Open Chronicles The Official Skill Fair of Magics sponsored by RGFC

[Malak Baske]

Malak caught the bottle of eel and looked it over curiously. He had heard of the gristo eel before, but never seen one in person. He had assumed they were mere superstitions. He put it away, not immediately sure what to do with it, but different ideas had begun to run through his mind. He'd have to be sure to write.

The eel was far less surprising however, at the Necromancer's later comment. Harrier had taken an interest in his brews? Most he'd met had regarded it as a "cute" or "primitive" form of magic. The Necromancer seemed no slouch, especially if her claims of selling undead armies were to be believed.

"Let me see what might interest you." Malak said, and began pulling concoctions out of his rucksack. He firt pulled up a bottle with a thin pink liquid. "The first is Parrot's Tongue. Drink it and you'll be able to mimic any speech or tone you've heard for the next few hours. No translation, so you won't be speaking any new languages, but useful nonetheless." Malak then removed at a think green brew. "This is Gecko's tail. If you lose a limb it'll regrow it, same as before. It's not miraculous though. An arm takes around a week to grow, and it doesn't dull the growing pains." Finally, Malak pulled a nearly clear blue bottle. "Shark's Life. Drink this and you won't have to sleep for five days, but you'll make up the time on the sixth and seventh. Requires a little planning." He laid them down on the bench for the necromancer to observe.

"My magic's Price is served in the effort to create the brew, but also in it's shelf-life. Each of these will last around a month, without any interference. I can . . . recharge them before their spent, usually with an hour's focus per bottle, but your time may be faster or slower. Perhaps you can pour magic in faster, or my gift for brewing makes me faster. Never had someone else try it." Malak explained, being clear on the effects and limitations of his product. He had no intention of making enemies through false advertising. Given that the Necromancer had far more in the way of wealth than he did, he'd let her name a price. That, and he'd never really thought of selling any of his magic.

 

[Harrier]

Previously under the butt of Malak Baske, the skeleton bench reached up and offered him a large purse. The appendage involved was half ribs and half foot.

"I'm poor as a temple mouse most days," Harrier explained. "Just now I'm flush with gold. I'll take the lot with my compliments. The unique always has value; that's why I'm here. I mean to get my money's worth out of this festival."

She leaned over, uncorked the Shark's Life, and chugged it.

"Mm. Fishy."

 

[Malak Baske]

Malak took the purse and noted that it was a tad heavier than the one he parted with. The purse and the ghostglass were a strong haul. He could resupply and have enough to have the more frazzled bits of his leather armor restitched. Perhaps even have bits replaced. All for three potions, though the Shark's Life was fairly difficult to brew.

"I understand. Coin feeds for the day, but a good tool can feed for a decade." Malak packed the purse and the ghostglass. "I'm always trying to make new brews as I acquire new ingredients. Next time I'm in the Shallows I'll have to stop by and see what other tools we can trade. Until then." Malak bowed his head to Harrier and then went on his way.

 

[Triam Akovin]

Baron Idris chimed into his tent and managed to put a small smile on her face despite her otherwise dour attitude. All of those words didn't mean much to her, but they sounded impressive. She actually recognized this Cortosan Noble and was glad to be in the company of her fellow countryman... if not for the fact she was a deserter from the Army, but she liked to think she could avoid that coming up in conversation.

"All of that sounds interesting," She said walking to the Baron, making her way before him despite arriving in the tent third. "I have only one question, what would you recommend for hunting Dreadlords?" She pulled out her coin purse, everything she had been paid in her training, and what she managed to gather on the road since.

Jeremiah revenant

 

[Roul]

Idris' eyebrows shot up.

"You don't mess around do you?"

Gray eyes studied her for a moment, ideas flashing in them like lighting in stormclouds.

"Mhm. Ok. Well, that's a cause I can get behind. Dreadlords are walking armies, because of their offensive magic. So, the first thing you'll want is some warded armor."

He walked her over to where the racks of breastplates, cuirasses, chainmail shirts, brigandines, and boiled leather jerkins.

"Let's start you off with a wool gambeson soaked in a boric salt solution," he glanced at her, "flame resistant. Dreadlords like setting people on fire. Next, you'll want something with runic carvings. Can't be chainmail, usually too small to get the carvings right. I could do a special set but you couldn't afford it and it would take a month to get right. Let's see, you've already got a rapier and a buckler. That tells me you'll want a brigandine vest. Mhm, here we go."

The Baron started piling items up in Triam's hands, explaining as he went. "Each riveted plate is etched with a different rune in basilisk venom, together they form a ward against any type of arcane elemental attack. Of course they'll get overwhelmed under too much pressure, so uh... don't let that happen, because then you'll need a whole new set. Of course, in that case you might just want this boiled leather vest instead. See those swirling runes covering the entire vest? Harpy's blood, written with a harpy quill. They do basically the same thing, but can't take as much. Easy to replace though, you just retrace those rune grooves carved in the leather with harpy's blood and you'll be good to go again. You know, if you can find and kill a harpy."

He shrugged and moved on to the weapons rack.

"Your rapier looks fine enough, Cortosi steel is as good as any. That buckler though, I have a better one. Here we are, it's about the same size but see those big sapphires? Magical capacitors. They'll suck in magic. Just don't let it get over capacity or they will explode and blow your hand off. Speaking of explosions, here's a few crossbow bolts. Yes, the tips are glass, but don't worry about that. They're supposed to break. You'll have to store them in a special case though. Here's one, velvet interior. Now, just rub the tips over those sapphires on your buckler once you've stored up some magic and the magic will flow into the glass tips. This one has a lightning rune, this one has a fire rune, and so on. The magic is just the raw energy, but the rune directs it to take certain shapes. Mhm."

Idris rubbed his chin and looked aorund. "What else, what else? Ah, a dagger. This one. Long and thin, good for getting between helmet slits... or ribs. Venom reservoir in the handle that leaks along the hollow taper of the blade and coats it. Store whatever you want in there. Dagger is a salted iron. Good for faeries and ghosts."

The baron turned and regarded her now very full arms. "Right.... Anything else you're looking for?"

 

[Triam Akovin]

It wasn't long before Triam Akovin found herself a touch overwhelmed, the Baron was quite the character and began to load on various armors, a shield, crossbow bolts, carrier cases, and a dagger. Suffice to say, she was kneeling by the time he was done explaining what everything did, and was rather impressed with his full confidence in her ability to pay for everything. Hopefully, a little Cortosi generosity might help ease her burden.

"Uh, wow!" She said from under all the different pieces of equipment. "I'm not sure what your running rates are exactly, and maybe I should have lead with this, but how much of this can I afford with this?" She said as an arm poked out between the gambeson and the boiled leather vest, holding her coin purse that up until a moment ago felt like a lot.

"Would you accept trade-ins in addition to coin for the gear I'll be replacing, maybe I could do a spot of work for you to make up the rest of the cost?" She smiled from under everything, and slowly, and GENTLY, started to place everything besides her. Given her current position in society, she took particular interest in the boiled leather vest, the capacitor buckler, and the specialized bolts, but all of it sounded as useful as it could possibly get for her and the mission she had set for herself.

Baron Idris

 

[Roul]

“Trade ins,” the Baron snorted and waved a hand after looking her gear up and down. “Uh, no.”

He walked away in a whirl of velvet cloak and clinking chains.

“Just pay me back when you get the chance.“ He said over his shoulder.

And who said he didn’t support the less fortunate?

Anything if it would hurt those Anirians.

 

[Triam Akovin]

It wasn't every day you walked into a shop and received the cream of the crop pro-Bono, as long as you promised to come back when you have the money.

"Yes, of course, Baron." She bowed slightly to Baron Idris and started to collect her newfound belongings. "You are too generous. I will see you in Cortos!"