Tour of Alexandria

Early afternoon in Alexandria tends to be a busy time. Markets are full, merchants are moving cargo, and everyone is generally busy hustling to and fro, trying to eke out a living. Today isn't really all that different, with plenty of traffic along the bridge -- ships and wagons and whatever else might be coming through.

In all the madness, though, there appears to be a rather still spot. A man sits on the edge of the bridge, legs crossed under him as he enjoys a quiet lunch spread out across a cloth in his lap. He stares out at the tiny reflections in the water, smiling a bit to himself, the large book off to his side forgotten for the moment.

A hooded figure appears out of the bustle beside him, clearly harried by all the people and by the soft sigh that emits from within the figure's cowl - glad to be out of it. For a moment there is nothing but silence from within the cloak's hood, and delicate fingers rise up to tug it further down as though the person is concerned about being seen by some passerby. Then suddenly, they seem to realize that they are not alone; glancing at the unexpected company calmly eating lunch. There's another soft sigh, but Rhyn elects not to say anything at the moment, just staring at Malik from beneath the cowl and then glancing away at the crowd of people as they go by.

"Not a good way to hide from someone," Malik tells her with a smile. "If you look like you're hiding, then they're likely to find you. The trick is to look like you have nothing at all to hide." He pats the stone next to him, offering the stranger the apple from the assortment of food he has. "It's like a dog. When they're chasing something, they expect it to be running."

Cautiously Rhyn draws closer, finally sitting down and accepting the apple. She does not pull her hood off however, leaving it up to obscure her features. "I am not hiding from anyone. I am hiding from /that/." She motions toward the crowd of people irritably before turning the apple over in her fingers more gently. "How do people live in such chaos?"

Malik turns to look over his shoulder, chuckling a bit at all the noise and commotion. "I suppose that the city has a kind of magic," he answers easily. "Over time, they just seem to blend in to everything else. You don't even really hear it anymore, it just becomes a part of the scenery. Kind of like how, in the wilderness, you tend to learn to block out all the noises at night that aren't immediately threatening. Cicadas and nocturnal animals, that kind of thing."

Rhyn glances toward him, meeting his eyes long enough to show a steady blue gaze before she quickly looks away again to the apple she has yet to do more than turn in her hands. "I can not imagine ignoring so much of what is going on." Someone carrying a large package yells for people to give way and her head jerks in that direction only to see a man making his way down the street. Her shoulders lower in relief, but it's clear she's tightly wound, her fingers pressed into the flesh of the fruit until they're almost white. Awkwardly she makes shrugs. "At least it seems calm enough right here."

Malik nods in agreement. "It's hard, at first. Especially when you're used to watching out for dangers. But over time it gets easier to filter out the noise from the important things. Your mind adapts, focusing on only the things you need to pay attention to and skimming over all the rest. But that first week or so isn't exactly a pleasant experience. You're ready to jump out of your skin every time some fruit merchants yells over the crowd. I almost put an arrow through a silk peddler once. A few awkward experiences tend to speed the process right along. Embrace it."

There's a bark of real laughter from the archer, and she covers her lips to keep the mirth from spilling out. "I am glad to hear that I am not the only one. My first day here I accidentally started a fight with a muscle-bound block-headed fighter." She lets her hand fall away and turns toward Malik. For the first time he can get a good look at her face, shadowed though it is still by her cloak. There's a wry expression on her features.

"To be fair, it's not exactly -hard- to pick a fight with those types. That's what they do. When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. Just try to keep your head down until you get a sense of how everything moves. It's not terribly hard to steer clear once you know the flow. Cities are, if nothing else, incredibly predictable in all of their mad movement." He glances back over to her, tearing up a bit of bread into smaller chunks. "So did you win?"

Rhyn takes a bite of her apple and her eyes crinkle. "The brawl was stopped by the owner of the bar I was in. Actually I did get to fight him the next day. He won that one." She sighs in displeasure and grimaces. "He actually professed his love for me afterwards. Can you believe that?"

"Yeah, guys have a tendency to do that after pretty much anything physically exhausting," he tells her with a chuckle. "Best bet is to disbelieve it, because it's probably just the heat of the moment. And losing isn't always bad. Got into a bar fight myself a while back. Guy managed to break my nose, and steal my drink, but I stole his money while he was gloating, so I think I got the better end of the deal."

The woman arches an eyebrow and shakes her head. "I could not believe it then, and do not believe it now." She takes another bite to eat while Malik describes his own bar fight and then grins. "So fights in bars are common around here then. Thinking back those that were watching us fight did not seem particularly surprised by it."

She sets the apple in her lap and offers him her hand. "I am Rhyn by the way. I should have introduced myself earlier."

"Malik," he greets in turn, offering his own hand. "Nice to meet you, Rhyn. Even if between the both of us we're likely to draw every bar fight in the city." He gives her an easy wink, adjusting his position a bit so that he can turn to look at her a bit more easily without risking falling into the water below. "New to the city, then?"

Rhyn laughs again more surely this time and tugs her hood down a little. "I am. I suppose that it's quite obvious by now." She glances away from him and toward the crowd. "How about you? Have you been here long?"

"Longer than I thought I would be," he admits with a chuckle. "Not so long as to be quite a native yet. Though I fear that if I'm here much longer, I might forget how to get by in The Vast. Cities are unusually safe places compared to some of the strange things from home. Muggers in a dark alley were almost a refreshing change from random monsters and time traps."

"You are from the Vast?" Rhyn seems quite interested in this fact. "I have heard much about how dangerous it is and very little about there being people that live there."

"There are plenty of people who live there," he assures her. "You learn to adapt to the changing conditions. Keep moving, steer clear of the dangers. And then there are people like my family, who decided to make themselves right at home in the Sea of Sundered Time, surrounded by Wild Magic and gods only know what else. But it was a good life," he muses. "You learn a lot of tricks to get by, stay out of the way. Not get eaten. Things that cities don't really teach you."

"It sounds much like home to me. Though I am sure that the dangers of the Vast are of a different sort than one might find in the forest." Her brow furrows and she rubs a finger over her apple. "Though I fear that the wilds of Alexandria are much more prominent than one finds elsewhere in the world. I have heard of things there that seem impossible. I am sure you have seen it having been here for some time."

"There are plenty of dangers in the forest here, sure," he agrees. "Especially in the Felwood. Scarred by magic like it is, I'm kind of amazed that it's tranquil enough for people to live there, though granted they aren't exactly the most stable of people. But there are beauties too," he adds. "The land here has been carefully tended. Druids, dwarves, elves, Sith-Makar, Egalrin. Each of them trying to bring a little beauty in their own way."

"Such is what draws people to Alexandria I suppose. That and the promise of adventure." Rhyn smiles. "Surely there is enough of that to be had and more. I came to this city for far more peaceful reasons but I find myself lured by the idea of helping to protect the beauty that I have seen here." She glances toward him and is clearly embarassed. "And for less noble reasons its true. I simply enjoy a good fight."

"How is that less noble?" He laughs a bit, raising an eyebrow. "I know you're new here, but you should really get a tour of the place. Especially the Coliseum. Enjoying a good fight isn't just noble, it's practically a national pastime. Besides," he says, "if you're any good at it you can find yourself earning quite a bit of money. Which is really the only reason adventurers come here. Nobody goes out and does things to get an honorable mention in Better Homes and Dungeons, they do it to get paid."

"A tour... Yes that is a good idea. I would like to see more of the city if for no other reason than to avoid becoming lost. One can not leave trail signs in a city in the hopes of finding what one is looking for." Rhyn shakes her head ruefully. "What's Better Homes and Dungeons by the way? Is that one of these guilds I have heard about?"

"Devil if I know," he laughs, "but people around here have been talking about it for days now. Apparently it's getting very popular, and they're offering awards to people to go and do crazy things. Which is exactly the kind of thing that everyone eager to make a name for themselves is likely to crawl all over each other to do. You should look into it, see if they're offering anything your speed."

"Sounds interesting at least. I will have to look into it." Rhyn finishes her apple and meets his eyes once again. "So, could I entice you to be my guide for a little while? I know you would have to leave your picnic and this quiet location, but I would be willing to offer a pint of ale at your choice of bar afterwards." She grins at him.

"I think I can probably handle that," he agrees easily, scooting off of the little ledge and waving the crumbs off of the napkin before folding it up and putting it in his pocket. Snagging the book off of the ledge, he tucks it into a satchel, asking "Anyplace in particular that you'd care to start? Or should I just show you a few of my favorite spots?"

Rhyn considers a moment and then nods her head to him. "I think I would like to see your favorite spots. It's a place to start anyways." She makes a motion for him to lead on; nodding to him again. "And thank you."

Malik leads the woman southwest down the bridge, taking the trail that leads to what seems the heart of the bustling throng. "Welcome to the Market," he tells her with an easy grin. "Most anything that you can think of passes through someone's hands here. And if not, you're almost guaranteed to find someone who knows where you can find it. Just expect to pay a little extra when working through a middleman." The shouting merchants line the busy road, each of them having carts and stalls full of brightly colored or pungently scented wares. "While it might not be the kind of shiny, tacky thing that your nobles are prone to wear, most everything here is plenty durable and can get the job done just as well for a fraction of the cost."

She ducks her head and tugs the cowl of her cloak down further around her. "It's even louder here than it was before!" She's nearly shouting and a passerby gives her an odd look for talking so loud. She glares back and shakes her head. "How do you find anything here?"

GAME: Malik rolls Perception: (8)+5: 13

"How you find something largely depends on what you're looking for," he assures her. "You get used to it after a while." He raises his voice a little as well, to be heard over the din -- but not too much. "Your normal, everyday items are easy to find. Just listen for the people shouting about how cheap they are. If you're looking for something a little more exotic, then you have two options. First," he starts, "don't be so sure about not being able to leave trail signs in the city." He points to a few scratches on the wall, a bit too perfect to be random. Then, to a pot of flowers in various colors, one of them broken halfway up the stem and stuck at an odd angle to the others. Gods only know what they -mean-, but they're there, the more obvious of the set. "People have a way of leaving information in subtle ways. Or, if you want to be a little less subtle, there's the night market, which is -- an experience. Though no matter what time of day it is, I suggest that you watch your coin purse. There's more than one way to make easy money here."

"Thieves?" She makes the word sound like something unpleasant. Still Rhyn is interested in the trailsigns, touching the markings with her fingers and looking at the flower as though they might mean something to her. She smiles a little, an expression mostly lost beneath the hood and nods. "Now that I know what to look for it only means I must learn their purpose. A little trial and error, and I might be able to track my way around after all."

This seems to offer Rhyn some relief and she nods to Malik. "You know this city well."

"I barely know this city at all," he tells her with a laugh. "There are layers of secrets here beyond the obvious, and I haven't had as much experience with it as I would like. This is just the information on the surface, the kind of thing that everyone gets to know when they live here long enough. You want to know the city's real secrets, I'm afraid you'll need a better tour guide." He nods his head down the street a bit. "I believe you wanted to know where to see a good fight, right?"

Rhyn grins. "I would indeed. Seeing one is nearly as good as getting to have one." She laughs again, and it's clear from the sound of it that laughing isn't something she does often - though she seems to be in a fair mood today.

Malik leads the woman down a small side street that once again spills into a large plaza, this one dominated by a huge Coliseum flanked with all manner of armor and weapons vendors, clerics of the martial gods, poultice peddlers, and more. "Welcome to an entirely different kind of Market," he tells the woman, pointing out the various fighters bargaining with the merchants here, receiving the blessings of the gods, and most likely making plenty of backroom deals. "You want to see a good fight, you come here. The Coliseum is a good start. But von IronBrew's is just as likely to have blood on the floor as the sands of the Arena." He points out the tavern through the crowd. "Probably in the beer, too. I don't know if that's where it gets its name, but it wouldn't shock me."

Rhyn's eyes brighten signifigantly. "This I recognize! That's where I met that man." She points to the bar in question and then motions toward the colosseum. "And that's where I fought him later. I had no idea that they were both right around the corner from the market." She has the grace to look embarrassed, tugging her cloak down a little. "I guess I have been sort of walking in circles since I got here quite lost."

"Don't worry, the city is basically just two big circles with a couple of roads. Very easy to get right back to where you came from if you don't know which road to take. It's one big trick of architecture, I swear. If I had to hazard a guess, I would say it was designed to confuse a ground army, but that might be giving the architect too much credit." He thumbs to the south, toward the sound of clanging anvils and even -more- noise, somehow. "Let's go see where the sausage gets made."

Rhyn arches an eyebrow at Malik, looking in the direction of the loud clanging. "It sounds like they're making weapons..." She stops and then smiles. "That's what you meant. I should look at what they have though. Do you think they could make me a dagger?" She's following him closely. "Or would it be better to look in the marketplace for something like that?"

Malik chuckles at her observation. "Weapons, among other things, but they really do make sausage here too," he advises. "Lots of things end up getting made here. Weapons, food, cloth. Anything that the merchants can end up selling usually starts as some kind of raw material here," he assures. "And I'm sure they could make you a dagger. You can probably even find someone willing to make it for you for cheaper than you can get at the Market or the Arena, but I would be careful doing that. Know who you're doing business with, and make sure they can keep their mouth shut. The merchants don't like being cut out of the game, and some of the shadier ones might just decide that you would make a fine example of why not to cross them."

"That sounds... dark. And rather extreme just for trying to get a good deal on some weaponry." Rhyn shakes her head, and quickly finds her way to where there are weapons being made. It doesn't take long for her to start ooohing and ahhhing over the different items that they have hanging up as finished products. She even eyes speculatively what they're currently making as though to try and identify what it is and what the quality will be like when its complete. "This is amazing, I have never seen so many weapons in one place before!"

"The city isn't the place where the nice, quiet country folk live," he says, quietly. "It's full of exactly the kind of people that require other people in order to get by. Sometimes, that ends up a positive thing. Merchants, barkeeps. Other times, you have thieves, leg-breakers. A good mix of both, though the latter keeps growing as more people come into the city and find less opportunity here." He gives a little shrug. "You can judge them if you want, but everyone has to eat. Sometimes, you end up doing the dirty work. Crawling through dungeon sewers, collecting debts. Not all of it is glamorous."

Rhyn is drawn from the lure of the shiny newly-minted weaponry by Malik's quiet thought-provoking words. She grows quiet for a moment, eyes roaming the streets and then nodding. "Nature is not so kind to those that can not make a way for themselves. Be that the nature of the woods or the nature of a city. I do not judge them; the laws do that and I can not say that I understand the laws so well."

"Speaking of nature," he tells her, "how about something a little closer to home?" He nods to the east, then, whistling happily as he walks, the dark talk not really seeming to bother him too much.

"That would be lovely." She glances back to the weapons and nods to herself. Clearly she intends to return at some point, but her feet are hasty in following Malik.

Little by little, the busy city grows sparser as they approach the Gardens, the buildings and streets slowly being replaced by more verdant paths and terrain, though the signs of the city still clearly abound here. "Welcome to the Lower Gardens," he tells her with an easy smile. "You might find this place a little more your speed, if the city gets to be a little much. Still plenty of people. But lots of space to get lost in."

Rhyn stares at the greenery with amazement. This is not after all the time of year for flowers to be in bloom, and it is remarkably beautiful here. She finds herself as bespelled by the sights here as she had found herself amid the weapons of the district that they had been in before. "It is beautiful." Rhyn's voice is soft here; the voice that one uses in nature when wild animals might hear you. "It is amazing to me that something like this can exist in the heart of so much chaos and yet... it should not. Tell me, do you know why the plants are in bloom? It reminds me of the effect that our magic's had on the forest."

"I'm sure I could figure it out, with enough time," he tells her, "but I admit that I haven't really looked into it. Clerics of Dana, maybe? Or maybe some of the Druids tend to the gardens? Not normally the sort of thing that you would think of a wizard doing, but I suppose it's possible." He points at the lanterns in the trees. "Clearly someone with skill is working the area, though. I don't think it's a result of good climate. But that probably isn't a bad thing," he laughs. "I would put good money on a bet that this place keeps the populace from breaking out into civil war some days."

"It would be interesting to know, perhaps it does have something to do with the druidic magic of the elves which brings spring back into the soil and plants." Rhyn smiles at the lanterns. "Magic is certainly at work here, one to soothe the most violent of souls. To be able to come here when the noise of the city is harsh... I had been going to the pier at night but this is much better."

The pair walk a ways from the Gardens, through a whole section of warehouses where nothing much exciting is going on. At least not during the day, or out in the open. Over another bridge, they get to an area with the heavy smell of incense in the air, temples of many gods erected along the various plazas. "Welcome to the Temple District," he tells her. "If you're the religious type, this might not be a bad place to find your center. If you aren't, then -- just try and avoid the Acolytes. You get caught up in that conversation, and you won't make it out without ten scrolls extolling the virtues of some deity or another."

Overhead, the moon is momentarily blotted out by a shadow, and this is followed by a keening cry. A few moments later, a hippogriff comes to land in the center of the district square. Its rider dismounts, and begins to tend to her mount.

Rhyn makes a small amused noise and finally tilts her head far enough back to offer Malik to catch sight of her whole face and a glimpse of her hair which is the color of spilled blood just beginning to dry. It is a striking color beside her tanned skin, and she doesn't seem to notice at the moment that her hood has fallen backwards that short distance. The sound of the hippogriff changes this and she suddenly pulls the hood down once more, clearly self-conscious about something. She glances toward the hippogriff and its owner before replying to Malik. "I admit that I am not terribly religious."

Malik laughs, something about that amusing to him. "I think it's more of a calling, really," he admits. "I've known quite a few pissed off paladins that weren't exactly thrilled about their jobs. So don't worry, you're in good company. Just -- maybe don't say that too loud around here," he advises. "Just your luck you'll have a member of every temple out here questioning you about your choices. What a mess." As the hippogriff lands, he raises an eyebrow. "But you have to admit, for people who take vows of poverty and whatnot, they sure do know how to make a flashy entrance."

The woman glances over at the two, and flashes them a grin. "A vow of poverty? Not my style.", she says, pulling her helm free and letting the wind whip her hair about. She steps towards the two, the 'griff following in her wake, curiously sniffing at her pack, and bumping at it. "Gah.", she says, looking over her shoulder. "You know where your apples are." As Decima comes to a stop before them, the 'griff is fussing at one of the larger pouches, eventually finangling it open, and 'liberating' two apples.

"A chilly night for a tour.", the woman says, cheerfully.

Rhyn offers a nod and a small smile for the determined hippogriff. "Indeed it is, but it has been a pleasant one nonetheless thanks to my companion." She inclines her head toward Malik. "And yours is quite beautiful."

Malik gives the hippogriff a once-over, smiling, but keeps his distance from it nonetheless. "She asked for a tour of the city, and as a complete and total amateur, I thought maybe I could offer one without quite so many biases that the locals might throw in," he quips. "So far I think we've seen most of Lower Alexandria, skipping some of the boring parts."

Decima chuckles to the two of them, and smiles at Rhyn. "Careful, you don't want her getting a swolen ego. She won't fit into the stable if you do that." The hippogriff pauses in her dainty chewing of apple to whistle in a snarky fashion, and huffs, looking away. "Oh, sure you say that now, but who fell into the large puddle while letting some praise swell their head, hmm?" The beast snorts, and then continues in enjoying the apple, bit by bit.

"Ah, but your own biases are showing, by avoiding parts that you think are boring. Perhaps she might find them intriguing?" Decima laughs and then raises an eyebrow. "Ah, my manners. My name is Decima, of the Knightly Order of Peace. Pleased to meet you both."

"I am Rhyn." She watches the hippogriff eat its apple and smiles. "It is a pleasure to meet you." She glances at Malik then back to Decima. "And while I might find other places in this city interesting, I think that I at least know now how to better get around than I did before."

"Malik," the man introduces himself. "A pleasure to meet you, Dame Decima." He offers her an easy smile. Though he does glance back over to Rhyn, adding, "There's the Theater District, but honestly, if you're looking to avoid crowds, that probably isn't the best place. Also the people there tend to be on the -- dramatic side. You already know the Port, and we just passed through the exciting Warehouse District," he adds. "Hopefully we didn't skip over anything that you really wanted to see there. Those grain silos and fisheries are probably really the highlights."

The armored woman smiles, "Good to have met you both." She looks to Malik and then to Rhyn. "Well, if you want to avoid crowds, perhaps you might find an apartment or house in the district? Then you could enjoy some of the drama from a comfortable distance. They can be really entertaining." Decima glances back to Malik, with a crooked smile on her face. "The warehouse district is far more exciting than you might guess, too exciting almost. It is often a hive of scum and villainy, operating under a thin veneer of civility. The thieves' guild operates from there, and at least a dozen other shady groups as well. There are plenty of legitimate companies and concerns, but likely as many less legal operations too. Had to go in there in force more than once, and most times they simply flee like rats off a sinking ship."

Rhyn's eyes widen and then widen a bit further. "Live /here/?" She asks, sounding utterly surprised. "I think I would prefer sleeping in the woods where at least I know the dangers." The elvish woman makes an amused noise and shakes her head. "But it does sound interesting, do you go down to the docks and chase about these people for money? I have heard that money is the most common reason for adventurers to take on work and you seem an adventurous sort."

"Oh, we already covered the sorts of things that go on by night," he assures the knight, nodding over to his companion. "Even a thin veneer of civility is better than outright chaos, though. Thieves guilds often have codes of conduct, from what I hear. Maybe not -so- bad, if they can keep from murdering the locals and robbing the poor." It seems that he has opinions on such things. "And you could probably live here, eventually, if you were so inclined. Though I'd take it a bit slow. Maybe get to know the city and find some part that appeals to you before you think about packing it all up."

The armoured knight smiles at Rhyn's reaction, "Ah, well, I do suppose to some that the proposition of living here is ... distasteful at best. But most places have their advantages and disadvantages. As for me, yes, I have sometimes taken money to go in and help clear a place out. Sometimes my order does it, and so I am tasked to follow along. Sometimes I do it out of my own sense of duty." Decima nods to Malik then, "Oh yes, they do have codes... perhaps not the strictest codes of honour, but that often gets left bloody on the ground when it comes to money or territory." The 'griff whistles and moves to Decima's side. The woman chuckles and pat's at the hippogriff's cheek. "Yes, alright, we can go and get out of this wind. I know you're looking for a warm berth and some hot dinner." The beast seems pleased by this, and begins to trot down on of the side roads. "Well, I suppose I should go, I've got patrol in the morning. Take care, and hopefully we can run into each other again, some time." Decima waves and turns to go, following after the impatient 'griff.

Rhyn waves to Decima as she leaves watching the woman until she's out of sight before murmuring to Malik a small confession. "I really have no intention of moving /into/ Alexandria anytime soon. It is difficult enough sleeping in an inn here with all the noise that goes about, but actually living here?" She shakes her head and looks at him. "No offence meant to the city, but unless they would let me live in that garden I simply would not feel at home here wherever I was."

Malik laughs. "Hey, to be fair, if you're new here and as broke as the rest of us, the inns aren't guaranteed to have fewer bugs than the forest, so that's probably not a bad call." He raises a hand to Decima as she departs, calling out, "I hope we meet again soon. I see some spirited debates in our future." Looking back over to Rhyn, he asks, "Shall we continue?"

"Actually, I think it's about time for that bar." She glances around and lowers her voice so as to not disturb the district. "I could use a drink after all this walking."

-End-