[Video/Action]

[notquitedracula]

Video
[The feed comes on showing the interior of a rather bookish shop, and there's little doubt of the sort of wares on offer. The visible shelves hold potions, trinkets, ritual objects, and all other manner of arcane paraphernalia.]

I appear to have inherited a shop. Cassian Lynch is no longer in Genessia, and his shop - along with all its contents - stands where his subarch was. I can no longer contact any of the other employees, either - which brings us to the purpose of this post.

Cloak and Dagger is closing for renovations, and I find myself in need of employees. I'll still be making potions, but I need someone else who can make other useful artifacts.

If you're interested, contact me over the network here or come by the shop. In the meantime, I've got a lot of inventory to go through...

Action
[Anyone who happens to drop by the shop will find the front door propped open, and a number of boxes and bags covering pretty much every available surface. Some of their contents are ordinary looking enough - bits of wood, herbs, copies of some rather useful novice-level books, and a few weapons that might be ritual tools, or might be meant for self defense.]

[Then there's the area behind the counter. On racks there are some more interesting items - glowing crystals, potion bottles that are a great deal more ornate than those normally stocked, and... what appears to be a whip in the process of being braided, surrounded by a number of alchemic tools and esoteric materials.]

[The man behind the counter has his back to the door, at present - and he seems to be singing quietly to himself as he flips through a large, handwritten book. If you get close enough to read it, it appears to be perfectly mundane inventory information.]

Rex tremendae majestatis, Qui salvandos salvas Gratis. Salve me, Fons Pietatis. Salve me, Fons Pietatis...

Comments

[Video]

[fairysoul]

[Mavis almost skips a beat when Soma says "Cassian", until she realizes it's not this Cassian he's talking about.

When she speaks up, she looks as smiling as usual.]

Hi, Soma. It's been a while. How have you been?

[She pauses.] You make potions?

[Video]

[notquitedracula]

Hullo, Mavis. I've been coping, I guess is the best way to put it. Keeping it together from one day to the next as best I can, with a little help from my friends.

[In response to her other question, he reaches up to the behind-the-counter rack and takes down a bottle.] Several types, but healing seems to be our biggest seller. Though we did have someone come in and buy a bulk lot of antivenom last month... Anyway, yes, I make potions, among other things. I've got a fair amount of skill at alchemy.

[Video]

[fairysoul]

Friends are great for that.

Alchemy? ...Do you think I could come visit you someday?

[Video]

[notquitedracula]

They certainly are.

You're welcome to drop by anytime you like. Just give me a call first to make sure I'm at the shop - unlike Lynch, I don't plan to live here.

[Video]

[fairysoul]

Probably a good idea. I'll be sure to let you know, then.

Do you have a lot of customers?

action

[priceofmagic]

[and then BAM! Door opens wide and an energetic little witch comes in. She has a gift basket, for some reason.]

Mr Somaaa~! Happy shop inheritance daaay!

action

[notquitedracula]

Not much happy about it, I fear. Welcome, Satou. Is that for me, or do you have a sick aunt in the local hospital I don't know about? [He's smiling to make it plain that he's teasing her about that last bit.] What brings you to my humble little shop today?

[priceofmagic]

Nope! It's for you! [She holds up the basket proudly. While it looks quite floral and fancy, most of the contents are candies and easy snack foods.] Since you're working on a renovation, I wanted to be sure you had snacks.

[notquitedracula]

Every little bit helps. At least you didn't try to bring me something from that vampire restaurant with the haunted house. [He clears a spot on the counter, just barely big enough to set the basket down.]

Renovation might have been a bit of an ambitious declaration. Mostly I'm just rearranging some stuff, pulling things out of the main stock and putting other stuff out in their places. I can't identify some stuff, and I'd prefer not to accidentally sell someone a wand of fireballs when they just want something to repel ghouls.

[As he turns to face her again, he stops frowning.] Actually... I do have something I'd like to show you.

[priceofmagic]

Is that food really any good for vampires? It's so interesting that it even exists as a concept.

[She sets that basket down, continuing on like a nerd,] I don't know how much help I'd be. I can sense magical energy and souls in objects, if that helps... [Only to, at his comment, look a touch excite.] Really? Show me what?

[singinghuntress]

Sorry to say, making magical zhings is not my forte. I just tend to kill things.

[Though, there was something just humorous about Soma inheriting a shop.]

Vat kind of shop is it anyvay?

[notquitedracula]

It's your basic magic shop, really. Magic books, rings, potions, wands, daggers, that kind of thing. I'm thinking of expanding the inventory a bit, though - I can make weapons that are effective against the kind of threat people tend to run into here in Everglade.

[He sighs.] I never thought I'd utter these words, but... I kind of wish Hammer was here. He actually knew how to run one of these.

[singinghuntress]

Ah, so stuff I really haf no use for.

[Just an obvious statement. Rip wasn't trying to be rude about it. However... now she was curious.]

Vho vas Hammer? Und if running a magic shop iz anything like running a leather shop or managing Jolly Eddy's, it's not that difficult.

[notquitedracula]

He's a friend of mine, from back home. Former soldier turned shopkeeper, actually. He collected useful gear inside the castle to sell on to me... kind of an ass, really, since I was fighting to keep us all alive. But he knew his gear, and he knew how to drive a deal.

[He leans back against a counter, having set the phone and its camera on a nearby clear spot.] We carry specialty ammunition, too. Or we used to. I'll have to look into how Lynch made his bullets - I think I remember him casting them himself.

Running the shop won't be too difficult, once I get things set up. It's getting to that point that I'm having trouble with.

[singinghuntress]

Let me guess, inventory.

[Sadly, she's all to familiar with that pain.]

Vell, if I had a musket again, I'd be tempted to zee vhat you haf. But, short of looking over any firearms und seeing vat you haf in ammunition, I'm not sure if I could be any help.

video;

[innocent_royal]

[Anastasia tried to make a surprise visit, but considering where the shop is? She was easily prevented. So she's restrained to just video for now.]

Hi, Soma. Can I be of any help somehow?

[She's probably just a little bit bored.]

video;

[notquitedracula]

I don't suppose you know how to read Gaelic? [He closes the inventory book with a grunt of frustration.] Sorry. Not your fault my boss was Irish.

Actually... I could use an extra set of hands, if Satsuki doesn't mind letting you come over. I can meet you at the teleport gate with Nightmare, you'll have an escort both ways.

video;

[innocent_royal]

I'm sure she won't mind. I will be with you, after all.

[Ana, are you going to wander off without a word again? Teenage rebellion!]

I'll bring along some of my Pokemon, too. I think they can help. I'll see you soon.

[Considering who she has in mind to bring along, Anastasia will be just a little bit late to the redenvouz point. Just a little.]

video;

[notquitedracula]

Ana no, you're going to get him skewered! He's too young to be impaled... again!]

[It's Nidoking, isn't it. Regardless, he's waiting at the rendezvous as he promised, and Nightmare's right there beside him, saddled as usual.]

I hope you don't mind working around cobwebs and dust. I'm pretty sure some of the stuff in the back has been there since before anyone arrived in this place, and I don't even know how that's possible.

[Action]

[prismaticdestruction]

[Flandre tries very hard not to be heard when she slips in, wing tight against her back to try and keep from making a mess. That and trying to keep away from anything that may look it's made out of silver. She stops and watches for a moment before speaking quietly.]

Is this really complicated? I wish I could help.

[Since Flandre had been hiding away from most people, this is a good change.]

[Action]

[notquitedracula]

It wouldn't be so bad if I could read Gaelic. Unfortunately, that's not a language I've ever had occasion to learn. [He closes the ledger with a sigh, and turns around to face Flandre. He smiles at her, glad to see she's finally starting to get out a little.] It's not much to look at right now, but what do you think of the place?

[Action]

[draconixaviarix]

[Hana was previously checking this place out because it had a lot of interesting smells..and on top of that this could be a great place to look for some books. But this was a store, right?

..It looked a little run-down. But then she saw a familiar face and hopped in]

Soma..?

[Action]

[notquitedracula]

[Hearing the familiar voice, he frowns a little. Wasn't she a bit big to be showing up in a shop this small? Turning, he blinks, then smiles. Of course. Dragons can use magic, after all. A little shapeshifting is to be expected.]

In the flesh. Welcome to my new old store, Hana. I'm not exactly open for business yet, but my door's always open to friends.

Re: [Action]

[draconixaviarix]

[Hana beamed] Yay~ I'm glad! You're definitely a great friend too~

What kind of store are you opening up? It smells dusty but it's has lots of neat things around.

[and also new books?? ? that'd be neat]

Re: [Action]

[notquitedracula]

I sell artifacts and potions, mostly. Magic stuff. We do have some books, that's probably where most of the dusty smell's coming from. Basic spellbooks, for the most part.

[He rummages around behind the counter for a moment, looking for a likely suspect. Finding one, he places it on the counter - 'Sorcery for Starters'.] Stuff like this. Mostly about how not to get your eyebrows burnt off, or your brain eaten, or the usual newbie mistakes.