Seeing that Jon isn't interested, the man chats up Jade. "A very useful beast, noble lady. About the size of a rabbit, but horned. All other animals hate the sight of it and run away! Say you are hunting for birds or wild boar in the jungle-- when a tiger appears! You quickly remove the almiraj from its container-- a basket, say, or some sort of small crate or box-- and hold it up, and the tiger will run away!"

"Can I see it, I have never seen one before. I admit I don't go hunting but a horned little animal seems to be something I would love to see."

"Certainly, madam, certainly! Right this way...!"

The merchant leads Jade over a couple of dozen yards to a large cart that apparently belongs to him.

There, he pulls a large basket to him, and unties the ropes on the top of the basket.

He reaches inside, and pulls out a creature, and shows it to Jade.

https://dmingdad.com/wp-content/uploads/Almiraj.png

A flock of pigeons fly away at that moment, but that could be because the little kids were playing chase-me games by running through the middle of them.

The merchant is pleased by Jade's reaction. "...Would your ladyship like to hold the creature...?" he asks.

The almiraj, looking Jade right in the eyes, clearly nods.

It's as if it's saying Yes, please, please!

"Blessings of the Narwhal it's a cute little bunny with a horn." Jade's eyes glittered almost in anime fashion perhaps she was using just a hint of magic.

"It looks adorable, now why would other animals be scared of you ?"

She does look like she wants to hold it. She reaches out.




I just want other people to have a chance to interact as well.

The merchant lets Jade hold the creature. Its fur is warm and soft and snuggly.

And then the almiraj whispers to Jade: "I can tell you're a sorceress, lady, you gotta get me out of here, I'm not from this world, these people think I'm a magic rabbit and they all freak out when I try talking to them. Please, you gotta believe me!"

"How much for this Almiraj ?" She blinks away the stars in her eyes.

Her fingers are stroking the rabbits fur gently.

(Hmmmmm... Roll CHR, Jade)

Jade beams with a brilliant smile no hint of sharks or barracudas at all. As she looks at the salesman. Eyes hopeful and sincere.



13:43, Today: Jade rolled 10 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 4,4.  Charisma Roll.

In reply to The GM (msg # 41):

Ariadne looked over, intrigued, despite herself by the horned rabbit.   She smiled.
"Reminds me of a jackalope, though those are only mythical."
She looked at the merchant with a wry smile.
"This little thing will scare away a tiger?  I find that hard to believe"

She wouldn't have heard the bunny's whispers

The merchant's heart tries not to melt under Jade's baby-seal stare. "For you, noble lady... only... 25 tals."

One of the littler kids nearby who came over to look at the almiraj gasps at the mention of that much money.

After hearing the kids, and on general principles, Ariadne was skeptical

Jade looks to the others, "May I?"

In reply to Jade (msg # 50):

Ariadne chuckled and rolled her eyes, though not without a smile.
"Fine, go ahead.  It's a cute animal, I'll agree"

Jade smiled "Now can I get the basket as well ?" She asks the merchant.

She makes the purchase.

"What is your name little one?" Ruffling it's fur.

Jon gives a low chuckle as Jade buys the almiraj.  He steps close to her and looks at the creature. He whispers "Well, if you are a capable fighter, then please protect, Jade with every ounce of your ability." and he will reach towards it to give it a gentle pet, but stops close enough to give the almiraj time to decide to allow Jon to pet it or not.

OOC: Jon is not aware of its sentience nor ability to talk, but since it was presented as a hunting companion, that is where he is speaking from.

The merchant is dying to charge for this, but Jade is just so charming, he doesn't.




The almiraj sort of jerks its head with its horn, pointing... down the street. As if it's saying not here, take me where no one will eavesdrop



The almiraj gives Jon a look, as if it can understand what he's saying. (Specifically, it's a look like it thinks he's being a little patronizing.)

It does, however, allow Jon to pet it.

Jade moves down the street petting the Almiraj. Heading in the direction it pointed it's horn.

She does however try to remain with her cousins not wanting to be in this strange dry land alone. Well sort of alone.

Parasol in one hand the other holding the basket with the Almiraj now.

Ariadne has bought a brooch (what'd you get, Ariadne?), and now Jon and Ariadne and Janessa journey down a less-busy street.

The children continue to follow at their heels, but not so close that they can eavesdrop, as long as one speaks quietly and surreptitiously.

"My name is Hless," says the almiraj to Jade. "One day, a storm came, with winds and rain so strong it blew me away from the meadows to a place I'd never seen before, to a place where the rulers of the land were big people your size, tall and always going on their hind legs. They caught me and brought me to others, who rode on ships. The first place I found myself was called Montevalno, but those in ships were apparently from Minos, and said they would want a horned rabbit like myself in Tanus, which means this place. They sold me to that man back there. But he has a trick-- he'll sell me, and then he has thieves who steal me back, and he sells me again. He's done it twice already... But I just want to go home! You can do magic-- can you send me home?"

Jade listens nodding slowly, "I can try. I have heard of storms like that shadow storms. I guess we need to be prepared if he sends people to steal you back. What are those people like?" Jade seems to be taken with her new pet. Whispering to it and talking into the basket.

She motions Ariadne over and says very quietly to Ariadne, "Be wary, the man who sold me this beautiful creature. He sends others to steal him back. Could you let the others know, quietly of course?"

She kept alert from behind the shade of her parasol.

"I don't know, ah... thieves! Like... like when you've buried acorns and you find someone else coming and digging them up in the night!"

Jon gives the almiraj a gentle pet, noting that it allowed it, he says "Thank you." sincerely. He takes a look around and then sees Jade walk off.  He follows a bit behind trying to keep track of Jade, Ari and Janessa so that none are too far away, in the event of trouble.

In reply to Jade (msg # 57):

Ariadne, admiring her new stylized tiger pendant, hadn't noticed the strange creature talking, looked at Jade curiously.  She whispered back.
"What?  How do you know that?   Did one of the kids say something?"
Looking at Jon, she leaned over and whispered to him as well.
"Jade says the guy who sold the horned rabbit had people who try to steal it back for him.  I'm not sure how she knows that, but we should keep our eyes open, just in case.  I mean, more so than we already were, I guess"

Ariadne, used to walking around in large cities around handsy or otherwise dangerous men, was used to keeping her eyes open to scan her surroundings without looking like she was doing so obviously.

Jade whispers to Ariadne, "This Almiraj is intelligent. He has been sold and stolen back before. I am going to try to help him get back home. He is not from here the way he describes it he was caught in a shadow storm in the past and ended up here."

She notices Ariadne's pendant, "Oh nice, I like that."

In reply to Jade (msg # 61):

Ariadne blinked in surprise and scowled.  She kept glancing at the bunny, as if she wasn't quite sure Jade could be correct.
"Intelligent??  If that's true, then it's not a pet shop, it's a slave market."

It was probably a testament to all the weird and bizarre things she'd seen over the last few weeks that she didn't automatically dismiss Jade's claims as some kind of weird projection.

"I suppose your right. He is smart enough I can understand him." She smiles.

"Perhaps he truly is blessed by the Narwhal."