middaeg | magick shoppe, open late

Entry tags:

howl's moving castle: howl

magick shoppe, open late

Who: Howl and you! (open)
When: Ieneuer (January) 12th, 4:00 p.m. - Ieneur 13th, approximately 2:00 a.m.
Where: Entertainment District
What: Howl is holding a grand opening for his new spells & potions store/pawn shop, Pendragon's. Not only is he offering discounted witch services, but he put out an advertisement last week looking for new bonds, part-time help, suppliers of ingredients, and fellow collectors of magic items.
Warnings: none (...for now.)

⛧ Four o'Clock Opening.

Pendragon's is easy to miss if you aren't looking for it. Set up in the bottom floor of a run-down two-story building, squeezed tightly between two similar block flats, the three-step stoop leading to the front door is lit by two magitech lanterns on either side. A cheap wooden sign with the letters Pendragon's painted in purple hangs to the left of the door, beneath one of the lamps. The shop's curtains are pulled open, but only dim light from candles and a fireplace can be seen from the outside. The floor above is a one-room apartment, for use as the owner's residence, but its windows are dark and quiet.

At four o'clock, just as the winter sun is starting to set, Howl emerges from the front door, dressed to the nines. Large oval-shaped tanzanites hang from his ears. As usual, he's practically dripping with spells specially crafted to beautify himself: his plain black hair as been changed to a flaxen, lemony blond, smooth and feathery in texture; his skin is supple and devoid of blemishes or any trace of facial hair or stubble; his eyebrows are uniform and his thin lips are slightly flushed. And while magic can't take away that glassy, slightly lifeless look he always has in his blue eyes, a spell has tinted them to match the deep color of his earrings and clothes.

He props the door open wide, glances out at the street with a smile, and heads back inside, and with that, Pendragon's has officially been established.

a. how may I help you?

For someone as flamboyant as Howl, the inside of Pendragon's is relatively modest.

On the left side of the entrance, a tea table and four chairs are set up beside the shop's largest window, along with several large bookshelves and mantles carrying assorted foci. On the right side of the entrance is a large stone hearth with a mantel built in an arch around it, forming part of the support for the open chimney in the ceiling above. A small broom closet beside the fireplace has a row of hooks on the wall beside it for the storage of hats, coats and umbrellas. Observant visitors may notice that despite this building being two stories, there are no stairs leading upwards anywhere... but, a large circular runic inscription is drawn on the wooden ceiling and support beams in white chalk.

In front of the hearth is a work table, already covered with a few half-made spells, and along the shop's right wall and far back wall are rows and rows of shelves and cabinets and countertops, some shut with doors but others open to the air and clearly stuffed with a huge variety of strange items - fruits and vegetables, folded fabrics, tools, broken tools, candles, and dozens and dozens of labelled bottles and boxes and packages.

Dried flowers, strings of garlic and tulip bulbs, animal skulls, broken seashells and other various natural knickknacks are strewn about the shop - as decor, probably, or are they there for some other purpose? Whatever the reason may be, the inside of Pendragon's carries the same scent of hyacinth flowers that always follows Howl, and even though the door's propped open to the cold winter air, the inside of the shop is warm and comfortable.

Howl is sitting at the workbench, flipping through a large tome, when he hears someone walk in. He picks up his head and trains his eyes on the person who has just walked through his front door. A customer? Or, maybe someone who noticed his call for other interested persons?

"Welcome!" he says pleasantly, placing a bookmark on his page and closing the tome. "Don't worry - you're in the right place. How may I serve you?"

b. what're you buyin'? [semi-wildcard]

Most people who come to Pendragon's on its opening day are there out of curiosity, interested in the advertisement's promise of "prices and methods unique to any witch of the Coven" and "a blend of Mirrorbound and Haven magic." And to his credit, for the most part, Howl does not disappoint - the standard offerings are priced well, especially for a spell and witchcraft shop located in this area of the city and with such unusual business hours. (How exactly did he accomplish this? Hmm... how, indeed?)

Some magical offerings are in very unusual forms, which may be the unique "blends" and "methods" he was referring to. For example, one featured item is something called drying power - a dust-like substance claimed to instantly dry or dehydrate any person or thing that it's sprinkled upon. The small note beside its display mentions the possibility of adding it to tattoos, thus making life much easier for monsters sensitive to water, but it asserts that its potential uses are "surely infinite" if a buyer is creative enough.

So, what kind of magic are you in the market for? An experienced wizard like him can surely help you find it...

c. what're you sellin'? [semi-wildcard]

But, Howl isn't just trying to make sales to whomever comes inside. He's always on the lookout for the next totem or charm that could take his magic to the next level, the next specimen that could amplify his potions and inscriptions.

Are you a monster? Howl stands a bit closer to you than you may be comfortable with as you converse. He seems to be looking you over, judging the qualify of your scales or fur or skin or chitin. Perhaps you've got very big horns - or very big... other parts.

Witches aren't exempt from his curiosity, either. Those with strong magical auras interest him the most, but other unusual attributes are sure to catch his attention, especially if they suggest recent intimacy with a monster - fresh puncture wounds from vampire fangs, the scent of turnskin musk, rashes from chimera poison.

He sure is doing a lot staring. What's the deal with that? Despite how long you're shopping in the store, or how long your consultation goes on for, he won't just come out and say it.

⛧ Two o'Clock Closing.

d. one last call for alcohol.

It's early Wednesday morning when it's time to finally close his first day of business. The wide room is quiet except for the soft crackling of a speechless fire in the hearth. With the shop empty, Howl is thankful he can simply step outside, turn off the lamps, and call it a night.

By now, he'd taken off the long velvet coat he'd started the day with; it had become too hot in the warm interior of Pendragon's, especially when multiple people were there. Once he opens the front door, a cold burst of winter air hits him and he's reminded why he chose to wear it that day to begin with. His first impulse is to turn around and get his coat, but he realizes a second later how silly that is. It only takes a few seconds to close up for the night. And yet, he feels compelled to look out into the dark street, to pause and let the chilly air blow against his cheeks.

Perhaps he's being hasty. Howl turns back inside. After retrieving his coat, a half-empty bottle of brandy and a shot glass, he returns to the door and steps outside. Instead of putting out the lamps, he takes a seat on the stoop and pours himself a drink - much like he did on the first night he moved in to this new building back in October - and settles back to quietly watch the late night revelers walk by.

((ooc: I marked prompts B and C as "semi-wildcard," as weird as that is, bc they're left open for you to decide the specifics of what your character is at Pendragon for and/or what Howl might be interested in about your character. I hope that makes sense! ^_^;; If you want to contact me to plot anything or ask a question, you can PM me, poke me on plurk at

lazdo, or DM me on Discord at OddLazdo#2470. tysm!))

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Ah, this again... she's met quite a few flirts lately. But Irhya grins, taking it in kind as she pulls out one of the chairs at the table.

"Yes, I suppose that would be appropriate. I once prided myself on my resistance to magic, but... that was before I became a monster, I'm afraid." She folds her hands in front of her and leans back. "It's just frustrating as all hell when it feels like a glaring weakness any witch with half a brain could exploit at any time. So I thought perhaps you might have some suggestions as to how I might mitigate it a bit."

Howl takes a seat across from her at the little table. As he speaks, he picks up a small kettle set to the side and adds two scoops of fragrant tea leaves to the filtered basin.

"Well," he begins casually. "The first thing I must recommend to any new Monster is to bond with a Witch. It really is just as important as those Haven Witches say it is. So, if you don't have one yet, it should be your highest priority."

After filling the kettle with water, Howl sets it on an iron trivet at the center of the table and places his fingertips on the lid. "After that," he continues, "there are a number of other, basic self-care practices I would want to ensure you are respecting, before starting to consider anything else. May I ask what type of Monster you are?"

Irhya hums. "Well, step one is all taken care of. I'm a vampire; I've been here a while, so the whole... transformation part is over and done with by now, I should hope."

Self-care practices... she finds herself a little nervous at the mention. Is this self-care like hygiene, or self-care like actually caring about herself enough to not throw her body into dangerous situations all the time? Her lips thin.

"It's just something that's been at the back of my mind for a while now, ever since the kidnappings last year. Not that I anticipate getting attacked by a Witch, mind you, but the most troublesome people here have been native Witches with crazy agendas. So if it ever comes to that..."

A vampire? He hadn't expected to hear that. His eyes glance back up at her, eyebrows raised, and now that she's mentioned it, he notices the pallor in her complexion. She may be harder for him to advise than he'd assumed, being the first vampire he's ever had a face-to-face conversation with.

The kettle begins to whistle softly. Howl lifts his fingertips from the lid, halting the spell he used to boil the water, and pours two cups of steaming hot tea for them both.

"I see," he says, more solemn now. "I was not present for the unfortunate events last year, but I've heard about what happened. I'm very sorry to hear you went through something so horrible."

Finally, Irhya notices he's using magic to boil the water, and her eyes linger on the kettle. It's pretty easy to tell when someone's so proficient that they use their skills to increase the efficiency of everything they do... kind of like Matoya.

"Oh-- no, no, it wasn't me," she says, shaking her head. "It was someone close to me, though. And they really did a number on him. I... don't want to be caught off-guard like that again."

Taking her cup, she lets it rest in her hands for a bit, as if to bask in the heat. Her ears drop for a moment. "The whole thing with Morgana made me realize even more that I need to be better prepared. But a barrier enchantment is a one-time thing, so that's out. I guess if it helps, I can compromise with the pain of taking the hit, I'm plenty used to that; I just need to take some of the edge off, I suppose."

Howl adds a sugar cube to his teacup and stirs it thoughtfully with a small spoon. Her concern is very similar to Howl's, from what he's hearing. He wasn't here for the kidnappings last year either, but Iramaat's lingering trauma tells him all he needs to know.

"In that case..." Howl trails off and sets his spoon aside before continuing. "Your best option may be a tattoo. I know of many Monsters who've had inscriptions applied to their bodies using ink imbued with magic. If that doesn't appeal to you, an enchanted item might be able to achieve a similar effect, but you'd have to have it on your person at all times for it to be effectively 'permanent.'"

"A tattoo..." She bites her lip thoughtfully. That might be interesting, yes. She might not get to choose the design, but at least it'll probably look kind of cool. "Can I do both, perhaps? There is also something I carry on me that frequently..."

Irhya takes an orange crystal out of her pocket. Perhaps he'll recognize the symbol carved upon it as that of the sun, she thinks; the irony isn't lost on her, either, incidentally.

"This crystal used to have an ancient type of magic imbued into it, but this one's only a replica, so at the moment it's just as you see. But perhaps enchanting it again would be appropriate..." Following suit, she takes a cup of cream and pours a little bit into her tea. "It'd make me feel better, anyway."

Howl studies the crystal as he listens, recognizing the carving as vaguely evocative of the sun based on his world's symbology, but not wanting to assume anything depending on wherever the thing came from. When she pauses to tend to her tea, he picks it up and juggles it in his palm for a moment, feeling its weight.

"Is this an object that came with you from your home?" he asks as he inspects it. He doesn't sense any lingering magic coming from the crystal. "It could be enchanted again, yes, but you should know that it could be altered in the process."

"It's a remake of it, yes. By the same person who made the original, incidentally." She glances up at the mention of alteration, though, a bit alarmed. "But altered how? Physically?"

It might be a fair trade to change its properties a bit in return for re-imbuing it with something useful, but it's too sentimental for her to risk its continued existence, if that's the cost. She sets her hands in her lap to prevent herself from fidgeting.

"Possibly," he says, tipping his head. Sensing her anxiety, he hands it back to her. "More likely, on a metaphysical level - whatever enchantment or magic its creator may have applied to it could be altered in the process of my own - but physical changes aren't out of the question, depending on the precise method we would find most appropriate for your needs. If you wish to avoid any outward alterations, then we can do so."

He sits back in his hair and folds his arms. "I'll still need to hear more about what you need from this spell, though. More about you... Why you need it, and why you feel that you need it."

She gives him a perplexed look. "Are those two different things, you think?" The stone is just a stone here, so enchantments shouldn't hurt it much, but as for why she needs it... does she need to have a specific scenario in mind?

"Well... sure, I'm concerned about a specific group of people, if that's what you're asking, but I suppose after the incident with Morgana, it's hard to fully trust the local witches anymore, either, even the Coven. Many of them do seem to be up their own arses, especially the noble ones. If push comes to shove, I'll be glad not to get roasted in one hit, frankly."

Howl nods in response to her question. He isn't asking for just any reason; her own motivations and mindset as they go into crafting this spell really does matter if they're to craft one that meets her exact needs. (The fact that he'll learn more about her in the process, that's just a bonus.)

"You mentioned you're used to resisting magic," Howl says after sipping his tea. "Between that and your cautious attitude, have you had to fight magic users in the past?"

"Aye. And, no offense, but they're all a pain in the arse." Her lips quirk as she thinks of all the irritating mages she's met in times past. "Usually, I could take an offensive spell without much difficulty by mixing in my own defensive spells, and just mind-over-matter for the rest. But I no longer have the former ability."

Not to mention flinging fire and ice around isn't the only thing any half-decent mage can do. She watches the ripples inside her teacup. "Not to mention there's plenty of non-damaging spells I would be helpless to do anything about. Binding spells, illusions, charm spells... things like that. Though they may not all exist under the same umbrella, I'm sure."

Judging from her responses, this customer is fairly experienced in dealing with the tricks of magic-users. Howl isn't sure whether she's thinking about the tricks of Aefenglom witches, thought, or whether she's still thinking about whatever experience she has from home.

Not that it matters, either way, as he can help her in any event. The most important part of any spell, at least according to Howl's unique ideas of magic, is the recipient's belief in it. She said herself that mind-over-matter was a significant factor in her resistance. The wizard is careful to nail the first impression he makes on every new client and he believes he's gained the trust of this woman in his ability, so step one has already been completed. Beyond that, it's simple.

"In that case," he begins, setting his teacup down, "the best solution is twofold. The first part involves bestowing new protection and warding enchantments upon your crystal. The fact that it's a significant, trusted item from home will lend you extra power. You should be careful not to lose it. After that..."

Howl hesitates for a moment before continuing. "I give you this advice generally, unspecific for Vampires, but I recommend you strengthen your Witch bonds and take seriously your new life as a Vampire. You do have your own inherent power here in Aefenglom."

Her response to that is a dubious hum. "I know, but... it just feels like such a limited skillset compared to a Witch. I suppose the best way I can really damage someone if I need to is to latch on, so to speak, but..."

That requires getting close. And if she can't protect against their magic, that won't happen. Though, her features do brighten after a moment as she turns the topic away from herself -- it seems she's confident in everything but her own measure.

"I can certainly work on strengthening the bond, however. Do you think making a second bond would be beneficial, too, if I find someone I can trust with it? I only have the one right now. Oh, and I'd also be more than happy to invest in an enchanted tattoo on top of that, if you can do that too."

"Not just a second, but a third as well," he says, nodding. "You mustn't underestimate the power of bonds in this world. In Aefenglom, bonds are everything. There's a reason the society here revolves around them. They aren't merely the key to a Witch's power, but they key to every Monster's as well."

He leans forward slightly, a twinkle appearing in his glassy blue eyes. "A tattoo would help, of course. But compared to three Witch bonds, and the magic their blood would imbue into your body? I wager there's no replacement for a Vampire."

"I will endeavor to look into it, then. I didn't even consider that having more bonds would help with that, but now that you put it like that, it makes a lot of sense." Bringing a thumb to her lips, her eyes flick up to him quickly. "I don't suppose you'd be interested, would you?"

A pause for effect, during which she leans back. "--Aha, just kidding, mostly. It is somewhat unfortunate that we are limited to three, though I suppose it's better not to overextend myself, either."

Ah. There it is. His suspicions hadn't been wrong, and his lures were well-cast. Howl does not lean back when she recoils - instead, his azure gaze intensifies in interest.

"Hm... were you kidding?" he asks softly. He doesn't buy her muttered explantion about being limited to three bonds. If she's talking about him, she's sorely mistaken - Howl certainly has room for more bonds. He hums and shrugs his shoulders.

"If you change your mind, you know where to find me."

"Eh--"

The look on her face is priceless. Her ears even shoot up to complete the look.

"Maybe I wasn't." She slaps her hands on the table. "I just didn't think you'd be receptive!"

But oh, that glance he gives her... that is a little interesting, isn't it? She calms herself down, the fur on her tail slowly easing back down again.

"Okay," she says, taking a breath. "You're not pulling my leg, right? You'd do it? Even though we've only met once? I'd hate for you to regret it, you know..."

She smiles with a full view of her teeth, suggestive.

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magick shoppe, open late

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