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It was already late in the evening but the merchant seemed unfazed by the passing of time. He sat, poised and elegant, watching the world around him. He didn’t seem bored, even as he leaned forward and laced his fingers atop the table; below it, he kept his toe tapping to some silent tune in his head. He was tall, by human standards, though while sitting down he didn’t seem particularly threatening. If you didn’t look at his face.
He had graceful features--sharp and refined. His chin and nose tapered to a point, giving him an air of sophistication, but that, combined with his slitted eyes and pointed teeth, there was something undeniably predatory about him. He watched with a hungry gaze and a mischievous, nearly sinister smile. His ears were pointed and were prominent despite being tucked behind his vibrant, multi-colored hair. The most intrusive feature that indicated there was something not human about him were the curling horns protruding from his temples and the oil-slick black scales that brushed his cheeks and forehead. He was well dressed, in a fashion obviously otherworldly, and seemed to enjoy dressing himself up in glistening gemstones.
His table was somehow both simple and overwhelming; it was draped in a dark purple tablecloth, with extravagant embroidery in different designs. Scattered neatly atop the table was an array of items that seemed to carry some magical weight to them.
He did not seem intimidated in the slightest and, upon noticing that the barrier surrounding him rippled when his visitor entered, he smiled.
He did not rise to meet them nor adjust his position in the slightest. He followed them with his fierce eyes and greeted, in a silky voice, “Welcome.”
He had graceful features--sharp and refined. His chin and nose tapered to a point, giving him an air of sophistication, but that, combined with his slitted eyes and pointed teeth, there was something undeniably predatory about him. He watched with a hungry gaze and a mischievous, nearly sinister smile. His ears were pointed and were prominent despite being tucked behind his vibrant, multi-colored hair. The most intrusive feature that indicated there was something not human about him were the curling horns protruding from his temples and the oil-slick black scales that brushed his cheeks and forehead. He was well dressed, in a fashion obviously otherworldly, and seemed to enjoy dressing himself up in glistening gemstones.
His table was somehow both simple and overwhelming; it was draped in a dark purple tablecloth, with extravagant embroidery in different designs. Scattered neatly atop the table was an array of items that seemed to carry some magical weight to them.
He did not seem intimidated in the slightest and, upon noticing that the barrier surrounding him rippled when his visitor entered, he smiled.
He did not rise to meet them nor adjust his position in the slightest. He followed them with his fierce eyes and greeted, in a silky voice, “Welcome.”
Helena had been interested in this visitor, and the idea that she could get something if she brought something made it all the better for her, and so she had gone and bought the most interesting…strange piece of junk that she could find. It was a head massager, a head whisk which sent tingles down her own body and she was sure that this strange alien man would have the same reaction. Obviously she had bought one for herself as well as one for him, and his was in her subspace pocket as she entered his barrier.
“Hello! I heard that you have a junk to treasure exchange, and I’m here to make a trade with you. Not that I think that what I’ve brought is particularly junk, as I got myself on as well, but it’s sure not…high class stuff. But.”
She reached into her subspace pocket and withdrew the head whisk, holding it out to the Merchant with a smug smile. “I brought mine so that I can teach you how to use it too, so go on. Take it and then we can discuss how much you enjoy it and what you’ll give me in return.
Removing her hat, Helena put the object into the Merchant’s hands and withdrew her own, showing him how to use it on his head and nodding in a relaxed sort of way. “It’s good stress relief. Good for tension. Good for just.”
Her eyes half closed as she demonstrated, and her voice trailed off, thinking of other ways to relax, but. He didn’t need to know just where her thoughts were going.
The Space Cauldron
