Patchwork Universe

Jones · Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2004 11:46 pm Post subject: Treasure Trove

ooc: Continued from Nightfall thread

Juniper Jones led Dr Odom and Dr Jewel to the back of the pub by way of the kitchen. Jennifer and Dr Domenova were busy preparing medical supplies for any injured and the three passed by quickly so as not to disturb them.

When they reached the back of the pub Juniper unlocked the door to the cellars and opened it to show a staircase leading down into darkness. Turning to the side of the stairs she picked up a lantern and lit it, carrying it ahead of the group to show the way ahead.

At the bottom of the stairs the cellars were seen to be cavernous, containing boxes, crates and barrels piled all around the edges. While many of the racks appeared to hold alcohol of some description the stacked items were more unusual. Weapons, jewelry, clothes, artifacts of every type were scattered about the cellars, each pile labelled neatly if briefly with some indication of type, powers or function.

Dr Jewel · Posted: Sun Jun 20, 2004 7:41 am Post subject:

Dr Jewel looked at the boxes with fascination. She realised that, quite apart from being an excellent range of weapons, it was also proof that Jones had been within the patchwork for a large number of years. When this crisis was over, when not if, she and Dr Odom might gain some useful advice and information from him.

One weapon in particular caught her eye. She prodded the hilt with a finger, then the blade.

"Found it." She said.

Dr. William T. Odom · Good Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 349 Location: The Museum

Dr. Odom strolled around peering through the lenses of his spectacles at the careful labels. He hummed softly to himself, quite at home in this environment, wandering among bundled and stored artifacts.

He passed a rack holding a dozen bottles of a wine he recognized from the label as being highly regarded, although his practical experience with wine was so limited he would not know a Rhine from a Burgundy with his eyes closed.

Swords abounded, each tagged to briefly explain any special properties. These he continued to disregard in favor of the glorified club he had more confidence he could wield without injuring himself.

A box labeled "Wands" eventually caught his eye. He had been looking for a flare gun, something like steam ships carried to signal to rescue parties, so that he might . . . well . . . signal to Jones's rescue party, he supposed. Perhaps there would be something in the box.

He rummaged carefully through them. Some he tried to avoid. One with a tag that said "Death" looked as if it might be made from a human ulna. A piece of bamboo that said "Plant Control" was useful for pushing such things out of the way. An ebony wand with a band of copper at one end was labeled "Lightning Bolts"and was not quite what he had in mind but sounded like it might be useful. A length of ash with a piece of quartz bound to one end with silver wire eventually surfaced, labeled "Ray of Light." That sounded more promising.

"Miss . . . ah, Mrs? . . . Jones, have you some idea how to work these things or will I need to work it out? And is there adequate firewood upstairs or ought we collect the lids from some of these crates?"

Jones · Posted: Mon Jun 21, 2004 8:07 am Post subject:

"They're wands," Juniper said, stating the obvious but adding more helpfully: "The contain a limited number of charges but the principle of operation is that you pointv them and then flick. They tend to work better for wizards than mundanes but they generally do work - if you want it enough."

"I think we have enough firewood for now, and should we need some there's a stack of chopped wood through the next part of the cellar."

Juniper pointed and the two doctors looked automatically in that direction, their attention drawn not by the stack of neatly chopped wood but the dimly glowing oval portal at the back of the cellars.

Dr. William T. Odom · Good Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 349 Location: The Museum

"Yes. Point and flick," Dr. Odom muttered. "I suppose I'd best not practice here."

Then he followed her extended finger.

"Fascinating. What's through there?"

Dr Jewel · Posted: Mon Jun 21, 2004 10:06 am Post subject:

"Is it the portal to the lower level of the dungeon?" Dr Jewel asked. "How come you have one? Did there used to be something other than monsters down there?"

Jones · Posted: Mon Jun 21, 2004 10:24 pm Post subject:

"No, the monsters have always been there," Juniper explained. "It's just that the dungeon levels have useful items as well. My father-in-law's been adventuring there all his life. When he found himself part of this quilt of worlds he used materials from the dungeons to build the houses o the surface, including the pub. But we still obtain our more unusual stock in trade from the dungeons."

She glanced once more at the portal and added:
"Monsters can't use it so it's perfectly safe. There's one on each level of the dungeon. Jones has said there were once at least forty levels, each with their own portals up and down. But the monsters get more dangerous the deeper you go, even if the treasures are more valuable."

She shrugged.
"It seems strange to me but I didn't grow up here. I suppose, seen objectively, it's no stranger than flowers having powers over your mind..."

Dr Jewel · Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2004 7:15 am Post subject:

"Flowers having powers over your mind?" Dr Jewel echoed. "Was that part of your world? Is there still a part of it here?"

Jones · Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2004 9:09 am Post subject:

"The Rose Garden" Juniper said nodding. "I lived there until Jones brought Jack to visit." A smile curved her lips, lessening her grave expression. "We were married on the dancing floor and Rose Briar chose the flowers that surrounded us."

"But that was a long time ago," she turned back to the doctors and asked: "Shall we set to work then? If you have everything you need?"

Dr Jewel · Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2004 10:13 am Post subject:

"I have what I need." Dr Jewel nodded.

She glanced around the rest of the cellar.

"I think I've seen something that could be the Rose Garden on the map." She said quietly. "Certainly the patch's symbol is a rose."

Dr. William T. Odom · Good Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 349 Location: The Museum

Mace and wands tucked under one arm, Dr. Odom Juggled his spectacles, notebook and pen until everything fell into place.

"Rose garden, rose garden, rose garden . . . Ah! There, just to the north."

Dr Jewel · Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 6:53 pm Post subject:

"Shall we take these back to the main bar?" Dr Jewel turned to Juniper. "Or would a different room be better?"

Jones · Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 6:59 pm Post subject:

"The main bar should be appropriate," Juniper agreed. "And we can keep watch better there than anywhere else."

She gestured for the others to precede her up the stairs and then locked the door carefully behind her, pocketing the key she had used. The group then made their way back towards the Public Bar.

ooc: the part-title of this thread now changes to Public Bar

Dr Jewel · Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 7:15 pm Post subject:

Dr Jewel deposited the weapon carefully on a table in the middle. She then moved a few paces away so that the others had room to put their own selections down. As she did so, Jewel looked around the bar again. It looked and sounded so different empty. Were it not for the howls and calls coming from outside, she could have almost believed it was an English country pub just after closing time.

Jewel's thoughts came back to the task in question and she turned to Dr Odom.

"I know a little about this sort of task." She said. "It comes up in my own line of work. Is there anything I can do to help?"

Dr. William T. Odom · Good Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 349 Location: The Museum

"There's really not much to it." Dr. Odom grabbed a couple of large pieces of split firewood to use as an improvised vise. "The biggest problem is figuring out whether the tang is threaded or whether the pommel is just knocked on (mph!) and how tightly (mph!!!) in either case. Then the rest just comes right off." Two skinned knuckles and a scraped wrist later the sword lay in four neat pieces on the bar.