Path of Exiles- Talking and Shopping

[redcoat]

Migration from the Enjin platform

[opius]

Opiii Pleased thus far in what Astor City offered, Alastair spent the next ten or so minutes thinking to himself and admiring the leather focus strapped to his wrist. Admittedly the price tag pained him slightly, but it was a necessity. He was picking up the first prickling sensations of magical casting potential- a feeling he'd be envious of for years now. Was this how real wizards felt?

He dialed his exuberance back slightly, reminding himself of boots yet to drop. One step at a time. He only knew two shows that maybe he could attempt to cast, and they were better saved for emergency. He decided it best to focus on the tasks of the day and to go over supplies and plans before giving this new path a spin.

With companions Klinkle, Konane, and Jennar in tow, they left the shop of curios behind and moved ahead. Where were they heading again? The freckled lad piped up as they passed crowds and buildings, coming to mid trek. "Where were we heading again? There was mention of clothes, and uh... An herbalist shop?"

Opiii ((for those interested in continuing the shopping from last week, feel free to post and engage. If there's enough interest, we can continue the thread here. If folks would prefer we do it live next week, that's fine too- let me know and I'll just delete the thread.))

Kyt: Jennar was having fun just browsing around. The half elf had been to several places in their travels, but Astor City was certainly among the largest. So many bright visions, colorful sounds...even the impending doom couldn't put a damper on their mood. They strolled through the streets, mostly in front but never quite taking point. "Any place to poke around would be interesting enough, but I'm definitely interested in that clothing shop. What was it...wasn't it 'The Eye and Needle', or something like that?"

CautionCat: Konane frowned slightly, thinking over what she saw in the shop. The man was curious, but nothing seemed to call out to her. Unlike the deck of cards, she was holding the box in her hand, looking it over some as they walked, and talked.

"I... would not mind finding the herbalist shop first. It might be nice to get some... tea."

Every time Konane paused when she spoke, she looked to be thinking of the word to use. Things were easier to speak in Otonin, but not everyone knew how to speak that. At least, not yet, considering Jennar's interest.

Opiii Alastair nodded some, listening to Jennar as he scratched idly at the nape of his neck. "Clothes might be nice to check out, though I don't really need much. A new tunic would be nice- Maybe a nice spare set of semi formals for, uh... in case we meet with another baroness or some such, yeah?" He smiled slightly. But Konane's suggestion derailed that mild interest with a much more focused consideration.

"Tea? Oh tea is nice, yeah... And herbs can be pretty useful for stopping up bleeds, or making other medicines, I think. My satchel's good for healing in a pinch, but it's really, really limited. The alchemy only works once a day, in fact. Herbalism, though- and medical kits? That might be more reliable, should we find ourselves... y'know.. bleeding some more." He grimaced slightly, brows arched at the thought or more bloody battle.

He planted his hands on his hips, thinking as they rounded a corner of the busy streets. "...Let's see, ah... I think mister, ah, Caleb? from the curio shop? He mentioned Mentons Medicinals or The Green Thumb when it came to herbs and stuff. "

Ancelas: The small party of travelling adventures left Cayleb's Curios on the side street behind them as they discussed their next place of interest. Pausing at the corner where the street met the far busier Kingsroad that connected the southern gate to Beacon Hill, Alistair brought to mind two locations - Menton's Medicinals and the Green Thumb.

Cayleb, the proprietor of Cayleb's Curios, had mentioned that Menton's Medicinals was the fancier of the two establishments and was located in the northeast neighborhood of Beacon Hill, a district the party would quickly realize catered to the city's nobles and wealthier citizens. The Green Thumb was located just north of Westmarket, the large marketplace they had passed through earlier as they followed the Tranquil Road up to Castle Astor.

It would also occur to them that the Thread and Needle, the more affordable of the two tailors they had learned of, was also located in the Westmarket area - just east of the marketplace, which would actually place it between them and The Green Thumb.

CautionCat: "Hmn." Konane pondered, and tilted her head some in thought. Arms folded, she tugged the fabric of her cloak around herself.

"Green Thumb sounds charming. It is... In the same... Area as the... Needle and Thread?" She looked to Alastair, and if he had the map out, would draw near to look at it herself.

Maps were beautiful. Not as breath taking as seeing a landscape yourself, but someone traveled there, to draw every detail. An experience on paper. She smiled to herself, wondering if she should take up map making on uncharted territory... Though, it was dangerous.

Opiii "The Needle and thread as well as the green thumb are both in westmarket." Alastair nodded affirmatively, holding the town map wide enough for the others to take a peek. "We can make a circuit through there and save a little time. Unless you guys want to look around the fancy tailor shop, too." He then closed the map and turned on his heel, taking point as they headed through town. It wasn't a terribly far walk, and with companions it should have gone by quickly enough..

Kyt: "Hm, some tea would be nice, I guess." As Alistair pointed out that both locations were in the same area, Jennar clapped their hands together. "Excellent! Seems that worked out well enough." The half elf followed as Alistair took point. "I don't need anything fancy, no. I would just like some well-made things. Traveling and fighting is hard on the clothes." They gestured to various scuffs and rips that had accumulated over the weeks of traveling, even from before meeting up with Alistair and Jaegar.

*Shuffled Glassware*: Mmm, indeed it is. Seems doubly worse when every other tailor can't stop gawking long enough to take any measurements. *floofs*

Hopefully if the Green Thumb has any tea from our homeland it won't be stale from it's journey.


CautionCat: Konane paused for a moment, and nodded to Klinkle. "Well, maybe they will have something different to try. Or maybe they grow their own..." Tilting her head some, she pursed her lips. "Hopefully they will have oils... Something nice to smell." She bit her lip a little, brows slightly knitted a moment.

She would then shrug, smiling to the other two. "So, Green Thumb first?"

Ancelas: There were several ways to navigate Astor City from Southmarket to Westmarket. Sticking to the Kinsroad would lead them north to Beacon Hill, where they would then circle west to the Tranquil Road. Or they could take the boulevard up to the base of the Beacon Hill neighborhood and take a side avenue that would circle around to the Divine Promenade, which lay between Westmarket and the castle. This was the shorter, perhaps more scenic route, and would allow them to avoid the heavier traffic on the main boulevards.

The people along the Kingsroad seemed to primarily be merchants and artisans, most dressed in the conservative clothes and colors of native Astoreans. There were also a good number of Rhinoans present as well, traders dressed in brighter colors with more extensive embroidery and foppish hats decorated with quills or feathers. There were even a smattering of armed and armored dragonborn in white cloaks that they had seen earlier - members of the Order of the Silver Dragon. Humans were the most abundant natives to the city, followed by halflings, but as the party wandered they would also notice small groups of gnomes out for an afternoon stroll and a number of half-elves chatting as they sauntered by.

As they inevitably approached Westmarket, they would find citizens dressed in less elaborate clothing, primarily farmers and simpler craftspeople - the common folk of Astorea. Curiously, they would also see foreigners doing business here - not many, but more than had been in Southmarket. A few pale-skinned Keldathi and Falstadians, darker-skinned Nekohlians and Adabians, even a handful of Otonins. Given that most ocean trade was centered in Northmarket and gradually filtered south, it was not terribly surprising to find greater diversity around Westmarket than Southmarket.

((Perception rolls, please. Proceed with play as normal. ))

Opiii Alastair smiled slightly as they picked their direction, listening as he glanced at the map here and there. "Oh, tea, tea sounds great. Rose, she used to like tea with aromatics. One of my professors liked a dark tea with herbs- I never got the name of it, but it smelled almost like strong mint, only.. different." He glanced upward as the conversation turned toward aromatic oils.

"Oh? Are you into aroma therapy or something? The professor in charge of flora studies and herbalism swore by essential oils. She claimed that the right mix of oils could cure anything from a light cough to lunacy. Really peculiar science, that." He glanced back at Klinkle and Konane, smiling earnestly with his somewhat crooked teeth.

CautionCat: Konane nodded. "My mother used to make oils for people to use, along with her herbs. But... aroma... therapy... no I was looking to find something that smells... nice like... Kōsui... uh..." She paused a moment. "What is it called? To apply a smell to... smell nice?"

Kyt: Jennar was noticeably looking around as they spoke, sometimes at people, sometimes at buildings, sometimes straight up into the sky. "Perfume, generally. Something which too many rich people use far too much of, but done right, can be nice."

Opiii His brows lifted. Perfume? Oh, well, that made sense. Girls liked that kind of stuff right? Maybe it was an Otonin thing to use scented oil instead of the stronger smelling, more volatile chemicals. He nodded slightly, finding... Little to add actually. "Oh, uh... Yeah they might have something like that I think."

CautionCat: "Sorry... You thought it was for something more important." Konane winced a little, scratching the back of her head.

"But the same oils can be used for making more... Useful items."

*Shuffled Glassware*: "It's still early enough we can double back for the Thread and Needle afterwards."

"Hmm, from what I've read the biggest difference between the two is that aroma therapy makes one feel better. Cultures may play a bigger role though."

Ancelas: "OOF!"

There was a sound of impact and a sharp cry of pain from behind the party. As they turned toward the source of the sound, they found a boy - perhaps as old as his early teens - picking himself off of the cobblestone ground, dressed in unobtrusive clothes in bland colors. He took one look at the four of them, and at some of the other people walking by and watching him, and flushed brightly.

"S'cuse me," he said, circling widely around the party before hurrying up the street and turning down a side street.

Opiii Alastair looked back to the bird, scratching behind his head. "Well, yeh, it's all mostly psycho somatic, but everything is perception isn't it? Mind over matter and.. "

He trailed off, turning to look behind himself and the group. A young man, quite a bit younger than him, stumbled and excused himself before running off. Alastair glanced around, frowning as he scratched his ear.

"...Huh. must have been running carelessly. Here I thought I was clumsy, hah!" He chuckled before turning back around.


*Shuffled Glassware*: "Hmm, well that's one possibility.

What would you say the odds of that meaning what it would mean in back in Katsai,Konane?

Either way we should probably be aware of our coin."

CautionCat: Konane blinked at Klinkle, and shrugged, watching the boy run off. "He could be in a hurry. Maybe he does errands... like I did."

She then tugged her cloak around herself more tightly. "Though, he did look... scrappy. I wonder if he needs help?"

Opiii "S'Probably just an errand boy getting distracted. I mean, we do kind of stand out." His lips tightened some at Klinkle's mention of coin. He reflexively patted the pouch at his hip, ensuring it was, well, intact.

"...Do you really think that kid was a thief?" He spoke in a hushed tone toward Klinkle. Rose told him stories about traveling to big cities. Some people could sneak the clothes off your back if you weren't vigilant. With that in mind, and the Kenku's warning, he walked a little straighter and actively took care to keep good eyes and ears open.

"... Maybe we should make haste, keep our time in this part of town brief, yeah?"

Kyt: Jennar blinked at the boy, shrugging slightly as he ran off. "Could be any number of things, really. The city's a large place. Who knows what one kid could be up to?"

CautionCat: Konane shrugged some. "What do they say, better safe than sorry?" She too would make sure her valuables were not in plan sight, which was her coin and her cards, tucked neatly under her clock, between the ribbons of fabric that kept her decent.

"But yes, low profile... Kind of hard with your red hair." She gestured to Alastair. "And how tall you are." Her eyes going to Jennar.

"We are... Sore thumbs." Konane smirked, a slight chuckle escaping.

*Shuffled Glassware*: "Well whether or not he was, a city of this size certainly has a population of street urchins willing to be treated by unsuspecting tourists."

Opiii Alastair laughed slightly, looking toward Jennar. "I bet there's a story in there for you, huh?" His laugh turned to a chuckle, steadily growing quiet before Konane spoke up, pointing out his red hair. "Hey, us gingers are more commonplace than you think! I've met like three this week. Fire spreads, you know?"

As he spoke, Konane could notice he him brushing his hands through his hair rather briskly. It did nothing to soften or organise the perpetual bed-head. The goggles strapped to his head didn't help. The Kenku spoke, and he nodded some.

"...Yeah. We're pretty clearly not from around here. Maybe we should get to the shop and hurry back."

With that, Alastair moved with a little more haste, quickly reorienting their heading toward the Green Thumb.

CautionCat: "Soru, I'm not used to seeing... So much red. It is rare for Otonin to even have brown hair. I am not used to... A lot of things."

Konane reached over to Alastair's head after he ran his hand through it, and ruffled it herself, a playful smirk on her face, eyes slightly squinted. "It is like the bright leaf of... Of... Kōyō... What is the season? The bright leaves?"

Her hand didn't linger long atop his head, especially if he went to bap at her hand. She glanced to Klinkle for the answer, but her question wasn't directed to anyone in particular.

Opiii "oh, yeah, you wouldn't see much red hair in-..." Alastair trailed off as his hair was ruffled, caught off guard by the gesture. Normally he might have gotten defensive. But her fingers were different from those who'd harassed or teased him in the past- slender, firm. For her, the hair was thick. A little oily. Though in his defense he'd been running through the fortress earlier.

The sensation was new to him, and it made the connotation of the gesture suddenly impossible for him to parse. Was it a compliment? A scientific note? Over before he realized he was asking questions, he found Konane had already passed him, and he was slipping from point to rear guard, all whilst scratching his head.