It was spring here in the northern tundra, though it still felt a bit nippy for anyone who wasn't a native. The strange woman was approaching the small village out here, what she carried light and the sea breeze tugging bits of long white hair out from under her coat hood to toss about. There wasn't much snow left, so Aruku's footfalls landed on the bursting green of new plants more often than the old rotten snow.
The sun was a quarter of the way up the sky already, people were starting to move about the buildings on their own daily errands as she entered. From their unconcern of her appearance, they apparently were used to strangers comming often. Listening to their speach as she wandered through the town, she picked up enough to place a close language she knew. She hadn't been in these parts for a long time, and things had changed. Finally, there was the building she was looking for, a general goods/ traveling supplies place.
A small bell hung over the door chimmed as she entered and pulled back her hood, the place only populated by a few people as the day was starting up. Here and there she got a curious glance, probably the odd clothing she was wearing as compared to theirs. Making a quick loop around the store to see what was in stock, Aruku made her way to the counter and the man behind it. He looked up at her direct approach, just in time to see the woman pull out a bundle of cured furs and place them in front of him.
"I'm looking to trade you these for some supplies. Can you use them?"
They were the first words she had spoken; her voice was raspy with disuse and the manner of speach oddly old, but otherwise pleasently low toned. Her eyes were steady on his, waiting for a reply. It came, and Aruku played the little game of barter with him, picking out supplies she wanted in return for the hides. Some bags, pouches, clothes, needles, thread, fishing line and hooks, trap line, steel and flint, water flask, and other basics. The store keeper raised his eyebrows a little in suprise and curiosity, wondering how she had gotten the furs, or even traveled without such supplies. His mind decided this woman must be a mage of sorts, probably...
Exchanging the normal end of sale and meeting curtosies, the snowy-haired woman left, now equipped much more normally and fitting in better than she had in the strange clothes she had come in, which were now stashed in her new pack.
Back outside, she glanced towards the sun's position, figuring how much time she had left still. Plenty. Opening her energy senses, she cast about for where in this village would be someone interested in the other trade item she had found. It didn't take long to find another, smaller building which practically radiated what the sign above declared: Magics Shoppe.
Entering this place, she gave a quick look around here as well, though not walking around the whole place so much as observing what she could from the front at a slow meander towards the sale counter. Again with the smiles and exchanges of pleasentries, this time Aruku's speach more like that of the person she was talking to, with only a few odd accents and words. Once she was ready, her pale hand reached around into her new pack, and drew out a magnificant, large, footlong, brilliantly clear Quartz crystal. The widening of the storekeeper's eyes and the slight "o" her mouth formed gave Aruku a smile. They both knew this was precious, and valuable.
Again with the barter game, again with picking out a few additional supplied she wanted, like a mortar & pestle, a small variety of candles, some incence and a few other small things. But the gem was worth much more than the items the strange woman who had brought it wanted. Finally, they agreed on a monetary amount that would balance out the additional cost, and again she left, this time with currency for this land in her pouch. It was a good start.
There were a few other places she visited, picking up other odds and ends for her supplies. By the time she was done the sun was lowering towards it's nightly rest. From there, it didn't take long to find the only Inn the village boasted, a two-story affair that already had a few people arriving. Apparently a place the town gathered togather as well. Good, it was what she was counting on.
The warmth and good smell of food hit her as she entered, her stomache growling a complaint and reminder at her. Smiling and eyes bright she found a server, and asked for a helping of dinner and who was running the Inn. The owner was pointed out, and server off to do her task. Coat open and manner relaxed, Aruku approached the Innkeeper to discuss a room for the night, and if she could earn some change with storytelling and performance in the Inn tonight. There wasn't anything else planned, so the Innkeeper was good enough to allow her, And once she had eaten and payed for her dinner, giving it a moment to settle she moved to start work.
A few good, crowd-catching jokes and flamboyant gestures got most of their attention, and she got them invloved in a couple of quick warm-up tricks. There was a bag with a pair of small coines sitting at the edge of the area she'd taken over as a 'stage,' welcoming any donations for the entertainment. Now that she had their attention though, she got down to a good, invloving old tale. Old to her, but new or forgotten to these people. They apparently liked it well enough though, and she made a decent maount of gratitude tips. The Innkeeper liked it enough to give her one free night stay in a room, which was well in her favor. So, body tired, Aruku made an exit for bed, and a night of rest actuall in a building.
((OOC: You can join if you want or not, just giving a starting point for my char to come from... lol Sorry for the length. ^^; ))
