A Break for Mamaw

    Hayatoiento Aerie, midday

There are certain things that run true through the thinking peoples of Ea. The needs of the living, one could say. And of these, food is assuredly one of the major ones. Every race, every culture, does things a little differently. In the rooms and quarters taken up by the Unmesi family, there is a visitor. A half-elf, dressed down in simple tunic and trousers with soft shoes, preparing a luncheon for two of his friends as well as the family in residence. Telamon Lupecyll-Atlon doesn't look like a powerful sorcerer -- until you realize the soup is stirring itself, and Telamon is turning sections of tenderloin in a pan without using his hands or a utensil, just a casual gesture. He whistles to himself, picking up a frosted tall-tankard and sipping from it.

He picks up a couple of the spice shakers, then frowns. "Easier to add it to taste than to remove it. I'll let them decide what they'd like." He checks on a pot of steaming vegetables as well, nodding to himself.

The Unmesi residence iwthin the Aerie is a unique one. Three of the homes built into the walls have had their separating stone walls knocked down and smoothed away. One home practically an entire living space, covered in hammocks for all members of the family. But right now, things were in the center, cooking!

One large grill built into the floors holds a most of cookware, several dwarven-made stoves sizzling hot. A plump, red feathered egalrin woman in an apron with a ladle in hand clacks her beak. "Oh fo' sure. Are you suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuure you don' need a hand in here, hon?" Jinaru smiles from the door frame. "I mean, it looks like ya got it handled, but d'ya need Mamaw's touch?"

The Goblin has been keeping Telamon company, mostly watching different ingredients move around without any visible means of doing so, or turning themselves over on the grill. The self-cooking meat does have Simony salivating, though, and at least one tenderloin tidbit has disappeared into her maw.

"Oh, you two should work together, you both make such delicious dishes. But, Mamaw, Telamon is very good and likes doing these things. Perhaps you should settle and relax, and let someone cook for you for once."

Simony moves to inspect the soup, staring at it for a while as it churns itself around and around. "I sometimes think I have taken up the wrong calling, and this self-stirring soup is not helping any." She snorts and chuckles. "But it looks and smells great, Tel!"

Telamon glances up and offers Jinaru a smile. "Feel free to taste-test, ma'am. I think everything should be good, but I always welcome a second opinion." He glances at Simony. "And before you say anything, I think you're just a little biased." He holds his fingertips apart about an inch.

With that, he gestures for the unseen servant to pick up the pot of vegetables, and he begins mixing them into the simmering soup. "Vegetable and herb soup, with pork medallions and gravy. Which might be going a little excessive, but winter is approaching and it's a bit damp and foggy out there." Once the soup is set to simmer a little longer, he rubs his chin. "I know some mages think cooking is a waste of time, but... this is good practice for 'attention to detail'."

Jinaru laughs, waving a hand back and forth to dismiss it. "Shoo. Fair point, lil' Simony. Take a break it is!" But she doesn't turn down taste testing, the matron sliding in and taste testing a stew with her own ladle after the vegetables are in. Her brows shoot up. "Oh my. Yeah jus' a dash mo' oh tha' stuff ya were thinkin' of ta get soaked inta all that goodness and I thinks ya got one helluva stew, Telamon sugar!"

One of the many children quietly stumble in to the door frame, a somewhat tall green and black striped egalrin rubs their tired eyes. "Is...is it... almost done...?" she asks with a big yawn. Kamieli, she was sleeping in a hammock next to Slixvah, who was out from staying up far too late.

Simony snorts and giggles at Telamon, "I just may be guilty of some bias, Telamon. But Mamaw does give the best hugs, and her meals are as delicious, I think. She should, though, be waited on hand and foot, in deference to her station as head of the household. I mean, she should take a break, and let others mother her."

The Gobbo grins, glancing at Mamaw and Kami, "Telamon's trying to fatten us up for Winter."

She moves to hug at Jinaru, and then Kami, before chuckling at Telamon. "Not only are you all about fire and explosions, but you manage subtlety, tact and tastiness. You have a gig outside of the Guild and being a diplomat."

She gasps then, and runs into the room where the hammocks are hung, a short time later the slumbering Slivvie feels a little extra weight in the hammock, and a warm little presence beside her. Nudge. "Slixvah?"

Telamon picks up one of the spice shakers, sniffs at it, then adds just a dash or two to the simmering pot. Putting the cover back on, he chuckles at Jiranu and Simony. "I believe Simony has it right. Take a load off, ma'am." When Kamieli comes stumbling in, he grins. "It is, in fact, almost done." He crooks a finger, and suddenly bowls and platters start making their way through the air to the staging area next to the stoves. "I thought about doing fish in pastry, but I experimented and evidently my unseen servants are not competent to handle pastry." He rolls his eyes. "At least I found out before I'd finalized the menu."

"Already beatin' ya there!" Jinaru cackles, patting her stomach before ambling to the side and taking a seat to watch. "Okay, okay! I ain' gonna argue! Hee!"

Kamieli yawns, watching the plates fly about through eyes half lidded. Which is probably the most attentive she's been thus far. "Coo'... hey... Xez... take notes...!" she says a bit louder into the next room.

Slix is dead asleep, but she murmurs something about socks. Another nudge. Nudge. "... bwuh..?" she blearily awakens. "... oh. Moni, shug, when did ya get here-- yo hold up what's that WICKED smell?! MAMAW!"

"Inside voice!"

She's awake.

The Goblin giggles lightly at the awakening Slixvah. "What was that about eating socks?", she teases. Her ears lower slightly at the yell, and the corresponding reply. "Oh, Telamon's here, we're making lunch! Er, or is it dinner time now?" Her hands pat lightly at Slix' cheek fluff, before Simony hops over the edge of the hammock, dropping to the ground and rolling. Getting up and looking behind her, she grins up at the rust-feathered birb-lady. "Ya comin'?" With a laugh, the Gobbo races towards the kitchen.

The half-sil picks up a ladle, as he removes the top from the soup pot, sniffing and nodding. "Perfect. Alright, let me get started here, I'll serve as people wander in." He fills the first bowl, while the pork medallions are transferred to a platter along with a stack of hand-loaves of fresh bread. Then the platters begin floating over to the eating area, followed by bowls of soup.

"This is just so much more satisfying to me than magically conjuring it. Granted, if we were feeding a -really- big group, I'd probably need a whole kitchen staff, so it'd either be me farming the job out to Liandra Branfeax or just using my magnificent mansion spell."

"I dunno, was a weird dream I was wearin' socks." Slix blinks at Simony. "Telamon is making lun-- yo let's gooo!" she scrabbles out of hammock, chasing after Simony.

Jinaru slides up for first dibs. When Telamon gets a free moment, he gets a fluffy mom hug. "Thank ya sooo much!" She pulls back. "I feel ya. Feedin' a troop this big was pretty hard when everyone was livin' here. But a lil' magic and ya feed tons? Dang. Tha's right rad. Anywho, I'm first~!" She slides into the eating area, a simple room with several tables.

Kamieli lazily follows after.

Slix flashes by the kitchen. "Hi! Thanks! Bye!"

There's a few others here that slowly filter in from the recesses of the abode. An oddball hued purple feathered egalrin young man in leathers that puts a spear off to the side, Kalthi. He's carefully bringing a fledgling of green plumage with down feathers peeking through, a wing broken and kept in a cast, Baby Bani. A bright red egalrin man in simple robes, Xezmire. And a handful of others that have yet to be introduced.

The Gobbo waits for the others to get theirs, waiting patiently. Grinning, "Yeah, thanks very much, Telamon!", she calls out. While waiting, she offers a blessing. "Thank you for this bounty, to those who tilled the land, and those who tended the animals, and those who strived to deliver this bounty."

She side-eyes Telamon a moment, "And for the delicious spices."

A short time later, she sidles up to the table that Slix had chosen, sliding another chair out, before she takes one for herself. "The pork is absolutely juicy and delicious.", she faux whispers to the rust-and-white feathered woman.

Bowl after bowl make their way to the table for everyone to eat. It's clear Telamon was wise enough to make enough for the entire family and then some. Suddenly, the decision on soup with some pork and bread is apparently a wise one.

Once everyone is served, Telamon takes his seat, bowing his head politely as Simony delivers the blessing. "Thank you, Simony," he says with a smile. Just behind him, two cloths hover in midair, evidently the servitors he mentioned. "I hope everything is to everyone's taste, but I have put out a couple jars of salt and pepper if you need it."

Once everyone gets their serving, there's a general wave of appreciation and thanks from muted to enthusiastic in various tongues, primarily Khzadul and Auran. A wave of silence follows as Simony gives her blessing, a few of the others having already had a head start and eaten a few bites.

Another round of thanks is belted out for Simony before the family, ten present, dig in. Some reach for the offered spices, but for the most part, their criticism is is given by the lack of table chatter.

Slixvah bobs her head, Kalthi at the table with them, face down on her bread and snoozing. "Mhmm! Oh fo' sure, Tel did grand!" Slix grins, nodding towards him. Slix's familiar is on the table, starting to awaken as well.

Simony smiles brightly, evidently pleased at the reaction, and she nods her head.

The next few minutes are rare ones, since she doesn't say a word. However, her food vanishes into her at a frightening and efficient rate.

Pausing part way through demolishing her pork medallion, she nods to Telamon. "It is wonderful, Tel. You've done yourself proud, I would say." The Gobbo holds her drink aloft. "To Telamon!"

Telamon actually blushes at the compliments, his eyes dropping for a moment before coming back up. "Thank you, all of you. I appreciate it. I won't say it was easy, because it wasn't, not really -- but it was worth the effort."

That said, he turns to Slixvah. "You were sleeping fairly hard, Slix. Everything going all right? If you need me to swing back by to help out with things, let me know."

"Ta Telamon!" the Unmesi clan cheers. Kalthi belatedly wakes up and holds the bread stuck to her beak up instead. "Xez... you... should.. ask him things..." she waves at the bright red egalrin in a robe, who was idly zapping their soup with a tinge of electricity emitted from his finger to make it even hotter.

He glances up, blinks, then buries his head. "Yeah,um, mayb' later..." he murmurs.

Slix turns to Telamon, her reaching over to pull Kalthi over to the side as they fall back sleep so they wouldn't go beak first into her soup. "Oh. Uh..." she looks off to the side. "It ain't nothin' here. Jus', um. Job went bad. Shiftin' some magic around tha' I don' use a lot ta prep. Takes a lot outta me, Fifi gonna gimmie it when we done eatin'. Not... looking forward ta it."

The Goblin seems to enjoy Telamon's having to blush, grinning toothily. "Modest too!", she says cheerfully. Simony goes silent as she tears through a few more pork medallions, her enjoyment of them obvious in her pleased sigh after gulping down each one. She spends a few minutes fighting hiccups until she washes them away with her drink.

Telamon's question has her glancing Slixvah's way, and the Egalrin's reply causes Moni to frown slightly. "Job went bad?", she says between slurps, having moved on to the soup. "Everything okay? It sounds like you might be regrouping and going in for a second crack at it?"

"It happens. Guild jobs are not -safe-. It's why we do things like put money aside for healing, or occasionally take vacations. Nobody can deal with that sort of thing all the time." Telamon flicks his eyes to Simony, before he continues, "Well, if you need any assistance, Slixvah, feel free to ask. I grant your magic is not my magic, but I'd like to think my advice is good."

He offers a broad smile. "Always invest time into hobbies and side gigs that don't involve Guild jobs. Remember that time you found me wading up out of the Tornmawr because I was helping locate things in the river for the watch?"

Slixvah shakes her head. "No. Everything not okay. Big gal named Thurid jumped inta a pit full of demons ta try and free a friggin Phoenix," she rubs her face, forlon briefly before it perks up from eating a pork medallion. "Gonna load up on all th' curse removals an' dispels ta crack they stupid hold. Delvin' back soon."

She looks to Telamon. Grinds her beak. "I get it. Jus' some spells are more are more uh, painful than others ta get ready. Gonna have ta counter a loooot of stupid sexy succubi. Ugh. Don' worry. We got it."

Her eyes squint in a smile. "I know, I know, I remember. Tha's why I work at th' TarRaCe ta chat wit' tons of fun people. And make maps fo' fun!"

She nods at Telamon. "Don't I know it... remember how I almost quit doing Guild jobs because I was badly shaken by a job going bad?" Her expression softens a little. "How could I forget? You walked along the bottom of the river to find a box that'd gone overboard. Not to mention stripping down to your skivvies." The Gobbo waves a hand under her chin as if fanning herself, giggling lightly.

Her jovial expression disappears at the mention of demons. "Oh dear. Would you like another to go along to help? Or perhaps I could assist you by buying up, or writing, a few remove curse scrolls to give to you?" Simony nods then, "If you got it, well, please be careful, okay?"

Telamon makes a small distasteful expression. "Ah yes. I recommend protective warding against evil. If you take away their ability to charm others, they become significantly less of a problem." He pauses. "Also, I will note that while fiends do not normally eat or drink, they still need to breathe. Feel free to take that into account."

He offers Simony a gentle smile. "We do not do these things because they are easy, but because they must be done. Still, there have been rewards for facing such perils. And not every encounter is a life-or-death struggle."

Slixvah gives Simony's shoulder a pat. "Yeah. I feel ya on that. Sorta how I felt when I started doin' all this. But yeah. Tel speaks tru. Not everythin' is life or death."

She gives a light chuffs. "Yeah. I screamed my voice out tellin' people gettin' they rear inta Thurid's magic circle. But I'll... keep that in mind."

She nibbles on some bread, looking over at Simony. "... I mean, up ta yah. But its pretty intense, hon. We had ta run from a Fire Storm spell 'cause me thinks they mind controllin' a Phoenix. I dunno if curse removal will work, but... I'm throwin' a lot at it."

Fiadh, the little familiar, yawns, finally waking up. "Yes... you wished to multiple translocations?"

Slix puts her face into a hand as she puts her bread on the table. "... I hate preparing that one."

Kamieli shifts to sleep on Slix's bread.

Simony lets out a little breath, and shakes her head. "Maybe not at the start, but in reading the past exploits of older Guild members, the life and death struggle happens more often than not. There's no sugar coating that or getting around it. Once you're facing demons, it /is/ a life or death struggle. The death of something inside you is as bad as your physical death." Another breath is inhaled and exhaled.

"That said, we do it because the perils of not doing it are far worse than the doing of the unpleasant task. Others would try, and may fail. Better us than the innocents."

The Gobbo rubs at her chin, and slowly pushes her bowl away, a third full. "Has it been reported to the guild? Will others take up the cause to rescue Thurid?"

Telamon nods slowly. "I'd heard about that." As the meal wraps up, the unseen servants begin carting bowls and plates away for cleaning. "I've got my hands full here chasing some things." His eyes flick to Simony. "But if you need anything, let me know. I might be able to pull out a coyote card for you."

He considers the problem. "Fire resistance, first and foremost. Breaking any kind of compulsion on the phoenix next. Translocations?" His gaze moves to Fiadh. "I found that the mistake people usually make when preparing some form of teleportation is that they're nervous about mentally reaching down the bridge to establish the seventh point of contact."

Slixvah closes her eyes and lets out a long sigh, a hand cupping the small familiar to pet them with a thumb. "I know Simony, I know. It's why I'm not half assin' this. Gonna be a gods damn demon slayer after this bull shit. Or a Phoenix liberator." She pauses, and rubs her beak. "... hmm. I like that. Free bird."

The runt of the family- its clear that Slixvah is the smallest out of all of them-, gently shoves her sister off her bread as she uses it to mop up the rest of her bowl. "I appreciate ya offer, Telamon," she coos warmly. "But yeah. Fire resist a must. Will scribble tha' in. Best I got fo' breakin' stuff is magic disruptions."

Fiadh looks up at Telamon. Blinks their golden eyes once. "Unmesi is not prepared for such. She can only comprehend the local translocations without her brain melting through her ears."

Slix puts a finger on Fiadh's head. "Dimension doors. Preparin' those... feels like I'm gettin' ripped in two. Fun ta use. Ain't fun ta learn," she sighs, pushing her bowl away and giving a thankful nod towards a servant.

Simony looks unhappy, rubbing at an eye a moment. "I'm just worried, that's all. For you, Slix, for Thurid, and whomever your companions are on this. I can offer a cloak that I own, that helps one resist magics, from flames to charms. Did you want to borrow it? Or perhaps I cold lend it to one of your companions? Or, since you'll have to pull her out of where she is, and her equipment may be damaged or missing... perhaps you could give it to her. Not much, but all I can do on short notice, aside from money."

The Goblin blinks, her mood brightening. "HOLY WATER!" The table is smacked enthusiastically. "I can give you holy water!"

Looking pleased at this, she looks to Telamon. "If I don't go along with Slixvah, is there something I can help you with, Tel?"

"Good thinking, Simony. If Thurid has been captured, her gear will most likely not be at hand if it's still intact." Telamon taps his fingertips together. "Bringing some replacement equipment, even if it's temporary, could give her a fighting chance."

Tel nods at Slixvah and Fiadh. "Seven points, Slix. Six for where you want to go, the seventh for your point of origin. People get tripped up by that. But once you grasp it... well, every once in a while I get a courier request that has to be somewhere -that day-. And I can do it, too." He grins impishly, "That's how I get to Am'shere when I need to be there."

Slixvah's beak opens briefly before closing. And she smiles. "Yeah. I'll bring any loaner gear ya got. That's mighty kind of ya--" She blinks. Then grins. "YES. Holy water! Make Navos friggin' rain on 'em! Great idea!"

She looks to Telamon, smiling. "Yeah. I pick up what ya puttin' down. Th' distance makes it wobbly. And fo' me, the how to of /gettin'/ there requires a bit of... esoterica of how to get there. I get the seven points, it's how I aim it. But did'ya know I gotta crack the friggin' threads like a whip and ride the wave ta get it ta work?" she laughs. "Moni's seen it. Tons of fun! Thankfully ain't been made done for courier duty. Yet. Zanzi's the one that ends up with that job."

Speaking of the family, each and every Unmesi looks like they're on the verge of falling asleep (or in Kamieli's case, actually asleep). That was a right good meal.

Jinaru clears her throat. "Now! Let's all be real nice ta Mista Telamon here and get that kitchen clean, yes?" the matron smiles sweetly to her kids.

There's an... awkward pause. A chair scrapes. Another slips around. Several Unmesies try to slip away. Kamieli has somehow gotten halfway to the door. When did she wake up?

Jinaru's eye twitches. "GO CLEAN TH' KITCHEN ya lazy freakin' chickens!" she screeches, brandishing a ladle at them. <Auran>

Their sudden retreat is tossed at a full one eighty, as they rush to the kitchen to get it all squared away.

Jinaru smiles sweetly at her guests. "Now ya two just sit there and be pretty~!"