When Aaron found his magical adviser, Barrel Moonflower of the Sun Elf clan, the fellow was feasting at the Amber Eye, the largest elven tavern in Sunset Town, together with Aaron's cousin Robert.
News had recently arrived from the royal capital of Suzail that Robert's parents, Uncle Lothair and Aunt Mellie, had both been ennobled. When the royal envoy charged with making him an Honorary Lord presented the lord's formal robes, sword, and crown to the horse-raising uncle, Lothair was dumbfounded.
I'm a lord now?
But aren't I just a man who raises horses?
Cormyr was a country that leaned toward lawful neutrality. Compared with free cities like Baldur's Gate, it placed greater emphasis on protecting ordinary people's interests and safety, but that also meant a relatively conservative atmosphere, promotion based on seniority, and rigid social classes.
He had always heard of people being made lords for military achievements in war. Who had ever heard of someone becoming an Honorary Lord for raising horses for a few decades?
Had the royal envoy made some mistake?
Lothair even asked the royal envoy, Jim Harker, whether there had been a mistake.
Jim Harker found Lothair's reaction rather exasperating, but also a little funny.
This horse keeper really didn't know how lucky he was.
Yet when the envoy next announced Lothair's promotion to Honorary Master of the Royal Stables, raising his annual salary from 300 Golden Lions to 1,200, Lothair completely lost his composure. Aaron's uncle refused to accept it no matter what Jim said. He knew perfectly well that his horse-raising skills were nothing exceptional even among the Horse Masters. He could not accept a reward he had done nothing to earn.
An honest man, this one.
Cabinet minister Jim had plenty of tricks for dealing with honest men like him. All