- Antoin 'Nimblefingers' Jasdac
Description of Building:
The Cat's Eye is located on a cul-de-sac in Field Ward. The building is
older; the foundation is constructed of grey stone and the first and second
floors are wood. The dimensions are 20' by 50'. The short sides face the
main road and back alley. The front of the building has a large display
window and a brassbound oak door. The lock is of exceptional quality and
is -20% to a thief's open locks score, and the window is protected by a
glassteel spell.
The front area of the store is 20' by 30'. This contains the display cases
and sales counter. The back portion of the lower floor contains a stairwell
to the second floor, a workroom and the back entrance. The workroom has two
gem cutting tables with various tools and magnifiers. It also has a small
smelter for melting the precious metals required for jewelry crafting.
Molds and blocks of wax take up an entire shelf system.
The second floor contains the living areas for the apprentices and Antoin.
Marci has quarters elsewhere within the city. Antoin has a private study
and bedchamber. The second bedchamber is split with a thin wooden partition
for propriety's sake. Marisha and Elise sleep in bunkbeds and Tarence has a
small cot. The stairs surface in the joint sitting room. (A map is
available for this structure.)
Description of Business:
The Cat's Eye is a gem and jewelry shop. The shop has very little local
business and it is usually from adventurers seeking appraisals or the
wealthy wanting special orders. Most business is afforded by the Arylon
office of the Black Cat Trading Coster. Raw gems arrive from merchants and
are sent to the Cat's Eye for cutting and polishing. After the work is
finished, the gems are packaged and returned to the Coster where they are
sent to buyers.
The cost of items varies with the availability of materials. The shop keeps
a number of lesser-valued items in stock for the display and sales area.
These cheaper items are prominently displayed in the more accessible areas
of the store to deter theft of the better pieces. Most of the common work
is performed by the apprentices. Copper bracelets, earbobs and rings are
commonplace items. These items sell from anywhere between 3 copper to 2
silver, depending on quality. Silver is also a fairly common jewelry
material, however the silver items are usually adorned with gems or are
intricately designed. The silver jewelry ranges in price from 3 silver to
50 gold, depending on quality. Electrum jewelry is less in demand but one
or two pieces can be found here at any one time. The electrum pieces range
widely from 6 silver to more than 100 gold, depending on quality.
Jewelry made from the more precious metals (gold, platinum or mithril)are
taken as special orders only. The price on special orders varies even more
than the electrum. These pieces go from 25 gold and up. So far, the most
expensive order has been a commissioned set of matching jewelry constructed
of platinum and sapphires. This order was an engagement set that included a
necklace and pendant, matching earbobs, two rings and a hair clip. It sold
for 7300 gold pieces. The purchaser was the youngest son of the noble house
Adarbrent from Waterdeep. His name is Gregor and he lives on a small estate
east of Arylon. He purchased the items for his fiancee, Lady Alicia
Merrowstar.
In addition to jewelry, the shop also has a constant collection of common
gemstones. (10 to 50 gp base value.) Some examples of the loose stones are:
azurite, Crown of Silver, lapis lazuli, malachite, tiger eye, turquoise,
jasper, onyx, carnelian etc.... Fancy and precious stones are the most
common stones shipped for professional work through the Black Cat Trading
Coster. Every so often a gemstone, jewel, hard stone or shell is included
within the shipment. Shandaria tends to the rarer stones and requests
herself.
A side business, which brings in moderate funds, is the selling of gem
dusts, gems and prisms to mages for spell components. The apprentices make
common copper jewelry and practice gemcutting on ornamental stones. Marci
specializes in crafting settings from precious metals and is a mediocre
gemcutter. Antoin is the main gemcutter for the shop. His skill usually
adds 10% or more to the stones he crafts.
Marci and Antoin also hire for appraisals. Their fee ranges from 5 to 20
percent of an items value.
Major NPC's:
Shandaria Mistmere
Shandaria owns the Cats Eye. She is rarely found here. She handles the
more difficult orders and special requests herself. (Shandaria is detailed
in a separate submission.)
Antoin 'Nimblefingers' Jasdac (hm, NG, 4th lvl T)
main NWP's: Gemcutting, Appraising, Reading Lips and Forgery
Antoin is one of the original "Skulks", he is now 42 years old. He is a
fourth level thief and retired after a second-story job went awry. Antoin
fell and crippled his left leg. He needs a cane to walk and in wet weather
he can barely get around. Antoin has salt and pepper hair, green eyes and a
ready smile. Shandaria specially trained him following his accident. He
is now the day to day manager of the Cat's Eye and has been in charge of the
shop since 1351DR. Antoin trains all apprentices in gemcutting and
appraising. He is also one of Shandaria's favorite agents. He keeps his
eyes and ears open for potential problems. These problems usually come in
the form of overzealous adventurers or bored nobility. Adventurers and
nobility tend to speak openly in front of shopkeepers and Antoin takes full
advantage of this tendency.
Marci Ingram (hf, CG, 2nd lvl T)
main NWP's: metalworking, dancing, etiquette, appraising and gemcutting
Marci is also a member of the "Skulks". She joined shortly after ending her
apprenticeship at the Cat's Eye. Marci leads a double-life. During the day
she is a skilled metalworker for the jewelry shop. By night, she plays an
empty headed courtesan to nobility and adventurers at the various fest halls
and taverns in the city.
Marci is eighteen years old, has honey-blond hair, brimming blue eyes and an
ample bosom. She is one of Shandaria's more "active" informants. Marci has
very loose morals and pursues her prey deep into their bedchambers.
Marisha, Tarence and Elise:
Marisha, Tarence and Elise are orphans from the Arylon Orphanage. Shandaria
has arranged their apprenticeships with Kethryllia. Marisha is the eldest,
15. Tarence and Elise are 14 and 12, respectively. Marisha has been
serving in the Cat's Eye for two years and is almost through her
apprenticeship. Tarence and Elise are just beginning their apprenticeship.
Elise is the only one of the three with the necessary abilities to become a
thief. Only time and practice will decide her fate.
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