“Nellamon's father is this Battlelord. Is it really a big deal,” I asked Harmin.
“He is the single most powerful and important elf in Aeseiriral,” he replied.
I left Leanosel's office at the immigration office with my my temporary provisional work permit, and a recommendation to the join the Elven Alliance Faction. I thought had accomplished a lot for today. Turns out I had been mucking about in politics for weeks and didn't even know it.
“Anybody else that I'm training have a famous parent like that,” I asked.
“Yes,” he said.
I stopped walking and stared at him. It was as if he thought the answer he had given me was good enough.
“Are you going to tell me who they are,” I asked.
“No,” he replied.
I kept waiting for more. This was even more infuriating than talking to Celestium.
“Why,” I finally asked.
“That information is only provided on a need to know basis,” he answered.
“So I have to be on pins and needles, because I might piss of someone powerful, but I don't even get to know what I should worry about, because you wont tell me anything about them,” I said.
“No. I will not tell you about all of the them. I just told you about Nellamon and Brindaesal. You also need to know about Aern'Lenninisal's family,” he said.
I waited for more, but he looked around, checking to see who might be close. Finally he said, “I wanted to wait, but I suppose you have the right to know. Aern'Lenninisal's mother is Awaesha'Feleen. She is very influential in the Elven Alliance Faction. You can bet she is going to try and cause trouble for you sooner or later. It would be best for you if you left Aeseiriral. The next best option is is to let Aern'Lenninisal get on with his life.”
“You mean abandon my friend. The way he talks about his mother makes it sound like she's [Neutral Evil]. Why is everyone afraid of her,” I asked.
“How much do you know about elven politics,” I asked.
“Brindaesal is Battlelord, and Aern'Lenninisal's mother runs the Elven Alliance Faction,” I said. It would be wrong to say I knew nothing, although very accurate.
Harmin chuckled and smirked in disgust, “She does not run the faction, she just has the authority to decide who does run it. She has all of the power and none of the responsibility.” His smile faded and he continued. “Wealth comes from the Dungeon, but money comes from the merchants. The elven military command controls the source of the wealth, and the merchants and politicians control access to the markets and finances that let the loot from the Dungeon be sold. The merchants of different elven cities have to compete with each other, because the their wealth comes from the people in different markets. The elven militaries of different cities naturally cooperate, even across Alignments. They have three common enemies. The monsters of the Dungeons, the [Evil] nations on the Darkstone Continent, and the merchants in their own cities. The militaries cooperates to play the merchants of one city against the merchants in other cities. The merchants work to play everyone to a merchant's advantage. This is the essence of elven politics.”
“I get that I'm caught in the middle. What am I suppose to do,” I asked.
“Get out from between them. If you cannot run, then be undetected. When you go to the Chapterhouse do not mention Nellamon, Brindaesal, or Aern'Lenninisal. If you do not advertise your connections, you might survive unscathed if Awaesha'Feleen doesn't [Notice] you,” he offered.
I was perplexed. “Brindaesal is the one who recommended me to the Elven Alliance Faction. How are they not going to [Notice] that.”
“No. Leanosel recommended you at Brindaesal's request. The Battlelord's name is not connected to your application,” he explained.
I smiled slyly at Harmin, “You've been playing politics right under my nose. I still don't understand how Aern'Lenninisal's mother can be so terrifying.”
“Have you ever heard of choosing the lesser of two [Goods],” he asked.
“Is that like choosing the lesser of two [Evils],” I asked.
“What? Who would ever choose any kind of [Evil],” he asked. He sounded scandalized.
“What if you only had two choices and both were [Evil] and you chose the lesser [Evil].”
“I would choose not to choose. What kind of fool chooses [Evil] for any reason,” the merchant asked rhetorically.
I thought to myself, 'voters.'
Harmin continued, “The lesser of two [Goods] is similar to the nonsense you are talking about but more dangerous. Imagine you have two choices. One is truly [Good] and the other is only marginally [Good]. The classic example is you see another merchant running to an auction you want to bid at. He drops his purse. Instead of hailing him and returning his purse. You send a servant to his house with the purse. It is [Good] you have returned the purse for him, but you have denied him the opportunity to recover his purse in time to bid at the auction. What would have been an [Evil] action is now deemed [Good] by the System. This is how Awaesha'Feleen operates.”
“She's literally gaming the System,” I said.
“Yes. She is a master of it,” he confirmed.
From my previous life, I had plenty of exposure to the kind of people who masqueraded as honest citizens in a high trust society when they were really [Evil] predators. I needed to use my knowledge from Earth to identify the tactics and hallmarks of that type of predator, and build counter-strategies. If Francis Underwood wasn't a sufficient template, I would use Kevin Spacey.
“Why does she hate Aern'Lenninisal,” I asked.
“I don't think she does. He's more of an inconvenience than anything else. Awaesha'Feleen's father was [True Neutral]. Her mother was [Lawful Neutral]. They lived in Aeseiriral, where those of the highest social status are [Lawful Good]. As a child she felt ashamed of her parents and followed the Path of [Lawful Good] out of spite. She rose in the ranks of society, mostly by marrying Aern'Lenninisal's father. When Aern'Lenninisal chose the Path of [Lawful Neutral] it was painful, but the real problem will come when the boy gets married. It will cost her significant political capital,” He said.
“How is Aern'Lenninisal getting married going to cost Awaesha'Feleen political capital,” I asked.
“Elven families are complex webs. Every male will have multiple wives, who have their own family webs. The value of Social Power in elven society can be calculated. It is a balance between power and obligation, with the greatest weight being given to close family members. Aern'Lenninisal's wives will be of lower social status because he is [Lawful Neutral]. That will weigh heavily on the Social Power of Awaesha'Feleen,” he answered.
“Then why is he so afraid that she will marry him off,” I asked.
“If she marries him off to someone in another elven city, he will not count against her Social Power,” he said.
I knew there was a quiet anger on my face now. “How do we fight this bitch,” is asked flatly.
----------------------------------------
The door to the landing pad opened to the view of Aeseiriral, the twelve-walled city. I was inside the eleventh wall, the area called the Outer City. This was where the hustle and bustle went on. The tenth wall surrounded the Inner City. It was the place that housed the approximately three hundred and fifty thousand elves that lived there. It was possible upon invitation for a non-elf to enter, but that was a rarity. The twelfth wall enclosed terraced farmland and estates, called the Inner Lands.
Aeseiriral was in the foothills of the Altrin Mountain Range. It in the distance to the north, I could see their snow covered peaks. The city walls were the same white sparkling stone that I had seen on roads around the temples in Everdale and Neral City. There were no gates to the walls. A few narrow sky bridges crossed over each wall, but they were rarely used. The dominant means of travel in Aeseiriral was flight.
There were Spells and fantastical creatures of various types for flight but by far the most common and beautiful was [Celestial Wings]. It was an Ability limited to elves. I wasn't sure of the source, only that every non-[Evil] elf, regardless of Class, could eventually get the Ability. There was a corresponding [Demonic Wings], for every non-[Good] elf, but none of those graced the sky of Aeseiriral. It gave the elves of Elfandrael an advantage that let them maintain military supremacy through air superiority. There was no doubt, this was their world, and every other race was an immigrant.
Even in the daylight [Celestial Wings] glowed. They were the same type of construct as the forcefields in the starter Dungeon I began in. They even glowed the same golden color. They had the same shape, and moved like the wings I had seen on Celestium. Fliers flew in organized patterns, as in Everdale. At a glance I could see they followed over the tops of the sky bridges that sprouted up across the city.
The rolling hills of the Outer City had white sparkling stone sky bridges reaching from hill to hill to pair similar elevations of the elven metropolis. Higher up, there were wider skybridges, spaced further apart. When I had asked the Divine Helpdesk about them, it had informed me the higher bridges were their version of a highway bypass. The elegant narrow arches and columns reminded me more of sculpture than infrastructure.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
To the south the walls of the Inner City terraced up Mount Celestium. It was a low, wide mountain that barely qualified for the term, but it was rocky enough to warrant it. Filled with crags and fissures, it was place only suited to a people that could fly.
After soaking in the city, I followed the road outside the landing pad to my right. The buildings were all stone, but they varied more in color than the buildings in Everdale. Everything there had a dark gray, almost black, stone. Here there was gray granite, a few beige sandstone structures, and of course the sparkling white stone found everywhere else here. Just as Harmin had said, the Elven Alliance Faction Chapterhouse was only two blocks away.
I walked in the sparkling white buildings through gold plated double doors. They had to be gold plated. Nobody would put that much gold in a door. Inside, the foyer was a circular tower, twenty-stride across. The shaft went seven stories straight up. At each level a walkway circled around the edge of the chamber. The walkways had short stubs extending a stride toward the center of room. I could see a flying elf use one of the stubs as a landing platform.
“Ahem...,” A young looking female elf siting behind a circular counter in the middle of the room was trying to get my attention.
I stopped gawking and walked over to her. In my friendliest voice I said, “Hello! I want to join the Faction.”
She finally smiled at, me but it was forced. She looked as if she had just eaten something bitter and wanted to keep smiling.
“Yes, well you seem very young. We require those who apply to have accomplished enough to deserve a recommendation,” She said. She pursed her lips and nodded with a smile, as if congratulating herself on her insult. Her voice had all the forced dignity and condescension of a villainous character that could only be successfully cast by someone with a British accent.
I popped my application out of [Inventory] and handed it to her.
She took it with visible discomfort, and glanced at the papers. Relief seemed to fill her. “This is application has a request to be expedited. There is a one gold application fee for expedited applications, it is very-”
I interrupted with a gold from [Inventory].
She took and then said, “I cannot process this. Please, wait one moment.”
She took a small bell out from under desk and rang it. Afterward she looked around the room. Anywhere but me. After a minute or two someone with [Celestial Wings] landed next to the desk.
The young elfess turned to the receptionist and said, “Yes?”
The receptionist said, “We have an expedited application request from this young man.”
Her [Celestial Wings] disappeared, and she accepted the application. She took a few minutes to look it over. Finally she looked up and approached me.
She offered her hand and said, “I am Galnessia. I will be processing your application. It says here you are a personal trainer. We normally only accept memberships for community leaders. Can you explain how you will be a value to the Elven Alliance Faction?”
“I provide an intense training program for rapid progression to the elite,” I said. All true, but apparently not worthy of a [Law Karma Point].
“And who do you train,” she asked.
“I'm afraid my clientele must remain private,” I said. If it was good enough for Harmin it was good enough for me.
“Very well. What exactly can a Level 3 person train the 'elite' in,” she asked curiously.
I popped in my
“I teach people how to deal with things that can kill you. Check my Title if you need more proof.”
She chuckled at my antics. She stopped laughing and her eyes got big when she saw my Title. “You are one of those types then. You picked the right Chapterhouse to apply at. We specialize in the combat side of the Elven Alliance Faction. I do have to ask though. I [Notice] you are not speaking Elvish. It will be difficult to rise in our Faction if you cannot speak the language.”
“For now I'll get by with [Tongues]. I have a plan to become perfectly fluent in Elvish eventually,” I said.
I was pushing it. After spending nearly an hour with Leanosel, I only had about ten minutes left on Aern'Lenninisal's casting of [Tongues]. Maybe it was time I broke down and got that Spell.
She nodded and smiled. “Good. The Meldreanain Chapterhouse of the Elven Alliance Faction welcomes you.”
You have been invited to Eleven Alliance Faction at the Rank of Associate.
Do you accept?
I accepted and got my confirmation.
I asked Galnessia, “I was told I could get a Quest for a Faction Ability?
“Yes you can get the Page rank Quest from Laerenshel,” She pointed to the uptight secretary at the desk. “I hope to see you around. We run our own combat training classes on Saadisday. Check the posting board if you want the details.” She pointed to the hall behind me.
“Thanks,” I said.
She formed her [Celestial Wings] and flew back up to the fourth floor.
I turned back to the secretary. Politely, but not excessively politely, I asked, “Laerenshel, may I have the Page Rank Quest.”
She looked at me in a different light. I was now a member of the Faction and all of her disdain had melted away. “Of course. What Level are you again?”
“Level 3,” I answered.
“That will be three gold for the Quest then,” She said.
Definitely more expensive than the Adventurers Guild. I pulled the gold out and gave it to her.
She pulled a different bell out from under desk and rang it. Another young female elf came out of a corridor in the back of the room very quickly.
Laerenshel said, “Three for the Page Rank Quest please.”
Without a word the elfess pulled three freight boxes out of [Inventory] and promptly left without a word.
Laerenshel turned back to me with a big smile. “I am really excited. I'm a big fan of Allalessa. This month's Page Quest is to sell to illusion cubes of Allalessa's new album, 'Storm the Dungeon.' It has all twelve tracks, and my favorite is 'Floor Boss Boogie.' Each freight cube comes with a promotional materials for your shop, and a thousand and one illusion cubes. One is a display copy and you will not have to account for it. It is yours to keep. Allalessa's running for Quaestor General of the Outer City, so there is a time limit on this. The election is next month. You will have to sell all of them by then. They cost a silver per album so that comes to thirty gold you need to return to the Faction in thirty five days. I know it sounds challenging, but we are talking about Aeseiriral's favorite Grandmaster Bard. It is doable it you try.”
I think her enthusiasm was more disturbing than what I was being asked to do. By the end of her spiel she was actually giddy. I knew the Faction was run by merchants and politicians. I was not aware that they merchant politicians. I picked up the freight cubes up and put them in my [Inventory].
While I was doing that, Laerenshel continued, “If you fail to complete the Quest, partial credit will be given towards future attempts at the Page Quest. Return as much as you can by the deadline, but we know your going to finish it. I have [Faith] in you!”
She finally toned down her energy as she finished describing the Page Quest, “If you succeed at your Page Quest you will be allowed to choose one of the three basic Faction Abilities. They are [Polyglot], [Party Chat], and [Post Letter].”
I asked, “I already know which one I want, but what is [Post Letter]?”
“It gives the ability to send a single page to any place or any person, as long as you know the name of the place or person.”
Wow! That was an amazing Ability. That was even better in some ways than [Personal Message]. [Personal Message] was a Tier 2 Ability from the Basic Abilities Group. Anyone could get it, but communication was limited to people that you had met, plus it had a lifetime limit to the number of people you could add to your contact list.
I walked over to the counter Laerenshel was sitting behind. I had seen Harmin do this as a parlor trick once. I thought I'd try it. I pulled gold from [Inventory] one gold at a time, as I slowly lifted my hand up off the desk. When I got to stack of ten I started over. When I was done with the third stack I looked at Laerenshel and waited for a response.
She looked so sad. “You are not going to sell them?”
“Maybe I'll give them away. Do want you any?”
“Really? I can have some?”
I pulled two of the freight boxes back out and sat them on the desk. I wasn't giving away all of it without at least looking at what I bought. “You can have these,” I said.
Her jaw dropped and eyes got big. “But that is...” She turned backed and asked with wide eyed innocence, “I can have the posters too?”
“Yep.”
“Oh! Thank you! Thank You! Thank you!” She swept up the freight boxes into her [Inventory] and danced around for a bit. When she finally was done she looked at me and asked, “What?”
I tilted my head and gazed down at the thirty gold on the desk.
“Oh! I am so sorry,” she said. She scooped up gold and it disappeared. “Very well. What Faction Ability would like [Polyglot], [Party Chat], or [Post Letter]?”
[Polyglot] was good, but I could also get that one from a Boon. [Party Chat] only came from the elves. When I saw Nellamon use it I though it was a Basic Ability, but it's not. It was pretty much now or never.”
“[Party Chat],” I said.
She smiled and nodded knowingly, while waving her hands in the air to interact with the System. “Congratulations...er...uh, I didn't get a good look at your name on the application. Can you tell it to me again?
“Eric, Eric Swindall,” I said.
She finished up her manipulations.
You have achieved the Rank of Page in the Elven Alliance Faction.
You have been awarded the Faction Ability of [Party Chat]
Her demeanor returned to the smug version of her I previously met. The difference was she was prejudiced in my favor instead of against. “Now that you are a Page you will receive regular missions from the Faction. There are missions you can sign up for if you want to avoid assigned missions. When you have achieved enough Faction Points, your file will be evaluated and you may receive an invitation to Quest for the Rank of Counsel.”
“I heard that delving was one of the missions I could volunteer for,” I said.
“Yes! Would you like me to put you down for that,” she asked.
“Yes, please.” Finally I was going to get into the Dungeon!
She pulled a crystal out from the under the desk and started waving her hands over it. “I have the third Bestalday in Angel. That's almost five months from now. Can I put down for that?”
I deflated. Thirty four gold for five months away. “If that's the soonest you have,” I said.
“Level 3 of the Dungeon on the third Bestalday in Angel,” she said.
“Wait. I'll probably be Level 4 by then,” I said.
“Oh! I can do the second Bestalday in Phoenix for Level 4. That is four weeks sooner. Do you want that,” she asked.
“Yes. Can I get a reservation for the Floor Boss,” I replied.
“Noted. That will be ten silver for the week,” She held out her hand.
At least I wouldn't be pulling out any more golds. I made the payment, thanked her and turned around to leave. I took three steps and suddenly there something on my sleeve.
It was a piece of paper, sticking to my left jacket sleeve. This had to be [Post Letter]. It had a bright red wax seal across the trifolded paper. My full name, “Eric Nial Swindall,” was written in a golden metallic ink. It was phonetically spelled in High Common. I pulled it off my arm. At first there was a slight resistance and then it came free. I broke the seal and opened the letter. It was written in Elvish and I couldn't read it.
I turned around to Laerenshel and asked, “Could you read this for me?”
She took it and started reading aloud.
Dearest Mr. Swindall,
Thank you for your generous fundraising efforts. You and two guests are invited the Merchant's Party election day celebration on the third Celestiumday of Unicorn. The festivities will be at my personal estate in the Helansi District in the Outer City and go from three o'clock until midnight as the election returns come in. Please except my invitation to the V.I.P. lounge and we can discuss your vision for the political future of the Outer City.
sent by Nezhulfor, Campaign Manager, on behalf of
Allalessa
Esquire of the Elven Alliance Faction
Grandmaster Bard of the Concert
Quaestor of Helansia Burrough, Eleventh Circle of Aeseiriral.
When she was finished reading it, she handed it back to me and pleaded, “Can I go with you?”
All I could do was stare at the most horrifying page in the Chapterhouse.