Valaren is roaming the docks

A soft thud could be heard each time Valaren's staff rested on the bricks that would lead towards the trade wharf. The group had only been in Sulkporte for a short time, but most of them had gone their seperate ways in order to complete a personal task. Valaren had his task set out for him as well. He would need some items for the journey they were about to embark on. He had some gold to spend if needed. His right hand moved over the seams of his robe. It had seen better days. So had Valaren himself.

He would need some vials. Some ingredients he needed could be found in the Merchant Quarter. He expected that the docks would be the best place to look for the rest. As he approached the seven docks, he saw several big trade ships and fishing vessels. There were a lot of people working around the ships, as it was around noon and a few of the ships had just arived and were busy unloading their cargo.

His instructions were to look for a strange young man from Estalia, but those words meant very little as there were so many people here. Regardless of his findings, he believed that one of these people would know where to find what he needed. He approached a person who he saw jumping off one of the trade ships and spoke rather loud to him.

"Excuse me, good sir. I am looking for Hornaz. Would you happen to know a young man by that name?"

Valaren had chosen to speak a bit louder than would be common in a one-to-one conversation. Perhaps the young fellow was nearby or someone else would overhear the conversation.

"I am looking for alchemical ingredients and vials. Perhaps a potion or two."

Valaren, Septem 3rd, Noonhour

The dock wharf bustled as the noon hour approached, Sailors unloading their cargo about the old and weathered planks as merchant representatives from Geiss, Ost, and the other great houses of Sulkporte bid openly on shipments of wools, fish, leathers, and countless other goods.

Valaren's words fell upon a few who shook their heads with kindness, or outright ignored the old man. He had been wandering about aimlessly when finally, he caught the eye of a bronze-skinned woman who was selling cockles from a woven basket on the side of the wharf. She looked up at him with fiery brown eyes, smiling at him as he asked for Hornaz.

"Hornaz?" she laughed, weaving a thin net around a bushel of cockles and planting them in a basket marked *10 for 1 Gold. Magustan Be Praised*. Beside her, a young girl with similar features sat clutching a ragged doll.

"Yes, Hornaz is my husband. He is around the corner, down Albushae Lane. The store is my home, come…I'll show you".

The woman stood, brushing herself off and speaking a few words in a foreign tongue to the little girl. She nodded, busying herself with her mother's abandoned task.

Together, they set off down the laneway.

[…]

Valaren smelled the familiar scent of herbal remedies and poultices as he opened the thatched door into a modest two-storey dwelling in the heart of the wharf. A young, well-muscled man worked around a variety of bubbling cauldrons and beakers, a variety of ingredients spread out around him that let Valaren know he was in the right place.

The man, clearly Hornaz, looked back at them and smiled at his wife, who said a few words in that foreign tongue before she nodded at Valaren and excused herself.

"Welcome, friend." smiled Hornaz, wiping his hands on a rag and walking over to extend one in greeting.

"I am Hornaz. My wife tells me you are looking for ingredients?"

His dark eyes gleamed as the black-haried Estalian smiled honestly, gesturing at his goods.

"I'm at a loss for words, elder. I do not sell much to the men in this city - I mainly supply the priests of Magustan with the goods they need for healing. But I have many herbs, for whatever you might desire. Rare ingredients too. Let me know what you need, and I will certainly oblige!"

=================

Hornaz has all of the ingredients necessary for any of the spells you plan on brewing.

PRICES FOR INGREDIENTS:

Shape Change: 10 Gold / Potion
ESP: 20 Gold / Potion
Resist Elements: 40 Gold / Potion

Note - A successful CHARM-based check will result in a following discount:
Moderate: 10%
Difficult: 20%
Very Difficult: 30%
Heroic: 50%

(When each potion is brewed, you may roll an alchemy check (WIT + ALCHEMY) to determine its TN, which will determine its effectiveness, of course)


==========

+100 EXP for Valaren
-LK

As Valaren noticed his luck had finally changed, he confidently scoured through the goods that the man was selling. He let his hands wander through the things he needed, assorting them on the table next to him. He didn't actually respond to what the man said, but he made an audible grunting sound each time he found an item of interest.

Valaren had no idea how long his journey was going to take, but there was no need for gold if he were to die during the quest. He figured it would be best to spend a good amount of gold here, but keeping a little bit to ensure he would have a good meal before his departure.

As he came close to spending what he had on him, he looked up at the man known as Hornaz. In a moment of apparent shock he looked down again, reaching into his robe for the gold he had aquired.

--------------------------------

Valaren takes the following items:

Shape Change: 10 Gold / Potion X6= 60 gold
ESP: 20 Gold / Potion X6= 120 Gold
Resist Elements: 40 Gold / Potion X3=120 gold

300 gold pieces.
--------------------------------

Hornaz smiled as the elderly alchemist deposited a fat sack of coins in his hands.

"Thank you, old one." he smiled, nodding fervently.

"May the sun of Tilea shine upon your back, always."

With that, he showed Valaren to the door.

====================

Valaren, you now have supplies to brew...however you will need to do so at some point. Brewing takes 1 hour per potion, and you'll need somewhere with sufficient space and supplies. At the very least you can slum it with a couple of pots or something, but there'll be a penalty to your check. Regardless, when you plan on brewing do so in a new thread in the Marketplace

-LK