>>334653
>Be Trader Anon.
>However, you're no merchant like the others: you mostly trade with the tribes of the Grey Peaks and those who live at the foot of these mountains.
>Turns out, the Barbarians are quite fond of Imperial Wine, fish, metalworks and magical tools.
>While Imperials are ready to pay a small fortune for the plants, textiles and minerals found in high altitude and that the natives have a knack at finding.
>Today began as a fairly normal day, until…
>"Boss, we got a problem."
"What sort?"
>"High Orc on the path."
"Crap. Alright, tell everyone to get ready to fight, but do not threaten them, I'll go and try to talk us out of trouble, alright?"
>"Yes boss!"
>Moments later, the Orc is sitting next to your in the carriage as you drive slowly upon the treacherous path.
<"Ansha is thankful for your help, Trader."
"It's no problem, Lakshish Tribe are our friends, we help friends of friends."
<"Spirits played mean trick on Ansha: Ogres of the mist came to celebrate night of the Spirits, feast too loud, Spirits partied too long, Ansha's head hurts, cannot remember how Ansha walked so far from camp alone…"
"I'm just glad you weren't planning on raiding my caravan."
<"Raiding Caravan? Stupid, Caravan precious friends, if we break Caravan, no more Axe of Battle! The Peaks too dangerous without good weapon. With good weapons, tribe can hunt and protect territory, tribe strong, tribe welcome at table of Great Alliance! Good friends: make Tribe strong!"
"Thank you Ansha, the Caravan apreciate."
<"Ah! Next Moon, you too, come and feast with us, you friend of Ansha, we party!"
"Next Moon, yes?"
<"Next Moon Hahahah! My sisters no husband, you make good husband, yes? My sisters good wives."
"Perhaps. It could be useful to have a High-Orc as permanent bodyguard. What about you Ansha? Do you have husband?"
<"Yes! Husband, best in the Peaks and in the Steppes! Because Ansha is best wife! Strongest daughter of all Spirits!"
"Chieftain Lakshish would be very angry to hear that."
>The mention of her chief, a positively deadly Succubus of mysterious lineage, quickly cools your friend's boasting down.
<"Umm, Chieftain Lakshish very strong too… With strong husband: Chieftain Lakshish, Chieftain of all Peaks, too smart for other tribes, yes."
"She is lucky to have you on her side, then?"
<"Yes! Very! Good friends makes tribe strong, yes?"
"Yes, yes Ansha."
<"I like you, Trader, want drink?"
>With a smile, the High-Orc picks one of the strange transluscent skins from her belt, before handing it to you.
"I thought you had drank enough?"
<"Hahaha! Enough? No! But this, is no drink from Spirits. Is medicine, heals many, yes."
"Oh, I'm alright, thank you."
<"Heals many and keep bad spirits away, is good for you, Trader a little fat, fat is good, but needs balance with muscles, yes, Trader isn't very balanced yet."
>A displeased grumble escapes you, that Barbarian wasn't wrong, you had gained a little weight lately, but to think her suspicious brew could help, preposterous!
>You look at her as she empties one of her skins, what are these things made of? licking her lips with a satisfied smile.
>To your surprise, her bruised knee seems to sparkle for a brief moment, before the scraped skin closes in front of your very eyes, not leaving even a scar.
"What in the blazes?"
<"See, bad spirits, away. Even head, pains less."
"Alright, you convinced me, I'll taste."
<"Good, good! Here, try this one."
>Still, you give it a tentative sniff…
>Weird, salty?
>A quick glance at Ansha only rewards you with a stare full of expectation.
>Accepting your fate, you gulp down a small amount of the liquid, trying to do it as quickly as possible, to avoid tasting it, but failing as the odly slimy content sticks to your throat.
"Erk, what on Earth is this?"
>"Husband's seed, makes us strong, because he is strong husband, yes?"
"Urk…"
>Never drinking with High-Orcs ever again.
Addendum: Trader Anon later discovered that the transluscent pouches are made of toad skin, further ncreasing his disgust.