Into the New World, Chapter 1: Amongst the Verdant Towers

[Zurai]

The crowd around the travelling merchants' stall is thick, but with a little patience and some determination one can make their way through the press of people and get a look at what they have for trade.

Spread out over one large table are a series of earthen jars. Each jar has a small square of fabric next to it with a sample of the contents; mostly these are spices and dyes, although there are some small fruits, jams, and oils as well. The next table over is covered in clothes, ranging from the plain to the elaborate. Quite a few of the village women look longingly at a silk robe dyed a deep saffron yellow. Further away, there's a table displaying objects of art - statuettes, small paintings, tapestries, and the like - and the final table bears several wicked-looking metal implements.

One of the merchants is resting in a wooden chair, telling a story to a small crowd of starry-eyed youngsters. His partner is tending the tables; currently he's haggling with old Thessala, a farmer's wife, over a jar of spices.

 

[Masquerade]

Cleyra patiently presses her way through the crowd to get a closer look at the travelers and their otherworldly assortment of wares. She apologizes quietly as she brushes past individuals in the crowd, her objective drawing her ever closer. She studies the merchants astutely as she approaches, their clothes, their speech, and, lastly their offerings. Eventually, Cleyra makes her way up to the table, standing face-to-face with the travelers' many jars.

Immediately, the fruits and spices steal her attention. Someone grew these! Cleyra is fascinated--the thought of new crops, and the fresh challenges they would bring with them, sets her imagination aflame. She wonders what sort of soil these plants grow best in, and if they could grow at all in her climate. She wonders how tall they grow, and what tools had been used to harvest them...

Lost her in curiosity, Cleyra randomly makes eye contact with a merchant across the table. "Excuse me, did you grow this fruit?" For him, there is no escape. Before he can answer, she immediately plunges into a series of countless inquiries.

 

[WarShrike]

Ryon smiles at the girl's intrest. "Thats a hard one to answer actually. My name is Ryon by the way, Ryon Wolfheart. Maybe you heard of my family? We raise and tame animals. Wild ones. I wish i could say i tamed ol' Growl here, but in all honesty i can't boast of that deed" Ryon says with a laugh. He fondles the wolf's ears and chooses his next words carefully. "Growl and i met in the forrest about two years ago. It's hard to put into words, but from the first moment we locked eyes, i felt a sort of bond between us. I assume he felt the same thing, because he followed me home. We been together ever since. He's no pet mind you, he's more like my partner. And he's a smart one too. He understands more than any wild animal should." He gazes proudly at Growl, then looks to the girl with a smile. "Would you like to pet him? He isn't tame by any definition, but so long as you keep your movements slow and deliberately unthreatening, he shouldn't gobble you up."

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Thane collects his bag and makes his way over to the merchant's tables. His eyes catch with interest on the spices, and lingers for a moment before sternly remonstrating himself. Necessities first, then I can think about luxury. Slipping past the table he makes his way over to the one housing the sharpware and begins to check the selection for a knife and whetstone that might suit his needs. Most things a clever man could make for himself in the forest, but a good copper edge was not such a thing.

 

[Dire Lemming]

Enko stares after the strange man as he walks off without a word of reply. "Uh- Oh well." he turns back to Alistia, raising his eyebrows at her questioningly, hoping that she at least will answer his question to her.

 

[Shayuri]

Ryon smiles at the girl's intrest. "Thats a hard one to answer actually. My name is Ryon by the way, Ryon Wolfheart. Maybe you heard of my family? We raise and tame animals. Wild ones. I wish i could say i tamed ol' Growl here, but in all honesty i can't boast of that deed" Ryon says with a laugh. He fondles the wolf's ears and chooses his next words carefully. "Growl and i met in the forrest about two years ago. It's hard to put into words, but from the first moment we locked eyes, i felt a sort of bond between us. I assume he felt the same thing, because he followed me home. We been together ever since. He's no pet mind you, he's more like my partner. And he's a smart one too. He understands more than any wild animal should." He gazes proudly at Growl, then looks to the girl with a smile. "Would you like to pet him? He isn't tame by any definition, but so long as you keep your movements slow and deliberately unthreatening, he shouldn't gobble you up."

Erin breaks into an incandescent grin at his description, and does indeed lean over to offer a hand to the wolf. From how she moves, it's clear she has SOME experience with animals, if not nearly as much as Ryon. (Animal Handling at +5)

"Hey Mister Wolf," she babytalks to it, "Hey. Can I pet you? I have a little friend of my own...do you want to meet him?"

At the last she looks slyly up at Ryon. "Do you?"

 

[Lorthanoth]

Alistia also looks as the stranger wanders off on his own errands, "Hm, sorry, Enko, what was that? Oh, yes - I persuaded Mother to let me have a look round; I really want to see if that fabric trader is here. What are you doing here? We don't see you in town much." she asks the young healer.

 

[WarShrike]

Erin breaks into an incandescent grin at his description, and does indeed lean over to offer a hand to the wolf. From how she moves, it's clear she has SOME experience with animals, if not nearly as much as Ryon. (Animal Handling at +5)

"Hey Mister Wolf," she babytalks to it, "Hey. Can I pet you? I have a little friend of my own...do you want to meet him?"
At the last she looks slyly up at Ryon. "Do you?"

"Certainly. Such festivities seem to be the proper time to make new friends, miss. miss?"

 

[Shayuri]

"Oh! I'm Erin. Anka the weaver's daughter." She gives him a curtsy, then looks furtively around.

"I wasn't supposed to call him with people around, but no one's paying attention..."

She puts two fingers in her mouth and blows, making a shrill whistle. There's a flapping noise from above, and a large hoary black raven settles on her shoulder to regard Ryon and Growl with its beady black eyes.

"This is Quoth," Erin reports happily. "I have a bond with him just like you do with Growl! Except that..."

The raven clacks its beak abruptly and a sound comes out...an awful drawn out croak that sounds almost like a man strangling. But then, somehow even more startling, a single word.

"aaaawwwwrrrrrk...hello..."

"He can talk," Erin finishes proudly.

 

[WarShrike]

"Hello Quoth. Nice to meet you" Ryon says with a smile. "Nice to meet you as well, miss Erin. Unless the two of you are busy, why don't we find ourselves a little space somewhere where we can sit and talk? I'd like to learn as much as i can about my new friends" he says with a wink and a grin.