Azmeria- When Time becomes Zero

[Dean Winchester]

For years, the Scarlet Kingdom and the Crimson Twilight Empire have waged war against one another, battling over the control of the vast land of Azmeria. Ever since the hatred between these two titans of warfare began, their history has been written by the blood of many from both factions. Villages and towns raised and fell as seasons changed, and even the internal commerce of Azmeria was stumbling. Our story begins in the small coast town of Minith, located to the south of Selenia. Minith is well renown for its comercial importance as being the gate between the traders of the foreign lands and the merchants of Azmeria.

Minith is an old fashioned town, its architecture based mostly on rectangular houses with arched doorways of about 8 feet tall in general. Most houses had simple doors while the most expensive had double doors and a larger building. One could also see that almost every building in town had white walls with brown triangular shaped rooftops. The edifices closest to the shore were constructed only with wood. Many boats and ships docked in Minith in order to travel then on foot to transport their goods through all Azmeria.

Either way, in one of these ships there was a lone swordsman, a man who was born in the very empire but had deserted their ranks a long time ago. He was a tall man, wearing a black leather coat and pants, black boots and dark brown deerskin fingerless gloves. The traveler was also carrying with him a 4 feet long sword sheathed in a scabbard which was tied to his waist belt. He had brunette hair at shoulder length and his eyes were different in colour; one was emerald green and the other was jet black [refer to full biography for more details].

The man did not reveal his name to any of the passangers, nor to the crew or any or the authorities in charge of the ship besides taking the alias of "Jeirlend". Of course, this was from his true identity. As the massive flag ship anchored in the docks of Minith, Jeirlend could be seen standing on the deck as he glared all around Minith. Unbeknown of his what fate had stored for him, Jeirlend awaited patiently as the crew finished the preparations for disembarking.

Fortunately, the weather was magnificent so exploring Minith would be a viable idea for Jeirlend. As soon as the ship anchored, Jeirlend proceeded to pick his luggage and descended towards the docks. From outside the ship, the small town of Minith appeared to be bigger than Jeirlend remembered from his last visit and he wondered if the townspeople had spent some of their income in expanding the town's territory. As he walked towards the central plaza, Jeirlend surveyed the area with his dichromatic eyes in search for a place to stay. The central plaza was famous for its large fountain located in the very center of the town. The fountein had statues of fishes at each of the four cardinal directions, and each statue was as big as around 4 feet tall. Water sprouted out from the mouths of the sculptures and filled the foundtain with new water as the old water is discarded and purified through a simple sewer system. Having walked for half an hour, Jeirlend decided to sit dow in one of the benches around the fountain.

 

[AlchemistFox]

A passenger ship slowly made its way into the dock with help from the rising tide. It had many people on board, people picked up from several short stops along the naval route it had taken. The mariners did as they had trained to do for years before, as few of them were of the young and new type, a passenger ship was a steady source of income and it meant a life at sea for those that preferred it.
As it was helped to the docks by several strong men that caught the incoming lines thrown from the ship itself, it was slowly tied and pulled towards the sturdy posts that held the ship at its location. The anchor was dripped as an extra precarious should something happen, before the men on the ship rolled out and fastened the makeshift, yet surprisingly sturdy plank bridge that were used to walk on from the ship to the docks.

As soon as it was secured the captain looked over everything from the high deck one last time before he gave it ship’s bell two strong chimes, a common thing that was done to clearly signal that everything was ready.
The lot of passengers had started gathering their things, putting on their coats and hats and for those that had it; weapons were again strapped in place.
Though in all of this controlled chaos in getting the bags and backpacks from some specially made shelves, there was one man that went past the rest, he did not stop to pick up any bag nor did he take his time to make sure all of his belongings were brought. Being one of the first passengers to disembark the man stood on the docks surveying the town before him.

The man was of average height and his body seemed to be slim and far from muscular. His head was covered by a straw hat not uncommon for travelers and farmers to use. His attire was somewhat random in colorations like his red T-shirt with a green vest over, and his blue pants that lead down to the common brown leather pants. And the high collar cape that covered it all did its part in sending spectators images of the stereotypical magus.

His pure white eyes followed the towns buildings from the left all the way to the right, the village seemed to be a cheerful place, simple in makeup yet its people seemed to be more than happy enough.
Looking to the sky the Magus squinted due to the strong sun that was up, though he had not kept his eyes all the way open since he left the insides of ship:
Taking his left hand towards the inner right side of the cape he suddenly brought out a pair of circular wireframe sunglasses.
His golden ring placed on the finger closest to the index finger –as he had 6 fingers on the left hand- glinted in the sun as the purple gem light up as the sun shone through it as he brought his hand to his face, putting on the sunglasses and shielding his sensitive eyes from the strong sun.

Starting to walk along the sturdy dock the ship was now tied up to the magus started walking towards the land part of the bay.
Reaching it within a minute he started thinking. He was not particularly hungry from his trip, nor was he too tired.
This town held little interest to him though it seemed as he might have to spend the night there.
Heading towards the town square, the town plaza if you wish, he took in the little sights there were as he decided that it would be the best place to search for a place to stay.
He did not have many problems in the realm of money, and where he did not have too much problem sleeping in the wild should it come to that, he did prefer a soft bed with a bathroom of his own.

Reaching the town plaza in a several minutes walk, if it was due to the underestimating of the town’s size or just the magus’ slow walking he ended up there regardless.
Looking at the statues in the center, some fish that squirted water in an arch ending up in the pool in the center.
“Bah…” he muttered to himself, where he could understand the feel for things like this he was hardly one for architecture. He never really understood the whole ‘objects make places look better’ thing. Though this was just his personal opinion it did mark the four cardinal directions as well as the square’s center.

Sighing slightly to himself he walked towards it, placing his left hand into the water scooping up a handful of the seemingly clean water. Bending slightly over towards his hand he drank the water from the fountain.
Straightening his back after he was slightly surprised, the water had a clean taste to it; there were no objects in the fountain that should not be there, at least to Alumar’s eyes, as the water tasted surprisingly fresh and clean.
Smiling to himself as he let out a chuckle he sat down near the fish statue facing south.
He took off his hat which he placed in his lap, he proceeded untying the cord used to hold his ponytail together, releasing his hair to gently move in the gently breeze.
He let it hang for a minute, enjoying the feeling before he tied it back as it were, the main reason he did this was actually to re-fasten it as it should be.
Leaving his hat in his lap he again surveyed his surroundings through his dark shaded lenses.
There were several people here, some that seemed to stick slightly out, though in a harbor town like this it was far from anything unusual.
he would relax for a few minutes more before finding a place to stay.

 

[CassinoChips]

The lone figure approached Minith from the north, a large bundle strapped to his back. His skin was tanned from exposure to the sun over the past two days of travel from Selenia to Minith. His dark brown hair showed signs of sweat and dust from the heat of summer and the well-worn road between the capital city and the commercial town. His slender frame carried the weight of the pack well, though it showed some sign of fatigue at the length of the trip. He had decided to pack a few extra items for his journey to Minith, and was beginning to regret that decision now.

"Ow ow dammit ow."

Limping over to the side of the road, he unstrapped his bundle, put it down, and sat and removed one of his leather boots. Reaching inside, he gently pulled out a burr. Holding it in his fingers, he brought it up to his eyes and contemplated. "Number four on this trip. That's gotta be some kind of record."

He tossed the record-setting burr away and replaced, then relaced, his boot. He remained seated on the side of the road, further contemplating his life, his work, his journey, the line of ants that was marching across the road just to his left, and anything else that came to his mind. He liked these quiet moments, when it was just him and his thoughts. He let his mind wander, and it turned to the breeze coming off the coast. It made him nostalgic, reminding him of the cool dampness of his home, the cave-city of Daguerreo, strategically located behind a waterfall. It was never warm there, unlike the summers in the Scarlet Kingdom.

Shaking himself out of his reverie, he picked himself up, dusted off his backside, and continued down the road. Within fifteen minutes he found himself at the northern gate of Minith. Looking to his left, he saw Michael was on duty in the gatehouse. He liked Michael. The middle-aged man had helped him out when he first came to Minith, a little over a year ago. And in return, he had crafted a small bracelet studded with quartz laced with a minor restorative for Michael's wife. He waved in the general direction of the gatehouse, and Michael stepped out to greet him.

"Luca Dhamon, good to see you! About that time again, is it?"

Luca smiled. "Oh you know me, I can't stay away from you people for too long. It's gotta be something you guys put in the water." In truth, it was the water that brought Luca to Minith every two months. The harbor brought in many potential customers as well as many potential items to tinker with. For a man in Luca's trade, it was an invaluable resource. And so for slightly more than a year now, he split his time between his main shop in Selenia--which he had owned for two and a half years now--and his secondary, and much smaller, shop in Minith. He reached out and shook Michael's proffered right hand. "How's your wife?"

Michael returned Luca's smile. "She's doing well, thanks. She's been looking for a necklace to match the bracelet, but without much luck. It's too unique, you see."

"Well my friend, if you've got the money, I've got the materials." Michael's face fell at Luca's mention of payment. Luca chuckled good-naturedly. "The first one was what I owed you for showing me around the city last year. The next one'll have to cost you. A man's gotta eat."

Michael laughed. "True enough. Will you be at your shop later? We might come by and see what you've put together since you've been in Selenia."

Luca looked back as he walked through the gate. "Yes, but I won't officially open 'til tomorrow. A man's gotta sleep too!" He returned Michael's parting wave and ventured fully into Minith's city limits, making his way to the central plaza, upon the southwest side of which stood his shop. It would be a blessing to be able to get off his feet for the rest of the night.

In short order he found himself at the plaza with the elegant fountain. Every time he came to Minith, he stopped and admired the fountain for a few moments. He always appreciated the craft put into the stonework of the sculptures, and was glad that he could view them from the window of his shop. It didn't hurt that the statue was a tourist attraction, and therefore brought more potential customers to Luca's Synthesism shop.

As he began to walk around the statue toward his shop, he noticed a well-built young man sitting on one of the benches by the fountain. While this was nothing unusual on its own, there was something inexplicable about the young man that drew Luca's attention. Catching the young man's eye, Luca inclined his head slightly in greeting and continued on his way to his shop.

Reaching the front door, he pulled a key from one of the pockets of his leather traveling vest, unlocked the door and stepped inside. He unstrapped his pack, threw it in a corner, and collapsed into a stuffed chair in the middle of the front room.

"Finally," he breathed as he relaxed in the comfort of the chair. He vaguely recalled not closing the door behind him as he slipped into a light sleep.

 

[Valkyrur]

Soft footsteps were heard as the petite figure of a girl came into the picture. The man whimpered, as he clawed backwards. "Somebody, help!!" He screamed. Pity, his voice was not going to save him this time. Dashing forward suddenly, Sapphire landed a kick on the man's face, effectively knocking out the man.

Landing in a battle stance, she cautiously nudged the man's body with her legs to affirm his unconsciousness. As she had expected, the man was out cold. Sneering at the man, Sapphire proceeded to remove from him his wallet.

Sapphire sighed, her eyes scanning the darkness around her for anyone that could have caught sight of this crime. It wasn't like her to resort to such petty crimes to earn her keep. Unfortunately, this time, to get to Minith, she had to spend all her money to get a ticket onto a boat set for a similar destination.

Brushing her shoulder length hair behind her ears, she promptly exited the room, her eyes revealing no apparent emotions. A chilling wind blew. Paying no heed to the wind, Sapphire made her way up to the deck, where the passengers of the boat will soon disembark to the destination they had all planned to go- Minith.

A cacophony of voices greeted her as she approached the deck. The ship was set to dock soon and definitely, the passengers, comprising of mostly merchants and other wealthy men and women, must be itching to hop off the ship to carry out their business. The same could be said for Sapphire.

Except, Sapphire was no merchant. She was an assassin, and a rather renowned one at that. Especially after her assassination of the nobleman, Rezealus, who had prided himself on the defense of his large mansion, or rather, fort.

Just at the thought, the ship anchored. "Welcome, beloved passengers, to Minith! Thank you for journeying with us!" The crewman shouted. Perhaps this would be an uncommon thing to hear from a crewman, but for a ship catered to the upper class, he definitely had to say that. Most other ships would deny such polite farewells.

Heaving yet another sigh, the girl made her way off the ship. Who knew how she would seek a job here, where merchants would be more interested in securing their own lives, or products, rather than taking the life of another- which happens to be her forte.

Nevertheless, a determined gaze rested on the masses that flooded the docks. It was human nature, someone would definitely want another dead. Her line of business will never come to an end, or at least, she thought.

Shifting her focus back to the town, an uninterested expression took over. While Minith have been known to be a town of important commercial value, it's architecture was somewhat lacking to Sapphire. She couldn't deny it herself, either, looking around at the endless line of rectangular houses with arched doors.

The girl shook her head sagely. Her job had definitely brought to her even spectacular sights. She was expecting more from Minith, but the sight so far, has left her somewhat crestfallen.

'Still, no reason for me to stay here being unhappy about the architecture!' She told herself mentally, as she began ambling along with the crowd. She had no idea where it would lead her, but like any town, there was sure to be a tavern.

That would be where she would stop by.

 

[AlchemistFox]

OOc: talked to Cassino over MSN for shop’s appearance.
-----------------------------

A few minutes with Alumar just sitting by the large stone fish went by, before Alumar took his straw hat and again placed it where it belonged.
Getting to his feet as he made a stretching movement with his arms pointing slightly over horizontal and to the sides, he let out a small yawn as well as the trip and town had been surprisingly boring so far.
Walking around the statue he aimed to follow the so called main road or at least the one he assumed to be the main road due to it being much wider than the other ones, by a rough double or so Alumar eyeballed it.

Getting a few meters away from the fountain, the buildings around again came into view as Alumar headed towards the main road.
Stopping in his tracks as if he was called on, one eyebrow was lifted slightly as his head tilted allowing him to see an open door. He did not remember that door being open before, though he did not pay too much attention either.
Following the wall a little higher he came upon the nature of the building. ‘Synthesist Shop’.
Alumar’s head stayed tilted as his eyebrow stayed lifted, he could not remember that he had ever set foot in a shop of that nature before, nor was he too accustomed to the procedure.
Being a man of the mind as it was, a man of magic, he rarely had the need for physical and non magical representing of enchantments. Though it did have the same effect, or in some cases a better effect depending on the quality of items used.
With his interest and curiosity triggered, he strolled towards the somewhat open door.

Gently pushing the door it opened almost without sound, stopping before it hit the wall behind it.
As he set foot on the inside he saw what the owner had decided to decorate the place with, or rather what wares to show off.
To his left there were a large display case, covering most of the wall all the way even covering parts of the connected one.
Going on around the next wall again it ended up making a desk, or counter in the rough center of the room.
On the right hand wall there was a small selection of swords and shields that most likely had some form of alteration to it.
Though, the most interesting part for now, was the chair in the rough center of the room, it was between Alumar and the counter, in said chair slept a short haired kid in what seemed to be mostly leather garments.

Alumar sighed slightly to himself, though tired as the kid might be; it is not too safe for business to do that. Falling asleep with the door open, he could be robbed quite easily.
“Hello? Customer here.” Alumar stated in a rather cheerful tone, it should wake the man should he not already be awake, as Alumar was a customer at the moment.
"Are you open for business? Or should I come back tomorrow?" Alumar asked, as though the door was open, god knows why he was sleeping, so activity might be slow for the day.

 

[CassinoChips]

“Hello? Customer here.”

Luca found it odd that the spider would call himself a customer while it was climbing up the spine of the skeleton. After all, what would a spider need to buy? Especially from a skeleton? Shaking his head, Luca continued down the path toward the cave.

"Are you open for business? Or should I come back tomorrow?"

Luca's eyes snapped open and he jumped out of the chair and on to his feet, spinning to face the man who was in his shop. "Business? Open? I .... What?" Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Luca forced himself to slow down and think. He was in Minith. He was in his shop. He had crashed in his chair as soon as he got in the door. He probably had left the door open. He was probably dumb like that.

"Um... no.... I mean, yes.... sort of." Luca sighed and started over. "I don't open officially until tomorrow, but you're more than welcome to look around. If something tickles your fancy, or you have any questions, or even a request, just let me know."

Luca's natural instinct and curiosity as a Synthesist took over, and he took stock of his potential customer. Three things jumped out at him: the cape the man wore, the ring on one finger, and the straw hat.

The ring was magical, as many rings these days were. But Luca could sense that the ring didn't have magic power on its own per se. Though it was definitely a magical item, it seemed.... hollow, somehow. Waiting, perhaps. It was definitely endarmic, drawing power inward, and not exarmic, or effusing power outward. Luca would have liked to get his hands on it and dissect it.

The straw hat ..... was just a straw hat. But for some reason it seemed unique to this person. It simply stood out in Luca's mind for its simplicity.

The cape, however, startled Luca with its power. He could feel its manipulative power. It pushed at him and the objects around the store. It didn't cause anything to physically move, but Luca could sense the objects wanting to react to the cape's wishes. The cape's power was dwindling rather quickly, however.

He's gotta be some kind of mage. And a powerful one at that, to be able to control an item with that much power laced into it. Luca's curiosity was definitely piqued. But not one to be unduly pushy or rude with a customer, he allowed the man space to browse and time to ask any question that may come to his mind. He stepped behind the counter and removed a small notebook from one of the many pockets in his leather vest. Taking a small pencil from the countertop, he began scribbling a few sundry notes.

 

[AlchemistFox]

"Business? Open? I .... What?"
Alumar was barely able to hold his laughter back; this person was obviously deep on his own worlds. Apparently it was good that Alumar came in instead of a thief as he might have ended up losing quite a few items.

The man got to his feet in a fairly quick manor, almost as if something just bit him.
"Um... no.... I mean, yes.... sort of."
The man was still halfway in his dream world, Alumar’s hold on his laugher broke and he started to laugh a few chuckles.
After a deep break, awakening it seemed as his mind was in the present and he reformulated his thoughts. "I don't open officially until tomorrow, but you're more than welcome to look around. If something tickles your fancy, or you have any questions, or even a request, just let me know."
The man took his ‘shopkeeper position’ behind the counter shortly after stating this.

Alumar still smiled widely, this was the only glimmer of light in this torn as of yet, where everything else was dull and boring, this man seemed to be quite interesting, if not only for his confused state right after awaking.

Alumar looked at the items around in the room, though as he did he noted a weird glare from the shopkeeper, he almost had the same glare a man undressing a gorgeous woman with his eyes had.
“If this man tries anything funny, he will end up with a hole in his wall strangely resembling himself.” Alumar thought to himself, though only a thought it would not be the first time he did this to someone.
Keeping half an eye on the shopkeeper Alumar drew his left hand bearing the Gemino Refero behind the cape again, hiding it from plain view before he continued looking around the store.

After a few minutes, not really seeing anything special or of interest, as most things he had displayed were weapons or armor, both were of no use to Alumar. He were no were near strong enough to hold his side in a melee fight, and the armor would only encumber him as even with it on he would most likely fall from a single well placed attack. He hated his frail body for this; he could withstand several magical barrages, though a single physical attack could fell him in an instant.
Alumar’s eyes opened though still hidden behind the sunglasses. That was it; if his person could make a physical enchantment on a ring or pendant or something, which could help reduce physical damage to Alumar’s body, which would make everything slightly better.

Walking over to the counter where the man jotted down something in a notepad, Alumar started.
“Do you have, or could you make something that could help neutralize, or reduce, physical damage to the one wearing it?” Alumar asked standing there Alumar could not do much at this point than wait for a reply from the shopkeeper. Though his internal promise of harm to the shopkeeper should he try something was still present, it seems as the young man hand changed his glare to a more common look. What was that for?
“Have it placed on a ring or amulet of sorts.” His request ended.

 

[Valkyrur]

Stepping out of the masses that flowed on continuously from the docks, Sapphire quickly made her way away from the crowd. As expected of Minith, supposedly reputed as a location important for its commercial value, the place had proved to be overwhelming crowded thus far. The scorching sun shone its ray on the girl, forcing beads of sweat to trickle down her face.

Wiping them away with her left hand, cautious glances took in the details of her present whereabouts. As expected, a massive fountain stood right at the center, indicating the area to be the smack middle of the entire town. She was at the central plaza.

Her uninterested eyes didn't stay on the fountain for long. Folding her arms together, Sapphire made a quick check on the area for any possible place of accommodation, or taverns. If she had already pampered herself with a luxurious boat ride, she would at least find a suitable place to rest for the night.

Steadily moving towards the fountain, she didn't stop looking around for an inn or tavern. She wasn't exactly in a hurry, but the fact that the money she had at present was stolen only heightened her worry- that the relevant authorities may have already set off after her.

Looking behind her warily, the large mass of people that poured into the central plaza from the docks revealed no signs of any 'relevant authorities'. Ignoring the possible underlying danger completely, she focused on looking for a place to rest.

Her fists clenched. It would seem there was no apparent inn or taverns here. All that was here were shops that sold various items, like the synthesist shop, though Sapphire had no inkling what it would sell. Her curiosity was piqued, but as she narrowed her eyes habitually, the thought was dispelled.

It wouldn't be good to accommodate her curiosity at whim. Who knew the dangers that remain hidden from sight within? Unless necessary, she should avoid those areas. Shaking her head, Sapphire sighed. Her assassin thinking had just got the better of her once again. Surveying the area one last time confirmed the absence of inns or taverns.

It also brought to her attention a well-built man that was seated on one of the benches around the fountain. There were others around it, couples, to be specific, but this solitary man... He was exuding a strange aura that seemed to be tugging at Sapphire to go closer to know the man.

It felt strange, and deciding not to venture to strike up a conversation, she turned away from the fountain.. Only to walk into a man, quite roughly too, knocking her back down to the floor.

Startled at her unusually poor reflex, Sapphire accepted the man's immediate offer to help her up.

"My deepest apologies... I.. am in a hurry, so. I'll have to run off for now!" He stuttered, his face too contorted into a manner that seemed more fearful than apologetic, as he sprinted off behind Sapphire. Already, Sapphire's suspicious nature had her check for anything missing.

Indeed, her recently stolen wallet was gone.

The man must have been forced by circumstances unknown to Sapphire into this petty crime. To make the theft so obvious through his speech, his expression... This was no experienced thief.

Sighing, Sapphire broke into a sprint, in the direction of the man. Her face held no signs of anger, fear, or anxiety as she ran. Hair flowing with the wind, she moved at breakneck speed. Eyes glared intensely at her target, just as she would when she kill off her targets during her job.

This wasn't a mission, but she knew the man was definitely going to get a piece of her mind... And perhaps lose a piece of himself.

 

[Tipsynaruto]

OOC: a bit lost here, so im not too sure what i can do...

The clinking of metal on cobblestone followed after the footsteps of the tall, fair woman. An air of graceful elegance and serenity followed behind, but what caught the attention of the villagers of Minith was the towering spear in the left hand, a long flowing dress and intricate armour, but mostly, the large pair of snow gray wings and the halo above her head. To Mtiette, the scrutiny and glances of curiosity was not a problem. In fact, with such diverse animals and races on the planet, she did not understand why her appearance would make that much of a difference.

Still, her unique appearance proved to be a slight advantage. Spear in hand and armour, the people gave her a bit of walking room as she carved through the crowd at the docks.

My... it sure is a busy settlement...

All around, people were rushing here and there and as she approached the fountain in the town, she spotted a pair running, or more accurately, the female was pursuing the male. Odd she thought to herself. The man carried a fearful expression whilst the female was emotionless. Maybe a loan shark or some form of fight? Regardless, the female looked rather merciless. Should i intervene or just let the humans deal with their own issues? Mtiette thought as the pair head towards her direction.

 

[CassinoChips]

OOC: Alumar's reactions obtained from Fox via MSN.

------

“Do you have, or could you make something that could help neutralize, or reduce, physical damage to the one wearing it?”

Immediately Luca's thoughts turned toward his inventory. He went through a mental checklist of his items. The request was a bit on the open-ended side, so the checklist was rather long. But an idea began formulating in his mind.

“Have it placed on a ring or amulet of sorts.”

There it was.

Other than the most complex of requests, there was always a part of each customer's wants that crystallized the idea in Luca's mind. Immediately, Luca knew how he could create the item. He nodded toward the man in the straw hat, then went around the counter to the corner of the room where he had thrown his pack. Rummaging through, he began talking, partly to explain his thoughts on the item to the customer, partly to talk himself through the process.

"Ok, the base is going to be a steel ring. Simple, strong, and incredibly stable. Also surprisingly accepting of being imbued. Now, to create the effect of absorption, I'll need to create a dilution of reef coral and.... where the hell is tha- there it is. Reef coral and stardust. Now, to allow your energy to enter into the ring to activate it, it'll be studded with lapis lazuli." In his hands, Luca now held the ring, a jar of coral, a vial of a glimmering powder that must have been stardust, and a small clear bag of blue lapis lazuli.

Returning to the back side of the counter, Luca placed the materiel on the glass top and looked up at his customer. "How does that sound?"

The mage looked at Luca with a slight confusion in his eyes for a few seconds. "The idea for the ring is ok, but I cannot say much for the elements, that is your area."

Luca nodded. "Ok, give me the rest of the day to put this all together for you. If you come back at the end of the day, I'll have it completed and we can discuss payment then. But I would guess somewhere in the neighborhood of 70 or 75 gold pieces. Acceptable?"

Smirking slightly, Alumar thought of the treasury back at Fort Rigel. This price was like nothing at all. "Yeah, I have no problems with that price, none at all."

Luca smiled. It was good to be back in Minith. "Excellent. I will see you at the end of the day then."

 

[AlchemistFox]

Alumar’s smirk was still clear on his face; 75 gold that was nothing. He had assumed in the hundreds for it. Though perhaps the materials were cheaper than he thought, and as a shopkeeper one should not overcharge or one might get the rumor of being a money-hog. So Alumar could clearly see the reasoning behind it, though mostly it was due to his inexperience with the needed items.
Nodding to the now busy shopkeeper, he turned around and headed towards the town square again, exiting the door that he closed behind himself as his smirk faded.
Looking to the sky as the sun again hit his face, rain would be nice to have. Dark, almost black clouds with heavy rain, preferably little to no wind so that a person wound not get wet under one’s hat or under an umbrella.
His eyes returned to the level of most of the shop and Inn nametags, though he had just halfway gotten hold of a new trinket, he still wanted a place to stay for the night.

Hs eyes noted many weird names, The Shady Turtle, Devils’ inn, Monkey’s balls, The wall, the branchi*. Wait, what? Hold on.
Someone actually named their shop for the ‘Monkey’s Balls’?
Alumar almost fell to the ground laughing; he had to support himself to a nearby light post. This was hilarious, not really wanting to know what goes on in there, Alumar had to admit that did feel a little curious.

Several minutes later, still laughing as he kept on walking down the main road he spotted earlier he kept on looking for a suitable Inn.
This was something that he found quite fast, as the main road had plenty of better named shops, the one that triggered his interest was a place called ‘The Timber Septim Inn’. It sounded almost like the name of a royal, so hopefully it had a high standard.
It was rather close to the town square, so Alumar assumed that it would be relatively expensive, where expensive would be a fairly relative term.

Entering the large door his assumption was rather close.
There were several tables with chairs, suggesting that they served food as well, this and the whole restaurant style menu board at the counter.
There were paintings decorating the walls, the tables all had table cloths with the name embodied in.
The people that worked here had high class outfits and the counter the clerk stood behind was of a glossy mahogany.
There was a nice atmosphere in there, with candles lighting most of the area, save the light from outside.
Without doubt this was a high class Inn though empty as it seemed at the moment, the other customers had most likely already reserved rooms or would come in as the evening closed in.

Alumar went to one of the tables in a corner, he took off his cape and hat which he placed on the edge of the table before he started gong though the menu.
The menu had a vast amount of different things on it, there were even a notis at the bottom stating if the customers wanted something that were not on the list, it was just to describe it and the cooks would do their best.
Alumar waved over one of the waitresses, which wore a mix between everyday clothes, a maid’s uniform and a plain ‘skirt’ thing. It looked slightly unusual though it worked with the rest of the room.
“What can I get for you, Sir” She asked with a soft voice.
“I’d like the Chicken and rice, and a room for the night.” Alumar ordered, she jotted down the things in a small pad she carried.
“Oh, and a bottle of sweet wine.” Alumar added with a smile, he preferred the sweet drinks over the sour ones.
She bowed respectfully to the customer as she went back to the counter.

She returned a minute later with a key branded with the number 4, as well as the wine and a glass.
“For the food, drink and the room for the night it will come on 60 gold”
Alumar smiled, it was almost as much as the enchanted ring he were to pick up later today, he were most likely to see noblemen or that kind in there as the evening grew loner.
Alumar put his hand though his cloak, and took out a small leather pouch, paying the lady he placed it back into the small portal afterwards.
“The food will be brought to you in a few minutes” The waitress stated as she bowed once again before walking back to the counter.

Alumar poured the wine in the glass, swirled it around a few times as he inhaled the aroma deeply trough the nose before tasting it. It was a sweet one; it had a pleasant taste to it as well.
Sitting back a little Alumar kept on swirling the glass while holding the bottom foot of it, musing his own thoughts as he watched the deep crimson liquid spin around.