Shield Market
Tenebrae - Sunday, September 28, 2014, 12:20 AM
-=--=--=--=--=--=<* 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.
"Yes madam, I quite understand how rare and difficult ghoul drool is to collect. But the fact remains that what I need is ghast drool. Which is simply not the same. Now if you have ghast drool, then i'd be happy to purchase some. If not, then just the vial of owlbear dander, please." Wizard shopping lists are weird, and Mikilos' is no exception. Handing a few coins to a merchant, the tall elf tucks a small vial into his pack and peers around absently, his busniesss concluded for the moment.
Meanwhile, a very small being walks up to the very same vender and hits the table leg with the butt of her spear, "Hello! You wanted elf ears, here, now we're square." The halfling tosses up a bag onto the vender's wares, filled with a single type of herb. She glances up at Mikilos, narrowing her eyes slightly, "Do I know you? Not sure why, but you look familier..."
Mikilos blinks, and turns slowly, looking from Kelia to the vendor and back again. "Mayhaps you've seen one of my numerous displays of wizardly might and arcane destruction, destoryingwith terrible wrath those who rouse my ire. Now, what's this about elf ears?"
Kelia raises an eyebrow, then lowers it once more, only to cough, "Yeah, I don't think so. But, maybe, just maybe, you might be right." She looks from his ears so far above her, then the vender, who even now opens up the bag, looking at the herbs provided. "They're herbs, the leaves look like elf ears. So they're called elf ears. They're a wild flower that arracts bees, as well as doing other things." The halfling appears to be missing her winter clothing, so now just wears the hide armour from underneath.
Mikilos mmms, and sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Right. Of course. 'A bee in your elf ear'. I appoligize, it's been a long day." He blinks, eyeing the bag a moment, and frowns midly. "Though I didn't think they were common around here. May I ask where you found so many?"
"They not." Kelia shrugs, "Found them up north as I was walking from Rune to here, couldn't tell you where it was though, was surrounded by brambles near a river. Only went in there cause Sasha paniced." The halfling wrinkles her own nose, then cants her head a little, "And yeah, I know the feeling. Been up since dawn in these thick hides... they're great in the snow, not down here where it's warm. I need new armour, new outfits, new everything."
A grand mass of hair falls down her back, the majority of her wild red curls reaching the backs of her knees, while some sneak to her ankles. That hair, unbrushed, still frames a small, pale face, where two deep green eyes peer out above a sea of freckles, running across a pointed nose, which itself rests above a pair of pale pink lips frequently caught smiling. Though her elongated head might be hidden under her red forest of hair, the tips of her pointed ears can occasionally be seen poking through, marking her very clearly as an adult Lucht Siuil.
She's dressed from head to foot in the thickest furs one could likely find, with everything from a black bear coat, brown bear pants, a polar bear cloak, with not so matching snow rabbit gloves, brown rabbit boots and finally, a mastodon trimmed cloak, with a hood. Across her back is strapped a spear and wooden shield, while on her belt a sling rests, complete with stone bag, opposite a reagents pouch.
Mikilos peers for a few moments and nods. "Well, it just so happens I'm something of an expert in the craftings of armor, though truely blades are my forte. And while i can't claim to be an expert of outfits, I do dabble a bit. Do you have anything specific in mind?"
Kelia finds herself staring up at him, then shakes her head, dropping her eyes as she reaches back to rub the back of her neck. "Hurts too much to talk to you tall folk, damned neck has been killing me every night I've been here. Look. What I'm after requires some association with the Ygdrassil Union. I want a spirit bound breastplate, don't even know what element to bind into it though, either frost or fire. Don't suppose you've got one of those lying around that'd fit me?" She grins, but doesn't sound hopeful.
Mikilos chuckles, and lowers himself to one knee. It's still a bit up, but not so hard on the neck, and remains dignified enough to not cause trouble with the Wizard's Guild. "No, that's a bit beyond me. I know what you're talking about, but I'm not familair with any of the details."
Kelia steps back a little as he kneels, so at least she's not craning her neck to badly. Now almost at her level, she leans against a stall post, smirks, then shakes her head, "You can't really help me then, can you? Not going to wear anything else, and if I buy a decent suit of leather, I'm back where I started. Do you do darkwood shields at least? Not one of these bloody heavy things?" She motions to the large wooden shield on her back.
Mikilos frowns mildly. "Doesn't a lack of anything else... well... chaff a bit? And yes. I don't have such a shield handy, but I could make one without too much fuss. And enchant it, should you be interested."
She shakes her head right quickly, "Don't have the gold for that, not yet anyway. Give me a year or two at this rate, I'll come to you for the enchanting. Until then, yeah, I could use a shield. Got to be sized for me though, none of this 'normal sized' nonsense I hear thirty times a day."
Mikilos hehs. "I assure you, I've quite firm opinions on the concept of 'normal sized'." Says the elf a full foot above average. "Any case, do you have anything specific in mind? Round shield, kite, square, edged in anything particular, any specific motif or color you'd prefer?"
Kelia's jaw drops, she stares up at the man as if he's crazy, "Er... Kite, I guess. I figured you'd just grab a chunk of wood and stick a handle to it!" She shakes her head, letting out a sigh that could be frustration, then she holds up her hands. "Round. Red, trimmed with white. No metal of any kind on it though. Should allow me to swing a club or spear around it... that work for you?"
Mikilos grins. "It's a good start. I make a point to make certain a customer is completely content, each time, every time." THe elf closes his eyes, and murmurs a moment. When they open, there's a small flash, and a translucent shield appears before him, hoving in the air as described. "Zero metal what so ever? I can pin the grips on the back with pegs, but nails would hold better."
Kelia narrows her eyes, scowling just a little, "You put a single nail in there, it wont be me buying it. Strap it, glue it, peg it, do whatever you have to do. But I wont do nails, or screws, or metal anything." She crosses her arms over her chest, clearly not impressed by his suggestion, but equally impressed with his floating model.
Mikilos nods. "Wanted to be certain. Not all magics work alike, and I'm not very familiar with yours." At least, he assumes this is for magical reasons. "Any sort of design on the front, or just the plain red? And is that shade okay?"
Kelia sniffs, nodding as her point is made, "Things are going to be hitting it, I don't think I want any designs on the front getting ruined. Plain red, that'll do." She drops her voice to a grumble, something about it hopefully matching her hair, she then flicks it over her shoulder to get the mass of locks out of her face. "Just make it practical. The armour will hopefully be similer."
Mikilos nods and murmurs a few moments again. Another brief flash, and the shield stops being translucent, and falls to the ground with a very real sounding 'thunk'. "IS that weight alright? The balance good? That will only last a few moments, but should give a firm idea of how the final product will turn out."
Kelia stares at the shield as it thunks on the ground. Her eyes widen, she coughs, then reaches down to pick it up, just a few pounds of weight in it, unlike her own shield which feels like it weighs a ton. "Mmm, feels okay. Light, good grip... It'll do." She slips her hand through the strap, then grabs hold of the inner strap, hefting it easily. "Wow. Very light. Can you make stoneplate?"
Mikilos blinks, and frowns thoughtfully. "I can't say as I've ever tried. I'd have to look into it to be certain, but I believe I could make a suit of stoneplate."
Kelia narrows her eyes further, screwing her face up while hefting the shield once more, "It's such a bad plan. Make me the shield, I'll get back to you on the armour. Might be a while before I can afford it anyway." Grinning, she hands the shield back, even though it'll probably disappear anyway.
Mikilos takes the shield back, but adds a bit of flair, tossing it up into the air as it disappears, either dismissing the spell, or having some good timing. Perhaps a bit of both. "Alright. What's the best way to get a hold of you, miss?" He frowns a moment. "Come to think of it, we havn't be properly introduced. Mikilos Mithralla, Builder Arcane."
"Kelia. Wanderer, druid, protector of nature everywhere, when it can be saved anyway." The halfling shrugs, "I'm staying in the Wayfarers Inn at Wilderness Pointe, just give me a day or week when it'll be finished, I'll come in and pick it up."
Mikilos nods. "I'll send word when I know more. The Felwood is one of the better places for materials, but it's notoriously fickle. Might be a load of fresh good tomarrow, or could be a plague of giant spiders shutting down trade for a while."
"Let me know if you need help, always willing to go help out, might lower the cost too." Kelia winks, looks up at the stall, then pushes herself from it, "Best be off, got a cart to unload." With that, the redhead steps away, walking towards a medium sized mammoth hitched to a cart. "Sasha, if you've pooped over the wagon again, I'm not cleaning it up for you!" So much for druids and their well trained, friendly animal companions...
Mikilos chuckles to himself and rises, peering around a few moments before heading towards a fresh vendor himself. A glass-blower. One can only imaging what sort of things a wizard might have interest in from there.