OOC Thread

"Thirty-six," says the merchant, gesturing to the goods that Gort has selected. When Gort doesn't respond, he repeats it slower and louder. "Thirty-six."

Gort eyes the short, fat man. There is an assortment of weapons arrayed inside the booth that are within the merchant's reach, but he does not strike Gort as very fast. Gort could just take the goods and run before the man reacted... but no, the other humans standing at the ends of counter to his right and left are watching too closely; their attempts to appear disinterested too clearly an act. Guards then.

Gort grunts and begins to turn away, he does not have enough to meet the man's price, and he is baffled by this skill the humans
call "haggling".

"Tell you what, tell you what," the man says, his tone lightening. "Just because I like you. Because you, eeew, remind me of myself at your age, I will make you a special one of a kind deal."

Gort frowns in response.

"You can have all of this--no, no more than this! Get rid of this rope, it's half rotted, I wouldn't tie my dog with it." He tosses the hemp haphazardly behind him onto a shelf and from somewhere beneath the counter produces a longer length of a thinner, darker material. He demonstrates how it stretches and reforms. "Excellent, nylon rope. 50 meters, practically to the moon and back. In exchange for... just, that moth-eaten jacket you're wearing. I'd be doing you a favor, about time you got yourself a new one."

Gort considers this, the leather jacket is in better shape than the man suggests, but has never fit him well and the weather is currently warm. With the money this would save him on supplies, he could buy something woolly instead. It was just... something about the man's sheer willingness to make the trade made the mutant feel contrary. He shakes his head.

"Fine, fine." The merchant pauses, looks over his wares as if considering. At last he sighs. "If that's how it has to be... I suppose my youngest doesn't need to eat every day. In order to convince you to make this exchange I will include this, truly amazing, wonder of the ancients."

The man removes a small metal box for a shelf behind him, unlocks it with a key from around his neck, and pulls out a small stubby black wand.

"Observe this 'flashlight' fueled by strange magics creates light without fire or heat."

Gort stares at the object, the flat glassy top of it does remind him vaguely of a lantern though he does not see how one would insert a wick. Currently it is dull and lifeless.

"Behold!" The man's fingers shift about the wand and the top does indeed come alight, surprising Gort. The human swings it this way and that, pushing back the shadows encroaching on his booth. A few of the passersby in the market pause to give him odd looks as he dances about.

The merchant offers the light to Gort, who suspects a trick, but locates the switch which controls the item and turns it on and off. He places his palm over the top. True to the man's word the light does not create much heat. Gort considers making the exchange, his frown deepening. He himself could never make such a thing as this light, surely it must be worth more than a coat? How was it that the merchant trying to deceive him?

"Alright, alright. My absolute final offer--they're practically priceless but I doubt I can sell them without the light." The merchant counts out four small cylinders from the box that had held the flashlight and clacks them down on the counter top one at a time besides the other goods being offered. "Four ancient power cells, to ensure your light has hours and hours of use. Probably until long after this poor merchant has been starved by his incompetence."

Despite his suspicions, Gort can't see how trading a coat he doesn't want for a bunch of things that he does and an interesting new thing is a bad deal. With a grunt he tosses his jacket on the ground, scoops his possession from the counter into his backpack with the crook of his arm, and leaves.

After a few steps he is still close enough to hear the merchant behind him muttering. "Pleasure doing business with you, too. Stinking mutant."


Sorry, know this is supposed to be OOC but I just wanted to take Gort for a stroll in advance of game play to get a feel for his character, and some of the interactions in the generations thread gave me an itch.

Well for the start was just Oki and me.. and that plant.. LOL.. then Gort.. and now we have a raccoon. Looks good to me. Perhaps more advertising?