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 Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2020 9:25 am
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Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2022 8:56 am
Black Market Beginings Quote: Solari decides it's time she gets a bit more serious about her craft and moves out to Belrea to start a business. She plans on building an underground network of suppliers to steal from and resell the products at a higher price to those who need to buy the materials.
Hafelle had seemed like a great place to start anything. Solari hadn’t thought she’d be back in Belrea any time soon after the incident with Lucretia but she packed up all of her things, got on a boat and made her way to Hafelle. She found herself a small home and settled in to see what she could find work wise. Lots of goods passed through here and Solari was thinking of offering her services so that others could acquire things they might need. There wasn’t exactly a crime syndicate in the area either, so it would b easy for her to establish connections without stepping on anyone’s toes.
It was a many nights she spent in bars simply listening to the workers and see who she might be able to corrupt and who she could steal from. After about a month, she was ready to make her first meeting.
“How can I help you?” The Geian said from behind the desk as Solari entered. This one delt with ores from all around and would be a great place to start. She also knew this particular man owed quite a few debts to others, if she gave him a cut, he would most likely be quite pliable.
“How are you Yofir? I heard you owe quite a bit of money because of your gambling habit.
“So?” he narrowed his eyes at her.
“I’ve got a fun proposition for you. You tell me when the shipments come in, where they’re headed, and I give you some money for the information.” If he joined her, she could easily find some buyers for the stolen goods.
“Sounds like stealing and stealing is against the law.” He crossed his arms.
“Well I am sure you’ll think differently when the collectors come around because of what you owe them. Will it be stealing then if they take from you without giving you anything in return?” She was the better evil and she knew it.
“People will suspect if too much goes missing…” He huffed.
“Your shipments won’t be the only ones affected I can assure you.” Because if she could get him to turn, Solari was going to get a whole slew of distributors for her clients.
“How much?”
“5%.” It was low, but it was better than just losing everything.
“10%.” He countered.
“8%?” She offered back.
He mulled it over a bit. “Fine.”
Solari stuck out her hand. “Then it’s a deal.”
This was the first step to building an underground market, but there was still plenty of work to be done.
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Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2024 8:17 am
Veiled Verses Solari moved through the shadows with the grace of a ghost, she could almost expertly navigate the labyrinthine streets of the city with her eyes closed. She was a thief, but not just any thief (or so she liked to believe in her mind). She had a vision – a plan to build an underground empire that would cater to the needs of both the desperate and the affluent. Mostly the affluent though, they were the ones with the money to make things happen.
The moon hung low in the night sky as Solari slipped into a dimly lit tavern tucked away in a forgotten corner of the city. It was a meeting place for the less savoury denizens of society – a perfect spot to recruit potential suppliers. This was often one of the bars she moved through to find people she needed to expand her network. She never stayed too long at the same spot, after all, it was too dangerous.
As she approached the bar, a motley crew of individuals glanced up from their conversations, eying her with a mixture of suspicion and curiosity. While there were other Mainlanders, few but some, within the tavern, they always captured the eyes a little more than the usual Belrean. It was something that bothered Solari since she could be easily recognizable if anything happened, but she always took precautions.
With her sharp eyes and keen instincts, she tried to seize up the potential in each of them. She was a listener, and it was this skill that allowed her to build her network of clients. She would take the time and see what little whispers she could pick up on and filter those to find what she really wanted to hear. There was no use in petty threats issued out over spilled drinks or lovers' gossip about their mistresses.
At the bar, she found a wiry man nursing a drink, his eyes darting nervously around the room. Solari slid onto the stool next to him, her presence barely registering as she spoke in a low, confident voice.
"I heard you might have something interesting to offer," she said.
The man looked at her, sizing her up. After a moment, he nodded cautiously. "Depends on what you're looking for."
Solari leaned in, her eyes locked onto his. "I'm looking for opportunity. I need suppliers – people who can get me what I want, no questions asked."
The man smirked. "And what's in it for me?"
Solari's curiosity sparked. "What do you want?"
He leaned back, swirling the remnants of his drink. "Protection. A guarantee that if things go south, I won't end up in the dungeons."
Solari nodded, her mind already calculating the benefits of having someone on the inside. "Consider it done." These were always the easier deals, the ones that didn’t require any money to buy. She always favored those above the ones who required a cut, she kept few, but she was hoping to be able to replace them with others who didn’t need the extra money to pad their pockets.
As the night wore on, Solari made deals with others in the tavern, recruiting a blacksmith for rare metals, a seamstress for exotic fabrics, and a locksmith for intricate mechanisms. Each one brought their own set of skills and goods to the table, and Solari revelled in the potential of her growing underground network.
This was one of the good nights, where she actually found potential individuals to work with. There were still a few specialized suppliers she wanted to make, but the best find was the locksmith. Wealthy individuals always liked to pay good money when they knew their goods were secured and in not-so-conventional ways.
In the days that followed, Solari continued to work on expanding her operations. Her network of suppliers increased, and her clients, blissfully ignorant of the origins of their acquisitions, grew more numerous. Yet, she faced a dilemma – she needed a front, a legitimate business that would serve as a cover for her illegal activities. The gears of her mind churned as she pondered the perfect facade. If she got too big, someone would start looking a little too closely into things. She needed a place that stood in the daylight, a place that thrived outside of the shade she often walked in.
Solari, though lazy by nature, was not one to shy away from a challenge. She wanted something that would blend seamlessly into the fabric of society, providing a plausible explanation for her vast wealth and connections. It had to be a business that allowed her to nit-pick the details, ensuring that every aspect could be justified. It had to be a place where the lowest and highest of society might perhaps ever so briefly cross paths.
As she strolled through the bustling market one afternoon, inspiration struck. A bookstore – a place of knowledge and culture. It was the perfect front, a haven for intellectuals and scholars where her illicit activities could remain hidden beneath the veneer of respectability. Clients came and went easily, and rarer books could be sold for higher prices if need be. She could hide plenty of money within the business.
With newfound determination, Solari set her plan into motion. She acquired a quaint bookstore nestled between grander establishments; its dusty shelves filled with carefully selected books to give the appearance of legitimacy. The bookstore, which she’d renamed "Veiled Verses," became the face of her operations.
Solari's curious nature led her to delve into the world of literature and art, feigning a passion for knowledge. She became a regular at cultural events, where she would listen intently to discussions on philosophy and literature, using the information to further enhance her cover. It was hard though and something she knew she couldn’t keep up forever. She’d never studied for anything before and while it was a necessity to start her business, she felt she’d just be attending events without contributing from now on.
As "Veiled Verses" gained popularity, so did her reluctance to handle the day-to-day affairs of the bookstore, so she delegated the responsibilities to a trustworthy manager who believed in the facade as much as she did.
The bookstore not only served as a front but also as a hub for her activities. Hidden compartments beneath the floorboards stored stolen goods, and secret passages allowed her to move undetected. Solari's network of suppliers thrived, and her clients, unaware of the dual nature of "Veiled Verses," continued to frequent the bookstore.
However, Solari knew her success would eventually draw the attention of rival criminal organizations. One evening, as she closed the bookstore for the night, she found herself face-to-face with the rival group's boss.
"Sashi," Voss sneered as he used her fake name, "your little bookstore can't hide the truth. We know what you're up to, and we want a cut."
Undeterred, Solari raised an eyebrow before tucking her hands behind her back where two throwing daggers lay hidden. "A cut? You must be joking. I built this from the ground up, and I don't share." She palmed the knives, if they so much as tried to pull something she was going to end them right where they stood.
Voss chuckled, his eyes narrowing. "You're playing a dangerous game, Solari. Your little store won't last." Solari grimaced at his switch to her real name.
"Or maybe, Voss, you're just not smart enough to see the bigger picture. Join me, and together we can create something that will rival all others." Until she could plunge her dagger into his back of course and rid herself of him. He was too dangerous to keep long-term as a worthy partner. However, considering if she didn’t offer him something, anything, right this moment, she might lose it all in one fell swoop.
Voss hesitated, the offer tempting his ambitions. Solari knew she had struck a chord. She wasn’t just gathering an intricate network of clients and suppliers, informants were important too. You can’t see the dagger in the dark until it’s too late, but information shed light on that dagger when it was acquired.
"Think about it," she continued. "With your skills and my connections, we could dominate the underground market. No more petty rivalries." Voss had no skills from what Solari understood, he’d only used brute force to pave a bloody path to what he liked to refer to as his throne in the underground market.
Voss considered her proposition, his gaze shifting between Solari and the darkened bookstore. After a tense moment, he nodded and Solari was glad for the deception.
"Fine. But I'm keeping my eye on you. Cross me, and I will end you."
Solari gave him a curt head nod. Voss grunted and left with his bodyguards. The waterling released the breath she’d been holding and her death grip on the dagger at her back. This was going to set her back some, but until she was able to deal with Voss and dismantle his empire, she’d have to keep him close. What was the saying about keeping your friends close but your enemies closer? Word count: 1519
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