YE OLDE MAGICK SHOPPE

Ye Olde Magick Shoppe was a chain of magic stores run entirely by Y'Gael before the end of the the First Age of Magic in 966, and at least one was still in operation when magic returned in 1067. Y'Gael would navigate between these magic shops, in addition to several other shops in other cities around Zork, by gating through a portal to the Ethereal Plain of Atrii. These dimension doors were usually concealed from shoppers by curtains. The three known branches of Ye Olde Magick Shoppe were located in: Gurth City, North Festeron, and an unknown town.


GURTH CITY YE OLDE MAGICK SHOPPE
A lone black candle obscuresd the proportions of this windowless shop. The scent of tallow was strong, heightening the aura of arcane mystery. There was a glass display case near the door.

UNKNOWN YE OLDE MAGICK SHOPPE
The branch in an unknown town run by the very informative Y'Gael and sold PARTAY spells with a money-back guarantee. The shelves were said to groan with forbidden books, bubbling potions and other fun items.

FESTERON YE OLDE MAGICK SHOPPE
Ye Olde Magick Shoppe
North Festeron, Antharia
23-51-1

(or alternatively)

The Magick Shoppe
Way-Up-On-Top-Of-The-Hill
North Festeron, North Festeron YYZ3WWX45T-8974G


The Festeron shop was the most famous of all the branches of Ye Olde Magick Shoppe, the home of Y'Gael herself. This hulking old-fashioned Victorian structure, the same gray as the rock that surrounded it, dominated a flat rocky plateau on North Festeron island, which was a jumble of gray slabs of weathered granite. Nothing grew up here, save for some sickly-looking scrub-brush that peeked out here and there from among the rocks, and a couple of stunted trees partially protected from the elements by the great bulk of the house. It was a good three stories tall, four if you counted the cupola and the widow’s walk at the house’s peak, and it seemed to lean towards the edge of the cliff, as if, at any minute, the whole structure might pull itself tree of its foundation and lumber straight off the side. Its brightly painted shutters and thatched roof reminded many of something out of a fairy tale, although a few thought it would look home only under rolling clouds and streaks of lightning. Part of the house had been converted into a store, for the corner of the structure nearest the path featured an oversized window displaying multicolored wares. Over the front door hung a curiously painted wooden sign that swung back and forth in the wind. The ornately produced words, golden on a field of royal blue read: “Ye Olde Magick Shoppe.”

Every inch of wall space in the front shownroom of the Magick Shoppe was crowded with colorful displays, magic tricks, puzzles and mystical paraphernalia. There was FUNTIME PEPPER GUM!, JOKE THROUGH-THE-HEAD ARROW!, the AMAZINGLY LIFELIKE PLASTIC BAT GUANO! ("Amuse your friends. Be the life of the party."), THE AMAZING SHELL GAME! (a package containing three plastic cups and a plastic pebble and an enclosed instruction booklet full of helpful hints), a display of joy buzzers and X-ray glasses, card tricks and scarf-producing cups, and flies-in-the-icecubes ("Put them in your friend’s drinks! A laff-riot at parties!"). A glass case even offerred a selection of obscene jokes and naughty birthday cards. There was a small counter at the back of the store (west end), behind which was a heavy black curtain. It seemed to be a piece of granite carved to look like a curtain. In the corner stood an ancient grandfather clock, its dial ornamented with a crescentmoon (with an ever-changing face) and other celstial symbols.

During the Second Age of Magic, whenever the curse of Witchville reigned, the corner of the shop which held the display window and sign would change and hold nothing more than weathered boards and peeling paint.