Jessa's Lions

Tenebrae - Thursday, December 19, 2013, 5:16 PM

-=--=--=--=--=--=<* A07: Local Alexandria Market District *>-=--=--=--=--=--=-

Just west of the Northern Highbridge and east of the arena, commerce blooms. Noisy and bustling, most anything may be purchased here for a price. Vendors from all cultures sell their wares from exotically colored carts, and the smells of different nations and far-off city-states mix with local ones from Alexandria and its riverbanks.

For all its commerce, visitors are advised to keep hold of their purses. Even the merchants possess a certain, cunning look. Most are positioned at carts or stalls as opposed to a formal storefront, with trade here being mobile, and visiting from all parts of the world.

Though the quality of goods suffers here compared to Upper Alexandria, the options are more diverse. Too, the oversight of the Watch is slightly less, and during times events are held at the Arena, chaos abounds. After dark, the square becomes a hangout for bards and other entrepreneurs whose business is best conducted by night; the shadows at the edges of the square often contain furtive figures engaging in their own brand of business.

Jessa has arrived.

A cold wind blows from the west, driving charcoal clouds before it and blotting out the stars in isolated patches overhead. The air is clear and elsewhere the stars shine brightly.

Mikilos towers over the gnomes clustered around, an arcane light hovering by the elf's shoulders. "Okay, delivery tomarrow afternoon. I'll have everything finished tonight, and loaded up in the morning. See you guys then." Whatever busniess the group was up to, it seems to be concludeing, the shorter folk wandering off in small groups while the tallest sorts some papers into his pack.

Jessa's exiting a shop at the moment, a small bag hanging from one shoulder. The little Muse has the generally frazzled and distracted look many shoppers get in the Yule season and seems to mostly be frowning as she moves along.

Mikilos sets the pack to it's place upon his back, and grins, spying a familiar form. "Jessa! Just the Muse I was hopeing to see! There's a little something I've been working on, could use a bit of creative assistance, and you're by far the best qualified."

"Does it?" It takes a moment for Jessa to come out of whatever little mercantile trance she'd been in and focus on the tall elf. "What's that? Do tell."

Mikilos nods firmly. "Bit of an arcane project that could use an artistic touch, and I'm simply not qualified for it. I've everything here in my pack, shouldn't take more than a few minutes." He hesitates a moment. "It... -is- possible to mess it all up, but can reset and try again. Though I'd really like to get it all right the first time. Do you have a few moments to help me out? I promise you'll enjoy it."

Jessa just /stares/ at him for a moment. "No. Not until I know more about what you want because you also suggested using magical means for restoring my hair." Her hair, restored in glory when she was brought back from the dead.

Mikilos rolls his eyes, but smiles, setting down the pack and pulling out a couple scrolls. "It won't have any change on you. Just need you to paint a mental picture. And magic is a perfectly valid method for rapid hair repair."

"It isn't because it involves gnomes," and Jessa is a horrible racist. Then she brightens. "I am a splendid painter!" Though not a humble one.

Mikilos nods. "No gnomes involved. Just stand right there, will only take a moment to set up the field. You're the best painter I know, though this is just a mental painting. No problems putting up with real paints that don't flow right."

"The flow is important. Part of the process." But the Muse is already starting to adopt the slightly distracted look she gets when painting or drawing. "What sort of picture are we talking about here?"

Mikilos tosses a scroll into the air, murmuring a brief phrase. The paper flashes briefly into light, traceing out a circle around Jessa. Another scroll joins it, a third hovering before the elf. "Close your eyes, and hold out your hands, palm up. Celestial lions. Twins. Picture them in your mind's eye. Sleek and beautiful. Not a static pose, but moving, flowing, living. Focus on how they look, how they move."

It is a very good thing to ask a Ceinaran artist to do something like that. Once she has a goal for the thought, the halfling does indeed concentrate on that, her tiny hands facing up as she does. Murmuring to herself, it doesn't take long before she nods slightly, indicating that the images are indeed in her mind.

Mikilos moves closer, his voice soft and low. The tingle of powerful magics fills the air. "Keep your eyes closed. Hold tight." An object is placed into each open hand. Small, hard, about the size of a large coin, though thicker and not so round. A pair of carved rocks? "Keep the image. Now the hard part... name them." He pauses a moment. "Take the image, push it forward, out of your mind and into the world. Drop the stones, and speak the names aloud."

The time passes as she concentrates, the stones hidden within her fists. It might even be worrisome how long it takes before suddenly her wrists twist and the hands open, dropping the stones to the ground. "Steadfast. Resolute." Then her eyes pop open and she looks down. They are lionesses, oddly enough, but all the contained strength, power, and implied violence that a predatory cat would promise. These are creatures that hunt evil for the Gods and are fearsome indeed.

Down are paws. Large ones. Furry ones. Real ones. Paws attached to living, breathing lionesses, as invisioned, the last sparks of magic fadeing away as the spells end. Mikilos chuckles softly, having moved off to the side to make room for the twins. "'Steadfast and Resolute'. Very good names. I knew you'd come up with something wonderful Jessa."

"I say, I am rather impressive." Jessa manages to strut in place, rocking back and forth on her bare feet a bit. "Hello there, ladies! Aren't you looking spectacular? Yes you are, if I do say so myself. And I do."

Mikilos laughs softly, and smiles. "They're here for a full hour. Then they have to turn back to stones to rest. Tomarrow they can return for another hour. Drop the stones and speak their names to summon them, and again to send them back. If the stones are broken, they are lost, but if the living lioness is killed, they need a week in the stone to recover." The wizard grins. "To be clear, they are yours. Joyous Yuletide, Jessa."

GAME: You gave Jessa your Figurine of Wondrous Power: Golden Lions.

Jessa looks from him to the lions and back up to him and then back to the lions. "HELLO LADIES!" she announces with glee, leaping onto one of them. "We are going to be BEST FRIENDS." Oh yes. This will be terrible.

Mikilos grins and laughs, laughing until he coughs in the chill air. "That. That right there. That look was the part that's my gift to myself. I love that look." The twins, Steadfast and Resolute, are, of course, as Jessa imagined them. Mikilos provided the material and power, but it was Jessa who gave them form.

<OOC> Jessa says, "I am going to ignore that they should be male."

<OOC> Mikilos says, "I doubt anyone will object ot that, least of all me."

MEANWHILE, Jessa is reveling in her new pets. They would possibly be scared except they aren't /actually/ alive, precisely. Either way, she grins with an impish delight up at him. "Thank you, Mikilos. That was very sweet."

Mikilos hehs. "I've been planning it for months. Any other sort of summon only lasts a few minutes, at best. Only fret was I'd say something I didn't mean to and let the secret slip."

Jessa is laughing and, yes. Very predictable. She's going for a lion ride. "Well, you did a very good job!"

Mikilos chuckles again, and hesitates. Maybe he should say something about not causeing too much trouble... but maybe that would just lead to thoughts of exactly how much trouble is too much. Coughing softly, the wizard just smiles and keeps quiet.

Jessa has tons of wisdom. This may actually be the most terrifying thought of all. She just uses it when she wants to, not all the time. Patting at the lion neck, she looks thoughtful. "Can they fight?"

Mikilos nods. "As well as a natural lion, but with a bit more intelligence. And a lot more guidence; from you. They can't speak, but should understand just fine."

"Well, that's a rather handy thing then." The Muse is so clearly pleased and tickled by the whole thing that she just keeps giggling. "This is very splendid!"

Mikilos is still chuckeling himself. "I'm very glad you're pleased. When I chanced upon the idea, I knew they'd be perfect for you."

"I think we shall go make a progess through the city!" Jessa sits up like a little puffed up pigeon on top of the one lion.

Mikilos laughs again. "I suppose the sight of you upon your lions is a sight the city shall have to grow used to. But, of all the things it's had to grow used to, I think this will count as a rather nice one."

"Well, I look splendid all the time. This will just add to it." Oh good. Her ego is bigger.

Mikilos grins, and nods. "This is true. And will likely help clear a path that others may see better. Not everyone remembers to give Lucht Siuil the respect they deserve. Few neglect the respect for a lion."

Jessa gives him an odd look. "I never have a problem moving around." She tends to have clear pace around her.

Mikilos ponders a moment, and nods. "I suppose not. Not everyone has such a force of presence."

"Plenty of my people have a force of personality." Which is true.

Mikilos shakes his head, and smiles. "Not like yours."

"Well, that's their problem. Regardless! I shall journey forth!" The Muse imperiously claps her hands together and waves them all about and the smart lions figure out what she means. "ONWARD!"

Mikilos laughs again and gathers up his things, watching the first of what's sure to be a great many processions thorugh the streets of Alexandros.

Jessa has left.