Pork and Spices

Another bright and sunny day, saved from being exhaustively hot by a cool wind that blows down from the mountains. A typical day in the market, vendors hawking theirs goods, prospective buyers haggling for the best prices, a collection of all manner of people from around the known world.

Hovering above it all is a Goblin, clad in black leather armor. She flits from stall to stall, questioning the venders as she moves along. In her hands is a large, paper-wrapped object, looking to weigh almost as much as the Goblin.

She tsks, continuing in her flight, eyeing the crowd at length. "This is going to take forever!"

There's a small commotion suddenly, as an elegantly dressed half-elf comes gliding down the street. His dark eyes glint with stars, and his expression is pleasantly congenial without being over-friendly. Judging from his course, he's heading towards one of the more popular spice-merchants here in the bazaar.

Telamon Lupecyll-Atlon: sorcerer, husband, possible noble (depending on who you ask), but today... a cook in need of some ingredients. A list in one hand, as he walks along, clad in a white silk blouse over dark linen breeches and soft leather shoes. His hair held back by his circlet, as he clears his throat to the merchant (who looks a little nervous). "I have a list," Tel says with a faint grin.

GAME: Murder rolls perception: (15)+18: 33

<OOC> Murder says, "To inform on her search."

The commotion doesn't escape her notice for long, her vantage point from above allowing her to move towards it easily. "Oh, is it the saffron venders again? Has anyone started up a betting ring on how long the guards will get here this time, I wonder?" Her lips purse as she arrives over the noise below. "Oh." Somewhere a bell rings. "That was easy."

Moments later, the upside down visage of Murder appears almost uncomfortably close, her half-head of hair dangling down. She grins toothily. "Telamon! I am happy to have found you. I want to say thanks!" her nose wiggles and she sniffs. "Hmm, hunting for spices?"

The merchant already has the list in hand -- after all, gold is gold and adventuring nobles pay well. Telamon just leans against the stall counter, never losing his calm smile. All is right with the world--

And then there's an upside down goblin face peering at him, causing the half-elf to start. "What-- oh! From the beach party. You're the one called... Murder, right?" Kind of an ominous name, but Tel's too polite to say as much. "Well, I think we had it well in hand once we'd figured out their tactics. Sonic blasts are an unusual ability, but they can be warded against with a minimum of fuss." He offers the gobber a broad, charming smile. "In any case, you are most welcome. Yes... I'm experimenting with some cookery, and I need some supplies. It's as bad as keeping my alchemy toolkit stocked."

The Goblin-sized package is offer to the Half-Sil with a broad grin. "Freshly caught boar haunch. I hunted it, killed it and dressed it myself." She seems immensely proud of this face. "It's wrapped in cheesecloth, and then this paper wrapping. Should keep til you're ready to cook... if you cook it relatively soon." Grinning, she squints. "Though I suppose you sorcerer types might have a means to cool or freeze their food."

Murder nods. "That is indeed my name. Named myself, even! And when I say thanks, it's as much for the meat skewers as it is for the spell you cast. I saw your footprints. It helped a lot, their song was much less painful after that. Disappointing that they seemed resistant to fire."

Her ears perk up... rather, they point down as she continues to hang upside down like nothing's out of the ordinary. "Experimental cookery? Like... like at the TarRaCe? Cooking monsters?"

Telamon easily holds the wrapped haunch in his hands, eyebrows rising. "Well now... thank you in turn, Murder. This is a thoughtful gift." At the mention of freezing food for storage, he grins as if sharing a secret. "Well, that one's true." His eyes become intent, and suddenly there's a rime of frost forming on the cloth-wrapped bundle. "That way it'll keep even in late-summer heat," he explains.

Once he's tucked the parcel away, he nods. "I did some research. They're called 'seaweed sirens', and they're something of an unusual creature. There was an account of a ship's captain whose vessel was attacked by them; they drove the creatures off with poisoned arrows." He shrugs lightly. "Whatever works."

He rocks his hand a little back and forth at the question of monster cooking. "Not precisely. Just learning what might make for a better dish. Subtleties. Some of the things I wind up having to kill these days just aren't good to eat."

Her expression brightens at the praise, her cheeks blushing a little. "Aw, you're welcome, Telamon." Her eyes widen as the package grows cold, her eyes following the wave of frost as it moves across the bundle. Laughing, she reaches out to pat his shoulder. "Sneaksies, you sorcerers are always so sneaky." She nods then, her expression growing thoughtful. "Now that you mention the name, I think I have heard of them before. I just don't go out to the Inmost Sea all that often, my water enjoyment is usually the Tornmawr. Glad they aren't resistant to an angry, blue priest and his sword. A shame that last one outran my blade, hopefully they won't be back here ever again." The Gobbo squeaks as suddenly, she begins to drift downwards, and she quickly flips herself over to land daintily on her bare feet. "It sucks that these spells run out of juice so easily. Maybe I should get myself a fancy piece of gear that lets me fly as much as I want."

There's a pause then. "You mean SPICES!", she says excitedly, hopping from foot to foot. "Hot peppers!"

"Of course. I can't rely on strength of arms." Telamon mock flexes, and while he's in trim shape, he's nowhere near as muscular. "So we use our brains and our talent. That usually does the trick."

He makes a slight face. "I'm a bit surprised those things came into the bay. Predators like that don't like to compete unless they're really stubborn... Hm. I wonder if food was in short supply, or something drove them out of their usual hunting grounds." He rubs his chin. "Well, we killed one and put the other two to flight. That's a win in my book."

At Murder's grumbling, he nods. "Well... there is a spell that does last for hours. Not sure if you could use it though, it's fairly complex. The mana fold requires a self-sustaining resonance.." He pauses. "Sorry. I study a lot of magical theory these days. I think that's why the University keeps calling me back to do lectures."

He grins at the mention of peppers. "Well, some of that. Cinnamon and saffron, cumin and vanilla. All things to enhance a meal."

The Gobbo grins. "Well, you are in shape though, Telamon. I got a good feel yesterday." Her laugh is almost like a bark, and she slaps her belly a few times. "I'm brains and brawn here, in a smol package." She flexes, showing off a small, but noticeable musculature.

"Food, or maybe got chased by something bigger. Perhaps we ought to catch up on our lip service to Rada. And one out of three isn't bad. Hopefully they'll tell their friends and we'll have less trouble. Definitely a win for us, the good guys!" Murder strikes a victorious pose. She listens attentively to the Half-Sil's explanation for a longer fly spell. "So maybe you should show me it, some time? Us bloodragers are like sorcerers, but uhm, probably some differences in how we do things. Maybe I'll ask Angoron for help."

"Oooh, cinnamon and vanilla are good in desserts. But, they are also good in dishes that use hot peppers. Cumin is also good as a solid base for flavours. I use it in my pepper dishes, it brings out their flavour. Saffron... is bloody expensive. But you could use it with the boar there, and make a golden ham. It's very good. If you can afford the price."

Telamon snorts. "Well, my wife likes me just fine, so I guess all is in order on that front. But no; there are some creatures that'll come in and try to eat you, or your livestock, no matter how many 'no trespassing' signs you put out figuratively speaking." He rolls his eyes. "Rust monsters. By all the gods, rust monsters do not care at all. Thankfully they're as dumb as a bag of hammers."

At the mention of cross-training, Telamon hrms. "My luck with training other sorcerers has been a little mixed, but I'll be happy to demonstrate as needed. It's a very long-duration spell -- hours, not minutes. Lana knows it too, and we've taken flight together."

Tel nods with a smile at Murder's overview. "Oh yes. Saffron is also hard to get -- but I do have certain advantages. Still, I do like to 'buy local' when I can." He taps his fingertips thoughtfully on the stall's work-table. "Honey is easier to get than cinnamon, and keeps longer too."

Murder giggles, "Well, you are kind of handsome and you've got a thing with your eyes going, so I am not surprised that you're married. I hear also that you're a lord." She cants her head sideways, and then laughs. "Well, most monsters can't read signs, and they don't get the message when you put their friend's heads on pikes. And sure, rust monsters are dumb as a bag of hammers... you can use those hammers to distract them while you run."

The Goblin's eyes widen. "Hours? If only! I can't wait. What I do is simply fly up at an angle as fast as I can manage. When the spell ends, I try to keep forward movement, get as far as I can, and then use feather fall near the end so I don't crater in. It gets me a good distance."

Her eyes narrow and she snorts. "You teleport to some other market and shop there." She taps at her little nose. "As I said, sneaksies!"

The spice merchant looks a little unnerved at the prospect of Telamon simply teleporting to where he needs to go, and Tel immediately moves to reassure him. "Like I said, buy local. Besides, I have to leave the city first -- it's actually less time to come down here than it is to get outside the city, teleport, then get to where I need to go, then teleport back." Mollified, the merchant continues measuring little packets and pouches as Tel returns to the conversation.

"Well, there are a number of magical items as well. There's a cloak I've read about, but it's pricey. Still..." His eyes twinkle. "I do enjoy flying. It's not an ego thing -- I just like to watch the world roll past while I soar overhead."

The Goblin eyes the spice merchant for a moment, and chuckles. "It sounds like there should be less expensive saffron in the city, if people are choosing to go elsewhere.", she says to the man, before looking to Telamon. "Well, if you are looking for hot peppers, let me know. I grow a few varieties, and in the summer I have a booth in Goblintown. Goblins love hot spices and gold, and I get to have both by growing hot peppers."

Her eyebrows raise up then. "A cloak that lets you fly?" Murder attempts to curb her enthusiasm but it shows in her hopping from foot to foot. "How much are they, do you know? Yes, yes, flying is awesome. Unless you accidentally fly into..." Her voice lowers. "Some uppityup's tower and into his wife's changing room... while she's changing."

Telamon arches an eyebrow. "But not everyone -can- go elsewhere, Murder. Just because I can doesn't mean even the nobility can. The spells that carry me far away are not small things, though I do have an innate knack for them. So you won't see the economy of the city being deranged anytime soon."

He looks thoughtful, and nods to Murder at her proud declaration about peppers. "So I've been advised. I usually venture into Goblintown for alchemical reagents, but I might look into that. I'm not one who savors heat, to be honest -- even mild Mictlan food causes me to get flushed. I have to use that sort of thing in moderation."

Tel hrrms. "The one I saw was a long gray mantle that turned into large feathered wings. On the open market it would probably command at least forty to fifty thousand gold -- but this is a cloak that -always- works."

Murder eyes Telamon for a moment, and nods slowly. "Those who cannot are probably also not buying saffron, Telamon. Some of the nobility just have so much money that the price doesn't even phase them." The Goblin shrugs. "But you're right, the prices aren't going to change." Her expression brightens at his admission to having to eat hot spices in moderation. "Oooooh, I can help you with that, too, Telamon. If you like, I can produce some pure pepper oil. It'll be pure, concentrated hot pepper fire in a jar. You just add a small drop to a pot of stew, or soup, or gumbo, and you'll get a nice, warm feeling. Feeling braver, add several drops to feel the fire. Because it's the oil, it will give you perfect results every time. I'll even include the dropper. Uh, I could also just get you milder peppers. They tend to have a bit more sweetness as well, so you won't notice the heat as much."

The Gobbo nods then to the description of the item, "That would be so cool! But erm, well... forty to fifty thousand? Erf. Maybe I can buy a catapult instead?"

Telamon rocks a hand back and forth again. "It's not -just- money, Murder. Scarcity plays into it, and I'm not just talking about saffron. There aren't that many magicians capable of casting these spells, and we all have our own hobbies, tasks, and projects. If I'm in the middle of helping a friend catch and release an aurumvorax I'm not going to be inclined to drop everything just for some noble waving a purse at me." He pauses. "No, that hasn't actually happened. It's an example."

His eyebrows rise up at the idea of a bottle of pure concentrated pepper oil, and he says weakly, "Maybe something a little less potent? I'd like to avoid serving my wife and myself something inedible."

Moving back into safer waters with the magical cloak, Tel shrugs. "Enchantments are expensive. You might try some of the upper-end merchants. You'll need to schmooze them a bit, but gold and silver spend regardless of who's offering it." He pauses at the idea of a catapult launching goblins. "...Maybe stick to using your existing flight spell for now?"

Murder lets out a lengthy, nasally sigh. "Yes, I know, I know. Still, it is still possible to get to other markets through normal means. And if enough people do that, well, maybe they might worry." She shrugs.

Her grin is toothy, and she nods. "I can do that, but honestly, the jar of hot pepper oil is the better thing. Literally one drop will give you a little heat for a modest sized pot of just about anything. But I can make it weaker, not as pure. And you know what, for you? I'll demonstrate it for you. You can see how much I use, the size of the pot, and I'll let you sample it too. Deal?"

Murder laughs, shrugging her shoulders. "I suppose I shall have to until I become richer."

"That's life for you sometimes, Murder," Telamon chuckles. "Waiting until you become richer so you can use the money for something. Speaking of which..." As the merchant pushes a bundle towards Telamon, Tel pulls out his money pouch and begins counting out gold coins. "Make sure you've got this secured, sir," he advises the merchant. The merchant, for his part, offers Tel a grin and pulls out a wicked-looking axe from inside his stall. Nonplussed, Telamon remarks, "...that'll work."

Once he's paid, and transferred the package into his haversack, Telamon turns to Murder again. "That sounds like a deal, miss. When should I visit your establishment in Goblintown?"

THe Gobbo's eyes widen at the presentation of the axe. "Yep, that'll do it!" Laughing, she watches with interest at the packages disappearing into the sack. "Ooooh, one of those bag thingies. It's bigger on the inside, yes? You are just full of neat stuff."

Once more her excitement shows in a hopping from foot to foot. "Two days from now I am going to be bringing in a load of peppers to sell. I'll bring some different oils and sauces. I'll make some rabbit stew, for you to sample the hot pepper stuff with. Sound good?"