• Location • The Office of the Citizen's Committee

[Maltruism]

Office of the Citizen's Committee

The wooden doors open soundlessly to reveal a small, window-lit chamber with a few chairs set against the walls amid tables, planter pots and 3 doors. Plaques by the doors designate the offices beyond them. To the left is the door marked "Housing", to the right, "Employment", and straight ahead, "Guidance".

HOUSING

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KELLEEN MORA

32-arc-old human female
Engineering - 55 / Woodworking - 34
Leadership - 58 / Etiquette - 60
Linguistics - 72 / intimidation - 41

The black-haired woman, in the office on the left, asks you without looking up, to close the door behind you as you enter. She will continue to make gestures towards the door until you comply, at which point her gestures will then be directed to the empty seat before her desk. She may have a few last details of paperwork to finish before sitting back with a calm but unsmiling expression and a direct look.

"Welcome to the Housing office. My name is Kelleen Mora. May I have your name? I trust you are here to find a place to stay. Are we speaking of temporary or permanent residence?"

Even as she asks, she retrieves a large book of street plan charts from a lower desk drawer, and a ledger book from a shelf behind her. She refreshes her quill pen as she awaits your answer.

EMPLOYMENT

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PETER MEAD

56-arc-old human male
Linguistics - 47 / Leadership - 44 / Business management - 39 / Socialization - 52

If instead, your business takes you through the door on the right, you will probably still be met with a similar delay as the business preceding your own is finished. A well groomed older gentleman stands and gives you a smile as he reaches to shake your hand. He then motions to the obvious chair as he retakes his own.

"Welcome, welcome. I am Peter Mead, Employment Coordinator, and if you are looking for work, it is my pleasure to assist you." He straightens a note pad as he speaks and prepares a quill as he examines a list of available positions.

"If you could give me a basic idea of what skills you could offer this city, I have no doubt I can find you a place where they can be put to gainful use. So, what sort of employment are you hoping to find?"

GUIDANCE

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MARLIN TAGLEY

71-arc-old human male
Politics - 57 / Linguistics - 34 Detection - 50 / Investigation - 60 / Socialization - 58 / Business Management - 44

The state of the office straight ahead, as well as the old man inhabiting it, are very much at odds with the other two. Both he and his office share a harried and confused appearance.

His greeting reflects this: "Oh, I'm terribly sorry. I didn't see you come in. Just grab a chair...oh, umm...well just set those charts on the floor...if you can find a spot. But don't lose them! I need them for uh...who?...oh yes, the young lady three visitors ago."

He sighs heavily, realizing he's getting behind his work load. Then catches himself, "Oh dear, I never asked you your name...or, for that matter, gave you mine." He rises hesitantly from his desk, making an effort to stabilize a stack of papers near the closest edge, to avoid a domino-effect of toppling paperwork, and extends his hand.

"I am Marlin Tagley, the Guidance Coordinator." He allows a sheepish grin, "I don't imagine I look terribly coordinated right now, eh? Well, it's only because I handle everything other than Housing and Employment. That's why this mess is of such varied components." He laughs with genuine mirth.

"So now, what is your name? And what can I help you with?"

Original Version by Maltruism

Office of the Citizen's Committee

The wooden doors open soundlessly to reveal a small, window-lit chamber with a few chairs set against the walls amid tables, planter pots and 3 doors. Plaques by the doors designate the offices beyond them. To the left is the door marked "Housing", to the right, "Employment", and straight ahead, "Guidance".

HOUSING

► Show Spoiler

KELLEEN MORA

32-arc-old human female
Architecture - 55 / Carpentry - 34
Leadership - 58 / Etiquette - 60
Linguistics - 72 / intimidation - 41

The black-haired woman, in the office on the left, asks you without looking up, to close the door behind you as you enter. She will continue to make gestures towards the door until you comply, at which point her gestures will then be directed to the empty seat before her desk. She may have a few last details of paperwork to finish before sitting back with a calm but unsmiling expression and a direct look.

"Welcome to the Housing office. My name is Kelleen Mora. May I have your name? I trust you are here to find a place to stay. Are we speaking of temporary or permanent residence?"

Even as she asks, she retrieves a large book of street plan charts from a lower desk drawer, and a ledger book from a shelf behind her. She refreshes her quill pen as she awaits your answer.

EMPLOYMENT

► Show Spoiler

PETER MEAD

56-arc-old human male
Linguistics - 47 / Leadership - 44 / Bus. Mgmnt. - 39
Negotiation - 51 / Socialization - 38 / Persuasion - 52

If instead, your business takes you through the door on the right, you will probably still be met with a similar delay as the business preceding your own is finished. A well groomed older gentleman stands and gives you a smile as he reaches to shake your hand. He then motions to the obvious chair as he retakes his own.

"Welcome, welcome. I am Peter Mead, Employment Coordinator, and if you are looking for work, it is my pleasure to assist you." He straightens a note pad as he speaks and prepares a quill as he examines a list of available positions.

"If you could give me a basic idea of what skills you could offer this city, I have no doubt I can find you a place where they can be put to gainful use. So, what sort of employment are you hoping to find?"

GUIDANCE

► Show Spoiler

MARLIN TAGLEY

71-arc-old human male
Politics - 57 / Linguistics - 34
Observation - 50 / Caravan - 44
Investigation - 60 / Bribery - 58

The state of the office straight ahead, as well as the old man inhabiting it, are very much at odds with the other two. Both he and his office share a harried and confused appearance.

His greeting reflects this: "Oh, I'm terribly sorry. I didn't see you come in. Just grab a chair...oh, umm...well just set those charts on the floor...if you can find a spot. But don't lose them! I need them for uh...who?...oh yes, the young lady three visitors ago."

He sighs heavily, realizing he's getting behind his work load. Then catches himself, "Oh dear, I never asked you your name...or, for that matter, gave you mine." He rises hesitantly from his desk, making an effort to stabilize a stack of papers near the closest edge, to avoid a domino-effect of toppling paperwork, and extends his hand.

"I am Marlin Tagley, the Guidance Coordinator." He allows a sheepish grin, "I don't imagine I look terribly coordinated right now, eh? Well, it's only because I handle everything other than Housing and Employment. That's why this mess is of such varied components." He laughs with genuine mirth.

"So now, what is your name? And what can I help you with?"

[Kydrel]

Arch 716, 6th Trial of Cylus

Sticking out like a sore thumb was a phrase the Avriel was all too familiar with. He was quick to prove that saying true simply by walking through the streets of any known city. That is, those that let him pass through them without hunting him down first.


He drew eyes like a moth to the flame, some curious but most openly hostile.


Drawing an aura of cold indifference around him, Kydrel flared his wings slightly, causing those who were staring intently at him to jerk back in alarm, quickly frowning in irritation as they glanced around, mildly embarrassed at their reaction. He ignored them; they were no more than a mere nuisance. He had been wandering around Etzos for half a trial, having left the gates behind him, yet no closer to finding the "Office of the Citizen’s Committee" than when he started.


“Blast city.” Kydrel growled under his breath as he came to a stop in the street, clawed hands resting on his belt as he stared around him, walls and archways crisscrossing above him. It looked like a more commercial area, if he cared to look more closely. Finally he had to admit that he had no idea where he was.


“Little lost are we, eh?” A voice spoke up next to him, drawing him out of his reveries. The Avriel turned slightly, looking for the source of the voice. His eyes rested on an old man standing outside a shop or home. Kydrel eyed him icily.


“What’s it to you, old man.” The elderly fellow just grinned, ignoring the blatant rudeness directed at him.


“Ohh, that’s not the attitude to have. I doubt you’ll find many friends here.” The cheery nature irked the winged newcomer. He was used to people insulting him, not striking up friendly conversation. The man did have a point, however. As much as the conversation unnerved him, he did need information and was unlikely to get it anywhere else. He grit his teeth, hating the feeling of relying on someone else for help.


“I’m looking for the…” He blinked as he tried to remember the name, “…Committee.” It fell flat and it annoyed him to show any sort of weakness, especially in front of this old fool. But the elderly man didn’t seem to notice and he nodded wisely.


“Ahh, you must be lookin’ for the Office of the Citizen’s Committee. That’ll be in the middle of our city. It’s shaped like a circle if you haven’t picked up on that yet.” He chuckled at his comment. Kydrel barely acknowledged him. He had already left.


It took him another trial, even with directions, to find the Office. But finally he arrived.


Kydrel strode through the door, absorbing the décor before his attention was drawn towards the three way split in the room, noting the signs on each door. Spotting, ‘Housing’ he moved towards it, eager to finish his task at hand.


A woman sat behind a desk, quietly writing. Without looking up she told him to shut the door. His lip twitched up into a snarl, anger stirring in his chest at the command.


No. Breathe. Control. You have to control yourself. Breathe. Remember, you need something from her. If you aren’t polite she won’t help you.


He inhaled deeply, releasing the pent up air and with it, his irritation. Pain strickeningly slow, he closed the door behind him before standing directly in front of the desk, trying to mask the annoyance he felt still lurking in his chest. Upon her questions he replied slowly, letting his words draw out.


“Kydrel Sevnium. Temporary.”

[Ahzen]

9th of Cylus, 716

Finding himself within the confines of a rather sordid looking place, Ahzen wondered to himself how exactly it had occurred to him that coming to the city of Etzos was a good idea. A frown materialized upon his expression as his gaze cast about the lobby area of the Office of the Citizen's Committee, the young man noting individuals trickling in and out of three different rooms. 'Housing', 'Employment', 'Guidance'. The three words hung over their corresponding doors, a chuckle escaping Ahzen's lips, soon after followed by a scoff.

Guidance? What the fuck would that sod do that the other two don't?

A shrug moved the man's shoulders as he made his way forward, turning to the right. It was, after all, Ahzen's priority to have a job. Everything else was secondary. Making his way towards the room, he found the door in front of him to be locked. Cursing under his breath, Ahzen made his way to sit himself down, waiting for his turn.

When, at last, the way was over, he made his way inside. Meeting face to face with the Employment Coordinator was the easy part, for Ahzen by no means lacked confidence in his abilities. A grin cast upon his features as he sat himself down, listening to the older man speak. When the question was posed, Ahzen took a moment to consider his response, the young man lowering his hood with a casual flick of his head before looking the man in the eye,

"The best thing that comes to mind is that I know my way around a blade."

Ahzen motioned to the gladius strapped to his back, one of two blades that he carried with him at all times.

"The most I could ask for is trying my hand at bounty hunting or mercenary work, to be honest. I've never received formal training that one would expect from a guardsman, so that'd be my best bet."

This man was nothing more than a guiding post, a way to grander things. Therefore, there was no need for Ahzen to spill his guts to this sort of person. A simple job to start would be just fine. With time, Ahzen would seek to find his stride with bigger and better things.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Once Ahzen was finished with the Employment Coordinator, he quickly made his way out of the office and directly towards the 'Housing' office. A groan escaped the man's lips as he found, yet again, that there was an individual already seeing the coordinator. Taking the same seat he had found before, Ahzen waited, his patience clearly waning as his foot tapped against the floor. Several minutes passed, Ahzen toying with the leather that held together the glove on his right hand. When the office vacated, Ahzen rushed to stand up, nearly jogging to the entrance before closing the door behind him.

It took a moment for Ahzen to register that Kelleen Mora had spoken, though once she did, the young man nodded, an easy smile setting upon his features.

"My name is Ahzen, Kelleen. And my stay is temporary."

[Maltruism]

Kydrel

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The woman before him paused momentarily, as if waiting for something beyond such a terse response. When the winged man before her said nothing further, she set her street plan chart on the desk. "Well, I assume that "Kydrel Sevnium" is your name; and that "temporary" refers to the duration of housing you wish to obtain." She stood and let a bland gaze fix upon his eyes for a moment longer, to let him know that two could play the "Disrespect" game.

"Going on that assumption, I can offer you several options regarding location, though they will all be within the outer housing circle. We have available units in all of the outer housing sectors. Most of them are close to a practice and first-defense area of one branch of the military or another." Her expression underwent a brief tic while she considered making a comment about how his look suggested that he would wish to avoid that, but then thought better of it.

Instead she shrugged, "Barring that, I can set you up in close proximity to either the outer crafting zone or the common market. In either event, they will run you 40 gold nel per season for a wooden structure, or 60 for the adobe version. Were you staying longer, I would advise the adobe, given our ongoing hostilities with Sirothelle. The season is only just underway, so there is no rebate, but you won't have to pay until the end."

She returned to her seat and settled back, pointedly taking her time. "There IS more secure housing in the inner ring, but a citizen must go two arcs without a detriment to their standing with The Tower to qualify." she finished with a smile that bespoke her belief that this customer would be unlikely to ever meet that requirement.

Ahzen #1 (employment)

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Coordinator Mead looked the man over. "'know your way around a blade', eh? I take it you are not trying to convey expertise with a shaving razor..." He then broke into a grin and waved off his joke dismissively. He was already on the verge of guessing aloud that bounty or mercenary work would be what this man was looking for when the man confirmed it himself. Mead wondered if this Ahzen fellow had run into some difficulty with military protocols in his past. He seemed suited, physically, for the army, but apparently had no desire to go that route.

"Well, there isn't any actual organization that underwrites such endeavors, as a job, per se. To be honest, I've often thought that such a business could do well here. A place with stout fellows, such as yourself, under contract to be available for martial work; paid a modest wage when not engaged, but receiving a better one while on duty. But sadly, no such business exists here. Many merchants have business in distant locations and regularly look to hire guards and hunters, but it's difficult to coordinate these connections. Just about the time that some representative brings his request for such help, we have a spell where no one with such skills comes looking for work; and vice-versa.

"What we now have instead is the "Bounty Board". I don't know if you've had a chance to check it out. It's posted outside the main entrance to the Arena...the Crescent Arena? The big event location for sports and gladiatorial contests?" He brightened suddenly, Hey, what about that? Hiring yourself out as a gladiator? That's really the closest thing we have to regular work of this kind."

He waited a moment, then waved off this suggestion to return to the subject of the Bounty Board. "Anyway, it's a large message panel where citizens place requests for odd jobs, which almost always involve some sort of combat or capture. They will provide their own personal information, or should anyway, so that people like you can contact them and take them up on their offer."

His look became somewhat aimless as he thought back on past postings. "You'll find stuff like rewards for the capture of escaped slaves, or known criminals at large. Sometimes you'll get a cheating wife or husband needing a lesson in the wages of sin. Or something like a recurring beast that is tearing up homes and businesses in the outer perimeter. I can't promise you that you'll find anything right now that will interest you, but it's probably worth a look."

His focus returned to Ahzen. "The trouble here in town is that sometimes you'll get the Black Guard...uh...that's our city peace-keeping force...feeling that you're stepping on their toes when doing bounty work in town. You'll have the slip from the Bounty Board, so it will be straightened out soon enough, but it does not tend to ingratiate you with them, and that can come back to haunt you later. It's much better when a job takes you outside the city. The army is far more willing to step back and let you save them the trouble of such work. They'd rather stick to their maneuvers and training."

A thought occurred to him and he excused himself briefly, returning with a notice that outlined a few jobs that had been leftover from past postings on the board. He handed it to Ahzen, "Here, these are a couple weeks old, but were never taken, and are by law required to be removed in lieu of new postings. There is an herbalist that wishes to make a short journey south to look for some sort of exotic plant, and wishes protection...There is still a call for more men to search upriver to see if the sudden increase in river flotsam causing havoc with the Mill's water wheel is possibly being engineered by Aukari troublemakers. There is a standing bounty on Arrow Buzzards. They are apparently venturing further east than usual. Soldiers do not get pay for killing them, but private citizens do, so the army would probably not object if you took out a few dozen of the wretched things. But don't venture too far out on "The Fields". There are true monstrosities out there. The bounties are considerably bigger for them, but do not equal the increased risk. We've got a family wanting someone to search in the North Woods for some lost dog, as well as some ranchers wanting a similar task in the Westride for rustled livestock. Other than taking a look at the Bounty Board, this is about all I can offer at this time."

Something seemed to occur to him as he escorted his visitor to the door. He stopped at a desk near the entry and pulled out a document. He signed a quick flourish and gave it to the man. "Here, I may as well give you your TJL right now, and save you coming back for it. Oh..that stands for 'Temporary Justice License' You'll need it as permission to do these sorts of jobs. Take it with you, and good luck."

Ahzen #2 (housing)

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The woman at the desk looked up with mild annoyance. "Well you certainly wasted no time making your entrance. Is it that crowded out there?" she did not wait for an answer as she looked at the hourglass on the table to her left with a sigh. "Everyone wants to come to Etzos..." she muttered to herself, in a tone that did not suggest her approval.

But she smiled at the man when he gave her his name and need with no prompting or belligerency. Apparently such common courtesy was no longer to be assumed. "Well Mr. Ahzen, outside of actual lot-by-lot determinations, you are pretty much able to live in any outer sector you wish. There are open structures in every quarter; both wood and adobe. Wood is cheaper at 40 gold nel, but with our current situation with Sirothelle, you may wish to Pay the extra 20 to get adobe...fire resistant...you understand."

She leaned back in her fine leather chair, "Inner city domiciles are only available after a term of two arcs with no breach of city ordinances, and since you are not presently handing me an ICA form, I have to assume you have yet to meet that requirement." She suddenly adapted a more assuring tone. "But I can tell you this, the wards between the city proper and the outer sectors are where the current garrisoned arm of the military is located, so it is not as though you are unprotected."

She began counting off on her fingers, "We have the ground troops training on the northwest section, as well as the actual barracks. Then there's the new mounted division developing their forces on the northeast and southeast wards. And lastly, the archery focus is on the southwest side, so there's ample deterrent against enemies approaching from any direction."

She handed him a sketch of a floorplan. "This is the standard layout for any of the rentals in the outer perimeter, wood or adobe. 400 square feet; standard furnishings. We do not allow modifications, unless you sign an ITP form. That stands for "Intent to Purchase", by the way; pretty self-explanatory. So...I only need to know if you have a preference for directional placement, and whether you want a wood or adobe structure."

Her smile was as genuine as any worn on a face that has been at work too long.

[Kydrel]

“You assumed correctly.”


He just couldn’t help himself sometimes. He sighed inwardly, frustrated.


Stop it. Control your tongue, you fool. Don’t give her any reason to deny you. It’s your ass out in the cold if she does.


An apology was on the tip of his tongue when he paused. No, it was said and done. To go back on his words and to ask for forgiveness was a sign of weakness. One he would not give, especially given her condescending tone. He didn’t like the look she gave him, which he returned with an equally cool gaze.


He listened as she rattled off information, growing restless. It wasn’t until she mentioned the ongoing struggle against the Sirothelle that he perked up, the woman finally having his full attention. The money didn’t bother him, he wasn’t interested in that. What caught his attention was the opportunity to pit himself against this alleged enemy.


“Wooden. I’ll take a wooden structure. In the Common Zone.”


His clawed fingers drummed against the hilt of his mace, the black nails clacking quietly against the metal. The smallest glimmer of a smile touched his lips as he thought about the justified violence he would get away with, not if, but when his home was attacked.

[Kydrel]

Having finished with the ‘Housing’ department, Kydrel spun away from the lady, and strode across the room to the door marked ‘Employment’.


The Avriel took a deep breathe.


Don’t screw this one up. If you don’t get this…you got nothing. You have no other worthwhile skills that they’d even bother offering you a job on…so make it count.


Kydrel had thought long and about what profession he would take up, since being kicked out of Athart. He had spent his entire sane years prepping to get into Dominion then another year in it, only to get kicked out before finishing and advancing through the ranks of the factions. That left him with various skills, abilities that if not turned towards beneficial means would get him into trouble. Seeing how things at the gate went, it wasn’t too far of a stretch to assume he was on thin ice in this city. Shocker.


He really wouldn’t make a good guard or bodyguard for that matter. It’s hard to guard those who are lesser than you. If anything, they should be guarding him. That that won’t pay the bills. Nor would he do well in the military. Humans serving over him? That wouldn’t end well for anyone. An Avriel would never submit to a mere human. He was looking for more of a ‘job by job’ line of work.


He shifted, adjusting the plate mail that rested on his shoulders before opening the door and stepping through.
A well groomed man sat at the opposite end of the room, obviously at work. He glanced up upon hearing the door and greeted the well armed Avriel, gesturing to a seat. Kydrel ignored the offer and remained standing. Trying to keep his voice civil and tone level, he responded slowly.


“I’m trained. I can fight. Looking for, jobs…that I can…” He struggled to find the words to explain himself. He hated the stupid language that the humans spoke. So unnatural. “…do this. Hunt. For a price.” He wasn’t sure if the man understood what he was trying to convey. The Avriel just hoped the gentleman got the gist of it before his irritation got the better of him.

Note

I'm hoping to secure some sort of bounty hunting jobs if you'd have an NPC sort of "understand his basic common" and gather that's what he was trying to say.

[Maltruism]

Kydrel (employment)

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Coordinator Mead did his best to listen through the broken common for the gist of its content. He knew he would also need to reply in kind. There was no point in being overly wordy to someone that obviously had only a bare grasp of common. "Okay, you say 'fight', 'hunt' and 'job' together. This sounds like "bounty hunting". Remember that term..."bounty hunting". That is to take a job to catch someone or some thing dangerous, and be paid for it." He made quotation mark gestures, weapon gestures and money gestures as he spoke to help clarify his response to the avriel in front of him. The fellow seemed to understand, so he continued.

"That's really all there will be, for someone that does not want a boss. These jobs only come along when they happen, there's no contract to guarantee one for you. You go out to the big arena?...Where the games and races and stuff are held? We have the "Bounty Board" posted there, for folks to place their jobs. Guys like you can write down jobs, who needs help, go to them and tell them you'll take the job. Every job will be different, some may pay you part first, if you need stuff for the job. Others may not. You take what you get, understand? 'Cause,it's either that or hire as a fighter for the games. That is more regular work, but you take orders you know? Have to do what you're told, no questions."

The avriel seemed to be following him, so the Coordinator fished out a sheet of paper. "Here is the current Bounty Board list. it's going to be changed in a few trials, but the ones not crossed off here are still okay." He pointed out the ones he meant and gave a rundown of what they involved and went on.

"Okay, there is an herbalist...a plant expert...that needs to go south to look for some sort of exotic plant, and wishes protection...very dangerous down there sometimes. There is still need for more men upriver to watch for Aukari troublemakers. Always fighting up there." he did not bother going into the details about river flotsam.

"There is a standing bounty on Arrow Buzzards. They must be coming closer to the city than usual. Soldiers don't get paid for killing them, part of their job. But you would, so the army probably wouldn't care if you killed a bunch of them. But don't go too far out on "The Fields". There are real bad things out there. The bounties are bigger, yes, but not as big as the danger. There's a family wanting someone to search the North Woods for a lost dog, as well as some ranchers wanting the same kind of thing in the Westride, for stolen livestock...horses, cows and such."

He gave the avriel the sheet of paper, as he subtly guided him to the door. He then stopped at a desk and pulled out a second document. Signing it quickly he gave it to the avriel as well. "Since you are looking to do bounty work, I will give you a TJL right now. Uhh...that's short for 'Temporary Justice License.' Please, feel free to take those with you, and good luck."

[Vluharqih]

CREDIT

Arc 716, 14th trial of Cylus

After what felt like breaks to Alex, she finally arrived at the Office of the Citizen's Committee. She had stopped several times on her way over to ask for directions. When she used her Alex form, Vluharqih felt more outgoing and sparky than anyone had a right to be. If I were looking at myself, I'd be sick.

The old wooden doors were aged, and the doorknob was polished where countless hands had grasped it. Looking at it, Alex thought about how unassuming it was, yet her fate depended on what happened behind those doors.

Pushing them open, she was greeted by a small waiting room, the furniture old and well used. Three doorways exit the room, and she paused to make a decision.

She soon decided to take the 'Guidance' doorway. It wasn't going to be required for her to live here, unlike the other two doorways, but if someone had such a useless job and still managed to stay hired, they would be a good person to know.

When she pushed open the door, she almost changed her mind. Sitting behind a desk was an old man who looked as though he'd lose his head if it wasn't screwed on. His ruffled hair and unkept beard both screamed disorganized, but Alex had committed by this point.

He greeted her, and invited her to sit. As she looked around, he gestured to a chair piled high with numerous charts. She carefully lowered them to the floor, and settled into the old chair. It was surprisingly comfortable, and the smell reminded her of an old library.

He belatedly introduced himself as Marlin Tagley, the 'Guidance' Coodinator. From his explanation, she gathered that he was actually in charge of just about everything in the city. My initial guess was right- he is a good person to know.

She looks up at him, deciding to play it mostly straight with him. He seems like a perceptive guy. "Good day, Sir. My name is Alexandra McKay, and I will to stay here. I am wanting to sell off some of my extra...supplies? Yes, supplies, from the trip. I was wondering if you have any advice for me?"
After her conversation with Marlin, she decided to head to the Housing room. I should make sure I have a place to live before I go looking for jobs. Opening the door, the immediate difference between Marlin's office and this one was enough to startle Alex. The room was tidy, and everything was neatly organized.


The woman flippantly gestured to the door, and Alex felt her irritation with this woman begin to rise. Smothering that feeling, Alex turned and closed the door, and took a seat without being asked. The woman scratched away for several more minutes, as Alex studied her. The woman appeared very 'no-nonsense', and direct. Alex was still deciding how she should act, when the woman finished scribbling, and leaned back. "Welcome to the Housing office. My name is Kelleen Mora. May I have your name? I trust you are here to find a place to stay. Are we speaking of temporary or permanent residence?"

Alex met the woman's unwavering stare, and matched her tone. "My name is Alexandra McKay. I have little money right now, so I need very very cheap room."
After finishing up with the Housing, she returns to the waiting room, and enters the Employment Office. She thought about how lucky she was no one else was there, as she closed the door, and turned to face the man behind the desk. He was a taller man, and appeared fairly young. Despite that, his hair had gone pure white, and it was a bit odd to Alex's eyes. She greeted him, and then took a seat. "Welcome, welcome. I am Peter Mead, Employment Coordinator, and if you are looking for work, it is my pleasure to assist you. If you could give me a basic idea of what skills you could offer this city, I have no doubt I can find you a place where they can be put to gainful use. So, what sort of employment are you hoping to find?"

Alex shifted in her chair and decided to play the innocent country girl. This man appeared to be of an age to have a daughter, and it might be enough to get her the job she needed. "My name is Alexandra McKay. I have just moved here from Western Idalos where I was helping with sickness. How do you say.....ah yes- apothecary. But my master was murdered, and I had no where to go..." Alex called up a single tear to her eye as she continued. "The guards didn't find the killers, so I could not stay. I know here they do not like the... Immortals, yes, them. " She wiped the tear away, and continued in a stronger voice. "So I wanted to find a new master to learn from. Is there any jobs like this?"

[Maltruism]

Vluharqih (guidance)

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Mr. Tagley rose and offered a hand that was surprisingly dry, warm and firm, despite the wrinkles and spots. "Oh, just set those on the floor there...yes, that is fine." he said, referring to the charts the young woman was now placing aside. He heard her out, knowing she did not have any of the 'supplies' she mentioned on her person, unless they were gems or medicines or something equally small.

"Well, Alexandra...if I may be so bold?...well, I assume you are referring to supplies you've left outside in your cart? To be honest, the first advice I would give you is to get a room, so you have a more secure place to keep your belongings up until you find a buyer for them. 'Housing', of course, would be the office next door. But I expect you know that. You seem observant enough to have noticed the plaques on the wall outside."

He came around the desk and set his backside directly atop a stack of folders on the seat of a chair across from her. "And I am observant enough to notice that you don't specify any particular type of supplies. If I am incorrect in this, please tell me what type of goods you have to sell, and I will certainly see you off to a likely party, who may buy them outright, or take them on consignment to sell for you. Otherwise, if it just general gear, you can always pay for a space at the Citizen's Market. It is outside the southwest wall, in the outer perimeter."

He had already risen to take a folder down from a high shelf, and turned on the first try to a chart of the surrounding public areas of the city. He pointed to a particular chart of plots, arrayed in columned rows, and told her it would cost her 2 gold nel per day to occupy a space there to sell goods. "That can either be paid here in advance, for a dated Sales License, or you simply pay at the entry booth when you get there. It's the only brick structure there, so you can't miss it. Having to buy a license is intended to prevent thieves from fencing stolen goods there. But most thieves are smart enough to go...elsewhere for that."

He looked for just an instant as if he was worried that he may have said too much, followed by a shrewd, assessing gaze at her face. "It's only fair to warn you though, that recent tendencies do not favor those trying to sell general goods at the Citizen's Market. Buyers seem to be looking for craftsmen, selling specialized goods there, hoping to get some masterwork item cheap. But you can always give it a try. Or you could take a walk by the Bounty Board at the arena. It's kind of a secondary market in and of itself. Odd jobs, rather than sales. That's what most people come in here for, to find where to get hold of someone offering one of the jobs there."

He gave the young woman a copy of the market plans, and a copy of the current Bounty Board tasks and went back around behind his desk. "If there's anything more specific I can help you with, let me know. Other wise I truly do strongly recommend you get some lodging straight away. Good day now." he waited to see if there was anything more the woman had to say before returning to his work.

Vluharqih (housing)

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The dark haired woman remained still for a moment as her current customer gave her name and situation. Then her gaze seemed to follow random, unfocused courses as she considered the few options the young woman would have. Her expression grew slightly pained as she came to her conclusions. "Very little money..." she repeated, as though this was by far the most frequent obstacle she faced in her daily dealings. And it was.

She gave the young lady a frank look and declared that she could get free, plush room and board and medical checkups for as long as she liked at "The Curly Hare" if she was willing to be a prostitute. She then chuckled and waved her hand to warn off any angry retort that might be about to come her way.

"No?..Well, if you have very little money, then I'm afraid you also have "very little" in the way of options. I'm assuming you do not have the 40 or 60 gold nel for a wooden or stone domicile in any of the housing quarters outside the wall. Yes...that would be 40 for the wooden and 60 for the stone. With our Aukari troubles, I think the extra 20 is well worth having a stone unit.

"But given that you are down to 10 or less, you can always rent a day-by-day lodging in hopes some windfall comes your way. There's the "Inn for Dinner" tavern and lodging here inside the wall. 8 gold nel will get you 10 nights, but food is extra. If you have a horse, it can be stabled there for 2 trials for free. After that, you will be expected to obtain a stall at the "Four Legs" at a gold per night. Now, if this is a problem, there are often people looking to hire horse flesh for farm labor off to the west. Mr. Tagley could direct you to them if you asked. The city does not generally like horses inside the walls, but it does make for toil for those working off a 'city debt".

She gazed off again for a moment, then returned to look at Alexandra with a smile, "Oh yes, there's the 'Second Story Inn', in the outer perimeter...south...west... I believe. He...uhh...that's Toom Hardwell...He would give you 10 days for only 5 gold, or 30 for only 13, if you have that much. There's no stabling though. Both of these inns will give you a price break if they need some handiwork, and there's a soup kitchen that's damn near free in the north...east?...housing quarter?...yes, northeast...'Kettle...something'. Again, Mr. Tagley could show you. Anyway, I hope I've been of some help. There are often people that will take a lost soul in for house work, but I have no list at any given time, though...yeah...Mr. Tagley..." she laughed and swung a thumb in the direction of the guidance office. She wished the young woman good luck and returned to a stack of papers.

Vluharqih (employment)

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Mr. Mead listened sympathetically as Alexandra outlined a tragic background. "If only misfortune opened doors, we'd all be better off, eh?" he stood abruptly and clapped his hands, as if to generate some kind of inspiration.

"Well, let's see. A nice straightforward request. You'd like a job in a shop doing apothecary, or related?...work, possibly? You say medical as well? or rather, sickness." He was clearly throwing out peripheral, similar types of work, in hopes one of them would pique her interest. "Does this include nursing? I mean like the changing of poultices, bandages, clean-up, bedpans and such? Or are you more specifically looking for the brewing and testing of drugs and medicines, or even antidotes for poisons and venoms. Have you ever milked a Hotlands Taipan for its venom? Or a Southern Fruit Spider to make antivenin? Herbals, possibly? Scarfrot? Psinia? Whitemoss?"

He noted a few looks of possible recognition on some of the herbal based materials he'd mentioned."Okay, it looks as if you're leaning more towards the herbal side of the apothecarial spectrum. And you're in luck! I happen to know that there's a job on the Bounty Board that necessitates you meeting with a certain "Miss Givings". She can be found in the outer perimeter. She just walks around the place, selling or trading her goods. She's a mite odd, but her recommendation is gold for getting a chemistry job of any kind in this town. You do her a favor, she'll do you one. I can promise you that much. She has the best stuff in town, but won't join the guilds, and to be honest, I think they're sort of afraid of her."

He enjoyed a good laugh at the expense of the Chemist's Guild, and then caught himself somewhat, "Oh yeah...finding her on any given day is no easy task. But if you ask Mr. Tagley next door, he should be able to set up a meeting with her. I swear, that old guy knows everyone!"

[Vluharqih]

PHOTO CREDIT

Arc 716, 14th trial of Cylus

Alex shook the mans hand, the strength of the grip proving he was not as feeble as he appeared. As he talked, she focused on his voice, trying to pick apart the words.

Marlin Tagley moved around the desk, to sit in front of her, she could see the wrinkles in his cheeks, but the old eyes were sharp as ever. Her guess that this man would be helpful was correct. The man continued to speak quickly in Common, and Alex half-smiled. Looks like I'll have a lot of experience with Common before this is all said and done. With varying success, she managed to get the gist of his sentences. So she'd need to sell them off, but it appeared that they wouldn't sell very readily in the marketplace.

The marketplace would cost her money that she couldn't afford, so that wasn't an option. She decided to leave, and try to figure something else out. There had to be another option. When Mr.Tagley had finished speaking, she stood, and thanked him, taking the offered papers. Thank you, Sir, for your assistance. I will think about what you said, and am very grateful for your help."

She backed out of the room quickly, and sighed as she left. The man was much too observant for her liking. She looked down, and the scribble of common swam before her eyes. Sigh, I'll look over these tonight
When the lady first advised the 'Curly Hare', Alex nearly killed her there and then. But the lady appeared to be joking, and after a brief trill, she continued.

So her options were to rent, but she didn't have enough money for that yet. She could rent one, and hope that she could sell off the horse and wagon, but that was risky, and she didn't want to be kicked out. She could always steal to cover the costs, but she was new here and didn't have a safe network to use. Better not to risk it just yet.

Kelleen then brought up selling off her horse to a farm. This idea would be perfect for Alex, and she smiled a little as it came up. Just what I needed. This might just been enough to afford a house to rent.

However it was late, and she couldn't make it out there alone, in the cold dark tonight. She leaned back in her chair, and decided upon staying the night at the 'Inn for Dinner', and renting the horse tomorrow. But it appeared she needed to go back and talk to Mr.Tagley.

Suddenly, she realized that the woman had finished speaking, and was already focusing back on her paperwork. She quickly got to her feet, and said a quick goodbye, before shutting the door behind her, and heading across the room. Alex looked up through her watery eyes, to see that it was partially working. At the very least, it didn't appear to be working against her, so she slowly stopped the tears, wiping away the last droplet on her cheek.

The man began speaking quickly, and she couldn't pick up many of the words, however she heard the names of several plants and animals that she recognized from her work with her mother, and nodded vehemently at those.

He told her of a job that would help open the door for her- a bounty job for a 'Miss Givings'. Sounded interesting, at the very least. Again, Mr.Mead directed her back to the guidance room to set up a meeting with her.

She stood up, and bid farewell to the man, and headed back towards the Guidance room. She opened the door, and quickly moved inside, waving off any greeting that he offered. The chair she had sat in was still open, and she dropped down into it, exhausted. "I am looking to rent out my horse to a farm, and I was told that you know people?" She bluntly asked. "Also, I need to meet with Miss Givings- can you make this happen?" Her eyes met his, and didn't waver as she waited for his response.