Just before sunrise, warm air filled the apartment. It wafted through, settling just over the bed, flitting into Karyk's nostrils. They twitched and expanded, until the shipwright's eyes opened, a grin on his face. Salted pork and eggs. Rolling over, he noticed one of the usual lumps that laid next to him was missing. Eyes groggily lulling over, he saw Sharay cooking over the hearth and smiled. The young woman, his apprentice, was definitely stepping up to help him raise her and her brothers.
"Uncle, ya need to get dressed, ya're 'eadin' to shore today, remember?"
Karyk did remember, and nodded, slipping out of bed. Quickly he relieved himself in the chamber pot and dressed in his standard white work shirt, trousers and boots. "Love bug, do ya need me to git anythin' before I go, or come back?"
"Nah, jus' focus on gettin' us a place to live. A proper place."
Karyk understood that sentiment. This apartment was nice, but was temporary. This was no place to call home. No apartment was. So he was heading to shore, in order to look for a piece of land to buy, and begin building their home. The right way. So Karyk ate quickly, pat Sharay on the head, grabbed his pack and axe bundle and left.
It didn't take long to find a ship heading for shore, and Karyk sat upon a crate, going through his pack. One spare set of clothes, a fishing kit, though he didn't bring his pole, some cutlery, his woodworking axes in the rucksack bundle, and his half axe hanging from his waist, his coin purse in his pouch belt. All in all, the basics he always takes with him.
The ship finally arrived, and Karyk walked down the gangplank. He wasn't really sure what he needed to look for. How did land ownership work? Did he have to buy from the city? Private sellers? He needed to find a more knowledgeable local. Meandering from the ship, avoiding the well guarded merchant area, he was brought a bit of ease at how safe the area felt, even with the forest right there at the edge. Ravok was nothing but safe it felt. Great for his children.
Moving along the lake's edge, Karyk knew he could love living here, especially if he could get a spot on the lakefront, near the trees. He could build himself a dock, a workshop, some private boats of his own. Build up his house as big as he wanted, and build it himself. A smoker would be nice. He'd always wanted to learn how to smoke fish and meat.
As he was day dreaming, his eyes fell upon a worn down shack, with two men sitting out front. They looked laid back and relaxed to Karyk, smoking their pipes and chatting. He never particularly cared for pipesmoke, though never had an issue being around it. Just didn't care for smoke in his mouth. He remembered Kesh smoked a pipe, and a pang of guilt struck his gut. He wondered whatever happened to his Jamoura friend. Ever since having arrived in Ravok, Karyk had barely kept contact with any of the others from his caravan. And he knew it was from shame, because of how poorly the trip had gone, because of how many people had died because of him. The best thing for everyone was probably to not have him in their lives.
And his eyes didn't miss the windswept hair, worn clothes, dirty skin, it was a look he'd known to well on his caravan. These men had traveled recently, Karyk was sure of it. Taking a chance, since he assumed the shack belonged to them, perhaps they might know how he could buy a piece of land himself.
Plodding over, Karyk made sure to stay in their obvious line of sight, so as to not startle anyone. When he got closer, "'owdy there. Ah'm Karyk, Southwind, not tha' ya'd know my name. Ah wanted to ask y'all 'ow ya wen' abou' buyin' yar property 'ere. Lookin' to buy my own, an' not real sure where to start. Woul' y'all min' pointin' me in the righ' direction?"
Not too terribly awkward, straight to the point like Karyk liked. He wasn't much about frivolities after all. Hopefully these two men would be helpful.