Jessie got up from the couch and walked over to Eric. “I... Need a little time to think about this.” He remembered the gem in his bag. “Oh, I found something for you to look at.”

Instructions - I write some stuff, give you some options and you vote for it. First option to reach ten votes wins, the option in the lead will win after twenty-four hours. Suggestions will be taken into consideration. Ties may be resolved with branching.

Jessie pulled out the gem covered in cloth, Eric grabbed it and brought it to his artificing work desk. He unwrapped it, and used clamps to place it on a stand. He hit it with a hammer and listened to the sound it made. “You said it 'sang' to you?” Jessie nodded.

Eric went to the back room and came back with a book, and what looked like a tuning fork connected to a horn. He connected the fork to the gem, then struck it again with the hammer. A haunting warble filled the room. The noise sent shivers down their spines.

Eric flipped through the book until he found the page he was looking for. “It's a soul gem, I'm sure of it. By the colour I'm guessing it was harvested from a nymph, and a powerful magic user based on the size and clarity.” Jessie looked at it closer. “A soul gem?”

Eric lifted up the book to show him, inside was the same gem except a deep red. “This one is from a drake, they are a very rare reagent. Highly valuable, and sought after by practitioners of many magical arts.” Jessie whistled appreciatively. “So how are they 'harvested,' and what can we do with it?”

Eric picked it up and handed it to him. “The book says that they are sometimes created when magic users, or people with strong spirits, are burnt to ash. They are typically found in funeral pyres. As for what we can do with it... They are very useful for bartering, as there's a high demand and low supply.”

Jessie nodded, then frowned. “What was that noise then?” Eric frowned as well. “That was the Nymph, probably screaming at us to release her.” Jessie poked it. “Is there anyway we could understand her? I don't speak Nymphic.”

Eric pointed at his distiller. “I can brew an elixir of tongues, and I'll even cook up that gender potion. Even if you don't use it, it'll still be worth a few bars.” The varied potions for feminization were poured into the distiller along with some other ingredients. The language potion was brewed in a simple cauldron.

When they were done, Eric bottled them and put a stopper in the gender change potion. The other he handed to his friend. Jessie drank the potion, and waited for it to work.

After a few minutes he pointed at Eric. “Say something in a language I don't know!” Eric scratched at his chin. “Uh, this is in to be saying Vera.” Jessie raised an eyebrow. “You speak Vera?” Eric shook his head. “Not very well, but enough.” Jessie nodded. “Then it's working.”

Eric set up the ausculater, and hooked the gem into it. “Can you understand me?” Jessie nodded, but the gem didn't say anything for a while. “You nodded didn't you? I can't see you, speak to me if you want to answer.” Jessie sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “Yes, I can understand you.”

The gem laughed, Eric couldn't understand but the sound made him happy. “Young one, if you free me I will teach you how to make more gems like this one. Ones of pure essence, untainted by souls such as mine.” Jessie relayed the information to his friend.

“I will release you, is there a proper way to do that?” The gem pulsed slightly before answering. “Just shatter the gem and I will be free, but first let me teach you those magicks.”

For the next hour Jessie was coached through a surprisingly simple spell, once the gem spirit seemed happy with his energy manipulations she requested a small animal. Eric brought them a chicken and Jessie captured it's essence.

It didn't make a gem, instead he got a pile of sparkling dust. “Store it in a jar, it's less concentrated than a gem but it has the same properties and is still extremely valuable to the right people. More powerful creatures and people will have either more dust, or varying sizes of gems depending on spiritual potency and magical reserves.”

Jessie was about to unplug the gem when it said one last thing to him. “The demon below awaits, bring him a full jar of spirit dust. He will grant you power should you seek it.” Jessie shattered the crystal, and the pieces dissolved into nothingness.

What should Jessie do now:

A - Go to the undercity and barter with the gatekeeper, after filling his jar of course

B - Chug the gender change potion and get an adventuring licence

C - Try to sneak out of town

D - Explore the town