Life of Brain

I really need to learn a different language to write in. Apparently, according to Gabe, I sound stodgy. Me! Stodgy! It was enough to make me laugh. Talking about laughing, apparently the Western Empire has employed something it calls ‘Lawyers.’ These beings spend their entire life interpreting the law for those of us with no desire to do so. They find anything that can be construed as an injury of one party on another and build it from a tiny ant hill into a mountain of responsibility, counter-responsibility, un-response-ability, and intended-responsibility.

They’re failing in their goal. It seems that they’re actually all fools and jesters in disguise making a farce of the legal system. Gabe is playing on that with one of his prank wards that he’ll begin selling under the Azariel label. Yes, Azariel is going to be the king of fools it would seem within a few years time.

His fire-works were the main reason that Gabe…I should refrain from calling him that in anything that might become public. Master Alchemist Gabriel was impressed with the ingenuity that lead to the creation of the fire-works that Azariel put into place. They were dim in the light of the stadium, but even so, they were still visible.

Being the Alchemist that he is, and a master not the apprentice in training that Azariel is, he could easily work out how Azariel created them. He asked for the use of Azariel’s likeness to market the fire-works and Azariel made the offhand comment that Gabe should market practical jokes as well.

After Azariel’s observance of the Day of Fools recently I think I understand the reason. He loves his practical jokes, provided that they cause no lasting harm. He had much of CrIsis running around in different colors for most of the day.

Reading back through my notes here, I realize that I never noted where I met Gabe. On the third day of competition I looked at the map of the games to find myself an Alchemist to go to. Misreading Gabriel as Gabrielle, Eye of Thoth might make the words understood but don’t prevent misunderstanding, I decided that of the four locations a woman might be easiest for me to deal with so I headed in that direction.

Imagine my surprise when not only was he a male Elf, but one amenable to talking to a monster race like my self. He named my affliction a curse and assumed me wanting to rid myself of it. Not one to be struck from my course when I set upon it, I put this aside for now. I bargained to the best of my ability, but was only able to get 20k for a banishment scroll. I tried to get a full 275k for the Flame Eating Gem scroll, but he wanted to only give me 50k. I declined and went in search of luck elsewhere. Dark Elf Alchemy had a sign posted stating that they shot monster races on sight. It was a small sign, obviously intended to be a protection should one such as me step inside. Gabe warned me against Not What you See so I warded my own steps from crossing their threshold. I tried Wizard’s Wares but they were one of those Chain Stores that seek to wrap you in their fine iron links and guide you into dropping money into their coffers for sub par wards, scrolls, and other magical brik-a-brak.

Beyond that, they chose one day, the 6th of competition, to purchase goods. That seemed, to me, as the best way for them to gouge the seller as well as the buyer. I vow here and now never to step foot in a Wizard’s Wares ever again. If the building is on fire, I might extinguish the flames, but I’ll never enter one again.

It was the fourth day of competition that Gabe returned to offer Azariel money for using his likeness. He then offered me more money for my Flame Eating Gem scroll. I bargained him up to a curse break, he asked a bit of money from me for that, and I considered myself well served at 6 more OKDC going the way of all the world. considering getting a curse removed could have cost me ten times that much, and that I had a note for more group funds, I felt myself well served. Even though I created the scrolls for the group, I doubt I will be reimbursed for my losses on their account.

All told, I received 120k gold from Gabe, which gold I transferred to the new group fund account at Gold Coast. I’m still considering whether I’ll tell the group, or let them discover the surprise on their own.

Recorded in his personal journal on the 4th day of the 10th month of the 99th year of Asher’s life. When you’ve been around longer than some countries you deserve to mark time based on your life.

Image courtesy of CarolinaEDM