[Palacrisis D Jones]

Early summer era XIV

The background to the shop.

Secrets : Quote: The East District From dawn until dusk, Peddlers' Street and its branching avenues ring with the calls of merchants selling their wares, the buzz and whizz and clank of the newest innovative gadgets, and the drums and mandolins of gypsy dancers. As far as the eye can see are stone and wooden stalls, open-air bars, blankets and tents, all in vivid colours that shimmer in the sun. ~ GM Nachende [/quote] Kallick D Jones the enterprising Dorin strolled through the East district and down Peddlers Street in search of a shop. A very particular shop, it did not have name yet that was something that he was turning over in his mind . The fact was that the youngster had never owned a shop before in fact up to a cycle before he had never even thought about owning a shop. It was one of those things that was not on the top of his priority list yet he mused to himself this is what Aelyria’s like. dreams come true even when you have no idea it was a dream! The Aedile had said “The shop is easy to find, there is a wooden totem pole out front. The most significant feature on it is a wooden Barbari with a feather head-dress." Well the statue was there in front of him a bit the worse for wear but with a lick of paint it could be transformed into its previously arresting state. It looked back at him with that sad stern expression of the long depressed single occupation worker. Hmm , miserable soul arn’t you? chuckled Kallick but of course a wooden totem would never answer its master back it simply stood there outside the shop looking forlorn. The key fitted the lock which creaked as he clicked the mechanism and ducked into the shop. It was dark and dusty telling of a period of long non usage, the air redolent with dust motes. The floor seemed to be fine and Kallick bounced up and down a couple of times to test the wooden floor boards which survived the experience. A large paw cleared grime off the inside of the curved bay diamond shaped leaded window and light streamed into the shop. It was bigger than first imagined , bare yellow boards on the floor looked as though a sweep and a bit of polish would bring them up to a shine. The shop had a long counter at the rear and behind that a plethora of small cupboards which represented a back drop to the rear wall ideal for storing smaller items of stock for display and sale. Behind the counter Kallick leaned his elbows on the counter and looked around the shop. Apart from the shelves and boxes behind him the rest of the shop was bare except for a single desultory wooden up right chair which lay on its side in the corner, this emphasised the size of the main shop. The walls were bare of any ornamentation and the Aedile had been right, a few more display shelves around the two opposite walls would make good use of the available space. However to his sharp eye that would still leave a gapping hole in the middle of the floor something needed to go there but what? It was a small problem for the future similar to the all important name. There was a door behind the counter and it opened up to reveal a dark room which did not benefit from windows. Scrabbling back his paws found a stub of candle under the counter and he lit it up shedding more light into the gloom. Which revealed that the counter had a glass front and under shelves which again would be most useful for display once eras of grime had been cleaned off. the dark back room was exactly that a store cupboard for stock large enough for smaller items like tobacco products. This was the shop with the wooden barbari with the carved headdress which would become the premier outlet for smokers requisites in Taralon.




15th Cryaxtum~ Era XIV

A true connoisseur of quality tobacco would be remiss not to pay a visit to Taralon's Black River Cigars while in town. Easy to spot from a distance on Peddler's Street in the East District, there is a tall wooden totem right outside of the front door with its most memorable feature the head of a Barbari with a feather headdress. It is obvious that the totem itself was recently refurbished and brought to a semblance of its former glory from when the shop it guards housed a controversial Barbarian merchant by the name of Lecher Peidmont who supposedly used the totem for protection from "evil forces" that wanted to run him out of business or enslave him...or worse. No business has dared move into the old building since Lecher's mysterious disappearance many patterns ago fearing the same bad luck might repeat itself. It isn't known how the colourful human, short of stature, managed to secure a place of business selling obscure magical trinkets in Taralon at all. But untold myth has it that if a person touches the totem outside of this particular shop but they mean ill will towards anyone who might happen to be inside, then they'll double over from an odd pain that seems to feel like their intestines have suddenly caught fire. Most unpleasant.

Inside the shop the nose is instantly assaulted by the sweet, aromatic scent of cigars made with care, the seal of The Black River Tobacco Company on each one, a vivid gold, red and black label with the initials BRT. Naturally dark inside and somewhat smoky, the shop has a classic look brightened by the light yellow boards that make up the creaky wooden floor, waxed to perfection. A couple of high-backed chairs can be found against the wall to the right of the entrance constructed with a vibrant fabric of swirling gold, burgundy and dark green. An antique table of dark polished wood to match the wood of the chairs sits between them with an arresting portrait of the owners of the shop just above. It is, for the most part, the only time visitors to the shop might catch a glimpse of the owners, His Excellency Palacrisis D' Jones and his Lady wife, J'lyara in a pose indicative of their deep commitment to one another, surrounded by a gilded frame.

A large rug covers the middle of the floor, a temporary reprieve from the wooden floor, a patterned dark green picking up the colour in the chairs with short golden tassels around the edge of it. Shelves constructed of dark wood and polished as well were added that house an extravagant collection of hand-made pipes not likely to be found anywhere else in the Empire. Once arriving at the back of the spacious room, one would find a long counter with a female dwarf clerk ready to answer questions or assist with purchases. Copious shelves line the back wall behind the clerk with various tobacco products, the prices of which are easily accessible by the decorated parchments on top of the counter.

Desire Gradedore the assistant is a dwarf female of uncertain patterns blonde of hair with a beard braided into ringlets, bright blue eyes and an ample frame which unusually for the modest dwarf race occasional glimpses of skin and cleavage may be observed. Desire wears silver chain mail cut daringly above the knee, high heeled silver boots and carries a delicately engraved battle axe. She is friendly, flirtatious and speaks with a soft low voice that when turned on can send shivers down the spine of any respectable dwarf about town. Desire has one unfortunate habit and that is her pipe , she favours a strong blend of tobacco and as a consequence the shop always smells of pipe smoke.

Customers are advised to be polite to Desire , the axe is not just a fashion statement!

Price list


Cigars

Emperor cigar 12”~ 10 crowns
Governor cigar 8“ ~ 7 crowns
Thane cigar 6” ~ 5 crowns
Citizen cigar 4.5“ ~ 2 crowns


Pipe Tobacco Blends

Old Cognac Taralon Blend ~ 20 crowns a lb
Regular Blend ~ 15 crowns a lb
Allbrightening Blend ~ 10

Pipes various

Hand carved dwarf ~ 30 crowns ,
Wooden carved regular ~ 15 crowns
Clay pipes various sizes retailing between 10 and 2 crowns each


Snuff

Smooth and mild ~ 30 crowns a lb
Sherian ordinary ~ 20 crowns a lb
Taralon Nose Blaster ~ 5 crowns a lb


Note ~For the discerning customer local thigh rolled cigars created from the finest leaf by the local ladies of Taralon to your specifications, prices negotiable.

This post is a joint effort with J'lyara.