Candidate Master - S'bol of Blue Nesporth Assistant CM - ? Weyrlingmaster - K'ton of Bronze Sorth Assistant WM's - B'rax of Bronze Gamath, Marti of Green Nereoth, and Dinah of Green Wrath
Headwoman - Noona (RNPC) Assistant Headwoman - ? Weyrsinger - ? Hold Harper - ? Head of Holders - Nestol
Joined: May 2009 Gender: Female Posts: 203 Location: California, USA
Crafters' Goods [Gather Grounds] « Thread Started on Oct 23, 2009, 11:59am »
A Gather. Finally, some sense of normalcy! Sure, he’d have to put up with watching upstart visitors trying to get into Karredy or Gisellaine’s good graces, but he was much less worried about Karredy with that formidable (if bad-tempered) queen on her side. Gerran had been working with the beastcrafters to help with the canines’ herding instincts, as well as to find out what other skills they had--the yellow-collared male was quite a good tracker, and the purple-collared female had the best herding and protective instincts out of the litter. He deemed those two far too valuable to sell, and so they were staying at the Hold with Layka and all but two of the adults.
The others were wandering around in the area he’d set up with help from the other beastcrafters; it was a flat area about half a dragonlength long, closed off by a net-like rope fence to keep the canines from getting into the other stalls. Or getting into trouble by trying to herd everyone together--what was fine with herdbeasts wouldn’t do for humans at a Gather.
There’d new livestock, certainly--the aging crafter was looking forward to anything that could boost Mavros’ herds, although he was personally hoping for porcines. Not too picky, good size, large litters... they could build a workable herd of porcines in as short as two or three Turns. The giant felines were much craftier than anyone had anticipated; several herdbeast thefts had been made in the dead of night, when even the watch-dragon was starting to slow down, but the attacks had been mercifully few.
The canines’ ears pricked as the stalls were being set up; the adults wagged their tails in a frenzy as they panted in excitement. The adolescents were more visibly excited, yipping and jumping about as they heard the distant sounds of squawking.
A grin settled onto Gerran’s face: Wherries! He hadn’t had proper wherry meat in sevendays--the wild birds residing on the island were hard to catch unless you were a dragon, and the good flavor of the meat was offset by their toughness. Once they managed to get a starting flock, he could use the canines to drive them to the pens. They’d have something to do and prospective buyers would see them in action; killing two birds (figuratively) with one stone.
- Note: Gerran’s herding dogs are descendants of several sheepherding breeds, but mostly of German Shepherd Dogs. These dogs have become larger than our German Shepherds over the centuries; instead of being 24-26 inches at the shoulder, they are now about 30-32 inches, with the largest dogs reaching 36 inches. While actual personality varies, all of them are going to need firm handling and at least an hour of exercise per day. They have extremely high work drives (most people buy them as working dogs anyway), and if not given some sort of job they will become restless and destructive. While Gerran's line specializes in herding and protection, they can learn other tasks very easily.
The ones on sale are eight months old and have mostly finished growing, but will need another Turn to lose their “bony teenager” look. While they are obedience-trained and socialized, they will NOT be used to their new owners and need a wherhide leash (provided by Gerran) for the first sevenday or two so the owners can keep them at their sides and out of trouble. They are double-coated (an soft undercoat covered by stiff, weatherproof guard hairs) and so will shed a lot, and will fully lose their undercoat twice a Turn. Daily brushing will help with the shedding, but frequent bathing is not recommended--once every few months is sufficient unless they've gotten particularly dirty.
For Sale (20 Mavros Marks each): Dog #1: Orange collar. Male, average size, black-and-gray “saddle” coat with short fur. Very energetic, with a tendency to jump on people. Will need firmer handling and probably more exercise, but otherwise has no problems.
Dog #2: White collar. Female, large size, black-and-tan “saddle” coat with short fur. Affectionate and relaxed. Will do well with the average person.
Dog #3: Red collar. Male, slightly bigger than average, pure black coat with long hair. Playful, but easily spooked; a calm owner is ideal. Needs extra brushing.
Dog #4 (tentative): Black collar. Male, smallish, short red coat with no markings. Extremely protective, will dominate if left to his own devices. Gerran will only sell him if the right person comes along, and even another beastcrafter will need to prove they can handle him if interested.
Greenrider Gisellaine and Zedorianth Beastcrafter Gerran Weyrling Karredy and Zalmaranth Weyrfolk Piyerro; fire lizard Saffra
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Re: Crafters' Goods [Gather Grounds] « Reply #1 on Oct 24, 2009, 8:28am »
"The cakes are burning, Caris! Do pay attention!"
Caris, yawning widely, hurried to shovel the baked goods in question out of her aunt's clay oven. She had been worrying about her wher, who spent days sleeping at the beasthold. Carisk was sure to cause trouble if she woke and found Caris missing, the girl thought, digging her baker's shovel underneath the cakes, which were not burning at all - only crisping a little earlier than usual. She grimaced as she levered them out and onto the wooden table her aunt had set up for the display of such things: Riscalla eyed her work disapprovingly at first, but her expression softened at the lack of scorch marks.
"Well, that's better than the first batch," she stated, and began to fuss with them on the table, making arrangements with deft fingers. "Now put the second tray of bubblies in."
Caris nodded glumly, procured the tray, and forced it into the too-small oven. She shot a glance over her shoulder at Gerran's dogs as she did so. Riscalla had chosen a spot rather perilously close to the animal pens for her liking.
"Beastcrafters are hungrier than average folk," had been her only explanation. Caris, who did not find that the aroma of canines or caprines did much to improve the taste of bubbly pie, had only nodded and submitted without argument. She knew from long experience that arguing with Riscalla seldom had productive results.
Riscalla is selling a wide variety of fresh baked goods at her stand. Among them:
Bubbly pies - Apple, blueberry. Baked in individual portions. The apple pies are particularly sweet, as Caris has a heavy hand with the sweetener.
Fish pie - Pies the size of a man's hand with the morning's catch baked inside (red fin and yellowtail), along with various vegetables like wild onions and leafy greens.
Sweet rolls - Sweetened rolls, some with bulge nuts inside, others with thornberries or garnished with spices.
Loaves of bread (7) - Whole wheat, well risen, some with ground nuts inside, others plain. You can buy by the loaf (1/2 MM) or purchase by the slice (less, but we're not going to keep track of quantities that small)- in the latter case, thornberry jam is complimentary.
Re: Crafters' Goods [Gather Grounds] « Reply #2 on Oct 24, 2009, 10:37am »
The morning had just begun and already he was beginning to dread the thought of how his back would feel this evening - he would be dosing himself with fellis all day he was certain of it. Spit fires were already going as were some of the roasting pits. Not much red meat was to be had by the Weyr, but much of it was going to be available for purchase throughout the Gather. Xanderick hoped the profit anticipated would pay for the bad mood this expenditure had put the Head Cook in the past sevenday.
Preparations had been extensive throughout; and the digging and building of an outdoor ovens near the Gather site was no small feat. His was a rough thing and ugly to behold but it got the job done and would be easy to break apart once the Gather was concluded. Some bubblies and pastries had already been claimed by those orchestrating and setting up in the pavilion for merchants. And while he was not exactly in the area, he was close enough to the vicinity that the smells of his "wares" (he thought with humor) would drift throughout the Gather. Hopefully people would flock to his area, eager to indulge in his goods.
[i]Xanderick will be selling:
Meat pockets - Almost a full pound of delectable and flaky crust filled with a meat flavored savory gravy and herbs, with wild onion and tuber and longroot chunks Price - 1 Mark (Mavros)
Fish rolls - Small finger food made with your choice of fingertail, yellowtail, and redshellfish rolled with flatbread and seaweed, highly flavorful Price - 1 Quartermark (Mavros)
Pastries - Large braided flaky crust with fruit filling - varieties include apple, roundberry, and thornberry Price - 1 Quartermark (Mavros)
Cheesy bread - Toasted bread, by the slice, topped with melted cheese and herbs Price - 1 Sixteenth Mark (Mavros)
Limited klah or redfruit and berry juice (served chilled) to wash it all down Price - Klah is free / Juice served into ones own mug or cup 1 Sixteenth Mark
Or request a complimentary glass of fresh drawn water!
cruurtun Adolescent Mavrosite [M:0] member is offline
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Re: Crafters' Goods [Gather Grounds] « Reply #3 on Oct 24, 2009, 9:47pm »
For once, Bramar was actually cheerful. A Gather meant plenty of opportunity to sell his wares. Arrayed before him was a variety of knives, flame-throwers (for those who wanted one for themselves), and other tools. He had also put up a sign informing anyone interested that he was willing to put shoes on a runner's feet. His claymore rested off to one side, and, nearby, there was a selection of practice swords; they were made of metal for realism, but were heavily padded, so that they would not kill anyone. There was also a locked chest beside Bramar, containing real swords he had forged. These would not be sold so readily. There was also a second chest, this one on the stand itself, which was much smaller, but had a heavier lock. This contained jewellery. Also, off to his left, was a selection of metal fittings, for leather working.
Services and goods Belt Knives: Bramar's knives are top-quality, with an edge as sharp as a razor. Most have a plain, workable hilt; however, the few that have jewelled hilts are both functional and decorative, a rarity among such items.
Runner Shod: Bramar can shoe a horse, although he isn't the best in the world at it.
Leather fittings: Metal fittings for harnesses for runnerbeasts and dragons.
Repairs: Bramar can repair most metal items... for a fee, of course.
Jewellery: Bramar's works are often less complex than others that make jewellery, but they are elegant in their simplicity, often drawing the eye to a lone gem in the piece. His stock is predominantly rings, bracelets, and trinkets, but he does have a few necklaces. He also makes pieces to be hung on a chain or leather thong as a pendent.
Practice swords: These rang in size from a dirk to a claymore, and are heavily padded to avoid injuring people. However, they are a realistic weight, so Bramar advises care when using them.
Weaponry: Bramar forges a variety of weapons ranging from simple to complex, but he resolutely refuses to sell to minors or people he deems should not carry weapons. He favours swords.
Joined: May 2009 Gender: Female Posts: 203 Location: California, USA
Re: Crafters' Goods [Gather Grounds] « Reply #4 on Oct 25, 2009, 1:17am »
Piyerro had been wandering around for a while, taking a glance or two inside the stalls to check if Tamerra was there. He had about ten marks on him, but Mavros’ currency had been minted only a few months ago, and so was much lower in value than the smidgen of inheritance he’d snuck off with--which by now had been spent on the high-priced Weyr necessities. He wasn’t loose with his money, and even if Bitran gamblers paid notice to the new Weyr he’d have no inclination to join in, so the lack of money wasn’t much of a problem with him.
Despite the relaxed nature of Gathers, he more often than not found himself hungry: An easy thing to understand, since the smell of baked goods was always an attention-catcher. The young man inevitably found himself in the corresponding stall, where Riscalla and her assistant were baking various pies and bread. Several loaves were already in a basket, still steaming from their short time out of the oven.
“Excuse me, but I’d like to buy this loaf,” he ventured, and took out a mark. As he reached over to exchange the money for the bread, a firm and rounded shape caught his eye. A misplaced roll? He shrugged and picked it up (gingerly, since it was very warm) to return it to its proper place. He then choked as his fingers closed over the smooth texture of an egg--far too small to be a wherry’s, even a dud.
Who in the Shell’s name would put a fire lizard egg in a bread-basket? Sure, it was warm, but people like him preferred to devour the source of heat--to say nothing of what would have happened if he hadn’t been this careful!
“Ah... Ma’am, there appears to be a fire lizard egg in your bread basket. Is... is it yours, perchance?”
Greenrider Gisellaine and Zedorianth Beastcrafter Gerran Weyrling Karredy and Zalmaranth Weyrfolk Piyerro; fire lizard Saffra
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Re: Crafters' Goods [Gather Grounds] « Reply #5 on Oct 25, 2009, 8:03am »
"A what?"
Riscalla came to a standstill, loaf shovel in hand, and stared at Piyerro a long moment before answering.
"A fire lizard - young man, do you think if I could afford to buy fire lizard eggs I would be here selling sweet rolls instead of out there -" she gestured loosely "- enjoying the gather?"
"Aunt, he's telling the truth." Caris, leaning over the table piled high with baked goods, had a much better view of the object in Piyerro's hand than did her relation. She chewed on her plump lower lip thoughtfully. "But that's bizarre, isn't it? Krehlor's gold got eaten by a wherry last month, so it can't possibly be hers."
Riscalla put the loaf shovel down by the oven and leaned forward, eyes narrowed. When she'd gotten a good look, she leaned back, hands on her hips.
"Well, I'll be."
The egg recieved another long, hard, stare. This did not appear to do much to convince it to stop being an egg and go back to being something more sensible and less inconvenient. Riscalla wrinkled her brow and Caris eyed Piyerro enviously.
"It's not ours," she said. "We don't have so much as a green. But maybe you should ask Antony about it - he's got one. You know, Antony? The quiet journeyman with the brown wher? His daughter's a bluerider. I dunno if he's sleeping back at the beasthold or if he decided to come to the gather after all, though."
"Five marks," said Riscalla suddenly. "Island marks, that is. You can keep it for five marks, and I'll throw the loaf in free."
"Aunt! Oughn't he give it to the Weyrwoman? That's what you're supposed to do with flitter eggs..."
But the egg itself, deaf to the argument it was provoking, put an end to their suggestions by starting to tremble and shake in Piyerro's hands.
Joined: May 2009 Gender: Female Posts: 203 Location: California, USA
Re: Crafters' Goods [Gather Grounds] « Reply #6 on Oct 25, 2009, 3:17pm »
“I’m very sorry if I offended you, ma’am, but it was in your basket...” Piyerro trailed off as the two began speculating about whose flit could have clutched it. As everyone had found out before, Krehlor’s gold had been eaten long before any chance of a clutch could be laid. That left her out, but there were still a few holders and Weyrfolk with at least greens. Greens were notoriously bad mothers, but even the silliest green flit wouldn’t mistake a basket of bread for their preferred sand... Maybe it was a strange practical joke?
He was a bit reluctant to give half his marks for an unexpected and unpredictable purchase, but it would have equated to only half a Mirran mark--less than a good-quality belt would have been, and she’d thrown in the bread as well. Riscalla must seriously want to get rid of it. “All right then.” He answered, and took his purchases after handing over the marks. “Thank you very much, ma’am. I’ll just take this to the Weyr until it... Shards.”
Piyerro was just about to wrap the egg in his handkerchief and slip it into his pocket when the sudden trembling forced a grimace onto his face. Just his luck: The egg was about to hatch, right after he’d gotten some bread! He looked around for a likely source of meat, uncertain of whether to move faster in case that spurred on the fire lizard inside the shell. The other food stall seemed likely, but then he’d have to waste time by picking out the appropriate chunks of meat or fish; could flits even digest cooked food?
The canines! Their breeder had to have some raw meat on hand! He headed over to the middle-aged beastcrafter, who didn’t seem pleased by his sudden arrival. “Excuse me sir, but I just found a flit egg, and it looks like it’s hatching. You wouldn’t have some meat on hand, would you?”
The canines bounded over--despite the gawky appearance of the ones on sale, their size and speed were rather intimidating. And they were looking a bit too keenly at his rocking egg... He tightened his hold in spite of himself and took a step back from the rope fence.
“Don’t worry, boy, that wouldn’t make more than a mouthful.” Gerran scowled at the egg, and Piyerro decided not to ask if he meant the canines or himself. The older man reached into a bowl and gave him a handful of the smallest chunks of meat, which Piyerro wrapped in his handkerchief. “Flits. They can sell for half the price of my canines, and they’re twice as much trouble. Go on and Impress your new pet--just remember to keep it out of my hair.”
“Uh... Thank you.” With that Piyerro went to a quiet part of the grounds, keeping both meat and rocking egg safely in his lap as the shell started cracking.
Greenrider Gisellaine and Zedorianth Beastcrafter Gerran Weyrling Karredy and Zalmaranth Weyrfolk Piyerro; fire lizard Saffra
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Re: Crafters' Goods [Gather Grounds] « Reply #7 on Oct 25, 2009, 5:40pm »
The egg in Piyerro's hands shook and trembled and finally cracked. Out poked a blue-green nose, followed shortly by a pair of very red, very hungry whirling eyes: the rest of the young fire lizard followed moments later, as she scrambled onto his lap, keening shrilly enough to make passersby stop and stare.
She snatched the raw gobbets of meat from his handkerchief without hesitation, and furiously gulped them down whole.
Loud, Fickle, Cunning
Chittering and chattering constantly, whether in delight or in dismay, this pretty green is never silent. Her likings change moment by moment, whether she's being picky about food or people, and when it comes to getting what she wants she can be surprisingly ingenious, despite the relatively small size of her brain.
Joined: May 2009 Gender: Female Posts: 203 Location: California, USA
Re: Crafters' Goods [Gather Grounds] « Reply #8 on Oct 25, 2009, 7:47pm »
This was a very unusual experience for Piyerro--who knew such a tiny thing could be so loud? He half-expected Gerran or one of his canines to show up and investigate, but despite the knowing snickers from passersby, nobody attempted to eat the tiny green. In fact, she was the one doing most of the eating... Piyerro whisked the handkerchief away when she attempted to chew on it as well, hand-feeding her as quickly as she ate.
“You are EXTREMELY loud, you know that?” he asked between her shrill demands for more meat. Odd--he was starting to feel less hungry and slightly annoyed. “I hope I don’t have to deal with your screaming too long.”
How long did fire lizards take to reach their full growth? Most weyrlings were finished growing by two Turns, but fire lizards obviously didn’t need that long. A Turn seemed like a good bet. He brushed off the egg shards as the green finished eating, then winced when she latched onto his wrist and climbed rather painfully onto his forearm.
“Ow! Here, let’s put you where you’ll be less likely to fall off.” He transferred the hatchling to his shoulder, where she gave a loud but content croon and dug her claws into his shirt. What in Faranth’s name was he going to call her? He’d been hoping for at least a day to think about it... Oh, well. He had a few hours, at least.
He tore off a chunk of slightly-cooled bread and chewed it, standing up carefully in case he took the little green by surprise; her response was to squall indignantly (right next to his ear!) and grip his shoulder tighter.
Re: Crafters' Goods [Gather Grounds] « Reply #9 on Oct 29, 2009, 7:46am »
"Make sure you pull those pies out in a quartermark, and no less, Roklent. And mind the fire!" Xanderick repeated his last instructions for the fourth time before taking his leave of his tent. The boy could handle things but had a tendency to daydream and forget the simplest details. A good haggler however, and a skilled hand for rolling dough. Xanderick had left him with sufficient items - not many were selling at the moment anyway. The Gather was too freshly started. Strolling leisurely (well, as leisurely as his clubbed foot and twisted back allowed) the man touched the belt which cinched his shirt around his waist - he felt the bulge beneath, a small sack of marks. One simply never knew what one might find at Gather.
Glancing down, he was suprised not to see Ziedrik there... But recalled painfully the last month. A greenrider had prevented the feline from mauling him but had been too late for Ziedrik. He'd held the canine as the little thing had bled to death, making pathetic whimpers in his throat. Tears threatened his brown eyes and with difficulty he blinked them away. It was then that a piteous shriek snatched his attention and his head lifted away from studying a pen of beasts to the direction of the insistent call. Bemused by the noise he started forward, and near a bench by a man selling canines, he found a young man cradling something in his hands.
Ah.... A flitterlings. Xanderick approached the fellow hesitantly, noting the egg shards scattered around him, even as the little green creature cried out once more. "I never knew the little things were so pitifully demanding at Hatching. Why, she'll have the whole Gather turned on their heads." A crooked smile sauntered onto his homely face even as he studied the little creature - which let out a hiss due to his close regard. Chuckling he stepped back a bit. "And certainly not given to sharing." He hoped the man wouldn't find him a nuisance; but his curiousity had really gotten the better of him.
Joined: May 2009 Gender: Female Posts: 203 Location: California, USA
Re: Crafters' Goods [Gather Grounds] « Reply #10 on Oct 31, 2009, 5:44pm »
“That’s why I picked this spot,” Piyerro replied. He fed her the last few chunks of meat, wincing as his new green hissed when Xanderick peered at her too closely. “Still, she’s got some lungs on her.”
The subject of names resurfaced in his mind as the fire lizard went back to sleep, and he went through a series of possibilities. He didn’t want to name her after one of his relatives--even though his extended family had fair relationships with him, it felt a bit trivial to name a pet after one of his aunts. So he’d have to do with a made-up one as originally thought. Ronna, Verra, Saffra... Saffra sounded the best.
“I think I’ll call her Saffra.” He turned his head to see if she responded. A thread of acknowledgement arose despite her continued slumber--this must be what having a dragon felt like. No wonder Tamerra decided to Impress.
Re: Crafters' Goods [Gather Grounds] « Reply #11 on Nov 2, 2009, 4:39am »
Nodding the bent man smiled indulgently at the young man and his now content baby (really, that's what it was, wasn't it?), which had settled to sleep. "Saffra is a right good name, son. But I'll leave you to it." Rising from his own position he glanced at the little green creature once more. "I wish you the best of luck with her." His skewed features remained ugly despite his smile and he turned away, his awkward and limping gait carrying him forward.
His attention was drawn to a handful of people, arranging themselves near roped of area. Shuffling forward Xanderick blinked dumbly as he realized it was a group of canines. Very large ones. Watching as the animals interacted with another he automatically gauged their temperments. One with an orange collar seemed the most playful of the group - pouncing on his littermates, trying to entice them to play. Too rambunctious. The largest, a female, came off as a serene lady - pointedly ignoring her brothers efforts to play. A good animal. The smallest male struck him as too fierce, trying to make up for his size - not at all subservient to the others.
It was the black male that most captured his attention - he seemed the most responsive to the playful ones' efforts. Yet painfully aware of the spectators. The way his ears kept twitching and flicking it was obvious the noisy Gather festivities startled him. Nervous glances were thrown every which way, especially if a paticularly loud voice or laugh could be heard.
Idly Xanderick wondered what the man was asking for the dogs. No real intentions came to him of buying one of the brutes but he was curious. Yet his eyes devoured the objects of his consideration - for his was a lonely existence, especially with the loss of Ziedrik who had ever been his only companion.
Joined: May 2009 Gender: Female Posts: 203 Location: California, USA
Re: Crafters' Goods [Gather Grounds] « Reply #12 on Nov 3, 2009, 1:16am »
Gerran’s neutrality was rather misleading as a few customers arrived; he was fine with people for the most part, but as the spectators watched his canines, he was making his own observations about them. There were even more ill-equipped dimglows here than he was used to--with most Southerners used to leisure and ample land, he had a strong feeling that working animals were the last on their minds. The black-and-gray male was gaining the most attention by far (the energetic ones usually did, until the poor sods realized that they’d need more exercise than the canines politely waiting for attention), thought the usual hotheads and even some girls eyed the red male.
He found it strange that most holders considered aggression akin to protectiveness. While the two worked well in humans, humans didn’t consider attacking a valid method of negotiating--well, some did, but those were usually the ones most deficient in morals.
“How much is he, Journeyman? The reddish one?” A girl asked. Gerran eyed her a moment. Average in appearance, dark hair and eyes, but she put him in mind of Gisellaine whenever she had to deal with people: Skittish and quiet. Not good, unless she had underlying beastcraft knowledge like Gisellaine. And even Gisellaine was ill-suited for dealing with aggressive canines, since they could smell her unease and stare her down in a moment. Karredy had held up surprisingly well with those, probably because of her stubbornness; which Gerran was somewhat thankful for now that she’d Impressed a gold with similar sharpness.
“Young lady, he’s only on sale if I can find the right owner. Unless you’re open to coming in here and proving you can handle him, I don’t think I should let him go at all. Same goes for the rest of you,” he raised his voice slightly, just barely keeping the term “hotheads” from slipping out. “They’re twenty Mavros marks; around two Mirran marks, for anyone with those.”
The girl backed down, as he thought, and the beastcrafter turned his attention to another customer--Xanderick, the cook. He’d lost his own canine last month, hadn’t he? Sharding, overgrown felines. He hadn’t even gone on some foolhardy ramble, like Karredy looking for fiber plants in a darkening forest; an everyday walk, not that far from the Weyr. Gerran wasn’t very fond of the smaller, yappy canines, but Ziedrik had been aged enough to be unobtrusive. And it was rather endearing to see someone maintaining a canine well enough to get that far.
“Hello there, Xanderick. Interested in the canines? They can do a lot more than herding or guard work.”
Re: Crafters' Goods [Gather Grounds] « Reply #13 on Nov 3, 2009, 11:37am »
The growls being issued from the smaller red male, though only in play, made Xanderick wary; an ill-tempered canine, even in an uncrowded Weyr, was a danger. Perhaps ill-tempered was perhaps an unjust thought. Most could be trained out of such ways but it took a firm hand, and infinite patience. And from the sounds of the stuffed wherry heads scrutinizing that paticular dog most closely, he was inclined to think they would not be capable of taking the canine to hand. He watched the verbal standoff between the beasthandler and some of the interested buyers.
But he could not keep his eye from wandering back of the black male, who reclined now in repose next to an adult female. Shy ones could also be a danger if they had not been socialized correctly as puppies; their fright could come out as aggression on unsuspecting people. It was the voice of the handler, now loudly raised, that snatched his attention back. Twenty marks? That would be a bit of a stretch, and he'd end the Gather with little else. That was, if he was seriously entertaining the notion of trying to purchase one of them from him.... He wasn't, was he? Xanderick belatedly realized he recognized the man; it was Gerran, whom he had seen about the Weyr on few occasions. And hadn't they shared a cup of klah one morning in the dining hall?
Grunting at his failed recollection he smiled warmly, raising a hand in greeting as Gerran approached him. "Afternoon Gerran... Twenty marks you say?" He frowned as though in thought before continuing. "I don't know that I am interested. It is still fresh..." His back was laced with remnants of the wounds he had received from the feline that had attacked him. In the middle of a sunny day, very near the Weyr. And with dragons in the sky. It was not until later that a tracker had learned the beast was a nursing mother - with small kits hidden in a shallow cave. "...But, more than herd work you say? What commands have they?"
He began to reconsider his earlier dismissal more seriously. It might be nice to have a large enough canine of his own to work one of the many spits in the kitchens, if he could train it to such work. Some of the creatures in the kitchen were surly as drudges and given to stubborness and snapping at those with whom they were not familiar. He envisioned a harness or yoke type device - for the burly things would surely be capable of bearing heavy burdens - such as buckets of water for example? Yet Xanderick halted his thoughts, wondering if Gerran would approve of an animal from his stock being used in the kitchens. Some breeders might take it as an offense.
Joined: May 2009 Gender: Female Posts: 203 Location: California, USA
Re: Crafters' Goods [Gather Grounds] « Reply #14 on Nov 3, 2009, 1:49pm »
“They have the usual commands under their belts--sit, stay, heel, come, down, and the like.” Gerran replied. The adults looked at him, with their example followed by a few of the litter, before going back to their usual antics. “I don’t usually train them past the basics. The rest can be done by the owner unless they need something like guard or protection work done, and even then it’s just fine-tuning what they instinctively know already. They can learn in a sevenday what some canines need a month for.”
Xanderick seemed a bit hesitant, but it was for a reason besides the obvious fact that his old canine had died in a violent manner; maybe the thick coats were putting him off. The man did work in the kitchens, after all, and Gerran had met more than a few average holders balk at the shedding. It wasn’t like a few minutes of brushing every day was fatal--some people just didn’t like the idea of working. It wouldn’t be a problem with Xanderick, though. The cook was annoyingly optimistic, but at least he didn’t take things for granted.
“They can carry weights pretty easily, too. This lot shouldn’t get too much heavy work until the next Turn--they’d be almost two by then--but some of my adults could haul me along if they put their minds to it.” He decided not to mention that they’d hardly dared to do so, unless they’d been particularly flighty adolescents. “Since they’re properly trained, though, they shouldn’t be dragging you across the Weyr on walks..”
Re: Crafters' Goods [Gather Grounds] « Reply #15 on Nov 8, 2009, 5:37pm »
Xanderick's arms folded over his chest as he listened, nodding at various increments of Gerran's speech. His eyes never left the canines - he was still scrutinizing them for flaws in their character. Most especially the black one who so attracted him. The common commands were easier to instill in young pups; he had taught Ziedrik entirely on his own, and being unfamiliar with canines it had been trial and error. He was glad that Gerran took it upon himself to teach the pups. "I have very little that would need to be guarded..."
A hand came out and he began to pluck at his lip in thought. Even if it took a turn or better before they could carry heavy weight, it might take that long to simply train and accustom them to doing so. And the working out of a harness/yoke would have to be undertaken. It was likely best to seek out the Beastcraft Master for that... Xanderick was not suprised to find that he seemed to have already made up his mind about acquiring one of Gerran's pups.
"I often walk, and I always kept my last canine with me. So they'd get good exercise. I've been told it is good to stretch my leg and helps develop stronger function in my lungs. Healers." Eyes rolled with the exaggeration. And reacting to a sudden thought he turned them upon the man. "Would you care to select one of the pups and show me their training?" A fleeting thought of having left the boy with his food stand touched his mind but was quickly discarded. Roklent could handle himself well; even if he was duped into selling things cheaper than he ought.
Even if it was a simple rote of going through common commands Xanderick wished to see them in action before he even announced his intent to purchase.
Re: Crafters' Goods [Gather Grounds] « Reply #16 on Nov 11, 2009, 10:00pm »
Fade was sighing quietly. There was much activity around the area, but very little involved him in any way. His little stall was not getting many people, as opposed to those of many other Crafters around the area, such as one Bramar. It looked like the smith was not making a lot of money on this Gather- but then again, that wasn’t the purpose of Gathers, was it?
Fortunately, Fade did not require a lot of money to support himself. He decided at length that bad business didn’t really matter, when there were many worse situations that he was not in. And besides, it was a Gather! It was one of the rare festive occasions, so it was best to make the most of it.
Fade could not help but smile, and began proclaiming, “High quality Smithcrafted goods for sale!” to no one in particular, hoping to attract a customer or at least some good conversation.
Some of Fade’s wares: Tools: Fade has many tools of all natures which one might buy. Most are plain, but of high quality. Weapons: Fade is not huge on weapons, but he does have them. There are swords and spears, and the occasional axe. Boxes: Fade makes a variety of metal boxes and safes. Many of these come with rather effective locks. Household Items: This includes cooking and eating-related things, candle holders, and all the other common metal household objects that Twi can’t name right now. Parasols: In the sunny Southern Continent, you can beat the heat with a parasol. Fade makes parasol frames, and he finds fabric to put on them, and presto, shade. These come in a variety of sizes, and although they fold up and retract for storage, that function is manual. Still, it is shade.
Joined: May 2009 Gender: Female Posts: 203 Location: California, USA
Re: Crafters' Goods [Gather Grounds] « Reply #17 on Nov 12, 2009, 1:03am »
“Even if you don’t have actual valuables, they’ll learn who’s supposed to be here and who’s not,” Gerran replied. “I spent twenty Turns breeding them for protection instincts, and they’re nearly as good as watch-whers when it comes to intruders.”
Not to mention that someone could call them off after they’d gotten riled up. Whers tended to be all-or-nothing with intruders--it was one reason he wasn’t so keen on them--but even a particularly hard bite from one of his canines could heal without a problem, since they were smaller and didn’t maul their victims nearly as much as their draconic counterparts. At Xanderick’s request, he went inside and got the female’s attention.
“Heel,” he ordered, giving the usual signal of patting his leg.
The canine’s ears pricked; the Leader was taking her somewhere! Was it to the food-with-wings? She liked those--the winged-protectors didn’t eat as much of them as they did the running-food, and the Leader didn’t like the wild-food-with-wings enough to hunt them very often. She followed him past the fence with a smooth and effortless gait; there were other humans watching her, but she stood and listened for another command.
“Good girl. Sit.” He gave her a ruffle behind the ear when she followed the order immediately. “Stay.”
She waited patiently, eyes following the Leader as he closed the entrance to the enclosure and walked carefully around it. If she could have read Gerran’s mind, she would have known that the nonsensical commands were solely to demonstrate her training, but even if she did she would have still obeyed the commands--she’d been bred for obedience, after all. After going three-fourths of the way back he called out the third command: “Down.”
A more unruly dog may have gotten confused, or started focusing on the distant noises of the food-with-wings, but this one was perfectly fine figuring things out herself. Some of the humans smelled nervous, despite their interest; she couldn’t imagine why. There was a sickly human watching her, too; he’d been talking to the Leader before she’d been let out. Was he going to be her new Leader? Did he need protection from something? He wasn’t walking like normal humans, but if he’d survived to adulthood with that leg, it probably wasn’t as bad as it looked. Maybe he was all right with normal activities and just needed help with attackers--it wouldn’t be surprising, since anyone with a good nose could smell something wrong.
He had food-smells on him, though, and that was making her hungry...
“Come!” As she headed over at a run, Gerran rewarded her with a piece of meat before he led her back into the enclosure. “There you are, Xanderick. Anything else you want to know?”
Re: Crafters' Goods [Gather Grounds] « Reply #18 on Nov 12, 2009, 8:48am »
It was the alert female Gerran chose. Even when Gerran strolled away from her, and she was distanced from her point of command, she never lost her focus upon him. Every fibre of her being was trained upon Gerran - his words, the gestures of his hands. Xanderick studied her with resolute calm. A brief glance was thrown at him by the female, though only from the corner of her eyes. Pleased by her behavior he wondered if the nervous black male would be so well behaved.
"She's a right smart one, isn't she." There was no question in his voice and he dropped to a knee (with a groan of effort) and slowly extended his hand toward her. If she welcomed him, and if Gerran did not mind overmuch, he would like to feel the texture of her fur. He was not keen on the long coats the beastcrafter's dogs possessed... But not all things could come as you wanted them. "These adults... Are they the dame and sire?"
Eyeing them speculatively he remained crouched on the ground, though the position cramped his lungs even more than usual. A mild cough forced its way outward. At the other man's inquiry he found that he had many more questions before his thoughts might be satisfied. And the desire for that paticular dog justified. The black male attracted him strongly. "Would it trouble you, or them, if I went in? Walked amongst them? Just to see how the pack acts toward a complete stranger."
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Re: Crafters' Goods [Gather Grounds] « Reply #19 on Nov 12, 2009, 12:03pm »
B'ridash was unaccountably annoyed to discover that his Gather best no longer fit him properly, and he quite contentedly blamed Varaneth. Varaneth, who was disappointed that her darling B'ridash was now unable to make a proper showing at the Gather, quite contentedly blamed darling B'ridash himself (what business had he getting bigger, for was it not she, Varaneth, who was supposed to be doing the growing? THE NERVE). In a manner of speaking, B'ridash had the right of it, but in a manner of speaking only. The already big young man had piled on additional muscle as a result of weyrling training, and the seams of his perfectly tailored shirt and trousers protested the greater girth of chest and thighs. The ability to pour himself into some flattering and suitably dressy apparel certainly appealed; B'ridash would, no doubt, be quite pleased with himself for having such a strapping, manly, swaggering appearance with which to charm women and firmly set aside the notion that he was a typical male greenrider.
Luck was with him, and he calculated he had just enough time and spare materials to craft magnificent new Gather wear. Sure, he could have let out the seams on the old stuff, but he was a dragonman now, attending Mavros's very first Gather, and blast him to ash if he was going to wear something that was not made for the occasion. So he slaved, and pricked the hell out of his fingers, and measured and swore and stamped around and tried Varaneth's patience.
And today, after he woke and tended to Varaneth (whose demands for the day were excessive, even considering the green's especial vanity), B'ridash was here, roaming the stalls, hunting up bargains and . . . oh, fine, he felt he needed one last accessory to complete the ensemble of pressed, fitted tunic in camel and trousers in rich klah. It was true; even embroidered dragons of Varaneth's lovely muted shade of green swooping around the collar and cuffs of the tunic weren't quite enough when one wias missing the perfect belt knife. This was largely because Varaneth had thwapped his old one from his hand with her tail in a snit and sent it plunging down to the water below, but that was of no consequence.
With a supremely casual air, B'ridash approached Bramar's stall and began to idly look over the selection of belt knives the man had available. He cleared his throat to get the smith's attention. Subtle, right?
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