Ruse stripped the first SUIT off, obviously, before unwrapping and putting on the second SUIT. The thing was sleek, silver, but not shiny in any way. There were certain red and blue markings upon the thing, and when Ruse held it to the light he saw that it was opaque. He tried it on, and it fit perfectly, tightening to his form.

High Lord Ruse. It is good to see you. I will relay to my superiors that you successfully received the package.

((Is that the new SUIT talking to him?))

"Aurhar, this new SUIT...it fits ever so snugly. I don't think I've ever seen anything like this before. Impressive what the Systemarchs and earthborn can accomplish working in concert."

Ruse tried to think a command to the SUIT.

SUIT, I am High Lord Ruse, your new and primary owner. Do you recognize me?

"Impressive, yes," muttered the Systemarch, lighting the tobacco with a strike of his match. "Definitely unlike anything I've seen before, boy. You be careful with that tech, you hear?"

The SUIT replied much quicker than the old SUIT, which lay crumpled across the floor.

I have named you, High Lord Ruse. Of course I recognize you. You've been fully attuned and adjusted. I sense that you are weary. Would you care for a shot of adrenaline or central-caffeine?

His old SUIT folded itself up on its own, almost magically. closer inspection would reveal that small but strong tendrils of mist were at work. He picked the old SUIT up, and it disappeared into his person in a puff of mist.

"I'm sure I can find a use for this still." he said about the old SUIT. He could give it to VACT or some other god that pleased him, perhaps.

"I will treasure this new SUIT...something like this that is attuned to my own person and fine tuned by earthborn themselves? I couldn't ask for a finer SUIT right now I'm guessing. I have to run - need to hit up the methodese chapel and send a manifestation through to Alkan. You know...mad gods trying to kill us all and such. Thank you again for your assistance - I'll put in a good word with Roid when I see him next."

With a wave, Ruse shifted into mist form and sped most quickly at a speed beyond what you'd expect from mist to the methodese chapel.

No, I will recover soon. By the time I reach the chapel my divine energy recovery should be kicked in.

<To halls of the sun>

Auhar shook his head, lit a second cigarette, and returned to his work. Kids these days.

Anik comes back here and finds a restaurant to get a turkey and roast beef melted sub with provolone cheese. He got some tea as well. (He made sure it was just tea and sandwich were just that before he drank and ate them of course no need for slip ups even if he was tired).

Desafon returns to the Market District in order to find the Conclave branch of the Apotheosis Circle again. He feels that he may be ready again to join them. He moves to seek them out and heads to where he last saw the bouncers at the door.

Anik

Once Anik was identified as a Low Lord at Cafe Anvil, he was given the melted sub and a flask of tea free, without charge. After eating he felt much, much better.

(AND OMG ANIK WAS A MAD GOD IT WAS A TRICK LOL jk it was normal tea.)

Desafon

The bouncers recognise Desafon, and smile broadly as he returns to them.

"Mate, how've you been?" asked one.

"Ready to perhaps consider the commercial trade?"

Anik still tipped his waiter and chef. It was a good sandwich, though it wasn't often he ate. Feeling refreshed and Anik began loaning his power to the Ladybots inside the small rock in his pocket. They would not be multiplying fast enough to tire him, (though at this point there were so few he doubted he would notice). He walked back over to the market areas.

While moving through the markets he was looking for any sort of anti-magical devices (preferably ones that didn't use magic). There was a point where anti-magic was wield-able, but he saw how messing with the source of power of something can change the rules of reality.

Desafon smiles to the bouncers, "Oh, not much. Mainly I've been working on selling goods such as bodies of Dead Mad Gods... well, one. Its a very profitable business. I might just try and do it again." He chuckles, before he nods. "Sure am. I've got the fifteen thousand to get in unless it has changed." To that, he peers at the bouncers, trying to gauge whether or not they may try to jump up the price.

Anik

Anik soon came upon the shop called Protections and Power. They sold all sorts of amulets and wards - from heavy carbon-ceramic plate, efficient amulets against bullets, to anti-illusion spectacles and counter-wands. Anik saw that he could buy a cloak that would make him almost immune to scrying and divinatory attempts, or a prismatic woolen scarf that helped one dodge asphyxiation. All of these items were relatively cheap, magical, but flawed; powerful enough magic could circumvent them, they could be broken.

"You looking for something specific, friend?" said the shopkeep.

Desafon

"Fifteen thousand, huh?" asked one of the bouncers.

"Mad Gods, oh?" asked the other.

"Big spender."

"There's more to it than that. Paperwork. You'll want to meet the representative, swear the Oath. You'll have chosen a side, friend. Are you ready for that?"

"Anti-Magic." Is what he spoke. "Not just magical protection, but something that uses raw anti-magic."

Raising an eyebrow, Desafon blinks, "Choosing a side? What, the Mercantile life isn't a side by itself?" He asks, chuckling and he nods to the paperwork part, "That much I expected. So, joining up means I'm joining as a member of the Conclave?" He asks, grumbling. "Already I have Conclave people in my realm half-tempted to be trigger-happy. Luckily I got the main guy whose leading the inspectors to be careful around my merchandise."

Anik

"Ah," said the shopkeeper. "I will admit that I do possess certain antimagical stones that are capable of nullifying even the hardiest of sorcery.. but it is not cheap," he said. "Imported from the outer lands of the doomed Realm ex Abyssus, where all magic goes to die, it is incredibly difficult to procure and even harder to protect. What magical enchantment, exactly, did you need protection from?"

Desafon

"Not quite," said one of the bouncers. "The Apotheosis Circle is very strictly a neutral organization. We are indebted to the Conclave, of course," he said, "But they, too, are indebted to us. We work here, and we run Free Market Ptah in Niborkerese, and have interests in the Pennyfellow Market and of other, even less morally acceptable, markets. Money is the bottom line for us, friend. We trade with who we like, and the Conclave would not dare stop us. You'd be choosing a side, yes: the Apotheosis Circle."

"Everything. That's why I need the anti-magic, though any raw magic dampener would be good. How much would one stone cost?" If it was within his budget he would agree to it, if not, he would try to lower it to within his budget. Either way once the the transaction was done, he went back to the gardens... he had a bet to show up for.

Nodding his head, Desafon smiles to the Bouncer, "Then I'm in. Currently got some blokes on my realm's island complaining about burning it down because the Conclave refused to help me and now after the fact they are coming to destroy my island because they say it was my fault for killing the Mad God instead of letting him remain."

EDIT:
After his last comment, Desafon sighs, "I'll be looking for ya'll in Neber. I don't think I'm going to be safe in the Valley for a while." He disappears from the Valley to try popping up in Neber.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:55, Tue 25 May 2010.

Anik bought a small lump of the black, incredibly dry rock - he felt his magical power disappear simply by holding the thing - for thirty-thousand Conclave Stones.

Anik headed out to the markets, he searched the markets. He needed to buy some material... he wanted to save his energy for mythcrafting, so he would need to buy the materials instead of creating them. He bought assorted metals and mundane materials, though in all it was no more than 50 kg of stuff in all (mostly titanium, aluminum, calcium, quartz, but with a few small amounts of others). Once he he had the inorganic materials, he went to find alchemical ones. The alchemy ingredients consisted of: he needed 1 eye of an eagle, the bones of a 2 headed viper, 3 green dragon scales, 4 minor elemental orbs (glass balls containing one of each), natural 5 valve human heart, hooves of a 6 legged horse, and 7 lbs of diamond dust.

Anik found, after much searching within the markets of Nicodemus, that he could find all of these things - except one exception - for the tidy price of around two thousand Conclave Stones.

He could not find authentic Dragon Scales, however. Those taken from Nadhaggr or stolen from Apophis were hoarded by jealous collectors and dark magi.

((Question: Have you already charged me? Seriously how much was each one cause I might change some stuff if it's that expensive. And How much would the scales of a drake be (or some other natural dragon knock-off).))

Anik roamed the markets looking for better prices without suffering from loss of quality (especially authenticity).

(Haven't charged, we'll renegotiate.)

Anik spent several more hours searching and found what he was looking for - this time for the much cheaper cost of eight hundred Conclave Stones, faux-dragon scales included.

Anik liked the new prices and glad he was able to haggle a bit. He was known to be a shrewd, though fair, negotiator in his time. He took the materials and headed towards the gardens where his other self was.

And so Anik moved, with his purchases, to the Gardens Exotic.

Hirsu arrived here, and began looking for some witchstone.

Hirsu searched far and wide but found no witchstone for sale. A few merchants - those specialising in exotic goods, mostly, cargo from the Realm Savage or sorcery specialists - knew of what he sought but didn't actually own any of the stone.

Hirsu found a tiny shard of witchstone on display, however, at the Necronomnomnomnomnomnomicon store. Held behind the counter, with the copy of the Al Azif signed in the blood of the Mad Arab who dared pen it and the true scales of the World-Dragon, it was a thing of beauty: completely prismatic, containing every colour Hirsu couldn't imagine (and some he could), it was tiny but awe inspiring.

"Not for sale," said the shop owner. "Not in your price range. Sorry."