/q/ - Quest

>>714752
Zunden snorts, "I fear one having one zpirit aboard our zhip iz enough, zhank you zhough."

She harrumphs, not finding anything she'd want to swap her combat trinkets out for. She goes digging a little bit more before limiting herself for Aurora's sake.

>>714759
[1d10]
[1d10]
[1d10]
[1d10]
[1d10]
[1d10]

Roll #1 9 = 9 / Roll #2 5 = 5 / Roll #3 5 = 5 / Roll #4 2 = 2 / Roll #5 2 = 2 / Roll #6 1 = 1

>>714759
"Fair enough. Still. You might find something around here. I've stockpiled so much so far that I don't even remember everything I have anymore."

>>714759
>>714761
You find a handful of items that might prove useful in a fight:

A small tin labeled "Nightpowder". Opening it, you find a supply of dust so black that it's almost like closing your eyes looking at it. "Oh, you don't want to spill that," Greta warns you. "Won't be able to see anything if you scatter it." Has enough powder for 7 uses. 70 bits.

A jar of glass beads. When struck or thrown, they will start a small fire. Useful for starting fires, and can be used as a ranged weapon. 40 bits.

The skull of an unusually large murine creature, with an eerie wax candle affixed to the cranium. Seems to be a catalyst for spellcasting, but you sense an enchantment on it. 100 bits.

A slightly sinister scroll with detailed instructions on the creation of a homunculus, which appears to be a hairless, simian creature with a grotesquely oversized head, hands and feet. 130 bits.

An accessory made of red wooden beads, almost like a rosary. It has a pendant with an odd symbol on it, apparently one of the runes you've been hearing so much about recently; however, this particular rune is unfamiliar to you. You sense a powerful enchantment on it. 80 bits.

A small vial of a murky watery substance labeled "Demon's Tears". For some reason, just looking at this rather mundane object fills you with a vague sense of impending dread. 70 bits.

>>714769
Zunden takes the rosary and holds it up, checking it over be setting out to purchase it whether she can figure it out or not. [1d10]
She adds another bar of the soap, and grabs a jar of the candy for the novelty.

She adds up the armful of objects out loud, "Zhirty Five… Zixty five, let'z zee two fifteenz and a ten zhat makez… a hundred and five. Zhen zhere are zheze beadz which make it one eighty five."

She pulls out the Fulcrum rings, wading over to Greta with them, "Would you be interezted in trading for zheze ringz by any chanze? I plan to tranzfer zheir enchantment to a necklaze zo more zhan juzt fingered folk can uze zhem. Afterwardz, I'd be happy to rid myzelf of zhem. Zhey onze belonged to ze drake Lyzander you know."

Roll #1 8 = 8

>>714783
You find that the rosary has an enchantment allowing it to absorb energy from incoming spells.

>Refracting Pendant
>A pendant marked with the rune of Balance. It has a simple but effective enchantment which allows it to store magical energy, allowing for potential retribution against attackers.

>Refraction: automatic instant, recharge 3 after charge expended; when hit by a successful spell, you may invoke the power of this pendant to store the energy of the attack; however, this will not protect you from the attack itself. When the energy is stored, you may release the charged pendant as an automatic attack, dealing damage equal to the blow you took.

Greta looks very very interested in the rings. "Hoy there. That's some fine craftsmanship, ma'am. I'd very very much like to buy them off you, if you don't need them anymore."

>>714791
Zunden smiles, "Zhen I'll be happy to exchange zhem in return. I'd only azk I keep one of ze zet to keep on dizplay. I am razher zentimental. Would zhey pay for my findingz here? A portion of it?"

>>714800
She examines the rings. "These are good quality," she muses. "And the enchantment is very powerful. Shame you're planning to disenchant them. I'll give you, say, 60 bits for them, when you return."

>>714802
Zunden rubs her chin, "What about… I purchaze zheze itemz zanz ze rozary, zo I can go zwap ze enchantment out onto ze necklaze. When I return, we exzchange ze ringz for ze pendant." [1d10]

Roll #1 8 = 8

>>714805
Greta considers this, then extends a tiny claw from the depths of her many layers of clothes. "Deal!"

>>714806
Zunden shakes the claw with her free arm, finagling the bag of holding so she can pull out what's left of her bits. She grabs one bag, and takes 5 out of a partially filled bag. "I'll be back zhortly, provided we don't get lozt."

-105 bits
+silver pendant
+bronze locket
+anyscent soap (2)
+jar of mysterious candy sticks

She places everything but the jar of candy in her bag of holding, opening the jar and taking a piece of candy, offering one to Aurora as well, "Want to try one?"

[1d100]
[1d100] if Aurora says yes in order to not waste posts

Roll #1 23 = 23 / Roll #2 94 = 94

>>714807
"Thank you very much! Careful with those sticks. They're finicky ones."

Aurora seemingly materializes out of nowhere, taking a moment to buy herself a dusty old book for 10 bits. Seems like some sort of fantasy novel detailing the adventures of a band of seafaring pirates. "Hm? Sure, why not."

She starts chewing on it for a bit, then screws up her face and spits it out. "Gods, that's bad." You find that the sticks have the texture of a piece of jerky, but yours happens to taste earthy and gross, like a mouthful of dirt.

>>714808
Zunden hacks, coughing a bit and making for the exit of the store, spitting on the road once out. "Blech, zhat tazted like dirt. Care to get zome zorta zweetz before heading to ze enchanter?"

>>714809
"Yeah. I need one. I can't remember the last time I had sweets." Before following you onward, her curiosity overcomes her, and she takes another.
[1d100]

Roll #1 78 = 78

>>714810
She takes a tentative nibble, then spits it out before the full flavor can hit. "No."

>>714811
>>714810
Giving the jar a stern glare, stashing it away. "We'll have ze ozherz try it out. Paztriez or candiez - proper candiez - zhat'z what I want right now."

Zunden follows her nose [1d10]

Roll #1 3 = 3

>>714812
[1d10+1]

Roll #1 4 + 1 = 5

>>714812
>>714813
Aurora seems to have a better sense of direction right now, moving and jostling her way through the market towards the distant sound of a calliope. You can see a Diamond Dog resembling a Schnauzer selling a variety of baked goods, as well as running an ice cream stand. It seems rather popular right now. You notice that the Dog is wearing an animal mask, in his case, a fox, much like the performers you saw earlier. Sure enough, nearby you can see a couple of them off duty, including a few of the clowns from before huddled together having a smoke.

Aurora goes up eagerly, browsing the assorted pastries, opting to get herself a couple long, sausage-like pastries, fried and covered in sugar and chocolate sauce. It costs her 10 bits more. "I love these!" she says happily, offering you a bite. "Have you ever tried them? They're so good."

>>714814
"Oh not zhiz particularly," She says, graciously taking the bite and smiling, "Oh! More of ze chocolate, zhat iz what iz on top!" She looks about the baked goods, before settling on something she recognizes. She points at the flat, flakey pastry made of mostly honey and crushed nuts.

"Ah, baklava! Zhey made zhiz on zpecial occazzionz in my tribe."

>>714815
The pastry is delicious, if a bit rich. Aurora eagerly wolfs it down and starts on the second one.

You buy the baklava. Aurora looks at it with curiosity, taking a break from annihilating the churros. "Never heard of it. What's in it? Can I try some?"

>>714817
"Flakey dough, honey, and cruzhed nutz. It'z a very zimple but I have fond memoriez of it. It'z not zweetnezz iz not az much like zugar, becauze of ze honey and butter in it. Careful zhough, it fallz apart eazily." She says, carefully breaking off a piece for Aurora.

>>714818
Aurora tastes it, blinking and nodding in approval. "I like it," she says with a full mouth, hastily swallowing. "It's… weird. But not bad." Tasting the baklava yourself fills you with an almost overwhelming sense of nostalgia, bringing back old memories both good and bad.

Aurora finds a spot to sit a bit away from the crowd, on a weathered old tree log used as a seat by many over the years. There is a bit of silence as you both tuck in, until Aurora speaks up. "What was it like out there?" she asks. "In the desert I mean. I've always lived in towns or cities, never really out there. Is it hard? Can't be as bad as the red desert here…"

>>714819
"No, not hard. I've been azked zhat about Abyzzinia a lot whenever I talk about my pazt. Not our name for ze dezert, mind you, but it iz what everyone elze called it. I zhink it waz a Felid name or zomezhing."

She reclines against the tree, closing her eyes and occasionally nibbling the baklava, "No, I could not call it hard zhough, it waz juzt how life waz. People azk me 'Zunden, where did you find food? Izn't zhere no water in ze dezert? Wazn't it hot?' Zilly queztionz." She chuckles, her brows moving slightly to give her expression more complexity, neither happy nor sad.

"Zhere of courze waz food. We never gorged ourzelf like ze poniez of ze Dominion zometimez did, we ate only what we needed to and prezerved everyzhing we didn't eat immediately. Finding food in ze dezert iz only a matter of knowing where to look. Zame went for water. We did not ztay in one plaze, if you did you would uze all ze water in ze oaziz and ze tribe would die of zhirzt. We had a zycle, az many zhingz in our tribe did. Over ze courze of a few yearz, we'd wander a pazh along ze dezert and ztopping at different poolz for a time before moving on. You would zpend a few weekz to a monzh in one plaze, zhen pack up and left for ze next oaziz."

Her feet twitch, thinking about the countless miles she had walked across the desert, "Az for heat? 'Of courze it waz hot' I'd zay. Only ze mozt hardy or foolizh of creaturez zpent ze day out in ze zun in ze dezert. In ze tribe, zhere were zhree partz of ze day- Day, Night, and In Between. Dawn and Duzk waz ze time everyone left zheir tentz. We scavenged and played outzide during zhoze timez."

"During ze day and night, we ztayed in our tentz. Daytime ze elderz would zleep and zometimez ze children would make a game out of running between ze tentz to meet wizh eachozher. You had to be quick az ze hot zand would burn your feet. We made craftz and told ztoriez during zhat time."

"Finally, during ze night, ze children would zleep, and ze adultz and elderz come to meet in ze Matriarch'z tent to dizcuzz ze Arcana and… ozher zhingz I do not know about. I zhink zhey were dizcuzzionz about where ze tribe waz to travel to next, or talking about ze goingz in ze tribe. I didn't really get to attend zheze meetingz, by time I waz nearing adulthood ze zicknezz took my tribe."

She looks down at her claws, noticing she's eaten all her baklava already, letting out a small saurian rumble of disappointment.

>>714820
She listens politely, giving you her full attention as you recall your early years. "Well. That doesn't sound so bad," she smiles. "Why, it's not all that different from how we live now, is it. Always drifting from place to place. I could get used to that life. …Well, probably not. I can't stand the heat, haha." She rubs the back of her head.

Her expression darkens a little as you recall your tribe going extinct due to plague. "All of them?" she asks inquisitively, sitting up a bit straighter. "Surely there must be others that survived. Right?…"

She follows your gaze, looking down at your crumb-covered claws with a slight smile. "You want another one?" she offers. "I'll pay."

>>715020
"And nor can I, do not get me wrong. We all avoided ze heat when we could. You would zhink not zweating in ze heat would be a boon for uz zaurianz, but inztead we'd have to pour water on ourzelvez if we wanted to cool off. Zhat or hide in our tentz all day. Az for fur? If feelz razher nize, but It zeemz very hot. I do not know if I'd enjoy it." She muses to herself, trying to lighten the mood.

"Yez, I know for a fact zhere are zhoze zhat abandoned ze tribe az zoon az it ztruck, and a few more zhat went to zeek pony healerz. Ozherz, like myzelf… well, before ze Matriarch told me ozherwize, I waz content to ztay wizh ze tribe taking care of ze zick till I fell ill too. Leaving ze tribe waz abandoning my family. Zhey were only zhinking of zhemzelvez!" She huffs, rubbing her head, "But no, I zhouldn't zhink of it az zuch. Zhoze zhat left knew zhat to ztick around waz doom - ze Matriarch told me herzelf. I juzt, I don't zhink zhey would've made it zhat far. Probably ztayed in Abyzzinia and perhapz if zhey were lucky found zome zorta way to uze what zhey learned in ze tribe to make a living."

"I do not zhink zhey would be ze type of people I'd want to meet again anywayz. Everyone from my tribe wizh a heart iz gone." She sighs, waving a hand dismissively, "Do not worry, I don't need anozher, it waz only to take ze tazte of zhat candy out of my mouzh. At leazt bitterzweet iz a little better."

>>715021
She listens again. "Everyone with a heart is gone? What do you mean by that?" she asks curiously with a slight head tilt. "You think some of them turned to banditry, or…?"

She nods understandingly as you decline the offer. "Well, okay. Your choice. If you don't mind though, I'm going to go pick up some baked goods for everyone. I think they might like some of what they have here." She stands up to go do that.

>>715022
"No not- well maybe, I do not know. I juzt meant, who would leave zheir family and people like zhat? In ze end zhoze zhat cared ztayed and paid for it, and zhoze zhat abandoned zheir kin were ze onez zhat got to live. I-" She cuts herself off, "I don't know, I don't like to let myzelf go down zhat line of zhinking. Leadz to dark zhoughtz."

She nods, "Zhat'z a nize idea, I do not know how to bake zweetz zo it'd be nize to have zome on ze zhip."

>>715023
"I'm sure they had their reasons. I imagine at least someone left to find a cure." She lingers on this, realizing the slightly tragic implication.

"Right then. Won't be long." She starts going from stall to stall looking for food, quickly building up a basket of assorted baked goods; loaves of fresh, still-steaming bread, small pastries stuffed with all sorts of sweet fillings, round ring-shaped buns called donuts, small pies made with all sorts of ingredients, scroll-shaped pastries lined with sugar and cinnamon, delicious looking triangles filled with melted cheese, and several others besides. Her hamper is a little heavy, and she racks up an impressive sum. "Sorry," she says, not making eye contact. "Got a bit carried away. Kind of have a sweet tooth…"

>>715024
Zunden doesn't continue the line of conversation, not wanting to dwell on the loss of her tribe. Seeing the great pile of sweets, Zunden grins, "I will have to learn how to bake after all zhen. I would hate to have you go zweetlezz. Maybe Zilver knowz how."

She chuckles, "Would you like me to carry ze bazket, zo you aren't tempted to eat any?"

>>715025
"Oh, it's fine, I can manage. You have enough trinkets to balance as is," she grins.

"So, where to next? You lead, I'll follow."

>>715026
"No, you lead, I follow." She parrots, "If you remember ze way to ze enchanter, anyhow. It'z time I made ze Fulcrum zomezhing ozher zhan a ring zo I can eaze ze burden off myzelf a bit. Maybe not while we're prezzed on time wizh ze whole egg zhing, but after zhat I'll ztep down az zole pilot. I waz realizing if I waz to get hurt, you all might end up ztranded. Az much az I don't want to rizk you all getting hurt by ze backlazh, I need to ztart letting ozherz help me az well."

[1d10]
[1d10+1]
nav rolls

Roll #1 8 = 8 / Roll #2 7 + 1 = 8

>>715027
"Right. Sorry. Feels like we've been here a while, I completely forgot what we were doing." She straightens up and cranes her neck as she tries to get her bearings. "…This way, I think. His name was Baldwin if I recall."

You follow Aurora to a round hut with a very large chimney, resembling a big stone igloo. There is a smith's forge, manned by a minotaur in a metal mask who is busy fitting a spear with a new tip as you approach. He flips the mask up and nods to you. He looks more like a blacksmith than an enchanter of any kind. Part of you thinks Aurora brought you to the wrong place. "'Lo," he grunts. "What can I do ya for?"

>>715028
"You are Baldwin, are you not? I waz told you were ze one to azk about tranzfering enchantmentz. It'z a Fulcrum." Zunden says, approaching the forge tentatively.

>>715029
"I am," he confirms, wiping his hands off and eyeing you. "I'm not a master enchanter, but I can get the job done. Let's see the goods."

>>715030
She presents the rings and the necklace. "Zhere are many more people wizh neckz zhen zhere are wizh digitz. Ze ringz will ztay intact, yez?"

>>715031
He nods, scratching his beard as he looks down at the items. "It's risky. The process is delicate, and it can backfire pretty horribly. Especially if we're talking a Fulcrum. It'll be 500 bits." Aurora blinks a little in surprise at the hefty price, but keeps silent.

>>715032
Zunden nods her head and closes her eyes for a moment, opening them to look up at Baldwin. "I zhank you for undertaking ze tazk, zhen, accounting for ze rizk. If ze prize could go into ze four hundred range, I would be immenzely grateful, az I cannot remain at ze Zwap Meet wizh how little bitz zhiz will leave me wizh."

She speaks earnestly, but lowers her head again, "Nonezelezz, I am will pay no matter if you feel altruiztic or not."

[1d10]

Roll #1 10 = 10

>>715033
He purses his lips and eyeballs you. "…Eh, fine. I'll leave it at 350 for ya. Just cause I'm feeling generous. Quick, before I change my mind."

>>715034
Zunden puts her hands together and bows hastily, smiling and quickly digging through the Bag of Holding for the bits, briefly putting a claw over the enchanter's hand when she hands him the bits and bowing again, "Blezz you, may your Fate bring your fortune tenfold."

She hands over the items as well, standing near Aurora to watch the process.

>>715035
He takes the bits and counts them out before tucking them in his pocket. "Yeah, yeah, don't get too sappy. Just stand back and don't interfere. This is very delicate, and if it goes wrong… Well, you don't need to know about that."
>-350 bits

He proceeds to flip his welding mask down and pull out a comically small hammer from under the table, gently placing the rings on an anvil. He takes a deep breath and steadies his hand, raising the hammer over the rings for an uncomfortably long time; then, he strikes them all once in rapid succession, quickly setting them aside and placing the necklace in their stead, striking it with the hammer as well. He seems to wait a while before striking a second time, seemingly satisfied with it. He picks up the accessories and shuffles over to you. "It's done," he says simply. "Almost backfired, but it's done."

>>715036
Zunden watches as he smiths with interest, studying the hammer to see if it or it's owner is doing the brunt of the work during the enchanting.
Antiquarian [1d10]

When he's finished, she smiles and takes the accessories back. "Zhank you again, az your requezt I will not linger and be over grateful."

Roll #1 8 = 8

>>715037
As far as you can tell, it seems to be a mixture of both. The tiny hammer is certainly unique in its manipulation of magical forces, but it must take some talent for him to be able to wield it effectively.

"Take good care of it," he advises. "That's a powerful enchantment you have there."

>>715038
Zunden nods, "I am well aware, I ztill do not know ze extent of it'z power yet, but I plan to continue learning."

She waves a claw goodbye and sets off towards the crowd, smiling to Aurora once out out sight, "I've had zuch bad luck wizh trying to barter, zhat waz a nize change of paze."
[1d10]

Roll #1 6 = 6

>>715039
She nods. "That was a pretty hefty discount. You got lucky."

You retrace your steps, heading through the big bakery section with the calliope and back to the main entrance to the Meet, coming to Greta's store. The tiny griffon is reading a trashy looking book as you enter, looking up and waving to you with a claw. "Hello again miss! Glad to see you're upholding our bargain."

>>715040
"Clearly it iz our Fate to make zhiz exchange, ze enchanter even heavily dizcounted the enchantment tranzfer." Zunden smiles, keeping one of the rings and handing her the rest, "Ze pendant for all ze ringz zave one, az agreed."

>>715041
She examines the rings curiously. "My. These really are quite something. Late Second Era, from the looks of it." She turns back to youwith a grateful smile. "Thank you. That was a fine trade."

>>715042
Zunden grins mischievously, "If you do not plan to keep zhem for yourzelf, I am zure Lyzander would buy zhem for triple ze prize. Zhough if you do-" She winks, putting on BP's mask, "-You didn't get it from me."

She puts the new charm around her neck, adjusting it till the necklaces once again feel right. She turns to Aurora, "I zhink zhat'z ze end of everyzhing I wanted to do today. We zpent almozt all our gold in zheze lazt two dayz, I zhink it iz bezt we have zome incaze of an emergenzy."

>>715043
"Completely understand," says I don't think I got your name, so I wouldn't be of much help to him anyway. So don't worry about it."

Aurora nods. "Right. I don't think there's anything else I wanted, so we'd do best to get back to the ship. I'm sure the others are waiting for us there."

>>715044
says Greta*

>>715044
Zunden nods, "And I have a load of furniture to move to my room. I'm glad we made it back before ze evening."

Zunden heads back to the entrance with Aurora, pleased with how the day went.