Roam wanders into the space and starts dropping his equipment.  Watching Quill and Mira as he strips his armor off, "Looks as if you had some fun.  I brought some meat back for the carnivores.  Make sure Jase gets out there for some before he settles in."   He pulled his boots off and socks.

"I met someone out there.  A lady with an Ankylo.  She's on her way in and is spending the night here as well.  I plan on getting up early and starting out after eating.  Going to bathe, back in a bit"  Grabbing a towel from his pack, Roam found his way out to wash and clean the bronto's blood off his clothes and skin.

On his way back in, he spotted Coralian,  "Evening.  I've finished cleaning up.  What are you up to?  I'm over here with Quill and Mira.  You are welcome of course.  You are heading into Kelaino right?  If you're looking for company, I am planning to set out after an early breakfast.  Besides that, I'm just going to finish getting cleaned up and try and grab another drink."

Roam finished drying the longer hair off the top of his head as he finished walking to the room.

"I'll stay with Ajax tonight, thanks, but I'll be happy to take you up on the traveling offer.  Maybe I can catch up on a little news before we reach the Walk."

When she reached the others, Coralian wore her regular, winning smile.  "Hello.  I'm Coralian."  She waves gently in greeting.

Mira still looks somewhat wary at Coralian, but finally nods and offers her hand.  "Mira.  Sorry, it's been a very, very long day for us.  We're heading to Kelanio too."

When Roam asks what Quill has been up to, he giggles and scratches Jase's back.  "Jase is really good!  I've been training him for a while, and they didn't believe me, so they bet and we won!"  At the notion that there's food for Jase, Quill and Jase dash off to get a few scraps (as that's all a little bambi needs).

Mira's eyes follow her brother even as she talks to Roam and Coralian.  "Roam helped us out of a tight spot today; we were lucky to meet him."  She shakes her head and abruptly changes the subject, "I rig up implants for dinos.  Communications, monitoring, that kind of thing.  I think I've got a couple of clients just from talking to the people around here.  There's going to be a really big parade with some of the SATI higher-ups, I heard, and they've ordered more road knights in for security.  Supposed to be some big speech during the Walk too.  Someone was saying it was about time travel, but you hear that rumor every year.  One of the knights was saying there might be some Butterflies trying to get in an wreck some stuff, so he was hired to guard some of the labs."

The Butterflies, you both know, are a group that feels that time travel shouldn't be fixed, and indeed all tech should be destroyed so humans stop interfering with the world.  Some Butterflies will use some limited tech, if it means destroying greater tech, like using a disabling device, explosives, or something that would emit an EMP.  They are not beloved by SATI in the slightest.

"Well, it looks like you've got a safe place to rest now, so your day's looking up."

After listening to the latest news, Coralian nods.  "That's a lot to think on."  She purses her lips briefly.  "I'm going to get washed up.  Can we all meet up later to grab some food together?"  Coralian wanted to get a better sense of her traveling companions.  And fill her belly, of course.

"Sure"

Roam laughed at Quill and Jase.  He finished cleaning up and dressing, then waved his hand to the others to he left their room for food.  He sat at one of the tables in the common area and asked "How about a small hunk of that bronto and something green to go with it and a beer!  Since Jase is pulling his weight, dinner is on you." he finished pointing at Quill.

Roam sat back and talked with the two young travelers.  "What are you two planning after The Walk?"

Coralian can find the bathhouse easily and get a nice steam and rinse if she wishes.  There's some grilled meat on a stick available at the roadhouse bar, along with roasted roots - basically anything that can be grilled over open flames.  The food isn't half bad for roadhouse fare, and for certain it is fresh!  Once food is obtained, the group can come back together for a chat.

When asked about the walk, Mira looks over at Jase (who was happy to pay for the food), and ruffles her brother's hair before hugging him to her side.  "After everything that happened... maybe find someplace else.  I usually travel and do work for different clients, but maybe I can find a place in one of the cities?  I don't know what the competition would be like in Kelanio, though.  Some of the smaller towns really will pay well if they haven't had a good implant specialist by in a while."

"I want to be a dino-wrestler!  Quill could win all the matches and we'd be famous!" Quill says enthusiastically, dinner seemingly making him more energetic than ever.  Mira smiles at him, but it's a smile that's somewhat pained from her long day.

"Depends on how safe some of those towns are," Mira adds, her tone more sober.  Kelanio is the largest and probably best-maintained and governed of the remaining cities.  Other cities are more lawless, smaller, poorer, or their government changes rather frequently.  In smaller towns, things are even less certain.  Some places will only be around for a few years before succumbing to dinosaur attacks, natural disasters, or other, stranger problems.

Coralian follows along, just listening.  Her plans after the Walk are the same as before: wander, harvest, and support the various towns and outpost to support herself and Ajax.  She says as much to the small group.

"Sometimes I'll bring bigger stuff back to the family farm.  It helps them out and someday, when I'm too old for living in the jungles, it'll make my life easier there.  But that's a long way off.  I've got no reason to settle down right now."

The night passes quietly enough, and by morning you can break your fast with some fruit from the roadhouse shop for 1 nautil (enough for breakfast and lunch) or more roasted kebabs for the same.  A quick hunting for the meat-eaters and you can be on your way.  The crowd on the road swells as you draw closer to Kelanio, with occasional signs, painted rocks, and even large dinosaurs sporting banners all advertising the Wild Walk.

By sundown you can see the gates of the city illuminated by electrical lights, a rarity in most places in Grevakc.  Guards in SATI uniforms and armor inspect the incoming crowds, but keep things moving briskly.  If you're not a major merchant, the search is fairly simple.  It's not precisely clear what they're looking for, but with the collared argoraptors at the guards' sides, they're likely looking for know persons of interest or anyone with particularly dangerous weapons or technology.

Kelanio is the original city in Grevakc, and as such it sports a great deal of technology and buildings not often seen in the rest of the world.  Electric lights cluster around the lab complexes, while torches and bio-luminescent lights illuminate the rest of the streets and the docks.  Large gathering spaces and amphitheaters occasionally used to play holo-films (three of which survived to the present day) are now set up with temporary booths for a market, arena, and entertainment spaces for the opening of the Walk tomorrow.  Decorations of bones and spider-silk, origami leaves painted bright colors and long vine ropes are in the process of being hung on many buildings and across the streets.

Kelasie and her 'mimus had traveled near you guys most of the day, and smiles and waves as she peels off to head to what is likely quarters for the athletes.

Many of the people, at least those who don't already seem to have a booth to get to, are heading towards a district of inns and taverns.  You can see the Lava Beds, with its lurid torchlit glow and promise of comfort, Leetho Inn, with many families and a large communal space out front, Nests and Nooks, which is an upgraded sort of roadhouse where one sleeps next to their dino, and Sundown Horizons, a higher-end inn with a promise of electricity.  For food and probably entertainment, you can spy Mammoth Mugs, a rather kitschy bar with oversized drinks, the Indigo Iridian, with its dance floor and glowing small dinos to make a trippy experience, Yellow Tail, with its colorful array of drinks and various games, and Logan's, a tourist bar with a local, quiet flair, for those who miss their home watering holes.

As you consider where to go, Mira pauses, arm around Quill.

"Thank you for getting us here Roam, Coralian.  It's nice to know there's still good people in the world."  The two step forward and hug Roam fiercely, then scratch Tarla, if she will permit it.  "I guess you guys have stuff to do, so I hope I'll see you around during the Walk!"

"It was nice traveling with you.  Stay safe out there."  She smiles down at Jase, who's just a bit older than one of her nephews.

Looking around at the options, she waits for Roam to finish his goodbyes before engaging in Conversation.  "I've got a few things to sell right away, so I can cover room and board for this.  Ajax and I are probably going to Nests and Nooks, if they still have room by then.  What are your plans?"

Roam smiled at the siblings.  He shook hands with Quill and scratched Jase.  When he hugged Mira he whispered into her ear "Some of the people from Haven are here.  Do your best to steer clear."  Tarla surprised Mira at first as if to bite her.  Then shoved her nose into Miras hand.  Roam watched them walk off.

Walking with Coralian and previewing their options Roam answers her.  "I hope they stay out of trouble.  Nest and Nooks is fine.  I don't mind fronting you a few Nautils for board, you can get me back."

Roam patted Tarla's neck and walked off to procure rooms.

"That's very kind of you.  I appreciate it."  Coralian follows Roam inside and observes as he procures room.  She tries to note costs and amenities available.  She also keeps an ear out for merchant talk, perhaps what herbs are in demand this year and where one might get a good price for viable dinosaur eggs.

As Roam's transaction winds down, she asks the attendant, "Are there any maps available for the festival?"

Mira freezes when Roam hugs her, looks around carefully, then nods and takes Quill's hand, the two of them joining the crowd.

Roam can check out Nests and Nooks, which allows people to keep their larger dinos with them, whereas most other inns have stables of some sort (as large dinos make large waste).  But for the price of 6 nautils (and probably a tip for the stablehands) you can get a bed, access to the bath house, and a good hot meal with beer, water, or juice, plus fodder for your dino.  If you don't mind shoveling for your own dino, the price goes down to 5 nautils.  One does put up with a certain amount of noise and smell, but it's a decent deal for a Kelanio-central inn during the Wild Walk.  There's a few people here already, mostly with larger dinos, and a great deal of traffic on the street as the finishing touches are being put on various buildings for the opening of the festival.

Keeping a weather eye out, as those people Roam had noticed might be interested in his presence as well, he doesn't notice them near Nests and Nooks, but they did seem to be headed in the direction of the labs and more developed areas of Kelanio.

In such a crowd there are bound to be those who prey on the holiday-makers, and Roam can spy at least two pickpockets working the crowd on his way to the inn, including one who is using his extremely adorable and fuzzy alphadon as a distraction as he palms nautils from the unsuspecting.

A few quick inquiries can certainly net you both a list of the various activities and when and where they'll be.  There's the opening ceremonies, the mid-morning parade, various races and contests of skill (different kinds of obstacles courses, draft-pulling competitions, beauty contests for feathers and skin-painting, seek-and-hunt courses, and others), several plays and concerts, large storytelling gatherings, adoption groups, training classes, food and drink stalls, and of course many, many vendors selling everything to do with dinos.

Coralian can find her way to the open market and for the low price of a single nautil, buy herself a space for Ajax so she can sell from his saddlebags.  She's not the only one trying to make a quick bit of spending money, and she can see people around her selling handicrafts of all sorts. Once she has her temporary badge in place she gets a few quick glances from folks who are watching the sellers with shrewd eyes.

"Anything you need taken off your hands quick?" one woman asks, tanned and thin, her face lined with wrinkles and a few scars, her clothing tidy leathers with neat embroideries of claws.

Coralian smiles warmly, hiding her suspicion.  "For a fair price, I'm happy to part with any of my wares quickly.  Are you looking to buy anything specific or just making general inquiries?"  She takes in the woman's posture, dress, and facial expressions, trusting that Ajax would be keeping an eye out for danger as well.

"Just seeing what you have.  You look like you're looking to make spending money for the festival, and I run a combined goods stall.  You get your money, I get to top off my stock without paying through the nose," she says.  "Any bones or feathers?  I can always sell those in a heartbeat for craft projects."

Aside from the merchant, you can see a few other people perusing Ajax and the potential goods he holds, along with the goods of your neighboring sellers.  You can spy what looks like a family with three young children, the oldest a girl of nearly twelve looking very excited and eager, two scientist-types with their long coats and sterile spray-wear, likely on break from one of the local labs, and a one man who's likely an osteon, with his colorful clothing and rattling bone charms.


--

Roam, as you linger at Nests and Nooks, you can see things are starting to gear up for a lively pre-festival party at the nearest taverns about a block or two away, the Vibrant Velociraptor (which seems to have fast music and dancing) and the Tousled Clam, which from passing conversation seems to specialize in exotic drinks.

From conversation between the various pens next to yours, you also learn that there are late sign-ups for various races and contests still open, and likely will be until after midnight, if you wish to enter any of them.

Down a pen or two from you, you see the occupants are what looks like a father, his teenage son, and three velociraptors probably just barely out of the baby fluff stage.  They're trying very hard to look fierce as the young man goes over their commands with them.  One of the babies, the largest of the lot, keeps posturing for Tarla, trying to rattle his feathers in what the cocky little beast clearly thinks is an alluring manner.

"I have mostly herbs and roots and some different saps I've collected.  I did manage to grab a few nice feathers, though."  Coralian's eyes dart from person to person, looking for interest and sticky fingers with equal diligence.  Her easy smile never falters.  Stopping about midway down Ajax's left side, she collects two handfuls of feathers.  They are from a wide variety of creatures, and thus an uncoordinated mass of colors, but they are all clean and in good shape.  "Would these suit your needs?" she asks the older woman.

At the Open Market

"Good, good, yes... I think I can do something with these.  Five nautils for the lot!" she says, holding back a smile.

"Any good healing plants?  Cooking plants?  Spiritual ones?" the osteon breaks in, trying to edge close enough to see what Ajax is carrying without making the ankly mad.

Coralian speaks over her shoulder to the osteon.  "Yes.  They're one of my specialties.  I'll be happy to show you as soon I'm done trading with this fine woman."

She turns back to the feather-seeker.  Gently stroking Ajax's head, she says to the woman, "Eight nautils.  And I have no doubts that a woman of your skills will bring triple that back for these fine adornments."  All the while, Coralian wears her winning smile.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:25, Sat 21 Sept 2019.

Roam started to walk about.  He looked back and forth at all the people and turned to Tarla.  He wrapped an arm around her neck and talked gently to her.  "I know, too many people.  The walk starts soon.  Then we will hopefully be away from this many people for awhile."

He patted Tarlas side and led her away.  He wasn't interested in betting on dinos(at least at the moment).  He just wanted some small distance for perspective and to watch the people without feeling smothered.

Open Market



The crafter haggles back and forth for a little bit more, cheerfully pointing out tiny imperfections, but settles on a solid 7 nautils, and tosses in a small sample of her work on a small bambiraptor feather hair clip.  "Tell them you got it from Luban's Lightwork!" she says, taking possession of her prizes.

As the crafter moves away, the osteon moves closer, repeating his questions about what types of herbs she has.  The father and daughter look over Ajax briefly, but the father shakes his head and says quietly, "She's not selling eggs or babies, looks like, so we'll head on to the next person."

--

Nests and Nooks

Roam can see quite a few people are getting the festival started early, with drinks, dancing and carousing.  There even seem to be some dinosaur dancers, but some of the little rogues are born attention-seekers.  There are also a great many people over at a dino-wash nearby, spraying their beasts down with river water and polishing and brushing them to get off road dust and mud.

Several people around here are practicing tricks for tomorrows contests, while others are fiddling with bits of tech for who knows what purposes.  One man in Nests and Nooks is fidgeting with something in a sack that makes a pinging noise, and he grimaces as he tries to silence the thing!

Coralian accepts the 7 nautils and immediately puts the clip in her hair.  "Thank you for your custom, ma'am, and the lovely clip."  To the receding father and daughter, she says, "I may have something to interest you, good people.  If you'll just give me a moment to speak to this fine healer, I'll be right with you."

Coralian sighs in her mind, concerned about the impatience of the osteon, but she smiles just the same as she lists off the plants she's harvested.  "I've got marrow-root, fever-leaf, dried proto-palm root, bark shavings from a break-leaf, barberry seeds, roots from Cornecae and Laureceae, as well as sap harvested from a number of conifers.  I've got a few mushroom caps as well, also dried."  There were other items in her harvest, as well, seasonings and the like, but she didn't expect he was wanting those.

Coralian keeps glancing at the osteon as he peruses her wares, making sure he is gentle at least and his hands are clean.  If the father and daughter turn to signal their interest, Coralian will pull the egg just slightly from her bag for just a moment, smile, and return her attention to her current customer.

The people rambled about.  Maybe it was just too hard to keep track of all the angles he could be hunted from.  Roam settled back and let his attention float across the crowds.  He hears the pinging noise, but lets the man wrestle with whatever it is.  On a hunt, you never want your prey to realize they have caught your attention until it is too late.
After the third ping Roam decides to say something.  He tries not to be loud, but he needs to talk over the sound of the crowds and beasts.  “Something the matter?  Did you need help with that?”  He slowly half turns to the man and tousled his own hair to appear young and non-threatening.  “I’m Roam.  Nice to meet ya!”

The Open Market



The osteon looks over everything in silence with a brooding expression, turning things over with one finger to look at their quality.  "Twelve nautils!  Or I'll do a bone reading and get you and a friend front-row tickets for the storytellings tomorrow night at the Pteradon Playhouse," he says abruptly, but with a smile on his face.

The girl looks excited as Coralian shows the glimpse of an egg, though the father looks a bit more concerned.  A large egg could be an expensive companion if you weren't prepared for it.

Once Coralian's business with the osteon is at a satisfactory end, the girl will bounce up to the front of the line.  "I get to pick out my own dinosaur!  What your dino's name?  He looks so strong!  What kind of egg is it?  Is your dino the parent?"

--

Nests and Nooks



The city is a chaotic morass with a lot of lines of potential attack.  Luckily most people here seem to be reasonably law-abiding and mostly focused on having fun.  As Roam poses his question to the frustrated man, he starts and what's-in-the-bag makes a short loud electronic squeal! that makes a nearby bambiraptor hiss in annoyance.

"Jass, and don't worry about it.  Stupid thing doesn't want to work.  Supposed to be an alarm," he says.  Then he lowers his voice, "I bloody well hate technology sometimes."

Coralian would haggle more over the cost of the herbs, etc.  She knows their worth.  She likely wouldn't accept less than 20 for the items he's looking at.  "And I'll take the nautils, thanks.  I'm not sure what my traveling companion's plans are yet."

Once done with him (sale or no sale), Coralian turns to the man and child.  She squats down to be eye-level with the girl.  "This is Ajax.  And he is not the daddy of this particular egg.  And he is quite strong.  I'm sure he would be pleased you noticed."  She pats the ankylo's head as she speaks.  Standing again, she pulls the egg fully from her garments.  "To the best of my understanding, this is the egg of a mini-bronto, one that had been kept in captivity until recently.  I happened upon her and the egg as she fell to predators.  Bad luck for her.  Maybe good luck for you."

The Open Market



The osteon seems to be fine with paying nautils, just in a hurry to be somewhere.  "Well, show's tomorrow night if you like a good set of yarns!" he says, handing over the little shells.



The little girl's eyes light up as Coralian describes the mini-bronto, and the father looks less worried, as a mini-bronto's needs are far less extensive than their original-sized kin.  When the egg comes into view, she exclaims, "It's cute!  Dad, please?.  It's just big enough for me to ride when it's grown, and it can pull the cart, too!"

The last seems to mollify the father somewhat, and he pulls out a small shell scanner, obviously repaired several times, but still functional.  "I'll need to check it...  What were you thinking of selling it for?" he says, the girl bouncing up and down excitedly beside him.  The scanner should give him a good view of the egg to see if the dino is viable, as well as being able to verify what you said about its species.  Also, it should be able to see any proprietary marks that might be covered by paint.

As the father pulls out a scanner, one of the passers-by shakes her head.  "That thing'll break when you need it most.  Not dependable, that stuff."  She nods at Coralian, as if inviting her to share her opinion.

"A good one from a reputable breeder's about 200, right?  Well, this is one's in good shape, but I can't verify the breeding.  I think 100 is fair.  Sounds like you'll get a lot of use out of it."  She squats down again to be on the same level as the girl.  "And it sounds like you'll have a lot of fun with it.  Have you picked out names yet?"

Eyeing the scanner a bit skeptically, Coralian asks if the man will let Ajax sniff the device before he uses it on the egg.  She trusts the big guy's sense of danger even more than her own.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:32, Tue 01 Oct 2019.