Haggling
Trips also began to Janihi Kleust in southern Bhadarukia to carry new and strange materials, drinks, spices, perfumes, and cloths the Meriweather had previously never carried before.
Junaid and Zos were often found in Janihi Kleust as representatives of their home, Arbos. Junaid had made a good name for himself and had been nominated as the prime overseer of trade negotiations. Zos remained as a faithful bodyguard, although it could be argued Junaid's own prowess with a blade made a bodyguard unnecessary, and Zos often conducted trade on behalf of his people.
Captain Morgan and Zos could be found haggling over some of the new items the Jackal clan had to offer. Heatedly. The two usually managed something in the end.
Shanku didn't venture far from the ship as she usually did. The jungle was full of poisonous plants and some of the largest cats she had ever seen or heard about. The locals loved to tell tales about "maneaters", some of the fiercest tigers and panthers a person ever had the misfortune to be caught alone with.
This new trade with Bhadarukia coupled with their usual runs to Mruha, and also of bringing goods from L'aernth, brought enough profit to Captain Morgan that he was able to let the crew have three months ashore each winter to do as they wished. Doctor Newbury was one of those that chose to return to the comfort of his home to some quiet reading and pipe smoking, or seeing to having another one of his books published. Templeton was one of a few that would return home to spend time with the family he'd left behind. Most did as Whitten, staying with the ship to help with repairs and maintenance, and to spend the night with a good mug.
Notes & Commentary
January 26, 2012, Thursday
Haggling
Zos and Junaid were able to establish their trade route and Junaid's sister recovered. The village now gets good medicine. 
Don't worry, the captain wouldn't dare let the cargo ride loose on a shelf like that in the second panel. I just felt like doing a bit of a still life scene. Although still life is a bit difficult to do well when you don't have the patience of a painter.
I'd realized at the start of this chapter that I had no clue what all the Meriweather traded in. So why not a little bit of everything? So the Meriweather carries foods, spices, alcohol, teas, coffees, dyes, cloths, perfumes, gems, and metals. (Lumber and livestock are traded either over ground or on ships specifically designed for them. Picky, yes, but I really don't want to draw livestock poop.)
Theoretically, the Meriweather also deals in medicine. Mostly herbal teas, a few herbs, anesthetic, and poultices.
Sorting out who deals what was kinda easy, kinda not. Most of the work went into L'aernth and Bhadarukia, oddly enough. Ya think I'd have spent more time on Mruha, since that's where the last five chapters have been.
Now we venture into the L'aernth section of how things have been the past few years. Whitten wasn't always a Grumpy Gus that liked to brood alone into some ale. More on that in a future short-story.
Templeton comes from a farm! All those crops developed his love of cooking, so off a voyagin' he went to cook.
Hunting is allowed in the Nyre quite openly. Gotta eat and do population control, after all. Sport hunting is what's frowned upon. Why kill unnecessarily?
Characters - Shanku Ravenwing - Zos - Captain John Morgan - Doctor Newbury - Jeffrey Templeton - Caleb Whitten -
Tags - Just Another Day -
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