The Accidental Archmage by Edmund Batara (read out loud books .TXT) 📕

the decision wouldn’t come back and bite him in

the ass.

“How do you find Maljen?” the Gothi inquired, at the same time gesturing at the chairs

of a small side table located at the right of the main door. The two took their seats.

“I have to admit I was surprised. Unique in a lot of ways. And I mean that in a good

way. Paved streets and no garbage or sewage stinking up everything. The people look

healthy and comfortably dressed in general. Trade seems to be booming and the

guards don’t look like thugs.”

“The work of the gods. Somebody finally realized that the benefits of a basic public

health system do wonders in increasing the number of worshipers. Though I would like

to think that the limitations imposed by territory on pantheon power also contributed. I

mean, if those whose belief sustains the being are within a specified territory, wouldn’t

it be better to try to make sure they don’t die out of plague or sickness? But I do have a

suspicion that a past visitor contributed the practical aspects of it. The correlation

between public hygiene and public health is a modern notion. Before modern history,

the focus was on remedial rather than preventive measures.”

“Speaking of hygiene, are baths common here? I still have to see the equivalent of a modern bathroom.”

“Oh, I am sorry. We do have bathrooms and toilets here. Ask any of the servants for

directions and anything you may need.”

“Thank God! I was worried there for a while. No outhouses for town houses then?”

“No,” laughed the Gothi, “runic magic makes things easier to set up in large settlements

as the materials and skill to build them are usually available.”

“I guess it would with the proper designs. So how was the mercenary guild?”

“Well, I managed to settle matters with them. The loss of several men and the

presence of the bandits were a shock. I wouldn’t want to be their spies now. Not to

mention a livid town guard commander. Though I was able to convince them it was an

attempt on me, either by simple bandits or a rival pantheon. The less attention on you,

the better. But the ice drake attack complicated matters. The jotnar have not been near

Maljen for hundreds of years. People are starting to fear that an outbreak of war

between us and the jotnar is in the offing.”

“Just what are the jotnar?

“Plural of jotunn. Meaning giant. But they’re not all giants. These are the age-old foes

and rivals of the Vanir and Aesir. You know, Ymir as the primordial ice giant and Surtr

for fire. Unlike the Vanir and the Aesir who have human forms, jotnar are generally of a

different mold. They take on many forms, ice drakes like the ones you saw, giants,

huge wolves the size of horses, and many other horrible shapes. Of course, there

are jotnar who have human forms. But the jotnar have rudimentary organization,

sometimes based on elemental affinity, sometimes on raw strength and in some

instances, on a clan basis. Others are solitary or at a mere pack level. These are what

people here call the wild jotnar. But without a doubt, they are all very dangerous

beings. Thankfully, they spend as much time fighting among themselves as against the

Nordic pantheon.”

“Another thing, your humorless huskarl, Jorund, mentioned something about being with

you for a semester?

“You know, I have not been able to get that fellow to even smile. I hope you have

better luck. Years here have two semesters, or seasons, namely summer and winter.

Each semester is roughly six months in duration. Anyway, we’ll get into time

measurements later. I have to show you the devices used by people to deal with such

matters. Luckily, the adoption of the day rune calendar is already widespread. Before it

was a bit difficult, you hear descriptions like six winters before the battle of this and that. Made things very confusing.”

“How about relations between cultures? Trade for example.”

“Trade between cultures is several degrees more difficult. Each civilization usually had

their own units of measure. That took up most of my time today as the trade guilds

deliberated on the Greek proposal to adopt the Grecian units of measure. Personally, I

have no objections. It may even prove to be beneficial for Nordic society in the long run

by contributing more precise measurements. Even the coinage should be revised. Right

now, it is large and small gold coins, large and small silver coins, then large and small

copper coins. One large gold would be equal to five small gold coins. A small gold coin

equals five large silver coins, and a large silver coin equals ten small silver coins. A

small silver coin is equal to ten large copper and a large copper means ten small copper

coins. And they don’t even name the damn things! Not a really a convenient system.

Hah! I think I will start changes on coinage as soon as I can!”

At Ivar’s comment, Tyler realized the important role visitors play in Adar even on a non-

magical level. New concepts, innovative trains of thought, and more importantly,

knowledge on how to implement such plans. All within the limits imposed by the divine

players, of course.

“Hear anything from your benefactor?”

“Except for the fact that the All-Father seems to be royally pissed at Ymir, nothing yet,”

answered the priest with a wry smile, “but I was instructed to let you stay with me as

long as you want.”

“I have to give my thanks then,” replied Tyler.

“Anyway, I guess you would want to take that bath already and rest?”

“Yes, thank you. But before that, may I ask a favor?”

“Of course, my friend. What is it?”

“This medallion also allows me to read Nordic languages, right?”

“That’s correct.”

“Would you have any light reading available? You know, books for entertainment. Books

you read before going to sleep.”

“Would you be interested in the Sagas? No, bad idea. Even those are a burden for me. I am afraid I don’t have anything on hand which would meet your needs. Nordic

entertainment tradition is skalds, skalds and more skalds. ”

“Shit. There go my reading habits. Would it be possible to read on runic magic? Even

basic reading would do. I know that I can’t do runic magic. I don’t even know