Quillion Marcarius Barthus's Story

Quillion Marcarius Barthus sat behind a desk, pouring over a manuscript that explained the for a complex growth enchantment. His mind picked through the diagram, trying to figure out where he could combine it with a nourishment spell. A bell sounded at his side and he jerked his attention away from his pet project and tucked the manuscript into a hollow space under the furniture just in time for his door to open and the little simple bell over the door to ring.

Drakara walked into the shop with the jingle of the bell and began to peruse its shelves. He looked over the odds and ends that would make any novice sorcerer drool and more experienced ones would smile at it’s selection. Drak walked around noticing some things a bit out of place from rude and messy shoppers. After a few minutes of looking he then stepped up to the counter.

“You are Quillion, I presume,” stated Drak.

“I am, sir. How might I help you today?” Quillion asked.

“Are you the nephew of Petros the mage?”

After a moment of thought, Quillion asked, “Which Petros?”

Drak crossed his arms and tapped his foot a couple times looking at the human behind the counter. He turned over a coin and the end of his kunai in one sleeve with his right hand. He wondered if he was amused enough to pay the man or offended enough to threaten him. He was not exactly sure which suited his fancy.

“The Petros who went adventuring twenty years ago with Gilnaes of Troubthorn.”

Quillion tapped his fingers on the countertop as he listened to Drak. They paused as he said, “I do have an uncle named Petros. I hear that he did some adventuring. Who it was with? I only remember a thief named Wren being mentioned... also a slavering monster he called Maria... when he wasn’t calling her less savory things. My mother said he was never the same after that... adventure.” He smiled faintly.

“So no mention of me then. The tall human who saved him from said slavering beast named Maria,” Drak said relaxing his stance a little.

He tapped his fingers on the countertop again as he mulled over his memories. “Ah, you are Drak then. An assassin, if memory serves. I do not remember much else, sadly. He did not remember the days fondly.”

‘“When you complain about your food being cold, and then have a pyromancer heat it for you with a fireball at close proximity, anger a thief, and then get half eaten by someone afflicted with the condition of a werewolf, do you expect them to be normal?”

With a slow, deliberate shrug Quillion said, “What can you expect from a wealthy merchant’s son that never rode a horse outside of a city before? But if you are looking for my uncle, I am afraid he passed some time ago.”

“I was actually looking for you. Wren said I could find you here. Would you mind coming along with us on an adventure, young man?”

A dark brown eyebrow arched slowly. “Where exactly would we be going and for how long?” Quillion asked.

“Many different places and we will potentially be gone several years,” Drak stated plainly. His eyes locked with Quillion’s just for a moment. Drakara was hoping to show his sincerity.

Quillion took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “Years is a long time to leave my shop without an owner. My assistant is a promising young journeyman. To ask him to maintain my home for so long might be a little much. What need do you have of an enchanter?”

“Do you not trust in your own skill set? It should be obvious why we need an enchanter. We’re going to be going against things that are not of the physical realm and we need experts to help us survive. You are up to helping us identify magical things and spells, aren’t you.”

Quillion passively watched Drakara and let silence hang in the air as he studied the assassin. “I’m afraid that why you need me is not obvious, as you have not told me what it is we are facing. Forgive me if I do not have the ability to read minds. I am currently not equipped with that circlet.”

“Even if you were, It would be of no good. I do not know what we are facing, where we are headed in exact locations, nor do I know how long this will all take. This is why it is called an adventure,” Drakara said with a sharp nod of his head.

Quillion sighed. “That is not entirely helpful.”

“I do not know what we would be facing. I do however give you a rare opportunity to meet Wren and Maria both. Today.”

“How delightful,” he drawled. “I have met Wren, and I do believe you’ll have to do better to entice me on a journey. However, I might go and travel with you to field test some of my latest enhancements. Highly experimental, probably volatile. Possibly. Safety in numbers and some such nonsense.”

“Safety in numbers. I agree. Testing enchantments. Fine. Do not test them on us however unless it is dire for our survival and you have a greater than fifty percent chance it would work. I would not like to see anyone turned into anything,” Drak paused. “Unnatural.”

“I do not test my enchantments on people. That would be inappropriate.”

“How soon can you be prepared to leave?”

“A few hours, I suppose. However, the city is on high alert. Something dreadfully exciting happened last night at the palace. Rumors are flying, but I imagine it was a robbery of sorts.”

‘Any ideas who might have been so brazen and bold to go after a well defended mark like that?”

“A thief,” Quillion said plainly, as if that were all that needed to be said.

“We are staying at the Gold Stallion and would like for you to join us there when you are prepared,” Drak stated avoiding the snarky remark.

“I hear good things about the Gold Stallion. I have even had their roasted veal stew. Quite good, actually.”

Drakara nodded and then looked to the younger man. He nodded his head and then turned to leave. He paused mid stride and looked to him. With a single hand he pulled his cowl back down a little lower.

“I hope to see you there when you get prepared. I will make sure that provisions are provided for the trip. In the meantime I will be procuring a cart for us to carry additional traveling supplies. Something with a small cover so we have shelter from very stormy nights. Please meet me mid day or soon after when you have prepared yourself,” Drak said with a smile under his mask.

“I already have a cart and a good horse to pull it,” Quillion said. “I simply need to speak to my assistant and let him know that I will be away for an undetermined amount of time. He may need to find new work....” Quillion stared into nothing as they thought.

“I can cover his wages while he finds new work if that is your wish. Let me know, so you and he are not negatively affected with this sudden switch. Come see me at the Gold Stallion, I leave you to your preparations.”

With that he simply gave a slight nod and headed directly for the door. Upon exiting the small shop he then mounted his horse. He headed over to the Gold Stallion and met with the stable boy and paid him to take care of the horse before walking in and waiting for the rest to arrive.