One Fish, Two Fish
Log Info
- Title: One Fish, Two Fish
- Emitter: Zeke
- Characters: Cryosanthia, Zeke, Barclaiigh, Sabina, Sandy, Seldan, Aya, Toha
- Place: A07: Lower Alexandria Market District
- Time: Friday, August 06, 2021, 9:45 PM
- Summary: It's tea tasting time in the Lower Market. This is interrupted by a rain of fish, small ones at first, then as large as tuna and swordfish. All flopping fresh from a roiling magic sky. Everyone takes cover. Barclaiigh, a dwarf new to Alexandria, doesn't move fast enough and is hit by fish. Cryosanthia, Zeke and Lily manage to get to safety. Sabina is at first amused, then she and Emp rush for cover too. Sandy is having none of it. In the aftermath there is a tiny golden ball of scales flitting about. It's Tanithariairisixchel, the Tiny Fish Thief, of whom Cryo is acquainted. Tanith immediately starts gulping fish down. Bar and Lily both produce fish for her to eat, but Barclaiigh is the much sturdier post. Cryo advises everyone that Tanithariairisixchel is more than she seems, which appears proven when the tiny dragon devours a fish larger than her entire body and still wants more. She eats, and may have been the cause of, all the fish that fell from they sky. Except what the TarRaCe staff managed to spirit away for their 'Sky Fish' menu the next day. Tanithariairisixchel falls asleep on Barclaiigh, and Cryo tells the dwarf he is both honoured, and needs to be careful. She's not sure what might upset the tiny gold dragon, but believes that if anything should, all would be endanger. That cheerful warning delivered, everyone disperses, leaving the dwarf to stand there in giddy delight as a gold dragon sleeps on his shoulder.
-=--=--=--=--=--=<* A07: Lower 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.
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-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Appearing, in Order -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Cryosanthia 6'9" 291 Lb Sith-Makar Female A dashingly tall, elegant white-scaled lizard woman. Zeke 6'8" 239 Lb Sith-Makar Male A blue-scaled sith-makar in white Daeus vestments. Barclaiigh 4'5" 202 Lb Mountain Dwarf Male A thick tree-trunk, Wavy auburn hair, loose traveling clothes Sabina 5'4" 130 Lb Human Female Tsuran woman of dark hair and green eyes Sandy 5'0" 136 Lb Llyranesi Female Purple haired, plump elf. Presumably irritable. Seldan 5'11" 187 Lb Human Male Ginger-blonde human in armor wearing Eluna's symbol. Aya 4'7" 105 Lb Shadow Elf Female Mul'niessa. Braided hair. Simple clothing. Toha 6'2" 282 Lb War Golem Female A woman shaped contrivance of leather and steel, oruch weaponry. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- NPCs of Note =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Tanithariairisixchel Dragon Female A tiny, hyperactive, goldenscale dragon who loves fish. Little Fang 'Lily' Kobold Female A pinkscale youngling in a bathing suit, Cryo's daughter. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- As the GM -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Zeke 6'8" 239 Lb Sith-Makar Male A blue-scaled sith-makar in white Daeus vestments -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=
The night is warm, almost too warm really, and it would be dark given that few stars can be seen in the sky above, but there are lanterns hung all through the district in honor of the event taking place tonight. The scent of tea is a heavy one in the air, a warm multi-hued smell which rises and falls depending on where one happens to be sitting. There is a great deal of seating available as well. Foods that go well with tea are being offered in abundance, and night-blooming flowers set out on tables lure in those that might find their fragrance and their beauty pleasing.
Tonight, there is a free tea-tasting in the market district. Though other wares are perhaps slightly marked up because of it, it is nonetheless a pleasant diversion for those that call the busy city of Alexandria home.
Free tea-tasting is sure to draw all sorts. In particular some Sith'Makar who have an affection for the brews. This is what has brought Cryosanthia out, along with Zeke, on a date of sorts to sample the wares.
They are chapereoned, in a effect, by a pinkscale youngling who rides on her shoulders and also likes a cuppa.
The whitescale is quite bouncy in her step, her tail lively and sweeping a wide arc behind her. She has partial wings which remain bound, and stays close to the handsome bluescale beside her.
Sabina arrives with her peacock on her shoulder instead of a youngling though the peacock is colorful as well. Emp preens apon his moving stand that is also his 'master'. Bina herself is in her coyote half mask and smiling broadly as she glides through the streets towards the event. Her dress this evening seemingly comprised of feathers that match her familiar's. Only the cloak she wears loosely over the other shoulder does not match. It being of black feathers with a few red ones interwoven here or there.
She pauses to admire the outdoor setting and the lights as well as the smell of the flowers, moving over to a small table and getting a closer look at them.
Beside the white-scaled sith-makar with her burden of pink, is another sith, this one a deep rich blue color in his scales. He seems, perhaps quietly amused, but there's a calm peacefulness in his gaze that suggests that the scents of the evening have enticed him well. His tail shifts back and forth in nearly the same manner as the white-scaled female he walks beside, though perhaps a touch less energetically. Now and again his green eyes flicker around the district, but for the most part he seems at his ease, and as they approach a comfortable-looking table he motions to the female he is escorting.
"Thisss ssseemsss like a nisce plassce. Ssshall we sstop here and have sssome-thing to drink?" He swishes his tail in further amusement. "Perhapsss a treat?" This perhaps seems to both the sith, and to the youngling whom rides atop her.
Ostentatiously, a fish falls out of the sky, and lands on a table nearby where Sabina has come to a stop to look at the flowers.
"Yessss. Here is lovely." The whitescale says, circling the table to establish territory and pulling a bench over for her partner. She gets a second for herself, and her tail coils around a tall chair and sweeps it over for her youngling. Her head turns, scanning the area, checking approaches, sight-lines. She's comfortable and relaxed, but never relaxes too much.
Lily waves, reaching towards Sabina as she's lifted towards the chair. "Peeasss on your kneess Beans!"
The falling fish catches Cryo's attention immediately. Not what she was watching for, specifically, but still the kind of thing she was wary about. She glances upwards, "That's... unusual."
Bina can't help herself but both startle and step back. She looks to the fish..then her gaze goes upwards to whence the fish came. If she spies nothing over head she laughs as the joke is played upon her. "Oh my! I would think my friend Irshya would love this kind of fresh food service. She does like her fish raw though." Another little chuckle and then a wave to Lily. "Peace apon your nests! And.. hopefully not fish from the sky."
There is nothing above to see.
Zeke notices the fish, but only after it has fallen, and thus is somewhat more confused about its interest. Shrugging, and dismissing the discarded fish as being unimportant, he takes the seat which Cryosanthia has provided for them. "Peasssce on your nessst." He gently corrects the youngling, nodding to Sabina himself as if merely offering her the greeting rather than modeling the correct phrasing for Lily.
"Peasssk," Lily attempts, followed by a big breath and another try, "Peasssce."
Barclaiigh has that look of the new-in-town about him as he meanders onto the block, eyes wide and head cocked. One nostril flares quizzically at the multifarious scents and he busies his hands with pulling down at his beard. Long and ropelike. Big puff. Long. Puff. Long, and so on. When he catches sight of the tea-service festival his mouth makes an "O" of understanding before he makes a circuit of the periphery and espies the goings-on with all the subtlety of a stone golem.
The sky above is clear of obstruction... and further fish. At least for a moment and then quite suddenly... A goldfish lands in a gentleman's teacup. The tea splashes on him and he jumps irately to his feet. "What the -!" The rest of what he says is not usually said in polite company. Following quickly on the heels of the goldfish, a swordfish lands heavily on one of the empty tables, and from a high enough height that it shatters the poor table and the fish itself collapses in a sea of wooden pieces.
Bina misses the goldfish. It's small, after all. The swordfish is something else all together. This garners another small jump from her and another look to the sky. She doesn't wait to see if she can spot more fish falling. She just lifts her dress a small amount and runs for cover of some sort. Swordfish aren't small. Getting hit by one would...well hurt like getting hit with a fish with a weapon for a name.
"Oh my oh my! Tarien's having a laugh! This joke may go bad though. It's fishy for sure!"
GAME: Cryosanthia casts Detect Magic. Caster Level: 10 DC: 14
"Uh..." Cryosanthia says, staring upwards, her youngling is grabbed in one smooth motion and she's already moving around the table, "Zeke, we need to get under something solid before a whale comes."
"Fish!" Lily shouts happily, more amused than worried. She waves at the Tarienite, "Here Beanssss"
Cryo's left hand loops through an elegant, arcane motion. Her scales flicker along her arm, and then her eyes glow. "This... I've never seen this."
Zeke is a bit slower than Cryosanthia. Both due to shock, and his limbs which do not allow for such quick movement. He is however, not terribly far behind her, and is quickly huddling under the meger shelter offered by the shop that they had been sitting out in front of. He notices Cryosanthia's motion and looks out in the direction of the fallen swordfish. "Are they magical?"
The sky is roiling with magic.
"Well, Bar, we can't tell Porter about this or he's just going to be more upset you left him back." Barclaiigh seems unsure what to do. Fish from the sky. This is new ground. And the way people seem to scatter makes him think it's not a local custom. "You think you've seen flying fish and then," he tilts his head and makes a face at the smashed table. He has a thought and plucks a mushroom from one of his many belt pouches, he gives it a sniff and a nibble, smacks his lips. "Well, it's certainly not your fault." He tells the fungus before tossing the rest into his mouth and looking back to the sky curiously.
It seems that getting under cover is a wise decision because in that moment the sky decides to let lose with all manner of fish. Big fish. Little fish. Soon Barclaiigh is being pelted by all sorts of them while everyone else remains safely under some manner of protection from the hail of flounder. And cod. And salmon.
Cryosanthia stares around with glowing eyes. The fish get a few glances, it's the sky which holds her attention, "No. The fish aren't. They have a lingering aura, but the sky is alive. It's like the Everstorm, except you need a spell to view it, but I've never seen such a lively sky before."
Then the fish begin to fall, "Take cover! Take cover everyone!" The whitescale shouts.
Bina shimmies along the store fronts and gets pelted by one or two fish before she manages to get by Zeke, cryo and Lily. She hears the last bits of Cryo's words over the thudding thunder of meat on roofs and cobbled street.
Blinking she pulls forth her holy symbol of Tarien and quickly prays to the laughing one for the ability to see the magics at play. "Lord of laughter, please allow me in on this joke. Allow me to see the forces at play."
Zeke can't help but try to get a glance at the sky, but its difficult to do without being smacked in the face with a fish. So eventually he relents in his efforts and flicks his tail in discomfort. "Thisss one hopess that the laughing god hearsss your prayer!" He says to Sabina, his head shaking.
GAME: Barclaiigh rolls Ref: (6)+2: 8
"Awp!" Barclaiigh is knocked from his skyward inspection when a rope-like eel smacks into the ground between his feet. He lifts to meaty forearms in an X above his head and starts bounding for the nearest sort of cover. There's a lot of mass at play here and Khazadi legs aren't exactly known for devouring long distances in a single bound. "Just stand like a fool gawking at the sky. They'll write books about your wits one day, Bar. It'll be a short book if a fish bonks your nood-- AUGH!" He thumps, stumbling into the wall next to Sabina and begins groping at his back to pluck free the pufferfish that's stuck there out of reach.
At least it's not a sea urchin!
And this is how, in Alexandria, the phrase 'raining cats and dogs' got changed to 'raining buckets of fish'.
As if in answer to Sabina's prayer - because the moment that the words have left her lips - a small golden dragon appears out of the sky like a bolt of golden lightning. The lightning bolt skitters across the sky toward a fish flopping on a table and lands on it joyously. Notably, the fish cease to fall from the sky, but there are - hundreds - flopping on the ground. "FISH!" Exclaims the tiny (no larger than a cat) dragon and begins to estatically dig into the fish which has been so notably pounced upon.
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "hee! I do? Charmed life +4" GAME: Cryosanthia rolls fortitude+4: (8)+9+4: 21
BRIGHT LIGHT! BRIGHT LIGHT!
"Stay between my wings Lily," Cryo instructs, concentrating. There is a shift in the cloth binding them to make a sort of canopy cover that stretches between the spars. It wouldn't stop a the heaviest fish, but might deflect some.
The pinkscale crouches against her neck, holding onto her Ssassa's horns.
Cryo leans closer to Zeke, rubbing against him, "Don't worry..."
Her eyes widen, she stares, and cries out gleefully as she's blinded by the light. Bright, bright light! "Tanithariairisixchel! Tanithariairisixchel! You're back! You're back! Ha! I can't see a thing. Ow, ow. It's her Zeke! Remember I told you about her."
The whitescale is both ecstaticly happy and currently sightless.
Blinded by the light!
Dragon.. small.. from the sky. Eating fish.
Bina chances looking up into the sky with a somewhat disapointed look towards the heavens. Emp, on her shoulder lets out a loud peacock wail. "A dragon, Tarien? Isn't that the punch-line rather then the inner workings of the joke!" She lifts a fist upward adn shakes it at the dark heavens and then laughs anyway.
The fact that Cryo knows the dragon sinks in and she gives the small creature another look. "Hmmm.."
Zeke veritably stares at the dragonling. Glancing skyward again, to see if any further fish are falling he cautiously looks at Cryosanthia. "You did not mention that ssshe could sssummon fisssh in ssssuch... number." He said carefully, glancing even more cautiously at the little golden creature as she devoured her meal. "Thisss one wonderssss... what sssshe isss doing here."
Barclaiigh does a little dance until his finally manages to strain and pluck the pointy fish free. He issues a sigh of relief and inspects the critter, "What were you doing up there, fella? You certainly don't have a guilty look about you." He purses his lips, "Wait. Dragon?" He little eyes squint as he looks aroud, subconsciously holding the fish up in his palm and facing out the direction he's looking. His mouth makes that "O"-shape again, this time in mild astonishment.
"She didn't, she couldn't," Cryo says, looking around and blinking rapidly. She almost never blinks. "I'm blind. Right, too much magic." She quickly cancels her spell and her eyes stop glowing. It may be a little longer for the bright dazzle to leave. At least she understands how Lily feels in full sunlight now.
Cryo rests her hand on Zeke's shoulder, her tail curling to lie against his, to orient herself and hopefully be a calming presence. She is happy to see the small golden dragon again. "Last time we went to the harbour and bought wagonloads and boatloads of fish. She couldn't summon them at all.
"Well, lets ask." The whitescale waves, "Tanith, Tanithariairisixchel, hi! Remember me? Why are you here?"
Sandy walks out of the Prestigious Moon, takes one look and turns back around. Inside with the door closed, she says, "MEEP."
Tanith, as it seems her name is - perks up from the fish at the sound of her name. She looks around and spies Cryosanthia and grins toothily. "Hellopeoples!" She speaks /very/ rapidly, and then spies... Barclaiigh. And more importantly... the fish he holds. Launching herself across the intervening space she lands nimbly on his hand and promptly begins to stuff herself with the fish that was bothering him so. "FISH!"
"Careful! It's pokey, lad. Sir. Mister Dragon?" The Khazad turns took the left and right with a questioning look. What's the protocol here? And then the dragon snout is tickling his palm and he's squinting his eyes shut and giggling.
"Tanithariairisixchel!" The tiny dragon looks up at the Khazad very seriously. Blinking gold eyes at him in a way that is very determined. "Iamnotsir. Ormister. IamTanithariairisixchel!" This seemed very important to the female-sounding dragon, who was most certainly not a 'he'.
Emp flaps his wings and looks disgruntled as the dragon flaps over to Bar. A hand raises up and a finger taps lightly on her lips as she continues to watch the dragonling. Concentration is on her face. "I seem to remember this one. I remember being blinded by ..her.. when I was new to the city." She takes pity on Bar's questioning look and waves him over closer. "Come.. lets try to act like this is normal. It's good for a laugh that way."
Anyone on their way to the tea-tasting might have noticed the HAIL of fish falling from the sky.
Which wasn't part of the planned festivities.
"Oh haaaaail no!" Immediate retreat was a typical reaction.
Lily, not one to miss an opportunity and always interested in being the centre of attention, or at least near it, crawls over Cryo's shoulder and leaps onto the table. She's small, it takes her weight easily. She jumps to the ground, grabs a fish, a macarel, and leaps back to the tabletop. She waves it like a flag. "Fissssh! Fisssh here!"
"Lily no... oh..." Cryo lunges, then halts herself. She might very well have done the same thing. Still blinded, she leans her head towards Zeke. "Remember, this one told about her? She's much larger and powerful than she looks. Speaking quickly works a little better, I think."
Calling out, the whitescale attempts to match the little dragon's rapid speech, "GoodhelloTanithariairisixchel! Cryowellyoumuchmissed. Welcomewelcome."
A hail of fish is hard to miss, especially from the other riverbank. Seldan had been seeking the gardens, in search of a quiet place for prayer, but was instantly distracted, and now pads in cautiously, as quietly as full plate armor will let him. Bright hair is hidden beneath the hood of a light cloak - after all, cloaks may be cleaned. Fish in the hair is not to be thought of.
He stops, some distance away, taking in the situation in its entirety. A flash of gold answers the question in his mind, before ever a word is spoken - when he spots it, a warm smile comes to the even features. "I might have known," he murmurs, mostly to himself.
"Hello, Tanith Ari-Ari Sicksel, I'm..." He's forgotten his name. This is embarrassing. He's holding a dragon in the middle of this tea party and the name he's enjoyed for half a century (and more!) has moved away to play hermit in a deep, dank cave at the back of his skull. There's a sign that says 'go away' and a rather ill-tempered looking goat on guard duty chewing oats menacingly. "Uh..." He snaps his fingers, following Sabina when she gestures and looking to her again for assistance. Then to the commotion drummed up by Lily. Then Cryosanthia's call. "Name, name... come on Bar, you've-- OH!" A light comes on behind his eyes, "Barclaiigh Stoutbrew! Hah! You can call me Barkle, though. Wait, no. Not Barkle. Nobody calls me that. That's a terrible name. Bar. Bar not Barkle. Please don't call me Barkle."
Zeke snaps out of his astonished stalemate and looks at Cryosanthia. "Thisss one rememebersss your wordsss Cryossanthia, but... Ssshe isss not what thisss one imagined." He looks helplessly at the dragon. She is lovely, she is... SO SMALL. He glances at Lily and internally hopes that the dragon will somehow fail to notice the little girl.
Tanith, lovely lump of golden scales that she is purrs at Bar and finishes the last little bit of fish in his hand.
"Goodpeoples." She humms. "Icallyougoodpeoples." This satisfied her ears, little round dishes on the sides of her head beside her elegant horns (which are also gold), swivel toward the call of fish. Golden eyes narrow. Target is acquired.
Once again the dragon launches herself, tackling the fish that is upheld for her by the little pink girl and... Well weight added to weight unexpectedly does not always end well. Tanith is forced to flap wildly as her own weight off-balances Lily's arm and makes an indignant noise. "HELP!"
Cryo can feel the shift in Zeke's muscles, a feeling of helplessness through her hand and tail, a shifting of his scents, and concern. Hers compete, confidence, assurance and an exuberance. Her time with the tiny dragon was an amusing, mind-bending trip.
She can swallow a tremendous amount of fish though, and might be too quick for a little kobold holding one. The male's concern is warranted.
And proven, as Tanith lands on Lily's arm and they both start to fall, "Lily!" Cryo is fast. Her protective instincts launching her forward to grab her pinkscale around the belly and place a hand to support Tanith.
Piscine precipitation is hardly a standard weather pattern, even for Alexandria. The presences of golden dragons is also rather conspicuous and draws attention from others elsewhere. That, or perhaps Aya was not so far away in the first place.
She appears in the immediate vicinity of both golden- and carnation-scaled ones, which also includes the white and blue. Arms are outstrectched beneath the toppling Lilly-Tanith combination, in attempt to catch the conglomeration. Not that she presumes Cryosanthia is unable to do so.
"Are you alright?" The pronoun could be meant for one of many, or plural.
Bina pats the dwarf on the shoulder as the dragon leaves him for another. Such is the fickle fate of those that interact with dragons. "It's ok, Barclaigh. It's a strange situation for sure." She gives him a grin and then looks about at /all the fish/. "Hmm.. I think I have an idea. Time for me to slip away and get a trio of chefs out here to load up a cart or two. On the menu for tomorrow. Sky fish." She tsks and then chuckles at Lily's problem and Cryo's swift intervention as she suddenly vanishes from sight. Invisible woman makes her way the few blocks to the Tarrace to put some people to work.
GAME: Aya rolls reflex: (9)+17: 26 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls reflex: (12)+12: 24
Seeing that the situation is about as in hand as it is going to get with Tanith involved, Seldan turns back the way he came, without greetings or acknowledgement.
Barclaiigh looks around for a moment and finds a meter-and-a-half salmon that, in a fit of coincidence, destroyed a cart of gobber parasols. He unfolds a sack tucked into his belt and secures the fish, hoisting it over his shoulder for later. "He won't believe us but Porter is going to love this," he tells himself, grunting as he stands to move back over to the draconic spectacle. "So is this a holiday festival?" He wonders, wiggling his caterpillar mustache and looking around. "It's very exciting. I'm sensing a scaled-theme but that just might be coincidence?"
Cryosanthia is easily able to catch her youngling, but the manuver of also trying to catch the flapping Tanith is... perhaps more than she bargained for. Thankfully Aya is there, though... The best she can do is grab Tanith round the middle and... That seems to be a terrible idea. Squeaking like a toy Tanith struggles in the grasp, trying in vain to flap wings that are not wholly free any longer. And also keep a hold of her fish. And talking. Incessantly. "FREEMEATONCE! Thisisn'tfair! Iwantfish! LEMMEGO!" Those are just a few of her many choice phrases.
A slip, a swirl and twitch of tail and Cryosanthia has repositionned herself. Lily is in her arms and she has a wide grin, one she aims in Zeke's direction before blindly facing Aya and Tanith.
"Ohcarefulcareful... I mean, careful Aya. Don't hold, like a butterfly, open palm."
Lily stretches out two claw hands, overlapping, "Handsss heerrre." She switches to draconic, "Peasss on your Nessst. Tanssssy.." <draconic>
Aya manages to clasp a hand upon no Lily, a portion of thrashing fish tail and, predominantly, a portion of Tanith. The reflexive 'leap' and reach that she made has her splayed prostrate across the table that others here toppling from, feet off the ground and front wearing much of the table's prior contents or remnants thereof. "There are ... many fish to choose from," she notes flatly. Her grip opens to perch at Cryosanthia's wise advice; if Lily claws can be uncomfortable, dragonette claws are likely downright shredding.
Zeke also moves to aid, but seeing the rush of people, wisely chooses not to intervene. He's glad of that a moment later when the situation resolves and everyone is fine... If a bit irate in the case of the tiny dragon. He flicks his tail at Cryosanthia and moves in slowly to subtly scent the air. It smells... like ozone to him. Too much magic in the air. "Isss Lily..." It seems she's fine and trying still to get the dragon's attention.
Barclaiigh looks around at Aya's comment and reaches under a table for a fish that'd bounced out of sight. He hoists the bright-orange, speckled rockfish by the tail. "Look at the colors on this fella. I bet he'd love to get all chomped up. He's got a mohawk like Floireans, too. Would you look at that?" He wiggles it to try and catch the dragon (or kobold's) eye and then sets it down on the table as a peace offering.
Thankfully for Aya, Tanith had completely forgotten her claws and was more... wiggling toward freedom until at last! Aya opened her hand and she had her fish! Falling silent around the hand offering her a perch Tanith took quick stock of herself. Horns in place. Tail... still shining. She wiggled it once to make sure it had no kinks and then bit viciously into her fish. "FISH!"
This declaration was shortly followed by golden eyes landing on Lily. She blinks. "Peaceonnest." She finally says, tilting her head and looking hawk-eyed at Barclaiigh and... his offering is clearly pleasing to her so she finishes the fish that Lily had once been holding and quickly hops over to this new fish. Now that she's free of everyone's hands it's clear how incredibly tiny she is... And yet she's already eatten two fairly sizeable fish - given her own size relitive to them. "Yesfish. Goodpeoplesgivefish."
It is no longer raining, fish or water, but there are hundreds of fish flopping on the ground.
Incentivized by curiosity to see about the curious weather happening in the market, there comes a figure of steel and leather humming a simple melody to herself as she enters the area. Toha's gaze sweeps the tableau of assorted folks and brand new piscean cobblestones and roofing tiles.
Head to the left...
Head to the right...
"Are they supposed to be doing that?" the figure asks, pointing to the flopping fish in dire need of water.
With Tanith darting off, Aya can take a moment to right herself off of the table and return her feet to the ground. As she takes an additional moment to brush bits (which include much of fish) from her clothing, she offers a belated greeting to Cyrosanthia and Zeke. "Peace on your nests... or nest."
Cryo is still blinking, the spots are starting to fade from her vision. It's still odd the way she looks at someone without focusing. She has a sense of the fish vanishing, her blind sense is a great addition even if it gives her some odd signals. She was aware how much Tanith could eat.
"Zeke, Aya, Lily... Lily stay close to me." Cryo says, "She's friendly and energetic. Last time we went shopping in the market, bought scale and nail polish, and had a bubble bath. She took me to her place, like another dimension... which I don't remember at all."
"She's hugely powerful though, and upsetting her would be bad. I think... feeding her all the fish that are lying around would be a start." Her head turns, "wait, is that Toha?"
It is... admittedly hard to imagine that the tiny dragon delicately, but voraciously eating the fish that Bar set out before her is 'hugely powerful'. She looks far more like a pet. Yet that fish she was offered is already gone and she's sneaking toward another one. Landing on it with a little bankment of her wings and digging in. Which might be the point at which one realizes that the fish she just finished eating was bigger than she was and... she's still eating.
Barclaiigh seems perfectly content to play go-fer for the little dragonling for the time being, glancing around for the sort of fish that might be as eye-catching as they are tasty. It's a -dragon-. He grunts a little and scoops up a pancake-shaped fish that's a dark, brownish-green on the top and a pale fish-belly white on the bottom. Both eyes sit on the same side of the thing. It clatters down onto the table with quite the clamour. "Maybe he'll fill your unexpectedly-large belly, Tanith Ari-Ari Sicksel. He's almost nine-stone, I'm sure of it." The fish hangs over the edge of the table it's so wide. "How did you make these things come here? Half of these are ocean-fish or I'm a hound."
"Hey!" Toha replies, a smile in her voice despite the stern immutability of her face, "Saw the weather, thought maybe someone's experiment got outta hand!" She looks around again and, "Everyone alright?"
Her head tilts a little as the little glimmer of gold gorging itself on fish catches her eye. All of it, yet.
She hasn't seen a gold dragony... anything since before the trip to Silvermoon.
But, given how far the rivers are from here, it might just be more a mercy to feed them to her, after all. Respiration isn't a strong suit for her, and none of her gadgets, even if she could prep one in time, would be of much ue, here.
To that end, the feminine figure crouches down and starts scooping the fish around her onto the awning of a sundered stall to drag over en masse.
Lily stares in awe. That tiny dragon has eaten a fish bigger than her. Not that it's hard to find a fish larger than the Kobold youngling, the awe is in the accomplishment. "I wantss eat like that!" She squeals, expressing raw draconic greed.
"No Lily, no, don't wish for that." Cryo says, pulling her back. It... might be within Tanith's power to grant and she does not want to be watching this quantity of fish disappear into Lily on a daily basis. "We'll feed her, then this one will get us all a nice fish dinner after."
She loves her fish too. Keeping a hand on Lily, she grabs a fish off the ground and sets it on the table, then another.
"FISH!" Declares Tanith yet again, jumping on Bar's next offering with gusto. "Magicmake." She explains to him, which really explains nothing at all. Then she has her mouth full of fish and she's not really answering any questions at all. With everyone gathering fish for her she can glut herself upon them to her pleasure and she /does/. In fact she'll eat every fish on the street until everyone goes home exhausted from making offerings to the little dragon. Nobody can explain exactly how so many fish fit inside that tiny body, but by th end of it, she is exhaustedly slumbering on Bar's shoulder, murmuring soft half-hearted fish dreams.
Bar gets the distinct honor of being The Perch.
Barclaiigh has that sort of 'this is the best day of my life' look on his face. And he's trying to sit still to not wake the little dragon. "Bar, you've met a dragon. Autn Dri-dri isn't going to believe this. One of you has to be my witness." He's stage-whispering and looking around trying to not so much as turn his head. "Hello, everyone," he greets, realizing he's been too distracted by the skyfish and bottomless dragon.
"This one needs only a moment," Cryo tells her mate. She's carrying Lily, holding onto her youngling very carefully and approaches the slumbering Tanith and her perch, Barclaiigh. At a respectful distance, she bows formally, "Peace on your Nest, this one is Cryosanthia."
Her sight has returned, and now she can look at both the sleeping dragon and the Khazad, "As you have seen, there's a lot more to Tanith than there appears. She effortlessly banished a very powerful Demon Duke, and she can smell them. She's friendly, and won't eat 'Goodpeoples'."
The whitescale moves her head forward intently, her long neck snaking, "Please, whatever you do, don't upset her. She might be powerful enough to destroy this city and devour everyone in it, if she decided we were 'badpeoples' for some reason."
Toha steps closer as Cryo starts to drift closer to the Khazad who's taken up stewardship of the tiny golden eating machine.
She gives a soft, "Hey." as she notes the dragonling is asleep and lifts a hand for a little wave as she dsraws up close to hand, then, "How's everybody doin, after that...?"
Lily squirms, struggling to climb her Ssassa with the aim of climbing Barlaiigh next.
"No Lily, she's like..." Cryo's voice goes low, hissing something in the little lizard's ear, followed up by, "no touch."
This seems to change the carnationscale's intent, she instead moves to the haversack seat and watches over her shoulder. Cryo dips her head towards Toha, "This one is happy and worried. Tanith is a delight, but a danger, and now this one wants some fish, badly."
Barclaiigh nods shallowly at Cryosanthia and lowers his gaze to attempt and glance the sleeping dragon whelp from the corner of his eye. He eases his hands onto the table slowly and lays them flat. Every move is cautious, patient. The good news is that he's built like a boulder and likely difficult to move. So, a stable perch. He mouths "Hell-lo" to Toha and smiles. He's still having a hard time containing his excitement. His eyes dance about a little and his eyebrows push up.
Toha nods, "Yeah, I noticed that with folk, sometimes. See someone eatin somethin an think, 'hey, I want that, too!'" she says softly, still deferring to the sleeping dragonling.
"I wonder if this is the same one I saved before... except, that one was about the size of an ox or... what's it called a beefeelo?" There is a little shrug, "It was the first I got my new motive straps to work with my Whitefire." Her hea twists a little to either side and, "I won't keep ya if ya wanna head out ta get some chow but... um, I can't tell, but fish usually smells bad, right? Do I smell bad, now?"
Cryo looks at Toha and inhales. "Your lubricants already had a faint fish smell, the scent of the ones you've handled are hard to distinguish and the fish were very fresh. It is only after a time that they smell, and she has eaten most of them. This one has never seen her larger than she is now, but a golden dragon would be very rare, I think."
The whitescale grins at Barclaiigh, recognizing in him the feelings she felt so long ago. It was AMAZING to be Tanith's perch, "You are honoured, and this one must go now. Peace on your nests, both of you. Toha, I hope to see you again soon."
Cryosanthia bows, and Lily waves, "Peasssce on your nesst." The whitescale turns and rejoins the bluescale, and together they slip off towards the Temple area and the mountains.
Barclaiigh flares his nostrils and gives a long, slow sniff. He tilts his head at Toha and then gives a subtle shake of his head and a big smile. Granted, it's probably hard to smell anything past the little gold that's been diving face-first into whatever fish she could find. He busies himself with having a look around as people begin cleaning up the general area.
Toha nods and looks down at herself with a little shift of movement that have been a honest-to-gods fidget.
Hmmm.
She looks up again with a quiet, "Thanks fer tellin me straight." Her head cants a little bit, then she lifts a hand to give a little finger wave, "Peace on yer nests!"
Nests, because she isn't entirely certain if multiple Sith from the same family count the blessing as a singular or plural and opts to go big or go home.
There's a shrug, then and the construct edges back as the Khazad has other things on his mind than the dragon sleeping on him, "Have a good one."
With that valediction, the golem starts to move on.
Dramatis Personae
Cryosanthia, Speaker of the Sith'makar
Cryosanthia is an elegant sith-makar woman in the first year of her second century. She radiates confidence, a deep power from within. Her scales are a brilliant white, highlighted by ones which are the palest of glacial blues. These pale scales trace out the scars she used to bear, her hide is restored. She bears two fantastic patterns of these, one on her chest, the other completely covering her back from crest to tailtip. When the light hits right, one sees the dragon within. Her bearing is intense, her motions minimal grace. Two horns sweep back from her brow. Her eyes are like glittering saphhire gems, and when she blinks her eyelids have the glacial blue to them as well. She carries no weapons, and still keeps a tiny bag close to her heart.
Her clothing is various ensembles. At times she wears a layered robe, a mithril swashbuckling outfit, kilted leather, a loincloth, or nothing. The colours inevitably mirror her own. Brilliant white with shimmering blue highlights, piping and whorls. Snowflakes and dragon-eyes are a common motif.
Cryo has been changed, physically and fundamentally by her experiences. She grew into herself under the Queen of Endless Winter, and struggles to reconnect with herself, her body, and friends she hasn't seen in decades. Alien at times even to the sith-makar, her heritage is written on her scales, along with her spells.
Zeke
This sith-makar has scales of a deep blue color, a touch dark particularly toward the extremities but still very clearly blue. Six large sweeping horns adorn Zekead, the forward two are more vertical but those after the first set follow the shape of Zekead with a little sway. There are small scars around the base of each horn, as well as around each claw. Their source seems to be self-inflicted and nearly decorative rather than caused by combat however.
Zeke wears a chain shirt mostly hidden under layers of robes in shades of white and light gray, and is usually hooded in a cloak of the same color. The robes are sheared short just around the hips and cover a pair of white kapri-style pants slit up the side of the leg and tied with a thick midnight-blue string. Zeke also wears an odd arm-slip up the arm that is not made of crystal.
Had that not been mentioned before? Both the left arm and leg of this sith-makar are made of a beautiful crystal that gleams brightly. The arm is bare from the shoulder down for the convenience of getting it in and out of clothing.
Sabina
Black hair that is the color of a dark Summer night tumbles down in loose waves of silk , parted in the middle to either side, draping down past her slender shoulders to come to rest at mid-back. Those waves of shining night frame an innocent youthful face of olive skin with beauty mark that enhance rather than detract from her beauty. Large dark green eyes, sparkling and full of life and laughter, peer about as if looking for trouble to partake in. Perfect arching eyebrows add to the alluring gaze and lend to her an almost noble presence. Her cheekbones are high cut speaking to Tsuran heritage. Soft kissable full lips rest beneath a straight slightly button nose. The lines of her jaw are sharp feminine angles that put the finishing touches to her striking looks.
This attractive woman is of elvish proportions. Standing at only a few inches above five foot but packed into that short stature are curves of proportionate beauty that can turn heads. A slender neck gives way to petite freckled shoulders that help support the full curves of her moderately endowed chest. An hour glass waistline widens back out into healthy hips that turn into short but shapely legs with dainty feet.
She wears a tight form hugging dress of black linen and silk, belted at the hip with daggers and pouches hanging neatly along it. Soft leather boots of ankle height cover her small feet.
When shet and about she is never without her peacock that normally rides apon her shoulder or struts about her feet when at ease.
Barclaiigh
Bar is a foot shorter than most humans but half-again as heavy. A dwarf's dwarf; broad at the shoulders, round at the belly, and crowned with a frizzy mop of auburn hair. His mustache looks a thick, sleeping caterpillar while the bush of his beard is massive, making his barrel-shaped chest seem even rounder. His lips are thin, his mouth wide, and his broad, oft-broken nose splits his face like a jagged peak. His brown eyes seem small and unremarkable surrounded by that wavy halo of fire.
The Khazad-aul's clothing is simple, comfortable, and colored in browns, light greens, and tans. A long skirt tunic, loose breeches, and tall, strappy sandals. He wears a leather thong necklace long enough to hang below his beard what sports two boar's tusks. His belt is heavy with pouches and kit, a trio of blades, and a sturdy wooden traveling mug.
He smells of the wilds but pleasantly so; a freshwater stream, verdant moss, or clean earth. Not animal musk.
Seldan
There is something about him, if one is human.
It is not easy to pin down exactly what, though. He is not the biggest man, despite a warrior's physique, just shy of six feet tall with a frame more closely resembling that of a gymnast than that of a brawler. Fair as a spring day, with hair equally balanced between ginger and blonde that is grown out of a military cut to fall in his eyes if not disciplined. Ice-blue eyes with blonde lashes hold wisdom and kindness, set into features that are even, straight, and strong. But - in certain lights, and at certain times, humans might almost see in this Eldanar man a glimpse of what a warrior of the Millennium Kingdom might once have looked like.
The warrior theme is carried again in the full platemail that he wears, its finish not a bright polish so much as a shimmer that recalls moonlight when under bright light, and quiescence in shadow. Over the platemail hangs an open, sleeveless robe of midnight-blue with moon-silvery edging and celestial symbols and creatures picked out in silver thread adorning it, and a steel pendant bearing the symbol of a crescent and sphere. A set of gold bracers, depicting celestial symbols that match the symbols on the robe, encircle his wrists.
He wears multiple belts, one of ornate silver links, another a beaten leather affair with attachments for weapons. A longsword hangs from this, from a sheath on his left hip with an ornately-carved pommel and a guard designed in an ancient style, and a much newer-looking heavy mace on his right hip. A belt pouch completes the contents of the leather belt, and a sturdy cloak over all in midnight blue bears the crescent-and-sphere of Eluna picked out in a mosaic of thousands of tiny silver crystals on the back. A simple, unadorned cloak pin holds it in place. Over his back, the top of an elkhorn, wood, and steel longbow is visible, along with a quiver of arrows made of red leather and trimmed in white fur.
Sandy
At about five foot, two inches, this llyranesi female is certainly not the most imposing of physical specimens. Her form is alternately a mix of firm sildanyari musculature and plumpness, for an elf, as if she's finished the process of settling into a life of comfort... and is quite comfortable there. Above a scowl are slanted dark blue eyes and pierced ears poking out through her dark purple hair, left in such a way that suggests its owner pays little attention to it. Her skin is pale, even by the standards of her people, as if this particular one doesn't bear any love of the great outdoors. Grease or dirt typically coats part of her physique. With the grease, often a scowl and a tiredness or stress-marks around the eyes, despite her youth.
Sandy is dressed in a pair of flattering trousers of tough chocolate brown material that hug her hips and fall partly down to flare over her calves over a pair of low-heeled black boots trimmed with bright copper buttons. A black shirt is belted therin, laced at the throat, with a pattern of intertwining emerald and pink snakes embroidered at the loose collars. Over this she wears a tailored jacket of interlacing jacquard scales with squared shoulders and a raised collar; the tails of the coat are bustled, so that artfully bunched and folded layers fall into two parts over the backs of her legs, halfway to the knee, lined with poison-green silk. The sleeves of the jacket are split-cuffed with an edge of pintucking of that same silk lining peeking out over curved, folded-back edges. On her left hand is a gold ring with a fat ruby in the center.
Toha
This particularly feminine Golem stands about six foot two from crown to toe; built, or modified, to an eccentric level of detail. Between the sculpting of blued steel plates bordered with rose gold scrollwork, and an interwoven mesh of studded black leather straps, the contours of a woman are given form.
An intricate silver band dotted with gems the color of blood and autumn separates the blued steel of her crown from a burnished faceplate (and ears)of sinister, elven structure; with fine, almost invisible nutcracker seams to either side of a stern mouth, while under etched brows, what comfort would be afforded by meeting 'eyes' is instead usurped by the thin slit of darkness that cuts straight across the delicate nose at the bridge like a visor. A train of arm-length whips capped with rose gold spills over her shoulders and spine from the back of her head in a passable facsimile of hair.
She speaks with the Oruch tinged accent of Dran, though with a bold, contralto voice that could shift from cheerful to wicked with equal clarity.
Several eyelets trailing short chains dot her narrow waist, from which hang assorted hardened leather pouches for various goodies, from others; a compass, and a heavy Oruch style longsword. Others such anchor the baldric of a massy greatsword to her back with enough play to draw, yet another holds what should be some form of dragonspitter, while at the small of her back rests a vaguely can shaped contrivance of blackened steel.