Wizard (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
substitutiarylocomotion) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
ph_logs2025-09-19 06:21 pm
substitutiarylocomotion) wrote in ph_logs2025-09-19 06:21 pm
Breathe the Free Air Again | OTA
Who: Wizard (substitutiarylocomotion) & any interested parties.
What: A new toplevel to knock the dust-off after inactivity and a chance for Wizard to finally ply his services in the Arcanium and get some fresh air after all the Seemingly's climate kerfuffles.
When: Mid-September
Where: The Arcanium, Pinhole Printing and Binding, Blackberry Apothecary
Breathe the Free Air Again - OTA
The past month had been a trying one for Sylus. What was meant to be the time that he opened the doors of the Arcanium in-earnest instead saw the force of all four seasons unleashed upon the town. The onset of blistering heat alerted the Wizard that something unusual was afoot, and it soon became apparent that shopping was unlikely to be on anyone's to-do list when going outside at all could be a death sentence. Though interiors seemed to be spared the worst of the elemental wrath buffeting Pumpkin Hollow, the exterior of the Arcanium had only just been restored and neither he nor Sorceress intended to allow their magical sanctum to crumble under the concentrated force of the seasons. A stocked pantry meant they could subsist well enough in terms of food and supplies and Sorceress's alchemical abilities safeguarded them against the possibility that the madness lasted longer than anticipated, so the primary issue became protecting the building itself. A ward was able to erected over the Arcanium, raising just in-time to shield it from the whirlwinds that followed in the wake of the scorching temperatures, but did little to alleviate the climate catastrophes themselves. Faced with floods and freezes, the pair of enchanters had little choice but to bunker-down to ensure the arcane protection would remain strong enough to deal with whatever unexpected surprises might be next in the meteorological roulette. By the time normalcy returned to the town Wizard was quite ready for a change of scenery, and he fully expected that anyone else who’d spent the ordeal as he had would wholly agree.
The Arcanium had been Wizard's primary focus since arriving in Pumpkin Hollow and, loathe as he was to take to the "hermit in a tower" school of wizardry, he couldn't help but admit that providing a hub for all things magical was likely the most useful thing he could do in his unfamiliar new surroundings. Progress had been slow-but-steady, with more than a few strange happenings harrying his efforts, but the time had finally come to open the doors to his arcane emporium.
The interior of the Arcanium was a simultaneously organized and cluttered affair, rife with crammed shelves of books and writings on different magical properties by his partner and him, with countertop spaces littered with signs of different sorcerous undertakings. Those interested in purchasing something of a mystical nature can choose from a selection of different scrolls containing bound spells of various different strengths and utilitarian applications or can choose from a selection of assorted household items that have been ensorcelled for added convenience. Self-sweeping brooms, auto-transcription quills, and all manner of strange-but-helpful magical knickknacks can be found within the Arcanium's selection, but customers are also able to bring their own items for enchantment as well.
Disenchantment and curse-breaking services are offered as well, with a pamphlet by the door even offering home visits for such purposes, but it goes on to state that results will vary based on the strength of the offending spell. Though there is nothing in the way of alchemical ingredients for sale, given the prevalence of more specialized stores for such purposes, small vials of magically-imbued potions and tinctures are available for odder or more hyper-specific undertakings. A small curio at the back of the store holds a very limited selection of rings and amulets imbued with various helpful charms, while a roped-off set of stairs leads up towards the Arcanium's living quarters.
Wizard himself sits at a desk near the front door, looking back and forth from a stack of books and his own writings while humming contentedly. A series of candles and lanterns cast a warm glow over his workspace, but also bathe the entire entryway in the smell of warm lavender and beeswax. Engrossed as he is in his work he still maintains enough awareness to greet anyone who might enter, giving a simple "welcome" with only the most passing glances up from his desk.
By the nature of his profession Wizard had spent an inordinate amount of his life around books and literature when compared to the average person, so the sights and sounds of a bindery were not unfamiliar to him. Despite his level of experience, what he’d found within Pinhole Printing was unlike anything he’d seen before. Printing Presses existed where he’d come from, but only a few decades had passed since the very first prototype was unveiled and they were still devices considered to stand on the bleeding edge of technological advancement. Having even a single press could put a town on the map, elevating its scale of production to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with far larger operations, but they were expensive investments and had yet to be common sights outside large population centers. Seeing one here was both a surprise when compared to the woodblock printing he’d anticipated, but also not entirely unexpected given the other technological marvels he’d seen on display since arriving on Marrow Isle.
The dark wood that made up the shop’s interior lent itself well to matching the behemoth of a device that dominated the rear of the store but, despite the complimentary choices of woodwork, much of the bindery seemed to exist in a state of organized chaos - something that Sylus was all too familiar with. Being among the scent of fresh ink again was quite satisfying to him though, and he had come to greatly enjoy watching the press at-work since first discovering Gerard’s store. Filling enough volumes to stock the shelves of the Arcanium had meant getting more than a few books bound as well, but in all his visits he had yet to ask after the strange teal-haired figurine that stood in the shop window. Whether a mascot of the store, a curiosity from Gerard’s travels, or simply a good luck charm that he’d picked up at some point or another Sylus did not know, but her clothing and overall aesthetic certainly stood at odds with the rest of the bindery.
Whether perusing the choices of book covers for use in some new treatise on translocation, selecting font for some print or another, or simply enjoying observing the process, Wizard can be spotted loafing around the store’s front-room fairly easily.
Wizard was not unfamiliar with the idea of an apothecary, having been fueled by a variety of potions throughout much of his adventures, but such establishments had always been cloaked in a heady atmosphere of mysticism. Alchemists and mystics would brew potions with powerful effects and ply them to adventurers who were going into battle, with incense and dimmed-lighting seemingly coming part-and-parcel with the creation and selling of such things. The optimistic and matter-of-fact practicality of Blackberry Apothecary couldn’t have been further from those kinds of potion sellers, and instead presented the art of potion making with the kind of well=learned professionalism he would expect of a far more mundane occupation.
Culture shock as it had been first stepping into the the cheery, lavender-walled shop Wizard had grown quite reliant on the knowledge and resources Sally provided. The flora and fauna of Marrow Isle were a complete unknown to him, yet her knowledge allowed him to request draughts for specifics purposes as well as providing him relief from the aches and pains of his lengthy renovation project. Sourcing ingredients for those concoctions he intended to add an enchanted spin to in his own store would have been impossible without the Sally’s expertise as well, and meant Sylus had become a regular sight within the well-stocked shelves of the Apothecary.
Whether just window-shopping or dropping by to pick up a specific order, Wizard can be encountered fairly frequently among the tiled floors and marble counters of Blackberry Apothecary.
If the above prompts aren’t your style, or if you’ve got another location or idea in mind, feel free to ask for a custom starter! Wizard is much better acquainted with the island than before he arrived, so he’s actively getting around to quite a few locations now. If you’ve got something specific in-mind odds are it would be well within his circle of travel.
substitutiarylocomotion) & any interested parties. What: A new toplevel to knock the dust-off after inactivity and a chance for Wizard to finally ply his services in the Arcanium and get some fresh air after all the Seemingly's climate kerfuffles.
When: Mid-September
Where: The Arcanium, Pinhole Printing and Binding, Blackberry Apothecary
Breathe the Free Air Again - OTA
The past month had been a trying one for Sylus. What was meant to be the time that he opened the doors of the Arcanium in-earnest instead saw the force of all four seasons unleashed upon the town. The onset of blistering heat alerted the Wizard that something unusual was afoot, and it soon became apparent that shopping was unlikely to be on anyone's to-do list when going outside at all could be a death sentence. Though interiors seemed to be spared the worst of the elemental wrath buffeting Pumpkin Hollow, the exterior of the Arcanium had only just been restored and neither he nor Sorceress intended to allow their magical sanctum to crumble under the concentrated force of the seasons. A stocked pantry meant they could subsist well enough in terms of food and supplies and Sorceress's alchemical abilities safeguarded them against the possibility that the madness lasted longer than anticipated, so the primary issue became protecting the building itself. A ward was able to erected over the Arcanium, raising just in-time to shield it from the whirlwinds that followed in the wake of the scorching temperatures, but did little to alleviate the climate catastrophes themselves. Faced with floods and freezes, the pair of enchanters had little choice but to bunker-down to ensure the arcane protection would remain strong enough to deal with whatever unexpected surprises might be next in the meteorological roulette. By the time normalcy returned to the town Wizard was quite ready for a change of scenery, and he fully expected that anyone else who’d spent the ordeal as he had would wholly agree.
Grand Opening - The Arcanium
The Arcanium had been Wizard's primary focus since arriving in Pumpkin Hollow and, loathe as he was to take to the "hermit in a tower" school of wizardry, he couldn't help but admit that providing a hub for all things magical was likely the most useful thing he could do in his unfamiliar new surroundings. Progress had been slow-but-steady, with more than a few strange happenings harrying his efforts, but the time had finally come to open the doors to his arcane emporium.
The interior of the Arcanium was a simultaneously organized and cluttered affair, rife with crammed shelves of books and writings on different magical properties by his partner and him, with countertop spaces littered with signs of different sorcerous undertakings. Those interested in purchasing something of a mystical nature can choose from a selection of different scrolls containing bound spells of various different strengths and utilitarian applications or can choose from a selection of assorted household items that have been ensorcelled for added convenience. Self-sweeping brooms, auto-transcription quills, and all manner of strange-but-helpful magical knickknacks can be found within the Arcanium's selection, but customers are also able to bring their own items for enchantment as well.
Disenchantment and curse-breaking services are offered as well, with a pamphlet by the door even offering home visits for such purposes, but it goes on to state that results will vary based on the strength of the offending spell. Though there is nothing in the way of alchemical ingredients for sale, given the prevalence of more specialized stores for such purposes, small vials of magically-imbued potions and tinctures are available for odder or more hyper-specific undertakings. A small curio at the back of the store holds a very limited selection of rings and amulets imbued with various helpful charms, while a roped-off set of stairs leads up towards the Arcanium's living quarters.
Wizard himself sits at a desk near the front door, looking back and forth from a stack of books and his own writings while humming contentedly. A series of candles and lanterns cast a warm glow over his workspace, but also bathe the entire entryway in the smell of warm lavender and beeswax. Engrossed as he is in his work he still maintains enough awareness to greet anyone who might enter, giving a simple "welcome" with only the most passing glances up from his desk.
The Splendid Scent of Ink and Paper - Pinhole Printing and Binding
By the nature of his profession Wizard had spent an inordinate amount of his life around books and literature when compared to the average person, so the sights and sounds of a bindery were not unfamiliar to him. Despite his level of experience, what he’d found within Pinhole Printing was unlike anything he’d seen before. Printing Presses existed where he’d come from, but only a few decades had passed since the very first prototype was unveiled and they were still devices considered to stand on the bleeding edge of technological advancement. Having even a single press could put a town on the map, elevating its scale of production to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with far larger operations, but they were expensive investments and had yet to be common sights outside large population centers. Seeing one here was both a surprise when compared to the woodblock printing he’d anticipated, but also not entirely unexpected given the other technological marvels he’d seen on display since arriving on Marrow Isle.
The dark wood that made up the shop’s interior lent itself well to matching the behemoth of a device that dominated the rear of the store but, despite the complimentary choices of woodwork, much of the bindery seemed to exist in a state of organized chaos - something that Sylus was all too familiar with. Being among the scent of fresh ink again was quite satisfying to him though, and he had come to greatly enjoy watching the press at-work since first discovering Gerard’s store. Filling enough volumes to stock the shelves of the Arcanium had meant getting more than a few books bound as well, but in all his visits he had yet to ask after the strange teal-haired figurine that stood in the shop window. Whether a mascot of the store, a curiosity from Gerard’s travels, or simply a good luck charm that he’d picked up at some point or another Sylus did not know, but her clothing and overall aesthetic certainly stood at odds with the rest of the bindery.
Whether perusing the choices of book covers for use in some new treatise on translocation, selecting font for some print or another, or simply enjoying observing the process, Wizard can be spotted loafing around the store’s front-room fairly easily.
Wisdom is a Flower - Blackberry Apothecary
Wizard was not unfamiliar with the idea of an apothecary, having been fueled by a variety of potions throughout much of his adventures, but such establishments had always been cloaked in a heady atmosphere of mysticism. Alchemists and mystics would brew potions with powerful effects and ply them to adventurers who were going into battle, with incense and dimmed-lighting seemingly coming part-and-parcel with the creation and selling of such things. The optimistic and matter-of-fact practicality of Blackberry Apothecary couldn’t have been further from those kinds of potion sellers, and instead presented the art of potion making with the kind of well=learned professionalism he would expect of a far more mundane occupation.
Culture shock as it had been first stepping into the the cheery, lavender-walled shop Wizard had grown quite reliant on the knowledge and resources Sally provided. The flora and fauna of Marrow Isle were a complete unknown to him, yet her knowledge allowed him to request draughts for specifics purposes as well as providing him relief from the aches and pains of his lengthy renovation project. Sourcing ingredients for those concoctions he intended to add an enchanted spin to in his own store would have been impossible without the Sally’s expertise as well, and meant Sylus had become a regular sight within the well-stocked shelves of the Apothecary.
Whether just window-shopping or dropping by to pick up a specific order, Wizard can be encountered fairly frequently among the tiled floors and marble counters of Blackberry Apothecary.
Wildcard
If the above prompts aren’t your style, or if you’ve got another location or idea in mind, feel free to ask for a custom starter! Wizard is much better acquainted with the island than before he arrived, so he’s actively getting around to quite a few locations now. If you’ve got something specific in-mind odds are it would be well within his circle of travel.