At that smile, he wonders if they've been tricked somehow. He doesn't THINK so but... well, there are more important things to worry about, like the lives of these chicks.
He tells Iovia "We need to keep them out of the rain and cold as best possible, or they could die from it or at least get sick." He brought an umbrella that he keeps over them, and a blanket, which he takes out now and positions. He takes great care with them.
"Tell you what, Mister Seydou, we'll first look around for actual Ojofiri, as this is what we are looking for. If then we have a few crowns to spare, we might go back here for yours. What race are those, out of curiosity?"
Finally making some progress, Nyandra thanks everyone who provides her guidance. "Sounds like we have a pretty definitive answer here. I have to say I'll be glad to be done with this, if everything else is going to be like this I'm not sure how well I'll do."
[ooc]He also has the stabilize cantrip of that works though I doubt it does. :)
Ikto is glad the chicks seem in good shelter .
"Ntuni said we should meet back where we started when she gave me the purse to report our success or lack of." Ikto recalls"So let's head that way." And unless Iovia has a better idea, that's where they go.
Glad to meet up with each other, the two groups briefly swap stories fo what they have been up to. M'baba and Nyandra learn the merchant Seydou did not have an Ojofiri chicks at all, but some form of imposter he tried to play off on them. Thanks to Ntuni and Za Minyahil's perception and quick thinking, they did not spend any money on the false birds, but neither did they make any headway toward the actual goal.
M'baba and Nyandra remark on the roasted nut sellers at near where the group entered the Kafesi Market, and also relate they have good directions to Makena's stall where it is believed the only actual Ojofiri chicks in the whole bazaar seem to reside. In fact, it doesn't seem too far from this point.
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M'baba says "Well, we've got multiple testimonies that this Makena is the real deal. We should go there. I will go also, but will stay out of sight."
As soon as the others are ready, M'baba lets Nyandra lead the way and tries to stay a bit distanced from the group. Upon reaching Makena's store, he tries to stay out of sight, in case the group needs an ace up their sleeve.
As they return to try and find the others, they muse "I do have to wonder about this market and its rules." They choose their words carefully, so as not to speak of their allegiances, lest they be discovered and removed.
Za Minyahil is not far behind.
M'baba approaches Ikto and says "You guys managed to get our chicks I'd wager?"
Ikto is relieved to see M'Baba and Za Minyahil, "We did, though it was very costly. How did it go with you?"
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M'baba replies saying "Well, Nyandra and I sort of wandered and confirmed that Makena is the one that had what we wanted. The other was bogus. This was confirmed by Za and Ntuni who saw through their lies."
He looks at the cage and, although he is curious about the chickens. He asks "The cost was covered by the academy, wasn't it?"
"Yes. But, let's keep that quiet. We're not home yet, and we want to get them back somewhere warm and dry. We were not the only ones looking for them, either" Iovia says in a soft voice.
M'baba replies saying "Well, Nyandra and I sort of wandered and confirmed that Makena is the one that had what we wanted. The other was bogus. This was confirmed by Za and Ntuni who saw through their lies."
"Za Minyahil, the whole thing, not just Za." Ntuni corrects M'baba while looking at the chickens. Yup, those were clearly the correct ones. "I've made the same mistake earlier."
Ikto nods at the talk of keeping it quiet, as he catches up "We should get back fast... and I am sorry the rest of you had to deal with a liar."
Nyandra is visibly relieved when the group reunites, with the chicks they'd all come here for. M'baba was certainly good company, but she was still rather worried about the whole ordeal.
As the group fully reunites she lets out a heavy, relieved sigh. "I feel like I'm going to need another breakfast after all that stress! Regardless, yes. We should definitely get back quickly." Nyandra tries to use her newfound calm to keep an eye out for anyone watching, following, or obstructing their way.
Together the group makes it back to the entrance of the Kafesi (at least i this location) without incident. Those keeping a sharp eye out do not notice a tail or anyone following wiht purpose among the crowd and noise of commerce.
While its still raining, you keep the chicks warm and dry and start back for the friendly confines of the Magaambya. After about an hour's walk, you are safely within the school's gates once again.
When you bring the 5 baby chicks to Haibram and Esi, they are delighted in your work. "Guess I won some coin from Chizire, who bet against you", the dwarf says pleasantly. "Well done!"
Esi nods her approval then says, "You have the rest of the day to recover from your shopping trip. But meet here again tomorrow an hour after dawn, as you have another Perquisite assignment then."
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M'baba says "I suppose this makes us look good in front of the Rain-Scribes." To the untrained ear, he sounds a bit bored, but the more perceptive realize he is not that interested in this school branch.
He turns to the others and says "I never thought I'd work so well with strangers. I'm pleasantly surprised, and hope you will be around me as time passes in this school."
This time he had more time to think about interacting with Esi. He approaches her and says "So apparently I'm free for the rest of the day. I'm sure you're busy, but if I can help you with something, I'd be happy to. If you're not busy... well, I have a specific question for you. Join me for some lemonade?"
Ikto is happy to be back, and even happier to hand the chicks over promptly and safely.
"I am sorry, but we had to use all twenty gold for these and have no change to return to the school," He explains "perhaps I am naive, but I never thought chicks would cost four gold apiece. Still, it is good the animals will get a good home."
M'baba says "I suppose this makes us look good in front of the Rain-Scribes." To the untrained ear, he sounds a bit bored, but the more perceptive realize he is not that interested in this school branch.
Ikto is wise, but not trained in someways so may miss the distinction, "I confess, I like what I HEAR of the rainscribes, but I fear I might have trouble being so quick to shift to the needs of the moment. Still, I want to learn more of them before I decide which Branch I commit to."
M'baba says "I suppose this makes us look good in front of the Rain-Scribes." To the untrained ear, he sounds a bit bored, but the more perceptive realize he is not that interested in this school branch.
This he agrees with, "Miss Iovia was very kind and patient with my stumbling in the market, and Ntuni's suggestion to return where we started when we were done was good advice. If part of our lesson is supposed to be we can draw on each other's strengths, I think it is one that is sinking in."
He ponders what he will do next, "I may try to take a hot bath" He finally says "After that, I'm not sure."
M'baba replies saying "Well, Nyandra and I sort of wandered and confirmed that Makena is the one that had what we wanted. The other was bogus. This was confirmed by Za and Ntuni who saw through their lies.""Za Minyahil, the whole thing, not just Za." Ntuni corrects M'baba while looking at the chickens. Yup, those were clearly the correct ones. "I've made the same mistake earlier."
"Thank you, Ntuni," Za Minyahil says with a nod as they reconvene and begin making their way back to the Magaambya.
"Why DO they insist on keeping the Magaambya's students out of their business?" they wonder aloud as they travel. "I did not see anything within that would be out of place in any other bazaar in Quantium. Even the trickery of unscrupulous merchants was nothing new. What could occur here that needs to be kept from the eyes of the great and good?"
Once they return and deliver the chicks, Za Minyahil bows to their fellow students. Though they frown a bit at the mention of a bet running.
"Case in point, it seems even the great and good can have their vices."
This he agrees with, "Miss Iovia was very kind and patient with my stumbling in the market, and Ntuni's suggestion to return where we started when we were done was good advice. If part of our lesson is supposed to be we can draw on each other's strengths, I think it is one that is sinking in."
"I would say it also is a lesson that magic cannot be used to solve our problems. Had we cast spells, the market would have been closed to us. Persuasiveness and a clever mind have a magic all their own."
Iovia is quite happy when the group returns home. When she hears about the bet, she laughs. "I can understand why he bet against us. This was a wonderfully multi-layered challenge, with many ways to fail. In his place, I might have bet against us as well."
As she says that, she slides her bracelet off, recovers her beads from her pouch, and resecures them so they are once more visible, and then the bracelet is back in place. "I want to go back sometimes, to Kafesi, and just explore it. As for you, Mr. Banashee, you were an excellent shopping companion, and I do not think you stumbled much at all."
Iovia will relax for the rest of the day.
"I would say it also is a lesson that magic cannot be used to solve our problems. Had we cast spells, the market would have been closed to us. Persuasiveness and a clever mind have a magic all their own."
"Among my people, we believe that magic is a solution, no the solution to problems." She shares with the others while taking her beads of a pocket, and then turning to Nyandra. "This is why yesterday I had not accepted your offer about being dried with magic."
"I know this is an unusual way of seeing magic, but to us, magical energy is a precious resource of nature and we are taught from very young not to waste it. We use magic only when a non-magic solution is not possible."
In the end, luckily, there was no need for her armor and maul, so she takes them back to her bedroom. She relaxes for a bit before once more seeking Lumusi for something to do.
Ikto tries not to wince when Za Minyahil mentions magic being a sure giveaway (He's not sure that is true as surely the Academy students are the only practitioners of all magic in this city? Not that that is what was said) and Ntuni warns of an over reliance of magic as he recalls his call for guidance. Should I have not have used it? Do other people not pray before hard choices? does it mark me as a stranger here to do so? Does it mark me as Anadi?
Still, each of them has good points, and better to consider those than ignore secure that he was right. He confesses, "I did use a bit of a prayer to the winds in public. I hope I did not out us." Best they be warned if they truly fear it is so.
As she says that, she slides her bracelet off, recovers her beads from her pouch, and resecures them so they are once more visible, and then the bracelet is back in place. "I want to go back sometimes, to Kafesi, and just explore it. As for you, Mr. Banashee, you were an excellent shopping companion, and I do not think you stumbled much at all."
A smile at that and a bob of the head. He puts his own beads back on.
He will definitely take that bath. But he also ponders a bit of crafting since he has the dyes and such.
Za Minyahil shrugs.
"If it did, then the marketgoers were polite enough to ignore it."
"If it had, they might not have sold to us, and they did. So, if it was noticed, it did not matter." Iovia says to Ikto.
Esi blushes and smiles at M'Baba's forwardness. "I thank you for the invitation but it would not be appropriate for I am your mentor and student-leader. By the rules I cannot, but there will be a day when that is no longer the case. On that day, ask me again."
"That's Esi," chides Haibram playfully. "Always following the rules. Oh, and don't read too much into Chizire betting against you, he's just a contrarian by nature. I am glad you succeeded and glad I won."
The Perquisite proctors don't seem to mind the fact you spent all the coins, and actually brought back one more chick than was necessary. "You made good use of the resources provided, and over-delivered. I admire that," says Esi with the little bow of respect.
The initiates fill the rest of their day with various and mundane tasks, eat their dinner meal, and retire for the evening, thinking ahead to the next task planned for them tomorrow.
Ikto nods at the common sense both Za Minyahil and Iovia point out.
And is glad when Esi says they over delivered.He returns the bow of respect. He doesn't comment on M'Baba's flirtations, finding it all rather fascinating. I wonder if she might have been even more tempted if he had brought her a lovely web design or danced for her ?
He finds himself wishing M'Baba luck, but doesn't speak of such.
"Thank you for having faith in us, Haibram. It's been nice to meet you."
"Easy to do, Ikto. It's a bright group, I hope you consider the Rain-Scribes. Also, let me know if you want to do something fun. I'll show you a few things."
Haibram leaves for his dorm room and Esi says, "Careful with that one. Haibram is a bit of a daredevil, and his idea of fun might get you seriously hurt, or worse."
Place: The Spire Dormitory, Magaambya Academy, City of Nantambu, western edge of the Mwangi Expanse, Garund, Golarion
Time: Wealday, 3 Rova, 4724AR
Morning comes again, but the rain has not really let up snice you arrived in Nantambu. Regardless, you eat breakfast or other morning rituals and gather together in the Common Room of the Spire Dormitory in anticipation of the next challenge of your Perquisite. A few minutes before the appointed hour, Esi strides confidently in. "Morning o!" she says cheerily without a trace of sleepiness. She bobs her silken umbrella in greeting. "It's just me today. I'm the only one of us who plans to join the Tempest-Sun Mages. That's the branch that defends Nantambu and the people around the city from outside threats, big and small. Today, you are going to help us with a very small threat. Some gremlins have gotten into one of the school's storage rooms. I want you to get them out without harming them."
"I mean it," Esi adds with emphasis. They're sour little pests, but they haven't done anything except throw some jars around and be obnoxious. The Magaambya doesn't approve of killing anyone just because of who they are. A student was expelled because of it, back before I came here."
"Between you and me, I don't think anyone will mind if you gave them one or two whacks to the head, but get them out of the storage room and release them off the grounds -- really, its probably better to release them outside of Nantambu entirely."
"Any questions?"
"Easy to do, Ikto. It's a bright group, I hope you consider the Rain-Scribes. Also, let me know if you want to do something fun. I'll show you a few things."
"Surely." He hopes to make friends after all. This sounds like a chance to "I think I'd like that."
Haibram leaves for his dorm room and Esi says, "Careful with that one. Haibram is a bit of a daredevil, and his idea of fun might get you seriously hurt, or worse."
"I don't mind a little risk, and I can heal if I live. I dance in storms after all, I don't mind a few risks." Indeed, he will probably go join Haibram later to see what this fellow gets into, but first that bath.
He will soak in one of the baths in the dorm, not particularly concerned which, and sooth. If no one else is around, he might use a bit of magic to heat the water. It is odd, bathing in human form, but he makes the most of it. Ikto also does some weaving in his room with the supplies he has.
And yes, he socializes with those willing. He wants to eventually met all his dorm mates after all.
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The news of Gremlins is not what Ikto was expecting, but then it is a magic school, why wouldn't it have a gremlin problem?
He tries to think of what he knows of Gremlins and how to non lethally get rid of them. "Can you tell us more about what they look like or how they might have gotten in?"
"Admittedly," says Esi, looking a little abashed. "I am not entirely clear on the distinctions between gremlins, but i am told these are called pugwampis. As to how they entered, it's really anyone's guess. They are clever little creatures as I am told. I am sure you could research them in the school library if you have a mind."
Iovia does her normal morning devotions and then joins the others for breakfast.
After breakfast, when the task is given, she smiles.
"Back when I was growing up, around harvest time, monkeys would sometimes come to the estate ground to sample the produce. It was important to catch them, otherwise they might bring a whole troop and treat the fields like a buffet which would have been troublesome for us all. The trick was to lure them into cages so we could transport them safely away."
Ioiva leaves out the fact that she is not 100 percent sure the monkeys were transported safely away. It's not relevant, after all, and she is reasonably confident that they were.
"We will need cages, or something to keep them secure so we can transport them. Miss Djana, do you happen to know if there is something that they like or something that they fear? Something that we can use to lure them into cages, or use to scare them into cages? Once they are inside the cages, it's a simple walk to wherever we let them out."
After she finishes giving her thoughts, Iovia sits back to listen to whatever ideas the others may have.
Ikto's brow knits, "Pugawampis? I've heard of them. Troublesome sort of fey to be sure, they seem to torment everyone with wicked glee." A beat "Except Kholo, they seem to adore Kholo..."
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M'baba smiles at Esi a bit childishly. He didn't expect her to tell him to ask her again later. He admires and respects her adherence to the rules and decides that he will, indeed, ask her again some other time. He spends the rest of the day fixing some clothes that got damaged during his trip to Nantambu.
As the Tempest-Sun Mages task is explained, he starts to get the feeling that this branch is more fighting oriented, which is not where he shines. He prefers to find other solutions that avoid the risk of getting hurt. He is satisfied that the task requires them not to kill the creatures. He hears the others discuss and tries to remember something about pugwampis.
He also asks "Is there anything specific they've been doing in storage? Are they taking some things in particular? Or maybe rearranging something in particular?" He realizes he is not making a lot of sense. So he clears his throat and says "Well, what I'm trying to say is that if they're here for a reason, we might try to help them deal with what's bothering them and they'll stop coming."