Book 2: Trails and Tribulations. Children of Danu, People of Skill.

[ Hey Danu, how’d it go negotiating with Miss Death? ]

[ Better than I expected. She’s really rather sweet under all that Gangster death Cult paraphernalia.

I pointed out to her, that if she only ever fielded Bloodthirsty mafia members, all she’d ever get were blood thirsty mafia members. I get that it’s her strength right now, But low level street punks are all leavened with mid-level managers, and them with Evil CEO types. Try a different mix to get a different outcome. We are negotiating a loose non-aggression pact leading towards a longer-term relationship. She’s agreed to put Rey Pasqual near enough to use us and the mountains as a flank, but not right in the way of my planned expansion either. It might turn out good, it might turnout bad, but neither of us are chipping in much on a trial run. If you bump into her new Gardener, be nice. I think you’ll like her]

[Understood. Is there any gear Ray Pasqual needs out of the mercantile? ]

[No, she was rather clever there, since she was betting on single string mentor, she kept Ray Pasqual, all internal powers. All he lost is a Rez, and he’s level 5. So, he has 4 more. It’s a good thing you went with overwhelming force with that airstrike. He was tougher than Al by -far- .]

[P for Plenty, there is no such thing as overkill. Nuke them from orbit it’s, the only way to be sure. The lesson was pounded home. Frankly I’m amazed your children are so fragile. It’s an interesting strategy.]

[It makes them smart, fast and scared all the time. They never let their guard down completely. Helen Walker is a role model, for sure. I mean when you were sitting next to Als corpse being maudlin, Yamina stayed in overwatch and in stealth mode. BTW I have a feeling she’s addicted to Stealth mode. Don’t be surprised if at level 5 she picks up a stealth profession. She talks nonstop about how cool it felt striking from the darkness.]

[I’d do the same if I had any talent for it. Excessively noble Stick jock with a smart mouth is more my speed of things. Hell, I couldn’t even stay mad at Al, after he was beaten for goodness’s sake. Well, enough wallowing, let’s get things organized to run without us, and go conquer the headwaters and the not-so-secret main temple you have hidden up there.]

Well fuck, talk about hard choices. Appraise and all the healer and Shield skills look great. We should already be able to get a Bubble shield, but a second skin shield would be cool too. If we are the only local source with Regenerate body parts, we’ll pick up the skilled fighters who've had the bad luck to get crippled along the way. All sorts will learn to come here for that kind of restoration. The river Cures disease, but we're sure to leave the river eventually.

Okay, Regen Major Body Part, and Shield, Cure or Bless. I’m going to have to go with shield for the combat boost, 2 shields on our fighters on top of Ironskin will be brutal at high level. At some point things seemed to always devolve into violence around here.

“Ooh we just need tomatoes and corn, and I can have chips and salsa! Excellent. If bougie of me”

I combined all the maps into the Settlement map, More detail downstream. But I noticed Reys map was still updating. I tied the updates to the maps to go both ways. Hopefully that will help the lad out at least a little. It was about all I could do from here. On a whim I added him to my friends list, low and behold he accepted.

Now to business.

Raid -[Before we leave town, we need someone to take over and enough muscles stretch to hold off any attempts to take this town. Joseph, I had a feeling you were angling for this job? You want it?]

[It was one of a pallet of possibilities I had in mind, Can I get the 3 Berts, a couple other muscle types of my choice. Plus, the warehouse and Ports Gems?]

[5% cash tax, split between us, 5% CP tax, split the same way, to be renegotiated when our month is up?] I sent to him as a starting offer.

[Seems kind of low, what’s your reasoning?] he asked back, his voice laced with curiosity more than anything else.

[Here is my thinking. Most lords and guilds bleed their people for all they are worth and stifle their growth at the same time. I want to give people room to grow freely, to improve themselves for their own gain, As long as I get a piece. I expect those numbers to creep up to 10% eventually. We’re selling the idea of a fresh start with nobody oppressing you. A fair shake at prosperity for everyone, not just nobles and the children of important people. It was a remarkably seductive pitch in my homeland. Pulled the disenfranchised and crushed, but sorted for the hardest workers too. It’s a long slow game for a big payout. Combined with the benefits of the goddess, we’ll be pulling every self-motivating but stifled man or woman out of every territory who’s even heard of us. You can’t pay for that kind of recruiting advantage. We’re going to pull all the fools and dreamers too, sure but mostly the hard workers. The really stupid ones will probably show up too but we can handle that.]

[Novel, but considering you’re promoting me based on my ability, and with the same sales pitch, I can honestly say, it worked on me. I’m willing to give it an try. What are you planning to do with the Rathole?]

[Change its name, one half is a bar and tavern, the other half a temple to Danu. As soon as we can get a nice location for the temple you get it back. It’s run by my principals, everyone is free to come and go. You have to recruit by giving them a fair deal. Not fucking them over. We need to change the name. something River or Blue, But still risqué. Like the ‘The Blue Codfish” hopefully you can think of a better name, if not run a contes.

Working women are allowed, but no pimps. Profit sharing agreements. Treat them nice like. Try to get them to train other skills than those of the flesh along the way. Promote them to run the Tavern for you. You’ve got the idea, we get more flies with honey than with vinegar. A fair opportunity. The Land of Opportunity is what it was called back home. Mandatory bathing in the river too clients and professionals. Firstly it will smell much nicer for the working girls and boys, and secondly it should stifle the spread of disease. ]

[Yeah I’m in, you’ve sold me. I may need a few corrections where old thinking gets me, but I’ll make an honest attempt. You want to extend the contract I assume. ]

[Sure, tell you what, run month to month on the current deal. When you really buy into my theories here, come talk and we’ll get a piece of a bigger pie for both of us. Can’t ask much more fair than that.]

[Okay, one condition, my recruits, they goto your settlement where it’s safe, I’ll come visit them there.]

I was confused by his condition but accepted.

“Orth, swing over here.” The haggard man approached, I asked him, “What do you want to do with yourself, run something here, run something back at Danusholm?’

“I think either Danusholm or the main temple will become your seat of power, I want to run that, wherever it is. One day running with y’all has been more fulfilling than 6 months here as a drudge. I -need- challenging work lad, do you see?”

“Loud and clear Orth. Preaching to the choir.”

“Kat, what about you, fancy running a brothel, or your Sister Ginger maybe interested?”

“I’ll just put that down as a no for both of us. Ginger’s my sister, and she’s as sweet as Christmas morning, but 6 months on her back in a crib has turned her a little strange. A few years doing something different is what she needs, and I’ll be at hand to keep other people's hands out of her business and her skirts.”

“Just, keep her skirts firmly away from me, ok?”

“Done” I tossed her a cure disease scroll. “A good bath in the river every day for a week, should cure most of what ails her. But just in case, take this. We owe her that much. If you don’t need it sell it to fund her transformation. You got your share of the loot from the underlings as well. Do with that as you wish. I suggest hanging onto the gold, mind. If my plan works out. We’ll get a few days to make a killing with it, Before things stabilize.”