This entry was originally titled ‘Prologue.’ For convenience I have changed the name as it now follows my Preface entry. Enjoy.
~everclear~
Merchant Elder
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As the guild stirs into a new direction; the members of the Merchant persuasion make many sacrifices for their path; omitting many that were merely rabbits waiting to be killed by the wooden blade of a peasant. The elder peers down at his three closest advocates and says:
“Now, we shall no longer be just traders..”
“Huh!?” says the female, adjusting her staff stiffly, as if in paralysis from a scorpion sting.
“I believe he’s going to change our ways,” whispers the eldest of the three advocates.
“Yes… but the three of you must listen closely: It’s not any laughing matter, I realize all of the friendships you made here — and yes, friends are valuble, but they must be let go… for the good of the path.”
“Unfortunatley, he’s right…” said the youngest of the three, who was usually defiant with his elder.
“Starting today, those who are dead-weights must go — this is a new direction, so it might be a little wobbly at first, but in the end, it’ll work for the better — remember the times of TSWolf?”
The female shuddered, accompanied by the older advocate. The younger one smiled.
“Well… we’re learning from our mistakes, and that’s what makes us strong; truely weak ones would let past incidents repeat themselves.”
He narrows his eyes
“We’re not weak.”
The elder approved of the usually defiant one: “Yes… starting today, we’re not just little market-economists… we’re item experts, we’re explorers, any objections to our strengthening? The door is over there,” he concluded while forming his hands into a pointer facing the exit to the circle.
The defiant one, the female, and the eldest advocate bow their heads.
“Finally; a change — there is more to a merchant than being just a trader, always has been.”
Over the next quarter yuri, the elder — supported by his three most trusted advocates — omitted those who caused hinderance, and were down to a very meek number. Yes, they were weak now, or were they? In any case, they may be changing their ways a great deal, but one thing will always remain:
The staff, or torch, or what be that the person calls their stick of great flames; the flame will never burn out.
– Riean