Boiling Flowers

Sourthern Banks of Tornmawr, Afternoon

The afternoon heat that most enjoy to ward off the chill of the coming fall is absent today, as a grey veil coats the sky, blotting out light to the point where shadows are a suggestion. The Southern Banks of the Tornmawr see little activity today, as the high tide makes terrible for ferrying, and the usual fishmongerers harking are still out at sea.

Upon the bank on one of the walkways is a little setup of simple wooden stools, a little fire pit going to ward off the chill, and a lazy view of a languid river.

In one such chair is that of a rust red and white egalrin woman. Who looks positively cheery, despite half of her attire and a large chunk of feathers gone after having been /completely immolated/. Her usual ribboned wings are bare, as a stack of ruined ribbons lay in her lap, and each one is slowly being sorted through. "I gotta say," she hums, putting a purple ribbon off to the 'reclaimable' pile. "I get why mages love dey fireball. But good gods whys they gotta do nothin' /but/ fireball?"

In addition to Slixvah, there is one other on the banks today, who seems to be using the fire pit for a curious task. Rune has a series of pots, some of which seem more banged up than others. In fact, some are likely borrowed from others just for this purpose. Each of them has been set atop the fire at various points, filled with water that is heating up.

Sitting on the ground, with a cutting board, a bit of simple fabric, and a knife, Rune is surrounded by flowers of various colors. The rogue seems to be cutting up the various flowers and sorting them into piles.

"Area of effect?" Rune replies, lifting her head slightly to look at the egalrin with her head cocked to the side. "I mean, it's a good way to hurt a lot of people at one time." She lifts her shoulders slightly. "I'm sure the feathers will grow back soon enough. And you're still beautiful to me, regardless." She offers the witch a wink.

The War Golem has been trying its best to learn more about Alexandria and the region it has found itself in. It's having some trouble, what with the lack of knowledge of the local history, but it has been doing its best. And with the aid of some Adventurers that helped get it back on its feet - literally and figuratively - at least its approach to this region isn't filled with the strain of metal against metal and the scraping of bad cogs.

Instead, it's the softer click-clacks of metalic talons as it paces into the region in an attempt to get to understand what is here. It has, by all means, nothing on its person. It is just a metalic body as it tilts its head and spots the Egalrin woman as well as the Half-Sil.

"This one wishes thee: Greetings and Salutations." The metalic avian remarks in a rather odd and ancient accent of tradespeak. Using words that aren't too common, but still garner understanding in this day and age. "This one is curious." Its peepers set on the firepit situation and all the pots.

"Is this what the locals refer to as: 'A Cookout'?"

Slixvah giggles, the egalrin playfully prodding Rune in the leg with her foot. "Oh, stop it, you!" A red ribbon gets rejected and goes into the appropriate pile. Which was the fire pile, feed the flames! "Besides, I could be plucked clean and I know I'd /still/ be the hottest damn thing 'round! A little sigh escapes her. "Oh well. They'll grow back. D'ya know befo' I got my flight feathers in, I lost /all/ th' feathers on my wings? Looked right odd, I did!"

She looks across what Rune has prepared, adding up the colors in her head. "Got everythin' ya need for the color? Any mojo acceleration ta help?" she asks before pausing. "... hold on, what was that you said to the demon before you shanked her to death? Only you can seduce your frie-"

Small bird alert! Small bird alert! Slix whips her head around, head tilting to the side sharply in a distinctly avian manner. Gaze goes down, up. "Oh. My. Reos. Ain't you jus' the /cutest/ thing!" she coos brightly, excited. "Nay! Nary a cookout! Good day!"

The sound of metal clinking against the rocks has one of Rune's pointed ears twitching slightly in the direction of the strange automaton that is coming in their direction. It isn't the first of its kind that she has seen, but it is certainly a curious creature. Slixvah's enthusiasm is met with a small look of amusement as she tilts her head, "Not quite a cookout, I'm afraid. Just stewing up some flowers to make dye. Better to do it away from folks as the scent can get a little strong." She explains.

Then, with a smirk, she looks back at Slixvah, "You know I'm imagining an egalrin-sized plucked chicken now, right? I mean, if they tried to cook you, you'd be hot, but I think the bare-bird look wouldn't do it for you." There is a teasing flash of her tongue before she looks down and chops a few more of the colorful buds off of the flowers, sorting them into piles.

"I've got some blue, some purple, and a bit of red. So that should cover most of the color variations. Just need to hope I make enough to last the winter." The half-sil explains, "Last time, I ended up having to scavenge a few from traders in Am'shere and that cost a small fortune."

As for her comment, Rune just smirks and twitches her nose, but she doesn't quite answer that, at least not yet.

Thoth's head tilts like a confused bird, bobbing a bit. It's definitely odd behavior from a War Golem. When it steps forwards a bit further, that head bobs back and forth, shifting its weight with each step. "This one was not designed under attempts to be 'cute'. This one was designed to be an efficient Servant to its master." It counters Slixvah in a manner that suggests it doesn't understand what is being said.

Of course, it's only four feet tall, so cute metal bird may be appropiate in this situation. Though its wings... they're broken. A mess of spokes and torn metalic feathers. Being stared at by two people like this, its head suddenly turns to those broken wings. Opening and closing its beak and preening at some of its broken feathers. Trying to fix its crushed and utterly useless wings for a good few seconds while it's explained that this is not a cookout, and then turns its head back again.

"Dye." Pause. "There arte magical items that can make this a cheaper affair on the longrun, if cost is thine concern." Taking in Rune's comment about paying a small fortune for dyes in Am'shere.

"But this craft is unknown to me. Would thee permit me to watch?" Click click, coming forward slightly. Curious bird-headbend.

Slixvah snickers, holding up a finger as she throws away another ribbon into the fire. "Hey hey, I'd be a /spicy/ chicken, at the very least! But! You're right. I'd be so out of fashion! And cold! Unless I was cooked." The back and forth garnering quite a hefty amount of amusement from the once-toasted egalrin.

She watches Rune sort the flowers. "Mmm. I see. I think ya may got enough covered." A curious and amused brow is raised at the lack of an answer, but that seems to be enough for Slix as she turns her attention to the small metal bird.

"You can be efficient /and/ cute," Slixvah ripostes to the warforged. Her eyes drop to the wings, and empathy pangs across her face. "Awh. Your poor wings. I dunno if my lil' bit of magic can fix it, but I kno' how it feels ta be flightless." A glance to Rune. And a shrug. "I don' mind, chair over there if ya wanna let ya whatevers get a break."

Swing, swing, swing. A flow of fire and scales; or in this case, the sway of a particularly ruddy-scaled sith-makar, practising his steps with his glaive behind his head, arms draped over it. There was a hefty looking messenger bag around his waist; but he didn't seem to be in any rush to do anything about it.

Like deliver it on time for once.

"Ah, this one did smell something very tempting and deadly." Aelwyn rumbles with a flash of his sharp teeth, as he nears the trio of familiar and somewhat-less familiar faces. "Ribbon, Twin, Thoth." He greets everyone and each in turn with a short bow of his head, before his attention is taken by Slixvah.

"Tch, it was a rough scrap." The draconian says. "With many casualties." A pause. "Does she need a resupply?"

"I know there are some magical effects that could do the same thing, but they're hardly permanent, and I don't really have much in the realm of 'magical abilities'." Rune explains. Cutting a few more of the flowers, she gathers together the red colored petals, which there are distinctly less of, and then pours the whole lot of them into one of the pots, dusting her hands off.

"You're welcome to come sit with us, though there isn't much to watch. Just a bunch of flowers boiling away in a pot." She laughs softly to herself, brushing a few strands of bleached hair out of her eyes. The white strands tuck behind one pointed ear.

"You look like you've seen better days, though. Did something happen?" Rune and Slixvah also have signs of some sort of trouble, including burns on one and missing feathers on the other. "I assume you have a name? Or a designation?" She asks, curiously.

Then, looking to Aelwyn's arrival, she offers him a soft smile. "Hey. Off on another delivery?"

The bird turns its head towards those wings, then looks back to note; "This one would require significant Artifice work done." It explains. "It would be very costly. This one has no way to pay back such cost at this time." It answers Slixvah. Indeed, poor wings, and poor bird, because it believes it has little money to its name.

At Rune's invitation, it moves to get closer to the pots, but it doesn't sit. It is small enough as is. If it sat down, it would have trouble observing.

"So, this Other colors her hair to attract potential mates?" It then inquires with Rune, before it is about to introduce itself. But Aelwyn then speaks its name, and it instead motions its hand towards the Sith-makar.

"This one was crushed under rocks." It then answers Rune on the matter of what happened to it.

Slix peers up and over as the rumbly voice. Her eyes squint in a smile. "Oh heya, Flutter!" she coos. A little sigh escapes her, and the witch scratches at a bald patch on her face. "Yeeeah. It was. I do need a resupply, scrounging what I can ri' now. Th' feathers will grow back. But fo' now, you get to feast your eyes on the grey hue."

She looks at Thoth, head tilted the other way. "And not ta mention doin' it wit' magic is a bit expensive. Dyes is coppers. Magic? Golds."

The witch guffaws at Thoth's question. "Hah! She don't need to do that for that!" she giggles, throwing a playful look at Rune. "Nice ta meet ya Thoth. Name's Slixvah. And... ow. Rocks. Yeah, uh. Das gonna need a lot of wrenches."

"Tch, may this town be showered in rain if Twin did try to attract a mate." Aelwyn rumbles in agreement with Slixvah, as he reaches up at one of his horns. He gives the horny thing some tugs and nudges, as he seems to focus on something. "Mmh, another day, another delivery." He stretches out his body; his chain shirt revealing a singed set of scales. "Good to carry one's feet."

Turning towards Thoth, the draconian then tilts his head a touch. "This one did not hear how Thoth came to be in this town; after so many years. Did something disturb one's slumber?" His tail sways behind him. "One does not look like a construct from around here, either."

One of the ribbons is finally loosened from his horn, and the ruddy sith-makar offers the finely embroidered silken thing to Slixvah. "For her collection. Though this one is quite enjoying the grey." Flicker of tongue.

There is a soft laugh that Rune doesn't bother containing as she shakes her head, "Not quite. I wouldn't be surprised if it draws the attention of potential mates, but that isn't the reason." She raises one eyebrow. "Let's just call it an act of personal rebellion. It's how I decide to be different from what my bloodline makes me." It's definitely a strange way of putting it.

Picking up on the name, Rune nods once, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Thoth. I'm Rune." She doesn't give a fullname, though half-sil do tend to have surnames at least. "And Slixvah has the right of it. Magic tends to run expensive. This usually just requires some trade with flower vendors or sneakily picking up the remnants left behind from Makari flower-festivals."

She looks at the exchange of ribbon between Aelwyn and Slixvah, "Seems like our feathered friend needs a fair few ribbons replaced. I might have to try to find a few for her, myself, next time I'm in the market."

Thoth tilts its head in confusion at what Slix is saying about payment. As if it doesn't understand why gold would be a problem in the quantity mentioned.

To Aelwyn's question, Thoth nods its head; "This one slumbered for a long time. It was awoken within a forge by Goblins." It answers him, then turns back to Rune and makes for a very slight nod of its head. Then taps its beak open and closed a few times to watch the flowers slowly dissolve.

"Thank you for your introduction, Other - Rune." It remarks, then looks to Slixvah. "Other - Slixvah."

"Though this one fears it does not have ribbons to add to the Egalrin's collection..." It pauses for a moment, then tilts its head towards its wings. It messes with it for a while, before it finds a feather that was barely still holding on, and pulls off the strangely metalic thing, and then offers it to Slixvah while holding it at the tip of its beak.

Slixvah rolls her eyes good-naturedly at Aelwyn, her placing a hand on his forearm. "Of course you do, enjoy it while it lasts. In a week it'll be covered up," she snickers, sliding the hand down to take the offered ribbon. With a bit more seriousness to her tone, she bows her head. "Thank you, hon. I reall' appreciate it."

That ribbon gets added to the 'reuse and unscathed' pile.

Her eyes soften at Rune, her reaching forward to briefly put a hand on the half-sil's shoulder. "Awh. Honey, ya don' need ta do that. But I won't turn down more ribbons. Thank you."

She sorts through a few more ribbons as she glances to Thoth. "... ok, I'm gonna make an assumption tha' ya so old tha' ya ain't know what th' local money is. Copper coins? Dirt cheap, can get an okay meal with just three. Ten copper to a silver coin. Ten silver coins to a gold. Ten gold to a platinum. Doin' it wit' magic is like, a couple hundred meals worth, if no' more."

She goes back to her sorting. A metallic twang gets her to look back up. She blinks. Then smiles widely. "Why thank ya, lil' Thoth," she warmly coos, carefully taking the metal feather. She fishes around in her reuse pile, pulls out a gold dyed ribbon and offers it to the construct. "Here ya go! One for ya!"

"It is only right, Ribbon." Aelwyn responds to Slixvah, then adds with a lower rumble. "Perhaps next time this one should give her something to fight the flames." Rune gets a tilt of his head and a flash of his teeth. "This one knows several one could take her - perhaps she can find something for her; or to tie Lava's horns with..." He playfully rumbles.

The Dragoon against his glaive, holding it in front of him. "A forge by Goblins..." There's a narrowing of his orange pupils. "... not in Goblintown, this one hopes."

"I assume being buried under rocks wasn't a consentual act. Did someone want you not to resurface?" Rune asks, unable to quite contain her own curiousity as she chops some more of the flower petals and deposits the purple petals into a second pot. The first is already boiling, the red color leeching out of the petals and into the water. The air around them is starting to smell of flowers.

Then, offering a smile at the touch to her shoulder, Rune replies, "You've helped me out more than your fair share. I can afford to replace a few singed ribbons. Maybe I'll even dye a few with some of the colors I've got going."

With a teasing look, she winks at Aelwyn, "Oh, I've already got all I need to take care of that." She sits back a little bit, dumping out the last of the blue flowers. Many of these are foreign to Alexandros. They must be the ones that she scavenged from Am'shere during the festival. As she touches them, some of the color from the petals does come off on her fingers, tinting then vaguely blue.

"This one is indeed old." Thoth answers Slixvah on her observation, followed up by noting that; "This one does not need to eat. So meals is not a measure it understands very well." Still, it knows that people usually need two to three meals a day. So, after a few moments, it observes; "The economic values of money have shifted greatly since my time."

It then accepts the golden ribbon it is offered and ponders whence to put it. It finally decides to slip the ribbon around the 'skirt' shape near its waist, wiring alongside the braids of metal that hang there.

"This one indeed was not found in 'Goblin Town'." Thoth then answers Aelwyn, though it does not provide the actual source of origin.

Finishing tying the ribbon, it adds; "This one did not get buried consentually." It agrees with Rune. "This one just remembers... falling." It remarks, going quiet after those words. Staring out into the distance for a little while. Then starts to aggressively preen at its broken wings.

Slixvah giggles at Aelwyn. "Give me your body next time a fireball hits then, I'll use it as a shield and let you take the brunt," she teases before snickering at him further about Lava and Rune, shaking her head. Her ribbons are sorted out, and the reject pile gets tossed into the firepit.

The fixable ones rest in her lap, and she holds onto the pile with both hands. "Oooh!" she grins at Rune. "Yeah! Do that, Ruru, we'll match! I can bring some white ones when ya do dye ya hair!"

She picks up the metal feather, looking at her robes to figure out where it should go. "Seems ta be so. Magic fun things are not cheap," she says to Thoth, her making an approving clicking noise in the back of her throat. "Looks good!" It gets looped on a stray thread on one of her robes.

She can't help but frown sadly, the aggressive preening being equated to stress in her culture. "... falling? I'm sorr' lil' Thoth, that ain't a good memory. Uh. If, I may ask, if ya meant ta be ya master's assistant it seems, do you have a subdirective in the absence of bein' able ta fulfill tha'?"

"Tch, Ribbon does not need a fireball for this one's body, though this one will never say no to extra heat." Aelwyn croons right back at Slixvah. He flashes his teeth at Rune. "Tch, now that is how one takes one down the road where darkness dances, and the shadows play." He lets out a rumbling sound in amusement. "This one shan't retract the invitation."

The Dragoon then looks back towards Thoth, falling a bit more sombre. "Hmmh. Even for someone such as Thoth, it must be strange to wake after so long." He clicks his throat. "Tch, this does not envy such timespan at all."

"I'll admit, I don't know very much about Automatons. There were a few in the stories my mother told, but they were usually not the main characters." Her brow furrows slightly, seeming thoughtful. What must it be like to awaken from so long a slumber that the world is an entirely different place?

Distracted, she blinks over towards Slixvah and nods, "Of course. I could actually use a hand with the dying once this is done and had time to rest so the color comes to full strength. I can't really get the strands in the back very well on my own. So we can dye the ribbons at the same time."

With one hand, a stem from one of the flowers is flicked in Aelwyn's direction. "Shadows and I are old friends." She smirks.

Then, looking back to Thoth, she gives a concerned look. "Doesn't sound like a very pleasant memory. I assume you don't recollect anything about how you fell?"

Thoth finally stops preening when Slixvah addresses it, and touches a hand up towards its tummy like a butler may greet its master. "This one does not possess subdirectives of this type. This one believes its master has likely passed of old age - and seeks to... make up for the loss of its Master." It proposes.

"This one has been... slowly integrating." It then comments to Aelwyn. It certainly heard Rune's question, but it takes time for it to consider answering. But when it answers, it's a shake of its head.

"This one prefers not to recollect it. But this one is unable to forget anything in its life." It then answers Rune.

Slixvah shakes her head at Aelwyn, snickering. "Yeah yeah, I know," she waves him off. But ends up affixing him with a curious look. "... you do realize you and me gonna live fo' like three plus centuries, right? Ya gonna get that timespan if ya like it or not."

The witch hums warmly. "'course! Can totally give ya hand. Dying hair shouldn't be too different from feathers, done it loads! Lookin' forward ta it!" she smiles to Rune.

Her wings droop just a little as she listens to Thoth. "Awh. I see. Well. I guess doin' what ya did fo' ya master but better is a good way to pay homage to 'em, yeah?" She looks at Rune, acknowledging her question, but shakes her head at Thoth. "Naw naw, don't recollect it. Painful an' all tha'. I get'cha. Where did ya wake up- better question, what led ya ta this city? This place is a pretty big lodestone fo' stuff, yeah?"

Aelwyn snags the stem and puts it between his teeth, gnawing on it with aggressive noises. Rrr. Taking the bits of it off, then, he looks towards Slixvah with a tilt a of his head. "It is different to watch an oasis be devoured by the desert, than to fall asleep in a city and wake up in ruins." He points out to her, and then he looks towards his hand. There's a moment, before he flicks it off.

"Besides, we eat fireballs and angry Sharkies for breakfast - what chance we have to reach a century?" He flashes his teeth. Thoth gets another look, and he crouches down, watching the little birdshape construct. "And what kind of debt is Thoth trying to repay?"

"Aelwyn has a point, there. None of us are likely to reach our race's 'old age' the way we barrel into things. Look at the dumbass adventurers go, shortening their lifespan!" Rune smirks, having already experienced the cold hand of death once, she isn't immune to the worry that it will happen again, sooner rather than later.

She finishes sorting the last of the flowers and then dumps the blue ones into the largest of the three pots. Stained fingers and all, she wipes her hands off and wraps up the remains of the stems, likely to be used as compost later. "Sounds like a plan. For now, these just need to boil away for a while." The smell of flowers is certainly quite strong at this point, which likely is why they are doing this on the bank rather than indoors.

Turning back to look at Thoth, she presses her lips together in thought. Perhaps some concern that they may know more than they are letting on. "If you remember where you were created, or where your master hailed from, there might be books or histories or lineages we can find. It's even possible that descendants of your master still live."

"This one awoke in the Veyshan region." Thoth finally remarks to Slixvah, as it lowers its hand. "This one came to this city, as it was told this place was a good place to earn Gold to repair this one." It seems its reason is rather simple.

"This one's debt is to its Master. This one permitted severe unrepairable damage to come to its Master's Servant. This one must work this off and rectify this." It then answers Aelwyn as he asks for the matter of debt.

It then tilts its wings down a bit as Rune brings up its Master's possible legacy. It looks to the trio for a moment, then remarks; "This one was told that, after the Sundering, nothing of my Master's people remained. Is this incorrect?"

Slixvah nods to Aelwyn. "Yuh, very very different," she hums, watching the gnawing with amusement before her brow raises with a finger raised. "Little chance, but I sure as hell am gonna be an old woman and I won' let no stupid fireballs stop it!" Further supplemented by Rune's thoughts. The witch snickers. "Yes, we may be dumbasses, but we'll do it with /style!/"

The egalrin keeps fidgeting with the ball of damaged ribbons, humming to herself as she goes and paying half attention to it. The smell gets her eyes to crinkle some, but at least it was a pleasant overwhelming instead of, say, a sewer. "Nice."

Listening to Thoth, Slix keeps her eyes on the bundle. "Yeah that's... huh. Really friggin' far. Desert and stuff, right?"

The question is laid out. And Slix is silent for a bit. "The Kulthians, right?" she inquires. "They all gone. Allegedly. But nothin' is a hundred percent. Maybe decedents still live, but know not of their ancestor's reign. If then, like Rune said, may be able to even find at least a book about stuff 'round then. There is a library here, free to the public. Maybe ya can find somethin' there? Quill's Repose."

"That's the spirit, Ribbon. Never let the reality of today stop the truth of tomorrow." Aelwyn rumbles with a spreading of his lips over his sharp teeth.

Mention of Veyshan makes Aelwyn tilt his head back - and then sidles his step closer. "The great sands? Tch, this one knew whoever made Thoth or Thoth itself carried a sense of style rarely found elsewhere." The draconian says, attempting to try and lightly touch some of that gold. "Those sands are far away..." Voice trailing off, he then straightens back up to his feet.

"Thoth must be quite the trader to come this far with little gold."

While Slixvah may be certain of her fate, Rune seems a bit less confident in that matter. Her hand moves to close over the necklace at her throat, lightly thumbing at the unlocked bits of the puzzle. "Trust me, I'd love more than anything to live long enough to see those I care for become gray in the feathers and scales, but I have my doubts." She shrugs softly, leaning back a little and shifting her legs to get more comfortable.

Hearing just how far Thoth has come and that little bit of his story, Rune lets out a low whistle. "Yeah, that changes things a bit." She seems to consider the matter, tapping the fingers of her other hand against her leg. "It's still possible there might be something about them in the histories. Though... it might take looking more into ancient texts."

With a look to Aelwyn, "I imagine that not needing to eat or drink helps a bit with not needing as much in the way of funds."

"Not with that attitude," Slixvah quips easily, resting a hand on Rune's shoulder and leaving it there as the half-sil fidgets and leans back. She nods towards Aelwyn. See, spirit!

She looks at Aelwyn, assessing him for a moment. "I take it you're from 'round there then," she comments off handedly. "Rune brings up a good point- little need fo' food an' drink. But yeah, may be a lead there, like th' others are sayin'"

She finishes messing with the pile of damaged ribbons before muttering under her breath, "Odog sa wne." A little cyan hue washes over the strands before the ribbons are good as new!

GAME: Slixvah casts Mending. Caster Level: 8 DC: 15

Aelwyn stretches his hand out to the side, giving a tiny bow. "And there are plenty in those sands that cost plenty of coin, when one is not careful."

The Dragoon turns his head towards Rune then, and he moves over to lightly pat her shoulder. "Grey or not, today is here." He rumbles in amusement. "Flick a flower at Ribbon for me."

The ruddy sith-makar then begins to restrap himself with his leathers and the messanger's bag; before he gives a bow of his head. "This one shall return to his task. Twin, Ribbon, Thoth." And with that, he starts to head along the river, the glaive returning over on his shoulders. Swing, sway...

At Aelwyn's invitation, Rune sorts one flower from within those she'd gathered that is not quite the right color for the dye. It's more orange than red. Pushing herself to her feet, she walks over and sneaks it into Slixvah's headfathers. "Done and done." Her hand raises to offer a goodbye to the Makari before she settles back down, knowing it will be a while before the dye is finished.

"This will be a good long while. Probably an hour or two. If you've got anything else more interesting to do than watching water boil, feel free. I'll be here." The touch is appreciated, but it does not seem to change Rune's mind on the matter at hand much. Maybe because matters of the dead still loom over her no matter how much she might try to avoid it.

"Nice trick." She murmurs, "Wish it was that easy for me to fix my shit when it gets burnt up. You guys get all the fun magic."

"Correct. The sand was very coarse, and it got everywhere." Thoth answers Slixvah as they bring up the locale they were found in. Then, a slow nod at the mention of the Kulthians. "This one thanks you for your suggestion. This one will seek out this 'Quill's Repose'." It remarks, though there's a somber tone in its voice. After all, it lost everything it'd known.

"This one managed to come here by selling some of its Kulthian trinkets to the Gobbos." It then explains to Aelwyn in a manner that suggests that it may very well have been scammed. "It then rode in the cargohold of a vessel. The ride was long."

"But this Other is correct. This one does not require meals. So it was able to save Gold on its travel expenses."

Shelixvah gives Aelwyn a wave, sticking her tongue out at him from being told to have something thrown at her. "Catch ya later, hon!" She watching him go for a bit, distracted as Rune easily slips one of the flowers into her headcrest. Her head feathers pop up as she hears Rune. "Done and done--? Oh! Ahaha!" she giggles warmly, trying to look up at where the flower ended up, but just trusts its a good place.

"Well, I'll be here, watchin' water boil then," she smiles, pulling out a new batch of ruined ribbons. "Thanks! If it's totally screwed up, I can't fix it. But holes and stuff? Easy peasy. Here- I can fix ya clothes while we wait. I can fix little things, and you can be a menace that backflips outta fireballs."

She nods at Thoth. "Yeah, sand is no fun, rough on the feathers. Dust tho'- great fo' me. Love it," she hums, sorting ribbons out again. Her eyes soften. "Hey, Thoth. Beak up. I kno' it'll be hard, but I think it's th' right path forward fo' ya, whatever tha' path may be." The bit of potentially being scammed she doesn't comment on. Don't want to beat the metal bird while they're down. "Cargo hold? Really? Jeez. Rude they didn't give ya better accommodation."

"I'm surprised you don't still have sand coming out of your joints even this long afterwards. That's been my experience. I'm stil having it come out of my boots months later." Rune explains, leaning back a little bit to prop herself up with one arm. "You should be able to earn some actual gold so you don't have to travel by cargo hold in the future. Maybe try talking to the Adventurer's Guild. There are usually plenty of jobs to take."

The fact that she won't have to face the boring task of watching water boil entirely alone is met with a warm smile. "I appreciate it. Thankfully, I usually only have to do this a couple of times a year. Though I have to redye my hair more often than that."

At the prospect of having some of her damaged clothing fixed, Rune starts rooting around in her bags, "Really? If that's the case, I've got plenty to keep you occupied."

"Beak... up?" It asks, turning its head to the sky, looking up there. It takes it a good few seconds before it lowers its head and realizes; "Ah, this must be a local Egalrin turn of phrase." It decides, at least able to figure this much out! "The cargohold is fine for this one. It is better than a closet." No context given.

"And this one is earning some gold indeed. But it has not made that much yet." It remarks, as it opens its chestplate and pulls out a baggy of gold from the cavity. There's also an owl inside of its chest, looking at the people with a confused and bleary-eyed stare. It is still too early for this nightowl to be awake. So it squawks, and Thoth closes its chest on it.

It then opens the baggy, containing easily around two-thousand gold. "This one was able to sell some trinkets and get some gold performing 'Adventuring'." It points out. "It isn't much."

Slixvah nods in major agreement with Rune's advice about money and sand. But she squints in a happy smile at Rune. "Of course, hon! Any time spent wit' ya is a fun time! Yeah yeah, gimmie what ya got, I'll get it fixed right up fo' ya!" she coos, holding a hand out as her ribbons are set aside.

She looks to Thoth. Giggles. "Ye, Egalrin phrase- no, we don't put lil' birdie in a closet," she says, shaking her head. A sky blue eye can't help but peer into the open bag. And.. a bird? Huh? Slix can't help but laugh at the sight. "Oh, I know someone who's just as sleepy as that bab-- pfttfhfh-- Thoth!" she sputters. "That is a /lot/ of coin. If someone shanked your servos and took that, they'd be set for years! Remember what I said? One meal is maybe three coppers? Do th' math there."

A sigh escapes her, and she settles down. "Anywho. You gonna watch water boil or hit that library up? I got a lotta ribbons and clothes ta get through, so it's gonna be booooring." A glance to Rune. "Well, save for one thing." She winks.

"This is a lot?" Thoth asks, staring at the bag. "This one could not get even a single Wish spell cast for this, nor would its master enjoy a simple meal - like a Heroes Feast." It remarks, then looks back up. "This one will have to re-evaluate its understanding of coin." It remarks.

Slixvah stares at Thoth. "... ok. Sit. We have a lot to talk about."