Theme Prompt - Winter

Hey, hey you! Yeah, I’m talking to you, friend. I saw you walk by earlier and peek into my little shop before walking on. You’re back now so did you see something that caught your attention? Yes? Oh lovely, come on in. Who did you say sent you? Why, yes, I know who that is! If that kid sent you, any friend of theirs is a friend of mine! Will they be joining you today? Why yes, I suppose they will as they just walked up. Hiya kid, what’s doing? I see that shaking’s back in your hands again. Well, no worries there. We can find something to help that right away. And thanks so much for sending another wonderful possible customer my way. Such a delight and so kind. So, come this way, come this way. We’ll have tea while you both look over my wares. Just like the last few times you were here, kid, I’ve gotten some new stock in. Just beautiful things or terrifying things or weird things that you won’t be able to find anywhere else.

Sit, sit, here we go. Just brewed a fresh pot of tea for myself so it’s nice and hot. This is a new blend my friend Jermayan insisted I try. This time it’s from Ysterialpoerin instead of Ondoladeshiron but it’s just as delicious. He tells me the elves in Ysterialpoerin are more... hmm how shall I say this... refined let’s say, and structured, than the elves in the other cities. They take art forms like making tea and raise it to the next level. Delicious, isn’t it? I know I fell in love with it with the first sip. And the flavor changes with each sip you take. I swear, even if I lived as long as the elves there, I will never understand how they do that to their teas. Oh, oh, it’s all right friend, just a little spill. Quick work with a towel and it’s all good. You have the shaking in your hands too, huh? Can you share what causes it to help me find the perfect items for you? No, no, friend, forgive a merchant’s curiosity. Sit and have some more tea. No more questions, then, I understand.

What’s that, kid? Ford? Well, yes, he did stop by again. Wanted to pick up a few things to barter with, you understand. Another Guide? Sadly no, he didn’t have another Guide with him. He wanted to buy mine back but, of course, I just couldn’t part with it. It’s become so handy that I don’t think I’m ever going to sell it. But speaking of the Guide, why don’t we get started? I’ve found a few new worlds with tantalizing items, some illegal and some just hard to find. Wait, wait, friend, please sit again. My, you’re on a bit of a hair trigger there. Didn’t the kid here explain about my market? While some of the items here might be illegal on their own worlds, they won’t be on yours. Why, most of these items are completely harmless here. Have some more tea while I go get the Guide and we’ll start easing that shaking in your hands.

Here we go, here we go. What was that, friend? Price? Well, it could be anything really. I barter for most of the things here in my shop. I’ve taken eyes in trade and memories and emotions in little bottles. I’ve also taken the color of one person’s hair and the fear from another. What one person doesn’t want, I can almost always find another person willing to buy it. But why don’t we look and see what will ease that shaking and then we’ll talk price. You know, it seems to be a common ailment. Makes a merchant wonder what’s going on. Oh no, kid, please, my mouth runs away with me sometimes. Forgive an old busybody please. Sit, sit. Here, let’s start with some new acquisitions of mine. I’m proud of finding this world, I really am. It’s new and chilling and so full of things to bring back.

What’s it called, friend? Why, I believe the inhabitants called it Westeros. Yeah, that was it. Let’s see, flip to this page here and voila! The items I... ahem... acquired from Westeros. Oh, does that catch your eye friend? Oh yes, this was an interesting piece. The wolf’s head is so very detailed in this ring, isn’t it? It belonged to a family called Stark. They lived in the northern part of Westeros though that’s not quite where I found this little beauty. I bartered it from a young girl with short hair and eyes far too old for her years. She was tossing things into the ocean but I stopped her before she tossed this. What’s that, kid? The saying underneath the wolf’s head? As I understand it, it’s the family motto. “Winter is coming”. Poetic and a little terrifying isn’t it? Oh and next to it is another piece of jewelry I picked up in the capital. A lady of, shall we say negotiable affection, was trying to sell this handsome necklace in the marketplace. No one was buying, though, possibly due to the lion’s head on it. She mentioned it came from her “little lion” while tears leaked from her eyes. I didn’t see her again after that trade, though I looked for her. If she had something this lovely, I thought she might have had more. And I see you looking curiously at the next page friend. Like what you see? Think maybe this White Walker could ease that shaking in your hands? These Walkers are undead killers that live in the snow-covered north. Almost like zombies, like those caused by the T-Virus. The kid here knows what I’m talking about. Oh, really? You’ll pass on this guy? Well, I suppose I can understand that. He’s very dangerous. I’ve had to keep him locked in a cage just to keep my own skin intact. Though I did hear from a kind-looking man dressed all in black and protecting a young woman with a baby that obsidian weapons can hurt the Walkers. How did he know that, you ask? Well, according to him and the woman, he’d killed one with it. I don’t know the truth of his story but he didn’t seem like the type to lie. I happen to have a piece of obsidian somewhat shaped like an arrowhead but I haven’t tested it out. Wouldn’t want to lose valuable product, you know. Where did I get the obsidian? Well, I picked it out of a volcanic field, from the ruins of an old city called Pompeii.

But do either of you see anything that makes your hearts beat just that little bit faster? Something that eases the shaking and slakes the lust I see in your eyes? No? Pity but there’s plenty more to look through in my shop. And I just love this handy Guide, have I mentioned that? It makes things so much easier, it really does. Oh, I hear the bell in front. Give me just a moment, friends, to take care of whatever customer that is. Pour yourselves some more tea and have one of these delightful cookies. I understand they’re meant for dunking in tea. I found them while traveling through Victorian London. A helpful doctor by the name of Watson recommended them to me and, I must say, he has impeccable taste. They are delicious. Oh, but listen to me ramble on. Excuse me, excuse me, I will be right back.

Sorry about the wait, so sorry, just a regular customer who needed a bit of bottled lightning. I had some hanging around from a world beyond Wall so all’s well that ends well. What did I get for it? Why, this vial of blood. You remember kid I was telling you about a world with a psychic wanted by vampires? This is a vial of her blood. So I can add that to go along with the pictures I have describing what she is and why she’s wanted. Maybe I’ll put it together with that odd tarot deck as it belong to her as well. But anyways, on to you my friends. I see you’ve been looking through the Guide. Isn’t that a wonderful world there you’ve found? Why don’t we turn the page and I can show you the bits and pieces I took away from that world.

Yes, yes, this is one of my favorite pieces. What’s that? It looks like a weird sword? Well, it does, but what it is used for is simply mind boggling. This sword once belonged to an archangel, Gabriel they called him. How did I get his sword? Well, that is a long story for another time. Let’s just say there was a goddess involved and a spat with an older brother. But this sword can kill any demon as well as any angel. It’s one of the few things that actually can. What’s that, kid? Hunters? Why yes, this is in fact that world that I would have sold the feathers from Michael in. Those two boys have a lot on their plate right now, what with the Mark of Cain and the King of Hell and his mother. But they were still willing to trade things with me. This box is a nasty little thing. One man created it in order to hide something very, very dangerous. The box causes anyone who tries to open it to kill themselves. And if you want to break the spell on it, you have to give the box blood. Enough for an entire life. Oh, I see you shuddering friend. Not what you had in mind? Well, let’s flip the page to a few more items I have from this world. What did you say, kid? You don’t like hamsters? Well, this isn’t your ordinary hamster. See the little coral necklace it wears? This hamster used to be human. Oh, why don’t we refill your cups, your tea is all gone. Yes, this hamster was once a witch. She was cursed and has to live life as a hamster now. Not quite to your liking? Well, how about this? The angel I bartered this off of didn’t want to part with it but I had something he needed desperately. What was it, you ask? Well, I can’t tell you that, I’m sorry friend. I promised this angel, with his blade at my throat, my throat I tell you, that I wouldn’t reveal a word. Oh and the thing he traded me? Apparently, it’s a tablet with everything written about demons from that world on it. I can’t read it myself but maybe you can. What do you say? See something from this world you like?

Ah, I see you both shaking your heads. It’s all right. We’ll find something for you both, I promise you that. Whatever you could ever desire you can find here. And here on this page is another world I found recently. It’s an interesting little world called Hell’s Kitchen. Apparently, there’s a devil running around beating up people and saving those they’re hurting. At least the people call him a devil. I happen to know very well that he’s not. For the right price, you can have his name and the reason he wears his mask the way he does. I promise you will be surprised to hear it. No? Well, how about this name? It’s whispered in dark corners with fear lacing every syllable of the speaker’s voice. He’s coming to Hell’s Kitchen with a plan and will let no one stand in his way. His hands are lily-white but, underneath the skin, the blood of everyone he’s killed stains him. Or how about this little packet? It’s a packet of drugs that he uses to gain power and influence with some of the players in this little world. While it may cause more shaking in other parts of you, it might ease that in your hands. I see you shaking your head, kid, I see that. I remember that you’re such a connoisseur and careful buyer. How about this then. Remember the devil I mentioned? Want to know the name of his friends and what he does during the light of day? Want to know where he can be found?

Wait, wait, friend, don’t get up. I know you’re impatient and that you need your fix. We’ll find something for you. This world isn’t quite right, let’s move on, let’s move on. Can you tell me what you’re looking for? Some hint as to what might ease that thirst in your eyes? Oh, speaking of thirst, why don’t we look at this next section. Have either of you ever met a vampire? Bloodlust runs strong in that breed, bloodlust and rage and violence. They kill and drink indiscriminately, always finding new ways of preying on humans and slaking their desires. This here is a piece of their most important book. I never quite got the name for it but this section describes the coming of the blood god and how it might be achieved. I bartered it from a dark-haired vampire who kept licking his lips as he looked at me. Was his name Snow or Ice or something like that? No, no, it was Frost. And he felt it too. When I stood near him, it felt like winter’s chill radiating from him. This isn’t quite right, huh? Well that’s all right, let’s move on. How about this little secret? Why do I call a man a secret? This isn’t really a man, per se. He’s an... offshoot shall we say of vampire genetics. He was created in a lab and is different from your traditional vampire. His entire mouth opens up when he feeds and its terrifying. What’s more, he feeds on vampire blood. And when he does, he turns them into more like him. What do you think? Is he what you’re looking for? No? How about the identity of the daywalker or the virus called Daystar that’s said to kill all vampires? Well, at least it will if it has the blood of the first vampire.

You’re both shaking your heads again. That’s all right, that’s all right, we shall just simply move on. There are other wonders and mysteries here in my black market that will bring that shiver to your spine. Here we have some of the things that grace your typical black markets. Though, again, I have to say in my not-so-humble opinion that mine is the best. I got my hands on the SR-71 Blackbird. Yep, bartered it right out of the museum it’s being stored in. One of the easiest deals I’ve ever made, really. All it took was that map I mentioned to you a while back, kid. The one to Atlantis? And look here. Some weapons-grade uranium and plutonium. Mix those with a bomb and you have something that can take out an entire city and cause devastation for centuries to come. Why, you ask friend? Well, both of these elements are radioactive and decay at an extremely slow rate. There’s a world I visit with a city called Chernobyl. Well, it was once a city. Now’s its an irradiated ghost town because of the nuclear disaster that happened there. What was that? Can I get something from there? Why, yes, certainly. All it would take is a scouting foray, really. No one to barter with. Is that what you need, friend? Something from Chernobyl? I see, I see, well, we’ll save it for another time then. Moving on here we have the plans for a city called Atlantis. It sits on the bottom of an alien ocean, a ring that creates wormholes in space the only way in or out. And here is a list of all the, shall we say phone numbers, for that ring so that you can visit other planets. On this page, we have your viruses and plages. Ebola, SARS, HIV, the T-Virus, the Las Plagas virus. The list is endless really and these are just the surface. So, how about any of these my friends? Do these peak your interest?

Well, that’s the last of it this time, I’m afraid. Of course, I still have most of the things you’ve seen before, kid. Why don’t you take a few minutes and flip through what’s been seen before, friend? While I found some interesting worlds, I didn’t find all that many new ones on my last few trips. Sometimes I worry that the universe is growing smaller, the horizons getting closer and closer together. Well, as an old pirate friend of mine once said, bring me that horizon. He still explores, still looks for the secret to living forever while sailing on his Black Pearl, so I’ll never stop either. Oh, you found something you like, friend? Wonderful, wonderful! Since this is your first time coming to me, why don’t I throw in something else free of charge? And, for all my wonderful repeat customers, I give these lovely Ice Planets. You remember, kid, don’t you? Oh, I see you grinning and licking your lips. Delicious, aren’t they? So, why don’t both of you tell me what you want and we can get to bargaining. Let me pour some tea to wet my lips and we will get you what you need. All it takes is a little time and bargaining, my friends.