Blog Post

Blog Post 55: The Adventure Shop: Part 22

2/13/24

“Now does everyone have a snack and drink?” Aster said as he placed the cost of the items into the Noam’s till. Luckily he had the currency already traded. And that he had enough traded considering how much his friends ate.

Aislin nodded with a huge smile as she played with the buttery lemony treat on her plate. The others nodded as Aster sighed and prepared to talk business. 

“Before we begin I think we should talk about the funding for this venture?” A woman spoke up. She had her head wrapped and her eyes covered in what seemed to be a thin cloth. Thick enough that no one in the room could see her eyes.

“Funding? I thought this was a heist for revenge?” Caridad asked as she assessed the woman on the other side of the room. 

“We never do anything for nothing, we do everything for something. That would be ludicrous if we did this for you without even having a payment for our services.” She continued as she analyzed a book that she was writing in.

“Valentina, I already spoke to Aster. In this one circumstance they will be assisting us, as we assist them. You don’t need to calculate anything.” Jubair stated firmly. 

Valentina looked up from her notebook with her pen raised, “I am always calculating. Numbers don’t lie.” She looked around the room at the other as Aster assumed she was glaring, “Anything with a pulse that can say one word seems to flourish.  With embellishments to their stories, half truths, and little white lies to make others feel better. Oh! And my favorite! The loop hole in every contract. Because it isn’t technically lying if it isn’t mentioned before both parties sign. That is why I do not believe anything they say unless they can back it up with the truth.” She raised her notebook as she shook her head in frustration.

The cloth covering her eyes began to slip. Aster wondered what would occur. He heard of a race that had powers of stone, but nothing ever came of his research. 

“Valentina! Your covering!” Another one of their party stood and reach for the covering. Valentina closed her eyes and sighed as she held out her hand.

“I keep saying we need to get you a secure mask. It would be so much safer.” The being who has grayish skin handed the cloth to her. 

“Thank you, Tadgh.” Valentina responded tying the cloth around her eyes once again. 

The man known as Tadgh, had long dark gray hair, and young features. The clothes he wore seemed to hang off him and ranged from pale green to dark green. From those features Aster would assume he was a Banshee. 

Aster looked up at the woman once again with a curious glance. Valentina caught his gaze and glared.

“Yes, I am a Gorgon. Some consider us cursed, but we were perfectly happy in our own lands until adventurers were sent to destroy the monsters. And yes, around my own kind I don’t have to wear all of this.” She motioned with her hands, “It is only in the presence of weak folk like yourselves.” Valentina bit out as she crossed her arms and looked away.

Aster had heard of adventurers taking on other beings who had differences and calling them monsters. It made it easy to destroy them and plunder the riches. But he never had met a creature who had experienced such prejudice. It was something that he ensured any of his adventurers never participated in. 

“I am sorry that has been your experience. Not only with your loss, but with adventurers.” Hazel spoke softly in a voice that resonated heartache and comfort. 

“I can see the truth in your eyes. Thank you.” A tear fell down her cheek as she swiped it away.  “Please let us resume what we came here for.”

“Of course.” Jubair took over as he began to explain the role of each person in the heist.

Aster and Riskar would join Jubair, Laz, Tadgh, and Lothar on the inside to look for the box.

Caridad, Borg, and Pertinax accompanied Kamali and Valentina on the border of the house to ensure that if there were any issues that they could be dealt with swiftly.

Hazel and Aislin stayed with Ainia down the road from the local authorities of the town to ensure that they would catch wind of any movement. If the local authorities started to move toward them then Aislin would go to warn them while Ainia took Hazel to the next meeting place. 

“Well this sounds fun. When do we heist?” Laz smiled charmingly.

“Do we know that we can even track this woman with this object?” Ainia asked looked to the magic user of the group.

“Hazel is quite skilled in that area. She could tell that Lothar delivered the message that was created by Jubair. Hazel will be able to track the woman once she is able to connect with her essence left. That is, if she used the object.” Aster looked off to the side wishing he had omitted that part.

“If? We are risking all of this on an if?” Kamali stood, nearly knocking a chandelier full of candles off with her height. “Do you know how risky this will be? This is not just a heist. The woman who lives in the house also is a magic user. There will be traps. There will be a possibility it will not work. Why is that important?”

“Because of Dahlia, our friend.” Borg started and waved off Aster’s attempt to stop him. “She is a lovely shop keeper that has hidden herself away because she was tied to a moonstone. I am ashamed to say that we did not even know of it.” He looked down and shook his head. “I could not protect her.”

Jubair sighed, “That sounds familiar.”

“We are risking this to try to get Dahlia’s life back. Her life is in the hands of a being we know nothing about. That form that woman in yellow has taken may not even be her true form. This is the closest we have been to any lead. And if it helps I will pay for the trouble.” Aster offered, knowing risk with no reward often did not give one the desire to make the trade. 

For some the only way to exist was to get something from it. Whether it be money, an experience, or anything really. As long as the individual could sense the trade. An exchange between both parties. 

Junior held up his hands as Ainia spoke over him, “We will accept payment for our knowledge. In the case of revenge, it looks like we should be partners in that crime.” 

Aster nodded, “Agreed. Anything else we should clear up before we get this in motion?”

“I think the preconceived notions we have of one another should be noted. We may be adventurers, but much like your path, ours is far from clean. Though I try to make up for it every day.” Hazel looked around the room. 

While some members of the newly formed party held her gaze, others looked to the ground. 

Valentina held Hazel gaze and noted, “You are right. All of us have a past. I’m satisfied with what you have given so far, even though I suspect there is more. For you particularly healer.”

Aisiln sighed, a laughter in the wind of the sound, “This is all so serious. We are planning to take an item that will help our friend. This will be fun! No wonder everyone is sour. We won’t get to know each other sitting here in silence glaring. Lothar and I both think we should play a game!” 

“When did the two of you get so close?” Pertinax asked, eyeing the brownie suspiciously. 

“While they,” Aislin pointed to Jubair and Aster. “discussed business, Lothar and I discussed our lives. And we found out we both like ours. We are all very similar and I think it is time to play!” 

“Play what?” Asked Caridad as she stood to stretch her legs. 

“A scavenger hunt! Lothar and I set it up!” 

“When in the five moon’s did you have time to do that?” Borg responded dumb struck. 

“You all talk a lot about nothing. I got bored and so did Lothar.” Aislin shrugged. 

“Yes, we knew that the party needed to work together so while you were talking we set up a game. I think you will find it to be the perfect bonding experience!” Lothar rubbed his hands together like an evil wizard Aster had fought once. 

The Brownie seemed to be an architect of plans that would only be revealed once the individual stepped into his trap. 

Aster shook his head as he laughed at the pair. Of course they would become friends. It was organized chaos at its finest. 

The others around the room wait for him and Jubair to make the first move. Aster tilted his chin offering Jubair first say.

Jubair laughed as he stood,

  “Alright let’s play!”