Ronar finds a place to stay, or rather he goes hunting for one.
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Considered one of the most mysterious cities in Mizahar, Alvadas is called The City of Illusions. It is the home of Ionu and the notorious Inverted. This city sits on one of the main crossroads through The Region of Kalea.
The woman would sigh and roll her eyes, "Don't we all have a limited knowledge of Alvadas? This city never seems to wish to sit idle for even a day." She unfolded her hands and stood, moving to a filing cabnet on the wall and opening one of its many drawers, "And much to my dismay people STILL expect me to direct them to the exact loaction of their destination!"
Serenity paused and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and visibly relaxing herself. When she turned she would return Ronar's smile, though it seemed a bit strained upon her lips, "But that is besides the point. One way or another you need a home yes?" Returning her attention to the files the woman's deft hands began to flip through countless pages and folders, "It seems we have several houses that meet your standards, all of which come a finder key."
Removing three founders from the cabinet, Serenity would return to her desk and lay them before Ronar. Inside the folders there was a rough sketch of the buildings inside layout, a brief description of its furnishings and a picture of the home itself. Each also had a rather unremarkable key on a twine string as well.
The woman pointed to the first home, "This home here was recently vacated and is still in excelent condition. Its furnishings are simple yet meet your needs well enough, and the payments are well within your range." She tapped a finger on the picture of a rather simply looking one story home that was the color of pond skum, "This home is most often found close to the moister areas of town, in particular the Y'Uanu's Garden and other such places."
Her finger tapped the picture in the second folder, detailing a house that was one story with a low ceiling and rather squashed appearance, "This one here has been available for some time, but few have chosen to take it as it often appears close to the walls of Alvadas. It also has a reputation for skipping locations 2 to 3 times a day, especially when one is in a hurry."
Her finger rested on the very last home, the house a stunning shade of white with two stories. It had a single window on the second floor, and the building looked as if it were leaning slightly over the street, "This final home is one that only recently became available. Its past owners decided they wished to travel abroad, but before they left they ensured their home was looking well off. This particular house is very popular because it often appears near the Bazzar and other shopping locations, and for many this little fact helps to compensate for its rather cramped living space."
The woman would push the folders toward Ronar, looking up into his eyes, "Do any of these strike your interest?"
The way the woman worked was quite astounding. Despite her ramblings and complaints about having work thrust upon her, Ronar had a suspicion that she in fact got a lot of joy from doing her job.
Ronar listened to the descriptions that were given of the buildings, but his ears only really picked up on the second of the three. He would need a place out of the way of too many people, and the novelty of having a house which constantly shifted was appealing to Ronar, so 2 to 3 times a day was sure to keep him entertained!
"If you wouldn't mind, I would like to know more of the second house. The one which has been empty for sometime"
Ronar made a gesture toward the papers he had intended. "I would like to know how pricing works here. How much is it? Also, do I pay rent or can I buy in one big payment?"
Ronar slipped his pack off his shoulders and picked out his coin purse. He wanted to get this conversation over so he could finally get into a place of his own and get out of the way of any annoying people, such as the types he had spent his time traveling the sea, on the run, with.
Last edited by Ronar Bolbek on April 28th, 2012, 3:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Serenity would close the other two folders and push them to the side of the desk, pulling the chosen one closer for her to inspect, "An interesting choice, but a good one none the less." Her eyes scanned the notes on the building, one hand absently pulling at her tangled locks, "It seems this building has been here for quite some time, close to 100 years or so. Those who built it were well known shut-ins, and it seems the city adapted their living arrangements to suit their needs." She would turn the folder so that Ronar could see the layout of the inside of the house, "As you can see it meets the standard living arrangments. A single bed, a table and chair and of course a small fire pit for both warmth and cooking. I am afraid that the ceiling is rather low, but then its original owners were rather short themselves."
The woman pushed up her silver spectacles, examening a few more notes found within the foulder, "It is well known for leaping locations at least 2-3 times per day, but it has been known to do it far more than that. Also, its only door has a peculiar habit of turning on its side." Serenity smiled and looked at Ronar, "Certainly this home shall never leave you bored."
Setting down the folder and resting her hands over the top of it, Serenity would motion to Ronar's money pouch, "The cost is the standard cost of homes within Alvadas. 500 Gold Miza's up front, and then you must pay for the expenses of keeping it up and of course provide for your own needs." She raised a finger, "Have you a place of employment within the city yet?"
This house sounded brilliant to Ronar. He could not imagine a house which better suited his needs currently. This sounded great as far as he was concerned.
Ronar's eyes gleamed just a little more, and a slight laugh almost fell from his lips at the thought of this house! It would finally be his. He was thankful that he had remembered to take the money from his family home, and when the price was mentioned, he almost threw the coin purse at the odd lady before him.
He calmed himself and checked his breathing rate to bring him back to a sensible state of mind, in which he could concentrate.
"Well there is the money for you, when am I able to pick up the key? Also, do I just walk till I come across the house?"
The concept of moving buildings was strange, but with no doubt, it was exciting.
"It just so happens that I have recently left a job in Syliras." Ronar lied, he had never really worked before. "Do you have any idea where I may find some work in this city? You've being such a great help to me already, so it's no trouble if that's too much to ask."
After accepting the money Serenity would carefully count out the 500 gold mizas, nod once when she saw there was exact change and deftly place the coins in a silk money pouch and move it to one of the many drawers of her desk. All of that taken care of she would steeple her fingers and smile at Ronar.
"I see you are very eager, and that is good. Try to keep this attitude as you spend your first few days becoming accustomed to chasing your home." She laughed and waved a hand, "It shall be an interesting experience for you, but a fun one none the less. You will most likely see much of Alvadas in your search and experience many of its wonders."
Serenity's attention returned to the folder and the key it held. It was a simple object, plain copper that looked a bit worn from time. There was an inverted triangle carved into its body, the symbol of Ionu and the city itself. She would take the key and hold it up for Ronar to view, "This is your finder key. It is magically linked to your home, and it shall always pull you toward it no matter where you are in the city. There may be times when the pull suddenly changes directions or seems to point in impossible directions, but rest assured that it knows where you are going." Her arm would extend, handing the key to Ronar, and once the key was safely in his position she would rest back in her chair.
"Now," She said, "You seem to be in need of employment as well yes? What sort of skills do you have? What are some interests of yours? Are you looking for a job that is within a building or one that involves hard labor?"
The questions were open ones, and it was obvious that Serenity wished for Ronar to mention anything that came to his mind. What exactly was he looking for in a job?
Ronar's new life in Alvadas seemed to be getting off to a better start than he could have hoped for. He had hardly been here 10 chimes, and already he had ownership of a house and was being asked about possible employment.
The simplistic looking key had a certain charm to it, Ronar thought, as he slipped the twine, on which the key was fastened, over his head and to his neck. He tucked the key down his shirt and turned his attention back to the woman.
"Thank you so much, I can't wait to get out and explore the city. It sounds so magical, mad, you might say." Ronar's lip twitched at the corner, again, at the thought. "I am indeed in need of employment. I don't know the sort of jobs Alvadas has to offer, but it could be noted that I am a fast learner, organised and can be extremely persuasive. I have worked aboard a small merchant vessel, so know my way around a Saique. I will work anywhere, but it is likely not a good idea to point me in the direction of a city guard. I do not get on too well with heavy authority."
Ronar waited now for a response. He felt he may have overloaded the woman with information, and should probably not have mentioned the situation with the city guard. Suspicion was not something he wished for.
A hand came up to tug on a stray hair as Serenity seemed to fall into thought. She bit her bottom lip and turned her gaze to one of the many filing cabinets that lined the wall.
"You have little worry of guards here. The city has a way of... being rid of those who cause trouble for others." Serenity turned her gaze to look Ronar up and down a moment, "Alvadas is a city of mystery. It is a place where madness and sanity walk hand in hand. It is where ones grandest dreams may come true... but so can their nightmares as well."
Her eyes clouded over for a moment, seeming to reflect back on some distant memory, but with a shake of her head the woman would sigh and smile at Ronar, "But now, I do not see you as the type to anger the city. So, let us find a place of employment for you." Standing abruptly, Serenty grabbed the discarded folders and returned them to their original places within the filing cabinet. Then her hand found another drawer and slid it open, her fingers flipping through countless papers and files as she spoke over her shoulder, "There are several positions open that may be of interest to you. Would you prefer a position that deals with physical activities, or perhaps one that involves a bit less strenuous exercises?"
The woman did not seem too bothered about Ronar's comment on the guard. It seemed he had gotten away without any suspicion, or at least, very little.
"Well, I will have to try not to upset the city too much!"
Ronar commented in a rather joking tone. He was loathe to let his emotions get the better of him. It was dangerous, he would watch his tongue in the future.
He listened to the next set of questions the woman gave and then thought for a few seconds. He could work with his hands, there was no doubt. However, he could say he was not up for it and go for the 'less strenuous exercise' option. The latter may be a desk job, which could equate to more power in the long run.
"What would I be doing in a job with less strenuous exercise?"
He now hoped for some form of administrative job, or the chance to work his way up to an administrative job. The thought of just shuffling paper was daunting though.
Serenity thumbed through a few pages in the drawer, "That depends on the job itself." Her hand pulled out one folder and eyed its contents, "There appears to be a position open in several of the local shops in town as a sales man. Your time there would often include simply ledger work, keeping track of the stock and of course customer interactions." She placed this folder back and removed another, the contents of which looked a bit water logged as the woman flipped through the pages, "There also seems to be a position available at the docks as well. They are in search of someone to keep track of the incoming and outgoing products in the Patchwork Port."
As this last folder was replaced once more in the drawer, Serenity's hand paused for the briefest moment before pulling out the next. This particular folder was a fantastic shade of teal, and on the front of it was stamped a very official seal. The symbol of Ionu rested at the top right corner of its cover, and as the woman opened it Ronar might just see many leaflets of parchment that contained writings in the finest script.
Serenity's eyes scanned the first few pages before her, chewing her bottom lip as she glanced at Ronar and back, "Also... it appears that the Census Bureau is in search of a new intern for the department. This position will entail mostly desk work, filing and copying as well as some interactions with the citizens of Alvadas. Its pay is decent for those first starting out, and there is room for advancement as well."
She moved back to her desk, the folder still in her hand as she sat down and folded her hands to look up at Ronar, "Do any of these sound interesting to you?"
OOC :
The Census Bureau of Counterfactual Denominations is a branch of the Alvadas government that keeps track of all of its citizens. It is they who orchestrate the major events of the city, including the Festival of Illusions, and they also keep track of each and every person who comes to live within the walls of the city. In that link you will find a list of the departments of government in Alvadas. The Census Bureau is the third one down. I am currently working on the details of employment there if you are interested.
Ronar listened intently now. The choice that he made here could affect all of his plans for the future. He needed money, information and a place where he could observe the people of the city.
The first job would give Ronar the option of getting close to the people and interacting on a very personal level. But this is not what he wanted. It was not authoritative enough and did not give him a hold over anyone.
The second job, at the docks, would offer Ronar the chance to observe the economy of Alvadas. This could prove useful, but did not let him get personal with the people, which he wanted.
The third job, however, blew the others out of the water. The Census Bureau of Counterfactual Denominations was the organisation that knew everything about everyone, or so it seemed. Working here would give Ronar the chance to check out any person he so wished to. It would give him an almost unparalleled library of information, just on the people of Alvadas. He would also get a chance to go out and meet the people of the city. Working for the government would remove Ronar very much from suspicion, when any murders he planned to commit in the future, are finally discovered. It was, quite possibly, perfect for Ronar at the moment. He would take the job, though he knew little of where to go or what to do when he got to work.
"The third one. The Census Bureau. I would most definitely take the chance to work there."
Ronar grinned. He could not believe things were going so well already. Ionu must be smiling down on the madman today.
"All I need to know is where to go, what to do, and when do I start?"
He knew he had only covered the basics with this question, but he was so desperate to get out into the city that he didn't care. He had a house now, and he almost had a job. He just needed it set down on paper.
by Ronar Bolbek on April 25th, 2012, 7:00 pm 
