Some time later, Brohm comes to reclaim his axe.  "You have my axe ready Hexia?".. He rumbles in a voice like a distant landslide.

~ To Izayah
"Will do. Thank you. And yes some help may be in order, but we'll see."

~ To Carmen
"Yes indeed!" As Carmen takes out the crystal Hexia's eyes widen, "So another one was found! What great news! And yes of course more of these would be very useful for everyone." She picks up the crystal to further examine it. "I've never made one of these before, though. I would have to take it apart to learn how to make it. It could take years to build a new one. Would that still be alright by you? You wouldn't be able to use it until then."


~ To Ten
"Will do. Take care."


~ To Brohm

Hexia waved to Brohm as he takes his leaves. When he arrived once again 50 days later she brings his axe onto the counter. "It's ready and waiting for its wielder." She smiles proud of her work.

Before he went out to the Triton Embassy and on his mission to retrieve the stolen shipment, he showed back at Hexia's Shop one day. He flashed her a bright, friendly smile. "Now, I won't douse you with flattery and pretty words like Elisar does when he shows up, but...you are a sight for sore eyes, lady." He knew it wasn't going anywhere with her, though, and he then spoke more normally. "How are ya? Doin' alright?"

After that, he got down to business, and picked up his order. A large order. Several different items. He smiled and nodded at her. "You're the best, lady. Be well. Have a good rest o'the day."

"Incredible, I know. A few years of crafting? I could be dead in that time for sure. As much as I would like for the communal use of more of these, the simple fact is that I doubt I could be without it for such a duration." replies Carmen sadly. "I would also hate to deprive Erret of my promise to make it available to him also." she adds.

"As soon as I find an alternative solution, I'll be sure to provide whatever you need to get things started." she promises.

"Thank you.". Brohm rumbles to Hexia, as he took back his battleaxe.  Hefting briefly, almost like a handshake between a craftsman and their tools.  He replaces it on its' hanger at his belt, then heads back to the forest, to wait till the next dawn.

The man enters the shop once more, weeks later. He gives a nod of greeting to the shop owner. "Salutations. I hope you have been well."

After the pleasantries are concluded, he speaks again. "I am here to see if my order is completed and ready for pickup? If not, I can come back."

~ To Izayah
As Izayah returns to the shop after a long while Hexia smiles at him, "Welcome back. I'm keeping up with the work load at least. I'm doing fine. Hopefully you are as well. Your items are ready." Hexia pulls one thing after another onto her counter and presents them to him. "May you get plenty of use out of these items." She waves to him as he takes his leave.

~ To Carmen
"Not a problem and understood, much appreciated."

~ To Brohm
As he takes his axe Hexia smiles to him and waves.

~ To Ten
"I have been thank you and yes your items are all ready for you." She pulls up each item onto her counter and presents them. "May they serve you well."

Kiara was lucky that Elves only needed to slip into reverie for two watches, as otherwise she would have been bleary eyed and under slept when she approached Hexia's at first light.

"Hello?"

She called out, knocking lightly on the door.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 03:41, Fri 10 Feb 2023.

"Heelllllloooo~!" A woman's voice sang as she drew attention to herself behind her counter. As per usual her wooden counter remained clear, but the walls of her bazar tent were still filled with an unbelievable amount of her stock on display. "Good morning! How may I help you?" By her response to Kiara's entry it was easy to guess that this woman with long curly brown hair and a nice figure must be the Enchantress she was looking for. She seemed so young, but even with her energetic welcome there was an air of power to her.

"Ah, excellent. I was worried I might be disturbing you coming by this early."

She was eager to get out of the crisp morning air, having frozen her tail off the night before.

"I am Kiara, named Goldentongue by my Patron. You must be the Enchantress Hexia Icewind? It is a pleasure to meet you. I was wondering if you had some time to answer some questions, and hoping to spend enough coin that you'd like me enough to answer them gladly."

She laughed, the sound pure poetry, and set the bag of coins that she'd received from the Governor the night before on the counter of the tent.

"I'm looking to establish a library of lore out here, something to rival any Mage's Academy. Lofty goals, I know, but looking about I can see that this is a place of lofty goals.  Your stock already rivals anything one might find in the metropolises, and the fact that you're outfitting so many adventurers without issue is... impressive to say the least. I hope to one day build something similar, but a library of lore rather than a store of artifice. Do you know of any here who have similar goals and aspirations? Or someone who might be a good starting place?"

She looked at the bag of coins, and let out an exasperated sigh.

"Ah, I've started interrogating you without buying anything first, that's clumsy of me. In your Art, are you adept at making the sorts of Arcane implements that are attuned to the Mantles of one such as I? One whose power comes first from Pact and Patronage?"

Looking to buy a Rod of the Pact Keeper +1

I believe they are 500g?
This message was last edited by the player at 06:10, Fri 10 Feb 2023.

"Hmm, yes I am Hexia and this is indeed a place of lofty goals if I can help it. You wanting to build a library of lore is excellent news. It'll be grand to have such a thing so near for access of any who have need, I presume?" Hexia didn't miss a beat as she spoke.

You have the price right for the usual price of that item, but please roll me persuasion.

“That is my intent, yes.”

Kiara said with a bow, her voice somehow filling the room despite its softness. It was her most potent weapon, that voice, and she employed it with devastating effect.

”A tower where the learned could come together to share the wisdom of and knowledge of their respective fields. Though, I’ve yet to work out exactly how I will fill it with books. I’ve a few ideas, but any leads would be most appreciated. How does the town get their supplies? Is there a merchant who passes through? I might start using the coin I acquire from these ventures to fund such an endeavor.”

Lol, natural 20 with a +9!

07:24, Today: Kiara Goldentongue rolled 29 using 1d20+9. 
This message was last edited by the player at 16:19, Fri 10 Feb 2023.

"Sounds most excellent!" Hexia said full of enthusiasm. "I'll tell you what, because you are so well spoken and seem quite determined I am willing to give you a hand in your endeavor. A library of knowledge of all sorts open to all in need sounds most brilliant and I would love to be apart of such a thing. I am willing to pay 25% of the cost of the library building as well as chip in an amount for a reward for lore if you do wish to sponsor such an endeavor. Something tells me both Mr. Smith and one of your fellow adventurers would be most interested as well. If you do not know him seek out Alban, he runs an apothecary shop in the Gambit. He has done quite well for himself and from what I understand maintains an interest in the well being and growth of the town. I am happy to donate copies of my research and books to the start of the library once it is built of course. In this case I will not charge for the copies for the library and I will make sure the copies are ready by the time the library is. Oh how exciting, indeed!" She smiled a beautifully wide smile at her current thoughts. "As for the rod, consider it a gesture of good faith that I will only charge you 400 gold for it and not 5." She pulled the very recognizable rod from behind her counter onto the surface. "Fair deal?"

Just to clarify Hexia has agreed to: chip in 25% of the build costs for the library, chip in 25% of the reward for the lore recovery quest, give free copies of her own books and research to the library when it opens, and sell the rod to you for 400 gold.

Kiara's smile was radiant, and utterly heartfelt.

"Ah, Master Enchanter, you cannot know how relieved I am to find like minds in this. I had worried that the idea might have seemed like madness out here, so far away from an institution of learning? I of course accept your generous offer."

She started to remove coins from the purse.

"I will seek out this Apothecary, and see if he would be interested in joining us in this new venture. You have my thanks. I've a little more fund raising to do, a library  to construct, a standard bounty to post, and then we can see about mounting a true dungeon delve for what I hope will become the the cornerstone of the library."

OOC: Heading to Leather and Longings.

On his way home from the Swift Stream tribal village, Santio stopped in with the hope to
purchase a Dagger of Warning.

Entering from Smith’s Gambit Town Hall

Verbannt and Izayah trudged through the snow together, approaching Hexia’s with their raided items in hand. Verbannt was strong enough to use the trident, but unfamiliar with the clunky weapon, and uncomfortable in its use. The chainmail felt even more wrong in his hands, so he would be glad to soon be parted with it.

”Matriarch Hexia of the Icewind, we have returned from our raid!”

He called out, announcing his presence as he usually did so as to surprise no one.

Izayah glanced at his companion then back at Hexia with an amused grin and a questioning look on his face. "Matriarch?" One eyebrow went up. "You been holdin' out on me, Hexia? You get an upgrade an' title an' didn't tell me?"

He smiled wider. "It's good t'see y'again, ma'am."

He looked around the shop with his eyes as he continued. "We were hopin' you'd be able t'give us rough pricin' on a coupl'a magic items we picked up on our last jaunt?"

"Ah, greetings! Well, the title isn't at all inappropriate, given my role in the village, though where I come from, it might be a strange thing to call a woman with no children, let alone grandchildren. Still, if Verbannt wishes to honor me in such a way, I will gladly accept. Though someday, I hope he will allow me to call him by a more honorable title."
She looked at the items Verbannt held out to display. "A Trident of Fish Command? I'd say 125gp for that... Oh! Is that Elven Chain? How's 2250gp, sound?"

Verbannt lowered his head.

"It was a tittle bestowed me by... the Matriarch of the Bugbears of the Southern Tribes."

He would not raise his gaze.

"It is not a shameful name, it is simply what I am now. It means 'banished' in their tongue."

They might note that he never referred to them as "his" people, "his" tribe, though surely that was what they must have been.

"Well, you weren't banished from here. But if its what you prefer to be called, it's what I'll call you. I wouldn't want to disrespect the Matriarch of the Bugbears of the Southern Tribes," She said politely.

Izayah looked like he was about to make a comment in response to Hexia but as she kept talking, a frown creeped up on his face. He glanced between the two of them, and as more was said, one eyebrow rose. He hadn't known that Verbannt WASN'T a name.

"Um. Alright. People...should be called what they want t'be called. Within reason. I guess."

His eyes flicked between them each once more and then he said, "But, aye, sure, prices sound fair. Doubt we'd get anyone else t'pay somethin' close t'that. It's nice armor, just...not enough protection for me."

A pained look crossed his face.

"I do not mean to be rude, Matriarch Hexia of Icewind. I will try and pass on this wisdom though. Among the Bugbears of the Southern Tribe, the name means that they are not to ask questions about... It is not a warning, it is a shared understanding that the Bugbear which I once was is dead. He is no more, and he will never be again. Not even I know why I am Verbannt, only the Matriarch in her wisdom knows that. She spoke the words, and I obeyed."

Quite a bit of power for a Clan leader to wield, especially if she hadn't even told him why he was uprooted. He suspected, of course, he was not so foolish as that. He'd shared with her his dark dreams and visions the night of his banishmenet. She had held him, and cried deeply at his words, and told him what his fate was to be.

He had accepted it, and made it a part of himself.

---

"I cannot skin walk clad in so much metal."

He had said, when Izayah had spoken on the armor.

"Nor can I strike cleanly with such a broad weapon. Better for me the long knife and the bow."

"Sounds like Smith's Gambit is the perfect place for you, then, Verbannt," Hexia said with a warm smile, "its the unspoken rule there that nobody pries into anyone's past. People are judged for who they are now. As a naturally curious person, it drives me crazy not to be able to dig into everyone's stories, but I respect it. The Rimewood is a land of second chances for those of us from the outside, especially Smith's Gambit." It is true that people of Smith's Gambit have, by and large, left Verbannt alone, and while at first people would gawk, or try to avoid him, most pay him no more attention than they do any other stranger, and strangers in Smith's Gambit practically have to demand attention from anyone who isn't selling something. Most of the folk have formed small groups of friends and kept out of everyone else's business, not hostile to anyone else, but perhaps hesitant to form more attachments than necessary.

Hexia remembered she was talking to customers who might have other business to attend to, and changed the subject, "Anyway... I believe we have a deal. I assume you're splitting this amongst a group? I'll split that last five gold into sliver to make it easier, if there aren't five of you." She quickly, but carefully, counts out 2370gp and 50sp and gratefully accepts the items.

Izayah looked over at Verbannt with narrowed eyes and an intense look on his face. "Oh, I pry! Your past is a puzzle to be solved and opened, laid bare! I..." He suddenly cut off and let out a chuckle. "Yeah, no. The past is behind us, for the most part. Share if you wanna share. Don't if you don't."

He split the money out a bit and slide Verbannt his share. The rest he scooped up and intended to hand out once they got back in to town.

OOC: Looks like 474 gp and 10 sp each.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:41, Tue 26 Sept 2023.

”Should your curiosity overwhelm you, then you will have to journey to the Southern Tribes and ask the Matriarch of he who is no more yourself.”

Verbannt answered, and it was unclear if he understood that Izayah was jesting or not.

”I will teach you how to approach their camps without being met with an arrow through the eye, but I cannot save you once that tongue of yours starts waggling.”

Was that a joke? Was that his second joke?

”We have lost some of our companions, we should find more before we venture out into the wilds, unless it is your plan to take this final journey now?”