A small loan...

[Cloud Caelum Garr]

Frost 3 122

Garr sat at home, bored out of his mind. He had nothing to do and was tired of staring at the same four walls. He decided to go visit his brother, who he hadn't seen in quite some time. Garr knew his brother was having big things happen at his slave trade and that made him a little jealous. He just wanted to catch up and learn a few things from his brother.

As he approached his brother's shop, Garr could hear the commotion from inside. His brother was in the middle of a bidding war, and Garr could hear the customers shouting out their offers. Garr's brother, Rylan, was a seasoned slaver and knew how to work the crowd. He could sense Garr's presence and waved him over to watch. As Garr watched, he could see the excitement and frenzy building among the bidders. His brother would call out the highest offer, which would prompt someone else to make an even higher bid. Garr watched as the price kept increasing, not knowing that this was all artificial. That was, until he noticed who was actually bidding; they were friends of his brother’s that he recognized. Garr realized in that moment that bidding wars could drive up the price of a commodity, and in this case, it was human lives.

After the auction was over, his brother came over to greet Garr. "Hey, little brother. What brings you here?" he asked.

"I was just bored at home and thought I'd come by and see what you're up to," Garr replied.

He smiled. "Well, you came at the right time. That was a good auction, and I made quite a bit off those slaves."

Garr nodded, trying to hide his jealousy at the whole situation. His brother sensed something was wrong, though he didn’t guess properly. "Don't worry, Garr. I know this isn't exactly the most glamorous business, but it's what I'm good at. And I take care of my slaves. They're treated well, and I make sure they're healthy and happy."

Garr nodded, unsure of what to say. He didn't know how to feel about the whole thing, but he decided to keep his thoughts to himself. His brother then went on to teach Garr a few things about the trade. "Bidding wars can be your friend or your enemy. You want to drive up the price as high as possible, but you also don't want to scare away potential buyers. It's a delicate balance," he explained.

He also talked to Garr about the importance of customer satisfaction. "These buyers are investing a lot of money in their purchases, so you want to make sure they're happy with what they're getting. Happy customers mean repeat business and referrals."

Lastly, his brother taught him to refrain from having pointless arguments with customers. "It's not worth it. If they're unhappy with something, try to work out a compromise or refund their money. It's better to keep the peace and move on to the next sale."

Garr listened intently, taking in all the information his brother was giving him. He didn't necessarily agree with everything, but he could see the logic in it. As the day wore on, Garr saw the different sides of his brother's business. He saw the auctions, the happy customers, and the content slaves. But he also saw the darker side of the trade, the power struggles, and the greed. He knew why people wanted slaves; it was obvious. A slave was cheaper than hiring a free citizen.

As he left his brother's shop and walked back home, Garr had a lot to think about. He didn't know if he could ever fully take charge of this kind of business, but he could at least understand it a little better now.

The meeting motivated Garr to scour the underground city for the perfect property to start his own slaver business. Most of the cheap buildings he had seen were cramped and claustrophobic, not at all suitable for the kind of business he wanted to run. But finally, he came across an old barn that had been for sale for years. The barn was located on the outskirts of the city, where the tunnels opened up into a large cavern. The cavern was filled with a soft, natural light that filtered down from a fissure in the rock ceiling. The barn was situated on the edge of the cavern, nestled against the rough stone walls.

Garr was immediately struck by the potential of the space. The barn was large and spacious, with high ceilings and plenty of room for cages and storage. The roof was sturdy and leak-free, and the walls were thick enough to provide some insulation from the cold, damp air of the cavern. As he explored the barn, Garr could feel his excitement growing. This was the perfect location for his business. He could set up his cages along the walls and use the center of the barn for storage and processing. There was even a small desk tucked away in one corner where he could conduct business.

But Garr knew that before he could make any moves towards setting up his business, he needed to secure the property. Garr headed back to his room in his family’s estate to come up with a plan. He knew that he would need to act quickly and decisively if he wanted to raise enough money to buy it within the season.

Garr sat at his desk, twirling his quill between his fingers, lost in thought. He had just spent the last hour staring at his ledger, trying to figure out how to come up with enough money to buy the property for his slaver business. It wasn't going to be cheap, and Garr had very little money of his own. He relied on his father for everything, and that was a problem. His father despised him, and he knew it. Garr was a constant source of embarrassment for him, with his strange interests and his lack of ambition. But despite all of that, his father still funded his lifestyle. He knew it would look bad if his son was broke, and that was the only reason he continued to support Garr financially. Garr knew this, and it made him feel even worse about himself. He didn't want to rely on his father for everything, but he didn't know how else to get the money he needed. He’d have to go ask him.

Garr took a deep breath and steeled himself as he walked towards his father's study. He knew it wasn't going to be an easy conversation, but he needed the money. As he approached the door, he could hear his father's raised voice on the other side.

"Damn it, woman, I said no visitors!" his father yelled.

"It's me, father," Garr called out as he pushed open the door.

His father's face twisted in disgust as he looked up from his paperwork. "What do you want?" he growled.

"I need some money," Garr said, trying to keep his voice steady.

His father snorted. "Of course you do. Why should I give you anything? You're a worthless, good-for-nothing waste of space."

Garr clenched his fists, but he forced himself to stay calm. "I need it to buy a property for a business venture," he said.

"A business venture?" his father sneered. "You couldn't run a lemonade stand, let alone a business. Why should I trust you with my money?"

Garr took a deep breath, trying to control his rising anger. "Please, father, I need this. I have a solid plan, and I know it will work."

His father leaned back in his chair and regarded Garr with cold eyes. "I don't trust you, boy. You need to go to a bank and get a loan like everyone else. Maybe if you have some skin in the game, you'll take it seriously."

"But father-" Garr started to protest.

"I've made my decision," his father interrupted. "Now leave before I throw you out."

Garr gritted his teeth and turned to leave. He knew it was pointless to argue with his father. As he walked out of the study, he heard his father's parting shot.

"You're nothing but a disappointment, Garr. Don't bother asking for a loan until you can prove me wrong."

Garr felt familiar anger and frustration wash over him as he heard his father's cutting words. He had grown used to the constant disappointment and disapproval from his father, but it still stung. He clenched his fists at his sides, fighting the urge to lash out or say something he would regret later.

Instead, he turned on his heel and made his way down the staircase of the family home. The house was grand and imposing, with high ceilings and ornate decorations that spoke of the family's wealth and status. Garr had grown up in this house, but it had rarely felt like home. It was a cold and forbidding place, with little love or warmth to be found within its walls. For him, at least. There were plenty of people in there that felt plenty loved.

As he stepped out into the cool outdoors, Garr felt a sense of relief. He loved the city he lived in, with its winding underground spaces and bustling markets. It was a place where he felt alive, where he could forget about the pressures and expectations of his family. But he couldn't ignore the fact that he needed money. He had to find a way to make his business dream a reality. The thought of borrowing money from a lender filled him with dread, but he couldn't think of any other way to get the funds he needed. He had to swallow his pride and do what he had to do.

[Hilana Chenzira]

Review

Name: Garr

XP: 8 Points, no magic
Lore: 6 Lores
Injuries/Ailments: Bruised pride
Loot: None

Notes: I highly recommend you talk to Pharaoh regarding servii, the slave trade in Solunarium, and the setting. You're not going to have fissures from the cavern ceiling: there is a whole, bustling, extremely busy city above it. Weak spots lead to cave-ins.