View source for Peacocks in the Lower Market

<div style="padding:5px; background-color:#e7eaea;">
== Log Info ==
*Title: Peacocks in the Market
*Emitter: Morgan
*Characters: Sandy, Morgan, Sabina, Paenitia
*Place: A07: Lower Alexandria Market District
*Time: Friday, December 11, 2020, 9:37 PM
*Summary: A small gathering of friends in the Lower Market is interrupted by the arrival of a red knight on a white peacock-gypsy hippogryph. Ramirez issues a loud challenge which is answered by Lord Emp, Sabina's familiar, and both go on display. The hippogryph's train sweeps up the marketplace while Sabina casts invisibiltiy on Lord Emp to desescalate things. This allows the Red Knight to make her introductions and declare her intentions for the city. The others welcome her, and direct her to a place where she can sleep, after she is assured that there are lots of common people about and she should be able to find the commonest without too much trouble.</div>

-=--=--=--=--=--=<* 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.
               
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

<pre>-=-=-=-=-  Appearing  =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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.
Paenitia     3'0"     34 Lb      Halfling          Female    A Lucht knight, dark skinned in bold feathery finery.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=</pre>

The sky is grey-black, without moon or stars. The air is cold and wet, and there is little wind. Snow flurries fall. It is easier to feel the flakes landing than it is to see them, in the darkness.

And then there's Sandy! She's emerged from her shop to come down the street, nearly getting in Morgan's way as she skips out. 
 
"Oi," she groans. Happy skips make her grumpy.

Into the market struts a giant white peacock. He is the size of a horse. He has a train of feathers trailing behind which could easily hide a wagon, making twenty five feet of peacock that is mostly tail. In case this bright, light, monstrosity is somehow overlooked he announces himself with a loud squak, 'ruaaaahh!' A sound that is mildly terrifying when uttered in a deep baritone with a lot of horsepower. He is in fact, a hippogryph, although the equine lines are hard to find under all the feathery finery.

Atop this beast sits a little Lucht Knight. Garbed in red with a wide brimmed hat, she has a cloak of white feathers with red eyespots. Her hippogryphy is not entirely snowy, having blood red feathers on neck, shoulders and chest. These match with the colour of the knight. In addition to the hat, cloak, and red armour, she wears a rusty iron mask that has the visage of a smiling man with a wide, upturned mustache. Behind her, is an absurd amount of pole-arms.

She rides, he struts, and they both look about the marketplace with dramatic turns of the head.

Bina adjusts her winter clothing and making Emp (the peacock) on her shoulder move just a bit. The bird grouses at her. The grousing is forgotten when the rival male bird is spotted. He stands up on Bina's shoulder and lifts his tail in response to the other's call and makes a call of his own. 

Bina is entranced but pokes Emp with a finger. "Careful. Remember the last time. And he's much bigger then that poor female."

Morgan stops short of plowing in to Sady that steps in front of her but takes up in the air and flys over her "Oh and they Hypogrip also, what a day to see pretty birds and bird/horses." she lands on the ground in front of Sandy but out of the way "Damn and wiht out a apple to offer either of them."

The Lucht Knight and his steed draw Sandy's attention. She glances thqt way, then she turns towards Bina and her peacock toop. 
 
"Oi," she says, "It's an interesting day already." Combing her fingers thorugh her hair, she observes and then looks up as Morgan goes over her head. She sighs.

A challenger! The Peacock hippogryph spreads his tail, snorts and stomps, scratching at the cobblestones with a foreleg full of wicked talons. The tail sweeps a full fifteen foot arc, to either side, above, blocking streets, knocking over tables.

"Ramirez! No! This is not the time for courting!" The little red rider says. A penny drops, this is his challenge display, "Nor the time fighting. These strangers will not understand our ways!"

Ramirez, as the hippogryph must be named, does not listen. The other must back down! He shakes his tail, it rattles with an unsettling sub-sonic hum, more heard than felt.

"No! Ramirez! Stop. Oh the passionate male. Wild horses would not hold you back and you are a wild horse." The mounted Lucht seems flustered, gazing about. She stoically ignores the sounds of several things being knocked over. "I apologize, for the disruption to your market day. Good common folk!"

"Emp.." Bina says to her familiar. "Common sense, Emp. He can eat you in a single bite." 

Emp lets out another cry and refuses to back down either.

Bina sighs and pulls forth her holy symbol of the coyote and moon. "Oh father of tricks and laughter. As much as I would love to see my familiar get his clock cleaned please shield him from his own bird brain and cloak him from sight." 

A shimmer of energies and the bird disappears from view. "Idiot.."

Morgan says as she walks closer "would be a shame if the poor thing gotten hurt. But if he loses any tail feathers please sell them to me." said to Sabina. she looks to the bigger one and says I would take one of his but that would be one large pen."

...there's a peacock. And A hippogryph. Doing ... doing something. 
 
Sandy puts a hand over her face and then moves towards Sabina. 
 
"looks like you've got some trouble," she tells the Tarienite, seeming amused. 
 
She's glad, for once, it's not her.

Ramirez utters another rumbling 'raaaaah', dancing with his tail spread. Stalls are knocked over, children are smothered in feathers. He stomps, heavy rear hooves. Where is the other male? He cannot see! Has he won?

"Yes Ramirez! He has fled your glory. You are victorious." The red garbed Lucht leans, petting vigorously at her steed's neck. "You are triumphant. So beautiful."

The beast snorts in agreement. Avian eyes survey the marketplace. It seems what his mistress says is true. The challenger has retreated!

The rider announces, "Thank you fine people!"

Emp makes another cry but is not able to be seen thanks to the prayer to Tarien. "He can't see you now, Emp. I sort of ended your fight. Not sorry." Bina says sweetly to her invisible bird. To Sandy she hip-bumps and laughs and then nods to Morgan. "I have a small stash of them. They come out from time to time normally. He lost a few just last week in.. an incident. Those are slightly mangled but could be fixed if you like." She offers a wave to the hippogryph rider.

Morgan nods "bring them to the Arcanist guild and you will sell them real fast." she reaches in her haversack and smiles "Aww here is a gift for them both." she gets a small pouch out "seads for the brave one." she offers "And a apple for the other one?" she holds it up to see if its ok to give the hipogryph.

"Down, down, put it down." The red Lucht leans back, petting the equine hindquarters, coaxing his display down to it's slightly more manageable carry position. She has to reach through a plethora of weapon shafts, pole-arms that lie along the hippogryph's back.

Ramirez is very fluffy on his back legs, with white fetlocks that start just below the knee and flare out dramatically and hide his hooves. He scrch-clops over, directed by his mistress, and stops by Sabina. He leans down and delicately picks the apple from Morgan's outstretched hand.

"Ramirez thanks you!" The rider says, leaning over she she can see Morgan, Sabina and Sabina. Her dark eyes are visible behind her smiling mask, "As do I. Sister Paenitia Snapdragon del Haranna, Knight of the Pillar, Paladin of Tarien, who greets you. Hello!"

"Paladin of.." Bina bursts into laughter and claps her hands. "Oh I like you! I see we will get along swimmingly even if our animals do not. I am Sabina, Luckbringer. The bird that can not be see in Lord Emp. Welcome to the city. I'm sure you're new or else I'd had noted you before." She takes the offered seeds from Morgan with a soft thank you and hands them up so that the invisible bird can devour them.

Morgan smiles and gives a soft chuckle as the apple is taken "you are welcome mister Ramirez." she then gives a smile to the other one.

"It is wonderful to meet you!" Paenitia says, smiling behind her smiling mask at everyone. She dips her head towards Sabina, noting a spot on her shoulder where the cloth seems a little compressed, "And the Lord Emp, who so bravely challenges Ramirez."

She continues petting along the hippogryph's neck, to calm him, "We are new, yes. Recently traveled from Isobar. A long and dusty journey. Hola Sabina Luckbringer, and friend, and other friend."

"Where are my manors." Bina says and then motions to first one person and then the other. "This is Loremaster Morgan. Skilled wizard and enchanter of fine items." She hip-bumps Sandy once again. "This is Sandy. Trouble maker and sorceress." She leans in as if to share a secret and in false whisper says, "Sandy has her own cell in the town jail. I know.. I've seen it."

Morgan nods to the mention of the cell "I have been in it my self... Do not drink Oger moon shine."

"Well, well, well. A paladin of Tarien. Who saw that coming?" says Sandy, pinching the bridge of her nose. She looks at Sabina, and then shoves her (gently!) towards the paladin. 
 
"Hey, look! A friend!"

"Ha, ha! Your own jail cell? We shall be great friends." Paenitia declares, sitting tall in her saddle so she can follow it up with a bow, "Greetings to you also, Loremaster Morgan, Troublemaker Sandy."

Ramirez scratches at the cobblestones, making a wickering sort of noise. He holds his head low, looking for another apple.

Bina is pushed! She takes a stagger step and chortles. "Your mount, Ramirez is a lovely creature. And I can tell he is as prideful as my Emp. I, like Morgan, would love chance to have a fallen tail feather should one come loose. What brings you to the city?"

Morgan nods and says "Well I am a Loremaster here in the city, but ladys I need to go have a nice night."

"Ramirez, you heard? More beautiful ladies wish to have a token." Paenitia pets the hippogryph's neck firmly. The grinning mask nodding towards Sabina, "You shall, as soon as he drops them. You are right, he is quite prideful. Also selfish and holds them long, but see?"

The red knight unfurls her feather-cloack, white and red-spots, garish and captivating, "They do fall off. I collect them."

She exhales and settles back on her saddle, "It is hot in Isobar, and has become much hotter for us. We travel to Alexandria to fight for the common cause and hope that the memories will fade, so we can return soon. Plus, we have a quest."

"Quest? What quest is it that brings you here to the city so far from your home?" Bina asks as she waves to the retreating form of Morgan and continues to feed the invisible bird on her shoulder. "If I may ask?"

"We have come to establish the Order of the Pillar in Alexandria. To find the commonest man, or woman, and pledge to them that I, Sister Paenitia, shall never falther in their service, to uphold the rights of the least." The little Lucht on the high peacock-andalusen declares.

Ramirez, for his part, seems to have noticed the bird-seed disappearing into thin air. He tilts his head one way, then another, staring at Sabina's shoulder.

"Also, more simply. To find a shoe. Knight Betyrs' noble steed has thrown one, and I have pledged to assist." Paenitia says, still projecting as if she's on a stage. Her voice drops to somewhat normal tones, "Food, a warm bed, is also sought."

Bina watches the mount's head turn from side to side. her own eyes following the movement and her grin widening. "That...is a lovely sentiment, Knight Paenitia. There are many a common person in the city. Many many to pick from. As for food I help run a place called the Tarrace if you should care to come by one day. Lodgeing I can not provide but baths I can."

And at this moment the magic spell spell wears off and Emp becomes visible again. 

Bina blinks once and then spins, grabbing her familiar suddenly and shileding Ramirez's view of him with her own body. "Oh my! Look at the time! I should away before soemthing bad happens, I think!" Her feet begin to move swiftly away even as she keeps Emp trapped against her body despite his cries. "Good to meet you!"

Paenitia watches the Tsuran run off with her feathery companion and calls farewell, "Farewell Sabina Luckbringer! I shall come by! Our meeting is fortuitous."

Ramirez snorts, clawing at the ground, shaking his tail-train to settle it down.

"Yes Ramirez, we shall find a grand stable that suits you, then complete our quests."

Paenitia leans over to look at Sandy, "Troublemaker, do you have a favourite cantina or restaurant?"

"What?" says Sandy as the Lucht speaks to her. "Did you just call *me* troublemaker in front of her?" She points after the Luckbringer that is Sabian. She's annoyed by even the SUGGESTIUON. 
 
"...the Fernwood is right there." She points to it with a single finger.

"Yes!" Paenitia says proudly, without hesitation. "She supplied it as your title. It is a good one. You should be proud."

She turns to look in the direction of the pointed finger, the long feather on her cap whipping around behind her. Her hippogryphy, Ramirez, follows the gaze of his mistress. They both stare at the Fernwood.

"It is!" Paenitia gazes at the establishment. "There it shall stay, and there well shall say. Thank you Troublemaker, for the excellent directions."

"Come Ramirez." She bops her bare heels against him, leaning towards the inn. Her hippogryph walks over with the strange scratch-clop of his gait. Several small items are swept along behind him. He does have an impressive tail that takes some time to pass. The red knight can be heard calling for a room and the stables. She might need all of it for her mount, but her day's quest is at an end.

{{LineSkulls|300px}}