"I'm going to be straight up when I say this." The dwarf twirled a small gray stone around his fingers. His attention is only on the rock and not the Fire Genasi on the other side of the desk.
The room was lit mostly by the wall of open windows inframed by gold metal trim. Pure white and unstained walls decorated with rare paints and art work by the city's most famous. Candles still burned along the walls as well as the solid crafted desk.
The dwarf on the owner's end did not appear as a high class citizen. The entire right side of his head and face was scarred. The healing process was over but the burn marking and boiled scar ran from the top of his head down to his chin. Yet the other half of his head was full and luscious. Finely trimmed hair down to his shoulders and an elegant braided beard. Despite his face being one of an adventurer, his lifestyle was one of a noble.
Right across from him sat a true adventurer. Stained and dirty chainmail and steel with a cutout over the chest of a handprint with two slashes through it. His face is still bruised and dirtied from his last fight. With red skin and dulled red hair to match, nicely cut but nothing compared to the dwarf. Small embers vaporized from his trimmed, barely more than a stubble beard. The comment set him off, if his face could hide it, the fire from his hair couldn't. Something about those words was going to set him off, a small tick in his ego in a way.
His left hand up on the desk, fingers tensed and open. The dwarf saw what his plan was, he wasn't going to pull on a whim. The genasi waited for the right trigger to be pulled. Their already hour long greetings didn't show this guy as short tempered. He was rather kind and forthright about his past and intentions. But it was like he knew what he was going to say before the words left his burned face.
The dwarf placed the stone down and tapped the smooth surface. A blue glow hummed from the cracks and levitated above the wood.
"I don't know why you're so famous around these parts. You weren't part of the Hero of Baldur's Gate party, and as a fire genasi, you would stand out from any common adventurer." The dwarf's glare matched the fire genasi's tone. "But I'm not going to question it. The city has nothing but praise for whatever actions you have under your belt. Even if I don't know them, it doesn't mean you didn't do them."
"Then quit the noble talk and speak your mind." He leaned back in his chair, his hand no longer on the desk but crossed over his chest.
"Simply put I'm putting these rumors to use. I'm trusting you just based on words from other sources. Sources that helped make my millions."
"Tell me about the job. The fact you didn't come to me directly in the inn makes me question what you have planned."
The dwarf grinned before he opened his desk drawer and pulled out a cigar. He held it to the genasi. "Come on, light up for me."
With a snap of his fingers he lit the cigar for the dwarf to take a hefty pull. "You know how we like to do things. The mistresses of others say you know how to hit all the right spots."
His eye twitched as the veins in his face pulsed out. "The fuck you say to me?"
He chuckled and leaned back in the thousand gold piece chair he sat in. "Had to make sure you knew your place before getting you involved. Need to make sure you won't betray me before the end." He sat up from the chair and looked out the window. Clean city streets below of happy people that shopped at the markets. It was quite peaceful since the Nether Brain was defeated. "You remember the best bank in this city? The Counting House?"
"Yeah, the place was ransacked by Nine Fingers before the big fight. Likely a distraction but failed ultimately at the end."
"Well I placed the Mimic on there with the help of a few others to get what I wanted out of there. But like you said 'but failed ultimately at the end' as you said." He turned back around, letting out a cloud of black smoke. "I need to get back in there and get what's mine."
"Why not hire a few thieves to get this loot? Why would I do it? It'd ruin my reputation as an adventurer to do this."
"Because a thief would just use this as blackmail once this deal ended. But with you, I can use you and both of us would benefit. Let's put those rumors to bed with real action. Devil-lover."
His beard caught fire with the wild spread of embers. He shoved the chair back hard enough to crash and break the back from the back wall. He stomped over to the dwarf with one hand on his hilt. "What the fuck did you just call me, Mr. Bumi?"
"Na ah ah." The dwarf wiggled one finger out as he continued to look into the streets. "Bumi isn't even my real name." He turned back around and nodded at the desk. "I'll kill you right here and claim a deranged merc broke into my home. Don't look at my threats as empty for a noble." He turned around, his face scrunched full of annoyance. But none spoke of lies. "I want a prosperous partnership, one that gets my riches back, you get fame and infamy, and together to build an empire."
The flames of his beard cooled and his posture straightened. "What's the plan?"
"With the city essentially in shambles with a war hero leader, petty criminals are making their rackets while distracted. Guard duty is slimmed due to the rebuild, that means even the bank is lousy right now. A couple meetings so far have proved me right, don't get me wrong here. I still have plenty of money for all of this. But they're keeping my parent's inventions in their vault, prototypes, documents, blueprints, everything I need to build from this."
He pulled out another rock from his pocket and tapped it. A white glow emitted from the rock, the desk drawer swung open and levitated out was a bundle of scrolls. It floated over to the two and landed right into the dwarf's hand. He pulled the rock from the scrolls and handed the bundle over to Carl.
"I obviously can't be seen walking the streets while talking to brutes. My image would be questioned and the last thing I need is a blade at my home. So you'll talk in my steed, just keep my name out of it, again, rumors you see."
Carl opened the top scroll and read what was written. A disgusted lip rose from his face and looked back at Bumi. "You're kidding me? You want the genetic freak to take this on with me?"
"If all else fails, or at the very least can't escape with everyone... We need a fall guy that knows nothing." He looked out the window and pointed towards the seas at one of the buildings. "He's under protection in the all in one church, he speaks to each god or as he claims. A cult but won't be taken seriously if he spouts nonsense from each god."
Carl peaked out the window. A tall white building with column corners and red banners. "So just convince him it's a message from multiple gods." Carl confirmed.
"Or something like that. From my investigations it seems he cares nothing for the people of Baldur's Gate. He's a start, a big chunk of muscle to help persuade the others."
"Tell me before I go out... How'd you come up with the list? You could be ratted under false pretenses as a dormant Mind Flare."
"Because none of these people are from here, they came shortly before or after the outbreak. An outsider making false allegations against a pristine noble like myself. Besides, I reconfigured the remainder of Steel Watchers. Created technology for all the citizens to use. I won't fall if one or two fall out of line."
The Famous held out his open hand. His face is as serious as Bumi's now. Their eyes met and didn't break the glare. "Shake on it." Carl demanded. "Swear on yourself the deal or may my curse words lay utter downfall on your family's name."
Bumi grinned with his scarred lip. "Is this part of the deal the devil granted you with? Or are you just speaking threats?" Carl didn't answer back. His face remained still with a steady hand. "Alright." Bumi accepted the shake on his own. "You got yourself a deal. The help will escort you out and to the Elfsong Tavern. Your room and food is paid for, we'll meet there once everything is complete."
"Do you wish to remain in contact as I gather the rest of the party? Or what's the plan to meet?"
"I'll have the help that does my daily shopping to keep an eye out on your exploits. And if you find a rock on your desk in the tavern... Don't hesitate to say hello to it." Bumi clapped his hands, and in a matter of seconds a small female elf with tied up blond hair walked through the door. She dressed fine in tight high waisted dress pants and a long plain white dress shirt.
"Excuse my presence, Mr. Bumi. How may I be of help?" Her voice was crystal clear and uptight.
Carl noticed a small black rock that also glowed faint white around her neck. She had the very top button undone that exposed the gem tied up with a black string. "Tell me Bumi before I leave. What the hell is the deal with rocks?"
He exhaled with a happy sigh and waved the girl to him. She kept her head slightly lowered with a straight face as she walked up to the pair. He grabbed the girl's shirt and undone the buttons. Her chest exposed with the edges of the shirt covering her breasts. Two more flatter rocks dangled from the main rock of equal size and color.
"All my staff are equipped with them. I know you'll never recreate it or even the greatest of wizards. It's part of the work I want back." He grabbed the rocks from her chest and lifted them slightly off her body. "without giving too much information away, trade secrets after all." He chuckled. "I figured out how to give each rock a core just like the Steel Watchers around town to give them life. Using Githyanki slates as reverse engineering I managed to place them in everyday stone and infuse them with my magic."
Carl looked closer into the stones. Though to them they just looked like party tricks to children. "What do they each do?"
"Well both of them are meant to protect her if she's away from my attention. One's for more serious threats on her life while the other is to use as blackmail. I protect my people beyond all else. And the main stone is a conduit to my main system at home."
"You realize how powerful these things really are? They could change the way of life!" Carl stepped back with a bit of horror in his eyes. "if the military gets a hold of these, communication-"
"Listen you fool." Bumi interrupted the fire genasi while he buttoned the girl back up. "There's a reason I haven't opened these to the city or anyone else, it's still very fragile magic. The amount of resources this requires, gods, if someone else steals my designs and floods the markets could destroy me if used wrong. The only thing stopping criminal markets from expanding to worse threads is they're too stupid to improve. With this, they can rule countries." He turned to Carl. "Just follow the damned elf and do the job I'm paying you for! I'll make sure your pockets remain as filled as mine."
Carl's face flattened. "Fine."
He followed the girl down the several layers of stairs to the open streets. The chaos aftermath was still in effect. The local guard protected the dozens of workers on each build site. The vendor stalls barely up and stable to sell the fruits of their labor. Even the sturdy homes that were meant to survive had fallen walls, leaky roofs, and guards at every entrance.
For a few weeks everyone was together, Nine Fingers and other organizations layed low and made anonymous gifts to the city. While they didn't claim ownership, the town knew the truth. But when the newly homeless and adventurers were stranded, things tensed. People got greedy and stole from the locked stalls, paintings and books stolen and sold off to nearby towns, life plunged.
The only thing that held the people together was the recovery teams of Nine Fingers, the Hero of Baldur's Gate, and the new head of state. Not enough for the thousands to reestablish a new government yet. But rumors of larger cities to send reinforcements were rumored. Yet nothing has appeared.
Carl's eyes were always peered and split to the townspeople. All it took was one set over the edge to try for his guts. As his eyes kept watch, he noticed a bulge from the elf's back. He took the opportunity of her distraction to grab the back of her tucked shirt. He yanked it up to reveal a thin dagger strapped to her waist and in her pants.
She yelled in surprise and grabbed her stones. Her body twirled like an acrobatic and out of Carl's grip. Her eyes were terrified of him and mouth was agape.
"What in the world are you doing!" She spoke fast between her heavy gasps. "I'll tell Master Bumi immediately about this!"
Carl held one hand up with the other on his crossbow. "Why are you armed in such a discrete way? Only time I've ever seen that is when someone plans to kill me when my back is turned."
"Master Bumi demands all of us carry protection beyond the stones." Her body relaxed a bit as she tucked her shirt. "I'm no skilled fighter like you sir, I'd be an easy target for any mugger in the city."
"Ugh." Carl groaned as he shook his head low.
He once again grabbed her shirt and lifted it up. Her mouth wide open without a sound. Pure shock froze her body from movement. He undid the strap, noticing the bright red mark around her waist and rolled his eyes. He redid the strap over her pants and situated the dagger in the front of her hip.
"If nobody knows you're armed then that'd make you an easy target. Keeping the blade noticeable from the front will at least show others you're ready." He continued forward while the girl struggled to shove the shirt back into her pants and keep up. "Imagine trying to do that in a struggle? Ha! Bastard would grab your weapon and use it against you."
She huffed loudly when she took the lead again. "Both you and Master Bumi need to learn how to appropriately touch a woman with consent... But thank you for the advice."
"By the way, why do you call Bumi Mr. in his presence then Master outside it?"
"He hates being called Master, feels like his father when we were enslaved to him. We make decent pay under Master Bumi so he wants to be addressed as a boss and not an owner."
"Odd, I didn't think Baldur's Gate had slaves anymore."
"It doesn't. Master Bumi offered us payment, housing, and protection if we agreed to remain as loyal staff for his house. But most of us don't have a home to go to if we left so we stayed, against Master Bumi's parents, he hired us all without villainy words."
"Villainy words, huh?"
The two made it in front of the inn's door, the elf's hard stop caused commotion in the street. Heads turned as the nicely dressed woman stood straight and solid. Carl was late on the turn but his stern face turned to the woman.
"I've had a pleasant conversation to report to Master Bumi." She stated. "But I recommend you not look further into my words, everything I've said has been permitted to say from Master Bumi. And my report back will illustrate as so! Good day, Carl the Famous." She bowed and swiftly turned back around. Her steps are straight and rugged unlike the loose trail
she led with before.
"Odd girl." Carl mumbled to himself.