To The Future (Turnover Gather)

[The_Muffin_Puppy]

Turnover was at hand and Fort certainly looked the part. A thick blanket of snow covered the Weyr. It had taken candlemarks to clear enough snow to erect the tents required for all the different traders that had made the journey to the Weyr. As the only Weyr active in the North, Fort had attracted some of the best traders on the continent, only the major Holds able to compete for the draw. Braziers were scattered around among the tents in an effort to provide warm and fend off the snow that lazily drifted down from the gray sky.

Even though it was midday of the first day, the setting was already dim. The thick blanket of clouds casting the Weyrbowl in shadow. Only the most daring would be showing any skin at this gathering. Almost out of necessity the harper stage had been set up inside the dinning hall, tables packed away to create a large space for dancers. Within the warm glow within the hall some might actually be coaxed into dancing. And there was plenty of warm cider, klah, and wine to heat up those that just wanted shelter.  

[The_Muffin_Puppy]

N'ka and Swouth

I don't see why I can't look at the stalls, Swouth grumbled from a distance.

Because you wouldn't fit. You're almost three times the size you were when you hatched. And he was hardly easy to manoeuvre around then. N'ka moved from stall to stall. Being a weyrling he didn't have a lot in the way of spending marks, but it was nice to look at the wares people had brought. There were things here far grander than what he used to see at the herding gathers he attended back home. There were people who could afford such things here though, so it made sense.

They could have made the walkways wider for me. It's a Weyr after all, the dragons should be catered for. You've looked enough, come and entertain me, N'ka, I'm bored.

Why don't you see if any of your clutchmates want to play with you?

Sitting in the snow the bronze gave a moody grunt, before flinging out a call to all his siblings, as well as any older dragons willing to listen to a grumpy 3-month old. My rider is being boring! Come and do fun things with me so he knows how boring he is.  

[Ruhane Chiisai]

The_Muffin_Puppy

A'sa of blue Dismath

A'sa was, for once, animated. With Dismath running ahead, bounding effortlessly about like some forest-bound herdbeast, Asa had somehow managed to put her jacket on before leaving her weyr after him. For once, the rambunctious blue wasn't broadcasting some story, though most could assume there was one. "Dismath! Give that back! It needs to be on the shelf, already! Er-Scuze me... Dismath!" Those who hadn't noticed already might finally see the journal the blue was lording over his rider, trotting just out of reach as he wove gracefully through the crowd. Less graceful by far was his persuant, stumbling now and again as she tried to weave between people after him. She clearly couldn't figure out how the blue was able to manage so much grace, hardly even so much as nudging people out of the way as they moved about. Or maybe they were moving for him.

A'sa rounded a small group of civilians and found herself tripping over another of the weyrlings in her own class. "Oof!" she barked, as she was stopped. She had hardly looked up when the book landed on her head to distract her, before the taunting blue wove back through the crowd and away to sit near the bronze plaintiff. ~Hello, brother!~ Finally able to reclaim this apparently all-important book, A'sa's mind became suddenly aware of the large crowd and the person she'd just tripped into, and she drew very still staring up at him and clutching the book close to her chest as though it were some kind of wall to hide behind.

Careese of bronze Toplamath

Careese had wandered into the ground and wore her usual grin as she peered from one stall to the next. Her leather jacket sported her knots on one arm and had some plush herdbeast wool lining to keep her comfortable as she looked for someplace to spend the marks burning a hole in her pocket.

Perhaps unnoticed at first, her big bronze had settled on his haunches not far from the young Swouth. He didn't say anything at first, or even look at him. When he finally did turn his big head, something in his muzzle glinted, then fell to the ground as he gave a big, goofy grin and panted lightly. ~Pen is pretty!~ He pretended not to hear his rider's mental request to put it back, and instead watched his new, younger bronze friend.  

[TawnyAngel]

Ilharen of white Cimarath

Walking among the stalls was bittersweet, a reminder of home and family that warmed his heart even as it cut deep. He had a cup of hot spiced wine to keep him cosy though and Cimarath's ever warm presence coiled through his mind; he wasn't alone.

As he sipped his wine and snuggled deeper into his gloriously warm and beautifully spotted feline pelt a mild commotion off to his side caught Ilharen's attention, and he came to a halt to make sure that the two weyrlings who'd run into one another - or one into the other as the case may be - were alright.  

[TawnyAngel]

Ruhane Chiisai

Careese of bronze Toplamath

Lunathor

Go out, spend some marks, try to have fun?

The worried sincerity in his father's voice had been enough to drive Lunathor out into the cold with Rukbat curled around his shoulders, the bronze firelizard's warmth a welcome addition to his coat. It'd been five turns since he'd actually spent any marks; second-hand clothes had appeared when he'd outgrown what he had, the Weyr fed him, and it hadn't occurred to him to want anything beyond those basics of survival.

Now though....

Buy something, anything, just something to show he was....

It'd make his Dad happy, what other reason did he need? There was another one but he couldn't look it it properly, it felt almost like a betrayal.

As he wandered the stalls Lunathor came up beside a woman, a bronzerider by her knots, and seen as he was also meant to be trying to have fun he gave her a smile that looked a bit tired around the edges. "Um, great selection of goods today isn't it rider? Are you looking for anything in particular?" Maybe she'd inspire him to look for something, it was worth a try right?  

[Revel1984]

Serfie sighed, she hadn't been happy about being outed but she had to admit, it was better than living outside the weyr, the lovely warm clothing was very much a bonus as she headed out among the trader stalls. In days, weeks, months past, she would be eyeing the stalls to see who wasn't paying attention but she HAD to 'behave' herself whatever that meant... she assumed it meant no stealing.

Her hands twitched as she looked at one stall in particular, one with some ornate weaponry and jewellery, there was a dagger that looked realy shiny.. but more importantly, sharp. She was pretty sure she would never be able to afford it though, she fingered some of the other items, lingering over a simple but pretty necklace.  

[TawnyAngel]

Revel1984

"See anything you like, love?" This was said in deep fruity tones by the stallholder, a woman with weathered tan skin, a shock of blonde curls, an impressive crooked nose, and a smile that would've been brilliant even if not for the flash of a pair of gold teeth it possessed on the upper left side.

There were in fact several necklaces for those light of pocket but fond of beauty.

Quote:

1. A half palm-sized shell on a leather cord, the inside faces out to show off its pearlescent sheen.

2. Braided leather chokers with a piece of shaped quartz set into the middle - comes in black with white quartz, or in brown with either white or rose.

3. Simple chains of a silvery metal with small pendants dangling from them: blue agate, pearl, amethyst, garnet, malachite, or snowflake obsidian.

4. Other? Feel free to describe!

 

[Ruhane Chiisai]

TawnyAngel

Careese blinked as she turned to Lunathor, though her expression was instantly softened again. "Oh, hi! Nah, nothin' specific. An extra thick blanket wouldn' hurt, but neither would a thick rope. Can never have enough rope." She shrugged as she looked over him. "You got anything in mind? Somethin' fer family er friend? Prospect, perhaps?" She was curious, but tried not to be intrusive about it.  

[Revel1984]

TawnyAngel

Serfie jumped a little when the stallholder spoke, she thought the gold teeth were weird... gold was too soft to be any good surely. She shrugged in answer, she didn't really have that many marks. She liked the silver necklace with the Malachite but she was pretty sure it was out of her price range, instead she turned to the chokers, the one with rose quartz was pretty "How much?" she asked, about the Silver necklace first.  

[TawnyAngel]

Ruhane Chiisai

"Heh, you're from a bit further south I'm guessing?" Lunathor smiled a bit as he said this; it was pretty obvious that she was from the accent and the tan - she did look tan, rather than naturally brown like he was - but hey, small talk? "I'm um, from High Reaches so I'm used to these sort of winter conditions.... Um, I was just browsing really but now you mention it a present for my Dad would be good." He should've got around to that ages ago but somehow it had never happened - at least the rider had reminded him though so he had a chance to pick something up and pretend like he'd definitely remembered earlier. "Um, something for myself too I guess though?" Lunathor shrugged slightly and rubbed the back of his neck. "It's the season for treating yourself right? Maybe... a cloak? Or a brooch?" They were ideas! He didn't know how good they were but anything was a better start than nothing.

Revel1984

"Those silver chain ones will run you five marks," the trader replied smartly, tapping the display as she spoke. "I sell the pendants on them separate too or on a different chain or cord - two and a half marks on a pewter chain, one on simple leather cord." Seeing Serfie cast her eyes over the chokers she added; "And those there are one and a half."

((Thanks to Muffin: A mark is about $20, or £16 Serfie is welcome to haggle if she likes!))  

[Ruhane Chiisai]

TawnyAngel

Careese smiled back at her chat companion. "More west 'n south, t'be sure. I called Igen home, before the plague." She looked over one of the stalls close at hand, selling hats from their homehold. "Well... T' treat yerself shouldn't mean just t' buy somethin', I'd think. Y' might could go an' visit home, er go to a place with activities y'like. Ah personally don't mind sleepin' in a day or two out o' the season and slinkin' off to see my kinfolk when all mah work's done fer the day. Ain't like they're gonna miss me much fer it." She hummed. "Y'know, I thinjk a nice, thick cloak'd do me some good, if'n I'm honest 'bout it. Can work as a blanket if I sleep on the cushions with Topper, if'n it's lined heavy enough, an' would work well for goin' Between fer travel."  

[TawnyAngel]

Ruhane Chiisai

Talking to the rider - oh shards he hadn't asked her name or given his - made him feel a bit boring, a lot boring actually, why did he have to be so-!

No, wait, what was he meant to do? Phrase it as a positive. She made him... realise he had opportunities to do other stuff? Right, okay, good.

"I like playing the fiddle," Lunathor volunteered, remembering belatedly that he did at least have one hobby and so wasn't completely boring to begin with, but he could still use more stuff that wasn't just chores in his life. "I'm um, sort of lucky in that my family's here with me - it's just me and Dad but we see each other every day. Um. Cloaks are good like that, the nice big ones. I think I saw a stall back there selling some," he gestured over his shoulder, "but I didn't really stop to look. Would you um, like to go together? I'm Lunathor by the way, nice to meet you." She seemed very friendly, maybe she wouldn't mind him tagging along?  

[Ruhane Chiisai]

TawnyAngel

Careese chuckled, nodding. "There's a good place to start. Fiddle's a good source'a entertainment. Yours and others, even." She clapped him on the shoulder. "I'm all fer company, an' I can help ye keep an eye out fer an music booth, yeh? Mebbe someone's got some old harper's strings 'vailable fer marks?" She gave a broad grin as he gave his name and returned with her own. "Name's Careese. A pleasure, Lunathor." She hummed. "Bet we could find a harper c'n give ya or sell ya some songsheets to play with, eh?"  

[Revel1984]

TawnyAngel

Serfie gave a small hum "How much for the crystal on a cord?" she asked, a nice strong leather cord would be more practical for her than a choker or a pretty chain, the chain was lovely though... she was torn between glittery and practical.  

[TawnyAngel]

"The crystal from the choker?" The trader rubbed her chin. "I'll do you that for one and a quarter, they're larger stones than the others. If you want the smaller crystal, the ones displayed on the silver chains, that's one mark but I'll throw you in any one of those woven leather bracelets there." The bracelets she indicated were a bit more than a finger width wide and made of cords knotted over one another to create pretty patterns, with a fair selection of colours available.

Revel1984