Museum of Grimoire - 3.4 - Early Access (Patreon)

Despite the foray into the tomb clearly having come to an end for the time being, Florence was surprised when Noire insisted that the matter wasn’t over just yet. It was apparently too soon to call the expedition finished. Because there was one more thing she insisted upon.

A debrief and review of the gathered information.

“It’s also a chance for one to show off whatever else they happened to find on site,” she explained further when they made camp a good distance away. “Small things like trinkets that are worthy of preservation too.”

“Really?” Florence asked, surprised that there was still seemingly something that could be retrieved from the plundered graveyard. “Did you find anything like coins? I’d be surprised if those grave robbers had missed out on that.”

“Ah, it unfortunately isn’t anything so exciting as that today. Really, coinage of any kind would have been quite big with how an expert could date it,” Noire mumbled, shaking her head. “Never mind that though, this is still something very interesting I plucked off one of the skeletons we passed by.”

It… honestly wasn’t anything that was so interesting at first to Florence when it was revealed. “Is that a buckle?” asked the apprentice with a frown. “It looks pretty badly battered.”

“Given the probable lack of care over the years, I think it’s even more impressive that it’s still even intact. You also did sort of chop its user in half with that scythe of yours,” commented the archaeologist, holding it up all the same with an engrossed expression on her face. “But while it’s fairly well-corroded, there’s still some fascinating details you can make out. Come on, really, take a closer gander.”

Florence eventually obliged, blinking when she finally noticed the odd contours. “What’s that bulge in the middle? The one that looks like an orb. Could that have been something like a gem socket?”

“You’re getting the idea now! But I’ll have to dash your hopes with the reminder that if it had been something that valuable, those plunders of an age past would have taken it.”

“Oh right. So it’s just like an engraving, maybe?”

“A likely simple one, which explains how the etching has definitely been worn down. But you can still feel it.” Noire’s fingers rubbed over the thin strip, careful not to exert too much force. “Small ridges and grooves, hm. Combined with two small little dips. What do you think it is?”

There was a sort of knowing tone in her question that hinted it as more of a rhetorical question, but Florence engaged with it all the same. Her brow furrowed as she tried to feel out those same carvings, trying to put together a mental image of what it could be. Then she recalled the origin of the site and the answer leapt out of her lips.

“A skull. The buckle had a small skull carved into it.”

“Quite right, or so I’m led to believe as well.” Noire gingerly lifted the buckle up into the air again, seemingly marveling at the mundane item as if it was a terrific magical artifact. “Quite interesting, isn’t it? Because then it lets you cast your mind into the sort of individual who would have worn it. Perhaps they never did, and it was simply part of their funeral attire.”

The warlock cast her mind back to those skeletons she had dispatched without thinking, straining to recall exactly what they had looked like. “I think… it wasn’t just clothes they were buried in. The armor looked something practical? It’s hard to tell with how much of it was missing.”

“Rotted away or stolen, perhaps. Leather would have crumbled with age, while quality metal, the type you use to protect yourself, could have been taken by thieves.” She paused and thought for a moment longer. “I think it more likely the latter, given the trappings of that wright king. It looked quite well armed, so logic is that those they had been buried with would be too.”

A question sprouted in Florence’s head about that foe. “Why do you think they still had all that gear on them, by the way?” she inquired. “Why was it not taken alongside the others?”

“Hmm. An interesting conundrum that I can’t say for certain.” She at least threw out some theories. “Perhaps the crystal dispeller was powerful enough to at least suppress them from approaching any closer, or at least weaken it enough that they could do naught but hide in the deepest parts of their grave. Wait for it to all pass over, and then swear revenge afterwards, stewing upon it all that time.”

The younger of the two winced. “That… probably isn’t mentally healthy, even for a revenant.”

“Very likely not. Combined with the influence of the demon fruit then, and their utter hatred for the living is understandable.” Noire sighed. “Regrettable and tragic, but unfortunately nonnegotiable. They are now no better than monsters which endanger lives, making it necessary for the guild to handle. Quite the sharp flip from how they possibly were in life, don’t you think?”

Florence examined the buckle with newfound appreciation, imagining how it could have been long ago. Some sort of affixed belt or fastener on a guard, maybe a token of their faith? Or was it simply something just sort of cultural trend or aesthetic? She found herself getting unusually invested and intrigued by the idea now, never imagining something so regular to be so engaging.

All it took was time to turn a trinket of the present into a relic of the past, it seemed.

Then her gaze drifted to her own attire and a question sprung to mind. “Do you think it would look good on me?” Florence suddenly asked, taking Noire off-guard briefly. “I mean, I am a warlock that communes with a spirit of death. A sort of skull buckle accessory feels like it’d fit nicely into my apparel.”

The historian blinked a few times, then let out a thoughtful hum. “Well. It certainly wouldn’t not fit.”

“Then can I have it?”

“Honestly, it was yours in all technicality by the right of battle loot. But I think that this one is a little bit too old to function properly, for long at least.”

“Oh. Right.” Florence blushed lightly. “I forgot it’s quite flimsy. But maybe I can find one in a market where we go next.”

“It would be a rather specific thing to find, wouldn’t it?” Noire pointed out with a raised eyebrow. “The people of the Seventh Age aren’t so obsessed with those themes of death like the Fifth. I think you might have to more commission the piece.”

“Then hopefully where we go next has a smithy then. We can show them the accessory and have them fashion one in its likeness, right?”

“Oh yes, the design is simple enough that I’m sure any half-competent blacksmith would be able easily mimic the fashion.” Suddenly, it seemed like a thought struck Noire as she considered an idea. “In fact, replications of antiquity are something that have been around since the prior age. They enjoyed a brief wave of popularity from what I’ve read, until troubles rendered them and the connected field of archaeology out of favor.

“Hmm. You might have just given me an idea for something we could perhaps tout as means of funding additional expeditions, especially if we are to hire guards and the like.”

Florence caught on quickly. “By selling replicas of old stuff?”

“We’re hardly so base as to sell the originals, are we?” The historian gave a single delicate sniff, then launched into an explanation of how this idea would be superior than those before. “Selling modern copies would be at least sustainable, as we could simply make more instead of needing to plunder more tombs. It also wouldn’t simply stop at trinkets either; We could potentially make duplicates of things like wall art. Thus rendering the entire ugly business of defacing those resting sties unnecessary.”

It did sound a lot better to Florence, reminding her of how this entire little side expedition had started. A qualm about exploring the resting place of the dead, now turned discussing about profiting from it- yet curiously still respecting the fallen. The warlock almost couldn’t believe how it had turned out.

Her patron felt almost amused through the connection they had, which was probably the closest thing one could attain as approval from a spirit of death.

Yet while it could theoretically help preserve these graves, Florence had another idea. “The money… if it’s no small sum, perhaps do you think we could offer a portion back to the fallen as tribute?” she suggested, earning an impressed look from Noire.

“A splendid idea. If it took the form of a separate budget to handle the maintenance and care of such sites, I think it would be quite respectful while also preserving the remains of our history.” She paused then and pursed her lips, realizing something. “That is, if we are allowed to do so.”

“Huh? What’s the matter with the idea?”

“It would be testament to declaring ourselves owner of a plot of land, to which I believe most governments of this age do take offense to without going through proper procedures,” Noire laid out with a slight grumble. “Even if it is a set of ruins that they have little intent to build upon, they will still likely protest.”

Florence’s face fell slightly at the idea of that sort of trouble. “Oh. Well, I mean… maybe we can ask the hero or archmage?” she suggested, seeking resolution. “Surely the two have quite a bit of authority to wield in their respective circles.”

“Yet said circles are also constrained to their relative fields, aren’t they?” pointed out the archaeologist before admitting “I do suppose the future queen of the kingdom would have more political clout than most. But it would probably only apply to within her own domain, and I loath the idea of limiting our efforts to a singular land. Not when there are plenty out there with other histories to record and archive.

“No, what we need to appeal towards instead is a higher power. One with more far-reaching influence- ah.” Noire snapped her fingers, realization striking. “Of course. The imperial faith.”

“Oh!” Florence’s eyes widened. “Of course. The most popular of all the beliefs out there. The Followers of the Divine.”

“Yes, and as it so happens, my next client actually is one quite well-regarded within their order.” She grinned with slight triumph. “The saintly companion of the hero might be quite receptive to our idea if I do the job well enough.”