(OOC)
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Rasha's Den of Craft
Among the many shops that line the twisting ways of the Rephidim Bazaar, this is one of the more… unique. The rear wall is composed of bales of hay stacked high; to the left and right, triangular walls of the same material create a bracket around the shop, leaving the front open to customers. A simple wooden table provides the only display of the Vykarin shopkeeper's wares. But what wares they are: elegant earrings, curious carvings, all manner of delicate things one would not expect to come from the rough hands of a beast from the wild and cold. What other surprises may be brought here?
Rasha circles behind the 'counter' of her shop, looking rather nervous. It's her first day open, after all… one she thought she wouldn't even see, after that black cat's ranting about riots and lovers burning each other alive. She feels rather foolish for having believed such a thing, and promises vengeance… but later. Right now, she has a shop to open.
For a moment, someone unfamiliar with the land on Sinai might suspect he was looking at some sort of weird insect. Certainly, the body ofthis Vykarin does nothing to dispel that impression: her body is shaped vaguely like a trilobite, its surface composed of interlocking sections of leaf-green armor plate. Her limbs contribute to the impression, making her look like some sort of mantis: legs folded into practically an N shape for leaping power, arms naturally held near her knees, ready to grab. The rest of her, however, indicates just how weird an insects he'd have to be: instead of pincers, she has wolflike hands covered in dust-colored fur and clawed hooves for feet. Instead of some weird mandible, she has a perfectly ordinary-looking wolf's head, though her eyes are hidden under almost a 'visor' of that leaf-green plating.
Rasha makes sure all her pretty knicknacks are arranged just so… chips of polished material here, finished works there. Satisfied… more or less… she settles back to wait for someone to poke a nose into her shop…
That nose turns out to be black and scaley, protruding slightly from a gray cowl. The hood, and attached cloak, is draped over a scrawny Shiga lizard, who wanders into the hay-bale defined confines of the shop.
Rasha looks up eagerly. Her first customer! "Herro!" she greets, her voice accented not nearly as badly as most Vykarin in the city. "Wercome to my humburr prace of craft. May I assist you?"
A deep hood and cloak of dark gray engulfs the frame of this rail-thin reptile, a scaley black snout protruding from the cowl. Though reasonably well made, the garment appears to be of inexpensive material and design, held around its owner's neck with a simple polished wood toggle. It drapes loosely over Bambridge's narrow shoulders, where a pair of gangly arms dangle. A leather harness, also inexpensive and easy to discard and replace, is strapped securely over Bambridge's midsection, festooned with little buckled pouches and pockets, which the lizard occasionally fiddles with or plucks at with scaled, bony paws. The rest of Bambridge's torso is hard to see, blending in colour with the recesses of his cape, the darkness broken only by the occasional glint of small smoothed bone and chitin sticks and widgets, their purposes difficult to guess at. The only other features discernable are a long whiplike tail, and a large pair of darting eyes reflecting light from the cowl's murky confines.
"Good day, shopkeeper," hisses the lizard. Not much of his face can be seen, but his voice is friendly, despite the hiss. "I'm just here to have a look around. I make a point of visiting stores I haven't seen in the bazaar before."
Rasha inclines her head politely. "Prease examine whatever you wish and ask what questions you wirr. If you do not see it, I may yet be able to create it."
Most of the creations on display are in varying shades of green, obviously created from Rasha's own shells, but there are a few items in other colors, like brown and blue.
The Shiga takes up an etched shell from the display table, looking it over closely. "I must say… your attention to detail is remarkable. And yet… " He tilts his head slightly, looking at the Vykarin curiously, at the paws in particular. "Do you fashion these yourself?"
Rasha dips her head once more. "It is my preasure to inform you that are my goods are made by myserf."
The reptile's face crinkles slightly in thought. "Perhaps… nah, that's silly. Well… on second thought… tell me, Vykarin, do you work in wood?"
Rasha considers. "It is not a commodity prentifur enough in my homerand to use for such things, but I might make the attempt. Terr me, what do you wish?"
Raising a paw, the Shiga snaps his fingers, and a small wooden disk, about the size of a coin, appears between the tips of his claws. It's crudely shaped, with a symbol on one side. "Well, I carry a little good-luck token around with me, it's… ah, a tradition where I come from. Unfortunately, I'm not a good woodcarver… I wonder if you could make a more refined one?"
Glancing at the spot on the table where the spiral token was, to see if it's been returned, Rasha takes the disk from the mysterious figure and examines it curiously, peering out from under her visor.
Rasha comments, "It rooks rike a rocar coin."
The reptile still seems to be examining the chitin spiral, occasionally bobbing it up and down to watch the swirl bounce within the rim.
Rasha comments, "I berieve I could do such a thing. The cost word, of course, depend on the veracity desired. Are you certain you wish it in wood and not sherr?"
"Yes, it's very important that it's made of wood," replies the lizard, a slight smile playing across his face. He sets the shell spiral back on the table, and produces another coin, this one a simple ceramic shekel. "It should look like this, except with two major differences. The first is that it'll be made of wood, and the other is that I'd like the picture of the Captain Astromancer replaced."
Rasha says, "Repraced? What with?"
Rasha sets the wooden token down, tail slowly swaying as she contemplates the task.
"A stylished Shiga, of course," chortles the lizard, tugging his hood low. "The charm has to be… personalized, it that doesn't sound too vain. That's where your artistic skills come in."
Rasha considers. "If you wish it to rook rike you, it word herp if I curd see your face… "
Another thin chuckle rolls from the gray cowl. "Oh, it needn't look just like me. I'll leave you to take artistic license, I don't wish to stifle your sense of style."
Rasha frowns just a little bit at her mysterious client, but it would be her first sale… "Are right," she replies. "It wirr take time, though, and I wirr need to acquire the material… word you be wirring to pay, say, one hundred ceramics for this wood? It wirr be very fin'ry done, I assure you… "
"Quite a reasonable fee for quality," agrees the reptile. A copper shekel tumbles across the knuckles of the Shiga's right hand, before rolling across the table at Rasha. "When can I expect to see it?"
Rasha considers. "If I can acquire the wood today, you can have it tomorrow. If not, I wirr ret you know then."
Rasha takes the coin, placing it into her marsupial pouch. Safest place for it.
The Shiga tilts forward in a slight bow. "My thanks, shopkeeper. I'll stop by from time to time to check in… and I'll bring an extra pair of tenners for you if you can finish it quickly, ah? Another thing… if anyone asks… please keep this transaction to yourself, hmm? The bazaar, it has ears… "
Rasha's ears dip a bit. "If that is what you wish," she replies. She'd hoped this first sale would be advertised, but it appears that is not to be. Still, she's already made enough to cover the day's expenses, so she's not too unhappy.
The reptile smiles broadly, letting his cloak fall around him again. "I appreciate it, friend Vykarin. Tell me, what is your name? I have a few minor connections around the bazaar, so I can direct a little business toward you, and direct the business that you don't want elsewhere… "
An odd, white-winged creature walks stiffly past the open front of the shop, and pauses to look at the displayed jewelry.
Rasha smiles again, tail wagging gently. "My name is Rasha," she replies. "I word be preased if you spread the word about me."
Rasha looks over the Shiga's shoulder at the winged one. "Come in, come in!" she invites. "Prease rook around!"
"I'd be delighted to," hisses the lizard, pausing to glance over his shoulder at the approaching winged figure. "You seem to be on a different level than the trinket merchants around here."
Rasha looks abashed at the praise, ducking her head shyly.
Envoy steps up to the table and smiles to Rasha, click-pop-whurfing, "Greetings," in pidgen Vykarin.
Rasha delightedly replies in her native tongue. "Hello! Welcome to my humble shop of craft! My name is Rasha, and I would be delighted to answer any questions you may have about my goods and services." She delivers this at a speed and volume that may well be incomprehensible to a non-native speaker.
(Grief… it's the bug-woman.) The Shiga gathers his cloak around himself, and lowers his hood. "Well, that should do it, merchant Rasha. I wish you success in your business. Good day."
The Exile listens closely, noting the differences in dialect from other Vykarins she's heard. "Can you make custom fittings?" she asks.
Rasha smiles eagerly, barely noticing the Shiga's departure. "Of course! Custom work is the volume of my business; I have a few knicknacks to attract customers, but such things as my necklaces must be made to fit the client. What is it you wish?"
Envoy stands about five and a half feet tall, and is covered from head to toe in soft white fur, with a row of golden scales running from throat to belly. Her face is a short-muzzled mix of draconic, equine, and vulpine, with doe-like ears and large gold-irised eyes. A small, back-curving gold horn sprouts from her forehead. Small gold claws adorn her fingers and toes, and a mane of thick golden curls covers her head and the tip of her leonine tail. A pair of feathered wings sprout from her back, gold with white pinfeathers. She's dressed all in black. Her blouse is high-collared and laces together in front, the laces just loose enough to show some of her gold chest-scales to contrast with the black fabric. Pleated sleeves flair out and end at her elbows, while the bottom of the blouse flairs out below the belt to give a skirt-like appearance. The matching black trousers also have flaired and pleated legs, giving the impression of a dress when not in motion.
Envoy removes something from under her shirt: an egg-sized chunk of uncut amber with a few strands of wire wrapped around it to hold it to a simple leather thong. "Could you make a proper fitting for this out of chitin?"
Rasha holds out her paws. "May I see it?"
Nodding, Envoy hands over the simple amulet.
Rasha turns the stone over in her paws curiously, pondering how to arrange it. "Did you have a particular design in mind?"
Envoy blinks three times, then pop-clicks, "I hadn't thought of that. What would you suggest?"
Rasha envisions. "Perhaps… a hemispherical arrangement?" She illustrates with gestures. "I could shape a piece of shell to cover the back. Say, about this thick," she adds, measuring a space a half-centimeter wide between finger and thumb. "And fit a ring of chitin to the front to hold the stone in place. Then I could decorate it however you like."
Rasha murmurs, "I'd have to use a fairly thick piece of shell to not do it piecemeal; I think I have something that would suffice… "
Envoy hmms. "I would like the amber to remain in contact with my scales if possible."
Rasha considers. "All right, then: two rings of chitin, sandwiched together and holding the stone between them. Then both back and front would be exposed."
Rasha illustrates by wrapping her fingers around the stone in an O shape.
Envoy smiles, and nods. "That would be ideal!" Looking over some of the other pieces on display, she then asks, "Can you also attach a segmented necklace?"
The Exile outlines a crescent shape across her neckline.
Rasha smiles. "I most certainly can." She holds up a cord necklace around her own neck, with bits of shell in a curious pattern. "This necklace states that I am a creator of pretty things. These necklaces are what I came here to create, though I enjoy creating other things. I would be pleased to make one for you to hold the stone, or a simple collection of chips or beads if you would prefer."
Envoy blinks, then asks, "Can it also describe who I am to other Vykarins, as yours does?"
Rasha nods. "I can place whatever message you wish upon it, though," she smiles, twinkling eyes showing as she tips her head up, "too boastful a message may lead to hidden laughter."
Envoy grins. "I only wish it to say that I am a friend, and a Bard."
Rasha replies, "I can make it say the latter. The former is for each to judge on his own. But this will be much work, and I must charge you accordingly."
"How much will it cost?" Envoy asks with a look of concern.
Rasha considers. On the one hand, it's a lot of work, but on the other, how much can she charge? "A day to create the necklace… another, maybe two, for the fitting for the stone. Would you be willing to pay… three coppers?"
Envoy swishes her tail as she considers the price. Finally, she nods and agrees, "Gehnoh. Three coppers for the necklace and fitting," in Standard.
Rasha looks a little bit surprised, but manages to hide it. Twice now people have paid her first offer. Perhaps she should charge more. "Return in four days. I have one crient ahead of you. It shird be ready then. You may pay me one copper now, the rest on derivery."
Envoy fishes a copper shekel out of her pouch, and slides it across the table to the Vykarin. "Thank you," the alien smiles.
Rasha takes the copper, placing it with the first in her pouch. "Thank you. Prease enjoy the rest of your day."
Envoy nods again, and continues on her way through the Bazaar.
Rasha hums contently. Work for three days, maybe two if she concentrates, and pay for four. Today's going well.
Scarcely has the Exile blended into the crowd than Buran, the Sphynx Technopriest from Rephidim Temple, wanders into the cozy booth. She looks about, hoping that she hasn't come to the wrong place. But she did hear over lunch about a new shop in the Bazaar that was selling beautiful carvings.
Buran appears to be approximately 1.8 meters tall. She resembles a snow leopard to a good extent: the long, soft, gray-and-black spotted fur, the white underfur, and long fluffy tail with a black end. But how many snow leopards have you ever seen with wings? The wings look like a large version of an Aquilan's wings, covered with dark gray feathers; they've got to be at least six meters across when outstretched. But, normally, they're kept in a relaxed fold that keeps them out of the way.
Buran wears a simple robe that has been modified to accommodate her wings. It is made of a dark blue fabric that shines a bit in the light, no matter how dim; it has light gray trim, the same color as her fur, on its edges and hem. It is tied around her waist by what looks like a fabric rope, made of the same gray color as the robe's accents. A star-and-anchor symbol is embroidered in silvery-gray thread on the robes left pocket and back. You think you notice something shiny sticking out of one of the pockets.
From a chain around her neck hangs a stylized and painted pendant in the shape of a five-toothed gear. Occasionally, a glint of light reflects from it.
Buran's long black hair is kept pulled back over her shoulders, though a lock or two of it always insists on falling across her forehead.
Rasha smiles happily. Yet another customer! "Herro!" she greets. "Wercome to my humburr shop of craft. Prease rook around and terr me if something preases your eye."
Buran approaches the table, as invited, and surveys the items upon it. Impressed with their detail and workmanship, she looks up at the shop's proprietor. "You made these? They're beautiful."
Rasha dips her head bashfully. "It is my preasure to admit that the craftsmanship is mine."
Rasha wonders, "Is there a particurar item you desire?"
"You're very good at this. I'm sure you're proud of yourself." The Templar in blue examines some of the shinier, eye-catching pieces, then asks about barettes, or other similar things to hold long hair out of the way of one's work. It's almost as if she's anticipated the Vykarin's question.
Rasha considers Buran's hair. "I have nothing rike that in stock, but I curd create something for you. I have two custom requests ahead of you, though, so it word take time."
The Sphynx nods. "I'm not in a hurry. How much would your charge be? I'm sure you're in high demand."
Rasha looks bashful at the praise. "A simpur design, a band to hoard your hair, word be… " Greatly daring… "one hundred shekurs. For one hundred fifty, I word add whatever designs you might wish."
Buran smiles. Perhaps it is a bit high, but it can't hurt the newly-established shopkeeper to do well on her first day. "One hundred it is, then."
Rasha wags her tail eagerly. "I can have it for you in… five days, maybe four. And I'rr need to measure your head."
Buran says, "Feel free."
Rasha motions Buran closer.
The Technopriestess carefully follows the Vykarin shopkeeper's directions.
Rasha reaches out, feeling Buran's head with the air of a blind person, muttering something in Vykarin under her breath.
Buran holds more or less still, even though from time to time a light brush against the back of her neck tickles.
Rasha finishes after a moment, withdrawing her paws. "Thank you, I have what I need," she smiles, peeking from underneath her visor.
The Sphynx nods politely and smiles. "I'll be back in five days, then. Do you require a down payment?"
Rasha considers. "Since you must wait so rong for such a smarr thing, it wirr not be necessary. I wirr see you when you return."
Buran takes her leave of Rasha and then she, too, blends into the Bazaar crowd and heads in the general direction of the Temple.
