Tuck headed directly to the Merchant Association. He had come to the conclusion that both the Mages who jumped him and the Clans that had tried to strong arm and abduct him would have had to think twice if he had any clout. He had remained an independent when he was a trucker before the rift and everything was harder. If Tuck continued to stand alone he would need to struggle to find footing wherever he went so he decided to make nice.
Once again Director Opcide received him warmly.
“Good evening Director, I was thinking about your offer and I would like to join the Merchant Association.”
“How delightful, we always want more Bagmen.” Opcide motioned for a servant who went and collected a file for her. “Are you an educated man Tuck? If not I can fill out the form for you. I specialised as a Scribe for years.” She offered.
“Thank you, I am literate but my handwriting is not gorgeous like your own so I’ll take your offer.” Tuck said. Opcide smiled at the compliment and they began the paperwork. Director Opcide was surprised to find out that Tuck was short for his Clan name, Bashtuck.
“I don’t think I’ve ever come across your clan name before.” Opcide commented.
“Shaards is huge and besides my Clan has been defunct for a long, long time.” Tuck replied to Opcide’s curiosity.
“Forgive my curiosity I won’t pry further.” Opcide offered but Tuck assuaged her fears.
“It is alright, there is nothing much to talk about, we fell because of fate. We were in the wrong place at the wrong time and we got ran over by a Titan so powerful that no one could stand against it.” Tuck informed Opcide who nodded along with understanding. Of course Tuck didn't go into the detail that the Titan he lost everything to was time itself.
Once the paperwork was completed Tuck pulled out some high quality liquours for them to enjoy while they had a discussion.
"Director Opcide, I will speak frankly with you.” Tuck began once they were again settled. “I'm not willing to work my way up over time to a position of trust. I know I have a degree of freedom because I am a Bagman but how do I spin that into an executive position within the organisation?" He asked. Opcide leaned back into her cushions and thought the matter over.
"Mr Bashtuck the Merchant Association has a staggering breadth across the world of Shaards. Each branch you come to is a franchise, united but individual, the majority of Association members are just sales people who pay a tithe in exchange for umbrella protection, this includes our Bagmen. If you wish for a higher position you either have to form your own branch or provide a highly skilled service to the association at a preferred rate." It was Tuck’s turn to stop and think. His new hobby may be coming into play sooner than he expected.
"Director Opcide, I am overjoyed to announce that I am an expert level Enchanter.” Tuck finally revealed. “Would that skill be enough?"
"Truly? I heard you were a Champion not a Mage.” Opcide said to Tuck with a raised eyebrow.
“You heard correctly, my ability allows me to be an Enchanter, let me prove it to you, an Enchanter’s worth is in their speed and range of enchantments so test me.” Tuck offered. This was a chance to impress a Branch head of the Merchant Association.
Opcide sent her servant for another document. The servant quickly returned with a booklet and a small chest.
“Mr Bashtuck these are the Merchant Association’s rules for our Enchanters.” Opcide said as she accepted the items. She flopped through the booklet and began reading. “The Merchant Association’s Enchanters are required to enchant 10 items from an approved list for the Association every month. The mundane items, gold and power crystals are provided, the only cost to you is your skill and time. After meeting their quota any other enchanted items you want to sell you will get full price for. As well as VIP status at any branch you visit. Of course if the Association puts a more complicated enchantment list like Golems or a request that means you have to travel like wards additional rewards would be offered." While Tuck nodded his understanding, Opcide opened the chest.
“Let’s test you out with 10 various items that have been on the list for a while. I’m sad to admit we do have a backlog to clear.” Director Opcide put 10 items on the table, a list of what enchantments needed to be put on them, along with gold and crystals. “A master enchanter could do these 10 items in a few hours, I’ll time you.”
"That sounds useful." Tuck said. He then proceeded to amaze Director Opcide by enchanting 9 of the items in minutes adding his recently developed mark, a tiny Ouroboros symbol, on each finished product.
The last item, a Signet-ring with the engraving of Clan Danub, Tuck did not enchant. He held it in his hand and showed it to Opcide.
“Director Opcide, I cannot enchant this into a Spatial-Ring.” Tuck admitted. He had learned 3 different dimensional pocket enchantments from 3 different quality Carry-All bags but he had not yet worked out how to make spatial rings which were many times smaller but had a dimensional pocket magnitudes larger.
Of course Tuck wouldn’t admit to ignorance, after all when he figured the Enchantment out or found a Spatial-Ring to learn from he would need the Merchant Association to believe he had the skill all along.
“I’m in talks with the Clans to move items for them, but if I make this I lose my bargaining power.” Tuck told a half truth to cover himself. Director Opcide smiled in understanding.
“Of course, no more Spatial-Rings until your negotiations are through, you never know where they may end up.” Despite not getting the last item enchanted, Opcide realised what a prodigy she had on her hands. She registered Tuck as a Master Enchanter and paid him to clear her backlog of enchantment requests and nearly 100 other complicated enchantments that other branches of the association desperately needed. If she had to wait on the other Enchanters in the association to do them it would take years. There was nothing in that list beyond what Tuck had already learned. Some things took more creative thinking but since Tuck understood the Rune language he could solve these simple impediments.
Tuck settled in and began to enchant the offers. Director Opcide ordered them dinner and got back to her own work. The room dropped into a companionable silence as they worked until the food arrived. Tuck once again took the opportunity to ask some questions.
“Director Opcide, you said you were a scribe, correct?”
“Yes, it was my main profession before I became a Director.” She replied.
If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
“That will be very helpful, I wish to know about contracts. As you know I come from outside The Warren but there is a young woman I've taken as a lover who is willing to be contracted to me, the issue is I'm unsure what exactly that entails. Can you please explain what being contracted means in detail?" Tuck explained his situation before asking for help. Director Opcide smiled at Tuck's naivete, she found it refreshing. She paused to savour her food and spoke after gathering her thoughts.
“There are many types of contacts but when it comes to sexual relationships there are only 3. Indentury, marriage and slavery.
Indentury is a contract between people of unequal statuses, a master and a servant. This is the most common contract between lovers. The lover with the higher status, the master, pays a lump sum for the other, the servant, usually to the servant's family as a compensation for their loss. The master leads and provides while the servant follows and obeys. Either side can cancel the contract but if the servant does it they have to repay a percentage of what their family was given. In case of separation any children belong to the master's family. You can already see how this type of contract is a bit of a trap. The key thing is the master can have many servants but the servants cannot have another master.” Opcide informed him, Tuck thought it sounded like an old timey marriage, mixed with a harem, there was even a dowry.
"Ok, so what is a marriage?" Tuck asked.
"When the people in the contract would have to have similar statuses and either no gifts are given or gifts of equal value are exchanged." Opcide once again filled in the information. This sounded more like a partnership, but the elephant in the room remained.
"And slavery?" Tuck asked with trepidation.
"One of the people has no status at all, and no rights.
My mother always says 'Society is built on contracts'." Opcide told him. She had taken her mother’s words to heart when she became a Scribe. It was obvious which way the Bagman in front of her felt about his choices so Opcide offered him some sound advice.
"Tuck, unless your lover is a member of one of the Clans, a Champion or a Mage you should offer her a slave contract. Companionship is cheap. If she has no more to offer than that she will accept."
"Wouldn't you be insulted if your lover offered you a slave contract?" Tuck asked Director Opcide. She threw back her head and laughed.
"I've had 3 men sire all my children. All of them my slaves. I am a Mage, a Scribe and the head of a branch of the Merchant Association. There is no mortal man with enough power to offer me a slave contract. Even if I were 40 years younger the best a handsome beau like you could have offered me was a Marriage contract." She joked.
Tuck learned what he wanted so he turned the conversation to ask about the association itself. Surprisingly Opcide did not know the full scale of the Merchant Association, she claimed no one did. Of course Tuck found this to be incredulous and asked how The Merchant Association kept its records straight. Opcide informed him that every branch has a small Transit Gate and Communication Crystal Ball that is only for executive use.
These two items allowed the branch managers and their staff to stay ahead of trends, keep track of debts, follow political developments, escape threats and mobilise the Association's Private strike force.
A smaller version of the Communication Crystal, a Marble was installed in every Airship of the Merchant Association Fleet. Those Crystals allowed the Airships to find the nearest branch and identify each other. Pirates had a hard time getting the drop on a member of the Merchant fleet. Many captains joined the Association more for the safety the Communication Crystal Marbles brought than the need to find work.
“Have you travelled much of Shaards Director Opcide?” Tuck asked.
“Not much.” She admitted. “And because of the way Transit Gates work I couldn’t point to any of the locations I have been. I was always privileged enough to not have to rely on caravans and I have only ever been on the most advanced Airships, I don’t ever want to brave the Wilds.” Opcide stated. Her complexion paled as she remembered some monstrosities she had seen from a distance.
She went on to tell Tuck a bit about her life. She grew up in Pitt City before being accepted into the Shiwan Sect when she graduated she found work at their local branch of the Merchant Association and worked her way up the corporate ladder, moving from city to city as needed. It seemed that talented Scribes were as highly sought after as talented Enchanters.
When the position of Director in the Warren branch opened up Opcide made a bid and won the position. She took the Transit Gate there to take the position and had made the Warren her home for the past 20 seasons.
While they spoke they finished their meal and Tuck got back to work. Director Opcide offered to write Tuck’s contracts personally, he accepted. They discussed what he wanted while Tuck completed the backlog of Enchantments.
Thanks to the combination of Communication Crystal Ball and Transit Gates, the entire Merchant Association would know who Enchanter and Bagman Altair Bashtuck was before the next morning and nearly 100 branches would have a sample of his work.
Tuck left Opcide’s office with a much lighter step, he felt he had made the right choice in choosing a faction. The Merchant Association felt like a World Power.
***
Adaline had rushed back to her master that evening but there was so much work that she had not had the time to discuss Tuck’s offer. Late into the night the Mages finally put their work on hold and Hizanko and her apprentice sat in the GreatMage’s office sharing a drink.
“Master, I can get out and do the research as soon as tomorrow if you give me permission.” Adaline informed Hizanko. Her master looked at Adaline sceptically.
“How are you achieving this miracle? Did you talk to someone from the Militia?” Hizanko asked.
“No, Altiar Bashtuck offered to escort me, but only me.” Adaline clarified.
“The Bagman?!” Hizanko exclaimed. “No, he obviously has ill intentions, all men do.” Of course Hizanko was against her precious apprentice running off with some stranger.
“That little horny upstart! I have a mind to teach him a lesson. Let's see how well he can hold his own.” Hizanko declared as she started rolling up her sleeves for a fight.
“Ahem, Master may I remind you that Bagman Tuck seems to be a spatial manipulator.” Adaline pointed out. Hizanko stopped and returned to her seat. She sipped her drink and thought her plan of action over. Although GreatMage Hizanko was one of those people who believed Champions to be inferior to Mages she still wasn’t confident against Space manipulation, after all it was one of the legendary skills.
“Sigh, you realise he just wants to get in your small clothes right?” Hizanko finally said.
“You are being too harsh, Master. He is very direct, and very handsome… he wouldn’t have to work so hard if that was his goal.”
“You little slut.” Hizanko said, the two women shared a laugh. “Fine, fine, you obviously like him, so have your fun but I beg you to do your job well.” Hizanko got up and went to a painting of a treasure trove hanging on the wall. She whispered an incantation and was able to reach into the painting and pull out a small chest. Hizanko removed a chain with 2 pendants, one red, the other blue. She took the blue pendant and put it on her desk, the other she left on the chain and walked around behind Adaline to put it around her neck.
“I don’t care if you two are humping like bunnies, this NEVER comes off. It is a return amulet. It will bring the wearer to the other amulet, which I will keep here in my office. The Merchant Association finally sent one over this evening, I had this on backorder forever. It showed up at just the right time.” Hizanko returned to her seat.
“Take all you need to record everything. The Warren council meets on the next First day so you have 6 days to go as far as you can to track this phenomenon. No matter what you find, return and report on First day.”
“Yes master.”
“Most of all my child, be careful. The wilds are unforgiving.”
Adaline thanked her master, the two held hands for a moment before parting. Hizanko watched Adaline leave to get prepared. She couldn’t help but worry.