"And that requires us to increase our shipping fees into Limsa for the time being. Which, while beneficial in the short run, risks hurting our long term gains if we are not able to find a way to decrease the costs. Several other competitors already plan to under cut us the moment our rates reach our buyers."
The speaker was a rather well built hyur. He stood at a large, round table, gazing at his other nine business partners. Large stacks of paper rested between each, and everyone of the persons seated there and all were reading the report with only half interest.Â
The least interested of the nine was a tall, thin elezen with grey hair and a neatly trimmed beard. He was dressed in simple clothes and was looking at a page of parchment but wasn't actually reading the words upon it.Â
He was to busy wondering how his newest Crow had handled it's assignment.
The elezen was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he missed the sound of the door opening as a short elezen, dressed in a black suit, walked up to him and whispered in his ear.
"Master Koveras, the newest Crow has returned."
Koveras smiled, the wrinkles in his old face doubling as he nodded and rose to his feet.
"Ladies and gentleman, please excuse me for just a moment. Afraid that a small matter must pull me away."Â
The elezen turned and left the room, shutting the door behind him and his butler.
"Productive meeting, sir?" the butler inquired as the two walked down the hall, which was lavishly decorated.
"Only moderately. Nothing I don't know already, but a reminder is always good to know. Especially when those whom seek to weed us out as competition from our various markets do not serve the true god."
So you mean to move ahead with the price increase?"Â the butler asked as he helped open a door.Â
"I'll pray to Nald'thal for his advice. Depending on what he tells me, I shall move accordingly. Tell me, Reginald..." Koveras entered the room, which was a small office lined with bookshelves. The elderly elezen approached one shelf, pulled a book, and watched as it opened inward, revealing a flight of stairs.
"How is that charity dinner for the destitute of Ul'dah going?"
"Many find it a waste of time and money, sir."Â the bulter answered.Â
"Course they do. But it is Ul'dah. How I do prefer it up here in Gridania. So much to look at that still has yet to die. I'll be back shortly." Koveras began to descend the stairs.
As he descended, the air grew colder. Eventually he reached the bottom and before him stretched a long cathedral hall. Rich tapestries hung from the walls and rows of pews flanked a red carpet on either side. At the far end of the room, on a raised platform, stood an altar of black marble. Dried blood stained the raised display.Â
Three, black-robed figures sat in the pews, their somber chants echoing around the room.Â
Standing on the platform, gazing as the altar was a tall miqo'te.Â
Koveras smiled and crossed the room.Â
"Did the Crow retrieve it's due for the true god?"Â Koveras asked calmly.
The miqo'te turned and nodded as it lifted it's right hand up, displaying the bag of gil the lalafell had left in Ul'dah.
"A soul for Thal, and a bag of gil for Nald's church."Â the miqo'te answered, his voice dry and harsh, akin to the sound of a hundred centipedes crawling across dried leaves.
"Glory to the Eternal God whom shall claim all things in their time." Koveras replied as he reached the altar and took the gil from the outstretched hand. Koveras examined his newest Crow with pride.
Two strong souls, pinned and melded together with Nald'tha'ls blessing into a new single being in a strong, powerful corpse. Two made one, just as Nald'thal was two made one.
"This one shall wait here then?" the miqo'te inquired as Koveras placed the gil upon the altar and bowed to it.
"Till Nald'thal requires another soul, you shall wait back in Ul'dah. Always coin for souls there." Koveras answered.
"Nald'thal be praised, for death is kind."Â the miqo'te said.
Koveras blinked in amusement at the miqo'te's own, personal saying. That word... kind...Koveras wondered which of the two souls that now made up Atrium Crow had used it so often.
"Death is kind."Â Koveras replied as the tall miqo'te turned and left through a side door that led to an underground river and a walkway along the bank.
The speaker was a rather well built hyur. He stood at a large, round table, gazing at his other nine business partners. Large stacks of paper rested between each, and everyone of the persons seated there and all were reading the report with only half interest.Â
The least interested of the nine was a tall, thin elezen with grey hair and a neatly trimmed beard. He was dressed in simple clothes and was looking at a page of parchment but wasn't actually reading the words upon it.Â
He was to busy wondering how his newest Crow had handled it's assignment.
The elezen was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he missed the sound of the door opening as a short elezen, dressed in a black suit, walked up to him and whispered in his ear.
"Master Koveras, the newest Crow has returned."
Koveras smiled, the wrinkles in his old face doubling as he nodded and rose to his feet.
"Ladies and gentleman, please excuse me for just a moment. Afraid that a small matter must pull me away."Â
The elezen turned and left the room, shutting the door behind him and his butler.
"Productive meeting, sir?" the butler inquired as the two walked down the hall, which was lavishly decorated.
"Only moderately. Nothing I don't know already, but a reminder is always good to know. Especially when those whom seek to weed us out as competition from our various markets do not serve the true god."
So you mean to move ahead with the price increase?"Â the butler asked as he helped open a door.Â
"I'll pray to Nald'thal for his advice. Depending on what he tells me, I shall move accordingly. Tell me, Reginald..." Koveras entered the room, which was a small office lined with bookshelves. The elderly elezen approached one shelf, pulled a book, and watched as it opened inward, revealing a flight of stairs.
"How is that charity dinner for the destitute of Ul'dah going?"
"Many find it a waste of time and money, sir."Â the bulter answered.Â
"Course they do. But it is Ul'dah. How I do prefer it up here in Gridania. So much to look at that still has yet to die. I'll be back shortly." Koveras began to descend the stairs.
As he descended, the air grew colder. Eventually he reached the bottom and before him stretched a long cathedral hall. Rich tapestries hung from the walls and rows of pews flanked a red carpet on either side. At the far end of the room, on a raised platform, stood an altar of black marble. Dried blood stained the raised display.Â
Three, black-robed figures sat in the pews, their somber chants echoing around the room.Â
Standing on the platform, gazing as the altar was a tall miqo'te.Â
Koveras smiled and crossed the room.Â
"Did the Crow retrieve it's due for the true god?"Â Koveras asked calmly.
The miqo'te turned and nodded as it lifted it's right hand up, displaying the bag of gil the lalafell had left in Ul'dah.
"A soul for Thal, and a bag of gil for Nald's church."Â the miqo'te answered, his voice dry and harsh, akin to the sound of a hundred centipedes crawling across dried leaves.
"Glory to the Eternal God whom shall claim all things in their time." Koveras replied as he reached the altar and took the gil from the outstretched hand. Koveras examined his newest Crow with pride.
Two strong souls, pinned and melded together with Nald'tha'ls blessing into a new single being in a strong, powerful corpse. Two made one, just as Nald'thal was two made one.
"This one shall wait here then?" the miqo'te inquired as Koveras placed the gil upon the altar and bowed to it.
"Till Nald'thal requires another soul, you shall wait back in Ul'dah. Always coin for souls there." Koveras answered.
"Nald'thal be praised, for death is kind."Â the miqo'te said.
Koveras blinked in amusement at the miqo'te's own, personal saying. That word... kind...Koveras wondered which of the two souls that now made up Atrium Crow had used it so often.
"Death is kind."Â Koveras replied as the tall miqo'te turned and left through a side door that led to an underground river and a walkway along the bank.