Don't Panic Chapter 23: So Rises the Peverell Black Trading Company

Chapter Synopsis: 

A nice short chapter, with a new trading company established and a tentative alliance with the Manderlys. An alliance that will likely probe unexpectedly fruitful for the Lord who has unwittingly tied himself and his house to a band of marauding wizards (and one elf) 

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Last Time: ...  Harry was well aware that most Lords would simply take any ideas he offered and use them purely for their own enrichment. Which was why Harry had started seriously contemplating going into business for himself. 

He had no intention of giving more power to the lords of these lands, but he could definitely bring these innovations to the table through his own merchant operation. It would need a full blown trading company and land, but the sheer volume of trading in this one city was evidence enough that the economy could support another entrant to the market.

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Chapter 23: So Rises the Peverell Black Trading Company 

Harry and Sirius, having received the summons from Lord Manderly, had carefully selected some of their best champagnes and whiskeys to offer as a gift to the merchant lord.  

Much of what Harry could achieve in the near future depended on a successful meeting with the Lord Manderly. They’d need a more mercantile lord to somewhat sponsor and back their activities, as foreigners were rarely allowed to operate any large endeavours in the lands of Westeros. The Lords couldn’t let the Merchants and foreigners gain too much power after-all.  He had been pleasantly surprised to receive the invitation today, having just started contemplating how he might use Lord Stark’s letter of introduction to request an audience.  

Wearing the finest set of ‘merchant’ clothes they’d commissioned during their stay in Wintertown, and with the bottles nestled securely in a finely crafted wooden box, they made their way up through the winding cobbled streets to the castle to greet a man who they hoped would be an ally, or at least neutral to Harry’s ambitions.  

New Castle, the seat of House Manderly, sat serenely atop the hill in the center of town. Both agreed that the Castle definitely didn’t look ‘new’, maybe they were going for irony. They decided it would be impolite to ask. Harry thought Dobby’s magic could probably make it look new, but would be sure to never mention it just in-case Dobby took it as a challenge. 

After presenting their invitation at the gatehouse and having it verified, a page boy was called forth to guide them into the castle proper. As they entered, they found themselves in the bustling working yards, which were unsurprisingly busy. 

New Castle was a majestic structure, its architecture reflecting the wealth and affluence of House Manderly. Built of grey stone, its walls rose high above the surrounding town, providing an impressive view of the harbour and the sea beyond.  

The castle’s towers stood tall and proud, adorned with banners bearing the sigil of House Manderly – a silver merman with dark green hair, wielding a trident. This motif of tridents and mermaids was prevalent throughout the castle, a clear indication of the Manderlys’ affinity for the sea and their maritime prowess. 

They passed numerous servants and guards as they made their way into the entrance hall, each dressed in the Manderly colours of silver and sea-green. The guards all wielded the unusual three pronged tridents, which seemed like an ostentatious choice, and possibly a bit vain. But it made an impression nonetheless.  

The lack of reaction from the servants at their appearance gave Harry the impression that it was common for wealthy merchants to wander the halls of New Castle. This seemed like a good sign, it indicated that Lord Manderly would be amenable to some of the more mercantile endeavours Harry had been planning. 

The entrance hall itself was a grand affair, with high ceilings and intricate frescoes depicting scenes of naval battles and bustling ports. A magnificent chandelier, adorned with silver mermaids, hung from the centre of the ceiling, casting a soft, ambient light throughout the space.  

The polished stone floors were adorned with plush sea-green rugs, each with interwoven silver patterns, likely imported at great expense from Myr, and the walls were lined with suits of armour, ancient weapons, and various maritime artifacts, as well as paintings of ships at sea and the Manderly ancestors. 

It was clear that New Castle was a home the Manderly’s took pride in, and also clear that they liked to show-off their wealth. Harry suspected that they might be wealthier than the Starks. Though Harry knew that true wealth in a feudal society like this is usually measured in power, and in that the Starks would always win. 

Harry was also relieved to note that at this height, the more intense smells of the fish market and open latrines were lessened dramatically. The fresh sea breeze mingled with the scents of freshly baked breads from the castle’s kitchens. 

… kitchens he was sure they had passed at least once already. 

Harry rolled his eyes as he noted that the page-boy was clearly leading them the long way through the castle. 

This was probably all part of the show of wealth and power. Part of the ’game’ they all played in this world.  

Harry didn’t mind though, he was quite enjoying this mini exploration of a new castle. It gave him an excellent opportunity to gain insight on the products of this world that only the more wealth lords would have access to. 

Actually, Harry was more than pleased to see the quality of life the wealthiest could achieve, even with so little technology, it gave him more confidence that he could spread that quality of life to more people without having to introduce the more questionable practices of the industrial revolution. 

As they ventured further into the inner parts of the castle, Harry noted there were more glass windows, probably meant to highlight the wealth of the Manderlys. However, even in this lavish castle, he noted that the glass was of low quality and generally quite small in size. At least small by Harry’s reckoning. 

The small panes were held together in larger windows using lead, much like you would see in the stained glass windows of a church or cathedral in his old world. In-fact, he did see that some of the panes were stained with more mermen artwork. The obsession with mermen was maybe becoming a bit much, but who was he to judge, wizards had far stranger obsessions. 

The lack of higher quality glass, or even any proper glass panes, reaffirmed his earlier conclusion that even the wealthy lords had very limited access to glassworks.  

This presented a yet another clear opportunity for Harry to introduce a new product to the market. The Myrish apparently held glass making techniques close to their chest, and clearly weren’t all that good at it anyway. Harry’s more advanced glass-making techniques would leave any competition in the dust. 

Harry also wasn’t particularly worried about the rumoured tendency for Myr to send assassins after their competitors. Harry was certain he could handle anything they threw at him. 

The rugs in the highly decorated inner rooms of the castle also caught Harry's attention. They were clearly of Myrish make – he had read all about Myrish glass and carpets in the library of Winterfell.  

Introducing advanced spinning wheels and looms could easily kick-off an economy boom wherever he chose to base his business. The wealth and employment generated by a strong textile industry could support an entire country on its own. With the right tools and techniques, they could also greatly increase production and make such luxuries available to a wider population. 

Harry made mental notes of all these observations, and stored them in his occlumency strongholds, knowing he’d have to remember these ideas for later. 

With all the ideas he’d already come across, he was creating quite the backlogged to-do list. His greatest concern was in the response of those in power to his company disrupting the delicate balance of power and tradition that governed this world.  

He didn’t really care for their system of lordships, but any disruption could trigger war or suffering if handled poorly. Just taking away the income of one lord could create a squabble that would last generations if some of the histories he’d read were anything to go by. Nevertheless, the potential to improve the lives of the people, both noble and common, was too great to ignore. 

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As they approached the door to the solar, Sirius tightened his occlumency and smartened himself up a bit. He had opted to take the lead in this meeting, eager to embrace Harry’s idea of launching a trading empire with the help of their magic and modern know-how. In fact, Sirius found the prospect of leading this business and overseeing its expansion to be an enticing challenge. 

Such things were right up his alley, thanks in part to the estate management tutoring he’d received in his childhood, albeit mostly unwillingly, as the scion of the House of Black. The training had left an indelible mark on him, making him well-suited to handle the ins and outs of running a business. Furthermore, Sirius’ natural charm made him adept at navigating the world of wheeling and dealing – an essential skill for anyone in a Feudal society, as the Lords you encountered could easily make or break any deal. 

He knew that Harry was far more interested in the invention and creation side of their endeavour, and Sirius believed that they would make an excellent team in getting their business off the ground. Together, they could combine their unique skills and interests to make a real impact in Westeros. 

As for Dobby … well Sirius wasn’t concerned about the free elf’s role in their plans. Dobby always seemed to do his own thing, yet he always managed to keep busy and be around when needed. Sirius trusted Dobby’s judgment. 

Regardless of whether he chose to help in the trading business, Sirius still enjoyed travelling with the excitable elf. And it’s not like he was getting up to mischief when left to his own devices. He’d yet to hear of even one incident involving the elf, who was clearly working diligently to blend in and hide his magic.  

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As they approached the solar, the high wooden doors creaked open slowly, causing Harry to roll his eyes internally at the dramatic flair. Behind the doors, they got their first look at Lord Manderly, who was perched atop a grand throne-like cushioned chair of dark wood and plush upholstery, his somewhat round figure having a buoyancy that made him seem more genial than imposing. 

At spotting his guests, Lord Manderly rose to greet them with a clearly practiced but no less jovial smile.  

"Aha, welcome, welcome travellers, or should I say welcome my lords?" he greeted, with a slight raised eyebrow at the mild question of their status, “please, please come in.  Avail yourselves of the bread and salt and be welcome in my home.” He gestured to a nearby servant who approached with a tray bearing the customary bread and salt. 

The surprisingly warm greeting caught Harry off guard for a moment. For a high ranking Lord, he appeared to be an unusually affable and jovial man; or at least that’s how he presented himself to merchants. Harry had no doubt that there was a shrewdness underneath the display. One would need some intelligence to hang onto all this wealth. 

Taking the lead, Sirius pinched some bread and salt, and turned to introductions. “We thank you for the welcome Lord Manderly, I am Sirius of the House of Black” Sirius said while nodding his head slightly in a sign of respect between Lords, “and this is Hadrian of the House Peverell, though most call him Harry” he said, gesturing towards Harry. “We were surprised to receive your invitation, but it’s certainly fortuitous. We had actually hoped to have an audience during our visit to your lovely city, and we carry a letter of invitation for our mutual Friend Lord Stark.” Sirius smiled, as did Lord Manderly, both knowing that calling Lord Stark a friend was a particularly useful name-drop and it seemed one that both parties could lay claim to. A rare occasion since the Starks rarely made friends.  

“We have some business propositions that may be of benefit to you.” 

Harry gave Sirius a sceptical look, having not heard him talk like this before. It was excessively smarmy, but it seemed to have made Lord Manderly happy. He decided to stay silent anyway, happy to let Sirius take the lead while he mused on the ever growing list of products he now wanted to introduce to Westeros. Some of those books on the Solar shelves also looked like they were just begging to be acquired, but he refused to be distracted; and no, he didn’t have a book stealing problem. 

“Thank you, Lord Black,” Lord Manderly nodded at the introductions “Please take a seat, I think this may just turn out to be a very productive luncheon” he said, as he led them to a table sat by large arched windows overlooking the town and harbour. The view cleverly capturing the power and wealth of Lord Manderly’s realm without a word having to be said. The spot was clearly set up for regular business lunches. 

The table was already laid with an impressive spread of food, including an assortment of breads, cheeses, fruits, and a variety of fish dishes, which Sirius surmised to be local specialties. 

As they settled into their seats, Sirius presented the champagne and whiskey. “Drinks from our homeland, as a gift for welcoming us into your home” he said, laying the intricately carved box on the table and opening it with one of his usual over-dramatic flourishes. 

This generated a raised eyebrow and slight amused chuckle from Lord Manderly. The Lord seemed genuinely pleased and waved a waiting servant over to pour them each a glass, having some expensive myrish glasses already set up for wine as another display of wealth.  

“Wait a moment” Sirius called, jumping back up to grab the whiskey bottle as the servant moved to pour out a generous serving, “just a dash or two will do, it’s strong, like a kick from a horse, we’re not trying to kill your Lord”  

Lord Manderly chuckled at the interaction, before taking the glass with a grin “I would have to take that as a challenge Lord Black, as any true Northern Lord would.”  

With that, he proceeded to down the entire glass. His face immediately registered the burning sensation, turning an alarming shade of red, and he gasped in response to the potent whiskey. Taking a deep breath and recovering from the shock, he looked contemplatively at the now empty glass before speaking in a still somewhat raspy voice.  

“This,” he paused, “this could be very popular. I’ve never encountered a drink that gives you such a sense of warmth. And it’s strong at that. Do you have any to trade?” he asked with a gleam in his eye, finally coming back to himself and smiling widely “I’ll buy a few cases for myself, and some for resale.” 

Sirius demurred, “We’ve a very limited supply, but we can part with a few cases for a friend. We might even discuss allowing you exclusive sale rights to the North at a later date when a greater supply can be secured.” 

As the group began to dig into the feast before them, Lord Manderly engaged them on their various travels and experiences in the North thus far. Sirius was happy to oblige and regaled him with a few light-hearted anecdotes. 

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This was starting well, Lord Manderly thought to himself. He could see why Stark liked these men. They were not grasping merchants, hunting for every coin. In fact, if he didn’t know better, he would think they didn’t care much for coin at all, even though they clearly had some incredible products to trade. This unusual trait only piqued his interest in the duo further, as he continued to dig for their history and intentions over the course of the lunch. 

He was also getting great amusement from their poorly disguised attempts to avoid admitting exactly where they came from. Not that it mattered to Lord Manderly, but it was proving fun to dig anyway. 

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Sirius was more than pleased with the variety of food in the Manderly’s table spread. The buttered fish dishes were heavy but mouth watering, showcasing the bounty of the sea that White Harbour relied upon.  

A particularly rich beef stuffed pastry stew caught his attention, and he made a mental note to have Dobby hunt for their recipes in their kitchens when the castle was asleep. It seemed that Lord Manderly was intent on impressing them not only with his hospitality but also with the wealth and abundance of his domain. 

As their lunch meeting drew to an end, Sirius decided it was time to take the first step in establishing their trade company properly in Westeros. He felt the friendly atmosphere was ripe for such a request, and he wanted to seize the opportunity while Lord Manderly was in a good mood. 

“Now that we’ve travelled much of the North, and met it’s wise rulers” Sirius nodded to Lord Manderly who chuffed good naturedly, “we’re tempted to establish a proper trade relationship with our foreign business.” 

Seeing Lord Manderly’s intrigued look, Sirius continued. “There definitely seems to be more demand for goods in this region than there is supply, especially in the more remote regions of the North. And we certainly have that supply. Both in normal food-stuffs and in luxury items that the North might desire” 

Sirius paused, holding up his glass of whiskey in emphasis. “But for this, we’d need a writ of permission to form a company properly and trade as an organisation, rather than just three wandering merchants.”  

This comment needed no clarification, Lord Manderly knew full well that any non-Westerosi traders needed a full company charter to operate an organisation of any decent scale on their shores. Even with both these men being foreign nobles of some sort. It was an advantage of nobility that stifled trade, but it kept his family on top so he’d not complain.  

“I know Lord Stark delegates the power to issue such a charter to you as Lord of the most prolific trade port in the North.” Sirius concluded, giving the Lord a meaningful look. 

Lord Manderly followed the conversation, steepling his hands, and not giving anything away, wearing his best Cyvasse face. 

Not getting quite the clear response he needed, through Lord Manderly’s poker face, Sirius decided to throw away subtlety and just put the question directly to the merchant lord. “Lord Manderly, would you issue us with such a document?” 

This was indeed the moment of truth. Individual traders were one thing, but companies could pose a threat to the power and influence of the Lords of the Seven Kingdoms. As a result, great care was taken in issuing permission to form a company.  

Only a Lord Paramount or the King could make such a decision. However, in issuing it under their authority as Lord Paramount, all the other Lords Paramount would have to recognize their peer’s authority and allow the company to operate in their realm as well. 

The North rarely ever issued such charters, being more of a last resort for most merchant guilds or foreign companies looking to enter the markets of Westeros. Lord Edwyle Stark was the only one of his peers to delegate the role to one of his vassal lords. 

Sirius was just about to contemplate compulsions. It’s not something he or Harry enjoyed doing, having both been subject to mind altering magics in their life in the old world, but they would use the tools available to them when needed. He was saved from the effort however by a slow nod from the clearly contemplative Lord Manderly.  

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Lord Manderly took his time to consider Sirius’s request, his eyes narrowing in thought. He knew he held all the pieces in this game of Cyvasse, and he just had to clear up in his mind which direction would be best for his House’s prosperity, and that of the North.  

He swirled the remaining whiskey in his glass before taking a sip and setting it down. “It’s not a decision I take lightly,” he began slowly, “but I’ve seen how your goods have impressed not only myself but also those in the market. My Master of Markets reported that you had quite the crowd on your first day here, and have been one of the most profitable sellers so far this Summer.”  

He glanced over at his desk where his missive from Lord Stark sat, the direction seemed clear, and he could foresee few downsides. Actually it could be a great boon to have a major Westerosi company registered under the banner of the North.  

He finally broke the suspense, “And, given Lord Stark’s endorsement, I’m inclined to grant your request.” 

A smile spread across Sirius’s face as he listened to Lord Manderly’s words. “We appreciate your trust and support, my lord. We’ll endeavour to contribute to the prosperity of the North and Westeros as a whole.”  

Harry too was smiling ear to ear, already thinking back on his long list of ideas that just became that much more achievable. 

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Lord Manderly called for his Maester, instructing him to draw up the necessary documents. While they waited, the conversation continued, and Lord Manderly decided to try the Champagne to end their lunch.  

The unexpected pop of the cork as it flew across the room was a tad shocking, and the somehow bubbly nature of the wine left him in wonder, having never tasted anything that made Arbor Gold seem so inferior. Curiosity piqued, he tried to dig once more into where these unusual wines were made. 

Sirius replied with a mysterious smile, “It’s a closely guarded secret, my lord. We have exclusive access to the finest winemakers from lands far away.” 

Before finalizing the registration, Lord Manderly negotiated a minor discount on future alcohol purchases in exchange for the privilege of granting them the charter, and confirmed the small but permanent 2% tax on all Westeros trades that would be owed to the North for the issuance of the Charter.  

Sirius agreed, knowing that building a good relationship with Lord Manderly would be invaluable for their future endeavours. 

The Maester returned, parchment in hand, and asked for the name of their new company. Sirius confidently declared, “Peverell and Black Trading.”  

They all signed four copies of the charter, and Lord Manderly stamped his sigil into the oversized dollop of melted wax at the bottom, sealing the agreement. One copy would go to his records room, another to Lord Stark, the third to the Master of Coin in Kings Landing, and the last with these fine men, who would hopefully make them all rich. Or richer he thought idly as he leaned back in his plush chair, taking another sip of the fine champagne. 

With the paperwork complete, the duo left New Castle feeling triumphant. They had successfully registered their company, and the support of Lord Manderly would undoubtedly open doors for them in Westeros. The Peverell and Black Trading company could officially get off the ground. 

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As his guests departed, Lord Manderly made his way back to the Solar, intent on another tipple of that new whiskey stuff. As he strolled through the corridors, receiving the customary bows from passing servants and the occasional knight, he wondered if this mysterious charter might even be mentioned in the Small Council. That would be pleasing indeed, he smiled to himself with a bit of a spring in his step. 

The North last issued a charter 50 years ago in 207 A.C., so it’s likely the Master of Coin will point out the activity at least briefly to the King. It never hurt to have his house name dropped in conversation with King Aegon V.  

Though last he’d heard, the King was busy putting down another minor uprising in the Westerlands. Lord Manderly did feel for his far too kind friend and fellow mercantile lord, Tytos Lannister, he was not well suited to ruling a realm, and poor King Aegon V was yet again stuck fixing his problems.  

It was moments like this that he was glad from the stability of the North, it may be a poorer realm overall, but most were loyal to the Starks, and few of his fellow lords were interested in politics. 

Lord Manderly’s mood was a little less chipper when he saw the new missives waiting for his attention upon his desk. Sighing he grabbed the closest pile and started reading. Work waited on no man.  

He was particularly interested in the hints his captains had reported about some unrest simmering in the disputed lands and stepsons. He hoped that would settle down, as his trade routes passed through those areas to get to the major Free Cities.  

Lys, Tyrosh and Myr were especially important to trade success, and with summer just starting, he expected there would soon be renewed activities from sellswords in the region, disrupting his businesses.  

He hoped the Peverell Black Trading didn’t have their base down that way, he’d not managed to figure out exactly where they were from, but it would be a mess if they were based anywhere near the disputed lands. 

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Chapter 24 Teaser: 

“He and Maester Cressen had worked for coming on five full years to complete this secret mission. Their shared goal being the suppression of the now dwindling knowledge of First Men histories. They had been carefully smuggling these tomes out of the Manderly archives and the homes of wealthier First Men families of the knightly or merchant classes.  

They’d even managed to steal from other vassal houses owing allegiance to the Manderlys. One or both of them would join any of the regular Manderly caravans travelling to their smaller towns or loyal vassal houses for the usual administrative purposes of ruling the lands.”