Chapter 1: A World of Wonders

Another failure I look down at the doll in front of me on my workbench the eyes aren't right this won't do. I look to my right at a pile of wooden dolls tossed into the garbage I feel bad for tossing them away like trash, but I wanted my work to be perfect. I was an artisan that worked in the city of Astralum, a small city in Luminora one of the biggest countries in all of Eldoria. I was a small-time artisan, I inherited this place from my grandpa, and he was the one who took care of me most of my life. My parents went adventuring when I was young, but my grandpa always took good care of me. He taught me everything he could before he died of natural causes last year at 81. I just turned 19 recently, this last year has been rough, but I have been getting by. This city is not very prosperous, so I should be happy I can make a living given my trade isn't always needed. I don't have any siblings, but I think if I did we would be struggling a lot more. Right now I am working on a new product to sell in my shop Everglow Crafts. The name is a play on my name Lucius Evergold.

I mostly sold fun items like toys, and other more practical goods for houses, but I did have a section for special customers. My grandpa taught me how to craft these goods when I was very young, so I consider myself pretty good at creating basic knickknacks like this. I smiled as I looked down I finally made a face that looked good for the doll I was working on. I turned it over this would be my first attempt at adding some flavor to a new line of dolls I was making. I grabbed a chisel from the drawer next to me. I began tracing with a pencil carefully a marking on the back of the newly perfected doll. I carved a diamond symbol with a small triangle in the center of the diamond. I smiled admiring my work with this I had outdone myself I think this item will be pretty popular among the kids in Astralum.

I stand the wooden doll up on its legs I focus on the symbol channeling my strength into the symbol. Then I speak a phrase into the doll, "Vaelora." The doll begins to move on its own without me doing anything it begins to dance. I watch as the doll performs a sort of puppeteer's waltz as it gracefully as it gracefully glides around the desk. Once it is done it even gives a slight bow, and then falls over like it's strings had been cut. I laugh yes that was exactly what I wanted to see a doll that can dance on it's own it is perfect. The craftsmanship hadn't taken me long as a child to learn, but the runes that my grandpa had mastered took me a long time to learn. This type of rune magic was extremely rare, but my grandpa was a sort of pioneer of this type of magic. People from all over Eldoria came to see his magic in action I still haven't fully mastered everything in the book my grandpa left behind.

Rune magic was very diverse my grandpa used to say that it was one of the most ancient kinds of magic in the entire world. He had explained that he only learned about rune magic because he used to be an adventurer. He had written down what he could from the ruins he had explored still to this day this rune magic is still written in these ruins. As a child I was entranced by these stories I vowed that I would find more of these runes and complete grandpa's rune book. My dream was to perfect his rune magic, and also perfect my craft I wanted to be known far and wide for my creations. I wanted to carry on my grandpa's vision, but to do that I needed money to set out on my own. I glanced down at the doll I just created this was my ticket out of the city if these dolls sold well I could buy a caravan, and a horse to travel. 

One night's rent in a regular-sized inn would cost about 100 mints for the night, I had saved about 12,000 mints with some of the money my grandpa left behind included. A caravan would cost me about 12,000 mints, a horse about 300 mints, and supplies could cost at least 150 mints. Anything else I would need to make on the road selling my goods, so I was about 450 mints behind what I would ideally need. A number that would normally take a few months to make, but was betting it all on these dolls I wanted to get on the road as soon as possible. Call me impatient, but I had been saving for a year now, and I wanted to get this last bit of money all at once. 

This would be my first attempt at mixing my rune knowledge with something like a doll for children. I mostly sold my runes for high prices for special customers, and they were mostly for self-defense purposes. My magic wasn't always plentiful, so that was why I only really sold runes to high-paying customers. These dolls however were low maintenance a dancing rune was pretty low intensity on this scale, so the strain was very minimal. Hence I was so excited to get these into the market this was my first attempt at trying to turn my two passions into one. I spent the rest of the night making more dolls enough that if they all sold I would have enough money. I ended up getting a short night's sleep, but my excitement kept my mind racing as I began to work like a demon. The shop itself wasn't very big it had two stories the first being the shop area, and the second floor being my living quarters. 

I had a pretty modest bedroom, with a table that doubled as a workbench in the corner of the room both made of wood. The room was decorated with designs, and notes scattered around the room. I also had an old worn-out bookshelf with grandpas books, and some old stories I used to read as a child. I made my way downstairs as the first light was beginning to shine through my balcony. I opened at 6:00 AM sharp, and today would be the opening ceremony for my new dolls that I had been advertising all week in front of the shop.  The first thing you will see when you enter my place is my showroom. The items are arranged with care, but the modest budget is evident. There are enchanted lanterns that flicker with a warm glow and hand-carved figurines with minor magical effects.

In a corner of the showroom, a battered workbench with well-worn tools takes up space. It's cluttered with materials, showing signs of countless hours spent crafting. A tattered curtain separates this workspace from the customer area, offering a hint of privacy for me as I worked.  A rickety wooden counter serves as the checkout area. It's adorned with a worn velvet cloth and displays a few unfinished trinkets waiting for my attention. A jar of mismatched coins sits nearby, providing change for transactions. I also had a bell so customers could ring that if I was busy working on something, but usually I liked being out on the floor. The faces that customers would make as they glanced at my products were one of the most rewarding aspects of this job.

I opened the front door it was still early, so I expected nobody would be there yet, but later on I hoped that people would begin to gather. On days like today when I had a new product it was usually busy since my store was a sort of place of wonder for the locals. I turned my wooden sign to open, and went to the back of the shop to wait for customers. I looked over the product making sure everything was accounted for with the start of the day beginning. I had already put the dolls in their spot at the front of my shop I could only hope that people would like them. I made sure to tag each of them with a phrase for people to make the dolls dance. I was planning on verbally explaining to every person who bought one that the magic needed to be recharged. Rune magic had a limit to how much you could activate the magic stored within, so it would need recharging every couple of uses or so.

After about half an hour the first customers started forming a line through my doors they each had a child with them. This was exactly the response I was expecting after all these dolls are made for children, and as far as I was aware they are the first of their kind. Each of these dolls was about 10 mints per unit, and I had made about 50 of them, so hopefully almost all of them sell. The face was hard to get right, but once I got the right measurement of the eyes I could reproduce them pretty quickly. Thankfully the materials for the dolls were already in the shop, so this might of been a time investment, but otherwise it wouldn't hurt my wallet if they didn't sell.

A little girl with black hair comes up to me with a doll in her hands her mom is holding her hands she looks at me with wonder in her eyes. I recognize her she's little Sera she doesn't live too far from here her mom is a regular who takes her here before school sometimes. This is a little treat for the young children living in the city they come here first then head off to school. Little Sera looks at me with a smile, "Mister how does this dancing doll work?" I smile back leaning down, and point to the tag on the back of the doll, "All you have to do is say this phrase, and the doll with dance." The little girl sets the doll down on the desk I am behind, and she says, "V-Vaelora!" The doll comes to life, and begins dancing for the little girl she chuckles happily, and then looks at her mom. 

She exclaims, "Mommy Mommy can we please get it please!" Sera's mom looks at her with a smiling face she agrees, "Yes we can dear I am sure everyone will be so jealous of your new friend." Once I explain the recharge mechanism she hands me 10 mints, and walks out holding her happy daughter's hand. The sight fills my chest with warmth as I continue selling the dolls to the lineup of school children waiting for their chance at the new doll. The opening day seems to be going well as a few hours pass, and I am down to a small portion of the dolls I once had in stock. Just as I am getting ready to sell one of my last dolls a person seems to be looming over me with keen eyes. I look up and notice the customer is not a child, but an adult, their presence sends a shock through my system as I clutch the doll in my hand tightly.