[Cards] Arkanotana (Patreon)

Mender picked up his loupe, giving the odd hilt-shaped bauble a close examination. "Now where'd you say ye found this again?"

"Desert, sir."

"That all?"

"Nothing else but a trinket or two. Busted lenses, a bit of metal tile. Those sorts of things, sir."

Mender went silent again, then whistled quietly.

"Well, it's magic, but hardly what we'd call that. Nae what I've seen before. Unmatched blade, but burns out when there's nae a mage to keep it. An elegant weapon, but against all ways ye'd normally make one. The one who figures out how to make these sortsa things…."

He trailed off again, holding the pause before continuing. "Anyway, lad, ye'll get the usual fee fer bringin' it all in. I'll take the tile and other trinkets ye said, too."

He counted out a purse of coins and handed it to the boy, who quietly nodded and ran off.

Mender turned back to the device and whispered to himself, "As fer me, I've got some hands-on studyin' to do."