Chapter #1200
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+ THE ADVENTURERS +
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+ Epic VI +
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+ Many of the locations, non-player characters, spells, and other +
+ terms used in these stories are the property of Wizards of the Coast +
+ which has in no way endorsed or authorized their use. Any such +
+ property contained within these stories are not representative of +
+ Wizards of the Coast in any fashion. +
+ The player characters depicted in these stories are copyright +
+ 1991-2026 by Thomas A. Miller. Any resemblance to any persons +
+ or characters either real or fictional is utterly coincidental. +
+ Copying and/or distribution of these stories is permissible under +
+ the sole condition that no money is made in the process. In that +
+ case, I hope you enjoy them! +
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+ Belphanior 18th/18th/18th level elven fighter/wizard/thief +
+ Peldor 20th level human Greyhawk Guildmaster of Thieves +
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+ Date: 1/11/587 C.Y. (Common Year) +
+ Time: late morning +
+ Place: a sealed chamber somewhere in Greyhawk +
+ Climate: temperate outside, potentially heated inside +
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+ "I’m caught in the middle here." +
+ "There is no middle. There’s only one side." +
+ - from the _Tulsa King_ episode _Life Support_ +
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MCC. A Bold New Direction
Ten days have passed since Peldor (and, by virtue of his involvement
in past land purchases in the region, Belphanior) came under scrutiny by
some of the Oligarchs of Greyhawk. He has now arranged for Belphanior to
attend a meeting of that ruling body, to settle things once and for all.
Belphanior: (regards the Oligarchs, some of whom he has past history
with, both good and bad)
The elf had been in Gorna, capital of the Grand Duchy of Geoff, just a
couple of days ago. After the resounding victory there - a victory made
possible by the involvement of several wizards of the Bright Alliance -
he had returned to the Bright Desert briefly to gather whatever priests
and healers he could. Those worthies - followers of Istus, Obad-Hai, and
Trithereon as well as some who had previously been gathered in the small
town of Histak - had quickly and magically been transported to Gorna, to
assist with the large numbers of wounded there. This was yet another
gesture of assistance from the new but powerful rulership of the desert
region. It had been Belphanior's idea, and as he returned and began to
implement it, he had been surprised to find a message left for him by a
courier from Greyhawk...sent with all due haste by Peldor, the very day
the Guildmaster of Thieves had come under criticism from Glodreddi.
And now he was back in Greyhawk - a city that he dealt with as needed
but didn't truly care for or enjoy - to bring a final conclusion to the
controversial and complex financial matters at hand.
Belphanior: Everything has been explained to me. While I am not overly
pleased that you want me to end my investment in this region before its
potential peak value is realized- (he regards Glodreddi with a gaze
that the dwarf cannot meet) -I understand the political ramifications
here and am willing to sell all of the land back to the city for its
current fair market value. (he smiles thinly) Which is why I brought
along a magical bag of holding to carry all that gold back.
Glodreddi Bakkanin: (fuming silently)
Belphanior: I ventured here as quickly as I could, as I didn't want to
wait until the end of the month and that deadline you people voted on.
And I'm not here to discuss, debate, or argue this. Just pay me what's
due and I'll be gone....back to real and important work. (he frowns)
Things have been hectic, you know. I'm not sure if word has reached
Greyhawk yet, but the Lost Lands have been reclaimed, which is what
I've been busy with while the powers of Greyhawk debate my worthiness
to invest in the city. Fighting evil, saving lives, returning entire
captured kingdoms to their people and rulers...that's what the Bright
Alliance has been facilitating. (he looks around the room, frowning)
Sir Anton Palmirian: (slightly annoyed) I see what you're trying to do.
Belphanior: (shrugs) Think what you will. The fact remains that I've
been busy righting wrongs and making things better in the world. This
money will be helping toward that effort - some of it will be donated
to the rebuilding efforts in Sterich and Geoff-
Glodreddi Bakkanin: (sputtering, his face flushed) Donated?!
Prior to this meeting, Peldor had told Belphanior what the elf already
knew - that the Inspector of Taxes was easy to agitate if one said the
right things. Most in the Free City - including several seated at this
table - would never dare to upset the short but powerful dwarven official
and incur his wrath. Belphanior, however, had fought against gigantic
dragons and faced demon lords...so a single greedy dwarf with no magical
ability really didn't concern him. He didn't live or work in Greyhawk,
so he had no real use for Glodreddi...and besides, he figured that today
would most likely be his last visit to the Free City.
Belphanior: Donated...and other kingdoms are well aware of it, and I'm
sure they appreciate it.
Jerome Kasinskaia: (wryly) No doubt these actions will gain you great
respect and favor with other rulers.
Belphanior: No doubt whatsoever.
Nerof Gasgal: (flatly) Enough of this chatter. (to Glodreddi) You
have the figures, the total value of these tracts of land?
Glodreddi Bakkanin: (sighing, he holds up a parchment and begins to read
off the numbers written on it)
Belphanior: (nods, liking the sound of these numbers due to the sizable
profit he made on his original investments)
Once the final amount was shared and agreed upon by all parties, the
Oligarchy had to vote.
Nerof Gasgal: (to Belphanior) You will need to step out of the room as
we discuss and put this to a final vote...please understand, it's just
a formality.
Belphanior: (follows two guards toward an antechamber) No problem. I
can save you a step later - no gemstones or jewelry, please. Too much
trouble to appraise and re-sell later. I'll need my payment in metal
only, preferably platinum and gold. (with that, he exits the meeting
chamber)
Glodreddi Bakkanin: I really hate that elf.
Peldor: Maybe you should have thought about that before you initiated
this entire chain of events.
Glodreddi Bakkanin: (stares daggers at the Guildmaster of Thieves)
Bodmi Hollardel: (helpfully) Look at the bright side...soon the elf
will be paid, and then he'll be gone, and all of this will be over.
Glodreddi Bakkanin: (muttering to himself) Gone but not forgotten...
Peldor: Rest assured, he will never forget you either.
Glodreddi Bakkanin: Bah. I fall under the protection of the Free City,
and none would dare-
Peldor: You're not getting it. (he leans forward, never taking his
gaze off the other) No one would think to look for your body in the
depths of the _Abyss_.
Glodreddi Bakkanin: (pales)
Nerof Gasgal: Enough of the posturing and threats.
Peldor: I wasn't making a threat - I was telling him what could happen.
Nerof Gasgal: ENOUGH. (he looks around) Both of you. We're going to
put all this unpleasantness behind us. Now is there anything else -
anything actually relevant - before we vote?
Dernen Nathane: I would like to know how much of a dent this payout will
make in the overall finances of Greyhawk? (he nods to Glodreddi)
Glodreddi Bakkanin: (shuffling some more papers until he finds those
very answers, which he'd prepared well ahead of time) It's sizable,
but the city can weather it. And if the local land values continue to
increase, the city will in fact make money in the long run...although
some effort will be necessary to re-parcel and then sell the land in
much smaller pieces.
Nerof Gasgal: So this is a bit of a setback short-term, but perhaps an
opportunity long-term.
Glodreddi Bakkanin: Depending on the economy and the next six to twelve
months....perhaps.
Peldor: (realizes that in the big scheme of things, Glodreddi just might
have won after all)
Nerof Gasgal: Very well. Let the votes be cast.
They were, and the outcome - which was basically a foregone conclusion
already - was made official. Belphanior was summoned back into the room
and informed of the decision, and no more sharp words were exchanged as
the sizable quantities of precious metals were soon brought to a nearby
counting chamber, checked and tallied, and then loaded into the elf's
magical sack. It wasn't in coinage at all, since small bars were a more
practical way to store and transfer funds (Glodreddi was nothing if not
efficient). The dwarf was strangely silent during these final steps, as
if the words of Peldor had made him realize something he'd been ignoring
all this time.
As for Peldor, he made no more comments and ruffled no more feathers,
and once this business was done and the special meeting of the Oligarchs
was adjourned, he headed back to the Green Dragon Inn with conflicting
thoughts about the events that had just transpired and finally concluded.
He'd helped all parties arrive at the best possible outcome - one that
severed Belphanior's connections to the Free City yet saw the elf paid
well for his investment, and that allowed the Oligarchy to feel that it
would come out ahead in the long run. As for Glodreddi, well...Peldor
didn't trust the old, greedy dwarf at all. He had to assume that this
wasn't over and that the tax inspector would soon think up new plans and
schemes to challenge Peldor both in the Oligarchy and in his role as a
businessman. Already, a suspicious new tax assessment had been levied
against the Green Dragon Inn and its owner - not even a full day after
the initial accusations from the red-faced dwarf. The semantics of this
paperwork were complicated and confusing and (Peldor suspected) intended
to waste his time and effort, drawing them away from actual important
matters. There was no obvious connection to Glodreddi himself, but the
master thief was certain that the Inspector of Taxes was ultimately
responsible for these new problems. And there was more...both he and
Tanya had noticed what appeared to be people watching the Green Dragon
Inn, its business, the comings and goings of its owners and staff and
even some guests and diners and gamblers. Normally, Peldor - given his
position over all licensed thieves and their related activities in the
Free City - would have been aware of such things, or at least been able
to find out. However, these spies (or whatever the hell they were) were
good; no one of them ever lingered for long, and nothing could be proven.
Assuming all of this was simply Glodreddi at work - albeit work that
was not official or sanctioned by the Free City - the Inspector of Taxes
was lucky that he was antagonizing Peldor and not Belphanior. As he had
discussed with the Lord Mayor ten days past, Peldor wasn't bringing all
of his knowledge of Glodreddi's activities to bear because doing so would
hurt Greyhawk and those who ran it. In that respect, Glodreddi's role
and his work were more critical to the city, its daily existence, and
its future. He ran the finances, which manipulated the economy of the
entire place and the surrounding regions; Peldor just ran the Guild of
Thieves. His job was to regulate that one small element of the overall
machine that was Greyhawk...and no matter how well he did that job, he
would never be as influential as Glodreddi.
Worse, the recent events and suspicious activity continued to worry
Peldor, as far as the safety of his family, and his business. Already,
once in the past, the inn had burned to the ground - under suspicious
circumstances, no less. Seeing that huge pile of smoking rubble and
ashes had opened a wound in Peldor's heart that had only been healed by
a rapid and thorough rebuilding of the Green Dragon Inn. While that had
allowed for numerous expansions and improvements, it had also meant that
the retired adventurer had doubled down on his investment - financially
and emotionally - and while that gamble had been paying dividends for
years, he now wondered if the metaphorical gambling table had finally
gone cold. He'd built a life here in Greyhawk, a good life that allowed
security and luxury for him and his family; he and Tanya's daughter had
just turned nine, and the inn was doing well (as were its various staff
such as Bosco, Vinnie, Felicia, and Eduardo). Peldor had even dared to
think about the long term as he pondered a potential future rise upward
along the ladder of Greyhawk's leadership. Unfortunately, all of the
the recent events were making him second-guess everything - primarily
whether he should continue living and working in a place where enemies
known (and perhaps unknown) plotted and schemed against him. Then there
was the matter of Greyhawk itself: the so-called "Gem of the Flanaess"
on the surface, but in reality an overcrowded city with more than its
share of outsiders, criminals, and the poor. It would be one thing if
there were actual plans in place to monitor the first group, deal with
the second, and help the third - but those sorts of things took far too
long to think up, decide on, and implement. Too many powerful people in
the Free City were concerned only with themselves and whatever interests
they had or areas they controlled. Thus, cooperation with others for the
betterment of all was not a current priority - and as a result, commerce
had suffered, and things just weren't getting better.
Peldor just didn't know if he had the patience to stay the course for
the years - not months - needed for things to turn around. If he could
somehow have supreme authority and power, he knew what he'd do: get rid
of the corrupt and overly greedy, those who resisted or outright refused
to work well with others, those who didn't have the spine to be strict
yet fair as they did the hard work needed to bring about real, tangible
improvement. Unfortunately, that sort of overall ultimate authority did
not exist in Greyhawk at this time, and likely hadn't existed there since
the long-ago days of the Lord Mayor Zagyg Yragerne two centuries ago.
However, there was a place where that sort of authority and power did
exist...and were being used to intentionally and proactively build a new
land in ways that hoped to avoid many of the conventional mistakes and
problems of conventional nations.
Peldor: (enters the Green Dragon Inn, immediately heading to his office
in the back)
Belphanior: (sitting in the guest chair across from the small but stout
desk of fine, dark brown wood) I'm here as requested; Tanya let me in.
Peldor: (nods, taking his own seat)
Peldor was no wizard, but he knew plenty, and had taken measures to
render this room resistant to both conventional and magical listening.
The walls were both thick and lined with certain metals that interfered
with magical scrying and teleportation. Nothing could ever be completely
secure and foolproof, but the office was about as close as one could get
without being an archmage.
Belphanior: Well. (he leans back) How do you think that went?
Peldor: (sighs) I'd say it was the best compromise for everyone. You
made some money, and more importantly actually _got_ it, which really
is no small achievement. And Greyhawk, through the Oligarchy, retains
the land and have a decent chance to break even, maybe even make a bit
of profit...so they save face and can feel good about the whole thing.
(he pauses) Even Glodreddi.
Belphanior: Is he going to be a problem, going forward?
Peldor: Maybe. (he frowns) Probably. I already told you about my
concerns, not only for my family but also about my job and my inn.
Belphanior: (chuckles) As recently as a year or two ago, I would have
offered to take care of the dwarf, quickly and quietly and efficiently.
(he smiles thinly) Not to mention permanently.
Peldor: But?
Belphanior: But...I can't do that kind of thing anymore, at least not
in centers of power and magic. It would be a poor move, politically.
And they'd know it was me.
Peldor: (nods)
Belphanior: Which is why you should come with me to the desert. It will
only take a few hours, and I'll be using magic so you'll be there and
back again in time for dinner here.
Peldor: (sighs again, as one does when one has delayed something that
promises to be both appealing and stressful) Okay. (he stands) Okay.
I'll come and see what you folks are up to there. Let me tell Tanya,
and then we can go.
Belphanior: Excellent.
Before midday, the pair had teleported out of the Free City and into
the Brass Hills, more than a hundred leagues away in the heart of the
Bright Desert. Over the next couple of hours, Belphanior showed his old
friend and adventuring companion everything...the massive fortress being
built atop the plateau, the attached city below and the wide stone ramp
linking the two, the mighty walls that encircled both, the new farmland
beyond the city-site. He pointed out the completed road leading east to
Kalundi and mentioned the other, similar roads now under construction.
At one point they greeted and spoke with Alindyar and Lyra, who briefly
described some of the work they were currently engaged in. They also
encountered several other wizards of the Bright Alliance, at which times
introductions were made. After the not-so-brief tour, Belphanior brought
Peldor to the iron fortress, in which they now sat at a table and shared
a drink while they discussed everything Peldor had just seen.
Belphanior: -and there you have it. After Rary was gone, there was a
whole region ripe for the taking...if its various problems could just
be corrected. Which we have been doing, starting with the single most
pressing matter of the Scorpion Crown.
Peldor: And the people who were already here are okay with all this?
Belphanior: Generally, yes, it seems so. Besides Rary - who apparently
planned to rule this area by force - and Shattados and all of those
vicious scorpions...we've gotten rid of numerous other dangers that
menaced the various people of the desert and hills. (he ponders all
of these before naming them) Beholder and minions operating mines and
terrorizing the surrounding hills, not to mention sitting atop passages
to the Underdark...gone and sealed. A vicious chimera in another part
of the hills...slain. The valley full of lamia...cleared out. A whole
fortress' worth of bandits who preyed on what little merchant traffic
the north pass had...slain, and replaced by loyal and well-disciplined
troops. In fact, we've retained most of the forts' commanders who Rary
had in place, so that it's not all total change.
Peldor: (nods, impressed by all this) Wow.
Belphanior: And I just found out that the dragon who lived atop Dagger
rock was driven away.
Peldor: Driven away? You mean it just left?
Belphanior: Which shows respect for our power...and maybe fear. Anyway,
the overall point is that we're removing the bad and adding the good.
(he pauses) Make no mistake, there's still a lot of work to be done.
Tomorrow, for example, I'll be venturing out to speak with the leaders
of several different groups native to this region...hillmen, nomads,
centaurs. Diplomacy here is a delicate and ever-changing challenge,
but one I've been addressing through honest, open talks in which I've
maintained a constant stance and followed through with every single
thing I said I would do.
Peldor: I'd imagine that some payments and gifts have been necessary
in these efforts.
Belphanior: (nods) Oh, yes. All part of the game...but we have to take
the long view. Which is why we're clearing out the monsters, building
roads and way stations, adding troops for security and safety, working
to increase commerce...
Peldor: Making an artificial lake and creating farmland.
Belphanior: That too. Many of these things aren't possible for normal
people using conventional methods. (he folds his arms) But we are not
normal people, and we don't use conventional methods. The Bright Lands
here - formerly the Bright Desert - represent a new and better way of
doing things...for those willing to try it, give it a chance.
Peldor: (nods, absorbed in thought)
Belphanior: Which is why we'd like to invite you to work for us.
Peldor: (his eyes widen)
Belphanior had been thinking about this idea for a while, and after
his return from the Lost Lands two days ago, he had asked the other magi
of the Bright Alliance to convene for a brief meeting...
Belphanior: Thank you all, and I don't want to take up much of your
time, as we are all busy with the many things needed to build and
run this new land. And that's actually what I want to talk about
now.
Kronos: Do tell.
Belphanior: The fortress, well under construction, will house all of
us as well as the various magical facilities and resources. We can
administer them ourselves, or bring people in to help as needed in
the future. But the city beneath...it will contain most of this
region's population...the many different skilled tradespeople who
will build and craft things, the markets where those goods will be
bought and sold and traded, the buildings to house everyone, and the
workers to maintain it all. (he frowns) I know all of this is still
in the future and all of the details will have to be worked out, but
one thing is certain right now.
Lyra: (ESPing to Alindyar) This should be good.
Alindyar: (ESPing to Lyra) Aye.
Belphanior: This future bustling city will need someone to administer
it, to see that the right things happen for the right reasons as the
place gets its footing and then thrives and grows. That someone will
need to have experience running aspects of a large city, so they know
what needs to be done and how...and what problems to expect and what
mistakes to avoid.
Dexitheseus: And all of that will be a tedious job.
Belphanior: Yes, it will - for any of us, with our magical work and
all that comes with it. But if we could find someone who was both
willing and qualified to administer our city, that would be a great
help.
Lyra: And would save us time and work as well.
Alindyar: Aye. I grow tired of using my magic to plant farmland...
(he nods to Pallin) As, I suspect, you grow weary of using yours to
build walls and other structures.
Pallin: (drily) Well said.
Wu: (still recovering from the wounds he sustained in the battle for
Gorna, he remains silent but still listens intently, curious to see
where this discussion is headed)
Belphanior: Investing in the right person to run the city smoothly
will make all of our lives easier over time.
Pallin: (drily) It seems that you already have someone in mind.
Belphanior: Damn right I do, and I believe he's the best one for the
job. (he sits back in his chair) I'm suggesting none other than
Peldor, currently of the Free City of Greyhawk.
Lyra: Hmm.
Shemeya: Peldor? (she frowns) Who is this...Peldor? (quickly) Not
that I have a say in this matter, but yet I am curious.
Belphanior: Peldor is a former adventuring companion of mine, and thus
Alindyar and Lyra as well. They can vouch for him, but let me make
my case first. (he pauses briefly) While Peldor was once a thief of
great daring, and some would say obnoxiousness-
Lyra: Heh.
Belphanior: -he eventually retired, got married, had a child, bought
and ran the Green Dragon Inn, and eventually assumed a position of
authority in Greyhawk. He was initially the Master of the River
Quarter for the Thieves' Guild, which came with some rather unique
challenges. (he frowns) He eventually became the Guildmaster of
Thieves for the entire Free City. Since then, he has been crucial
in making decisions and guiding things, and has experience with all
aspects of administration for a large and busy city.
Parekh: This all sounds well and good, but why would he ever leave all
of that and instead come here to live?
Belphanior: In short...infighting, the lack of much real progress and
solutions due to that infighting, and most recently the potential for
danger to his family and business. Another one of the Oligarchs is
making a power play and seems to have settled on Peldor as his target.
Fighting these issues would come with risks that Peldor isn't willing
to take. (grimly) While I could be wrong, I've known the man for
almost twenty years, and my gut instinct tells me that he might well
be ready for a change. And in our new city, he would actually have
the backing of the powerful individuals who founded the place - us -
and therefore he would be able to implement the right things, in the
right way. (he pauses) Which he's been largely unable to do while
in Greyhawk.
Dexitheseus: That makes good sense.
Alindyar: Is he trustworthy? I recall a few of his...more youthful
exploits. (he frowns) More than a few, actually.
Belphanior: I'll put it this way...I trusted him with a hundred
thousand gold coins' worth of land purchases, starting years ago,
and he handled everything without issues. Money was a motivation
for him long ago, but - like all of us - he now has so much money
that the acquiring of more no longer motivates him.
Parekh: Well...given that none of us want to administer a city, and
that we have to find someone for the job anyway...I am fine trying
someone known to us. (she frowns) Or at least some of us. (she
turns to the pair of dark elves) You two will have to agree here,
in order for me to agree. Even then, if he ends up doing a poor
job or violates our trust, he's out. So...what are your thoughts?
Lyra: Everything Belphanior has said about Peldor is true. And he
really has matured and mellowed over time, no surprise for one who
went from daring, devil-may-care rogue to family man.
Alindyar: Aye, and he is definitely qualified, and perhaps unusually
motivated given the current challenges in Greyhawk. I would vouch
for him as the city administrator, and am willing to give him the
chance.
Lyra: Agreed.
Kronos: I do not know this Peldor, but from all that I've heard here
today, installing him to run the city seems like a strong move.
Parekh: (nods)
Dexitheseus: (also nods) Yet another ex-adventurer...we are building
quite a collection here. (he chuckles) I say, why the hell not?
Wu: Agreed.
Belphanior: Then it's settled. I'll approach him and offer him the
position here. I'll be in Greyhawk tomorrow to...handle some urgent
business.
Kronos: Very well. You can share his answer - should he accept.
Belphanior: (nods) All of you will be the very next to know.
Shemeya: (shaking her head) Peldor. What a name.
Lyra: If you think that's something, you should meet Bosco.
Shemeya: Bosco?
Pallin: (clears his throat)
Parekh: Eh?
Pallin: There's another aspect that's not yet been brought up. By
acquiring this Peldor, we automatically acquire all of his valuable
knowledge about the Free City of Greyhawk - how it functions, what
its strengths and weaknesses are, and other things. Some of those
secrets may not be ones the city's rulers are willing to part with.
Lyra: Hmm, I hadn't thought about that. What if he agrees, but then
the Lord Mayor and the Oligarchy aren't happy with his decision?
Belphanior: That's their problem. And maybe Peldor's.
Parekh: And potentially ours, sometime down the road. (she shakes
her head) But this is the same basic situation as when the Circle
of Eight did not accept me...their loss is our gain. (she smiles
thinly) If we swipe this Peldor fellow from Greyhawk due to their
poor judgment and overall inefficiency, so be it.
Belphanior: Damn right. (he stands) We'll know by week's end either
way. And I thank you all for your consideration on this matter.
That had been the conversation just two days past; having gained the
others' approval to extend this offer, Belphanior had ruminated over it
during all the events of this day as he watched Peldor and noticed all
the signs of his friend's obvious unhappiness with the current situation
in Greyhawk. And now, he had finally spoken the idea out loud...
Belphanior: Which is why we'd like to invite you to work for us.
Peldor: (his eyes widen)
Later that afternoon, Nerof Gasgal took a last-minute appointment with
Peldor, not thinking anything of it. The Lord Mayor was well aware that
his Guildmaster of Thieves was upset and had been for a while. In a way,
he was tired of hearing about the conflicts between various members of
his directing Oligarchy (of which the one between Peldor and Glodreddi
had been most prominent of late). Accordingly, as Peldor walked into his
office and took a seat, Nerof silently resigned himself to hearing more
venting for the next half-hour or so and then offering some kind words
of encouragement to get the other calmed down and back on track.
Nerof Gasgal: If this is about Glodreddi, don't worry - I talked to him
and told him to back off on that silly tax assessment.
Peldor: (sighs)
Nerof Gasgal: Although I'm a bit surprised that we're discussing it so
soon after this morning's meeting.
Peldor: (sighs again)
Nerof Gasgal: (blinks) What are we about to talk about?
Peldor: There's no easy way to do this, so I'm just going to come out
and say what I need to say. (he clenches his fists under the table,
out of sight) I'm done. I'm resigning my position as Guildmaster and
leaving Greyhawk.
Nerof Gasgal: (his jaw drops) What?!
Peldor: I'm sorry to do this to you, and it's not your fault, but enough
is enough. The problems of the city have become too much for all of us
to solve within our current structure and its limitations, and I'm sick
of trying in vain.
Nerof Gasgal: But-
Peldor: Further, I'm not going to watch my back, my family's back, and
my inn for attacks by enemies - both Glodreddi and others who are not
happy with me and think things will be better without me, or perhaps
that they can do better. (he shakes his head) For my own sanity, and
the well-being of my family, I have to leave.
Nerof Gasgal: I...well. (he leans back in his worn leather chair) What
can I do to keep you in Greyhawk?
Peldor: (looks the other man in the eyes) I appreciate you trying - I
truly do - but there's nothing you can do to change my mind. No amount
of money, no amount of power. I told you before that whenever Glodreddi
tried something else, I'd be more than ready. (he frowns) At that time
I assumed I'd be solving problems with a sword, but as it turns out I'm
solving them with a journey.
Nerof Gasgal: (smiles sadly) You're not just quitting, you're leaving.
It's hard to believe. Hell, the Green Dragon Inn is an institution in
the Free City.
Peldor: (doesn't mention that he's lacked any real motivation or passion
regarding the inn for years now) And it still will be after I've moved
on. There have been offers for it here and there, over the years; I've
been pondering the most recent of those, and about an hour ago I took
it and had everything signed and sealed, and got the process moving...
sold it to a fellow named Ricard Damaris.
Nerof Gasgal: The same Ricard who you bought it from fifteen years ago?
I thought he retired.
Peldor: He did, but when I bought it from him all those years back, he
made me promise that if I ever decided to sell it, I'd give him first
shot at buying it back. (he chuckles) I never figured he'd be willing
or able to actually do it, but...(he shrugs)
Nerof Gasgal: Most passing strange.
Peldor: It seems that he had some sort of inheritance. (he frowns)
Albeit a rather large one.
Nerof Gasgal: Interesting, to say the least.
Peldor: So that's that. The inn is his problem now...and the Thieves'
Guild is yours. (he takes a few sheets of folded parchment from his
vest pocket, handing them to his soon-to-be-former boss) I've written
down all of my notes on the Guild's structure, the various quarters'
subordinate Guildmasters, the strengths and weaknesses of each, which
ones get along with each other and with key people outside the guild,
and so on. It also has my recommendations for succession, given the
vacancy I'm creating at the top.
Nerof Gasgal: I...see. My thanks. Not many people doing what you're
doing would have taken the time and effort to document this.
Peldor: Because not many people truly care about their organization and
its people. I do, even though I care about my and my family's welfare
a great deal more, so I prepared as much as I could to help you in the
future. At some point, new people will take over, and they will learn
and perhaps make some mistakes along the way - but eventually their
successes will far outnumber their mistakes, and everyone will move
forward. (he stands and extends his hand) Again, I am truly sorry
for this. I've been thinking about it for a long time now, but didn't
want to cause disruption so I just stayed and powered through. I just
couldn't do it anymore. Serving the Free City and working for you have
been a defining moment in my life, and I thank you for the opportunity.
With that, the now ex-Guildmaster turned and exited the Lord Mayor's
office for the last time, saddened yet relieved at the same time. He
felt like an immense weight had just been lifted off of his shoulders;
with each step he became more and more certain that he'd made the right
decision. Of course, he had talked with Tanya about this - both in the
form of ranting and venting fairly often over the last year or so, and
then much more directly in recent days with the last and most serious
discussion happening just a few hours ago. That had been the order of
business today: deal with work problems in the early morning, tour the
Bright Lands in the late morning, return and talk to his wife at midday,
make the final and fateful decision to leave the Free City of Greyhawk,
negotiate the sale of the Green Dragon Inn in the early afternoon, then
quit his job and console his boss in the late afternoon. While Peldor
hadn't given his final answer to Belphanior when the latter brought him
back to Greyhawk at midday, the elf had assured him that the offer was
valid until Peldor chose to accept or deny it. He'd already known what
he wanted to do - and he'd been fairly certain that his wife would agree
with him as well...and she had. As for young Ariel, she was an unusually
curious and adventurous child (as she had to be, given her bloodline)
and seemed to have grown bored of Greyhawk anyway, so it was likely that
she would welcome the change of scenery and climate.
While he walked, Peldor considered the future of the core group of his
longtime friends who were employed at the inn - Bosco, Vinnie, Felicia,
and Eduardo. He had talked with them previously about the chance that
he might one day sell the place, in a way that suggested it was simply a
theoretical idea. All four of them had expressed a strong preference to
follow Peldor wherever he might go, rather than remain at the inn under
new ownership and management. As for the rest - the cooks, servers, and
other staff - Ricard had assured him that all of those people would keep
their jobs if they wanted to; replacing them would require a lot of time
and effort, and they clearly knew their jobs and how to do them well.
Peldor: (thinking about how he'll have to break the news of his sudden
departure to various subordinates in the Guild of Thieves, he sighs)
next: a bit of a jump forward in time
map: http://www.peldor.com/world/atlas/Bright-Desert_1194.jpg
www: http://www.peldor.com/download.html
homepage: http://www.peldor.com/
email: tmiller@peldor.com
released: 3/13/2026
notes: When it was mentioned above that Belphanior had come up
with this idea and had been thinking it over for a while...that was
just my way of saying that I'd done the same. Quite a while back, I
realized two things at about the same time: one, the new city would
need someone to run it...and two, Peldor's situation in Greyhawk had
grown stale and it might be time for a change. And so here we are.
All of this really parallels what happened in my own career: facing
ever-increasing amounts of red tape and bullshit, I still stuck it
out for a long time - longer than many people would have - and kept
struggling against all obstacles to climb a hill whose top I just
couldn't reach. At some point, you just get sick of it and realize
that you have to move on for your own good.
There are other parallels from the latter days of my career here
(the quitting and the succession planning) as well, though at least
in Peldor's case his boss made a genuine effort to keep him. Where
I worked, it was accepted and expected that when people were able to
retire, they would - so nobody ever asked what was wrong or considered
that people might want to stay longer if certain problems could be
resolved. Parts of this episode were written with a different kind
of passion than in my usual stories.
As far as the poaching of great employees, I can truthfully say
that I never backstabbed any of my peers at work by trying to get
their best people for my own teams, but boy did it happen a lot, not
just internally but also from former colleagues who'd left and then
come back to mine the best gold from us. While all's fair and money
certainly talks, it still pissed me off when it happened (whether a
given effort was actually successful or not). In any case, all of
this is now behind me, and I'm happier and healthier for it.
On a completely different note...in conjunction with the release
of this 1200th episode, WE'RE BRINGING BACK THE FORUMS on the site!
The structure is simplified compared to the previous forums, and I
will try to browse these daily. You can check it out at
http://peldor.com/forum/
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