A lazy afternoon...

[Bloodrose]

Whenever visiting the city of Radasanth, Teric always tried to set aside a morning or an afternoon to delight in the sights, smells, and wonders of the city's Bazaar. If there was another place like it, Teric hadn't found it, and that saying a lot considering the vast number of cities, towns, villages, forts, and any other bastion of civilization a man could imagine he had visited during his lengthy career. Its uniqueness was in its ever changing variety of goods, and the sheer volume of rare, mysterious, and peculiar objects a person could find just by walking past the vendors who lined the streets in shops and stalls. A man could spend his entire life describing the selection of goods the Bazaar had to offer, and he still wouldn't get through it all...

On this particular afternoon, Teric could be found meandering up and down the side-streets that hosted most of the specialty shops in the area. Munching nonchalantly on a handful of caramel popcorns he had received as a promotional freebie from a shop on the main street, Teric passed by a store dedicated to wizard hats, and then one for rare scrolls, and then a swordsmith who only made swords out of magical glass. Working alongside the swordsmith was a wizened old man with glasses a foot thick, crafting magical spectacles out of the same material that he audibly guaranteed to any passerby could see through women's clothing. The spectacle of it all, no pun intended, was so refreshingly ridiculous, and yet so overwhelming.

Unless you know exactly what you're looking for, it's so easy to get distracted here. The old warrior thought casually.

Ignoring the absurd, yet enticing, sales pitch from Mr. Spectacles, Teric mounted the steps to a small tailor's shop that sat next to the specialty scroll retailer. At the top of the steps was a small covered porch sporting a bench and a potted plant, and the big placard next to the door said "OPEN" in bold red letters. Above the door hung the tailor's sign - a hand carved relief of a needle and thread on a cherry wood background, with the words "Specializing in all of your clothing needs - even wizard hats!" wood burned in a fine hand beneath it.

"I don't want a damned hat." Teric muttered to himself as he eased open the door, tripping a small bell mounted above the door frame.

Inside, the small, deserted, single-room shop was packed from floor to ceiling with bolts of various cloths in every color of the rainbow. Pinks, blues, reds, greens, yellows, whites, and even varying shades of black (unheard of!) assaulted the eyes from every direction as one tried to make their way through to the back where the "Special Order" counter was located. Had he not visited this particular shop years ago to have his favorite coat tailor made for him, Teric might have somehow managed to get lost in the sea of textures and colors that separated the counter from the door. Emerging unscathed, if a little stuffy from all the dust kicked up brushing through the bolt racks, Teric stepped up to the narrow counter standing between him and an open door into the back room. Ding! Went the little brass bell on the counter to summon the tailor or his assistant from the back, where even more cloth, and a variety of sewing instruments were clearly visible. Teric kept his finger poised above the little button atop the bell, should he need to chime it again...

[Moonlit Raven]

A small child peeked out from the back room and stared at the man for a moment.

"Elena will be up in a minute."He said in a quiet voice that barely reached the man. The boy stayed at his half hidden place, watching the man until Elena walked past him to the greet the man.

"Good day, sir. I hope you haven't had to wait for too long. What can I do for you today?" Elena smiled at the older man, politely.




I apologize for the short reply. I thought it best to get your thread going despite the fact at I leave in a bit and I am unsure if I will be on this weekend.

[Bloodrose]

"No, I haven't been waiting long." Teric replied politely, easing his hand away from the bell on the counter. He momentarily lost track of what it was he was looking for as he gazed over the young woman opposite him, admiring. "Uh...oh, yes. I was looking for some new clothing actually. Possibly a new pair of black knee breeches and a new crimson undershirt."

Custom tailored clothing appealed to Teric much more than wandering into one of the numerous shops packed with the pre-made clothing. One could never quite find that perfect article of clothing, or find it the size and material one wanted in those places. "I was also wondering how much it would cost to make those of Vlince, if it all possible." The old warrior added, almost forgetting that the material might be a vital piece of information.

[Moonlit Raven]

Elena smiled, more than a little amused at the man's wandering attention now that she had grown use to the effects her appearance had on others. After a moment she forced the smile into a quirking of the lips, after all she has no wish to bruise pride or ego.

"You'll have to excuse my manners, I'm Elena. If you'll follow me I can..." Elena broke off as a crash came from the back room along with the sound of boyish yells. Elena sighed and ran a hand over the scarlet silk of her gown to give her a moment to calm the surge of anger before she spoke.

"There is a fitting room located on the far left wall. Please remove all unnecessary clothing so I can fit the items you are requesting properly. I will return after I have dealt with my apprentices." Elena bowed her head politely though a bit hastily and rushed for the back room. As soon as she stepped into the door way of the back room all shouting stopped and was replaced by the sound of feet running.

[Bloodrose]

"Fitting rooms on the left..." Teric glanced over towards the left wall, and then turned back to ask Elena a question, but she was gone. From the sounds emanating through the door to back room, it seemed she would not be right out, leaving the old warrior to his own devices. Alright, then. He thought, working his way down the counter. The narrow path between the counter and the dense rainbow maze of cloth continued around the corner along the left side of the shop, and there were two large, saloon-styled doorways to choose from. Picking the closer, Teric pushed through the center of the swinging doors and stopped to latch them behind him.

The fitting room, once inside, was little more than a dimly lit closet with a chair and a full length mirror hanging on the right hand wall. What light there was filtered in over the top and from underneath the latched doors, and was just enough to allow a person to easily see what they were doing. Standing in the center of the small room, Teric took a moment to collect himself, and contemplate Elena's words. "Please remove all unnecessary clothing..." She said, Teric thought dismally. That was all fine and good if he were buying a new coat, or a wizard hat even, but when you are buying a new shirt and new breeches, that doesn't leave much to cover a man...

First went the heavy coat that was his pride and joy. Shrugging out of the ermine-lined masterpiece, Teric hung it gingerly on a hook he found on the back of the door. Next he undid the buckles over his shoulders, letting his steel breastplate fall forward into his hands. That got stood up against the back of the chair, and was quickly accompanied by his boots. Standing in his stocking feet, the old warrior undid his vest and folded it over the breastplate. All that was left now was his shirt and slacks, the two items he wished to replace...

Should've just bought some pre-made clothes. Teric's brain chided him as he slowly undid the lacing at the neck of his crimson shirt. Pulling open the V, the old warrior sidled the shirt up over his head and caught it by the hem before it fell. Grudgingly, he glanced up at the mirror hanging on the wall. Not what you used to be, old boy. He thought. While still relatively unmarred by wrinkles, Teric's body was a paler, flagging relic of its former self. In his semi-retirement, a slight paunch had developed, and the muscles across his arms and chest were marginally less impressive than he remembered them being. Adding to the mess was his extensive collection of battle-scars; ugly, white, jagged lines that streaked and criss-crossed over a large area of his flesh. Taking a deep breath, Teric undid the buckle on his trousers and let those drop, revealing even more scars and aging flesh.

Well this is embarrassing. He mused, turning this way and that in front of the mirror. In his younger years, when his body was still that of a chiseled god, he would have stridden proudly forth from the fitting room like an alpha male on the prowl. Of course, Teric had found himself doing a lot of "when I was younger" thinking lately, and no matter how much he contemplated on the past, it wasn't going to erase the twenty-five to thirty years that had passed since his prime. The thought of standing in front of Elena in his underclothes now, dreading each measurement, was more frightening to Teric than any battle...

"She's a smart girl, she can guess-timate." Teric muttered darkly to himself, scowling as he pulled his pants back up and buckled them. Everything else he left in the fitting room, unlatching the door and striding shirtless, in his socks, back to the counter. She could even make them a little baggy, for all I care. He added in thought.

Standing around, waiting to be fitted, Teric began pondering the many ways he could beat himself back into respectable shape...

[Moonlit Raven]

As Elena rounded the corner she vaguely wondered if she should have specified that only the coat and chest plate were to be removed. She shook her head, figuring that any warrior that had survived this long had to have more than a little common sense. Elena stopped finding several large crates in her way, frowning she looked around her two apprentices. Of course they are no where to be seen. I swear those two have better hearing than me sometimes.

Hiking the hem of her dress Elena climbed over the crates in her path, she squeak, more than a little startled when Illianiel appeared suddenly in front of her.

“Gods, are you trying to kill me? Where are Gorv and Kale? They started up a horrible racket while I was speaking to a customer.” Elena demanded as she looked up at one of two of her guardians. In the back of her mind she considered ordering the woman to put on some clothing but figured it was a lost cause. Trying to get Illianiel and Serraphiel to wear clothing, even illusionary clothing is worse than pulling teeth. Elena narrowed her eyes at the smile that suddenly blossomed across Illianiel’s face.

“Serraphiel is taking care of the boy’s. We found them trying to play with your pet, again.” Elena worried at the idea of Serraphiel ‘taking care’ of anything, yet was irrigated enough at the blatant disregard of her rule to not mess with Kazimir that she decided to not protest.

“Keep an eye on Serraphiel. The boys are too young to be dealt with in your customs, but feel free to give them a thrashing they won’t forget. It’s better they don’t mess with Kazimir, I’m not completely sure what his toxin will do to a human yet.” Elena glanced around at the mess of turned over crates and items that were strewn across the back room.
“Have them clean this up after you two are done with them. Have you seen Kazimir?”

Elena knelt down and looked under the shelves, clicking her tongue rhythmically as she did so. A moment later a slender bright yellow limb extended out from under the nearest shelf and tapped on the floor. Elena extended a hand out to her pet and waited her him to decide if it was safe. Elena smiled as Kazimir crawled out from under the shelf, all eight of his legs scrabbling to squeeze his body out from a space that was just a little too small.

“How on earth did you get yourself under there in the first place?” Elena asked Kazimir as he crawled up her arm to set on his customary position on top of her head. She waited until she felt the small claws on the ends of his legs digging into her hair and dress before she stood.

Elena thanked Illianiel for the help back over the crate and not for the first time cursed her short stature. All of these damned powers from my father’s side and I still have problems climbing over things. I swear Fate laughs at us all. Elena sighed at the thought and shook her head slightly, careful to not disturb Kazimir. Elena reached up and gently touched the cat sized spider, stroking his hard, brightly colored body.

“I hope that you behave at least. No attacking a customer, got it?” Elena chuckled to herself as she stepped back out to find her customer waiting for her at the counter, shirtless.

Elena paused for a moment and felt her cheeks flush a little. I knew I should have been more specific. Oh well, it’s not like I haven’t seen a man’s chest before. Elena’s eye’s skimmed the myriad of scars marring the pale skin, mentally she clucked her tongue at the map of the man’s life. Pale skin for a full human. Reaching under the counter she grabbed the measuring tape and gestured for the man to follow her back to the fitting room.

“I apologize for any inconvenience. Now, shall we get started? The under shirt and breeches will be 130 in vlince, in cotton it comes out to 75 gold.” Elena coaxed Kazimir up to a high shelf so she could move without the fear of knocking him off and hurting him.

[Bloodrose]

If you disapprove of my bunnying, feel free to ask me to change my post.

"130 sounds reasonable." Teric nodded as he followed Elena back towards the fitting rooms. There he was stood in front of a large mirror and politely forced to stand perfectly still as the young tailoress assigned numbered values to his shoulders, stomach, chest, waist, legs, and arms. Width, circumference, and length were all mentally noted for future reference, and afterward Teric was left thoroughly displeased with certain aspects of his figure...

I don't remember being a 36 waist... Was one particular thought that crossed his mind several times as he stepped back into the fitting room and privately sneered at his small pot belly. Hearing the numbers Elena had rattled off as she went about her work play through his head only galvanized the old warrior's determination to work himself back into top shape. Gathering up his things, Teric gratefully redressed. Back under layers of cloth and metal went the souvenirs of past exploits, hiding them from prying eyes.

Teric stepped out of the dressing room and wandered back to the counter, his iron-shod boots clacking on the wooden floor with each step. He shrugged and adjusted things as he went, settling his breastplate back into its comfortable position and pulling the collar of his coat up high against his neck. "About how long until you can craft the items out of the vlince?" Teric asked Elena, resting one hand on the counter. "I can come back later if it's going to be a while, but if not then I'll happily wait on your little bench out front."

[Moonlit Raven]

Elena finished writing down al of the measurement and drew a quick rough sketch of the items the gentleman wanted.

"I'll have the items ready by morning for you." Elena replied absently as she frowned down at her sketch and made a slight adjustment to it. A moment later she gasped, as she realized she had left Kazimir on the high shelf in the dressing room.

"You can pay tomorrow sir when you recieve your breeches and shirt." Elena called back as she hurried toward the dressing room. She stopped at the door and looked through the gap into the room. I could have sworn this door was closed, that I had closed it after me. Nudging the door further open Elena looked around after she spotted the thick thread of Kazimir's slik hanging from the shelf.

"Kazimir?"Elena called softly then clicked her tounge. Elena glanced up at the answering click and simply stood there in surprise, looking at the ceiling of the room that Kazimir was slowly turning into a huge web.

"I guess you must be hungry. I'll send one or both of the boys out for a cow, but you can not eat it in my dressing room. You'll have to eat out in the courtyard in the back." Elena held her arms up to Kazimir and clicked at him again. After several moments of what Elena guess was thinking Kazimir finally jumped down. Smiling a little Elena carried him out of the dressing room.

"I hope you have a good day sir." Elena grabbed the sheet of parchment as she passed and vanished into the backroom to start the gentleman clothing and order the boys to get Kazimir fed.


Sorry for the delay, computer problems. Also the slight bunnying was fine but in a normal thread make sure it is talked out between you and any other writers berfore hand. Some people get snippy with even slightly bunnying. x.x

[Bloodrose]

"Tomorrow morning then." Teric nodded, turning and heading for the door. Outside he paused momentarily on the porch to gaze up and down the street as if looking for something else to do, but finding nothing of particular interest he stepped down to street level and started wandering back towards the main thoroughfare. Along the way he was once again verbally accosted by the glass-smith and his enchanted 'see through clothes' spectacles...

"Oh give is a damn rest!" Teric shouted at the man as he passed by, noting with some smug satisfaction the blank and befuddled expression that crossed over the smith's face beneath his telescopic glasses. If they actually worked you wouldn't need to advertise them so loudly. The old warrior thought. You'd have every cretin in the city banging down your front door to get a pair...

That evening passed by in what had become Teric's normal routine of regaling patrons of the Starlight tavern with stories of battles and forgotten campaigns (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?p=90071#post90071) from the youth of his mercenary career. The tales of swords, women, and magic flew as fast as the liquor flowed, and a good time was had by all. It ended in Teric falling asleep in his modest accommodations above the inn, and awaking the next morning with a well-deserved headache.

Not as young as you used to be, old boy. Was his self-reprimanding thought wandering back through the bazaar. Occasionally he would press a palm against the side of his head to try and force out the dull ache, and the morning sun forced him to squint, but he made good time through the streets regardless. Along the way there was a brief moment when the old warrior resigned himself to kill anyone who so dared to scream about wizard hats and childish glasses, but luckily the folks who might have suffered that fate were nowhere to found as the black-clothed fighter mounted the steps to the tailor's shop.

The sign read open, not that it would have been totally implausible that it had been sitting there undisturbed since Teric's visit yesterday, but the door was unlocked. Back through the maze of brightly colored fabrics, most of which only served to aggravate his headache, went Teric as he fumbled with the strings to the modest leather bag that contained his net monetary worth. In an episode of déjÃ* vu he approached the counter, ding!ed the bell on the counter, and began carefully separating out 130 going pieces...


Don't worry about the delay. And thanks for the heads up on the bunnying.

[Moonlit Raven]

Elena looked up from the comfy chair she used to work in as the doors chime altered her to someone entering her shop. Laying her cup of coffee aside she stood up and streched out all of the kinks in her body before peeking out at the front counter.

"Good morning sir, your clothing is..." Elena stopped and took in the man's appearence, she suppressed a smile. "Just a moment and I'll be right back with your clothing." Elena hurried to fold the newly made clothing neatly and tied it up in a bundle with a bit of twine so it was easier to carry. For a moment she thought about changing out of her leather armor that she often wore after the store was closed. Oh well, it's not as if that gentleman will think any less of me as I'm not in proper ladies clothing at the moment. I think I'll stay in the leather and see what happens with the customers today. Who knows it might bring in a different type of customer.

Returnign to the counter elena laid the clothing and a cup much larger than her own, full of black coffee on the counter.

"Did you have a pleasent evening? Go ahead and take the cup with you when you leave, you look like you need a strong drink. One that is not the alcoholic type." Elena smiled in a mildly teasing manner

[Bloodrose]

"Oh my dear woman..." Teric's eyes betrayed his surprise and his gratitude as the single most beautiful thing he'd seen all day danced before his eyes. The biting aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled his nostrils, striking down the pain in his head like a charging horde of lancers on horseback. As the offered cup rose to his lips, the dark liquid swam and rippled inside the rim like black gold, and the heat passing over his lips and down his throat warmed the body and soul simultaneously..."AH..." Was all Teric could manage, in a hefty sigh of contentment.

It was with that first sip of piping hot coffee burning in his gut that Teric realized just how obvious the tolls of the previous evening were weighing on him...

"Oh, sorry." He apologized, slightly flustered but attempting to collect himself. "Pleasant evening, yes, but a rather rough morning I'm afraid. Sometimes I forget I'm not as young as I used to be...but now!" He offered up the pre-counted pile of coins, 130 of them, which was stacked neatly on the counter. "I believe these belong to you now."

And in return, new clothes! Teric's mind sang, already anticipating the feel of freshly tailored clothes hugging his body. It was rather silly really, just how oddly he reacted to new clothes, but he was an old man! Who could deny an old man his eccentrics?

"Nice outfit, by the way." He said, one hand raising the coffee back to his lips while the other hooked a finger through the twine and pulled the new clothing closer to the edge of the counter. "Do you actually have a reason to wear that, or do you just have it for show?"

[Moonlit Raven]

Elena smiled at the man's obvious pleasure at the sight and taste of coffee. A little self conscious she shifted her weight as she pushed the man's gold into a bag before answering him.

"While I am working in the bazaar it's what I wear for comfort, minus the steel pieces. Many customers seem to think that a woman working in a clothing shop should be dressed in, well, feminine clothing." Elena wrinkled her nose slightly at the idea of being trapped with the confines of a dress all of the time. To have her movement impeeded by the movement of the material and the fact that one had to be careful in order to not disply the body that was under the dress while doing something. Sometimes I wish I had the girls' ability for illusion. that would solve everything.

"When outside of the bazaar, I never wear the impratical things. I used to hunt, what I hunted is not important." Elena smiled and shook her head. "Sorry for rambling like that. I hope you enjoy the new clothes and you day."



Transaction complete. Bloodrose loses 130 GP and gains 100 EXP for good IC interactions.