At the Market
Tenebrae - Tuesday, February 04, 2014, 7:18 PM
-=--=--=--=--=--=<* A07: Local Alexandria Market District *>-=--=--=--=--=--=-
Just west of the Northern Highbridge and east of the arena, commerce blooms. Noisy and bustling, most anything may be purchased here for a price. Vendors from all cultures sell their wares from exotically colored carts, and the smells of different nations and far-off city-states mix with local ones from Alexandria and its riverbanks.
For all its commerce, visitors are advised to keep hold of their purses. Even the merchants possess a certain, cunning look. Most are positioned at carts or stalls as opposed to a formal storefront, with trade here being mobile, and visiting from all parts of the world.
Though the quality of goods suffers here compared to Upper Alexandria, the options are more diverse. Too, the oversight of the Watch is slightly less, and during times events are held at the Arena, chaos abounds. After dark, the square becomes a hangout for bards and other entrepreneurs whose business is best conducted by night; the shadows at the edges of the square often contain furtive figures engaging in their own brand of business.
A cold wind blows from the west, driving charcoal clouds before it and blotting out the stars in isolated patches overhead. The air is clear and elsewhere the stars shine brightly.
"Muggle, murf mmmmmm." Mikilos offers his compliments to a street vendor, the wizard's face filled with warm, sticky, honey buns. It's more than slightly messy, but utterly delicious, and the scent of warm cinnimon fills the street corner.
Valadhiel arches a brow as she slips over to stand next to Mikilos, "I don't believe I'm familiar with /that/ dialect." She smiles wryly at Mikilos, tilting her head, "It does smell delicious, however."
Having just come out of the watch's building, a fully cloaked individual sighs and walks her way carefully through the market, pulling the hood of her cloak lower upon her face. She doesn't seem to want to bother anyone quite yet anyways.
Mikilos mmms, and grins, trying to lick the honey from his fingers before it can drip. "Really? I'd think 'can't talk, too delicious' to be a pretty universal dialect."
Valadhiel grins, "Then share, Mikilos." She chuckles and reaches to snatch one of the honey buns from Mikilos' grasp, her eyes flashing with amusement.
She gets a whiff of the cinnamon, and follows the smell to where Mikilos and Valadhiel. Still keeping the hood low, she reaches forward and takes one, munching upon it thoughtfully. She doesn't reneg in the few coppers as payment however. For those that are observant, like any elf, the sight of grey skin can be seen when she eats the bun, and perhaps when she reaches out to give the money....
Mikilos laughs and dodges a bit. "Hey now, get your own! These are mine!" He teases, bumping into a stranger as he backs up. "Oh! Whoops, excuse me miss. Sorry about that."
Valadhiel gives Mikilos a wide-eyed look, "But... /Mikilos/..." Uhoh. She's using the Voice again... not the Voice! Particularly with that look, though she doesn't react to Namira's appearance so much.
"It's all right, sir." She says in rather fluent Sildanyari to Mikilos as she eats the rest of her bun. They seem to be close friends, so far anyways....
Mikilos blinks, perking up slightly at the uncommon language. Well, uncommon around here, anyway. "Ah, hello. I am sorry, I really didn't mean-" he sighs, still trying to fend off Valadhiel. Not trying all that hard, mind you. "You know I'd be a lot more sympathetic if the poor starving merchant wasn't -right there-." The fat little man looks anything but starving, but he's hardly going to protest a possible sale.
Valadhiel hmphs, "You sir, shall be chastized later in a more appropriate setting." She winks at Mikilos, but relents, giving the merchant a coin and taking a honey bun of her own. No sharing either!
Namira chuckles only a little bit. "You two seem to be good friends." She says nibbling on her bun, and looking to Valadhiel, then back up into the sun.....I mean Mikilo's face....
A sun with honey dribbiling down it's shin. "Heh, yes. Mikilos Mithralla, Builder Arcane. A pleasure to meet you miss." The wizard frowns a moment. "Erm, I'd offer a handshake, but... sticky fingers. Though suppose have your own... wonder if there's some sort of protocol for this sort of thing somewhere."
Valadhiel smiles, "I think just saying hello. I'm Valadhiel, or Val, if you prefer." She chuckles at Mikilos, "It does get more than a little sticky, this is true."
Namira says, "Namira Aldor of the Grey Harpist's Absolution." She says with a minor curtsey tot he both of them. She has a charnese accent, if slight. But this is covered up with a bite of her sticky bun. "it's a pleasure to meet you both, Val and Mikilos.""
Mikilos mmms, and shrugs. "I'm sure 'The Myrish Guide to Proper Protocol' has a reference in it somewhere, but I'm not aobut to wade into something that dry and dull while sober." If a scholarly wizards calls it dry and dull, it's -dry- and -dull-. "Anyway, I take it you're new to the city, Miss Aldor? I'm sure I'd recall if had met before."
Valadhiel tilts her head, "I'm certain there is something your relatives could say about that, Mikilos." She smiles wryly, noting the accent of Namira but not saying anything, as she tries to nom on her sticky bun.
Namira says, "I have barely been here a week, so I don't think so. Plus I had to turn from the Merchant caravan I was a part of and defend a pair of lucht from a bulette, then some of the Explorer's guild and I uncover a smuggling ring in the sewers. Most of it was taken apart by the Otyguhs though, and we dismanteled it the rest of the way.""
Mikilos rolls his eyes and nods to Valahiel. "Oh yes, cousin Feldor has her own chapter on ettiquite of Llyranost. A greater collection of obscure footnoates I have never found." Turning focus back to Namira, he smiles. "The otyugh? Did you get a chance to meet Mister Smelly? I havn't seen him for a while." Not that seeing is the scense typically associated with such encounters.
Valadhiel chuckles, "Makes me suddenly grateful I haven't had the opportunity for much in the way of sewer crawling around here... or anywhere else, for that matter." She smiles wryly at Mikilos, before glancing back at Namira, "Well, for a week... that actually seems pretty common, if slightly more eventful than most weeks here."
Namira says, "That's a common week?' She says after finishing her bun. "I guess I'm glad I came when I did." She rubs her forehead a little, and that's when they catch her features. She's a Mul'niessa....."
Mikilos had a fair guess, really doesn't care too much. "Not really such a thing as 'common', but most weeks can be busy. I havn't been off on too many adventures to save the city or world of late, been busy with my new place." He blinks, and frowns a moment, glancing to Val. "I havn't had a chance to show you around yet, have I? Will have to do that soonish."
Namira makes a bit of a face. 'Well. I guess I can get used to saving the city." She says with a chuckle. "as long as I can perform burial rites upon them for them to rest in piece."
Mikilos mmms. "I tend to prefer saves where there's no need for burials, but I suppose peaceful rest is better than a rotting return." The wizard ponders a moment. "I suppose leaving nothing behind but scorchmarks and ash tends to work."
Namira says, "it's part of an Absolution's work, believe it or not. Not killing, but burials. Of course, another part of my jobs is to make sure they stay dead." She then makes a bit of a face. "I don't especially like necromancers." When she says 'necromancers', it even SOUNDS nasty. One would think disliking them isn't even in the ballpark."
Valadhiel blinks, then smiles at Namira and Mikilos, apparently having needed a few moments to suppress the natural instinct of what to do to a shadow elf when they appear, "Your new place? I haven't seen... but that's something I approve of, for certain." At the mention of Namira's purpose, that is.
Mikilos nods, and shrugs. "I've heard a different perspective, but tend not to debate religious matters with clergy. I've learned that lesson." He smiles, then nods seriously. "I quite take your meaning, but offer a bit of caution. Not all necromancers are evil corpse botherers. The vast majority, yes, but are those rare exceptions who study the magics as a means to end those who linger beyond their time."
Namira says, "I will know the difference, Mikilos. Raising bodies, however, would draw my ire.....and my blade." She then looks to Valadiel and lowers her head a bit. "You have met Mul'niessa before?""
Valadhiel smiles slightly, "A few, mostly those I have seen in this city are worth conversing with, so I try to keep an open mind." She shrugs, "Old habits, however, are hard ones to break. There's even a paladin of Eluna that is Mul'niessa in the city."
Vuk has arrived.
Namira smiles a bit and nods her head. "If it places your mind at ease....." She says as she slips her gauntlet off, and shows Valadhiel a tattoo of the scales and triangle of Vardama. "I am one of the Absolution. That would be my physical proof."
Mikilos mms thoughfully. "I should get back into the study, now that I've a lab of my own to work with. Had an idea a long time ago, but nothing ever came of it." The wizard murmurs a moment, a tiny ball of white energy forming on his fingertips. A gesture, and it lances out in a beam, lasting but an instant as it shoots down the street... to utterly no effect. "A very minor spell. Harmless to living beings, but dangerous to the undead. But, so weak that even the weakest of shamblers can withstand it. Keep thinking a more powerful blast would do, but in greater quanities the holy energies get.... slippery." <<Disrupt Undead>>
Namira says, "Holy energies are not my forte." She does run her hand on the pommel of her sword. "Until I need them. Then they come freely when I call.""
Valadhiel nods, "I don't really need the proof, but thank you for the verification Namira." She smiles a bit, "I've gotten a little more open-minded than I was when I came here from Rune, some years ago."
Vuk is being Vuk, which means he's shopping..or some thing, it's hard to tell with how animated he is, how he flits stall to stall, some times literally buying -one- piece of produce as opposed to the handful. How he'll request just one corner of a slab of meat and packing it all away. He seems to be planning -some thing- and his poor Wolf is forced to endure the market..well. Actually, it's under a wagon, chewing on a smoked bone.
Mikilos shrugs, and ponders a few moments. "I suppose I had enough counterexamples from an early age that I never really picked up on steriotypes. When I was very young, maybe 20 or so-" He gestures around knee level, to indicate his height at the time "I vaugely recal a Mul fellow... a busniess aquaintence of my father's I assume. All I remember is his face, and that he was the only adult I'd ever met who told me a dirty joke... I don't even recall what the joke was..."
Namira says, "I find it helps to provide proof with other than words when your race is known for evil" She then slides her gauntlet back on. "and for Necromancy." She then looks to Mikilos. "Including raising the dead.""
Valadhiel wrinkles her nose, "A very unclean practice, necromancy, though I suppose it might have some... usage." She looks rather unsure of what those might be, though, as she glances to Vuk, noticing his arrival.
Vuk knew Mikilos, yes he did..and apparently he caught Mikilos firing light beams off down a street. "Hello Mikilos!" He shouts with a wave as he makes his way over, swaggering with that nice blade on his belt and all. "I see you are ....doing research into making heat from your fingers?" Well, thats what mikilos said -last- time Vuk saw him practicing.
Mikilos hehs, and nods to Vuk. "No, just a minor spell demonstration. What has you out and about?" He nods to the two ladies, agreeing with their statements.
Namira says, "But you understand why I must hide my appearance. Not everyone is as open minded as you are Valadhiel. In fact, when I went to train at a temple, I was confronted by the Absolution there, until my friend vouched for me. She is......was.....my sister.""
Valadhiel ahs and smiles wryly at Namira, "I do understand... believe me, I'm not /that/ open minded, but I am willing to give the benefit of the doubt. And still I sometimes find myself lapsing into bad habits."
Vuk pats his pack when Mikilos asks that. "Oh! I wanted to make a good hunter's stew that'll keep well as it's reheated, so only the best cuts and produce! I might make a few loaves of honey and salt pork travel cake too!" He says with a bob of his head, and then he doffs his hat at the two elven lasses. "M'ladies, how do you fare on this most lovely day?" He asks with a bow at his waist to them.
Mikilos nods to the gobber, and blinks at Namira. "Who was this? I'd thought the Temple to be quite accepting. They know better than anyone we all end up in the same ground."
Namira says, "The temple was not around here. But the senior Absolution there was the sister of the Mourner that raised me......when I ran from Charn." She then takes a deep breath. "Lady Aldor isn't with us anymore. She passed away before I came here.""
Valadhiel nods, looking over at Namira, "My condolences." She does, however, smile politely at Vuk, "Doing well enough, I suppose. Just trying to manage to consume these sticky buns without too much of a mess." Without much success, putting a lie to the thought of elvish daintyness, it seems.
Vuk knows how dessert breads are, never clean to eat! "Oh! Well, if I may so suggest, if you have the baker dust them with sugar...they don't stick to your clothes and fingers so much." Never mind rolling them in sugar makes them -more- decadent.
Namira says, "I'm not sad. She's with Vardama now." She then looks to Vuk and tilts her head. "Interesting." She says kneeling down and looking at Vuk, and he can see her clearly.....a Mul'niessa."
Mikilos tsks mildly. "But a powdered sugar detracts from the natural flavor of the honey. Clean up isn't so difficult." Says the wizard.
Valadhiel smiles, "Well, magic makes it a little easier." She finishes her dessert, then murmurs a soft cantrip to clean off said fingers. Spending a lifetime studying magic IS good for something!
Vuk is being observed, he isn't sure how to respond, so he..adjusts his monocole to look more proper. "Mikilos, why am I suddenly interesting? He asks the other elf.
Mikilos blinks innocently. "You've always been intresting. It's not every day one meets a distinguished gentleman such as yourself. I admit, here in Alexandros, we are bless by such sights, and become accustom to them."
Namira chuckles softly at Vuk. "I haven't seen a goblin before. So I had to see you closer." She then slowly stands and looks to Mikilos, bowing to him and Valadhiel. "If you'll excuse me. I have to go back to my duties..."
Valadhiel nods, "And I should go back to the Academy to take care of a few things." She does, however, lightly pinch Mikilos' arm, and smiles at him, "I'll see you later." With that, she saunters off, adjusting her longbow as she goes.
Valadhiel has left.
Vuk strokes his chin at Mikilos' words, perhaps they are true! "Us Goblins are a wonderful breed, full of vigour! Strength! Stamina! We have mastered science as well!" he says and sticks his chest out about. "Well..I suppose I ought to go and make my supper.."
Mikilos nods to Namira. "Of course. Was a pleasure meeting you." And a nod to Vuk as well. "Yes, fresh ingredients aren't helped by standing and gossip. Though the later is said to aid digestion at the time of the meal."
Vuk bobs his head a bit at Mikilos and gives a friendly wave as he goes to find his wolf. "I'll save a loaf of the salt pork and honey bread for you!" He calls out as he goes!
Namira has left.