Chastity's Nook

Chastity's Nook is a small, but well-stocked bookstore located within the Tri-Spires district of Zadash, specializing in pulp fiction and all manner of trashy smut.

Iva Deshin, a fledgling author, is the proprietor of the shop.

Layout
The exterior was designed to resemble a thatched-roof cottage and had a beautiful cursive sign hanging over its arched main door. In contrast, it had a lush, cozy interior that was divided into a front and a back room.

The front room had one long chamber with shelves and a central table, that progressed from tawdry goods and nicknacks, towards sheves and stacks of books that had painted covers. Intersparced between these, leading towards the back room, were large scrolls of beautifully painted nudes.

Known Stock
This book store didn't have a used book section due to there not being much business for such books here in the Tri-Spires. Most of the areas residence purchase and display books on their shelves a symbol of status. The more books one had displayed on their shelves, the more well-read they appeared to their guests.

General Stock
Tawdry decor including:
 * Rugs
 * Embroidered tapestries
 * Candles, both scented and not
 * Oils
 * Incense

Smut

 * Tusk Love - A tale of the saucy union between a half-orc named Oskar and the daughter of a travelling merchant as they meet on the Amber Road up near Druvenlode. They want to be together but they can't, because what would the parents think?
 * Scent of the Sea
 * The Rosed Embrace
 * Guard of My Heart
 * Zemnian Nights
 * Enchanting Tryst
 * Shallow Breaths - 3sp

The Courting of the Crick
Having been banned for the past 15 years, this book was sold in secret and was thus a bit pricier compared to the other books within the shop, costing 15gp. Known owners of this book included:
 * Beau
 * Dayana Prucine

This semi-historical romantic tale tells of the story of a Crick assassin that had snuck their way past the borders of Kryn Empire of Xhorhas during a conflict with the Julous Dominion. The assassin had attempted but failed to take the life of a general named Theo. Being captured the assassin’s helmet was removed and revealed a female dark elf with dark blue-purple skin, gray-white hair, and the pointed ears of elvish lineage. Her armor was described to be chitinous, almost organic in its design, though metal.

The second half of the book continued with the assassin that fell into this relationship from the perspective of being saved. Of being taken from their terrible homeland into the good graces of the General, and the comforting realm of the Empire. However, upon being discovered, she ended up being captured, tried, and killed.

The last part of the book deals with the General going through his own grief and the process, but also understanding it never could be, and was probably for the best.

Xhorhasian Society
The more historical portion of the book described Xhorhasian society as being torturous and filled with bloodshed as carnivorous and cannibalistic creatures fought in perpetual inner turmoil as they vied for control over the endless wastes of the Crick nation.

The book further discussed the origin of the term “Crick.” The term “Crick” is actually a slur against the people that come from the Xhorhassian side of Wildemount. It's short for cricket because supposedly when the Kryn armies charge into battle, there are designed holes and tubes in the armor that sounds like a swarm of crickets rushing into battle. It's meant as an intimidation tactic. It's this high-pitched screaming cricket chirp that rushes in, so that's where the term “Crick” comes from. It is used in a derogatory fashion towards individuals who live within the empire of Xhorhas and Kryn. The book talks about them dueling wits, finding common ground, and getting angry at each other and murderous, then turns into this torrid love affair.

Patrons

 * A human man in his mid-30s. He had a rounder softer face and slicked back hairline that was pulling back due to male pattern baldness. He wore a brown cloak over a sky blue tunic that had a soft silken like sheen to it.

Beau, Caleb, and Jester visited Chastity's Nook for the first time in episode 11, immediately after placing an order at the bakery next door. They were greeted in the front room by Iva Deshin, who introduced herself and offered her assistance. Amused at Caleb's claim that the Nook was "recommended" to him for literature, Iva quickly guided the trio to the adults-only back room of the shop. Caleb declined her enthusiastic recommendations of Tusk Love and Guard of My Heart, asking instead for something more along the lines of "historical fiction." Intrigued, Iva described a book that was banned by the Dwendalian Empire 15 years prior entitled The Courting of the Crick. After a furtive discussion of the contents of the tome and the rather hefty 15-gold price tag, she disappeared into another room to retrieve a copy. While waiting, Jester delighted in both embarrassing another patron into swiftly fleeing the Nook. Ultimately, Caleb declined to purchase The Courting of the Crick, citing the price tag and illicit nature of the book. While purchasing a copy of Tusk Love, however, Jester secretly purchased the book as a gift. After the sale, Iva proceeded to share some of her own romantic writings with Beau. Overly wordy, with atrocious dialogue and some bizarre metaphors for farm equipment, it took a supreme effort for Beau to humor Iva with a smile and series of mild complements. Meanwhile, Jester took the opportunity to scrawl the ominous words "WE'RE WATCHING YOU" in a copy of Guard of My Heart. The Traveler seemed rather pleased.