Chapter 1: Bad luck with a good hand.

Ancient cobblestones clacked under short and unhurried footsteps with great reverence, likewise were the townsfolk that caught sight of the figure that trotted their way with the lack of worries of a man that owns this place.

“Good afternoon, Mister Ledebur!” - they all say, some waving their hats like dunces, others a quiet fright in the eyes. Both good. Both good. The sun shines fiercely through the fog, the air smells like warmth. Such a great day to be the boss. But then again, there’s hardly a bad day for that. Some would perhaps disagree, people who would lecture on all the woes of kings and chiefs, drab fellas who knew nothing but civilized life since the most tender age. For other folk, whose flesh remembers prowling the streets like a hungry dog and the cold dampness of the cobble in the foggy nights, no issue would be taken with such a sentiment.

“Leo, my boy! Good afternoon!” - Shouted I. A great distance stood between me and him, the busy sounds of urban life filled the air. A dark-green skinned fella came running towards my position.

“Hey Boss! Been waiting for you, this Razor’s guy, been here since midday almost. I’ve been trying to tell him ‘the boss got a rhythm, he aint getting around these parts till halfnoon’, fella wouldn’t listen. Keep insisting on me to do something to hurry the deal up, I’m right about to tear this guy’s ear off, boss!” - Came rushing out of him, in a hurry of gesticulations and annoyed expressions.

“Ha! You're a good boy Leo! Great job on restraining yourself, we cannot go out tearing ears, Haggia wants all the mangling of her men to herself” - I replied, a small crack of smugness in a sea of anger said I got the effect I wanted. - “Has he said anything about the Razor’s terms on our little joint venture?”.

“Not a word, boss. Not about what we get from it, not about what they want from us, apart from the muscle, that is. If you ask me this is all a waste of time for us, this whole thing smells like a shit deal with a band that isn’t even all that anymore.” - Said the large orc with a deep grunting tone.

“A good thing I haven’t asked you, then. I’m a rather generous man, you know that, I’d rather hear their lot out before making my mind. Show me the way, my good Leo!” - Poor Leo, I thought while we both walked our way into an empty tenement building and down damp tortuous basement corridors to the secret meeting room. He had good instincts when it comes to combat, but for the finer art of extortion the boy was utterly hopeless. A deal with a gang past their prime is a banquet! And one that climbs our mouth to be devoured, no less.

Ah, dear Haggia, old friend, what made you turn your eyes back to these imperial lands? Have you grown tired of the big city, the crown of the continent? Or have you found yourself on the wrong side of your so-called partners? To what circumstance do I own the pleasure of finally getting the chance to bleed you dry?

A tall horned figure waited stone-faced in the sparsely furnished underground chamber. A slender robed silhouette showing grace, a gashing scar over the nose showing disgrace.

”Greetings, good fellow! My warm welcome to our shabby little town.” - With a long bow and taking off my hat in a grand gesture. The man seemed visibly annoyed as I put it back on with great care and leisure. That was a great sign.

”Mister Ledebur, sir. I’m Mallakath at the orders of Miss Haggia. Thank you for your time-” - He rushed.

“Leo, be a good chap and bring us the refreshments, would you? We have a lot of business to discuss, the two of us.” - I cutted in.

”Sir, there is really no need.” - started the impatient man.

“Boss, I don’t think it is a good idea to leave you two alone” - Said the other.

”Nonsense, the two of you. I refuse to begin an important talk in such a brisk manner. We are civilized, are we not? I don’t wish for Miss Haggia to have a poor opinion on my hospitality, move along now, Leo.”- Said I, with my greatest tone of relaxed indifference to their protest.

“A good thing I haven’t asked you, then. I’m a rather generous man, you know that, I’d rather hear their lot out before making my mind. Show me the way, my good Leo!” - Poor Leo, I thought while we both walked our way into an empty tenement building and down damp tortuous basement corridors to the secret meeting room. He had good instincts when it comes to combat, but for the finer art of extortion the boy was utterly hopeless. A deal with a gang past their prime is a banquet! And one that climbs our mouth to be devoured, no less.

Ah, dear Haggia, old friend, what made you turn your eyes back to these imperial lands? Have you grown tired of the big city, the crown of the continent? Or have you found yourself on the wrong side of your so-called partners? To what circumstance do I own the pleasure of finally getting the chance to bleed you dry?

A tall horned figure waited stone-faced in the sparsely furnished underground chamber. A slender robed silhouette showing grace, a gashing scar over the nose showing disgrace.

”Greetings, good fellow! My warm welcome to our shabby little town.” - With a long bow and taking off my hat in a grand gesture. The man seemed visibly annoyed as I put it back on with great care and leisure. That was a great sign.

”Mister Ledebur, sir. I’m Mallakath at the orders of Miss Haggia. Thank you for your time-” - He rushed.

“Leo, be a good chap and bring us the refreshments, would you? We have a lot of business to discuss, the two of us.” - I cutted in.

”Sir, there is really no need.” - started the impatient man.

“Boss, I don’t think it is a good idea to leave you two alone” - Said the other.

”Nonsense, the two of you. I refuse to begin an important talk in such a brisk manner. We are civilized, are we not? I don’t wish for Miss Haggia to have a poor opinion on my hospitality, move along now, Leo.”- Said I, with my greatest tone of relaxed indifference to their protest.

Leodt didn’t budge for a moment. He stared at me, his back against the wall right beside the entrance. His golden yellow eyes were piercing with suspicion. He was rather naive sometimes, Haggia The Razor wouldn’t do it, not like this, her style of assassination wasn’t so thoughtless. There was no point in doing it, either. Slowly the man disappeared through the doorway.

”Sir, if you don’t mind, I’m rather pressed for time.” - Tried again Mallakath, apologetic.

”I do quite mind.” - By the looks of it I’m not the main customer for this time’s dealings. A shame really, I was quite looking forward to a good haggle with the old harpy, looks like I’ll get all I want today with little pushback. - “But then again, I suppose you’re in a more delicate situation than our lot. Very well, state your business, lad”.

A moment of indignation passed through the man before he spoke, I think The Razor will hear of this little provocation of mine. If I cannot toy with her today, that ought to suffice.

“Lady Haggia proposes to split between us the landbound routes to the empire, her price is free passage and safe haven to the city and surroundings, and armaments.”

“Armaments?”- I let out a genuine laugh - “Haggia had a good idea in appealing to my dwarven pride, but the both of us know that those are the least profitable routes you people run.” - And what only I know is how they are perfect for a more profitable trade than elven narcotics. Something’s not right here, why am I being handed exactly what I want so easily, is The Razor that desperate?

”A two thirds split, if it means we can leave here today with a deal.” - He responded briskly. In light of such terms I had no other option but to reticently agree. Though I don’t like this one bit, the most rotten of luck has a habit of showing up when I am dealt a winning hand.

When Leo came back it was all already said and done. The man bolted out of the room like wind in a stormy night, little concern did he have for proper farewells, especially towards the board of cheeses and meats the servant had brought in at Leo’s command. I, on the other hand, didn’t have the heart to neglect such a fine arrangement of scrumptiousness. Most of all now, I had quite a few things to gnaw on.

“Leodt, take a seat.” - I commanded as I sat on the chair across the main table of the room. Puzzled, he complied.

“What the hell happened, boss?”.

“I’m not quite sure myself.” - I pouted between two pieces of cured meat - "Seems we’ve just been handed the effective monopoly of everything but the Hallen river.” - even I had a good amount of incredulity about what I was saying - “Have I been missing something? Leo, is there any news I haven’t heard yet?”

With one hand he took out the faded red bandana he wore, the other one scratched the olive green scalp underneath thin remembrances of hair. “Don’t think so, boss. Some punks got out of line here and there, but that’s about it, business as usual. For us, for sure. For their crew, don’t look too different either.” - He shrugged.

“That is what bothers me, this isn’t the kind of win one gets without at least a couple hundred people dead…” - The thought hung in the air like a thick fog. I felt the vague pains of sobriety begin to wake again from their slumber. A glass of ale would be needed to send my maladies back to sleep.

I poured myself a tall glass of golden brown nectar and drank it with solace. Life felt like coming back to my body. “Leodt, gather our main people, have then get things ready to set up our operation all the way up till Hallenfay.” - I said while filling the glass again. - “We'll be moving inventory north too this time around, the Razor needs blades it seems."

“Certainly, boss. How much are we dealing with here?” - He asked.

“Well, bloody about as many as we can get our hands on, you know how the Razor is, my boy.” - I responded.

As I pondered about the day’s exchange I stared longly at the healing liquid in my glass. I saw the whole of the continent in the bubbles of its curative foam, at least the parts of it that I cared to remember. Center to it was the Empire, right above it lay a tiny bubble, glistening with riches. Hallenfay, the first of the free cities, home of the Blackhounds. I could even see a face reflected in it, it was paler and distorted by the curvature, but it could clearly be seen a set of stern eyes framed by a cadaverous elven visage that knew no emotion, sharp pointy ears cutting through long strands of brittle black hair. That was Haggia the Razor, one of the finest mob bosses that place has seen. Until rather recently, she’s been falling out of favor with the Lord of Hallenfay. Apparently the underworld slave trade is too embarassing for his highness’ dinner guests.

That thought made a new territory emerge from the alcoholic froth. Westwards, beyond the river valley the Hallen cut across the known lands. The Peninsular Kingdom of Asalle. Absolutely a trade partner with the kind of silver to bend a young merchant city-state like Hallenfay to their whims. And equally so the kind of people that would kill people like Haggia without a second thought. That’s the reason the Razor is so interested in the scenic views of our little imperial province.

But why ask for weapons? What is Haggia’s idea here? My gut feeling is either try a coup in Hallenfay or move to someone else’s turn and muscle them out. For both cases her problem isn’t the amount of weapons, it’s the amount of people willing to die holding them that she’s short on.

A big gulp punctuated the end of my little meditation. It felt bitter with the taste of unsolved questions that can get you killed.