Sand salt is a terrifying substance from cimmerians golden desert, born of the trauma weaved into the sands every battle waged on its dunes and every bloody life lost
When any blood mixes with the enchanted sand, it crystallizes a reaction to the mana in the dying creature's plasma. It looks identical to salt
Creatures soon found out from smoldering fires from battles. If burned, you could relive memories of the multiple dead souls all scratching to have their memories heard, but this?
This was unusual.. smoking a street-level batch didn't even give you distorted memories but senses all fighting to show you themselves. Not focused coherent scenes of a single person's last moments thoughts and smells included like what Alvis experienced
To get this 'high,' you would need a medium to comb a spot and hand-pick out each tiny crystal that connects. The connection and power to have this feat achieved and put at street level would be higher than the heavens
Or what the blood elves considered beings of the heavens, the royal court and senate having that kind of people knowing you is what made Alvis worried
Standing tall over the tanuki, he glared, watching it fat struggle onto a stool behind the counter to face the elf out of breath and with a new sweat stain
" Barron where. Did. You. Get. it!"
The tanukis tail flicked with caution like a squirrel. His snout twitched a little, teeth showing
" Cousin marshal law may be in effect, but you and your little police officers should know sand salt is not illegal, just immoral like being an ass. "
Alvis pinched the bridge of his nose, knowing the sand salt was connected but also knew he needed to navigate this and not shut Barron down from talking
" ok, Barron, I'm sorry, but there's just a lot going on since the attack; how about we cut a deal? You help me out; i help you out bend the rules a little?"
" help me out, officer? As my last statement, salt isn't illegal. In fact, nothing in my shop is!" the worked-up tanuki chittered frankly, looking like he wanted to snap
Alvis raised his right arm and motioned to the uncovered statue. A twelve-foot-tall onyx griffin reared up on its back legs that minutes ago they were trying to hide from him
" I'll refer you to your earlier statement about nonmagic items antiquity from Yggdrasil dungeons is free GAME!" his army chirped in support or more an extension of barrons emotions
A drumming started in Alvis
" the tower is twisted in the dungeon. I think that falls through the cracks of protection."
"EHHHH, watch the news during any of this cousin? Adventures guild leaders little speech? He was expected to abandon the dungeon, but his two-second remark about it being THEIR dungeon? Well, it's still yiggdrasilain, so say the guild master."
Barron crossed his arms, his determined eyes locked with elves, only for the officer to click his tongue in a simple rhythm of clicks, almost like a clock ticking
In addition to the clicks, he started to rub his hands together, almost cartoonishly greedy and then looked at the statue
" shame. a genuine Cimmerian barbary Griffin statue would have sold for a fortune at auction."
The words registered instantly with Barron too sharp to ignore the elf's words and not stupid enough to fall for a trap by prying for the wrong questions
" what do you want, cousin?"
" what do you want?" alvis's tone was innocent
" paid good money for that salt. Why did it work on you and not us?"
Alvis leaned in, hunching over the corner, getting in barrons face, looking the little creature up and down
" cause you are small, nowhere near the height of the tall reds of the gold sea."
A lie spit out by Alvis but convincing nonetheless, it would be hard to explain why an officer of Yig would know how to handle a sand salt trip
" What did you see, cousin?" Barron pressed himself nose to nose with Alvis and cupped the elf's cheeks with his rough-mitten hands
" That statue with its mate outside the doors of the tower." Another lie. Alvis loved the animal, and so did Solomon. Alvis, in fact, placed that very statue in front of the tower
" the salt was the real deal?" a staffer remarked behind them, only to be silenced by barron's hand motioning to do so
The remark bothered Alvis, forcing him to ask his first question
" did you know the salt would take you to the wizard's tower?"
" yes, not just yes, but exactly why i bought it. My source told me the salt would deliver me what i needed to know!"
" who sold you the salt?" Barron held a hand up, silencing Alvis
" the time for words is over action for action now. "
' greedy little weasel. ' luckily, he knew the shopkeeper's price or something that would satisfy him
"I'll give you provenance. You write any little report you need, and as the police expert on the Cimmerian artifacts case, i will sign it, giving you any price at auction."
" deal." Barron didn't hesitate to speak or grab the officer's only flesh hand with both its little ones in an awkward, forceful handshake
"The tree elf mob is in a civil war; one side is stuck in traction, and the other is in the present, accepting all elves and species. The ones in the present are supplying noble level goods at street level," nor did he hesitant to hold up his end of the deal
"I don't know many details, but tensions in the mob were high and boiled over something during the attack."
Another fist into the pie of this shit show but one that sparked alvis's interest, a new faction appears out of nowhere with grand connections with Cimmeria? Maybe grand enough to strike a deal with Solomon
Unfortunately, this also meant he would need to go through a root in this case to give Alvis a chance to act…
" Speaking of being stuck in tradition, I'm off to see Cursego after you."
Hiss's broke out amongst the staff who dashed out of sight at the mention of the name. A rival store belonging to an aggressive goblin who aired his complicated past through rants and violent outbursts
Baron drummed his stomach, laughing, knowing what came next
"Cousin, say no more. We are already at the action-for-action stage. If you need help with him, say no more. "
"what's the deal?"
" There is a cursed coin at a little gas station on the border between us and hyborea i need that coin"
A headache started to pound sharp in the sergents head
" what do you mean cursed coin?