OOS 30

Notunoth 9, the party takes a brief vacation in Oceanside before
leaving for the Mirage Temple. It occurred between sessions 21 and 22. It is immediately preceded by OOS 29.
It it immediately followed by OOS 31. 
== Transcript ==
 Gloom:
Kiono, the crowded streets are filled with bright colors and bright people, laughing and reveling in the ongoing Equinox festival. Images blur, whether simply from the speed of your flight or the tears that rim your vision, it is hard to say. You're running, but to where? ''
Kiono:
Kiono's journey starts out random, not entirely paying attention to where she's going. Eventually she realizes that she has been heading steadily closer to the palace. Haziz had been kind and offered relaxation if she wanted... She continues to follow that path for a moment more, her mind a jumble of thoughts, until one stands out and attracts her attention. 
She ultimately decides what she needs is a shop that sells scrolls and spell components. She heads off in search of such a store. 
But now at a much more normal, walking pace, struggling to catch her breath as she walks. Dang it, got a stitch.
Gloom:
[make an investigation check, Kiono]
Kiono:
[22]
Gloom:
You find yourself off the beaten path, no mean feat given the burgeoning influx of people partaking of the city's festivities. The street here isn't quiet, but you have left the roar behind in favor of a dull din of a few well-dressed revelers entertaining the sparse nobility travelling this merchant street.
You come upon a shop with a red door and a tidy storefront. The sign reads "Wares of Chester and Shireton" and would not seem to contain what you seek but for precisely painted wand and the swirl of sparkles from it underscoring the text.
Kiono:
Kiono stares at the sign a moment, then heads inside.
Gloom:
The door chimes as you cross the threshold, though there is no bell. The inside is as well-kept as the outside, tidy displays of spell components, mysterious items in jars, and a multitude of books lining dark oak shelves. A glass display of wands sits atop the counter, and several staves are mounted beyond. You can feel the steady hum of the collected magical energies of this place.
 
A dour-looking Genasi looks up at you from behind the counter through horn-rimmed spectacles, barely registering your presence before returning to his book. An older human woman in an enormous and entirely cliché witch hat stands contemplating a glass display, seemingly weighing her options.
Kiono:
Kiono looks around with eyes wide for a moment, momentarily overwhelmed. She gives her eyes a quick swipe, and moves to the genasi in the back. "I-I need... um, Sending scrolls, if you have them..."
"Oh, and... and ink."
Storekeep:
"How many, and do you want Poole's or Haughman's?" He asks somewhat curtly, placing a red ribbon bookmark inside the book.
 Kiono:
"T-two scrolls... I think... Um... I... I don't... know what..." She blinks at him, feeling tears welling up again. Gotta stress cry now. "What?"
Storekeep:
The Fire Genasi sighs, "Poole's Premium Pigment or Haughman's Incanarum, what kind of ink do you need?"
Witch:
The woman in the oversized witch hat snorts. "Surely Finnwicke's Fine Feligrant is sufficient, no need to stuff her with those overpriced stodgeries." She turns her attention to the Genasi for a moment, whose pale orange skin turns nearly the same shade of red as his hair.
Storekeep:
"Surely" he says dryly. "How much ink do you require?" He asks Kiono.
Kiono:
Kiono stares between the two, somewhat dazed. "Uh, j-just... Whatever is... cheapest? I-I travel... I..." She fumbles for her coin pouch. She puts it on the counter and opens the bag, looks inside, and realizes she has no idea how much she has.
She begins to pull some out, counting it, succeeding mostly in spilling coins everywhere. The tears overflow as she scrambles to retrieve them from their new locations on the floor. "I-I have 700? F-for the...the scrolls too..." 
Storekeep:
"Confounded hedge witch!" He exclaims and kicks one of the loose coins out from behind the counter where it fell. "It's a marvel the Prince can stand all these riffraff coming in with the festivals!" He throws up his hands and turns away from the counter, muttering further about vagrants and ne'er-do-wells. 
Kiono:
Kiono watches the coin roll where Mr. Jerkface kicks it. She should pick that up but instead decides to give in to the full blown sobbing that has been threatening to overwhelm her.
"I-I'm sorry," she barely manages to choke out. 
Witch:
"Geoff, you insufferable ass," The witch says before kneeling nexts to Kiono, picking up some coins while she hesitantly pats Kiono on the back. "There, there," she says uncertainly, "It's all right. We'll get you your scrolls and ink. It's okay, no need to cry. 
"Get the damn scrolls," She snarls at the Genasi, who rolls his eyes but does as commanded. The witch gently pulls Kiono to her feet. "Why don't you come with me, we can get you taken care of, have some tea, and straighten out whatever's bothering you. Maybe hex an idiot shopkeeper pretending it matters what brand stationery you buy."
Kiono:
Kiono almost stops crying out of pure shock. She allows herself to be moved about by the woman, gathering the last of the coins and placing them on the counter. She avoids making eye contact with the man as much as she possibly can.
Storekeep:
The Genasi, rebuked thusly and somewhat pale, produces two scrolls and a bottle of ink and the corresponding paper. "For the trouble." He mutters. accepting the coins and placing them in the cash drawer. The Witch waits just long enough for Kiono to retrieve her purchases before guiding her gently towards the door.
"What of your Crystallix?" Geoff asks.
"We'll see!" The Witch calls cheerfully as she exits with Kiono, letting the door slam behind her. 
Kiono:
Kiono stuffs the ink into her bag, but holds the scrolls tightly to her chest as the strange woman leads her away. Very softly, struggling through the tears, "I.. Uh, th-thank you? I-I..." She just stammers for a while, not ever finding an actual sentence
to say, tears still flowing freely the whole time.
Gloom:
The domicile the witch leads Kiono too is a towering marble.... tower. White stone with black veins, with great oaken doors that open on their own as the pair approaches. She leads Kiono into a sitting room, where a tray of biscuits plods its way over to her across a table on silver feet. 
Witch:
"I'll make some tea," The witch says "And then we can talk if you want, or not, if you don't want. But do take your time, catch your breath, and rest a little." She leaves the room, leaving Kiono on her own in the great marble tower.
Kiono:
Her crying subsides to that stage where you could probably keep crying if prompted, but is otherwise just sniffles and the occasional hiccip. She takes a biscuit and nibbles it while she looks around.She watches the walking tray curiously, wondering if it is a result of the Tiny Servant, but otherwise sits as instructed.
Witch:
The room is filled with knickknacks, oddly shaped baubles, and the skull of a bizarre-looking creature. Two couches sit on either side of a coffee table, upon which sits the animated cookie tray and several books. The shelves are lined with books, and an unkindled fireplace sits on one wall, above it is an enormous painting of a man with wild white hair and an even wilder beard. 
The witch returns a few minutes later with a tray containing a teapot and two cups with saucers. She pours the tea, and offers a cup to Kiono "Festivals are nice because people forget to bother me and I can enjoy a nice cup in relative silence." She says.
Kiono:
Kiono tentatively takes the offered cup. She stares into the dark liquid for a long moment before taking a sip from it. Silence has been instructed, and so silent she will remain. 
Witch:
"So, what happened?" The witch asks "What horrible twist of events found you at the mercy of a creature like Geoff?"
Kiono:
"I-it was the f-first shop I found..." Kiono says into her tea. "I needed the... the ink... I used most of m-mine this morning..."
Witch:
"Ah, just a spot of misfortune, then." She says "He's a positively sour fellow, but they do have the finest selection of rare ingredients. I'd still recommend Foxbarrow's store for most of your day-to-day needs, though."
"Can you imagine? Caring about what kind of ink you use? It makes no difference, it always seems to take 50 gold's worth per level anyway."
Kiono:
"I-is it the same... amount of ink..? M-maybe one takes up.... less space...?"
Witch:
She smiles "You can achieve some properly fine spellwork with Finnewicke's, it does have it's uses. Some trendier Wizards have been competing to see who can make the tiniest spellbooks." She sets her tea down "Not everyone's got a magic tower left by their deceased crazed mentor to keep all their stuff in. How do you manage on the road?"
Kiono:
Kiono looks at her bags. One of them has three books shoved in it. "Th-the loose paper is stored in my primary book... I.. don't really... have much ink at a time... to need to worry about it..." 
She is trying very hard to be small in her seat without pulling her feat up onto the cushion. "I... don't have a lot to... store... I... I can't store much... so I... don't." 
Witch:
"I see. well, that won't do at all." She says "My former master might have made things bordering on inane uselessness, but he occasionally hit on a good idea." She stands and moves over to a wooden desk in the corner. She checks the drawers, moving them in various ways, and emptying out various jars and containers- more than the unit should be able to contain. She taps each item on the top, and they are hauled away by a collection of small mouse-like creatures. Finally, the desk satisfyingly empty, she pinches each corner of it and folds it up into a small cloth bundle the side of a handkerchief.
 "He thought 'what if a portable hole was basically the opposite of a hole' and just ran with it, the daft fool. But here, take it. Just unfold it and shake the legs out and you'll have not only a decent workspace, but some adequate storage for your things." She offers the folded desk to Kiono with a smile. 
Kiono:
Kiono takes it, eyes wide in confusion, her tea super forgotten. She literally doesn't know what to say, and stares at it, stares at the woman, back to the desk. Her mouth just sort of hangs open in surprise. She is absolutely dumbfounded. 
Witch:
"The other Magisters have been bugging me to take an apprentice..." She muses "Jin-Ri, what if you explode, Jin-Ri, what if you get married. They don't stop." Her laughter is cut short by a rapping at the door. "Ah, the vultures of the prince descend, come to pick my corpse clean. Enjoy the tea, dear, stay as long as you like, and leave when you're ready." She departs for the door, shouting at those beyond as she goes.
Kiono:
Kiono takes a while to recover. When she does, she places the desk in her bag and finishes her tea and biscuit. She takes a moment to consider her scrolls. Her plan decided, she leaves, saying thank you to Jin-Ri if she sees her on the way out.
She begins to make her way back to the inn.
Category:OOS