World Building

Nothing ventured nothing gained

Do not fear failure nor fear the pain

With magic and chance, you shall be blessed

Take hold from here my magic crest

Guidance cantrip

The entrance to Jin's magical emporium wasn't much to look at from the outside other than the large sliding paper and wood-style doors that slid from one end to the other, the outside, however, was hugely different from the inside.

Around Alvandur and Pyrrha was a myriad of flying colors, small butterfly-like projections of pure magic flew about their flapping sounding off like little bells. It was a serene shop they walked into, as an old beast-man stood behind the counter. His fox-like ears were pointy and alert as a large tail easily the size of his body moved languidly behind him.

"Ho-ho someone comes to old Jin's shop." his soft voice crooked and raspy but there was no frailty in it. Where others would speak with age he spoke only with grace.

"Honored one" Alvandur bowed his head. He didn't remember writing beast-man culture when he was working on the lore for the planet but bowing and showing respect seemed a good place to start.

"Oh? Why do you bow my slightly paunchy friend?" he asked eyeing the slight protruding of Alvandur's stomach.

"Out of respect honored one. And it is only from the joys of food and family that I have grown wide" he smiles. Thinking back to the family he managed to get to safety before he passed.

"Truly? Well then don't bow then, child. I will offer you this piece of advice. When you are among beast-men do not bow. To beast-men respect is earned not given, no matter age, gender, or circ.u.mstance beast-men will only bow to the ones they view as worth it. So do not bow, hold your head up high and tell me why you walk into old Jin's shop."

"Thank you Honored one. Once again this one is called Alv and my companion Pyr, we are here to trade goods and hopefully locate a few regents." Alv spoke abbreviating both their names. As Pyrrha was about to correct him she was interrupted.

"Ho, how wise not to share true names to those of the magical persuasion. A wise move for one who it seems has rarely if ever used his magic." Old jin grinned, his long canines shining through the fairy lights of the store.

"Of course honored one, I am but a lowly lore keeper. Without tome or regent seeking to live a life worth living." Alv smiled as he bowed a sincere expression on his face.

"Oh? Lore keeper eh? Come make your trade maybe you can trade me a story for something" he smiled as he looked to Alv.

"But enough of that come here you two, tell old Jin what ale's you and maybe I have the magic to help fix yes?" his voice colored in amus.e.m.e.nt.

"Thank you Honored one. I am new to my growing magical abilities" Pyrrha began carefully doing her best to hide her interplanar nature.

"I have only ever manifested control over polarity and metals in my training to become a warrior capable of truly helping. Do you have any recommendation or item that might aid in my endeavor?" she asked phrasing her question as best as she could.

"Metal aye? Well, there are two choices for your problem young one. The first would be the usage of metals in combat or everyday use. I would suggest an orbiter. If you are looking for cheap options, they are small metal contraptions that can expand and contract at will. More seasoned magi typically use them as either a catalyst or as a pseudo familiar/ light source. The other option is something that the techno-crafters of Parwei have recently crafted using Asuran black powder. An item called a musket. It takes long to reload and is unwieldy but with your control of metals that could matter little your use of the metallic projectiles would undoubtedly be useful for your control. What are your thoughts lore keeper?" he asked turning to Alvandur.

"There was… there was a mage once in a story of an age long past. His father could control sand, but he was taught to manipulate iron granules. Or iron sand. According to the old stories he could use it to form a coat around him that he could turn into weapons, shields, an automatic defense and with enough practice it was said he could even fly. A storage cube with enough volume would and could act as a storage area for my friend here. But other than that I know little on the logistics of such capabilities." Alv began as he muttered about an ability he found in an anime in his old world (naruto iron sand).

Pyrrha's eyes were wide when she began to imagine the use of such things. Control over such small things, but with such a fine hand was not something she was proficient with but hopefully, with time she could use this to become a better defender for what she hoped would be a world made better.

"HOOO, that is an inspired use of such a unique predilection in terms of magic. Indeed a storage cube could work for hauling it, and with a blood-based rune trigger, it would essentially act as a bag of holding for the iron sand. I can provide this." Old Jin hummed.

"M-might I get that, I-I am familiar with the musket, but I might lack the fine control to properly use the iron sand." she stuttered nervously as she looked to Alv worried about asking too much unknowing of the value of the item they saught to trade.

"Oh, you will get it with time child. For now, I will sell you both the musket at a lower price since no one has the knowledge to properly use it, only that it uses the powder produced in the Shinzuku prefecture of eastern Asura. You can find yourself a blade and the iron sand at the blacksmith's place. Kuzo is likely to sell what you need. Now lore keeper what of you?" Old jin spoke as he looked to his other customer.

"I am but a lore keeper who is looking for an unmarked libram, as well as a week's worth of magic paper and ink, honored one." Alv declared as he began to think back to what he remembered. With a libram, he could attune to, devoted to the unknown world builder who crafted the realm before the age of god's arrival changed it. Odd considering that god was technically both him and not him. Regardless he sought to attain a magical focus of sorts, to be the foci for the casting, and ink and paper for spell crafting. He would be able to do what he did best, which was craft spells.

"Ho, do you now. Well, I will trade you these things if you can tell me how you intend to use them." Old jin asked as his eyes shined, this was something new! Unmarked Librams were a rarity among rarities as they were crafted and jealously guarded by the religious orders of Mundo. Selling them was damn near a black market trade in and of itself.

"Spellcraft and foci honored one. I am aware of the history of the world to an extent. And I am privy to certain uses for such items old one." Alv explained as best he could without giving everything away.

"Very well you may have these things in trade for?" he asked as he drummed his fingers across the table.

Alvandur pulled out the dragon pearl as he slowly set it down on the countertop. Old Jin's eyes widened imperceptibly as he looked on the rare object.

"Where did you get this?" he asked carefully and shakily.

"A dragon pearl taken through combat by a fortune beast, blessed and given in trade for freeing the koibra-gator. I give this in trade for all we need,10 gold pieces and a crystal orb" he explained as best he could.

"4 gold pieces" old Jin immediately began to haggle. The price of this was worth the libram and the other items if only to help him with his own internal mana cultivation let alone if it was sold to the right person it could be worth much more.

"9" "6" "8" "Eight it is. We have a deal then young one." Old jin smiled as the bargain was struck. Pyrrha simply smiled at what was to come.