Charomera
The 24th of Elaphebolion
The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals
Arche awoke before dawn. A restless energy had settled about him. No dreams, good or bad, had interrupted his sleep, so he took that to mean the Oneiroi was continuing to impart their ‘gifts.’ Being awake early meant he could triple-check his equipment to see if he had everything he needed. More specifically, he could get rid of things he didn’t need, like the horde of treasure he’d been carrying since the dwarven ruins.
“Too bad this frontier town doesn’t have a bank,” he muttered.
With the absence of an easy way to store his valuables, the best thing to do would be to head to the village market when it opened and see if anyone was interested in buying ancient dwarven treasure. He hefted the Tridory and exited the tent. A dull glow over the horizon heralded the coming dawn and his companions would be up and about soon.
“Ready?”
Arche turned in surprise and found Lyssa standing next to him. The hood of her cloak was up and the rest was pulled tight around her against the morning chill. Most of his companions would be up soon, he corrected himself. He had forgotten that Lyssa didn’t need as much sleep as the others, thanks to her elven nature.
“Yeah, thought I’d resupply before we head out. I’m running low on rations and other gear. You?”
“Just waiting for everyone else to wake. The sunrises are beautiful in this valley. Do you have coin?”
Arche shook his head. “No, some treasures I’m looking to sell, but no coins yet.”
“Then we’ll use mine. I sold a few baubles for drachmae already.” Lyssa’s face drew into a frown. “I must say, I don’t like this system of trade.”
“What’s wrong with it?”
She gestured aimlessly to one side.
“It’s selfish. What use is money, here? Favors and reciprocation would be better. Greed runs rampant with accumulation of wealth, but a community working toward a common goal brings itself together to survive.”
“Is that how the elves do it?”
Lyssa scratched at one of her clipped ears absentmindedly. Arche cursed inwardly.
“It is.”
“Might be all well and good for an isolationist group, but I think the intent here was to establish some sort of trade back with Ship’s Shape. To do that, they’ll need coin. A favor isn’t worth much if the person you owe it to is too far away to do anything for.”
Lyssa waved her hand dismissively, ceding the point.
“How much treasure did you sell?”
“A quarter of it, perhaps. I thought the treasure from the dwarven ruins would be worth most to a dwarf, and we can’t exactly eat gold.”
“Not with that attitude.” Arche grinned. “I’ll bet there’s some ‘Dragonkin’ trait or something out there that’s got people eating precious metals and gems.”
“I’ve never heard of a dragon consuming their horde before, but not all dragons gather treasure in a conventional sense. Perhaps there’s some dragon out there who has a horde of confectionaries.”
Arche held the Tridory out toward the sunrise and closed one eye, pretending to gauge the distance.
“Then after our quest we should sally forth without delay! There are dragons to slay and sweets to steal.”
Lyssa snorted and fell in-step with him as they walked toward the market. Since there were no other buildings aside from Callias’s den of depravity, the merchants of the village had instead gathered together to display their wares under canvas roofs strung up to keep the sun off. Despite the early hour, many were awake and setting up for the day. Unlike the crafters, who were more fixated on their work than selling their services, the merchants were a cheery bunch who smiled and waved them over, hoping to sell some of their stock.
A dark-skinned human displayed various sized bags, lanterns, and a variety of camping equipment. Lyssa engaged her in good-natured haggling and, after a few minutes, coins were exchanged, leaving Arche and Lyssa with fifty meters of sturdy rope for each member of their crew, enough honeyed nuts and jerky to last two weeks, and four new waterskins. Lyssa opted for a few small bowls of vegetable stew instead of jerky.
Arche paid a dwarf a drachma and two obols for a pickaxe, managing to haggle down from the three drachmae the dwarf had initially demanded. Arche wanted it in the event that they found any precious ores inside the cave and had the time to unearth it, or in the event that they would have to break rocks and his shovel wouldn’t be enough to do the job.
You have learned a Skill.
Bartering — Level 1
By crossing words with a dwarf over an old, favored pickaxe, you have stumbled upon one of the oldest trades in existence. Though you’re certain you talked the dwarf down to a good price, you’ll never really know until you learn how much things are actually worth.
Each level in this skill improves your ability to haggle.
Every 5 levels in this skill improves your Wisdom and Charisma by 1.
+1% Chance of Improved Prices when Buying or Selling (+1%)
+2% Estimation of Price (+2%)
Arche blinked in surprise.
Most of his other skill descriptions had gotten straight to the point and left off. They didn’t recap how he’d earned the skill and they definitely didn’t insult him while doing it. Arche dismissed the notification with more than a touch of annoyance.
Lyssa left him to wander as she inspected the wares of an elven bowyer. Arche looked around the growing throng of villagers, trying to decide if there was anything worth the fistful of drachmae she’d given him. As he turned, he saw a couple of women looking at him and whispering.
Arche tensed, one hand subconsciously resting against the hilt of his sword. More assassins sent by Callias, perhaps? Upon second look, however, the girls were not in any fashion that befitted combat, wearing sleeveless dresses that were belted high over the stomach, shawls wrapped around their arms. Upon seeing that he had noticed them, the girls blushed and turned away, hiding smiles behind their hands.
It seemed their attention was to be taken quite literally at face-value. He turned away, wishing he had a hood he could pull down over his face. The cloak Lyssa had given him had not aged well in the hard days through the Sylv. Between storms, briars, and sleeping on the forest floor, it had been torn and stained a dozen times over. It could be patched, but Arche didn’t have the skill to do that and it would have been quite the effort.
As he turned, he caught sight of a tailor setting up a few wooden mannequins to display his wares for the day. He was a small fellow, about half Arche’s height, but finely dressed. One of the items on display was a forest green cloak with, most importantly, a hood. Arche approached the tailor immediately.
“How much for the cloak?”
The tailor peeked his head around one of the mannequins. At first, Arche had taken the vendor for a halfling, but there were clear differences. This man was of a similar size but had large ears and, contrary to the halflings’ youthful appearances, intense wrinkles that indicated extremely advanced age. His hair had thinned and his waist had thickened, but he had a kind, grandfatherly face. Curious, Arche Examined him.
Baldwic Tsaoussis
Level: 17
Race: Gnome
Age: ?
Height: ?
Weight: ?
Profession: ?
Trade: ?
Traits: ?
Companions: ?
Adventuring Party: ?
Health: 240 / 240
100%
Stamina: 130 / 130
100%
Mana: 190 / 190
100%
“Cloak?” The gnome moved around the mannequin to better regard him. “Oh, my! Yes, ahem, indeed. The cloak is a Mundane, I’m afraid, though excellent craftsmanship. It’s currently priced at two drachmae and five obols.”
Arche opened his mouth to agree, but something in the gnome’s wording made him pause.
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“What’s a Mundane?”
“Why, a non-magical item, my boy! If you’re looking for magic cloaks, I have some in my tent here. Afraid I won’t have a wood-and-stone shop for quite some time, given that all building materials have been confiscated.”
The gnome led Arche inside a large tent behind the mannequins, filled with chests and displays with a small, cordoned area near the back that was clearly a sleeping quarters. The gnome opened up one of the chests and began removing different cloaks from inside.
“Hang on,” Arche said. “Did you say Callias confiscated all the lumber and stone in the village?”
“He did indeed. That’s right, I remember you now. You and those other two came after, during the second attack by the beastmar, didn’t you? Well, it’s no surprise that you wouldn’t know. We spent the first week here clearing out a few trees and leveling the ground a bit between these hills. Got a fair bit of materials from it as well, but once Lord Buton built his town hall, he confiscated the rest while he ‘decided what next would be best for the village.’ I wouldn’t be surprised if he was trying to figure out how to sell it back to Ship’s Shape, not that they would need the shipping from a little village like this.”
Arche blinked several times, digesting the information as the gnome continued pulling out cloak after cloak of all colors.
“There we go,” the gnome said. “Oh, dearie me, I’ve forgotten my manners. My name is Baldwic. My friends call me Baldy; my better friends call me Wic. I’ve learned to respond to both over the years.”
Baldwic rubbed his head as if to lament the loss of his hair.
“Arche. Pleased to meet you, Mister Wic.” Arche clasped the gnome’s forearm, having to stoop slightly to do so.
Wic smiled.
“You catch on quick. I like you. Now, let’s see about a cloak. A good cloak can make all the difference. It will either be people’s first impression, or what makes it such that they won’t see you at all. Which do you prefer?”
“The latter.”
“Ah, the noble art of stealth, or is that the stealthy art of pickpocketing nobles? I always get those mixed up. Anyway, I have a few cloaks that should do nicely.”
Wic gathered up a good portion of the cloaks and dropped them into a chest, where they promptly disappeared into the inventory space.
“Now, given our surroundings I would recommend one of the green or brown cloaks, though if you are planning on going incognito in the city, I would suggest one of the dark gray cloaks.”
“You put back some of the black cloaks, what was wrong with them?”
“While very stylish, black is not actually a good color for sneaking. Few things in nature are so dark, and in the light of the moons it is very apparent when something is actually black versus something that is merely dark.”
“Oh.” Arche paused to think. “I’d like something that could improve my stealth in the forest, but I imagine I’ll be making my way to Ship’s Shape at some point. Do you have something that improves stealth all around?”
Wic stroked his chin as he thought about the question.
“Magic items are often a balance between utility and specialization, as I’m sure you’re aware…” the gnome trailed off, gauging Arche’s puzzled reaction, “…however I’m an old gnome and I like to talk, so I’ll tell you anyway. The more specialized a magic item is—that is, the more specific the criteria are that it affects—the stronger the enchantments on it typically are. In plainer speech, a cloak that only improves stealth in a forested environment will be stronger than an all-around stealth cloak of the same caliber. Now, do you think this makes them more expensive than an all-around stealth enhancement, or less?”
Arche thought about it for a moment.
“More?” he answered. “Because it’s more niche of an item and the improvement is larger?”
“Wrong!” Wic smiled. “A wonderful thought, and if we were talking mundane machinations, you might be correct, but there is an ingredient I failed to mention. The materials to make all-around enhancements are often much more difficult to find or create than those with targeted activations. Take this environment for example. You may think that a forest-based stealth enchantment would be all you need for this area. That is, of course, until you step onto the mountain yonder and find that every beast and monster is suddenly aware of you. Or if you head underground and find that your green cloak that lets you blend into foliage is like a beacon to the grayscale tones that the cave creatures are used to.”
“So the more utility a magic item has, the more expensive it is when compared to a specialization?” Arche asked, frowning.
“Precisely! And, sadly, the weaker it is when compared to a specialization. A cloak that gives a thirty percent bonus in forests might be worth as much as twenty percent all-around. A significant difference, I’m sure you’ll agree.”
“And what kind of price range would those cloaks fall into?” Arche asked, very aware that he only had a handful of minted drachmae on him.
“A few hundred drachmae,” the gnome admitted. “But I have some more affordable items as well.”
Gears began to turn in Arche’s mind. “What’s the best all-around stealth cloak you have, and it’s cost?”
Wic thought for a moment, then turned and produced a beautiful emerald cloak. Despite the green color, as Wic shook it out, Arche’s eyes lost track of it for a few moments.
“This is my pride. Acquired her three years ago and haven’t parted with her since. I call her the Emerald Ghost. Take a look at her stats for yourself.”
Wic passed the cloak to Arche, who received a prompt as he took it.
Emerald Ghost
Rarity: Epic
Quality: Masterwork
Durability: 100 /100
Weight: 3 kilograms
Traits: +20% Passive Hide, +40% Active Hide, Repairing, +6 Charisma, +4 Comeliness
Arche gaped in unabashed shock. There was so much to take in that he didn’t know where to start. The ‘Repairing’ tag was as good a place as any.
Repairing
An item with this trait will regain durability and clean itself over time. The regeneration rate of durability is variable, based upon the total durability and quality of the item. An item reduced to 0 durability is destroyed and beyond the help of this trait.
A cloak that would repair itself and keep itself clean? Arche’s fingers twitched; he wanted it. No more trying to ignore the smells that pushed up against his face while he was trying to sleep. No more fiddling with frayed ends, watching his cloak slowly unravel around him. Arche had to work hard to close his mouth. Not only was the active bonus equivalent to twenty levels in Stealth, but it gave an improvement to his attributes equal to two entire levels. Arche’s hands shook as he handed the cloak back.
“How much?”
Wic took the fabric back and looked at Arche sadly.
“More than I’m afraid you could afford. A cloak such as this? I would have to set its price firmly at four-hundred drachmae. Were we in the city, I could get several times that, but here? That is the lowest I could go, and it’s very nearly at-cost. For anyone else here, I’d have set the price at eight-hundred, but I saw what you did in the battle. More lives would no doubt have been lost, perhaps my own among them, had you and your friends not been there.”
Arche tried hard not to let his disappointment show. Lyssa had left him with about twenty drachmae, which was, as he was beginning to understand, rather substantial, but still nowhere near the price point of a quality magical item. However, Lyssa still had quite a bit of coin left over even after their morning shopping, and all that was gained from selling only a few relics from the dwarven ruins. He met the gnome’s firm gaze and gave a smile laden with avarice.
“Well, my friend, I just so happen to have a cache of valuable items. I think one or two might be worth that price tag. Care to trade?”
Arche scanned through his inventory, skipping over the metalwork and going straight to the collection of jewels and precious gems that he had acquired. What he was really hoping for was a nice one-to-one trade, but he’d be willing to part with a few gems for the cloak. Finally, he found what he was looking for. A beautifully carved emerald the size of his thumb. Wic picked it up and looked it over, then set it back down. He looked at Arche with wild eyes.
“Where did you come across such an item?” the gnome asked in a strained voice.
“A little something I picked up in my travels,” Arche said, smiling coyly.
Wic took several deep breaths, his eyes darting back and forth as he did mental calculations. Finally he nodded, more to himself than to Arche, and pushed the cloak.
“We have a deal. The Emerald Ghost is yours. If you ever need your clothing tailored, please know that I am at your disposal.”
Arche took the cloak in hand and nodded, smiling. “I do imagine I’ll need more clothing if I ever make it to the city. As it is, most of the clothing I have gets torn or bloodied fairly frequently, so you’ll probably see a lot of me in the days to come.”
Bartering has increased to Level 8
+1% Chance of Improved Prices when Buying or Selling (+8%)
+2% Estimation of Price (+16%)
+1 Wisdom
+1 Charisma
Arche pulled the cloak over his armor and lifted the hood, leaving the gnome to wonder at the emerald as he stepped out of the tent and breathed the fresh morning air.
“I would bet the rest of the hoard that I seriously underestimated how much that emerald was worth,” he muttered.
There was nothing more to do about it, now. He got what he wanted and hoped he would never find out how much it had really cost him.
No one turned to regard him, or even indicated that they had overheard him, though the market was fairly busy. After his interaction with Wic, Arche decided he would wait until he had someone else present before he went to the dwarves to try to pawn off his treasure. He made his way back to his tent, marveling at how people barely paid him a second glance.
Once inside, Arche pulled out his shovel and started digging. Armed with the proper tool for the job, it took barely less than a minute to make a sizable hole beneath his bedroll. Once deep enough, he opened up his inventory and started piling heaps of treasure down into the hole. When all his treasure was deposited, he filled it, stamped down the loose dirt, and placed his bedroll over it. Arche didn’t particularly expect anyone to go through his things but given that Callias had already tried to kill him once, it was best to take precautions. With the job done, he left the tent and went off to find his friends.
They were waiting near the edge of town. As Arche walked toward them, he found that melding into the crowd was easier than ever. Arche activated his Stealth skill as he approached his group and the difference grew even further. No one noticed him at all. Even when he came up to the others, all waiting for him, none of them looked directly at him. None, that is, except for Lyssa.
“I see you’ve bought a toy.”
Abraxios, who stood between Lyssa and Arche, cocked his head. “Eh, what? I have bought nothing.”
Arche smiled and lowered the hood, standing right behind the tengu. “Yeah, it was worth every obol.”
The others’ reactions were as immediate as they were drastic. Abraxios’s wings extended as he nearly took off in surprise, Odelia fell backward with her quarterstaff held out in front of her in a warding gesture, and Tess had a throwing knife in one hand, already cocked back and ready to throw. Only Lyssa had not reacted, a smile quirking the corners of her lips as she shook her head at the others.
“Malaka,” Tess spat, sheathing her knives. “Why would you go and do a fool thing like that?”
“Because it was funny?” Arche smiled at her.
She scoffed and turned away.
“I hope you save your next joke for the beastmar,” Odelia said, picking herself off the ground and dusting off her robe. “My hands are trembling.”
“A cloak of incredible quality,” Lyssa said, nodding her approval. “This will go a long way toward your stealth training, Greenstick.”
“I apparently have a long way to go if you could still see me. Nobody else did.”
“I am trained to spot things that are hard to see. Especially things that move. It is part of being a Huntress.”
“And an elf,” Tess muttered. “Warn a girl next time, would you? If for no other reason than that we don’t accidentally kill the party leader.”
“Wait”—Arche held up a hand to pause the conversation—“I’m party leader?”
“Well, yes,” Abraxios said. “It’s your quest, after all. You discovered it; you should take the lead.”
“I…all right. Are we ready to get this show on the road?”
The others stared at him.
“Are we ready to go?”
A chorus of agreement filtered back to him and he sent out party invitations to all of them, watching as their icons filled a corner of his vision. He couldn’t see their vitals, but he would be able to sense if they were injured or know if they died. It felt a poor facsimile of the Companionship he shared with Lyssa, but there was nothing to do about it but bear it.
Besides, there were beastmar to kill.