Sign: Snake

  Buffs: Serpent’s Kiss (Romance twice as easy)

  Debuffs: Curse of the Unspecified (Start the game with no gender, no name, and no other identifying feature)

Fantastic Breakfast (0.5 days): All prices are 20% better. Earn double EXP.

EXP: 1,237

Alchemy

  Coagula (LVL 0, 24 SKP)

  Solvé (LVL 0, 19 SKP)

  Theoria (LVL 0, 23 SKP)

Botany

  Sowing (LVL 0, 5 SKP)

  Tending (LVL 0, 10 SKP)

  ?

Cooking

  Fire (LVL 1, 11 SKP)

  Water (LVL 0, 11 SKP)

  ?  

Homesteading

  Fire Tending (LVL 0, 7 SKP)

  Tidying (LVL 1, 39 SKP)

  ?

Speech

  Logic (LVL 1, 13 SKP)

  Linguistics (LVL 0, 31 SKP) Ready to level up!

  Cajoling (LVL 0, 10 SKP)

Total SKP: 293

Inventory:

  Auros: 0

  Cards of Destiny: 5 of ?? Discovered

Names: 4

  Evengeline, The Pure Snow (Holly)  

  Vitas, The Wind Thief (Sparrow)

  Gillygad, The Stiched-Up Wonder (Pitchfork)

  Zinia, The Serpent’s Caress (Snake)

Passive Skills:

(Fire LVL 1) Ignited: The Elemental branch of magic lends this Sorcerer the ability to cook faster using fire. Prepare fried or baked meals twice as quickly. Get burnt less.

(Tidying LVL 1) Dirt Buster: The magical branch of Purification lends this Sorcerer the ability to ‘Bust Dirt.’ Dust and grime accumulate at an infinitesimally slow rate on objects you have cleaned.

(Logic LVL 1) Rhetoric: The magical branch of Entreatment lends this Sorcerer the ability of heightened ‘Rhetoric.’ The structure of your arguments is smooth, regular, and orthogonal. Spirits and people are more likely to agree with you.

I woke up at first light. I had slept very nervously. I hadn’t finished Tess’s assignment, and also, I was scared that the Winter Lady would somehow get me.

I kept waking up in the dead of night, and checking to make sure that no one was in the room with me, and that the reflective panes of the window in my room didn’t show anyone besides myself.

I got up and stretched, the early morning light warming my skin. Maybe I would have some time today, before Tess came back, to finish her task? She had asked me to read up on three Names, but I only managed one.

As I entered the library, all my hopes were dashed. The Sorceress was there, sitting in the reading nook, pouring over a Guild manual.

“So, you owe me some research. What did you find out last night?” She said, skipping over the ‘good morning,’ and all the other pleasantries.

“I, um, well, I learned the Winter Lady’s name.” I started and Tess nodded.

I recounted what I remembered reading about last night. I told Tess about the book of poems, the blurb in the back, and what I learned about Evangeline Givre’s life. Then, I told her about the Spirit of the Winter Lady making an appearance, but I left out the part where she scared me out of my pants.

Tess nodded approvingly as I talked.

“Great,” she said, “what other Names did you read up on?” She asked.

“Well, actually, I didn’t quite manage… after Evengeline appeared, it was hard to stay still and reading, so…” I tried to explain.

“So?” Tess fixed me with a penetrating stare.

“So, I went to bed.” I finished lamely. “But, I’ll read up on them tonight! Right now, in fact, if you want me to…” I tried to convey that I had really wanted to complete the Sorceress’s assignment, but it just didn’t work out. I couldn’t very well stay in the library and read while a frozen, undead Spirit watched me front he shadows.

“Fine. Finish tonight. But, keep going with your routine. You’ve started the parcel service again, yes?” Tess asked. She didn’t appear mad. Good.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

“I did!” I told her about starting another Winter’s Kiss, and how it should be ready this morning! I also told her that I had unlocked another potion, but didn’t have the required ingredients.

“Hmm,” Tess tapped her finger on her chin, “You’ll come with me to the market this morning. Maybe we can get you set up.” She said, and walked out of the library, with me trailing her.

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We took Cheerful with us to the market. He flew circles around Tess’s head and chattered about how much he loved flying outside, going to the market, and being helpful.

I listened to the bird, and looked up at the beautiful blue sky. It was a perfect day. A cool breeze blew from the West, and the green grass was freshly sprouted. Everything looked brand new, and I was excited by everything I saw.

I chatted with the Sorceress as we walked.

“Tess, I have a lot of EXP. How do I spend it?” I asked.

“That’s good,” she answered, “keep saving it.”

“For what?” I asked perplexed.

“You’ll need EXP for Spells. I still haven’t given you the most important book. The second half of Toad’s Grimoire. Once you get approved by the Board of Sorcerer’s I will give it to you, and then you will see what you can spend EXP on. For now, just save it.” Tess explained.

Not like I had a choice to save it.

The market was only a half hour walk from 735 Austere Way. Tess informed me that it was not a weekend or a Fair day, so our options would be limited.

Indeed there were only a few merchants out. Around a cobbled square, scrunched together, were about half a dozen wooden stalls, with groceries and their attending salesmen. The stalls were bordered by two stately Linden trees, which had just started sprouting perfect green blossoms. The trees’ large branches overhung the stalls, providing shade under which the merchants stood and lazily chatted with one another. A string of multicolored flags was hung between the branches and the flags flapped happily in the light breeze.

I saw a stocky, red haired man hawking fish. That must be Bernard! Passing by his stall, I noticed the distinctive fishy smell that Bernard must have been worried about. There were barrels of ice, and all sorts of fish and shells on display. He was busy with a customer, so I didn’t stop and say hello.

There was a fruit and veggies stall, with a thin lanky woman standing by her produce, and looking rather bored. Her stock of fresh produce was scant. It must have been too early in the year for that. She did have many jars of pickled vegetables, next to the greens on her display.

We also passed a stooped, middle aged woman with breads and pies on her wooden collapsible shelf. That was probably Galatea Summerby! I wanted to stop and say hello, but Tess pulled me along.

Behind the huddle of outdoor merchants, there were was a row of shops. Tess took me into one. I barely had time to read the sign before she tugged my sleeve, and we entered the dim interior. Cheerful remained outside, hopping tree branch to tree branch.

There were barrels and bottles everywhere. Shelves bisected the cramped space, and we had to weave between the labyrinthian arrangement to get to the counter. It took me a moment, but then I realized we were at a wine shop!

Behind the counter was a plump, older man with very small hands. He did a small bow when he saw the tall Sorceress.

“Miss Addlebern, oh its been so long! How gracious, dear Sorceress, for you to pay your old friend Gustavo a visit.” He said up at her, and then bowed again.

“Thank you,” Tess said, and I could hear in her voice that the merchant’s overly friendly manner made her uncomfortable. “We’re here to buy some wine.”

“Oh, certainly, certainly, only the finest for you, dear Sorceress. Only the finest. May I interest you in some fine vintages from South, a fine summer Chablis from the golden shores of Tunnoipe. Or perhaps, something with more heart, with more weight for your fine palate. A lovely, rich Burgundy from…”

“It’s actually for my Apprentice. What kind of wine did you say you needed?” She interrupted the merchant, Gustavo, and looked at me.

“Oh, um, I think it said red wine. Yeah, red wine of an inferior quality.” I told her, remembering the method of preparation for the Dancing Tongue potion.

Tess looked expectantly at Gustavo. He frowned slightly, before his expression cleared up again.

“I do not carry any inferior wines. Everything in my stock is only of the top quality, the most sought after vintages in the land…” The merchant started, looking rather disapprovingly at me.

“We’ll take your cheapest, then.” Tess said, and the merchant started moving. We ended up buying two bottles of the cheapest red, and two of the cheapest white. The Sorceress whispered while Gustavo retrieved the bottles that it would be better to stock up now. The wine merchant usually jacked his prices up during the summertime.

All in all, the wine bottles cost two Castles. The Sorceress produced two shiny gold coins from the folds of her dress.

I felt something moving in my own pocket. I reach a hand between the folds of fabric, and realized that I still had the Belladonna berries in the pocket of my pants! I had forgotten to take them out, and they must be dried and hardened by now.

Just before we were about to leave, a younger girl, about sixteen, walked in from the back of the shop. Gustavo introduced us to his daughter, Florence. Tess nodded politely at the girl, and she curtseyed. As we left, I saw Gustavo whisper something into the girl’s ear.

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Tess took me and Cheerful around the market square. She bought a few groceries, milk, bread and more eggs, and attempted to buy fresh Dill. The lanky woman by the vegetable cart informed Tess that Dill wasn’t in season yet, but that she’d be happy to send her some dried, from last year. Tess agreed, and put Cheerful to the task.

While the Sorceress chatted with the lanky vegetable woman, I was trying not to wriggle. The berries were going mad, and it really felt like I had a coil of several small snakes, all writhing in my pocket. I looked down on many occasions, but I could not even detect the movement from outside.

As we were about to leave the cobbled square, Tess stopped dead in her tracks. She looked left, looked right, then paused a minute, in the middle of the road.

I was about to ask her what’s wrong, but she spoke first.

“Do you remember how to get home?” She asked curtly.

“Sure, why-” I started to say, but she cut me off.

“Hide. Then return to the house. I’ll see you there.” She strode forward with no more explanation than that, and kept walking without even looking back, the grocery bags swinging wildly with her every step. I looked around but didn’t see anything. Something must have frightened her!

I snapped out of my thoughts a moment later, and quickly went the other way, back towards the shops. Maybe, I could hide out at Gustavo’s. I felt fear crawling up my spine. If the Sorceress was spooked, whatever was wrong, I would probably be no match for it.

The berries were going absolutely mental. I couldn’t take it anymore, so as I walked, I grabbed them out of my pocket, intending to throw them on the street. Before I did, I had an idea. Zinia said I should call her if I needed something stay secret. Could my location be considered a secret?

Trying not to think about the nausea I would experience later, I ate one of the berries, and sped up my walk into a brisk jog. I felt it writhing in my throat, as I swallowed it.

I made it to the row of shops, but instead of going to Gustavo’s, I turned down an alley adjacent to the wine shop. The only cloud in the vast blue sky must have floated in front of the sun, because suddenly, the sunlight was gone.

There was someone at the end of the alley. I was supposed to be hiding, but my feet seemed to have a mind of their own, and I ran to the person.

Coming closer, I recognized her black hair, and although she wasn’t naked, but instead clothed in a magnificent black fur coat, I knew that it was Zinia.

“Hide me!” I almost shouted at the Spirit, as I ran by.

I will keep you secret. I will keep you safe.

I felt the words go through me, and the alley became even darker. If I didn’t know it was still morning, I would guess that it was the last half hour of the day, right after sunset, judging by the purpling hues of the stone houses around me. I jogged down the cobbled alley, looking around to see if anyone was in pursuit of me. My shoes had been clacking against the stones, but now, the sound was dampened, like I was underwater.

There was no one behind me, so I slowed down. Zinia was also gone, but I didn’t mind that so much. It seemed to me that she had already done what she could.

I winded through the small town’s cramped streets, taking the way between and behind buildings, rather than coming up on the main road.

I passed a woman, who was hurrying the other direction. She didn’t even glance at me. I wondered if I was invisible, or simply hard to notice. I shrugged, and decided it didn’t matter much.

Finally, I found my way out of the small town, and I was walking next to a country lane, but sticking close to the shade of the trees which bordered the dirt road.

I didn’t see anyone else, and before long, I was back to the house.

As soon as I made it through the front door, the light returned to the world, and I had to run to the bathroom and retch.

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