Private Tales Voice of the Unspoken

[Dearien Verook]

It was a nice day, with clear skies and a slight breeze. The Elbion market was bustling but the small enchanting shop was rather quiet. It was cool inside. Rows of shelves filled the space and paper lanterns hung from the ceiling between the rows. The shelves were covered with random seemingly mundane everyday items and small boxes filled with smooth polished stones the size of almonds. Spoons, brooms, crystal eye glasses, bowls, fountain pens, the collection seemed random. Yet despite the outwardly mundane seeming nature of the place the space seemed to vibrate with internal energy, and every item carried some significant power, however small.

Dearien sat in the back of his shop flipping through a large accounting book. He noted something down with an expensive looking fountain pen made of polished black wood with gold detailing. There was no ink pot for dipping yet the pen was still able to write perfectly.

The bell at the front of the shop rung as the door opened and a homely middle aged woman walked in. Dearian looked and and smiled. "Welcome back Mrs. Mowerly, how can I help you?" he said as her rolled is wheelchair out from around the table. His right leg was missing below the knee, though he seemed very comfortable in the chair and had no trouble moving it around the shelves, which were spaced wider apart than in many other shops.

"I was hoping you had something that could help me with my mouse problem,"

"I thought you had a cat for that?"

"We do, but she is getting older and hasn't been as interested lately."

"Hum, let me see what I can do," He mussed turning his chair and rolling down another isle he stopped at a shelf and picked up a small gold bell on the end of a blue silk ribbon. The bell bounced on the end of the ribbon but there was no sound. "This bell makes a sound that only mice and other rodents can hear, put this on your cat or around your wrist while you are in the house and the mice should all leave within a few days." He smiled dropping the bell into her hand.

Mrs. Mowerly took the bell and followed him to the back of the room. "How much is it?" She asked as Dearien took a locked box out from under the desk.

"For you- Only two silver."

She smiled "I knew I could count on you," she said digging through her money purse for the coins.

 

[The Nameless One]

The Nameless One walked through the streets, avoiding others to avoid drawing unwanted attention to his ghostly form. Kids played nearby and people were bustling to get to where they were needed.

The ghost elf smiles and looks at the sun, oh how he longed to feel its pain on his skin again. How he longed to feel the pain of it burning his eyes. But he felt absolutely nothing, the only pain he can feel was magical spells thats goal were to harm. He felt nothing at all physically but mentally the elf was a bit lonely but he had other ways to communicate for he could not be heard by none but himself. He had his days of course and needed some alone time.

Loneliness was a killer after all for those who weren’t already dead.

The Nameless One pauses upon the Enhancement Shop, it was open. Curious. The ghost would simply phase through the door and into the store. The air would get colder and chillier as he did. That he could not control at all.

Looking up and down the shelves and walking through them he looked at the inventory. Humming a tune to himself, then he realized that the shopkeeper was in the middle of business. Maybe he might know what made him in this way? He doubted it. But maybe they coupd have a mutual understanding of each other.

Afterall he was missing a leg and The Nameless One couldn’t touch nor be heard. So he approaches them quietly, his foot steps not heard motioning to them to keep calm and signing them that he meant no harm with a calm look on his face. He could see their breath in the cooler air.

 

[Dearien Verook]

The air grew cooler and Dearien looked up from the money box as a spectral man seemed to float through the closed door. The woman stared at him with wide eyed terror as he came closer. She regained control of her limbs and with a shriek she ran down one of the isles and out the door.

Dearien stared dumbfounded. The spectral man seemed to be signing something with his hands. Dearien wasn't sure what he was even looking at. He hadn't ever considered the existence of ghosts but this seemed to fit that description. On the other hand this could just be a mage from the college who had bit off a little more than they could chew... or perhaps it was even intentional. Though Dearien could do without this unnatural cold.

"Um... Can I help you?" He asked, unsure what else to say.

 

[The Nameless One]

The Nameless one's ears droop a bit as the woman ran away screaming. He didn't want to scare but, but then again the only people who talked to him were the folk of the Underrealm. Mostly because they knew him and he did help them many times. The elf shrugs it off and turns his attention to the man in the wheelchairs.

He tries to say something but then remembers he can't be heard and quickly covers his mouth. The elf looks around and walks over and gets one of the fountain pens and finds a sheet of paper then using some magic to make the paper and pen float to where the counter was he sets them down.

The paper remained on the table as he used his finger to point at the pen so it would float towards the paper and start writing. His hand motions were that of the alphabet and the pen mirrored those movements so it was his own handwriting,

I do not want to hurt you for fucks sake. I was wondering if you can help me with my current situation.

He would write looking at the elf, I do not remember anything of who I am or what I did to end up like this. I have no name that I know of and this is the only way I seem to be able to communicate with you still on this plane... other than signing stuff.

His eyes looked curious, Then maybe I can help you if you wish it, as a payment even if you do not find anything. But even the smallest bit of improvement will help.

 

[Dearien Verook]

Dearien watched as the specter got a piece of paper and used magic to pick up his fountain pen. Raising his brows at the sudden use of foul language. It seemed that fear was a common reaction he received and it frustrated him. The rest of his explanation did not really clear up the whole ghost situation. He could be a ghost... or just a mage that was in an accident and got stuck like this... the amnesia didn't help.

Dearien rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "So you want something to make communicating easier... or perhaps something to make it easier to interact with the world..." This was an interesting request. He had never worked with the supernatural before but maybe he could do something. It was an interesting challenge if nothing else.

He rolled his chair down one of the isles "Let me see what I can do," He said, his eyes searching the cluttered surfaces of the shelves. Though the shelves where cluttered and seemingly randomly arranged, the floor was perfectly clear so that nothing got in the way of Dearien's wheelchair.

He stopped when he found what he was looking for. He pulled a pair of crystal specials from a shelf. They had copper and silver wire rims woven together in a pattern. He put the lenses on and looked at the specter.

"Alright, Try signing something, these lenses have been enchanted to allow the wearer to read anything written in any language as if it was their first language. I might be able to modify them to translate your sign language into a form that can be understood by others."

Dearien watched as the specter signed something. He felt a headache stab at his temples as the lenses tried to translate the signs into a form that could be read. The image warped and several words seemed to hover in the air as if they had been written by a pen. Dearien took the lenses off as the pain intensified.

"Ow," he blinked and shook his head. "Ok so it needs some adjustment... but I think we are on the right track." He dropped the lenses in his lap and rolled back to the desk at the back of the room. he put the lenses on the desk and took out another book. This one a sketch book. "Then there is also the problem of phasing through everything... perhaps gloves of some kind..." He flipped open the book past previous designs and sketches of new enchantments. He began sketching out the new concept on a fresh page. "I'm not exactly sure how, but if we can find a way to make the gloves wearable by you without phasing through them, you should be able to interact with things around you." He made a loose sketch of a pair of gloves, writing the words 'silk' and 'gold thread?' 'or maybe silver?' next to it. He was about to label the drawing with the specters name but realized he did not have one.

Dearien looked back up at the ghost. "I know you said you don't remember your name but is there a name that people use to refer to you?"

 

[The Nameless One]

Might help to give you the estimate that I've been like this for... probably over a hundred or so years. That as far back as I can remember.

The ghostly elf looked concerned at Dearien's headache his ears twitching up a bit but he calmed down when the elf took off the weird glasses and started to draw something. The Nameless One thought for a moment then goes back to the pen and paper he took signing in, Nyroc. He smiles then adds, What should I call you?

It didn't take him much to go and get thinking again before signing something else onto the paper, If there a device that could let me speak to you? I know that might open up a different can of worms as it will involve crossing into the place I am stuck in and there is no telling what else is in here. But is it possible?

He asks Dearien as he tried to speak to him like a normal person but only he ended up hearing what was coming out of his mouth. Which gave the elf another frustrated look when he noticed he couldn't hear him. Then he says something else that could not be heard as he tried to slam the table with his fist but ends up felling through it and onto the ground.

The ghost stands up seemingly laughing some as he recollects himself. Sorry about that.

 

[Dearien Verook]

"Nyroc it is then. I'm Dearien," He said witting 'Nyroc's gloves' over the drawing.

Nyroc continued, expressing a desire to be able to communicate verbally and seemed to get increasingly frustrated as he realized that his continued attempts at communication were failing to get through.

"It's alright," Dearien said " I don't know about crossing between planes. But we might not have to. Those lenses work based on a visual version of a comprehend languages spell, but there is an auditory one as well, which translates sounds into another language. There might be a way for me to combine the two so that the magic reads your lips and then translates that into sound." He jotted down some more notes on another part of the page 'combined audio-visual comprehend languages enchantment' "Then if we can solve the problem of you phasing through corporal objects, and modify the effect of the enchantment to an area of effect..." He trailed off as he continued to brainstorm "Maybe something like a necklace or collar." He muttered sketching a collar necklace with a central stone. "This is looking rather complicated... honestly at this stage it is all theoretical... not that I can't do it. It just might take awhile to figure out how."

This whole project was fascinating. It would be a lot of work and the materials needed would be expensive and He knew he probably wasn't going to get paid for this. Even so his curiosity was getting the better of him.

 

[The Nameless One]

Nyroc gives a silent laugh, Yeah its incredibly complicated.

He watches as the elf draw down his ideas, If you do somehow manage to fix this we might also need to think of the cost of the magic. Since it always comes with a price.

Nyroc warns Dearien sitting down on the floor and then laying down just staring at the ceiling.

He was thinking of the repercussions of such a change, Vyx'aria might not approve and he might loose his position in their underrealm society. Something which he feared because then he might go back to being common fodder for the women of the society. Something he did not want.

Just make sure it can be reversible since the people in my society might kick me down again to be like the other men in it. He warns Dearien, Since I won’t be as useful to those women.

 

[Dearien Verook]

"The good thing about enchantment is that the price is usually covered by the materials and the time and skill taken to craft the item and the enchantment. If the enchantment is made correctly and used for it's intended purpose, there should be no cost to the wielder. Though the enchantment may need to be renewed periodically. The other benefit of enchantment is that the effects only last as long as you are wearing the items. You can take them off at anytime and the effect will stop." Dearien explained.

He shivered a little, this cold was rather uncomfortable. He knew Nyroc couldn't help it, but that didn't mean he couldn't do something about it. He rolled over to one of the shelves and picked up a large smooth black stone the size around of a tea saucer. He put it on the table "Arga" he spoke and the stone began to glow a warm orange color emitting a heat in the room like from a fireplace.

He tapped the back of his pen against his chin as he returned to his design notes. "What language do you speak. I might be able to reduce the cost by making the spell only focus on translating the languages you speak instead of all languages." He said.

 

[The Nameless One]

Nyroc thinks, Underrealm, common, elvish, orc, draconic. He tells Deariaen then scratches his head, Just to name a few. He tells him with a rough look of thinking on his face.

He didn't seem to notice the increase in heat as he poked (and phased through) the heat creating stone. Interesting... does this warm up the room? He asks, Without fire? Nyroc asks turning towards Dearien as he draws down what he said.

He would look at all his notes and then look down at the items the elf had in his shop. Do you want me to leave? So then I won't scare away the upcoming and potential customers?

Nyroc signs to Dearien hating to infringe on his way of life and income.

 

[Dearien Verook]

Dearien nodded as Nyroc listed off several languages. Ok, so maybe it might just be easier to just use the standard spell after all.

Nyroc started poking at the hot stone asking him how it worked. Dearien nodded "Yeah, that is a rather simple enchantment," He shrugged.

Nyroc then asked if Dearien wanted him to leave so he didn't scare off his customers. Dearien chuckled "Well I would consider you to be a customer. If you would like to stay and look around feel free, just don't phase through objects or float. I can tell anyone who comes in that your testing out a new invisibility enchantment I'm working on. If you don't want to stay that's ok too. I was planing on closing up the shop early tomorrow, If you would like you can join me, I plan on seeing if I can't find some books that would help with your dilemma," He explained.

 

[The Nameless One]

Nyroc shakes his head with a smile, Cant float, sure with magic but Im not that kind of ghost. He snaps a finger and snaps into invisibility and then blinks back.

But I can do this if you need to. I don’t know if it would help but physical objects can’t hurt me. But magic does. But it can’t kill me... for whatever reason. Did I already say that? I can’t remember.

The elf looked confused for a moment then shrugs as if he given up on the thought and sits back down on the ground moving his feet silently back and forth.

I got nothing much to do really. So if you don’t mind can I spend the night here? I’d rather not be outside again for the night.

He points outside. The ghost was so sick of spending nights outside. Sure he couldn’t sleep or anything, but it didn’t exactly mean some crazy exorcist or someone might appear and try to rid him. And it was boring