Goode Dogge Artefact and Curiositie Shoppe

[Zhym]

Alyse points to the sign listing the shop's offerings. Among them: translating languages. "Thank you for the kind offer, but I can already read the map."

"If your mission is exploration, not to find Zavarra, then why do you need a map to Zavarra? I guess that's your business. If all you want is a copy of the map, I suppose we can allow that much for a nominal fee. 50 gold seems a fair price."

[Stirling]

Foxy

"Thank you Alyse, you have been most helpful. Your map indicates Zavarra and the surrounding regions. Exploring Zavarra specifically would be of interest but whoever goes there needs more skill and preperation than I can currently undertake at this time. However I have an obligation to the Duke and the maidens of Gaul to maintain a bulwark against the demons and dead who encroach upon our settled lands. For this reason I need to scout out the blighted lands in detail so that further farmsteads may develope.

Presently I am underwriting these expeditionary ventures myself. So I can offer you only 20gp for a detailed parchment copy of the map. Any additional annotations I find I will let you know so that you can update your copy also."

[Zhym]

Alyse sighs. "I really shouldn't. But you seem to be a big hero around here for facing down that dragon a while back. I wouldn't want it to be said that I didn't cut you a break. So I'll let you make a copy of the map for 25 gold—but you'll need to supply your own parchment and ink."

Foxy charisma check (9): [2d6] = 7

[Stirling]

Foxy

Thanks Alyse,

-25gp

Hopes the map contains enough detail to make scouting a bit more secure than her previous random roam. Foxy will take a long time scribing it so as not to mistranslate any of the elvish or overlook even faint highlights of springs, caves, ruins.

[Zhym]

Fingers returns from his expedition, adds a huge mound of coins to the vault, and relaxes in a chair in his office. His chair! He's learning to relish those times when he can sit in his own chair and sleep in his own bed, with no one trying to kill him. He reaches down and gives Sprinkles, sitting next to the chair, a good long scratch under the chin and ponders the troubles he had on the last expedition.

Aside from that stupid pit, there were doors he couldn't open. And then there were all those times he wished he had that crystal ball with him. He was sure people would pay lots of loot to see what awaits them on their journeys before they ever get there, but he hasn't had a taker yet. Dummies. Surely the Archduke would see the value in such a device...but there's always the risk, if Fingers offered to sell it to him, that the old man would just confiscate it as his lordly right or something. Plus, Fingers isn't so sure the Archduke needs the power to see what's going on in other people's bedrooms. And the crystal ball really would be useful on expeditions. Too bad Winnie won't be coming along again, or he could loan it to her.

Or...

He steps out of his office and asks Alyse if they can talk for a moment. "So, um, how do you like running the shop and stuff?" he asks. "It's not what they train you for in magic school, running books and selling stuff, is it? I mean, when people come in. We don't do as much business as I'd hoped. But you also don't have monsters trying to kill you, which is nice. But I dunno, maybe you're bored? I mean, I don't want you to be bored. But I also don't want you to be dead."

Fingers looks down at his feet and shuffles them on the floor for a moment. "What I'm asking is...would you rather come on the next expedition with me than work in the shop? We could close it up for a while. Like I said, it's not like business would suffer. But I could use someone to look into the crystal ball and open doors that some wizard totally unfairly magicked closed and I can't open. You'd get a half share of treasure, of course. But it's totally your choice: if you're happier here tending the shop, then keep doing that and I can let someone else borrow the crystal ball, and maybe we can make some scrolls to open the peskier doors. And I really don't want you getting killed. But I also don't want you to feel stifled or whatever here. So, like I said, totally your choice. I just thought I'd ask what you want to do if you had the option. Which, uh, you do."

[Marullus]

Alyse [2d6] = 8[2d6] = 3[2d6] = 6[2d6] = 5

Alyse blows a lock of her red bangs out of her face dramatically. "I do like the shop and all, of course, but there's not been a single gold piece spent here on my magical services. A wizards tower nobody's been in? It sounds fun!" she smiles then pops out of her chair, flipping the sign on the door to "Closed." "When can we go?"

[Zhym]

Fingers is amazed at how fast Alyse is ready to head out the door, but he's not all that surprised.

"Well, there was that locked chest you opened, um...three months ago," he says. "I guess that proves your point."