Dock Talk
Tenebrae - Tuesday, April 22, 2014, 6:54 AM
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-<* A05: Warehouse District *>--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-
The freshness of the Tornmawr River cuts along this section of Alexandria. Its broad expanse creates the district's eastern border. Ships and barges dot its surface. Some make deliveries here and up the river, while others dock for repair. These vehicles move slowly over the water, their sails colorful and proud. No few bear a nod to Rada, or three, for luck's sake. Many also bear the colors of different nations and city-states, all of them coming here to bring trade to Alexandria.
Warehouses line the district's streets, dotted with the names of shipping companies and various industries. These, mixed with the occasional sailor's tavern, set the tone for the area. Overall, it's bustling, busy, about what one would expect for a city of this size.
To the south, the great Sea Wall and the Port of Alexandria. Both are considered wonders of the modern world.
Early in the morning, and not too far from the Adventurer's Guild, Naneth is already out and about. The hood of her entirely mundane cloak is pulled up over her face as she walks along the river and watches the ships and barges moving over the currently smooth surface of the liquid. The flags of a half-dozen different nations and city-states fly in the harbor, and even at this time of day the docks themselves are bustling with activity, but she's further north along the riverbank, where she can walk along a low wall in silence and watch.
It's absolutely true. There is no hour of the day in which Alexandria isn't a hub of activity. People of all races and creeds live their lives here, and Boshter, the Arvek Nar (or Hobgoblin in the more common parlance of other races), is bounding down the street with a smile. Something has him in a good mood.
Cargo comes on ships. As this cargo is unloaded, it's inspected, accounted, and taxed. This last bit, naturally, raised the price of exotic goods. Raises it quite a bit, in some cases. Of course, if one happens to make a purchase while on the ship, the item has yet to be taxed, and thus of course can be a lower price. However, once you leave the ship, the import tax is now your problem.
This may or may not have anything to do with why a tiny little halfling is neatly scurrying down a rope to the dock as the HarborMaster clomps up the gangplank. Surely the bundle upon her back is completely and utterly within both the spirit and letter of the law. It's quite certainly not stolen, given the sailors of the ship holding the rope steady. At least, nothing was stolen by -her-.
The passage nearby of an Hobgoblin bounding down the street in such a boisterous and energetic fashion certainly catches Naneth's attention. Turning in that direction she begins to move more swiftly along the wall, hurrying along in his wake to see where he's going to wind up. Out of sheer simple curiousity in the city, if nothing else. She's stepping over and around the various beams and ropes securing piers and gangplanks to the low dock wall, and comes up short, blocked in her pursuit of the Hobgoblin by a Halfling suddenly plopping down right in her path, "On your left."
As a matter of fact, the Hobgoblin in question is bounding towards the Guild of Explorers. The Adventurer's guild, that is to say, and he skitters to a halt in front of it. Naneth and Selia -- more Selia really, since he seems to recognize her -- are noticed. "Hello," he booms oiut, waving cheerfully in her direction.
Selia has a healthy respect for the law. This is not the same as an inclination to obey it. The halfer also has a healthy respect for Boshter. Obeying is still less than likely. Greeting, on the other hand, is quite likely. But not until a quick duck around to the far side of the other type of Halfer, putting the taller woman between herself and the recently departed ship. Rope? What rope? Perfect innocence all but radiates from the tiny Lucht. "Hoya Boshter! Wha'cha up ta?" Well, so much for innocence. Low Charn all but drips from the woman's accent.
Well it seems that the Halfling who temporarily created a traffic jam, knows the curiously orange Arvek Nar that Naneth was following. Glancing back and forth between them for a few minutes, and then looking over her shoulder towards the ship and the ships around it as if tracing a parkour route that might take her to it, Naneth shakes her head and abandons it as far too much trouble for the morning. Instead she quietly turns back to watch the two friends greet. She's silent herself for now, standing by and waiting to see what's said.
"Oh, I was going to the Guild! I have many things to talk to them about! Like training people how to hit rocks with their head very hard! This will br a great idea! My head butt challenge only worked so well, but this? This is better!" It is possible he may have hit a rock with his own head too hard once.
Selia just blinks a few times at Boshter. "...what'd da rocks ever do ta you?" She halfer turns her focus to Naneth. "He's a nice bloke, rilly. But kinda blarmy sometimes. Just smile, nod, and try not to tense up when ya get yer hug."
Well, now she speaks, "Not everyone's skull is as thick as an Arvek Nar's." Naneth's words are calm and easy, though the exact phrasing leaves the possibility it's meant as a veiled insult or joke. When the Halfling turns to address her for the first time, it seems that Naneth resigns to being part of the conversation. "Are you both members of the Guild together then?" A curious glance down the street in the direction of the building, indicating the AG is something she is interested in, but has no experience perhaps. "Do they even do formal memberships? I'd always thought you're just sort of in it."
"This is true," says Boshter, thoughtfully, to Naneth. "We have the thickest skulls around!" This is said without even a hint of irony or sarcasm. IT's quite enthusiastic, actually. "Yes, they do formal memberships! You can sign up for one if you want!" He points inside.
Selia just nods in agreement. To both statements. "Formal stuff's pretty casual like. Ya give 'em yer name, dey do some evaluations, and offer out jobs. Aint always glamorous, but pays good. And dey got's years o' practice o' nay givin out more than ya can deal wit. Got some good deals with da Temples case thing don't work out smooth."
"Perhaps I'll have to take a look at it later." Naneth nods her head in a slight (very slight) show of gratitude towards the other two. It's not nearly as much fun making fun of someone who can't even realize they're being made fun of, so she leaves the poor Arvek alone with a small smile and a nod of her head and holding back any further comment on their skulls. "And both of you have done work for them in the local area? What sorts of missions have they sent you on?"
"If you want to do great things, you should! One time, I crawled through the sewers! Another time, I nearly got killed by a big lizard! ANother time, I nearly got killed by a undead monster! And another time, I nearly got killed by a flying beast! And another time I nearly got killed by a giant bear! And another time I nearly got killed by a giant wolf!" HE's ticking his fingers off.
He coiuld be doing this for a while. OR stop when he runs out of fingers.
Selia idly wonders how many fingers Boshter has left, and if he knows the numbers for them all. But rather than finding out, she nods to Naneth. "All kinds o' stuff. Accompany a delivery, pick up a package, find someone or something gone missing. Investigate something gone strange. Mostly stuff likely be dangerous. Ain't always, but good bit ya gotta fight. Monster, bandits, magic gone wrong, sometimes. Can get ya killed, ain't gonna lie. But they try not ta let that happen. Bad for busniess. And most o' us reckon da pay's worth da risk. Right now, bit talk's o' Dragonier, and chance o' War. Dey started up da Irregulars 'gain. Like da Guild, but under da Army."
Naneth looks supremely skeptical for a moment, as if uncertain whether 'nearly got killed' is the sort of achievement that one should really boast about. "That's quite an impressive array of enemies." That's what comes out of her mouth, with the sort of casually refined tone more prone to come out of an elf than a human. Really, the whole way she carries herself suggests that this Halfer at least, leans heavily on her elven culture side more so than her human. "I hear the Sith-Makar Empress herself has come to Alexandria. Have you heard anything she has to say about the Deathless Dragon and those left behind?"
He appears to have a full suite of fingers. BOshter does give Naneth a nod, though. "Yes! She is here! I guess she is doing whatever it is that Sith-Makar do in diplomacy. I imagine it is a lot of 'rawr' and 'chomp' and 'I have very sharp teeth'." Boshter may not be the right person to ask this question. "I imagine she does not like Heth, though."
Selia nods, and shrugs. "Was big parade sorta thing, and lady lizard with lotta frills and stuff. Didn't reckon Sith had an Empress, but ain't fer me ta say. Da na what's been said, but reckon ain't much polite 'bout the Moldy Lizard." She shrugs to Boshter. "Might be like Svar, nay say much. All actions and loud looks."
"Fascinating." Dryly delivered, Naneth appears to have come to the realization that these two are much like her. Nuanced politics aren't really their thing. Not her thing either, but it does mean if she wants more insight into what might be happening soon between the two nations, she'll need to look elsewhere. "I'm Naneth by the way, Warden of the Mythwood." Which is a fair bit of distance from Alexandria, but such is life. "Thank you both, for the information, I suppose I'll head into the guild and see what they have to say."
"I am Boshter! Of Blar! And I will punch evil things very hard! With my head!" Yes. We got that already, Boshter. But he's beaming at Naneth and then waves at her. "Yes, you should. You will get good work there, Warden! I hope that you will put arrows in evil things." That's what elves do, right?
Selia rolls her eyes at Boshter's antics, but smiles. "Selia ShadowKin, Dancer. Reckon see ya 'round some, miss Warden."