(Tavern) City of Orussus, The Red Dragon Inn VI

[Velmont]

Rinaldo put his half-empty cup of win on the bar and looks at the new comer, just to see him leave hastly.

"Well, Joe. Your clients are no more as they were. He didn't even say hi. Well, at least he seems a motivated guy, hope for him he will take care and not do something stupid."

He takes his galss and small his wine.

"Just as usual, one of the best wine I know. I've travelled a lot in the last weeks and didn't had the time to relax. I'll take you a room and a hot bath. I really need to take break."

 

[Knight Otu]

As the rain dies down, Ashnar makes his way back to the Red Dragon.

"Greetings again! I am Ashnar from the village of Otun - a wizard learning the ways of combat magic and protective magic.
I see that some of my earlier acquaintances have left, so I suspect that they have found a line of work that I missed during my walk through Orussus?"

 

[Velmont]

"Well, master Ashnar, would you like to share the drink of a travelling merchant. Don't fear, I won't try to sell you anything, it seems a bad day for trades. Anyway, even Joe doesn't want some of my fine spices."

He stands up from his stoll at the bar.

"I was wondering, I would like to learn a bit about enhantment on items. I would like to start a business in magical goods. The only problems, they are not cheap. What do you think of the idea?"

He takes a seat at a table.

"Oh my! Where are my manners."

He stands up and offer his hand to shake.

"My name is Rinaldo di Senzio, spice merchant... well, I'm tryin to expand my market. I am some kind of adventurer too to round my months. I have a family to feed. What do you want to drink? And if I speak too much, tell me, I know I can start to be annoying."

 

[Knight Otu]

"Thank you for the invitation, master Senzio. Your query is an interesting one, without a doubt. Let me preface my answer with the disclaimer that I am not well versed in the mercantile ways, and my capabilities for magical creation are currently limited to the scribing of arcane scrolls.

That said, I think there might be a number of magical goods that could be quite profitable. In a city like Orussus, magical arms and armors likely are high in demand, but as you said, they are quite expensive.

Somthing that would be in demand nearly everywhere, and not as expensive as most weapons, on the other hand, would be tools. Things that make daily life easier. Perhaps easily controlled cooking equipment. A hammer that always hits the nail, instead of the thumb. That sort of thing.

Another thing that I image would be popular, and I believe that has been done before, would be art that incorporates illusions. While I, myself, cannot create illusions, I hear that they can be fairly inexpensive to assume permanency. A talented illusion-crafter should be able to create aesthethicly pleasing art even with low-key magics.

I am sure there are many possibilities, but they depend on one important factor - finding a crafter who is willing to do this. The problem is that, whenever a crafter creates a more or less permanent effect, or stores it for later use in a new medium, he sacrifices a part of his ... being, for lack of a better word, some part of him that is not always easily replaced.

Oh, Gliran help me!" Ashnar smiles, "I hope I did not bore you too much with my discourse!"

 

[Velmont]

"Oh, Gliran help me!" Ashnar smiles, "I hope I did not bore you too much with my discourse!"

"Boring? You must be kidding. You are not boring at all. I find that pretty interesting. I start to understand why magical items cost that much. Sacrifice a part of themselves everytime they create a magical item... that's will make things harder to find. I doubt I can find someone willing to make some large production... maybe if I find someone willing to take commands... it would mean more delay, but with enough contact, I may be able to have access to a larger choice. I'll think about that...

You say you can create scrolls. I know the usual image we have, us, common folk, is to see the wizard in his tower with many books and scrolls. Is it that common or is it just some kind of folklore?

But before you answer that question, I would like you to answer another question. What do you want to drink? I offer it. It is the least I can do as you have to support my questions." Rinaldo finish his sentence with a big smile, making a sign to Joe so he come take the command.

 

[Knight Otu]

"But before you answer that question, I would like you to answer another question. What do you want to drink? I offer it. It is the least I can do as you have to support my questions." Rinaldo finish his sentence with a big smile, making a sign to Joe so he come take the command.

"Thank you. I'll take some ale, if you don't mind.

As for your other question - I, personally, do not possess a tower, though I would not mind if I did, and only a single scroll and a barely-filled spellbook.

But the common image is not inaccurate - many wizards choose to improve their repertoire with scrolls, or wands, or other means to store a spell. And books - even though mine is barely filled, the formula of more powerful spells can easily take up several pages in a typical book, and it is very possible that a wizard might need several spellbooks.

Also, any kind of research on arcane topics, an activity that many spellcasters engage in, would need a large library. You can certainly see that a wizard would seek to possess a private library for this purpose.

As for towers - I am not sure if it is a simple cliché, as any type of building would do. Some part might be the expectation of some people that spellcasters feel so exalted, and that they wish to show everyone just how exalted they are - as a way to differentiate casters from the ... 'common' folk. But that is a rather far-fetched theory, in my opinion.

Now, if I may ask a question to you - you mentioned that you are kind of an adventurer at times. May I inquire about the nature of these events?"

 

[Velmont]

"Now, if I may ask a question to you - you mentioned that you are kind of an adventurer at times. May I inquire about the nature of these events?"

"You may ask any question, not sure I will answer." Rinaldo smiles and take a sip of his wine. "Just kidding. My latest adventure... You know. I have done two contract, and both time I got seriously wounded and I got the scared of my life. I am really wondering if it is something for me...

The first time, it was a simple travel to a vinyard. A shipment had delay, but it was pretty unusual. We were a small group, and we left. We heard of many strange evnts on our way to the vinyard, but we had a contract, so we first have gone to the vinyard to see what was happening. After that, we planned to investigate the other events.

What we found in the vinyard was mostly strange. They had been attacked by some orcs. But not the typical orcs. I've traded once with Orcs. Those was most bestial. I almost get killed by one of them, but thanks to my companion, I survived. Most of the inhabitant was found death, but we get rid of those orcs. My companion continue to investigate that, but I personally chose to withdraw. I wasn't interested to hunt orcs. I'm a trader after all. My weapon is my tongue more than my rapier.

After a while, some trades and some travel, my feet lead me back here. It is at that moment I heard an offer for someting that looks like more something I could handle. We had to kidnap a princess and keep her safe for two weeks. The princess was a lure, a sosie of the true princess, while the true princess was travelling undercover. My skills seems to fit well, as we would have to deceive many person, not that I deceive while bargaining, that bring bad business, but you most know to find who is lying and who say the truth when you bargain, if you don't want to be double cross. So the best way to find those guys, it is being able to do it yourself. That's what my cousin tell me. He is... some kind of trader too.

Anyway, getting out of the subject. So we kidnap that false princess to lure the attention on us. It wasn't that bad at first. Some brigand try to get the decoy princess but we get rid of them. I must tell my two companion are pretty good in combat. One was an holy warrior and the other some kind of wizard... or I think a sorcerer. It is sorcerer who use no book? Anyway, I can't tell for sure. I'm not a magic user myself. During our travel, we fall on something odd.

We met some creature that had escaped from a circus. They were the freak show part. It is hard to tell what they were, but they killed villager. For a moment, I thought myself back at the vineyard. We found a young girl hiding in a closet and one of the freak trying to get her. We get rid of it, but sadly, the young girl and her young brother were now orphan. You know, it is in such moment that I think adventuring is a bad thing for me. What would happen to my kids. But at the same time, I want a good futur for them, and poor as we are, adventuring allow me to make some reserve for there futur.

So we continue our travel and finally found that cricus troop. They were all dead. And worst, we falled on some kind of dragon. It was pretty scary, but Zoe, my holy warrior friend, split his skull with her sword. Pretty amzing blow. She is a good warrior. At least, we get rid of all the freaks, but sadly, we could save no one... well, we saved our own skin, and it is much. We made sure that a priest would come back on place and take care of the corpse and soul before continuing. It is at that moment we heard the true princess had reach her destination safely. So we return to the king. Finally, it was only a few day.

But I am talking and talking, and I don't allow you to reply. I hope I doesn<t bore you too much."

 

[Manzanita]

Persephone

"Ah, Rinaldo, I don't really know if you're telling that story quite right."

A beatiful, though simply dressed young woman swings down beside the spice trader, a small white owl perched precariously on her shoulder. "It was a dragon that escaped from that circus. It was long and scaly and had a poison tail. It almost sunk that stinger right into my belly too. I'm serious. I know it was a dragon because it attacked me first. I'm a princess, too, you see. So our little party had two princesses in it, which made it a real target for dragons, see, because dragons love to eat princesses more than anything. Even though the other princess wasn't really a princess, but a woman in disguise. Or so we think, we never really got the whole story did we?"

She tosses her long strawberry hair clear of her eyes, and gracefully extends a hand towards Ashnar, not vertically for shaking, but horizontally, for kissing. "I'm Persephone, the sorcerer our spice merchant was talking about. A pleasure to meet you."

 

[Velmont]

"You are sure it was one? I've always thought dragon was creature of great magic and cunning, not bestial like that... well, I must confess my only knowledge of them are from some bed story, so you are probably right."

Rinaldo turn to Joe.

"I'm feeling generous Joe, what your finest alcool. The finest for that young princess."

Rinaldo come back to the discussion

"You will accept my offer, my lady? To answer your question, nope, we didn't got the whole story. But we were some pawn in some king plot, that was all. Well, I must tell those two story will be nice bed story for my children. Thinking twice about it, when my wife will learn about all that, she will have a heart attack, she must think I am only bargaining."

 

[Manzanita]

Persephone

"Your wife and kids must miss you. How long has it been since you've seen them, and when will you return?" She flashes her white teeth at Joe as her drink is served.