Location [Syliras Location] All Things Leather

[Gromhir]

3rd Day of Spring, 510 AV

Syliras and the world of humans had been a hard one to adapt to but they had done it at least. Gromhir and Kamalia were comfortable, at least, around humans. They had been talking and it was decided that they needed some form of income if they were to stay in the city for any longer. But there was only one thing Gromhir knew how to do. That was to hunt and track.

But in that, he prided himself on being the best he could be. He had learnt his skills through trail and error in the wilds themselves. He should use those skills and put them to good use. He had seen the humans bring back animal carcasses to find their families; others used them as trophies he knew. But he had no use for trophies and he had no family to feed. Kamalia was more content to eat finer foods that were provided by the humans. Although he was fond of the sandwich, he needed very little to sustain him other than a good run. Why not use such a thing to earn money anyway?

He had decided that he should visit the leatherworker’s shop. The hides he gathered could fetch a nice price he figured. But the shop itself was filled with smells even before he got near it. Strange leathery odours and a multitude of other things he wasn’t sure he wanted to know. The Kelvic pushed open the door looking around inside.

“Hello?”

[Gossamer]

Gromhir

Nabinu smiled and walked around the counter, his eyes crinkling as he scanned the store and picked up Gromhir's presence. "Ahh... why hello there. How can I help you? You be needin' leather no? Or needin' somethan else, yea?"

He walked closer and extended his hand in a gesture of greeting.

[Miharu Mindi]

10th Day of Spring, 510 AV

Cities. Ugh.

Miharu hated them, hated the stink and the warmth and the press of too many people. She hated that she had to keep her clothes on and her hood up, felt stifled in it, uncomfortable, annoyed. The festivals didn't help, either, drawing crowds that only made it worse.

In Taldera, at least, she could simply meet with her contacts at the gate and trade the snowy pelts for mizas, but she had no contacts here. Had given up the familiarity of routine for the chance at finding... something. She didn't know what yet. Only knew that she was empty, somewhere deep, and filling that with solitude and self-loathing hadn't done anything to assuage it. Not that she'd really given up either one, but at least now she was willing to try it out among the people.

It was daytime, at least, which meant less drunks running around causing trouble. But she knew she smelled like wolf, even worse now that she was sweating beneath the stifling wool cloak in the warm Spring sunshine. Warm to her, who'd spent her short life in the frozen wastelands of the north. Maybe she should sell the cloak, or trade it for something cooler. After a bath. She needed a bath. But first she needed to sell the dozen snow-hare pelts that were tied to her pack.

Not that she really knew how to do that. But she was clever enough to avoid actually entering the city if she could help it, so instead wound her way along the walls of the city until she picked up the scent of tanning chemicals. That she recognized, and wrinkled her nose sharply as it invaded her nostrils.

She shoved open the door and padded inside, her boots almost silent as she crept into the store. She hated the smell, wouldn't be able to get it out of her nose for a week, but there was nothing for it. She sniffed again, trying to catch the scents of humans underneath the chemicals, and instead caught the musky scent of cat - some big cat, and her shoulders hunched cautiously as her head snapped around to try and find the source.

[Gossamer]

Miharu


Nabinu was perhaps the blackest skinned man in Syliras. His accent, his friendlyopne manner, his hard work set him out from the crowd. So too did his incredible smile. He smiled one of those smiles for the new commer, and walked around the counter, his eyes crinkling as he got a closer look at the woman. "Ahh... why hello there. How can I help you? You be needin' leather no? Or needin' somethan else, yea?"

As always, Nabinu extended his hand in a gesture of greeting.

[Miharu Mindi]

She shuffled a quick step away when he came around the counter, head bobbing warily as wide golden eyes glued themselves to his face. But he was smiling, and friendly, and that settled her down a little. Another shuffling little sidestep, then a step forward, and she reached out cautiously to grip his hand in return.

"Yes, she said with a nod of her head. "Um. Leather, yes. I need a few things, a belt pouch, dagger sheath. I could probably use new soles on my boots," she said, glancing down at the high-boots strapped to her calves. They did, indeed, look as if they'd seen better days. The gods knew she'd sloughed through most of the Northern Reaches in them, and there were plenty of holes and scars for her troubles. "Maybe new ones, I don't know how much fixing them costs. And... uh..."

She hesitated, eyes glancing around warily, and her nostrils flared again as if she were being especially careful that no one else was here. Was she brave enough to ask? Had to be. She needed this if she was to travel in civilized lands. "A new belt. Something with... with a weak spot, here in front, in case I need to cut it off in a hurry."

In case she needed to cut it and shift, and run, the gold in her pouch be damned - it was her life she was worried about now, and it wouldn't do to wear something that might keep her shackled to this frail human form.

[Gossamer]

Mod NoteI take forever to get back to people on store/shop purchases which is why almost everything in Syliras is self moderated. Feel free to self moderate in the future if you'd like.

He nodded knowingly, and gave her an accessing look. "Nabinu fix you right up, lass." He said, nodding as he kept a mental tally of what he'd give her. His eyes, during the conversation briefly met hers, roamed her form, and then ended at her boots where he studied them. Looking thoughtful, he nodded, then spoke up. "Clearly, there be some damage to them no? But good boots are hard to break in and be comfortable. Those be good boots. I can for all the even wear they show, no?" He nodded. "Soles will gonna be running you 5 copper a boot, but new boots will be running you in the silvers - 5 SM for high, 3 SM for low, or a single gold miza for a set of riding. I gots some that will be fitting your feet just fine too, shall you be wanting new ones." He nodded, letting her decide. "If it be Nabinu making the choice, I'd buy new and resole the old. A man with two pairs of boots - or a lass for that matter - be a rich lass indeed." he said, then wandered off to fetch her other things while she decided.

"A new belt, 2 silver, lass and one that don't have to be cut off. Come, let Nabinu show you." He offered up a leather belt that was as black as night. It's front, though was woven in a cleaver manner so that two strips that were dangling actually held the belt in place. However if one was tugged impatiently, they became unbraided the way the leather was woven together, and unzipped so the belt fell free of ones hips without fuss and effort. "Designed it, I did, for those beast people and all the men that be keeping mistresses around this city from their beloved wives, no? " He added with a grin.

Finally, he fetched a leather sheath for her after examining what sort of weapon it would contain. The one he brought would easily hang on the belt he was trying to sell her and oddly enough had a stylized wolf paw stamped into it. "Sorry, lass... all I have is this one. The rest are too narrow or two thick for your blade. This one... this one though will cradle your blade like it was a glove built for a hand. Is good, no? The price is 5 SM." He asked showing her the sheath.

The belt pouch for 10 silver he brought her had stylized trees on it with a moon and what looked to be an eagle circling over head. He had others, ones with patterns stamped all over them that she was welcome to pick one from if she

"Now, you be wanting or needing anything else? We make custom stuff too.. did you decide on the boots or not?" He said, curiously willing to please. Part of it was his good business sense, but by and large the vast majority of it was his myrian heritage.

[Miharu Mindi]

She watched him carefully, every move cataloged by sharp golden eyes until she finally nodded, and crouched down to begin unstrapping her boots.

"I'll take it all then," she said decisively, "and just resole these and I'll wear the others out of here. If you can have these ready for tomorrow, that would be best. I... I don't think I'll be staying very long."

She stood and handing them over, and his friendliness finally inspired a tiny smile in one corner of her mouth. "You're Myrian, no? I've been thinking of perhaps traveling there. I've heard stories of strange, dangerous beasts there that might be worth a hunter's attention. Is it... may I ask, what's the best way to get there from here?"

[Gossamer]

Miharu

"Ahh yes, I be Myrian. And these boots will be ready with new soles tomorrow. I'll work quickly and make them sturdy." Nabinu seemed to consider Miharu's question and looked thoughtful. "I took a boat to Black Rock from the Falyndar coast then sailed upwards past the great waterfall city to Syliras itself. I came here because it was a land of opportunity. Falyndar, you see, is not so good for men with ambitions that want businesses of their own. You have to marry, no? Then she make the decisions, which if she have no business sense, can mean disaster if she don't listen. I left my wife in Taloba, I did, with her poor business sense and her sisters and mother and all the other idiots of her clan to come here. You'd best stay out of the jungle. A wee thing like you would be no more than a snack to the bigger things that live there. There's tigers and leopards and elephants that will stomp you flat after they gore you. There's Rhinoceroses and birds ... I miss the beautiful birds. But thats all the jungle has going for it. The bugs detract. Syliras has no bugs, ya see..." He said with a grin.

It sounded like he didn't appreciate the female dominated society at all. "If you go there for the hunting, lass, you'll be biting off more than you can chew. Even if you aren't exactly what you seem to be, no?" He said smiling once more.

[Miharu Mindi]

A long-suffering sense of pride had her nostrils flaring, and amber eyes narrowed a little as she peered at him. "I have spent my life hunting the great monsters of Taldera," she said defensively. "And quite successfully. It is time I look for something more challenging. At least in Falyndar, I have heard they are accepting of... my kind," she said, sighing a little for the subterfuge. Neither of them were fooled. "I'm better with claw and tooth than most men are with bow and spear. Besides, it's not as if I've any better options."

She glanced around the store another moment, but something like defeat began to weigh at her shoulders. "You are built for business, and I am built for the wilds. I would be no more happy in this city than I you were in your wife's home. Perhaps it's better if we trade, then, yes? If I'm to be squished by an ele-whatsit, at least I'll do it with some shred of dignity."

[Gossamer]

Miharu

"Ahhh don't get your back up, girl. I was just baiting you to see if there was fur under there to ruffle and I see old Nabinu isn't far off his mark is he? If you be a wild thing of tooth and claw and feisty rage, you'll fit in perfectly there. But let me assure you... you'll be needing a few things, no?" With that, he disappeared into the back. He came back with two things, one was a tin of powder, and the other was a large canister of what looked like shoe polish though it was clear.

"Now, you be owing me some coin for the services, but this is free, no?" He handed her the large tin of powder and the canister. "The powder you keep in your shoes... whether they be wet or dry. Keep them well dusted. There's fungus in the jungle that likes skin, too much, if you ask me. It will get between your toes and eat at the skin and be mighty uncomfortable wither your feet look human or you have paws. The other, this canister, is for your skin. You take it and put it all over. It smells like mint but its a special brew of beeswax infused with herbs the bugs don't like. They won't bite you, which is a good thing, cause those bugs have poisons in their bites. They can make you sick where you cough up blood and drown in your own fluids. This... will help, no?" He pushed the two products towards her with a friendly grin, the same one that had gotten her to open up in the first place. "And you pay Nabinu, right? So I can get to work on those soles so they will be ready on the morrow." He said with a chuckle. He wouldn't even count her coins to make sure they were right. Kelvics tended to not count very well anyhow. But he'd definitely see her off and make sure she got great soles on her old boots. She'd need them where she was going.