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[Tvarrick Snowsong]

3rd Day of Summer, 516 AV

So many people all in one place! Tvarrick couldn’t believe how many people seemed to be packed into such limited confines. And the noise! The deafening din of conversation was punctuated by the owners of the multitude of stalls advertising their wares. To someone used to living alone with his family in the country this place, Tvarrick thought he had heard it called the Great Bazaar, was quite overwhelming.

Tvarrick stood and stared, trying to take it all in and not noticing as the flow of traffic was forced to pass around him until someone roughly jostled his shoulder, sending him reeling into a grizzled older man who smelled strongly of fish. “Country bumpkin,” the man muttered unkindly, shoving Tvarrick out of his way and towards the row of stalls lining the corridor. Stumbling away, Tvarrick turned and grinned widely at the man’s retreating back, briefly tipping the wide brim of his hat in unseen thanks. Finding temporary refuge between a stall selling etched silver and another selling cloth woven with strange patterns, Tvarrick was about to resume his observations when a small brush against his back ’minded him of a man he would much rather forget.

”Not like that boy,” His father clouted Tvarrick roughly on the shoulder. “The pick is the simplest tool in the trade, if you can’t even manage this, than what good are you? Where have those tricksty little fingers of yours gone? Now again.” Folding his arms, Tvarrick’s father once more turned his back on the boy and closed his eyes.

“Yes father,” Tvarrick replied, having learned long since that any other response would just invite more abuse. He studied his father’s waist, about which was a belt laden with pouches, His task was to remove an item from one of them without his father catching him doing so. They had started after morning breakfast and it was now well past lunch. Tvarrick’s growling stomach was a sad testament of how well the activity was going. Trying a new tact, Tvarrick padded silently up to his father’s right side. Reaching for a pouch on his hip, Tvarrick’s shoulder slightly bumped his fathers. Like a viper, his father’s hand shot down, clamping tightly upon the boy’s right wrist.

“Confound it boy!” Tvarrick’s father growled, “Can’t you do anything right?” His father tossed his empty hand away. Instead of looking dispirited however, Tvarrick grinned broadly at his father. “Well boy?” the gruff old man demanded, “What’s so funny about failure?” In response, Tvarrick held up a small, carved statue hidden in his left hand. While his father had been distracted by his right, the left had fished it out of a different pouch. Tvarrick’s father snorted. “About time”, he muttered, “Go eat something, I can hear your belly from here. It’s giving you away.” Tvarrick turned toward the house, “And wipe that cheeky grin off your face,” his father called after him, “piss poor skills like yours be nothing to be proud of.”

Now, Tvarrick’s own hand shot out, attempting to grab a wrist. Instead it found a small shoulder. Turning, Tvarrick looked down to see a small boy, probably no more than nine, frozen with his little hand outstretched. “Now lad,” Tvarrick admonished if a grin, “that is no way to greet someone.” Squatting down to the boy’s level, Tvarrick held up two empty hands. With a grand flourish, a silver miza appeared grasped edgewise betwixt two fingers. The Boy’s eyes widened. See he now had the boys rapt attention, Tvarrick’s smile broadened. He never could resist an audience. He began running the coin back and forth over the backs of his fingers. The boy’s gaze followed the coin. With another flourish, Tvarrick passed to coin into his left hand and held out to fists to the boy. “Tell you what little one,” he said. “If you can find the miza, it’s yours.” The boy immediately pointed to Tvarrick’s left hand, but when Tvarrick opened it there was nothing there. The boy’s face fell, and Tvarrick opened his other hand as well revealing it to to be empty, the coin now grasped flatwise between Tvarrick’s long fingers and hidden by his outfacing palm. The boy’s eyes bulged. “That’s weird,” exclaimed Tvarrick, putting on a puzzled face, “I could have sworn it was right here. Oh!” Tvarrick reached behind the boy’s ear, seeming as if by magic to pull out the coin. “Why didn’t you tell me you already had it, you sly thief?” Tvarrick grinned, showing the amazed kid the miza. “Run along now, and be more careful not to get caught” Tvarrick said, flipping the coin to the boy, who snatched it out of the air and hastily disappeared into the throng of people. Straightening, Tvarrick turned and resumed his survey of the Great Bazaar, hoping to find someone who could help him get his new life started.

[Crystal Nightshade]

The fabric here was beautiful. There were vests and dresses of all sorts here. Though I'd probably never wear the latter, she thought with a small smile. As she turned, she saw a kid pickpocketing another gentleman, concerned when the man grabbed the child, Crystal rushed over only to see the man give the kid some coins. She exhaled, shoulders relaxing. She was glad it hadn't have ended worse. She made her way through the hordes of people and tapped the man's shoulder. He appeared lost other than dealing with the kid, and she figured it couldn't hurt to help him out a bit. "Good way of dealing with the kid, stranger. Are you lost or something?" She looked at the man, giving him a swift once over and a smile. He looked like your average person, except for his clothing. Then she noticed his eyes. They were a vibrant purple like color, odd considering she'd never seen anyone with such. She briefly wondered if he was human, but abandoned the thought process before her staring became rude. "Pardon me for staring, your eyes are very unusual, unique even." She apologized with a smile. It wasn't everyday she spoke to someone new, so she didn't want to ruin a possible friendship over something silly. She extended her hand to him before beginning her introduction. "I'm Crystal by the way; Crystal Nightshade." If he took her hand, he'd probably notice it was quite bit rough, but ordinary nonetheless. Either way she would retract after a firm shake and speak. "I haven't seen you around before, is this your first time in the City?"

[Tvarrick Snowsong]

OOCI will be bracketing { } words Tvarrick speaks in Vani instead of using quotes to avoid confusion

Tvarrick turned at a slight prodding of his shoulder to find a young woman about his own age standing next to him. “What else could I have done?” He replied with a smirk. “No kid would be spend his day preforming pick had he any other choice, no? Childhood should be for playing, not earning.” Giving his new friend a closer look he was startled to find, that with her bronze skin, black hair and rounded face, that she quite resembled his mother. Or at least how he imagined his mother may have looked in her younger years. Tvarrick blinked. His mother had said that not many of her people ventured to this part of the world, and here the person he should meet in Sylaris would happen to be one? What fortuitous luck!

Blinking again to return himself to the present situation, Tvarrick found the stranger staring into his eyes. His mother had taught him Vani, and while he could not speak it as beautifully as his mother, Tvarrick still had enough grasp of the basic concept to switch to the musical language of the Vantha as he continued to respond to the woman’s rapid fire introduction. {Thank you sister, they are a gift from my mother} he supplied, smile broadening the said eyes shining. {Though comparing mine to hers would be to hold a candle to the sun.}

Tvarrick grasped her proffered hand warmly in both of his, finding it firm and rough, the trademarks of use. Not wanting to offend her with his rudimentary grasp of the language, Tvarrick returned to Common. “New to the city?” he pondered, “No…and yes. I used to visit with my mother, but it has been some years, and never on my own.” Throwing his hands wide, he slowly turned, taking in the cacophony of the Great Bazaar, “And to be lost, one must have first been found. That is something I cannot claim amidst this amazing riot. Wouldst you be so kind,” Tvarrick asked with a bow, pressing his wide brimmed hat to his chest and fluttering the hem of his long coat with a hand, “as to point my poor soul in the direction amidst I might find some lodging or employ?” Straightening, Tvarrick raised his hands indicating his chest in a helpless and humble gesture, which he immediately spoiled with a grin and a wink from under the broad brim of his hat.

[Crystal Nightshade]

Crystal nodded, indeed there shouldn't be children working to provide for themselves. It wasn't often one saw them running around unless with the orphanage. She noticed him looking at her eye for a second, before he spoke in a language she had never heard before. Perhaps something about her eyes lead him to believe she wasn't a native? Before she could inquire though, he responded in common once again. Crystal chuckled at his gesture and waved it off with a smile. "I sure can. I'm guessing you're looking for the Travelers Row. It's less expensive and the rooms are decent as well." She pointed in to an exit a bit far off, and told Tvarrick to follow her. She was still wondering what language he had spoken earlier, so she made sure the man was following her before asking. "If you don't mind me asking, what Language was that? The one you used earlier?" It was foreign to her, so in all honesty she was curious. Perhaps he wouldn't mind sharing the information. OOCSorry it's short, I'll try to give you more to go on next post.

[Tvarrick Snowsong]

“You must be sent from the gods,” Tvarrick proclaimed, hastening to follow Crystal. “This Traveler's Row sounds just like what I need. Ah! I truly am quite the dullard, aren’t I Miss Nightshade?” He exclaimed, “For I have been so rude as to not proffer even my name.” Taking two long, quick strides, he spun so that he may face her while continuing to walk backward. Tvarrick spread his arms wide dramatically, “I” he projected in his best orating voice, “do be Tvarrick Snowsong but most just call me Vark”

Spinning back to her side, he cast a side long glance in her direction. “Why that was Vani of course! I know my syntax isn’t perfect, but surely you…” With a smack, Tvarrick’s palm hit his face. “You are not of the Vantha, are you?” he sighed, peeking out from between his fingers. “I am so sorry, it’s just, you look so much like my mother, and I assumed, which I shouldn’t have, and now I’m babbling and you must take me for the fool I so clearly am.” He hung his head dejectedly, “I apologize, please say you’ll forgive me?”

Of its own volition, Tvarrick’s hand pulled a coin-like medallion out of one of his coats many pockets and began running it across the backs of his fingers much as he had for the young pickpocket. A nervous habit, whenever Tvarrick felt awkward, embarrassed, or otherwise let his mind wander in deep thought his hands had a tendency to fidget. Putting on his best sad puppy eyes, the ones that had always worked on his mother when he got caught doing what he ought naught have been he gazed mournfully at Crystal.

[Crystal Nightshade]

"It's nice to meet you Vark." Chuckling quietly, Crystal nodded at his introduction. She wasn't sure if he was speaking in a certain to be entertaining, or if he spoke in he same manner all the time. Either way, she seemingly enjoyed his company. Crystal frowned as he looked her a bit sadly. "It's alright, hey, perhaps you could tell me more about Vantha's?" It wasn't often she would get this opportunity, and even if she wasn't much aware of it, she wanted to learn more about this foreign race. She gathered that his spoken language was Vani from his earlier statement. "You don't need to apologize though, it was a small misunderstanding, nothing to be concerned about." She gave him a reassuring smile as she navigated through the crowds. She didn't come to the Bazaar often but she was aware that it could be hectic place to be lost in. Especially when new to the city. Even locals got lost in the place. She hoped they didn't get separated, as that would make her guiding much more complicated. "So where are you from Vark?" Making sure to keep the occasional glance beside her, she attempted small talk to keep the man from feeling out of place. Though it was odd. She wondered what made her look like his mother, but then she revered her earlier thought about his eyes. People often commented that hers were very vibrant, but they were nowhere near Tvarrick's. Soon after they had officially left the indoor market, and were making their way towards the apartments. Once their Crystal would gesture toward the building. "Well, here we are," she looked over the building herself for just a bit. It was a bit worn, but it was still a nice building. "Perhaps out should see what the rooms are like before making a decision..." Tapping her forehead with the back of her wrist, Crystal motioned for him to follow her. "My apartment is this way if you'd like to rest for a bit?"

[Tvarrick Snowsong]

Tvarrick’s jovial mood instantly returned with Crystal’s dismissal of his blunder. “Me?” He asked, “I’m from a little cottage on the outskirts of Mithryn Outpost, but you’d like to know of the Vantha, yes?” A grin once more splitting his cheeks, Tvarrick began to tell Crystal of the heritage he had learned from his mother.

“My father was a regular human, understand?” He began. “But my mother? She was Vantha. The Vantha live in a network of Holds far in the Northern Reaches. Avanthal is the big one everyone hears about, but my mother was from Snowsong where the winds blow through the pines like music. That’s from where I take my name. Mother used to say that all the best stories in all the land originated in Snowsong. That’s actually how she met my father, looking for stories. And the people? Well my mother never had any visitors from home, at least none that I can recall, but as I’ve said, she looked an awful lot like you Crystal.”

Tvarrick paused for a moment to observe how Cyrstal was absorbing his tale. As his mother had oft said, {A good story does not a storyteller make, but a good teller can make any story fit her audience.} Seeing he had not yet lost her, Tvarrick once more resumed his tale.

“Have you heard of Morwen's Lights? They are beautiful lights that light up the night sky over the Northern Reaches.” Tvarrick held his hands aloft, as if he could see such a wondrous display before him even now. “The brightest blues. The richest greens and deepest purples. Fiery reds and vibrant oranges. They all dance together through the night. Long ago, the Vantha descended from Morwen's Lights to come to Mizahar, to share their wondrous stories with all the other races. And the Lights still flow through them to this day. The reflected off my mother’s hair, even when she was indoors. And her eyes. Through them flowed Morwen's swirling lights for they would change on a whim, now piercing blue,” Tvarrick nodded to Crystal, “Then bright violet,” He gestured to his own face, “or to gold, or green. They were beautiful, and I think it was mother’s eyes that truly attracted father to her.”

Glancing around, Tvarrick noticed that sometime during his tale they had left the Great Bazaar behind. In fact, it appeared that He and Crystal had traveled quite a ways. Now they stood in front of a worn but well cared for building, to which Crystal gestured. “Ah, so this is your Traveler’s Row,” He said, “I must admit, it looks far nicer than I had imagined.” Tvarrick brushed aside his thoughts of a dingy, seedy neighborhood, rife with crime. “A rest would be lovely and you are a most gracious host, by all means lead the way.” Tvarrick offered, gesturing for Crystal to procced him towards her apartment.

[Crystal Nightshade]

Upon listening to his history, Tvarrick also confirmed her earlier suspicion. Her eyes were the reasoning of his assumption. She wondered if they were truly as special as he claimed, but discarded the thought by instead focusing on his story. Avanthal sounded really beautiful. Pines that whistled winds like music? It sounded intriguing. Morwen's Lights sounded amazing. Perhaps she could read into it a bit more, but for now they had reached her apartment. "It sounds like a beautiful place." As she unlocked the door, a very hyper dog jumped into her. She stumbled bit, but regained her balance quickly before getting down on one knee. She ruffled the first on the top of the leopard curs head. After the pup noticed the man, he began to bark. "Sit Leo," the dog obeyed. "Sorry about that, he's a bit rambunctious." She entered the home with Leo following close behind. She gestured Tvarrick inside before speaking. "Go ahead and make yourself comfortable," she said before donning a sheepish smile. "I actually don't have anything to eat or drink at the moment..." She hoped the man didn't mind, taking a seat at her table, she gestured to the other three chairs around it. "Oh, you can sit if you like." After a few ticks she spoke again. "So how are you liking Syliras so far?"

[Tvarrick Snowsong]

Tvarrick followed Crystal to her apartment door, and waited patiently for her to unlock it. Upon doing so she was immediately assaulted, and Tvarrick’s hand was halfway to the dagger beneath his coat before he realized Crystal was just receiving an exceptionally enthusiastic greeting from a dog that he took to be her pet. Tvarrick hastily pulled his hand from his coat, hoping that his host was too preoccupied with her companion to notice. The dog, it seemed, took issue with Tvarrick, for it started to bark at him on sight. Crystal calmed the dog, but Tvarrick still scooted warily around him to enter the apartment. His father had never liked dogs, probably owing to being chased by quite a few over the course of his career, and as such Tvarrick had virtually no experience with the animals and decided that this particular specimen should be treated with deference for the time being.

Slumping into a chair at Crystal’s table, Tvarrick waved away her apology at the lack of consumables. “This city is exhausting,” he replied in response to her question. “As my mother was fond of saying,” Tvarrick continued, {One cannot hear the stories for the voices.} Remembering Crystal couldn’t understand his mother’s old Vani saying, Tvarrick hurried to explain. “It means, there is so much going on that the purpose is drowned out.” Tvarrick shrugged helplessly, “I came here to start over. Find a job, start a home, you know? But this place is so big!” he sighed, spreading his arms wide for emphasis, “And there are so many people. How do you manage? I’m afraid I must admit I’m overwhelmed.”

Tvarrick sat deflated for another moment, but then a mischievous twinkle entered his eye. When in doubt, put on a show. Smiling happily, Tvarrick reached once more into his coat, this time pulling out a deck of cards from one of the inner pockets sewn into the lining. “I haven’t even thanked you for all your help, have I?” asked Tvarrick as he began shuffling the deck. “I can’t provide you much I’m afraid, though I would be happy to lend my services to you should you ever need them. In the meantime though, might I offer you some slight entertainment?” Done shuffling, Tvarrick fanned out the cards, holding them face down to Crystal in preparation for his best trick.

“Would you be so kind as to pick a card?”

[Crystal Nightshade]

"I guess it would be overwhelming if one was new to the city... I was actually born here, so I suppose I'm used to it. Though I don't deny that even residents such as myself get lost as well." The ebony chuckled out a reply. She nodded with interest in his form of entertainment. Was he asking her to play a card game? She was about to mention that she didn't know how to play any, but he asked her to pick a card. Nodding, Crystal picked a card from the middle of his hand. The woman had no idea what to do with it, so she held it in her hand. She had Leo beside her, gently rubbing his fur until he had walked out of the room. She tapped her finger nervously on the chairs armrest. "Sorry, I've never played a card game before. Perhaps you could explain how they work?" She sounded hopeful, maybe even desperate. She hadn't played a board or card game in ages. It was a bit embarrassing since most of the people she knew played them often, or at least knew how to play.