How Much Gold Can We Get?[Hadrian]

[Clyde Sullins]

63 Summer 511AV This week had been busy for Clyde, and his new business partners. First they had met by chance, and spoke of magic. And they decided to pool there money, and use it to make and sell a magecrafting item for profit. Then they had done it, magecrafted a item through there own funds. Now they were ready to sell it, and make a profit for each. And if they did well, they might even be able to use it for a second item! So here they found themselves trying to find a buyer in Ravok, for there pricey item. Leaving his room at the boarding house, he met up with Hadrian, and got to work on finding someone. "So, how are you today? Ready to get some work done? I believe we were going to try and find a Nitrozian to sell it to right?"

[Hadrian]

"Hello, Clyde," he said, no longer Hadrian Aelius, but living under the pseudonym of Andry Ellis while in Ravok. He hadn't changed his face at all with his Morphing, but his aura was diminished, shining with a less complex pattern so Aurists wouldn't know the length and breadth of his skill. "Yes, the Nitrozian family seems like the likeliest of candidates based on what I have gathered while here and, of course, your input. Do you suppose we should just show up on their doorstep? Will they not turn us away?" He was still growing accustomed to the way of life in Ravok. It was one thing to read a book, to hear stories and even first-hand accounts, but it was quite another to experience it firsthand. In this, he would have to rely somewhat upon Clyde's familiarity with the place, his connections with the academic circles, and the like. Ethan was left at home for the day, as Hadrian wanted him to get plenty of rest before his flight back to Syliras with news.

[Clyde Sullins]

Thinking on things, Clyde tried to remember what he could about the Nitrozian's. There were a few things which he had picked up while here, which might be useful. "Well, let me see... Do you know of the NHC? That is the Nitrozian Housing Commission, which is run by them. It is in the Nitrozian Plaza of the dock. So I suppose we could try there, or just in a business some were in the Nitrozian Plaza. They also own several other businesses in Ravok, which are operated by the family." "I don't think we should just turn up on there house's doorstep, but maybe one of the businesses? That might be better. We want a mid level family member. Anyone to low will not have the money for it, but anyone to high will be both to hard to see, and will have close ties to the Ebonstryfe, which you do not want." "That is about my best assessment, what do you think? Should we head for the Nitrozian Plaza of the dock?"

[Hadrian]

Hadrian opened his mouth to speak, thought better of it, and fell silent to think. Finally, he nodded. "You are probably right. A fireball-shooting dagger is probably something a young bravo would want to purchase, but they might raise too much attention. Although, if you plan to stay in Ravok and build a career here, perhaps we should pass it off as your work? Let you take the credit and bring the gold back to fund our next project." He mused on this. "What do you think? Go to the docks and make a shady deal, or go to their home and make a more high profile deal while you take all the credit? I don't really care whether anyone here knows what I'm capable of. The less the better, in fact."

[Clyde Sullins]

Clyde thought on this, and wondered a moment over what to say. Listening, he nodded, and went on. "Well, I do not mind sharing in the credit. And though I may stay here, I would rather have credit go for my own works. In time, I will be known for what I have done. And I don't want it coming back that something I was known for, I did not truly make..." "Well, for know we may be better making a smaller deal, with one of there shop owners. And then when we move on to the more expensive work, we find one of the more rich ones. Though I am pretty sure there shops and there homes are both on the docks, as the Nitrozian Plaza is a section of the docks. So how about that?"

[Hadrian]

"Yes," Hadrian said, aware of the layout and logistics of the Plaza if not on quite such familiar terms as Clyde. "Let us seek out a merchant there and sell this dagger. We can hint at our upcoming work so the merchant can do some advertising for us. Hopefully when we have our next work finished, there might be a buyer looking for us rather than us looking for them." He smiled a little smile, always happy with neat, elegant solutions. And he was the son of a merchant prince, so the chaos of the marketplace held an order he could understand. That decided, the repaired to the docks, seeking out a likely candidate. When they found one, Hadrian took Clyde gently by the arm for his attention. "You do the talking," he said. "I'll hand over the goods." He nodded to his satchel, wherein the dagger rested, swathed in silk. The packaging was oft as important as the content.

[Clyde Sullins]

Going along, they arrived at the docks, looking for a location. Finding a good person by which to sell it to, they went up, and as Hadrian directed, he spoke. "Hello sir, is there perhaps a more private place we could talk, perhaps in the back? We have an item here which might interest you, which was enchanted by us through magecrafting. I myself am a student of the Institute here in Ravok, and thought you of all people would see the value of such an item." Saying this, Clyde was careful to lean in such a way as to show his badge from the institute on his shirt. It was a simple badge, which had the crest of the Institute on it. This would surely make sure that they were trusted, as not everyone was allowed into the school, and if he tried to cheat the man, the man could easily go to the authorities to get payback, which left him less to worry about. It identified him though as a capable person, and one which had some skill. "It has been magically enchanted in such a way as to give it a bit of reimancy. It can shoot flames from the blade, and not just once as a item of glyphing might do, but it will always be able to do this! perhaps we can go somewere to allow you to test this item out?" Clyde was careful to speak with conviction and authority in his voice, and to keep a smile on his face. He wanted to put the man at ease, and was doing his best to sell this valuable item to him.

[Hadrian]

While Clyde spoke, Hadrian reached out with his aura to nudge the man's own with an ever more practiced ease. He had not made huge leaps and strides since learning the basics of hypnotism in Alvadas, but he had made steady progress. He was not trying to steal the man's volition, but merely make him more kindly toward them, more accepting of what Clyde said. Whether that had anything to do with his initial acceptance, Hadrian wasn't sure. But his aura didn't betray any evil intent directed at them. When he took them out into the back yard, which was basically a private dock, Hadrian took out the dagger in its silk swaddles and passed it to Clyde, then walked toward the end of the dock. There he prepared to duplicate the test in the room they had rented, swinging one arm around in a circle as res began to trail behind it, his other hand producing Shield energy that clung to the gathering res. When enough of each type of energy was created, he willed it all together into a crude shield of ice and huddled behind it, waiting for Clyde to release a fireball or two.

[Clyde Sullins]

It seemed that so far, his talking was doing well. Walking out back, he took the dagger from Hadrian, and prepared himself. He watched as Hadrian prepared his shield, and talked to the possible client. "Now for obvious reasons, we cannot just shoot a fireball, so he is preparing a shield to catch it. Now I will fire one, so you can see how it works. It simply requires you to will it to happen, and to picture the fireball, and it can shoot one." Pointing the blade of the dagger at the shield, Clyde concentrated, and willed the fire to erupt. Quite easily the blade let off a glow of light, and then shot a ball of flame which collided with the shield. Quite spectacularly he might add. Now he handed the dagger to the client for him to inspect. It was best to let someone see and look over something before purchasing it. "So, what do you think of the dagger and its effect?"

[Hadrian]

The fireball struck his shield square in the center, the Shielding dispersing whatever res was still mixed into the fire, the ice absorbing the heat, but all the same, the force of it pushed him back a bit. Ice water began to drip on the wooden planks beneath his black boots, the res core of his shield still following the commands of his will as he lowered it. Thinking there needn't be further demonstration, he allowed the Shield energy and the res to dissipate, the ice crashing on the planking as he walked over to listen in on the discussion. His aura pulsed out again toward the merchant, just an urge to be more favorably inclined to Clyde and him, the better to achieve a deal. The merchant would make a profit off its sale if he was worth his salt, in any case. That was the magic of markups and targeted sales.