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The Guilded Cage

Prologue 5 The Color of Money

Erithil had grown up in the lap of luxury or, at least as much as could have been expected in the backwater western continent. The second eldest of Vanya Goldleaf's children also meant that he was the middle child, and the first born in St Almar. The location of his birth and his location in the birth order were both displeasing to him but, then again, little wasn't.

As the Goldleaf family's only son, much was placed on his shoulders by his mother, who led the family with an iron fist, and such a thing had started at an early age. She was adamant that he be learned but also world-wise, thus she started him off before he turned 50 with schooling of all sorts, tutors in a variety of subjects and, most importantly, playmates. Unlike most noble families, the Goldleaf matron made certain that Erithil had broad exposure to the demi-elven population of St Amlar-- Humans, Dwarves, Halflings and Dwarves. She told him that it was good to be worldly and to understand the lesser races whom he was destined to guide.

Erithil hadn't realized it at the time, but his mother used his playmates to give him the greatest understanding possible through an actual real-world learning opportunity: the lesser races weren't lesser by intent or purposeful action; they were lesser by nature. Few of his playmates stuck with him for more than three or four years before deciding that they had outgrown him and thus they moved on. It was not hard for Erithil to learn that lesson; dejection, abandonment and personal interests were at the heart of social interactions among the demi-elves.

Honor, loyalty, devotion and dedication were lost to the lesser races. They lived short lives and their attention spans were measured in minutes-- or perhaps hours for the most dedicated, but they couldn't comprehend the importance of lasting relationships and life-long attachment. Not Elven life-long, anyway. It wasn't their fault they were so mercurial and flighty; it was in their nature. Erithil didn't hate them for it; he pitied them. Still, pity only had limits and he could not let his feelings get in the way of making the right decisions. His mother had taught him that, and the lesson rang true almost four centuries later.

Despite Erithil's lack of gaining attachments or ties with the lesser races, he did understand the importance they played in society and appreciated them for what virtues they did exhibit. He could admire portions of what made a Human a Human or a Dwarf a Dwarf. Unlike some of his contemporaries he could also appreciate Beast-Kin, though he didn't delude himself into thinking that any of them could be his equal, or that they'd even try beyond the passing interest of the benefits having him as an ally could give them due to his position. No-- Erithil had to be on guard at all times around the demi-elves because their minds worked differently.

That didn't stop him from employing them, however. In addition to them being far less expensive than Elves, the demi-humans had the capacity to move around town without catching the devoted stares or idolizing attention of the lesser races. His hirelings would be able to fetch information, do his bidding, or act on his behalf without anyone being the wiser, and all they required in return was a little coin. Erithil was a Goldleaf; coin was something he had in abundance, and business transactions were so much easier-- so much more impersonal than trying to establish relationships with races who would abandon him as easily as they offered their worthless promises of dedication... which rarely if ever lasted more than a few decades. What man in his right mind would seek such a short term ally?

Loyalty through coin was easier in so many ways. Paying for retainers, spies and servants was Erithil's preferred method. His mother often got on his case, saying that a quality wife couldn't be purchased with coin but, then again, Vanya hadn't understood him in nearly a century so he made no point in trying to address her concerns. She was interested in a legacy to which he would usually forestall arguments by commenting that both of his sisters were wed (he would never dare suggest that they were happy), and that the Goldleaf line was already assured with his niece and two nephews. He all but demanded that she leave him to his own devices and, unlike most demands anyone made of Vanya, his were usually honored... so long as he could prove his usefulness.

It was that exchange which brought him to the meeting in his atrium. Rather than invite his guest in to sit, Erethil new he could weather some ten minutes of discussion if it could guarantee that the Gnoll would leave his presence all the faster. He questioned her then and there rather retreating to the parlor. "An assassination planned, you say?"

The Commander of the City Watch in the Slums nodded her furry head. Erithil had nothing against Gnolls personally, but he was confident that Majh Blackpaw was not one. Still, he held his tongue and stilled his thoughts as she provided the full report. "one of my contacts in the slums indicated that a shadow faction had plans to kill one of the watch captains."

It never ceased to amaze Erithil that, despite how short lived the lesser races were, how difficult it was to get them to get to the point. "I see... and what details have you to provide, Commander?"

He was technically not on her list of commanders and, by rights, he had no authority to question her or receive reports but, then again, he paid her well so he expected that she would be far more responsive to him than to the slack-pursed gold-pinching bureaucrats who barely scraped enough coin together to even HAVE a watch in the slums. Majh Blackpaw, as usual, appeared to feel the same way. "The report was incomplete, unfortunately, but, based on what I learned, I have reasons to believe it's Jessin Styeson... a newly promoted officer."

In most circumstances Erithil would have balked at theories or assumptions but he knew enough about Majh to be aware that she rarely divulged guesses. Still, he wanted more information. "And your reasoning is?"

She, of course, had it. "Jessin was promoted by an officer of the Wardens, not by someone within the Watch. Personally, I wouldn't trust that little rat as far as I could throw him."

The Elf raised an eyebrow. "He is a beast-kin?"

Majh shook her head. "Figure of speech, my dear Goldleaf. No, he is a Human, and the Watch has received numerous complaints that he is rough with the populace and he has been implied on several counts of extortion."

Erithil considered the report for a moment. "And so, it is your belief that the party interested in assassinating him is doing so for-- what? He has shaken them down too many times? They want competition out of the way? They have someone else in mind to take over for him?"

The Gnoll again shook her head. "No... in my opinion they are doing it for the public good, Lord Goldleaf."

That response made the Elf frown. "Assassinations are a breech of law and order, Commander. There can be no situation in which that is for 'the public good'."

She didn't even wait for a moment to disagree; he both admired and disliked that. "It can be when law and order aren't doing anything to address the issue."

Were he any other elf, Erithil might have backhanded the disobedient creature but he was not one to let his emotions control his actions. Smoothing out the cuff on his sleeved doublet, he let out a lengthy sigh. "No. I will not have it. I'll alert my contacts within the Lawgivers and have this Jessin Styeson brought in for questioning. If they discover that he has indeed misused the power given unto him then I will see to it that he is punished accordingly."

Majh offered a wide, toothy smile and she provided a masculine bow rather than a womanly curtsey; he had come to expect it. Her reply was as smary as any other lesser race he knew. "As was my hope for this meeting, Lord Goldleaf."

He wasn't quite ready to dismiss her, however. "And now I expect you will do something for me, Commander."

She looked up at him, ears raised. "So long as it does not violate my duty to St. Almar, I will do as you request, Lord Goldleaf... you pay well and I am one to bite the hand who feeds me. Rest assured, I know the meaning of punctiliousness in my duties."

Half the time Erithil thought that Majh Blackpaw was trying to impress with her knowledge of the common language; the rest of the time her word usage just put him on edge. Shaking off the effect, the Elf stated "I want you to find out as much as you can about the group who was planning an assassination. Even if their cause WAS for the good of St Almar their methods were horribly flawed. If this group may pose a threat then I trust you will do everything you need to address the situation with your superiors."

She bowed again. "Of that, you can be certain."

Although he saw her turn to leave, the Elf spoke up before she could. "One more thing, Commander..."

When she turned back to him he tossed a coin purse to her. She glanced at it then back at him. "I'm not due for another payment until the end of the month."

He smirked. "For your informant. Make sure they know to be more specific next time. They work for you now, and you work for me."

With nothing more to be said, Erithil waved her away, dismissing his hireling. There was something freeing about associates who could be so freely used and sent away; no attachments meant that no one could get hurt, and nobody could tell him that they'd outgrown him. At the end of the day, Erithil was the one in charge, and his employees knew that they remained with him at HIS pleasure, not theirs. It was comfortable. Reassuring. Safe. It was just like how St. Almar should be and he promised himself he'd make it a reality.