Open [Surya Plaza] Lhavit's Desert Rose

[Nasira]

2nd Day of Summer, 514 AV Nasira liked Surya Plaza. She liked it when she was dancing, and she liked it even more when she wasn't. The Plaza was always full of life, and full of people, on just about any day at any hour except perhaps for the rests. Right now, it was just after the Noon Rest, and the plaza was beginning to come alive again. The young Benshira girl walked through the streets, chewing on a meat pastie from the Jugged Hare in one hand as she watched the people pass her by on her other side. Lhavit's people dressed like colorful birds, another thing she loved about the city. A few gave her curious looks as she passed, but Nasira was used to them. She knew that her race wasn't usually seen up here, but what did that matter to her? As far as she was concerned, she was a citizen of Lhavit, born and bred, the deserts of the Eyktol region nothing more than her mother's dream. The young girl strolled through the streets, wondering what else she could do on her day-off. The city was preparing for Okomo Day. Maybe she should go see how things were going there. She had the strangest urge to go paint an Okomo horn for some reason. Nasira shrugged, chalking that one up to the heat from the sun and taking another bite from her meat pastie. Maybe she'd go get some tea. Or find someone to strike up a conversation with. She was in the mood for a conversation all of a sudden. The girl paused, scanning the street as she looked for a likely victim.

[Asha]

OOCPainting an okomo horn could be interesting! Asha goggled as Surya Plaza spread out before her in a wide display of beautiful gardens surrounded by a massive temple and countless glittering shops with tempting wares in their windows. Her second day in Lhavit and she still was not used to the sights. Every time she rounded a corner or climbed steps she was greeted with new wonders to behold. The architecture and layout of the city was so different from anything she had experienced it felt like walking through a marvelously surreal dream. Her bare, callused feet pulled her forward and past the shops with their tempting wares on display and the riotously colorful gardens. She loved flowers but she determined not to get swept up in beautiful blooms too soon, not when there was so much of the city still to discover. The people that inhabited this place competed with the flowers for most brightly adorned and Asha’s eyes grew tired from the shiny glitter of jewelry both simple and intricate. Asha’s open-mouthed staring of the beautiful Plaza was abruptly ended by a deep gurgling noise in her stomach that caused several people near her to stare with a little alarm. Asha felt her cheeks heat up as she patted her furred stomach and tried to give her most friendly smile. She had almost forgotten that she had not eaten since much earlier that morning. She unfamiliar with the cuisine of the city and was unsure what kind of food to sample. Most of the restaurants she had passed had smelled tantalizing but also exotic and strange to her foreign nose. Her gaze fell on a younger human woman standing and eating a breaded looking object. Careful to fix a friendly smile on her face Asha hesitantly approached the girl slowly, remembering that some residents here had shown some nervousness to be near a Jamoura woman. “Pardon me, what is it that you are eating there? Which shop did it come from? Sorry to bother you if I’ve interrupted anything. I’m new to the city and still trying to find some good places to get a meal.”

[Nasira]

OOCIt's one of the Seasonal Challenges, and I'm trying to figure out how to do it, but it sounds like the sort of thing Nasira would do. Nasira's eyes widened as what looked like a large beast approached her, speaking in a deep voice and asking her about the pastie in her hand, of all things. Was this a woman? She thought it was, but she'd never seen a creature like this before. She remembered hearing stories as a child though, about a race of giant apes that lived in the forest and were very wise. They were called Jam...Jam...Jammeries or something like that. Yes, she thought, proud of herself for having made that deduction. This woman was clearly a Jammery! Now that she knew what the woman was, the surprised expression on her face faded, a spark of interest appearing in Nasira's crystalline blue eyes. A speaking ape might have been a little strange, but a tourist? Well, that, Nasira knew how to handle. "This?" she asked, pointing at the half-eaten meat pastie. "It's a meat pastie, from the Jugged Hare back there. The butcher shop. They're pretty good, and only about three topaz kina, if you've got that on you. I'm not sure what kind of meat's in them, though. Now that I think of it, probably squirrel." She paused, frowning down at the pastie in her hand suspiciously before shaking her head. Squirrels made good eating, sometimes. A thought occurred to her, and she turned back towards the strange woman. "Wait, do Jabberwockies even eat meat?" Now that definitely didn't sound right. Nasira made it her mission to learn what this woman's race was called before this conversation was done.

[Asha]

Asha knit her brows and tilted her head to the side quizzically. When the gears in mind finished working and she realized that Nasira was referring to her she let out a bark of laughter and clapped a hand to her mouth. Several passersby were startled by the bestial laugh and turned to stare. Asha gained control of her laughter and lowered her hand back to her side. “My apologizes, I’ve never been referred to as a jabberwocky before. You are close though, my kind are called Jamoura. We hail from the Spires, in the region of Taldera. We do indeed eat meat, though only what we as individuals are able to hunt. Oh, and I go by Asha.” Asha smiled, talking about home made her miss it a bit but she was warmed by the memory of it. She tucked those memories away for another time to linger on. “Squirrel meat is certainly familiar to me. I thought the meat might be from one of those strange big goat creatures I’ve seen around this city. They have horns unlike any I’ve ever seen on other animals.” She scratched her chin thoughtfully as she considered the creatures she had seen around the city. They were big, perhaps not so big as some of the creatures that grew to enormous proportions in the Talderan wild, but big enough to carry humans around. Their horns were the strangest part about them though. They glittered in an unnatural way, glass-like way. She had wanted to get a closer look many times but she didn’t want to bother the humans working with them. Another gurgle of her stomach reminded her that she still had to feed herself. This Jugged Hare place the young woman spoke of sounded tempting though Asha was enjoying the conversation and ordered her appetite to wait a few chimes.

[Nasira]

OOCI figured it out ^^. Apparently volunteers can paint up the Okomo horns before Okomo Day! Jamoura, from Taldera. Nasira made a note to remember that for next time. She smiled brightly as Asha introduced herself, unashamed of her mistake. People made mistakes sometimes, and as long as Asha wasn't offended by it, Nasira wasn't going to trouble herself about it. Why bother? "I'm Nasira," she said, "Nice to meet you. Isn't Taldera where the Vantha come from?" She knew of Vantha, just about everyone in Lhavit did. They made amazing storytellers. The last time she had heard one speak at a tavern, she'd been so enthralled that she almost missed the Dawn Rest. But that wasn't really here or there. She frowned slightly, listening to Asha's description, then grinned when she realized what animal the Jamoura woman was talking about. "Are you talking about the Okomo?" she asked, resting one hand on her waist. "No, we don't eat the Okomo. I'm pretty sure you can get killed for messing with one. They're very important to Lhavit. They're gifts from the gods, you know. Caiyha made them for Zintila and the Ethaefal after the Valterrian." Her voice took on a slightly solemn quality as she spoke, almost reverent. Like most Benshira, Nasira had a healthy respect for the gods, unlike most Benshira, she didn't limit that to just one. "They're really something, aren't they?" she asked. A thought occurred to her, and her eyes brightened. "Hey! If you're going to be in the city for a while, you should come to Okomo Day. It's in three days, on the fifth. It's a big city-wide celebration where everyone comes and presents gifts to the Okomo. The city gets volunteers to paint up their horns too. I've been thinking of doing it this year. You should join me!" She couldn't think of a better way to show a newcomer her city than by participating in one of Lhavit's festivals. Though Nasira had never been anywhere else, she was of the firm opinion that no one threw a party like Lhavit. After dark, of course. Her thoughts, however, were interrupted by the sound of Asha's stomach growling. She'd almost forgotten what brought on this conversation in the first place. "I guess you're pretty hungry, aren't you?" she asked. "Come on. I'll show you where the butcher shop is. Then, if you want, I can take you to a place where they make great tea! They give fighting lessons too. I'm trying to learn how to fight from them, but the old man says I have to pay first..." As she spoke, she started walking, heading towards the butcher shop. It seemed like Asha was going to learn one other fact of Lhavitian life from this conversation—that Nasira had limitless energy.

[Asha]

OOCCool! It sounds really neat, we should definitely try it if you are up for it! “Thanks, I am pretty hungry. That tea shop sounds delightful as well, tea is harder to come by in the Spires so I’ve sampled it only a few times.” Asha gave Nasira a sheepish grin, hoping her hunger had not adversely affected the young woman’s schedule. Nasira didn’t seem like she had any particular place to be so Asha relaxed and fell in step beside her. She had been nervous about meeting new people in Lhavit and, while she had been given many strange looks and sometimes openly stared at, she was beginning to feel more comfortable in the city and appreciated the friendliness Nasira had shown her. As they walked Asha recalled Nasira’s earlier explanation of the okomo and comments on the Vantha. An opportunity to observe the okomo closer and even participate in some of the city festivities was exciting. Asha was eager to see a Lhavit festival; a city as big and ornate as this one must have some spectacular events. ”The Vantha are from Taldera as well, however they live further North then my people do. I believe their city is called Avanthal, I’ve heard the elders say that it is a city that is constantly in winter and there is snow as far as the eye can see. Groups of Vantha visited the Spires on occasion and they always told the most outrageously fun stories.” Asha explained what little she knew of the Vantha as they walked, her hands occasionally reaching out to gesture and accentuate her words. She loved to share knowledge and sometimes got a little too excited explaining what she knew: her gesturing hand almost knocked one Lhavitian woman in the head though Asha noticed just in time to draw back. As they neared the Jugged Hare Asha sniffed at the delightfully spiced aromas that wafted out of the front door each time it was opened. Entering the shop, Asha paused the conversation and ordered a meat pastie from the startled shopkeeper. Asha turned back to Nasira as she waited for the shopkeeper to remove a hot pastie from the oven and carefully wrap it in paper. That Okomo Day you mentioned sounds really fun, I’d love to go and get a chance to see the creatures up close. And if they are a gift from Caiyha, then I must certainly pay my respects to her creations. The Jamoura came about through Caihya’s intervention as well so I suppose I have something in common with them. Interesting thought.” Asha smiled happily at the thought. Because of Caihya’s great importance in the history of the Jamoura, Asha always made time to pay respects to the great goddesses workings. Asha turned to accept the wrapped meat pastie with a smile and handed over a few coins in payment. She turned back to Nasira and frowned slightly. ”What kind of gift is appropriate for an okomo?” Asha turned to leave, waiting for Nasira to lead her to the tea shop. She bit into the pastie with gusto and was surprised to find it was a little spicy. She could handle the spiciness and relished the savory flavors but under her black fur she had gooseflesh. There was much to get used in Lhavit though thankfully most of it was delightful. Ledger-3 tk

[Una Tanta]

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Bewildered Una moved through the plaza halfheartedly. The swaying view of the ocean beneath and the teetering clouds above Unas brow left her vaguely dizzy as she peaked Zintia. Slender arches and bridges rose around the outskirts of the Plaza leading to the peaks of the nearby peaks which they city stretched between. The plaza, she had been told, was the heart of all the festivals and she could see instantly why. No place was as wide and open as this in Wind Reach and no place contained such stomach churning views in the desolate plains of the North outside Avanthal.

Large squares of shops crowded into the vast floored plains and as Una moved through the swathes of people she couldn't help but feel as if she moved against a tide. Moving on land had never felt so like swimming. Okomo festival was in several days and the plaza was rapidly being prepared with swatches of colours and decorative booths and lanterns. Only Avanthalian festivals could compare, but in a land so cold their parties were held indoors or in bundles of fur. Lhavit, much further south, was much warmer than her frigid home and she delighted in the ruffle of cool moist air on her skin.

She had yet to see an Okomo, beyond the drawings and descriptions in the books she'd had her nose in since arriving in Lhavit. The library was more vast and comprehensive than she could ever have imagined a library to be and she gleefully drowned in its endless pool. The glass horned creatures were sacred to the city and few could be seen riding the creatures frivolously about the streets. She had read they were equal parts graceful and brutish, the description was precisely the same for the Dire Polar Bears of Avanthal and Una wondered at the coincidence. Was it only the gods that could make something dainty and simultaneously brutish, was their such beauty in an honest paradox as so to make every god given gift fearsome, strong and beautiful.

She wondered if ever there was a creature made by the gods that was sweet and delicate or ugly and cankerous. Was that simply not the gods way or did they place a paradox in each city to teach their citizens something important about the nature of paradoxes? Una was convinced the gods would never be so unimaginative as to create three creatures of the same weaknesses and strengths. There had to be a cohesive lesson behind the Polar Bear, Wind Eagle and Okomo creation. Though, she wondered, do I dare wonder at the gods?

Bumping into a stranger, eyes blinded by the black of deep thought, Una raised her hands apologizing quickly and hurrying onward. She'd hardly glanced at the sullen face that had greeted her but as she moved on she was once again struck by the style of Lhavitians and as she gazed down at the white threadbare dress that had borne her from Wind Reach to Avanthal and back again she made a note to purchase an outfit such as theirs, one that flowed and peaked like the oceans skin.

Soon Una was lost among the crowd. The sky was a dome of blue, granting neither direction nor the stimulation of the night. All around her was a pool of shimmering clothes, headscarves and hats. Feeling the first bubbles of panic Una ducked into a door. Resting her back against the inside wall heaving a deep sigh of relief Una closed her eyes tightly for a moment. Lhavit was large and clamoring compared to Wind Reach and Avanthal and she was quickly overwhelmed by all that appeared before her.

An elderly tanned face presented itself inquisitively at her making Una back up harder against the wall, "Uh...Hi?" The woman smiled and gestured an open arm into the building, "Are you alright miss? You looked quite terrified." The woman glanced at her through slanted slitted eyes that seemed to search too deep for Unas comfort.

"Oh yes. Just. A lot of people in the streets today." She explained as she followed the womans hand, taking a seat at one of the smaller tables huddled against the order desk. Turning to glance around the shop she was stopped by the hanging carcasses and sliced meat that adorned one wall.

"Oh! Are you looking to buy something? We just made a fresh batch of meat pies!" The woman bustled around the edge of the counter indicating a steaming pile of palm sized pastries. Una felt bile rush up through her stomach, already nauseous the Charoda soon stood in the center of the busy tavern heaving. Salty water and tangled seaweed wiggled from her mouth and lay in a small pool over her feet.

Nose wrinkled and thin lipped the woman scowled at Una, "Well you needn't be SO insulting!" She muttered as she rushed for a mop and the line rushed for the door in a small ineffectual mob. The smell of partially digested vegetables rose thickly in the air forcing Una to cover her own nose though she was secretly grateful that the smell masked the blood and savory smell of meat.

Handing a splintered wooden mop to the Charoda the nameless owner nodded grimly, "Well....clean it up." She instructed tapping he foot impatiently against the floor when Una hesitated. "I-If I stay here any longer I'm go-..." Her stomach heaved again forcing Una to lean against the counter, one hand wrapped tightly around her stomach. The smell of salt and pickled onions made her nose whimper and her stomach froth angrily at her.

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[Kaik Leyr]

One step out the house and Kaik was already regretting leaving his home, however it was a necessary sacrifice. Rarely did he ever go outside except for work and supplies. Today he was simply out to get food, but in order to do this he had to visit the Surya Plaza. He was not thrilled to move through the masses of people, but his stomach had the final say...and it wanted food badly. Behind him stood Arya, wearing her usual attire of a leather cloak and hood. He was grateful for Arya's presence, it helped him relax. His own attire consisted of leather armor and a hood along with a pair of studded gauntlets. Pulling up his hood while holding unto Arya's hand he headed for the plaza. Upon entering the plaza he searched for some sort of food stall but the amount of people there blocked his vision. Holding Arya's hand tighter he wandered through the crowds hopeful to find some food. A stranger bumped into him lost in her own thought. She quickly apologized and took off. One glance at this stranger was enough to spark his interest. She was a Charoda. Never had Kaik seen one, only reading about them in books. He felt the need to perhaps talk with her, but then he didn't know what he could say. Cursing his own social skills he continues his hunt for some food. He soon found himself in front of a tavern. Never thought I'd find you! having barely taken a step inside a mob comes bursting out the building. Waiting till all the people were gone he walks inside to see what happened. Kaik was surprised to see the Charoda women once again, though she looked to be in a bad situation. He takes notice of the pieces of meat and meat pies inside the tavern, to him it was quite obvious why this stranger was in this situation. Pity stirred inside him as the stranger leaned against a counter unable to clean up the mess. He was done watching, he wanted to help. Keeping his hood up Kaik stepped closer to the elderly women and Charoda, "This women clearly does not...I mean can't clean up the mess, I'd ask you be kind enough to clean her up and let me take of the mess." Without waiting for an answer he orders Arya to take the mop and clean the floor, "Perhaps you couldn't tell but she's a Charoda...they're vegetarians, so don't take offense if she get's...er...get's like that around meat..." Kaik never could let his timidness get in the way of his "battles", now he could only hope things would go well.

[Nasira]

OOCSorry for the lateness, guys, been at a conference and been busy! "Great! We should go to the tea shop, then," said Nasira to Asha as the two of them made their way over to the Jugged Hare. The Benshira girl shot the Jamoura woman a grin. "Maybe you can help me finally convince old man Yhavao to teach me fighting." Taking lessons at the Mhakula Tea House had been something Nasira had been thinking of doing for a while, ever since she first observed Guzo Yhavao's granddaughter teaching her students out back. She'd made fighting look like just another form of dancing. Unfortunately, the old man seemed possessed by this notion that high-caliber training had to be paid for. To the tune of twenty-five kina a season, if anyone could imagine that. She listened as Asha explained about the Vantha, taking note of the Jamoura woman's words. At Asha's comment about their stories, she grinned knowingly. Apparently the Vantha were famous for their talent in more places than one. Nasira stepped back to allow Asha to purchase what she wanted to eat, coming back up to resume the conversation once the Jamoura had gotten her meat pastie. "Food, definitely," Nasira said, finishing off the last bite of her own meal. "We always bring food to the Okomo on Okomo day. They don't eat meat though, so fruits, vegetables. People who grow crops bring 'em. And painting their horns up is considered a gift too." Since she didn't grow crops, she was definitely thinking of trying to get in on the painting this year. Nasira turned towards Asha, about to show her the way to the tea shop, when she heard the sound of retching coming from the butcher shop. Nasira's eyes widened, and she quickly ducked away from Asha, weaving through the crowd and ducking her head back into the store. She got there just in time to see Kaik speaking to the store owner as a Charoda woman started throwing up all over the place. Nasira's nose wrinkled, and she stepped forward, quickly taking hold of Una's arm and trying to guide her outside of the shop when Kaik mentioned taking care of the mess. "I'll take care of her," she told the boy. "Don't worry about it." To Una, she said, "C'mon, why don't we go outside? Get some fresh air in you, huh?" Something the other boy said made Nasira's brows rise, though, and she turned towards Una even as she was helping to lead the woman outside to clean her up. "If you're a vegetarian, why were you in a butcher shop in the first place?" she asked, handing Una a cloth to wipe her mouth with.

[Asha]

Asha smiled pleasantly at Nasira’s explanation but her expression turned to confusion as the young woman dashed away and back into the Jugged Hare. Asha finished the meat pasty in two large gulps and followed Nasira’s path back into the butcher shop, still chewing the tender meat. As she crossed the threshold her brows lifted at the scene in front of her. A charoda woman bent over heaving with Nasira dragging at her arm and a young man with a strange, small companion trying to smooth things over with the shopkeeper. The small companion next to the man gave Asha a strange feeling, something was not right about it, but she was too new to the city to judge what was and was not typical. Stepping backwards out of the store, Asha’s eyes quickly searched the nearby area until she spotted a floral arrangement being set up for the upcoming festivities. She handed a small coin to the woman tending the flowers; this was starting to become an expensive day, and plucked a fragrant carnation from the arrangement. Two steps brought her back to the threshold of the Jugged Hare. Two more steps brought her to the chaotic scene Nasira was leading the charoda woman away from. “Here, focus on the smell of this.” Asha held out the carnation to the charoda woman. Asha was sympathetic to Una’s plight. She was not a vegetarian but the smell and sight of blood was uncomfortable for her and usually made her ill if she had to deal with it too closely. The butcher shop gave her some discomfort but she kept her eyes averted from any drippy cuts and the scent of spiced cooking meat permeated the whole shop. ”Do you need any more help with clean up?” She turned her head and called out the question to the young man and the shopkeeper as she waited for Una to accept or decline her offered flower. She had not real desire to clean up what appeared to be barfed up ocean but she doubted the young man did either and so resigned herself to assist if needed. Ledger-1 jk