Market Watch
Log Info
- Title: Market Watch
- Emitter: Critias
- Summary: Critias is watching a market stall for a friend, and Reithak, Simony and Aelwyn arrive, discussing what is involved running a business, and what a person wants to do with their life.
The market is chilly and damp with a veil of mist, although nothing unheard of during this time the year. It's close enough to noon that the nature of shoppers has changed - no longer citizens getting done their early morning shopping for the day's goods, but rather those who are out for leisure, perhaps for lunch, accompanied by one last gasp of hawking-and-selling from the merchants before the late afternoon slump.
Critias yawns as he's been here since before the sun rose, helping set up an acquaintance's cart and then helping to watch it during times when the merchant had to step away.
The Goblin wanders the market, hood up and drawn in close to keep the chill off her ears. She appears to be capitalizing on the last morning push of vendors hawking their wares. She pauses at one stall to question the merchant, and is happy to haggle. "For that price, one would expect three of those peppers, not two."
The merchant seems to consider this, and places a third pepper before the Goblin.
Simony gasps lightly, and eagerly lays down the coins, scooping the three peppers up and hiding them in her sleeve. "Thanks!" The Gobbo moves along.
There was another cloaked figure with a nice looking, fur lined cloak making his way across. Red ribbons damply hung around the horns and the shaft of the glaive he was carrying; but he was also carrying a nice looking breastplate, that seemed overly large for the size of the short sith-makar.
Seeing familiar people, Aelwyn pauses and lifts his head, before he flashes a grin. "Canvas," He calls out, before the sight of Critias makes him pause and veer closer. "One won't attract customer by falling asleep on ther cart." He points out, with a large flash of his teeth.
Another day in Alexandria, and what a pleasant one, at that! At least if you were covered in feathers, and obscuring mist caused you next to no trouble.
A large egalrin took a wander through the markets, looking for nothing in particular. But finding several familiar faces, it's only a hop, skip and a jump before Reithak is nearby. "Light on your paths, what brings you all here today?" They ask loudly, resting their beak on one hand.
Critias grins shepishly at Aelwyn. "Point well made," he nods. "Although I don't know that I'm here to attract customers. At least, that wasn't howitwas explained to me." He glances over at someof the others, gaze lingering on Reithak and even longer at Simony, who he inclines his head to in a nod. "Do you all know each other?" he finally ventures, looking between the various adventurers. "I'm Critias...I've met Simony here, at the monastery if I'm not mistaken." He gestures with one hand in the direction of the distant mountainside.
Simony's path veers off course, and she is presently standing at Aelwyn's side. "Flutter. Gosh, that's a magnificent cloak. Where did you get it?" The Goblin grins toothily at the Sith, before she eyes Critias. "He seems to be awake, Aelwyn..."
The hopping Reithak has her blinking, and she offers a wave. "'Lo Reithak. How're you?"
The Gobbo nods at Critias, "Yes, I do think we're all acquainted. And I do believe you are correct in how we met." She smiles brightly, and pushes her pince-nez a bit further up her wee nose. "Are you a stall vendor now, Critias?"
Aelwyn slides the breastplate over his back and then steps over to bump his tail against Critias ankles. "One must simply put one out there to become the attraction, Vendor." He flickers his tongue, before he lets the poor man stand in a more respectable distance away, eyeing the cart. "Hmmh. It seems Hell is as traceless as ever." He rumbles by himself.
"Tch, this one is, and whomever could guess where did this one receive it from?" He rumbles and then tilts his head towards the side. "If this one remembers, this one still has a debt to pay."
The Dragoon then bows towards the large egalrin, "Fashion, splendorous as usual."
Reithak offers Critias a long, sweeping bow, before placing their hat back on and stretching back out. "It is a very pretty cloak, isn't it?" The egalrin chuckles. "My compliments to whoever made it."
"Name's Reithak, apparently fashion if you're talking to him, nice to meet'cha! And I'm doing pretty alright I'd say Simony, a compliment always brightens up your day!"
"'A stall vendor'" Critias repeats, as if he's tasting the words. "No...although now you have me rethinking many of my choices in life," he smiles gently. "I never realized how rewarding it could be to sit here and watch so many different people come by. With an easy reason for speaking with each of them as well." He glances off in the direction of a nearby tavern now. "No, I'm not the vendor. Just a friend, watching the wares while the actual vendor grabs lunch and no doubt makes other preparations for the rest of the day." He lays a palm on bare top of the cart, as if to emphasize how it's empty. "Normally my friend sells good he's procured from outside of the city," Critias offers. "Furs, and leathers and such. Nothing so ornate or colorful as the clothes you can fine here though," he admits.
Simony grins at Reithak, "Well, you bring a little ray of sunshine on an otherwise cloudy, grey day. Are you shopping too?"
The Gobbo snorts then at Aelwyn. "Yes, and you have neglected to pay your debt all this time, you scofflaw. But, joking aside, is it serving you well? Are you staying warm and dry, do you find?"
Looking to Critias, she nods. "Oh yes... there are some crates over there that offer you a good view of the markets and the crowds. People watching is a lot of fun. Oh, furs? Hmmmm, I may be back then when he has starting hawking."
"Of course this one is," Aelwyn says to Simony. Then he twaps the other on the ankles. "This one is a scofflaw, but it is important that the debt gets paid." The draconian reminds er.
The Dragoon then turns his head towards Critias. "Ah, a guard. Hmmh. This one thinks one would make an excellent vendor, Vendor." The draconian then flashes his teeth. He bows his head towards Reithak as well.
"Don't know until you try, do you now? Maybe being a vendor is your calling." The large egalrin chuckles. "Best way is to put yourself out there and see what sticks, I'd say. And are you kidding? Don't sell yourself short, leathers and furs are wonderful materials for all manners of work. Sure things are pretty, but linen isn't going to keep you warm in the winter."
"Just a little ray? I try to at least be a big old beam when I can, you know." The large egalrin replies, eyes shining just a bit. "Of course, hard to outshine you when you seem in such good spirits, or Aelwyn over there. I was just taking a look through, and you know, I could probably use some more furs, too."
Critias beams more broadly now. "You are all too kind." He looks at Reithak and then Simony and assures them, "I'll make sure you both have first pick the next time he restocks his wares." Critias stands and stretches and then looks at the other merchants. He seems to grow a bit more pensive. "I suppose a vendor's life can be a good one, but I don't know if my feet would stand for being in one place for so long. And every day." He quickly glances at the three adventurers in turn. "I'm sure you all have felt something similar, in one way or another."
"Well, as I said before, you don't have to do that. But I understand, so, we can work something out. You just have to catch me."
Simony nudges at the tail that whaps at her ankles. "When I'm awake and at home.." Her head cants slightly and she grins at Reithak. "You're several times my size, you easily outshine me. I just have to work harder to keep up with you." The Goblin moves to hug at the Egalrin. "And feathered hugs are best hugs. So soft..."
"Hmm, vendors have a few tricks for that, Critias. But yes, having to stand around all day as part of your job is a bit of a pain in the behind. I think the vendors have it harder than I do, as far as working goes." Simony smiles, "Well, I am certainly happy to help out a friend of a friend, and by doing something I'd have to do anyways, it's that much easier, you know?"
"Depends on the vendor. One can always pull up a cart and carry it wherever one pleases," Aelwyn points out with a flash of his teeth. "One must not be bound to the walls of a city, when one can live one's live on the endless roads that caress the landscape." His tail continues to flick at Simony, before he turns towards Reithak and the goblin.
"Hmmh, this one is yet to see Fashion on a day that was not shining on them." He flashes his teeth. "Yet this one feels the cold is coming on," He nudges at his cloak. "And these furs _do_ feel nice."
"Nonsense, I don't have any evidence to prove my kindness is unwarranted at the moment. Especially when someone is offering pick of the stock." The egalrin huffs, breaking out into a bit more laughter. "Size isn't everything, as I'm sure Aelwyn and most gobbers would attest to."
Reithak crouches down to hug the gobber back, lifting Simony up and holding them there for a moment. "Well, I won't try to deny that, but it is hard to have a bad hug." They chuckle, spinning Simony around before seting them back down. "They are nice, aren't they? I should get some more before winter really sets in, here."
Simony squeaks as she's lift up, and laughs as she's spun about and set back down. "Yes, I think some tailored furs will do you nicely, hmm, with a few woolen items." She wobbles about slightly, and snorts. "Sure, size isn't everything... but I look at the things I do, and can do, and wonder sometimes if I could do them better if I were, say, six feet tall instead of three and a half, you know? I mean, someone surely created that enlarge spell for just such an occasion, right?"
The Gobbo hmms, peering at Aelwyn. "Not everyone can live the life of a wanderer, Aelwyn. Some prefer, or even need, to put down roots, to stay in one place as the world goes by. Some prefer to see all of one place, than a little piece of all places."
Aelwyn waves a hand rapidly. "Tch." He reaches down and picks up Simony instead, hoisting her up on his shoulder. "Yet shifting sands will take away every root. So why not let the wind of the skies bring one wherever their home will be?"
The size comment makes Aelwyn twist his polearm towards the side. "Tch, why do all those whose heads grace the skies need to remind others of the fact?" He rumbles. "And yes, it is all about how one uses their height."
"Well, maybe. But you know what? It's important to be yourself, I say." Reithak offers with another chuckle. "I'm jealous of your ability to get picked up and hugged, and a lot of other things. And you can always make yourself bigger if you need!"
"Well, I like wandering too, I get it. But you need places to be wherever you go. Not everyone wants to rough it in the wilderness, and I like being able to buy new cloth and goods in town. And I'm pretty sure Simony started it, so don't put it on me." She points out to Aelwyn, poking him on the snout. "I'd say you make the most of everything anyways, Aelwyn."
Simony squeaks once more as she's hefted into the air again, the Goblin perching awkwardly. She huffs and snorts. "It's not all that it's cracked up to be. Sometimes getting hugged and passed around for more hugs is a little uhm embarrassing."
"As for roots being eroded, that happens to everything. But I certainly don't have to worry about things being eroded by the sands of time... I'll be dead long before that happens. Me, I just like stuff to remain relatively stable... slow change is much better than constant, fast-paced change. Life is crazy enough as it is, I prefer stuff to stay put."
She prods Aelwyn in the side of his snout. "You do make the most of things, including setting yourself on fire."
The Gobbo grins toothily.
Aelwyn's eyes go cross-eyed and then he lets out a huff. "This one does make most of everything. Because why would one not?" He asks, and then he grins up at the Gobbo on his shoulders. Before he gets snout bopped. "Tch- why the snout today?" He asks, sliding his hand on his horns.
... after which his horns suddenly lit up on fire. Or seem to; there is no actual heat or fire involved. "This one sometimes do light up the fire." The draconian rumbles in return, in low thrum.
"Well, it's a good thing I'm pretty shameless." The egalrin laughs, shaking her head to Simony. "But I get it. Just gotta be clear about what you do or don't want. Having a space to call your own, meet people, that's important to a lot of folk."
"You'd be surprised how many people don't live up to their potential, Aelwyn." Reithak points out, poking the dragoon on the nose one last time. "And because it's very pokable."
Reithak blinks as Aelwyn's horns light up, and the egalrin claps loudly. "Not burning when set on fire? That is certainly making the best of being on fire. Where'd you pick that trick up?" She asks enthusiastically.
Another nostril intake, as Aelwyn gets bopped again on the snout. "Tch, one of these days this one will bite." The draconian says with a sharp flash of his teeth, giving a gnaw in the air.
At the question, Aelwyn leans his glaive against his neck carefully and fetches out the small vial. "A merchant who enchanted this one's glaive sells these," He offers a handful of the small vials to be taken. "Feel free to spruce up the fashion, Fashion." He flickers his tongue, before he rumbles at the Gobbo falling asleep on his shoulder. "Tch, this one believes this one should take Canvas somewhere. Vendor, Fashion." He bows in turn, before heading off with his horns on fire.