Solo Less Than Nothing

[Anais Seawind]

I talk. I think. You talk.

16th Summer
6th Bell

The sky was just beginning to lighten, dusky grey-blue fading into a wash of yellows and oranges, and Anais gave the view an appreciative stare from the deck of her casinor. Though Randal had assured her the dock was available for her to use as long as she needed, the idea of her own land was an overpowering temptation for her and Anais meant to claim her own bit of the jungle - and some of the shore. But, adventurous as she might be, she recognized her own extreme lack of knowledge and knew she needed more than just her feet and her cutlass. A trip to the mercantile was needed.

A couple days to explore the Core of Syka had been plenty, and Anais' moved confidently up the shore to the lofted shop. She hoped Juli would be up and available this early; though her initial meeting had been little more than a greeting in passing, the Svefra felt comfortable going to her for a bit of direction. Actually, all of the residents she'd met so far had seemed more than willing to help; it reminded Anais of the Pod, where everyone was willing to trade knowledge, skills, even possessions as one big family. While she didn't feel that comfortable in Syka yet, it was far less awkward than she had feared relying on others for assistance.

Nearing the mercantile, Anais could hear light thumping overhead. Juli was around, then. Several steps up, and Anais found herself on a platform surrounded by nets, rope, tools, weapons - all manner of what she assumed was necessary survival gear. She stared blankly at the variety of items she hadn't even considered, and was still staring chimes later when Juli noticed her arrival and uttered a friendly greeting.

"Hi! Its Anais, right? Its nice to see you again. Give me just a moment," Juli bent low behind a table, pulling out a quill and ledger, "did you need something particular?" Quill hovering over the ledger, Juli waited, watching Anais expectantly.

Uncertainty flicked across Anais'a face before she answered. "Juli - hello. I was looking for..." The pause drew out, longer than Anais liked, and she finally admitted, sheepishly, what was troubling her. "Actually, I don't know what I'm looking for. Randal - that's Randal Zor - he said I could claim some land?" Habit had her forming some of the Fratava bartering signs, although the tradespeak was really too subtle for sentences and complex thoughts. "I was going to go exploring a bit, but I've never - I mean, I don't know - Anything, really. What is needed for exploring a jungle?"

Though smiles weren't familiar on her face, Anais' eyes were expressive enough, and right now she knew they were broadcasting confusion and embarrassment and a plea for some desperately needed help. Hopefully, Juli would take some pity on her and give her a general idea of what to do - or not to do. Either would be a starting point.

"I have a cutlass," she added helpfully.

*Word count 512

[Anais Seawind]

Juli had been nodding, but at Anais' question her eyes widened and her mouth formed a small "o" shape that would have been comical, had Anais not been desperately serious. She watched as the clerk slowly placed the quill on top of the ledger, seeming to take longer than strictly required for the simple task.

Feeling suddenly as though she had to make up for her lack of jungle knowledge, Anais heard her own voice proclaiming her cutlass, as though her weapon skills alone would make up for her ignorance, and she winced. Besides, its not like you're all that skilled with the cutlass, the thought taunted her.

"Well - okay," Juli took a deep breath before answering, "first, yes - you do get to find yourself a nice piece of land. 5 acres, I believe, is the standard parcel. And some people do go exploring quite deep into the jungle to find theirs," she added cautiously, eyes narrowed in contemplation. It was clear to Anais that Juli didn't think it was a good idea for the Svefra to go traipsing around the interior of the Sykan jungle, and the other woman's next words confirmed that thought.

"But most don't go about it quite that way. And you probably really shouldn't," though the words were a bit harsh, the smile and apologetic tone that accompanied them took the sting out of them - and, in any case, they were true.

Anais nodded in agreement, "I want to stay close to the shore, there must be a place to dock my boat." Truthfully, Anais wanted to spend some time collecting as much information as she could before she worked up to exploring past the tree line. Maybe there would be a chance to join a group, or hire a ranger or another settler to accompany her? A companion or two her first time out would be a reassuring thing to have.

A look of relief crossed the clerk's face at these words. "Great idea - the shore is one of the safer places for less-experienced settlers to be. There are still dangers and things you'll need to know, but with a few pointers, you should be able to safely travel a good distance up or down the shoreline," Juli had moved out from behind the counter as she spoke, and now stood in front of a small selection of boots and various bits of clothing. Glancing at Anais' feet, she nodded in approval, "Leather boots are a good choice. Leather everything is a good choice, if you want to trek into the jungle itself - there are a lot of ways to get injured, or poisoned. Skin protection is very important."

Anais reached out to touch a pair of leather trousers. Clothing wasn't her highest priority now, but she tucked away Juli's words for later use. For now, however, she held up a pair of sturdy leather gloves. "How much will these be?" The gloves would come in handy on the ship, and perhaps also as she made her way around Syka.

"1 gold, for those," came the reply; Juli smiled at her choice. "Gloves are good, too - until you know more about the plants and small critters, its best to have a thick layer of leather between you and them. Some of the bugs and plants can cause a pretty bad reaction to bare skin," Juli made an unpleasant face to illustrate her point. "Actually, you might want to pick up some insect repellent. Its another gold, but well worth it." Not waiting for an answer, Juli picked up a small container and placed it in Anais' hands. "Trust me."

*Word count 611

[Anais Seawind]

Anais eyed the insect repellent with interest; as a rule, on the ocean there was generally enough breeze that the various flies and biters were no more than a minor inconvenience. After barely two days in Syka, however, she had noticed a stifling heat tended to settle at ground level later in the day, with little to no wind to relieve the temperature or the little stinging beasties that seemed to thrive in the settlement. Repellent would be welcome, indeed. At 1 gold miza per container, though, she would use it sparingly until she'd begun drawing a regular income; it was a luxury, not a necessity.

And Juli had moved on - the woman was definitely not shirking when it came to giving Anais advice - the Svefra would have to remember that the next time she had questions. Juli was proving to be very helpful indeed - even if she was also making additional sales in the process.

"And its not only bugs and leaves that you need protection from - I'm sure, on the ocean, you've had some experience with the harsh reality of Syna's rays?" Juli paused momentarily before continuing, "its the same here - you want to protect your face, and basically everything not covered up. Although, if you do get a bit of a burn, Jansen and Kalum, over at The Panacea, can get you some Arsyna cream. Have you been by there yet?"

Anais had not, so she shook her head. "Who are Jansen? And Kalum?" She was, as Juli had assumed, familiar with sunburns - and wind burns. Her atani, though belled and delicate and weighted, could provide her some protection from that danger, at least, but... Still her fingers twitched in the direction of a buff-colored broad-brimmed hat. Surely that would be more convenient for exploring? Or just being outside in general?"How much for this? I have atani, but..."

"Oh, just 4 gold for the hat - worth it, if you ask me. Which you did," Juli winked, as if sharing a secret, and laughed lightly. "Jansen and Kalum are our healers here at Syka. They run The Panacea, and keep us all in mostly good health. If you head south along the shore, you'll be going right past it - you should stop in and say hi. Its always a good idea to be friends with a healer, right?"

"And, speaking of the sun, you've probably noticed that everything pretty much grinds to a halt around midday here? In the heat, its best not to over-exert yourself. Most of us try to take it easy, find a nice shady spot for a nap, grab a quick bite to eat - there's food everywhere," Juli gestured expansively.

Although "everywhere" was a limited notion on the platform of the mercantile, Anais' brows raised. She had been eating a strange assortment of fruit lately - people had been very willing to share - but it had all been gathered and given to her, she hadn't had to locate any of it, though she was familiar enough with kiwis and bananas by now that she was sure she would recognize them in the wild.

"No reason to go hungry, even if you're nowhere near the Kitchens. Between the fruits and roots, you could eat forever. Its water you need to worry about - under no circumstances," Juli's serious tone commanded Anais' full attention, "no circumstances should you ever just drink from water you come across while you're out. If you don't know for sure that its safe, assume its not. Poisoned water can kill you as quick as any beast in the jungle, Anais. Its best just to buy a waterskin and fill it with fresh water from the communal storage before you go. They're just a gold, easily worth ten times that in peace of mind," Juli held up a waterskin and raised an eyebrow questioningly.

A quick mental tally had Anais shaking her head in apologetic refusal. Her waterskin was still functional and, while she wanted to keep Juli talking, she didn't have the luxury of buying items she had no need of just for the flow of information to continue. Besides, if she kept to the shoreline, her Oceanus would help her enough to keep her hydrated; in a pinch, it allowed her to ingest salt water as though it were fresh. Anais preferred the taste of fresh, but in dire times, she would not be picky.

"I have, thanks. I'll make sure to fill it before I head out," she assured the clerk gratefully. "Thank you so much for your help, Juli - you've been very kind to share your knowledge."

*Word count 779

[Anais Seawind]

Juli waved away the thanks with a smile, "Well, you're very welcome - there are others who know more than I do, but at least you know a bit more than you did. What kind of land are you looking for? Water, for your boat, but what else do you think you're looking for?" The curiosity was genuine, and Anais appreciated that the other woman was not just making conversation for the sake of a sale, so she gave it some thought before voicing an answer.

"I think, not too much beach. If there is too much sand, I will not want to explore the jungle. I could live on a beach anywhere, and be nothing more than I am now," she shrugged. The concept was not one she'd put into words until that very moment, but she felt it to be deeply true. She'd come to Syka without thinking it through, knowing only that she needed a challenge, a distraction. A purpose. But from the moment she'd stepped off the dock, Syka had felt welcoming to her, and the longer she spent around the other settlers, basking in the sense of community and teamwork, the more she wanted to prove her worth to them, and to herself.

"Randal has said I might have a loan to build a home or business with - but for now, if I have space to secure my boat, water for food and fun, and a depth of mystery to push me... That will be enough," Anais nodded; those things would be enough to keep her content and her mind busy. The other settlers would be company enough, and she had Isporo, too, when he wasn't off eating every creature he could snap his maw around. "And a dock. I think I will have to talk to Randal about that, once I've found a place to put it." A ghost of a smile played at her lips, a rare sight, though Juli wouldn't know it.

"That sounds like a good plan," Juli agreed, chuckling. "If you need help building it, or just need to whole thing built for you, Randal is definitely the one you want to talk to. I know he's had a rush of requests lately, though, so it would be faster if you could do some of the work ahead of time. Clearing space, gathering any raw materials you can. Either way, though, he's always glad to help a new settler get... Settled." She grinned at her own words before turning back to business, "is there anything else you needed at present?"

Anais clutched her items to her and glanced once more around the mercantile, looking for something to jump out at her. Six gold mizas seemed a small sum to offer in exchange for the knowledge Juli had given her.

"Are there any hazelnuts to be had?" The small nuts were a favorite of hers, and she had been without them for most of her journey to Syka. She didn't know how common they might be here in Syka, but hoped that there might be a few available.

"No hazelnuts, I'm afraid, at least not right now. They a favorite of yours? I haven't heard of anyone finding a source for them here - James makes a run to Riverfall now and then, though, and I could see about getting some in for you?" Juli had moved back to the ledger while she'd been speaking, and now the quill poised again over the pages, ready to note Anais' purchases.

"If its not too much trouble, that would be wonderful. I do love hazelnuts," she confided in the clerk, as Juli noted the request in the margin of the ledger. Seeing nothing else that she coudn't live without, but unwilling to forgo at least another small purchase by way of thanking the other woman, Anais plucked an unfamiliar-looking purple fruit from a basket nearby and held it up questioningly. "What is this? I haven't seen it at the Kitchens."

Juli looked up at the fruit before answering, "Passion fruit. One of my favorites," she picked one up herself, pulling out an eating knife and slicing the fruit open. Inside was a meaty, seeded pulp, which Juli scooped out with the tip of her knife and ate. "They grow on vines, almost everywhere. Have the most interesting purple and white flowers on them, too, just really lovely. These are all pretty ripe," she gestured with the knife, before eating another scoop of the fruit, "if you squeeze it a bit, a ripe passion fruit should have some give to it. The skin can be a bit tart, but I think it adds to the flavor. You can eat the whole thing, seeds and all, too."

Intrigued, Anais added another of the purple fruits to her assortment of items, "I'll take two, then. And all this, of course," she said, setting the items down one at a time, while Juli recorded the purchases. When she'd finished, Anais packed the gloves, repellent, and two fruits back into the hat, pleased with how well her most expensive purchase of the day was already functioning.

"Alright, Anais. All together, that'll be 6 gold and 6 silver mizas *I just randomly assigned a price of 3 sm each to the passion fruits, knowing they're a common foodsource - if that needs adjusting, just let me know!."

Anais fished out the coins, well-satisfied with the purchase and the conversation she'd had with Juli, and eager to get to work putting some of her new knowledge to use. "Thanks again, Juli - for everything."

*Word count 908

[Solstice]

Grades are here!

Anais Seawind

XP Award:

• +4 Socialization
• +1 Observation
• +2 Wilderness Survival
• +1 Foraging

Lore:

• Juli: Owner of the Mercantile
• Location: Syka Mercantile
• Anais: Has a Cutlass
• Wilderness Survival: The Shore is Safer than the Jungle
• Wilderness Survival: Leather is Good for Skin Protection
• Medicine: Arsyna Cream for Sunburn
• Jansen and Kalum: Healers at The Panacea
• Location: The Panacea
• Wilderness Survival: Sleep in the Heat of Day
• Wilderness Survival: Don’t Drink Water if You Don’t Know It’s Safe
• Randal: Syka’s Carpenter
• Foraging: Passion Fruit Characteristics

Rewards and Penalties:

• - 6gm 6sm
• + Leather Gloves
• + Insect Repellent
• + 2 Passion Fruits
• + Broad Brimmed Hat

Note: This might be a moot point, but I thought I’d mention it anyways: it seems your word counts are off. The app I have to track word counts had you off by under a few words in a few places, and out of curiosity I put it into google docs to count the words and it was different -there- too. I’m more inclined to believe google, but I just wanted to let you know in case it’s important for future job threads.