[Crytal Hall] Sampling (Warden)

[Oluse]

512 Spring 34th

Oluse trudged half reluctantly up the winding stone stairs, his heavy soft leather boots connection with much more force than Oluse had grown used to, with the forgiving crunch of snow Avanthal had set under foot before the unexpected storm ravaged the city. The whole of the populace had taken the aftermath hard, those that survived in any case, and Oluse had seen the brunt of the people's heart ache, stationed in the clinic. Still, among the bazaar and devastating effects of the storm, Oluse had managed some hope. And inspiration which would come to fruition in only a handful of days. He was ecstatic, and this pressure of having to hide it had begun to ware away at him. He supposed he was not required to hide it, but he wouldn't have known where to start in explaining to those he worked with, his family, that he would be leaving. And, with no intention of ever returning to the frozen horrid wasteland. The people he couldn't help but love, but the ice was bad for him, and had stuck him there, leeching the warmth from his spirit. He had appreciated the numbness for a while, but the time had come to set out again, in search of some answers. Some feeling.

Still, he refused to forsake his promise to himself, his family, and to Viratas. He would continue making money, and in it find repentance, and perhaps one day win back the love of his family. He refused to let selfishness rule his reasoning, however, and so refrained from thinking too much upon the topic. Instead, he resolved to organize the meeting, and test what he thought to be the most logical merchandise in Avanthal. Oluse may have to take some time off as he traveled, but he hoped with the land covered he could bring wealth with him. Sweet, repenting wealth.

Several business men and women were to meet him in the Hall, all wanting to sell their own product, and Oluse had to convince them that he, despite his age, was a reasonable client, capable of reciprocating the value of the goods, without making himself into a target which the good men and women of Avanthal would take advantage of. He had worked intimately with Vantha long enough to know that they were far from saints. Perhaps not as far as Denvali, but still far.

He paused a moment at the peek of the stairs and looked out over the diminished city. The rebuilding had be sluggish, and even with the best artisans working hard the city seemed impossibly far from every reaching it's former glory. Oluse was sad that forever, as he thought back upon the grand city of Avanthal, that he would see only ruins. What a way to remember his time there.

He turned and worked his way into the hall, then downward. Thought he was assured the meeting hall would be unoccupied, and thus open for his small, and insignificant meeting, he stills felt nervous. Less so about the location and gravity of decisions which had been made there, and more about what might come of the meeting. Failure or success he feared what might transpire if word of the gathering spread to his work. If they all found out his plans to leave, before he had the chance to tell them. He planned to, and he planned to set himself down and tell them personally. Although, such a promise had been setting in his mind for almost a fortnight, and still he had been a coward.

Opening the door at the base of the stairs, he stepped through the threshold into the flame lit room, and took a breath of the dusky air. He gave a silent apology to his nose in advance, but he hadn't the time to gather separate meetings for each hold with a product. Instead he was forced to book them all together, under one roof. An action hoped not to be a mistake.