h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

*Myst waltzes in and looks around, stunned. Suddenly, he falls upwards into the maze of starecases with a hollar. A few minutes later, he plummets up from below, landing neatly in a chair.*

'oof!'

*He streightens up.*

Good morning, miss!

*Puts down the book, titled Introduction to L-Space*

Hi Myst! Good to see you! You're going to have to watch your step when you first come in here. The trick is to tell yourself that whatever you're walking on is the ground.

What can I get for you?

*Tracer walks down one of the stairs, and curls up on the fireside rug.*

*Shifts in the seat.*

Looking for a copy of "Dark Arts for Dummies," if you have one.
Also, if you think of any spells for the RPG that you'd like to see used, you can have them approved and the sell them from here. Just a thought.

Hmmm... I think that's in the Necromancy section. Hold on, I'll go get it.

*Produces a helmet from behind the counter, and heads for a black door in the back of the store. On her way, she grabs a wooden chair from behind one of the shelves.*

I'll only be a minute. *Takes a deep breath and opens the door, which closes quickly behind her. A moment later, sounds of a struggle can be heard coming from behind the door.* Back! Back I say!

*After a few more loud noises, Scandrea opens the door again, and slams it shut. Something is trying to break it down from the other side. Two books are in her arms.*

I found it, but it's in pretty poor shape. The gremlins make great security, but they tend to eat the spines. Would you like The Idiot's Guide to the Dark Arts instead? It's got a special chapter on working with Dementors.

Sure, I'll sell spells for the RPG here. I'll put some thought into a few, and let you know what I come up with.

*Glances at the book, shudders, smiles.*

I'll take it! I see you're a fan of Discworld as well! Heh. Good to see it.

I'm going to have to make a page for affilitated shop areas and such. There are already two other stores in the Majestic City that cater to the RPG.

Now, how much for the book?

Well, normally I wouldn't part with it for less than 10 grams of gold. But seeing as how you helped me out when I first came here, horribly lost, it's on the house.

Tell Euan his first book is free, too!

*The thumping on the door gradually subsides to a level where Scandrea feels safe to remove her body weight from it. She walks back to the counter, and begins wrapping the book up.*

How's business?

*Takes the book graciously.*

Thanks!

Business is rather poor down here at the moment. No one's really found it yet, but hopefully that'll change when the RPG finishes.

Well, expect me in pretty soon. The only weapons I came down here with are a rock hammer and a pocketknife. You can't even really call them weapons, can you?

I wanted to talk to you about Tracer. I kind of intended him to be this sort of weapon/demon who is attached to me. He has the power to transform into a sword at will, and posess the bearer. There are drawbacks. He will only transform in situations of the direst need (are we doing hit points? They could reach a critical threshold before he could transform), and as soon as the sword is dropped or knocked away, both he and the bearer are out of action for quite some time (amount of posts as yet to be determined). And if the bearer has a phobia about killing people, Tracer has to respect those wishes. However, Tracer's blade will increase strength and skill for the bearer as long as he or she holds the sword. Too complicated? Too powerful? If it is, can he just come along as a pet?

*Sweeps in.*

Hmmm... sounds like an ability sorta thing. You could always make Tracer a character or something... or perhaps we can make something for familiars and animal companions.

No worries, we'll work him in somehow. Let me think on that for a little bit. If anything, a pet's no problem as you've got natural empathy.

< >*grins and wags tail furiously* < / >

Okay, this is just thinking aloud, right?

In D&D, rangers get animal companions. In one of the books, a drow ranger had a panther companion that would transform into a statue when killed our badly wounded, and could be summoned back with that.

Wizards and sorcerers get familiars, as well. When an animal companion or a familiar dies, their owner is hurt as well...

What we need is some way of figuring out animal statistics, and making some seperate feats for them.

I like the D&D ranger idea. I think Tracer is more of a companion than a familiar. I don't think he's actually bound to me, but sticks around of his own free will.

I could make him a character, if that becomes an option.

Let's just not really worry about his abilities and so on. He'll be an animal companion, but limited to what a normal canine could do.

That sound good?

Sounds good to me.

*Hands Myst the book*

Will that be all?

*Nods.*

For now, for now... I'll be seeing you, then!