(Note: The people of Thul Azar have advanced magics to create intelligent beings, including sentient toys for children. Many children keep these toys even into adulthood.)
Anika, a young Thuli woman, has kept her plush childhood crocodile, Sobek. She needs to gain access to a secured area.
Anika curses. “Gods above and below! This wall is far too high to climb. If only I had some rope. And a hook. And knew how to use them.”
Helpfully, Sobek offers, “Why don’t you go in the front?”
Anika’s reply is swift: “Because a large man is there to keep people like me out. How would you suggest I get past such a man?”
“Say ‘please?'” offers the crocodile.
Anika sniffs. “You remember my mother’s teachings well, but my mother never needed to bypass a gate guard.”
“You could look very pretty. Maybe he would let you pass then,” says the diminutive reptile.
“I see you also remember my elder sister’s teachings, but I am not her and he is not some moon-eyed suitor. We need another plan.”
After a long pause, Sobek speaks up. “I could bite him… ”
This brings a chuckle from the young woman. “If I wanted to make him angry, I know many ways better than that,” she says, scooping up her charge.
* * *
Anika needs to come up with enough money to book passage on a transport from Thul Azar to Entrax.
Anika fumes: “These fees are ridiculous! Transport fee, lodging fee, comestible fee, baggage fee… how is this right?”
“You don’t have enough money?” asks Sobek, idly gazing at his tail.
“No, I do not,” Anika replies. “Even if I sold most of what I own, I’d be short.”
“You could get a job,” offers the plush crocodile. “I see people with jobs everywhere, and they seem to have money.”
Anika sighs. “There’s simply no time. If I’m not in Var Kelva before midsummer, I’ll miss my chance.”
“Is there no other way to make money?” asks Sobek.
“Not without resorting to unsavory methods,” Anika says wryly.
Sobek’s crocodile smile widens. “Then let’s do those.”
“I don’t think you understand what ‘unsavory’ means,” counters Anika.
“I do not.” replies the crocodile.
The World of Vlaar 