260: Pitch - Delve | Royal Road
Author: SenescentSoul

260: Pitch - Delve | Royal RoadThe Board in Brief
Compiled by Reece
The first error most people make when they think about the Bank is to consider it as one monolithic organization. The assumption can be forgiven for the commoners, visiting their local branch to deposit a handful of coppers or finance a cow or whatever. ‘Core services’, as they’re known within the organization, are regulated. No branch is allowed to deviate from the policy set by the board lest its owner gain undue advantage or tarnish the reputation of the organization, as ridiculous as that sounds. Operating a branch, in fact, leaves very little wiggle room in terms of operational policy. Walk into your local branch, and you should expect to be robbed no less or no more than at any other branch in any other city all across the world.
Things change once you start dealing in silver. Past a certain point, you begin dealing not with the branch but its owner, and it behooves you to know what manner of sleazeball you’re dealing with.
The Bank is run by its ‘board’, comprising the top ten individual Bankers as determined by wealth. The greatest of these is given the title of ‘Director’ and has minor, additional powers over general policy.
By the current rules, only board members are allowed to operate more than one key asset, defined as a branch, Goldship, or independent business. Anyone important enough to control such an operation is given the title ‘President’ or ‘President-Captain’ in the case of Goldship operators. Non-board members are constrained to a single operation and are further required to pay a percentage of their operational income to their regional board member. If you are dealing with one such middle manager, it is often best to find out who owns them and proceed accordingly. I’m not about to list out every President, so don’t ask.
The board, I broadly divide into three categories: Exploiters, Usurers, and Extractors. It is overly reductive to assume any board member engages only in the behavior associated with their category, but the grouping should give a sense of the strategy that each prefers.
The phrase “you need to have money to make money” characterizes the first and most important category, the Exploiter. More charitably, you might call them investors, but at the level of the board, charity doesn’t enter into it. These Bankers leverage their personal wealth to operate businesses—the Lightcore Foundry, Havenheild, and the Bellosian Trade League being the canonical examples. This usually involves maintaining a private pool of crafters, known as Makers, typically locked away in secure facilities away from the public eye.
In the past, anti-monopolistic policies within the organization held the Exploiters in check, but in recent times, notably since the rise of the current Director, these policies have been gutted. Bureaucratic inefficiency and corruption have left room for continued competition amongst the lower ranks, but collusion between the top three, unbeknownst to most within the organization, is moving the Bank closer toward the singular institution most assume it to be. This phenomenon is well-precedented and is part of a generations-long cycle of consolidation, rot, collapse, and rebirth within the organization.
Board Exploiters: Jien Initi (#1), Omar of Tae (#2), Kenn Trell (#3), Borjis Waak-San Tema (#7).
The second-most important category, Usurers, buy and sell debts, often bundled, and employ a large number of Enforcers to collect upon them, as Bank combat assets are commonly known. Though it rarely appears to be the case, lending is regulated as a part of the core services. Interest rates are capped and must be disclosed upon request, though there is no requirement for the borrower to understand the implications or the mathematics. Bankers engaged in lending are subject to internal auditing to prevent outright thievery. In other words, if the Bank is screwing you in this way, it’s because you bent over and said, ‘Yes, please.’
Now, the uninformed may ask how mere money-lenders rate as the second-most influential category of Bankers. You, though, know better. You have examples from your own world’s history to draw upon. Bank Usurers not only lend the fortunes that make and break kingdoms, they also maintain a stranglehold on finance and fiscal policy that spans the entire settled globe, supplanting governments in this regard. They are the ones responsible for price fixing, currency manipulation, and deliberate stagnation of markets.
Board Usurers: Luna Olentu (#4), Ewkur “Ironbite” Jao (#6), Conclair Harringbell (#8), Henjen I’Henjen (#9).
The last category, the Extractor, is a rarity in the modern Bank. In this category, wealth is not created through production goods, nor siphoned through financial witchcraft, but extracted from the world. Seekers, as they’re styled, are employed to find new sources of wealth, be those natural resources, lairs, or equipment and accolades lost by the dead. All Bankers of any importance include at least a few Seekers in their organization, but Extractors build teams around them, operating much as Guild teams do but with even fewer scruples. There is more I could say concerning this category, but I shall leave it there given their relative unimportance in the Bank’s current internal political environment.
Board Extractors: Dielrick Meruta (#5), Reddel Eas (#10).
In summary, they’re all assholes. You happy?

Rain smiled behind his helmet as he stepped down onto the sand. Once he felt his message had been sufficiently delivered, he eased up on the pressure he was exerting on Luna while raising his helmet’s visor to reveal his confident expression. It wasn’t even faked. The abject awe rolling off the assembled Bankers was like a balm for his soul.

Luna was handling it quite well, only the tiniest twitch from the corner of one eyelid belying how hard he was fighting to control his expression.

Others, not so much. Case in point: Enforcer Gena, who shouldn’t have even felt a thing. “What?! How?!”

Luna silenced his underling with a glance before stepping forward. “I am glad to see that the rumors of your demise are false, Captain Rain. That was a risky maneuver you performed in the channel, but it was quite effective in throwing me off your trail.”

Rain’s eyebrows rose slightly before he schooled them to stillness. He hadn’t expected Luna to outright admit he’d been trying to track them. Not so early in the conversation, anyway.

[He gave you that one to break your flow,] Reece warned far too loudly, watching through his eyes from the comfort of her living room. [Don’t let him take the momentum.]

[Right,] Rain replied, continuing with scarcely a break in the conversation. “I am glad to see you are unharmed as well, President Luna. I’m sorry to hear of the loss of your base of operations. Were you able to extract all your people?”

“Most,” Luna said, his voice tight.

Rain nodded in understanding. “The Empire is one topic I wish to discuss.”

“Of course,” Luna said, and Rain felt the play coming. “My office is on the other side of the island, though it may be easier if I come aboard your vessel instead, which I note has powerful protections of its own.”

“Forget about it,” Rain said. “I’m prepared to share quite a few secrets with you today, but nothing about this airship. In fact, if you could have your people back up a bit, I’d surely appreciate it. I’m feeling a bit crowded.”

“But of course,” Luna said. “Gena, one-hundred stride perimeter, please.” He pointed toward a group watching in the distance. “And get those laggards back to work.”

“Yes, sir,” Gena said, raising his voice. “You heard him! Back away!”

“Thank you,” Rain said as the gathered Enforcers retreated under Gena’s direction. In the lull, he glanced at his hacked-together party window, which he’d left floating off to the side before the ‘engagement’ had begun.

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Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

[Guest rights,] Reece reminded.

“Not to be old-fashioned, but you welcome us as your guests, correct?” Rain said, taking the interruption in stride. “I’d like to avoid any unfortunate misunderstandings.” As he said the last word, he unleashed his soul once more, charging his domain with his intent.

If you try anything, we will mess you up.

Beside him, he could feel Ameliah’s silent laughter. She joined her pressure to his, giving off the feeling of a circling coyote.

[Subtle,] Reece commented dryly, doubtless aware of the pressure he was exerting. The less reinforced sections of his station tended to creak when he pushed himself, and the environmental dome holding her house was one such section.

“Of course,” Luna said, weathering the storm but feeling distinctly unsettled beneath his facade. “Welcome, formally, as guests under my protection, Rain, Atyl, and...Ameliah, I presume?”

“That’s me,” Ameliah said, gesturing to the others. She and Rain released their pressure together as she continued. “These are Jamus, Clubbs, and Samson. You may tell our ranks by the pips on our collars. One pip for Aspirant—though there are none here—two for Trusted, and three for Entrusted, our highest rank. It has nothing to do with level, so don’t get the wrong idea. Samson and Atyl hold leadership roles on our Defense and Finance councils respectively, as indicated by the golden insignias. Oh, and that’s Dozer on Rain’s shoulder. No rank for him. He’s above such things.”

“And aboard your ship?” Luna asked, taking this in stride. “How many passengers can it carry, precisely? At least one more than I see here, from the absence of your winged friend.”

“Stop fishing,” Rain said, ignoring Dozer’s happy quivering over being included. “The airship is how we’re here, not why.”

“You cannot blame me for being curious,” Luna said with a laugh. “Very well, I shall let the topic lie for the time being. To business, then, and I will be blunt, as that is clearly the style you prefer. Why are you here?”

“Because we need your help,” Atyl answered.

“And you need ours,” Samson was quick to put in. “Don’t think we’re unaware of the precariousness of your position. It is a partnership that we propose.”

“I see,” Luna replied, looking around as if not sure who to address before settling on Rain. “And what led you to the conclusion that you would be able to help me? Short of gifting me that flying ship to sell to the highest bidder, I will lose my board position in a few short months and, thereafter, my ships. Without them, I will have no hope of earning my way back to my current rank in this decade. How do you propose to solve this issue?”

The sharp intake of breath from Gena, who’d returned after establishing the perimeter, spoke volumes. Rain was also taken aback, not having expected such candor.

[He’s still trying to play you, but he’s desperate if he’s willing to be that honest,] Reece said. [Are you sure you don’t want to pick a different Banker?]

Rain ignored her. “Jamus, the gift box, please.”

“Precautions first,” Samson said, turning back for the ship. “Clubbs, Ameliah, could you help us set up?”

“Set up what?” Gena asked as those named departed, Ameliah jogging ahead of the others.

“A perimeter of our own,” Atyl said as the others headed back for the ship. “Our Runescribes have devised a way to layer ward runes upon linen panels, which may be arranged into a simple privacy formation. It is not as strong as a proper closed ward, and the ink burns out quickly, but it gets the job done for a day or two. As a bonus, if the ink burns out earlier than it should, you know someone’s punching through with Divination. The schema is on the table for trade.”

Ameliah suddenly called out from the direction of the ship, though not in alarm. “Heads up!”

Pivoting smoothly, Rain snagged the aluminum table out of the air, which she’d hurled at him like a Frisbee. Three of its folding legs had already flopped open in transit, and he deployed the fourth before planting them firmly in the sand. He had to move quickly to catch the aluminum stool that followed, but not so quickly that he felt the need to use Velocity.

[Stick good!] Dozer sent excitedly, clinging with enthusiasm against his rapid movement.

“Yeesh!” Atyl said, raising his hands too slowly to stop the chair that would have hit him in the head if not for Rain’s intervention. “Ameliah!”

“Sorry, air caught it!” Ameliah called, throwing a third stool as Rain caught and planted the second.

“You know, my office is not that far,” Luna said, watching the circus act.

“And I’m not leaving sight of my ship until we have at least a basic understanding,” Rain said, planting a stool in front of the Banker. “Please.” He indicated it with a gesture as he walked around to the other side, casually catching the last chair and bringing it around to sit on in one smooth motion. Dozer immediately hopped from his shoulder to the surface of the table.

“I see you have created more of this metal,” Luna said, rapping his stool with his knuckles before testing it with his weight. “The ore must be common if you consider it suitable for more than daggers.”

“It’s called aluminum, and we’ll happily sell it to you in bulk,” Atyl said. “If you agree to work with us. And to our ethical stipulations.”

“Samson’s right, we should wait for the Wards before we say much more,” Rain said, raising a hand. [Dozer, leave the dangerous goldplate alone. In fact, you’ll be better off if you go back inside to play. It’s going to get really boring for you out here in a minute.]

Luna frowned as Dozer bounced up and down in front of him, then extended a single finger. Dozer practically detonated with glee, then produced a tendril to match. After performing the tiniest of fist bumps, he vanished with a pop.

[He cool! Have fun boring talking part!]

[Thanks for your assessment, Dozer,] Rain sent, rolling his eyes. Luna had merely raised an eyebrow.

“How...?” Gena asked.

“Don’t worry about it,” Rain said.

Before long, Samson returned, moving to stand behind Rain rather than taking a chair, mirroring Gena’s position behind Luna. “Wards are up.”

Rain nodded, seeing Jamus approaching with the crate. Ameliah waved from the ramp, then sat beside it to stand guard as Clubbs retreated inside. He could tell from here that she wasn’t all that interested in the political maneuvering to come. He could also feel Tallheart’s reassuring presence from within the ship, solid as always despite being in what he called ‘hostile’ territory.

“Okay,” Rain said as Jamus planted the crate beside the table and took a seat. “First off, let’s start with the basic facts. Your ranking is going to fall no matter what we do. With only four months and change to the new year, there isn’t enough time for you to rebuild the operational base you’ll need to hold your current spot. I can see that this upsets you, and given the stupid ranking system we’re working with, I get that. Wealth shouldn’t be a competition, but I digress. We’re prepared to help you stop the bleeding and stay in the top ten. Jamus?”

“These are ballpoint pens,” Jamus said, retrieving a wooden box from the case and setting it on the table. He flipped open the lid to reveal the metal pens inside, a full fifty of them, one of which he selected while readying a sheet of paper with his other hand. Removing the cap, he demonstrated, quickly drawing a happy-looking dog. Jamus being Jamus, the sketch was excellent and easily recognizable as a cartoon version of Cloud.

Spinning it around, he passed the paper and the pen over to Luna to inspect.

Atyl leaned forward. “The ink is inexpensive, as is the construction, yet the final product is better than anything on the market, including alchemical quills.” He pointed. “That entire box was produced by our artisans within a single day, as a test of our production capability. The material cost is trivial compared to the labor involved, which we are working to reduce. Estimated production cost for fifty units is three silver. Recommended selling price is 1 silver each, undercutting the standard rate for alchemical quills while providing a better product at a ridiculous margin.”

“How long-lasting?” Luna asked, testing the pen for himself.

“A hundred times as long as a one-Cryst quill,” Atyl said. “They cannot write on any surface, but on paper for the discerning scribe, there is no downside.”

“And you will sell them to me for...”

“Fifty percent above cost to start,” Rain said, nodding at the box. “Consider these a free sample.”

“But wait, there’s more,” Jamus said, making Rain smile. He placed a flashlight on the table, smaller and sleeker than their early, heavy prototypes like the one Luna had managed to acquire. “These, I believe you are familiar with,” he continued, flipping on and off the switch. “We have miniaturized the bulbs as well as the batteries—as we call the power source—and both are replaceable.” He extracted another pair of wooden boxes, batteries and bulbs respectively, placing them on the table.

Atyl had found his notes and extracted a sheet from them, sliding it across the table. “Production cost breakdown for the pens,” he said, finding another sheet and passing it over again. “And for the flashlights and their components.”

“This is all very quaint, but—” Luna began, but Jamus cut him off, slamming down a heavy bolt of fabric.

“Linen cloth,” Jamus said. “Note the tight, flawless pattern of the weave. This original bolt was thrice this width and was produced in less than a day, not including the time to grow the flax.” He plucked at the sleeve of his Ascension jacket. “Our uniforms have thus far consumed the bulk of our output, but soon, we will find ourselves with a surplus. Cotton, wool, other fibers...all should work with our process, should you be able to source the raw materials for us.”

“Again, we’re working to reduce the production time further,” Atyl said, sliding across another sheet.

“I—“ Luna said.

“Next!” Jamus interrupted, placing down a rack of bottles with a clink. “Health, stamina, and mana potions. Standard stuff, but of the utmost quality. We produce the bottles, too, as well as high-clarity glass in general. Other potions are available upon request.” There was a clatter as he tossed a collection of wooden dowels onto the table. “Arrow shafts, hardened with Woodsmithing. Again, fairly standard. Rain, did everyone throw something in here?”

“Pretty much,” Rain said.

Atyl was struggling to keep up with the papers.

One by one, Jamus laid out ingots of various metals on the table. “Copper, tin, iron, aluminum, all one hundred percent pure. We have a full refinery operation able to produce metals at scale, again, should you be able to provide us with raw materials. We also make fasteners—nails, screws, bolts, that kind of thing. Standardization is something we will insist upon. There are pamphlets on the metric system and our mathematical notation in here somewhere.”

“I think he’s got the idea,” Rain said, laying a hand on Jamus’s arm to stop him. “There’s a lot of stuff we can offer, and what’s in that box is just the start. We have plenty more ideas that we haven’t finished developing.”

“I see,” said Luna, greed bubbling beneath his dispassionate facade.

Rain tried not to smile too broadly. “We’ll come up with some sort of catalog eventually. For now, I’ll leave it to you to determine what has the best profit margin and decide what you want to order. Our ship, as you’ve doubtlessly concluded, was not swallowed by a Whale, and it has a significant cargo capacity. We’re set up on an island south of here, and no, we’re not going to tell you exactly where. There’s another island north of that in much safer waters. It’s even more desolate than this place, but we’ll build a dock and some infrastructure as soon as we can. Your Goldships should be able to reach it, and we’ll conduct our exchanges there. You can take our goods from there and sell them wherever you wish. We’ll be selling them too, mind, but in a much more limited fashion. You’re the one with the contacts and the distribution network to really make this work.”

“So this is your plan, then?” Luna said, peering at Rain over the mound of assorted stuff. “I will admit, some of these goods are enticing, but even should I disrupt the entire market with them, I would not be able to break the hold of the top three. They would undercut us in return, no matter how innovative your production methods. The gulf between their manufacturing abilities and those you claim is wider than you know.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Rain said. “Also, they’re colluding, by the way. The top three. To control the market and protect their profit margins. But you’re a smart man, and you already knew that. What I know is that they’re doing it because they’re afraid of competition.”

“Let them try to match us,” Atyl said. “Let them just try. I know it sounds like hubris, but you haven’t seen what I’ve seen.”

“I am saying that this is not enough,” Luna said with minor pique, splaying his fingers atop the pile of papers Atyl had given him.

“Of course not,” Rain said, sitting back and crossing his arms. “Like I said, this is a stopgap. Something to keep your people loyal and your organization together through the hope you’ll be able to claw your way back. No, what I really mean to accomplish is much bigger, and it’s going to take decades. I’m talking about manufacturing and transport at scale. Inter-city transport of cargo that will make the teleportation network obsolete. I’m talking about consuming the Bank from within and reforging it into the symbiote it should be instead of the parasite that it is.” He waved a hand. “Not so you can be number one—or me through you by proxy. Wealth is worthless unless you put it to use, and that whole ranking system of yours has got to go.” He leaned forward. “I’m talking about building a better world. About improving life for everyone.”

[Coming on a bit strong there,] Reece commented.

[Nobody asked you.]

Rain watched patiently as the gears turned in Luna’s head, matching him stare for stare.

“This plan certainly does not lack for audacity,” Luna finally said. “I have several concerns which must be addressed before I even entertain trying what you propose. On any timescale.”

Rain smiled, settling in for the long haul. “Alright then. Let’s talk details.”