Supplies for a new journey

by **Taren Coballon** on July 29th, 2018, 5:56 am

39th Summer of 518

Taren steps out of his house and is still walking with a bit of limp from his fall on the Sea of Grass however the leg is healing nicely. The cut and bruise was bad but the more of a bother than anything to the large blue Akalak. Although it has been a few days since his return to Riverfall, he has not felt at peace since and the sea has been calling to him. The smell of the salt air has been an intoxicating him and pulling him to it for meditation while the lapping of the waves calmed his very being. Although RIverfall is and will always be home for him, he knows he must leave it for at least some time to find his peace. During his meditations he had overheard sailors talking of Syka and he knew that is where he needed to go even with knowing almost nothing about the place, both of him knew that is where he must go as if some invisible force was pulling him there.

After his experience in the Sea of Grass he knows that he needs some new supplies and equipment but with his limited funds he tries to keep it minimal for now and only the items he feels he will have trouble finding elsewhere and things he feels will be necessary in the jungles of Syka. Never being outside of Riverfall and the Sea of Grass leaves Taren with no real understanding of what he is in for in and around Syka. For the moment at least he has made a short list of items that he wants and is planning on going to get them today. Wearing pants that has one leg bottom torn off and both legs with various small cuts, backpack slung loosely over his right shoulder, sword and Lakan on his hips, and his normal gruff attitude in full swing and thinking to himself, “This is what’s best” all the while mumbling ”This will be best”. With no debate to be had, he of course works on making it happen.

The walk is slow but Taren is also taking in the sights, now with the knowledge of his departure he looming and he doesn’t know if or when he may return. Noticing the sounds of the birds chirping in the distance, the sounds of the city waking up in the morning and smells of the foods baking in the homes. Boys, servants, and slaves running errands busily as Taren makes his way to the Zhonjie Warrens for his first purchases to be made for the day. As he threads his way around the city and thinking he will watch himself very carefully to not get taken advantage of. Pulling himself up to his full 7’2” height and putting a grimace on his face he declares ”I have this under control” as he enters and weaves his way between the various customers to find his items.

Thanks to Gossamer for the boxcode

by **Taren Coballon** on July 29th, 2018, 3:57 pm

Taren walks through the stalls of the various vendors selling wares of one manner or another from all over the city and items brought in. Occasionally inquiring on items here or there and avoiding the growing number of people shopping. Preferring to barter with his own people because they were usually more stable on their prices than some of the more transient vendors. He purchases a new pair of pants from a boy and a rucksack from an older Alkalak. He was forced to purchase a sack and waterskin from a strange old human with dark, shifty eyes that made him very uneasy. Although he received a fair price the encounter set off his inner warnings and he became even more watchful. Stuffing his new items into his pack he moves on to find his last item for here. As he moves into the crowd he notices a half hooded woman with light curly hair and dark blue eyes watching him way too intently to be comfortable. She also had a small black mouse with red beady eyes that also seemed to be intent on him looking out from behind her collared neck causing shivers to run up his spine in a heartbeat. His first reaction as he moved was to make sure his lakan was loose in its sheath as he would have no room to use his sword in this crowd and then he checks his surroundings for any shady looking people around him. Although crime isn’t bad in Riverfall it does sometimes from time to time, automatically switching into more of a fight stance so he isn’t caught off balance if an attack were to happen.

Finally finding his last item, a hatchet of sorts for survival needs should come in quite handy to set up shelters, snares, or whatever he may need in the wild. Although it definitely isn’t any real weapon he did try to pick the best one off the supplies they had choose from and is even cursed out a bit by the merchant when he steps to the side of his table and strikes it a time or two on the walkway to make sure the handle wasn’t cracking but avoiding damage to the edge. The merchant was far more civil to him as he stood back up to his full height and towering over the merchant by almost two feet. The half hatchet passing his test and an acceptable price from the merchant.

This should cover the cost of the hatchet, do we have any further issue?” Taren inquires gruffly as he hands the coins over to the merchant and steps slightly closer to the merchant. The bass of his voice quietly rumbling as he speaks

“SHYK…… no” the merchant stammers as he takes the offered coins and has too look nearly straight up to see the tall akalak’s face. “Umm…. That should cover it nicely and thank you for your business this morning”.

Stuffing the hatchet into his pack and turning to leave he hears the merchant exhale loudly as he leaves his stall. “That’ll do” he mutters to himself and chuckles as he starts for the exit to the streets again. The chuckle dying on his lips as he notices the hooded lady buying something from a nearby stall paying no attention to him but the head of the mouse sticking out from the edge of her hair is once again watching him eerily.

Thanks to Gossamer for the boxcode

by **Taren Coballon** on July 30th, 2018, 3:35 am

The sense of impending danger again grips Taren as he makes his way out of the crowds and to the streets and is very vigilant of any additional threats. The injury on his leg is also being aggravated by the close quarters of the crowds although only the mouse seems to take any notice of him at all as everyone else appears preoccupied by their own business. His mind racing as to who or what would have that kind of interest in him and why?”Do they take us for any easy mark?” Is his mind finally falling to madness? ”Was I added to the watch list or is the Cerulean watching us?” The questions and thoughts swirled around his mind quicker than he could realize each one. For an instant and just an instant he closed his eyes and exhaled, calming body and mind to focus himself on the moment at hand.

Now moving out of the crowd and into more open streets, Taren hurries down the street and turns the corner to wait and see if anyone follows. Leaning against a wall he stretches out his shoulder and back slightly just in case and also takes the chance to rest his injured leg for a chime or two. For quarter of a bell he waits with no indication of anything amiss so he finally looks back around the corner to find nothing but his sense of danger. It takes another quarter bell for his senses to feel normal but is still uneasy about the whole situation and that will not go away any time quickly. Finally Taren moves on to finish gathering his supplies however the way he is currently feeling he changes his next stop to Arma’Dex Smithy deciding you can never have enough cold steel at your disposal.

Moving along the streets as fast as his injured leg allowed him kept a watchful eye around himself but found nothing amiss. Things in the city were as they should be people were acting normally it would seem. ”To be fair, other people are acting normally it seems” he mutters and laughs at himself. As he nears the armory he can hear the normal sounds of hammer and anvil ringing in the distance while the outside of the shop has various large arms for sale in racks just outside the door. Quickly picking through the spears he selects a short spear that isn’t flashy or intricate but looks to be a good quality workmanship and a slightly smaller spearhead than the others. Spinning it around in hand and hefting it, the weight of it felt good in his hand while the balance seems to be right to allow it to fly straight and true.This one should suite his needs well enough so with it in hand he enters the shop to find and purchase his items.

Thanks to Gossamer for the boxcode

by **Taren Coballon** on July 30th, 2018, 3:37 am

One of the smiths, Haiduk was inside and working in the store at the moment and helps Taren to pick out a pair of throwing daggers that would be good for Taren’s skill level or lack thereof. Although Taren knows who he is and has seen him around before, he has never met him personally before today. While discussing the knives, Haiduk also agrees the spear would be a good fit for Taren as well. After Taren pays for the equipment, he thanks the smith for his time and help on his purchase as he drops the daggers into the top of his pack for later and exits the store with short spear in hand.

On his way to Loads of Leather for some armor he stops at Palla’s Carvings to buy a set of the carved bowls. With just spending a couple of chimes in the store, he returns with the bowls in his pack and continues to Loads of Leather. Once he enters the leather store, he starts to look for a set of leather armor that he wants to take with him. Although armor is nothing he likes to wear as it feels very restrictive to his movements, he wants a set in case he needs it. He finds a nice set of armor that fits him well and will protect him as needed. He also finds a set of leather boots that go up the calf to protect his feet and ankles in the wilds and a new leather belt to attach his weapons to. He also notices a sling and bullets, never giving it much thought before but thinking a skill like that might have plenty of uses besides attacking. He quickly adds them to his pile and purchases the stack of items from an Akalak lad in the store, he stacks them into his pack as neatly as possible due to the pack starting to get full by now and most of the day has slipped by. His earlier inhibitions have melted away as the day progresses except for a nagging anxiety that lingers with him about being watched but he can’t find anything out of the ordinary around him.

On leaving Loads of Leather and his list is almost complete he searches for his last couple of items. The torches he finds quickly and easily in a nearby shop so he purchases them and continues on his search. The second item he is unable to find so he is forced to return the bazaar to find it. Taren quickly returns to the bazaar and searches for the vendor to purchase a hammock from, buys it quickly, and leaves the market as quickly as possible. His short excursion into the marketplace revealed nothing new, nor any sign of the hooded lady, and no one seemed to notice his passing through even so with hammock and spear in hand, while his pack was on his back he starts to head for home.

As Taren heads home, he notices a small dark shape off to his side darting between the shadows of the buildings so he stops to look slightly closer. The movement stops and as Taren looks, he finds a little black mouse has stopped and is staring back at him with red eyes!

Thanks to Gossamer for the boxcode

by **Taren Coballon** on July 30th, 2018, 3:39 am

With no idea on how or why a little black mouse could follow or even watch him, it made no sense at all.

”How about if I either eat you or even better yet step on you!” Taren says grumpily. However the mouse just sits there and stares back at him in fear , looking like he doesn’t know which way to run.

“Now, what or who are you? Could you be a kelvic sent to spy on me?” He replies to himself as he stands back up and looks more intently at the mouse. Not even certain the mouse is the same one from earlier in the morning as he sees nothing to tell it apart from possibly any other black mouse in the city. The mouse uses this opportunity to continue running down the street as Taren laughs at his own lack of mental discipline.

“Have you gotten lost son?” says a concerned voice out of the darkness.

Taren automatically spins to the sound of the voice and starts to reach for his lakan before he recognizes his grandfather’s voice. “No more than normal it seems” Taren replies solemnly.

Tarlan steps out the doorway and starts to walk with Taren. “So you are still planning on going thru with your plans with the move to Syka?” he asks of Taren.

”Plans haven’t changed, been purchasing stuff all day long” Taren replies gruffly. “Without be able to explain it Grandfather, I feel a pull from there as if I have a lakan there but I know I don’t”. Taren also notices his father is carrying a small box.

Tarlan says “We have noticed a distance grow between your halves and even from us over the last years. Only you can repair this break in your soul, since you set your mind on going I have noticed a calmness settling over you. Always remember your family is here and will be here but I now fear you have to go for yourself as well”

“I’ll return at least for a visit when I’m able” Taren responds honestly. “Permanently if I can but I do not know if or when that will be possible, only time will tell”.

“I know son, just want you to always remember that thought, regardless of what or where you find yourself, in or outside of Syka” Tarlan states intently “Your Father, your son, and I only want your balance restored again”. As he finishes his thought he stumbles and drops the box causing the entire box of red balls to fall all over the street.

Tarlan laughs at the site and the two Akalaks proceed to pick up the balls and put them back into the box. After they finish picking up the balls, the two akalaks have a much less serious discussion about a variety of subjects as they finish delivering the balls to a merchant ship captain down at the harbor. Once completed the two head their own directions to get home for the night.

ledger :

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Thanks to Gossamer for the boxcode

Solo Supplies for a new journey