The Night Market!

[Pegasus]

60th Ymiden, 721

The Night Market.

It had begun early that morning, as the ships came in to Scalvoris Town Docks. Six ships in all, each one with sails a different colour. This arc, it seemed, they were trying something new. Something they didn't usually do. Rather than having a single Night Market theme, they were having a theme per ship. Each one, something different. They opened to the customers at dusk and the docks were busy. Throngs of people were gathered, there were stalls set up selling drinks, food, trinkets and tchotchkes. But the focus was on the ships.

Six of them. Each one different. And the strangest thing? It was impossible to tell just what was sold on a ship, what the ship's theme was, without going aboard.

Arthur & Prae

Ship Name: The Wicked Wink
Sails: Deep Red
Symbol on Flag: A Shield
Theme: Combat.

The two of them got there at about the same time. Two men looking at the wares on this particular vessel. The deck of the ship was covered with goods and, they saw as they stepped aboard, that the goods were all weapons and shields and armour and books of tactics. Anything and everything to do with combat was here and more besides.

They had time to browse and then, a man approached them. Tall and muscular he had the look of a seasoned traveller and adventurer more than a business man but then, looks can be deceiving. He smiled, revealing an incomplete set of teeth with a few missing, here and there. "Hail and I bid you welcome!" His voice was friendly and he seemed pleased to see them. "This is Shal'zarain's ship. Purveyor of all items - and philosophies - related to combat. What would you browse or wish to see more of?"

Welcome! This ship has the following actions available to you:

• Browse the wares for something specific (be sure to include what you're looking for)
• Ask for training in a martial / combat art (be sure to be specific in what).
• Ask for training in a skill related to combat (strength, endurance, tactics, etc)
• Barter something of your own for something else (be specific!)
• Ask the merchant to surprise you!

You have 2 actions this round. Please do not assume their outcome, leave that to me. They are not guaranteed to be what you think they'll be!

Balth & Kori

Ship Name: The Red Rogue
Sails: White
Symbol on Flag: A Star
Theme: History

The two of them got there at about the same time. Two men looking at the wares on this particular vessel. The deck of the ship was covered with goods and, they saw as they stepped aboard, that the goods were all books and artifacts, historical items and written legends. Anything and everything to do with history was here.

They had time to browse and then, a woman approached them. She was tall and lean, so waif-like that she appeared that she might be blown over by a gust of wind and she wore a dress of deep burgundy. "Greetings and welcome" She spoke softly, her voice almost akin to that of a librarian. "This is Cheekka's ship. Here we sell items related to the past, and share tales of the same. Here we learn from what we know of the past, in order to discover more of the future. What would you browse or wish to see more of?"

Welcome! This ship has the following actions available to you:

• Browse the wares for something specific (be sure to include what you're looking for)
• Ask for items relating to a specific aspect of history / legend (be sure to be specific in what).
• Ask for training in a skill related to history (research, storytelling, appraisal, etc)
• Barter something of your own for something else (be specific!)
• Ask the merchant to surprise you!

You have 2 actions this round. Please do not assume their outcome, leave that to me. They are not guaranteed to be what you think they'll be!

Oram & Darius

Ship Name: The Silver Siren
Sails: Blue
Symbol on Flag: A Wheel
Theme: Cartography

The two of them got there at about the same time, both of them looking at the wares on this particular vessel. The deck of the ship was covered with goods and, they saw as they stepped aboard, that the goods were all scrolls and maps, navigation equipment and books of travels. Anything and everything to do with travel was here.

They had time to browse and then, a man approached them. He was short and lithe in figure with a slight limp on his left leg and a scar down his cheek on the same side. His eyes were piercing green and he smiled, warmly. "Hello!" He spoke confidently and with a friendly manner. "This is Vhunhald's ship. Here we sell maps and items related to travelling this world, and share tales of the same. We help you prepare for a journey, or dream of one, or we record knowledge so that the next traveller's journey is a little easier. What would you browse or wish to see more of?"

Welcome! This ship has the following actions available to you:

• Browse the wares for something specific (be sure to include what you're looking for)
• Ask for items relating to a specific type of travel / area of Idalos (be sure to be specific in what).
• Ask for training in a skill related to travel (cartography, navigation, etc)
• Barter something of your own for something else (be specific!)
• Ask the merchant to surprise you!

You have 2 actions this round. Please do not assume their outcome, leave that to me. They are not guaranteed to be what you think they'll be!

Rei'sari & Nathan

Ship Name: The Happy Harlot
Sails: White
Symbol on Flag: A Snowflake
Theme: Cuisine

The two of them got there at about the same time, both of them looking at the wares on this particular vessel. The deck of the ship was covered with goods and, they saw as they stepped aboard, that the goods were all to do with cooking - from pots and pans to cook books and obscure ingredients. Anything and everything to do with cookery was here.

They had time to browse and then, a woman approached them. She had long flowing auburn hair and deep brown eyes, her accent was thick and her clothes exotic and floating. She gestured around the decks. "I bid you welcome," she said, with a warm smile. "This is Jurmond's ship. Here we sell items relating to cooking, all over Idalos. We have recipes and such written in many different languages each specific to a place. What would you browse or wish to see more of?"

Welcome! This ship has the following actions available to you:

• Browse the wares for something specific (be sure to include what you're looking for)
• Ask for items relating to a specific type of cuisine / area of Idalos (be sure to be specific in what).
• Ask for training in Cookery
• Barter something of your own for something else (be specific!)
• Ask the merchant to surprise you!

You have 2 actions this round. Please do not assume their outcome, leave that to me. They are not guaranteed to be what you think they'll be!

Natalia & Zoro

Ship Name: The King's Coconut
Sails: Black
Symbol on Flag: A Crown
Theme: Scalvoris

The two of them got there at about the same time, both of them looking at the wares on this particular vessel. The deck of the ship was covered with goods and, they saw as they stepped aboard, that the goods were all scrolls and maps, books and equipment, cookery equipment and musical instruments. At first, it seemed incredibly eclectic. A closer inspection, though, revealed that this ship was about the place they were. Scalvoris.

They had time to browse and then, a man approached them. He was short and rather rotund with a wide smile and bright blue eyes. "Ha! It is good to see you! I bid you welcome and hello!" He spoke to them with a practiced ease and a distinctly Scalvoris accent. "This is Theosophuss' ship. Here we sell everything we can find relating to Scalvoris, and share tales of the same. We help you learn new things about where you are, discovering areas of this place you might never have known existed! What would you browse or wish to see more of?"

Welcome! This ship has the following actions available to you:

• Browse the wares for something specific (be sure to include what you're looking for)
• Ask for items relating to a specific area of Scalvoris (be sure to be specific in what).
• Ask for items relating to a specific aspect of Scalvoris culture / history / animals / flora etc (be sure to be specific in what).
• Barter something of your own for something else (be specific!)
• Ask the merchant to surprise you!

You have 2 actions this round. Please do not assume their outcome, leave that to me. They are not guaranteed to be what you think they'll be!

Off Topic

Okie dokie - so this is going to be just me and you guys. But - we're going to have a bit of an experiment here. You can go to 3 (or less) of the ships before the Night Market closes. Your sign-ups dictated which ships you start with.
Things to note:

• Each ship has a Theme and a variety of Merchants. Each Merchant has a different surprise!
• You will be on each ship for a minimum of 2 rounds. In that time, I urge you to interact with each other as well as the merchant.
• If you stay on your ship longer than 2 rounds, you might discover more indepth things. Equally, you'll miss the delights of another ship.
• You will be in a pairing on each ship - but the person you are with on your first ship will NOT be who you are with on the second ship, etc.
• Any questions - ask away!
• There are secrets to be discovered about each ship, and each merchant.

!

Message from: Must Do Objectives

Make your 2 actions - please make sure that these are clear to me. Consider putting an OOC at the bottom of your post? Be clear - does your PC want to explore more of this ship (every ship has secrets) or are you happy to move on? If you explore more, you may end up staying on this ship for more than 2 rounds and will, potentially, miss out on one of your other ships! But equally, you might discover something very interesting indeed!

Next Post: Friday 20th August, 2021.

[Oram Mednix]

Mermaid Show: 1-5-4-2-3

Markets featured two things Oram didn’t care for: spending money and crowds. Yet the Night Market this arc promised somehow to be different, and he had more nels to spend than he really knew what to do with. The Sojourn itch pushed him, as well, to see who had come from afar to ply their goods here, and what exotic goods those might be. Perhaps he would hear stories of the goings on from other parts of Idalos.

So he came this evening. He had dressed in his usual clothes rather than any of his newer, nicer ones; for a variety of reasons, he didn’t want to look like somebody with money. He walked along the boardwalk, peering at the various ships. One he seemed drawn toward for some reason was a ship with blue sails and an ensign with a wheel on it. Cementing his attraction to this particular ship was that he caught sight of a familiar face among the crowd of shoppers. ”Darius!” he called out, and waved as he approached. ”How has Hopetoun been treating you? And how have you been treating it?” he asked once he got closer.

Once on board, Oram saw that he had indeed picked a boat with suitable wares for his interests. Maps and atlases and books of tales and travel abounded. Strange navigation tools and other things whose purpose the hunter could only guess at were displayed about the place. One item in particular drew his attention: a cubit-long tube of what looked to be some sort of bone or ivory. It strongly resembled the spyglass Jasper Seams had used last season when the two of them had looked out for signs of locust activity. If it was a spyglass, that was something Oram could well find a use for.

A strange man approached and hailed Oram, cutting short his admiration of the item. He noted the man’s limp and wondered briefly what the story behind it might be, but he did not pry nor stare. Taking a trill to realize that the merchant had asked him a question, he rallied and pointed at the tube. ”That looks interesting. Is that a spyglass? Could I take a closer look at it, find out more about it?”

As the traveler talked with the man about the tube, he looked curiously over at Darius. ”You know more about this seafaring stuff than I do,” he observed. ”What do you think of the selection here?” Oram’s eyes passed over all the maps and books. ”I wonder if there’s stuff here about transporting stuff by sea. I’ve always wondered how sailors managed to get really big cargo in and out of ships, especially when they didn’t have big ports with cranes. How do you guys do it at Hopetoun, Darius?”

Oram’s curiosity on this point was more than merely idle. Several of the travelers in his camp were talking of moving on, of leaving the island. And there was the question of what sorts of things they could and should take with them: horses, vardos, even houses. Also, his rangers were setting up a station on Faldrass, now, and they would soon be transporting everything from furniture to horses. He would want to know how those things were done, and what was needed to make them happen.

Oram reached into a fold of his cloak and pulled out his reading glasses, which he had thought to bring along, figuring that being able to read labels and inscriptions might come in handy. Putting them on, he looked over the books to see if there were any likely looking titles on the subject of sea transport. Failing that, he would swallow his guy pride and ask the merchant for help finding something.

[Rei'sari]

60th Ymiden, 721

Location: Night Market


Rei'sari felt a thrill of excitement rush through her as she looked around the Night Market. She didn't know if she had ever gone to anything like this in the past or not, but she fully intended to enjoy every trill of it now. In the back of her mind, she was slightly uneasy about being back in Scalvoris Town. She didn't want anyone to recognize her as the person she once was. But she figured that the chances of that were rather slim. She was the same race that Ari'sora had been; half Avriel, and half Sev'ryn. Half Avriel were very rare, which was why the possibility existed at all. But she looked different than Ari'sora did. And she was four arcs younger than Ari'sora had been. So it seemed more likely to her that people would assume that she was not the same person; especially when they were preoccupied with being at the Night Market.

She looked at the different ships until a ship with a white sail attracted her attention. It had a snowflake on its sail, and Rei'sari decided on a whim that she would try that ship first. As she browsed through the wares that the ship had to offer, it was easy to tell that there was a cooking theme going on. There were cooking tools and utensils galore; from pots and pans to things that Rei'sari couldn't even identify. Rei'sari could also see many different kinds of ingredients. Some she recognized, but like with the cooking utensils, there were many that she couldn't even begin to name. Part of her wanted to find someone that worked on the ship and ask them what everything she didn't recognize was and what it was used for. But she was quickly distracted by a shelf filled with cookbooks.

As she made her way over to the shelf, she noticed a man who was also browsing the wares that the ship had to offer.

"Hello." she said politely.

"Do you like to cook too?"

Rei'sari enjoyed cooking, but it wasn't really a passion of hers. It was more like a hobby for her, really. Or at times, a necessary chore that she didn't dislike. Possibly somewhere in between the two, depending on her mood at the time. She did have a sweet tooth though, and she especially loved fruity desserts. Candied fruits, sweet fruity drinks, pies, tarts, and anything in between. And she truly did enjoy finding a recipe for a new fruity dessert to try.

That was what drew her to the shelf filled with cookbooks, and after waiting for the man's reply and answering any questions he might have in return, she picked up one of the cook books at random. As she skimmed through the pages, her eyes widened with delight. She didn't recognize the language that the book was written in. The fact that she couldn't read the book excited her rather than dismayed her. It meant that there were books from other lands on the shelf; perhaps cookbooks from all over the world! Who knew what new delights she might find here? And the thought of not being able to read the books was more of a challenge than anything else. It just meant that she would need to discover what language the book was written in, and learn it. Once she had done that, she would be able to read the book...and any story she might find written in that language as well.

"Do you recognize this language?" she asked the man who was on the ship with her.

After listening to any response he gave, she went back to browsing the shelf of cookbooks. This time, she began browsing the shelf with purpose. She looked for cookbooks that specialized in fruity desserts. She looked for ones in languages that she could read, and if she found them, she would look for ones that offered a variety of recipes ranging from simple ones that a beginner could handle to complex wonders to the taste buds. But she also looked for ones that were written in languages that she couldn't recognize, or ones that she recognized but couldn't read because those were likely to be recipes from other lands, and those interested her as well.

A woman spoke, and Rei'sari paused in her search to look up at her. The woman had long auburn hair, and deep brown eyes. Rei'sari thought she was quite pretty, especially with her warm smile and her beautiful, flowing exotic looking clothes.

"I bid you welcome. This is Jurmond's ship. Here we sell items relating to cooking, all over Idalos. We have recipes and such written in many different languages each specific to a place. What would you browse or wish to see more of?"

The short answer was...everything. In particular, more cookbooks from all over the world. There were several here for her to look at, several of which offered recipes that were way beyond her skill to reproduce. And she couldn't even begin to guess at the difficulty of the recipes in the ones written in languages that she didn't understand. Though the pictures in the cookbooks did let her know which ones might be of special interest to her. She considered asking for a cooking lesson, but she knew that the fact that the merchant sold items related to cooking did not mean that she would know how to cook herself.

"What would you recommend?" she asked.

Rei'sari figured that the merchant would know her wares better than anyone else would, and she was curious to know whether there was anything specific that the woman would recommend to others.

OOC

Actions this round: 1) browse the wares, specifically for cookbooks that specialized in fruity desserts; both written in languages that she knows, and ones written in languages that she doesn't know, and 2) ask for the merchant to surprise her. Rei'sari would like to explore more of this ship.

[Natalia Gregorios]

Ymiden 60, Arc 721

Natalia wasn’t sure what to expect. She had only just returned to Scalvoristown when the rumors began of the ships and Night Market. Sitting in a plaza near her home, there was an obvious buzz on the streets about the appearance of the ships, capturing her interest. Perhaps they were worth a look and in whatever case came to be, perusing never hurt one.

Upon arriving, the young woman simply picked the closest ship, unable to determine anything by simply surveying the outsides of the vessels. Natalia was greeted promptly, inclining her head gently as the man spoke to her. “A pleasure to be here. I confess this is my first Night Market so I’m figuring it out as I go along. I hope that’s alright?”

There was a young man on the ship as well, arriving about the same time as she had. Smiling, she greeted him as well. “Hello. Have you been here before?” It was a simple question that told him nothing of herself and perhaps gained a little information regarding him. Social settings were always golden opportunities to pick up nuggets of information, and Natalia was always on the lookout for such.

Options were given, yet Natalia still wasn’t sure what she was doing or what she might be looking for. The woman didn’t have any desperate needs and lived as lightly as she could. Things tended to weigh one down and weren’t as valuable as information.

Despite that belief, she did have a few items that were precious to her. Renaissance – her horse - while not an ‘item’, nor did she believe she owned him, was at the top of that list. He was her loyal companion, and the young woman treated him as such.

Walking around the deck of the ship, she considered the various books she saw. Information was always good, but what kind of information? What was she truly interested in?

That question had kept her up many a night, being free of her family but not yet fully aware of what she wanted to do with that freedom. Did she want to learn to use her dagger better? Did she want to train horses? Did she want to learn history or politics? She wasn’t sure a career existed that would benefit from her love of people -watching and figuring out people puzzles. Or the lifetime of learning how to blend in and talk to different types of people.

Sighing, everything looked intriguing. So much so that she was unable to decide what to ask for. Turning back to the man that he greeted her upon arriving, Natalia smiled. “I find myself unable to decide what interests me more, so perhaps a surprise? If it's not too much trouble, that is. ”

Now, generally, the young woman did not enjoy surprises, wishing to know what was going on and be informed. In the case of the Night Market though, perhaps…just a wee bit of surprise would be a good thing.

OOC

• Natalia walked around the deck of the ship, looking at wares.
• Natalia asked the merchant (greeter man) for the surprise option.

[Kori'än]

During the day, talk of the Night Market had been abundant enough that he had
caught word of it, and while he would stay away from such a place unless he
needed to buy something, what he heard had picked his curiosity enough that he
deemed a trip to it would be interesting, at the very least. If he was lucky, he'd
find something of value.

So when the sun began to set on the horizon, he was at the docks, trying to ignore
the itching on his skin, the discomfort of being surrounded by too many people.
Still, the sight of the ships soon took most of his attention, and Kori'än eyed the flags,
trying to identify what they would be selling. Unless he was unaware of some Scalvorian
custom, it was an impossible task, and since he wasn't exactly keen on asking for anyone's help, he simply decided to start at one at random and see what they'd have to offer. Going towards the one who carried a star on its flag, he stopped just short of bumping into another man as he stepped on the ship's deck, pressing his lips together and looking at the other instead of the goods.

"Oh, hi," he muttered out, the surprise of recognizing the dark-haired man making the words come out automatically. Kori'än frowned, trying to figure out something to say now that he had already called attention to himself. Everything that came to mind seemed oddly personal to ask someone he had met just once before. "Balthazar, right? We met― Hmm, did you find anything interesting?" As he asked, Kori'än shifted part of his attention to what was being displayed on the ship in hopes of easing the awkwardness. It worked, as he finally noticed the books and artifacts spread around, and he was, suddenly, legitimately interested in both the wares and in Balthazar's answer.

Kori'än was cautiously looked around at the books, trying to identify anything that would be of interest, when a lean woman approached them. Her soft words caught his attention, and the man looked up, nodding at her greetings. Although the artifacts and books should've been clue enough of what this particular ship dealt with, her words picked his interest even further. "Tales of the past..." he whispered to himself, looking at the book in his hand before returning it. This was probably a chance of getting something he wouldn't easily be able to find in Scalvoris ― or other common libraries. So, what would interest him that he couldn't easily access?

Tales and legends had always been something his mother loved, and she told him so many stories about the Immortals. He didn't believe most of those stories, too fantastical or too impossible to verify, but they were entertaining, and remembering them, at the very least, kept her close to his heart and memory. Maybe this would be asking too much of a merchant ship, but perhaps they'd have something. Kori'än turned to the merchant. "How far in the past? Would you have any books or tales related to the origins of the Immortals, or would that be too far?"

Drumming his fingers against his thigh, Kori'än bit the inside of his cheek, thinking for a moment. "What would you say is the most interesting thing you have onboard?"

actions

1. Asked for books or legends about the origins of Immortals.
2. Asked the merchant to surprise him.

[Nathan Wolfgang]

OOC

• Swear words warning
• Will be staying on ship

60th of Ymiden 721, Night Market

Night market huh? They must’ve loved visiting it. Shame, oh well, guess I’ll just look for some goodies to bring back home. This job turns for the better, after hauling those crates of goods around. Cheap bastard, there are people for that kind of job and there are people for keeping you safe. At least, if he stated that earlier I wouldn’t have accepted the job. But oh well he’s my ride back to Rharne and he still owes the other half of the payment upon arrival. That damn merchant sure as hell could get his own hired hands to move the cargos when we arrived in Rharne. I ain’t picking up another cargo box. Nathan thought to himself as he made his way toward the dock.

“Interesting concept, hope they would pass by Rharne.” Nathan said to himself as he observes the ships moored at the harbor, six ships in total. He pushed himself through the crowd of people. Ah, who doesn’t love the smell of sweat mixed with sea air? Nathan thought to himself as he brushed his shoulder with a half-naked sweaty guy who is munching on a piece of fried fish of some sort.

“Watch it!” Nathan half-shouted at the guy as a piece of food flew out of his mouth and hit Nathan’s face. The guy turned to his right and looked at Nathan. The guy was unfazed and either didn’t understand the language or he thought that Nathan was talking to someone else. Nathan groaned as he grabs the excess garment hanging from the scarf of the person in front of him and wipe the piece of food off his face. He spotted a nearby ship and decided to board it to escape from the throng of people on the docks. After much pushing and swearing, he finally arrived at the ship. He bought a piece of fried delicacies on a stick from a vendor passing by.

Hmmm, not bad. Nathan thought to himself as he took the first bite. Interesting, there’s a spicy taste of sorts, a bit too salty for me though. Nathan makes a mental note as he took a few steps inside the ship. He was too fixated on his food that he was kind of staring into the wares without even thinking about it until his foot hit a box.

“What in-“ Nathan was about to release a dictionary of swear words when he took a proper look at his surroundings. No wonder that guy earlier seemed in a trance of sort. Need to buy more of this stuffs to bring back home. Nathan chuckled as he made a mental note of it. Hmm, pots and pans, some knives over there, some herbs or plants of sort on that side, some book. Nathan scanned his surrounding, he then picked up a book and flipped the pages. Huh, smoked wine recipe? How the fuck do you smoke your wine? Nathan’s eyebrow furrow as he flips the pages. Wine aftertaste…… depends on the kind of wood…… oak wood……. Smoke chambers…….barbecue smell. Nathan scanned the book before putting it back down. So I guess this ship is about culinary. Interesting, Annie would love it. Guess I’ll find some recipe about sweet delicacies or some alcohol. Dimitri and Vincent would love it. Especially Vincent.

Nathan was startled when the young woman greeted him. He was too focused on reading and browsing the wares that he didn’t realize there is another person in there. “Bloody-,“ Nathan almost cursed out loud but when he turned and saw the young woman he held his tongue.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there,” Nathan said turning to face the young woman. “Well, I like to eat. So I guess that’s quite the same right?” Nathan said with a chuckle. “But yes, it’s a new hobby I picked up after traveling away from home. Eating plain bread and butter for breakfast every day makes you find ways to make it more appetizing.” He continued as his eyes wander to the young woman's wings then back at her.

“Well, what about you?” Nathan quickly replied as he realizes he was staring a bit too long at her wings.

“There’s a lot of interesting books here. Who knew you could smoke your wine.” Nathan said as he picked up another book from the nearby table. He was flipping through the pages while stealing glances at the young woman. Still fascinated by her wings. Avriel? But she looks too human. A shapeshifter of some sort? Nathan thought to himself as he moves toward the crates of wares opposite of the young woman. He raises his hands and reached for her wings slowly.

“Umm, what about the language?” Nathan said in surprise as the young woman asked him. His other hand tries to grab a nearby glass jar filled with dried herbs. It almost fell but by luck, he manages to grab it with his other free hand. Still holding the jar with his two hands he approached the woman and looked at the book she was reading.

“Hmm, well, it doesn’t look like it was written in the Common tongue for sure,” Nathan replied. When the young woman went back to browsing the shelves. Nathan took another look at the wings before placing the jar back.

He was still gripping the jar when the woman welcomed them. An accent, exotic dress, is she the owner of this ship? Well, she doesn’t look like a Jurmond though. Nathan thought to himself as he listened and observe the woman.

“Well, I’m looking for seeds, saplings, or animals that are suitable to be grown or raised in Rharne. That could also be used as ingredients in cooking.” Nathan asked as he places down the jar that he was holding.

“Well reading the books and learning it first-hand is truly a different experience right? It makes learning something new a much more pleasurable process. Can you teach me a unique cooking skill? I saw a book earlier about smoked wine, and well where I came from the only thing you smoke are either meats, fish, or tobacco. So perhaps something unique as that. Aside from smoking wine.” Nathan said, answering the woman’s question.

[Praetorum]

Prae hadn’t really expected to stay in Scalvoris for too long—he’d just popped by to make sure Clarissa was staying out of trouble, and to check if she was planning on staying longer or returning to Rharne. But his friend had somehow convinced him to stay a few more trials, all so he could be here tonight.

The Night Market—a Scalvoris tradition, apparently, one that Clarissa had told him she had fond childhood memories of. She’d been excited to share it with him, and faced with her enthusiasm, he hadn’t had the heart to say no. The Skydas company could do without him for a little longer.

Clarissa had almost immediately disappeared into the crowd, as she was wont to do, leaving Prae to explore on his own. Six ships in all had docked, with fates only knew how many little stalls set up all around. Prae snagged himself a small bag of what seemed to be fried squid or octopus, and started to wander up and down the docks.

The only indication of what a ship might have to offer was the symbol on its flags, which did bring up the question of what the snowflake ship might be selling. Still, as curious as Prae was about that one, he naturally ended up gravitating towards the ship that bore the symbol of the shield. Predictable, perhaps, but given that there was no other information for him to go off of, Prae thought he might as well.

The ship’s theme was immediately obvious upon boarding. Prae’s eyes skimmed over the tables of shields and armor, lingered briefly on the myriad of weapons that covered the deck of the ship, before landing on the books and manuals arrayed before him.

Impressed, Prae stepped closer, examining the book covers. Manuals of arms, books of tactics and techniques—the last time Prae had seen a collection this impressive had been in the temple of Raskalarn in Yaralon.

The arms and armaments were equally impressive, sized for a variety of species and covering just about every type Prae was familiar with, and quite a few that he wasn’t. Prae was slightly less interested in those—he had his own weapons and armor already, and Qylios’s mark allowed him to create more as he required them, but he still couldn’t help but admire the collection.

This ship, Prae had to admit, was very much catered to him—he knew there would only be so much time before the market departed, but Prae had a feeling he would be exploring this ship for a good chunk of that time.

Out of the corner of his eye, Prae saw a human approach, and turned to meet the gaze of a tall, broad shouldered man. This was, apparently, the captain or merchant of this ship. “A pleasure to meet you, Shal’zarain. I am Praetorum,” he said politely. As for what he wanted to see more of… “I’ve used the crossbow and the sling for some time, but never as well as I used a staff or shield. Have you any advice for me? Aside from that… You know your own wares much better than I could. What would you suggest?”

Actions

1) Ask for training in Ranged Combat
2) Surprise me
3) Prae wants to explore more of this ship

[Balthazar Black]

60 Ymiden 721

Somehow a bunch of ships with different themes and goods for sale seemed so very apt to Scalvoris. For one reason or another, Balthazar found himself on one of the ships in the Night Market looking around in the ever curious way that he did. The white flag with a star on it drew his attention because it made him think of Elisabeth. For that reason he went onto The Red Rogue first when he'd arrived and once he found out what was on the ship part of him thought he might not leave it. Only part of him. It was the first ship and if he didn't leave, he wouldn't be able to find out what was on the others. However before that, Balthazar's focus was robbed by someone coming just a little too close. He turned after than he should have to face the stranger who was not a stranger at all. He'd seen this face before. Kori'an. The relatively unknown individual asked Balthazar if he'd found anything interesting and he shook his head.

"Nothing yet, I just arrived." Balthazar said with a friendly look on his face. He realized a small opportunity presented and said, "I'll let you know if I find anything interesting if you'll do the same?" Balthazar offered Kori'an before going to peruse the wares.

As he scanned the ship he saw all sorts of books, artifacts, and historical treasures with stories behind them he yearned to learn. He had a budding fascination with history that had been born of his allegiances. What are you looking for? Fuego the unseen but ever burning little diri asked Balthazar from his position on the detective's shoulder while Balthazar looked over a row of books.

Specifics things. Old things. Forgotten things that need to be remembered. Balthazar responded telepathically to the diri while he scanned the book titles. He wasn't exactly sure what he wanted either but he knew a title would stand out to him when he saw it. There were lots of things he wanted to know about, but only a few that he felt a sense of responsibility to learn.

So you don't know? Fuego asked. Balthazar grinned but didn't answer. His diri was right, he probably should have focused more on a specific topic. With that in mind, Balthazar kept looking through the goods in the ship for anything he could find relating to the history of the Immortals. The life and views of Vri were at the forefront of his mind, the Twins and Famula's were not far behind but he would have taken and looked at anything about the Immortals. It was then that a thin woman in burgundy approached and introduced the theme of the ship. It made sense given the things he'd seen so far looking around but as soon as she was done talking, Kori'an asked for, more or less, exactly what Balthazar would have wanted to see. Still, Balthazar thought Kori'an had skipped a step. The woman came to them and said this was Cheekka's ship but not who she was.

"I'm Balthazar," He introduced himself but not the other man incase the other man did not want to be known, "Are you Cheekka or? I'm sorry, better question, what is your name?" He asked the waif-like merchant before moving on to address her question about what else he might like to see. He didn't want to ask for what Kori'an had just asked for, he would just look at what she provided him with and hope Kori'an agreed with the notion of sharing information. He was left with trills to think of something else and so his mind raced. Information on the Immortals was good, he encountered them enough, but he encountered a lot of things that were hard to explain. Maybe books on the nature of spirits? Maybe books on the origin of the Creep? So many options... and he supposed there was no one rushing him so why not start on one section of history and go to the next?

"I'm interested in those sorts of things as well but," He paused, thinking again and realizing he hadn't decided where he'd start so he let his gut guide him. Kori'an's question about the origin of Immortals made Balthazar think of other origins, "Do you have anything on the origin of domain magic and the spark?" His hands subconsciously rubbed the paradigm around his wrists as he asked the question and then he folded them both behind his back while he waited for a response. He knew plenty about how to wield magic, and how people perceived it, but little about where it came from. Vri's mark granted him some abilities. His link to Fuego and boons from other spirits granted him other abilities. His sparks, something many considered a parasites, granted him even more abilities. Yet his sparks were the only one of the three sources that he didn't know the origin of. He knew the person he learned the magic from and had always associated it with them, but the spark was not the mentor who taught you to use it.

OOC

Actions
1. Browsed wares for things related to the life and views of Immortals, specifically immortals related to death (Vri, Famula, Twins)
2. Asked for items relating to the history/origin of domain magic

Objectives
1. Done.
2. Balthazar wants to explore more of the ship.

[Darius Baer]

Arc 721, 60th of Ymiden

As he approached the Night Market, Darius found himself marvelling at the curious nature of memories.

Why was it, for example, that he could remember specific aspects of his previous visits to the Night Market, and not others? He had always enjoyed them as a young boy, visiting with his mother to covet a pretty trinket or a fine wooden toy, but there must have been dozens of little moments that hebhad experienced that were now faded from his consciousness.

One specific recollection was how he would marvel at the fine curiosities that appealed to a boy of his age, while Jean Baer would barter with merchants over things that were of far less importance: spices for cooking, and fine fabrics from afar.

Even now, Darius could remember his mother buying and giving him a small wooden carving of a creature, standing on its hind legs and baring its claws.

"It's a bear, Darius," she had smiled as she'd handed it to him, "just like you."

This Night Market was different, however. That went without saying, really, as the organisers always seemed to work hard at making sure that each edition felt unique. But if it was possible for any one Night Market to feel more unique - and Darius was not sure that it was - then the notion of different ships with different themes certainly seemed like it.

The ship's themselves looked rather uniform, save for the colours of their sails and the emblem on their flags, but it was the sight of a ship's wheel that ultimately lured the mariner aboard one particular vessel. A sailor's son, Darius was naturally curious as to what might be found at the stalls within.

He had yet to get his bearings when he heard someone calling his name. He turned to see Oram, and he offered the man a smile and a wave.

"Welcome aboard," he chuckled, spreading his arms if the ship were his own. "Make yourself at home!"

As Oram approached he asked Darius about the settlement on Faldrass. The wilderness man had visited recently, so had a decent understanding of the challenges the Hopetounians faced.

"It is going well," he replied. "We've come a long way from the patch of barren land that we had at the beginning! You are always welcome to visit again."

Darius watched as Oram engaged with the merchant, but the bearded blond was still browsing when he was asked what he thought of the wares.

"The selection here looks good at first glance," he admitted. "But everything has its price, of course."

He nodded as Oram asked about how goods were loaded onto ships.

"Well, at a large port like Scalv-Town, there are cranes," he explained, and he would have pointed to one, were they not below deck on a ship at night. "It's amazing what can be achieved with some rope, a pulley, and a counterweight!"

It was true. He had seen some impressively heavy loads moved with such devices.

"At Hopetoun, it's a little more basic," he grinned. "Fewer pulleys and more sweat!"

Darius turned to see that the merchant was patiently waiting to see if he was going to purchase anything. And although no specific item had caught his eye, the Scalvorian was struck by an idea.

"Would you consider a trade?" he asked the green-eyed man. "You speak of travel and you know the seas. Would you tell me everything you know about what became of the Pirate Lords, if I tell you about the time my father made one of them roar with laughter?"

It was an unusual request, he knew, but Darius was looking for maritime stories, and he was in the mood for something different and memorable. Wasn't that what the Night Market was all about?

"And if that isn't possible," he added with an amiable grin, "surprise me."

OOC

• Darius offered to trade stories with the merchant.
• Darius asked to be surprised.

[Zoro Astrian]

The Night Market was something Zoro knew well. Except no one really knew it, because it changed every time it docked. The only constant was that it was a fleet of ships and it was always interesting.

Walking along the docks that night, Zoro had a swagger in his step. He was savouring this experience and the weight of the fairy sword added to his confidence. Maureen, his small companion, was sitting on his shoulder. They’d had a slight argument before they entered the Night Market – Maureen had thought it would be fun to be visible and to pop up and shout “Boo” to people. Zoro had not appreciated this suggestion and even though he would tell anyone who asked that he had insisted she did not, the truth was that he had begged.

The ship he stepped on to was filled with a vast array of things. Zoro looked around with utter fascination. He saw a young woman with long dark hair and pretty eyes. “Hello,” he said to Natalia. His own eyes sprinkled with shades of pink and he heard Maureen’s voice encouraging him to talk to the pretty lady.

She really wasn’t helping.

“Yes,” Zoro said. “I’ve been here before. But it’s always different.” He thought about it and then stuck out his hand to shake hers, if she’d do so. “I’m Zoro Astrian,” he said and he smiled at her as though his name itself was something which delighted him.

The person who was in charge of selling things at this stall spoke and Zoro nodded. “That’s exciting,” he said. They sold items and tales of Scalvoris. Zoro thought about it for a moment and then he made his choices.

The first one was obvious to him. After all, Ziell had asked him something specific. “I’m looking for prophecies,” Zoro said. “I don’t care whether they came true, or they are merely superstition, but I agreed to collect as many of them as I can for a friend.” Was Ziell his friend? Well, Zoro reasoned, he wasn’t his enemy and he seemed a friendly sort. It was good enough.

“Do you have any books or scrolls or collections of prophecies? If so,” he said grandly, “I’d like to buy them all.”

The second thing that Zoro did was equally obvious to him. “And I’d like to buy any books or scrolls of stories and legends you have. Especially about the Induks. Sweetwine and Ol’Tuck and Fairies. Legends, tales, those things!”

He was getting over excited and so he stopped, there with a pink flush to his irises and he suddenly remembered the most important thing.

“Please?”

OOC: Zoro will stay on this boat. Thank you.