Looking around for a likely guide, I found myself in a very different city than the one I remembered. The shimmering near the top of the city-wall had changed into a solid dome of magic reaching all the way to the peak of the adventurer’s tower. The golden runes floating in the air around the tower were now clearly held together by lines of force. The occasional bolt that erupted from the tower traveled down these lines but at each rune it dissipated, sending power down the adjoining lines.

All the odd bits of metal I assumed were purely aesthetic now seethed with power. Some looked a bit like neon signs to my newly heightened attunement, others looked like tesla-coils with arcs of energy racing around them alarmingly. Even the mages had glowing auras around them now. In a word, it was trippy.

It was hard to get myself back on task but I eventually built up the courage to walk up to one of the mages. I chose one with a weaker aura hoping they wouldn’t be too important to talk to a random shoeless vagrant.

“Good Morning” I started with a friendly wave.

“Good morning” agreed the mage. He gave me a look up and down, obviously not very impressed with my presentation. I pushed on before he could tell me he didn’t have any spare change.

“I couldn’t help but notice the fine embroidery on your robes. If it’s not too dear a secret, would you be willing to tell me which tailor is responsible for such impressive work? You see, I have lost all my luggage and am in dire need of some proper clothing.”

The mage smiled, apparently my overly flowery speech put him at ease. I couldn’t count out the effect of my new Charming Smile ability either.

“Certainly, A tailor named Vandercamp makes all my clothing. He’s a little odd, but he knows his craft. You can find his shop down this street. Take a left at the third intersection. His shop is called the Nimble Thimble. Have a nice day.”

The mage waved and gave a friendly smile before continuing on his way. He was much more helpful than a stereotypical NewYorker but apparently city life was still city life. Not that I had the time to stand around and chat either.

I followed the mages instructions to the street in question. It was a busy little road and handcarts trundled up and down the cobbles. Displays of each shop’s wares spilled out of large open windows. I eventually spotted mannequins wearing a loud assortment of clothing. They ranged from frilly finery the like of which I’d never seen before down to simple but durable looking work clothes. I pushed the door open, hitting the bells strung just inside the shop. The merry jingling caught the attention of the owner.

An old old man with skin that hung loosely from his frame looked up from some green fabric.

“Welcome to the nimble thimble. How can I help you today?” He asked while setting his bronze-rimmed spectacles higher on his nose.

“Hello, I’m looking for some clothes suitable for a merchant. Ideally something with boosts to the Charisma stat.” I remembered to smile as the comically magnified eyes settled on me.

The old man shot up from his seat and dashed over. I was alarmed and pulled away but his quick fingers snatched up the hem of my shirt. He began oohing and aahing over the worn shirt like it was some kind of a treasure.

“Hey! Cut that out” I said yanking the hem away. I wasn’t used to sudden breaches of my personal space at the best of times.

“Apologies sir, apologies. I’ve just never seen such magnificent weaving. Where did you get your hands on such fine work?”

That’s right. I could have facepalmed. Mass produced textiles were probably better than anything this tailor had ever seen before.

“They came from a very long way away. I’m afraid it’s too far to transport goods. This shirt barely survived the trip as it is.”

The old man looked crestfallen and sat in a nearby basket of cloth.

“What a shame, I’ve never seen such a tight weave. Do you at least know what dies they used? How did they keep the colors from bleeding together? Terrible artistic sense on the patterns but the craftsmanship is uncanny.” As he spoke his melancholy was forgotten and he grew excited again.

I could only shrug and hold my hands up.

“I’m no tailor, I just liked the shirt and bought it. I didn’t even know it was special at the time.” Then I had an idea.

“You know, if you’d like I could sell you the shirt. It’s hardly presentable anymore but maybe you could learn something by studying it.”

The old man rubbed his chin.

“That I could. Here I thought I had reached the pinnacle of my art. Thank you for bringing something new into this old man’s life. What would you be willing to part with this exquisite bit of craftsmanship for?”

“Why don’t we start with your name.” I said holding out a hand “Mine’s Patrick.”

“Finnegan Vandercamp at your service.” Said the old man as he shook my hand eagerly with both of his.

“Nice to meet you Finnegan. I have to say, you’ve got a way with flattery. I haven’t felt good about wearing these rags for quite some time. I’d be happy to exchange them for some less damaged clothing. A few sets for everyday use, a set of work clothes, and the Merchant’s clothes would be more than enough. Some shoes would be appreciated too now that I think about it.”

“I can’t help you with the shoes. I’m a tailor, not a cobbler. I can give you an introduction to a colleague though.” He said glancing at my bare feet. “As to the rest, it’s doable but I’m afraid I can’t part with specialized clothing for free. I can’t have word getting around that I’m just giving away such powerful merchandise. I’d never hear the end of it.” His fingers fidgeted nervously as he adopted an apologetic air.

“That’s totally understandable” I reassured Finnegan. “How much do the specialized clothes usually cost?”

“It depends on the stat boosts they come with but typically each Charisma point increases the value of a garment by eighty copper coins. I can decrease that by ten a piece but that’s as low as my professional pride will let me go.”

I grimaced. That was way more than I expected. I thought it would be expensive but I could barely afford a single extra stat point at those rates. It didn’t seem like the stats were worth the cost. There was only one thing left to try.

“I don’t suppose you would be willing to exchange the clothes for some of these?” I asked while holding out a handful of silver buttons. Finnegan laughed.

“You might have been the last person I expected to produce a pocketful of silver. Where did you find such pretty baubles?” He asked while taking one of the buttons for closer inspection. “A Jordian officer I see. Quite a few of them by the looks of it. You must have been up north recently.”

I was suddenly panicked. I didn’t expect him to be able to identify the buttons. Was he going to call the guards or something? Finnegan must have seen my tension because he chuckled and handed the button back.

“Don’t worry. I’m old enough to know not to stick my nose into the affairs of violent folk. Blood and cloth don’t mix well. I can take each of these buttons for… Let’s say sixty-five copper apiece.”

“Make it seventy-five and you’ll buy yourself a loyal customer.” I countered.

“Deal!” Finnegan rose from his basket and we shook on it.

I ended up buying a bright blue velvet doublet with poofy white sleeves and matching blue trousers, also poofy. Green hose was included but I would ruin them without shoes so they stayed in my inventory. Black gloves completed the ensemble. Finnegan even agreed to fix up my sorry green cap as a bonus service. He promised it would be ready in time for me to make it back to the sea-cow.

Not counting the cap and the hose, the rest of the outfit granted me +8 Charisma bringing my total up to 15. In addition to the clothes, I made off with nearly two whole silver after the trading was done. I was now more than ready to offload the rest of my merchandise and Finnegan was more than happy to direct me to a few vendors he knew who weren’t overly curious.