Delving ancient ruins is a popular way to restock many a magical item shop. What I want to bring attention to is that many do so because they're under some mad assumption that ancient ruins are somehow safer than monster dens and dungeons. The thing about dungeons and dens is predictability. Items, challenges, dangers, monsters. It's a known set. Ruins though? There may be no items. The challenges can change without notice. The dangers are often more subtle, right up until they kill you. Stay away from ancient ruins, kids.
- Basen Koh, on finding magic items
Basen spilled a few gold onto the counter.
"Sold two things for three gold!" Basen said. He looked proud of his work and beamed at Reid.
"Nice! What were they? I want to update my ledger so I don't try to sell them to someone else," Reid said.
Fortunately, Basen produced the item description cards.
----------------------------------------
Lesser Magic Flask of Fresh Water
* 1 Star Utility
* Bindable
* This flask slowly refills with fresh water, filling up over a twelve hour period.
Lesser Magic Butter Knife
* 1 Star Cutlery
* Bindable
* This knife passes through and spreads butter and similar things as though it were hot.
----------------------------------------
Reid remembered the butter knife from his first meeting with Basen. He didn't remember the flask, but three gold for both items seemed reasonable.
"Is something wrong, Reid? You have a sour look on your face."
"No, not really. I just hoped selling those would give me credit for my next..." Reid glanced at the customers in the shop and decided not to mention his growth condition. "Goal."
Basen took his meaning. "Ahh, yes. Well, I suppose I did the selling and not you, so it stands to reason. If you didn't have to put in the effort yourself, it wouldn't be much of a challenge for you, would it?"
"I guess not. Have you talked to the customers yet?"
Aside from Ramsey, the four people in the store were still looking at items.
"I greeted them all, but they seemed content to look. Then Ramsey came in. You said the negotiations went well. Did you introduce Ebre to the society officials?"
Reid nodded.
"Yeah. There were two men. Niles Limen and Wesley...I don't remember his last name."
"Wesley Threp?"
"That sounds right. Do you know him?"
"He's a researcher at the society. One of the good ones. I'm not sure about Niles. I've never met him. Anyway, Wesley will take care of her. Did you tell her to stop back at the shop when she was done with them?"
"I did."
"Wonderful. Would you mind holding down the fort for a little while? I'd like to return my tea mugs to Veris and perhaps get something to eat."
"Sure," Reid said. Then his stomach rumbled.
"Can I get you something, Reid?"
"Yeah, maybe that would be good. Anything Veris recommends."
"Not a problem. Kris is in the Archives, by the way."
Basen gathered up an armful of mugs from under the counter.
"I'm surprised she lets you leave with those."
"Veris is as fair as she is kind hearted. She has threatened me several times, however. Best I keep on her good side."
Basen departed, and Reid took a lap of the shop. He introduced himself to the customers and asked if they had any questions. He kept his interactions light since he didn't know how much Basen had already spoken with them. Ramsey asked where he might find an item or two with fire aspects. Reid pointed him to a burning sword inlaid with a red metal in the shape of flames and an amulet made from black metal and set with a glowing red gem.
He swung open the door to the Archives and waved at Kris.
"Hey, Reid! How'd the sale go?"
"Good! I have a few customers up here, but I just wanted to let you know I was back. Basen went to Veris's."
Kris nodded. "I'll come up in a minute."
Reid returned to the counter, and his first customer walked up with a blue disk. It was made from smooth stone that felt cold to the touch. Different shades of blue ran throughout the rock in veins, and looking at it gave Reid the impression of blowing snow. The woman set it on the counter, and Reid picked it up for a quick examination.
----------------------------------------
Magic Heart of the Blizzard
* 3 Star Spellstore
* Bindable
* Binding grants the ability to cast the spell [Blizzard]
* Grants resistance to cold
----------------------------------------
A tag taped to the stone reminded Reid that Blizzard was a wide area effect spell that would slow enemies' movement and damage them so long as they remained within the area of effect.
"I love the look of this one. What drew you to it?"
The woman wore clothes like Leah—practical and simple.
"I was looking for something to give me an edge at work."
Reid imagined she worked security for a society or perhaps protecting travelers with a merchant's caravan.
"What do you do?"
"I'm a caterer."
Reid must have failed to suppress his surprise because the woman laughed.
"I actually work with a prestigious company in the city, and I carve ice sculptures for events. I figure this will help me stay warm, and I thought I could cast this spell to keep my sculptures in top shape for longer."
"That's a genius idea. Are you already a mage?"
"I have a two star equipped, but I recently unlocked my third star. I'd swap out of this."
Reid nodded.
"Sure. I don't know much about specialization myself, but I think with the right one, you'll be able to control the blizzard well enough that what you're imagining wouldn't be a problem."
"That's what I thought, too. How much does it cost?"
Reid went through his checklist. The item would have a three gold base plus a slight premium because it contains a spell. He added the extra premium for an additional effect that didn't require binding and then subtracted a discount for selling this to a person who would put it to use in a way that made her life better rather than something that was more greed or personal gain related. It wasn't that there was anything wrong with those things; Reid just thought people looking for them could pay full price.
If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
"Three gold and seventy-five silver."
The woman nodded, expecting as much.
"Would you take three fifty?"
Reid smiled.
"I would!"
They finished the transaction, and Reid reveled in the feeling of a simple transaction that left both parties happy with the exchange. The woman couldn't stop grinning at her new item as she collected it and left the shop.
Reid dismissed his ledger's notification and made a mental shift to his ability. It would suppress his notifications about sales until he wanted to look at them.
One of the other people browsing thanked Reid and said he enjoyed looking at the collection. He wanted to think about one of the items and said he'd be back in a few days.
Kris walked up as the man left.
"So what's the verdict? Are we going to have to find new jobs next week?"
Reid smiled.
"I don't think so."
Reid explained the exchange and the promise of a visit from an assessor for certification.
"Damn, you really outdid yourself on that one. Good job, Reid!"
Kris clapped him on the back, and Reid nearly toppled onto the floor.
"Whoops. Sorry Reid. Basen's always telling me not to do that."
Reid tried to suppress his wince as he righted himself.
"That's alright, Kris. I still need to arrange an inspection, but that seems like the least of our worries."
They chatted for a while, and Reid failed to sell a shining golden hammer that created its own nails. The customer wanted to buy it for a gold and a half, but it was a two star item, and Reid wanted to avoid selling things under their one gold per star minimum. He remembered he meant to ask people how they'd heard about the Immaculate Collection too late. He wrote a note to himself and stuck it to the edge of the counter to remind himself.
Basen returned with a sandwich wrapped in paper for Reid and a steaming hunk of meat on a skewer for Kris.
"Thanks, boss. Didn't know Gurt was back in town."
"Gurt?" Reid asked, unwrapping his sandwich
"The source of the questionable meat stick Kris is partial to."
"You just don't know what's good, Basen."
"Is that a person? And what kind of meat is it?" Reid asked. He could smell the skewer, and he had no desire to try it.
Kris just shrugged at his questions.
Reid shook his head and started on his own meal. The sandwich, like everything else Veris produced, was exceptional. Thinly sliced cured beef and fresh vegetables inside a still warm roll were a true delight. He'd have to ask Basen what he owed him. Or maybe Veris.
Ramsey walked up to the counter with several items in hand. The big man sniffed as he set the items down.
"They let Gurt back into the city?" he asked, narrowing his eyes at Kris.
"I think he snuck in," Basen said.
"So Gurt is a person?" Reid asked, still unclear about who or what Gurt was.
"Gurt is a menace," Ramsey said.
"Don't you get most of your bones from him?" Basen asked.
"Yeah, but sometimes I have to wonder where he gets them."
"Meat has to come from somewhere," Kris said, holding up his skewer.
"I'd rather chew on the bones than whatever that is," Ramsey said, shaking his head.
Reid was having some real trouble keeping up with this conversation. Instead, he focused on Ramsey's selections. He'd picked out the amulet with the large red gemstone Reid had pointed out, a pair of rings, and a small shield. One of the rings had minor cracks throughout its gold surface, and the other appeared to have small patches of frost over silver metal. The shield looked cobbled together from painted green boards arranged into a narrow rectangle. Reid remembered hanging it on the front display.
Reid wrapped up the remainder of his sandwich and reviewed the items more thoroughly.
----------------------------------------
Magic Amulet of Raging Flame
* 3 Star Amulet
* Fire Aspect
* Bindable
* Grants the binder the ability to create intensely hot fires. Two fires can be active at any time and controlled as long as the binder is within thirty feet of the point of ignition.
Lesser Magic Ring of Breaking
* 2 Star Ring
* Bindable
* Grants the binder the ability to break things they can touch. Only affects mundane materials.
Magic Ring of Heat Resistance
* 3 Star Ring
* Bindable
* Grants resistance to heat.
* Grants the binder greater resistance to heat and minor resistance to flames.
Lesser Magic Shield of Natural Warding
* 1 Star Shield
* Bindable
* Grants the binder slightly reduced injury from natural, mundane sources.
----------------------------------------
"Sorry, lad. Didn't mean to interrupt your meal," Ramsey said.
"No problem. An interesting bunch of items you've picked out. Will you be using them all as materials?"
Ramsey shook his head and picked out the ring covered in frost.
"This one is a treat. Heat resistance without binding. I'll be wearing this one out of the shop. My forge is an uncomfortable place, so this should help."
He set down the ring and tapped on the green shield.
"This one is for my apprentice. I've never seen someone hit themselves with a hammer so many times."
Reid looked at the shield again.
"When it says natural, mundane sources, that covers hammer blows?"
Basen jumped in to respond before Ramsey could.
"It does! Natural sources of injury cover basically anything that's not magic. The natural and mundane modifiers would be redundant, but the wording makes me believe that this would not protect against impacts that would otherwise be natural but were originated by magical means. Like if I used magic to throw an otherwise ordinary rock at you."
"Huh. How does it differentiate? Does it differentiate?"
"That is a difficult question."
"It's also one no one really knows the answer to," Ramsey said.
"It's one of those things that is the way it is because it's magic?" Reid guessed, recalling Basen's philosophy on understanding magic.
"I suppose you could say that," Ramsey said. "Anyway, that's what the shield is for. I'm planning on using the other ring as a base for a new item, and I needed a fire aspect for another project, so the amulet will work nicely. What do I owe you?"
Reid nodded along, figuring the numbers quickly.
"Fourteen gold for the lot."
"An incredibly fair first offer. Basen, are you sure this lad is going to help your business?"
"Oh yes. He knows how to make sales and read his customers. He must have realized you couldn't resist a fair offer."
Reid hadn't really thought that. In truth, he'd just wanted to give Basen's friend a reasonable starting offer. He still expected it to go down, but based on his rough pricing guidelines, fourteen was a solid price for the items.
"That I can't," Ramsey said. He extended a hand to shake. "You've got yourself a deal."
Reid shook his hand, and Ramsey counted out coins. "A pleasure doing business with your Ramsey."
"Pleasure is all mine. Send me a message when those crystal tears come in, and we can set up some time to work with your item."
Reid wrote down Ramsey's information. The big magic smith waved farewell and left the store.
"An extraordinary day," Basen said. "We sold so much today, and it's only the day after our advertising push. It's hard to believe things are looking up so quickly."
"We got really lucky with the necklace sale," Reid said. "If that hadn't come up, we'd be scrambling right now."
"That is true. That reminds me, I'd best write up your sponsorship note for the mage's society. It will look bad for me if you turn out to be evil, Reid. I'm sponsoring you left and right here."
Reid laughed, and he let a little crazed cackle leak into it.
"Just like that!"
Reid finished his sandwich and accepted the note from Basen. Reid decided to remain up front in case either of the remaining customers wanted to buy anything. Basen and Kris went into the Archives to finish the last stage of the pile cleanup.
One of the customers said thanks and left, and after a short time, the doorbell rang as someone else came inside.
"Leah! I thought you were taking a notice today?"
Leah walked up to the counter. She wore her magic sword at her side and was dressed in Dusk Guild combat attire—black fitted clothing that wouldn't hinder movement—and had her dark hair pulled back in a tail. She looked dangerous and beautiful all at once.
She cleared her throat, and Reid flushed as he realized he was leering.
"Do you like the outfit?" she asked with a teasing smile.
"Ah. Uh. I do. You look great."
"Is that how you talk to all your customers?"
Reid scratched his head. "Well, no."
"Good. I like knowing I'm special," she said with a more genuine smile. "I was on a notice today. Went down into the service tunnels under the city and cleared out a minor monster den. It was brand new, so there was all of one monster inside. I did get this after dispersing it, though."
She held up a small, clear stone. It looked like a glass marble, but it was uneven, more like a natural stone. Reid could sense the magic emanating from it, though it did not glow.
"Would you identify it for me?"
"Of course!"
Reid accepted the stone. He felt the magic inside. It was clean. He thought the lingering smell of Kris's mystery skewer faded away as he studied the stone.
----------------------------------------
Lesser Magic Purification Stone
* 2 Star Area Utility
* Bindable
* Slowly purifies the area around the bearer, eliminating smells, dirt, and pollution.
* Binding increases the purification effect, slowly purging poisons and toxins from the area and inside the binder.
----------------------------------------
"Wow, this is a great find."
He passed back the stone, and Leah's eyes grew wide.
"Wow. I can't believe I found this. I heard only half of monster dens will have an item, and new ones almost always have one star items. What should I do with it?"
"Well, you can keep it to purify your surroundings, or you could sell it."
"I think I need money more than clean surroundings. Would you buy it? For the shop?"
Reid paused. He certainly could, but he had another idea.
"I'll buy it from you, but not for the shop. I'd love to have the purification effect. Honestly, I think my room still smells a little."
Leah laughed. "Okay, sure. How does...I don't know...one gold sound?"
Reid shook his head. "This is worth a lot more than one gold. I think it might be worth more than I can offer, but I'll give you three gold for it."
Leah just stared at Reid with an open mouth. "Three gold? Since when do you have three gold? I can't take that much for it."
"Since this afternoon! I just sold an item of my own to one of Basen's friends. I'm happy to give you three for it."
She shook her head. "If you insist on paying me way too much for it, I'll take two. That's it."
Reid shrugged. "Two, and I owe you dinner."
She smiled. "I knew you were a good merchant."
He gave her the gold and took the item.
A strange but familiar feeling flooded Reid.
----------------------------------------
Merchant's Mark growth condition hidden criteria unlocked.
* Buy or Sell 200 unique marked items
* 15 Items sold
* 1 Item bought
* 16/200 Items Bought or Sold