“Henrietta, how’s my shine?”
The toad gave the crab a firm thumbs up. “Lustrous!”
“Alright, ti to dazzle so lizards!” Balthazar turned to the orc standing by the entrance. “Tell the envoy to co in.”
Khargol’s companion disappeared through the gate once again and after a mont, a different figure stepped in.
Slender and tall, the lizard creature was far more humanoid than Balthazar expected. He had two arms, two legs, and walked upright. His head and facial features were clearly reptilian, as was his green and scaly skin, but he was as much of a lizard as he was a person.
Once again, human books had given the crab all the wrong impressions. Writers, what an unreliable bunch.
The lizard looked around the bazaar as he calmly stepped forward, approaching the group without paying them any mind yet.
As he ca closer to the light of the fire, Balthazar gave his outfit a closer look. He wore pants and a vest, both made of what the crab first assud was leather, but upon closer inspection, he realized whatever material it was, it had hard scales all over it, and a slight sheen to it. He had never seen anything like it before.
The rchant peered through his monocle.
[Level 22 Lizard Commander]
Sothing else that stood out was the fact that the envoy wore no shoes. Looking at his long and sharp claws and how watching him walk made it clear to Balthazar that lizardfolk were digitigrade, it made sense that boots would not be the most practical thing for them.
How had a crab who lived all his life at an isolated pond learned what digitigrade even ant? Human books. Maybe not entirely unreliable after all.
“Greetings,” the lizard said in a soft, slithering voice. His eyes landed on Balthazar and observed him with piercing intensity, their shape and gaze reminding the crab of Blue’s, except for the fact that the drake’s eyes were an intense golden yellow, while the envoy’s were a dark amber.
“Salutations,” Khargol said, bringing his hand to his chest. “As promised, this is the rchant, Balthazar.”
The lizard crossed one arm in front of his chest and extended the other out, taking a gentle bow towards the crab as his tail coiled around one of his legs. As he did, Balthazar spotted the new arrival’s weapon strapped against his back: a long, sharp spear.
“I am Jorg’ath, envoy of my people, the lizardfolk of the deep marshes. Pleased to et you.”
His voice and mannerisms were polite, yet Balthazar felt as if he was being intensely watched and judged. He needed to make a good impression.
“I am Balthazar, rchant of this, uh… bazaar. Crab of… this here pond. Nice eting ya, pal!”
The crab smiled and nodded at himself. Level cap or not, his speech and charisma were still unmatched.
“Oh! And this is Henrietta, the fro—I an toad responsible for nightti trade here. Big chunk of rock behind is Bouldy. He’s a friend.”
The golem smiled and waved a hand at the envoy. “Friend.”
“It is an honor to make your acquaintance, friends,” Jorg’ath said, releasing himself from his bow and relaxing his tail. “With tonight, I bring my loyal watcher. Her na is Jazk.”
The commander extended his hand to his right, towards one of the darker corners of the bazaar.
Balthazar’s gaze followed the envoy’s hand, confused as to what he was talking about. Just as he was starting to wonder if the lizard wasn’t right in the head and had a habit of talking to imaginary friends, the crab jumped in place.
Two eyes appeared in the dark, large and purple, their gaze even more intense than Jorg’ath’s. As Balthazar began making out the shape of the other lizard in the shadows, she stepped forward and into the edge of the fla’s light, giving the hosts a gentle bow of her head.
Even more slender than her commander, Jazk wore the sa strange type of scaly leather armor from neck to ankle, her scales darker than his, yet smoother looking.
[Level 20 Lizard Shadowstalker]
“Goodness gracious!” Henrietta exclaid, startled by the sudden appearance of a second lizard from the shadows.
“Many apologies,” Jorg’ath said. “We did not intend to frighten you. It is customary for watchers to be discreet and to go on unnoticed, in order to better keep… watch.”
The envoy gave an apologetic bow of his head, but a smile still appeared on his face. Sohow, Balthazar felt the situation had greatly amused the lizard.
“No, no, it’s fine,” the crab said, clearing his throat and attempting to speak in a deeper and tougher voice. “I knew she was there all along. I bet the chieftain over here knew, too. Right, Khargol?”
“I did not,” the orc said, crossing his arms and lifting his chin.
Balthazar rolled his eye stalks.
“Anyway, no matter,” said the golden crab. “I’m glad you made it here safe. I appreciate you coming such a long way from ho to et .”
“The appreciation is all mine,” said Jorg’ath. “It will have been a worthwhile journey, if it ans good business to our people.”
“Right! Let’s get down to it then, shall we? I’m sure our mutual friend here told you I’m the best rchant around.”
“I told him you were the only non-human rchant around,” the chieftain corrected, a serious scowl still on his face.
“And thus the best, by default,” Balthazar quickly added, with a nervous chuckle.
“Do not worry,” the lizard envoy said, raising one hand calmly. “Let your own deeds with us speak for you. If you deal fairly with us, we will do much business together.”
“Hmm, speaking of which, what exactly are you here to trade? I don’t see you carrying any baggage. Oh, maybe your, uh, watcher has it?”
Balthazar looked over to the corner again, but Jazk was not there anymore. He looked around, confused, but found no trace of the other lizard.
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
Just for peace of mind, he glanced back at the pile of cookies he had left on the counter. They were still there, all four and three quarters of them. At least that was a relief.
“You misunderstand, Balthazar,” Jorg’ath said. “I ca here today not to sell, but looking to buy from you.”
“Oh, excellent!” the crab exclaid, perking his shell up and clapping his claws together. “Here to buy then. We love that! And what are you looking for?”
“Alchemy paraphernalia,” the lizard responded.
“Hmm! Sure thing,” Balthazar quickly said, turning his eyes to a nearby shelf. “We got lots of alchemy ingredients around here sowhere. Do you want so bitterbloom petals? Just got a new batch of those. Perhaps so fresh purple moss grown under the southeastern side of a geode rock? Oh, I know! You look like the type who’d be interested in giant toenail clippings. That ans they’re toenail clippings from a giant, not that the clippings themselves are gigantic. Well, they also are pretty big, because, you know, they’re from a giant, but I’m sure you get what I an.”
“No, Balthazar,” Jorg’ath said in a soft voice, raising his hand gently again to attempt to interrupt the overly excited crab. “I am afraid you misunderstand once more.”
“How so?”
“I said we are interested in alchemy paraphernalia. Items related to the production of alchemical brews, not ingredients. We have a long and rich tradition as makers of potions, poisons, and other concoctions, and our marshes are rich in plenty of ingredients. We have little need to outsource those. What we are after are things such as glass bottles, tools for potion making, like beakers, vials, mortars and pestles.”
“Oh, I see…” said the crab, rubbing his chin. “But if you have such a long tradition making that stuff, how co you don’t already have plenty of tools to do your thing?”
“Ah yes, an astute question, as expected from such a famously astute rchant,” the lizard said with a smile and an interested gaze. “We have our ans and ways to produce our poisons and redies the traditional way. A more… rudintary way, if you will. I would like to change that. For you see, we recently began learning of how humans do their own alchemy, their precise ways of asuring, their longer-lasting tal tools, instead of wood or stone, and their ability to achieve greater purity and efficiency through use of glassware. I would like to bring such advancents to our kind, for while we may possess ancient knowledge on the arts of alchemy that no human could ever hope to match, it shas to admit they do have the advantage on those other fields.”
“I see, I see,” Balthazar said, crossing his arms and nodding his shell. “Got to admit, not what I was expecting. I’m a general trader, mostly. Not specialized in alchemy stuff or anything.”
“So you cannot help us?” inquired the envoy. “That would be such a disappointnt after coming all this way. Our kind may be great alchemists, but we do not have a tradition of forging tals or the art of crafting glass. It would take a great deal of ti and dedication to develop those tools ourselves. We were very much hoping to expedite this process through you and your rcantile connections, Balthazar.”
“No, no! Don’t get wrong, I can provide you with the stuff,” the crab quickly assured. “I just don’t really have much of that around right now. I didn’t really know what to expect from you. However, I’m sure I can co up with sothing for tonight, and if you give a little ti, I’ll have more proper rchandise for you at our next eting.” Balthazar turned to the toad. “Henrietta, if you don’t mind, give a little help.”
The crab skittered his way behind so boxes and shelves with the toad hopping close behind.
“Alright, I only got an old mortar and pestle around here sowhere, but there are plenty of glass bottles around. I’m thinking I’ll sell him this junk for now, to keep him hooked, and before his next visit I’ll get Tristan to buy so basic alchemy tools in bulk for cheap from the town’s alchemy shop, and then sell them to the lizards for a much higher price.”
“Junk? Reselling for an inflated price? Isn’t that a bit dishonest of you, Balthazar?” said Henrietta with a slightly angry croak.
“Shhh!” the crab hushed, before peering through a gap between the shelves. “It’s called smart business, Henrietta. If I can get him what he needs, it’s only fair that I make a profit, don’t you think? He stills gets the items he wants, without having to deal with humans directly, who’d never trade with him, anyway.”
“I just hope you know what you’re doing,” she said, giving the other rchant the side-eye. “Don’t go ruining what could be a good future business relationship for a quick profit.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t ruin anything. After all, it’s you who will be dealing with the lizardfolk in the future, not ,” Balthazar added, giving her a grin. “Now hurry, help collect any empty glass bottles we have lying around. Get so of those over there as well, dump their contents, wash them in the pond, and bring them too.”
“These? Are you sure we should waste the potions?” the toad asked, pointing at a row of bottles filled with a light blue liquid.
“Yes, do it. They’re intelligence potions. Nobody ever buys those. It’s a mystery why,” the crab said, with a sarcastic tone at the end.
“Alright, if you say so. What about these?” She pointed at another row of orange potions behind the first ones.
“Hmm, no. Not those, they’re fire resistance potions. Adventurers buy those now and then. Let’s keep them.”
After hastily collecting everything he could find, the golden rchant rejoined Khargol and Jorg’ath by the front of the bazaar, carrying a large basket over his shell.
“Back!” he exclaid, putting the basket down. “This is what I could get on such short notice. A few empty glass vials, a fine mortar and pestle for your appreciation, and plenty of empty glass bottles for all your potion needs.” He looked back at the toad returning from the shore, who quickly started retrieving even more bottles from her Bag of Holding. “And even so more right here.”
The envoy looked at the selection of items in the basket while nodding his head.
“I understand this was very short notice for you, Balthazar, but I am glad you still managed to provide such an impressive sample of goods. You truly live up to your reputation as a rchant. I have no doubt you will have much more for us next ti.”
Balthazar glanced at the toad with a knowing expression. She rolled her eyes.
“So long as you have the pay, I will always have the goods,” the confident crab declared. “Which brings us to the matter of paynt for these. Sorry, but we don’t have a policy of free samples here.”
“Of course, I understand,” Jorg’ath softly said, reaching for the side of his waist and retrieving a small pouch. “I am told you deal in human currency. Golden coins. The swamps of our holand gift us with many surprising things, including the occasional unfortunate dead adventurer who t their end in the bogs. We waste not, so we retrieve everything the marsh provides us with, including their coin, even if we have little use for it ourselves. I am hoping you will find this a suitable amount for these.”
The lizard gently placed the pouch on a nearby wooden table.
Balthazar looked at it through his monocle, and it nearly fell off his eye. 250 gold.
“A fair amount, fair lizard,” the rchant said. “In fact, on the spirit of starting this relationship right, I won’t even haggle. I’ll just take this as paynt and let’s call it there. Rest assured, I’ll procure more of this stuff for your next visit.”
“I am wondering,” Khargol started, uncrossing his arms, “how exactly do you plan to keep a supply of things coming and going, especially involving humans, without them ever getting suspicious about your side of the business? Questions will be asked, sooner or later.”
“I’ve thought about that, dear orc,” said Balthazar, smiling and picking up the money pouch. “I intend to get ahead of all that by also upgrading my relationship with Ardville. I am here to stay, so it’s only right that we establish so kind of trade deal. Don’t worry about it, though. I’ll handle it all, and you won’t have to worry about any pesky humans.”
Both the orc and the toad gave the crab a glare, although probably for different reasons, Balthazar imagined.
“I do not an to be an ungracious guest,” Jorg’ath said, picking up the basket, “but I would very much like to return to my people with these as soon as possible, and we have a long way back. If this is agreeable with you, I would like to say our farewells now.”
“Of course, my new favorite green client!” Balthazar cheered, looking at Khargol from the corner of his eye and smirking mischievously. “Let walk you guys out. You coming, Henrietta?”
The toad waved them down with a foreleg. “Oh no, that’s alright, soone needs to go sort out all the ss of armor and weapons you guys left all over the floor, and I’m not about to wait for poor Druma to wake up and do it. It was a pleasure to see you, gentlen. Until next ti!”
After a brief exchange of nods, she hopped further into the bazaar, while the rest of the group stepped out onto the road with Bouldy following behind.
As they arrived outside, under the chilly air of the plains, dark and silent, lit up only by the flas of the torches the two guarding orcs were holding, Balthazar realized Jazk was standing right behind Jorg’ath, half covered by the darkness at the edge of the halo of light. Once again, the crab had no clue where she had co from.
“Well, fellas, it was—”
“Quiet!” the lizard envoy hissed, raising one hand and stretching his neck up.
Balthazar frowned at the command. “A bit rude, don’t you—”
“Silence, crab!” Khargol said, in a whispering but still deep voice. “Listen.”
The rchant tried to listen, but all he heard was the soft crackling coming from the torches, and all he saw were three orcs and two lizards standing at the ready, tense and apprehensive, as they stared at the tall grass from the plains.
“Guys, I really don’t hear…”
Finally, he heard it, like a chorus of moaning in the distance. And then he saw it as well: an aura of ethereal green light forming over the grass, emanating from a slowly creeping cloud of green fog growing in their direction.
“Oh. That.”
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