|1st message — Sender: Ramses
| Get on already, you bastard. What’re you just deciding to work a surprise double or something?
|2nd message — Sender: Letis
| For facksake, Dakkon. I respawned in Appa’s Eastside. You know, that place we SCAMMED? I appeared right in the middle of the café area as the morning staff was setting things up and I legged it. I don’t rightly know what’s possessing me to do it, but I’m heading towards Tian. There just so happened to be a timely military escort heading in that direction. I’m going to let you split my travel fees. -Letis
“Letis,” thought Dakkon. “Where are you?” He waited for the tug of the invisible, mental, line he’d cast. Like a fish on the hook, the line pulled taut.
“I’ve been getting a stall thrown together just south of Tian on some lunatic’s recommendation,” replied Letis. “If you want a reason or explanation, then I’m not sure I can provide you with one.”
“You’ve already got the stall and troughs?” asked Dakkon telepathically.
“I’m still setting the stall up. There’s some city ordinance that won’t let me do it inside of town,” Letis transmitted. “I’m not sure why those cooks can get away with it, and I’m honestly surprised it’s okay for us to set up right outside of town. The troughs of water would have been easier to grab if I’d had my cart.”
“Ah,” thought Dakkon, somewhat ashamed. “I… didn’t bring that with me to Tian.”
“I know you didn’t,” replied Letis. “I was just giving you a hard time. I had to pick up a new cart to get the supplies down here. You can’t really have expected me to lug wood, nails, and liters upon liters of water south of the city without a cart, can you? That’s sadistic.”
“I forgot to tell you to bring a chisel?” asked Dakkon. “No matter, I’ll fetch one and bring it down for you.”
“And what exactly will we be doing with a chisel?” responded Letis.
“Don’t worry about that yet,” thought Dakkon. “How long until you get the stand set up?”
“I could probably get it done by some time tonight,” replied Letis. “But I’m not feeling particularly motivated since I’m entirely in the dark here.”
At that moment, having no source of income, Dakkon made a firm decision. Though he had wanted to distance himself from the ridiculous operation, what he needed right now was money. If selling ice could make him a portion of what he’d need to pay his rent, then he’d embrace it fully, whatever the reputation it garnered him.
“We’re going to sell ice, you and I,” Dakkon telepathically transmitted to Letis. “Trust me.”
“You’re kidding. First lettuce, now ice? Are you trying to make a name for yourself as some sort of criminal junk peddler?”
“Hear me out first,” thought Dakkon. He explained the situation with his groups and the krimmer. He didn’t bother the higher-leveled player with an invitation to fight boars.
“You know, Dakkon,” said Letis telepathically, “As dumb as it sounds, I think that could just about work.”
“I did say to trust me,” Dakkon commented.
As though ignoring the comment, Letis continued, “Look, I’m gonna see about a better way to get water down here than just carting it back and leaving the stall unattended whenever I need to resupply. While I’m at it, you should take some time to spread the rumor that cooling down goods will increase profits.”
“I’m planning on grouping with three others to get EXP and harvest some krimmers,” thought Dakkon. “We’re gonna return to sell the cart load over and over until some players see us receiving a much higher than normal reward for our efforts. At that point, I’ll let you know to start advertising and I’ll come freeze your supplies. I’ll let you figure out how much to charge since you did a fine job of haggling in Derrum. Just know that it made what should have been worth 24 gold worth 120 gold. You should be able to push for quite a bit.”
“Sure, leave that up to me,” replied Letis. “Now get to work so I feel less insane for building a water stall outside of a wealthy city like Tian.”
The communication between the two fell away, and Dakkon similarly contacted the three he planned to party with—Ramses, Finnegan, and Damak—who would be able to meet up within the hour to begin hunting. Hebbeson had been the one to supply the cart on their previous outing, so along with the promised chisel for Letis, Dakkon bought a cart of average size and layered its bottom with ice.
As Dakkon walked back towards the south gate of town, a couple of players pointed in his direction and turned back to talk with their acquaintances. “What’s all that about?” Dakkon wondered. He could see another player fanning his hand as though to dismiss something untrue. Before long, Dakkon found his way to the large, rounded, half-buried rock near the edge of the city at which the four had decided to meet. Ramses was already waiting on site.
“About bloody time,” said the short, dirty blond rogue. “It’s not a good habit to make others wait for you, you know.”
“Sorry about that,” said Dakkon with a grin. “Did you ever get around to selling any ice on your own?”
“Nah,” replied Ramses. “As it turns out, the thieves’ guild would rather its members didn’t attempt to destabilize the economy here—even if it’s a long shot. I ran the idea by a senior member who told me not to bother.”
Dakkon looked pensive. “I think I’m going to give it a go.”
“Oh really, changed your mind?” Ramses asked with a grin. “Well, the thieves’ guild telling me no shouldn’t stop you.” He waved his hand dismissively. “You’re not tied into any politics here and don’t need to play by the same set of rules.”
“It seems odd that thieves would have stricter rules than visitors to the city,” said Dakkon.
“Not really,” said Ramses. “Most people living in Tian range from the moderately rich to the insanely rich. That’s not how things tend to work in other places. Everyone is wealthier here because the most powerful people in the city have cultivated the social dynamics and shaped its rules. Where there’s money to be made, there are thieves—but the thieves who didn’t play along with the rules just disappeared over and over ‘til the ones who followed them were the only ones left with any sort of influence.”
“So, the thieves’ guild in Tian takes orders from the mayor or someone like that?” asked Dakkon, happy to learn a little secret information about the city.
“No,” said Ramses. “Well, not really. Everyone follows a set of rules for their walk of life which in turn brings them wealth from outside of the city. Thieves, craftsmen, guards—everyone. Plus, the heads of the city are more of a council as far as I understand.”
Dakkon was surprised. “You don’t know who the heads of Tian are?”
“No, do you?” asked Ramses. “It’s not public information because it doesn’t need to be public information. No one asks because nobody needs to ask. If the system works then it’s best not to rock the boat,” Ramses shrugged.