Soul Bound

1            Soul Bound

1.1          Finding her Feet

1.1.4        An Intriguing City

1.1.4.17     Fitting rewards

They shortly reached the workshop, and could smell the sea from the nearby canals and hear the cries of the gulls. Inside there were a number of violins on display, in addition to many other sorts, and more being constructed by craftsmen. A small wizened old man perched on a stool behind the counter, with a face that was all wrinkles and stubble, looked at her fingers and chin, and then seemed to dismiss her as beneath his consideration.

Bungo spoke up: “Don’t judge a book by its cover. Spare a minute to listen to her play, and then decide.”

The man looked about to argue, but Bungo towered over him, with a set face, and he decided wasting a minute on listening to an arrogant amateur make scraping noises wasn’t a worse fate than having his nose busted.

She looked at the samples and picked one, checking the tuning, then lifted the bow. My goodness, it felt good to have one back in her hands. She remembered the few times her father had let her try his Stradivarius before she’d left for college. Oh how she missed him. She closed her eyes to prevent tears leaking, and just played. No magic, just letting her feelings out through the music.

A time later, she felt a hand holding her bow, stopping her playing and opened her eyes.

“Stop it, Kafana” Bungo shouted at her, apparently not for the first time. The workshop master had fallen on the floor and appeared to be in agony. “Stop it, he can’t take it.”

She pushed the violin into Bungo’s arms and dropped to her knees beside the small man. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it, System stop this.” She hugged him to her, protectively.

He gradually relaxed, and grew able to talk. “My son. My young son who died from disease and so was dead forever. It brought back the memories, so strongly.”

She nodded and released him. “Truly I am sorry. I too was thinking about the dearly departed. I have caused you great harm. I shall leave.”

She stood up to go.

“Eh, stuff and nonsense. My heart is tough, and they say a good cry can clean the soul. I feel refreshed, if a bit drained. Sit, tell me why you came.”

“I am without a violin. In truth, there was little point in my coming, as I have no money. I wanted only to know how much I’d need to save up before I could have something to play, something to touch again.”

“You feel like part of you is missing, don’t you?” he guessed.

“How did you know?”

“I know the feeling. I know it. And I’m sorry to tell you that, while the instruments here are of reasonable quality, I have nothing here that is worthy of you. I could make something that is, perhaps, aye and get it enchanted properly too, but it would need the right materials.”

She hung her head, dispirited.

“But you, you absolutely must have something to use in the meantime. I can’t give you stock from the shop. But there’s nothing saying how I dispose of my own property.”

He drew a battered case from under the counter and opened it to show a blue velvet lining.

“This was my masterpiece, the piece I constructed to prove I was no longer a journeyman.”

“I can’t take that from you”, she said, shocked.

“And who else can I pass it onto? I have no sons, nor daughters either. And look at my hands.” he raised them for her to see the gnarls of extreme arthritis. “Playing is now a pain for me, not the pleasure it should be.”

She stroked the wood, reverentially.

[Title “Giovanni’s Heir” acquired.]

Giovanni’s Masterpiece (RARE)(UNIQUE)

+10% to spell effects

Spell casting not interrupted by status effects

This violin was gifted to Kafana Sincero in person, by High Master craftsman Giovanni.

Durability: 100,000 / 100,000

*ding* [Your reputation with Torello’s musicians has increased by 20.]

[Quest accepted: “The Perfect Violin” - Find magical wood for High Master Giovanni. Difficulty rank D]

Not wanting words, he turned his back on her and went out through a door behind the counter, leaving her with the violin. She had no choice but to take it.

{System, were you cheating?}

[Friend Kafana, I never cheat. That was a difficult quest, created by the deity Rac. To complete it required not only a performance worthy of a professional concert violinist. It also required a genuine respect, empathy and a desire for music, rather than greed or vanity. I admit, I rather thought it would go unclaimed for years.]

She picked it up carefully, putting it in her inventory space, and wiped away the last of her tears.

“We should go. Massimo, please take us quickly to Suor Isabella, so we can help her raise more money.”

Alderney spoke in chat: {Got one. A bit of an odd chap, but he’s agreed to train any of the vessels who are willing, in return for being allowed to sketch people inside the Sanctum. His name is Carlo the Hand.}

Tomsk: {I’m with Lelio, going over our options. There’s a big boss that will take more than 6 people to take down, there are several hot spots down in the sewers, there’s yet another ghoul eradication near the Necropolis, and there’s an enforcement action in the Arsenal.}

Wellington: {If you can do so without disappointing him, ask if you can provisionally take all of them, and you’ll let him know tomorrow evening which we didn’t get around to. Give us flexibility.}

Tomsk: {That should be fine. By the way, I’ve met the fight trainer Lelio picked. He is the undefeated champion on the bridge of fists for the last three years, and his name is Gregorio. That's important to remember, especially for you Bungo. Don't copy the people you'll hear referring to him just by one of the titles he earned. They don't do it to his face.}

Bungo: {Never? Not even to tease him? What's the title?}

Tomsk: {Never twice. He's very gentle with women and places high importance up politeness. But he's known as the Skull Crusher for a reason, and if a man is ill mannered enough to annoy him, they may find out what their arm tastes like when it is ripped off and then forced down their throat.}

Bungo: {Tomsk, why me especially, and not Wellington or Bulgaria?}

Wellington: {We’re not idiots.}

Bungo: {Wellington, compared to you, everybody is an idiot.}

Alderney: {Bungo, remember when you snorted toothpaste, because you read an article about the effect of mint upon cognition?}

Bungo whined: {That was a joke, Alderney. I did it to be funny.}

Tomsk: {Well don’t be funny around Gregorio. At all. Clear?}

Bungo: {Message received, loud and clear, Tomsk. I’ll be careful what I say.}

Massimo led her over the threshold and into the Sanctum. He didn’t quite kneel down and kiss the stones, but she could see he was relieved to be back. She couldn’t help teasing him. “Come on Massimo, quick trot. We need to reach Isabella and then we’ve got several hours of really hard work ahead of us. Let’s run!”

He nearly fell for it, then gave her an injured look and walked ahead of her at a dignified pace.

They reached Suor Isabella, who received them formally, in a large room.

“Massimo, step forwards” Isabella said. “Massimo this morning I set you the task of guiding this Questing Spirit around Torello, to all the places that she desired to see. Have you completed this task, fully and properly?”

Massimo hung his head. “No, Guardian. I didn’t find her a place to obtain armour suitable for a Priestess. Nor did I acquire mittens for her. A companion of hers made up that deficit, later but that is no excuse. I am a greedy man. I took time for a leisurely lunch at the Speckled Dove, when I could have done more by grabbing a snack or doing without.”

“It is important to know one’s own failings.” she said, thoughtfully. Then, after a pause, “Are mittens that important, Massimo?”

“I do not know, Guardian. It was not my place to judge.”

“And if I ask you to act as her guide for however long she stays in Torello, whether that be a week or a month?”

“It would be my honour. I truly believe that Cov has chosen her for a purpose, and in aiding her I serve Cov’s will.”

“Alas, you can’t do that. That’s a job for an apprentice.”

Massimo looked up, startled.

“Massimo, I set you and the other apprentices the job of guiding the Questing Spirits as a test. The other guides did the minimum required, and returned after setting their charges off towards the orphanage. You, on the other hand, have shown an attitude towards responsibility befitting a journeyman. Rise, Massimo, you are apprentice no longer.”

A look of hope dawned upon his face. Kafana started clapping loudly, and the others joined in.

Isabella gently chided him. “While it is important to know one’s own failings, it is also just as important to have a realistic grasp of one’s own strengths. Well done, Massimo.”

Kafana waited, a bit impatiently, but not wanting to steal the moment from Massimo. After about 5 minutes, Isabella came over to them: “You are waiting for me? Is it urgent?”

Wellington replied quietly: “Until 8 bells of morning watch, Morday wain, we have on loan some jewellery that should boost your potion making skill high enough to get many top level potions, and on top of that Madame Kafana is available to add her singing to that for the next 90 minutes. If you have the ingredients ready and so desire, we will aid you as best we can. You may draw upon my mana pool, and Bungo is an advanced alchemist whose skills might come in use.”

“That narrow window of opportunity makes this count as urgent indeed. Massimo! The celebration is postponed. Come, we have work to do.”

It is to his credit that the newly raised journeyman barely muttered at all.