Thank you!

Selvadorada is in mumble mumble somewhere far mumble and it's where the Omiscan people used to live mumble mumble a long time mumble ago. While no Omiscan people still remain and much of the culture of Omisca has been lost, some remnants of its traditions carry onto the present day lives of Selvadoradian natives.

But of more specific interest to Peter, of course, is the reason he's looking into this place at all: alexandrite. It's an extremely rare crystal that can only be found in deposits deep in the Belomisia Jungle in Selvadorada. It was used in ancient Omiscan jewels and adornments but all instances of it have been lost one way or another, and not even the Museum of Omiscan History in Selvadorada has any samples. It's very likely there are still undiscovered deposits or artefacts with it in the ruins that the jungle has taken over, but one would need to venture far and away from the typical touristic areas and beaten trails.

But if Peter wants, for a mere §14,000 he could hire a guided tour from a local that would go to the non-touristic areas and maybe he could find alexandrite artefacts that way!

Is there really nobody selling anything made out of alexandrite anywhere? Nothing on display, literally nothing? Nowhere?

Not as far as Peter can find!

This is nuts. And why are people so sure there even is any alexandrite left in Selvadorada, anyway, if literally no one has any?

Oh people do have any, Peter can find pictures and stuff. They're just not selling nor displaying it anywhere.

There must be some better way to acquire a random crystal than going on a hike into an unexplored ancient temple and hoping it hasn't been looted yet and that he'll run into some alexandrite.

Sure, maybe he could post an ad somewhere saying he's looking for it and hope someone will bite, and furthermore that they'll bite faster than Peter ages.

Peter could always just go to Selvadorada and talk to people there? Maybe they'll know better than the internet.

Peter really wishes he had another real person to validate his thoughts against. He gets up and stretches in place because he's been sitting there staring at his computer for who even knows how long.

It's night, so a few hours.

There's a tray of brownies on the kitchen counter but the other four are nowhere in evidence.

...wow he uh got really distracted, huh.

Where are they?

The infinity pool upstairs, it seems!

Eric and Lucas are sitting on the edge of the pool, while Zach and Tae-hwan are in it intermittently chatting and swimming. Eric seems to have acquired a smoothie.

It's fall so it's getting chilly but it's still warm enough for swimming. Peter spins out of his clothes and joins Zach and Tae-hwan.

"Hi Peter."

"Hi. You guys having fun?"

"Yeah!"

"Hey Peter, do you like brownies?"

"Yeah, they're nice."

"Lucas and I made some! You can help yourself to them if you'd like."

"Thanks." He has to seize the opportunity before they start a different conversation though. "Have you guys heard of alexandrite?"

"Isn't that the crystal you need for your potion?"

Oh good he remembered. "Yeah. I just keep thinking that it makes no sense that we'd need to go all the way to Selvadorada to find it."