Gelfure Chatter

Tenebrae - Tuesday, May 28, 2013, 6:08 PM

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

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Mikilos Tall male dawn elf, rosey blonde and handsome. 0s 1h

Cesran has arrived.

Mikilos shakes his head as a small group breaks up, various wizardly and engineering sorts heading their own ways. "I do think it's an intresting idea, but I just can't see a Trebuchet of Mercy being practical...."

Tak has arrived.

Cesran sighs softly as he's been listening to the various wizards and engineers talk about various ideas. He has been taking notes and in between he's been trying to fill out some more of the huge application that he's been saddled with if he wants to officially be a member of the Society for Arcanists. "Indeed that kind of defeats the point of having a Trebuchet."

Mikilos nods, and shrugs. "Depends on the specific purpose for which you use it, but most of the time, yes. If a rampaging hill giant comes thru, might be nice to take it down swiftly while still giving a chance to explain itself. But that sort of situation doesn't come up very often, even around here."

Tak is wandering through the market, eating a piece of fruit he bought at a stall, he pauses to look over a vendor, overhearing some of the nearby conversation, but refraining from interuppting at the moment.

Cesran nods, "It'd be nice, but I doubt a hill giant really wants to explain himself." He sighs as his focus is on the bit of paperwork brought with him. "Any child knows Trensor's 4th equation. That woman is doing this to me for pure revenge." He continues to write as he listens and talks.

Mikilos quirks a brow, eyeing the paperwork in question. "Hardly every child. To whom do you refer?" The elf shrugs. "Anyway, not all hill giants are mindless brutes. Some are quite civilized."

Tak continues to look over various vendors in the area, but also happens to listen in on the conversation about magic and hill giants. He finishes off his fruit, tossing the core away.

Cesran takes a deep cleansing breath, "Madam Gelfure. When I first came to the city I made the mistake of getting on her bad side and now that I wish to officially join the Society of Progressive Arcanists she is requiring me to fill out this ridiculously tedious paperwork."

Mikilos snorts, and grins. "I guess it is her perogitive to set standards as she sees fit. Be happy she didn't outright refuse." The elf ponders a moment and sighs. "While she is very gifted, I do wonder if it's a good thing to let one individual be so central to such an important orginization. I know there's various oversight commities, checks and ballences, but should push come to shove, I wonder how much bite they really have."

Tak finally steps over, smiling and nodding to the two men. "So, can I inquire as to why someone would want to join the society? Can't you get most of what you need on your own? Seems like far too much buracracy to achieve alot."

Cesran hmms, "Well there is little else one can do. The Academy's influence in this area has waned to almost nothing, unfortunately so." He looks over towards Tak, "Hello there Tak wasn't it. We met at the village. I have been hearing some interesting rumors. Have you found anything new?" He hmms, "Well it's a gathering of like minded individuals and allows for the pooling and sharing of resources."

Mikilos nods. "While many of the resources are made advailible to non-members, not all of them are, and members have priority. Proper members also are allowed a measure of influence, a vote in various matters, as well as a less offical addition of weight to their words. Anyone can spout off wild theories, but a member of the Society is assumed to have the approprate credintials to know what he's talking about. Plus it's a token gesture to offering support to the organization and regulation of magic over all." He nods to Cesran, and frowns. "The Academy is all but gone most everywhere. Rune may one day rise again, but I doube it will ever hold the place it once did."

Tak shrugs faintly "I'd suggest finding like minds in the explorers guild. I perfer to work with folks who have practical experience in applied theories, than researchers who have rarely stepped foot outside a lab. Research has its place, but I find necessity is the mother of new ideas. As far as rumors go, I've been working with the explorers guild on a few things, and while I'm seeing alot of effects, I'm seeing very little to point to a cause. Strange crazed dwarf things in the woods turning gnolls and more into servants, and then most reciently I was attacked by a giant fried chicken. Is it related? Hard to say."

Cesran hmms, "It doesn't sound related but you never know with things like this might be related. Still it would be quite a stretch if the two were connected still..." He shrugs a bit as he continues to fill out the paperwork. "There are those that do both. I myself find that my theoretical knowledge comes in handy in practical situations and vice versa."

Mikilos blinks. "'Giant fried chicken'... that's a new one. Anyway, yes, are more than a few who fill both roles, but those who focus upon theory are important parts of the overall structure. It takes all types to make the world a better place."

Molokh has arrived.

Tak nods "They have thier place, all I'm saying is if the buracracy.." he points to the paperwork cesran is filling out "Is holding you back, go around them. Don't cater to people that simply want to push you around with paper. I don't know if you know him, but you should talk to a fellow named Rogun, smart guy, but he also doesn't have a stick up his butt, so he is easy to get along with."

Cesran frowns, "It's not a bureaucracy that I'm worried about. I can handle that, but this is pure punishment for being mouthy when I first came to the city. Mikilos you are right that this is a little more dictatorial, something should be done, but I can't do anything until I'm in the organization."

Cesran nods to Tak, "I will remember that name, but I've not met him yet. I will look forward to it."

Mikilos shakes his head. "I'm not saying something should be done, I'm saying perhaps something should be done. Gelfure has her eccentric moments, but she is highly qualified, and a centralized powerbase is more efficant than a beuracracy. This isn't a time for a bunch of stuffed shirts to stand around and talk about problems. With just one person in charge, she says do it, it gets done, progress is made. That's hardly a bad thing."

Tak grins "Tell you what, I'll do some digging, information is power, perhaps I can find some way for you to get on this Gelfure's good side again, or perhaps just some embarassing secret you can use to help rush your paperwork through. Everyones got something to hide."

Tap, tap, tap. Molokh walks slowly through the market, casually leaning on a wooden, unadorned staff as he does so. It's terribly cliche, but it is appropriate. Unfortunately, he seems to be attracting a couple of folks trying to sell him 'spell components'. "Sir, no seriously, these are fresh dragon scales!" one of them insists... which draws a bit of a bemused stare from Molokh. "Really."

Cesran looks at Tak, "Thank you, but I don't want some embarrassing secret to use against her. That's not how I operate. You are right that knowledge is power and I shall overcome this with my knowledge of the arcane. The paperwork is just tedious, it's just a bit frustrating that she would really spend the time to make this up. In truth I play to fill this out put this on her desk and then set it on fire."

Mikilos eyes Tak. "Riiight, because blackmail always ends well." He nods to Cesran, and snorts softly with a grin. "That might work. Though if you want to butter her up, pay attention to the tends in the local markets the next time you head somewhere exotic. A new fashion trend will usually catch Gelfure's attention."

Tak spreads his hands and grins "What! It was just one suggestion, I also said find a way to get on her good side. And as far as blackmail goes, embarassing secrets are rather tame. I'd never use anything too dangerous, you have to know your audience. Does she have a daughter? You could rescue her daughter from the unwanted advances of a lecherous bard." Tak grins and winks at the last bit.

Whoops, someone pushed their sales pitch a little hard. "Give it a rest!" Molokh angrily yells at the 'scalesman'. "Those are bird feathers you lacquered, for gods' sake! Now off with you!" The sorcerer grumpily starts walking off towards where Cesran, Tak, and Mikilos are gathered. He doesn't know any of them but he's willing to gamble on the prospect he won't be followed.

Cesran looks over towards the person that the hawkers of /spell components/ are trying to sell to Molokh. He speaks up, "If they are really dragons scales they will be shiny on one side and matte on the other." He comments and he nods to Molokh, "You have to be careful, they would sell you their own grandmother's liver if they could." He looks over towards Tak, "And would that be before or after you ravish her? I don't know if she has a daughter or not. I don't want to butter her up or bribe or blackmail her. I would like to be respected for my knowledge of the arcane arts and my mastery over magic."

Mikilos snorts softly. "I don't think Gelfure has children, but with your luck, we'd likely end up saving the bard from the lectherous and sadistic half-orc nanny, or something." He nods polite greeting to Molokh.

Molokh looks disgusted. "I know," he replies to Cesran. "I'm trying not to let myself get irritated, but..." He sighs. "Is he leaving? I hate to intrude but it's either I try to look busy or I lose my temper and set the guy's shoes on fire."

Tak has reconnected.