I was rewarded with a very surprised Violet as I poured out a small pile of silver and copper wardings, and her eyes grew even larger as I placed the robe and staff on top.
“That is quite an impressive haul for a G grade. This all came from the goblin lair, you say?” She asked after a long moment.
“Actually, I haven’t said anything about that, but yes.”
“Are you sure? Even at a glance this is most irregular loot for a goblin to drop. The staff alone should be several grades higher. Magic foci are almost exclusively C grade at least.”
“I am very sure. Most of it wasn’t specifically dropped by the goblins but was recovered from a chest inside the lair.”
“Interesting. I had heard that the whole event was abnormal, but I didn’t expect it to be to this level. Is there anything you can tell me while I examine the items?”
“I honestly don’t know enough to know what would be best to tell you. There were goblins. The lair didn’t have levels. I came out with sickness after an afternoon inside. There were buildings, well tents inside the lair.”
“All of which are out of the ordinary. Thank you. I assume that you are curious about the process of appraisal judging by how you keep blinking at me. Tell me, do you have any form of magic sight?”
“Not exactly. I do have an awareness. This whole place sets my skin itching.”
“I thought as much. Well, that might suffice to give you a sense of what is going on. Bear in mind that I am doing this only because you provided me with valuable information and have followed my command to the letter. Plus, I like being about to share my knowledge.
This staff has a sense of power about it, correct?”
“Yes. Not that much but something.”
“Good. It does have a weak force to it. But then so do many of the items here. Wardings are simple, we just follow the pattern and the effect is produced. They are where the majority of spell patterns come from and are very useful in research although they have their uses in the field if one is developed in the right ways. But items with their own force have to be examined carefully. The materials they are made from, the markings, or lack, and the craftsmanship are all important. The ability to appraise comes mainly from lore. The more you know the more you can identify. This staff has a nice smooth varnish, and is made of a wood that doesn’t grow anywhere near here. It appears to be an elven variety. The markings seem to correspond with focus and extension as expected. And that appears to be enough.”
She was right. Even to my sense the muted feeling that came from it resolved into something far more clearly defined.
Staff of elven focus
This staff concentrates the power of the magic user allowing for greater range and strength at lower ranges.
+200 feet to range of long distance casting.
+20% to power of short range casting.
Requirements: magic usage, utility or combat.
Grade E and above in intellect.
The info box came up on my card as I focused on the feelings. It was a very good item especially for someone like me to get their hands on. But I didn’t have magic, as yet so it was currently useless.
“So is that all it takes? A bit of focus and some lore?”
“Is that all it takes?” She mocked. “Lore is incredibly difficult to gain at high enough levels to be useful in identifying drops of this grade. For simple things like basic herbalism you could get enough aptitude in a few weeks of studying, or a few months in the field. But items take years of practice, of seeing many different types. Apprentice appraisers often have to work with masters for years to gain the abilities to see even the simplest details, and for something like this they wouldn’t see much beyond the name, if that.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend. It’s just something that I haven’t had occasion to look into as yet. I didn’t really expect to need anything appraising for a long time.”
“Well, no harm done, but many would refuse to look over the other items for the lack of appreciation. Lucky for you, I am curious about all of this, so I will over look it.”
Thank you. I didn’t realise that lore was so essential.”
“It is essential for all aspects of skills. The different areas of lore can take lifetimes to master, and no one, not since the grand sage back in the first age of the gods mastered them all. Even the common trades require specific knowledge. I’m surprised that you haven’t got any grades in an area of lore yet. The lower levels are normally fairly simple to gain.”
Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.
“Well, I haven’t been an adventurer for long, and I have been focusing on my physical skills as they seem a better bet to staying alive.”
“I can’t disagree with you there. Not for someone at your grade, but it might be worth it to expand your horizons a bit. You still have to plan your development properly. Lore will help you do that.”
“That is something I have been considering; The direction of my development. It is…. not an easy thing to decide.”
“For many, it is. You cant change what you are naturally inclined for and fighting against your nature results in stunted growth and subpar results. Most mages have certain traits that lead them into making the correct choices for them. Warriors have it slightly harder as they must choose styles, weapons, and of course, they are limited by the teachers they have available. My advice is, find what you like, and are good at and push it further.”
“Thank you. That is actually the problem. Im mediocre is a few areas. My weapon skills are passable but I keep getting told to change my weapon.”
“Then do so. You are young enough. Anyways, we still have the robe to look at and the wardings.”
The slight detour of conversation had distracted me from what I came here for, and fuelled the already whiling haze of thoughts about what I was going to do next, but Violet quickly took control back and focused on the robe.
“Silk, no. Spider, no. Light steel, it can’t be. Magic, of course. Protection. Yes, there we go.”
As before the information came up on my card as I focused on the changed feeling from the robe.
Light robe of steel
A protective robe made of light steel, a material made of solid light. This rare material forms on high mountains in the north where the stars bathe rocks in their radiant light.
Increased defence against darkness aligned magic and attacks.
Increased defence against physical attack. Damage reduction of Grade C and below.
Damage immunity up to grade G
Special option:
Shining light
Casts a holy based light buff that increases speed of party by 5%.
One use per encounter.
Restricted to magic users.
Wow. A special option. I didn’t know a lot but even I knew that items with options were rare and expensive. Even the restriction of magic users was light, a single spell or skill that used magic would be enough to qualify.
“This is pretty special; you know that right?” Violet asked.
“Yeah, it’s a very good item.”
“Good, then I will just go through the wardings and we can discuss price.”
I nodded as violet ran her fingers through the pile of wardings, sorting them into stacks of different materials. Silver on one side and copper on the other.
“These are pretty standard. A few simple defensive charms that anyone could use if they have basic magic control. This one though,” She held up a bright silver one slightly larger than the others. “Is something else. I’ve never seen it before, so I would like to personally buy it from you.”
“What is the difference between you personally buying it and the mages buying it?”
“Well, I will give you a better price, obviously. The guild has a price list that is way below what the items are worth but just as the adventurers, do we buy pretty much anything. Other than that, it’s a more personal relationship. If you give me first refusal on any interesting drops I can provide you with more than just coin. I could offer advice, training, spells, potentially more depending on a variety of factors. I see that your equipment is custom made, probably not exactly right for you, but far superior to anything that is available at your grade anywhere else. So following that you already have relationships with crafters. This would be along similar lines, I expect.”
“Ah.” I said as I thought.
She was proposing a very interesting arrangement that could benefit me greatly, if I could provide the drops that she was after. But the goblins were an anomaly and I couldn’t count on more of them to supply me with items.
“I have no problems with such a relationship, magister Violet. But I can’t promise that I will have drops of this quality again, I am only a grade G after all.”
“Bah. Right now you are. This is not a short term arrangement. You should consider yourself lucky that I even offered. I can’t remember the last time a grade G even entered this building. My colleagues prefer to wait until someone has survived the first few grades before they take an interest. Life expectancy being what it is and all. I prefer to be proactive. Maybe my guidance will help you survive and a long term relationship benefits everyone.”
“It can’t hurt.”
“Excellent. Now we will just sign the contract, and discuss the price for these items, and what you may wish to keep or sell. Then I will see about giving you something more tailored to you, in terms of development.”
She bustled around the room grabbing a sheet of parchment and a quill before writing quite a lot and then handed it to me.
“Um, I can’t read.”
“Oh. That presents a problem as I cannot have you sign a contract where you are unaware of the specifics. If you are willing to come back tomorrow we can sort that out then, I may have a way around it. But you do have to learn to read. Any attempt at developing into a magic user or tactical fighter will be stymied by a lack of education.”
“I can come back tomorrow, to sign the contract. And I am aware of my lack in this regard. It is something that I do plan on correcting as soon as possible. Is there any chance we can complete the sale of items without the contract for today?”
Of course. Well, for the items to the Mages we can. For the other thing we can do it tomorrow. I want it clearly in writing so that there are no misunderstandings on either side. For all the items except the silver warding, I can give you twenty-four gold and seven silvers. I will warn you that you could find a better price elsewhere, if you can find a buyer. But our we will buy everything with no quibbles.”
“That is perfect. As much as I would like to keep the items, I have no use for them, nor anyone that can use them. I will take the gold.”
“Excellent. Take this,” she handed me a slip of paper. “Out to Jensen at the front desk. He will ensure that you get your coin. It was a pleasure doing business with you, and I will see you tomorrow.”
I knew a dismissal when I heard it. Years of working around the town for those that looked down on those of us that grew up in the slums had more than taught me to hear the tones in all their varied shades, from contempt to polite.
I did as I was bid and left the sparkling building a great deal richer than I started. But despite the fact that Violet was civil, and even helpful, I could see why adventurers thought they were arseholes.