Dreygor enters the market just looking for some standard trousers. He has just ruined his in the forge and no amount of washing will get the burn holes out. His eyes glance around looking for what it is he needs, when something strange catches his eyes. A merchant is set up selling small dolls........ But these are no ordinary dolls, they are poppets! Dreygor quickly makes his way over to the merchant with disgust in his face.
"What in lemesin's name do you think you are doing selling those vile instruments of the black arts? Right here next to a man selling turnips? Do you think Jastrey is a place of evil where your wares may be welcome?"
The merchant sighs at the paladin's reaction, just as he has every other time he's heard the rant of an overzealous do-gooder. "My fine sir, you are right, these are poppets, and I peddle them because they're popular." He looks dreygor up and down taking a quick glance at his clothes and dismissing him as a real threat before continuing, "They may be imbued wtih the dark arts, but much like the hatchet and the plow, they're tools useful for the greater good. Why just the other day I sold a small bundle of them to a bunch of local farmers to help with a problem they were having with a fox stealing their chickens."
He turns from Dreygor and Glimmer briefly and grabs a small crate before returning to his stall. "But it appears they offend your sensitivities, so what I'll do, is I'll take these here little dolls and I'll put them back in this crate and close the lid. You won't have to look at them, and you can continue to browse my wares."
After picking up and placing a few poppets in the crate, the merchant leans in closer to Dreygor and says, "But you seem to be a bit more savvy then your average farmer, how about I offer them to you at a discount?"
Taklinn, who had been looking at a two handed axe a few vendors down, walks over upon hearing Glimmer's voice. Upon seeing Dreygor's clothing, Taklinn smiles and walks over to another Merchant and starts looking at his wares. Upon finding a large leather apron that obviously was too long to fit the dwarf and haggling for several minutes, he sets down a small pouch of coins on the table for the merchant. He then walks back over to the group and holds out the apron to the paladin "Here lad. Ye have more skill as a smith than many of yer kind, but ye obviously were self taught! If ye were apprenticed properly, yer master would have explained that the smithies apron is not only a good protection fer yer clothes, but also a symbol of yer station. Of course the Merchants in here try to rob ye blind, but consider it a gift fer you, and a service to the town to not have to view yer white legs!"
Upon seeing his friends in the market Drux walks over to see what they are up too. “Dreygor, what have you done to your pants?” Drux asks, “Hello, Garith, Glimmer, Taklinn how are you all doing today.” While waiting for a reply Drux begins to look at the merchants items and a look of dread comes to his face. “Dreygor, I thought you said you had taken care of the poppet problem.” Drux says to the paladin.
Dreygor's face turns to a scowl. He seems to have noticed his friends but keeps a cold glance at the merchant.
"Excuse me, you sold what? To who? These things are imbued with evil sir, no good can come from them. No matter your intentions the inate evil poured into these things will corrupt. Just hiding them away in a crate does not stimey the fact that there are people in this town relying on forbidden dark magic to do tasks that a dog or a cat can remedy just as well on a farm. I attest this to the underwhelming air of disgust shown to the witch we have in our town, and to you selling these vile things. The common folk of this town need to be protected from the corruption that the black arts bring, least they all wind up down a path of darkness. I will take all the poppets you have now, you will have your coin, and a bit more to insure you never bring these foul things back into town. If I do see you peddleing them again I will not be as kind."
With that Dreygor sets his coin purse on the table. Dreygor then turns to Glimmer and Taklin.
"Hey friends, good to see you. Can you believe this guy selling these things to farmers? Has Jastrey gone mad? Do they not understand that its forbidden for good reason. Its power corrupts you, makes you do vile and evil things. I cannot believe this place has gone this far into darkness. Thanks for the new smithing apron Taklin. I would of worn mine, but it seems someone had it modified to fit a dwarf, Any idea who might of done that?"
The merchant's face widens into a large smile as he lifts the coin purse that Dreygor dropped on the table, and hastily tosses all the poppets into a crate for the man.
"Why thank you sir," the merchant says, almost giddy, "I've got a few more in the back, would you like them too?" He peers into the pouch just to make sure the coins were gold, "I'll give you a good price, 50 gold for the lot. The witches say one of them is strong enough to kill an ox when you pop its little head off. I don't know if I believe her, but the thing creeps me out. I'm happy to sell them to you for cheap, if you're willing to buy them. I'm happy to see them go to fall into 'good hands'...."
Glimmer rushes into the market behind Dreygor. With a look of pure breathlessness, she manages to say "Drey....gor....is your....butt.....on....fire? WHEEEEOOO You walk too fast." Glimmer glances at the burn holes in Dreygor's pants and then says "Looks like the forge won. And I happen to have the same questions as you do." Glimmer then turns on the merchant and says "Do you have any idea what these dolls do to people? Our our lives worth just mere gold and baubles to you? You should be run out of town on a steeeek!" Glimmer hiccups twice trying to catch her breath, turning slightly pink as she pokes one of the holes on Dreygors burned pant leg.