Having sent Annomyn out, Aaron decided he might as well go all the way and dispatched his other subordinates as well.
The Half-Orc Sword Saint Doherty was ordered to explore the north, especially the Great Desert of Anauroch. Aaron believed that Doherty's wisdom and negotiating skills would surely make the Bedine feel welcome and allow everyone to live in harmony.
The Snow Elf siblings Rellta and Ivenna were ordered to explore the remaining areas of Hulek Forest and the Thunder Peaks. Snow Elves were a troublesome race. These chaotic-neutral Elves easily clashed with humans, and their insistence on doing whatever they pleased made them an arrogant people.
For the moment, both sides needed each other, so their differences would not erupt just yet. Once the humans felt they had learned enough from the Snow Elves, and once the Snow Elves grew tired of the humans' dull farming lives, conflicts would begin to emerge.
From the Snow Elves' perspective, the humans were their students and owed them. The humans, meanwhile, would think, Why should I thank you for skills I learned through my own ability?
Barrel Moonflower had reminded Aaron of this. He had to admit that the fellow really understood the Elves' temperament.
Whenever Elves taught humans something, things usually ended in a falling-out. The Elves felt wronged-I've already taught you so much!-and the humans felt wronged too-You've taught me a lot, but I don't think you respect me.
Aaron knew that Barrel had probably come on some mission from Evermeet. The fat Sun Elf was quite candid. He neither charged Aaron too much nor cheated him, and he fulfilled his duties as an adviser well. Their relationship amounted to mutual exploitation.
The young pirate Edward Teach was still waiting for his flagship. Cormyr's royal shipyard was still rushing to