Market Daze

The daily routine of late for Alaryn has been... wake up, crawl out of her little secured sleeping compartment and turn off the ventilation fan that she powers via the crystalline capacitors in her little cart. She literally slides out on a six foot long wooden platform with small cushions and a bedroll built in. Rolling off of that, she retracts it back into the cart and begins her cleaning routine. Which is mostly done by adjusting her self-deploying awning to be more of a partition. Then she dons her cheater cheater gloves and prestidigitates herself clean and fresh.

Once that's done, some meat is cooked on one of her self-heating skillets and the day begins, transforming her cart into a market stall.

By the time Alaryn's cart has turned into a market stall, Harkashan has entered the market proper. As of late, the Sith-makar has become more of a Known Presence within the market of Alexandria. There's quite a few shops here, and he's been slowly checking them out.

The Sith-makar lives on a budget, and some of the stores are still outside of his price-range.

Light keeps catching his scales, playing with them and the lavarocks that are stuck in his armor. The 'lava dragon' as some have come to call him around these parts finally making his way over to Alaryn's smaller stall. Quietly looking at what is on display. Well, quietly in as far as this Sith-makar can be quiet, what with the constant 'rumbling' deep in his chest - quite audible with each breath he takes.

One thing about Alaryn's little market.. she has several mundane things people can find anywhere. But most of them are hand-crafted.. not by her. She makes rounds through the countryside, buying and selling items at various villages and then reselling acquisitions from those places. Items lovingly crafted by locals and such.

Then she has her oddball creations of artifice. And when she says artifice she doesn't mean clockwork things with steam tanks and oversized gears. To her, artifice is just a way of focusing magic through external means. Mana collected in crystal capacitors and focused through devices. Such as her advertised: SELF HEATING BACON SKILLET ... with fine print below the label that reads: Not just for bacon.

She also has a sign posted that reads: WEAPONS AND ARMOR ENCHANTED. MISC MAGIC ITEMS FABRICATED. PRICED FOR THE CUSTOMER'S BENEFIT.

And at the moment, she has a sword on an extendable workbench. It's a short sword that she is working on... afixing a black opal stone to the pommel juuuust right. It's the stone that holds the mana and will cause the weapon to function magically.

Harkashan does take some time looking at the artifice. The sizable devices are notably different from what he's used to. It's... an enormous cultural whiplash in a ways for him. To him, a 'self heating bacon skillet' seems like it's the Softskins having gotten too lazy to even start a fire.

Is he just old? Young whippersnappers. Back in his days, people started a fire to fry their bacon!

It's the sign that catches his attention however. Enchantments.

He notices her working on a blade at the moment, and he doesn't want to disturb if she's in the middle of an important part. So he patiently waits as she finishes afixing the black opal stone. It is only when it looks like there's a pause in her work, that he remarks; "Excuse me. I would like to inquire, is there any kind of enchantment to make this armor of mine lighter?" Notably, what he's wearing looks like quite Heavy armor.

Hey, if there is a market to be had, there will be those to fill it. That is the tenet of the merchant. As it stands, Alaryn is working hard to earn the commission for the blade she has in hand. Once the opal is firmly set into place, she glances up and lifts her brows, "Interesting question. I am sure that there must be something for that. I mean, there are very few things that cannot be accomplished by the proper application of energy and power." She sets the blade aside, looking down at it to make sure things are right.

She nods and says, "Okay. That'll need an hour or so to -really- bond so you're looking to make your bulky armor feel less bulky." she asks as she turns and approaches, lowering her goggles down over her eyes to study the large being before her through their lenses.

Harkashan rumbles, clearly solutioning the problem, rather than actually leaving the problem in the hands of someone who knows more about the situation. "Indeed." He notes on the terms of the bulky armor. She might notice that what he's wearing is already enchanted with magic.

"This armor is heavy, and it's making it hard to move up with my allies during battles." He expresses to her. "So I was hoping that if there was a way to make it lighter, it'd help me keep up with them." His gaze shifting from the short-ish human to the blade that has been set down, then back to her and her big goggles.

Reaching up to press a crystal stud on the goggles, Alaryn activates their 'detect magic' function. Then she nods, "Already imbued with power. Would take quite a bit more to improve anything on there." And that's mostly said to herself. But then she looks up and lifts the front covers of her lenses before saying, "There is an enchantment that is listed in the manuals as... Expeditious. I think that's an overly fancy word for it. It would take quite a large investment in materials, hence.. funds... and it would only boost your speed a few times a day."

Then she turns back to her cart, reaching out and gesturing which causes a large book to lift out of a crevasse and float her way. "You could also have your armor reforged from Mithral, if you can find and afford enough." she adds, "Or skip the armor altogether and offset your speed restriction with something I happen to like a lot."

She was turning pages in her book, and finally she finds the right one, turning and holding it open. The top of the page has 'Boots of Striding and Springing' written there, but she adds, "I prefer Fasty Jumpy Boots. It's what they do."

He lets out a rumbling deep sound as she mentions that it'd take quite a bit to improve the armor. Listening to her as she speaks on enchantments and making for mythril armor. "Only a few times a day may be worth it..." He mumbles to himself, "But in perfect circumstances, I'd like to be able to keep up with my friend - who relies on me keeping the enemy distracted." He explains.

He looks at the mess behind her as she takes out that big book, and then get floated towards her. Arcane magic is sure something!

"Fasty... Jumpy... Boots?" He slow-blinks at her. "I mean... if it works for what I need."

Nodding her head emphatically, Alaryn smiles as she lifts the goggles onto her forehead. She turns the book around and checks the listings. "Looks like the normal market value is just about five and a half thousand gold. Pretty steep. But actually cheaper than augmenting the armor." she adds with a grin.

"So, the boots would likely be your best bet. I can get to work on them as soon as I finish this sword. And... My price will be thirty three hundred instead of fifty five hundred."

Finished with her spinning and weaving for the day, Asphodel leaves Master Lorvis' bespoke clothing boutique with the pleasant glow of someone who is pleasantly tired. A bolt of cloth is loosely draped in her arms, a dusky rose muslin with faded emerald overshot and gray broken twill that scatters clouds into mist. She is drawn to the sound of commerce happening, especially this close to where she herself was just at work. "So, hello, sorry," She begins, her smile luminous. "Do you do custom orders or just weapons and armor?"

Artificer .... ADHD .... two things that really should not go together. And yet in Alaryn's case, they do, and it seems to function. However, she did learn one important detail from her father. When spoken to while haggling with another customer, she slides her eyes towards Asphodel and holds up a hand. "Forgive me. I do all sorts of custom orders. Weapons. Armor. Boots. Cloaks. Gloves. Trust me, I can put just about any ability into just about any item. Some might cost more than others. Some might take more time."

The whole time she has her dark eyes sliding towards Hark every second or two, not wanting to miss any reply he may have.

GAME: Asphodel rolls craft/weaving+5: (20)+8+5: 33

"Well, what I need is not strictly speaking clothing. I am an apprentice to Master Lorvis, and as a cotourier, I need a very powerful spinning wheel, some enchanted needles..." Without finishing her thought, Asphodel stares off into the distance, dark eyes unreadable.

"And a sixteen shaft, twenty harness parallel countermarch with a fitted drawloom," she says finally, returning Alaryn's gaze with equal intensity.

Tilting her head, Alaryn lifts both brows. "I apologize. I don't fabricate the items to be enchanted usually. What enchantment do you want on such devices?" she inquires. "What do you want the magic to add to it?"

Having been making deliveries to various and sundry in need today, Ous makes his way into the area. Whistling a happy, tuneless sort of tune, the large Aesir born ranger takes in the sights. Padding a couple paces behind him, also seeming happy with life as he pants and drools along is a huge Brindled Mastiff dog. Ous being north of the 6'2" mark, the dog's shoulder still draws level with his waist.

Stopping at a few stalls along the way, the pair consider a few things with various merchants as they make their progress.

Raising the bolt of cloth, Asphodel unfurls it for Alaryn to see: fields of lilacs in vivid detail woven with what must have been agonizing embroidery in satin weave; a broken twill with no real repeat that alters the way light absorbs, and "the pattern weft is meant to look like a river of moonlight, which to me required setting and distance," Asphodel explains.

"But that is what I need. Better tools. I'm afraid enchanting the current ones would only extend the problem of needing to upgrade. Might you recommend a simpler craftsperson who can make something I may later bring to you?"

"Hmmm..." begins Alaryn. "What you need is an expert woodworker. I've some skill in a very tangentially related." She pauses and elaborates. "Shipmaking. Work with wood, but nothing like what you need."

That said, she tilts her head to think about the various craftspeople in town. "You must forgive me. I am not a native here, and I tend to travel the outlying countryside more than mereky settling in here. That is why I use a market stall, and did not open a full on shop."

The Llyranesi woman only arches one amused brow. "And here I am willing to bet is one of the few times where I will get to say, I am younger to this city than yourself. A mere inhabitant of a handful of weeks."

Harkashan's nostrils flare a bit at the price. Indeed, he's been looking to get it on the cheap. So heading five-and-a-half thousand gold, it has him make a bit of a grunty noise. It's not that he believes it's not worth the price, it's rather that it's a large amount of money.

There's a shift in his body; "I don't think I have the budget for that quite yet." At first, but at least she was offering him an alternative. Other shopkeepers had not given him this much explaination.

But when she notes the actual price, she can see this halt. This hope in his eyes.

"That - that much I can do." He doesn't even consider haggling down further than that.

Looking to either side of him for a moment when Ous and Asphodel join into the mix.

Moving along the stalls, Ous stops as he sees Asphodel and Harkashen, Ous nods to both, remaining silent as he lets them finish their business, the ranger pulls a pouch from under his Elk hids shirt and begins pulling out the makings of a cigarette. Attention staying mostly on Asphodel in the process.

Dog settles in beside the ranger. Turning to face back the way they had come, the mastiff keeps watch on their back trail.

Asphodel folds the muslin silk back up, and agrees with Alaryn. "I do," She says, "And, unfortunately, I must be off-- Harkashan!" She says, a rush of friendly excitement overcoming her.

"It isn't much, but I made this for you," She adds, extending the silver and lilac silk garment to Harkashan.

And now comes the benefit of the ADHD. Smirking to Asphodel, Alaryn shrugs. "I come and go. Name is Alaryn. Good t'meetcha Weaver... a pause and she waves, "Be well!" And she looks back to Hark. "Okay then. if you can bring me a air of boots that you want augmented, we can discuss the look of how I upgrade them. I want them to be boots you are already.." and she notices the cigarette, gesturing to the small campfire she had set up for breakfast earlier. There are still just a few coals left. One of the coals lifts out of the fire and gently floats over towards Ous to provide a light, should it be needed. Even as she keeps talking to Hark. "... comfortable wearing." she finishes.

"Miss Asphodel." Harkashan answers the dark colored one, lowering his head for a moment in a slight respectful nod. Only to suddenly be handed silken garments.

He is... surprised.

Taking it into his hands and looking over it. Being a scaled creature, the silk's aesthetics are more notable than the touch of it. "Why, thank you." He answers her, his nictating membrane closing and opening for a moment. "What did I do to deserve such a gift?" The Sith-makar inquires.

"You're a wonderful person," is all Asphodel says as she passes back into the crowds.

Asphodel goes home.

Asphodel has left.

Harkashan looks back to Alaryn as she speaks of boots, and he steps back a bit. He lifts his legs, showing that he's barefooted at the moment. The powerful scales beneath his feet protecting him from most harm.

"Perhaps ankle-bracelets?" He offers her. "If that is a possible way to go about it?"

Pausing as the coal approaches his thickly bearded face, Ous blinks and reaches up, licks his fingertips and plucks the ember out of the air. A faint sizzling sound coming from his fingers for a moment as he touches the ember to the cigarette. dragging deeply, the ranger smiles and nods to the shop keeper, smoke curling from his nostrils. Still though, he remains silent until she and Harkashan have concluded their business.

Nodding, Alaryn grins. "I can do that." she says. "Anything that counts as footwear really. Do you truly care how they appear? For example, would you pf black iron bands over pearlescent pink clasps?" she asks as she turns and begins rummaging through her neatly ordered stacks of stuff. Okay, neatly ordered in her brain.

She comes up with a black laquered wooden case that she opens to begin examining different vials of powdered crystal dust. Let the bedazzling begin!

"I would prefer something that works a bit more with my... aesthetics." He remarks, motioning at the lavastone, the red, the blacks and the greys. He's got a fairly obvious thing going on in that regards. "I do not believe pink clasps would suit me quite that well, if I have the option." He notes. "But I have extra lava stones on me, if you wish to find particularly pearlescent ones."

Listening to Alaryn and Hark, Sloan tilts his head slightly before saying. "Aye dinnae Hark-a-shan. Pink might be yer color." Smiling at the Sith, the large Aesir reaches down to scratch Dog behind the ears. his attention turning to alaryn and her wares.

Eyes going wide as she lowers the box to look at Hark, Alaryn lifts both brows, "You do?" she asks with awe in her voice, "May I see them?" she asks. "I would be happy to afix them to the bands to use to channel the mana into the speed of fire. I thin I have some opal dust that would match up well with that. To go along with wrought iron bands."

She glances to the Aesir and grind. "To be honest, I think pink is everyone's color." she adds with a shrug berfore looking back to Hark. "I happen to have some iron bands that I was going to use with my mules until I converted the cart over to self propulsion. Would you care tos ee them?" She asks as she goes to start opening cupboards, searching for them.

"It's a lighter red. But it's still not quite..." Harkashan chimes in with Ous, while still holding the gifted silks under his arm. Unaware of the gift it still hides. He instead reaches into his pocket and carefully spills some of them out onto the counter before Alaryn. She'll notice that he's being very careful with them. They're quite precious to him. He doesn't answer on the matter of the iron bands quite yet. Waiting to see what she thinks of the various multi-colored and almost dull-rainbow like opalescent ones.

Grinning at Hark and alaryn, Ous drags on the cigarette again, watching the Sith pour stones onto the counter, the ranger lets out a soft whistle. Attention turning back to the wares again, he reaches up and scratches his chin under the thick beard.

Hearing them clatter onto the counter, Alaryn reaches up a hand and presses a small stud. As she does, the edges of the counter lift just a half inch to make a lip to contain things rolling on said counter. She didn't even look when she did that. Then her voice comes out of a cupboard, a bit muffled, "Aha!" she exclaims before she comes up with the iron bands. "These can be resized and shaped however you like."

That done, her eyes fall onto the stones, and she reaches up to lower her goggles once more, even as she absently pulls a rod of some sort out of a pocket. Her hands folding it and folding it again and again. Somehow, some way...she ends up with gemcutting tools in hand as she leans in close, studying the stones.

"Choose as desired, but please make sure to let me know the count that you end up choosing." Harkashan remarks to Alaryn, looking at her work. The sudden 'edges' that come up notably aren't too needed, as most of the stones have rather flat surfaces to them. They're not marbles.

Coming out with the iron shapes, he nods his head. "I think I can make those sit comfortably around my ankles." He notes.

continuing to watch the pair, Ous finally leans in a bit closer as he says. "What ye makin' anyways Hark-a-shan? interestin' jewellry."

Harkashan looks down to Ous as he leans in. "Well, I am not making anything. I do not have those kinds of skills. But miss..." Pause. "Sorry, I have not introduced myself, or gotten your name. Please forgive me." He touches his hand to his chest. "I am Harkashan, a Deathsinger." Before lifting his posture a bit. Aiming for her name. "I am looking for a way to move faster on the battlefield, so I can keep up with you, Ous."

"Okay then. I should really only need one for each band, So..." she picks up a few, measuring one, and then another, "Okay. These two are as close to equal as it will get. That's important for mana flow." she explains.

Looking up through goggle-magnified eyes, she grins. "Give me three days and well... the gold, and I'll get it done for you. You just need to answer one question for me. Do you want the stones, and the powdered crystal... to glow like the embers of a fire? Like there is molten lava just under the surface?"

Harkashan begins digging into his garments, taking out a series of small satchels containing platinum. They're hidden in a few spots under his armor, so that even a single theft would not be able to take all of it away from him.

He then begins to slowly unload them onto the counter, counting each of them. They're small, and in the end, it only takes 330 platinum pieces. But counting them for exactness is important to him. He doesn't want to sleight this person here.

"And if that is possible, yes, I would like that." Harkashan answers her.

"Trust me, decorative is my speciality. I will make that happen for you." offers Alaryn. She waits until the count is complete and then offers a hand for a handshake agreement. Once that is done, she turns to regard Ous, "So, what can I do for -you-?" she asks before she notices tghe dog and drops to her knees immediately. "You know. I've been working on an idea of having separately packaged food specially designed for animal diets." she offers Ous.

Straightening once more, Ous nods as he looks at Hark. "tha' might be handy. Ye're dangerous enough at Hark speed. No sure 'ow Aye'd feel if aye couldnae outrun ye." Letting Hark finish up his dealing, Ous continues to check out the wares around the cart. As the Ranger moves, Dog moves with him, sticking to his hip and watching the back trail.

"Thank you very much." Harkashan shakes Alaryn's hand firmly, feeling incredibly warm to the touch, and completes the transaction. "Thank you very much. I will return here in three days then." He notes, stepping back and making for another respectful bow.

"And I am not that dangerous. I simply... wish to aid my allies the best way I can."

"The best kinds of allies who aid their allies in a fight -are- the dangerous ones. That's why I carry a few hundred pre-packaged cartridges for my firearms at all times." adds Alaryn.

Nodding quietly to the pair, Ous shrugs. "Aye've got Axes. Big axes, small Axes. Aye've got Dog, an Aye've got me dazzlin' wit." Looking between the pair, he adds. "on tha' note. ye dinnae happen tae work in cold Iron or Silver do ye?"

"I will enchant whatever metal you present before me." offers Alaryn. "So, while I don't work the metals myself, I'm the one who will weave mana into them and make them do the things you want them to do." she offers with a smile.

nodding quietly as alaryn speaks, Ous scratches his chin once more seeming lost in thought. "Ah. Aye'm sorry, Aye thought ye might be in the business of makin' th' stuff as well." Looking at the products once more, he adds. "So ye do th' magicin'?"

"Indeed. I put the magic into magic items. Weapons, armor... boots or bands. You name it. I -do- invent some usefu things,b ut they might not be what -you- consider useful. Such as my self-heating bacon skillet... or my powdered crystal glow-etching." ioffers Alaryn. "I can design sailing ships, but that's not quite the same thing.'

Harkashan has left.

Nodding once again, Ous seems to be considering his options. Finally the ranger slips the battleaxe from his belt and sets it on the counter lightly. It was a serviceable weapon to be sure. The handle made of intricately carved ash, the head was razor sharp, well cared for and delicately chased through with filigreed carvings throughout the head. Ornate Aesir inspired patternwork flowing into a large Bear's head, Mouth open as though mid bellow. "What would ye be able tae di wit' that?"

"Well, it certainly is the product of a master craftsman." admits Alaryn as she leans closer to examine it, her eyes still overlarge looking due to her goggles. "When I finish Hark's bands, I could begin adding some magic to it." She pauses and lifts a hand to trigger a stud on her goggles, "Oh-ho... there is some magic within already." She looks up and grins, "I've some blue quartz I could use to keep with the Stormgarde theme, and make this thing drip ice and frost as it strikes?" she offers.

Nodding as he watches Alaryn, Ous smiles. "That would be interestin'." Pulling a matching handaxe from his belt as well, Ous places that on the counter next to it. "Aye dinnae believe this one has any magic tae it. but if ye 'ad th' time, Aye would appreciate ye doing some Pokery-jiggery tae it. Th' frost magic is going tae be expensive Aye'm thinkin."

"Aye. It'll cost you eighteen hundred gold to have it added to the existing weapon." suggests Alaryn. Then she looks to the other axe and smiles, "Matched set, huh? Twelve hundred for that one. Three days for the first, two for the second. Again, after I make those bands." she says, gesturing to the work on her plate already. "Now, do you want any glowing runes etched into the work?"

Considering what alaryn has to say, Ous nods once more. finally putting his cigarette out, the ranger looks down at dog, then back to Alaryn. "Aye'll say nae tae th' glowin' runes. they'd look really neat, but aye avoid shine an' glowin' things in me work."

Picking up his axes once more, the ranger grins. "Aye'll bring these back tae ye in a few days. Might be needin' them b'fore tha'." There's another pause as Ous looks around the street again, taking in the surroundings before he finally adds. "Aye'm Ous. Tha's Dog." the latter part said as he motions to the giant Mastiff, as though there might be some confusion as to who he was referring to.

"Dog. What a creative name." offers Alaryn with sarcasm dripping in her voice. But she smiles and lifts her goggles, revealing less magnified and dare I say it... fairly pretty eyes. Her face crinkles up into a grin as she goes to one knee and holds a hand out to Dog. "Hey there boy." she says. "M'name's Alaryn as you may have heard me tell the others."

Watching as Alaryn kneels to pet dog, Ous shrugs. "It's th' one 'e answered tae. Aye didnae pick it. I tried tae call 'im Chauncey, but 'e dinnae like it an' neither of us knows th' spellin fer it. 'sides which, ye're talking tae a man who's Da named 'im Ous. S'no even a name, Ous is a command to Attack where me Da was from." Nodding to the large animal, Dog, in turn leans forward, sniffing Alaryn's hand before licking it "Anywa's Aye'm pleased tae meet ye Alar-yn" It was probably apparently to alaryn that Ous didn't really have a placeable accent. His accent was what you got when you took a dozen northern dialects, butchered and mangled them horribly and mashed the leftovers into a frankenstein's monster of a dialect best referred to as Oussian.

Smiling to the doggo, Alaryn stands back up after giving a little ruffle, but nothing more than that. She looks up to Ous and nods, "Well, I'd better get to work on all this, eh?" she asks. "Seems like I am going to have a busy week."