The Pogrom of Mages: The Healers of Glastamear: Volume One by Charles Williamson Page A
Authors: Charles Williamson
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successful merchant, which could replace the rags of his apprentice healer robe. The clothes smelled of cinnamon and by luck fit quite well.
That night, he collected his chest of clothes, his inventory of pearls, his gold coins, and his enchanted items. He dressed in his fine merchant clothing, and after casting float ; he headed to shore and met Obert on the beach near the barge that they had used to catch the sloop.
The narwhales pulled the barge until they reached a beach about six thousand paces from Northport. It was near dawn, but Obert had cast transparency so they would not be spotted when he went ashore. Obert agreed to return in one week to wait for Michael and any healers he’d rescued.
Michael walked the five hundred paces to an inn he had visited on a previous trip to the city. He ate a substantial breakfast at the Inn of Quiet Rest. The innkeeper was surprised when he paid with a gold coin, but made change only shorting him a few silvers for his trouble. Michael knew he couldn’t spend gold for his ride on the stage into town without raising questions. Likewise, the son of a prosperous merchant family would never be seen walking into town. He had gone to the inn both because he was tired of eating raw fish and oysters and because he wanted to catch the morning stage and arrive as someone of his supposed station would.
A wealthy young merchant was the perfect cover because it was normal for them to travel. Most nobles knew each other from tournaments and their annual appearances at the king’s court at Perry’s Day, but a merchant could be both wealthy and unknown.
When the stage rode through the main southern gate, a fine city was revealed. Northport, like every city in Glastamear was built only with stone buildings with tile or slate roofs for fire protection. In the case of Northport, although the city walls were fifteen paces high and made of dull black granite, the buildings were two or three stories high and were constructed of fine tan limestone. Almost every roof was made of glazed apple-red or azure-blue tiles, giving the city a festive feel. Each intersection held a fountain of different design. They were always topped with a statue of Perry Ascendant or one of his Holy Sons because fresh water in all large cities was a gift of the church. Colorful banners hung from the doors of each shop to indicate what they sold, and a large central market square was crowded with farmers offering their produce and cured meats.
It was near midday when Michael got down from the stage near the market square. The finest inn in town was only two blocks away. He carried his chest to the Inn of Splendid Dreams and paid for one of their finest rooms for a week. He chatted with the innkeeper explaining that he had visited Black Sand Beach and wanted to know who in town was a dealer in pearls. The innkeeper named three men with good reputations in dealing in jewels.
The accommodation had a sitting room, a bath with running water, and a bedroom with an ornately carved and gilded four-poster bed. The carving was a little creepy for Michael since it was a representation of Perry Ascendant confronting a dragon. A balcony overlooked a quiet inner courtyard with a fountain and many flowerbeds and a lilac hedge to freshen the courtyard odor. Michael thought it would be easy getting used to living like a rich merchant.
He stood on the balcony and cast detect all manna with all the power he had developed since he began to study with Obert. The manna of the whole city was revealed as well as many miles beyond. He could detect scores of fire mages, but only four healers. The healers were all together two stories underground below the Great Temple of Northport. His first task must be to free them because they might soon be given to the flame of Perry in Temple Square where so many of his other guild brothers and sisters had already died horrible deaths. He would be free them tonight or die trying.
To complete his cover story,
That night, he collected his chest of clothes, his inventory of pearls, his gold coins, and his enchanted items. He dressed in his fine merchant clothing, and after casting float ; he headed to shore and met Obert on the beach near the barge that they had used to catch the sloop.
The narwhales pulled the barge until they reached a beach about six thousand paces from Northport. It was near dawn, but Obert had cast transparency so they would not be spotted when he went ashore. Obert agreed to return in one week to wait for Michael and any healers he’d rescued.
Michael walked the five hundred paces to an inn he had visited on a previous trip to the city. He ate a substantial breakfast at the Inn of Quiet Rest. The innkeeper was surprised when he paid with a gold coin, but made change only shorting him a few silvers for his trouble. Michael knew he couldn’t spend gold for his ride on the stage into town without raising questions. Likewise, the son of a prosperous merchant family would never be seen walking into town. He had gone to the inn both because he was tired of eating raw fish and oysters and because he wanted to catch the morning stage and arrive as someone of his supposed station would.
A wealthy young merchant was the perfect cover because it was normal for them to travel. Most nobles knew each other from tournaments and their annual appearances at the king’s court at Perry’s Day, but a merchant could be both wealthy and unknown.
When the stage rode through the main southern gate, a fine city was revealed. Northport, like every city in Glastamear was built only with stone buildings with tile or slate roofs for fire protection. In the case of Northport, although the city walls were fifteen paces high and made of dull black granite, the buildings were two or three stories high and were constructed of fine tan limestone. Almost every roof was made of glazed apple-red or azure-blue tiles, giving the city a festive feel. Each intersection held a fountain of different design. They were always topped with a statue of Perry Ascendant or one of his Holy Sons because fresh water in all large cities was a gift of the church. Colorful banners hung from the doors of each shop to indicate what they sold, and a large central market square was crowded with farmers offering their produce and cured meats.
It was near midday when Michael got down from the stage near the market square. The finest inn in town was only two blocks away. He carried his chest to the Inn of Splendid Dreams and paid for one of their finest rooms for a week. He chatted with the innkeeper explaining that he had visited Black Sand Beach and wanted to know who in town was a dealer in pearls. The innkeeper named three men with good reputations in dealing in jewels.
The accommodation had a sitting room, a bath with running water, and a bedroom with an ornately carved and gilded four-poster bed. The carving was a little creepy for Michael since it was a representation of Perry Ascendant confronting a dragon. A balcony overlooked a quiet inner courtyard with a fountain and many flowerbeds and a lilac hedge to freshen the courtyard odor. Michael thought it would be easy getting used to living like a rich merchant.
He stood on the balcony and cast detect all manna with all the power he had developed since he began to study with Obert. The manna of the whole city was revealed as well as many miles beyond. He could detect scores of fire mages, but only four healers. The healers were all together two stories underground below the Great Temple of Northport. His first task must be to free them because they might soon be given to the flame of Perry in Temple Square where so many of his other guild brothers and sisters had already died horrible deaths. He would be free them tonight or die trying.
To complete his cover story,
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