Zen waits to see what Mara and Uwe do as he is perfectly fine with their decisions on the current state of things.
Zen waits to see what Mara and Uwe do as he is perfectly fine with their decisions on the current state of things.
While you ponder the best course of action to take, a man comes into the room. He is younger, about 30 or so years old.
Uncle, may have have some gold to go peruse the magical goods shop?
Marcus, I am busy young man, please be polite to our guests we are currently hosting. Please await their departure
Mara takes the opportunity to mention "When you go, remember that our shop has the newest and freshest selections around!"
Marcus look at you Mara and nods as he listens to his uncle.
Vincent Del Sol look at your group I have another individual I must attend to. So please, feel free to come back anytime within the month when you’ve made a group decision
Your group is escorted out of his home, by the butler. You head back to your shop and find Karita making friends…albeit slightly awkwardly with some children as she does minor cantrips to their delight. Their parents are looking around your shop, perusing your wares.
One of the fathers walks up to Karita and they have a brief conversation. After a minute or two, Karita comes to you that the gentleman would like to have a custom dagger crafted. He gave me 50 gold up front, and said he’d provide the other 50 gold upon completion. He wanted to dagger’s hilt to be that of a badger, his wife’s favorite animal. He would also like the blade of the dagger to be ornamental silver if possible, as it’s an anniversary gift. I hope that not to difficult
The rest of the kids leave with their parents, as your group decides what to do.
Uwe will package up all of the items the group is turning over and then prepare to go and make the actual exchange of goods.
A day or two passes after you get the commission for the dagger. You discuss over what to do about the Vincent Del Sol proposition. You decide to take the coin, as you feel that will be of greater benefit to growing and expanding your shop.
Uwe packages up the goods, and heads over to the residence of Vincent Del Sol. His trusty butler senders the door, much like before. The butler takes care of the particulars of the exchanging of coin as agreed upon. He wheels over a medium sized chest, filled with what appears to be platinum bars. Stamped on the bottom and top and the insignia/crest of Abadar; God of Coin and Trade.
The butler tells you that each bar, is the equivalent to 1000 gold pieces. You see 5 of the same size bars inside the chest. The chest weighs about 60 pounds total after the bars are placed inside. He also provides a simple lock, to secure its contents and a pair of keys to accompany the lock.
——————
Meanwhile, back at shop, a different individual comes into your shop. He is dressed in decent clothes, but not so fancy that it’s obnoxious. He steps up to the counter, and looks around for someone to offer assistance as he doesn’t wish to be rude.
As Karita is currently busy with one of her alchemical performances, Zen steps and softly asks, so as not to disturb the performance, "Can I help you sir?"
Sorry if I was bothering you during the performance. I heard from a few people that there was a new shop in town, whose owners also dabbled in adventuring to help support it. I don’t have the courage to go adventure myself, as I’ve had no formal training. My parents…
He stops speaking as he feels he has overstepped his bounds as you are not his friends but rather shop owners.
Im sorry to have misspoke, as we don’t know each other. So back to the reason I had come. Would you be willing to let me join your group on the tour next foray? I understand I don’t have any tangible skills to provide you, but I would rather die doing something then live my current state
"Ai ya nay be a bother, anna I be Zen'Zot Oremite. Pleased ta be a meetin' ya. Uh... and yer name be again?"
"Ah ta be tellin' da truth I be mostly a crafter me self, I just accompany me friends to hep keep dem outta trouble."
"Oie join us aye, well dat would be Mara's call, she be our unofficial offical group leader when we be out an about. If ya stick about, she should be showin' up again soon enuff."
Oh sorry, my name is Ruben. I’m kinda nervous…it’s not like me to go out of my comfort zone like this. It’s a pleasure to meet you
Uwe picks up the heavy box and starts heading back.
Mara keeps a very, very sharp eye on the box as it is only locked with a simple lock and helps Uwe get it to safely. She is just done seeing it squirreled away safely when she comes back to the shop front and see the fellow Zen'zot is speaking to.
"Oh hello there! I am Mara Thorngage, one of the proprietors of this establishment. It seems you've already met my colleague Zen'zot. And how can we help you today?" Her customer service charm is on full blast.
"Aie and plezsha ta be meetin' ya too." He talks current topics with Ruben until Mara arrives. "Aie Mara dis here is Ruben, he be wantin ta join us on are next excursion, I be tellin' em dat ya be da one ta talk ta abut dat, so I'll leave ta it." He then walks off leaving Mara with Ruben.
Uwe looks over the man and says, "Do you have an excursion in mind that you wish aid with?"
Ruben looks at you Uwe and does a sort of smirky-smile. He’s awkward for sure as he replies with a shaky not really. I just wish to go on an adventure in my life. I know it’s not easy, and I’m prepared for the worst. My parents are just forcing so much down upon me that I don’t really care about. They want me to take over the family textiles business…and I just don’t give a fire rats fuzzy buttcheeks to if I’m being totally honest with you. I’ve tried to express this to them but they don’t ever actually LISTEN to me. I give give you a means to contact me, and if you feel there’s something a I can join you on by all means contact me and I’ll join you his last words are more of a inquiry/question opposed to a statement.
Mara nods. "Ok. We will let you know if anything suitable comes along." She smiles in a friendly manner and uses a warm tone of voice but is careful not to commit the group to anything definite. She certainly had some ideas about what to discuss the minute this odd young fellow was out of their shop.
Ruben smiles and teller you thank you. He quietly and politely leaves your shop after purchasing a small trinket.
3-4 days go by after Ruben leaves your shop. Business continues as normal, you tend to the needs of your shop and nothing out of the ordinary happens. The beginning of the following week, a man dressed in clothes fit for nobility comes into your shop, escorted by a single woman clad in chainmail. In her hip is a short sword and strapped to her opposite forearm is a metal buckler. The noble looking man walks by a customer Zen’Zot is helping and pushes the customer out of the way.
The man looks directly into the eyes of Zen’Zot and in a very authoritative voice, Where is my son?! He was last seen at this place.
The chain mail clad woman keeps a keen eye out for anything that might pose a threat to her client.
Mara hears the disturbance and starts finishing up with the customer she was helping.
Uwe looks up from his desk where he is taking notes at the loud voice talking to Zen'Zot.
"Oi dat depends on who yer son be, I dunna know yee from a hole in da wall, so cunna answer such a ludicrous question. Perhaps if yee be more civil, an answer might be obtained, however, thus far I would be more inclined to simply not answer yee question, just out of principal as I was helping this customer here before ya so rudely interupted." Zen gestures to the customer the guy had just pushed out of the way. While Zen understood diplomacy, he did not care much for the self-entitled noble wanna-bes that like to flex their imaginary muscle at the expense of others. Probably a good reason, why this guys son was trying to do things on the down low.
The man looks at Zen’Zot with a look of bewilderment that anyone would address him in that tone as well as a look of how you don’t know who he is…
My name is Ricardo Valance, and my son Ruben was last seen in this shop…or whatever you call this place I am a member of the board of commerce and I am one of the few men that can make your life an utter hell down here in the district. I have respect for Bartleby and if he chose you to succeed in his passing that is fine…but my respect for him extends only SO FAR with anyone whom takes over his establishment.
The man that was cut off by Ricardo takes a step back as it seems the man’s words seem accurate.
My boy, has this stupid idea in his head that he wants to be an adventurer or whatever cockamamy idea he has floating between his ears. He has illusions of grandeur but he’s sick, and it’s took him all his strength to walk his naive ass into here. So, I ask again…where..is..my..son?
His look in his face is a combination of worry as well as the look of a man who doesn’t have time to waste and bullshit.
"Well den it is mighty nice ta finally meet a member of dee board of commerce, but not only didda not know yee but I was not even aware dat dare was a board of commerce. As ya all dunna promote who ya be, nor greet friendedly da folks, such as us, dat be presumably part of yee constituents, dat is if I be understanden what it means ta be a member of dis board of commerce. As fer maken me life a hell in dis district, I would tink dat would be counter productive ta what yee job as a member of de board of commerce would be 'bout. Further interrupten commerce, as yee did, also seems ta be quite counter productive to dat seemen ideal." Zen'Zot pauses just for a moment to let that sink in but not long enough for the man to respond before continuing with, "As fer yee son, uh.. Ruben it was? ..if day stopped in 'ear p'haps day were looken fer some goods, or stopped ta watch dee alchemical show we put on fer da customers from time ta time. 'Owever, I woodda 'ave ta guess dat if he talked to anyone about, adventureren dat would have been Lady Mara Thorngage over dare." He points to Mara. "Come let me introduce ya ta da Lady." He walks over to Mara with presumably Ricardo in tow. Then in a semi-grandious style, which is totally alien to how Zen'Zot normally communicates thus speaking volumes to Mara, he says "Lady Mara Thorngage may I introduce ta yee sir Ricardo Valance a member of dee board of commerce in dis fine city. He has some questions dat he woodda like ta ask of yee 'bout his son... Ruben dat stopped in 'ear yesterday ta perhaps ask 'bout adventureren." He looks from Mara back to Ricardo then makes a sort of semi-formal bow before walking back to his previous customer.
Mara bows and smiles solemnly at Ricardo and his companion. "Pardon Master Zen'Zot, my associate. He is highly specialized in crafting and arcane matters but pays little heed to local politics or his personal matter. My deepest apologies."
She continues "As to your son, he pled with us to take him adventuring. I did not flatly refuse but I also did not commit our group to anything so risky. Especially since we knew little about him. So while we did not take him anywhere or particularly encourage any risk-taking on his part, we would be willing to look into the matter on your behalf."
Uwe will move over and listen into the conversation. He will then join in by asking, "How is the boy sick?"
Mara also asks "Yes sir, what is wrong with him? We may be able to help."
Zen'Zot had gone back to helping the previous customer, letting Mara and Uwe handle the human as they could better relate to him then Zen could.
My boy has a disease where his body isn’t able to withstand the physical rigors of life. His bones are brittle as a feeble old man. His mind is sharp as a tack though, and he wants to do a lot of stuff that normal men his age could do. I’ve tried to convince him to continue our family business of textile exports but he will have none of it. I’ve tried to have the handful of close friends do the same but they be either told me ‘go away’ or ‘no’. You are the last ones to see him, and sadly not the first ones he’s tried to exploit for a sense of adventure. So, again do you have any idea where my son could be? Did he say anything about his plans or schemes Ricardo’s face one of both anger for the manner in which you spoke to him and worry for his child.
Mara shakes her head sympathetically. "I am sorry, sir. But we have no idea where he went. All he asked us was to let him know if we were going on an adventure he could join us on. Do you have any idea where he went? If so, we'd be happy to go searching for him, even if there were significant danger in doing so."
Uwe tries to guage how honest the man is being with them.
Uwe listens as the man speaks. His tone, mannerisms and overall worried demeanor is true. Uwe feels no lying or ill intent from Ruben’s father.
Ricardo puts in hand on his forehead, in a slight exasperated manner.
Theres multiple places I’ve caught him visiting. I’ve found him at the other local smithy’s in town. I’ve found him near the docks just watching the boats go in and out from the harbor. I’ve found him unconscious under a tree and come to find out he was bitten by a snake. I’ve got various people out scouring the city and trying to glean any rumors or sightings of him. If I hear anything, I will reach out to you since you’ve offered your assistance
He turns and leaves your shop, and his bodyguard follows suit. The rest of the day going by uneventful compared the past 30 minutes. You make a few sales, and make some people happy with the alchemical theatrical show.
Towards the end of the day Zen'Zot approaches Mara, "So Mara, what was de outcum wit dat uh... dignitary guy?"
Mara shakes her head. "It's a mess, Zen'Zot. I wish it weren't. Sounds like the boy with the blood disease wandered off looking for adventure. I hope he doesn't die. If we get a lead about where he is, then let's see what we can do. It's not a bad way to earn a little coin."
After the shop closes that evening, Mara walks the streets for a few hours asking people if they've seen anyone matching Ruben's description and where he was heading.
Uwe will go with Mara to assist her, but mainly just stands off by himself.