Shopping spree
I was able to understand how to operate the spatial mage's portal system after a short explanation and demonstration from Tony. Through various combinations of the levers nearby, I could access different portals that the guild had established. The majority of them were located in villages, towns, and cities across the world.
Luckily, the combinations and their corresponding destinations were listed on a nearby reference poster. After looking up the right combination for Iskarii, I set the levers accordingly and stepped through the portal. Arriving in the heart of the empire allowed me to gain a further understanding of this world's technological development.
A single mage was sitting on the other side and sat on guard duty while looking extremely bored. He only glanced up for a moment, before realizing it was still safe and snoozing off again. I exited the small home and the first thing I noticed was that all of the streets had been constructed from paved stones. Fist-sized pieces of cobblestone were suspended in some kind of mortar, which caused a steady rhythm of clopping sounds from any passing animal-driven carts.
People passed to and fro, moving deftly to avoid getting crushed by any approaching carriages, whenever one happened to come by. My attention drifted to the lampposts that appeared to be made of gold at first glance. Moving closer to inspect one, I discovered that it was actually something similar to a shiny brass alloy. The lamp itself wasn't powered by an amazing artifact, there was only a simple candle contained inside.
With it still being light out, I was unable to discover how the city lit them, at least for now. Continuing to take in the sights and sounds of the city, I casually strolled through the residential side street towards the bustling market district. I observed the many different citizens, as I navigated past the stalls peddling more common wares. Their clothing, complexions, and conversations revealed a strong, well-fed, and content populace.
Passing through the mundane shops located beyond the stalls, I finally located something which caught my eye. A simple wooden sign was swinging above a shop that had a decent amount of foot-traffic coming in and out. The words 'Spice Shop' were carved into the sign and it was decorated with the image of peppercorns nestled next to a wooden spice grinder.
This was one of the things I had been searching for!
Entering the shop revealed it's cozy and well-lit interior. Several baskets of prepared peppers and spices adorned the counters and shelves throughout the store. The affluent customers had their servants handle the shopping, while the poorer customers could be seen negotiating fiercely over small handfuls of spice.
Multiple counters were staffed by employees who's age ran the gamut. The only unifying factors seemed to be a clean-cut appearance and deep knowledge of the relevant items at their respective counter. A young and impeccably well-dressed man could been seen flitting from counter to counter. I surmised that he must have been the owner or manager, as he was able to solve the customer's disputes quickly and efficiently.
After a few moments of observing the smoothly running business, I was approached by one of the staff members. A young woman with a short stature and braided blonde hair had stepped out from behind a counter that seemed deserted. She called out to me with a sweet voice and ushered me over to her counter.
"Welcome to the Spice Shop, where food meets flavor! How can I help you today?"
Glancing at her counter as I was coerced over, I couldn't help but feel a little sorry for her. It seems she'd somehow been assigned to the section for Habanero chili peppers, which were known for their potent heat and probably only sold in small quantities. Once we reached the counter I asked for more information.
"It's my first time here. Tell me about the products and prices you offer."
The young woman was very professional and quickly launched into a sales pitch that she must have given many times before.
"The Spice Shop specializes in selling plant-based non-herb materials for flavoring and preserving food. We offer many different seeds, peppers, and even bark that can be used to enhance and compliment many styles of cooking. How much was mister looking to spend today? I can recommend something for any budget! Our commission-based sales system ensures that we always keep your best interest in mind."
I didn't want to attract too much attention yet, so I casually responded that I would be purchasing several plants worth of product. The young attendants eyes went wide with skepticism. I'd forgotten that I wasn't carrying a pouch on me. She coughed nervously before replying in a neutral manner.
"Excuse me for saying this.. but the plants themselves are several times more expensive than the products they produce. I noticed that sir didn't bring a money pouch? Could I recommend something a bit more affordable?"
With a slight bend of my waist, I reached down to retrieve one of the wicker baskets that customers used to place their purchases in. Doing my best to remain discrete, I used my ghost dragon hand to fill it to the brim with gold coins. When I backed away and hefted the basket onto the counter it caused the sales associates eyes to widen. She clutched her chest and almost fell over from the sheer shock of seeing so much money.
After recovering from the shock, she thanked me profusely over and over again with tears streaming down her face. The owner had noticed the commission and come over with a glass of water for the young saleslady. He was in the midst of scolding her when he stopped mid-sentence.
"Anna, how many times have I told you not to touch your face after handling the-"
When he caught sight of the large basket full of golden coins, the owner had quickly figured out what happened. He calmed the young girl down and moved swiftly to take over the transaction, as if he was afraid that the basket would spring wings and fly away somehow. Introducing himself, he kept me occupied while another salesperson went to retrieve my requested plants.
"I'm Sam, the owner, and I appreciate your patronage good sir! Please forgive Anna's earlier outburst.. the poor girl's mother has recently fallen ill and she's been struggling to afford medication and treatment. I believe she was just overwhelmed, as the commission will be enough to move her entire family out of the slums."
Chatting with the owner for a bit longer, I promised to bring him some high quality spice plants the next time I returned to the imperial capital. When the plants I'd requested were brought back I exchanged several baskets worth of gold for them. Each of them would pay for themselves once integrated into my spatial world. After the transaction, I took them to a nearby alleyway and absorbed them all.
[Material analyzed:
Name: Piper Nigrum
Type: Plant, perennial vine
Rating: Level 1
Description: A flowering vine which is cultivated for it's fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning, known as a peppercorn. One of the most common and traded spices around the world. Dried ground pepper has been used since antiquity both for its flavor and as a traditional medicine. Often referred to as black pepper.]
[Material analyzed:
Name: Habanero
Type: Plant, perennial flowering
Rating: Level 2
Description: A hot variety of chili pepper that is often used in hot sauces and spicy foods. This plant originates from deep within a tropical rainforest, where it thrives on the hot weather and frequent rain. Habanero peppers are usually rated 100,000–350,000 on the Scoville scale.]
[Material analyzed:
Name: Syzygium Aromaticum
Type: Tree, evergreen
Rating: Level 1
Description: An evergreen tree that grows up to 8-12 meters tall, with large leaves and crimson flowers grouped in terminal clusters. The aromatic flower buds that are harvested and dried from these trees are often referred to as Cloves. They are often used to lend flavor to meats, curries, and marinades.]
[Material analyzed:
Name: Myristica Fragrans
Type: Tree, evergreen
Rating: Level 1
Description: An evergreen tree that is grown as the main source of the spices Nutmeg and Mace. This tree grows widely across tropical regions. It usually grows up to 5–15 meters but larger specimens have been observed. Smooth yellow ovoid or pear-shaped fruits with a fleshy husk are produced and split in half when ripe. The seed is the source of Nutmeg, the aril the source of Mace.]
[Material analyzed:
Name: Cuminum Cyminum
Type: Plant, flowering
Rating: Level 1
Description: A flowering plant that is grown for it's dried seeds. Cumin is a drought-tolerant, tropical, or subtropical crop that is best suited for Mediterranean climates. The seed is often used as a spice for it's distinctive flavor and aroma. They can be used ground or as whole seeds, imparting an earthy, warming and aromatic character to food.]
[Material analyzed:
Name: Capsicum Annuum (Jalapeño)
Type: Plant, perennial flowering
Rating: Level 1
Description: A medium-sized chili pepper pod type cultivar. The peppers are commonly picked and consumed while still green. They're occasionally allowed to fully ripen and turn red, orange, or yellow. Compared to other chilies, the jalapeño heat level varies from mild to hot depending on cultivation and preparation and can have from a few thousand to over 10,000 Scoville heat units.]
Satisfied with my gains, I made my way back to the portal with a spring in my step. A half-dozen new spices would expand my culinary options even further. I was excited to visit my spatial world and ensure they were integrated immediately. My trip to see the emperor would have to wait!
----------------------
Stretching out on a comfortable bed, I awoke to greet the early morning sun and prepare breakfast for the various people in the lodge. In order to save time, I prepared something that would be hearty, delicious, and most importantly portable for eating on the go.
Breakfast burritos!
Summoning up the necessary ingredients, I was able to prepare a large number of them, as the smell of cooking food gently permeated throughout the lodge. The assorted guards and merchants had assembled due to the smell and watched with curiosity.
I used both a corn and wheat tortilla to wrap multiple ingredients into the burritos. Egg, potato, ham, bacon, and thinly sliced brown mushrooms were used for the filling. The double tortilla wrapping would help to keep them nice and warm during the march forward. It should also help prevent any spillage.
After everyone had grabbed a burrito, I packed up the entire lodge and we resumed our journey towards the merchant convoy's destination. The rest of the journey to the town of Woodford was uneventful. We followed the meandering road as it twisted and turned through the less dense parts of the forest.
During the march everyone ate and talked, getting to know one another better. If there were any bandit groups or wild animals along the way, they must have been scared off by the size of our convoy, not to mention the fact that we now had multiple groups of armed guards with us.
While conversing with the traders, I took the chance to ask them more about our destination, hoping to find out if there was anything special or unique there.
"Can you tell me a little more about Woodford?"
The grateful traders were more than happy to answer my question.
"The town itself is remarkably average, however, there is one store that draws in traders from across the empire. The 'Tea House' is one of the most well-known and major sources of herbs in the surrounding region. They specialize in high quality tea plants that are sold and shipped throughout the nearby kingdoms."
Interested in knowing more, I asked for additional information.
"Is that all they sell? Tea plants?"
With a guffaw, the merchant continued to tell me about this store which had piqued my interest.
"Heavens no! They also sell herbs and fruit that can be used to flavor tea. There's a small green plant that offers a cool refreshing sensation, a green citrus fruit used in certain tea blends, and even an orchid that produces fragrant little pods."
Thanking the merchant for the information, I continued to make small talk until we arrived at our destination a few hours later. The town of Woodford was cozy and quaint, with most of the buildings having been constructed from the nearby forest trees. Having arrived safely, the merchants thanked us for the escort and proceeded on their way to trade their goods.
Once they had departed, we resumed our journey to the town's church building. According to the bishop, we'd stay here for a day or two before pressing on. I agreed with the plan and separated from the group with my sun guard. It was time to explore this town and see what it had to offer me.
Checking on the market offerings confirmed that the town was as remarkable as it was reported to be. The durable and common goods did little to excite and interest me. From the look it, many things had been designed and constructed with a 'no-frills' approach. I didn't hold it against them, as the town seemed to primarily export high quality wood from the nearby forest.
Trekking through the rest of the town, I finally reached the shop that interested me earlier during my conversation with the merchant. A large tree had been hollowed out into a storefront. Several distinct and familiar fragrances wafted along the breeze from the nearby fields. A small open-air veranda had been attached, where customers sat and drank fresh tea.
A relaxing and calming atmosphere permeated the nearby area. I closed my eyes and took in the various scents, attempting to discern them individually. Tea was obviously present, being the strongest and most prevalent smell. However, there were a few other smells that mingled covertly behind that scent.
I strained my senses and memory to recall what they were. The cool and distinct smell of mint was there but I couldn't tell what kind. Sniffing again, I caught a distinct whiff of vanilla! There was nothing else like it. Finally, there was a bright citrus smell that I couldn't quite place.
Opening my eyes, I examined the storefront in greater detail. The round doorway was cut directly into the tree, above which the words 'Tea House' had been expertly carved. Tea leaves in various stages of preparation had been carved into the sign to accompany the letters. Baskets had been tastefully arranged to highlight and display the tea leaves for sale.
Customers sat on the veranda and ordered different flavored tea drinks. It must have been good stuff, as even the rough looking lumberjacks would adopt a serene look when they sipped the hot beverages. Some had chosen to enjoy the experience alone, while other customers sat in pairs or groups.
Eager to see what was available, I entered the storefront with my sun guard following behind like an entourage. When the shopkeeper noticed my robes and the large party behind me, he did a double take. He quickly dropped what he was doing and made his way over to greet us.
"Welcome to the Tea House, how can I help you today?"
Already informed of my intentions, the sun guard who'd been holding onto my money bag set it onto the counter for me. As the large bag produced a distinctive clinking sound, I addressed the shopkeeper who was giving me his full attention at this point.
"I'd like to make a large purchase of several types of trees and plants."
----------------------
My crew woke me up the next morning, once the villagers had moved their things onto the ocean liner. With the entire village packed up everyone was ready to go. Before we departed though, I absorbed a bit of the coastline and the abandoned fishing village. There was no reason to leave behind perfectly good buildings and now we'd have our own private beach.
The exposed ground left behind had looked a little strange but I figured that the ocean would push some of the nearby sand over eventually. With everything taken care, the fleet pushed off together, as the galleon, ocean liner, and several sloop ships sailed away in the direction of the Black Dagger pirate's hideout.
During the trip, we kept in constant communication with the villagers, as they described the nearby waters and helped us navigate. Thanks to their guidance, we were able to maintain a steady course and make excellent time. According to the directions I'd received, it would take a few days to reach their pirate stronghold.
On our way from the coast, we were lucky to run into a small kelp forest, which the villagers had directed us to. During times where the fishing had been scarce, they'd been able to survive by eating the dried kelp harvested from the nearby area. Interested in acquiring the unique environment, I ordered the fleet to drop anchor.
Utilizing similar tactics that I previously employed with the coral reef, I was able to absorb several large kelp plants into the spatial world.
[Material analyzed:
Name: Macrocystis pyrifera (Giant Kelp)
Type: Brown algae
Rating: Level 1
Description: Giant kelp are known as the largest of all algae. Individual algae may grow to more than 45 metres (150 feet) long at a rate of as much as 60 cm (2 ft) per day. Giant kelp grows in dense stands known as kelp forests, which are home to many marine animals that depend on the algae for food or shelter. It can be used directly as food and is rich in iodine, potassium, and other minerals.]
Due to the kelp being one of the fastest growing organisms, I only needed to take a few of them into the spatial world to 'seed' a forest. With a stable environment they would proliferate and grow like crazy. Before long, we'd have a renewable food source and yet another source of biodiversity. I made sure to absorb some of the nearby ocean water as well, just in case there was something specific for the kelp.
Swimming back to the ships, I boarded the galleon and gave the order for everyone to set sail again. Continuing our journey, we made our way over to a small archipelago of uninhabited tropical islands. The villagers had informed me that the islands were too small to support even a small village, however, I still wanted to check them out.
Upon arriving at the islands, I confirmed that they were quite small and uninhabited. While sending my crew out to inspect them, I started the process of absorbing the first island. It was a good thing that we were still in a relatively shallow part of the ocean. It didn't take long but there were several more tiny islands in the archipelago.
Breaking for lunch, I set some food out for the villagers and my crew while listening to their scouting reports. The only things of interest were two of the islands. One of them was reported to have pockets of black sand throughout, while the other was reported to have tropical plants with large spiky fruits growing on them.
Leaving my crew to finish up their meals, I headed out according to their directions towards the islands they'd mentioned. I took the same group of emerald crabs with me, just in case anything tried to attack me in the ocean. I'd seen several dangerous looking creatures and wanted to be safer rather than sorry.
Reaching the first island, I noted the multiple patches of black sand that were visible throughout. Curious as to what it was, I absorbed a large portion into the system to discover more information.
[Material analyzed:
Name: Titanium
Type: Metal, transition
Rating: Level 4
Description: A lustrous transition metal with a silver color, low density, and high strength. Titanium is resistant to corrosion in sea water, aqua regia, and chlorine. Titanium can be alloyed with iron, aluminum, vanadium, and molybdenum, among other elements, to produce strong, lightweight alloys. The two most useful properties of the metal are corrosion resistance and strength-to-density ratio, the highest of any metallic element.]
Access to titanium would improve the alloys used by the system for weapons and armor. Not only could we improve the strength but we could reduce the weight of several things. This would also allow for corrosion resistant ship plating that was much more lightweight. Wanting to capture as much of this valuable resource as possible, I absorbed the entire island down to the sea bed.
Confirming that I'd absorbed all of the precious titanium, I paddled over to the second island that had been mentioned. Upon arrival, I discovered several plants with a familiar fruit budding. I absorbed them into the spatial world as well, since I knew that they'd be a big hit with everyone.
[Material analyzed:
Name: Ananas comosus (Pineapple)
Type: Plant, herbaceous perennial
Rating: Level 2
Description: A tropical plant with an edible multiple fruit consisting of coalesced berries, also called pineapples or ananas. In appearance, the plant has a short, stocky stem with tough, waxy leaves. Once it flowers, the individual fruits of the flowers join together to create what is commonly referred to as a pineapple. The flesh and juice of the pineapple are used in many cuisines around the world.]
My mouth watered at the thought of some pineapple slices and baked ham. Absentmindedly, I absorbed the entire uninhabited island, taking all of the pineapple plants into my spatial world. Once that had been completed, I moved on the remaining few islands that contained little more than shrubs and sand.
By the time I finished gobbling up the entire chain of small islands an entire day had passed. Tuckered out by all the swimming around and absorption, I decided to take a nap, while the crew watched over the fleet and continued our journey. Hopefully, by the time that I woke up, we'd have reached the Black Dagger pirate coves.
I was going to show them that this sea wasn't big enough for the both of us!