[ For lack of anything better to do, Zhou Zishu spends a good amount of time wandering his new city. The tendencies to map out every street and alley and to try to blend unnoticed into the moving crowds are more habit than any immediate necessity, but they're not exactly a problem. If this is going to be home, he wants to know it.
Which might be part of why he can more often than not be found sitting quietly in any of the myriad taverns and inns scattered around the city. You can learn a great deal from overhearing to people in their cups, especially if they can forget you're there. On the other hand, he just really likes drinking, and that's the easiest way to find the alcohol. Win/win, really.
If not drinking, he might be found wandering the markets, eyes lingering on displays of weapons before he makes himself keep moving. But what really catches his attention is the mechanical displays, things much more intricate than even the automatons he's seen. He finds himself pausing in front of one open demonstration, a young man pouring various unknown liquids into a large metal container and doing a remarkably poor job of explaining the process.
Finally, the young man pauses dramatically as a puff of smoke emerges from the container. He's met with a smattering of vague applause and Zhou Zishu's raised eyebrow as everyone else begins to wander off. ]
Why not simply use saltpeter? [ The young man gives him a pained look, but at Zhou Zishu's implacable expression he launches into an equally incomprehensible explanation while looking firmly out into the crowd. Hoping for someone to take his side or just someone less unenthused to talk to? Either way, Zhou Zishu doesn't seem particularly interested in budging. ]
Around Cadens
Which might be part of why he can more often than not be found sitting quietly in any of the myriad taverns and inns scattered around the city. You can learn a great deal from overhearing to people in their cups, especially if they can forget you're there. On the other hand, he just really likes drinking, and that's the easiest way to find the alcohol. Win/win, really.
If not drinking, he might be found wandering the markets, eyes lingering on displays of weapons before he makes himself keep moving. But what really catches his attention is the mechanical displays, things much more intricate than even the automatons he's seen. He finds himself pausing in front of one open demonstration, a young man pouring various unknown liquids into a large metal container and doing a remarkably poor job of explaining the process.
Finally, the young man pauses dramatically as a puff of smoke emerges from the container. He's met with a smattering of vague applause and Zhou Zishu's raised eyebrow as everyone else begins to wander off. ]
Why not simply use saltpeter? [ The young man gives him a pained look, but at Zhou Zishu's implacable expression he launches into an equally incomprehensible explanation while looking firmly out into the crowd. Hoping for someone to take his side or just someone less unenthused to talk to? Either way, Zhou Zishu doesn't seem particularly interested in budging. ]