[Syliras Location] Mechanical Marvels

[Alistair deGrey]

deGrey arched his eyebrows quizzically, was this not already apparent? "Yes, yes I am. All I need to do is set it up with Grandma-" Alistair's eyes sank to the counter and he pursed his lips in thought. Upon second thought, will Grandmaster Dyres truly approve of this? deGrey scratched the back of his neck, No, it would not work. But wait! "I apologise, but I will be right back madame."

Alistair trotted back to his living quarters and began to rifle through his desk. Somewhere... Right around... Here! He victoriously pulled a slip from his desk, a copy of his business agreement he had scribed before giving it to Dyres. Without reading the document, deGrey jogged back up to Aneira. Alistair lay the slightly wrinkled paper on the counter top, smoothing it out against the black veined rock. He quickly scanned the business agreement, and came to the conclusion that this matter would not be answered within the confines of Mechanical Marvels. "Err, I must apologise madame." deGrey turned slightly red, he was not often caught like this. These flashes of inspiration usually occurred when he was alone, and thus nobody was around when he thought the matter through, "I believe I let myself get a bit impulsive. I do not believe I have the authority to lease out a portion of my premises to you. In order to do this, we will have to speak with Grandmaster Dyres of the Syliran Knights." Alistair took his hand off the paper and dropped it to his side, looking up at Aneira. " However, I would imagine Grandmaster Dyres is preoccupied at the moment. Though you may want to insure yourself and inquire now. But you may have to wait until spring." Alistair bowed as deeply as the counter would allow, "Once more, I apologise. If you would like me to take you to Grandmaster Dyres in the Spring, or possibly sooner, then I would be much obliged." Alistair began to absently tap on the paper, and his eyes dropped. "Or if you are not interested in dealing with Grandmaster Dyres, I could of course design something to your liking."

[Aneira Haimati]

Aneira stood, her eyebrows twisted in puzzlement, as deGrey ran off again. "My," she murmured, as much to herself as to the man who, likely, couldn't even hear her, "You certainly have a penchant for disappearing."

Listening to him rattle around in the back room, she took another glance over the shop's array of wares. Yes, there was much here she would love to take home with her. And not just here, even.

In her mind's eye, she conjured up a few of the more dazzling pieces she had pined for in her visit to the Bazaar, just earlier. There had been an intricate wood carving of a rose. A curious little tea kettle that was too miniature for actually making tea. There were so many things that called to her.

"And you, little dancer," she whispered, clasping the automaton to her chest. Yes, she was lucky she'd struck such a bargain for this one. But she wouldn't have to run on luck for long, she mused. With just a bit of space to craft and display, thanks to deGrey, she'd soon have the coins tinkling in. And then she could bring armfuls home with her from the Bazaar, if she wanted. Save so many little things from becoming just dusty knick-knacks with forgotten stories. She could revive them all. Ah...

Her fancy thoughts were cut short by deGrey smoothing a rumpled paper out before her. His words had the colour of her eyes dimming, but she gave a good-natured laugh.

"Ah, spontaneity. A shame when it has to be reigned in by rules." She tilted her head, thought for a moment. "As for the Grandmaster... perhaps waiting until spring would be best. That gives me a bit more time to gather materials and decide whether I wish to be permanent. Syliras is a beautiful city, but Avanthal always calls to me." With pursed lips, she studied deGrey for a moment. "Thank you, though, for even considering me - a stranger, after all."

[Pua]

~post removed, sorry~

[Gossamer]

1st of Spring, 510 A.V.

A letter was dropped off by a Syliran Knight early on the first morning of spring. The knight was polite but waited until Alistair himself answered before handing over the contents of the letter. It was a simple note, elegantly handwritten on a plain piece of Syliras Stationary.

Greetings Alistair deGrey~ The Syliran Knights feel your services to the city have been invaluable and that your shop has been a great use of the empty space. We'd like to congratulate you on your success and wish you another healthy happy season of profitable business. Because of your shops income, we'd like to offer you a raise of 250 gold rimmed mizahars a season. If your business continues to do well, this offer will be extended and doubled at the end of spring. You have our thanks for your hard work and popularity among the denizens of this fine city. Sincerely, Loren Dyres ~ Grandmaster Syliran Knights

In addition:

Ali Experience: +4 Gadgeteering ~ Seasonal Experience. Additional Notes: Great Work On The Business

[Murdoch]

This is a continuation of this thread.

16th Day of Spring, 510 AV

It was a lovely morning. Early afternoon. Whatever, Murdoch had gotten to bed late. Both he and his little silver companion were snacking away at honey-cakes, though she was the only one who'd paid for hers. Doctor Sticky-Fingers, indeed.

He led Nel into the Castle itself, the third tier already crowded with hawkers and customers. This section of the castle was much like an indoor flea market with shops instead of stalls - but many still stood at their doors and showed samples, yelling for people to come feel this silk, try this bit of cheese, check how sturdy this chair is!

"Now, I'm warning you, this Alistair cat is a strange little fellow. Genius at what he does, no question of that, but from what I hear he's kind of... difficult to talk to. Here we go," he said, tipping his chin towards one of the few shops that didn't have tables and goods out in the corridor. Just a door with a simple sign that said "Mechanical Marvels" - not that Murdoch could read it, but he recognized the bit of paper nailed to the sign, which he knew was some call for invention ideas or some such. He sucked the last of the honey from his fingertips, then yanked the door open and held it for her.

Inside lay a room just a little bigger than their apartment, filled with shelves and shelves of ticking clocks and dozens of other random little gadgets. The ticking itself was a little overwhelming, but he figured it was probably something you could get used to.

Description of Mechanical Marvels from the shop write-up :

Mechanical Marvels lies tucked away on the ground floor (also known as the third tier) of Stormhold Castle. The door itself lies at the end of one of the castle’s many hallways, and has a freestanding wooden sign outside that informs the reader of the shops title. Nailed to the wooden sign is a parchment with a note about invention requests.

The store often times smells of freshly cut wood, or wood smoke from the forge. Though deGrey tries as much as possible to continually air the shop out. Floating into the store from the hallway are the sounds of various chatter and gossip from the Syliran castlegoers. While Alistair is working though, the clangor of metals and wood often distracts the ear from the outside noise.

Upon entering Mechanical Marvels the first room encountered is the display room, dimensions being approximately 20x30. Lined with the various machines and inventions of Mechanical Marvels, this room is often filled with the sounds of ticking clocks. Though sometimes the proprietor does not wind the clocks he has on display. At the far end of the display room is a long counter with marble tops. These counters have glass framed fronts for displaying many of the smaller or valuable goods available at Mechanical Marvels. On the far right where the counter meets the wall, there are two small windows on either side. Instead of giving a view of outside, these windows reveal the workshop of Mechanical Marvels. Also behind the counter on this side is a door that leads back to the workshop.

[Nel Sayo]

Nel was easily distracted.

If she didn't have a clear, determined purpose, she had a tendency to...pay less attention in large doses to any one thing, and pay lots and lots and lots of attention to lots and lots of different things, in smaller amounts. So she'd only really been half-listening to Murdoch all day, and half learning the city. She'd only ever been to Sylaris once before, several years ago, and only for an afternoon. It had been a disaster. There were a lot of people. To this day, Nel could not have said what actually went wrong. She hadn't picked a fight; Sy hadn't broken any laws. He'd taken her to a tavern; it was the first tavern she'd ever been inside that was packed, wall to wall, with people shouting and dicing and drinking. Humanity in all its bloody, sweaty, filthy glory. Nel remembered someone hefting her up into their arms as her knees buckled, and then nothing. When she'd come awake on the ship, everyone just kind of shifted and mumbled and said she'd had a spell, whatever that meant.

So she stayed close to Murdoch. Closer, perhaps, than he probably liked, but unless he shoved her back, she was unerringly nearby. Nervous, but still smiling and looking about at the great whirl of the city.

She licked a bit of honey from where it had dropped to cling at the heel of her palm, and peered into the shop for a second, before walking in ahead of the master thief.

"Whoa," she mumbled, blinking, at the sudden rise of sound.

And, being who she was, she walked immediately over to the first shelf and picked up a gadget, trying to figure out what it did. Gave it a little shake. Like maybe it just needed to wake up.

[Alistair deGrey]

More people, more people, MORE PEOPLE! There was always more people to deal with. There was naught but time enough to breathe before deGrey found himself assaulted by more people. In all actuality, this was a complete hyperbole. As a matter of fact, deGrey had received no customers that entire day. Many things plagued deGrey’s cluttered head, the hair that incessantly grew like black grass being but one of them. His current design had quite the kink in it, and as he heard the two enter he crumpled it up and threw it into the cold ashes of the forge before going to meet them. On his way out there, he thought about his wayward employees. Perhaps I could leave if my damned employees would reveal themselves for only a second. Yes, a corpse would make a lovely watcher of this empty space. Alistair had been planning a small trip to The Spires recently, but thus far the expedition had been called off because he had nobody to look after the shop. In fact, there were a lot of things deGrey could not do because nobody was here to give him a break.

So that was how it happened, with a forcibly blank face and an eye twitching from the immense vexation of the situation, he met the two in the front of Mechanical Marvels. ”Greetings, my good… Sir and madame” Alistair noticed the Konti woman fiddling with some device, and the man also perusing the wares; although the male seemed less interested, and less forceful. On the verge of telling the woman off, deGrey decided against the potentially deleterious action. Not a wise decision to burn bridges before they are built. Alistair moved around the counter to speak with the two, ”I am sure I can help you two somehow?” Alistair’s voice was dripping with sarcasm and he shook his head in mock sweetness, which effectively scattered his hair back over his eyes. It took an immense amount of self control on Alistair’s part to not abandon the two before him and hack every strand of hair off of his head.

[Nel Sayo]

Nel startled when the proprietor suddenly appeared, having been too engrossed in figuring out what the little gadget was meant to do, and how to turn it on.

She blinked and straightened, and the thing popped out of her hands; she snatched frantically at the air, juggling it for a minute, and just barely managed to catch it up between her fingers again before it plummeted to the floor.

Blinking bright blue eyes at Alistair, she smiled. The full wattage of her smile was a thing of lightning, like a glance of sunlight off the point of a rapier. Brief, and blinding, and bright.

A Konti woman, indeed, but she wore no robes or gown or any indication that she had anything to do with that race of Seers; all black, worn leather trousers and a long-sleeved, high-collared chemise. The rapier slung on her hip, and she propped a half-gloved hand on the guard, her posture a standing slouch, somehow regal -- perhaps in spite of the rest of her.

"Hi," she said, amiably, to Alistair. "I think I want a job. Are you hiring?"

Straight and to the point, at least.

[Alistair deGrey]

deGrey's closed his eyes and rubbed his temples as the strange Konti fumbled with the gyroscope. The smoldering anger he had been harboring was mildly abated by her amusing antics, but the harbor still burned. Alistair's gray eyes fixated on the woman, ignoring her accompanying spouse or soon to be spouse or whatever he was. His eyebrows skyrocketed as she asked for a job, outright and completely blunt.

"Usually I... Err... Madame you see that I-" Alistair put his finger above his lips and thought for a second. Of course, he could hire her and then simply let her go after he had finished all the errands he needed to run. Perhaps she may even know some interesting information about the world abroad. The thought of learning about her travels suddenly appealed to Alistair, a Konti had to get from Mura to Syliras somehow. Then Karrin came to mind, and deGrey's mind was made up. "Of course I am hiring. I suppose you must know something correct? Or have at least traveled somewhere. Tell me a small tale of yourself."

[Nel Sayo]

Nel's attention flickered for a moment between Alistair and Murdoch, but then settled again on Alistair. She crinkled her nose in thought, and set down the gadget before she could properly break the thing. After a moment, she stuck her hand out to Alistair.

She wore fingerless black gloves on both hands.

"I'm Nel," she said, and her smile dimmed to something a little more self-deprecating. "I dunno anything about gadgets but I've been all over the Suvan Sea and the coastlines. So, um. And I like clocks."

She blinked. Either he'd say yes or he wouldn't, but she didn't seem all that concerned with which way he wobbled, just interested in what he might say. A remarkably open countenance, hers, pale but easy to read for the affability and genuine niceness exuded, inquisitive eyes with a wealth of unmastered intellect tucked hidden away in their depths.

A waggle of her fingers as she waited for him to shake her hand, like she couldn't be still for more than a few seconds before something in her limbs demanded movement.