Curiosities

[SanctifiedSavage]

Vesd's work tended to take him all over the world. Or, at least, all over the continent at present. It was one of the things he liked most about it. Travel, meet interesting people. Have those people kill other people. Get paid in the process. Since he acted as the middle man in most transactions, he flirted around with all sorts of... oddities... and operated all manner of fronts to do it. Not like he could set up a shop in every major city that advertised such a thing blatantly. Some of his more discerning clients wouldn't have appreciated it.

As such, he was presently set up as an oddity trinket shop owner while he stayed in Essyrn. Normally the place was run by a friend of his, when Vesd wasn't around, but when the Snow Elf was in the Golden City for business, he sat behind the counter and played the respectable role. Even dressed the part in local fabrics and silks.

While he didn't have anyone in the cluttered shop that was filled with shelves, he sat behind the counter and read through one of the news pamphlets. The place could do with a good dusting and organizing, but he wasn't feeling up for it in the moment. He knew everything in the place, even if it looked like no sane person could with how everything seemed to be stacked up on eachother and almost overflowing. He'd even procured almost a third of the merchandise in the store. Neat things in his travels with equally interesting stories.

For now, though, he was catching up on what was current in the Golden City. Feet propped up on the counter.

@DragonSong

[DragonSong]

For as long as she'd been living in Essyrn, Lapis had never actually seen the curio shop open. She'd passed it a time or two and lamented that it always seemed to be closed-- even heard from friends in the city that the few times it was opened always seemed to coincide with her trips out into the desert or jungle.

So she considered it quite a lucky break when she found herself wandering through the market district and, quite by accident, her feet led her to the front door.

"Oh!"

Something the matter?

The young scholar flinched, then glanced around, as though worried someone else may have heard the voice that purred through her head. Her hand reached up automatically to clasp around the locket that hung just above her breast.

"No, nothing," she muttered. "I just... Maybe have an idea."

Well that is sure to be dangerous, the voice in her head chuckled, and she screwed her face up at it, though she knew it was a pointless expression.

"You hush," she muttered, and strode determinedly forward to lean her shoulder into the door, nudging it open. "If you were better at budgeting your powers, you wouldn't need to be recuperating in there and you could be out here helping me."

That shut the djinn up, though not before a warning flash of fire sparked behind her eyes, making her flinch and stumbled through the doorway into the shop.

[SanctifiedSavage]

There were only two sorts of people who wandered into the antique and curiosities shop, but they were all customers in a way. Just different flavors. Vesd could usually tell pretty quick which was which though. Most that wanted his bounty hunter connections didn't actually arrive themselves, though, and sent some manner of liaison. As a go between, he understood. The discerning clientele he generally worked for didn't want to be seen in the streets, let alone talking to him.

When the door was shoved open, a little chime rang above. Announcing their arrival. Vesd shifted in his weight, pulled his feet from the counter, and smiled at the potential customer and guest. "Good afternoon. It's promising to be another lovely, hot day." A funny compliment coming from a rather pale skinned creature such as himself. He looked like he'd burn if exposed to the sun for any long length of time. It wasn't true, because snow elves did just fine in the sun, but most couldn't guess what he was either.

"Are you looking for something in particular or just browsing?"

@DragonSong

[DragonSong]

"Oh, um, y-yes," Lapis murmured in response to his weather small talk, wincing a bit at her stammer. "I mean, ah...browsing? Sort of?"

Articulate.

She scowled and glanced down at the amulet, muttering, "You hush." Snapping her head back up to look at the shop's proprietor again, she smiled almost sheepishly and said, louder, "I actually have been meaning to visit this shop for quite some time, but it never seems to be operating when I'm in the city..."



@SanctifiedSavage

[SanctifiedSavage]

Vesd studied the interesting girl as she fumbled through her response. The world took all sorts, he supposed, but he didn't mind. He smiled pleasantly, instead, and propped his chin up on a palm. "Sort of?" he echoed, sensing that this was not a normal sort of meeting.

Especially since she seemed to be talking to herself.

"Ah, yes. My 'operating times' are flighty. Depending on when I'm out and about collecting new things, and when my partner is able to keep the door open. So it seems you've caught me at a good time. So, tell me, what might I be able to help you with?" He smiled more so, still pleasant, but now more intriqued. The snow elf liked odd things and she seemed to be wrapped up in something different.

[DragonSong]

"Well, ah-- I'm a scholar, you see, and my studies focus mainly in pre-Essyrni empire artifacts-- I understand that is quite a tall order, it's nearly impossible to get your hands on such things, believe me I know, once I spent nearly three months in--"

You're babbling.

Zahir's voice stopped her short and she flushed, then ducked her eyes and finished in a mumble, "I saw that you deal in antiques, and I was wondering if perhaps I might take a look?"

[SanctifiedSavage]

Vesd's smile remained in place while she spoke – a rambling sort of talking that seemed to be leading into a story – until she cut herself off. He didn't mind any of it, of course. Anyone who had something interesting to say, when he wasn't busy, he would listen to. Since she was the only one in the shop, she had his undivided attention.

He did chuckle a little when her face colored prettily. "My shop is open to your perusal. If you see something you happen to like, by all means. Ask away. I like to think I'm something of a historian myself, but I scatter my interests across the continent. Your likely more versed in the specifics than I am." He did gesture so she would feel free to look around without him hovering. Vesd didn't ever feel pressured to make a sale. This wasn't his primary source of income, after all.

[DragonSong]

"Oh, um, thank you." Lapis smiled a bit and dipped her head to him before turning her attention to the frankly astounding variety of antiques and knick-knacks scattered about the shop.

"I still don't really know what I'm looking for," she muttered to her amulet when she'd put her back to the proprietor, trying to keep her voice low so he wouldn't notice.

I'll know it if you touch it, Zahir's voice responded easily in the back of her mind. I'll be able to feel the power through you.

Lapis screwed up her face. Great. That just meant she had to go around and...touch everything in the shop? Excellent. Astounding plan.



@SanctifiedSavage

[SanctifiedSavage]

Vesd was quite amused by the girl and, since she said she wanted to look around, didn't offer anything else. Though he did continue to watch her. Was she talking to herself? Someone far off via magical means? He was curious but not intensely so.

However, given the odd nature of her behavior he did slide out of his seat and idly shadow her. Vesd didn't hover too close but if she was going to do anything untoward in his shop he would be close at  hand to intervene. "Let me know if I can help with anything," he remarked absently.

[DragonSong]

Lapis felt her hackles raising as the proprietor moved in closer, but she tried not to let it show on her face. She glanced up at him and smiled vaguely.

Oh yes sir, don't mind me, I just need to touch everything in your store until the djinn in my necklace tells me I've found the right trinket.

Right.

Not gonna happen.

"Actually..." She paused, a slight frown working between her brows, then twisted to face him. "I don't suppose you've ever seen any runes like these before?" She lifted the amulet up passed the neckline of her shirt, ignoring Zahir's sputtering protests as she did.



@SanctifiedSavage

[SanctifiedSavage]

Vesd wasn't sure what he was expecting, but having the necklace shown to him and asked about it wasn't exactly it. More to the point, it was such an interesting thing. He didn't disguise his interest, either. "Well, well."

Suffice it to say, he didn't have anything in the shop that old... "I don't have anything here, but I might be able to put you in contact with someone who might know about it. A friend of mine. Doesn't get out too much." He smiled, attention snagged by the runes. "If you're interested, that is. I could always arrange a meeting?"

[DragonSong]

@SanctifiedSavage



The young scholar was so relieved that he might actually have a real lead that she hardly noticed the flicker of suspicion that emanated from the presence in the amulet. "Would you? Oh gods, you have no idea how much that would mean to me, thank you!" she enthused, beaming up at him.

In the back of her mind she vaguely heard Zahir's sigh, but she ignored him. This was the first chance they'd had in months, she wasn't about to say no.

[SanctifiedSavage]

Vesd was always pleased when he could make a connection, strike up a potential deal. Most believed he did what he did for profit – but they'd be incredibly wrong. Vesd did what he did for information. For anything of interest. Learning and intrigue were always of far more value to him than any coin might be.

He smiled at her enthusiastic reply. "Excellent. Give me some time to close up. He lives some distance outside the city though. Do you have the means to travel?"

[DragonSong]

"Oh, um..." Lapis flushed a bit and shook her head. "No, I'm sorry. I could-- I could rent a mount, I suppose. How far exactly is some distance?"

She felt more than heard Zahir's sigh breeze through her mind. You're hopeless.

Scowling, she let the amulet fall back against her chest with a soft thump. She knew it wouldn't really do much, but she hoped it might be something like an elbow to the ribs.



@SanctifiedSavage

[SanctifiedSavage]

Vesd smiled a little more at her willingness to proceed. It was like the start of a mini-adventure, the connecting of a piece to a larger puzzle. The sort of thing the Snow Elf really enjoyed. "I can get a mount. A day's ride, really. Not that far assuming the weather holds." Which it generally did. Before he turned toward his counter, he glanced at her once more. "If you like, I can take care of all the travel arrangements. In exchange, I'd like to be privy to whatever information you might find. A fair price, I think?"

[DragonSong]

Lapis suddenly paused, her eyes going just a little bit wider than normal. "O-oh. Well, um..."

It wasn't an unreasonable request, which was part of the problem. If she refused, she'd seem suspicious-- but if she didn't, there was every chance the friendly proprietor of this shop could learn exactly what she'd been hiding in her amulet.

Just agree, Zahir snapped, exasperated. Your word is not binding as mine is. No one will force you to hold to the deal.

She frowned. That was true, but...but she didn't like the idea of cheating someone. With a small sigh, she nodded fractionally. "Alright. That seems...fair."



@SanctifiedSavage

[SanctifiedSavage]

Vesd was a perceptible elf. It was all part and parcel of his business. He noted her hesitation but his expression, nor smile, never faltered. Whatever was going on was just adding to the spice of the adventure. He wanted to know. Learning and knowledge and a good story would always be worth more to him than gold, so long as he had the gold to spare and live the comfortable life he did. "Consider it a deal, then," he said, chuckling a little as he turned to his counter. He pulled a slip of paper out an scribbled a brief location on it. The trade square near the north gate.

"Here. Meet me before sunrise. We'll get an early start and kick off our adventure. Do bring a change of clothes. I'll take care of the rest." He extended the note with the location written in his sprawling, scripted style. Easy to read, though. "Make sure you sleep well tonight, my new friend."

[DragonSong]

She took the paper easily, eagerly, and smiled at him again, a hint of both gratitude and relief tugging at the edges of the expression.

"Thank you for this, ser, really." She dipped her head to him. "I'll be there on time, promise."

She turned toward the door, then suddenly stopped. Cheeks a little flushed, she turned back around quickly and rather sharply extended a hand to him. "I'm Lapis, by the way," she introduced herself--quite belatedly. "Lapis Lazuli. Thank you for your help, Master...?"



@SanctifiedSavage

[SanctifiedSavage]

Vesd leaned against his counter, watching her. Most of the people in this section of the city knew him, or knew of him, so he hadn't even thought to introduce himself. Her name would likely come up during their travel. What else would they talk about for a whole ride out into the desert?

Never the less, it was rather endearing when she turned and offered her name then. "Lapis Lazuli? What a pretty name." He waved a hand dismissively, smiling some. "No need for the 'Master' bit. Just call me Vesd." Some might want to use a fake name for their various jobs, but he didn't. His name carried a reputation that he liked to keep an association with. "Bright and early tomorrow, then."

[DragonSong]

Lapis felt her cheeks heat slightly and ducked her head. "Um, thank you. And yes. Tomorrow. Thanks again!"

She lifted her head to smile at him again, gave an almost shy little wave, and darted for the door again, slipping quickly out onto the street.

She paused, then took a deep breath of the scorching air and grinned. Her hand came up to clutch at the amulet. We may actually have a chance...



@SanctifiedSavage

((I'm thinking timeskip to the next morning?))