Valentien pale blue eyes twinkled as he smiled warmly. "You will find, dear Sorn, that this is no small honor, the college hosting most of the full mages that call Famil Duchy their home. The eminent scholars of arcane lore teach their specialties there. It is a place, dear Sorn, where a young apprentice mage would find no barriers to fulfilling his potential, however great it might be. Only youths who posses the greatest of aptitudes, noble sponsors, or heirs to considerable wealth or title are given the opportunity to study at the Royal Arcane Academy. Fortunately, Sorn, you fulfill one of these prerequisites at the least."
"I have also written a letter asking the college to be so courteous as to test our new squires," Lord Canterbier said with a nod toward the three brothers. "Now I know it may not be their preferred craft, but mages are, in truth, few and far between. Rarer than even knights, my young lads. It is a talent that would be a true pity to waste. And so I will make you a deal, good squires. Duke Nevontain's martial academy is actually quite close to the Royal Arcane Academy, located as they both are, just outside our capital city. This is where the duke has his officers and generals trained, as well as where squires and knights pledged to the duke himself practice their skill at arms. I believe my letter of introduction will grant you an interview, and your own most impressive aptitudes, whether by blood or inheritance, will no doubt grant your admittance. The duke himself would be pleased, I think, to have three of such natural aptitude and honor as yourselves training at his academy. My condition for this interview is simply this. Accept tutoring in the arts arcane in the morning, as dictated by your aptitude, and afterwards train at the martial academy, learning arms craft to your hearts' content.
"Both colleges are well aware that a noble's time is often limited, and both allow for students to be affiliated on a part-time basis. I warn you, though, your training in both fields would require both discipline and diligence. It will not be easy, I think, but you will find it fulfilling, of that I am sure." With those words, Lord Canterbier returned the triplets' ecstatic grins with a warm smile of his own. "Train well, young sirs, and one day you will make most excellent knights indeed, of that I am sure!"
"Now I have, I hope you will agree, given you all worthy gifts of both recognition and knowledge. Yet fear not, young sirs, I understand well your ambitions to make your mark, so to speak, as men of substance as well. And for all that the world is filled with thieves and bandits, let me assure you that one can make a fortune following noble pursuits almost as easily as one can by embracing darker paths. Not simply through forestalling catastrophe, as you so nobly did for my family, but through bringing needed goods and luxuries as well.
"Trade, my young friends, more than anything else, can offer you wealth, with your honor intact." With that, Lord Canterbier solemnly brought forth what looked like a small bronze casket, slowly opened it to reveal a small sack, and solemnly counted out sixteen coins that by their color and luster could only be gold. Sorn thought he heard one of his brothers gasp at the sight, then realized with some chagrin that the voice he had heard was his own. Lord Canterbier then brought out a second sack and counted out sixteen large silver coins with the image of what looked like a bird in flight imprinted on one of their sides. They were significantly larger than the gold coins they were stacked next to. Lord Canterbier then proceeded to retie both silken sacks, placing them back in the casket and gently handing it to Valentien who could be heard muttering something softly under his breath before he touched the lid of the casket.
Sorn smiled to see the eldritch glow emanate from the gentle wizard's fingertips as he touched the lock, and the brief web of power was momentarily visible to Sorn's highly attuned inner eye as the magical energies flashed across the chest, illuminating complex patterns and designs carved into the casket. Sorn could well guess that the lock was now beyond the skills of any mundane thief to pick. Sorn then turned his gaze once more to Lord Canterbier as he began to speak.
"Each of these silver eagles has five times the weight of each royal crown, yet each royal crown is worth five silver eagles. Though this fluctuates slightly from time to time, the rule that has held in the duchy for well nigh twenty years is that gold is worth twenty-five times its weight in silver. Each of these silver eagles could buy you a well-trained horse in his prime, had you even modest skill at haggling with a fair merchant, or a well-made sword with copper to spare. Each gold crown could buy you a fully trained warhorse, fit for riding into the heat of battle, though only those of at least the rank of squire may do so. Three of these gold royals would buy you a suit of custom fit field plate, the equal of any knight's armaments. Again, such would only be purchased by those of rank.
Lord Canterbier then made four stacks of four silver eagles and four royal crowns before continuing. "Thus you each now have sufficient wealth to equip yourselves fully as knights, with sufficient silver to hire a man and his donkey between the four of you to polish and care for your armaments, as well as keep you all in bread, beef, and ale for a year, with wealth to spare. This is one path open before you via your newfound wealth. It is a path many a prudent soldier would consider. It has its strengths, and indeed, may be well suited for one soon to be knighted and expecting active service on behalf of his lord."
Lord Canterbier sighed. “Far more often, of course, men choose a less prudent course when a windfall occurs happenstance. Their funds are spent, seemingly as fast as possible, drinking the finest wines, eating the fanciest fare, embracing in trade with the fairer sex."
Lieberman frowned. "Embracing in trade with the fairer sex?"
"He means wenching," Sorn said.
"Oh."
"In any case," Lord Canterbier continued, "all too soon, the poor fool's windfall runs out, and he belabors how he could have had such wealth yet still end up as poor as he was once before, feeling somehow that he is doomed to his fate. And he is doomed. Not by destiny, but by his own foolish choices. Whereas most men all too commonly see wealth as simply an opportunity to embrace luxuries scarcely glimpsed before, the more prudent man, such as the knight-to-be, uses his wealth to secure equipment that will allow him to best serve his lord, and thus secure his own future. That is by far the more prudent way to spend it, but there are, my young friends, other paths.
"One could, for example, invest those sixteen gold crowns into a fair-sized plot of land, with a well-constructed home, animal shed, grain silo, and all the equipment you would need to start a profitable farm anywhere in any fertile area of the dukedom. Your gold would, of course, buy you considerably more land were you to settle in the wilds near the dukedom's borders, as opposed to purchasing land already formally claimed, but this has its own dangers. It is farther from the heart of our duchy, and there is always the possibility of bandits, feeling, as they do, that border communities make easy targets. Though I am sure it would be well within your capacity to disabuse said individuals of that notion. Indeed, with your talents, you could no doubt do quite well, establishing a profitable farm near the borderlands.
"Of course, in allowing for your temperament, Hanz, Fitz, and Lieberman, I would have to say that for all its strengths, this might not be the best path to building wealth and security for you three. Farming, I fear, might perhaps be a bit too quiet for your tastes."
Lord Canterbier smiled. "Temperaments aside, a good farm, staffed by skilled and honest freemen, is an excellent path to prosperity. The well armed knight fit to serve his lord and thus make his fortune at his lord's pleasure is another. So too, one could be of a mind to learn a craft and use one's savings or inheritance to buy a shop with all the best equipment, which together with a degree of skill and honesty, would assure you a loyal customer base for all your days. One could also invest in an inn or a tavern, providing food, drink, and rooms for people in return for their custom. All of these possibilities are rich soils in which to plant the fruits of your fortune.
"All of these paths can lead to modest returns, assure you a comfortable existence, and are relatively safe, s
ave for knighthood, of course. But there are ways, my young friends, to magnify your wealth many times over, and truly become men of means. And that, my young friends, is the path of trade. Whether it be desert caravans risking sandstorms and privation to reach rich markets, or merchant ships sailing to distant ports to make their fortune, trade is a true path to wealth. Allow me to explain, in the simplest terms, how this is so.
"Lieberman, imagine for a moment that you were an excellent carpenter and so could build chairs and tables and homes, quickly and efficiently, yet were a poor farmer, so were always hungry with little to eat. Now imagine that your brother Fitz was an excellent farmer but couldn't nail two sticks together if his life depended on it, so always slept in a damp cave or shivering under a chilly sky, yet had all the food he could possibly want and more.
"With trade, you can both concentrate solely on that which you are good at, trading food for carpentry services, allowing you both to sleep in the most luxurious of beds with the fullest of bellies. So with trade, everyone benefits from each other's strengths, and far more goods are generated overall. This, my friends, is the path to profit!"
Lord Canterbier’s enthusiasm was infectious, all four youths becoming highly intrigued by this new and fascinating world their patron was opening up before their eyes. Sorn was perhaps the most affected, seeing as he had already grasped the basic concepts, uncertain only in how to turn the possibility into a reality. It appeared that Lord Canterbier just might offer them a way.
"And this is where you would come in, my young friends, should the path of the merchant call to you. For people of trade take those excess goods; the farmer's extra produce, the shepherd's wool, the craftsman's handiwork, and ships them to foreign markets in different lands, where they may have an abundance of say, ivory or spices, something we lack here, yet have few crops of their own, or insufficient wool to keep them warm, items which we have in plenty. Thus we might trade food for spices, then upon our return, we would trade the spices, of which we have none locally, for far more than what the original crops we had purchased cost us.
"Thus with both journeys we can make a handsome profit, filling the cargo holds of our ship once again, with gold and silver left over to spare. This gold would be our profit, which we can spend as we see fit, or save it. Should we save our profits, our wealth would accumulate with each successful voyage, and we could eventually invest in a second ship, or in another enterprise like a farm or an inn, assuming we know of trustworthy people that we can depend upon to run it in our absence. And this, lads, is a very basic explanation of how trade works, and how we profit from it.
“Now, hopefully, you appreciate how and why trade works in the general sense. Yet for all that I have said here, I infer that your experience in these matters is minimal at best, and so you have little idea of how to become traders yourselves. Be forewarned, without guidance and practical experience, all too easily you would lose what gold you had at your disposal before gaining the wisdom to spot a fair venture voiced by an honest trader or merchant.”
Lord Canterbier raised a cautionary finger. "One needs prudence, my friends, for though trade is a path that can lead to profit like no other, where all ideally benefit, so too it can be a battlefield, savage like no other, for all that it is wealth, not blood that is shed."
At this point Lord Canterbier paused, making sure he had the youth's full attention. "As you have perhaps surmised, in addition to being no small farmer, I also engage in trade. As a lord, my demesne and lands are my first priority, so I cannot oversee a ship myself. It is a rare lord who is able to focus so much on trade that he owns his own trading house and runs his own ships. Profitable as it can be, owning a trade ship has considerable risks, not the least of which is being able to trust the captain, or knowing how to navigate and sail such a ship yourself. Even so, there is considerable risk of losing the ship outright to storms or pirates, which could easily cost you a small fortune.
“Fortunately for us all, there is another way to invest in trading ventures that both demands less capital and exposes one to less risk, yet still allows for a handsome profit to be made in a way that benefits both the investor and the trader. And that, my young friends, is by buying a share of the cargo that the merchant ship is carrying, which we do at a modest premium, or by having a merchant captain sell your wares that you would put on his ship for a share of the profits, normally one-fourth to one-third of the profit accrued. Many ship captains are also happy to rent cargo hold space directly, allowing you to ship your goods for a set fee, depending on how far or dangerous the voyage will be. Of course, in all these circumstances, it is best to have a man you trust accompany your cargo, to assure that all is properly accounted for. Expect to compensate him well for his trouble, particularly if he will be serving as your merchant or factor at the agreed upon destination.” Lord Canterbier smiled. “And more than one young trader first made his mark by accompanying his cargo during those first few voyages, studying under the factor or trader he had assigned to handle all port fees, paperwork, and sell his wares at the best possible price, before taking on those responsibilities for himself.”
At this point, Lord Canterbier paused for a moment, and Sorn, rather discreetly he thought, managed to elbow Lieberman awake before his head rolled back and he actually started snoring. If he noted this little byplay, Lord Canterbier did not remark upon it, only giving a little knowing smile before he continued.
"All right, lads, this is the point wherein it gets interesting for you. It just so happens that I have several trustworthy factors as my disposal. One of them is located at the port city of Pormar, from which I was returning when you so fortuitously came to my rescue. In any case, word has come that there is a trader in the capital paying top silver for grain harvests, and a merchant with several large barge ships currently lying idle at the port of Pormar has consented to ship early harvests for a one-fourth share of any profits made at York, and only that above the grain price I would get selling, as most landholders hereabouts do, directly to the merchants at Pormar.
"In short, lads, though I most often buy shares of a merchant's cargo, in this case, I am willing to share the profit with the barge owning merchant in question. Truly, it is a short trip, and looks to be highly profitable. But time is of the essence! We are, as I am sure you know, in the middle of the growing season. It is still many weeks before harvest, few farmers have any grain to sell, and most merchants have sold their grains long ago, wanting to keep space free at their warehouses."
Lord Canterbier gave a confidential smile at that point. "I've always been considered perhaps overly prudent in that I keep a considerable amount of grain stored in silos for a bad year. Yet such prudence can also equal profit, for having far more grain than I need assures that my people are always well provided for and gives the opportunity to sell the excess during times of peak demand, enabling me to profit quite handsomely from my forethought as well. And considering how well my present crop of wheat is thriving, I need have no concern of hunger striking those under my care later this year. However, I am sure that I am not alone in this, so we must make haste to Pormar's port before another landowner with grain to spare engages the barge owner and we lose our favorable trade.
"What I would like to do for you lads is both give you experience in trade while allowing you to earn a profit yourselves on a relatively safe journey to the Capital. Where, I hope, you will forego trade, at least for a while, and invest your energies instead in advancing your personal skills by enrolling at the academies. When all is said and done, lads, it was my too avid pursuit of profit that put the lives of my family and myself in peril. Thus it is only fair that I grant this opportunity, fully, to the individuals who saved me from my folly. I have grain enough to fill the barges. Fifteen gold royals worth, in fact, and I am, with your permission, willing to sell it to you at cost. Do you accept?"
Mutely, the four youths nodded, exhilarated by the promise of adventure that this path of trade offered, made all th
e sweeter by the rewards to be found at the end of a successful journey.
Lord Canterbier nodded his approval. "Good." With that, he slid fifteen of the gold royals back into one sack, smiling ruefully at the gasps and sighs emanating from the four youths. "You will accompany the wagons my freemen are even now making ready to take to Pormar even as we speak, and will be escorted by twelve armsmen under commander Jesren. I am sure their presence will deter a repeat performance of the other day!
"When you arrive at Pormar, Jesren will escort you to our factor Pemith, who will, in turn, assure that all is taken care of in terms of storing the grain on the barge ships. Furthermore, he will assist you in signing the grain contract I have outlined, wherein the barge ship merchant agrees to port your grain to York's harbor, whereupon you will make the introduction of our Factor at York who will handle having your grain transferred to the trader in question, who will then pay you for the grain. Keep in mind that one-fourth of the profit beyond the fifteen gold that this grain is worth at Pormar will be going to the barge merchant. Again, Pemith will walk you through the particulars as needed."
Lord Canterbier solemnly handed Sorn several scrolls tightly sealed in waterproof cases. "These include a copy of a contract I have signed, indicating that I have sold this grain to you at our agreed upon price. Thus, it formally indicates your ownership, in addition to giving instructions for Pemith regarding the barge merchant and the trade you will have agreed upon."
Their patron clapped Sorn's shoulder, smiling his approval. "Congratulations, my young friends. You are now, each of you, merchants, and I wish you luck on all your future endeavors. Of course, you will always be welcome to make use of my factors in Pormar, York, and elsewhere, who I can assure you are both honest and fair, and who have many contacts with various small merchant enterprises, and so are always in the know as to what ships wish to sell portions of their cargo. Additionally, my factors can inform you what constitutes fair shipping fees, the going rate for a given good, such as grain, and what premium above cost is fair for a given share of cargo.
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