Runelords 14.1 - The Medallion

Poking idly at the embedded medallion in her chest, Luna asked, “...Is there any way to take this off?”
Why would you remove it? the ruined book Zara replied telepathically from her spot on the nearby desk. It was extremely early, the time of day when absolutely nothing was open for tourists or consumers, which tended to be the only time her and Aldern were frequenting his house. Recently, it seemed that given the option he would do absolutely anything to distract his mind, and was all too pleased and excited to show Luna his grand city in extreme detail.
“Because...well, Aldern is rotting. Properly rotting,” she said. “Well, slower than a plain corpse, I guess; I think a sitting cadaver would be basically bones by now. But he’s gotten worse in less than a month than I did in fifty years. He’s the one who needs this, not me.”
Well, why wouldn’t you just make another one? she replied matter-of-factly.
Luna frowned slightly, “Oh...I couldn’t…”
I have the necessary instructions, Zara explained. With my guidance, it shouldn’t be too much of an undertaking.
“I don’t know…” she faltered, “I’ve...never made anything magical before…”
Nonsense, Zara chided. You’re an intelligent woman. I’m certain you can create a bauble such as this. Her pages flipped about to the image of the medallion, and Luna turned about to study the writing with greater care. Now, first you will have to acquire the following materials…
----
Luna scuffed her foot as Aldern talked animatedly about an anecdote while they sat in his sunroom in the dead of night the next day. When he finished his sentence, she interrupted, “Umm, I know this is off-topic, but…”
Aldern regarded her politely and with interest, “Hmm?”
“Well…” she faltered, self-conscious. “I’ve...started trying to make something…? For you, I’m trying to make something for you,” she said quickly, expression hinting at a deep blush that wasn’t there, “but, I’ve never made anything magic before, and I don’t know if I can get it to work and I don’t want to get your hopes up or anything if I screw it up entirely…”
“For me?” he said graciously, “You don’t need to make anything for me; you do too much as it is.”
She shook her head, “It’s...I’m trying to make a copy of an amulet, and it does a bunch of things, but the most important part is that it stops undead from...decaying.”
At this, Aldern paused in shock, “It...it would…”
“It can’t undo anything,” she interrupted him quickly and spoke with self-conscious fluster, “It only stops things from getting worse, but I thought if I made it quickly then it would be good because you really aren’t that bad yet and the instructions are in Zara and I think I can maybe do it even though I haven’t really done anything like it before and I started getting the things I need for it,” she shrank into her chair and her voice dropped off as she finished ashamedly, “but I don’t have enough money to get what I need so it’ll be a while before I can even start it, and it might not even work when I do…”
Aldern still seemed a bit shocked, “You’d...you’d do that for me?”
Luna raised an eyebrow, “Well, of course, yes, but that’s not really the problem. I can’t promise anything…”
He interrupted, “How much money do you need?”
“Huh?”
“How much money?” he said seriously. “I won’t have you paying, if it’s that expensive and you’re already doing so, so much. I’m sure I can figure something out.”
She blinked, “But I thought you were…?” He shook his head and waved her line of questioning away. She frowned slightly, “Don’t go further into debt, but...well, I already paid for some of it, so I think I need...about 750 gold more.”
He exhaled and grinned slightly, “That’s all? That can be managed easily! I have two hundred already just from the adventuring we’ve done! Take that to start. Now, we only need five hundred and fifty more…” He sat and considered for a few minutes thoughtfully before mentioning, “...Those bottles of wine, that you all brought back from the manor. I know a dealer, and those are a very good vintage.” He looked a tad wistful as he said, “Shame I can’t enjoy them...but they should bring in a decent amount. Maybe enough to cover it entirely!”
“Really? You’re ok with that?” Luna said.
“Of course!” he exclaimed. “How could I do less than pay for it, if you’re going to such efforts?” He grinned self-deprecatingly as he added, “I’d...like to keep one of the bottles, if I can. For my collection, I suppose. I should be able to sell the rest for more than enough to cover the remaining expenses though.”
“Of course, keep one!” she said brightly, “They’re your possessions; I wouldn’t ask you to sell them.”
“I insist,” he replied with equal enthusiasm. “We can go do that first thing tomorrow. And I can show you the winery district! We haven’t been there yet, and there are some lovely places there.” Luna smiled as Aldern launched into another animated story about the city and his experiences there.
----
Alright, the first step is to attune the vessel, Zara explained. Luna nodded, looking at the gold medallion she had purchased, custom-made into a seven-pointed star contained within a circle. It’s a task that requires both knowledge of the arcane and mundane, as you prepare the gold to accept the magic channeled through the runes you will inscribe upon it. Gold is a very receptive substance, especially when pure, which was why you required a particular karat, but it still requires a certain preparation process. Luna nodded, as Zara launched into a lengthy explanation of spellcrafting and metalwork. As she continued, Luna eventually shook her head and yelled out to Virgil.
He meandered in a few minutes later, and asked with a grin, “You called?”
Shaking her head, she beckoned him over, “You know something about magic, right?”
“A thing or two.”
Mostly ignoring him and focusing on the item, she explained, “I’m trying to prepare this vessel, but it’s complicated, and half about actually heating and preparing the metal and half about conducting a minor ritual and aligning its arcane properties, and I can’t focus on both at once.” She handed him a ream of papers, “Here, you do the arcane preparation so I can focus on the metalwork.” Turning and levelling him a glare, she said, “Don’t screw it up.”
He gave a mock salute and said with all seriousness, “I will do my very best, ma’am.”
“You do that,” she said, turning back to her work. Between the two of them, the pair began the first steps of making the amulet.
----
Luna etched a miniscule rune into the back of the amulet’s surface, squinting through a jeweler's lens as she performed the very delicate task. Virgil sat nearby, flipping through one of the many expensive yet likely unused books in Aldern’s study. Just as she was in the middle of engraving a line, Khyrralien strode in. “What’s going on in here?” he sing-songed, strumming a loud chord on his sitar. “You’ve both been so quiet! I thought you’d appreciate some studying music in the study, since you’re both studying so hard.” He strummed a few more chords, humming along. Luna glared furiously at her work, trying desperately to maintain her concentration over the jarring and not unobtrusive music.
Virgil looked worriedly between Luna and Khyrralien before standing up while quickly, quietly and politely explaining to Khyr that this was not a good time or place. With a pout, Khyrralien ceased his playing, finishing on a loud, dischordant note, causing Luna to jerk her hand and misplace her line. Clutching her tool tightly as she held back a screech, Virgil quickly shooed Khyrralien towards the door before Luna could murder the fey.
----
Aldern gave an exclamation of frustration, causing Luna to look over. Aldern turned to her and said with resignation, “I can’t stand these any more,” gesturing towards the deadly, long claws that grew from his hands. “How do you keep yours short?”
Luna perked up from her reading, “Oh, I don’t have nails like that.” Holding up her hand, she showed him her fingertips. “Nothing special.” She sat up straighter in her chair, leaning in to consider them. “Those shouldn’t be too hard to shorten though...but we’ll need a higher gauge of clipper.” Standing up, she tossed her shawl around her face, “I’ll go find something. Be back in a bit.”
He tried to stop her, saying, “No, if you don’t have something, you don’t need to go right now, that’s…”
She cut him off, “No, no, I like having things to do!” With that, she skipped off before he had a chance to stop or join her. Luna returned some hours later, having travelled to the mercantile district and back. “Right!” she announced herself to Aldern, gaining his attention as she walked in. “This is probably the simplest problem yet.”
She moved to where he was sitting at a desk picking through some paperwork and gestured for him to rotate about. As he complied, he said, “I’m sorry you had to make a trip; I thought you’d already have something.”
Kneeling down before him, she waved away his concern and pulled out a large pair of cutters that looked like they were probably designed for shrub branches or thick wire; she held out her palm and said, “Hand.” Taking his proffered hand, she used the clippers to deftly cut off his claws, resistant though they were. When she had removed the bulk of the thick nails from both hands, she produced a metal file. Aldern made to say something, but Luna made a ‘shush’ noise, focused on her task. She shaped what claw remained, smoothing and flattening them into something more reminiscent of human nails, though their thickness and attachment made them look curious nonetheless.
When she finished, wiping off the dust, she reached into her bag and pulled out a final item, “So, I knew that they probably weren’t going to look or feel quite right if you shook hands with someone, but I figure this would solve that problem well enough.” Handing him a pair of leather gloves, she said with a note of depreciation, “They aren’t like, imported owlbear leather hand-sewn by monks or anything; you probably have nicer gloves lying around. But, I guess I wanted to make my point. See?” She slipped a glove onto his outstretched hand quickly and smiled, “There! Not noticable at all!” Indeed, with the gloves hiding the filed tips, there was no hint of anything inhuman about his hands.
He marvelled slightly at the development, smiling broadly as he did. “That’s so much better!” he exclaimed as she swept up the discarded nails with her hands and deposited them into a nearby receptacle. “Thank you so much, again!”
Dusting off her hands, she returned his smile and walked back towards him, “You’re welcome! That was an easy one. But, they will almost certainly, definitely grow back if you get healed, or eat.” She gave a small snort of laughter, “You’re getting a whole day spa thing going with every meal.”
Looking over his hands, obviously pleased, he asked, “You’re lucky yours stay short.”
“Heh, I guess,” she smiled a bit sadly, “but, if I had nails like yours though, I probably wouldn’t bother cutting them back anyways.”
“Why not?” he asked, “They’ve been a terrible pain. Impossible to do anything with.”
“Oh...just...it’s nothing, I guess,” she said with some embarrassment. “Just me. I don’t blame you; you’re right, I’m sure they’d be annoying.”
Aldern turned to consider her curiously, “Why wouldn’t you? It sounds like there’s a reason.”
She glanced sidelong and rubbed her elbow, “Not really, it’s nothing.”
With a slight frown, he pressed, “It sounds like it must be something. Why, is there something I should know?” Looking embarrassed, she shifted her weight from foot to foot before murmuring something into her scarf. “Hmn?” he said, concern growing.
“It’s nothing,” she said, slightly louder, though still looking at the floor uncomfortably and fidgeting. “I just...worry,” her voice dropped, and she continued quietly, “I worry, that people might...attack me, I guess. I don’t have a lot of defenses, or anything special about me, and, and people don’t trust me. People don’t like me, and I’m afraid, sometimes, of what...could happen.” She fiddled with her hands and added, “I just, I’d be too afraid to get rid of claws, if I had them, in case I needed them.” She sighed and tried to feign cheeriness, looking back towards him and smiling, “But I don’t! And it’s...it’s probably silly to worry about, I’m sure you don’t have to worry about that. They must have been getting in the way, and it’s better without them.”
Aldern gave her a look of almost sorrowful pity. “Oh...don’t, don’t worry about that…” His gaze fell downwards, and he idly clenched and unclenched his hand a few times. “I...worried about that too. At first. I just, knew, that that would happen. That everyone would know right away, and I would never be able to go anywhere or do anything again. That I was...that my life was over.” He glanced up again, and hazarded a smile, “But, look at what we’ve done over the last few days! Where we’ve gone and who we’ve seen...I never would have even dreamed that I could go back, and that I could do things and talk to people like...before. And that’s because of you! I can’t ever thank you for how much you’ve helped me. And, if I don’t need to be afraid, then you shouldn’t be either.”
Luna looked self-conscious as he spoke, fiddling with her hands. When he finished, she replied, “I didn’t...didn’t do all that much, really...I just...didn’t want you to go through that alone, and I knew some things, that’s all…”
“You knew how to fit in!” he said insistently. “You knew how to keep this from taking over your life, and how to keep living. No one would ever think you’re anything but a charming lady; I don’t know how I would have figured any of this out on my own.”
“Heh,” she grinned shyly. “I don’t know, you would have picked it up. That’s all I ever did.”
“You sell yourself short,” he said, still smiling, “The credit belongs to you.”
“Heh, well, thank you,” she said, rubbing her elbow self-consciously. “I’m glad to help,” she said, looking at him with a slight smile, “and I’m glad you’re feeling more like yourself again.” She glanced away, and it looked as though something lingered on her mind.
Aldern tilted his head slightly, “What is it?”
She bit her lip gently and considered something for a short moment before replying, turning her gaze back towards him, “Nothing. Nothing, it’s just...heh,” she grinned slightly, “You’re powerful. Like, physically. I don’t know if you appreciate that, but, honestly, it would take a special caliber of person to hurt you, if people got it into their heads to try. There isn’t much you couldn’t resist, or fight off, or run from. I’m...well, I’m probably as about as durable as a kobold skeleton. That’s why I worry, I guess. It wouldn’t take much effort to dismantle me.”
Raising an eyebrow, Aldern commented, “That’s a very strange choice of word; it seems no way to talk about yourself.” He shook his head and smiled, “And besides, I’m sure you’re very capable of defending yourself: you’re an adventurer, after all!”
Chuckling quietly, Luna very visibly rolled her eyes. “I’m really not. You know the Swallowtail Festival was the first thing I’d ever done that was...’adventure-y’. Honestly, I’m just following those three around.” She shook her head and waved her hand, brushing away the topic, “Whatever, I’m just rambling again. Don’t mind me.”
The man considered her for a moment before saying with a smile, “Well, we’re in this together, you know, so I’m here for you when you need it.”
Luna returned the smile, “Likewise.”
----
Hmm, Zara commented. That’s odd.
“What?” Luna asked, looking over to the diagram.
Well, if you look here... she said, highlighting passages, You’ll see that the diagram details a north-south oriented symbol, but the description here clearly states a south-north orientation for that same rune. I can’t say it’s clear to me what the appropriate orientation is.
“Huh…” Luna muttered. After considering it for a few minutes, she called in Virgil, posing the dilemma to him.
“Hmm, that is confusing…” he muttered. The two discussed their respective knowledge of arcane theory and spellcraft at length, in an attempt to determine what the correct orientation should be. Eventually, they settled on a somewhat inverted design that was neither of the originally-presented options. As Luna carved it in, she shook her head, unsure of whether this was the correct path. Zara assured her that, worst case, it wasn’t likely to ruin anything important.
----
As Luna finished and looked over her handiwork, Zara complimented, That’s looking excellent. It’s nearly done.
“Alright! What’s the next step?” Luna asked brightly, pleased with her progress over the last few days.
All that is left is the favour of the Emperor, she said matter-of-factly.
“...What?”
Well, I say Emperor, Zara amended, but that’s misleading. A personage of noble worth must acknowledge the work for it to be complete. It needs not be an emperor, but the more high-born and politically vital the person is, the more effective the ritual will be.
“But...but how am I supposed to do that?” Luna protested.
That is the final step to completing this artifact, she said bluntly, so if you would like to finish it, that is the step you must take. I personally would suggest starting by speaking to someone who is aware of the local nobility.
Luna sighed, “Yeah…” Getting up and leaving Zara where she lay, she wandered to where Aldern was occupying himself. “Hi…” she said, announcing her presence.
“Good afternoon!” he said brightly, “though the weather is still anything but decent.” Indeed, all six of them were still in the house, trapped by torrential rains that no one wanted to brave. “How are you?” He noted her awkward demeanor and asked gently, “Is something the matter?”
“No, no,” she said, sighing. “I just...the last thing I need to do to finish the amulet is get ‘the favour of the emperor’, or whomever the most high-ranked noble in the area is.”
“It’s nearly done?!” he asked excitedly. “I wouldn’t have guessed that you could get it done that fast! You’re so skilled!” Luna smiled shyly at the compliment as Aldern considered her dilemma. “Hmmm, high-ranked…” he tapped his chin. “That’s going to be the lord mayor of Medinipur. I can probably get an audience with him for you. There’s a process, and it will take a little while, but he does grant audiences so I’m sure I can arrange it.” He smiled honestly, “Then you can speak with the mayor, and get whatever you need to finish it!”
Luna blinked, taken off-guard by his optimism at what she had considered a lofty, possibly unreachable goal. “Uhm...I...I guess...that’s great? If you can do that?”
He smiled, “I’m glad I can help! After you’ve done so much, that is.” He walked out of the room, “I’ll go pen the letter now, so I can have it delivered before the day is out.” Luna stood silently for another few minutes before she returned to her bedroom. She spent a few minutes blinking before turning her thoughts towards Zara, I can’t talk to the *lord* of Medinipur! What am I supposed to tell him I’m doing?! What if he guesses?! What if...what if he says no or I get thrown out or arrested or something?! I can’t do it.
Zara made a ‘tut tut’ noise and replied, I think speaking to nobles is important for a budding young lady with such prospects before her. It’s a valuable experience.
Making a quiet noise of frustration and fear, Luna took a blanket and crawled under the bed, hiding from the world and her social anxieties. Some time later, Shadliss came into the room and began rummaging through her luggage. Noticing the edge of the blanket that stuck out from under the opposite bed, she eyed it curiously before moving to investigate. Sticking her head under the bed, she frowned, “Luna?”
Her response was meek, “Yes?”
“What are you doing under the bed?”
“...Nothing…”
Shadliss rolled her eyes slightly, “Why are you under the bed, then?”
“...I have to go talk to the mayor of Medinipur. Because I need his blessing so I can finish the amulet I was making. Because magic is stupid.”
Processing this, Shadliss asked, “...That’s a good thing? You get to meet the lord mayor! That’s exciting!”
Luna’s reply was quiet and self-conscious, “...I don’t like talking to people…”
“Ooooh,” Shadliss intoned, finally understanding the issue. “Well...I don’t know, I could go with you? Or you could send someone else with instructions or something.”
After a considering silence, Luna sighed, “...No. No, I should go do it. It’s my amulet that I’m making; I should finish it.”
“Alright. When’s the meeting?”
“I don’t know yet; probably in a few days?”
“Then get out from under there; you have plenty of time to get ready,” Shadliss said bluntly. Luna didn’t move immediately, so she added, “The rain is letting up some. Come shopping with me; you need to look nice if you’re seeing the lord mayor.”
With another pause followed by a sigh, Luna pulled herself out from under the bed and stood up, looking at the floor awkwardly. Crossing her arms, she muttered, “...I could use some new clothes...” Shadliss smiled.
Category:Rise of the Runelords