A Thieve's Quest [Private]

[FaithWynters]

A private roleplay between @FaithWynters and @Darkair.

 

[FaithWynters]

A roll of thunder overhead seems to silence the ever-present rain. Soon after the thunder is gone from the ears, the pitter-patter of rain resumes. Small groups of people walk briskly in the rain. From one stall to another, they look at goods, and trade what they’ve brought to the market. The groups of people talk just loud enough that their voices match the sound of rain as it hits the stone buildings around them. Those who rent the stalls are seen only once in a while. Most cannot afford the cost of renting a stall on the weekdays. Others own the buildings that the stalls stand beside. These shops are visited much more frequently than the stalls outside, and their goods are expected every day besides the Sabbath.


One of these shops is my destination. My boots kicks up mud from the ground as I walk down the street. The rain has not been successful at beating down the scent of horse manure and piss that seems to be ever-present in the city streets. A dark cloak covers my shoulders and keeps my head dry from the rain. Beneath the cloak, I hold the bag of coin that will pay for the materials I need. While it is still tied to my waist, I know how little it takes for the bag to end up missing. There are many that wish to enjoy the wealth of others. I will not be the butt of their ventures.


I am looking for one thing. A simple stool mushroom is all I need to create quite a few health potions. They can only be found deep within the forest—far too deep for me to venture alone. They are guarded by large hogs that eat them as their main source of energy. There is only one problem with these mushrooms. They are easily mistaken for another yellow—topped mushroom that grows in the area. They are known to grow in groups of three, and they take their nutrients from witch hazel shrubs they grow beneath. If they don’t grow beneath witch hazel then they aren’t the correct mushrooms. The only person to know that is the one that brings them in from the forest; I’ve got to take the risk of getting them from a merchant, but this one comes well recommended. There’s a chance I’ll either get lavender colored healing potion, or I’ll get a brown sludge that’s good for nothing. I either make a profit by selling the potions, or I lose my coin. It all depends on the mushrooms, and I will know soon after I’ve begun.


Many merchants around the town won't sell to a woman anyway, so I've got few choices, and this one seemed like the best option anyway. I walk into the door and out of the rain. I pull down my hood, revealing my brightly colored hair. The scent of the shop is a mixture of many things, and the sound of an animal calling from somewhere within can be heard.


Still keeping a grasp on my money, I take large steps forward to the counter at the back of the shop. Few people stand around in the warmth of the building. They look at trinkets and talk quietly amongst themselves. Two men, who have been talking to each other stop and stare as I enter the store alone. They have no shame in staring, but I keep my eyes to the ground. There is no point in scolding them for staring; they'll do it no matter what I do.I stop at the counter and wait silently for someone to come and assist me. I don’t have time searching for the object myself. Besides, the yellow stool mushrooms are probably behind the counter anyway.

 

[Darkair]

"Hello there, miss!" I say. I have sort of a Nordic (vikingish?) accent, but it isn't that heavy. "What can I get ye today?" I pull out many things from under the shelves; potions, ingredients, weapons, anything. I even have foreign money from the neighboring country, Bor. I take down my hood of my cloak, which had previously been obstructing my face, since I'm under a market now. A loud noise goes off in the back of the stand, and I leave to attend it.


"Just a moment," I say, "I know all the contents of these ere bottles, so don't take anything." You have to wait for about 5 minutes, hearing a lot of hissing and bubbling noises. I come back wearing goggles and gloves, and move the goggles to my forehead. "So, what'll it be?" I grinned.

 

[FaithWynters]

I don’t expect the greeting I receive from behind the counter. The man is young—about my age—and smiles at me in greeting. Strange. Most people don’t smile around her. I smile back in greeting, but before I can say anything, something in the back of the shop draws him away. He threatens me with stealing, and as his back turns away, I roll my eyes. Of course he would tend to his beings in the back before tending to me.


As he is gone, I look over the potions that he has pulled out from behind the counter. I reach out only two fingers to turn them over. Small symbols on their sides tell me what they are. I smirk quietly, looking back towards the back room. Noises escape from a p lace I cannot see. I look back to the potion. It says it is for invisibility, but it is the wrong color. I’ve never seen a clear invisibility potion. He must’ve gotten screwed and he doesn’t even know it. That worries me a little bit because of the importance of the ingredient I need. When he returns, I smile again at him in greeting. I’ve not come to point out his potion, so I place it back in line with the others.


“I am looking for Aborod’s Mushrooms. Do you have any I can purchase?”

 

[Darkair]

"Yes, I have some right here; picked them myself yesterday." I say, looking you over carefully. "Don't have many requests fiore these, most people want jewelerry or something..." another, different noise goes off in the back. I sigh. "Tis a busy life I live. One moment." I walk back there, and shortly return with a steel sword, and set it on the counter.


"That mushroom'll be 22 Plam, please. Its up 10 today because they're freshly picked. AND OI, YOU, IN THE GREEN CLOAK! YE ARENT SNEAKY, GIVE BACK THA' BOTTLE OF MEAD!" I caught the man as he was walking out of the stall because, well, you were the only one there. I had a sort of gate/fence around the stand to prevent any people from just walking around thinking they could steal things.

 

[FaithWynters]

I watch him silently, taking in a deep breath. He picked them. He would know if they were real Aborod's or not. Not many requests for them. That's right. Because not many people make potions in this town. You can find them all across the land, but not here. There may be only a few with the affinity in the area. I don't make the potions for a living, only when money is scarce; like right now. That's why I let out an annoyed sigh at the price. I understood markup for good to make profit, but not a seventy-five percent markup. I cleared my throat. It was fine. So what if it would take all my money to buy the three from this man? Maybe I can strike him a deal.


"That's an outrageous price for mushrooms." My voice is calm as I watch him. His eyes are always on watch for thieves, and he yells at one as I stand there. I am just ready to purchase my goods and be gone. "What if I give you a very good bit of information about the man you purchase potions from, hm? Information for a lower price seems to be a good trade yes?"

 

[Darkair]

"Lass, 22 fer 3 Mushrooms is a bargain. Thats 7.33 if ye want just one of 'em, 14.66 if ye want two. I'm having sales today because its Balckx's Fridae, " I hold out the bottle to you, and the rain comes completely to a stop.


I look around, confused, and sniff the air once or twice. "It hasn't stopped yet, the sky is still as gray as a Srev..." A srev is a ROUS (Rodent Of Unusual Size if you're not that cool) I rummage behind the rest and pull out a megaphone. "Attention anyone who's still in this bloody market: The rain is about to get real worse, so finalize your trades and get out." I put it behind the desk again, and say, "So, d'ye want them or not?"

 

[FaithWynters]

I watched him with clenched teeth. I needed to keep my calm. There would be no trade if I showed my frustration. I pulled out the coins for the mushrooms. I placed them on the counter with my hand placed over them.


"I will purchase them-" I watch him quietly. He was far too loud and open. "-but I need to know if they're true Aborod's Mushrooms." She looked them over a moment he would be the only one to know. "Beneath what bush did you pick these mushrooms?"

 

[Darkair]

"Do I look like I study plants? It was some kind of nut.. Walnut? No... Pecan? Not it... Erm.... hazelnut! Thats what it was. Was a witch hazel shrub. That's wha' the old lady said it was, anyways." I sniff the air once more, and look around to see if everyone's gone. Going once, going twice...?"

 

[FaithWynters]

I let out a quiet groan. He had said that he had picked them. Then a woman tells him? I don't like this. I shove the coins across the counter.


"If you've screwed me, I'm not going to be happy" I really didn't like the feeling of spending all my coin on these mushrooms. It was all that would get me through the winter, but now it was gone.

 

[Darkair]

You hear a tarp being thrown across the things in back, and then it starts to rai quite soon after. (I can't think of anything else to put after it.. I hope that's ok lol)


The next day...

 

[FaithWynters]

I turned with my mushrooms, threw the hood over my head, and began the trek through the city back to my home. I need to prepare for my work the next morning.

...

​

I was up far before the sun rose in the sky. The rain had continued long into the night. Now, I parted silently to the gods to bless the potions I created. It didn't take me long to see the dark sludge that was being produced. They were the wrong mushrooms.

 

[Darkair]

Over at the marketplace, where my stand is, I'm in the back, tending to swords and knives. The drawer with the money is right behind the counter, as you saw me put my money in there yesterday. There's still a lot of hissing and bubbling going on; steam and boiling, rather. It would be so simple...

 

[FaithWynters]

This time, I had no gold. Only my hood and a dagger beneath the cloak. I was looking for my money back. The potion hadn't worked. It was a fake. His mushrooms were fake. I was so angry. I just wanted to take everything from him like he had just done to me. I couldn't afford to take the loss. I watch from outside for a while, looking over his stand. I don't see the merchant. He must be busy in the back. He cannot see the front area from where he is. I am sure I can do this.


"Just go" I mutter the words quietly to myself, starting silently across the space. It takes me little time to get into his stand and to get behind the counter. He's made it easy for me. My head is covered. I just hope he doesn't walk up behind me. I pull the drawer out, and take only the coins he has stolen from me--plus the charge for the other ingredients that were wasted. I pull the coins into the pocket of my pants. I push the drawer closed; its only taken me a few seconds to take my money out. It's only time for me to make my escape now.

 

[Darkair]

I came walking in the door at this moment. "You almost had me there, I couldn't hear you for the longest while. To be honest, the drawer gave it away. You're getting better, Brynj--" I stop, and stare at you, trying to figure out who you were. It took me a moment or two, but I got it.


"Mushroom Lady? I would tell you I noticed you immediately, but, that would be a complete lie. Have you thought a--" I was cut off, by your drawing your knife.

 

[FaithWynters]

I had made it almost completely on the other side of the counter. If I had been only a few more feet on the other side, he could never have said I stole his money. He would have had no proof. So I kept walking as I heard his voice. I knew that he had caught me, but I wanted to see if I could make it. Then, he said my name. I grit my teeth and unsheathe my dagger. I glare out into the street. I would only use it if he attacked me for his goods.


"You lied about the mushrooms" I spoke quietly, my back still to him. "I was only here to take back the things you've taken from me." I started toward the door. This silly little merchant wouldn't chase me, so I just had to get out of here.

 

[Darkair]

"You almost got away with it. Don't run, I'll find you, trust me. Sit down and have a nice chat, before things come to worse. I have a large collection of swords and such, as you know." I sat down in a chair, and pulled up another one. "In all honesty, I didn't think I twisted yer arm, there. I found yellow mushrooms, the lady said they were yellow. So, I assumed that they were under the hazel shrub, but it seems I was wrong. We have some other matters to talk about, though." I sit back in my chair, face with serious plastered all over. (Don't ask)

 

[FaithWynters]

"Then find me." I was so angry. He was acting so calm about everything as if I hadn't just taken his gold. Others would have tried to cut my hands off. I clench my teeth together tightly. And now he was trying to say that I wasn't forced to purchase them? I'm so mad; he's a liar.


"That's all the money I've got and you wasted it on fake mushrooms." I just wanted to throw my dagger at him. I wanted to stab him and end his life. "You might be able to take gambles on things like that." I tried to breathe in slowly. I tried to keep my calm. "I don't have any money." He thought he was going to get out of this. "So I'm taking what I came here for and I'm leaving." I didn't know what else to say. The wave of anger was starting to slide away and I was left with this empty feeling. The only thing I could think of doing was turning and walking towards the mouth of the stand.

 

[Darkair]

"I know the feeling. Especially since you're low on other people's Plam; I can tell you didn't earn any of it by, er, legal means. You're a good thief, I couldn't hear you, like I said. If you're looking for Plam, and still looking for your mushrooms, then you might want to ring up the thieves guild. Come see me Overmorrow, that is, of you want to join." I let you have the bag of Plam, and go back to tending my swords, as if nothing had happened.

 

[FaithWynters]

He wasn't going to take the money from me? I didn't understand at first. I wanted to keep the money, but he didn't fight me for it...It was strange. Who didn't try and stop a thief? A slow breath pulled into my lungs as I listened to his words. I got to keep the Plam because I was a good thief. I grit my teeth. That wasn't right; I didn't understand. I don't say anything. I just walk out of the stand and back towards my home.

 

[Darkair]

The day after tomorrow, like I said, I was at my stand, but no one else was in the market. I was making pots in a corner, wearing a blacksmith's apron. "Hello, there." I say, after you walk within three feet of my stand. "Thanks for not trying to stab me, I wouldn't want to break my pots." I was very nonchalant in saying this, as if this was a regular occurrence. I stand up, wash my hands in a jug of water, and walk over to you. "I never did get yer proper name. Name's Drav, around here they call me Wyvern. They didn't like Dragon." I'm very chatty today, as if I'm either quite excited, or trying to hide something. It's one or the other with me, but you can never tell.