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 Posted: Wed Feb 28, 2024 9:03 am
As Endellion perused around the Oban port town they couldn’t help thinking how it looked exactly like every other port they’ve ever been to and somehow worse at the same time. It was as worn down as any other small trading hub with the same amount of shoddy, ramshackle stalls selling the same greasy food and somehow it managed to do so in a way that repulsed even the most nostalgic parts of the teenager’s brain. They hadn’t even bothered getting the name of the area before hopping onto the dock and now they wish they had just to remember never to come back.
It was a dirty, filthy little hovel with as many dirty, filthy little eyes following them as they went and Endellion had half a mind to turn around. This wasn’t the sort of place they stayed in long and if they could get their hands on supplies fast enough Endellion hoped they would be gone by dark. As it stood, the teenager planned on making the best of a bad situation by hopefully getting something illicit that any well meaning spot wouldn’t sell them.
They just needed a little help getting a connection.
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Posted: Wed Feb 28, 2024 9:03 am
[Scar via Discord / 1]
Logically, Tavihe supposed that they should dislike Oba. It was opposite to almost everything that should have been comfortable to them; sandy, miserably hot, and with a seering sun and snooty, unpleasant people. But after falling in with the 'wrong' crowd, Oban port towns had quickly become a favorite of theirs, as long as they found the right kind of places.
Which, in Tavi's case, were places like this; seedy, unsafe, with unpleasant smells like sour sweat and overly smoky taverns, and stinking, cramped alleyways filled with stalls. They stood out, on closer inspection in most places, including here - but these days these towns had so many different sorts of people moving through it that most times no one gave them much trouble.
Tavihe should head back to the ship soon, probably. But their belly roiled at the idea of whatever slop they'd be thrown, and while at port the temptation to fatten themselves up with meat and other goodies was too strong to pass up. They just had to decide where to get it from, and make sure it was gobbled up by the time they got back to the ship.
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Posted: Wed Feb 28, 2024 9:04 am
Finding someone who looked remotely trustworthy here was harder than they thought. Endellion walked down the street with both hands clasped on the strap of their satchel and a pinched lip. The last person they’d thought to talk to sounded slimier by the second and since everyone else looked about as bloodthirsty as a rabid janarim they were left-
-with a Kawena! Ah! A younger looking one too! Why would a Kawena be in an Oban port? Maybe they should have thought this through a little more, maybe they should have shown some sort of caution, but Endellion was running out of time. So, instead, they gussied up their nerve and crossed the space between them with a wave. “Hello there! Could you help me? Urhm, well, would you help me? For a…price?” Because they very much doubted anything in this area came free; even advice.
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Posted: Wed Feb 28, 2024 9:05 am
[Scar via Discord / 2]
One moment, Tavihe's eyes were peering through the light and crowds at the stalls, and the next someone was approaching, quickly too. On instant, their hand slipped to the handle of a dagger inside their vest, but then the stranger was speaking - and after a moment they slowly let go of the weapon, lips twisting up into a saccharine, overly sweet smile.
"Depends on what you're looking for, my friend!" They responded brightly, landing a jovial, open-handed slap to the blonde's back, right between the shoulder blades, before using that hand to steer them towards the edge of the walkway, and out of the foot traffic of those around them. "Not a local - obviously--" They motioned to their face with a wink, "But I could have some idea."
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Posted: Wed Feb 28, 2024 9:07 am
Endellion’s body jolted at the contact and they felt the hairs on the back of their neck stiffen. An awkward sort of laugh slipped out; almost as if they were too polite to walk away, but also utterly out of their comfort zone. You should just make up an excuse, say you thought they were someone else and keep moving… Wouldn’t that be the smarter thing? But would smart get them the goods?
Nope. Not a chance.
“Okay, well, I’m looking for-,” Endellion tossed an eye over their shoulder and lowered their voice, “-a kind of tea that’s made from a red flower that only grows in Oba.” And after a tick, Endellion added, “I want the plant; not the tea. I know…what kind of things the tea does.” They’d seen more than enough sailors high off their gourd to know what a batch of that tea was capable of.
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Posted: Wed Feb 28, 2024 9:08 am
[Scar via Discord / 3]
This person really did remind Tavi somewhat of themself, when they were a preteen and first left home. Intelligent enough to not be too trusting, but green enough to not know who to trust. Thankfully, Tavihe was a bit of a rogue, but wasn't a villain, and as long as the price was fair they didn't see any reason to stab them in the back, no matter how temptingly they clutched at their satchel.
Still, when they revealed what they were looking for Tavi hummed, thoughtful. They knew the tea, of course - though they hadn't used it themselves before. As for the plant - "People 'round here make plenty off it. Someone selling the plant won't do it cheap." Tavi advised, even as they began to steer their new companion towards another street.
Here, instead of roasted treats and sweaty bodies, there were dark doorways and even more shifty eyed dealers. The further they walked, the more bitter the air smelled.
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Posted: Wed Feb 28, 2024 9:10 am
“Yeah, that checks out.” Endellion had hoped it was common enough to go for a shilling or less, but they weren’t that ignorant. Anything that could make a tea that powerful would be a little higher in price. Still, there was just something about the sedative properties that called out to them and since it was here, of all places….Well, it just had to come with them.
This was exactly the sort of area they tried their damndest to avoid, but Endellion had a dagger and a mission. “I can pay, so long as you’ve got the contact.”
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Posted: Wed Feb 28, 2024 9:10 am
[Scar via Discord / 4]
This sorta deal wasn't usually what Tavihe got involved in, but they had an idea where to go regardless, and Tavihe kept a hand on their new 'customer' as they moved. Here it was a bit dirtier but more comfortable for them, as the buildings closed in, stone casting the shadows cool and shady. Stinking smoke petered from open windows in the buildings beside them, as the earthlings inside smoked pipes or hookahs. Here, despite how decrepit parts of the alleyway seemed, the patrons inside still had enough coin to afford protectors who stood at doorways while their customers lounged inside, glassy eyed and sedate.
It was a brisk walk, but eventually the pair broke out into what was clearly a row of buildings for artisans, instead of shops and lounges, and up a short, narrow set of stairs carved into the stone of the building they emerged on a terraced rooftop garden, with a middle aged hybrid was grinding something in a stone bowl, while a Prentice flit about behind them, carefully picking trimmings from bushes behind them.
"If it ain't here, I don't have any other friends who would have it. " Tavihe said at last, gesturing with their chin towards the hybrid.
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Posted: Wed Feb 28, 2024 9:11 am
You shouldn’t be here. Endellion’s golden curls lay heavy on the back of their sweat soaked neck as they hustled along. As fascinating as it all was they knew without the shadow of a doubt they would never be coming back, at least not voluntarily. Even without the hand at their back they wouldn’t have gone far; right now this Kawena was the only guiding force in this new, dingy world.
Cautious as they were, though, there was far too much for Endellion not to get a little nosey about. Occasionally they let their eyes linger in doorways for far too long, causing some guardsmen to put a hand over the swords on their hips, maybe even to c**k a sneer toward the two younger beings, but Del kept walking. Looking was free; gawking could cost coin.
“Hello, they-“ Did they give me a name? Looking toward the Kawena, Endellion settled with ‘they’ and shook their own head. Reaching into their pack, Endellion dug around for a bit before producing a small, well read book. Several of the pages were dog eared, some even torn and marked with thousands of scrawled messages. After a brief flip through, they turned the book around toward the older hybrid and pointed toward a drawing of the red flower plant in question. “I’m looking for this plant. Even a sprig will do, just so long as it grows.”
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Posted: Wed Feb 28, 2024 9:12 am
[Scar via Discord / 5]
Tavihe lifted their brows as the young hybrid peered back at them, then flashed a toothy, amused grin when they looked away. The older one (oban and matori, but matori enough to be diluted a good deal) exhaled through her nose and peered at the young prentice, eyes narrowing slightly as they took in the book.
"And have a parent come tear my shop down for getting their whelp mixed up in this business? Pssh." She waved her hand at the book dismissively.
"Buy something else. Trust me, s'not worth making yer mama cry."
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Posted: Wed Feb 28, 2024 9:14 am
Endellion felt their jaw clench. “You only get messed up in it if you ingest it, right?” They lifted the book and pointed to a line of text, just below the picture. And just to emphasize, since it was a bold enough assumption that the woman could read, they added, “Not if you make it into a paste. If you blend it with Jipson oil you can make a salve for sore muscles. Pretty sure my mother would cry with relief to have something that can take the ache from her hands. “
Which might not have been too bold of an exaggeration. Her parents likely would appreciate a bit of relief, but once they find out where Endellion had gotten the idea….Well, they’d cross that path once they got there.
Turning back to the Kawena, they asked, “Sound like it’s worth it to you?”
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Posted: Wed Feb 28, 2024 9:15 am
[Scar via Discord / 6]
Tavihe tilted their head, curious. A plant that got you high, and helped sore muscles? That was a useful plant! They perked up the moment they were spoken to though, doing their part as the guide by nodding enthusiastically, making a show of wringing their hands. "Sounds like a kid who really loves their mum! And c'mon, does this look like the type to sneak out for a high? Wait-- don't answer that-"
The prentice, who has listened to their conversation, let out a nervous titter of laughter, only to turn quickly back to her work when the older hybrid shot her a glare.
Then, the older woman peered at Endellion, assessing. Tavihe thought they could guess what she was thinking; addicts lied plenty, and even someone who looked to have never touched the stuff could lie in search of a fix.
"Does that lil book even say how to grow it? Only grows here in the motherland - y'ain't gonna come crying to me that yer sprout died 'cause you couldn't tend it proper, are you?"
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Posted: Wed Feb 28, 2024 9:16 am
“It does. Goes into a lot of detail about over watering and proper sunlight.” Endellion closed the book and slipped it back into their back. “After we’re done here you won’t see me again, even if it does shrivel and die.” That much they were sure of. If this worked out then they would have something new in their arsenal of ‘odd’ medicines, and if it didn’t then Endellion would just add it to the pile.
“I know you have no reason to trust me and for all I know you have less reason to trust them,” They motioned back toward the kawena. “But it’s your word against mine. Even if I came back with a hoard, spouting about someone who led me down ‘a dark path’ whose going to believe me? I’ll be the one at fault here; not you.”
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Posted: Wed Feb 28, 2024 9:17 am
[Scar via Discord / 7]
"Hey." Tavihe objected, blandly, without an ounce of offense to it. As the customer put their book away, Tavi eyed the book curiously, wondering just how it was a foreigner got their hands on such a handy little book.They really had no idea if the 'mother's hands hurt' story was even true - it seemed a clever enough cover story, and for all they knew this person would go sell the plant to the highest bidder.
They were just lucky that this particular lady wasn't owned by a dealer, and they wouldn't have a cartel hunting them down for stealing their plants. Normally, she was the one who sold chew to Tavi, which Tavi resold a few weeks into a voyage when everyone's stashes were depleted.
The woman continued grinding what she was working on as she considered. "... You don't tell any 'friends' about this place. ... And give my apprentice an hour with that handy little book, and you can get... A cutting."
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Posted: Wed Feb 28, 2024 9:19 am
Endellion instantly brightened. They really shouldn’t have glowed nearly as much as they were, especially given the nature of the deal, but their hands were a little too eager getting the book back out. “Deal.” Only then did they catch on to how ‘unprofessional’ their change in demeanor was and by the time they were handing the book over to the apprentice they’d sobered a bit.
“Do I…stay here, for the hour or do I go with you?” Their eyes turned from the woman grinding away back to the Kawena. “I’m sure you’d like to be paid, regardless.” After all, their end of the contract was technically over and Endellion started digging around their coin purse for the proper coins.
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