The scroll was in pure common and several other cultures common languages. My skill quickly learned them. In essence this is what is said.

My Master, the Prince of Garban ag Thil invites you to a meeting of exchange and intercourse, on the subject of trade.

In his gracious good will he offers the following information.

First was a rough planetary map, which I quickly uploaded to the settlement map, and marked “provisional”

On said map, it located each of the gates that opened on this planet with its location and gate ID, but not it’s real name.

Below he listed which gate was the actual Hell gate, the one that was believed to be a Heaven gate (Which refused all access), and 2 other gates where the Daemons and Devils had overrun the gate areas, and were waging their war against humanity.

Luckily for us, both of those were on other continents far across the ocean both from where we are, and from where our settlers have originated.

We marked all of those down, as provisional, matching so far with our data.

One of the other gates was near to a long out-of-date region of our collective map.

Granny pointed a finger at it, her hand looking even younger now. When had she had time to spend points?

“When my Bernard and I were in the eastern marches, the armies laid siege to a town called Orleo,” pointing to the extreme limit of the map. “According to our gathered information, the city of Portbo, in the same nation has a teleporter gate. From this map, it’s a pretty good guess, Portbo, is there. Portbo is known to be a coastal fort on the border there, which also agrees with this map. We should do a simple scroll drop in common there, inviting the Comte de Portbo to reply about sending a minister to establish trade agreements.”

Plum spoke up,” Last I heard the wars between the Eastern Marches and the city states of LaGuille had simmered down to shouting curses at each other across the border, and seducing each other’s wives. It seems like a safe bet to me. Trade has been steady between them the last few years.”

Yamina said floating over the map in her tiny form, using her body as a pointer, “Most of our settlers are from Al’Biab, and Hispacon, near there. That borders, not too far from the City States of LaGuille. I concur a good choice. We should not be open to just one country, that’s ripe for abuse.”

“Okay any other cities we are pretty sure are safe from our gathered information? No. Lets drop an invite there and follow up with Garban Ag Thil. I looked at Yamina “Is there a shorter term Garban? Thil?”

“Not really, Garban Ag Thil, means “city chosen by the God Garban”, He rolls in different circles than Danu. But they are not opposed. He’s a god of Trade, Travellers, Lawyers and Merchants.

Okay let’s draw up a very simple invitation to send a single person through to talk to us, tomorrow at noon local time for Garban Ag Thil, and the same for Portbo at midafternoon. Let’s see where this takes us. I’m not ready to send anyone through a gate just yet.

When the sun was high the next day, an ornately robed man, of deeply tanned skin walked through carefully. His hair was black, and his features were frankly beautiful, very delicate and almost feminine his hair was oiled and curled and you could smell the perfume from the top of the wall.

He bowed deeply and spoke in Common “I send greetings from my Masters liege, Doranal The prince of Garban Ag Thil, who directed my master the Merchant Prince Fal’Otha to send me hence. My humble self is called Dori. How may I be of service.”

I hopped up on a board I’d rigged to sit comfortable atop the palisade. I bowed from the waist, and kept my feet tucked on the far side of the wall, just in case I needed to move. I was a getting full on middle eastern vibes off this guy, which was neither here nor there.

This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

“I am Sir William Gardener, servant of the Goddess Danu. You may call me Bill. Nice to meet you, Dori.”

“I Dori am pleased to meet you. Am I correct in assuming that you wish to open negotiations for a trading pact with my Masters Liege?”

“A pact, no, not really. We are interested in opening limited trade. We are a new gate; we wish to learn more of the world and work towards a free trade agreement with many nations.”

“My Master Fal’Otha, has instructed me to offer you this binding sacred contract in the name of Garban. for a trade pact between our cities.” Dori replied waving his hand with a scroll in it languidly.”

“Yeah, no. Not our speed. If you wish to take our offer to your master, he may come and talk to us, or send you to us again. Am I correct to assume from how you refer to him frequently as your Master, Dori that you are a slave?”

“I am lucky enough to be the property of my great master Prince Fal’Otha, why do you ask?”

“By the order of my Goddess, Danu, any slave who sets foot upon our land is from that moment free. Dori. If you wish I can give you leave to exit that circle as a free man.”

“This gracious offer I must decline, It would offend my Master greatly, and I am not currently in a position to accept your offer and risk his ire come down upon my family.”

“Ah, got it . Please inform him that I am going to close the gate while we talk, and reopen it in about 10 minutes. It is our tradition that to negotiate next to an open door is unseemly. We would never wish to insult to great a man as Fal’Otha, and his mighty Prince with such disrespect.”

“I will tell my master that your customs require a closing of the gate for more serious consultation.”

Dori paused ever so briefly, his eyes hooded and hard to read..

“My master says he does not wish to offend you, but his traditions ask that the gate be kept open.”

I replied smiling wickedly. “Please inform your master, who I assume can hear you and not me, that we cannot offend our Goddess, and must either close the gate with Dori on this side or upon the other. Your master may choose.”

“I have informed my master that the gate must close, but that he may choose which side of it he wishes me to be upon. He is considering, at some volume.” Dori’s eyes twinkled, he was clearly enjoying himself.

“May I say as an aside to your master in his moment of quiet reflection. That tomorrow is a Feast Day of my People, and according to our ancient traditions. We may accept a visit from Your master, and his entire household, to feast with us upon the fish of my Goddesses River, gloriously fermented for many months, and served upon a bed of diced apples and fresh red onion. It is a holy dish, offered only as the highest of compliments to your master and his entire household. He may also send any emissarys and their household to feast with us upon this sacred day. May our Goddess watch over us.”

Dori’s eyes were even more slitted, but there was still the faintest hint of a twinkle in them. “My masters household numbers in the thousands, he could in no way make such a journey on such short notice with all of them. He could perhaps send an emissary, of a lower, but still noble house to feast with you.”

“He many send whom he wishes, to whom we will offer a promise of non-violence, so long as they do no violence upon me or my people, for the period of 4 hours. Tell him that the greater the size of the household he sends, the greater will be the glory to our goddess. As a gesture of our personal goodwill towards your master, we offer this invitation to your household as well. Dori, humble servant of Fal’Otha, servant of the Prince of Garban al Thil.”

I paused dramatically. “Noble servant of the great, we must close the gate now, your master must chooses or you will be stuck here on our side of the gate. I must say such negotiation have made me tired and I would gladly end them for the day.”

Dori Bowed “We pass on your noble blessings and greetings to the Noble House of Fal’oitha, servant to the prince of Garban al Thil. We also pass on that you are tired from the exertions of the day and wish to cease communication, and prepare yourself for your noble feast of fermented and aged fish, and fresh onions. Ah my master has decided most precipitously, that we will end for the day, but we will send an emissary tomorrow at noon if this pleases your Goddess.”

“May it please your god, we will see you tomorrow, Dori, servant of Fal’Otha.”

“May it please both our golds, I hope to see you as well, Sir William of the Gardens, worshiper of the River.”

And Dani stepped gracefully back through the gate and I closed it.

Thorbjorn turned to me in shock his eyes wide and hurt “Did you just threaten that man’s master with Lutefisk!”

“I have in the past been told how rare and acquired the taste for lutefisk is, I will admit the apples and fresh onions were my own additions.”

Thorbjorn burst out almost childishly, clear hurt in his face “But I love Lutefisk, my momma used to make it for me!”

Jimni literally fell backwards off the palisade laughing, soon followed by Thorbjorn and the rest.