Yomm
Captain Yomm was a jade-green eyed asura with a burly, square-shouldered figure and long, sloping ears.[1] He was among the first merchants to establish a general store, Yomm's Merchantile, in Lion's Arch after Cobiah Marriner rebuilt it.[2] In his youth, he studied in the College of Statics and built packing golems which he later used in his store.[3][4] While running his shop, Yomm had given blatant preferential treatment to various customers, while rising prices towards others.[1]
Biography[edit]
Sea of Sorrows[edit]
By 1237 AE, most of the Captain's Council had run up debts to Yomm,[5] which he used as leverage to buy his way onto the council himself. Though he abided by the laws established by purchasing a ship, the Nadir Shill and hiring Bronn and Grymm Svaard as crew,[6] his acceptance into the Captain's Council resulted in new laws being passed for requirements in joining the council.[7]
The night after being accepted onto the Captain's Council, a bomb was set off on Captain Isaye's ship, the Nomad, killing some of her crew and injuring both Isaye and Cobiah Marriner. The pair suspected Yomm of the act and accosted him in his shop before realizing his innocence. The following day, it was revealed that the money Yomm used to pay the regency fee for a seat on the Captain's Council was provided by Henst who conspired with Xeres Grimjaw and King Baede to take over Lion's Arch.[8] After the conspiracy was revealed by Macha, a fight broke out among the captain's and their first-mates. As the fight broke out, Yomm cowered beneath the meeting table.[9] When the fighting was finished, he had announced that he located the bomb Grimjaw had set up to kill the council members.[10] In the following years, Yomm had taken on the role of quartermaster for the city.
In 1256 AE, Prince Edair blockaded Lion's Arch with the intention to starve the city before invading with Seraph troops. Upon hearing this, Yomm immediately began to inventory and ration the city's supplies, followed by writing to the Arcane Council and the smartest asura he knew for assistance.[11] During the blockade, Yomm had managed to get Lion's Arch's asura gates working long enough to slip through to Rata Sum and directly begged the Arcane Council and asuran colleges for aid. Though he was denied at every turn, his actions caught the attention of Macha, who joined Yomm on the Nadir Shill in battle against the Risen forces that assaulted the Krytan and Lion's Arch fleets.[12] After Macha had killed The Maw, Yomm promised to propose awarding Macha the Incantrix Luminus, Rata Sum's highest award of honor, to the Arcane Council, as well as filing an ex post facto grievance over her stealing the Pride.[13]
Legacy[edit]
Yomm's Merchantile was ran and maintained by his descendants, most recently Yolla, until it was burned down during Scarlet Briar and her alliances' assault in the Battle for Lion's Arch.
Notes[edit]
- Yolla claims that Yomm was the first asura on the Captain's Council, however he was the second. Captain Tarb was the first.
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Chapter 17", page 227-228, Sea of Sorrows by Ree Soesbee:
- In the wide doorway of the town's main store, four charr clustered around a burly, square-shouldered asura. The asura's arms were crossed, and a glower was smeared on his features, belligerence positively dripping from his long sloping ears.
- [...]
- "I'll admit one thing, you surly stinkball. I do give Nodobe's crew preferential treatment," Yomm sneered haughtily. "But I do it because I prefer customers who pay their tabs. You and your crew skipped town with seven gold on your ledger. Seven gold!" The asura wrinkled his nose as if he smelled something rancid. Jade-green eyes as hard as stone chips glared at Grimjaw. "You're a dirty cheat!"
- ^ Yolla
- ^ "Chapter 18", page 242, Sea of Sorrows by Ree Soesbee:
- "Tarb's Dynamics, like me," Macha whispered conspiratorially into Cobiah's ear. "Yomm's Statics."
- ^ "Chapter 20", page 265, Sea of Sorrows by Ree Soesbee:
- "I didn't send any messages, you nitwit. You and your captain both have heads made of oak!" Seizing an opportunity, the shopkeep kicked her viciously in the shin. Macha yelped and grubbed her leg. While she was hopping about and cursing, Yomm rounded on Cobiah. "I don't know anything about bombs, or explosions, or murder. I spent my youth in a respectable laboratory, building packing golems like the ones I use to stock my store. I've never built an incendiary device in my life."
- ^ "Chapter 20", page 265, Sea of Sorrows by Ree Soesbee:
- "Cobiah," Isaye laid her hand on his arm. "Take a look at this." She spun Yomm's logbook around on the desk, running her finger down the entries. "Every captain in town owes him something. Grimjaw's not the only one. Nobode and Hedda... even Moran."
- ^ "Chapter 18", page 239-241, Sea of Sorrows by Ree Soesbee:
- "I believe I can help with that." A smarmy voice from the doorway made Cobiah turn sharply in his chair. The voice came from Yomm, the asuran merchant. With a snug tilt to his chin, Yomm trotted toward the long table. He wasn't alone, either; a norn was with him, walking slowly so as to keep pace with the merchant. With a start, Cobiah recognized the norn as Bronn Svaard. Further, Bronn was carrying a sack over his shoulder, much like the one Sykox had been carrying earlier that morning. But this sack was not filled with machine parts and engine tools. Bronn dropped it on the table at an insistent wave of Yomm's hand, and the entire group heard the unmistakable clink-clink of coins.
- "I'm here to buy a seat at the table." Yomm's long ears flicked back determinedly. He met each captain's eye with unflinching resoluteness, defying them to say no. Everyone froze for a moment, shocked by the shopkeep's brass. This was unheard of."
- "Yomm, you blithering idiot," Grimjaw snorted. "You're no captain. You've no ship! Don't waste our time with this skale-headed bilge."
- Shooting the arrogant charr a black look, Cobiah tried to soften the blow. "I know you're worried about the discussion on fixed prices, Yomm, but he's right. The law says you must be an established cpatain before you can pay the regency fee and join the council."
- "You think I don't know that?" The asura's green eyes narrowed haughtily. He rounded on Grimjaw without fear. "It so happens that I've purchased a ship, you slack-jawed mouth-breather. Her name is the Nadir Shill. And, before you insult my intelligence any further, I've hired a crew as well."
- "He has," Bronn added blithely. "He's hired me and my brother, Grymm."
- "Only two?" Grimjaw gruffawed. "Smallest crew ever! What're you sailing, Yomm? A cork with a toothpick mast?"
- "That's no business of yours, mongrel." Stiffening at the charr's laughter, Yomm nevertheless waved the argument away. "I've obeyed the law inletter and spirit. I've brought the entire regency fee, in cash, and my first mate to boot. You can't keep me out any longer."
- ^ "Chapter 18", page 244, Sea of Sorrows by Ree Soesbee:
- The room fell silent, staring at Isaye. The dark-haired woman steepled her fingers before her lips in thoughtful concentration. Cobiah could tell she was weighing the arguments that had been given. In frustration, he clenched his fists beneath the table and struggled to remain silent. At last, Isaye met Cobiah's eyes and then Nodobe's, finally settling on Yomm. "All right, Yomm," she said at last. "The council has never set guidelines on how often a captain has to be at sea if they're to be considered master of their ship. I have to admit that you meet all the other requirements. We'll have to clarify the rules ... but we can't hold you accountable to laws that haven't been made yet. For now, you're acceptable by all the standards we have in place for Lion's Arch. Welcome to the council." However well reasoned, her words felt like a slap in the face.
- ^ "Chapter 22", page 292, Sea of Sorrows by Ree Soesbee:
- Macha jumped nervously. "It was his idea!" she said, pointing at Henst. "He made a deal with the king of Kryta. If Henst could take over Lion's Arch, King Baede would recognize his authority as a fellow royal and lend him troops and ships to secure the city and drive out all nonhumans. Lion's Arch would become a 'new home for displaced Ascalonians,' and Henst would be their king."
- Cobiah prodded her again. "Now the part about Isaye, and the bomb on the Nomad."
- The asura's shoulders slumped, and her voice fell, "Henst told Grimjaw to make the bomb that was supposed to take out Isaye. My job was to put the bomb on the ship, because I could get there without anyone seeing me." To the asura's credit, she looked as chagrined as she did bitter. "Originally, Henst was going to buy a ship and get his own seat on the council, but one vote wouldn't have been enough. He needed more. So we came up with a plan.
- "Henst gave his money to Yomm to buy a seat instead, and then he planned to kill Isaye. Henst was her first mate; he'd inherit her seat on the council. With Isaye dead, I could convince Cobiah to leave the city. Henst, Grimjaw, and Yomm could all vote against spending more money on the city's defenses, and once Lion's Arch was unprotected, King Baede's troops would sweep in and declare Henst king of the city..."
- ^ "Chapter 23", page 296, Sea of Sorrows by Ree Soesbee:
- Yomm huddled under the edge of the captains' table, pulling his glittering golden robe close about him. "I thought you said you could fight!" Cobiah mocked him, charging toward the battle.
- "I can fight!" the shopkeep whimpered. "But it's madness out there!"
- ^ "Chapter 23", page 303, Sea of Sorrows by Ree Soesbee:
- In the quiet aftermath of the fighting, Yomm's voice rang out from a hidden cubby at the back of the room. "Hey, everybody!" he yelled. "Guess what? I found the bomb!"
- ^ "Chapter 26", page 336, Sea of Sorrows by Ree Soesbee:
- "I wrote to Rata Sum. I wrote the Arcane Council. I wrote every genius-level asura I knew, even the bad ones. Surely someone will help us." Covered in soot, his ornate robes blackened by smoke and wet seawater, Yomm looked like a drenched cat. "There's got to be a way." Over the years, Yomm had become an excellent quartermaster for the city. When he'd been told that the harbor was going to be blockaded, the shopkeep-captain immediately created a detailed system for organizing what food was left in Lion's Arch, apportioning it, and ensuring it would last as long as possible. [...]
- ^ "Chapter 38", page 459, Sea of Sorrows by Ree Soesbee:
- Yomm snuck through the asura gate to Rata Sum, the voice said blithely. You should have seen him begging the Arcane Council for assistance! But his request was rejected. None of the colleges were willing to send help. Who knew they'd be so mad over a little counter-appropriation almost twenty years ago? It's not like they didn't make their money back when they double-charged us to build gates in Lion's Arch.
- ^ "Chapter 40", page 470, Sea of Sorrows by Ree Soesbee:
- "That was not my fault!" Yomm shouted from the Nadir Shill as she pulled alongside the other two ships. "Macha promised me she was going to use her magic to help the city. She said absolutely nothing about stealing a ship or detonating herself in the harbor! It was completely unprofessional of her, and I shall be filing an ex post facto grievance with the Arcane Council of Rata Sum."
- "She saved our lives," Cobiah corrected him wryly.
- "Yes, well, I shall also be proposing that the Arcane Council award her the Incantrix Luminous, our highest award of honor." The asura captain sniffed disdainfully and crossed his arms. "But that still doesn't absolve her of the indignity."
