Go and search the city.

[theflyingone]

Date & Time: autumn 1617 (mission backdated to dec 30 3313)
Location: Istanbul, Turkey (a.k.a. Constantinople, Ottoman Empire)
Characters: Giovanni Auditore deadlybanker and Altaïr ibn La-Ahad theflyingone
Summary: Supply gathering and climbing large historical buildings for a day
Warnings: Stealing, Possible trespassing on rooftops.

The city sprawled before them, markets clustering and weaving their sounds and smells. In the distance, the newly completed Sultan Ahmed Mosque and its minarets rose to tower over the ocean behind it. Towards the eastern coast of the city lay Aya Sophia and the Topkapı Palace complex behind its high walls. There was a lot to see, from the ground or a vantage point, but these two Assassins had come for a specific purpose. Markets in a crossroads city such as this ought to have warm clothes made for dwelling in snowy mountains.

Altaïr had been preoccupied lately with more than just Al Mualim's betrayal. The mutiny's failure, the disappearance of one of their own, and the frigid winter, each one right after the other. It felt good to distract himself with tasks such as this. Gathering more supplies to weather the snow was something he could do something about. This time period was not too far removed from their own, and some things here were familiar.

Now the only problem was how they would procure supplies with what little coin they had. Altaïr weaved through the crowd with the ease of his training and found a secluded corner to talk.

"It seems they did not lie. The translator is working for me, despite the tongues here being centuries into my future."

Comments

[deadlybanker]

"It is a good thing that it is. I fear my Turco would be rusty."

The dusty narrow streets were a far cry from the snow bound fridge landscape they had left. The island had become an even harsher landscape than the one of constant rain, at least as far as he was concerned. It was so nice to be warm again and not feel like he was wading through waist deep molasses with every step! Giovanni flexed a hand, happy to feel the sun against his skin. If this were a sight seeing trip instead of a serious mission he might even have smiled and remarked on how much more pleasant the weather was here.

The sun warmed hand was then sent to the pocket of one of the pouches worn on his belt to produce what few coins he still had. The golden Florins clicked together as he quickly counted how many there were.

"I do not have enough to buy much. We will have to see if there is a way to gain a little more coin while we are here."

I FORGOT TO TRACK IT I'M SORRY

[theflyingone]

"I would not have been much of a translator. This is not my time. But at least it is not so different. When one has been to the moon and back..."

His mouth quirked in a wry smile. Having been in space, then several feet in snow, he felt like he'd seen it all. It was good to be in a place that was vaguely familiar. The ground was wonderfully hard beneath his feet, stone and tamped-down earth. If not for the need to blend in, he might take off running right now. Instead, he showed his own money pouch.

"I have not used much of my own since I left home. They may not know my coin, but gold and silver are still what they are. It is not enough, but if you are not opposed to using your fingers, we may be able to relieve these people of a little coin... Or do more wholesome tasks like carrying messages. We should find a viewpoint to aid us in our search."

It was the quickest way he knew to get his bearings. He could spot pickpocket victims and people in need of couriers from the tops of minarets.

It happens ^^

[deadlybanker]

His own coins were dropped back into the pouch they had come from, before giving Altair a quick nod and taking to the nearest wall. The nessacary handholds were easily found and the short building was scaled in this way as easily as a mountain climber might find climbing to the top of a small hill. It was a short building, only two stories, and so made for a poor viewpoint but from here he could easily see a much better place to gain a view of the land.

"To the east there is a large building."

It looked like a palace or maybe a mosque from here. Either way it was the largest building in the area.

"We should go there first and then once we have an idea where the market is we can see about gaining the nessacary funds."

[theflyingone]

Altaïr distrusted the Initiative. He didn't want to place his life in their hands, and saving the world via time travel didn't make sense to his 12th century thinking. But the fact remained that there were supplies to be fetched and people to keep from freezing. Though he didn't think too much of the law of his captors, he understood that rules arise from reason. And, despite being a trained killer, he was a reasonable man.

He wasted no time joining Giovanni in his rooftop survey. The mosque's domes rose in blue waves against the sky. It was large and grandiose, with six instead of four minarets; a challenge that Altaïr welcomed.

"They certainly outdid themselves with that one. Let us see if a manāra can be scaled."

Light feet carried his flight there quickly but quietly. By using the rooftops, they could avoid the slower-moving crowds. The building looked new, and some minor scaffolding still remained to complete the finishing touches. Altaïr headed for that.