The coyoye student, Pe'er, is getting his first lesson in Savanite sign from Envoy. They have chosen the quiet solitude of Freedom Park for their studies to avoid attracting attention and (hopefully) to avoid interruption… such is rarely the case with chaos students though…

Envoy sits with Jaundice near the statue…

Envoy says, "I suppose you're more interested in being able to read hand language than sign it, correct?"

Jaundice rubs his nose and tries to relax a little. "I… guess. That makes sense, yes." He takes a seat.

Envoy nods, "Alright, I'll start with the vowels then."

Jaundice thinks, . o O { This is better than going to the Bazaar, I suppose. At least this way I get a little less strangeness. } "Vowels… all right." He watches Envoy's hands.

Envoy uses both hands, making the same sign with each, while making the appropriate sounds.

Jaundice repeats the sounds under his breath to engrave them on his mind. His hands unconsciously move in his lap, mimicing Envoy's.

Envoy makes the sign for 'ah' with one hand, and asks, "What sound is this, Pe'er?"

Jaundice tilts his head. "Ah."

Envoy smiles, "That's right. This is how your name would be pronounced… " She makes the signs for the sound of "Pe'er", adding a little gesture at the end to show that it is a person's name.

Jaundice hmms, and straightens his neck. "Four signs." He raises his hands and copies the gestures. 'pe-eh-ye-er'.

Envoy says, "Punctuation and modifiers are usually done with the left hand. This gesture means 'name', so people know it refers to you and not a piece of fruit."

Jaundice brightens a bit, though much of the expression is internal, invisible on his face, except for maybe a bit more attention to the wiggling fingers. "Right… "

Envoy says, "No, left."

Envoy repeats the gesture again with her left hand.

Jaundice blinks. "Oh… I meant … well… " He just watches.

Envoy says, "There are some sounds that use both hands, mainly for consonant pairs."

A voice speaks from a little ways off, "Pears?"

Envoy makes the two-handed gesture for 'th', then the vowel to form 'the'.

Jaundice adjusts his tunic. He continues nodding and listening, though he's gathered Envoy needs little encouragement to go on.

Envoy turns towards the voice.

Jaundice's ear perks, and he turns. "Did someone call?"

Roho approaches the two, "I'm looking for someplace to get a bite to eat… and I smelled milk this way. Am I in the right place?"

Jaundice blinks at the sight of the old fennec. "Um, no sir… " He looks Roho up and down, curious.

Envoy blinks three times. "This is Freedom Park. I have some sandwiches though… "

Roho blinks, "Oh… drat. Well, no, I didn't come to take your lunch. Though pears sound nice… "

Jaundice peers at Roho's eyes, and realization hits. "Can you not see, sir?"

Roho shakes his head, "Not with my eyes… though I can with my nose, enough to know you've been to the Bazaar." He grins.

Envoy smiles, "Do you use sonar as well?"

Roho looks blank, "Sonar?"

Envoy says, "Sound reflected from the objects around you."

Jaundice watches Roho… "I had to go through part of it to get here, yes." He turns at Envoy's question, not sure what she meant either.

Roho shakes his head, "Oh, like the bats. No, I can't do that… I need to wait for those around me to make a sound first."

Envoy says, "Oh, any old sound, or sound from a squeep?"

Jaundice soundlessly turns to Envoy, then back to Roho. He had thought he'd be safe from strangeness here…

Envoy mimics the sound of the squeep that Ned and Bart had built for Jaundice.

Nearby, a solitary noble walks down the street towards the park, eating a piece of fruit.

Roho rasps, "Squeep? I'm afraid that must be something native here, I've never heard of it… "

Envoy says, "They're very popular."

Jaundice quirks his mouth and crosses his arms. "There's nowhere to eat around here, sir… they're all in the Bazaar area." He wonders how the fennec could keep track of himself with all the confounding smells and sounds.

Jaundice thinks, . o O { But I want to get back to learning sign here. }

Roho shudders, "No way I'm going near that Bazaar… it smells bad enough from here!"

The noble enters the park and removes his dagger from its sheath as he walks.

Envoy says, "Many inns offer meals. Where do you live, sir? My name is Envoy, by the way, and my friend here is Pe'er."

Roho smiles, "My name's Roho… and, well, I don't live anywhere at the moment. Just came in… "

Jaundice looks at Envoy blankly, then shrugs.

Envoy says, "Oh! Well, are you a noble, or wealthy? There are some fine inns around the scholar's quarter, but they are expensive."

The noble walks closer and stops looking, at the group of furs and tilting his head while he slices the fruit in two.

Roho shrugs, "Not noble… though I'm well off for the moment. I guess that would do… and I smell food!"

Envoy glances at the noble, whom she recognizes from the other day. "Do you smell fruit?"

Roho nods, "I don't recognize it, though… "

Envoy waves to Arkold! "What sort of fruit is that you have?"

Roho's stomach makes a rude noise, "I haven't eaten since I got here… "

Jaundice sits quietly, inwardly sighing. He kicks his feet at the air, listening but not intruding.

Jaundice practices the Savanite vowels to himself again. He hopes he'll be able to learn consonants … sometime. Other than the two in his name.

Envoy starts going through the consonant signs for Jaundice, while talking to Roho and Arkold.

Arkold smiles now, remembering the two from yesterday. But who is that other fur? He walks closer.

Jaundice asks Envoy, "Savanites use these normally, right? I mean… " He listens and watches Envoy's hands. "… well, you know."

Envoy nods to Jaundice, "This is the version of signing they use for talking to non-Savanites. There is a more symbolic, one-handed language they also use."

Envoy turns back to the wolf and fennec, "Roho, this is Arkold, a nobleman here in Rephidim. Arkold, this is Roho, who has just arrived in the city."

Jaundice nods. "I understand. This isn't hard."

Roho smiles at Arkold, and bows slightly in greeting.

Envoy nods to Jaundice, "It is just another way of representing sounds."

Arkold is now standing by Envoy. He smiles and says, "Roho? Roho… Where have I heard that name before? Hmm, no matter, it is a pleasure to meet you, sir."

Jaundice looks over at Arkold behind Envoy's shoulder. . o O { Something about him… } his eyes dart between the wolf and Envoy's hands.

Envoy says, "Arkold, do you know of any nice eating establishments nearby?"

Arkold hmms, pondering for a moment, "I'm afraid not. You see, I purchased this bit of fruit at a stand down the road. You could get something there, perhaps."

Roho brightens, "I'll be right back!"

Roho starts heading back the way Arkold came, following his backtrail… a rather strange sight.

In the distance, the shouts and scuffles of the Bazaar ride the breezes, sending brief dischords to pollute the relative quiet of the park.

Arkold turns after Roho. Noticing he is blind, he calls out to him as he walks away, "Dear sir, would you like me to come with you… ?"

"I've got a wife and six cubs to feed!" "Ha, last week it was only 5!" "We adopted!"

Roho has already disappeared down the road, missing Arkold's offer in the general hum…

Jaundice tunes out the Bazaar noises, focusing on Envoy. He seems almost entirely at ease by this point.

Envoy hmms at the noises. Wind must have shifted.

Arkold hmms and sits down. Seeing the blind man wander out of sight, he turns to Envoy and Jaundice, "So what brings you to this lovely park?"

Envoy turns to Arkold, "It's not the Bazaar."

A loud clatter, then some heavy thumping, with wet, squishy sounds. Someone must have overturned a cart of kyootcumbers. The streets will be green for a while.

Envoy says, "Alright, would you like to try some sentences now, Pe'er?"

Jaundice nods to Envoy. "Yes, please." He turns to the wolf, about to offer another explanation. He shrugs, figuring Envoy's answer covers it.

Arkold nods, "Fair enough, mind if I sit here with you folks? Oh I see you are giving lessons… I will try to be quiet."

Envoy signs, "The rain in the Savan stays mainly in the flood pan."

Jaundice mouths the sounds. "Th-eh r-ay-n ih-n th-eh Sa-va-n'… "

Arkold reclines against a tree figuring the lack of a response to be a yes.

Jaundice quirks an eyebrow at Envoy. "Do Savanites say these things?"

Envoy blinks, "I don't think so."

Arkold unsheathes his iron dagger and begins to clean it with a hanky as he watches the lessons. He pays close attention, hoping he might learn a thing or two.

Roho returns down the road, chewing an enormous mouthful of some fruit he bought. He sits, with his back to a tree, unable to speak for the moment as he chews…

Jaundice nods, keeping a close eye. He knows better than to keep asking questions when he's being taught.

Envoy tries signing something in more sensible context, "Would you like a sandwich?"

Arkold looks over at Roho and gets up to go sit by him so they may chat without disturbing the others. He sits somewhere close and waits for the blind fur to finish his snack.

Jaundice copies the hand movements and "reads" the sounds, trying to fit them together. He gives a quiet "Ah… " as he realizes the meaning. It's a fun puzzle to him.

Roho finally swallows, "Ah… thank you for the tip, sir!"

Envoy waits for Jaundice to answer the question she signed him.

Jaundice watches Envoy's hands drop. He pauses, confused a moment, then nods in understanding, and attempts to sign back. "Yes please I would like a sandwich."

Arkold smiles, "Sir, I seem to recall hearing your name before, any idea where.? " he asks Roho quietly.

Envoy grins widely! "Very good, Pe'er!" She then fishes an Armenian-style sandwich out of her bag; meat and vegetables rolled into a thin unleavened bread.

Envoy breaks the roll into halves, and offers one to the Hekoye.

Roho thinks for a moment… "It wasn't from an Eeee, was it?"

Arkold finishes the fruit which he has been munching on all the while, and takes outthe same hanky he used before to wipe his muzzle.

Jaundice takes the sandwich half, grinning in spite of himself. He munches thoughtfully.

The coyote's ears perk. "Mmm." He swallows. "Envoy. What were you talking about earlier… about playing?"

Arkold hmmms, "Actually from one of my fathers associates, an airship captain carrying cargo… Mentionned something about a ship from Babel, and your name… I'm sorry, I should have payed more attention."

Roho nods, "I just came on an airship from Babel… "

Envoy looks up from nibbling her own sandwich, "Oh, children learn and develop their reflexes and coordination through play, usually."

Envoy says, "Social skills also."

Jaundice fingers his sandwich, musing. "Usually." He takes another bite, the sandwich muffling his words. "I don't think I did… " He swallows again, and turns to Envoy again.

Jaundice says, "Do you think this was … like play? Did I have fun?"

Envoy says, "You seemed to be enjoying yourself, but also a bit bothered by distractions. You don't notice distractions when you play, because the play itself is too big a distraction."

Arkold nods, "So it was you… Might I ask what brings you to ths fair city of the clouds?" he asks, still trying to remember what it was the captain said about Roho.

Jaundice's ears droop a little. He pauses, then nods to Envoy.

Envoy tilts her head, "Do you ever laugh, or smile, Pe'er?"

Roho tries to look noncommital, "Oh, well, I'm a healer, and I wander… I wasn't succesful in Babel."

Jaundice blinks. "Um… am I supposed to?"

Arkold ahhs, "Yes that was it, he said you're a healer. Well, you can't save everyone. I'm sure you did your best, of course." He smiles, glad to have this wandering healer to chat with.

Roho smiles, now that the subject seems to have passed, "What is it you do in this city?"

Envoy thinks. "It is normal for children your age to laugh and smile. Tell me, do you indulge your imagination often?"

Jaundice begins to feel a bit more reserved by Envoy's suggestions. He rubs his muzzle. "I… don't think I do."

Envoy finishes her sandwich, and thinks. "Do you have some paper with you?"

Arkold smiles and offers Roho his hanky to clean his muzzle with by placing it in his hand. "Do feel free to use this," he says, pausing to think of how to answer Roho's question, "Why, I am a nobleman from the family Volkenheld. My duties are few, and it is in fact quite a dull postion. I spend most of my time wandering the city."

Roho dabs at a little bit of juice with the hanky, smiling his thanks. "I can't do that as much as I'd wish. Frankly, the Bazaar scares me, I don't know that I'd ever find my way back out once I entered… "

Jaundice pops the last bite of sandwich in his mouth, then fishes about in his tunic, pulling out a few scraps of paper. The kind for taking field notes.

Arkold laughs softly, "Yes, the Bazaar can be quite intense!" He takes the hanky back when Roho has finished with it.

Envoy selects a small, mostly square piece of paper, and begins to fold it… "Imagination is an important skill. It will let you put yourself in another person's situation, and therefore help you to understand them better."

Envoy holds the product of her folding: an abstract bird shape. "Have you tried to imagine what it is like to fly like a bird?"

Jaundice rubs an ear, watching Envoy fold the paper, considering what she says. "Well, no… I know why they fly. I know how they fly." He blinks a few times.

Envoy hands the toy bird to Jaundice, "Try imagining it. You're a bird."

Jaundice gingerly takes the bird, furrowing his brow. "Uh… I don't know how." He stares at the paper in his hand.

Envoy thinks. "Perhaps something simpler then… "

Envoy signs, "Imagine you cannot speak. How would your world be different?"

Jaundice reads Envoy's hands, his lips parting slightly. "Different… " He holds his forehead to one side, knowing full well it won't help him think. He sits up and takes a breath. "Maybe I need to think about it more… I don't know."

Envoy nods, "Think about it. Imagine you are Kaela, if that will help."

Jaundice closes his eyes, putting the palms of his hands to his eyelids. "I don't know… I don't know anything about her. She's just… someone else." He shakes his head, glancing up at the sky.

Jaundice stands up. "I need to get back to classes. I don't want to be late again."

Roho rasps, "Who is the associate who knows me? I'm curious, since it was a thinly populated voyage… "

Envoy nods, "You learn very quickly, Pe'er. Try to listen to some Savanites when you get the chance."

Jaundice nods to Envoy again, a bit flustered. "Thank you for showing me sign… where can I… " He breaks off, realizing he's never had to look for Envoy.

Arkold continues polishing his dagger idly now that he has the hanky back, "Just an airship captain under my father's employment. He seems to only know of you through rumors."

Jaundice starts back to the college, muttering to himself. "I'll try… "

Roho chuckles, "Rumors… great."

Arkold chuckles as well, "I hate to be one to listen to them, but this one was rather interesting… and now that I've met you, doubly so."

Roho tilts his head, "What exactly was the rumor?"

Past the egress of the park, and around the small section of the Bazaar, the Hekoye heads back to school, again with more confusing thoughts to ponder than be bargained for.

Arkold hmms, "As I said, I was not paying too much attention. As interesting as it was, I find airships distracting. Anyway, I believe he mentioned something about a dinner in Babel turning out to be a disaster… "

Envoy walks over to the wolf and fennec, "May I join you?"

Roho smiles and nods, "Of course!"

Arkold looks at Envoy. "Done with your lesson? And certainly," he says, still trying to get a last bit of juice off his dagger.

Roho shudders at Arkold, "Disaster is a mild term for what happened."

Envoy sits down cross-legged on the grass, and preens her feathers with her claws as she listens.

Arkold blinks and sounds suprised. "I take it something quite terrible occured?" he says, and even stops polishing the dagger for a moment.

Roho rasps, "Well, I still have my head, so it could've been worse."

Arkold nods, "Yes… could I possibly ask you what happened? If it is too personal I can understand, I do not wish to pry. You seem like you have been through enough as it is."

Roho sighs, "Well… I guess it's safe. I haven't wanted to talk about it, for fear of losing my head after all… "

Roho rasps, "I went to Babel to heal the leader of the Eeee, the Sabaoth. He is gravely ill."

Arkold nods listening, quite absorbed in the blind fennec's story.

Roho rasps, "He was improving under my care, and threw a feast to honor me, and to announce my reward for healing him."

Roho rasps, "In the middle of the feast, his son rose to denounce him for taking the lady his son was in love with. The son was quite drunk… "

Roho rasps, "I stepped in where I shouldn't have, trying to give up my reward in exchange… "

Arkold idly resumes polishing his dagger. It's quite clean by now, but he doesn't seem to notice.

Roho rasps, "We both ended up banished."

Roho sighs, "And the Sabaoth will probably die. He was being poisoned, and he banished me before I could complete my healing, or find out who was doing the poisoning."

Arkold nods softly, "I see… I am sorry to hear of your misfortune. Do you have a place to stay?"

Roho rasps, "Well, for now I'm staying on the airship of Boghaz. But that won't last, he'll be leaving, and I'll either need to find new lodging or go with him."

Arkold hmms, "The Sabaoth gave him his own airship?"

Roho shakes his head, "It's very strange… we ran across a derelict airship enroute. It was still afloat, but long since abandoned."

Roho rasps, "Boghaz claimed it as the first ship of his armada. Once a prince, always a prince, I guess… "

Arkold blinks, "Is that so? It was just sitting there, and had not sunk?"

Roho nods, "It should have sunk long ago… "

Envoy says, "Which path would you prefer to follow, Roho? Staying here, or travelling with the prince?"

Roho smiles, "I'm still deciding that, Envoy… there's nothing really tying me anywhere."

Arkold smiles, "Amazing… If only I could get so lucky, finding an airship, I mean… "

Envoy asks, "How much time do you have to decide, Roho? Is the prince leaving soon?"

Roho shrugs, "I'm not sure, really. He's resupplying for a few days, and then he'll decide where to go next."

Arkold finaly finishes with his polishing and replaces his dagger and hanky, "Oh sir… If you decide to stay here and cannot find a place, do look me up, we have plenty of room for a healer of your skill."

Roho blinks in surprise, then bows low to Arkold, "That's quite generous! I had been wondering what I might do… "

Envoy thinks of Kaela, who mentioned that her mother was ill…

Arkold smiles, "It is the least I can do for one who has shown such compassion despite his luck. To tell the truth I could never have done it… "

Roho chuckles, "It was foolish… I didn't help Boghaz, I lost the reward, and the Sabaoth may die."

Arkold nods softly, "But you thought it right at the time, yes… ?

Envoy says, "That does not diminish your skills though."

Roho nods. "I thought it right. And I would do it again, probably. And no, it doesn't change my skills," he finishes with a grin.

Arkold smiles, "Just out of curiosity, what was the reward?"

Roho rasps, "200 pieces of gold."

Arkold's jaw drops, "2… 200 gold??"

Roho nods, "The Sabaoth has great power… "

Envoy frowns slightly. How can she possibly afford to have Roho examine Kaela's mother.

Arkold shakes himself, "I know… it's just, that could buy an airship… "

Roho shrugs, "The reward shocked me… but it's not what I was seeking. I was asked to heal the Sabaoth, and so I tried."

Envoy perks up on hearing that.

Arkold nods, "Excuse me, I am sorry… Do forgive my reaction, I admire your sense of duty… "

Roho smiles, "Well, not just that, I really have no use for 200 gold, or an airship!"

Arkold chuckles, "Well if you ever need someone to give it to, if you ever do get such a reward, I would certainly love to be able to fly off this floating city."

Roho looks curious, "Why? A desire to see the world?"

Arkold nods, "Being the second son in our family means I do not inherit the family buisness, nor take over as head of the family when my father passes away. True, I have money, but money can only buy so much… I long to see other places."

Roho rasps, "Why not join Boghaz? Or at least see what he plans… "

Arkold raises an eyebrow. "Do you think that that much noble blood could occupy the same ship… ?" he chuckles.

Roho laughs, "I don't see why not, different houses and all!"

Arkold laughs along with Roho, "Well, it's an idea! Perhaps I should go talk to him, don't you think?"

Roho smiles, "It's your choice! It would be a big step… "

Arkold smiles, "Someone once told me to enjoy the chaos of life. I think this may be to good to pass up."

Roho grins, "Chaos, you'll get!"

Arkold grins, "Well, if you do not mind, shall we go see him?"

Roho nods, "I'll show you where he's berthed… Ma'am, it was a pleasure meeting you!"

Arkold looks over to Envoy, forgetting she was there, "Oh dear, how rude of me… I'm afraid I forgot you were sitting there! It was good to see you again, do take care."

Envoy nods to Arkold

Envoy says, "Before you go, Roho… have you ever treated Savanites?"

Roho rasps, "Savanites? Yes, from time to time. Though it's generally hard. I can talk to them, but they can't speak to me."

Arkold is about to stand until he hears Envoy's question and remains seated.

Envoy says, "That is good to know, thank you Roho. It was a pleasure to meet you."

Roho looks curious, "Is there any reason you ask?"

Arkold looks over at Envoy, wondering what use she would have of a healer?

Envoy says, "The mother of a friend of mine is ill."

Roho rasps, "Is she here, in Rephidim?"

Envoy says, "Yes, she is."

Roho looks thoughtful, "It couldn't hurt to take a look at her… "

Envoy smiles, "I will see if I can arrange it then. Will you be staying on your airship for the time being?"

Roho nods, "For now… "

Envoy says, "I will seek you out when I know if it can be arranged then. Thank you, Master Roho."

Roho smiles, "Take care of yourself… "

Envoy bows to Arkold, and flies off…

Arkold watches Envoy go while speaking to Roho, "Interesting lady, no?"

Roho smiles and nods, "Quite. Shall we head to the docks?"

Arkold nods and stands, "Certainly." He offers Roho a hand up.

Roho takes the hand and stands. He walks towards the docks, with Arkold beside him.