A deal worth making

Melo, who has joined us for breakfast, raises her eyebrows and says „We need to check the wards. Did you dispatch him or her?“ I am a bit shocked and horrified at her attitude, as it means that ghosts are real for sure, and answer „It was my grandfather.“. She takes that with relief „If you invite the ghost, even subconciously or inadvertedly, the wards as they are constructed here are useless. A standard design Atlanteans also use. I trust that your grandfather won’t work against you?“. I reply „Why is it a standard design? And no, I at least don’t think so. He basically told me that he made the deal with Marental and at the same time doublecrossed him.“. She shrugs „Atlanteans are not above using familiar spirits.“

Zewrepa interjects „I take that to mean that his return does not mean that Marental is taking an interest in this site again?“. I shake my head „Grandpa indicated that he was working on my behalf without my knowledge, as kind of a free agent. He also said that this was his last visit.“.

Anjali’s head is drooping as she says „It must be nice to have a grandfather who cares for you. In that case I am sorry for your loss. A free spirit will last a few days only.“. Sensing her mood, everybody stays silent. The awkward moment is finally broken as Julia makes baby sounds.

Branislava does not like the talk of grandfathers returning as ghosts. The dead should stay dead and the living should live and they shall not mix. She has suspicions about the brown woman. Well, she is using her assets. However, that does not mean that she would let her have what these assets might secure her without a fight. She has babies to think of. So she asks „So can we just stay over winter and keep our heads down?“ The wizard actually smiles at her and answers „I would like to do that. I really would. But if I consider everything, I don’t think it is a good idea. Somebody eliminated Marental’s aide. Even if Marental does not want to come back here, whoever did that, might. We need to know. Simply leaving preemptively is not a good solution either. They may track me. Though I realize that that applies only to me. Do you have any relatives in surviving villages you want me to bring you to?“

She is stunned. He means it. The truth makes an answer easy. „My husband is at sea. That is precisely why I rented out our house outside the city and moved to my relatives in the village. Everybody is dead. The seafarer’s guild would care for me, in case … in case something bad happened. But during Ragnarök a lot of bad things will happen to a lot of people. And the price of food in cities will go up a lot, as the early snow means that even if they got the harvest in, they will have difficulties getting it to the cities. And given Ragnarök they might not want to, as soon as they learn the truth.“. The wizard’s eyes narrow, he leans back and yet thanks her again.

This woman is not stupid. I and probably some of my allies need more information. So I ask Hildegard „When your father will have read about the extreme winter, will he take all grain? Will all nobles learn of the winter of the gods soon?“. She considers a moment before she responds „So it will be. To allies he will give grain and fish, but to nobody who wants to buy it. Silver is not edible. I wanted him to learn of the winter as soon possible, but for sure the priests will soon tell the nobility. I reckon he already knows.“ „The cities will send armed men to seize the grain. If we go to a city or a noble we will have to fight. If we arrive later they may not accept us, because we will not have fought for them.“ I speculate. There is vigorous nodding from everybody, including Anjali and Branislava into whose ears Melo is whispering a translation.

„Why is that bad? People welcome soldiers they need.“ Zewrepa interjects. There is that. It is an ugly thought and I am personally not ready for battle, but that can be changed. She may be right.

Hildegard is shacking her head „In this winter troops cannot camp for long without shelter. The forces of the cities will be limited to the rural settlements they can take quickly.“ Zewrepa retorts „Bigger cities have battle mages.“ Hildegard smiles „Yes, they do. How many? And how do they get to a battle? They ride or take a ship. How many granaries can they take? And will they fight for their city? Those born to it will fight, but a hired mage may decide that a castle will eat a lot longer than a city on equally much grain.“. I am a bit disturbed. People who know this world are making logical arguments for mutually exclusive outcomes. This sucks. We and, let’s face it – the one of us who can fly and teleport specifically, will have to wander into an unknown situation full of desperate powerful people.

This has been going on for a while as Anjali makes a suggestion „An island then. We really want something with access to fishing and trade, some agriculture, where the farmers are so close to the towns that they cannot hide the granaries, and a body of water nearby to or around the location should lessen the impact of Fimbulwinter.“.

Melo having made the translation, Zewrepa has to answer „What you said about villages and cities also applies to cities against islands as well as cities against smaller cities on the coast or the same river. Taking grain from a location on the coast is even easier, because ships carry more grain than carts. And troops can shelter from the winter on the attacking ships.“

Anjali is pursing her lips and seems to be in deep thought. Melo is gesturing for quiet.

„The Caspian Sea!“ she almost shouts. „There is no incentive to build big trading fleets, but fishing is still possible and the climatic advantage still applies.“

The discussion kind of fades out after that. It seems like my companions do understand that if they do not know enough they can either decide based on incomplete information or get more information, but to keep talking endlessly would be of no use.

„You convinced me to go through with this and yet now you want me to delay till tomorrow?“ I cannot keep a little frustration out of my voice. Melo is not impressed by that. „That was before you decided to perform a little feat of necromancy. Now I need to strengthen the wards of containment. Or do you want to also deal with whatever ghosts you may have invited and know nothing about anymore in addition to Marental’s servant we are about to free?“ This woman can be quite persuasive.