Market Meet
Tenebrae - Wednesday, May 29, 2013, 8:36 AM
-=--=--=--=--=--=<* 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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It's a rather nice day in Alexandria, all things considered. The sun is up, the sky doesn't have a cloud in the sky, and to offset the heat of the sun, a cool wind is blowing in from the northwest. The markerplace is bustling with people selling their goods around the lunchtime hour, but it doesn't FEEL crowded, yet.
Among the people is a red haired giantborn whom is helping some of the merchants get their items off of the wagons to sell, and pointing out their quality items when she saw them.
"No no, I'm sure they're good quality, and I agree the price is very reasonable. But 'good' just isn't good enough. I require 'great' materials. The works of a master." Mikilos pats a disapointed merchant on the shoulder, slipping away as the man tries to rally for another sales pitch. Most of the regular merchants know the tall elf, and let him be. If he needs something, he'll come to them. Besides, plenty of others in the market place to try and seperate from their coin.
Another BIG woman, Gunnhilde, comes walking up along the street, from the direction of the Adventurer's Guild. The market area's clearly her destination, from how she starts looking from stall to stall and cart to cart until, it appears, she finds what she wants and stops at a meat vendor's cart to purchase a kebob with several hunks of fresh-cooked meat on it.
Yrqemm is ambling around the market as well, wiping his hands on a rag, obviously having done eating whatever he was eating. He spots the hard to miss Mikilos, having been starting at the impossible to miss Giantborn women, and heads over towards him to say hello.
Eventually, one of the wagon's wheel falls off and the Red haired giantborn shakes her head. She easily lifts the wagon and puts the wheel back on. She then chuckles and pats the merchant on the shoulder. "All right, you're on your own now." She says as she steps out from behind the stall, and nearly runs into Mikilos (which isn't a good idea cuz she has spiked armor). Good thing she spots him. "Hey Mikilos. Still wandering about?"
. o O (Gah! Talking wall! ...oh.)
"*ahem* Yes, just taking a look around, seeing what came in today." Mikilos replies, flushing slightly. "Though i can't say anything has really caught my eye. Yourself?"
Gunnhilde, munching on meat from the kebob in one of her hands, decides that she wants an apple, too... and just happens, of course, to choose the stall next to the one at which everyone else seems to have gathered. "How much?", she asks the vendor, having taken a moment to finish chewing and swallowing the meat in her mouth before speaking.
Chuckling to Mikilos, SOnja rests an arm on his shoulder without asking. "Still looking for quality materials, huh Mikilos?" She makes sure not to put a spike on the elf's shoulder. However, she also spots someone that is head and shoulders above everyone else and waves a hand towards the giantborn woman.
Mikilos holds still. He'd likely be okay from a mere spike jab, but would just as soon avoid it. "Always. Trying to find good suited for enchantment can be difficult. If I really need to, I could make my own, but that consumes far too much time, and still needs good base materials." Glancing as Sonja waves, the elf quirks a brow. "Well, so much for nothing catching my eye. Friend of yours?"
Gunnhilde can't help but notice the greeting, thanks to how Sonja also tends to stand out above the crowd. Having just bought herself the biggest apple from the vendor's cart, which means it might last three bites for her, she lifts her kabob in a sort of 'food salute' in return to the wave, before pulling another hunk of meat from it to chew upon.
Sonja chuckles softly. "Never seen her before in my life. However, Never hurts to greet new people, hmm? Perhaps greet a new customer." She says lightly nudging Mikilos on the shoulder before walking her way over. "Greetings!" She says rather pleasently. "I've not seen you before, didja have any trouble getting in the gates without bumping your head?" Of course, the joke is obvious since they both share the same altitude.
Mikilos snorts softly, but smiles, following after and raising a hand in greeting. "Plenty of people in the city, but do think would remember if we'd met before. Greetings, miss."
Tak has arrived.
The obvious joke makes Gunnhilde grin. Again, she finishes chewing and swallowing, before speaking. "Bumped it on the way in", she replies. "That was about a year ago, though. I'm just finally out on my own, instead of cooped up on guard duty at the ambassadorial lodgings. Never did get much of a chance to see the city, before this, even though I've been here for a year", she says, nodding to Mikilos as she speaks, by way of including him, too, in her reply to greeting.
Tak wanders through the market, munching on some fresh berries he got from a vendor. He pops one into his mouth as he glances at various merchants wares, simply browsing and wasting his time.
CapsLockSonja makes a bit of a face. "ugh. Guard duty blows. Standing in one place and remaining stock still is for the birds." She then waves it away. "Glad you were able to make it out and about in the city though." She then walks by a stall and gets two large pieces of meat on a stick, and looks to Mikilos. "You don't eat meat do you?" She says before handing over one of the meat on a sticks to Gunnhilde. "Steak on a Stake. Give it a try. it's pretty good."
Mikilos shakes his head. "I don't eat. Nothing against meat, though." The elf turn focus to Gunnhilde again. "For which ambassador are you a guard?" He could guess, but best not to assume.
Stuffing her apple into one of her pouches, Gunnhilde frees that hand to take the steak on a Stake that's been offered to her. Taking a bite of it, she chews, nodding her head as she does. "Better than these hunks of meat I got at the stall down the street, I gotta admit", she says, after finishing chewing and swallowing. Turning to Mikilos, she adds, "Jarl Lars Egilissen", in reply to his question, before pulling the last of the meat off her original kabob with her teeth and letting the wooden stick drop to the ground as she chews, saving the rest of the Steak on a Stake to be eaten after the other meat's gone.
Tak moves over near the two giantborn and the elf, he nods to the elf and the two ladies and smiles "Morning." He then focuses on Mikilos "Did you stay here all night or are you just fond of the markets atmosphere?"
CapsLockSonja chuckles softly before shrugging. "Strange that ambassadors ask for guards when we protect just about everyone here." She says to Mikilos when Tak shows up. She waves to Tak before looking to mikilos. "KNowing Mikilos here, he went back to the library to sleep."
Mikilos tsks, but smiles. "No, I went back to read. Then I went to my room and got some sleep before heading to the lab for a few hours, then comming out here to see the morning's wares."
Gunnhilde can't help but grin at the interplay among people who obviously know one another. "I'm Gunnhilde, by the way", she offers by way of introduction, offering her free hand to Mikilos first, as she's already gotten his name.
Tak chuckles "Well, the morning is the best time to get the good fruits." he pops another berry in his mouth and chews. "This is about as early as I like to wake up though, I'm a late night person, its all part of the job." He nods to Gunnhilde as she introduces herself to Mikilos, "Hi, I'm Tak."
CapsLockSonja chuckles a bit. "Sunblade Sonja Brynhildr. A pleasure to meet you all." She says with a chuckle before eating the rest of her meat.
"Mikilostravia Abrioudelanarchie Mithralla, Lord of Estranillia, Wizard of the Society of Arcanists, and Builder Arcane. But just 'Mikilos' will do nicely, miss Gunnhilde." The elf replies with a smile, accepting the handshake. He may be a wizardly weakling, but he's got the grip of a swordsman.
Gunnhilde's a little taken aback by Mikilos' full name, but nods her head even as she smiles at her own surprise. She then offers her hand to Tak, as he offers introduction, then to Sonja. "My full name's Gunnhilde Sturremsdottir", she adds, when Sonja gives her own full name. "Formerly a Corporal in the Ambassadorial Guard of the man already mentioned. Like I said, on my own now."
Tak chuckles at the full name from Mikilos, "You know its said that some people like to use long names and impressive titles to cover for.....indadequacies." He grins "Though I'm sure thats not the issue in your case."
CapsLockSonja looks down to Tak. "He's an elf, Tak. If they don't have a long name, they grew up with humans." She then nudges Mikilos. "I just call him 'shorty' to rib him." She then looks to GUnnhilde. "besides, when you'er a Sunblade, it's an earned title, not just an impressive one."
Mikilos eyes Tak mildly, trying not to grin. "If you've an issue, take it up with my parents, they picked the name. I tend towards 'Mikilos'...and full introductions after a few claims of withholding information." He frowns at the memory, then glances to Gunnhilde again. "Ah.... departed of your own choice?" Not many ways to ask that nicely.
"Shorty sounds good to me, Red", Gunnhilde says to Sonja, grinning down at Tak. "I'm sure he don't mind. His height puts him at eye level for our chests, anyway. Such a shame we're wearing such form-concealing armor, isn't it?" Turning then, to Mikilos, she adds, "Yep. My term's end came up and I chose not to re-enlist."
Tak waves a hand dismissively "Ahh yes, the trials of our parents, my real name is a little longer, but not much, I just don't bother to go beyond Tak." He looks up at Gunn and chuckles "I've learned to watch my wandering eye when dealing with those of the fairer sex that could likely twist me into a pretzel."
CapsLockSonja chuckles a bit. "Mikilos actually makes magical items." She says tapping the spiked bat upon her back. "he helped with my Earthbreaker when I needed it the most." She then chuckles. "be prepared for some adventures then, Gunnhilde."
Mikilos quirks a brow, eyeing Gunnhilde for a moment. "...If it's really such a shame, I -have- been working on an alternate version of the 'Invisibility' spell..."
Gunnhilde eyes Mikilos and bites at her Steak on a Stake, chewing and swallowing before replying. "Don't try it. I'd rather not end up jailed for trying my best to twist you into a pretzel", she says, though she's grinning a bit as she does. "Unless you're suggesting such a viewing in trade for magicking my own sword for me...?", she then suggests.
Tak chuckles at the response to the comments about invisibilty. "Well, you all have a good day, I need to get going, things to do and all that." He waves and starts off
Tak has left.
CapsLockSonja shrugs to Tak before looking to Mikilos. "Don't try it, stick." She says before watching Tak leave. "In a hurry, wasn't he?"
Mikilos snorts. "Probably needed to jot down the mental image. Anyway, don't worry, I couldn't and wouldn't. All forms of Invisibility require a willing target." He glances to Gunnhilde. "And I don't mix busniess and pleasure. Well, okay, I do, in that I enjoy my work. But busniess first."
With a shrug, Gunnhilde says, "People have things they hafta do", she says, about Tak's departure. Then, at Mikilos' words, she says, "well, darn... guess I'm saving up money to actually pay for the work, then", though it's said with a lighthearted tone that says she really didn't think otherwise to begin with.
CapsLockSonja says, "I think he was intimidated by our size." She then steps back to let Mikilos take care of business."
Mikilos snorts softly and grins. "Size isn't everything. You've met, Jessa, right?"
"No, I don't think I've met anyone by that name", Gunnhilde admits, before taking another bite of her steak, ending up with the last of the meat in her mouth.
Mikilos shakes his head. "Ment Sonja. I'm sure you'll meet the force of nature that is miss Hartrose soon enough. A Lucht Muse, with enough force of personality for two regular people."
Gunnhilde nods. "Personality doesn't depend on the size of someone's body", she agrees. "How much do you charge for putting magic into a sword, anyway?"
CapsLockSonja snerks at Mikilos. "Sounds like she's another Jibbom then, Mikilos."
Mikilos shrugs mildly. "It depends on the details, certain materials are significantly more difficult and require more exotic resources, but for the average, a basic blade enchantment runs around 1,200 gold. Or whatever currency works." He flinches slightly at Sonja, then ponders a moment before shrugging. "There are similarities. But Jessa tends to do the feats of greatness first, and then tell tales about them."
CapsLockSonja says, "While Jibbom tends to tell people what he's gonna do....and never do it.""
"I'm a good bit shy of that mark right now. Guardwork doens't pay very well", Gunnhilde comments about the cost of a basic enchantment, then falls quiet as the Jibbashing goes on.
Mikilos nods. "Quite understandable, it's a considerable invenstment. Though it -is- and investment. All Mithralla products comes with a lifetime repair gaurentee. That's -my- lifetime. Around 900 more years, give or take a few centuries." He frowns mildly at Sonja. "That's not true. Jibbom does a lot of the things he says he will. Often to everyones susprise, including himself, but still."
CapsLockSonja snerks. "as long as he's not like Fizzlefuze."
Mikilos winces. "No, Jibbom's pretty much only a danger to himself. Fizzlefuse is a menace to society... but unfortunately a very useful one."
CapsLockSonja snorts. "Eventually I'm going to arrest that little gnome. especially with his 'island' that nearly killed all of his workers....and his daughter.
Gunnhilde furrows her eyebrows together. "He nearly killed people, and it's known... and he's not already under arrest?", she questions, her tone one of surprise.
CapsLockSonja says, "That's the problem when your career is just starting. You can't lock everyone up for being a menace. The jails would fill up quick. plus, Fizzlefuze would just claim ignorance."
Mikilos quirks a brow. "i hadn't heard the bit with the island. Any case, it's more a claim of intent. He doesn't mean to hurt people. Well, not ones who don't deserve it. But his inventions have a habit of going wrong and wrecking havoc. -However-, the ones that -do- work do so well enough to make him, over all, a boon to society. Barely."
CapsLockSonja says, "Barely."
Lips pursed, Gunnhilde cross her arms over her chest. "Sounds like, if this guy's as bad as he sounds, you just need to catch him threatening someone's life... and then just take care of business so that he won't threaten anyone else."
CapsLockSonja says, "That's the problem. he doesn't openly threaten anyone's life. He send you on a job because he hasn't heard back from one of his teams. Suddenly, you're in the fight of your life to escape the island before you're overrun by giants." She then looks to Mikilos. "His Daughter, however, has a better head on her shoulders than he does.""
Mikilos grins. "That's not saying a great deal." He nods to Gunnhilde. "The authorities are well aware of his activities. They typically serve as mediators, finding Adventurers both willing and able to go along with one of Fizzlefuse's ideas."
"Maybe people just shouldn't go... and let him go and fix his own messes, then", says Gunnhilde. "Let him get himself killed for his own crazy schemes."
CapsLockSonja says, "That's the problem. Usually when someone goes wrong, other people are going to get hurt. I'm not willing to stand by and let others get hurt just because I don't like the person giving me the job.""
Mikilos nods. "Standing aside is occasionally what causes the real problem in the first place. Though there are truely evil individuals out there. One who cause harm for malicious intent."
Gunnhilde is quiet for a few moments, lips pursed in thought. "Well... I guess having the choice whether or not to work for someone you don't like is better than not having the choice, huh?", she finally says, with a shrug.
CapsLockSonja nods quietly. "and that is what Sunblades fight for, the choice. Free will." She then chuckles a bit more. "I would rather work for someone I don't like and save his workers, who will probably end up quitting because of this idiot, rather than not work for him and leave the people to die."
Mikilos shrugs. "I'd rather work for FizzleFuse and help him finish his Lich-Breaker device than let the lich run free."
"... is there good money in it?", asks Gunnhilde. "I can't really strike out on my own without money coming in, after all."
CapsLockSonja says, "There usually is. For you and a group going with you. You don't want to strike out completely on your own, and there are lots of people in the adventurer's guild that'll work with odd people.""
Mikilos nods. "There are those who go out on their own. And usually pretty good money in getting a group together to bring their corpse back for burial."
Gunnhilde nods. "I've already registered at the Guild", she says. "... and did you just call me 'odd'?", she jokingly asks of Sonja.
Mikilos blinks, and glances towards the sun. "It's getting late, and i really should be going. I suppose I'll be seeing you around, miss Sturremsdottir, miss Brynhildr."
- TinyMUX Disconnected ***