Night Market Hunt (CLOSED)

Posted 11 months, 14 days ago (Edited 4 months, 26 days ago) by Celest

Free Trade

At the market, goods pass between hands like water, but for a newcomer, a challenging question is always, what to bring? Merchant coins mean nothing to ianthina, and not every seller will tell you exactly what it is they're looking for. Many ianthina value things no merchant would take; you've heard takes of them fighting over things you would call common junk. But still, amid all those stories, there do seem to be some trends...

Rules

To earn a Sealed Letter (slot rarity upgrade item), bring at least five items to the Night Market for trade. This event is a scavenger hunt! Ianthina are rumored to like offers of items with these qualities:

  • Something soft, but not fuzzy
  • Something fuzzy, but not soft
  • Something sweet, but not dairy
  • Something with yeast
  • Something with meat
  • Something made of wood, but not large
  • Something made of clay, but not plain
  • Something from the earth
  • Something feathered
  • Something beautiful

For this event, you may submit drawings, photos, or written descriptions of items. 

  • Any combination of mediums will be accepted. 
  • Photography must be original. 
  • Writing: minimum of 50 words per item.
  • Art: minimum clean sketch (sketchy lines and construction lines acceptable, so long as it's readable)

Submitting items for all ten prompts will earn you a bonus 3 Memories.  

Additionally, if you write a short, in-character pitch for the items you're submitting (no length requirements), our local merchant Ennis will hear you out and offer her opinion on your goods. Try to sell her on it, and tell her why she should accept your offers! If she likes what she sees, she'll tip you an extra Memory or two. 

This event will last until July 15th.

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Schokobroetchen

A colorful looking Ianthina emerges from the crowd, stepping closer to the table. You weren't able to make out their eyecolor - or if they have eyes, at all. In fact, if it weren'tfor the fail, one would assume they aren't even an Ianthina.

They put a bag onto the table and open it, and - one by one - they take out some items.


  • Something made of wood, but not large: 
    • The first thing the Ianthina pulls out of the bag is…well, what is that? It’s circular and long things hang down from it. “A wind chime” the Ianthina responds. “I found it in a sunken ship. It is made of wood. The water already corroded most of the wood and metal in it, so I doubt it’ll make any noise.” They replied. They then hold up the wind chime by a cord – it’s about as big as ones palm.
  • Something with meat: 
    • “Did you know”, the Ianthina said, “that there are multiple ways to prepare meat? Apparently other species have a preference for that.” With that being said, the Ianthina pulls out a small box. When opened, a long, sausage-looking thing appears. “When I was on the surface, someone gave this to me. Apparently it is called pork loin. The person who gave this to me said that you can fry it completely, or fry it and put it into the oven later on.”
  • Something from the earth:
    • After rummaging the bag, the next item gets pulled out. And it is a stone. A fancy stone with – well, how do you describe the colors – reddish-orange colors. The Ianthina carefully puts it down. “A jasper.” They proclaim. “These stones usually get turned into gemstones, which will then get put into jewelery.”
  • Something feathered:
    • The next item that gets pulled out of the bag is a square. A yellow square. “This, my dear, is a pillow. They are filled with feathers. Not all pillow are filled with feathers though, some are filled with so-called downs.” They said. They put down the pillow and open it up with the zipper. “However, this is a feather-pillow.”
  • Something with yeast:
    • And last, but not least, the final item emerges from the bag. And it is…huh. Something small. Something round. Something…colorful? The Ianthina holds it up in one hand, and proclaims that is called “A muffin. Someone gifted me a muffin when I was on the surface. Muffins can have different fillings and tastes. This one is allegedly filled with chocolate drops, and the glazing is strawberry.”
Ennis Celest

"Hm," Ennis sniffs, chin in hand. The windchime does not impress: looks like useless garbage to her. But at the sight of the pork loin, her fins flare with excitement. You've found her weakness: she can't maintain her poker face, and a small smile pulls at her lips. The jasper is nearly a disappointment by comparison; she rolls it in her fingers--maybe this will be a good gift for Tomo, she thinks--but it's quickly forgotten in light of the pillow. Her hand goes right in the pocket as she mutters, "What's a downs?" Not an important question, she supposes, since it is a feather pillow. She'll have to ask someone else about it later. The muffin, the final object, gives her pause. She tilts her head, then leans in to sniff. She's had strawberry, and she's tried chocolate once, but to have them together in a cake? She wasn't so sure. 

"Well." She looks at the items laid out before her. "Not a bad haul. My tip, as a salesman, is to throw that windchime away: it's useful for nothing but scrap metal. The muffin and the pork loin, though, that I will take. Throw in the jasper, and I'll give you a little bonus." 

(You've earned a slot upgrade and 1 Memory!)

GhostlyOry

A young ianthina walked along the market, looking about curiously with their arms full of items. They were here with their family who were selling some of their own things within the market. Onyx was very excited as they adventured around the night market. How they managed to not drop all of the items they had gathered for those searching for specific things.

onyx_at_the_night_market.png

  • Something made with yeast:
    The young ianthina offered up a loaf of bread. It was clearly fairly fresh and still a bit warm. Perhaps a trade their family had. "This is made with yeast, I think! We had another loaf and that was really tasty, so I think this should count!" Onyx said as they held it up to the person.
  • Something made of wood, but not large:
    The ianthina offered up the next item. "One of my parents made this. It's a wooden spoon and it's not that big. It's good for making food with or something. Or eating it with."
  • Something sweet, but not dairy:
    "Oh, oh! This is a good one! My second favorite!" The child said excitedly, pulling out a sea urchin. "I love uni! It's really good and sweet and briny! It's one of my favorite snacks! And it's not dairy! Have you ever had uni before? You should try it if you haven't!"
  • Something from the earth:
    The next item to be offered was a mango. "This grows from a tree, so it's from the earth. They're also really good, but I don't like them as much as uni." The ianthina's tail gave a little wave as they seemed much less enthused about this offering.
  • Something soft, but not fuzzy:
    "I couldn't really find anything for this, not that I could bring for offer... There's this really soft piece of fabric I got. It's soft, but it's not fuzzy at all." Onyx explained kinda just tossing it into the pile after it was offered.
  • Something fuzzy, but not soft:
    "This one was even harder.... I got a piece of baleen, does that count?" The ianthina questioned curiously, though seemed very unsure, a frown on their lips and finds down a little.
  • Something with meat:
    "For the something with meat, I have this little meat pie. I haven't tried it, even though it smells really good...." The young ianthina was practically drooling a little.
  • Something made of clay, but not plain:
    "So, this is a piece of pottery I found! It's clay and really colorful with designs!" Onyx offered up. "I think it's pretty and it's fits the requirements! Just don't cut yourself. It's sharp."
  • Something feathered:
    "This isn't really *made* of feather, but it is feathers! One of my parents has wings, so they're his." Onyx shrugged a little and offered the rather pretty iridescent feathers regardless.
  • Something beautiful:
    "This is one of the best ones! Had to save it for last!" The kid said with a big smile as they pulled out a little bag. They opened it to reveal smooth rocks that were colorful. Most were pale in color but there were a few that stuck out, particularly red ones that stuck out like a sore thumb. It was sea glass. They reached out and grabbed a handful, offer it. "Isn't it pretty!! This absolutely counts as something beautiful! I've worked really hard to collect all of this myself!"

The ianthina seemed really quite pleased with the haul that he'd managed to gather for the hunt. They looked proud and excited, if a bit worried about some of the things they'd brought.
Ennis Celest

A young ianthina strolls up to her stand, and Ennis is already melting. He looks so proud of himself; he's so cute she could just eat him up. "Why, hello there, sweetie," she coos. "What have you got for me today?"

She sniffs the bread as he holds it up: it does smell fresh. Plain bread rarely did it for her, but she always reconsidered when it smelled so good. She'll consider it, for Nkiru. The spoon is a sweet gesture, but Ennis has to wonder if he didn't just swipe if from his parents dinner table. She sets it aside as he pulls out the next thing, and she has to keep herself from laughing. Every ianthina knew about uni; it was a common snack. but she put on her best face of disbelief and wonder. "It's that good, is it? Why, I'll just have to buy that from you then, if it's okay that I have it and not you. I'd love to see how amazing it is."

The mango was far more thrilling: her eyes sparked at the sight of it, and her lumens began to glow. Now that was a rarity. Mangos only grew in the south, in the far-away jungles of Sayil. The kid seemed disappointed, though. He really had no idea what a treasure he got his hands on. She'll have to negotiate for that one for sure, she thinks, feeling the fabric passed to her next. It was too small to do much of anything with, even if the texture's nice. She accepts the baleen next, running her fingers across it. This was nothing special, but it was certainly useful. She could use some fresh bristles for her brush. As she sets it down, she sees the pie and smiles. "Do you want to split that one? We could both try it," she whispers, a mischievous, conspiratorial gleam in her eye.

The pottery goes ignored--can't do anything with a shard--and she's just appreciating the shine on the feathers when his words register. "Your parent... has wings?" She looked again at the feathers in her hand. These didn't look like penguin feathers, but there was no way his father could be a caelian. Was there?

But Onyx has already moved on. Ennis smiles at the sea glass, picking up a few random pieces and turning them in her fingers. Many ianthina children not yet old enough to create or buy their own beads loved sea glass. It was so many children's introduction to jewelrymaking.

"Well, little one, my compliments to you. You've brought me so many treasures; you should be proud of yourself. I believe I'll need all of it. You heard me right: all of it. What can I say: your finds are simply irresistible. I must have them."

(You've earned a slot upgrade and 5 Memories!)

puggby

The night market was a gamble on a good day, and they truly wished with all their heart that it was a good day. Better than a bad day, one didn’t talk about the bad days. They moved through the crowd with as much care as one could, keep a hand on your satchel and pray a pickpocket didn’t slip through your defences. Elbows ever at the ready, the ianthina spotted the table they’d been seeking–jab once here, toss a sneer there; and boom, you’re free!

This had been a monumental task, the kind of thing one really went out of their way to break a sweat over. But, one must never let that be known; best to let it seem like a breeze. That you’re a professional. Not desperate. Never desperate. Just a side hobby–just something you’d like; a curiosity, not a need. They offer a pleasant smile as they approach with one hand firmly on the strap of their bag “Evenin’,” they say by way of greeting “I’ve got a few items here that I thought might be worth your time.”

A few? What a laugh.

Try not to seem too desperate will you?

Something soft, but not fuzzy

  • For this was somehow the most difficult hurdle for them to overcome. So they’d left it for last and in the end had been something a little…half-assed. The item in question was round and shaped like a rather tasty red fruit. They squeeze it in one fist, the plush fruit so to say had been run through once upon a time with a fair number of needles and they swore they’d seen something similar on the wrists and desks of the odd tailor and seamstress they’d visited once. The fruit plush was bright red,a tomato they thought it was called. It wobbles where it’s placed. “A small cushion, the fabric is smooth but it squishes in your hand rather nicely–go on, give it a squeeze.”

Something fuzzy, but not soft

  • For them, this was a find–spilling out with satisfying splashes from far overhead. They’d tasted one from the handful they’d scooped; truly more precious in their mind than gold. They withdraw the fruit from their bag where they’d carefully wrapped it in a clean slip of cloth; its fuzzy flesh tickling their fingers as they offer it forth “It’s a kiwi,” they say by way of explanation “Fuzzy outside, firm yet tasty inside.”

Something sweet, but not dairy

  • Anything liquid under the sea was always a gamble, the viscous liquid within was sweet but not painfully so. In fact it had paired rather nicely with some tea and bread they’d enjoyed for their first meal of the day. This was the last of the small haul they’d lucked upon in what they’d understood to have once been a ship’s kitchen. “Maple syrup,” their smile is softer now, a little self indulgent and maybe a little hesitant as if they truly hated to part with this item in particular placing the little glass bottle on the table “Goes great with many things ya’ know?”

Something with yeast

  • Things of such a nature often did not do well at sea. Something about the air but sometimes, one got lucky. The kind of thing one often wanted to be on a hunt for treasure such as they. They pulled them out, the freshest of the batch and offered forth one plain bagel and the second one, a darker brown spotted with pieces of dried fruit–the smell of it was heavenly and as such, they knew to save it for this very transaction. “Bagels,” they grin, a flash of pearly whites in evident joy “The plain one is a classic to have a benchmark but the second, cinnamon raisin. The cinnamon has a lovely aroma and even better taste with the raisins within. If you have butter or perhaps even some of that maple syrup…?”

Something with meat

  • Meat. Protein. Tasty. To go fresh and hot, to go with lasting; they mentally hummed and hawed over this one for a while. There was seemingly an even number of pros versus cons to be had, but to dry meat and infuse the strips of beef with rich flavours was truly an art. They offer the pouch forth “Jerky,” another smile maybe in amusement at the name given to such a tasty thing, oftentimes it seems the most tasty things had the silliest names “Fresh meat, sliced, marinated, laid out, and cooked. This flavour in particular is garlicky, sweet with a tang and a hint of smoke.”

Something made of wood, but not large

  • Commonplace? Maybe. But, the possibilities were endless–maybe bartering one’s own creations was toeing too close to the line of arrogance. They run their thumb idly over the smooth head of the thing within their bag before they withdraw it to hold in one hand for a moment. Almost hesitation. Again. Are you not desperate? Gently they place the hand carved creature upon the table. It was a carved piece of wood, the finer quality stuff that often times decorated the cabin of a ship’s Captain more than the driftwood or the rotten sorts that made up the many sunken wrecks “It’s a cat,” they say, their voice feeling rather young and small as they say this “Walnut wood.” the little creature had been one they’d spotted on a smaller fishing vessel, it would have been so very easy to steal aboard for a closer look–do away with the humans and spare the thing, the thing called a cat that looked so wonderful–the thing they carved did the creature justice, it’s soft mouth upturned in a slight smile while it’s eyes remained closed in an expression of contentment–with love.

Something made of clay, but not plain

  • Many useful things were made of clay. So were many beautiful things. Even plain things. Simple things. Bowls and plates, vases, knick knacks and sculptures. They’d chosen a bowl to offer to the stall owner. To call such an item elegant felt a little silly but the care put into the bowl was evident. The bright whorls of colours blended together with the gentle strips of pure white peeking through. The rim was painted a bright, shining gold. The entire thing glazed without error “Who couldn’t use another bowl?”

Something from the earth

  • What around them wasn’t from the earth? They wanted to ask. It was a lovely thing, if they’d wanted to try for that arrogance again–they’d try two birds one stone. A clay pot and within sat a squat little plant. Sharp but…dare they say…cute? “Plants are from the earth are they not?” a half-smile as the place the cactus down and adjust the simple loop of twine around the belly of the pot “A cactus. I…can’t say I know the exact name for it but it’s nice to look at isn’t it?”

Something feathered

  • They could be cocky. They could offer forth a seabird and call it a day but they had the feeling that sort of thing wouldn’t, heh, fly with the proprietor. They draw the item out…and out…and out. It’s long and a soft white, many birds had died to make this thing they were certain. “I think it’s a scarf,” they say as the wrap it around their neck and flick it with a flair, offering forth once again, their most dazzling smile before unwinding it and placing it in a neat little pile nearby their other items “It’s clean, and soft and most importantly, made of feathers though the fashion applications are…questionable.” Not that they could comment much one way or another on such things with their plain attire.

Something beautiful

  • This item was a classic. The sorts one found in the classic sunken chests that dotted the wrecks. They pull it out by the handle, half covered by their softest cloth. The handle and the larger surface area of the hand mirror was polished silver with intricate carvings spiralling around and upwards like dainty vines, decorated with tiny detailed flowers. The glass remained unshattered. And most importantly? The entire thing remained untarnished. Gingerly they lay it upon the table and step back “The mirror itself is quite lovely,” beautiful “But…forgive me for being so bold to say that the reflection one might find within to be more beautiful than the item itself.”

Looking at the table, at the goods presented forth they feel keenly as though they were on trial. Waiting to be granted passage to...well, best not to think about it. After all, there was only so much one could scavenge and hunt...or steal.

Ennis Celest

Ennis leaned back on her heels as the other ianthina approached the table. That smile, that desperate swagger, she knew this one's type before they even opened their mouth.  Their bag was too heavy for their ease. She would have to keep her  expectations low. She smiled, thin. "Let's see then, hm?"

No  matter what she told herself, her lumens brightened at the sight of the  delicious red--a fruit?--a toy. Disappointment flicked off the color  like a light switch. Still, she obliged them. She picked it up, gave it a  squeeze, gave it her best considering face. She didn't have a child,  but she had to admit, it wasn't badly made. She wondered if that little  tadpole from earlier was still running around. Seeting it down, she took  the kiwi instead. It didn't look terribly impressive, a sad brown. It  wasn't even a pleasant texture to touch. "Tasty?" She brightened,  literally. "This is edible?" She brought it to her face, inhaling of the  sweet scent. A fruit she had never tried! She set the kiwi down very close to her body. This would be hard to top, but they had her attention proper now.

She  almost doesn't want to accept the bottle of syrup; they look so  reluctant to give it up. But when they bring out those bagels, she  reconsiders. Both she pulls close. But not everything they have to offer  can be a winner: she's familiar with jerky. Back home, it's one of the  typical form mainland meat takes. Still, it's never a bad thing to have.

Their  features soften when they next reach into the bag, and Ennis knows  something good is coming. She picks up the sculpture. Languid shapes and  fluid lines--"This is quite good." 

As they pitch the bowl, she  laughs. They say it like this is just another bowl! She examines it  closely for cracks or chips, and it's without flaw. "When you're right,  you're right."

She's in good humor now, but still, the cactus  gives her pause. The Eniyan deserts are full of these, and if there's  only one thing she knows about them, it's that they love sun and hate water. Well, not everything can be a winner. She brings her hand to her  lips to laugh again as they toss the feathered scarf around their neck,  displaying it in all its bright colors, and she does take the mirror to  gaze into. She looks at them from raised eyebrows, unimpressed--but  amused--by the flirt.

Looking at it all set before her, she smiles. "You were right: some of these items are worth my time. Let's talk business..."

(You've earned a slot upgrade and 5 Memories! They have been added to your inventory!)

Ashwin dragon8pet

An Ianthia strode through the night market, enjoying all the different smells and sights. Everything looked so interesting, but they reminded themself to stay focused. There was only one place they would be trading at tonight, and they had gathered a wide array of things for that purpose. They were coming up towards the stand now, and grinned at the merchant. They dropped their things on the table, one by one.

Something soft, but not fuzzy

First, a bag full of sand. “I was having trouble with this one- after all, soft and fuzzy are usually used interchangeably.” They said thoughtfully. “But then I realized there was sand in my shoes, and even though it’s itchy sometimes, if you stick your hand in, it feels soft.” They offered the bag over so Ennis could feel for herself. "It's quite calming to play with when you're stressed."

Something fuzzy, but not soft

Next, they dropped a coconut on the table. “I wasn’t quite sure what you were looking for on this one,” they said with a frown, “but coconuts are certainly fuzzy, and they aren’t very soft.” They knocked on the coconut for good measure to display the clunk sound it made. “Plus, it tastes good. And if there’s someone you don’t like, you can throw it at them!”

Something sweet, but not dairy

Moving on before Ennis could respond, they put down a triangle-shaped slice of something yellow-brown and sweet-smelling. It was covered in crunchy nuts and fluffy. “It’s almond cake,” they explained. “Dairy free! No need to worry about eating it if you’re lactose intolerant! And it’s certainly sweet.” They stopped to give the cake a good sniff, glancing at it longingly for just a moment.

Something with yeast

Bringing themself back to what they were doing, they put down a pastry wrapped in cloth. It was flaky and drizzled with something brown and sweet. “This one does have dairy, but it’s also sweet, and definitely made with yeast.” They explained. “It’s a chocolate croissant. You can eat them for breakfast, for a snack, for dessert- really any time of day!”

Something with meat

Next they put down a bowl of rice mixed with chunks of meat. The smell of numerous spices wafted into the air, and the Ianthia grinned. “I was tempted to go the easy route and use fish, but I’m sure you’ve tasted fish a million times. This is a classic Sayil dish! You're bound to love it."

Something made of wood, but not large

They pushed the bowl aside as they pulled out a wooden ship built with a lot of detail, and small enough to fit in the palm of their hand. “It’s modeled after my ship,” They explained gleefully. “It even floats on water, like a real ship. It can’t really go underwater, but most wooden things can’t. Maybe you could race it with your friends."

Something made of clay, but not plain

They took out a container with a detachable lid, painted with imagery of fish and carved with patterns and designs. It was dark tan, with some other colors where the fish where painted. It even had a handle shaped like a splash of water. “This will be useful for storing all of the food. I assume you won’t eat it all at once.” They glanced at the numerous food items already laid out on the table. “It isn’t waterproof, though, so be careful.”

Something from the earth

Clay was from the earth, but they decided Ennis probably wanted two separate things. So they opened the lid of the clay container and pulled out a rock. Upon first glance it seemed to be an ordinary, mundane rock, but then the Ianthia turned it over to reveal sparkling purple crystals inside. “A geode! Very pretty. You can keep it like this as decoration, or even turn it into jewelry!”

Something feathered

Next they put down something that looked like… a lump, covered in feathers. It was certainly colorful. “A feathered hat,” they said, adjusting the feathers with care. “I made it myself.” They informed her proudly. “You can put it on your head, hang it up for decoration, or whatever else you want to do with it!”

Something beautiful

Lastly, they put down the very bag they had been carrying all of their things in, and pushed it into the light so Ennis could get a proper look. It was a knapsack with beautiful embroidery depicting different scenes that appeared to be modeled after times of day. One was a sunset, another a moon, and so on. “Not only beautiful, but functional.” They reasoned. “What’s more beautiful than something that can hold other beautiful things?”

After they had laid down everything, they looked up at Ennis eagerly. “Anything catch your eye?” They ventured hopefully.

Ennis Celest

The person who approached dressed like the human sailors, but that was most certainly an ianthina. Ennis looked forward to the wares they would bring, but admittedly the first offering was... less than exciting. She looked up to see if they were joking--they could have filled this bag up a mere twenty feet away--but no, they smiled with complete earnestness. She indulged them, dipping her hand into the sand, once. The coconut was of more interest. Usually, these were grown further south, but they were popular all along the Eniyan coastline. Sure, they were common, but she did enjoy them. She smiled at the reasoning they gave. Multipurpose, true. But before she could say as much, she was tempted by something far more fragrant. Her antennae curled with excitement; it smelled wonderful. It was such a shame about the croissant. It looked equally wonderful, but any dairy made her stomach ache. The rice bowl she snapped up--it was still fresh and hot, and Sayilan? She had to try it, right now. "I'll trade you for this," she promised as she began to eat, and listened to the rest of their offerings.

With her free hand, she picked up the tiny ship. It had such detail! "This is darling..." she muttered to herself. Turning her attention to the bowl, she considered it. It was truly beautiful, but if it wasn't waterproof... She would have to talk about it with Nkiru. The rock wasn't impressive, but when they turned ti to expose the crystals, she lit up. The crystals complimented her skin so nicely. When Ashwin first brought out the hat, Ennis thought they were about to give her a dead bird--after the sand, anything was possible--but the revelation of it being a hat made her laugh. "It's truly something." 

She was still admiring the embroidery on the bag when Ashwin asked their question. Sitting back, she folded her hands and smiled, pleased. "Yes, you do have some worthwhile things here. I'll be taking the geode, the cake, the rice--of course--the ship, and the bag. That said, a tip? Don't try to sell sand in a desert on the beach." 

(You've earned a slot upgrade and 5 Memories! They have been added to your inventory!)

DreamAngelflight

A caelian made his way into the night market. He seemed like he knew where he was going and what he was doing despite the oddity of his appearance. A dark black cloak covered his shoulders and hair, leaving much of his physical attributes to the imagination. What could be seen of his clothing indicated a traveler, although the way he carried himself hinted at a familiarity to the city itself. He didn't do any wandering, instead walking directly up to the the first merchant he can spot. He made a point to look up and down Ennis before digging a hand into his outfit. A moment later, he brought out an item. "I heard you're looking for some shit." Carefully placing the object down, he reached for a second one. When he spoke again, a smirk formed on his lips. "How about this?"


  • Something soft, but not fuzzy
    • The caelian gestured to the first small object he pulled out. "It's called jelly." He went to lift the cover off of the plate, revealing a semi-see-through cherry red substance. It kept its square shape, but the simple act of removing the lid caused it to wobble. "It's a desert. But it's real fucking strange, isn't it? It's wobbly and smooth, but also surprisingly soft and squishy. It's easy to eat too- a friend of mine feeds it to sick people to help them recover." He gently poked the food and chuckled as it quivered. "There are a few different flavors sold by vendors all along the frozen wastes. This one is cherry."
  • Something fuzzy, but not soft
    • He went to tap at a clay pot that he pulled out second. In it rested a plant; it was a dark green, no larger than three inches in height. The surface was bumpy, but what really identified it were the thin, white spikes that sprouted from each bump. "This is a cactus." He bought it from a vendor in Dolsia that dipped their toes in the Sybil forest, but he wasn't going to say that. "Looks fuzzy, but each one of these little fuckers is a spike." He lifted his finger to place a nail on said part. "Fine if you gently tap it, but if you try to grab it it'll stab you. Vicious little thing. But it doesn't move or otherwise harm so if you treat it with care, it's harmless." He smirked. "Fun to prank people with, that's for damn sure. And it looks interesting so it's a rather unique decoration piece. Real fucking hardy for a plant, too, so it's tough to kill- just don't overwater it."
  • Something sweet, but not dairy
    • "This-" The caelian dug out his next item and placed it next to the jelly. "-is called rock candy." The treat was presented on a stick, about six inches long. One side of it was bare while the remaining five inches were covered in a hard, rather translucent purple material. "You hold it on the bare side and crunch the other part. It's essentially sugar condensed into these crystal-like forms. No dairy, just tooth rotting sweetness." He smiled. "Quite fun to bite and there isn't too much on that stick so you won't get sick." He hummed again, trying to see the merchant's reaction. "All the kids in my neighborhood fucking love this stuff. I'm not a fan of sweets, but my boyfriend says they're pretty fucking good and he's rather well versed in candy."
  • Something with yeast
    • He clicked his tongue before bringing out his next offered item. "This, however, shouldn't be given to kids. It's one of my boyfriend's favorite things, but I don't give it to him all that often." The caelian slid a rather tall glass bottle onto the table. "It's called beer. An alcohol made from yeast. This bottle's brew is nutty and mild in flavor." The drink was amber in coloration, tiny bubbles danced along the inside of the green-tinted glass. It was sealed by a cork. "Be careful though-" He tilted his head. "-it's so fucking good that some people get addicted. This particular brew is on the stronger side." He tapped at the glass and hummed as some of the bubbles traveled to the top of the liquid and popped. "Shake it a bit and you'll have a surprise when you open it. Just be sure to point it away from you." He shrugged. "Not sure if you've had it before, but beer generally makes people more relaxed and open while shutting down thoughts."
  • Something with meat
    • "Next-" The caelian took a large breath and reached into his pocket once again. Out came a collection of cut meats carefully sealed in a plastic bag. "Pickled pork." His near-constant smirk turned into a grin. "This cut is still raw, so you'll have to boil it in water if you want to cook it. But it'll keep for months without any additional prepwork or tools." It was something his family did back in Dolsia- when they were alive, anyways. Setting it onto the table, he gestured for the merchant to take a closer look. "Freshly hunted and prepared by yours truly. Should be enough in here to feed about four people." He'd packed a rather fatty part of the pig; the shoulder.
  • Something made of wood, but not large
    • "Now, let's get off the food for a minute, shall we?" He reached into his cloak. A moment later, he set a piece of blackened material onto the barter table. It was shaped in an unnatural way- somehow cut and formed into a rough yet long tube of sorts. "Wood charcoal. Made from burnt wood, this has a surprising amount of applications. This piece here is shaped for the purpose of drawing and art." He knew that this might be a bit of a long shot in terms of trading, but he had an ace up his sleeve for it. "Let me show you a few more things before I fully explain what this shit can do." Hopefully by now he had the merchant's attention.
  • Something made of clay, but not plain
    • "Here's another object that might need a moment of explanation." He then placed a strange looking clay object into the fray, gently pushing aside some of the foodstuffs. It was, again, cylindrical in shape. For the most part, it was smooth- about two inches in length. One end was flat but the other? "This is called a stamp." Lifting the item, he flipped it onto its flat side to reveal a small design. Three flowers bunched together in a simple yet somewhat elegant design. "I'll show you how to use it in a moment, but the general idea is that you press this into a liquid drying pigment and place this design any-fucking-where you want."
  • Something from the earth
    • "Speaking of liquid drying pigment..." He was quick to show this after the last one, hoping he hadn't lost the vendor's interest. But it was crucial to reveal this in steps to give a wow factor of sorts. Something he learned while in his travels. "How about this shit?" He lightly slammed another glass bottle onto the table. This one, however, differed from the beer. The container was short and wide- about an inch tall and twice that in diameter. "Oil-based ink." He traded for this in the frozen wastes and almost immediately saw its potential. "Takes a while to dry, but it's permanent." Here's to hoping that the merchant found it as interesting as he did. "It won't ever go bad and this small bottle goes a long fucking way." The caelian went to pop open the sealing cork and grabbed the stamp. Stretching out his right palm, he revealed a white glove. His left was a black one, so obviously this was planned. He carefully dipped just the tip of the stamp into the ink, let the extra liquid drop off, and pressed the stamp into his white-gloved palm. After a beat, he removed the stamp and tapped the design-less side onto the table. He then tilted his hand towards the merchant. "And there you fucking go. In a couple of hours this'll be a bit less fragile. In a few days, it'll be permanent." He chuckled. "And the best fucking part?" He nodded towards the stamp. "Reusable." He repeated the stamp process on a different part of his glove. "See?"
  • Something feathered
    • He placed the stamp down. "Next is something similar." Reaching his left hand into his cloak, he brought out another item. This one appeared to be a feather. Black in coloration, long and soft, it was obvious that this was from a caelian. Who exactly? He's not planning to say. At the end of the feather, on the shaft, there was a sharp stone. Wrapped onto the feather, it matched the coloration rather well. "This is called a quill. Made from a feather, it's a sturdy writing utensil." There was a chance that the merchant has heard of a quill. But he knew better than to assume anything. "It's used in combination with any liquid based pigment, just like the stamp." He let the object rest on the table for a moment so that the merchant could inspect the quality. Then, he brought out his last object.
  • Something beautiful
    • As it was placed on the table, the caelian took a long breath. This was the make or break. He said nothing for a while, letting the merchant look over it. The item was a book. But not just any book, it was hand-bound and leather-covered. The paper was handmade as well. It took him a while to make this object and he poured passion into every ounce of it. The front was covered in a simple yet clean floral design. There were a good 100 sheets in that binding. "A hand crafted notebook." He turned on his confidence once more. "This..." He went to open the cover. The first page was loose. "Is what you can do with it." He first reached for the stamp. He dipped it into the ink and placed the pattern along the edge. Then, he set it down and grabbed the quill. Once more dipping the object into the ink, he wrote Ianthina with a swooped flourish. Carefully placing the quill down, he paused. "And finally." He reached for the charcoal. With it, he drew a clean box around the word. He shaded the outside of the outlined box with the flattened side of the charcoal, creating a little bit of depth. "As you can see, charcoal makes excellent texture, the quill is a precise writing tool, the stamp elegantly framed everything, ink allowed this to happen, and the notebook made it all possible."

After his demonstration was complete, he leaned away from the wares. He wasn't going to try to make a more beautiful piece of art- what he'd displayed was about all he could do. Although, he made sure to remove the loose sheet from the notebook. He placed the page next to the book as he folded it closed. He was doing his best to appear in control and confident as the merchant overlooked his goods. He felt like he had a good pitch and interesting objects. "So. What do you think?" All he could do now was wait for her reply.

Ennis Celest

Ennis leaned forward as the caelian approached her stall. Caelians were a rarity around these parts--Dolsian goods were highly valuable--but his crassness took her off-guard. Weren't caelians supposed to be polite? Well, it wasn't as if many human sailors weren't just the same. She listened quietly, mildly intrigued by the jelly. Gelatin was common at home, but it was far more often a savory dish, meant to use up every last part of a kill. The cactus did less than impress her. Another? Yes, Olitskur lacked them, but Ennis was no new merchant; she knew cacti were common to Eniya and littered the deserts. Perhaps a greener merchant would be sold by his pitch, but not her. She smiled thinly. "Delightful."

Rock candy, at least, was a novelty. She eyed him when he mentioned this was a favorite of children. Was he trying to say something? But evidently not, if his boyfriend liked it too. A small flicker in her lumens betrayed her interest in the beer. Beer was a common drink in Eniya--it wouldn't net him any incredible offers--but it was a rarity in Olitskur, so she always loved when someone brought it around. His offerings were improving: that was a hefty offering of pork, and prepared in an unusual way. Cured meats were common, but not this half cooked pickling. She wasn't quite sure what to make of the charcoal. Wood products were rare in Olitskur, yes, but she's not sure she could sell this to anyone. When he was finished with his demonstration, she would have to ask to test it. She eyed the stamp with more interest. A premade design could be very useful indeed. Would the charcoal work on it, she wondered. At least he was indeed offering ink alongside it. Ink-based art tended to have no logevity in Olitskur: ice was everchanging. He answered the next question she had before she could think to ask it: did it work on cloth? She smiled again, genuine this time.

She picked up the feather, handling it delicately and with obvious experience, but she eyed his cloak, trying to see past the darkness. Her eyes flicked through the usual spots as she wondered if it was one of his. She gave up as he pulled out the notebook. As he demonstrated, her lumens lit up, eyes sparkling. Taken individually, she wasn't much of an artist, so the items had little interest. But together, the artist tools, the food: this had the makings of a perfect date night with Nkiru. Her fins flared, just a little, as she tried to imagine all the sweet poetry Nkiru would fill that notebook with.

She smiled up at him. "I never would have taken you for an artist, but color me impressed. Let's talk."

(You've earned a slot upgrade and 5 Memories! They have been added to your inventory!)

Springcat1983

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An Ianthina with lionfish fins would walk up with her hand just casually on the bag. Seemingly not worried about people trying to steal her bag. She would've been seen around before everyother month. She smiles at ennis, "my name is volitas and i gots some goodies to trade this month" she takes a box out of her bag and opens it in a way that ennis cant see the items.

              "I have some fuzzy glowing rocks from dolsia. " she takes out some rocks with moss and glowing algae on them. "Well, the rocks dont glow by themselves the algae makes em glow-" she realizes ennis probably already knows about the algae and awkwardly smiles abit. "But anyways the caelians use em as lamps so thst could be useful"

             She then takes out another rock. This one being sorta pink and purple in color. "I actually came across this myself and got it out of the ground. This is a spirit quartz. Did you know that crystals can help you? Spirit quartz are quite beneficial, it helps with aligning your 'chakras' " she states not exactly knowing what shes talking about since its been awhile since she heard information about these types of things. 

           She looks into the box again and smiles even more. "Heres another caelian item. This one.. i actually made with a friend i made in sayli." She takes out a feathered cape cap. There would be two pearls on it connecting the two sides to eachother. She wears it to show it off abit and then takes it off. Putting it down by the two items.

       She then takes out a sponge and squeezes it. Its soft but not fuzzy "Ah i love doing that. Anyways this is what humans use to clean their dishes and other items. Someone could come by and actually need this."

           She pulls out a folded up blanket and unfolds it. "I find the pattern to be beautiful in my opinion.i just realized It actually looks like a flower" she folds it twice and sets it on the table.

Volitas sets down a clay sculpture of a dog on the table. With fingerprints all over it. She smiles "its quite cute aint it?" She lets ennis inspect it before going onto the next item

            She takes out a wooden teaset. The wooden bowl having grapes in it. The plate having an avocado toast on it. "A teaset, grapes which are very sweet, and  Avocado toast." She takes out three sticks with varying sorts of meat on them. "Mushroom, Fish and deer meat i hunted and cooked over a fire just before i came here so their still warm. Want to share with me..? Id love to share my absolute favorite snack." She takes a bite out of one of them and offers another to ennis.

Ennis Celest

Ennis smiles at the familiar face. It was always refreshing to see a return customer. Her offerings could be a bit simple at times, but they were always made with such earnestness, and the things she picked up in her travels across Enchiron were always exciting. It was a welcome break from the intense haggling and irritating lowballing she could get from other customers. "Welcome back, Volitas, it's good to see you. What did you bring this month?"

The algae stones were a strong start. They would add some lovely color and light to the above-water caves back home. The spirit quartz, however, is a miss. Ennis has no idea what a chakra is, and she's not about to ask. Volitas seems a little uncertain herself. Given the name, she could only assume it had to do with ghosts, and she had no desire for a haunted rock. It goes politely ignored as she instead favors the cape. She lights up looking at it, antennae curling: it's truly beautiful. "You made this? Are the feathers from Sayilan birds, or somewhere else?" Secretly, she hoped it was the caelian friend. Caelians molted like any other bird, but they could be so stingy with the feathers.

She's still looking at the cape when Volitas brings out the sponge. The ocean has plenty of those; she hardly spares it a glance. She tears her attention away from the cape to view the blanket, reaching out to touch it. She hums her assent; it's quite nice. she smiles appreciately at the dog, but as Volitas lays out the teaset, she starts to laugh. Accepting the offered skewer, she says, "Alright, alright, you're right. I've been working long enough; I can take a break for a snack. How've things been with you? We'll talk payment after."

(You've earned a slot upgrade and 5 Memories! They have been added to your inventory!)

Nightbloom (Florya Nightbloom) Shikisei

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Florya arrives at the market only carrying a few items, and approaches Ennis, with a small smile. Her shy demeanor being a result of not leaving her homestead for a while.

"Ennis," she said simply. "I've brought some handmade things for trade." As the slender hand heaved two baskets onto the table.
"I've designed and crafted a couple of these soft toys from recycled cloth, and filled with cotton and some lavender for a relaxing cuddle," she said, picking up a skull (possibly skull?) head design doll and placing it on the table, then taking a couple of quills and placing it beside the doll, the feather that was fitted on the pen tip resembling some of the smaller feathers from her wings. "The pen tips of these quills are still in top condition but the original feather was sundered by time. I simply refurnished them, but I have way too many."

"These last two..." she trailed over as she turned the other basket over to Ennis. "A small amount of wheat, which curiously made me sneeze a bit, some of my family flowers infused honey, and some flowers from my garden... Which started overgrowing..."

"I hope this is ok..."

Ennis Celest

It had been a long while since Ennis had seen Florya, but she was a welcome sight. She was gentle, poised, and more refined than any of the human sailors wandering around, making her a breath of fresh air from the other merchants. "Good evening, Florya."

She peers into the baskets before Florya even begins pulling things out, but the view is, sadly, obscured by all the plants. She sits back to let Florya explain what she brought. She tilts her head at the doll, antennae curling. It is cute, admittedly, but only Sayilans would think of skulls when they think relaxing. She dresses like a Dolsian, but Ennis realizes she's not entirely sure where Florya's from. Possibly, she could just be weirder than she first thought. Moving on, the quills Ennis is certain she wants the moment she lays eyes on them. Refurbished or not, with the embedded gem and the caelian feather, they are stunning.

There is little she can do with the wheat, but honey is always a welcome treat. (She wonders how it will compare to the maple syrup.) She picks up a flower, bringing it close to breathe in the scent. These will be perfect for her date night with Nkiru. She smiles at Florya. "This is more than okay. You are a customer I'm always happy to see, and I'm delighted by what you brought. Let's talk trades, then I'd love to hear what you've been up to since we last saw each other."

(You've earned a slot upgrade and 1 Memory! They have been added to your inventory. Beautiful illustrations, by the by, I love them!)

Endercoil

Something sweet, but not dairy

A bundle of candy made from crystals of sugar that have formed on sticks. The crystals are brittle enough that teeth can easily bite through them. Each stick is coated with a different colour of crystals, each containing a different flavour among the sugar. They’ve been placed in a translucent pouch, in which you can see a few crystals that have already broken off at the bottom.

Something with yeast

A piece of bread with dough leans on the heavier side, and has a sweet taste to it when eaten. The top has been decorated with a braided pattern of dough that spirals from the center to the outside. It’s crust is a rich golden-brown, as it was brushed with an egg wash before being baked.

Something made of wood, but not large

A small carving of a raven. Carved lines mark its sides to give the appearance of feathers, which appear to glisten under the black paint when moved in light. It’s legs are missing the feathery sheen, and the talons appear chipped. It seems like the creator may have struggled to complete them.

Something made of clay, but not plain

A water jug made from clay that has been painted with an opaque type of paint. It shows a scene of a sun setting behind the trees of a swamp.. Despite the jug’s smaller size, the painting has incredible detail. Algae and floating plants dot the water, and moss grows on the trees.

Something from the earth

A bundle of undried wheat that has been tied with a thin red ribbon around three times on the stalks. The ribbon tied by the heads of each plant is looser than the others, as to not break the stems. The bundle has also been transported upside down in order to preserve it.

Celest

I love all the detail here in your writing! What a gorgeous assortment of objects, and I like the attention paid to the items flaws, which make them no less beautiful.

You've earned a slot upgrade! It has been added to your inventory.

LittleBlackRoses

//I know it's shorter than the requested, but I ended up being too busy to write more- I can always come back and edit each one to be longer if desired.//

• Something soft, but not fuzzy - A blanket. A warm and soft blanket made of silk and patterned beautifully on top is presented. With details stretching into telling part of a story, perhaps a quilt would be a better term for it. 

• Something fuzzy, but not soft - A short length pelt. Pelt of a fox or perhaps a coyote, maybe even a bear? It'd unknown as to what it originally belonged to, but it's certainly fuzzy, without a doubt. 

• Something sweet, but not dairy - Chocolate made of cacao and sugar. A simple recipe done, yet something that takes a lot of work to achieve. A worthwhile investment for most. 

• Something with yeast - Bread. A warm and freshly baked loaf, prepared for the trade perhaps? It's a mystery that the child there cannot reveal. 

• Something with meat - A bird. With colorful wings, it flutters while resting chained to the stick it sat upon. It's kept there to avoid struggles of having to catch it over and over again. 

• Something made of wood, but not large - A water shaped stick. Driftwood as humans call it. Fallen into the water who knows how long ago, and shaped by rough currents and underwater pressures, rubbing against rocks that scored away its original state of a bark covered branch. 

• Something made of clay, but not plain - Carved clay pot. Hand carved with delicate strokes of a blade, cautious to damage the pot beyond what was intended. Scores of intricate designs patterned within its surface. 

• Something from the earth - A flower. Purple and simple, a small flower that was just opening to reveal its gorgeous interior, with green nubs of its inner stock, lightly littering the inside of its form. 

• Something feathered - A feather. From a bird, obviously. But was it an eagle? Or maybe a bigger form of hawk. Which type of either? Who knows, but it's a unique item all the same. 

• Something beautiful - A mirror. Formed with hand carved techniques, and a lot of care and attention put into it, leaving it in a perfect shine, that reflects whoever holds it exactly as they appear, but nothing more nor less. 

An Ianthia that looked as though they stepped from the night sky, brought over a bag of a multitude of items. "I know I'm late, but I spent a lot of time looking for everything." They spoke quietly. 

Ennis Celest

Ennis's eyes scan the assortment. Some items are of less interest: the driftwood was too common, and she had already traded for a mirror. But others excited her: the pelt and blanket would be perfect for her nest back home, and the pot was stunning. "I can see that: you've brought quite the assortment. Don't worry; dawn's not here yet. Let's talk."

(You provided ten items, but you did not meet the word count requirements. For this reason, I'm granting you the Sealed Letter, but not the additional Memories. If you choose to update this entry to meet the requirement, let me know, and I'll update your bank accordingly! For now, the Letter has been added to your inventory.)