One Week Later...
Karik walked into the Tower Valazim, which was made of blue bricks and yellow stained glass. The inside of the building was relatively modern. Red carpeting, plaster walls, and dark wood furniture. Pillars were not seen, as they were inside the walls. They had an elevator powered by a dozen slaves and made of the same wood as the furniture. A man walked up to him, "Zakra Valazim will see you in about ten minutes, her meeting is running long," the man said, "Please take a seat." Karik sat down in one of the chairs, they were surprisingly comfortable despite how they looked. Karik took out his book, and read the next passage.
In the lore of Salktum, spirits are said to have roamed the earth. While spirits were once bountiful long ago, they have since gone nearly extinct. It is told that the spirits disappeared into the stars across roads that will not be told about. They still exist today but are extremely rare. Coming in all shapes and sizes, they will always have the same effect on mortals. Those who see spirits are amazed, frightened, and in awe. Often, they will be in shock for several days after seeing one. Spirits are likely the source of all magic on Kairu, and will one day return. In summary, spirits once played an important role in the world and have slowly receded into the parts of the world hidden from mortals. They will stay there until their time comes to return. On that day, mortals will be gone.
Karik looked up from the book, it had been more than ten minutes. The assistant walked up to him, "Zakra Valazim will see you now," he said. They walked to the elevator and up to the penthouse. Most meetings happened in one of two places, either the penthouse of a nobleman; or a social event. More often than not the former is chosen. It is more private and can be easily scheduled.
When they finally reached the penthouse, Zakra greeted him, "Hello Karik!" She said. "Good to see you. You've secured the funding, correct?" Zakra asked, "Yes, I have. It is on loan from House Kanfut," Karik said. "Perfect," Zakra said, "Now, we move on to phase two. We must lure them into a feast," She explained. "Ilkai," she said, "Yes, master?" Ilkai asked, "Where will a banquet hall be available in five months' time?" Zakra asked. "It appears that a hall in Shinkil is available. I will schedule it immediately." Ilkai answered. "How will we get the Jakliai to come to this feast?" Karik asked, "It's simple," Zakra said, "We ally with them and build their trust in House Valazim." Karik sat and nodded, processing the information while she said it. "We then 'celebrate' the alliance with a feast. That is where we strike." Zakra said. "That sounds good." Karik said, "What will happen in the case that House Jakliai does not want to ally with us? Given that they are trying to assassinate us," Karik asked. "Well, then we offer them those funds that you got from House Kanfut."
Karik walked out of the tower. He was on the bottom of Khuykir. Everything towered around you when down here. Karik walked towards the Lord's Tower. From there he would be able to find his way back to Zhala Tower. He walked down the street among many, Ogres, Highlanders, Kalmgy, peoples of all shapes and sizes. He got to an intersection of streets and found a sign pointing to the market. He always enjoyed going to the market whenever he did. "I may as well stop there, take a detour." He thought to himself. He turned right, as opposed to going straight.
Karik was in awe at what he could see. A bustling market, that stimulated all senses. He could smell spices from every corner of the world. Garlic, Cayenne, even Demon's Thistle. Karik could hear many things also. Merchants auctioning new-fashioned vehicles, butchers chopping different cuts of a cow, and brokers haggling for deals. He walked through it. The market was crowded more so than the streets. Karik looked around for things to buy. A vendor was selling 'All Spice Soup'. That piqued Karik's interest. He took out his coin bag. Several dozen platinum Salms and two-dozen coppers. Enough to afford a few things, but not so valuable as to attract pickpockets. "Excuse me, how much for the soup?" Karik asked, "Why, ten coppers governor." The man said. He had a thick Garfroen accent. That explained the spices, almost every spice could be found in the markets of Chut. Karik paid the man and took a soup mug. That confirmed what he thought, it was the tradition of Garfyn for any soup to be served in a mug. Thus, most soups from Garfryn get their flavors from the broth.
He drank the soup, it tasted of every flavor and was nearly addictive. The soup was gone in less than three minutes. He thought to buy a copy of the soup's recipe, but for what price. That vendor sold his soup for ten copper. He would surely be amazed by three dozen platinum Salms. That was 540 copper, enough to buy a house in Khuykir. However, Karik would start the price of a dozen and then raise it. Karik walked through the masses, and up to the dealer again, "More soup?" He asked, "No, my friend. I come to buy your recipe." Karik said, "I will give you a dozen Salms." A week's worth of sales. "I will decline, governor." The vendor said. "Fine, my friend, two dozen." Karik said, "No again, governor." The merchant repeated. "Okay, I will stop at three dozen," Karik said. "That is a deal I can take, my friend." The man said. He took a parchment and wrote in the script of the east, known by few. Karik didn't mind, he had a Garfroen man as his assistant. He rolled the parchment and gave it to Karik, "Do not share this recipe with any but your cook's, governor," he said, "I won't, Ki Rushu." Karik said back. Ki Rushu was a Garfroen phrase for thank you. Karik had picked up the phrase from his assistant. The man smiled and waved him goodbye, as Karik walked away from the stand.
Karik continued walking through the market. By this point, he had reached the smithing section of the market. Blacksmiths and arms dealers selling weapons and armor to those who needed it. It smelled of smoke and burning metal, he could hear hammer against weapons clanking and hot iron being tempered in cool water. Karik was looking for something he had never seen before. He was looking around, noticing that most of the blacksmiths were from North Capital.
North Capital had its own culture of smithing, the metal mines of the area allowed for it to develop. Each blacksmith apprenticed under a master. After five years of training, they would create a unique weapon of their own. If they could not, that blacksmith would be put in for another five years, and repeat that until they can create a unique weapon. If they didn't create a new weapon after twenty years, that person would be let go from the school. Sufficed to say, not many graduate out of that school.
A sword-spear caught his eye, it had intricate patterns put into the wooden shaft. It had a spearhead on one side of it and a sword blade on the other. The patterns showed that of an elephant and vines, with the elephant becoming entrapped in the vines. Karik saw this as a bad omen. Seeing ones, house sigil in regular life was bad luck. If House Kanfut were to see a gear with an arrow shot through, it would have the same effect. Karik walked up to the blacksmith, "How much is it for that spear?" Karik asked, "five-dozen Salms," the blacksmith said. That was all Karik had left. He did not mind, he had already spent an hour at this market. Karik handed the blacksmith the Salms, being given the spear in return.
Karik walked out of the market and continued toward the Lord's Tower. Karik finally reached the tower after ten minutes of walking. The city center was even more crowded than the market. The tower was the largest in the city. It was made of blue and red brick as well as yellow stained glass. These were the colors of Salktum. Karik noticed a man following him. This man had been doing so since Karik left the market. He was being followed. Karik was unable to go towards his tower, the area was too crowded. He couldn't shake off his stalker. This meant Karik took a detour through an alleyway between two buildings. There, Karik could take this man out with his sword-spear. He had practice with sword-spears, all noblemen had practice with a weapon of their choice. Most noblemen were also trained in shortsword combat. Usually, they only carried shortswords. However, Karik did have a sword-spear with him.
The man had followed him into the alley. The buildings on either side were not very tall, and the alley smelt of urine and vomit. However, the alley was long and could easily keep a body secret if needed. Karik could not see the man but he waited to be sure. Karik checked for his shortsword, it was in its sheath. The sheath itself had been broken for weeks, he had meant to get it fixed but was busied by meeting with other nobles. The short sword would have been able to fall out of the sheath by little force.
Karik felt a hand on his mouth and could see a knife on his neck. It was the man who followed Karik. He was Qali, from a city famed for assassins and Whiper Masters. Karik pushed the short out of his sheath, it fell into the man's leg. Karik turned around and stabbed the man in the chest and to his heart. Apparently, this assassin was faulty. He hated assassins, they were dagger spies. They are sent to collect the secret of your death by making it true. It made him think, who sent this assassin? He knew House Jakliai was after him. However, they were known for the stone-cold assassins they trained and hired to kill. Karik looked at the clothes of the man. A yellow and blood-red cloak. The colors of House Jakliai. Zakra's intel was correct. However, Karik smelled something. Lavender. Lavender was exclusively worn by House Kanfut. They refused to sell it, and it was kept in a vault underneath Kanfut Tower. This worried him, and it convinced him on what to use a portion of the loan money for. He would hire three spies, one for House Jakliai, one for the Royal Guard, and one for House Kanfut.
Karik finally made it back to the tower. He walked into the tower, "Good evening m'lord," Kui, Karik's assistant, said. "Su'i, schedule a meeting with three of the best spies you can find. Space out the meetings so that we do not have any betrayals." Karik said, "Right away," She said. Karik went into his own House's elevator. He had recently bought it from House Kanfut. Karik was in the penthouse of his own tower. The penthouse was a dome, it was a giant window of sorts, with curtains that required two people to close. The orb's windows were red, allowing for reading at night. Karik sat in a dark green chair, soft and comfortable. He turned on a lamp and read a passage from his book.
The city-state of Qal is famous for one major reason, Whisper Masters. Whisper Masters are those who do not collect information but disperse it. A small whisper to a nobleman, "He knows your secret," it says. Suddenly, that nobleman is worried that his rival knows his murderous secret. Whisper Masters have played an important role in Salkin politics, even more so than spies. The ability to tell your political rivals something secretly, without knowing who sent the message is crucial to some plots. Whisper Masters get their name from the magic that they use, which quiets nearly every aspect of them. This includes their voice. The magic they use, known as the Tranquility Occult, requires the same platinum-silver alloy that Salms are made of. This was likely no accident.
With that, Karik closed his eyes and fell asleep.
When he woke up, Karik was in his chair. He craved the Zhrulean Brew, it had that effect. "Su'i!" Karik shouted, "Yes, master?" Su'i said, "Bring brew to the penthouse," Karik said. "Yes, master," Su'i said. Karik sat in the chair, he was still waking up. The zhrulean brew would help with that. Su'i brought the brew to Karik. Drinking it, he was immediately woken up. "Su'i," Karik asked, "Who am I meeting today?" He said, "First, you are meeting with Kumir Djer. A man from Qal, he is nearing toward being an ace whisperer. He is also the first of the three spies that you wished for me to set up a meeting with." That man would spy on House Jakliai. "The second will be Zhiki Mutku, a woman of Shinkil." She would spy on the Royal Court. "The third is Juchu Tali. A man from the Far West, he seems unreliable, however, he may be the best of them all," Su'i finished. That man would spy on House Kanfut.
An hour later, the first spy came, "My lord, Kumir Djer, has arrived," Su'i said. Karik greeted the man. He was tall, with dark green eyes and tanned skin. This man was of Qali descent. "Kumir Djer, correct?" Karik said, "Yes, I specialize in taking secrets." Kumir said. They both stepped into the elevator. It took less than five minutes to be in the penthouse. Karik sat in his favorite chair, dark green with red buttons. Kumir sat in the chair opposite of him. It was the inverse colors of his chair, but it matched his house's colors.
Kumir spoke, "What will you have me do with this job?" He asked. "You will be sent to Kuy Mishin, in Zhrulaz," Karik said. "There you will infiltrate and spy on House Jakliai," he said. "What times will I be reporting back?" Kumir said, "Given that it is such a long distance, I want you to send information back to me by way of airmail." Karik explained. Airmail was a messaging system made by House Kanfut and ran by House Pejuki.
Instead of sending a letter from Zhrulaz to Khuykir manually, which would take at least ten weeks, Kumir could use the wind chutes to fire a message across islands, until it reached Khuykir. Wind chutes accelerate all that pass through them. The messages have parachutes attached to them and people are paid to sit around catching messages and putting them through a wind chute to the next island. It generally takes only 3 weeks instead of ten to send a message across that long of a distance. The system started construction at the very beginning of the FIfth Era and ended only a decade ago. The service worked well enough to be used frequently by those in the nobility.
"I can do that, anything else?" He asked. "Yes, you will be paid 15 Salms a week," Karik said, "All that I need you to do is gain the trust of House Jakliai, learn of their plans for my house and House Valazim. Send the information in Djiume Code on parchment every week. In three weeks I will start getting them. A" Karik said. "Good to know, and thanks for hiring me," Kumir said.
Djiume code was a special code used by Qali agents. They learn it at the age of ten and take a vow to only translate it when commanded to. A Qali agent working for House Kanfut would not allow themselves to translate any of Kumir's messages.
Su'i walked up to Karik slightly after Kumir left. "Zhiki Mutku will see you now," She said. After five minutes, a short woman with dark olive skin and light brown eyes walked into the penthouse. "Karik Zhala," she said, "Zhiki Mutku," Karik replied. They shook hands and sat down in the chairs. "What do you assign me?" Zhiki said. "I will be straight, I want you to infiltrate the Royal Court," Karik said, "Simply become apart of the Royal Court, and send me updates every week that are written in Djiume code." She was nodding in agreement. "Tell me, what will I be paid?" Zhiki asked, "You will be paid two-dozen Salms a week," Karik said. "Good," Zhiki asked, "When do I start?" She asked, "You start tomorrow, from now on, until I dismiss you." Karik said. Zhiki left the penthouse and down the elevator. The stoic nature of the Shinkilli reminded him of a passage from his small book.
Zhrulaz, the land of the east, is composed of many territories and somehow more islands. There are supposedly a hundred isles, with roughly forty-six territories. The largest territories are the Kuy Mishin province, Salktum's representation in Zhrulaz. Kah Tede, the largest of them all. Samni, which controls isles to the south. Jamtri, which controls the whole north of The Giazhuan Mountains. Bi'n, the smallest mainland kingdom. Tasai, a large city-state, second to Shinkil. Shinkil, the peninsula kingdom. Finally, there is Garfryn, which stretches across the edge of the world. These eight territories are located on the mainland. The other thirty-eight are island territories.
The nature of these people allowed them to take in all of the information they are given and spew it back out to their employers. The Shinkili were spies that only the Qali could beat.
Karik decided to greet the last one, he would need to know this one the most. He went down the elevator, a different experience than going up. It was much slower and with occasional jolts. He walked out into the lobby and saw Su'i talking to the next spy. "Karik Zhala will see you now," she said. The man was of average height, with white skin, green eyes, and a bushy mustache. His name was Juchu Tali, as Su'i had told him, "Hello," the man said with a slur. "Are you drunk?" Karik asked, "Yes, thas how I do it," he said. "I use Shiy..." Juchu trailed off. Karik knew what he was talking about. Shiykun was a magic that recorded what people are saying within a certain radius around you. It also recorded your thoughts. It put these recordings onto stones that could be listened back to. "Shiykun!" he said, finally finding the word. "I use Shiykun to record everything, while I get everyone hammered," Juchu said. Karik and he walked into the elevator. They reached the penthouse and they both sat in the chairs. "Wow, this is comfy," Juchu drunkenly said.
"Now, I want you to spy on House Kanfut," Karik said, "Work your magic, and get them talking, and send me the Shuys --rocks with the recordings-- every week. Your job is that simple." Juchu tried to nod his head in understanding. However, it looked like he was rolling his head side-to-side. "Do you understand?" Karik asked, "Yeah, I mean, I am recording this right now so I don't have to fully understand." Juchu said, afterward showing off the rock. "Let me have that," Karik said. He grabbed the rock from Juchu's hand and gave it to Su'i. She put it into her pocket for safekeeping.
Juchu didn't seem to care. By this point, he was seemingly close to passing out. "I'll let you go in a second, right after I tell you what you're being paid," Karik said, "I will pay you 20 salms for every Shuy that you give to me." Juchu widened his eyes. "Woah, that's a lot," he said. Juchu sloppily walked into the elevator with Su'i and disappeared from Karik's sight. That man was a character, to say the least.
