A tiny, grinning man in ratty robes looks at you from amidst an astonishing collection of items, some mundane, some expensive looking, some utterly bizarre.
"Brantford the collector, at your service. Welcome to the magic shop!"
"Well, I have some skill for identifying any of your items. But mainly I collect strange items from all parts of the caves, and pass the savings on to you. Let me know if you want to buy something! You can sell me things as well."
0
ident
19
0
purch
17
Magic Shop
1
stnd
0
An ancient, hunched woman bustles behind a counter covered with alchemical equipment. She looks nervous.
"Welcome to this shop, children. I am Zathnia." As she talk, she works, measuring and mixing chemicals.
She pauses from her work to look up at you. "This is not my shop, I'm afraid. It belongs to Cortath. I can teach you some recipes, if you want, but I am very, very busy."
1
cortath
0
"He travelled north to try to find some Graymold for some sort of salve. Healing. Not my area. If you're looking for him, he probably visited Phyllea, in Fort Draco. Ask her about him." She says all this quickly, while grinding some sort of yellow powder.
1
busy
0
She looks up at you again, and this time, strangely, you see a glimmer of fear in her eyes. "Busy. I can't tell you why, I'm afraid, but suffice it to say this is a time of great urgency in the tower." She returns to work.
1
recipe
0
"I know three recipes you could understand. Weak healing and curing potions, both of which use comfrey root, and a reasonable strength poison, which uses either toadstools or spider venom. I don't have time to teach anything more elaborate."
"Let me know if you would like to buy any of these secrets."
1
purch
16
Zathnia
1
3
2
stnd
0
A cheery, redheaded woman looks at you from behind the counter.
She nods at you. "I am Glenda, of the Tower of Magi."
"I have a wide variety of powerful items you can purchase, all made by the mages of this tower. They are very skilled.
0
sell
13
2
purch
12
Glenda's Magic Shop
24
31
2
skill
0
"Yes. If dour. I have some small skills in the magical, but I'm not in their league. And I can't say I mind. Lately, they've been looking as if they wish they weren't in their league either." She smiles and shrugs. "None of my concern, anyway."
3
stnd
0
You see a powerfully built man in spotless white robes. A huge mace hangs at his belt.
"I am Throndell, servant of the true way. Welcome to this refuge of peace."
"I provide guidance, and occasionally protection, to my brothers who work here for the good of Exile. I also greet pilgrims to this place."
3
protection
0
He suddenly becomes nervous, very strange for a person of his obvious power. "Yes. A mage's life can be a dangerous one, and there are certain forces I can be of extra assistance in controlling." He seems unwilling to say more.
3
pilgrim
0
"Yes. Many come to this place for guidance, and I am often one of those they come to. I can teach people a wide variety of spells. Let me know if you want to buy them."
3
purch
15
Throndell
5
11
4
stnd
0
This man is clearly an apprentice mage here. However, he is clearly starved and dehydrated, and on the verge of a nervous breakdown as well.
He twitches, and lurches towards you. "Please say you've come to let me out! I'll be good!"
He didn't seem to hear what you've said. "I'll be good! I promise! It's good idea! We should ... we did ... I'm glad ... it was a good thing ... please let me out! We can control it!" His eyes are wild, and his voice is shrill, half a shriek.
4
control
0
He continues to rant. It's strange - he seems to be weakened not by deprivation, but sheer terror. "We can control it! I didn't think we could!" He looks at you, for the first time seeming to see you. "We all did it. We all brought it. Here. We lured it."
He lurches even closer to you. "It's here now, waiting for us to break. Then we all burn."
5
stnd
0
A young woman with short dark hair sits at the desk, writing. Leaning against her chair is a short wooden staff, carved in the shape of a twisting serpent. The runes on her robe seems to indicate she is a person of great power.
"Greeting. I am Linda, of the Triad."
"I am of the Triad that controls the tower."
5
triad
0
"Yes. The Tower of Magi is run by three mages. I control research. X in is charge of teaching. And one of us is absent."
5
absent
0
She gives you a truly ugly smile. "Yes. One of the three is away. We don't know when he will be back."
5
teaching
0
"Yes. He may be of aid to you. He's around here somewhere."
5
research
0
"On many, many things. This is an ambitious time for the tower, a time of great and auspicious happenings. Right now, I am trying to find information on the First Expedition."
5
expedit
0
"Yes. Many years ago, when these caves were first found, the tyrants above sent down a variety of troops, led by a group of adventurers. These adventurers had a wide variety of magic items: several weapons, several peculiar items, and finally a scepter."
"They were all killed, to a man and woman, and the items were scattered. And we want them."
5
weapons
0
"We cannot yet reliably make magical weapons. That's why we want these so badly. There was the Runed Halberd and the greatsword 'Scrioth.' And, more importantly, there was the giant-slaying hammer 'Smite,' and greatest of all, the sword 'Demonslayer.'"
"Demonslayer was shattered, alas. But if the pieces were found, it could be reforged."
5
peculiar
0
"We know less of them. There was a necklace which made a leader more persuasive. We've found that. There was Thralni's Orb, which enables the user to fly. There was a blessed athame, a kind of knife. It would be a great thing to find these items."
Your presence is starting to make her uncomfortable.
5
scepter
0
"A strange and powerful item, only usable by the greatest of mages. I would say more about it, but I won't. Suffice it to say this is a great and auspicious time for the tower." She smiles, in a disturbingly sharklike way.
6
stnd
0
You see a strange man, middle aged, calm and confident. He has a staff, carved in the shape of a cobra.
He nods to you. Welcome to my tower. I am known as 'X'. I am of the Triad.
"Mostly I teach, but lately I have been researching a new spell, which would make an anvil drop on someone's head, even from a long distance. It would be a wondrous spell. I wouldn't have a chance to find it without this library."
6
triad
0
"I, Linda, and Solberg rule the tower. However, I have been busy, and Solberg is away, so it is mainly Linda that is in charge. I wonder what she has been doing?"
6
teach
0
"Yes. Powerful spells. But I've been busy lately, and haven't time to do any teaching now." He thinks. "But wait! We could trade! I have heard rumors that somewhere in Exile there is a man with a giant anvil. Find it would be a great help in my research."
"I'll make you a trade. You tell me his name, and I will teach you spells."
6
purch
0
"First things first. Who owns a big anvil?"
6
boutell
14
'X' Industries
8
11
11
students
0
"Yes. Konig and I look after them, teach them magic, discipline them as necessary."
6
library
0
"Yes. One of the many gifts of Erika Redmark. About whom the less said, the better."
7
stnd
0
You see a demon, tall and imposing. Fortunately he/she/it is kept from you by protective runes.
"My name? If I gave away my name, I'd be in quite a fix, wouldn't I? Fool."
"Waiting for the Haakai beyond to break his bond, and blast you all. It will happen soon."
10
stnd
0
A young apprentice is staring into the pool. He looks very nervous.
"Welcome, visitors. I am Kelner." He is sizing you up, as if wondering whether to trust you.
"I am an apprentice. I come to this pool often, to contemplate."
10
contem
0
"I contemplate many things. My life. My lessons. And the things that are happening in this tower. If you knew the name of the thing we have brought here, perhaps I would share my contemplations with you..." He looks sideways at you.
10
haakai
0
He turns. "Yes. You are not from the tower, so you might be trustworthy." He speaks quickly, looking constantly for eavesdroppers. "A powerful creature has been brought here, and may escape any day. It all started when Solberg of the Triad left."
"It is my hope that if he is alerted, disaster may be averted."
10
solberg
0
"He went away a year ago. I don't know why. He was my friend, and looked after me, and said if ever he was needed, instructions for where to find him were left in a hidden cave east of here. I can't go find him, but maybe travellers such as you can."
"Please do it. If the Haakai Lord escapes, horrid, horrid things will happen."
11
stnd
0
An old man putters about this laboratory. Sometimes he seems senile, sometimes alert.
"I'm Ambrin. I and Konig are the day to day teachers of the tower."
"I am a teacher, and have been one for many years. You can buy spells if you want." He chuckles. "Don't ask the students for help. They are forbidden to speak without permission."
11
konig
0
"Yes. He's away. Looking for some sort of crystal cave. Don't know anything about it. He said he was going to Cotra, I think. Pity he's away. He's the one who teaches Firestorm. If you see him, ask him about it. Maybe you could learn it too!"
11
purch
14
Ambrea the mage
4
5
12
stnd
0
You see a young apprentice mage. He is very young, barely a teen.
He looks at you mutely.
He shrugs.
13
stnd
0
You see a homely young woman, maybe 16 or 17. She wears the robes of an apprentice.
