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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Sept 15, 2023 23:20:58 GMT -5
As the snooty lady disappears into the back, Astrid looks over at Kamille. Standing on a fitting platform in front of fancy mirrors in a room surrounded by rich fabrics usually visited by people in much higher social standing than her feels odd. She feels a bit on display, even if it’s just her and Kamille. In all honesty, she’d rather be proudly presenting a set of armor she designed like the one she wore to the Black Harvest Ball that caught Bellighul’s attention.
Still, she met Kamille because of Bellighul, and she doesn’t mind this kind of bonding one bit. In fact, maybe she’ll get used to it. Astrid used to glance inside the clothing boutiques in Sky Peak and see mothers and daughters in exactly this situation. The employees are as stuck up as she expected, but they can still make a bit of fun out of it.
“Aye, well, I like clothes that I can move in, an’ I really like stuff I can wear with me armor,” she says a bit pointedly. “Never know when yer gonna get into a fight. Owlbears could attack at any moment, ya know.” A bit of a grin spreads across Astrid’s face, revealing the missing tooth on one side and the pronounced canine on the other. Devious and childish at the same time.
As Kamille lists off the different outfits she’s going to help Astrid with, the girl’s head starts to spin. She can’t imagine having so many clothes! Even living with Cantio’s eccentricity, she keeps herself relatively simply dressed, meanwhile Cantio has things with impractical fluff that could tear on any corner of the house!
“Fer when we meet me friends?” she echoes with some confusion in her voice. Scratching at her chin awkwardly, Astrid gives it some thought. “Erm, I mean, I’ve really only got the one friend…” And it’s true, the first person she’d really consider a true friend is probably Blue Raspberry, and Kamille’s been… strangely interested in meeting them. Well, that makes sense. Why wouldn’t she want to meet someone Astrid cares a lot about! Still, it’s a little odd to think that Astrid would consider some adults friends. But kids can be friends with adults, can’t they? Actually, yes, yes they can. She has plenty of friends in the guild! "Oh, I mean, if ya wanna meet some friends from the Fighter's Guild, I s'pose I could introduce ya!"
That’s about when Tanya returns with an armful of clothes, and Astrid’s spirits drop a little. That’a a huge pile.
“Well, we gotta start somewhere, huh?”
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Post by Lady Kamille Verlithax on Oct 7, 2023 11:51:32 GMT -5
Kamille chuckled at the mention of owlbears. It certainly wasn't a daily occurrence, but she couldn't say anything to Astrid because they DID fight owlbears in a random day, while running their errands on the village. When she spotted Astrid's crooked smile, she couldn't help but feel lucky to have the company of such radiant child - and at the same time, a bittersweet feeling took her by surprise, thinking of their connection as one of the best things Bellighul had left her.
It's been a while since she last saw the Necromancer...
"I'm not sure your friends at the Fighter's Guild would be interested in meeting me. I'm from the Mage's Guild, remember? They have some bullshit rivalry going on... It would be interesting to see both guilds dropping their pride to work together... Imagine the kind of things they could accomplish! I can imagine what's that like, I'm gonna tell you: I worked on the field once with Shaa. You know him, right? The minotaur."
But before she could continue, Tanya was back, with a huge pile of clothes and a snarky smile on her face. Kamille guided Astrid to a place where she could change.
"Come on, come on... Trust the process! Want me to help you?"
Despite the lady's sleazy smile, she didn't arrive where she was without being able to tend to her clients needs. Her assembly wasn't terribly out of touch with Astrid's demands, and in fact... She might as well find something that she actually enjoy and be comfortable enough to her needs. Clearly none of that clothing was meant to be worn with armor, but it was not impossible either. Tanya herself seemed to be enjoying the challenge, helping her wrapp her fine silks and rich fabrics around the child - if only to see her smug smile fade, or the nod of aproval of Kamille, a paying customer.
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Oct 7, 2023 20:33:34 GMT -5
At the suggestion that the Fighter’s Guild wouldn’t be interested in Kamille, Astrid shrugs a little. “Aye, I’m not real sure what this rivalry is about if I’m bein’ rightly honest,” she says. “Seems like old folks not lettin’ go a’ stuff. I thought about the Mage’s Guild ‘cause I’m learnin’ magic an’ all, but they said I’d have ta leave the guild.” The half-dwarf’s face scrunches up in disdain. “I worked hard ta get in, I ain’t leavin’ so easy! Besides, yer right, thin’s are easier when we work together. Shaa’s real good at makin’ people see that. He’s a lotta fun!”
With the massive pile of clothes delivered, Astrid’s confidence wavers, but Kamille is reassuring. At least this time while clothes shopping someone is going to give her advice on how to dress. So, Astrid relents, letting Kamille and Tanya dress her like a living doll, giving feedback on how comfortable she finds something, or if she likes the colors or the look.
Astrid seems the most adamant about keeping her goggles on for the process even though the leather and metals catch on some of the fabrics. If anything, she wants something to match that. After some convincing, she abandons the goggles for a couple of outfits, but only temporarily, in favor of some silken headbands that match the spring patterns of her kimono. This kind of outfit seems like something Cantio would wear around the house, more intended to be robes, but she does recall seeing some ladies outside walking around in them.
As hard as Kamille or Tanya might press for a pattern with nice flowers, Astrid insists on the one with a design covered in colorful birds and a backup outfit with the patterns of a cool cerulean dragon.
“Can I at least keep me boots on?” she asks, casting her eyes over to the clunky, worn, and dirty leather boots near the door. Though she could be convinced to get another pair of shoes, she just doesn’t exactly realize that’s an option.
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Post by Lady Kamille Verlithax on Dec 4, 2023 17:02:40 GMT -5
"Old farts want to keep old bullshit, no matter what. Childish, in my opinion."
It was grand of her to be talking about holding grudges when she herself had a hard time letting go of her own - it might take a lot of effort for someone to conquer her hatred, but once they got there, there was no way back.
While she allowed Astrid to fall prey to Tanya's antics, Kamille idly walked around the store, perusing the items and chatting cheerfully with the young girl. Tanya did try to push the more noble silks and floral patterns towards Astrid, but Kamille just let her pick whatever she wanted. The child was already indulging her, going for some shopping when she could assume that was not something she did often...
Tanya seems to contain herself, carefully slipping the silks around Astrid's goggles as to avoid ruining the fabric.
Kamille comes back with an armful of kimonos - but luckly for Astrid, those were for herself.
"At least try some sandals, and if you hate it, you can keep your boots. But be warned, I heard flying sandals are a mortal weapon. I wouldn't want to pass the opportunity to have those."
Kamille knelt before the young girl, helping to adjust her clothes that, unlike the more unpractical and "mature" style she herself was wearing now, allowed for quite a bit more freedom of movement.
"What are your favorite colors for clothes, Astrid? Do you have a big wardrobe at home? What about your friend? What's their favorite color?"
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Dec 4, 2023 18:45:40 GMT -5
Astrid shrugs a little in agreement. “Aye, it is,” she says, “but lots a’ folks are too caught up in traditions an’ the like ta see somethin’ good when it’s right in front of their face.” The Guilds and their quarrels aside, Astrid’s experience is much more focused on old dwarves who are hard-fought to change their ways. As stubborn as stone, dwarves are. Being a halfie, she’s only half as stubborn, or at least she likes to think she is.
While she patiently deals with the…everything Tanya does to dress her up, Astrid particularly fights things she is thoroughly convinced she will ruin upon taking only two steps out of the shop. If she’s going to wear something as fancy as these robes, they’re going to be durable. Besides, while she can take off her goggles to keep the clasps from catching the fabric, her horns are another matter entirely. Those aren’t exactly removable.
Dread crosses her face when she sees another pile of clothes in Kamille’s arms, but she relaxes again when she realizes that they’re not for her. Thank Avasha.
“Well… I s’pose I could try some sandals,” Astrid says thoughtfully. She’s never worn sandals, and ever since getting her first new pair of shoes, she’s quickly become accustomed to their weight and density. It’s nearly impossible to stub her toes with boots on. However, the idea that a sandal could be a weapon? Well, that’s something interesting all within itself.
“How do ya turn ‘em into a weapon?” she asks curiously, standing still while Kamille makes final adjustments to her outfit. “I bet I could throw ‘em real hard! I could knock someone out with ‘em!” Suddenly, the idea of wearing open-toed weapon shoes sounds way cooler, and she grins at the idea of taking down some bandits with nothing but a shoe.
“Me favorite colors?” Astrid echoes. She thinks hard about the question, wondering if she does have a favorite color. “Erm, I just like wearin’ what’s practical. Browns don’t show dirt as easy, so I like ‘em fer that reason.” Looking at her pile of clothes in the corner, seeing the pink skirt poking out from the browns and beiges, she smiles. “Though pink’s a nice color too. Lots a’ colors are nice, just ain’t practical when yer gettin’ messy all the time. I like blues a lot.”
Now what she can’t decide is why the heck Kamille is so focused on her friend. “Wolfe? Oh, they definitely like blue. Bright blue! I bet that’s their favorite.”
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Post by Lady Kamille Verlithax on Dec 12, 2023 9:08:28 GMT -5
Kamille seemed to be having the time of her life doing some shopping with Astrid, but even so she wouldn’t push the girl more than she wanted - or else there probably wouldn’t be a second time! She came back with some sandals for Astrid to try on. She conceded wherever she could, trying to find a middleground for most aspects they didn’t agree on. The Witch sounded surprised to have to explain that the outfit wasn’t meant to be durable, but to be used just once in a while during a few hours at best. Special occasions, like a festival.
"Oh, I don’t understand much of weapons... But I suppose you can-"
The front door swung open violently, startling both women hoping around Astrid. While Kamille looked confused, Tanya's face fell when she saw three rough-looking men entering the shop. Clearly not her usual kind of customers, but she seemed to recognize them.
"E-excuse me ladies..."
Tanya went ahead to speak with the men, while Kamille exchanged a curious glance with Astrid. From where they stood, with a few racks of clothes in the line of sight, it was possible the men didn’t see them both. Kamille put a finger to her lips and gestured for Astrid to come and listen in to their conversation.
Despite missing the start of their talk, it became clear that Tanya was afraid of the men.
"...have to understand. I just follow orders. My b-boss said-"
"We just follow orders too, fancy miss. And our orders are: no pay, no protection. We can't guarantee the safety of your fancy store if we don’t see the gold."
"But we're in the middle of the festival! The prices you're asking for is absurd!"
"Tough luck, miss."
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Dec 13, 2023 18:22:59 GMT -5
Astrid’s eyes shoot over to the door where the three men intimidate Tanya, and she watches intently with Kamille. Tanya may be a little snooty for Astrid’s tastes, but she hasn’t been outright rude, and she certainly doesn’t deserve to be bullied by a handful of brutes. Scrunching up her face, Astrid takes in the situation as best she can before simply hopping off the stage she’s been on to be dressed up and confidently walking stomping over to the ruffians.
“S’cuse me, misters!” she says shrilly. One of the men doesn’t offer her so much as a glance but the others look down at her.
“Move it kid, this is none of your business, alright?” says the gruff one with stubble on his chin.
Astrid doesn’t seem too pleased about this and crosses her arms. “Yer interruptin’ an’ bein’ jerks. Get outta here.”
Two of the men can’t help sputtering a laugh at her. What a snobby kid, of course one would be shopping here in the fine kimono store. “We’ll be out of here and you can get back to your shopping spree when we’re done, ‘kay?” he chuckles.
This is not something Astrid is unused to – people underestimating her. It certainly makes kicking ass a lot easier. She pushes up her loose sleeves, revealing arms speckled with freckles intermingling with burn scars from working in the forge. “I don’t think yer listenin’. Roughin’ folks up fer money ain’t right. Last chance ta get out a’ here.” The men all laugh at her again. “Okay then.”
Her war hammer manifests in her hand, a weapon nearly her own size crackling with electricity and nearly invisible if the icy mist weren’t leaking off of it. The men’s expressions drop, and they start to take up defensive stances, but Astrid makes no sudden movements – at first. She steps over and drops her hammer on one of the men’s feet. Its weight crushes his metatarsals, and he yowls in pain, struggling to pull his foot back or at least push the hammer off because of the lightning energy and cold coursing through his leg.[1]
The others look shocked by the situation, and when they move to approach this little punk, she’s suddenly covered in electricity and looking about as threatening as a hornet after its nest has been shaken.[2]
“If ya wanna fight, I promise ya won’t win,” she says confidently. Touching her now would be unwise.
1. War hammer - pale ice, heavy, spell blade weapon (lightning) 2. Lightning Armor
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Post by Lady Kamille Verlithax on Jan 4, 2024 4:59:49 GMT -5
Kamille had been hoping to learn a bit more of the situation, but shouldn't be surprised that Astrid eagerly leaped into the trouble like the good gremlin child that she was. For her, it was equal parts endearing and troublesome - she loved Astrid for being so straightforward. Sometimes, things didn't need to be complicated, right? When Astrid droped the warhammer on the guys toes and he yelped, she let a chuckle escape her lips, alerting them for her presence. Not that she was trying really hard to go unnoticed, even stepping out from behind the racks. That's when something seemed to shift in the store. Astrid's hammer had already made the men question whether that was the hill they would die on - her grandaughter could certainly see to that. But when Kamille stepped forward and the men's eyes fell on her, the last shred of resolve they had just went out of the window. Whether it was recognition - the Witch of Moonglade was indeed becoming known, especially around Moonglade - or something else, they seemed to freeze [1]. The grip on their weapons loosened up, and despite being nailed to the ground, the way they slightly leaned backwards gave the idea they were ready to step away. The pin of a black feather was almost hidden between her fancy furs, but seeing as their eyes stopped there, it was clear they suddenly realized who they were messing with. " It is unbecoming of gentlemen like you to shake down some hard working ladies on the height of a big festival like this. I don't want you people to damage the lady's goods with a fight, so if you want to have your ass handed to you right now by my grandaughter, I suggest you all step outside." It wasn't a suggestion, though. With a flick of her wrist, the door swung open violently once again[2].
"I will have none of this inside. Chop chop."
[1]Looming fear [2]Telekinesis
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Jan 4, 2024 18:08:57 GMT -5
With Kamille’s appearance behind her, Astrid’s confidence swells even more. She crosses her arms with a triumphant grin on her face. For these bozos to try anything now would basically be a death wish.
Tanya, however, is not so confident in this situation. Her eyes cut back and forth between the trio of goons and her valiant patrons defending her honor. “L-Lady Kamille,” she stammers. “This really isn’t necessary. I assure you, they’re no trouble at–” The door flies open, and Tanya yelps in surprise. The air of authority this woman once possessed has all but melted from within as she sweats anxiously.
“Ya heard me gran! Chop chop!” Astrid shouts. With ease, she whips her hammer off of the crushed man’s foot and into the air, propping it across her shoulder. The weight of the weapon she flatten her, but instead she doesn’t budge. Lightning sparking across her form, Astrid takes one step toward the group. Because of the fear stricken through them by Kamille, that small step seems like the mighty challenge of a great beast.
The men decide this isn’t the right time and quickly back out, dragging their injured companion with them. Astrid makes to chase after them, but she stops short at the door and lets out a victorious battle cry of a laugh when they disappear from sight. She whips around, the bottom of her kimono flaring out, and faces the older women.
“That weren’t too bad,” she says.
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Post by Lady Kamille Verlithax on Feb 24, 2024 9:48:07 GMT -5
Maybe it was out of sheer panic that the goons tripped on their way out of the store, but Astrid could have the impression that could also be one of the Black Quills doing if they were around. Allan, more specifically.
Tanya's nerves didn’t improve much, but she was extremely apologetic about the incident. A scene like that could have scared other rich patrons that weren’t as bold as the two of them.
"I-I'm s-so sorry you had to witness that!"
"It's alright, you don’t have to apologize to anyone. How long since they started to charge?"
Begrudingly, Tanya explained there was a new crime lord around town that had been charging absurd rates to guarantee the store's protection from vandalizing and petty thievery. The local guards were not efficient enough to protect them all, so it didn’t come as a surprise that Tanya had to make such deals.
Kamille looked thoughtful as she knelt before Astrid, straightening up her clothes where she saw fit. After such display from the young girl, Tanya seemed to drop entirely the wrinkled nose expression, tending to them with shaking hands.
"I'll have some Sparrows around to watch, Tanya. Maybe even a Crow, so don’t worry. I won't let them threaten my favorite boutique."
Then, she turned her eyes to Astrid once more.
"See?!?! Was it that bad? I bet you could fight normally with that kimono! Maybe... maybe we'll even put that to the test tonight..."
She wondered if the rest of the gang would be was stupid as to try and set them up during the chaos of the festival. It would be interesting - Kamille was not shy enough to avoid making a scene. She was, actually, quite good at it.
Standing up, she snickered.
"That was quite amazing, you know, making grown man cry... But let us forget about that for a moment! Let's enjoy the festival! It is so pretty at night, with the lanterns! Oh! And there's some candy I'm sure you'll enjoy!"
As if nothing happened, she carried on, pulling Astrid along. There was, however, that persistent feeling of being watched, and with the corner of her eyes she would be able to see a person dressed in black - most likely a Black Quill - around them at all times.
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Mar 31, 2024 18:48:24 GMT -5
With the goons handled, at least for now, Astrid turns back to Tanya and Kamille with a satisfied smile and nods in agreement that having “a crow” keep an eye out wouldn’t be the worst idea. While she hasn’t seen them herself since arriving here, Astrid is sure the Quills aren’t far. They often aren’t. Sometimes, it’s like a game trying to spot them hiding in plain sight.
“I s’pose it weren’t that bad,” Astrid agrees with a nonchalant shrug. “I’ll fight in anythin’ if I gotta. But… Are ya lookin’ fer a fight, gran?” While Astrid will absolutely kick anyone’s butt for harassing others for no reason or even just being a bully, she isn’t sure exactly what Kamille’s intentions are now. Aren’t they here to enjoy the festival? Well, a little fight wouldn’t be too bad as a treat.
“Aye, the festival! I wanna try all the fancy snacks an’ see the lanterns!” Astrid says gleefully, immediately letting the event fade. It won’t keep her from keeping an eye out, but she sure is easy to distract with some good food.
Once their business with Tanya is fully concluded, and of course not without Tanya’s borderline groveling gratitude, the two of them make their way into town. Things have really picked up since they first entered the boutique. Many other residents and tourists have taken to the streets, and they can faintly hear music from the center of town. Shopkeepers and stall runners call out to passersby hoping to pull them in for business.
Astrid hasn’t been to many festivals or celebrations, at least not as an attendee with money to spend (be it her own or someone else’s). She finds herself wishing Blue Raspberry were here to experience the sights and smells and sounds. They would love this! If only the foods would keep long enough for her to bring them back to them.
Well, she’ll just have to enjoy things on their behalf.
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