Among the prominent nations of our world, the Mareians are particularly noteworthy for their commercial acumen. It is indeed a peculiar historical phenomenon that, despite the First Families of Marei eschewing trade as an ignoble pursuit, numerous “Second Families” ascended to prominence by constructing extensive and resilient trade networks. These networks exhibited remarkable fortitude, enduring the calamities of the daemon invasion and the subsequent War of Reclamation, thereby illustrating the enduring nature of commerce. The Mareians imposed their most prolonged trade embargo following the pogroms during the Night of Fire and Blood. This decisive action can be attributed to the systematic extermination of their traders by elven perpetrators. The Mareians collectively resolved to impart a lesson on the consequences of being deprived of legitimate commerce. However, in true Mareian fashion, the official embargo did not entirely deter them from engaging in trade with those possessing the requisite capital. Thus, the Mareians navigated the complex domain of commerce with a pragmatic approach, ensuring the continuity of trade even amidst adversity. This tale underscores the principles of economic resilience and adaptability, traits that have long characterized the Mareian people. – Excerpt from “Wealth and Trade” by Scholar Imini Loc
RIN
Fools Port was notorious in the Mareian Republic for good reasons. With Juniper Bay a mere thirty kilometers to the north, legitimate shippers avoided Fools Port’s unreliable harbor. The tides fluctuated too fast, sandbars appeared out of nowhere, and the strange winds seemed to delight in slamming ships into the shoals. No respectable captain would risk his ship, his sailors, and most importantly, his cargo, to those conditions. Not even the Republican Navy risked its ships in Fools Port. As a result, Fools Port evolved into a haven for those whose cargoes were somewhat less than legal, or those bound for less than legal destinations. As that particular business boomed, the town absorbed smugglers’ culture. Lawmen weren’t welcome, and that went double for any ranger.
As he rode through the town, Rin wore a ranch hand’s green cotton shirt and denim trousers. His uniform was at the bottom of one of his saddlebags. There were enough veterans around that Rin’s worn cavalry boots, wide brimmed hat, and long brown duster wouldn’t draw much notice. Rin didn’t want to wear the duster in the humid heat of Fools Port. It was bad enough in the dry heat of the Badlands, but at least there it had the advantage of keeping the grit from getting everywhere. He needed the long jacket to cover his ranger-issued scimitar and revolver. Those would definitely draw unwanted notice, but Rin wasn’t about to walk those streets without proper weapons.
Rin didn’t have a lot of information on the sorcerer. Demons weren’t very good at distinguishing one human from another. The description Rin managed to pry out of the demon was the sorcerer was taller than Rin, blond hair, and wore a dark cloak over light colored clothing. That was about as good as Rin was ever going to get from a demon. Rin knew where to get more. Rin dismounted in front of one of many identical warehouses clustered around the wharfs. A bell chimed as Rin walked into the warehouse’s front office. The man at the counter looked up and froze as he saw Rin.
“Hello Bruno,” Rin said, casually, “Nice to see you again. How’s business?”
“Who knows you’re here?” Bruno hissed. He quickly drew the drapes on the few windows.
“The rangers know I’m in Fools Port, but not who I was going to see. I didn’t see anyone I recognized coming in, or anyone who looked like they recognized me,” Rin answered.
“Do you know what would happen if she knew you were here, cousin?” Bruno asked.
“Our grandmother hasn’t sent anyone after me since I killed her last thug a couple of years ago,” Rin answered. “I half-hoped she dropped the matter. I’m guessing she hasn’t.” Only his grandmother could make demons seem reasonable.
“Sorry, cousin. She’s lashing out at everyone lately. More so than usual, and no one knows why,” Bruno said, finally hugging his cousin. “So, what are you doing in this place? Last I heard, you were out in the Badlands.” Bruno motioned Rin over to the counter and shoved a mug of bitter wine into his cousin’s hands.
“I’m hunting someone. According to my information, my quarry came here to catch a ship,” Rin explained. Bruno arched his eyebrow. He knew better than to get between a ranger and his quarry.
“Why would he catch a ship here if he’s coming from the Badlands? Why didn’t he just go up to Blackstack and grab the railroad? He could have gone anywhere from there,” Bruno said.
“Because he’s heading to the Jeweled Empire,” Rin answered.
“Well, it makes sense to send you,” Bruno said, after a few moments, “You did grow up down there. You even have that nifty necklace they gave you.” At its mention, the medallion pulsed.
“Let’s not discuss that,” Rin answered flatly. Rin didn’t like to think of his years growing up in the Jeweled Lands. He didn’t want to deal with the cold anger down in his gut. He couldn’t let that cloud his judgement. Especially not when he was hunting someone as dangerous as the sorcerer.
“Sorry cousin, I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories,” Bruno said, seeing the dark expression on Rin’s face.
“I know. I apologize.” He took a sip of his own wine and smiled at his cousin. Bruno was one of the few members in his father’s family willing to talk with Rin.
“So, what can I do to help you?”
“First, I need to find out what ship my quarry fled on. Then, I’ll need to get passage to follow him down to the Empire,” Rin answered.
“He must be pretty bad for you to hunt him that far,” Bruno mused, “So what’s this guy’s name? I can ask around.” Rin gave his cousin a weak smile.
“I don’t know,” Rin said, “All I know is that he’s taller than me, blond, and was wearing a dark cloak when he left the Badlands.”
“How do you expect me to find someone in this town with just a vague description?” Bruno asked incredulously.
“Granted, there aren’t many blondes who come through here, but there are enough to make it hard to nail down just one.”
“People will remember this man,” Rin answered. The magic released in that kind of ritual stayed with a person, like an almost imperceptible odor. The people in Fools Port tended to be more sensitive than most. They would remember an odd blond man. Maybe Rin would get lucky and find out the sorcerer’s name.
“So, what if he’s already on his way down to the elves?”
“I’ll need you to find me a ship.”
