Read Internalized Perceptions :: Crystal Walk

The party made their way to the illustrious streets of Crystal Walk. Yellowfield has a decent magicians’ quarter, nothing like some of the larger cities in the kingdom or anything like the town of Redker in the Holian Empire. The Crystal walk did contain a sufficient number of shops and services that would be of use to any adventurer needing to restock their supplies. The booming trade and proximity to the bay made it easy to import exotic goods, both legal and illicit. The district received its name for the high number of crystals and orbs that were sold from its many shops. Crystal Walk was one of the premiere destinations in the region for many spellcasters looking for their first arcane focus. In this instance however, the party was in search of a small inconspicuous shop, Arcane Divinations; owned and managed by Saviera of the Hares. The shop was a known affiliate of the Yellow Hares which was a minority sect outside of the western country of Mazion.

“So I don’t think we ever fully introduced ourselves. It would be a good idea to get to know the people we’ll be working closely with. I’ll start. My name is Roze Gardenia, but I usually just go by Roze Garden or Roze if we’re friends.” Roze spoke to the group with a cheery disposition as though they had been friends for years.

“‘Rose’? Your last name is ‘Gardens’ and your parents named you after a flower?” Hazel spoke, in an unamused tone.

“No,” Roze chuckled, “not ‘Rose’ Roze”

“That’s what I said, Rose”

“You’re saying ‘Rose’, with an S like a snake. It’s pronounced ‘Roze’ with a Z like a bee”

Moss turned around with a perplexed expression and asked, “Your parents named you after clothes? I don’t get it.”

“What? No, not ro-”

“We’re here,” Niera interjected. The outside of the shop was simple with a small awning covered patio. Outside the doors was a chalkboard sign with a listing of basic services sketched on it. ‘Buy one get one fortune tellings’ seemed like a good marketing trick to get people in the door and it served the party’s needs wonderfully. Upon entering the building the group was bombarded with the smell of lavender incense. The shop was quaint and dimly lit. Along the shelves were empty spellbooks and divination crystals. Lining the walls were display cases filled with an odd variety of reagents, many of which looked unclear as to their point of origin. Standing just behind a counter was a Dwarvish woman who looked similar to Galeas.

“I’ve been expecting you.” The woman spoke, as she turned her head slowly to scan the party.

“She’s good,” Rhenigan whispered into Niera’s ear as quietly as he could manage.

The dwarf laughed lightly “I suppose I am, but I also get a day’s notice when Galeas is sending me business. It doesn’t take a divineer to check the mail.” She turned and lifted a curtain behind her revealing a back room. “I was told only two of you required my services. Step through here please but be warned. My services were not paid in advance so I do expect you to cover the bill.”

Kesh and Roze stepped behind the counter and entered into the back room followed by the rest of their party. The seer sat at a circular table across from the party and gestured for them to sit. In the center of the table was a deck of cards “I understand we’re here to determine your arcane affinities. It’s actually pretty straight forward. You’ll draw a card from the deck and place it on the table face side up. Think and feel whatever you normally do when you cast a spell and the card will respond. Based on that we’ll see what your natural school of magic is. Why don’t we have the wizard go first, you’re usually a pretty straight forward breed.” Kesh reached forward, taking a card from the deck. As he placed it, the card was upside down, revealing imagery of a giant wrestling one of the heads of a hydra to the ground. Moments after it was placed the card turned to stone and began dissolving into water into the table cloth. The seer watched until the card had fully dissolved before looking to Kesh. “Transmutation magic. Not a bad speciality for a big guy like yourself.”

Roze excitedly took a card from the deck after watching Kesh. “My turn! I’m a sorcerer by the way. I don’t study magic like him, I just sling the spells.” As Roze turned the card over, it revealed itself as a green skinned devilkin identical to Roze, grinning as it stepped cleanly over a cliff. The card began to smoke from the corners and burst into a full flame. Roze stared into the fire, her expression becoming blank and lost until Saviera poured a glass of water over the table.

“Do me a favor and pull another card for me,” Saviera said, as she smiled at Roze.

“Oh, sure.” Roze pulled another card from the deck and revealed it. On the card was the same devilkin but this time staring directly back at the viewer. As Roze locked eyes with it the devilkin began to grin malignantly. The card began turning a sickly greenish-purple hue as chains formed at the edges. and bound the figure. Roze reached out to try and help the devilkin but Saviera snatched the card first and tore it in half.

“Interesting. You’re an evocation specialist. You’ll be great if you want to be a fighter. Remind me, how did you realize you were a sorcerer? Get lost in the feywilds? Look into a bottomless well of eldritch energy? Drink sour milk?”

“Um. No nothing like that. I’ve always been a sorcerer. There isn’t really a time where I don’t remember having magic. It’s like I can feel it well up inside me and as I let it rise, spells just happen.”

“Hmm. Well then I have the same advice for both of you. I give this advice to every spellcaster who comes through my shop. Magic is a wonderful and powerful resource. Just make sure you’re the one controlling it, not the other way around.” As Saviera finished speaking she looked at Hazel next. “Last one then. Go ahead and take a card.” Hazel’s eyes widened as she pulled back.

“I’m not magic. Aside from turning into a cat.”

“And eating the souls of the dead,” Moss added casually under his breath. “You turn into a cat and eat dead people, you’re magic. Now pull a card.” Hazel grudgingly reached forward and flipped a card from the top of the deck. The card revealed itself as a small cat sprightly sauntering around a globe. The globe itself was divided into 4 sections, each one the same fairy forest in different seasons. The cat seemed to trot towards a sunlit forest leaving behind a cold bare woods with lurking drow. As the cat reached the sunny woods it extended a paw and pulled. The entire scene seemed to pull inwards in an instance leaving a pitch black card.

“Oh! Coy are we? You’re full of surprises then. It appears you don’t want to show me how your magic works, magic nonetheless,” Saviera looked at the entire party and then back at Hazel, “and in good hands. Don’t betray that. The seasons change and you’ll want friends to help you through a dangerous winter.” The party was escorted back into the main room of the shop and stopped at the counter. Saviera returned from the back room smiling and stood behind her register. She quickly calculated the party’s fees and she spoke to herself loudly. “Let’s see. 3 arcane divinations with the BOGO discount still leaves you at 12 gold pieces.”

“That’s more than a week's pay if I was rich!” Hazel could barely control her tone as she screamed the words, “and we haven’t even gotten paid yet."

“Calm down, we’ll be making way more than that once we start working. I’ll pay the tab so don’t worry about it.” Niera spoke, quickly, to defuse the situation before it could escalate. After paying the tab the party quickly took their leave to make for the tailor that Roze had been tasked with seeing.

As they exited the building Roze turned back to the party. “I don’t see why we all need to head to the tailor. I’ll just take Hazel with me and we’ll meet the rest of you back at the guildhall for dinner.” Hazel looked shocked at being volunteered for the outing and before she could protest Roze was already pulling her down the road. “It’ll be fun. Plus you need new clothes. Something with more ‘cat thief’ energy.”

As the two disappeared into the crowd of magicians on the street, Kesh turned to the remaining members of the group. “Do you all mind if we stop at another shop actually? I need to pick up something to help me focus my spellcasting. I was pretty useless the last time we got in a fight.”

“Not if you call nearly chopping a guy in half useless, but sure,” Rhenigan responded. The party made their way into a nearby general store and began to browse their goods. Kesh surveyed the assortment of wands, rods, staffs, and orbs that were displayed for sale but none of them seemed to resonate with him until he reached one in particular. Before him was a small hand carved crystal in the shape of a wolf’s head. As Kesh was fixated on it the gnomish shopkeeper came by.

“I see that one’s caught your eye. It’s carved from a crystalized green dragon tooth. That greenish hue goes all the way through. There’s only a few of these that we know of and I hear they are extremely potent. If you’re interested I recommend moving fast.” Before Kesh could speak or reach for his coin purse he was pulled back by Rhenigan who seemed immediately distrustful of the merchant. “Only a few of these ‘that you know of’ huh? So what’s the catch then? How did you come by something so rare?” As the two began to bicker over the authenticity of the crystal a shadow passed by Niera and Moss and snatched the crystal from Kesh’gar’s hands. The group took no time recognizing the one handed man. Sleeper grinned at Kesh. “I see this caught your eye. I’m afraid it’s a little out of your price range. A shame too. They say a spellcaster only resonates with one out of every hundred foci they come into contact with. Can’t imagine how long it’ll take you to find another.” Sleeper turned to the shopkeeper next. “I’m taking this instead of my usual collection. I assume that’s not a problem right?” As he finished the thinly veiled threat, Sleeper’s two men entered the shop, intentionally knocking some of the wares from their shelves in the process.

“Um. No, that’ll be fine. A pleasure doing business with the guild as always.” The shopkeeper smiled through their sweat and fear.

“Great. Well. I have other errands to run. Enjoy your shopping.” Sleeper made sure to bump Kesh out of his way as he departed. As the bandits left Moss approached Kesh, grabbing his shoulders. “Didn’t you say you wanted that crystal?”

“Yeah, but what are we supposed to do about it now? I didn’t even get a chance to buy it.”

“No need to buy something off a dead man right? That guy still owes me a meal and I doubt he’s very alive without a face.”

Niera chimed in with immediate concern. “Hey guys, friendly reminder that we can’t kill people and literally eat their faces. We’re apprentices of Knights of Yellowfield, remember? How do we explain murder to the guards?”

“Fuck the guards,” Moss growled.

“Actually, I’m with Moss on this one. The guys tried to abduct you. Plus I doubt the guards really care that some thief from the actual thieves guild mysteriously goes missing. Right?” Rhenigan tried to pose the questions as reasonably as possible for Niera.

“We’re definitely gonna get caught,” Niera lamented.

“There’s no way we get caught.” Rhenigan grinned back at her.