Old magic is what we call non-item based magic. There are several practitioners throughout the world. Anazal Spellform tattoos are the most commonly seen here in Avennia, but the familiar links of the Horse Lords of Corvas and the Magic Authority of True Mages are also forms of old magic. These are but pale shadows of what they used to be.
What happened to the world that these are now old magic, and we rely on items for power? Simple, in our greed for power, we tapped into worlds beyond our understanding and opened Gates. Like a bucket filled with holes, our world, once plentiful with power, is now reduced to relying on the dregs of our remaining power and on what power our Mages can cobble together inside their spirits.
-Basen Koh from an introductory lecture on magical theory
Reid used his new key to unlock the shop. He shook the rain off his coat outside the door and stepped inside. He spotted the coat rack next to the front desk, which seemed to have a mind of its own. Tentatively, he approached and held out his coat.
The coat rack moved, the upper arms rotating as if the furniture had noticed his presence.
"Uh, hi. I'm Reid. Would it be alright if I hung my coat on you?"
Reid expected Basen to jump out from behind a shelf and laugh at him. The man did have a strange sense of humor. That didn't happen, though. Instead, the coat rack extended an upper arm in apparent acceptance, and Reid hung his coat up.
"Thanks."
He looked over the rest of the shop. Nothing had changed since last night, and Reid flipped the sign in the front window to "Open." If he was in here, he was going to give himself opportunities to sell some things.
All the items on the back shelves were identified and labeled, and they'd also done most of the items in the front of the shop. Somehow, he'd never actually identified the giant stone sculpture in the front of the store. It was composed of three life size figures who stood or knelt on a stone base.
The first figure was a man with a staff set with a glowing purple gem. The second person was from a race Reid didn't recognize. It had pointy ears and a long nose, or possibly a beak—it was hard to tell since the entire thing was made from stone. Instead of stone legs, the person was set on a glowing blue platform with six articulated legs. The final figure was a human woman in robes, kneeling in prayer, perhaps. A golden halo floated over her head.
Reid couldn't sense any magic from any part of the statue. He wondered if the glowing items were individual magic items that were simply set into the sculpture. He tried to identify each one, only to find his magic blocked. The items were bound. He touched the stone base and tried to mark that instead. This, too, proved to be bound to another.
Basen had steered him around the sculpture. Maybe it was bound to him, and he just kept it here because he liked it? Whatever the case was, Reid couldn't make heads or tails of it.
Reid put the mystery out of his mind. He had too many of those already. He spotted a broom in the corner and started cleaning up the floor. It was dusty and dirty. His wet shoes were only making things worse.
Unfortunately, he hadn't identified a floor cleaning item. He tried to mark the broom, but it didn't respond. It just wasn't magical. That was too bad. A magic cleaning broom would have really made his life a little easier.
Once the shop looked cleaner, Reid decided it was finally time to see the Archives. The back door didn't have a lock, so he just pulled it open.
The room beyond was half as large as the shop. A window high on the back wall let some light in, but with the overcast day, the room was mainly illuminated by the pile of magic items in the middle of the room.
It was as Kris and Basen had described—at least a hundred items in a messy heap. Seeing the state of it disgusted Reid. He didn't consider himself a tidy person in general, but he couldn't deal with knowing this was sitting back here.
The rest of the room was filled with boxes. A few near the pile had been half filled by Kris, presumably. The walls were lined with other boxes stacked higher than Reid's head, but he didn't know if they were filled with items or not.
"There's the dull blade."
The voice startled him, but he quickly spotted Bad Advice's cage. The head watched him with a neutral expression from the corner of the room. The prison was on a small white marble pillar similar to one Reid had seen out front.
Reid stepped closer, unable to resist talking to the spirit.
"Do you really like being trapped in that cage?"
"No, but I prefer it to returning to the spirit realm."
"Why?"
"Hmm. Boredom, annoyance, some modicum of self-determination. This mortal world is full of opportunity for man and spirit, even those trapped inside prisons."
"Can I ask you a few questions?"
"A little late for that question. I certainly can't stop you, though I may choose not to answer. I can only be compelled for advice. I am not a spirit of sated curiosity, after all."
Reid was no judge of spirits, but he thought she seemed to be in a good mood if such a thing was possible. Reid pulled up a small empty crate and stood it on end, making himself an impromptu stool. He sat next to the spirit prison.
"Why do you give out bad advice?"
"I don't. I give out advice. What you make of that is up to you, not me."
"Why are you called 'Bad Advice,' then?"
"We spirits do not care for names. We care for concepts. I am a spirit of advice. Call me what you will, and I will do the same."
"So, what, did Basen give you your name? When I identified your prison, it said your name was 'Bad Advice.'"
The spirit was quiet for a moment. She stared at him and blinked slowly.
"It is within the power of a True Mage to change the name of a thing. Changing my name doesn't change what I am."
"So the whole warning about you giving bad advice is just made up?"
"You are young. You will learn about the world. Often, the perception of how things are counts for more than the reality."
"Can I ask you for some advice, then?"
"You may, but I gain some power from this cage if it is used, so I will not answer unless you use the cage."
Reid nodded. He didn't know if he believed the spirit entirely. She had been able to see the truth of statements somehow, so he hoped that was a natural restriction of some kind. Basen said he shouldn't ask the spirit for advice, but that didn't mean he couldn't.
He touched the cage and reminded himself how to use it.
"Bad Advice, what can I do to help the Immaculate Collection achieve success?"
The cage flashed, and he felt a momentary connection with it. Since his over expenditure of essence last night, he was a little more aware of the mysterious power that was his magic. The connection had drawn a wisp of essence from him to activate the ability within.
The spirit within the cage closed her eyes and went still. He waited a full minute before Bad Advice opened her eyes once more. Instead of her normal eyes, they were orbs filled with purple haze and pinpricks of light beyond. The spirit began to speak with a detached, ethereal voice.
"The Immaculate Collection is in more danger than you know. To save it, it must be successful. You have taken a step in the right direction. Your connections in the Royal Merchant's Guild will help, but you must go to the Greymoon Shadows as soon as possible. There is more to Basen's agreements than you know."
The purple faded from Bad Advice's eyes, and she seemed contented.
"I must sleep now...return...tomorrow," the spirit said, closing her eyes and moving no more.
"Wow. That was actually more specific than I expected. Thanks, Bad Advice."
The spirit did not acknowledge him. He turned his crate stool around and looked at the pile. He studied the shapes of swords, helmets, bolts of cloth, and chains.
"Hmm. I wanted to have the upper hand before I went to them, but there must be something I didn't see, or Basen didn't share with me..."
That could be a problem. If he went through the effort to improve the store and it did not matter in the end, he would be crushed. On the other hand, was Bad Advice right? Basen didn't trust the spirit, should he?
Lost in thought and torn between heading to the Greymoon Shadows alone or just organizing the back room, he almost didn't hear the bell on the front door ring. He made his way out of the Archives and didn't find Basen or Kris, but rather a young man around his own age looking at the shelves.
Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
A customer!
He stopped himself from sprinting up to the man. It wouldn't do to scare off the first person to enter the shop while he'd been working here. Instead, he did what he'd seen a few of the successful merchants in the Grand Market do.
"Good Morning, sir! Please have a look around, and if you have any questions, I will be with you shortly."
Then he went up to the front desk to...do nothing. He flipped through some papers on the counter. Engaging with customers was a three step process.
Acknowledge the customer so they know I'm here and that I'm aware of them. Check.
He continued flipping through the random pages. The man turned toward him for a moment, and Reid frowned and picked up a pencil, marking something off.
Look busy. I want them to know I'm here, but I want them to think I'm not hanging on every move they make, preparing to strike. Check.
Reid had taken a while to work out the logic behind step two. He'd spotted three kinds of customers: Those who aren't sure what they want, those who are, and those who will tell you which group they're in. Customers in the first group need a chance to look around without pressure. They'll browse when given that space and leave quickly when they're not. Customers in the second group won't be scared away if given some space, so treating them the same is the simple option. Customers in the third group won't let you ignore them.
He continued his charade until the man had completed a circuit of the shelves and naturally stopped near the desk. Reid stacked up his papers and slipped them under the counter.
"Please excuse my rudeness. What brings you into the Immaculate Collection today?"
Re-engage and begin the conversation. I want to ask them a question that can't be answered with a single word. People like to tell stories. Give them a prompt. Check.
"I heard a rumor that this shop is owned by Basen Koh. Is that true?" the man asked. His dignified voice matched his rigid poise. Either rich or nobility, Reid guessed.
"It is. Basen isn't in right now, but he does own the shop. The Immaculate Collection is Basen's personal collection, gathered throughout his life and many years spent adventuring."
The man nodded. "Such a man will have selected only the finest quality items."
Reid didn't know if Basen was discerning, but from what he'd seen, the shop was filled with quality items—strange talking heads and dangerous dragon statuettes notwithstanding. Either way, the man was interested in the quality of the items. Perhaps he wanted to buy the best.
"There are some true gems in the collection."
Reid wished he had Basen's ability to sense the magic within the man before him. Did he have a two star item bound and wanted to upgrade to three stars? Did he have no stars? Asking was an option, but Reid found the balance between making the customer comfortable and outright asking them what they were looking for was a fine line. The best results came when they brought it up themselves.
Reid had to remind himself that his sample size was essentially a handful of merchants with a handful of customers each. He was making a lot of assumptions.
Fortunately, the man decided he'd had enough of looking for himself.
"I am Garret Sands. Today, I am taking my first step toward greatness!" he said with determination. "The first binding is said to be the most important. I must temper my desires with wisdom but be firm in my choice!"
Wow.
"Clearly, you've put a lot of thought into this, Mr. Sands," Reid said. "Allow me to help you out. I'm Reid Aveno. What are you looking for in a first binding?"
"It has to be a weapon, and it has to have some offensive magic. I've trained with swords, but as I said, this will be my first binding."
Reid nodded and directed Garret's attention to a rack with several swords.
"Certainly, we can accommodate you. We have no shortage of magic weapons of many varieties, swords included. Do you know your innate potential?"
Reid had learned that was what people called their starting potential. One star was the most common, but two stars were only slightly less common. Reid's own three stars were rare, with about one in fifty people having three stars of innate potential.
"I have been blessed with a strong magical bloodline. To my father's pride, I have three star potential."
"Impressive. I've been told that it is quite rare to see three stars of innate potential."
The man somehow stood a little straighter at the compliment.
"You said you were looking for a weapon, perhaps a sword, with an active offensive effect. Three stars gives us a few options. Do you have any other stipulations?"
"I would like to follow my father's path if possible."
Reid had absolutely no idea who this man was or who his father was.
"Begging your pardon, sir. I'm new to the city and haven't yet learned about the great families that reside here."
The young man looked down on Reid. Not literally, as Reid was two inches taller than him, but the imperious look made Reid feel small all the same. The man's mouth frowned slightly.
"I am Garret Sands, son of the Blinding Arrow. Surely, you've heard of my father?"
Reid winced.
"To my shame, I have not."
The man made a dismissive noise. "Hmph. It is no matter. My father is a Greater Mage. He wields a bow that creates arrows of light and has numerous other light based magic. I would like to smite my foes, but if I could also follow a path of light magic, all the better."
Reid dove into his ledger. He could see every item he'd ever marked, and the power gave him some useful tools. He could filter items from view by anything in their descriptions.
Filter for bindable three star swords with active abilities. Sort by light based or aspected.
Only two items appeared to him.
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Magic Blade of Piercing Light
* 3 Star Sword
* Bindable
* Binding grants the ability to cast the spell [Piercing Light]
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Magic Sword of Haunting Melody
* 3 Star Sword
* Bindable
* Grants resistance to mental effects
* Binding grants the ability to hum a haunting melody. Anyone who can hear the melody will take ongoing curse damage for as long as they can hear the melody.
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The second sword kind of terrified Reid. Sure, it wasn't really any more dangerous than a blade that conjured fireballs, but the trigger was subtle enough that he felt he wouldn't want to sell the weapon to someone he didn't trust. Basen had alluded to this issue, but Reid hadn't really considered it until confronted with the opportunity to sell the weapon.
Reid directed Garret to wait at the front desk, and Reid picked out the Magic Blade of Piercing Light. He didn't know what the spell did, but it seemed more direct.
"Here we are. I think this is just what you're looking for."
Garret read the description, and his eyes widened. "What does the spell do?"
Crap.
"Unfortunately, I'm not entirely sure. Basen has not yet provided me with spell descriptions."
Garret picked up the sword.
"What's this?"
Oh, right. That too.
"All of our items feature a special mark that allows them to be identified on touch. That way, you know exactly what you're getting."
"I see. Will my enemies be able to identify my magic as well?"
This started off so well.
Reid didn't actually know if someone could identify a marked item by touch after binding. It was a big hole in his understanding of his own ability. He suspected that the binding would block identification unless the item's owner allowed it. That was how Leah had explained she could stop him from using the damaging magic in her sword.
"I don't believe so, but we've yet to test that particular scenario."
Garret waved off the concern as though he hadn't been the one to ask about it. "It hardly matters. The magic doesn't make the mage, after all."
Reid understood what Garret was saying, so he managed to keep his feet firmly planted on the floor instead of sticking one in his mouth.
"This seems ideal, but I would like to know the spell before purchasing the weapon. Do you have anything else?"
Reid loosened his search criteria a little and found another item that he thought he might be able to sell.
"I do have something you might be interested in."
Reid retrieved the sword he'd identified right before unlocking his ledger.
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Magic Saber of Binding Light
* 4 Star Longsword
* Light Aspect
* Bindable
* Summon up to four bands of light that can restrict the movement of others and interfere with lesser magical effects.
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"This blade is four stars, and the ability isn't strictly offensive, but it has a high degree of utility and is usable without binding when you collect that fourth star."
Garret picked up the sword and whistled in appreciation.
"The ability would complement my sword techniques nicely. It is unfortunate that I can't use it yet."
"If you're open to exploring other options, there is another item that grants the same ability at three stars of power."
Garret nodded, and Reid retrieved the ring that Basen had let him use to demonstrate the sword's magic.
Reid wasn't the kind of person who always had to win, but seeing Garret easily conjure two rings felt a little unfair. The man wasn't technically even a mage yet.
"That is really impressive. I have to say, I tried out that ring just the other day, and I can only conjure a single ring. It seems like it was made for you."
Garret grinned, and Reid remembered his exhilaration when doing the same thing. Something about using that magic and controlling it felt right.
"If you'll pardon my suggestion, I think you should bind the ring and master it. When you get four stars, bind another item and use the sword to keep using the ability. With your mastery and natural skill, I'm guessing you'll have no trouble conjuring all four, and it will leave your potential open for more magic."
Garret snapped his fingers. "That's a brilliant idea. How much for all three?"
Reid reminded his feet to stay on the ground, and not start jumping into the air like he wanted them to. He was a little surprised the man wanted to buy all three items, but Reid thought it was a great idea. He hadn't suggested it for the sale—it just seemed like a good approach.
Reid wasn't sure how to negotiate with the man. Moreover, Basen hadn't priced everything in the shop. Reid knew he had leeway on pricing, and Basen had general guidelines of a minimum of one gold per star, but that was a poor way to price anything.
He thought back to his work with the traveling trader, Mr. Foursprout. Prices had varied wildly based on factors Reid hadn't understood.
The Magic Blade of Piercing Light was comparable to the Magic Wand of Biting Frost he'd sold for six gold and roughly sixty silver. The wand had an additional effect, but it was also four stars. Then there was the fact that Reid had sold it to another merchant, who would likely resell it at a higher price. Reid guessed the man would try to get ten gold for the wand. Reid would try for eight on the blade.
The other two items were trickier. They had the same ability at three and four stars. On one hand, it wasn't a spell, but on the other hand, they didn't require binding. Reid thought that was more valuable than a spell ability, based on his limited experience. Nine gold for the ring seemed too high, but he'd priced out the blade, and he thought the ring was more valuable than that.
The Magic Sword of Binding Light was tougher yet. It had the same ability, but it also had a light aspect. Based on his conversation with Basen, he valued the aspect at around two gold—thirteen gold total for the blade, then.
Thirty gold for the bunch seemed both outrageous and not quite enough. He eyed the young man. He was the son of an apparently famous Greater Mage. How much did he have to spend? Would he appreciate a little back and forth?
"I can sell you the lot for forty-five gold."
"Very well."
Reid managed to turn his incredulous, involuntary response into a cough. It hadn't been smooth, but the man didn't seem to mind his acting like an idiot.
Forty-five gold coins came out of a heavy purse. It didn't seem close to empty, and Reid tried not to feel bad about ripping off the man. He'd agreed to the price.
Reid counted the coins and reached across the counter to shake the man's hand. "It was a pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Sands."
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Merchant's Mark Growth Conditions
* Sell 200 unique marked items
* 5/200 Items sold
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"Likewise, Reid Aveno. I will remember the service you've provided. Now, if I might be so bold. I've waited far too long for this moment."
Garret lifted the ring in his right hand and focused on it. Reid could sense the moment Garret bound the ring. The man's eyes glowed with golden light, and then three perfect rings of light appeared around his head.
"Haha!" Garret cheered, unable to contain his enthusiasm.
The light faded from Garret's eyes after a few more moments. When it did, his eyes promptly rolled up into his head as he collapsed bonelessly to the floor.
"That's probably not great."