||Semi-Open|| Jadenshine: Trip to Serendipity [Paladin]

[Ahnnie]

Continued from The Music of the Forest
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"...and here we are."

Sacora stepped out from between the two arching trees after Kerrik and came out through a similarly arched set of trees, but now in Jadenshine, Serendipity rather than the Meeting Place. Where they had once been trekking through forest, they now stood on open grassland with branches of the Ora river spanning throughout the province of Jadenshine. These branches were too far for them to see, but had they a map of Serendipity, they would have known their locations.

They weren't here for the Ora river, though. Sacora was taking Kerrik to see Serendipity for the first time. She had met the bard in the Meeting Place after listening to her talent on the panpipes and, after a merry conversation, disclosed the fact she lived in Serendipity to the bard, sparking the other girl's interest. And so here they were. Sacora could see the town where she lived up ahead; turning to Kerrik, she asked, "Where to first? Would you like to come to my shop, see the town, or..." She looked a little hopefully at Kerrik. "...listen to the music here?" For Kerrik had the talent of discerning the music in the sounds of the nature about her, in turn interpreting it through her panpipes, and the result was always beautiful.

The choice was hers, of course. Sacora was not forcing her to go down any particular route.

[confusedPaladin]

Kerrik blinked and held her hand up to her eyes as she stepped suddenly into the bright sunlight from the shaded forest she was in only moments before.  She heard the rustling of the grass, the distant gurgle of rushing water, and, moments later, her companion Sacora stepping out from the access point directly behind her, saying "...and here we are.".  Kerrik briefly wondered if there was more to her friend's sentence that she missed, before dismissing it as unimportant.

Kerrik saw Secora look at the town off in the distance, then turn to look at Kerrik and ask her what she wanted to do.  Although Kerrik was tempted to sit and play her pipes for a while, she resisted the urge and instead said to her friend, "I'm rather eager to see this magic trinket shop of yours.  It seems quite fascinating."  Both out of politeness and a lack of knowledge of what direction she was headed, Kerrik waited for Sacora to lead her towards their destination.

[Ahnnie]

"I'm rather eager to see this magic trinket shop of yours. It seems quite fascinating."

Sacora nodded, and with a smile, led Kerrik towards the town. "In that case, follow me." As she walked, she felt for the shop keys in her bag. Perfect, they were still there. She wanted to be sure so that they didn't have to head to her house to get them before heading to the shop; she didn't want to inconvenience her new friend in any way.

***

The shop was situated in a little corner of the town with a sign saying "Vale Trinkets" above the door. It was a small-ish space, with a counter, two rows of shelves on either wall, a few small tables here and there, and a fireplace at the end. An archway with stairs led up to the storeroom where Sacora kept extra wares and an enchanted sword or two. Those fetched quite a good price, when the time called for it.

Sacora turned the key in the door and opened up to reveal the quaint interior of the shop. She headed for the fireplace to stoke up a merry flame and fetched a kettle and some tea leaves. "Please, make yourself at home. Would you like some tea?" If Kerrik looked around, she would see the shelves sporting little trinkets such as women would use to accessorize themselves. They were enchanted with different properties, each of which Sacora took note of before she put them on sale.

Also on these shelves were trinkets that one could hang on one's staff, sword, lamp, bookmark, whatever one found the inclination to hang them on. There were also a few small hand mirrors which doubled as divination devices, a globe that spun to whichever part of the world you told it to show you, and an uncharacteristically large harp that stood before one shelf that could play itself if you snapped your fingers. So, Sacora's shop wasn't reserved to trinkets alone, but "Vale Trinkets" was a much more attractive name than "Vale Magic Objects".

[confusedPaladin]

When Kerrik stepped into Sacora's shop, she didn't know where to place her attention.  On one section of shelf there were necklaces, rings, bracelets, broaches, earrings, and a number of other things that Kerrik wouldn't have time to name; on another, charms and and chains and other such things, some glowing slightly, others catching the light in a captivating way, and scattered here and there, she saw mirrors, crystals, what she thought might be a cloak, a globe, and even a harp sitting by a shelf.

Kerrik was so entranced by the magical baubles and ornaments that she hardly noticed when her host spoke to her.  "Please, make yourself at home. Would you like some tea?"

"Hm? Oh! Yes, please, if it's not too much trouble."  She looked around some more, noticing some quiet humming noises coming from a cloak pin on a low shelf.  She walked over to it and picked it up, admiring the intricate metalwork and wondering what it was enchanted to do.

[Ahnnie]

((:O You described the trinkets so much better than I did! ^^ I like it

Also, sorry for the small size. Schoolwork is piling on my head -.- Nvm, editing some more ^^))

"Hm? Oh! Yes, please, if it's not too much trouble." And then Kerrik began to explore the shop, coming over to a cloak pin in particular that produced some low and subtle humming noises. Within the quiet of the shop, lacking in customers as it was, it was easy to pick up on and notice.

Sacora nodded and went about making the tea. Noticing Kerrik's interest in the pin, Sacora said, "It grants the cloak to which it is pinned to the attribute of invisibility.  The effects can last up to two hours before they wear off and recharge for an hour before they can be used again." She put the kettle onto the fire and waited for it to boil. "I found it while traveling in Essyrn, at a trader's stall."

Ah yes, she remembered that day. It was her first and, since then, only time in Essyrn. The trader was selling it at quite a steal, for he probably didn't realize the magical worth of the cloak pin. Sure, it was pretty, and fetched a higher price than other regular pins...but had he known of its ability, it would have cost much more. Sacora knew it was magical when she had seen it because she could sense it, due to possessing magic herself. Essyrn was not a very magical kingdom, so to speak, and so it was not unusual to find non-magically gifted people.

[confusedPaladin]

Kerrick continued to stare at the pin, fascinated by the intricate handiwork and impressed with the magical ability it possesed.  "Turn you invisible? That's incredible...  And useful," Kerrick said, turning the humming trinket over in her hand.  "What other things do you have?" she asked, setting the pin back on the shelf then running her hand past the assorted trinkets.  She found them all so interesting, she hardly knew where to look.  Finally, she gave up and sat down on a locked chest by the fireplace, waiting for the tea her host promised.

[Ahnnie]

"Turn you invisible? That's incredible... And useful. What other things do you have?"

Sacora thought a moment as she took a good look around the store. There were so many things she could show Kerrik, it might take until tomorrow to finish with all of them! But that was not required. As she remembered a specific object, the kettle started hissing so Sacora pulled out from the fire and poured the tea into two cups. Bearing these cups on a tray, she set them on a chest in front of Kerrik and pulled up a stool to sit across from her.

"Here, have a cup," she said.

As she sat back to take the first sip of her tea, she said, "I have a pendant that grants the wearer a light layer of magical protection that is activated through vocal recognition," Sacora began, "and it deflects attacks from the blade or arrow to a certain degree. It is not to be substituted for full armor, of course--it just helps." What else did she have?

"There are pieces of jewelry that use a form of magic similar to, but not quite as powerful as Glamour to enhance attractiveness to a certain degree. Others aid a singer's voice from tiring or growing hoarse too soon, and there are a few earrings that enhance the sense of hearing. Then there is this harp here--"she made a motion towards the harp"--that seems rather cumbersome due to its size, but if you snap, it'll play a song." To demonstrate, she snapped her fingers, and the strings of the harp suddenly thrummed to life as if an invisible musician was threading their fingers through them.

The tune was lively but beautiful. Sacora had never been able to figure out how to get the harp to play specific songs. She just knew that she snapped her fingers, and it would play. "It'll stop when the song ends," Sacora said, "which can be anywhere from two minutes or eight." And then, seeing a glint from the corner of her eye, she turned towards it and picked up a charm from a nearby shelf, adding, "This charm here is for weapons. If hung on a weapon, it will give that weapon an ice attribute. In the case of projectiles such as bows and arrows, the magic applies to the arrows that are shot."

[confusedPaladin]

Kerrik accepted the tea with a quiet thank you, and sipped quietly as her new friend showed off her wares.  She was quite impressed, and the more she listened the more she wanted to know.  However, her interest peaked when Sacora picked up a small silver charm that seemed to both shine and dispel light at the same time, causing it to shimmer in a captivating way.

"This charm here is for weapons. If hung on a weapon, it will give that weapon an ice attribute. In the case of projectiles such as bows and arrows, the magic applies to the arrows that are shot," Sacora explained.

Kerrik set her tea down next to her, and reached out to hold the charm.  "How much for it?" she asked, still staring at the charm.

[Ahnnie]

"How much for it?" Kerrick asked of the charm, visibly interested.

Sacora placed the charm in Kerrick's outstretched hand, thinking back to the prices she'd listed for this and similar charms. "A silver glint in Serenian money," she said, "but for a friend, especially one so well versed at the panpipes, you've paid with your friendly company and music." Sacora smiled. She didn't mind giving the charm to Kerrick for free at all.


((Sorry for the short post, I've been running a hectic week ^^'.))

[confusedPaladin]

"But for a friend, especially one so well versed at the panpipes, you've paid with your friendly company and music." Sacora had said as she gave the small charm to Kerrick, who blinked in disbelief.
"Surely I can give you something for it," she said, "After all, you are running a business here.  I, um, I don't think I have any coin on me, but..." she trailed off, then knitted her brows as she thought on how she could repay Sacora's kindness.  The soft harp music played in the background, distracting her thoughts, when suddenly an answer dawned on her.
"I can play outside your shop for a while, it might attract some customers." Kerrick grinned, quite pleased with her suggestion. "And don't try and talk me out of it," she added, her voice playful but her expression serious.

Without waiting for an answer from her host, she removed her bow from her back and set to work fixing the small trinket to it.  When she finished, she slung the bow back over her shoulder and asked Sacora, "Is there any particular time you's like me to play at? Say the word and I'll go..."

((It's ok, I've been pretty busy myself...))

[Ahnnie]

When Kerrick insisted on paying, even if it wasn't in money, Sacora prepared to come up with a protest of her own. Sure, this was a business, but Kerrick was such a nice friend! Sacora hadn't thought she'd come across more pleasant encounters in a long while. "It's quite all right," she was saying, "you don't have to--"

"I can play outside your shop for a while," Kerrick interrupted with a brand new idea. "It might attract some customers. And don't try to talk me out of it," she was quick to add.

She took out her bow to fix the ice trinket on it. When she slung it back over her shoulder she asked Sacora, "Is there any particular time you'd like me to play at? Say the word and I'll go..."

Sacora was stunned for a moment, but then warmed back to life with a chuckle of her own. A stubborn one, was Kerrick! "Ok, if you insist, I suppose I can't stop you. How about we go have lunch at an inn nearby? They have good selections that I would highly recommend. Then when we get back, you can start playing."