Nymph interlude (Afina)

[Anastasia]

"Come to me when you're ready. A-ahem," A quick interjection as Hamogan clears his throat, "The potioneer is not fond of walk-ins without someone vouching for them. His work is elite and he expects to be treated like that instead of a common artisan."

[Ebiris]

"I think all of us here can relate to that feeling," Afina says understandingly, glancing at Goldanariux to include him in that sentiment as well.

[Anastasia]

Gold even smiles when he replies, "Yes. I can see some members of Aurora take your services for granted."

[Ebiris]

"That I don't mind so much, not when every thing I make goes towards killing devils and freeing Lifasa," Afina says. "But the Union Bank's first approach to me was quite insulting."

[Anastasia]

Hamogan chuckles, "Oh? I have my own experiences with them."

[Ebiris]

"Vivantha and Muirfinn had had some trouble with a demon and fell off the infinite staircase where they somehow ended up in the Union Bank," Afina begins, going to sit off the edge of a workbench as she talks. "So that had them thinking they were coming to us from a position of strength, and had Muirfinn deliver a message that they were interested in having me work to produce items for them at cost. They ended up being more obsequious when their own representatives came here and I treated their offer with appropriate derision, but even attempting that as their first gambit lost them a lot of credit with me."

[Anastasia]

"At cost!" Hamogan laughs, "Yes, many mercane try absurdly undervalued first offers. Mine was for 5% above cost, and only because he knew I wouldn't take cost."

[Ebiris]

"They did offer a book that they said would help me break through the barriers in what I could make, so I ended up taking 25% above on regular commissions for that. It ended up being worthless anyway, I think it was written from a more religious standpoint, lots of things about Gond in there and giving yourself over to inspiration. I figured out my own method in the end anyway, but we probably would have gotten a better deal if I'd known that book wasn't going to be much good for me," Afina concludes how their relationship with the Union Bank was formed.

[Anastasia]

"I've heard so many stories about mercane, always chasing the greatest deal. How they are not Waukeen's children is a mystery to me," Gold remarks. 'They have their uses, but I refuse to sell to them. Better to choose someone to wield a weapon wisely than leave it to the highest bidder."

[Ebiris]

"I like Filbrez at least," Afina says for one of them, even if she's not really fond of the Union Bank in general.

[Anastasia]

Hamogan nods knowingly, "I've read the minds of more than a few mercane. Most are more or less the same, like any sort of outsider. Oh, the personality and the exact focuses change, but the underlying motivation's there. Except it's money instead of an ethos. Ones like Filbrez are a joy because they're more advanced, more developed. You can get one that's much more tolerable that way."

[Ebiris]

Afina can't get all snobby about outsiders anymore, since she is one now! And also now knows that all fey are derived from them as well.

"He's been with us since not long after we started, so he's put the time in to deserve something for his investments. The ones that came from the Union Bank felt more like opportunists, but sometimes we have to make compromises in who we deal with for the good of the Crusade. The promise of making better equipment for everyone from that book was too good to resist, even if it didn't actually work out."

[Anastasia]

"Compromises, the enemy of good and evil both," Hamogan chuckles to himself, "Yet always inevitable."

Gold snorts, a little bit of flame coming out of his nose. "Filbrez is worthy of respect then. Even if he seeks to line his pocket, he has served you willingly and truly. "

[Ebiris]

"Yes," Afina says, pushing off the workbench and taking flight. That's enough talking about Mercane for her, now. "What are you two working on now, anyway?" she asks to move things along.

[Anastasia]

"Ideas right now," Gold admits, "For various anti-devil weapons."