[Location] The Halls of Peret

[Colombina]

The Halls of Peret Whoever said wisdom could not be bought had never visited the Halls of Peret. Once a substantial storage facility for grain and government offices, the Halls of Peret is superfluously high and wide for its purposes. It was built in the traditional government style: square, with rounded pillars and surrounding a courtyard. To counter the majestic feeling, most of the floor has buckled to resemble a quarry for marble and the painted borders are fading in a haphazard fashion. Upon entrance one would think they had found a slave market. Voices shout over one another touting various attributes and skills. Foreigners stand quietly next to Eypharians who begrudgingly praise their rare talents and local talents calmly sit with painted signs at their feet. "Excellence in speech!" "Can track a beetle through the Burning Lands!" "Arrows that fly true as Priskil's heart." For a fee of two gold mizas, a teacher can set up shop until a student is found. For another miza, the pair can use one of the Halls spacious, but empty rooms, or the flat courtyard. Teachers charge various prices for their time, but the bare minimum is six mizas. Popular teachers often preside over bidding wars, as hopeful students vie for private audiences. Even in the sphere of knowledge, the wealthy still keep the upper hand. The subjects vary daily as the population changes. When looking for a rare skill, a person often visits the halls for a few months until finding someone. Never ones to miss opportunities, a handful of beer merchants employed by the West Winds walk the Hall selling beer, buttery jackal nuts and dates. Several armored Jackals with their imposing helmets and long daggers patrol the Halls as well, mostly to make sure the vendors are behaving themselves. All in all, the Hall is an excellent picture of the culture of Ahnatep: opportunity favors the highest bidder. OOC NOTES: This is an npc market of sorts. Since you're in the middle of the desert, not every skill will be found at every level. Any Masters of rare talents will likely be the "banished" or mildly unsavory sort. Akvatari are common visitors, as are Benshira and Chaktawe, but instructors are mostly Eypharian. For a one time npc, please contact a local mod with a quick breakdown of the skill level and what you hope to learn. It is preferred that npc's are re-used. Interesting npcs will be listed here with their skill and a link to their appearances. Permission will be easier if the npc is one that has been previously created. Skills Commonly Offered Weapons Tracking Dance Singing Rhetoric Stringed instruments Unarmed Combat Language Pottery Writing Seduction Cosmetology Semhu (Always from the amphitheater) Massage Dual Wield Wilderness Survival Painting Auristics Hypnotism Shielding NPC Teachers Name: Rhol the Striped Jackal Race: Eypharian Date of Birth: 473 AV Place of Birth: Ahnatep Title: Striped Jackal Most Common Location(s): The Courtyard of Jackals, The Halls of Peret Skills: Unarmed Combat 72, Weapon (Short Sword) 61, Dual Wield (Short Sword) 46, Weapon (Glaive) 54, Dual Wield (Glaive) 54, Weapon (Khopesh) 41 Additional Information: Rhol is a tall, humourless, six-armed Eypharian who takes himself and his role as Jackal very seriously. He is disciplined in his study of combat arts, and expects anyone he trains to act accordingly. He claims to have no interest in the “fluff” of Ahnatep society, but some who know him claim that he has a secret passion for Semhu. (Contributed by Thalia) Name: Safret the Teacher Race: Eypharian Date of Birth: 451 AV Place of Birth: Ahnatep Title: Teacher (Rhetoric and Politics) Most Common Location(s): The Halls of Peret Skills: Politics 76, Rhetoric 64, Teaching 51 Additional Information: Safret is a good-natured Eypharian with four arms and a clever wit. Although he was born as an average citizen, his above-average intelligence allowed him to quickly rise as a desired teacher of politics and rhetoric. He specializes in political strategy and the rhetoric of persuasion, and has a firm grasp of Ahnatep’s post-Valterrian history. His former status as a common Eypharian allows him to take a more objective stance on Ahnatep politics and the relationships between the Houses of the Four Winds. (Contributed by Thalia)