[ORP - HRH] Jacobi Furs & Skins

[Akina Tokuwa]

Welcome to Jacobi Furs & Skins

The scent of bubbling klah and bundles of burning sage cloaking the tang of acid and flesh pervades the shop. Dark woods, chairs draped in plush fabrics, a menagerie of hanging skins and furs from beasts both familiar and rare dot the shop. Seated on a stool behind a heavy counter sits the crafter, Josseli, working a pair of supple gloves with oil. She regards you with a nod and waits for you to initiate a conversation. There is a settled, purposeful, slow pace of comfort within these walls. She will not rush you; please do not rush her. Just outside, the rustle of her watchwher's omnipresent gaze can be felt, even when the beast is lounging in the stableyard -- sticky fingers be warned.

If you have the coin or goods, here is a shop that can craft the most exquisite, functional garment you could have ever dreamed of, fusing leather, fur, and cloth with accents of gems, precious metals, and beads. Perhaps your family has been shopping here for Turns, purchasing from her great-grandmother, grandfather, or even her father before he passed. Now the shop rests in the hands of its only heir: Josseli. But one thing has never changed, even as the shop name and owners have: Jacobi Furs & Skins produces some of the highest quality garments of quiet extravagance available in High Reaches. To own a piece from here is to reflect your wealth, sensibly. Its reputation speaks for itself.

Have a cup of klah, examine the fine woolen underskirt, feel the soft press of a leather bodice -- all are welcome in Jacobi Furs & Skins, if you have the means to pay or a crafting partnership to offer.

 

[Akina Tokuwa]

Located at High Reaches Hold

Jacobi Furs & Skins has been located at High Reaches Hold for generations, passed down from parent to child for endless Turns. It currently rests in the hands of Josseli, the only child of the now-deceased Jacobi. This is perhaps why they have been able to secure such a desirable location, both for its proximity to the Main Hall and kitchens as well as its private stableyard and ample work space. The shop is located in a stone outcropping of buildings jutting off of the mountainside that divides the large open space just within the protective outer walls into the main and inner courtyard. Other crafters and businesses occupy the remaining buildings in this stretch of stone building along the courtyards, including having their own sections of the shared stableyard.

The stableyard is often occupied by runnerbeasts of an elevated stature -- the type who may be used to run an incredibly important message at a moment's notice -- or a prize beast, perhaps pregnant of a strong bloodline. In Josseli's section, the main inhabitant is her bronze watchwher, Josselisk, sometimes to the dismay of the other beasts. The wher is fiercely loyal to Josseli and is likely the reason that Jacobi Furs & Skins has never been successfully robbed.

The primary storefront of Jacobi Furs & Skins faces the main courtyard and main entrance to the hold. Though no time in High Reaches is pleasantly warm, in the less snow-ridden months the store opens a large square window where it can interact with customers directly. In colder months, times when Thread may fall, or late at night, this opening is shuttered and sealed over with a stone sheet latched tight. Business resumes through the heavy door directly to the right of the window, illuminated by a basket of glows when open for business. In especially perilous months, there is an internal entrance that opens into the kitchens, but this is not open to customers and is only used by Josseli herself.

In addition to the public entrance, there is a back entrance to the shop, facing the secondary Hold entrance and kitchens. This is used for receiving deliveries, or admitting more private clientele. As it is directly adjacent to the private stables where Josseli's watchwher primarily resides, it is considerably secure, such as for times when gemstones or precious metals are arriving. This tends to be the entrance that Josseli uses for her own comings and goings.

Jacobi's furs and skins is divided into three main sections. The middle section where both external doorways are located is the public shop. Furnished in dark woods and laden with dangling furs, mannequins baring garments for sale, and other tannercraft odds and ends, the shop gives off an elegant, rustic feel. A hearth with pot of klah frequently brewing is against the far wall, along with two cushioned chairs for shopgoers. There is a heavily curtained stall in the back corner where purchased garments may be donned for measurements or final approval.

On the opposite side of the shop is a heavy wooden shelf that cuts into the room, acting as a check-out station, as it were. Josseli can often be found sitting on a stool there, working on a smaller project like setting gems in a clasp or working oil into a pair of gloves. The vast bulk of her work takes place in a room through a locked door that connects to her stables. This is her workshop and where the messier parts of being a tanner take place. It is rare for her to bring a customer into this space, unless by specific request or a trusted mechant-customer relationship. One side is designed for wetwork -- any skinning, blood letting, or tanning. Large racks dominate it, constantly covered in stretched skins. There is a window akin to the one on her storefront that she may open to let out the fumes. It looks directly onto her private stables, and she prefers it open while working, happy to keep an eye on Josselisk in the meantime.

The protective watchwher will often push the door's latch open, if it is not locked, and let himself into the space. Over the years, he has learned not to destroy her work, but accidents happen. When weather is too tough or Thread is falling, Josseli will take the wher inside away from the danger of the exposed walls of his stable and allow him to curl up beneath her workbench. On the opposite side of the workshop is a clean space reserved for her more delicate work with cloth, beading, furs, and finishes. This is where completed of in-progress garments sit on mannequins, those that she needs to keep away from the eyes of other customers.

The third space is a secure storage room, built into the mountain itself. The only entrance is from a door located in the ceiling which can only be accessed through Josseli's private quarters directly above the shop. The stairs to her personal chambers are located in her workshop, and the storage room's entrance is a trapdoor located in the floor of her washroom. The bulk of her wealth and precious metals and gemstones are stored here. One would have to pass through many doors and get around the watcher, or bore through the stone of the mountain itself, to gain access. So if Josseli were to ever be robbed, it would be by someone she trusted, someone she let into her bedroom, which has not happened in a very long time.



Inspiration for location set up adapted from here!

 

[Akina Tokuwa]

The Crafter

In appearance...
Josseli is a sturdy woman standing at 5’10” with dark brown hair and blue-green eyes that appear teal. She maintains a feminine shape, cut in the waves of an hourglass -- though she is a little more square in the hips, a little thicker with muscle around her waist. Her arms are not waifish things, nor her thighs. It is clear that Josseli has done labor in her life, physical labor, and it would be a fool that mistook her for weak.

Her eyes are shrewd, piercing, and heavy-lidded but rimmed with dark circles. Her nose is gently curved, bottom lip pouts out past her top, cheekbones as high as a royal's with a rounded chin. Her complexion is olive-toned and even. Her hair is almost always worn in a messy braid or messy bun, anything that keeps it out of her face. She is not strikingly beautiful and yet not plain. She is, more or less, of very slightly above average attractiveness. Despite her status, there is something regal about the way that Josseli carries herself that can make her memorable regardless. She carries herself like a Lady, even on her way to scrape flesh from the latest shipment of skins.

Her most unique feature is a white spider-webbing burn scar that covers her left hand and forearm, sprinkling up to her shoulder and crawling across the top of her left breast. As a child, she was following her father too closely as he worked on removing some fur from a skin and knocked over a boiling hot bucket of water. She nearly died from shock, but was able to recover through the use of salves that cost her father a good chunk of his valuables and goods. Even so, she considers the scar a glowing tribute to her strength and survivalism, even if she is insecure to have others see it.

Josseli does not wear makeup, but she does wear clothes that someone who might care about makeup would wear. Her skirts are long and gathered, often accented by hanging furs and crystals to draw the eye. Tufts of silken furs pop out from sleeves and collars. She is always in a corset with a matching high-neck jacket. Everyday, she treats her body like a billboard for her shop -- if Josseli is not wearing fur, then the world has ended. As gorgeous as some of her clothes might be, Josseli still wears sensible black work boots, scuffed and dirty from Turns of hard work.

She owns a few treasured belongings. Namely a golden hair comb that belonged to her mother, her father's furrier tools, a pair of fur gloves she made 100% by herself at age 8, and a jeweled clasp that she was awarded for her first high-quality garment.

In personality...
Josseli is a woman who comes from hearty stock. There is little that she admits to fearing, though sometimes when gazing out at the horizon before Threadfall she might be seen looking concerned. Life, to Josseli, is about hard, honest work with little room for frivolity of personality or other such nonsense. (It is perhaps then, ironic, that she is known for creating beautiful, frivolously decorated clothing. But she would argue this is simply a good business plan.) She inherited this attitude from her father, now passed, who raised her by himself after her mother died in childbirth and her two older brothers passed from sickness during childhood. Despite her hard exterior, Josseli is not a woman without joy or mercy. She will be there to offer a hand when some luckless sonofabitch needs it, but the first to kick him in the a** when he welches on that kindness. Honesty, hardwork, grit -- these are the things that matter to Josseli.

Josseli is happy to be alone, which can make people feel distant from her, and her constant focus on work has led some to describe her as joyless or without spirit. However, Josseli enjoys attending community events, smalltalk, and listening to stories by the fire or seeing others dance. She is simply a creature who feels most at home in the quiet company of a few close friends, or in the quiet companionship of her watch-wher in her small home on the second floor of her shop.

When it comes to her major downfalls, Josseli is a creature of habit and can be incredibly rigid. She is wary of things that are unfamiliar, and it makes her a bit close-minded to new experiences. She would rather things stay the same, even if the same is just plain old mediocre, rather than take a risk that could result in something better. It makes her very grounded, but also very unimaginative and boring.

In her wildest dreams, Josseli only wants a comfortable life where her work is appreciated, her stomach is always full of delicious things, and her life is free of confusion. She fears the unknown; it is dangerous. However, Josseli is not a pretentious person. If you come into her store with goods to meet her prices, she will deal with anyone from a petty thief to the Lord Holder. This helps offset some of the coldness that she radiates in social situations, though it would be strange for anyone to describe her as warm or friendly.

Physically, Josseli is quite strong. She is not a hunter and has never hunted, but she works every single day with the iron implements needed to butcher, skin, tan, treat, and craft furs. In a fight, these are the skills Josseli would rely on, but she is not one to fight. There is no battle-training in her past, no real agility, no strategical savvy. Her strengths are in her hands and how she can use them to create beautiful, structurally sound fur and garments.

Josseli is better than most people at avoiding deception -- she cannot read minds but she is incredibly good at sniffing out the intentions of people. This is not flawless, of course, and she is bad at admitting when she is wrong and accepting change.

In reputation...
It is commonly known that Josseli is serious, skilled, and not one for foolishness. Her goods are a mark of wealth and are expensive. She does not barter with clientele, and anyone attempting to do so will find their order swiftly canceled. All payments for her goods, except in very rare circumstances, must be made upfront. She will accept coin or trades as compensation and is always looking for mutually beneficial alliances with other merchants she considers of her stature and skill-level. It is likely quietly known that she sometimes trades with hunters or pirates of an unseemly nature, should they appear at her backdoor with desirable goods and a respectable asking price. The fact that so many of her loved ones -- mother, brothers, father, husband -- have perished is also known, perhaps with a shake of the head and a muttered poor thing (or worse, a suspicion that she is cursed or perhaps secretly murderous). Little is known about her love life, but the common assumption is that she has none to speak of.  

[Akina Tokuwa]

The Clientele

A list of those who have purchased goods from Jacobi Furs & Skins will be compiled here, as well as any associated merchant partnerships.

 

[Akina Tokuwa]

Guidance for Patronage

If you wish to interact with the shop, you have several options:

1. Post an arrival, during normal business hours. The door is unlocked and a glowbasket will illuminate the front entrance any time it is open. You can always assume that Josseli is sitting behind the counter during normal business hours, unless otherwise discussed OOCly.

2. If you want to arrive via the back entrance or during the night for a specific reason, post knocking at the door. Josseli may or may not arrive to allow you entrance. This does not have to be planned in advance, but may be, if you would like.

3. Any attempts at robbery or entrance without permission must be discussed OOCly first.

4. All RP in this thread is open, unless otherwise noted. This means that anyone may enter the shop while your character is here.

5. If you have not replied to the thread for an extended period of time while an interaction has not completed, I will post your character's exit from Josseli's perspective, to allow for the passage of time and other characters to arrive. You may always return later!

6. If you wish to send a note or place an order in advance, please post in this thread using the Document post style. In your note, please reference the means of payment (coin, gemstones, equivalent beasts or other services). Similarly, Josseli may reply in the same way, and you will be tagged. If the payment offered is not something that Josseli would typically accept, she will refuse the order.

7. If you wish to establish a history of shopping at the store, please note so in your initial post or arrange it OOCly. It is safe for anyone to assume they have been shopping here before.

8. Josseli may refuse service to anyone who attempts to barter, or argue that her asking price is too high, or who refuses to pay in advance. If you won't leave peacefully, her watchwher may get involved.

9. If you have a merchant or craftsman who would seek a business relationship with Josseli, you may also post or send a Document post style letter to begin establishing it. This can be planned OOCly, or you can simply initiate ICly. She will not accept all offers.

10. Enjoy shopping at Jacobi Furs & Skins!  

[Akina Tokuwa]

Josseli humbly awaits your patronage...

 

[Tsunake]

The huge brown dragon backwinged elegantly before landing, his whirling eyes taking in the Hold and the people scurrying about. Wordlessly, the big man slid from his neck, staring at the storefront for a moment before stomping inside without delay. The woman behind the counter immediately locked eyes with him, and G'ran straightened, nodding idly back to her for courtesy's sake.

Elzebuth rumbled idly at the Watchwher, not intimidated, but acknowledging its presence. "I heard you were the one to see for good clothing." G'ran's voice is a low, rough thing, his eyes locked onto the woman behind the counter. He was prepared to wait, settling back as he watched the woman work. Anyone with skill fascinated him. As a slave to the mines, seeing someone create things.... it was guaranteed to attract his attention.

The big brown rumbled again, and though he did not speak, a general feeling of warmth would rush through Josseli's mind.

Akina Tokuwa

 

[Akina Tokuwa]

Josseli was fussily tapping oil into the seam of a pair of gloves, pursing her lips as it resisted the normal softness she considered required of her garments, when the door open and a large man entered. He was a stranger to her, but given the images Josselisk flashed at her, she knew him to be a dragonrider at the least. She sent a soothing thought to the bronze watchwher to calm his temper at the appearance of the larger, more powerful beast (an apparent insult to her haughty bonded). The warmth from the brown made her smile a bit to herself, and she calmed her wher more readily.

Glancing up, she did not immediately stand. "That I am," she said plainly. "Josseli." She gestured to herself with oily fingers. It was almost an afterthought, her own self often playing second fiddle to the pride she took in her craft. "What sort of good are you looking for?" Beside her counter there were two mannequins, one male and one female. The female was a long gown with leather bodice and silk skirt, a high neck collar tufted by pale gray fur. The man's was more work-ready, done up in all leather with a fur cloak sweeping the ground.

If he was a rider, she would assume, perhaps incorrectly, he wanted something he could fly in, and her garments, while lovely, were almost universally sturdy enough for it.

Tsunake

 

[Tsunake]

The introduction earned a curt nod, not unfriendly, but business like. "G'ran, of brown Elzebuth." Outside, his bonded languidly allowed himself to lay down, content to relax and wait for His to return. "For women's clothing." He admitted. "But something to be ridden in. A gift." He didn't have the skill to make something for the rider in question, and so this was the next best thing.

"I have marks to pay. Or, if you have use for a dragonrider, so long as it doesn't interfere with my other duties, I would offer my services."

He'd stepped closer to the male mannequin, assessing the work and approving silently of the quality. This would be a worthy gift, and his broad shoulders relaxed slightly. Though having money to spend was still a foreign concept to him, he would gladly offer all of his marks if it meant offering Ichta some new fashionable and functional riding gear.

She was worth all of that and more.

Akina Tokuwa

 

[Akina Tokuwa]

"G'ran," she repeated with a nod, logging away the name to potentially add to her ledger. Hopefully add, once the order was made, to her customer register.

He was buying a gift for someone, then. Josseli's expression remained flat and even, because she was a flat and even sort of person. This kind of exchange was perhaps more common than people coming in to buy for themselves, if she ran the numbers on it. Josseli had helped countless spouses, family, doters, or otherwise come up with something special for a loved one. The kind of extravagance she offered wasn't exactly everyday wear, unless you were everyday rich.

"Marks are fine," Josseli replied evenly. She may have use for a dragonrider, but she preferred knowing someone longer before accepting favors or arrangements as a trade. "Let's get a sense of the order and then I can assess the cost." Assess, but it would not be a discussion.

While she spoke, she moved, opening a pair of locked wooden doors on a far wall cabinet: "I must say that the clothing does much better when I have exact measurements. It can still be a surprise, if that matters to you, if you give me a close measurement; we can do a final fitting to tailor it completely to her as a reveal. If you come early on or a little later, I can even close down the shop, if you want it to be special." The ring of keys jangled as she slipped them back into the hidden pocket beneath the gathered fabric at her waist. The doors opened with a squeak. Josseli unlatched something inside, and then slowly pulled a hanging rod out, with notches carved into it.

"If you have a strong sense of her fashion choices, I can make some sketches and have you look over them another day. Sometimes it helps to give examples of more common styles. One moment please." Josseli nodded, her version of a smile, and disappeared through another door into her workshop, returning a few moments later with three garments draped off her arm. She took care to hang them evenly spaced from the pulled rod.

"Please take your time. You can feel the fabric if you'd like -- just cleanse your hands first," she said, gesturing to a basin of water and jar of sweetsand. "I pulled more versatile, riding-appropriate wear. If you'd like something more ornate, I can bring other options. Let me know which elements you like from each, especially if there is a particular cut or fur or fabric that seems best suited to her. Everything is custom made; these are only examples." If Josseli ever sold straight from the rack, it was because the garment was too dated or had become drab.

The first garment was comprised of a few pieces. There wasn't much in the way of gems or metalwork on this. The focus was on the intricacy of the leather work. Different finishes and sheens were laced and sewn together. The main piece was a long, hooded leather coat. The predominant leather was supple but hearty with a shiny leather going down the center of the back in a vaguely hour glass wave. High slits were cut into the sweep of the flared skirted coat, enough to kick and move freely. It was cut sleeveless, but not styled as such. A fur-lined, long-sleeve bleached leather tunic was under it, the soft fur invisible unless you reached inside the sleeve, with leather arm bands latched across the forearm and fitted with metal plates on top. Leather riding pants were under it, dyed a metallic black with a blue sheen. It looked like cloth, but touching it would reveal it to be leather as well, lined with fur.

Josseli gestured to it. "This is for colder weather, all of it fur lined and hearty leather. The leather can be dyed to other hues, and you can lighten the warmth by trading the leather tunic underneath to a linen. Gloves can be purchased as part of it, or you can supplement your own. Air won't pass through the vast majority -- the laced sides of the coat are reinforced with a leather lining and a hidden seam. Aside from the front seam, which can admit air even when thoroughly tied. The lining inside can be sealed across it and secured on the side to reduce this, but it makes it more restrictive." Josseli demonstrated opening and fastening both layers of the coat, versus just the outer later.

Tsunake

Blah, that got long so maybe have him react to this one and then I can tailor the others, lawl. My brain is too mushy to whip out some Fancy Medieval Clothing Descriptions. Also, coat ripped off of this. Plan to rip off this corset as part of one of them too.