[9.z Spoilers] Magic Item Identification
Author: Wildbow

[9.z Spoilers] Magic Item Identification | Pale

“Can we bleed Avery’s little sister?” Verona asked.

“Having spent some time around Kerry, I think she’s drawn blood more than your average person,” Lucy said.

Nicolette was laying out flower petals.  “If it helps, convention suggests that it’s about bleeding a ‘drop’.  If it stays on the surface of the skin or gets wiped away first, they’re still a virgin for the purposes of practice.  If it hits the ground, you’re out of luck.”

“I’m pretty sure Avery’s kid sister has made blood spatter on the ground,” Lucy said.

“Yeah,” Verona echoed.

“Anyway, point is, that’s how you draw blood for use without contradicting the definition of the virgin in the process.  Don’t spill while you’re drawing the blood or you’ll ruin your virgin.”

“If you’re going to ruin-” Verona said, at the same time Liberty chimed in with, “There are funner-”

They looked at one another and laughed.

“Are you taking those notes you said you’d take?”

“Absolutely.”

“I’ve got some diagrams copied out of a text on Collections, they’re very basic.  I think an actual collector would have something specialized.  Then they’d commit to it.”

“Combat, prices, finesse, longevity…”

“Every collector will use a different system but they’ll refer to things like this or item ‘colors’ as a shorthand among other collectors, and they like numbering items because numbers have power and make sorting out items really easy.  Some use tarot or card suits, others use other ways of measuring.  However you organize, there’s power in the organization.”

“A good excuse to tidy my room,” Fernanda said.

“I could walk you through all of this but that’s a whole afternoon lesson and I’d only scratch the surface,” Nicolette told them.  “I recommend getting in the habit.  The more you do it and the more systems you have you can go through, the easier it gets.  Some things like the circular objects or the collector diagram won’t work for everything, so have multiple systems.  Let’s start with the simplest and most straightforward item you want to identify.”

“We already sort of know what it does,” Verona said.

“That’s perfect.  You start out a lie detector test by asking questions to calibrate the subject’s responses.  Similar idea here.”

Verona took a picture of the knife with her phone, which was now useless for phone calls, then picked it back up and put it away.  “Lifelines?  Is there a way to measure those?”

Nicolette shook her head.  “No.  There’s a system for coup and claim and measuring length and firmness of ownership, but it’s not something I’ve paid a lot of attention to, sorry.”

“I know some of those things,” Fernanda said.

“Fernanda focuses on connections and her older brother, my old ‘master’, Chase, was really good at using them to find and track people.  Normally I wouldn’t get sent to go find a lost item or person.  That’d be Chase.  I suppose I should start learning.”

“Can I teach you?” Fernanda asked.

“Please,” Nicolette said.

Liberty bent down and looked at the knife.  “It’s not a combat item?”

“No.  I think it could be.  If the item grew or got more power the nature might flow that way,” Nicolette said.  “I don’t know why, though.  Too weak, different priorities?  Zed?  You work with material objects and tools a lot.”

“It could be that it was used as a tool more than it was as a weapon,” Zed said.  “Simple, boring answer.”

“I think that was your mistake, previous owner,” Liberty said.  “Start by stabbing things.”

“Stumped?” Zed asked.

“I’m glad I’m warming up with all of this before Jude’s family shows up.  How are we doing for time?”

Verona looked over.  “Doing okay.  They’re going over everything first.  Tymon has a familiar so he’s helping.”

“Any ideas?” Nicolette asked Zed.

“No.  Man, no, no idea.”

“Let’s go over what we know…”

Lucy tore the paper with the rune on it, making the fog dissipate.  Verona took a picture of the watch on the floor and then put her phone away.  Some Lost were hanging out and sitting on steps by the side of the archway, watching with amused expressions.  Non-hostile, apparently.

Liberty, who was supposed to be standing guard as a just-in-case, was juggling Cherrypop and Peckersnot, badly.  She seemed more focused on chucking them higher than on catching them with confidence.  They were having a grand time, apparently, flipping head over heels.  Snowdrop kept flinching and moving like she’d run and catch them if Liberty wasn’t going to.

“Interesting note,” Lucy said, looking over Verona’s shoulder.

“I think we found everything but I can picture, like, five people, all tied to a realm, bringing items tied to that realm, and making their camp more… rainy?  Foggy?  I dunno.  More like home, with these five hypothetical pillars.”

“Six if you count the two knives.”

“Well, sure.  You want to go ask Ave for that pin Ken gave her?  We could do the rope but it’s getting a bit redundant.”

“Everything okay?” Zed asked.

“Not sure.  Can we use the scales, Nicolette?”

“Let me.  It’s sensitive and you might mess up the readings.”

“Is it because Verona’s a future convict?” Lucy asked.

“Hey.”

“It’s a delicate instrument.  What do you want to measure?”

“There’s a few odd things in here,” Verona mused, going over the list.

“Huh,” Lucy said.

“I like the dark fall glamour.  Why’s it bad?  Is it cursed?”

“It could be something else,” Nicolette said.  “An item can be good or useful for you but carry bad influences or sentiments because of what it is…”

“Like the thorn’s ambient badness?”

“Yeah.”

“Does straight dark glamour tend to carry bad sentiment like that?”

“No,” Fernanda said.

“Alright then,” Verona said.  “How am I supposed to do my dark and badass transformations without dark glamour?”

“You might have to deal, Ronnie.”

“What’s next, then?”

Verona’s pen scribbled in the notebook.  She wished she could use the feather quill for style points.

“Are we done?” Nicolette asked.

“Can I?” Liberty asked.  “Goblins can become items.  I’m curious about these guys.”

“Yes, yes!” Cherrypop cheered.  She sat on Liberty’s shoulder.  “I was such a stabby fork!”

“I don’t know,” Nicolette said.

“One of you two, quick, first one to make me laugh,” Liberty said.

Cherrypop looked around, frantic.

Peckersnot bent over, spread his butt cheeks, and mooned Liberty, full confidence.

“It’s the tiniest asterisk,” Verona said.

Liberty smirked.

Cherrypop pulled her hair, looking around.  “I know jokes!”

“Tell one!” Liberty encouraged her.

“I can’t think of one!  My brain isn’t working!  Augh!”

“It’s kind of funny, at least?” Lucy asked.  “Her freaking out.”

“It’s sad,” Liberty said.  “Come on, Cherry!”

“Augh!”

Peckersnot turned and aimed his butthole at Cherrypop, which produced a laugh from Liberty, which horrified Cherrypop further.  She threw herself at Peckersnot, tackling him to the ground.

“I temporarily bind you, Peckersnot, until you wish to be free.  Take your weapon form, little goblin,” Liberty said.

Peckersnot became a scratched up water pistol.  Cherrypop kicked the scuffed plastic repeatedly until Liberty picked it up.

“Water pistol?” Nicolette asked.

“This isn’t water,” Liberty said.  Cherrypop hugged her ankle.  She investigated the gun, peering at it from different angles.  “One shot, useful, can do a lot of things with slime.  Let’s see those scales…”

“Don’t touch- Liberty, seriously, if you get not-water on my things I’m going to curse you.  I need that for work.”

“I’m just going to-”

“Don’t.  Permission not given.”

“If I can slide by you, a full check-up by me would make this little guy’s day.  Think of how happy he’ll be!”

“Permission.  Not.  Given.”

“Guys,” Tymon said.

They stopped.  Liberty started to inch around Nicolette, until Nicolette jabbed her in the stomach, the knuckle of her middle finger sticking out.  Fernanda stood by Nicolette, helping to bar Liberty’s way.

“I think we’re ready.  Avery wants to start before the rest of Jude’s family arrive, so we don’t hold them up.”