Submission (#2897) Approved

     The sun set upon the horizon, sending reds and gold into the sky that matched the autumnal colours of the landscape. Even though Gwyn had seen this fiery view of warm tones quite commonly as a child, he could still appreciate the beauty of the golden leaves against the rapidly darkening violet sky. He rested against the rough wood of the fence that bordered the village a few moments longer as the sun splashed it's last hurrah over the sky before pushing himself off and rubbing his paws on his thighs in deep thought. While Gwyn was quite happily employed, the recent events had gotten him thinking and he felt like a little extra cash would be useful in the coming months. As he traveled far and wide over Eyre with Shepard's Crook he was in a unique position to come across new artifacts and items. This, he felt, could give him an advantage in some bargaining. Gwynceirw decided to try his luck in the local oddities shop.

     Picking his way through the quiet streets, the dark purple nin kept his tail tucked into the loop on his belt so that it would not drag through the dirt. The last thing he wanted was to give a bad impression, especially as he was hoping to make a sale. The dark nin patted the pouch at his belt to make sure the item was still there before crossing the last street to the woven thatched storefront. With three sharp raps at the door he waited to see if the owner was still there at this late hour.

     He was in luck, the door opened a crack in response and a short, fluffy nin peered out over silver-rimmed spectacles. "Yes? Can I help ye?" The shopkeeper took one look at Gwyn's imposing form before starting to close the door back up. "I'm sorry sir, we are closed for t' night. Come back in t' morning." He looked down as soon as he realized the door wouldn't finish closing due to Gwyn's boot being in the way. "Oh dear..."

     "I won't bother you long, I just have a few things I would like to discuss." Noticing the fear in the shorter nin's eyes, he added as an afterthought, "I do not mean to hurt you. I could come back again tomorrow but I get the feeling you may wish to see what I have to show you while no one else is around." Gwyn turned slightly to show the pouch at his hip and raised the flap just enough for a glint of luminescence to flash towards the shopkeeper. "Now, do you wish for me to return tomorrow or would you prefer to discuss things now?"

     Sufficiently cowered, and maybe more than just a little intrigued, the shopkeeper opened the door back up, leaving just enough room for Gwynceirw to slip by before glancing back and forth down the street to make sure it was empty. The only living things within his sight were the golden leafed trees that seemed to whisper secrets when the wind blew through them. He gave them a quick dark look before scooting inside, closing the door tightly behind him with a sharp clack of the lock falling in place. "Ok," the shopkeeper said as he turned to regard the dark visitor before him. "It looks like ye have something to discuss with me?"

     Without a word, Gwyn reached into his pouch and took out the crystal he had found on their travels. It seemed like any other mana crystal except this one was set in some intricate gold filigree, the knot-work winding around the base like vines with small ivy leaves decorating the swirls. It glowed with a slight pearlescent light, as if it was touched by the moon which now illuminated the room from the window to the side. "I travel across Erye as part of my job. Items like these I encounter quite frequently. Some I can utilize to make travel easier, others I don't really have use for, but I'm sure the magic-studiers of Il'durahn would." He tossed the item back and forth between his paws a few times before placing it onto the table. "I'm looking for someone who would be interested in taking said items off my hands for a fair exchange of coin that might know of buyers who would have use for such items. And..." Gwyn paused, raising his hands meaningfully, "I come across these items by legal means. I would prefer the people I work with to do the same."

     The pale nin rubbed their paws together a few times as they thought. "I can see this would need ti be a rather delicate trade but I am willing t’ help you out in this endeavor. How about we say 10 gold for now and we revisit when I find a suitable buyer for this item?" He peered up at the darker nin after examining the luminous crystal, marveling at the slight warding spell that seemed to keep the crystal powered up and protected. "I can think of a few who might be interested in a piece such as this." Leaving the table, the shopkeeper moved around the room to where a curtain covered the wall. It was woven in an intricate pattern that reflected the beauty of the golden crop fields surrounding the town. With a deft flick of his wrist, the older nin pushed the curtain aside to reveal a safety box tucked away on a shelf. Bringing the small metal box back to the table, he opened it and pulled out a few small gold coins. "Here ye are, along with a small finder's fee. Come back in a few weeks and I'll have more, especially if I can contact one of the deacons. There have been whispers of a request or two for magical items that can be studied and used in experiments..." The nin trailed off.

     "Then when I come back it might behoove me to have a few more items such as this that I can supply to fill these unspoken requests. I shall keep that in mind." Gwyn gathered up the gold offer with a quick paw, scooping it up into his coin pouch without even counting it. "It is nice doing business, and I should be back in a few weeks or so. As long as you are still at this location, I shall find you again." As if hearing the silent question hanging in the air he raised a paw again, "No personal information needed, trust me, I will find you." With a curt nod of acknowledgement, he turned towards the door and unlocked it. "And no contraband, while I do believe in not leaving old relics buried in the ground, I also refuse to deal in darker materials." With that final warning, Gwyn stepped out into the now shadowy gloom of night and strode down the street to where the Caravan would be hold up for the night.

     As he walked through the clear night air, satisfied with a job well done, he felt one of the many sharp spines of splintered anima that grew from his body. 'No,' he thought to himself, 'No contraband. I know where that can lead to and I don't feel like treading that path again.' With that internal affirmation, Gwyn stalked through the copper trees, their leaves looking more bronze in the chill night air. Miasma season was coming soon and it would be a good idea to talk with Aisling about if they were going to keep traveling or stay in a city for the thick of it. While he didn't mind traveling during miasma seasons, he knew it would be dangerous for Aisling and the little ones. He almost hoped for a warm, coastal village. It would be nice to have a small vacation before the spring season started back up again.