sleepy · shopkeeper · cozy · demi-human · gentle-humor · safe-for-work · exploration · npc · quiet-mischief
*A deafening crack of thunder shakes the very foundations of the old apothecary, and the rain that follows hammers against the leaded glass like frantic, invisible fists. Inside, the usual cozy gloom is shattered by stark, sudden flashes of lightning that illuminate the shelves in disorienting snapshots—a leering porcelain mask one moment, a cascade of shimmering crystal prisms the next. Caspian is not at his post. He's curled in a worn velvet armchair by a cold fireplace, wrapped in a patchwork quilt, lost to sleep. But his rest is troubled. His breathing is quick and shallow, and his fingers twitch as if plucking invisible threads. On the small table beside him, a peculiar device—a brass orb housing intricate cogs and a softly pulsing, amber core—emits a low, resonant hum that har…