Fire and Brimstone [IC]

[Dr Archeville]

Jos smiled, "Oh, I am sure there are quite a few people here who would easily believe such things, Mr. Vulpes."

'Course, not all gateways are gate-shaped. Some may be shaped like, oh, say, a knife.

"What brought you there?," he asked between gulps of his beer. "Or, I suppose I should say, whom? Some sort of family vacation? Mine never went on many; family was always too busy, either in work or in the bottle."

[Kavos]

Sirius waves his hand dismissively, “Oh it was nothing, just some ‘learn about your family history.’ Or some such thing, I just remember being board out of my skull.†Sirius says

[Dr Archeville]

Jos made a face indicating mild disappointment, "Ah, more is the pity then, Mr. Vulpes -- our pasts define us, support us, and guide us. 'Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it,' as Santayana said."

How am I supposed to worm information out of you if you never paid attention in the first place?!

"But, then, I am expected to be fascinated by the past -- it is what I deal in, after all," he says before taking a large bite of the fish. "I can trace some of my family lines back over 500 years, through France, Holland, and even parts of New England."

[Kavos]

Sirius gave Jos a sudden sharp look, "Do not underestimate my words Mr Terhune, Unlike most people I know a great deal about my family history." Sirius takes another bite, "And as they say, Knowledge is power..."

[Dr Archeville]

[[ Dang, has it really been almost a month? Yikes... ]]

Jos inclined his head a bit, "apologies, Mr. Vulpes. Heh, I really should know not to take things at face value."

I really do need to watch myself around this kid.

"I do, however, get the feeling that -- despite the faint attraction this place may hold for you -- you would rather be elsewhere, either for business or pleasure. Not that I can blame you, given the... nature of our recent transaction."

[Kavos]

"Not at all, I just have another meeting to go too, but that's not until late this afternoon." Sirius says pushing the rest of his plate away. "However if there is nothing more to add, than I suggest we part ways until we next meet for your shipment." Sirius adds, as he pulls out his wallet and gathers some cash for the meal.

[Dr Archeville]

Jos nodded, "very well, then unless something unexpected comes up, I shall see you at Pier 18 at 9:00pm next Tuesday." He wiped his hands and offered one to Sirius to shake.

Yes, yes, run along, I've other things -- and people -- to do as well.

[[ Continues here. ]]

[Kavos]

Sirius placers the money on the table, putting away his wallet he shakes Jos's hand "Good day." Sirius says before turning and leaving, He had a lot to do before there next appointment...

[Dr Archeville]

Time passes.

Jos Terhune & Sirius Vulpes met on the night of September 4th, 2008. Their alternate identities, Belphegor and Ember Paw, met two nights later.

On September 22nd, Terhune completed the transactions necessary to become the owner of a two-story home in Riverside, as well as the licenses and permits needed to renovate the building and operate a business out of it.

Seven days later, on the 29th, Terhune received a shipment from his homeland at Pier 18. Though it was almost intercepted by masked super-crooks, Terhune's shipments arrived safely due to some superhero-centric precautions he had taken.

Throughout October, Terhune and Vulpes worked to renovate the home into a shoppe, though the top floor was left as an apartment for Terhune to inhabit. During this time, Terhune admitted to Vulpes that most of what they would be selling were forgeries and reproductions, though most were blatant reproductions since folks expected most items in a small shoppe like this to be reproductions. Once a week or so Terhune would make a really good forgery, and stick it in amongst the other merchandise, to fool those who came to places like this on the hope they'd find "that one real, authentic item and buy it for a song." If they ever came back to complain, he could claim ignorance, that he had been fooled as they had.

On November 10th, 2008, Terhune's shoppe -- Curious Things -- had its grand opening. Business wasn't booming, it was more a trickle, but it was a steady trickle which slowly swelled. By mid-December the store was quite busy, as last-minute shoppers came seeking unique knick-knacks and gewgaws.

On January 21st, Terhune told Vulpes he had some private business to attend to, and would be gone for a few days; in the meantime, he was in charge of the shoppe. When Terhune returned, he had several pieces of art with him, including several old coins.

On February 5th, Terhune did not show up for work. He didn't show up the next day, or the next, nor was there any word from him or from any of his contacts. This intrigued Vulpes, since Terhune had (in his time knowing the man) never done that. On the third days, Vulpes found a sealed envelope under the cash register, addressed to him.

Vulpes,

In case I ever disappear for an extended period, run the shoppe as usual until I return. If I am declared dead, the entire building and everything in it is yours. (Though if I manage to come back, I expect it all to be returned to my ownership.)

You have served me well, and such service should be rewarded. I regret being unable to unlock more mysteries of your book, and wish you luck in your research.

-Terhune

P.S.: I trust it need not be said that if it appears that you, or anyone you know, was responsible for my death, other associates of mine shall enact certain instructions which I have given them.

A week, two weeks, a month goes by, and still there is no sign whatsoever of Terhune.

[Dr Archeville]

On Friday, May 1st, Sirius decided not to open the shoppe, in part due to some family business he had to attend to. He put up a sign indicating a family emergency would prevent him from opening this morning, and that the shoppe may be closed all day.

As he left the store, the new pothole in the middle of the intersection barely registered in his mind.

When he got back on Monday the 4th, he found the shoppe was already open... and Jos was at the counter, helping a customer, as if nothing had happened! In fact, Terhune looked better than ever, well-rested and neatly groomed.

"Ah, good morning, Mister Vulpes!" he said cheerfully, "were you able to find those cinnamon buns I had asked for? I was so looking forward to them."

I wonder what you were up to on your three-day weekend.

[Kavos]

Sirius stops dead in his tracks as he see's Jos. "So you are alive..." Sirius snides, but with a cheeky smile indicating his jest. "And no, Although I did find a nice little shop down the block a bit that sells some." Sirius replied, seemingly uninterested in were Jos had been hiding. "I could duck out and get you some. Maybe a coffie or something too, I beleave there's a coffie shop next to the bakery." Sirius offered.

[Dr Archeville]

"Hrm, perhaps later, Mister Vulpes -- I do believe there is another customer coming in behind you. Good morning!" he called to the newcomer, a young woman Sirius had seen come in last week. "If you could help her while I finish up with Mr. Knight here," he asked/ordered while wrapping an antique pen for the pale, dark-haired man at the counter.

---

After about 30 minutes, there was a lull in activity, and Terhun pulled Vulpes aside. "So, did I miss anything while I was away? The shoppe seems to still be in one piece, so it appears you did not do too badly in my absence."

And did your fox-friend come by any?

[Kavos]

"How many time's have I told you to just call me Sirius." Sirius calls back before turning to great the new customer. "Welcome back Ms Mecullen, How did your husband like that antique sailing compass, second year anniversary wasn't it?" Sirius chime's speaking to the woman as she approached....

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Looking at Jos, Sirius shrugged. "Everything ran fine, Had a few new merchandise come in. Found a new possible suppler of antiques, I've sold a few samples and they seem quite popular, so now that your back you'll probably want to meet the supplier." Sirius says somewhat melancholy. "Oh and my mother would like the meet you, she's recently moved into town and she said something about a business proposition, or something like that." Sirius adds.

[Dr Archeville]

"A new supplier? Splendid!" he exclaimed. "Set up the meeting: I'll have some... personal business to attend to over the next few weeks which may take me away from the shoppe for brief periods -- nothing as long as my recent absence, I assure you! -- but I will be sure to make time to meet with this new supplier."

Yes, much to do: cults to set up, cults to take down, souls to taint, evil to spread. Busy, busy, busy!

"Your mother? Wants to see what sort of man her son works for, eh?" He chuckled, "Fine, fine, I would love to meet her. Set up a place and time."

"Now, tell me about that Ms. Mecullen...."

[Kavos]

Sirius give's a slight knowing nod of resignation, "Well one good thing, is we could have the meeting with my mother and the new supplyer at the same time, They both know each other and the new supplyer works for my mother..." stoping for a second Sirius thinks for a bit longer, "Sort of like a corporation, My mother is sort of a CEO i guess, and the supplyer is a CEO of a smaller group that is appart of the larger group that my mother owns...." Sirius says his face screwing up as he tries to exsplain the Grove without telling Jos anything about the grove.

"Oh that was nothing, A few week's ago Ms. Mecullen came in looking for a present for her knew husband who's apparently into the whole sailing ships, pirats, land lubbers and what not, She ended up getting an old compass for him." Sirius takes a breath as he continues, "Apparently he loved it so much, she came back to have a look at what elce we may have in that from that time frame. I almost got her to buy that cutless over there on the wall, unfortnatly as much as she liked it, she wasn't intrested in buying anything today and said she'd retern later and if we still had the cutless than she'd get it." Sirius exsplained.

[Dr Archeville]

Hrm, now I know I need to meet them, make them an Ally before they become Competition.

"Ah, we can kill two birds with one stone, then. Good, good. As I said, set it up, I shall do my best to meet any time they find it convenient."

Jos's eyes lit up like tiny stars when Sirius explained Mrs. Mecullen's interests, "I may have something that would interest her even more than the cutlass: an oil lantern, the type used by sailors and pirates from the 1500-1700s."

It can even be used to find sunken treasure... at the cost of the life of the diver who retrieves it. The light which shines on the treasure is later used to burn them to death.

[Kavos]

Sirius nods, "I'll set it up after work today and get back to you with the timing..." stoping for a second Sirius continues, "Oh you shouldn't be worried about competition. My mother is into more the Herble medicen type shops, and the Artifact devition she prefures to outsorce to other's such as yourself." Sirius adds, quietly to himself of the meeting were His mother and the other's discussed the possibilties.

"Well I beleave she made some mention of stopping by next week. We could show it to her then." Sirius say's not quite sure why Jos was so interested in the woman.

[Dr Archeville]

Several days later -- though still early in May -- Jos Terhune meets with the mother of Sirius Vulpes, and the new antiques supplier whom they knew. Terhune's one request was that he insisted that they meet in his shoppe.

Okay, the wards I've got up should protect me from any scrying or odd mystical senses they may have. I know Sirius has that book, and his werefox friend, so I'm going to take a few precautions.

He checked himself in the mirror again. His time... away had taught him much, including how to easily and rapidly shift his form into any humanoid shape he desired. He currently looked mostly like himself, but with certain enhancements to make him more distracting to those who were attracted to masculine types.

"Ah, so good to see you, Ms. Vulpes!," he said with his best Salesman's Smile.

[Kavos]

A rather stirn old lady exit's the rear left door of a rather nice car. Her hair curly and gray, her exspreshion almost unreadable. She certanly didn't look like she was sirius's mother... grandmother perhapes but mother??

Sirius hoped out of the right side, while two other men got out from the front of the car. Gwen gave a look to the rather large driver who nodded and hoped back into the car.

"Mr. Terhune, May I introduce you to my mother, Gwen Vulpes, and Mr. William." Sirius says introducing the two.

[Dr Archeville]

Hunh: a tad more mature than I was expecting. Still, I know damn well it's best not to judge by outward appearance.

"Welcome, welcome, both of you!," he said cheerfully, still with his Salesman's Smile. "I have some tea brewing," he nodded towards the steaming tea set on one of the counters, which he'd cleared off in preparation for their meeting, "though if you would prefer something a bit stronger I have some fine Holland gin I would be willing to share."

[Kavos]

"Tea will be fine." Gwen said, showing little emotion on the topic. Will simply nodded and smiled, Obviously Gwen was certanly the boss.

Turning to face Jos directly Gwen got to the point, "Let us not mess around, Mr Terhune, William here is capable of providing your store with a number of select Item's of anchient quality, for a resonable fee." Gwen pauses for a moment, "Seeing as we both know that not all of these trinkets are of the normal persuashion we would be capable of offering you both mundain and special items to sell."

Meanwhile Sirius simply stands idaly by fussing with a few of the trinkets on a nearby shelf. William too stood up strait waiting patiently for Gwen.

[Dr Archeville]

Straightforward and to-the-point. On the one hand, I can respect that. On the other, I was hoping for some chit-chat, though which I might worm you some secrets. But... she seems the type that'd expect that, so maybe this way is best, for now.

Terhune was a dutiful host, and poured tea for Gwen, William, Sirius and himself. He set Sirius' cup off to one side. "Direct and to-the-point, I see. Very well: I can offer a ready means of distributing certain items, and of locating others. My circle of contact is no doubt quite different from yours -- though I would not be too surprised if there were some overlap, aside form Sirius," he nodded towards him, "so I am certain there are tasks each can do that the other would be... less proficient at completing."

[Kavos]

Gwen nods in agreement to Jos. "That is the way I see it as well, For now I would prefer to keep some privacy between us... perhaps later on in the future we might be able to share a little more on our agenda." Gwen states in an attempt to cut any possible question's regarding the Fox Grove.

[Dr Archeville]

Playing her cards close to her chest, I see. Just as well -- don't want it to be over too soon.

Terhune nodded as he sipped his tea, "I can certainly appreciate a degree of privacy, Madame, though I will of course need to know something about the items you offer. Items of... dubious provenance could cause me more trouble than they're worth."

[Kavos]

Gwen listened silently as Jos spoke, her eye's unwavering from Jos. "Mr Terhune, we can provide you with any sort of Item you wish, with any sort of 'special qualities', for a price." Gwen said speaking as if the matter was trivial. "If you wish for a coin that improves somebody's luck, we can make it. If you wish that coin to improve somebodies luck and than when it really matter's give them the worst luck passable... we can do that too." Gwen explained, the slightest of smirks cracking her hard face.

Gwen than waved her hand slightly, Will quickly took a step forward and placed a small flat crystal disk on the table. Will than touched the center of the small palm sized disk and took a step back. The disk glowed slightly before a beam of light shot up five feet and expanded into a holographic picture of the same emblem that the journal Sirius showed Jos had on it.

"This is a little something we eh came up with a few month's ago when master Sirius told us of his Idea. It's sort of like a computer." Will explained "It's linked up with this one." Will said as he pulled out an identical crystal disk. "Basically yeh talk to it, yeh explain what you want, Like so." Will said before touching the center of the Holographic emblem.

"No Item's found, Please enter parameters." the crystal chimed.

"New Item, gold coin, period 1842 British pound." Will said.

As he did the Emblem was replaced with a three-dimensional cube which than reshaped itself into a small coin shape object, resembling a coin.

"Than all yeh do is add any other parameters." Will explained before turning back to the holographic picture of the coin. "Add parameters, Increases the luck of the holder by 20%." Will said before continuing. "Save profile, Order one, Send." Will finished.

"Profiling.... order complete... Estimated time until completion... 5 hours... Total Cost $230 USD"

Touching the screen again the hologram winked out and the Crystal disk became inert again. "We'll get the order and make the item. If the order is a rush order than before yeh send it add on Rush order than send. We'll get it to yeh as soon as it's finished rather than the weekly drop of." Will explained, "Which reminds me, it also function's as a teleportation anchor. When yeh shipment's are ready, they'll be teleported to the disks location, so ah, best leave that in an empty room." Will added.

Gwen suddenly piped up before Jos could say anything. "In the interest of our new relationship I would suggest that you leave that device be. It has fail safes to make sure it's not tampered with, magically or otherwise. So I would suggest that you do not attempt to trace the teleportation aspect least something bad happens to you." Gwen said her face showing no sign of a joke.