Ports, Planning and Purpose. (Ezriel)

by **Kvar Driftweaver** on December 16th, 2011, 7:14 pm

Day 11, Season of winter, 511 AV,
Zeltiva, mid morning,
A huddle of merchants and stalls near the docks.

A light rain was just starting to fall again for the third time today, but most on the streets, or at least the docks were used to the occasional bit of a downpour. The clouds above were breaking, and spots of sun kept peeking between them, only to be followed soon after by the skyborne ocean watering the residents of Zeltiva underneath. Unpredictable weather but harmless enough, Kvar had stopped trying to second guess land based weather, crazed as it was, at least Zeltiva had a measure of the sea’s touch to its climate.

Haggling with a passing trader, Kvar stood face to face with a rotund looking middle aged man, whose face was flush from walking backwards and forwards all day. Negotiating over some of the value of goods he had salvaged from the wilderness adventures passed, the young Svefra was never going to take the first offer the man spouted off at him, he wasn’t an experienced trader but he did have a system. Refuse the first offer, always come in low but not too low, and then make one more offer, before taking the last one. It was simple, but allowed him some method to the difficult art of trading, and few merchants wouldn’t at least tolerate some bumbling attempt at haggling from a novice in the trade, even if they didn’t budge on price.

Dressed today in full chainmail; with one smaller axe at each hip; a battle axe clipped to his belt; sheathed and adorned in intricate patterns was his family sword-breaker, almost sparkling despite the dreary conditions. The Svefra’s hair was a mix of local baubles, sea shells or other inexpensive but interesting looking items, braided in together with the thick black locks of hair. His beard was trimmed, neat and cleanly, while Kvar’s ocean blue eyes were fixated on the man he was dealing with.

“Fine, but that is my final offer.” The Svefra said to the merchant, as if he was the one making the sacrifice.

Making a small realisation that if he made the other man think he was getting a good deal, Kvar could only benefit his own position. He’d not made much extra coin if anything, perhaps a few silver on top of what he was expecting, but that was possibly enough to satisfy his momentary need for things like docking expenses for the rowboat, or ale.

A small exchange of coins was made for the items, as the man facing Kvar grudgingly parted with some Miza. Offering a rogue-like wink, Kvar bit the edge of a coin, and pocketed the rest, but not in any obvious place. A small amount went into his belt pocket, and the rest into the backpack. In what was a classic travelling tip about not showing off how much coin you were really carrying day to day, something he knew well from his time at different ports.

OOC :

by **Ezriel** on December 17th, 2011, 1:07 am

Ezriel took a deep breath and grinned. This place's weather was chaotic and he loved it. One moment it'd be dry, the next the sky was crying. And even then the next the sun was out and drying the tears. Standing in the cold winter air in only his silk swim-shorts he grinned, his body pinked by the wind. Standing at the rail of his ship he leaned out over it, staring at the comings and goings of the crowd along the docks. This place was to busy, to many people. Even at his pod's parties it was never this crowded. But, what is, and what one wants, are rarely the same thing and he had learned a long time ago to accept life as he did with this. If their was a larger crowd, so be it.

He stopped and grinned, see'ing a larger man in chainmail. From this distance he couldn't tell for certain, but by the way he walked, it was obvious he had spent a lot of time on a boat. Perhaps he was another Svefra. Not waiting to think things through, he stepped up ontop of the rail and looked down to make sure their was no ice coating the water over the prow. Noticing no obvious patches of ice he crouches on the rail before diving off, angling his dive to make as loud of a splash as he could with minimal water displacement.

The shock of the cold water was envigorating. Whereas most would find the cold to be shocking, and maybe even fatal, he had long ago learned to ignore the cold and embrace the awareness it brought on. Swimming down deep he opened his eye's, looking around underneath the waves of the port. This is what he loved, the being one with the water. But, no mater how much he wished it, he could not breath water and so swam back up towards the surface.

Surfacing in a spray of water, his cheeks even redder then before, he start laughing as he swam towards to the docks. Now this was how one should spend their time, not getting drunk and brawling. Only downside was this winter wind, he still didn't like it, no matter how much he tried to accept it. If the wind died down this would be perfect swimming conditions. His hair plastered to his face, he reached the edge of the docks and pulled himself up onto them, beside a merchant dealing with the man he had seen before.

Smiling to the man he walked up to the armored warrior, shaking his head to fling water from his hair. Holding out a hand to the man he would chuckle and say behind blue lips in Fratava "Hey-o! The names Ezriel, and what is yours!"

by **Kvar Driftweaver** on December 18th, 2011, 4:06 pm

Rolling a copper coin across the surface of his fingers, back and forth between each digit, Kvar was admiring the feel of coin. He’d always maintained barter for goods was better as these bits of metal had no real use, and required more bartering to be used, as well as people always skimming their share. They looked shiny, bought ale on land, shelter, and woman if you weren’t particular as to choice, together that was enough for him to be interested for now in acquiring more of them. This local ale however had a heck of a hangover to it, he was fighting one off now as he grinned wide to the newcomer.

“Kvar Springtide, well met, and by your bearing I’d guess I am facing a Svefra no less! What brings your pod to Zeltiva?” Many Svefra pods greeted each other warmly when they met, sharing stories, song, sometimes wine and trade. The fact Kvar didn’t recognise the Svefra only meant he had twice the cause to be interested in speaking to him!

Kvar had dropped the real name of his pod name here intentionally, the less people knew of his talents, or pirate ties, the more it would benefit him in the city. Having an ace like that up your sleeve could only be useful later, so he hoped the ruse worked. The only small subtle detail presented that betrayed this lie, was the driftweaver mark on his sheathed sword-breaker. It was not immediately noticeable, being sheathed anyway for now, and possibly not known to that many that hadn’t met his pod before.

Hooking his hands on the front of his leather belt, to rest them; not that Kvar was guarded, the Svefra’s expression was welcoming, but the position of his hands in no small way were rested on his weapon belt, when greeting a stranger.

“Are you long for this port, or just passing through?” Kvar said beginning to look over a few of the trader’s offerings, to admire what other goods were present, but keeping his body turned to the newcomer to engage him. In truth he had a million questions, and kept firing them off left and right eagerly, happy to have someone to chat to. “What ship do you make your home?”

Every so often he waved off a merchant trying to sell him something, or looked over an odd looking bauble, nothing of real value or use, just something that sparkled, or shone out. There was more than a passing temptation to try and pocket some of the things on display without paying, but most of the dock merchants seemed far too hawk-like for that, streetwise you might say to thieves.

by **Ezriel** on December 20th, 2011, 5:00 pm

He was pleasantly greeted by the larger man. He had hoped it would be so, that it would be another Svefra but Laviku knew how much these city folk could surprise one. The simple fact that this Svefra had coins in his hand actually surprised Ezriel, what was the point in those? Oh he had some on his ship that he had taken from a merchant, but other than that he simply saw no point in the coins.

"Kvar Springtide? I have never heard of your pod before, this is truly an occasion to be celebrated. My pod is the Waveraiders, and we're currently in the area offering escorts to merchants." With a smile on his blue lips, he looked over this Kvar. He really was a large man, at least so far as nearly everyone was large compared to Ezriel. He had a friendly enough expression, but why was his hands close to the hilts of his weapons?

Hmm, this man seemed truly interested in the wares that the city merchants had for sail...and perhaps he had need of the coins then, for if he couldn't convince the merchants to barter then he'd have to fall on those. T'is such a waste of time, he thought, Might was well get rid of the coins and just do direct bartering. "Actually I am to stay here for a few tendays, looking for some work, or someone to help me in sailing my ship" As he say's that, he'd motion to the Casinor moored behind him. "Their she is, The Sea Maiden."