[IC] Kobold Roleplay (Open!)

[Aristocles]

Arjun made his way down the deep tunnels back to the warrens his people called home. The last trip to the surface had not gone so well, with few people willing to make a trade with a kobold. The wars on the surface had taken their toll on commerce. At first, it had not been so bad. Demand for ore dug up from the mines was high and the prices for the metal rose as well. Then, the war began to take its toll on the surface nations nearest to the warren, and there was little money to go around.

Fortunately for Arjun, he saw several familiar faces upon his arrival in the tribe's main cave.

[bloonewb]

Finally, he was one step further to completing his lessons. A kindly isolated elvish village had a kind wizard, who was willing to give Kutur a few lessons on summoning. As he sat near the fountain, scribbling away at his old notebook, he looked up and saw a friendly face. Why, it was his good friend!

[Aristocles]

Arjun approached the mage. "Hi there Kutur. Hope you've been doing well. Surface trade's dried up. How've you been?"

[Angel Sky]

Ash and his sister walked through the tunnels. They were headed home from dinner with a family friend, someone who had been watching out for them ever since the death of their father. Ash was tired, he so badly wanted to get back so he could sleep. He'd been up with his sister, trying to comfort her, and hadn't been able to sleep in over two days. He wouldn't admit to her how badly he wanted to rest without having to worry about her.

He ignored most everyone else in the tunnels, electing to keep his eyes turned to the ground, and to move quickly towards their home. His sister tried to tell him something, causing him to look up, and in doing so, he managed to catch a glimpse of a face before he bumped into someone. "I'm sorry." He quickly cast his gaze about, looking for any items that either of them might have dropped. "I wasn't watching where I was going." He stated the obvious, throwing the other an always smile. He didn't recognize them, whoever they were.

[Aristocles]

"Oh, it's alright" Arjun replied. "I'm Arjun. I just got back from the surface. And you look tired, if you don't mind my saying so. You okay?"

[Angel Sky]

Ash looked at the man-Arjun, then at his sister. "Kira, you don't have to wait." They weren't far, and he knew she wouldn't want to stand in the tunnels while he spoke with someone. She nodded and hurried off, Ash watching for a moment before he looked back to Arjun. "I'm alright, just tired, as you pointed out. What were you doing on the surface?" He paused for a moment, then asked, "Are you a trader?"

[bloonewb]

He got up from his perch and gestured excitedly to an open page on his notebook. "Do you see this, Arjun?" he stammered quickly, barely able to contain his excitement. "Summoning runes. These intricate weavings are worth almost 2 weeks of learning in an arcane college." He doesn't notice the other Kobold.

[Angel Sky]

Ash looked at the other Kobold, the one holding the notebook. "Summoning runes?" His curiosity took over, and he couldn't help but look at the pages, wondering what they meant. He had no experience with summoning, and couldn't begin to understand any of it, but it caught his interest.

[Aristocles]

Arjun took a look at the book. "Interesting. I'm not that good with arcane learning, but it's good that you're enjoying it. Oh, I'm sorry to be so down, but things are harsh up there, my friend. And it seems that we have a visitor. Come on, it's not polite to ignore a guest" he said, gesturing towards Ash.

He turned towards Ash "I am a merchant, or I was. Sort of. I'll have to go back to the mines now. Trade with the surface dried up. At least we get to keep our earnings in this tribe. Most of our kind are more communal, you know."

[Angel Sky]

Ash looked back at Arjun, listening to him. "I really don't know that much about other tribes, I've never been anywhere but here. I've read some, but not much." He had a faint idea about other tribes, but hed never been. His mother had traveled when she was younger, but he couldn't remember most of the stories that she'd told. His dad hadn't been one to talk, and most of his reading had been to help expand his knowledge of their tribe, not others. "I'd like to travel, but I have my sister, and she doesn't want to right now." His sister was seven years younger and she didn't want to leave the only connection she had to their parents- their home.

[Aristocles]

"I figured. We're isolated out here, very far from other kobolds. Anyway, are you okay? As I said, you look quite tired" Arjun told him. "I hope your sister is okay." He reached down and pulled out a little pebble which had been stuck in his claws, then set his right foot back down on the cave floor, stretching out his toes.

[bloonewb]

"Oh, . . . hi," said Kutur, turning to the other kobold. "Check it. Summoning runes. If the elves in the western lands are to be trusted, these would tug an earth elemental into my service. Cool, eh?"

[Angel Sky]

Ash waved off Arjun's concern. "We're fine." He didn't want to get into his back story. Most in the tribe knew what had happened, though that didn't mean they knew who he or his sister were. "I just realized that I didn't introduce myself, I'm Aishiver, but most call me Ash." He glanced at the rune kobold, intrigued. "That's fascinating. How would you release the elemental from your service afterwards?" He wanted to understand more about summoning.

[Aristocles]

"We don't need elven magic, not when we have our shamans." Arjun replied with a smile. "But if you like it, I won't get in your way."

[bloonewb]

"Yeah . . . The elves weren't so specific about that next bit. I guess he dismisses himself when the job's done, maybe." mused Kutur, then turning back to Arjun. "I've got to keep an open mind, now that my trainings been, well, cut short. The shamans only share so many secrets."

[Aristocles]

"They say that you have to be ready for them before they will teach them. It's not an easy process" Arjun admitted. "That's why most of us fight with spears and knives, not spells."

[Angel Sky]

Ash nodded, remaining silent for the moment. He wondered if the other Kobold was going to try to summon something without knowing how to release it. If it was as simple as the element dismissing itself, then it would be nice, but if it were him, he wouldn't bet on it. He was, in the other hand, eager to learn more about what could be summoned and how it was done.

[Aristocles]

"Just don't go around summoning elementals without the proper precautions" Arjun added quickly.

[bloonewb]

"I'm going up to the surface to try some new spells. You guys wanna come?" inquired Kutur.

[Angel Sky]

"I'm interested in seeing elementals and spells, but I wouldn't want to get hurt." He didn't mention that he doubted the other Kobold's ability to control an elemental, though he made no claims to be an accurate judge of that, it was just that he doubted everyone's ability to control other beings.