Tael

Tael was a floor manager of the large association in Jonduri that worked under Zongdu Chaisee, keeping a tight control of the flow of information in the shang city.
== History ==
In year 17 of the era of Yangchen, Tael was present in the Kee-Hop Merchant's Association, and looked out for potential new recruits. He watched Kavik and another potential recruit gamble over a Pai Sho game in order to deduce what sort of players they were, and how that would reflect their skills as an errand runner. After some time, he had them brought to the large building where the association was running from, and dismissed the man who had been bragging about making a lot of money, instead welcoming Kavik to the association for "playing dumb" and avoiding notice. Tael and Kavik introduced one another and the manager explained that there was a lot of dock action going on, and that he wanted a waterbender on hand. When Kavik noticed he had not told him about his bending skills, Tael smirked, proud of his observational skills to how Kavik reacted to his element. Tael took him inside and told him that his partner on his first job would be whoever won a knife-throwing contest. While Shigoro had the upper hand, Jujinta stabbed the other man's throwing shoulder, and told Tael that although he had lost, Shigoro would not be employable for a while. Tael admitted he could not argue with that logic, and assigned both of them to the mission.
Tael came to meet up with Kavik and Jujinta about an hour after sunrise, explaining that they would have to wait longer so that the currents were going the right way. He led them to the back of the hall and informed them that their job was "disposal duty" of the corpses of Qiu and Sidao. Kavik threw up, and Tael said that if the authorities came looking, they would have to falsely testify that Qiu and Sidao went out with Kavik and Jujinta, with only the latter two coming back alive. He explained that guilt by association was how they kept people loyal, and looked over the bodies of the Earth Sage and the information broker. He then encouraged Kavik and Jujinta to get in the boat before they missed their window, telling them that they wanted to be rowing with the tides rather than against them.
Some time after they returned, Tael gave Kavik and Jujinta their next job, working under Pang: To go inside a certain warehouse near the docks at a certain time along with other association members and "emphatically vacate" anyone they found inside, clarifying it was all the better if folks got roughed up. Tael joined up with Kavik to see a huge amount of wreckage from the warehouse as a result of Kavik's waterbending attack, when many more workers had come to fight them than they had been able to deal with. Tael went through a list of derelict cargo with Kavik using the logbook they had retrieved, telling him that he had ended on a losing streak. Kavik explained that he had saved half of everything, as the workers were going to burn it all, but Tael openly wondered if the "boss-boss" would agree with his bold claim. When they met up with Pang as they were getting a ride, Kavik told Pang that it was his loss too, which Tael agreed with, since it had been his raid. Pang began to panic and said he would explain to Chaisee that it was not his fault, and then Tael slammed his head into Pang's stomach, loudly stating that he did not know a Chaisee for the benefit of all and any witnesses. Pang soon died from Tael's attack after he finished him off with a knife, and ordered two men to wrap him in the wool and nailing the crate shut so all of it would rot, as it would hide the smell until the goods could be thrown out. Kavik then followed Tael into the street, and rode off via carriage. During the ride, Kavik asked about the workers, and Tael explained they were in the harbormaster's brig, as they were not easy to disappear due to having families in the city. The carriage came to a stop outside a luxurious two-story cottage, and Tael told him to depart, and informed him to keep the logbook with him. Tael told him that he would not be coming as he was just a humble messenger, and did not know that the "boss-boss", Kalyaan, was actually Kavik's older brother.
== Appearances ==
=== Chronicles of the Avatar ===
==== The Dawn of Yangchen ====
== References ==
de:Tael
Category:A to Z
Category:Characters
Category:Minor characters (Yangchen novels)
Category:Neutral characters
Category:Yangchen novels characters