Koern's Cones

The koern's cones is a wandering cart in Icemule Trace that sells food and specializes in snowcones.

The proprietor is a gnome barker. The barker, Koern, pushes the contraption all around Icemule Trace.

[Icemule Trace, East Road]	Room: 4042304
Tall brownstone rowhouses line both sides of the busy road, their round doors painted a wide variety of colors. A gnarled birch hunches over the southern edge of the road, its roots snaking beneath the cobblestones and its bark lending the breeze a pleasant bite. Beneath the tree, a scattering of bright green leaves litters the ground. The bent stalwart marks the property line of a small snow-covered cottage standing back from the thoroughfare. You also see a gnomish contraption with a small sign on it and a gnome barker.
Obvious exits: east, south, west

a small sign

***********************************************
                   ~@~KOERN'S CONES~@~                     

Step right up and grab yourself the hottest thing
to hit the glacier since Thurfel burned the town!
Sixty fabulous flavors, and a few others thrown in
 just for good measure!

                  ~@~INSTRUCTIONS~@~                       

Step One: Push the lever to get yourself a cone.
Only 200 silvers!

Step Two: Pull the lever to get yourself some snow.
Only 50 silvers!

Step Three: Turn or spin the wheel to select a flavor.
Absolutely free!

Step Four: Push the button to get yourself some flavoring.
Only 200 silvers!

Step Five: Eat and Enjoy!

Warning: These treats won't long remain in their ideal
frozen state, so eat them now and buy more later!
**********************************************

Inventory

How to Obtain a Snowcone & Flavoring

Push Lever

Receive an empty waffle cone - 200 silvers.

You hand the barker 200 silver, and he waves you toward the contraption.
You give the lever a sturdy push, and an empty waffle cone drops into your hand.

Pull Lever

Fill the waffle cone with snow - 35 silvers.

Seeing your move toward the lever, the barker steps out of the way.  "Refreshing bite of snow, madam?  That'll be a cool 35 silvers!"

You hand the barker 35 silvers, which he pockets with a soft chuckle.
You give the large lever a sturdy pull.

The contraption bursts forth with a terrible grinding noise!  The barker looks carelessly around the room, despite the fact that his teeth are audibly chattering from the vibrations.

Just as the grinding comes to a halt, a panel slides open in the front of the machine.  A tiny chute emerges from the panel, guiding a perfect ball of shaved ice directly into your waffle cone.

The barker struggles to lift a block of pure glacial ice, which he adds to the top of the contraption.

"Who's next?  Plenty more where that came from!"  The gnome chuckles to himself, as if at some private joke.

Spin Wheel

Select a random flavor - free.

Grabbing the multicolored wheel, you lean left and then pull your arm sharply to the right, sending the wheel into a tremendous spin!

The barker glances up at the wheel.  "Round and round and round she goes!"

The wheel slows, then comes to a stop at grumbleberry.
The barker yells out, "Grumbleberry!  Who can I interest in a nice grumbleberry snowcone?"

Push Button

Flavor your snowcone - 150 silvers.

As you move toward the contraption, the barker smiles approvingly.  "I surely do appreciate the business, madam.  And in appreciation, I'll give you a little break on the price...let's call it 150 silver?

You hand the barker 150 silvers, which he pockets with a sly smile.

You give the red button a firm push.
A sharp *click* and a subtle *whirr*, then a panel slides open in the front of the contraption.
From the panel emerges a tiny chute, down which a steady stream of liquid flows, soaking your snowcone in grumbleberry flavoring.

Questions

The below are questions that can be asked of Koern that directly relate to the contraption and snow cones.

Service Questions

>ask barker about service
The barker says,  "I don't really provide a service...I just oversee the use of this 'ere contraption," the gnome says with a smile.  "If you're interested in cones, or snow, or prices, or the contraption, or the various flavors that are available, you'll need to be a little more specific, friend!"

>ask barker about cones
The gnome smiles broadly as he says, "I sell only the finest waffle cones, baked from wheat flour that's been generously flavored with molasses and sweetened with honey! They're a steal at 200 silvers!  Just push the lever on that 'ere contraption to try one for yourself!"

>ask barker about snow
The barker glances down, as if taking a sudden interest in the condition of his shoes.  When he looks up, his features are arranged in an expression of perfect candor.  "I know what you're thinking," he says in a confidential tone.  "'He's got a lot of nerve, selling snow on a glacier!'  Well, you might be right about the nerve, but not about the snow!  This is the finest snow you've ever seen!  Cut from the heart of the glacier, my ice is shaved to a fine powder while you wait...just perfect for soaking up the flavor of your choice!"

>ask barker about prices
The barker smiles at your question.  "Cheap, cheaper, and cheapest!  I'm asking a mere 200 silvers  for the cones, 50 for the snow, and 200 for the flavoring.  But in your case, I might drop the price just a bit," he says, winking broadly.

>ask barker about contraption
The barker beams broadly as he points out the features of the machine at his side.  "Ya gotcher wheel, fer picking flavors.  You can ask me fer specific flavors if you're lazy, but most folks just turn the wheel, or spin it to get a random taste.  Then ya gotcher lever.  Push it fer a cone, pull it fer snow.  Last but hardly least, ya gotcher button.  Each firm press'll give you some a dose of flavor for your cone!["]

>ask barker about directions
The gnome barker looks baffled.  "Where do you want to go?"  When your eyes indicate the contraption, he chuckles.  "Whoops, sorry!  There's a handy sign right there for you to read...or your could just push the lever, pull the lever, and push the button just as quick!  Oh, and before push the button, use the wheel to find a flavor you like!"

>ask barker about wheel
The gnome barker indicates the massive wheel.  "Sixty some-odd flavors up there!  If you turn the wheel, you'll see them one by one.  Give it a spin, and you'll get a random selection!  Push the button quick, or someone else might spin again.  If you know what flavor you want, just ask me for it, and I'll set the wheel myself.  Might call you a lazy oaf, but that's a small price to pay!"

>ask barker about lever
The gnome barker makes a fist and moves it forward, then back.  "This here's what you call a double-action lever.  Push it forward to get a cone, and pull it backward to fill your cone with shaved ice!"

>as barker about button
The gnome barker makes a jabbing motion with one finger.  "Easy, easy!  The youngest Paradis child can figure this one out!  The button releases the flavorings, so make sure you have a cone full of snow in hand!  Oh, and make sure the wheel is set to something you like.  You can reflavor your snow, but like any second chance in life, it’s not quite free!"

Flavor Questions

>ask barker about flavors
The gnome's eyes gleam as he smiles from ear to ear.  "Interested in flavors?  I've got 'em!  I've got every berry known to the Truefolk, as well as fruits common and rare!  I also have some rare varieties...what you might call yer acquired tastes!  Or did you mean to ask about something specific, like berries, fruits, or varieties?"

>ask barker about berries
The gnome barker looks you over, paying particular attention to your feet.  He shrugs, and mutters something about how it takes all kinds of customers to make a living.  "Berries?" he asks.  "Of course I have berries.  I have every kind of berry known to halfling-kind!  I have blue raspberry, blackberry, grumbleberry, iceberry, loganberry, lingonberry, mulberry, raspberry, rowanberry, strawberry, snowberry, thornberry, teaberry, winterberry, and the ever popular mixed berry!"

>ask barker about fruits
The gnome barker smiles broadly.  "Fruits?  We have a pretty wide selection!  We have fig, apricot, persimmon, kumquat, avocado, black cherry, mango, passion fruit, green apple, apple, banana, grape, honeydew melon, kiwi, lemon, lime, orange, peach, pineapple, watermelon, cantalope, pomegranate, star fruit, tangerine."  He pauses for breath, wheezing audibly.  "Papaya, plum, and guava.  Which will it be?"

>ask barker about varieties
The gnome barker says, "This here is what I call the flavors that aren't fruits and berries.  We have snow flavored snow, of course, but also almond, peanut, walrus blubber, elk fat, spiced torban, caramel, chocolate, vanilla, peppermint, spearmint, mint, rootbeer, rum, whiskey, coffee, cinnamon, dill pickle, eggnog, and spicy pepper!"