You reap what you Sow

[Devonus]

I walked the grounds of the bazaar In silent smoldering anger. It was close to midnight and finding a merchant carrying his desired items was becoming exceedingly difficult. My blond hair flapped in the wind as my cold blue eyes scanned the surroundings. Being a vampire offered many benefits, but getting shopping down could be a real pain in the Rear. I had stopped at numerous vendors earlier on when Ifirst woke. All he had wanted were some seeds, and he had hoped to stop at a farmer some where and find them.

But to my dismay most of the farmers were packing up to head home when I arrived and those few still open were desperately trying to sell what shoddy produce they had left. When I did find a farmer still relatively busy and plying his wears I was quickly chased away when the poor chap made the connection between my presence and the corruption his produce quickly began to under go.

After awhile I gave up on the farmers and hoped to find a gardening shop pulling the late shift. I stumbled upon one or two still tending their plants, but I faced the same issue as the previous farmers when the beautiful roses began to grow dangerously large amounts of thorns and the day lilie's vines began to wrap around one of the poor man's neck.

curses to this undead gift of mine. All the things i once loved now shun me or are defiled by my very presence.... What would mother say if she saw what became of nature in my proximity.

Since then I had been fighting with my own corrupting aura to keep it away from the helpless plants while still trying to find a Gardner or farmer awake at this hour.

Maybe i should just break in to a shop, it would probably be easy enough..

At the very thought what was left of my moral self cringed and mentally reprimanded my self.

Though my very existence is a sin and affront to life, i must not forget my origins nor what makes me who i am. To many of my kind lose themselves in what they have become and they change.... I must avoid completely succumbing to their fate

Though I had long ago lost many of my qualms about taking a life, and my nightly existence necessitated many a sin, he still attempted to carry out his deadly life with some semblance of honor. After this short moral dilemma I turned my mind back to the task at hand.

Finally I spied a gardening shop closed up for the night, But by the candle light inside I could make out the silhouette of a woman tending her charges. My vampiric vision tried to make out more of the women but even my unnatural gifts could not see past the natural shadows of the store. If I knocked she very well may not come. At this hour any sane person would leave their door bolted when an unannounced stranger came to call, or so I thought any ways. I had no choice but to slip in and pray she did not die of fright when he arrived.

I quietly scaled the wall, my unnatural strength supporting him on otherwise impossible handholds and footholds. I had to try three windows before finding one still unbolted, opening it as silently as possible. As I slipped over the sill into the room I had to silently fight with my own aura, it craved to reach out to the various plants in the store. The very room I had slipped into was filled with several potted plants, mainly ferns of various kinds though the occasional palm was placed here and there. He gazed lovingly upon the closes fern as its gentle green beauty almost seem to call out to him as he looked on it.I had to move on though.

I stepped through the door into the hall way of the second floor and moved as quietly as Icould. The smells of various flora reached out to me, seeming to beckon me to their presence. I, knew however that it was my own corrupt power trying to push me towards these untainted plants. Even so I gazed upon the plants and was glad I had come upon this shop. The plants were well cared for, the earthy smell of fresh soil and clipped and maintained leaves showed much care and appreciation for their natural beauty. Truly the owner was a lover of plants and a purveyor of natures beauty.

Finally, I took the steps down to the first floor and approached the woman. Slowly I reached around to place a hand by her mouth in case she tried to scream. I softly spoke in her ear as she cared for her plants.

"Please do not scream, i only wish to conduct some business with you at this late hour."

Meanwhile I braced my self for what I figured was the inevitable scream and My ensuing flight.

[Tainted Bushido]

Eyes narrowed dangerously as the woman looked upon the man who dared enter her sanctum. The cornicopia of plants and ferns that grew in here could both raise the dead, and kill the living. Still as the man had snuck up on her she chastised herself for growing lax in her garden. He certainly made it easy, and his presence seemed to effect changes in her plants, turning them feral and deadlier, if such a thing was possible.

Hissing softly she took a step back before she spoke, "Speak your business and go, I have my babies to tend to and I won't be delayed by the likes of you." Her tone was firm and harsh, having dealt with assassins and would be murderers she had grown accustomed to them trying to impress her with their deadly arts. They learned the hard way why she was the best in this business, even if she was forced to let them live.

"Well, speak up boy, I won't let you dawdle on my time," She snapped.

[Devonus]

I raised an eyebrow in amusement at the spunky lady, and a soft smile danced across my face. Not exactly the reception I had expected, but it was far from unpleasant. It was nice to meet a Gardner with some back bone, or in this case a lot.

"Very well, I require various seeds and buds, in this particular instance i require some very mundane ones. White, Tiger, Calla, and Valley lilies; Red and pink roses; Gladiolas; All color of Carnations; aloe; white heather; Poison Ivy and oak; and Wisteria. Oh and some lotus buds too if you happen to have any."

I took a breath and waited calmly in the flickering candlelight for the cost, in truth I could have found many of these plants and harvested the seeds myself, but I needed to establish a relationship with a Gardner, I would have other needs for a lady such as this. In truth she was actually perfect, she wasn't afraid of me and kept late hours. That was perfect for what I needed if I could convince her to partake in what I planned.

[Tainted Bushido]

She glanced at the man for a bit, taking in his features before she snorted and moved about the store. As if in a whirlwind of motion, bags of seed were deposited on the table before she spoke, "For the carnations, I'll give you the five basic colors of white, pink, green, yellow, and red. You'll have to find dyes to make them any other colors from the white ones, its what others do anyways."

She then stopped when she looked upon her garden and shook her head, "As for the lotus blossom, no. I won't sell it, but I can tell you where to get the seeds from one. If you want to destroy a blossom so badly you can go find one and do it in nature, far from the protections of this bazaar."

She then began to move a pencil over paper as she crossed out numbers and replaced them with other, before she nodded finally satisfied with the sums. Holding out the paper she spoke, "I will charge 75 for the seeds I am giving you, if you wish for the location of Lotus Buds before they have fully blossomed, that will take another hundred."

[Devonus]

I follow her eyes to her flowers and grimace, mentally reproaching myself for the corruption my prescence was having on this womens hard work. It was a blessing none the less, for this instance anyways. The lack of fear in this womens eyes denoted a women strong of will, accustomed to unsavory types such as myself. Have i really become an unsavory type? Then i guess mayhaps i should be less proper... I smile ruefully at my eternal thoughts, and remind myself that though i may keep the company of beasts, i was not one.

" I see the effect that my prescence displeases you, and for that i apologize...." I glance around her shop and smile inwardly as i approach a Belladonna plant, Also known in the criminal world as deadly nightshade. "But it can also have its boons..." I gently stroke the Belladonnas flowers, smiling as they grow and darken, thier lavender color slowly losing hue and turning into a darker purple as an evil twinkle dances in my eyes.

"75 is to much, but perhaps understandable for the late hours Im having you keep on this evening. Those flowers are not naturaly poisonous nor deadly, and though you may have surmised i have intentions of doing otherwise with them, and you would be correct, that is still far to high a price for something i can easily find myself. Regardless of the hour."

I lift my hand from the Belladonna and turn back to her, picking the flowers up by the pot and pass it to her. Hoping her years of experiance in herbology and gardening will allow her to see the enhanced poison and virality of the Deadliest flower. "But you too, seem to have uses for the deadly beauty to be found in nature... and perhaps i can help with that. In return for your silence, understanding of my future need of your services...." I wink as i point to a few of the other poisonous herbs and flowers scattered about the shop. "And of course a discount for the unique services which i can provide in return."

[Revenant]

Flinty eyes narrowed at the half-elf's handiwork, noting how the plant now throbbed, it's pathways swollen with the sweet nectar of death. With just a moment of time and effort this creature had managed to double the plant's effectiveness, and therefore it's price. Her eyes flickered from the plant to his face, cold and unreadable, and she nodded once.

"Your talents do seem to be something that might be - useful - shall we say. If it's something that you can replicate with frequency I believe I might be able to see my way to offering up what you need, minus the lotus blossom's, for a bit of a discount." Turning away, the woman shuffled to another row of carefully tendered shoots, returning with three more exotic specimens.

"If you can replicate your feat with these I'll drop my fee for your request to 50 coin. Deal?"

[Devonus]

I nod my head in agreement, taking special note of the plants she chose to return with. The deadly nightshade, had of course been one of the more blatantly poisonous plants hidden in this shop, and though its poison was one of the more potent ones, it was far from the only one hiding within the alcoves of this green sheathed room. The botanist's current selection indeed reinforced this woman's worth.

Monkshood was also another well known poisonous plant, deadly within hours, sometimes immediately if distilled correctly. It was one of the few poisonous plants that could not only be fatal from ingestion, but also rarely from touch as well, a rare distinction in the natural world. It was however, still not as deadly as Belladonna. I lovingly run a finger along a single purple flower, letting its natural sweet fragrance bring focus to my mind. This too, enhanced its deadliness. The queen of poisons, as this was so lovingly called in some parts, was a beautiful and beloved fixture of many a garden, despite its deadly potential.

I bring my wrist up to my mouth, letting my teeth quickly rip a small gash in it. Savoring the feel of fang in flesh as the sweet scent of my own blood reaches me, its taste dancing upon my tongue briefly before i lower it above the plant. I watch in mute amusement, a small smile dancing on my lips as the blood trickles down. Watching the crimson blood drip slowly from leaf to leaf and down into the soil. The flowers unfurling and deepening in color again as small red tendrils arc over the stem of the plant before disappearing back into its natural, if darker, green.

"I wouldn't touch this one, or the others, but especially this lovely monkshood without gloves if I were you."

I turn to the other two plants, far more common and much lesser known to be deadly,the angel trumpet and daffodil plants are common gardening plants. Renowned for their beauty and multiple hues in which the flowers can come in, it's a little known fact that both of these common flowers can be dangerous and sometimes fatal.

I guess its my lot in life to change that sometimes to an always...

I grimace a bit as I turn to them, the gardener having selected the pair to be in classic white, perhaps fitting that i should make some of the loveliest and most innocent of flowers into instruments of death, much like what had become of me.

[/i] as if i was ever innocent[/i]

I let a chuckle escape my lips as i let the first drops drip onto the trumpets, their long round flowers drooping under the added wait, seeming to cry crimson tears at their lost innocence as the drops slowly slide from the tops of their open buds. The change is more dramatic for this lovely white plant, their leaves slowly turning pink, then red as the blood slowly works its way into them. I laugh a little as the change finishes, noting that an unexpected side effect persists, the natural dew that forms inside of the trumpets flowers becoming heavier and red, slowly dripping out of it, like the crimson tears of a virgins lost maidenhood,

The daffodils were much the same, slowly turning red and blossoming as i let the blood imbue them. This particular one had a white flower with an orange corona, giving the flowers the look of a sun within clouds. Now it burned red, the yellow corona having taken on a deep orangish red hue, a burning hell mouth emerging from a sea of blood.

WIth one last look at my handy work, a smile of conflicting of emotions, of both pain and pride, dancing upon my lips, i turn back to the gardener. Calming my nerves and fleeting mortal emotions from this brief touch and defilement of the natural order i once held so dear.

" A few notes before you make use of these flowers, for whatever purposes you intended. Although many of their poisons have medicinal uses dependent on the application, I would not recommend doing so. Though i have never attempted myself, I sincerely doubt the blood now coursing through them will allow itself to be used to heal, at least not without further modification and control. I also believe they can not breed, I have never attempted such myself, but the fact that where my blood has been spilled is not a mass of carnivorous and deadly plants shows that it is most likely not possible, at least not now anyways.They will however live much longer on their own then normal, so i do not recommend selling the plant as a whole, at least in regards to the monkshood and belladonna, you'll make much more money by selling thier parts individually as needed at letting them regrown.The daffodils and angel trumpets may be a one shot deal, as their deadliness would perhaps best be served by planting them somewhere they would be in casual contact with the victim."

I fish into my pockets, pulling out 50 Mellryn, the old gold standard of Raiaera, and set them next to the corrupted plants. Considering Raiaera was a mostly dead country now, they probably held more value as collectors items or memorabilia then as actual useful currency, but i had little need for such novelty trinkets. Though the red forest was my home, Raiaera had long ceased to be my country.

"Unfortunately the price for the lotus blossom is more than I am willing to pay, though I understand and accept your price and hesitance to sell your own, i can well find the location on my own, and for cheaper, dependent on what you consider the value of blood.... and yours, I believe, is best served remaining in you to care to your flock here."I go to leave, taking the packet of seeds with me and waving over my shoulder to her. "I’ll be in contact, this could prove very profitable if you keep your mouth shut.... and If you don't well.... the blood running through those plants isn't mine, it has to come from somewhere."

Completed unless you want to continue revenant. Previous posts changed to 1st person.

[Revenant]

Transaction concluded.

Devonus spends 50 gp and gains his seeds.

[Letho]

GP subtracted.