The remainder of the trip had remained uneventful, the sailors aboard the Fortune passing the time singing songs as they went about their work. As the port came into view on the horizon, quite a few men took up singing even louder, clearly happy to be returning home after months at sea. Captain Agnar soon had the men preparing to dock, the entire crew setting to the task with easy familiarity. The captain does take the time to draw Tomyris and Hornet to the side, speaking in quiet tones to avoid disrupting those around them, or perhaps giving too much away.

"I'll need you both to keep an eye on the Princess. Teutates isn't the best place for outsiders, especially with the Consul about. I'd have taken her to Carrhae preferably, but... well, needs must. Just make sure she doesn't draw too much attention to herself. And maybe keep an eye on the others, if you've the time. I know I've said it enough to them, but there's no telling what the lot of them will do, and we don't want Thera stickin it's nose where it isn't wanted. Certainly not in my business. You'll have to think of it as a personal favor, after all you both only signed on for the one trip, and you don't work for me anymore."

Hours later, the ship is docked, workers swarming the ship to unload its cargo. Others workers check the goods, documenting the in transit sales and tallying the grain that the Fortune had brought home. Stretched out beyond the confines of the ship stands Port Teutates, dominated by the docks, currently filled with ships of varying sizes, almost all swarming with activity. Beyond that is the market district, taking goods almost directly from ships and placing them up for sale. Merchants fill the air with their calls, promising goods and services at very reasonable prices. Farther afield, the buildings that serve as residences, administration, and government. There seems little rhyme or reason to the placement of these, simply allowed to grow organically, save the largest of all, a circular construction of that serves as the meeting hall of the Captain's Gathering.

The harbour was buzzing with activity.
Cargo was being loaded and unloaded, the harbourmaster shouted angrily at a few captains trying to cut corners, and streeturchins ran back and forth carrying messages and running other errands.

One such boy, no more than 8 years of age brushed against Stendara and ran directly into Tomyris firm grip. A brief struggle proved inefficient at breaking free and he quickly handed something over before being sent on his way. Tomyris then lightened her frown and handed Stendara her purse.
"Stendara, I believe this belongs to you..." then she continued in a slightly more hushed voice. "My apologies, Princess, but this is not the place to use formalities. We need to make you a bit more inconspicuous. Let us leave your stuff at the estate and we can buy some clothes to make you blend in more. I can give you some tips. I got great tips."

Not far from there two of the sailors looked up from their crates.
One of them choked a giggle. His mate looked at him and interjected to his friend.
"She said "Tips". T-I-P-S. TiPs..."
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 18:54, Fri 21 Aug 2020.

For the vibrant and enthusiastic Windling,what the Captain had to say brought a deep understanding a sense of duty to Hornet. There was little pomp and needed to be even less.

So as Tomyris and Hornet moved away, he asked. Tomyris, I could guard whilst just riding or walking Buzz beside the princess! Do you think it wise to go straight to the Estate or find a different route and shop first? He didn't know what a Princess in hiding needed but to break his usual pose, would that bring attention?

Second thoughts, I'll ride Buzz close by and distract anyone looking.

Mellisandre flew towards the docks after the gangplank had been placed down, not because she needed it, but out of politeness. As such, she was among the first off the ship, mostly because she didn't need to use said gangplank and therefore did not need to wait in line to disembark in an orderly fashion. She took a deep breath, and stretched her arms out to stifle a yawn, before turning to the others of her impromptu group.

- "Well, i'm off to find the local Forge. If you need your weapons looked at, be sure to drop by!"

And with a nod, unless stopped she would make her way into town, both looking for the Forge as well as familiarizing herself with the layout of the streets and buildings, which seemed like it'd come in useful at some point if she were to stay here for a while.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:27, Sat 22 Aug 2020.

In reply to Hornet (msg # 3):

Hornet had an idea....Rafe, you seemed close to the Princess after that fight we had, fancy coming along so Tomyris and I can show 'our friends, this couple from over the see, a few places to go?'  Better than us showing a lone lady around, princess or otherwise.  Hornet wasn't too sure he made sense, especially as he could protect both ladies should the need arise, at least he thought he could.

Before Mellisandre flies off Mellisandre, I know a place not far from the dock that doesn't think anything of serving us if you want to join us at the next meal time, can meet at the {enter name of tavern or square here} bring Yartok if you can

Hornet thought that the Tavern a little ways back from the port would be a better place to meet up later.  After all, they had something they needed to do regarding planning and the Captain who tried to kidnap the Princess.

"Oh, thank you," Stendara says, taking her purse back with a small laugh.  "They'd have been quite disappointed, though."  She glances over at the laughing man, eyes hardening briefly, before she turns back and notes, "Speaking of formalities, it would probably be best to forego... the P-word, entirely, at least while we're in public.  And I would gladly entertain your tips," she levels a warning Look at the nearby sailor as she says the last word.

As the Windling woman takes her leave, she gives her a smile and a small wave.  "Best of luck!  I shall certainly come looking for it, if we don't see you elsewhere," she promises, nodding her agreement with Hornet's invitation as well.

Mellisandre nodded, and called back.

- "Sure! Depending on whether the Forgemaster tells me to chip in on a project i may not be able to make it, but i'll try to be there!"

She responded to Stendara's wave with one of her own, before making her way to the local Forge. She'd need to let them know of her arrival before she could get anything done, and with the group both knowing her current location as well as having made an appointment to meet in the local tavern later on, she figured they had more than enough information to find her again, should they want to of course.

"First rule is; You don't buy sausage-in-a-bun from Mr. C.M.O.C. Dobbler.
You really don't want his meat in your mouth.
Come on. He's bound to hang around here prying on newcomers.
We can take the rest as we walk." Tomyris looked about the harbour with some suspicion.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:36, Mon 31 Aug 2020.

Yartok garhered all his stuff and disembarked, waving to everyone. He walks around town, looking for a pub or tavern where he can start a professional relationship. He can't wait to get started writing the story of the Pirate Failure, though he knows enough about politics to know it can't get out for a very long time.

Locating the forges of Port Teutates isn't difficult, given ring of hammer blows that permeate the air.It is a bit more difficult to navigate the crowded streets until once managed to breakthrough into the forge proper. At a distance they appear as simply a single mass of forges, but close inspection reveals a clear divide between various shops, apprentices working the bellows while journymen and masters set hammers to work producing goods of all kinds. One section, closer to the waterfront, works almost exclusively on what appear to be metal parts for ship construction. Customers of all kinds haggle prices, whilst others scrounge through the various display pieces.

The area is perhaps a bit less crowded then the trade district, and much easier to navigate through. Still, no one pays any attention to the windling flitting through the crowd. If anything, no one seems to bother much acknowledging Mellisandre's presence at all, too busy seeing to their own tasks.

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

Yartok finds, soon enough, that the city is littered with pubs and taverns of all kinds. Most are situated along the docks, taking eager advantage of the sailors coming home, plying them with food, drink, and all forms of entertainment. Still, there's quite a few wandering eyes that note Yartok's bulk moving through the streets, a rare sight in Kavos. Still, there is one pair of eyes that notes more than the troll's race, picking out the telltale signs of an entertainer.

"Ho, traveler! Seeking a warm meal and fine bed, or perhaps you're seeking a place to make some coin?!"

The strong voice rises above the crowds, even as the burly human steps away from the door of a nearby tavern, sign above marking it as the "Salty Kraken". The wide smile on his face speaks of friendly camaraderie, perhaps a bit forced, but certainly not hostile in the least.

Yartok notices the name of the Tavern, more from the ubiquitous picture than the script as he's not quite familiar with the local language yet, and realizes this is exactly where he should be...unless it's exactly where he should NOT be, in which case it's even more inviting to a Troll. "You in need of an entertainer to draw in custom?" he asks as he starts thinking about the negotiations to follow.

Mellisandre looked around as she followed the familiar sound of hammers striking anvils. While it was at first a little overwhelming to see the sheer amount of stores, she soon reached the conclusion that this was actually very much to be expected: A city was kind of like a cluster of villages after all, and bigger amounts of people required more forges to support them.

When it came to finding the right Forge to approach however, there were several things she kept an eye out for. The first was the division between elders and apprentices: Two elders for every three apprentices was the correct division, and so she needed to strike off those who already had too many apprentices, the odds of being accepted were simply too slim, and if they did, it could impact the quality of the work, something no Weaponsmith could allow.

The second was the quality of the tools themselves. She took great care in maintaining her own hammer, and knew the sound of blows that rang true, and that of well maintained gear upon anvils of good quality. Should, after these two divisions, there be more than one Forge remaining, she would simply close her eyes and go with her gut: Any of the remaining options would be fine, and it'd allow her to have a second and maybe even third choice in case she was rejected by the elders of one Forge.

The search was not a simple one, at least not until the foremost shops were skipped past. Most of those already had apprentices aplenty from the look of them, or were too flooded with customers to tell one way or the other. Farther away from the most popular shops were the less crowded and more easily accessible of their number. Some of these were forges for particular tasks, and therefore they lacked the need for a large number of potential buyers viewing their wares. Others were smiths of lackluster quality, their inventory worthy of only someone who lacked the coin for proper gear, or perhaps the work of those who were only recently made journeyman and were foolishly seeking to strike out on their own.

But the trained ear of someone born to work the forge found, hidden behind the shouting of hawkers and the ring of lesser smiths, the distinct hammer blows of the skilled. The sound led to a forge set apart from the others, appearing perhaps a tad shoddy in its construction, with its walls in ill repair and its door fitted poorly. Still, the hammer blows rang out, insistent upon the skill of its master, and the works within, though they sat on stands and shelves of haphazard make, were of a quality that spoke of decades of hard won skill.

Farther back, a pair worked the forge, one a younger human boy, perhaps early teens in age, working the bellows to keep the forge hot. The other was an dwarf woman, bare chested save a wrap of cloth to preserve modesty, holding a piece in the fire with a pair of tongs, a blacksmith's hammer clutched in her other hand with easy familiarity.

"Are you daft, boy? Parents drop ya on your head? I said to keep the fire steady, not to set the whole shop ablaze! When I say steady, boy, I mean steady!"

"Y-yes master! I'm sorry ma-"

"I'm not lookin for apologies, boy! See to the fire, not to flappin your gums!"

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

"When isn't a tavern willing to earn some extra coin? You might as well ask if a ship sails with the wind, or a man needs to fill his belly with hearty meals. If you're looking to make some coin yourself, than I'm more than happy to serve as a venue! I'm sure all will be happier for it."

The man's grin widens, losing its forced nature. Clearly he'd treated his greeting as something of a gamble, but with at least some form of confirmation as to who, or perhaps what, he might be speaking to... well, business was business. The man steps closer, extending a hand with the certainty of someone who had seen all kinds before.

"Cigar Jones, and it's a fine day to be meeting a new face! I'd wager a day's meal that you're fresh off the docks, from the look of you, but then any street urchin could tell as much."

Mellisandre smiled when she saw the shop her gut had brought her to. Not the most visible of Forges, but then again, Weaponsmiths were not store owners in the traditional sense, nor did they need to be: A firm belief that if their products were good, customers would find them wherever their Forges were was quite common among them. Convincing people to buy theirs with words was more a Troubadour thing, she figured.

She approached the dwarf woman, though, rather than speak up, simply waited for her to be done with whatever forging she was obviously in the middle of. She made sure the hammer slanted diagonally across her back to keep its weigh balanced during flight was visible, attempting to make it fairly easy to guess what she had visited the Forge about, and let her determine when the right moment had come to allow her to say her part. The alternative -- simply speaking up expecting her to drop her work -- would make a rather poor first impression for an apprenticeship after all.

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.