"With pleasure. Did you cast the spell on it yourself?"

"I did," says Helas, briefly closing his eyes and opening them to look at Guilliame anew. "Ah, Master de Marchant, I did not know you had the gift. Where did you study? The School here?"

"Yes. I was discovered late. What spell did you use if you don't mind me asking."

Helas smiles, obviously chuffed at Guilliame's interest, and then says in an off-handed way, "Oh, it is just a ritual I learnt from a Gundian treatise I acquired. An intriguing little enchantment that translates to, uh... how shall I put it... 'Magic Mouth' in Sorendenese."

He then turns and looks at the portrait of himself that is part of the design of the sign before saying, "I must admit it was a little bit expensive to craft, but it is a permanent effect and so I am hoping it will pay for itself in the long run. Do you like it?"

[OOC: Hi Andrew. I have been working on my home brew rules and have developed a new feat call 'Literacy'. Most Stemians in Engle cannot read or write and therefore do not have this feat. However, most Sorendenese and certain classes, including Wizards, get this feat for free. As well and its normal advantages, Literacy also gives a character a half proficiency in Investigation because it allows the character to read written clues and also have extra knowledge based on their past reading. W regard to Guilliame, this means he now has a +3 to his Investigation check.]

"It's very impressive and I'm sure will attract customers."

OOC What if anything does Guilliame know about Gundian magick?

[OOC: Magic, as Guilliame was taught it at the School of Occult Studies, is heavily influenced by Sorendenese culture and religion. However, he was introduced to magick by Wamzut, and he has now acquired enough experience to realise that Wamzut's way of doing magic was very different to that taught at the School.

More than that, especially about Gundian magic, will require an Arcana check and/or possibly further research. For example, Guilliame knows that the new master at the School, Mistress Vidon and her apprentice are both from that country.

Please make an Arcana check.]

Helas is clearly pleased with Guilliame's comment and between the two of them, they attempt to hang the sign.

[OOC: This requires a Dexterity check from Helas, but it will be done at Advantage due to Guilliame's help.

Hela's Dexterity check:  19

This is a success, but Guilliame help is what made it easy. It become clear during the course of the exercise that Helas doesn't have any of the skills of a handy man.

]

"Thank you, Magus de Marchant" says Helas with a smile, once the sign is hung. "A man wanted to charge me a Constantine to do that. Clearly he was just a thief wearing a tool belt."

"That's the only way you can tell a thief from a tradesman."

Arcana check: 20

Helas looks a little confused for a moment and then gives a little laugh at Guilliame's joke. "Well said. Would you like a cup of caf, Magus de Marchant? It will take me but a little while to make some."

[OOC: The Gundians do not have a state religion as such and their country is run by a family of wizards that call themselves the Coloured Court, each sibling named after a particular colour. Under the rule of the Coloured Court, the country's approach to magic is more pragmatic and its use in society is less influenced by doctrine and mystery as it is in Engle. At least that is what Guilliame learnt from Wamzut in the time he was with the elderly wizard, who was himself taught magic at the Academy of Magic in Chamonix, the capital of Gunde.]

[OOC: One last thing that might have something to do with Gundian magic is that Wamzut seemed to cast his magic spells in a way that was very different to the ways the master in the School of Occult Studies do. Wamzut seemed to be able to cast spells with a lot less apparent effort and seem to need fewer components.]

"I would appreciate a cup. I am interested in Gundian magick. I was identified by a wizard who had Gundian training, but I learnt mostly at the school. Did you know Wamzut?"

Helas thinks for a moment before saying, "An unusual name—not Gundian, at least not one I have heard before—but it does ring a faint bell." He then gestures for Guilliame to follow him into the shop.

The shop is full of bookcases and shelves full of a variety of books, scrolls, maps and a few small artworks. The items on display are not in any discernible order, but the place is clean and well aired.

Halfway towards the counter at the back of the room, Helas suddenly stops and, with one finger raised, says, "I know where I remember that name from. It is on the board of benefactors for the School. I remember it being put on there while I was a student."

[OOC: FYI, Velma said the same thing here.

If you want Guilliame to take a general look around the shop while Helas prepares the caf, please make a Perception check for him. If you would like him to look for something specific, please state what it is he is looking for and then roll an Investigation check at Disadvantage.]

General look around: 12

Helas continues on through a doorway with a beaded curtain at the back of the shop while Guilliame begins to explore the shop.

Overall, the bookstore has a nice feel to it. Most of the books have titles in Sorendenese but there are also books with titles in languages that Guilliame doesn't recognise at all. And, if there is some order to the placement of the various books, then it is using a methodology that Guilliame cannot easily see.

Then, much to his surprise, Guilliame finds what appears to be a rat sleeping in one of the corners furthest from the entrance.

Do a See the arcane.

The rat stays blissfully asleep as Guilliame uses his mage sight on it and sees that it glows magically in the same way that the cat he saw in Brassman's residence did.

"Do you mind reheated caf?" calls Helas from behind the beaded curtain. "Or would you like me to make a new pot?"

[OOC: Make an Arcana check for Guilliame please.]

18

"Reheated is fine. Thank you."

[OOC: Hi Andrew. Guilliame's Arcana bonus is +3. Also, the result showing on my screen (i.e., "9") is not the same as the actual roll plus bonus, which is "4 + 2" and is revealed if you hover over the number. I think D&D Beyond had small glitch with this roll, so please roll again with a bonus of +3 to see if it fixes itself.]

21

[OOC: Thanks Andrew. That seems to have worked okay.

You might remember that Basilly declared that the cat in Brassman's residence was a familiar spirit (see here) and that their summoning was against Mithran doctrine.

Guilliame would also remember something Dora said regarding rats in bookstores to him recently (see here).

Finally, Guilliame would remember Archmagus Black giving a talk about familiar spirits and explaining that this was a magick that was not taught at the school because it was deemed to be dealing with extraplanar creatures, which the temple does not condoned and adding in that none of the masters of the school have familiars.

What is Guilliame going to do now.]