Injured and Found Wanting

[Keistar]

I could have just stolen something. Thayne knows it's within my ability... The dripping pack of ice pressed harder against his temple, chilling the flesh. By skipping dinner, he had managed to avoid the evening rush the Bazaar usually prospered from; the shoppers were all out filling their bellies with cheese and bread and meat, leaving Requin Keistar to slump through the streets, bleary eyes.

Dinner had been also skipped because his stomach felt like it was full of drunk, angry bees, and for once, in quite some time, he was grateful that his hair blotted out most of the sun's glare. As was the case for several other nights over the past couple months, he had become the victim of too much rum. He had been doing his best to wean himself off of the Lavinian ale he and his countrymen were so fond of, but to little success. It seemed like anything else simply made him terribly ill the morning after; though he had found a certain fondness for scotch and vodka.

It was true enough that he could have perhaps simply stolen something for his needs, but at the moment; he was plagued by laziness and a terrible hangover. As thought of it shot through his head, carrying a stinging trail of pain behind it, he groaned and pressed the ice pack tighter against his temple, and walked into a shop in the armorer's district.

As was the case for most of the other shops, wooden mannequins were set up on the sales floor to display the wares. Requin couldn't care less for their looks; he just wanted something to keep him from suffering the same wound he'd received from Fadalgia. Scowling, he pressed his hand against his scared belly as he reached the counter, bending against it.

"Hello? I got some gold for you, you - " parasite, he thought, but his lips pursed together for a moment. "You...delightful merchant, you."

[AdventWings]

Jeffrey was about to close the shop for the day when the odd customer walked in, his voice just minutely forced and unnatural. The merchant attributed it to the strained condition he carried on the way in, though, and disregarded the feigned snap with a grin.

"Hello, sir." The large man greeted, taking his position on the opposite side of the counter. "What can I do for you this evening?"

[Keistar]

Requin glanced towards the ring of keys in the large merchant's hands, then to the windows. Most of them were closed, and a little smudged, probably from the dirty little hands of children. The pleasant light of the fading sun filtered in through their locked surfaces. "Closing? Well, not everyone can be night owls, I suppose...at any rate, this won't take too long. I'd like a brigandine, ya know, one of those leather vests with strips of metal sewn on them." Requin's hands gestured with rapid pantomime as he talked, racing down his chest and drawing fingers over his abdomen to perhaps help the merchant understand. The realization that he was treating the merchant like an uneducated child was fleeting at most.

"Material wise, I'd like either large scale or arctic hide, if either is in stock and whichever is cheapest, and uhh...I don't know. I'm not much for armor, really. What would you suggest for metal in my price range?" Reluctantly, Requin set down his ice pack and winced as he leaned forward, producing his wallet and a stamped voucher. He set the voucher on the counter, but held his wallet close, and retreived his ice pack.

"I've got about five hundred gold peices to spend."

[AdventWings]

The merchant listened to Requin intently, noting the item he sought and specifics in need. He could tell off the top of his head that there were plenty of brigandine in stock... but what each one were, he would have to check through them again.

"Alright, sir. Allow me a few minutes to compose a list for you." The man said, taking out a large tome along with a piece of parchment. Grabbing a quill from the ink bottle nearby, he quickly scanned through the pages and wrote them all down with lightning-fast dexterity. It did not take long for the inventory to be completed and Jeffrey held out the list to his customer.

"These are the available wares in your price range we have in stock at the moment. I would recommend the Hide of Arctic Bears in conjunction with Delyn for best effect, but if that's too expensive we also have brigandine designs of Salvarian Elk with Damascus. This design tends not to deal too well to magical attacks, though, so you might want to choose what will suit you best."

He had to admit, however, that his wares were not the best among other stores. While high-quality items were not uncommon, he believed that one did not need such elaborate designs unless it was to be custom-ordered. It also meant his wares were a lot cheaper compared to other specialty stores.

The merchant slid the piece of parchment forward, letting the evening sunlight shining through his store window to illuminate the scribbled writings.

Arctic Bear Hide with Steel - 275 Gold Pieces
Giant Crocodile Hide with Steel - 270 Gold Pieces
Salvarian Elk Leather with Steel - 285 Gold Pieces
Salvarian Elk Leather with Damascus - 500 Gold Pieces

[Keistar]

Murmuring, Requin leaned over the counter and squinted at the list given to him, the index finger on his free hand moving down them slowly as he mulled over the information he knew of the materials listed. Steel tended to do it's job; it gave nothing extra as far as magical protection went, but it held up decently. Damascus was a hardier metal, and looked almost identical to steel, but it's performance against magic was abyssmal, perhaps even worse than the common grey metal it was often mistaken with.

The thief glanced towards his wallet, and the voucher. Stealing spells with the Haruspex was going to be difficult at his current ability. It would help, an incredible deal, if he were to be able to afford delyn. He'd heard once, that it was good against mages, and it's mention by the merchant had piqued his interest.

"I'm dealing with a lot of magical problems, you see," Requin said, his voice level and face blank and serious, eyes giving nothing away. "I'm a rogue mage hunter. Usually, I just deal with necromancers who are plaguing the people, but at times...well, you might know well how power mad a mage can become. I've only got five hundred gold on me; sacrificing the strength of the hide; is their anyway I might be able to afford delyn plating on a brigandine with my budget?"

[AdventWings]

Jeffrey's eyes lit up as soon as Requin mentioned his occupation, the merchant immediately lighting up a lantern and skimming through his books once more. If the man had said he was a mage hunter, then the merchant would have known what the man really needed.

"Well, if you need defense against magic, I think you will find Dehlar plates to offer much more protection than even Delyn. With leather as your base, that'll run you only 450 gold pieces total. If you insist on having Delyn, though, I think it's a bit too much out of your price range. Brigandines with the cheapest price for Delyn plates will run you 420 gold pieces while the slightly better ones, still not as good as the regular designs on the market, are 550 pieces."

The merchant shook his head in disdain - Delyn plates were great for withstanding blows and blades. Dehlar, on the other hand, were fairly malleable and tend to bend with too much force. However, considering that before him stood a mage hunter, Dehlar should do more than suffice to repel against magical attacks.

"Then again," Jeffrey thought over the matter once more, "I believe I do have a brigandine made from Moose hide lined with Dehlar plates that run about five hundred pieces total. I know it's not as strong as Delyn plates, but that should be of some help to you if you're not too worried about being hit with a club."

[Keistar]

"I'm more afraid of being hit with a blast of lightning or fire, than I am in getting struck a cudgel," Requin stated gravely, again looking the merchant square in the eye. He knew that he was probably going to get struck with a lot of magic while trying to build up a sizable little inventory of spells, and anything that could keep him from being fried, frozen, scorched, or any other unpleasantness would be fantastic.

"I'll take that moose hide and dehlar one then." All of the coins in Requin's wallet fell to the counter, making for quite the pleasing sight.

[AdventWings]

Jeffrey nodded and momentarily disappeared into the armory, returning to the customer with a set of the requested items. He would have merely brought out just one of them, but knowing how picky some customers could get, Jeffrey opted to carry a large load than to walk a half dozen times.

"Here you go, sir." The merchant said as he lined the brigandine shirts on the counter. "Take your pick."

((After you have picked up your brigandine, you may post your exit and I will close the transaction. :)))

[Keistar]

As Requin watched the merchant reappear with bundles bunched under his arms, he let his lips twist into a wry smile. Though he said nothing, he silently cursed the merchant; decisions, as far as material goods went, were not his strong suit in the slightest. If had just been given the dehlar brigandine, perhaps he would have been able to just move quickly out the door without a second thought, but when it came down between two or three items, his sticky fingers faltered. Usually, he wouldn't have to choose; he could just snatch what he wanted. But there was no way he was going to have the Bazaar Guards cracking down on his head.

"I take too many risks as it is," he grumbled, one hand settling on the breast of the dehlar brigandine. "But then...my money....what if an emergency comes up?" His other hand settled on the brigandine of steel and arctic bear hide, and he stared at them in silence for several moments, eventually drumming his fingers on the metal.

"Urgh...these days, even the healing mages are crooked. Take you fer every piece you got just to turn your shattered ribs right back to new." Requin sighed; then shufled all of his coins back into his wallet.

"I think I might be able to make due with this one," he said, picking up the steel brigandine. "You recommended arctic bear hide and delyn, after all; it can't take that awfully long to save up my money to come back and get that delyn. And when I do, I'll come here, eh?" Pulling off his jacket, he quickly slipped the armor on over his head to make sure it would fit. Satisfied with the feel, the thief sighed and gave Jeffrey a grin.

"Hey, thanks. Keep whatever's else on that voucher as a tip, eh? I appreciate the service." And, tucking his hands into his pockets, the Heir of Keistar left the shop.

[AdventWings]

"Pleasure doing business with you, sir."

Jeffrey called after the customer as he took the voucher in hand, smiling thoughtfully at the choice Requin chose. Although steel was not as protective against magic as Dehlar, it was certainly harder and lighter by a god margin. Until the man returned for his Delyn brigandine, he would have to be content with other methods of protection.

((Transaction Complete.

Keistar loses the 300 GP Voucher and receives the Steel-reinforced Arctiv Bear Hide Brigandine. He also receives 100 EXP for good IC interactions.))