The scene with Anora went by rather quickly, and Sheo had the smarts to stay out of her. Her specialty was to make injuries, not fix them, unfortunately. And it was unfortunate because Atisha seemed rather downtrodden to find her magics useless, though Sheo tried to cheer her up the best she could.<span style="color: lightgreen">"Ah, come on now Atisha, it's not your fault or anything. You've put all your effort into helping them out yesterday, you can't expect to fix everything."</span>Atisha didn't seem to take her words seriously however and left to go resupply herself. Sheo let her daughter do her business before finding Magnus.<br/><br/>He seemed like a strong young man, and has already decided to make it his business to stop these assassins or whoever they were. Makes sense considering his family were targeted, and unlike some other rich merchants Magnus wasn't the type to just hire mercs when he could investigate the matter himself. However if he did intend to face these men, he was going to need some better equipment than what he had right now. Sheo understood that they had much better weapons and armor before their shop was burned to the ground, but Sheo was going to show him what it means to forge a masterpiece. Once Magnus was alone Sheo put her arm around the young man and took a drink of Grog.<br/><br/><span style="color: lightgreen">"Looks like everyone's got some time off than! Magnus I got some words for you, come with me."</span><br/>On his way back towards the city gates, Magnus thought back to the events that transpired in the bar. He hadn't intended to make Anora's injuries worse, and while he was brought down a bit by the fact, her safety in the hands of an actual trained healer did help quell him to a degree. He saw the group begin to dissipate before his arrival, and let out a heavy breath of relief. Nothing had happened during his absence, aside from a seemingly-friendly stranger chatting it up with some of the caravan's riders. Not an uncommon happening in Falone. People were nice, the streets tended to be safe. Still, at a time like this, he felt a nagging sense of worry in his gut.<br/><br/>Drawn out of his thoughts by the sudden appearance of a muscular limb around the back of his neck, Magnus flinched slightly and turned his gaze towards Sheo. He watched Grog as she drank from his vessel, wondering just how that bottle seemed to always be full. And where he could get one, though it was more a curiosity than a desire. "Looks like it," He responded, nodding lightly in agreement. "Where are we going?"<br/><br/>Sheo just chuckled and poked Magnus's cheek.<span style="color: lightgreen">"You'll see lad, you'll see~'</span><br/><br/>And soon enough Sheo had taken Magnus to the entrance of a mine. She seemed to know some people there as they greeted her by name, and she even poured a drink for a large burly Oghren woman whom Sheo simply referred to as "Boss". Once she and Magnus were at the entrance Sheo stomped on a couple of pick axes, catching them expertly in the air with her bottle of grog in her mouth. Drinking another mouth full before letting the bottl hang from it's cord Sheo explained herself.<br/><br/><span style="color: lightgreen">"Tis a noble thing to be facing these villains on yer our accord Magnus, but you could do with some better armor. You're not some common foot soldier, so I think you ought to have better protect than your average sword fodder. This here is Falone's iron mine, which if I remember correctly is still rich in ore. We're here to get some raw iron so we can forge you a newer, better set of armor! It'll be cold iron, and if we're lucky we might pick up some raw gem stones we can pawn for silver ingots to fuse into your armor as well. Now, I know yer a proficient smith, but what do you know about Enchantments?"</span><br/><br/>Curiosity filled the young man's head as Sheo led him along, and once they were at the city's mine, it only grew stronger. Hard labor wasn't something many would consider time off, but he remained silent on the matter as Sheo greeted the workers and shared her drink. Magnus, meanwhile, looked towards the mine and waited, adjusting his cloak to reveal his arms. His hands came to an idle rest on his hips, until his attention was caught again when Sheo impressively readied a pair of tools.<br/><br/>A small smile crossed his lips at Sheo's compliment, and he gave a small nod of agreement when his armor was brought up. While the old iron and leather had served him well over the years, it was hardly an impressive suit. The scuffle with the hellhound back in Goldenburgh left it in tatters as well. Holes, burns, and other such damages left in in such a state that complete replacement would be easier than trying to repair it. At best, they could pawn off the old gauntlets and pauldrons to a smithy to be melted down and shaped into something else.<br/><br/>At the Oghren's inquiry, Magnus pursed his lips and thought for a few moments. "Not too much, really. I've never been very good at magic," He explained. "I used to own a few trinkets that were enchanted, but they were just novelties. Nothing special." He was quite interested in the prospect of cold iron armor, though whether Sheo was actually speaking of the Fae-slaying material or just being poetic, he couldn't tell. Keeping away the more unpleasant sorts of otherworldly creatures would be a nice advantage, though.<br/><br/>Sheo let out a heartily laugh as she handed Magnus a pick axe and started to walk into the mines.<span style="color: lightgreen">"Than don't you worry about a thing Magnus. I'm no archmage, but I've been around Enchanting magics enough to know what I'm doing. Got a good feeling about you, so once we get enough iron to get you a full suit we'll worry about what sort of magic to infuse later. Now come on than. Gotta get that iron before the other back breakers get to it."</span><br/><br/>Thanks to Sheo's nose for ore (And because the boss slipped her a note when they were sharing drinks) she and Magnus found a vein of iron that ought to be able to supply Magnus with enough iron ore for not only armor, but possibly even a few weapons and other trinkets. They only needed to dig it out. Sheo stripped down to only her under clothing, though that was a bit hard to see since there was only one torch to illuminate the caves and it was a bit away.<span style="color: lightgreen">"Now I know hard labor isn't exactly what you might call recreation, but since I'm friends with the foreman here she'll let us take whatever iron we can carry out ourselves. Otherwise we'd need to pay top dollar for whatever scraps they're willing to sell to us. Nothing but the best for us, and I know what's best. Now let's get digging!"</span>One more swig of Grog and Sheo started excavating the iron.<br/><br/>Sheo's powerful but precise swings would make quick work of the iron ore, more so with Magnus's help. It'll take them about an hour all things considered, but that's much faster than what some other rock breakers would do. While they worked, Sheo passed the time with small talk.<span style="color: lightgreen">"So Magnus, how did you meet with my little Atisha anyways?"</span><br/><br/>Entering the mine, Magnus kept a good pace with Sheo, passing by various workers who were busy smashing open rocks. His pickaxe, balanced on his shoulder, felt much heavier now that he was seeing just how much force the tool was outputting in the hands of the much stronger-looking excavation team. Maybe mining during his supposed free time wouldn't be so bad, if it meant gaining a little extra in the muscle department.<br/><br/>Finally reaching their working place, Magnus set his pick down for a moment, removing his cloak so it wouldn't get in his way and rolling up the sleeves of his shirt. He looked over at Sheo to say something, but caught her halfway through undressing and swiftly averted his eyes. He turned to grab his pick again, hoping the dim lighting was enough to hide the embarrassing flush across his cheeks. No time was wasted in getting right to work. While he'd never mined before, he had a basic idea of what to do. Bust open the worthless stone, dig out the slightly more shiny stones. Couldn't be too hard.<br/><br/>"Oh, she showed up at the shop in the morning. Not too long before it was attacked, too. It looked like we were about to get good business, until someone got stabbed," Magnus explained halfway through a swing. "And then, well, things got pretty bad. She was a great help, though. If not for everyone who showed up, I probably wouldn't be here." He paused, pick against the wall, and considered what he'd just said. He normally wasn't the type to worry about death, but being so near it recently was...Odd to think about, to say the least. He shook his head, and got back to mining, trying to mimic what little of Sheo's technique he could catch from quick glances. He was definitely an amateur, but he was holding his own well enough.<br/><br/>Sheo was prying a good sized chuck of iron out of the ground with her bare hands. About as big as her head. She might need to break this down just to get it ready for shaping. She was listening to Magnus too of course. Seemed like Atisha was doing good work when Magnus was quiet. Sheo wondered why, but than quickly came to the realization. Sheo herself wouldn't have thought much of it before she remembered that Magnus, despite his ability, was not a warrior. He was no harden soldier of fortune like she was, but a mere merchant boy who somehow ended up in this convoluted mess. Magnus resumed mining the ore and Sheo decided to move onto a different subject. A more, teasing one.<br/><br/><span style="color: lightgreen">"Ya know, you travel in the company of many fine women."</span>Sheo said simply, wanting to see and hear what Magnus's reaction to her blunt statement was.<br/><br/>Still swinging along at the wall, Magnus managed to clear away a decent sized chunk of stone, revealing some smaller pieces of raw ore under the wall. He chipped away carefully at the rock between them to free them, and set the nuggets on the ground beside him. No massive deposits just yet, but certainly enough to put together a nice set of spaulders or a belt's worth of knives. After the metal was cleared from the hole he dug, he stood back up and went to swing again when Sheo spoke up.<br/><br/>Slipping up at her words, he missed the wall entirely and sent the tip of the pick into the floor in front of him. He turned his head to look at her, opening his mouth as if to speak, but hesitated. Goddess, did she mean what he thought she did? He refrained from speaking for a few more seconds, attempting to wrench his pick from the ground, and once it was freed he answered. "Oh, uh...I do, I suppose," He mumbled out, clearing his throat. "Quite a few."<br/><br/>Sheo could hardly and certainly did not contain her laughter seeing Magnus slip up. His words, or lack there of, affirmed her thoughts. She decided to tease him more about this.<span style="color: lightgreen">"Come now. You're a healthy, growing young man. Surely you have a fancy to some of the women who's with you now? Or perhaps... You have different preferences?"</span>It was hard to see in the darkness but Sheo had a cheeky smile when she implied something in her last sentence. Regardless Sheo decided to speak more about some of the girls she remembered Magnus working along side of.<br/><br/><span style="color: lightgreen">"Can't say I know all of them as intimately as you no doubt have, but surely one of them has caught your eye, and perhaps they the same! Let's see, like that Avis lass. A fine warrior I'd say. Never seen any duelist use rapiers like she does. Certainly knows how to handle a sword, don't you agree Magnus?"</span><br/><br/>Standing there holding his pick like a buffoon, Magnus listened to Sheo speak, cheeks flushing further when she continued her teasing. "I-...It's...Now, hold on," He spoke with an amusingly flustered tone, particularly in the latter part of his response. His voice heightened to a near crack, but he stopped himself as Sheo decided to use a word with all sorts of connotations. His jaw tightened and he closed his eyes, letting out a deep breath through his nose.<br/><br/>"Yes, yes, she's...Very skilled. Rapiers take a lot of practice to use well," He squeaked out, trying so very hard to ignore the implications of Sheo's sentence. They were clear as day, and he knew what she was getting at, which made his resistance all the more amusing.<br/><br/>Sheo had to control herself from simply bursting at the seams at Magnus's insecurity. But she wasn't about to let himself build his defenses and quickly changed to a different girl. One that surely would make Magnus's guard drop. Between each of her mighty swings Sheo spoke with great clarity.<span style="color: lightgreen">"Ah, but I know one who's certainly under your charms my boy. My own girl, Atisha. Quite infatuated with you, otherwise why would she go to such lengths on your behalf?"</span>A little lie perhaps, because Sheo actually isn't too certain what Atisha's thoughts about Magnus was. And Sheo herself did have some reason to care, after all she doesn't want to see her child heart-broken. But she wouldn't put it against Magnus if he is uncertain what his feelings for her are, given that this was teasing, but if his feelings were true than things were about to get serious.<br/><br/>Dumbfounded, Magnus only managed to respond with a very confused "What?" at first. Atisha was pleasant, certainly, but he had only known her for a handful of days. He couldn't imagine that would be long enough for someone to become infatuated with him of all people. "I- What?" He repeated, lowering his pickaxe, arms now hanging limply. "I, I don't know. I'm very thankful for everything she's doing, but I never got<span style="font-style: italic">that</span>sort of...I don't know, vibe, I guess?" The poor boy was utterly confused. Part of him knew Sheo was merely teasing, and the other part was attempting to prepare itself for more. Given how easily he was falling apart, it was doubtful that he could manage.<br/><br/>Sheo needed to drown her laughter in Grog or else she'd just fall over and laugh herself to death. There was only one other girl Sheo could remember off the top of her head that she was certain Magnus could attempt to woo later, and it was Anora. What Sheo knew of Anora was even less than Avis aside that Anora seemed like a more roguish type. With the alcohol starting to filter through her system Sheo just had a funny thought. Each of the three girl's name started with the letter A and each of them fulfilled the archetype of the classic three fantasy character classes: The Warrior, The Mage, and the Rogue. How apt that Magnus could chose amongst the three.<br/><br/><span style="color: lightgreen">"Come on now Magnus, surely you have some feelings for Anora at least? I saw how you rush to her aid, concern and worry on your face. There's more than just kindness in your heart. A passionate desire just waiting to be unlocked..."</span>Sheo was surprised at how flowery she was getting, but quickly forgot about it as she dug up a few more fist-sized chunks of ore.<br/><br/>Magnus made a noise not dissimilar to a whine, though it was quieter and under his breath. "No, no, no, I-I just wanted to make sure she was okay!" His attempts to defend himself were terribly flustered-sounding, and he damn near dropped his pick on his foot when he replied to the accusations. While the other ladies mentioned were certainly lovely, Magnus found Anora more frightening than anything. Not that she'd been hostile to him at all, but her general aura gave off some rather intimidating feelings.<br/><br/>Realizing he'd fallen behind when he heard Sheo's pick at work again, he huffed and got back into it, trying to look for more ore. His strikes were much less focused now, and his face was still a terribly bright shade of pink, but he didn't want to waste time just gawking at Sheo when he could be helping her with the mining.<br/><br/>Allowing herself a chance to let out her humors Sheo took a moment to let her arms rest. She was getting quite worked out now, with sweat sticking to her clothing. Though she's no stranger to getting down and dirty, she did enjoy a nice bath over such strenuous activities. Nothing like a rush fo warm water over her body to remind her of a hard day's work done. Despite spending their time talking they had cleared out most of the iron in this vein. She'd need to send Magnus to go fetch a mine cart so they wouldn't have to haul all this ore out by hand, but before she would do that she had one more thing to tease Magnus about.<br/><br/>As Magnus readied to swing his pick, Sheo stepped towards him and caught it before it could hit the rocks.<span style="color: lightgreen">"You're such a hero Magnus, but do you think you could take on a beast like me?"</span>Sheo smirked seductively as she put her body closer to Magnus, eventually pushing him against the cavern wall. Without her armor on she was pressing her breasts against his chest, or more accurately against his head due to their height difference.<br/><br/><span style="color: lightgreen">"How about it hero? What do you think about me?"</span><br/><br/>When Sheo caught his pick, Magnus stopped moving, the tool immediately ceasing its momentum in her palm. He turned to look at her, eyebrows raised, and went wide-eyed at her question. "What do you-" Before he could so much as ask what she was implying, he was trapped between a rock and a soft place, so to speak. His cheeks reached an entirely new shade of red as he took a few seconds to process what was happening, and he used every fiber of his being to resist looking downward. But all had their limits, and he failed utterly, eyes drifting down.<br/><br/>He tried to speak, but once more, his voice was reduced to a squeaking sound. His hand let go of the pick entirely, joining his other arm in hovering near Sheo's midsection, unsure of what to do. "I, uh..." He finally sputtered out, catching his gaze and forcing himself to look up and meet eyes with her. "I...I think you're, uh, v-very...lovely," He managed to say. It was truthful, but the compliment would surely be more silly than anything, given the amount of times he paused and stuttered while trying to get it out. His face must've looked almost like a beet, cheeks terribly bright red, giving off a strong warmth.<br/><br/>His heart was thumping rather fast, and he could only manage to think<span style="font-style: italic">"Goddess preserve me"</span>and other such quick, mindless, fast-paced prayers.<br/><br/>Giggling like a young girl Sheo held Magnus close to her body. It was so long since she had... Pleasurable company. She was tempted to take Magnus for herself. However she could smell the purity off the boy and felt that it would be more appropriate that he'd give himself instead of someone taking his innocence. Not that Sheo could do that easily, as the combination of her own lust and the alcohol that was in constant flux within her body really made her hunger for Magnus. So she settled for groping his firm buttocks before releasing him.<span style="color: lightgreen">"You're too sweet! With a personality like that, I'm sure you'd be the heart of our little group of companions in no time. But Magnus, if you ever want to know what a women's touch is truly like, all you need is ask, and I shall deliver."</span><br/><br/>Letting out a soft laugh Sheo smacked Magnus on the rear to direct him towards the other end of the tunnel.<span style="color: lightgreen">"Now than, I think we've collected all we can from this vein. Go find me a mine cart so we can get these rocks out of here. I'll get them ready for delivery by the time you come back. And don't fret, I'll make sure to bring your belongings as well."</span><br/><br/>A quiet gasp escaped Magnus when he felt Sheo's touch, and at the offer, he meekly nodded and tightly pursed his lips. He'd be a liar if he tried to say he wasn't tempted, but a mineshaft was hardly a place for such ventures. When he was finally released from his imprisonment against the wall, he just about fell over, forgetting that he had legs and that they tended to be used to keep oneself upright. He managed to catch himself on Sheo's shoulders, and once he was finally up, he retracted his hands quickly and nodded.<br/><br/>As he turned to seek the cart he was directed to find, yet another sudden touch from the woman made him yelp with surprise. Not a loud one, or even a distressed sounding one. He just wasn't expecting it. "R-right, on it," He managed to stutter out, walking down the mine's shaft in one direction, realizing he was going the wrong way, and quickly turning around to go back towards the entrance. A few carts, both empty and full, had been sitting about towards the front of the mine, so he thought it a good place to get one.<br/><br/>He checked the first one he saw, and luckily it was empty. Before he started to push it back, he paused and took a very, very deep breath, followed by a shaky exhale. "Good lord," He whispered under his breath, eyes falling shut in exasperation. He fidgeted a bit, regretting his choice in wearing form-fitting breeches that day, and pushed the cart down its rail with a grunt of exertion. Once the thing was actually rolling, it was much easier to move, and he led it along the track back into the darker tunnel.<br/><br/>By the time Magnus arrived back to their tunnel Sheo had already piled the raw ore for convenient transfer. When Magnus got the cart stopped it didn't take them long to load up and head out. Once they left the mine caves they moved the iron ore into a wagon where Sheo would take them to a workshop she knew.<span style="color: lightgreen">"Now Cold Iron, as you may know, doesn't use normal smelting to shape, but this little magical ritual. We're going to have to make a few stops first to gather what we need, but after that we can use the rest of the day to finish making this suit."</span><br/><br/>---<br/><br/>The trouble with Anora made Atisha feel a bit bad. While her magic wasn't entirely focused around healing, she still felt that if she had more ability she could have saved Anora easily. Her injury, as far as Atisha knew, was not even magical but mundane. That fact she couldn't heal a simple wound like that made Atisha doubt her ability, but not for long. All she needed to do was more research on her magic. Her Elemental Magic could always use some work, but while she was in Falone she was going to do some snooping around for Dark Miracles. While not exactly illegal, she knew that there are very few people who'd willing admit to being practitioners of such a art. It would make finding them difficult, but the more she could learn the closer she'd get to her goal.<br/><br/>But first thing's first. She'd need to resupply her basic needs since she went through most of her trail rations and equipment on their trip here. Atisha was also thinking of getting some clues about the assassins while they were here, but she'd need to be low key about it. Last thing she wanted was for them to come to her because she was asking too many questions.<br/><br/>Atisha found herself in a bustling marketplace. Or perhaps it was the town square? It was certainly majestic enough with plenty of trade stalls to be either one. Everything from groceries to magical artifacts were being peddled in the shacks but Atisha had an eye for quality. While she had no doubts that everyone had some legitimate wares, she was only interested in either the best, or the most efficient. Which also meant cheap. Soon Atisha found herself in front of a cart that was hawking magical trinkets. Sure enough she could feel the enchantments off of them, but without some time to examine them she couldn't quite place if they were permanent enchantment or simply a little something to give them a supernatural feel to them.<br/><br/>Behind the stand, a tall and rather thin-looking man wearing an interesting mask stood. He was busy setting out various small trinkets, many of which looked to be more novelty than anything. An hourglass that set itself back over, a lantern that was being advertized as never-extinguishing, various quills writing on parchments without any aid, and for display, a handful of small, shiny bits of crystallized mana strewn about. Definitely a magically-inclined store.<br/><br/>"Ah, good morning. Can I help you with anything?" The man asked, accentuating his words with some hand motions. Given the covering on his face, it did help him articulate more than one might expect. His voice was quite deep, and bore an accent that was quite obviously not local. If the carriage behind him was of any indication, wherever it was he came from was a very well-off locale. The intricate designs, black wood, and two-horse setup was much nicer than the caravan's open-roofed carts. Strangely, the horses themselves were very still, wrapped head-to-hoof in concealing garments.<br/><br/>The little shop was interesting for a tourist perhaps, but nothing on display really caught Atisha's interest. Perhaps if she had the luxury of sending her coin loosely she might have indulged herself on the ever-burning lantern but she kept her coin purse tucked away. The work of a mediocre magician, so Atisha thinks. Perhaps worthy of entertaining a child at a party but hardly anything that Atisha would consider impressive. She was about to leave when the owner of the shop arrived.<br/><br/>As far as strange looking salesmen went, this one at least was clothed. He was, in fact, covered in layers despite the the warm weather. His accent marked him as foreign, and Atisha was perspective enough to discern that it was not simply a gimmick to attract customers. However she could not place where the accent originated from. He seemed gaunt despite his baggy attire, giving Atisha the impression that the man was very much on the lean side. She was going to dismiss him as a poor merchant, but figured that he may know where she can go to learn more about her Elemental magics.<br/><br/><span style="color: goldenrod">"Yes, I was actually looking around to find perhaps a store or a school who practices Elemental magics?"</span>The fairly dark attire on this man also made Atisha wonder if she could ask him about Dark Miracles, but she would first have to discern his attitude before she'd risk divulging her interests to a complete stranger.<br/><br/>"For Elemental spells, your best bet would be one of the libraries in the city's college. It's not quite Eridis' Drakeblood University, but it's a nice enough place. Applicant or not, they tend to be rather, ah,<span style="font-style: italic">lax</span>with their security." The merchant tilted his head in an emphasizing manner, as if dropping a hint. "Of course, there's always the shops. A nice little corner store a few roads over, Adelaide's Oddities, might be of interest. The place is run by a very charming old woman. I'd love to help her business out myself, but me, I'm more an Arcanist. Fire and water are all well and good, but I prefer the purity of Arcane spells. You'd be surprised at how effective a bolt of imbued mana can be."<br/><br/>Despite the talks of magic, the man could feel a presence surrounding Atisha. Something beneath the surface, a sort of writhing power, if he had to describe it. It was unmistakably the mark of one who had power over the Dark, though it seemed to be an early stage of development. "Though if I had to guess, Elemental spells aren't all you're looking for?" Clasping his hands together, he held his palms in place for a moment, then parted them ever-so-slightly. Within them, a small spark of purple, flame-like energy formed. He allowed it to remain for just long enough for Atisha to see it, then quickly snuffed it back out, glancing around past her to make sure no nosy onlookers had taken note of the display.<br/><br/>They remained incognito, so he turned his gaze back on her and continued. "Forgive me for being presumptuous. But I get a certain feeling from you. Something...Unique. Not just anyone gives off an aura like yours." Lowering his hands, but keeping his fingers steeple, he awaited an answer. It wasn't every day he could find a practitioner of Dark Miracles. Alesian territory tended to look down on open practitioners, and the highly religious inhabitants of northeast Ardon were taught from young ages to fear the Dark.<br/><br/>Atisha made notes of the recommendation the merchant told her about. She'd likely hit up the shops first since they're closest and probably won't turn her away at the door. The merchant himself revealed to be an Arcanist, which Atisha only had some knowledge about. As Atisha was about to say her farewells and look for those shops however the merchant had something else to show her. From within the merchant's gloved hands was a small, purple flame. That was not illusion; that was Dark Miracle. And he wouldn't have shown it to Atisha if he didn't know she practiced the art herself.<br/><br/>Atisha kept her lips sealed and narrowed her eyes at the merchant. She wondered what his game was, to show her his Dark Miracles. Did he want to take her as an apprentice? Was he just trying to point her in the right direction? She'll admit, she was looking for someone with knowledge of Dark Miracles, but she didn't like the fact she was found first. It was a bit suspicious. Still this wasn't a chance that Atisha would have again, and unlike before she was not a little girl who didn't know how to handle herself. She had her weapons, and failing that she had her magics. If this merchant aimed to do anything treacherous to her, he'd have to fight for it.<br/><span style="color: goldenrod">"You would be correct... Let's not waste words than. Where can I learn more?"</span><br/><br/>If the merchant's face wasn't hidden behind his mask, it was very likely that he'd be smiling. "Oh, there are a variety of places. You'd be surprised at how many people dabble with the Dark. Luckily for them, they rarely ever exceed a small spark. But if you want to learn more, then you'll need guidance from someone who's tapped into their real potential. Not every demon worshiper you stumble across is likely to be able to give aid, but..." He paused, and after tapping his fingertips against themselves in a somewhat nervous gesture, he motioned his head towards the carriage behind him. "Come. Let's talk in private. Less chance of someone nosing their way into this."<br/>The merchant stood, and with a snap of his gloved fingers, deactivated the magical energy flowing through the trinkets in his stand. A quick switch of a small hanging sign made it clear that business was closed for now, and with that, he turned and opened the door. Before entering, he waited for Atisha, giving her a glance to see if she was even coming.<br/><br/>Atisha obviously had her doubts about entering this merchant's wagon. And not just because he was a practitioner of the Dark arts. She didn't even know his name. Atisha glanced her hand over the side of her thighs to feel her knives hidden away, ready to strike if this man tries anything funny. She was certain she could put her blade through his eyes before his spell could hit her. With this in mind she followed the merchant to the back of his carriage. Before she entered however she stood out in the open, making sure that she had a clear route to run if things turned hairy.<span style="color: goldenrod">"Before I... Aquiste your suggestion, I want to know what your would like in exchange. Knowledge is not free, and I would be willing to pay it's price, if I know what the cost would be."</span>As much as Atisha wanted to learn about the Dark Arts, she wasn't exactly in any rush to offer her body to demons just so she could improve her Necromancy.<br/><br/>Considering the request, the merchant stroked the chin of his mask. "Hm. Well, money is of no importance. Though there has been some goings-on that caught my interest, if you have any knowledge of those. An equivalent exchange, yes? Information for information." He lowered his hand, taking another glance off to the side. Nobody was near the stall, so he turned back to Atisha and kept talking. "Tell me, do you know anything of those disappearances that have been happening? They're so spaced apart, and there's hardly a lead to follow. I've given research a try, but nothing's led anywhere." He didn't expect any random passerby to know much about it, but then again, he didn't expect a random passerby to have actual potential for Dark power. It was worth a shot, considering.<br/><br/>Raising her eye brow at the merchant's request Atisha was growing even more suspicious. How convenient that she, who is on the trail of these assassins who are making people 'vanish', would meet with a dark art practitioner who seeks the same knowledge. The chances are too great, but Atisha did suppose that the chances of her finding such a person was slim as it was, and throwing it away was not going to make things any easier. She would have to be careful with what she said however; while she might be willing to exchange knowledge there was no reason why she couldn't get a good deal out if it.<br/><br/><span style="color: goldenrod">"I may... Though you'd have to be more specific. Many people are disappearing for many reasons. But I will tell you what I know, and perhaps we both could help each other."</span>Atisha nodded towards the carriage as a wordless request for the merchant to continue inside so she could enter.<br/><br/>"Of course." With that, the man turned and entered the carriage. Its closed design, obviously the mark of expensive construction, was decorated with cushioned seats and windows in the doors. Once inside, he sat down at the end nearest the horses, and crossed one leg over the other. He also removed his hat, set it aside, and linked his fingers together, resting his hands in his lap.<br/><br/>"So, specifics. I first noticed the disappearances back in Valdur. It's not exactly a place where people disappearing is<span style="font-style: italic">unusual,</span>but before a certain point, nobody was leaving behind these." A hand reached into the coat he wore, and after some shuffling around, he pulled a small, brass amulet out of an inner pocket. He held it out to Atisha, showing off the unmistakable tree design that the assassins had been using. "I tried to look up this symbol, but it's not very distinct. A tree. Damn near every religious sect on the continent uses trees in their symbols." A disgruntled, somewhat annoyed tone of voice overtook him as he mumbled out the last little quip, but he quieted himself and awaited an answer.<br/><br/>Atisha pondered her next statement. Obviously she has seen these amulets and vaguely knew what they were about. She had to cherry pick what she said so she could convincingly leave out any vital details that would imply she knows more than what your average wanderer may pick up.<span style="color: goldenrod">"Hmm... I can't say I know what these trees are... But recently I just came from Goldenburg. My party were going to rest up at an inn when we came across these ruffians torching a shop. We tried to stop them, but only managed to detain one. We tried to question him but he used some sort of magic to... Vanish, I suppose. The only detail we could glean was his race, and an amulet that one of my companions described as a tree. I don't know if it's the same as this one, but I'm sure it's no coincidence. "</span><br/><br/>After explaining her part Atisha shrugged her shoulders.<span style="color: goldenrod">"Not much else to say beyond that. The owners of the shop managed to escape the fire but had no idea who would burn their home and store down. They suspect that it may simply been a criminal gang looking for vengeance, as earlier that day they were robbed, but the robbers were thwarted. I don't know if that has anything to do with these other disappearances as only one of the ruffians had the amulet, and since I don't know what it looks like it may just be a different symbol. Sorry I don't know much else."</span><br/><br/>"No need for apologies. Hardly anyone knows what's going on," He responded, withdrawing the amulet and putting it back into his coat. "But, as promised, it's my turn to share information with you. Introductions are in order, don't you think?" The man put his hand back out, offering it as a formal greeting. "Lord Verigan Kruger of Thoralt. First kingdom of Valdur. Hardly an accomplishment, given there's only two, but those people will hold onto whatever achievements they can get. As I showed you, I'm a practitioner of the Dark arts. Necromancy, life energy manipulation, all those dreadful things. I won't be able to help you if your interests are in the demonic, but with anything else, I'm willing to be your guide."<br/><br/><span style="color: goldenrod">"A pleasure to meet you. I am Atisha Enansal. Just a wandering hedge wizard, looking to improve her meager skills."</span>Atisha said modestly, hiding her actually intentions with her magic. As far as she cared, this Verigan didn't need to know her life story. She was also pleased to hear that Verigan uses Necromancy, the school of the Dark Arts that Atisha had specific interest in.<span style="color: goldenrod">"Excellent. I have certain interest in... Necromancy... I'll be eager and willing to learn."</span>Taking a seat, Verigan had Atisha's rapt attention.<br/><br/>"The pleasure is all mine, dear. And that's wonderful! We can begin immediately. First things first, an explanation. Necromancy works by manipulating the force of the dead's residual soul power. Rarely will you ever see an undead that still has its wits. There's just nothing left of those wits to tinker with." Verigan reached over to the wall of the carriage and plucked a cane from a small, vertical basket, then held it forward to emphasize it. "As with all miraculous powers, the Dark is easier to control with a proper catalyst. Something blessed, but not with holy water. You need something a bit more, ah...Well, unholy. Demon blood works wonders. A simple darkspawn will do, no need to go running after the Archdemon himself."<br/><br/>Continuing his explanation, Verigan went on to describe the effects of certain miracles, such as life draining and mass necromancy, as well as offering some insight as to the morals behind them. A corpse had no reasons to complain about being used, not without the truly living part of the soul, but forcing a living person into undeath wasn't something he was willing to teach. Too many risks, as well as ethical complications. It was all quite insightful, but every so often he stopped to emphasize the potential consequences of abusing Dark power. He could hardly demonstrate much in a carriage, but Atisha had at least found herself a potential teacher, and he seemed to know what he was talking about.