Yartok takes the man's hand firmly, yet with consideration for his racial infirmity; wouldn't do to crush his new partner's hand just because he wasn't a Troll. And this guy seems genuine enough to make a reasonable deal. "Yartok," he says with firm belief that it's obvious he's providing his name. "and yes I am newly arrived, though I did befriend some locals on the boat who may seek me out. What's your price for room, board, and a spot to convince folk to give up some coin?"

In reply to Stendara (msg # 6):

Hornet was sad to see Mellisandre leave but knew she had somethings to do, he'd just have to protect everyone else instead.

Turning to the Princess... One piece of advise, put your purse inside your shirt rather than on your belt.  Another piece of advice, If you can distract someone so you can move on, don't use a Gold Coin, it attracts the wrong people.  Another piece of advice, don't visit the taverns at the dock if your easily offended by words and stay clear of the ....You already know that one.  He looks around almost lost, the realises why he is at almost head height, he is sad on Buzz who is standing on a curb.

  I'll move ahead, make a path and steer prying eyes away.  He whispers to Buzz who then almost marches off, fancy high kneed steps, virtually prancing.  Then with a subtle touch of the harness, the steps got bigger and Hornet sat higher.  Make way, make way, I'm coming through.  Oh thank you good sir, very kind of you madam.  Now then young one, why don't you go ahead and make a space for me to move, here's a copper piece  As a young Urchin comes over to see this Kue that a Windling rides.  He passes the Urchin the coin and moves forward, waving to everyone whether then look or not, occasionally standing in his seat and playing the part, he pays no mind, he is taking the attention away from those whom follow.

(ooc: First Impression = Rolled a 6)

Tomyris watched as Hornet trotted along and attempted to divert the attention from the newcomers to the island. Once he was where she thought he wanted to be she started moving
"Come along. I got to show you the best buns on the island." she said as they started making their way to the Family estate. It turned out that the "best buns on the island" are sold at a bakery on the main street near the family estate.

At the estate Tomyris had a brief discussion with her caretakers before they quickly headed out to shop for Stendara (Rolled 5 for Artisan Skill Wardrobe and Style).
By the end of the tour Stendara would look like a native... If in slightly too new clothes. The traditional Barsaive pelt and heave breeches were suitably replaced by something more suited to a much warmer climate and less conspicuous for locals and Therans alike.

The dwarf woman spared only a single glance for the windling standing within her forge before she set drew the piece of the heat and took hammer to the white hot metal. Sparks flew as blow upon blow was delivered, flattening the metal into the desired shape in a slow process that would likely take hours, if not days, of toil. Minutes passed as the process of heating and shaping was repeated, over and over, with only a word spared to drive the boy to keep up the heat steady. It was clear, however, that the boy was beginning to flag visibly after the seventh exchange, particularly as he continued to work the bellows hard. The dwarf woman gumbled irritably, but as she set hammer to anvil once more, her words were finally directed to the only other person in the forge.

"Well? Ya gonna just stand there grinnin like a fool? Set hands to workin, ya daft sprite, or I'll have yer ass on the street! Keep the fire steady! Daft boy can't even work through the day, bah!"

The smith's grumbling continued, even through the ringing blows of the hammer. The boy seemed to hesitate, the bellows he was working slowing slightly as he glanced nervously between the windling and the dwarf.


------------------------------

"You bring in custom, big fellow, and I'll give you room and board without charge! Though, not sure we got any beds big enough for someone of your impressive size. Not much call for it, I'm afraid. Might have to push two beds together... no matter! You bring the entertainment, I'll bring the ale, and we'll both profit, yeah? Plenty of sailors looking to spend coin on good ale and better song! Know any of the local songs? No, I doubt you would. Well, plenty of time to learn, and a song's a song to a drunken sailor!"

Jones happily lead the way into the interior of the Salty Kraken. It is fairly average, all things considered, about the same as any other tavern one might see across the length and breadth of the world. What does stand out is a fairly distinct smell that permeates the air, hinting at a dish being cooked up in the tavern's kitchens. The rattling accompaniment of pots and pans echoing outwards only lends further credence to this. A bar, and its accompanying ale barrels, dominate one wall. A younger woman works the tables, cleaning them up and seeing to the preparing for the days visitors. Even to someone not human, it's clear that she's been blessed with physical beauty, practically a perfect example of the buxom barmaid, and if her clothing is anything to go by she knows well how to play to the usual customers. She glances up as Jones and Yartok enter. and for a moment she blinks in disbelief, staring at the troll that's walked into the building, before a fierce scowl dominates her face as her voice rises in clear anger.

"Pa, you halfwit! We don't have time for more of your charity cases!"

"Oy, girl, that any way to talk to me?"

"It is when you're an idiot!"

"Now see, don't be like that. This fellow is an entertainer, figure he can bring in some more custom, earn everyone a bit of coin."

"An I suppose we'll be feeding and rooming him while he does it?"

"Course we will! Look, if everything works out, I'll buy you something pretty from the market stalls. On my honor."

The young woman stomps away, clearly in a mood, but Jones merely sighs before turning back to Yartok, shrugging helplessly.

"Daughters, right? Can never please em. But tides take me if I could run this place without her. Never had a head for numbers, myself."

In reply to Tomyris (msg # 17):

"Only numbers I've ever cared about were the coins in a pouch or the people I needed to punch," Yartok Grins. "I bet my presence will greatly limit the latter here. My specialty is humor, with some songs to keep appearances. I will bet your customers will be willing to laugh at the 'big outsider' between the songs, and that should bring in more. As for a bed, I can do with a private spot of floor for my kit and blanket, no need to risk your beds for me." ooc try to imagine a Yakov Smirnoff style of jokes with "troll home" in place of Russia..."You are so lucky to have therans here, back home if you see a Theran coming towards you, you step out from under him," all toned to be non-insulting to anyone but himself, while still shifting opinions subtly against the Therans...

- "Yes, Master."

Mellisandre needed little encouragement to join in on the forging. She had enthusiasm, certainly, though the Forge was still a lot bigger than the one she had been trained in up until then and, more importantly, she didn't know where everything was kept. Sure, she recognized the tools that she saw, but fetching things took a bit longer than she herself would have liked, given that she had no familiarity with the layout of the Forge itself.

That said, she was at least able to give a passable first impression, even helping out the other apprentice whenever she could, though she had her hands full herself. She did not complain however, and did her best to fulfill the tasks she was being given, even managing to show some of her earlier training in the process as she tried to learn by watching the dwarf's style of Forging.

Craftsman: 4

Rafe nodded to Hornet, giving a winning smile in response to the suggestion. Or, at least, he hoped it was. He was still a bit in awe of the idea of escorting a princess anywhere, really. He chuckled a bit when Hornet marched off like a one-man parade, taking a more casual pace beside Stendarra. Hooking one thumb in his belt, hand near his blade but not threateningly so, he offers the princess his other arm in what he hopes is a gallant gesture and not an impertinent one. "Shall we?"

Stendara smiles and takes Rafe's arm gracefully.  "Well, since one offers so politely," she agrees with a laugh.  She follows Tomyris's lead, occasionally trying to draw things back to something she's more used to and needing to be reminded that that's precisely what she's supposed to be avoiding.

The work continued, the dwarf occasionally grumbling something or berating the boy. The blade slowly took shape, pounded into its rough form with ringing hammer blows. Eventually, the shaped weapon was set aside after a brief inspection, the grumbling words suggesting it wasn't exactly a fine piece, but that it would do. The smith set herself back, leaning against a barrel as a pipe was produced and lit, the woman taking a few gentle pulls on it before blowing a stream of smoke into the air.

"Off with ya, boy. No more use for ya today. AND ARRIVE ON TIME TOMORROW!"

The boy was gone practically before the words had left the woman's lips, and a sigh spoke volumes of her thoughts on the matter. Regardless, she turned her attention to the windling, covered in sweat and soot from the smithy. For a moment she remained silent, eyeing the result critically, before grumbling something unintelligible.

"Aye, you've the talent, I can see that fair enough. True talent too, not like the lad, without a lick of sense between his ears... rare for one of your kind to take to it though, and judging yer wings you aren't from Kavos... a traveler then. I know why yer here, but it's only polite to ask yer intentions."

----------------

"Hahahah! I can appreciate that, well enough! But I wouldn't worry too much, you'll have a bed, I assure you. Little Ayla might have have a fierce temper, but she's got her mother's heart. You'll be well taken care of. There's space for you to set up for perfomances over in that corner there, and there's plenty of local singers about who might share songs with you if you're looking for something familiar."


----------------

It is as the group is just finishing up within the markets, suitable clothing in hand, that a street urchin comes slipping through the crowd. Rather than try to steal a coin purse(as a few had already attempted) this one purposefully makes herself known, sliding up to Stendara and presenting a roll of parchment with a bright grin on her face.

"Man said to give this to you! Said you'd know what to do with it! And... um... that you'd pay upon delivery!"

The girl is quite clearly lying, and badly, about getting paid upon delivery, but she does her best regardless, widening her eyes and looking for all the world like she was that much closer to crying.

Mellisandre nodded enthusiastically in response.

- "Yes, i'd like to Apprentice under you as a Weaponsmith!"

Remembering something, she toned it down somewhat to not so much keep the excitement out of her voice, but rather remain hovering in the same place to make it easier for the dwarf to maintain eye contact.

- "My former Master back in Farram had just started a Forge of his own, so he didn't yet feel comfortable with teaching me more than the basics himself. So once he taught me everything he felt comfortable teaching, then i figured, if i was going to learn how to work as a Weaponsmith, i may as well learn to work with all kinds of materials besides metal, right? And with a lot of silk goods coming out of Teutates, i figured it was a good place to start, so i went to a merchant and booked passage, and here i am."

She paused for a moment, not really realizing she had been rambling, but taking a moment to actually breathe again.

Once he had 'lost' the princess with the crowd following him, Hornet put on a little show, doing some Trick Riding, standing on his saddle, then walking along his mounts back, calling for Buzz to rise as he balanced on his hands, facing the jaws of...well, Buzz.  Maybe not as death-defying as the jaws of a shark but there were no sharks on land.

After pleasing the crowds (and gathering some coin as he leaned over the edge of his saddle), he then waved to the crowd And now my friends, I much leave you, yes I must, be good to each other and have fun.  He wasn't sure if that was a good enough ending but he weaved between buildings, then on to the roofs and stayed out of the way, then down back to the ground to rejoin the others at the estate.

(ooc:  Trick Riding Roll = 7.)

Tomyris looked, first at Hornet making a distraction, then at the girl trying to make an extra quick buck. Tomyris stepped in front of Stendara and took the scroll from the little girl and handed her a bun in return.
"Thank you. Here is your reward. It's the best this side of the island.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Now which man gave the parchment to you?"
Tomyris smiled as she dealt with the little one.

Stendara takes the scroll, unrolls it, and reads it over quickly.  She blushes a little bit realizing how easily this common street urchin was able to find the right person to hand it to in a crowded marketplace.  There's clearly more to being clandestine than she had considered!

She quickly rolls it back up and tucks the paper away, not putting it in her purse as that appears to be a magnet for thieving fingers and should one get past Tomyris' sharp eyes, she'd rather they not get the note.

"Well, lass, you'll certainly not want for materials, so long as you've the coin. But comin to me... don't see many of your lot in this line of work. Too flighty for the job, poundin metal for hours on end never seems to sit well. But if you're willing to see this through, I don't see why I can't see about shaping you into a proper smith.

"We forge an agreement, and you're my apprentice for seven years and a day. I don't care what you do with you spare time, or if you go off to test yourself against the world, but you'll learn from no others, and you won't do a thing that dishonors my name, ya hear?"

---------------

The little girl snatches the bread from Tomyris' hand, quickly stuffing it in her mouth. The makeshift meal is done within moments, and though the girl was clearly asking for coin she seems content with the offering.

"Don't know. Some guy described her, said to give her the message. He was over by Petil's shop, the one with all the funny smelling potions and plants and stuff." The girl is already starting to back away, her job done and payment seen to, the street urchin looked to be more interested in disappearing then staying to answer questions. The sudden arrival of a rather large lizard didn't seem to inspire her with much confidence either, the girl watching it wearily for any signs of danger.

Mellisandre gave the dwarf a quick nod, and held out her hand. Seven years was a long time, but she figured if she kept her attention on her lessons and the work, she could get released from it sooner when there was nothing else to learn. And if there was, she'd have learned more at the end of it. Win-win.

- "Agreed. So, umm... Do you have a schedule, or do i just show up like i did earlier? And how do i pay for lessons, just... help you smith stuff?"

Not placing a lot of value in coin, she didn't ask about wages, though from what she had seen of the city she was pretty sure that gathering crumbs and eating weird plants off the ground would fall under 'dishonoring her name'. Fortunately, Windlings weren't exactly known for their deep pockets, as a heavy coin pouch would get in the way of flying, so that generalization worked in her favor even if it did not occur to her.

Tomyris looked at the small girl disappearing into the crowd.
Tomyris exhaled and gave Stendara a thoughtful look.
"Everything is on sale around here. Now come. We better get you out of those clothes and into something more comfortable." The brown paper bag containing the bread gave off a small trail of warm air.
"Are you satisfied with your buns?"
The two sailors from the dock happened to pass by by mere chance.
The one was about to say something when his friend once again stopped him with the word "Steady". Tomyris seemed to fail noticing them.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:21, Wed 28 Oct 2020.

Tomyris and Stendara continued chatting as they made their way down the streets.

"It's alright," Stendara assures Tomyris after the girl has left, "I was expecting something like this, so I don't think it's part of any terrible plot.  It's an invitation to meet someone at the capital building.  Now that I'm more.. subtly attired, do you know the way there?"

She considers for a moment and then allows, "Though I suppose we might not want to go directly there, in case the girl was followed or something.  I'm not really sure just how paranoid I need to be here."

Tomyris smiled.
"Is there a time on it? If not I suggest we make a stop for some Marrach Tea and see if anyone hangs around."
Tomyris then leads the two to a less trafficked way where there's only one real place to stop for longer than an enthusiastic barter.
There they decided to sit and watch if anyone loitered unusually long.
There were also a few blind alleys that were perfect for a sudden disappearance close by if they needed to get sneaky.

OOC: GM: Let us know if you want a Perception Roll.

"No schedules. You're at least knowledgeable enough to handle yourself, so no need to have you act like some fresh faced hopeful. Come in when you're available, I'll set you to work and see to teaching you a feel things when you've earned it, right and proper like. I'll probably have you pay for whatever materials you end up using for yer lessons, perhaps a bit more to cover using my time to teach you. But I expect ya to put heart into your work! I won't tolerate inferior products getting made in my forge!"

----------

As the group enjoyed their brief rest, no one seemed to be following, or even bothering to observe the group, save for the usual gaggle of people checking out the newcomers. Most, upon seeing Tomyris, moved on, uninterested in tangling with a local when there were easier marks for selling heavily marked up goods.

One, however, seemed more amenable to trying his luck, or rather, he seemed more interested upon seeing Tomyris among the crowd. For her, he would be a familiar if unwelcome face, his broken toothed smile the reason for his rather unfortunate, if accurate, nickname.

"Well, well, back from the waves are we? Been too long, Tommy, too long! How are you? How's the search for a groom coming? Well, enough? I hope not, wouldn't want to lose out on the chance to marry me, aye?" Broken Tusk, as he was called by those with the misfortune to know him, was an aging Orc, dressed almost exclusively in rags piled upon rags. Most brushed him off as insane, delusional, incompetent, or some combination of the three. He was considered something of a fixture within the Merchant Quarter, moving about, hawking his wares to those to stupid or to compassionate to just tell him no. All the worse for the various scions of the Merchant Houses, he seemed to think himself at their level, constantly hounding them and treating them with far more familiarity than he should. "Who's your friends? Foreigners by the smell of em. If they've got silver to spend, I've a few trinkets they might find interesting, ay buddy?"

----------

"Windling!"

The words cut through the air of the markets as Hornet zips through the crowds, Buzz's agile body easily slipping between the breaks in the endless crush of people. The sudden shout alone was nothing new, though the windling community of Kavos was established outside of Carrhae, not Teutates, there were usually a fair number of windlings around regardless.  What was unusual was the sudden ring of steel as a blade was drawn, causing many in the crowds of people to suddenly retreat from the form of a human man, old and wizened, blade shining in his hand as he brandished it in salute.

"Hail, Cavalier! Sir Nathaniel Courtagain greets you!"

After inspecting the performance area and a lite discussion on when the dinner rush starts, Yartok steps out to take account of the nearby establishments. His first priority is to assure he knows his way back "home", second is to find an entertainer in the area who will be able to train him.

- "Got it! I promised some friends i'd meet up with them for lunch, but i should be back later. Provided nothing weird happens, it's been that kind of day."

Giving the dwarf a friendly wave, she flew up to make her way over to the tavern they had agreed upon, flying a little higher than she needed to to get a better view of the street plan and landmarks that would help her navigate the streets better later on.

Stendara just keeps walking, not registering that the beggar is talking to Tomyris directly, nor recognizing "Tommy" as referring to anyone she knows.

It was as though a gauntlet had been thrown at someone's face, not just slapped.  If Buzz had been carrying a passenger rather than a well seated friend, that passenger would have gone sailing through the sky, probably landing a few buildings away, but Hornet was a skilled rider, maybe not as skilled as others but more skilled than any lay-person around these parts.

Hornet didn't even have to make the call, his feet and knees did most of the work, his lean did the rest.  Almost half a leap and twist and Buzz was facing the other sideways as his back end swung around, now facing the adversary, momentum sated, Hornet and Buzz almost pranced through the gap in the crowd.

He was so aware of the crowd in fact, that his usual antics, although enough to impress some, he doubted impressed this one that called him out.  How dare he not know of Hornet, so he told him so. Fair met Sir Nathaniel Courtagain, you are addressing Sir Hornet Tallboy, surely you have heard of me or why would you call to me?  It is a honour to address one whom recognises a challenge  He tried to recover his poise by flourishing his wide brimmed magical hat.  He wasn't sure if this was a challenge but it could have been an insult, calling him "Windling" rather than "Sir Hornet Tallbay", no matter, he knew him now.  I take it you have come for discussions and maybe a test?

Challenges were not always deadly, the ones he had answered before involved piercing an apple on someone's head as he charged and another to backflip whilst riding along a log over a river.  He liked those challenges.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:27, Tue 24 Nov 2020.

Tomyris gave the Ork a sharp look and muttered “Not long enough” under her breath.
“Mr. Tusk... Out on the streets again so fast? I thought they had put you away for good.
I’m a bit busy. Can you bring whatever it is you sell to Munbruje’s court, and I’ll look at it there. ”
Tomyris picked up her pace as he approached.