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Joanna and Beodan go shopping!

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This shining population center is considered the jewel of The Sylira Region. Home of the vast majority of Mizahar's population, Syliras is nestled in a quiet, sprawling valley on the shores of the Suvan Sea. [Lore]

A Day in Town [Joanna]

Postby Beodan Clathony on October 14th, 2015, 11:09 pm

Sunlight illuminated the large tent, trickling through the small gaps
in the fabric at the tops of each side of the flap. A Kelvic’s eyes
blinked open, blurry from sleep and mindlessly annoyed at the light
that dared disturb his slumber. His heavy lids slid shut, light be
damned. The calls of ravens and songbirds in the colorful forest
reminded him that he had overslept and neglected his optional, but
still routine chores. Letting out a groan, he moved to stretch and
yawn, but found one arm was not responding to his commands. He looked
down to his left and found his armed trapped under a girl. A girl, as
naked as he was, in his bed. He blinked again, somewhat disoriented by
the situation. Short, alabaster hair and a myriad of scars and tiny
bruises. A name floated to him. Joanna. He smiled.


It seemed that they had shifted closer together during the night,
which would explain why he had been warm and comfortable. A sound
night of sleep. Bed head plagued Beodan, his dark brown hair slightly
more disheveled in comparison to the normally planned-chaos that was
his normal hair style. He rolled closer to her and reached over to her
opposite side, lifting her up gently to free his arm. He laid her back
down on the pillow, and pulled the sheets up over her body to ward off
the cool morning air. He favored her sleeping form with another smile,
before rising quietly from the bed. He padded across the hard packed
floor towards the desk, more specifically the kettle. He frowned
thoughtfully, a carpet for the tent’s interior would be handy, so the
flat stones and dirt would not be so shockingly cold on one’s feet. A
click of his flint and water for tea was on its way to boil. Onwards
and upwards, no time to dwell on would be purchases.


Dan grabbed a cup from the shelf. No, two cups, he amended, grabbing
the extra. The habit of grabbing a single cup for himself had long
been subconscious. What would be good for the morning? Something with
citrus, and of course peppermint. Lemongrass, rose hips, and
peppermint? That sounded good! He chuckled nonverbally to himself,
ever aware of the sleeping woman in the room. He collected the herbs
in the bottom of each cup and poured the steaming liquid over the top.
Letting them sit on the desk, he picked up a pair of clippers and left
the tent. Snip, snip.. snip snip, snip. He trimmed the old growths off
of his rows of potted plants, or at least the ones that needed it,
then headed back inside. The rustling of sheets, his guest mare was
waking up. He picked up the tea and went to the bedside.
“Goodmorning!” he whispered, “How did you sleep?”
Last edited by Beodan Clathony on November 4th, 2015, 2:32 am, edited 2 times in total.
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A Day in Town [Joanna]

Postby Joanna Familiaris on October 15th, 2015, 2:00 am

Image

For some, waking up was a pleasant, peaceful process. They awoke to the gentle breeze, the talkative wildlife, the bright sun. They would slowly open themselves up to the world as they got up and went on with their daily routines, drinking in the morning air with happiness and joy. A new day, full of new adventures.

Joanna did not wake with happiness or joy.

She grumbled and groaned as sleep paralysis ebbed away, making her acutely aware of several aches and pains. Her back, her legs, her arms, even her neck all felt stiff and unresponsive. No matter how much she stretched our her limbs, the soreness persisted. Only after popping her hips and shoulder bones did she begin to feel some reprieve. The run yesterday must have really taken a toll on her body, on top of the strict training regimen she had been putting herself through lately. Maybe she could find something less strenuous than dragging fallen trees. So for a while she just laid with the sheets tangled around her while she tried to will herself to move.

Eventually, she persuaded her body to roll over, only for her to hit another barrier. With one leg now hanging off the bed, she somehow had to muster the strength to sit herself up or risk collapsing to the floor. In preparation for this, she smashed her face into the pillow and groaned. Another few moments passed, and Joanna could hear scissors. A snipping sound coming from outside. Water, too. Boiling water. She finally gathered up enough power to sit up and face the day. The blanket was still fastened to her body, but she didn't mind. At least it kept out the cold.

Joanna blinked, trying to think. It was hard. And foggy. This certainly wasn't her house. And it wasn't her bed. And she was naked. And everything smelled like... plants. She blinked again. Then the memories flooded back to her, like a raging rapid slamming against walls of a dam. Her mind throbbed with the rush of new information. She remembered Dan; their meeting in the woods and their return to his home. He offered for her to stay with him for a while, and she agreed. She was still working out some of the details when Beodan came back inside.

“Goodmorning! How did you sleep?”

"Nnnnnnnnnnnnnggghhhh," she explained, squinting. She managed to pull off what looked like a smile, but her eyes were nearly shut from drowsiness and sensitivity to the light. It took everything in her not to just lie back to down and go to sleep. But she tried her best to give Dan a proper greeting.

"Gudmrning" she mumbled, rubbing sleep from her eyes. It was going to take a while for her to get back into motion, but consciousness was slowly starting to build. She reached out and slowly took the tea in her hands. The warmth felt nice, and she wanted no time in taking a sip. She didn't mind how hot it was. She just needed something to hydrate her. It tasted nice, full of citrus. She tasted just a dash of something peppy in the mix, too. It gave her belly a nice, warm feeling.

"Thanks..." Her words finally resembled the common language, but were still slurred and groggy.

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A Day in Town [Joanna]

Postby Beodan Clathony on October 15th, 2015, 9:54 pm

“Gudmrning,” the woman fighting for consciousness produced, a jumble
of strung consonants that was almost incoherent to Beodan. He
understood, and grinned at her expense; he found her groggy wake up to
be hilarious. He brought the tea closer to her, so she would not have
to move more than a few inches in order take it out of his hands. He
watched silently while she took a sip, letting the stimulating liquid
work its magic. Her light brown eyes became clearer with every passing
second, the fog of sleep lifting.  He raised himself up to his full
height and nursed his own cup. Steam tickled the stubble growing
around his face, its familiar wet warmth revitalising his body.
“Thanks,” she slurred, sounding like a well put together drunk. He
smiled once more and said, “You’re welcome! Let’s get some sun in
here, shall we?”


With a ruffle, Dan pulled back the heavy fabric that served as a door
to the Pavilion, and tied it to the right side. The morning sun
flooded the tent with its warm, the walls seeming to glow a few shades
lighter than normal. Outside was a perfect day. Red and brown leaves
slowly drifted to the forest floor, almost see through as they caught
the light, with life evident in the small forest creatures that
scurried about past the edges of the clearing. Bigger animals knew not
to come to close. Not because he would hunt them, rather he had made
it clear he did not want them eating his plants. The used his small,
winding paths, but other than that, without food, there was no reason
to come to his abode. The Kelvic stood in the doorway with his legs
shoulder width apart and his hands on his hips, smiling up at the
canopy. He took a deep breath and exhaled in a contented sigh. The air
felt less harsh than yesterday, and if the already toasty morning was
anything to go by, it promised to be a hot day.


Missing his tea, Dan left his pose after a few blissful chimes. Joanna
was halfway finished with her own crimson liquid, and looked more
chipper than before. Though, that was still a poor adjective to
describe her. Like a warmed up, chipper corpse. He laughed to himself,
she was acting like she was part Nuit! He was itching to go out and do
something. Had he been on his own, he would already be out on a walk
or gathering herbs or a like task to busy himself with. “So Sunshine,”
he dubbed her, “What’d you like to do today? It would be a shame to
waste a day such as this just sitting inside!” He paused, then
continued, posing hypothetical options, “We could go for a run. But
you look tired, so maybe something less strenuous. Like.. Hmm… We
could go to town and shop, or something like that. Maybe even stop by
the spa to sooth all of these wounds! What do you think?
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Beodan Clathony
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A Day in Town [Joanna]

Postby Joanna Familiaris on October 16th, 2015, 1:42 am

Image

As the warm liquid filled her body, Joanna felt the weight of exhaustion slip off her shoulders. Beodan's expertise was apparent. She could already feel her aches starting to fade. Not quite gone, but far enough in the back of her mind to focus on other, more important affairs. And it didn't hurt that it tasted damn good. The mixture was both pleasant, and very filling, and gave her enough energy to finally collect her thoughts and bring herself to full attention.

Light filled the room, coating the furniture in a bright, golden glaze. It was warm and inviting. Joanna could feel it seeping into her skin, fueling her strength and rousing her spirit. It felt like she was absorbing the very essence of the sun. She closed her eyes, feeling every inch of her body covered in heat. The warm embrace filled her with determination.

“So Sunshine, What’d you like to do today? It would be a shame to waste a day such as this just sitting inside!”

She chuckled. No doubt he was indulging in some schadenfreude at the expensive of her sluggishness. She wasn't normally like this. Just a combination of exhaustion and soreness
that resulted in a very grumpy Joanna. Still, she couldn't help but feel an air of impatient surrounding. The bubbliness of his voice and its playful tone betrayed his restless nature. He was right, though. They couldn't lie in bed all day, as much as her aches would plead her to do so. She would much rather partake in some fun with Beodan than sleep away a beautiful day like this.

“We could go for a run. But you look tired, so maybe something less strenuous. Like.. Hmm… We could go to town and shop, or something like that. Maybe even stop by the spa to sooth all of these wounds! What do you think?

"Well, cinnamon, I think a day off from training would be alright. I'd love to go into town with you. I need to pick up a few things anyways. Plus, we could use a few more ingredients. I'm not too fond of the idea of eating sandwiches every night." She chuckled and lifted herself off the bed to stretch out her limbs. She could hear the bones popping all along her body as they sent waves of numbing pleasure down her spine. Before anything else, she had to complete her morning ritual. She knelt down next to the bed and bowed her head silently, her fingers interlocked with one another. She silently prayed to Lady Priskill, the words shared between them to be a secret known only to them. It continued on for only a few more seconds before Joanna rose up to her feet again.

"We'll need to gather my thing from the forests, first. It'll be on the way to Syliras, anyways. Plus, I could use a good morning run."
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Joanna Familiaris
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A Day in Town [Joanna]

Postby Beodan Clathony on October 17th, 2015, 12:16 am

Cinnamon? What about him was like that spice! Beodan thought as he analysed the nickname to pair with hers. Never would he be associated with that lovely treebark, it was.. He sniffed. Oh... He had not noticed before now, but he did smell faintly of cinnamon. And a medley of other herbs. Sleeping amongst his wares for most of his life had left his very essence smelling like a freshly dried bundle of herbs. To be fair, no one could smell themselves, at least, no one he knew could. Curse her for bringing attention to it, he would not be thinking of anything else for a while. He grinned ruefully, lightheartedly accepting his fate.

Adopting an expression of mock offence, Dan said quizzaciously, “What, I thought those creations of ours were works of art!” Sobering up and nodding in agreement, he amended, “But, seriously, we need food. I have never been to partial to meat, though I can eat it in human form. Is it the same for you?” He wondered if other Kelvics of the same species would have the same tendencies in meal choice in their human forms too, or did that just have to do with upbringing. He stood back by the desk, not wanting to disturb the conversation with her good. He had been impressed by the number of pops that came from the girl, probably more than she had bones in her body! He was inclined to crack his knuckles and the occasional back, but never as bad as that. Maybe it came with combat?

"We'll need to gather my thing from the forests, first. It'll be on the way to Syliras, anyways. Plus, I could use a good morning run." Oh right, he had forgotten about that! She probably had money and such things needed for a day in town stored away in her little stash. Dan replied, “That’s not a problem. Why don’t you lead the way? Unless you don’t know which way the road is. I was getting lost in these woods all the time before I actually started living in them.” He chuckled, remembering the time his mentor had found him bells after he had been expected back, standing in the middle of a clearing hopelessly lost. He had been worried that he would be eaten, having heard the stories of all manner of creatures with sharp teeth living in the forest. Though, now that he had experience, he knew that not to be true. Most of the time.

Beodan grabbed his pack from it place on the floor, the straps frayed and worn, with patched holes near the bottom. He filled it to the brim with small glass jars, ground leaves and roots, and whole dried petals. Corked clay jars contained slaves, which went on top. He shut the bag and hefted it onto his back. “Okay, I’m all set. Anything you need to do before we set off?”
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A Day in Town [Joanna]

Postby Joanna Familiaris on October 17th, 2015, 4:12 pm

Image

The mention of meat was interesting. She ate quite a lot of it. Usually, Joanna packed some dried meat and jerky in her rations to give her protein, but she could never recall a time she tried to eat meat in Kelvic form. Not because the idea disgusted her, just that it never really crossed her mind. Though, she did note that eating grass in human form was a bit... gross for her. It tasted all right, but somehow it didn't agree with her stomach. So maybe the opposite was true with meat. She might have to try. "I've never tried to eat meat as a horse, but it's nevertheless an important part of any diet. It helps with stamina and muscle growth," she lectured, exposing her motherly side. "If you want to grow big and hardy, you should always include meat or fish into your meals."

“That’s not a problem. Why don’t you lead the way? Unless you don’t know which way the road is. I was getting lost in these woods all the time before I actually started living in them.”

The woods were, indeed, very confusing to navigate. The endless expanse of trees all looked the same to the untrained eye. Even Joanna had some difficulty drawing up the path in her mind. It had been a full day since she entered the forest, and her sense of direction was a bit skewed, but she could find her way on instinct. Besides, As long as they kept going West, they would see Syliras. "We'll make it there one way or another. Plus, I know the general direction I came from."

“Okay, I’m all set. Anything you need to do before we set off?”

She thought for a moment and shook her head. Everything she needed was in her pack.

With that, they headed out. It felt very liberating to walk through the forest without clothing, but it still left her feeling very vulnerable. She doubted there was anything in the forest that she couldn't hold her own against, but being exposed to the elements made her feel uneasy. Years of living among humans must have changed her. In Sunberth, though, things weren't any different. Both of her parents were heavily scrutinized by the city, and anything she did could set off drama. So walking around naked was not a luxury she had. It was always "Yes, Sir" and "No, Sir", "Please" and "Thank you". She held her tongue in public, stood at attention when being spoken to, and used brevity to avoid saying things she ought not to.

In a way, she was thankful for this. For as harsh as those conditions may seem, they helped shape her into a respectful woman, even if she didn't appreciate it at the time. What an awful child she was...

She shuddered and pushed away the thought. Not now. Not here. She let out a stuttered breath and tried to focus her mind elsewhere. The forest around them was bright and beautiful, shimmering peacefully in the early morning glow. The canopy looked like it had been set ablaze by the sun with leaves giving off a soft orange aura. The flowers, too, were lively and alert. Most had hid themselves away for the coming months, but many were blooming boldly against the impending days of frost. They certainly seemed resilient. Joanna shared their optimism.

As time passed, Joanna decided to make light conversation with Beodan. "It really is wonderful weather. I hope it lasts. I've never been in Syliras during the winter, but I hear it's fairly brutal." She felt her heart sink a bit. Beodan was kind to offer his tent to share, but would it ward off the cold? How could they combat that kind of chill? She thought for a moment and blushed. They could, of course, huddle together and use each other for warmth. Both of them, locked around one another, close enough to feel each others breath... their heart beat...

Joanna blinked, her face a flush of pink. Her walking felt a bit more forced that it should be, and her mind was going on full alert. She would not entertain such impure thoughts. But... still. The image would not remove itself from her head. Infuriated, she turned to Beodan. "W-we should think of preparing the tent for the winter. Padding it down, maybe." It never occurred to her that Dan had already thought of this, she just needed something to say to keep her distracted.

She was relieved when they finally entered some familiar territory. The road wound through a set of two overlapping trees that looked to be competing for space. Joanna stopped and looked around. From her memories emerged the image of a strange formation of roots. They looked like a hand reaching out of the ground and scratching across a bed of flowers. She looked around for something that matched that description and was thrilled to find it on her first pass through. She was less thrilled that her stash had been pulled out of its hiding place.

Hurridly, she rushed over to it, her initial burst of panic ebbing away when she realized that all that had been taken was her rations. Must have been an animal rummaging for food. Thank the gods noone else came across it. The armor and gold were still safe. She sighed in relief. Not wanting to waste any time, Joanna quickly slipped into her Scalemail with ease. She had put on the pieces so many times that she could practically do it blindfolded. And within mere minutes, she had suited herself up from shoulder to toe in glistening steel armor that made her look even stockier than before. With the way the light gleamed off her armor, she looked like a heroine.

"Well, let's not waste any more time, shall we?"



OOC :
Wow, did not expect to write that much. Just started typing and didn't stop. Sorry about that D:
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Joanna Familiaris
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A Day in Town [Joanna]

Postby Beodan Clathony on October 17th, 2015, 6:24 pm

OOC :
Not at all! That was a whopping post, but full of content. Great kindling for my own post :)


Beodan padded along a few steps behind Joanna, her short hair ruffling in the breeze that managed to penetrate down below the canopy. Thick callouses on his feet crunched twigs and leaves ruthlessly, his natural armor gained from many walks on sharp, rough, or prickly things that the forest had in spades. He barely even felt the occasional thorn anymore, and the cold, heat sapping earth of autumn did not bother him. He was relieved to note that she was following his paths for the most part, as those he had cleared of the worst brambles and bushes. The paths themselves were not wide, only about the length of a forearm, and were almost invisible unless you were right next to them. Even then, the moss and grass still on the trail and the overhanging wildlife to either side made it hard to find if one was not looking for it.

They walked for chimes in amiable silence, Dan for his part just happy to be enjoying the day with someone else. Birds flitted about over head, building up their nests with twigs and cotton for the colder months. The hatchlings of spring looked more and more like their parents every day now, though they still had the down of youth tickling their bellies. He smiled a greeting at one that paused its flight to stare at him. It bobbed its head sharply, as only birds could, then disappeared into the trees with a flap of its wings. “It really is wonderful weather,” the Kelvic said ahead of him, and he increased his stride size to catch up with her. Their shoulders brushed together, and she continued, “I hope it lasts. I've never been in Syliras during the winter, but I hear it's fairly brutal."

Dan furrowed his brow, replying, “Oh, it’s not so bad. It does get pretty cold some days, but it only snow a few times a year if any. It’s the rain at the end of the season that gets annoying, but it is great for the plants! Though you’re right..” He hesitated, for just a tick or two. He sniffed the air. Was that.. the scent of pheromones? His heart rate quickened as the chemicals affected his system. “Ah.. I wouldn’t want to spend a night outside in the middle of winter,” he recovered a moment later, but turned to look at her to see what was going on. She had a pronounced pink blush on her face, making him wish he could read her thoughts. “W-we should think of preparing the tent for winter. Padding it down, maybe,” she flustered, keeping the topic related to weather and meeting his chocolate gaze. He cocked his head in silent question, but did not address her situation, “The pavilion has thick fabric, which I insulated with a fine layer of mud between the inner and outer canvas. It holds heat pretty well. And I like to heat rocks in the fire then bring them inside. They heat the tent for about ten bells! Even longer if you have a lot of them in a pile.”

Somewhat flustered himself now that her pheromones had started a chain reaction within him, he was grateful for the distraction when she suddenly rushed ahead towards a few bags and shiny plates of some gleaming metal on the ground. He watched with wide eyes as, in only a chime or two, she had turned into a steel golem. The armor moved smoothly as she did, clicking together with every twist of her torso. He blinked as specks of reflected light found him. She hefted her own pack, most likely containing money and what was left of her supplies, and said, "Well, let's not waste any more time, shall we?" Beodan nodded, still a little stunned at her transformation. He suddenly felt lacking of protection, though he knew his situation had not changed much. He looked at her with sad eyes, sympathising with her animal side that was contained at the moment. He would hate to be constricted so! She was likely used to it though. “Yes let’s go!” he said happily, whatever deep thoughts burned away by his excitement, “You can ride me, since I’ll go as a horse and you are staying two legged.”

Not leaving room for argument, he Shifted in a bright flash of light, that danced off of her mail pleasingly. He was a good sized horse, and meant for riding. She would have to ride bareback, but that would not be a problem. Other horses knew what they wanted from their riders, so hopefully she would be the perfect companion. He knelt to the ground so she would not struggle to mount his tall form with her restricted motion. As soon as she was settled, he took off along the road at a trot. That armor was heavy! But the load was not the heaviest he had carried, and did not bother him overmuch. It also produced quite a bit of noise, thank god they were not going for stealth. Within a bell, the reached the city gates.

After waiting for Joanna’s feet to hit the ground, the Kelvic Horse Shifted once more, and waved to the guard at the gate with a smile. He accepted his pack from her, and gestured for her to lead the way into the brilliant city.
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A Day in Town [Joanna]

Postby Joanna Familiaris on October 18th, 2015, 2:51 am

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It felt good to be back in some proper protection. She felt snug and secure under the tight straps and thick mail. It was like a second skin to her. A very metallic skin. The bond she shared with her armor was one that spanned many years, back to when her father was still alive. It was meant as a gift of gratitude from a family blacksmith. She had only ever seen her father wear it once. Even though it took alot of time and Mizahs to reshape it to her body, it was worth it in the end. The wilds of Mizahar were not kind to strangers, and her body bore proof of this. If it weren't for the armor, she might not be around to tell about its effectiveness. All along the chest were scratches and tears, the pauldrons had chipped edges and frayed straps and even her greaves had claw and teeth marks from some of the more viscous creatures she'd come across. All in all, it looked pretty worn. Still, Joanna was diligent in cleaning and polishing the armor as much as she could.

"You can ride me, since I’ll go as a horse and you are staying two legged.”

"T-t-t-that won't be necessary!" She stuttered, starting to sweat. Riding horses felt weird to her in the first place, and riding someone she knew felt... odd. Her blush returned. She started damning herself. But it looked like there was no room for discussion on this. Joanna slipped her backpack on and picked up two last items under the tree: her mace and shield. Neither was extraordinary. The mace was a standard piece of iron with a handle and the shield was a large, wooden buckler with the depiction of a sun. The mace fit snugly in a leather holster on her side while the shield latched onto her rucksack through another leather strap. It felt good to have them in her possession again. Nothing wards off danger like a big stick of metal.

Joanna reluctantly climbed up onto Beodan's Kelvic form and felt him give. She gasped, ready to leap off of him in case she was too heavy, but he seemed to be getting used to it. She started sweating again. She didn't want to admit that she hadn't rode on a horse since she was a little girl. What if she broke his back? What if she shifted her weight too much and toppled him? Trying not to show her fear, Joanna gently placed her hands on his shoulders, right at the base of the neck. It was enough to stabilize herself and keep a good grip on Dan. "Alright... I'm good. If it's too much for you, just tell me. I'm fine walking there."

But it seemed like Dan was intent on carrying her to the gates on horseback. She sighed, both happy for his generosity and terrified she might cause him harm. She tried to disract herself by looking at Beodan himself. She remembered thinking of how handsome he was during their first encounter. That opinion had not shifted. It was hypnotising to watch his muscles pulse as he ran, his entire body gyrating to a rhythm. It was graceful, and powerful. Joanna was becoming more and more comfortable looking at Beodan in this way. She couldn't deny her attraction to him. And watching him in this form, with his whole body in motion, was... pleasant. She felt her cheeks brighten. She would keep this to herself for now. In the meantime, she would enjoy Beodan's presence.

It wasn't long before they reached the grand city. It's towers rose up higher than any of the trees, the pale stones communicating strength and protection. The walls were not just for show. Few would think of trying to break through them, and even fewer were dumb enough to try. It the archers didn't take you out, the Knights sure would. Not to mention all the adventurers residing inside the city just aching to fight. It was no wonder Syliras was the most trafficked city of Mizahar.

She stepped off the Kelvic and let him shape shift back into his human form. Joanna felt... unsure about Beodan's choice of attire. Or lack thereof. Not that his nudity bothered her, of course. She hadn't been in Syliras long enough to know how strict its rules were on the subject. But, Dan had experience with this city, so maybe he knew what he was doing. After all, he wasn't the only Kelvic who wandered around in his birthday suit. It was a pretty common thing with their race, apparently. She wouldn't know. Being sheltered does little to facilitate outside interaction.

Not wanting to dwell on it for much longer, Joanna led them farther into the city using what little knowledge of the layout she had, but was immediately overwhelmed with the number of people that populated the street. She started sweating again. Crowds have never been her thing. The idea of so many people crowding around her, shoving and pushing, cramped and suffocated...

Joanna instinctively stepped closer to Beodan, trying to shield herself from the crowds."Should we... go to the Bazaar first or the Spa, or...?" Honestly, the spa was sounding pretty good, but they desperately needed to get some food for the tent at some point today. "I still have a small apartment in the palace if we want a place to store things or want to space out our visit over a day or two."
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Joanna Familiaris
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A Day in Town [Joanna]

Postby Beodan Clathony on October 18th, 2015, 4:21 am

People thrummed around them the closer they got to the heart of the city and the bazaar. Conversations that would seem of quite a normal volume if they had been one on one, but the hundreds of people out on the streets on this nice day amped it up to a dull roar. It was nearly impossible to pick out individual voices, let alone specific words. Beodan looked at his companion and gave her a sympathetic smile. He brought his lips close to her ear and spoke so she could hear, “I hate the crowds too, I still haven’t gotten used to it. But it gets.. tolerable. Still makes me nervous though! Also, watch your wallet, there are pickpockets about surely.” Heeding his own advice, he looped the rope twice more around his neck, so his bag of gold rest just level with his collar bones. Tucked under his own nose, it would be extremely hard to take without his notice.

The were pressed closer together as the crowd became more dense, close enough to her Joanna speak, “Should we... go to the Bazaar first or the Spa, or...?" Beodan rubbed his hand across his chin, rough with stubble. It would be best to unload the jars with Sahfri first so he would have less of a load to haul around the city and less of a chance for them to get damaged in some accident. But the spa was so tempting! And maybe Nira’lia would be there so he could say hello. No no, shopping first. “Hmm, I think we should head to the Bazaar first. Get all of the necessities out of the way before the fun shopping and time at the spa, no? Besides, we’re nearly there already” he suggested, then smiled wryly, “Though, that water is going to feel amazing! Only a couple silvers for the public bath.”

“We can leave our purchases (and maybe your armor, now that I think about it) in your apartment before we get to the spa, less things to keep track of that way!” Beodan said, and with a wrinkle of his nose continued, “The air in those apartments gets pretty foul, there are no windows that deep, see. It’s why I live in the woods, not here. It’s too loud, too many people, and I like to sleep in fresh air, not in the depths of some castle. Anyway, enough ranting for me, let's go shopping!”

Dan took Joanna’s hand like an eager child and pushed through the crowd towards the large indoor market. Rows and rows of stalls selling everything you could imagine from all over the world were arranged around the large indoor and outdoor space. He pointed to a window overlooking the outer section of the market and said, “That’s our first stop; Stormhold Salves. I need to drop off all of this stuff. It’ll only take a chime or two, then we can come back here, okay?” Giving her a nod to encourage her approval, he jogged up the steps to the third tier of the castle. The door was propped open, likely because of how many customers were inside. A few argued over the rarity of an herb one had in a pouch, and others were haggling with Sahfri in languages he did not recognise. He called, “Sahfri! I have the weeks herbs for you!” with a wave and gesture to his bag. She favored him with a brief smile and replied, “Just set them down in the back and take the jars you need, I’ll deal with it later. Thank you!” He grinned as she turned back to the men and said to Joanna, “That’s Sahfri, the herbalist! Well, more like herb seller, but she knows a thing or two. I think she is great, don’t you? Let me set these down, I’ll be back in a tick.” He quickly went behind the curtain and unloaded all of his jars into neat stacks onto a countertop and refilled it with clean, empty jars. It was a system that benefited them both. He did not have to make separate trips to get jars, or buy them himself, and she got to be thrifty with her glassware.

“Alright, your turn to pick a shop! What kind of thing do you want to look at or buy? Trust me, they probably have it if it can be bought!”
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Beodan Clathony
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A Day in Town [Joanna]

Postby Joanna Familiaris on October 18th, 2015, 5:41 am

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Joanna was relived that at least one of them was familiar with this place. The slap-dash design of these old cities didn't make for coherent roads. Still, there was an odd charm to the entire place. It was like visiting a grand-parent's house. A relic of years long gone, but with something to offer to the modern age. A mix of past and present. And it probably didn't even registered with the people here. They just lived their lives like they always have, oblivious to the notion that they were walking where hundreds, if not thousands of other people had walked. She let her mind conjure up ghosts walking alongside the townsfolk, the two parties completely unaware of one another. It was an odd, yet entertaining thought.

But they couldn't admire it for too long. They had places to be. Beodan held fast onto her gauntlet and guided Joanna through the maze of people. They passed through the streets with relative ease, weaving in and out of crowds and circling around little bundles of talking townsfolk. She bumped against a few people on account of her armor, but they only gave a dismissive "Hey!" or an apologetic "Excuse me". She would have responded, but by that time they were already down another line of people. They were like a river vutting through a jungle. A moving, chaotic jungle that made alot of noise.

And just like that, they had arrived at their destination: The Grand Bazaar. And Grand was certainly the right word. If there was any place in-vocative of the past and present clashing against one another, it would be here. Hastily built wooden stalls sat next to elaborate leather tents, neighbored by merchants on rugs covered only by a fur canopy. There were sections devoted to meat, fruits, vegetables, weapons, armor, jewelry, clothing, ale, mead, and all manner of specialty items. Smells came from every direction; a mixture of garden produce, fresh meat, burning incense and body odor. There were goods from Eyktol, Kalea, Taldera and the Suvan Sea. It was like every corner of Mizahar had been crammed into one place.

Joanna couldn't even begin to process everything she was sensing. From sight alone her mind was being overloaded, and the intense sound of impatient buyers and haggling merchants was almost ear-rending. It was utterly fascinating, if not terrifying. She was, again, thankful that Dan could somehow navigate this insanity.

They cut around the market and ended up at one of the more permanent stores lining the outside of the Bazaar. "Stormhold Salves" Beodan had called it. No doubt a useful location for an herbalist. "I need to drop off all of this stuff. It’ll only take a chime or two, then we can come back here, okay?” She just nodded and smiled, watching him set to work. The way he spoke with the shopkeeper was warm and pleasant, which Joanna found herself smiling to. The way the two were talking made it seem like they were as close as family.

It didn't take long for Dan to finish up his work with the kind of efficiency that comes from familiarity. This was a regualr thing for him, then, coming into town. Guess he wasn't keeping himself secluded in his pavilion. That was good. Joanna could respect the idea of alone time. She herself was an introvert. But social interaction was a necessity. She'd go crazy without human contact.

“Alright, your turn to pick a shop! What kind of thing do you want to look at or buy? Trust me, they probably have it if it can be bought!”

Several thoughts raced through her head, all of them fighting for attention. She couldn't really think of anything she desperately needed aside from food. Yet, it would be a shame to pass up an opportunity to take home a trinket from a far-off land. So she decided to browse the stall, making sure her rucksack was securely in her hold. If they wanted to take it off of her, they'd have to get around the shield, first. And then they'd have to worry about Joanna's mace. She chuckled and turned her focus to browsing.

There was so much to choose from. There were odds and ends that held no real value outside of novelty out on display next to precious, magical artifacts. Swords were next to cooking irons. Undergarments were next to plate armor. Trying to navigate a single stall's display was difficult enough. But she did stop to survey quite a few of them. One held an array of holy amulets, all of which were far outside her price range. Her heart fluttered just seeing Priskil's face engraved on a small shrine slab, but knew that her funds were not allow it. So she moved on. There was another stall full of exotic candles and prayer beads, alongside which were jars filled with insects. Among them were a vast array of spiders. Her eyes brightened, and she bent down next to the jars to get a better look. She always loved spiders. It was always the eyes she found cute. And the way they comically scurried around. Unfortunately, few shared her enthusiasm for them. And, to be fair, she would be very unhappy to find one inside her armor.

Finally, after a few moments of searching, Joanna came across a display that smelled of rich, flowery scents. It was like lying down in a flower bed. There were soaps, lotions and perfume all laid out in neat, tidy rows with colored labels reading off the contents of each container. Curious, Joanna took one of the purple lotions and read off "Lavender". The others were things like "Lemongrass" and "Daisy". She thought for a moment, considering if she really needed it. Well... she didn't. But she did want it. And at such a fair price...

The lady behind the counter thanked her for the gold miza (-1 gm) and happily handed Joanna the lavender-scented skin lotion. She gave Beodan what could only be described as a guilty-happy smile. "I've never tried it, so... I'll give it a shot?" There were certainly worse things to put on one's body. "I feel utterly lost here. Where are some shops you like?" She asked, hoping he would give her some direction.
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Joanna Familiaris
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