds." I turned to him before he could voice his concerns. "Preferably in bulk."
"Ah." He recoiled in place before turning on his heels. "Right this way."
I followed him to the adjacent module, labeled 'Apothecary,' to first peruse and sample a wide variety of blends and strains before buying a few kilos and seed packets of everything sampled. Then, I went on to do the same with other food or industrial crops before I picked out as many alchemical ingredients as I could. Then rejoined him and the others.
"I must say." He gestured to my pipe after penciling in the numbers. "I've never seen one sample so many strains with naught a cough! I daresay, it must be the result of that fine piece in your grasp. May I ask where you procured it?"
"I made it," I casually said, focusing instead on the ghostly assistant packaging my wares into neat bundles. "I am a Grandmaster Artificer, you see. Unlicensed as of yet."
"A fine make." The girl offered. "What's it made from, unicorn horn?"
The merchant rolled his eyes at her hushed giggles. "A terrible joke, as always, Rickley."
"Practice makes perfect." She sneered.
"A comedian?" I turned to her.
"A struggling one." The merchant muttered.
"In practice!" she sternly corrected, then placed her small hands on her proud hips to shout. "Rickley Ravenbrook, at your service!
"Quite the interesting name." I smiled, offering a bow of my own. "Well met. My name is Amun."
The merchant dropped his smile immediately. "From the Bodhi Tree? Yes." He quickly answered himself before turning to my companion. "Yes. And you're… Hogaz! I thought I recognized you! Both of you!"
"You know of us?" the half-orc asked.
"Everyone in the peninsula does," Rickley said. "The mid-year fights are shown to every major city in the peninsula. And everyone beyond hears the tales. I wouldn't be surprised if the people of Polaris know of you too."
"Nor would I." I snorted.
"Yes. But we didn't get to see your fight." The merchant said to me, squinting heavily. "How strange."
"Very." I nodded.
"Incredibly." He nodded back and squinted harder. "More so, when considering the dark tree that appeared when your encounter was to take place."
"Inconceivably mysterious indeed." I grinned. "Perhaps I'll tell you- and I'll certainly pay a premium price in exchange for exotic and rare creatures."
His eyes widened twice their size. "Oh, right this way!"
Again, he led me across the complex, where the two remaining modules were connected to make a large superstructure. An acrid smell and the perpetual noise of many creatures barraged our senses the moment we stepped inside, held back by some magical barrier in the doorframe.
"We have an array of exotic pets and beasts of burden in our stock. Many of which require someone of high animal handling skill, mind you, but I'm sure a man of your talents can manage."
"Your reputation precedes you." Hogaz chuckled in disbelief.
"It precedes you both." The merchant assured him. Then turned to lead me to a large curtained cell that leaked an all too familiar smell. "Here, we have the most demanding of such creatures-"
"An owlbear," I growled before he could even approach the curtain. "If I lay eyes on that abomination it will be destroyed."
"Say no more! Say no more!" He hurriedly backpedaled. "We have other creatures! Riding beasts! Horses and lizards, both fast and strong. Magnificent felines. Powerful canines. Ferocious reptiles and-"
"Anything that can fly?"
"Well…" His hands curled inwards to his chest. "We do have in our possession, a griffon egg. "
My eyebrows raised immediately.
"But!" he quickly flashed his palms. "It was procured by our allies in the Ligin Kingdom to stave the potential threats from the surrounding barbarians. It is one of many spread throughout the land, kept in secret before they are hatched.
"Not so much of a secret anymore." Hogaz chortled under his breath.
"However." Buke let the word trail on. "Such fragile things are commonly damaged during incubation. I'm sure it would be of no surprise if this egg was found to be… inert, come hatching time."
"One million gold." I casually and quickly offered. "Including any related tomes or instructions on rearing them you may or may not have."
Of course, Mani could see and learn from the griffin riders of Ligin from its position above, but there was always the risk of them doing something wrong or failing to do something entirely. Human- or rather, humanoid error still existed. And every bit of knowledge counted towards something.
"Of course." He bowed, trying hard to hide his budding excitement while he sent his ghostly assistant to prepare the items. "Anything else?" he greedily asked.
"Yeah." I gestured to the halfling. "Whatever Rickley wants."
"You don't need to say it." The merchant happily smiled.
After his assistant returned with a pair of magical bongo drums, I paid the man and helped Rickley carry a chest of 1,000 gold to her malignant hole for her help, then emerged on the Galza Strip mere moments later, my wares stowed safely away in a temporal dimension.
"Do you always just… throw gold at people?" Hogaz asked with a flair of his hand.
"What else am I supposed to do with it?" I snorted. "Now let's go. We've got a concert to catch."