Green Cheese and Quail

Log Info

• Title: Green Cheese and Quail
• Emitter: Gadget
• Characters: Ashes, Gadget, Murder
• Place: A02: Lower Trades District
• Time: Monday, September 28, 2020, 2:56 PM
• Summary: Gadget is looking for trash and re-selling it near goblintown. Murder is selling her peppers, and Mourner Ashlee is looking for a more interesting lunch. They gather and talk, with Ashlee buying some peppers and seeds, and Gadget gifting her with a pot for them. They discuss Murder's Da, Ash's familiar, Delilah's arrest and differences between karmic and financial debt. Ashlee has to leave for the Temple. Gadget laments her lack of a room-mate, some flirting occurs between her and Murder, and an offer is made.

-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=<* A02: Lower Trades District *>=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

The Lower Trades District is the home of the working man of Alexandria. The Lower Trades is divided, unofficially, into two parts: that controlled by the gobbers, and that controlled by the khazad. The two areas stand in contrast, one with a strong, almost formal architecture and a predilection for blacksmiths, the other a mixture of propped-up rubble and gunpowder. The latter's started to grow however, and take form with the aid of the more structured Arvek Nar. Still, the two stand as uneasy neighbors, though the oruch more easily work both sides, often in the spirit of a friendly, if competitive, warriors' competition that's unique to Alexandria, itself.

Here, the "khazad section" boasts a number of blacksmiths, glass smiths, artifice shops, and basic taverns, as well as any number of trades shops and eateries. The sweet tinge of oil, iron, and spiced BBQ is everywhere. Shrines to Reos, or marks of the same, are found over most doorways, in homage to the khazad Mountain Father and World Smith.

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-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  Appearing  =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Ashes        5'11"    177 Lb     Hobgoblin         Female    A somber arvec in grey clothes with a skull face
Gadget       3'6"     38 Lb      Gnome             Female    Beautiful and unnatural.
Murder       3'6"     40 Lb      Goblin            Female    A goblin woman in studded leather.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

Gadget is working through the stalls, taking whatever broken things people will part with. Sometimes, she takes something without asking, like the broken bottle stinking of cheap booze, probably moonshine. She is amassing quite a collection in her oversized baby-buggy modified to run low to the ground. Her monkey, Mr. Jinglewidget, dutifully pushes the buggy, following the half-mechanical gnome.

The Gobbo is occupying one of the smaller stalls, and has a small lineup of Goblins, Oruch and the odd Arvek. Her product? A variety of hot or spicy peppers, along with seeds and a few gardening tools. She seems caught up in conversation with a particularly large Ork, and is fondly clinging to a massive hand. "Anyway, Da, I am workin'. Are you in town for long? We should go drinking, later, ya?"

Ashes is wandering through, heading out of Goblintown and on towards the temple, she is browsing for some food that is more elaborate than the typical 'meat on a stick' she can get from the street vendors nearer to where she lives. She is one of the odd arveks in line for the Murder Peppers, perhaps the oddest. Noticing Gadget she raises her hand in a wave.

Gadget does wave back, but she does so while running toward the Arvek. She glomps Ashes and hugs her legs tightly for a moment before backing up a couple steps and craning her neck back. "Hi!" she says, simply as the rattling cart full of trash rolls up next to her. "You wanna buy something?"

The large Oruch laughs, and pats Murder on the head. "Ya, we be boozin' later. Thanks f'the peppers." Turning, the Oruch lurches off into the crowd. The Gobbo gets back to serving customers, soon getting to Ashes. Murder grins. "I gots spicy, hot and sweet. Which ya want? Or ya lookin' fer seeds?", she says to the skull-faced Arvek. Her eyes flick to take in the arrival of Gadget and her monkey. The Gobbo offers a wave, but awaits Ashes answer.

Ashlee is impacted with a soft hug. Her legs are solid and thin beneath her clothes. She looks down as Gadget backs up, then over at the buggy. She's about to answer when Murder calls at her, "Spicy." She thinks carefully for a moment, imagining her room full of pots and her hovering over them with a watering can, all grey and skully and tending to plants. "Seeds too. Some of each."

Gadget waves back to Murder. "Did I hear you calling that gentleman Da? Is that his name or a family thing? Either way, I wanna hear /that/ story." She takes one of Ashlee's hands and holds it, swinging it like a child would swing an adult's hand around.

Murder nods to Ashes, and begins putting together a few things. Three dull red, lumpy, Gobbo-fist-sized peppers are placed into a small burlap sack, and the drawstring pulled tight and knotted. From somewhere under the stall, three small paper packets are retrieved. Each one has a different Gobbo-talk symbol painted upon it in red.

"Yeah, that's my Da. He pulled my sister and I from the ashes of our tribe's home. Saved us from a wintery death."

Murder's Da is Baz the Ork.

Ashlee holds onto Gadget's hand, helping her swing. She's not the strongest of Arveks, so she's dragged a little this way and that. She gives over some coins to Murder, then takes the sack. The seed packets are tucked away into her satchel, which she speaks into, "These aren't for you."

She gazes back at Murder, nods once, "Congratulations on being saved." Ash never knows what to say in these circumstances.

"Yeah," Gadget says. "I'm /very/ glad you aren't this one's literal namesake," she continues, thumbing up at Ashes as she lets go of her hand. "You need jars? Like, clay ones? I have /tons/ of clay pots and jars and stuff. I have a few for wine and stuff. They still stink of it a little, but I can get rid of that pretty easily.

The Gobbo cants her head slightly and chuckles. "Some would disagree with you, there.", she says with a laugh. The coins that Ashes dropped for her are quickly swiped and disappear under her top. "Are y'talking to yer familiar?", Murder wonders of Ashes, looking to her curiously.

"I could use some pots, now." Ashlee says, giving Gadget a bit of a swing. Looking over at Murder, she nods. "Chippen, come out." A large house centipede coils out of the satchel, up the strap and then encircles her neck. It ends up with his head facing outwards, tiny eyes shining. "And my pet mouse."

"I didn't know his name was Chippen," Gadget says, looking up at the centipede. "He's ridiculously cute for a creepy crawly," she admits. She looks through the buggy's worth of pot shards and broken glass. "You need any specific size?" she asks the Arvek.

Murder shudders as the appearance of the centipede, and she takes a quick step back. "Ugh... you have a creepy crawly in your hair!" She points helpfully. "That's your... familiar?"

"His full name is Chippendale, because he has a lot of legs. Thanks. I like him too." Ash says, brushing lightly at her centipede-choker. She found him while she was hiding in the dark, coincidentally, something that he also likes to do. "About a quart, not very big."

"Around my neck." Ash corrects, because she's an Arvek and being in the right place is important, "He could be in my hair. He is my familiar. I have had him for ages."

Gadget pulls out a number of shards and speaks some words, gesturing with her hands before picking up the jar. "I don't have stoppers," she says. "They don't break as frequently." She offers it up to Ashes. "For you, no charge. You've done so much for me, especially when I couldn't dream of paying you back."

The Gobbo shudders once again, and shrugs her shoulders. "To each their own, I says. Still... ick.", she says to Ashes, before turning her attention to Gadget. "You might feel that you owe her, but it isn't about paying someone back. Unless you've succinctly asked her for a loan or something." Murder reaches under her countertop once more, and pulls out a few wax-paper wrapped packages. "Sandwiches?", she offers, holding two out for Gadget, and one for Ashes. "It's roasted quail with some green cheese. I caught and roasted the quail, and the lady said that the cheese was green because it had a bunch of herbs mixed in. Sounds kinda dubious, but I've eaten half the block in one sitting and it was good. Haven't died. Yet."

Ashlee takes the jar, her eyebrows raising, which makes the piercings she has through them move. It is as if the silver bugs on her face jitter slightly. She nods, saying in a quiet monotone, "Thanks." The jar is carefully tucked into her satchel. "I was glad to help."

She adds a moment later, "Did the other golem give you good advice after I left?"

Looking towards Murder, Ash takes a sandwhich, "Green cheese and quail? It sounds safe. Thank you."

Gadget huffs and takes the sandwiches offered her with suddenly spotless hands. "I really wish you wouldn't try to 'make me understand'. Karmic debt doesn't work like financial debt, okay? Besides, you, I'm doing this to pay for sandwiches. Ashes, I'm doing because she stopped by every day with food while I couldn't move or see and read to me, fed me, and kept me company. Ashes is pretty much the best Arvek Nar to ever Arvek Nar." She turns to Ash and says, "No, we went and looked at the airships, but I didn't stay long, even though I wanted to. Those things are cool, but I got itchy spending time not trying to claw my way through garbage so I can barely make enough copper to take care of necessities." She shrugs. "You know, the usual."

"But yet, it does.", the Gobbo quips. "The only reason why I worked out a way for you to 'pay', is so that you did not feel indebted. While I am happy for a chance to find something interesting that you've brought, I would rather you be able to sell these things to people so that you can be independent."

Murder rubs at her cheek, feeling at the fading burn scars. She pulls out another sandwich, and delicately unwraps the paper. One half of the sandwich is quickly inhaled before she continues. "I know I said I would help, and then I was off stopping yet another plot, so I failed you. So I say now, if you have any financial debt, just ask. I can pay it."

Ash listens, happy to have done those things and feeling warm and appreciated. She's not good at expressing this, or anything, and ends up simply saying, "Thanks."

She nods, hearing about the airships, then takes another look at the collection in the buggy. She reaches out a hand, marked with stylized bones, and moves a few of the objects around so she can touch them and uncover others. "I've been on airships. The latest was the 'Sky Danger'. It was converted from a battle wagon. A lot of its original crew died the first time it went down." The mourner is full of fun facts like that.

"Someone I know needs help, if Karmic debt worries you Gadget."

Gadget looks at Murder. She huffs. "You know what I /really/ want?" she asks. "I want to go back to my hometown and put down the mage's guild who put me in that snake hole in the first place and took my eyes. You know--help Karma out." She punches one hand into her other with a metallic clank. She huffs out through half-pursed lips. "Except I know that wouldn't help. I just want things to be easy again. Sure, I'm in debt for the gearwork, but even if you pay that off, I'm sleeping in alleys and talking to rats." She looks at Ashes. "Who needs help? I'll help," she offers. "If I can help."

"I know exactly how you feel.", the Gobbo replies. "And maybe some day you will do that. But you don't want it to be easy. 'Cos that will eat at you far worse than any karmic debt you feel." She looks to Ashes, "What's the story there, who needs what help?"

Ashlee talks to mice, a mouse. She's struck by a sudden worry, is that worse or better than talking to rats? She'll have to ask her mouse. Later. She describes the predicament, in flat monotones, "An adventurer I know, Delilah, has been accused of murdering a noble. From her sister's reaction, the Alexandrian Guard might have framed her. There will be an independant investigation."

"Oh, that sounds dangerous for me to get into," Gadget says. "I'm a gnome. We're /all/ about Illusions," she insists. "I'm pretty sure I'm 30% illusion magic by volume, maybe more without those pesky limbs lowering the percentages with their muscle and bone density."

"Oh, yeah, uhm..", the Gobbo mutters and looks to Gadget. "See what I said about not getting involved with nobles? Yikes." Murder looks back to Ashes, "Why would they frame her? I mean, it's not like the guards are above suspicion, but generally they do the right thing."

"He knew them. He was..." Ash pauses, sorting through the words she has for emotions she doesn't exhibit, "... gleeful while serving the warrant. Taunting, attempting to provoke the use of deadly force."

The ashen Arvec pauses, then adds, "Unprofessional. It looked personal. I hope I will learn something when I examine the body."

"Sounds like Karma came for him," she says. "I'm not sure helping him get out is wise."

"So some snooty noble is dead, and your friend got served with an arrest warrant?" Murder rubs at one of her cheeks. "Well, I dunno if they will let just anyone look at the body. What would you hope to gain from examining it?"

"I want to help Delilah, and Donna," Ashlee explains to Gadget, then turns to look at Murder. "Bodies come to the Temple to be prepared for the Grey Lady. I'm involved in that." She pauses, "They speak to me."

"You do it well," Gadget says. "At least from what I've seen."

"Ah, well, then if we're lucky, they saw who the murderer was. Seems to be an open and shut case as to whether your friend was the murderer." The Gobbo grins. "But if not, I could offer my assistance, if she is looking for more help. Has she made bail?"

"I don't think they will let her bail out. Donna offered, and the Knight seemed determined she be imprisonned." Ash says, "I was going to go by after my work at the Temple. She was taken yesterday."

"Thanks," Ashlee looks at Gadget, "It's investigating a crime scene. It should be safe. Donna would be rewarding if we find proof of Delilah's innocence, and the truth is important."

"If you can somehow get the image in my head of what the real killer looked like," Gadget says, "I can create an illusion for others to see. I don't mind going in a zone of truth for that, too, so everyone knows I'm not blowing smoke."

The Gobbo frowns slightly, and shakes her head in Gadget's direction. "Those zones of truth are... not what they should be, honestly. But I would offer up a character reference if asked. For you." She looks to Ashes again. "The knight shouldn't have any say in whether or not she remains in jail. At least, he isn't the only one who gets a say."

Ash nods to both, answer Gadget first, "Ok," and Murder second, "Ok." Perhaps she should say more. She considers this, "I'll check, and tell you what I find out."

Then she offers a random opinion, "I'd like to see the system work better here than in Blar." The system is very efficient in Blar, very fast, and very final.

"I don't know what the penalties are, here," Gadget admits. "If it's lifetime imprisonment, we have all the time in the world to appeal, but maybe you'd better work fast, in case it doesn't, yeah?"

"It generally does work a bit better. But like any system, anywhere, it is far from perfect.", the Gobbo says. "And I doubt they would keep anyone for life. That gets expensive, eventually."

"It's cheaper to execute. Or Exile." Ash explains, although she's also ignorant of the workings. Her knowledge is based more on her previous life. "I plan to work fast."

She looks between Gadget and Murder, "I should get to the Temple." She adjusts the strap of her satchel, Chippen rotates once around her throat then settles down again. She wonders, should she tell them she'll be back with more information, would that be redundant? Awkwardly, she glances at the pair and sneaks a dark grey pamphlet out of her satchel and looks it over. It's confirmed. "I'll tell you if I get more information."

The Gobbo eyes the grey pamphlet curiously, attempting to get a look at it, somehow not falling off of her stall as she stands on tiptoe. "Oh, alright. Keep us posted, then.", she says cheerfully, offering the Arvek a wave. "Take care!"

The pamphlet is grey and basalt with black ink lettering, and very popular among the Vardamite Mourners. The Holy Symbol of scales down in the corner indicates the source as the Temple. The title, glimpsed by Murder's careful eyes, is 'How to act like a Normal Person'. Inside is helpful advice: You are not a corpse. Maintain Eye Contact. That's Ash's favourite, staring comes easily to her. Say Hello. Explain what you are doing. There are many other helpful hints and she references it often. It lacks some obvious things, like 'say goodbye when you leave'. Perhaps that will be in the next iteration. Ash feels she has fulfilled the requirement, talk with a living person once a day, adequately. Check. She can leave.

Raising her hand, she makes a small wave then drifts off towards the Temple of Vardama.

Gadget waves farewell to Ashes. "Bye, Ashlee. Good luck with your murder mystery!" she calls to her. She then looks to Murder. "Oh, I mean...not Murder mystery...murder mystery."

Murder snorts and shakes her head, offering the Gnome a toothy grin. "Har har, keep it up Chuckles and I'll bite yer behind!" Shaking her head, she offers Ashes a wave as the Arvek flees... heads for her God's Temple.

"I thought you didn't want to do the flirting thing," Gadget quips back.

"Riiiight, I'll check that off of my list of 'things that don't count as flirting'.", Murder replies. "I forgot that some cultures see the drawing of blood as sexual. I just didn't think it was a Gnome thing. My mistake." She chuckles and rubs at her cheek.

"Butt stuff is almost always in that boat among adults, I find," Gadget says, looking distasteful about the whole thing. "Though, I can see why you wouldn't want to bite most of me," she says, looking at her shiny hands. She looks up at Murder. "So! What kind of junk do you want? I have sandwiches, now."

GAME: Gadget rolls Charisma: (13)+4: 17
GAME: Murder rolls charisma: (19)+3: 22
GAME: Gadget rolls Bluff: (7)+10: 17
GAME: Ashes rolls charisma: (5)+0: 5

The Gobbo snorts and shakes her head. "Actually, if I did bite that, I could probably tell you what metals are in it.", she says with a grin. Her eyebrows raise up a bit. "Well, lemme see?" Murder comes 'round, out of her stall, and begins to peer at the assorted things that Gadget has collected.

It's all legitimate trash. Broken things nobody wants. Gadget slaps her behind a couple times. "None that I know of," she says, as if she had to check. "Still, I've got metal all the way up my back, so maybe it's not the easiest assessment to make."

The Gobbo smacks her forehead with a palm. "I meant your arms and legs, goofball. They are obviously metal. Note that I did not even see your behind to know whether or not it was there, or how voluminous it was." She snorts. "So you were giving Ashes some pots and stuff. Little ones, yeah? Do you have more? I could use them to put the seedstock packages in, then people can choose a bunch themselves."

Gadget nods. She pulls out a shard with a certain curvature to it. "Keep in mind, it's mostly big people who drop these things, so even their smallest jars that break are big for us." She casts a spell on the small shard and it's about like a cauldron to her, but it's barely more than a tall bowl for a medium-sized creature. "How's this?" she asks. "Again, no stoppers."

Murder ohs, and happily takes it. "Yeah, I like this, thank you. Do you have a couple more? Stoppers I don't need, the seeds are all packaged in paper, so, just need something to group them in."

Gadget looks through the shards. "I have a bottle," she says. "Not a lot of jars in specific sizes, and smaller ones are less fragile on the whole, so that's the only one I have that actually broke."

"Oh. Well that's fine, I'll take this one for now." The Gobbo eyes Gadget curiously. "What would you charge for it?", she wonders softly.

"Honestly, given the going rate for casting spells, it's too expensive to fix them. I have never bought a pot in my life, so I don't know what they cost. Call it a sandwich for now?"

The Gobbo reaches under her top, and pulls free a silvery coin. A platinum piece. She offers it to the Gnome. "So now you're a little bit less behind, yes?"

Gadget smiles and hugs Murder. "Thank you," she says. She tucks the coin somewhere mysterious under the neckline of her dress, then says, "I'm sure it will help immensely."

Murder seems surprised by the hug, but after a moment, returns it. "I could give you more, if you wanted to accept that kind of help.", she says quietly. "I understand that you want to battle your way back, to try and get to some place like normal again. But it doesn't mean you have to scrabble and scrape, yeah?"

"I never said that," Gadget says. "I just get suspicious about people giving me stuff." She shrugs. "I mean, you got busy, so I kind of thought you were flaky, then you had this stand and then I really started to wonder. But hey, gold is gold. Unless it disappears later as an illusion or something, but gold is gold, other than that."

Murder huffs. "My coins are all real coins. You could bite that one and see how malleable it is. And I am sorry that I got busy. Sometimes stuff happens." She rubs at her cheek. "SO like, where are you staying right now?"

"Last night, it wasn't raining, so I slept in a hammock I made out of a sheet," Gadget explains.

"Would you like somewhere nicer to live?", the Gobbo wonders. The answer isn't always obvious. "Cause you could stay with me, if you wanted. We could share a room, yanno?"

"You'd have to deal with a cheeky monkey," Gadget warns her. Mr. Jinglewidget looks up confused from his half-eaten sandwich.

"Is that any different from dealing with a cheeky Gnome?', the Gobbo deadpans. One corner of her mouth curls upwards in a wry smile.

Gadget laughs. "Okay, you got me, there," she says. "What would this arrangement be, and where? I've been told to be careful in Goblintown."

Murder giggles and snorts, shaking her head. "No no, I don't live in Gobbotown. I have a room at the Fernwood. I also have a lair, but you wouldn't wanna go there. I've got a giant human bed, so it's plenty of room. The food is good, also, though I usually make my own. I also have a camp outside the city, but I usually go there for wintering. It's a little too humid in the spring and summer."

"Fair," Gadget says. She shrugs. "If nothing else, I know how to make a hammock out of a bedsheet, so that's a possibility." She looks at Mr. Jinglewidget. "What do you think?" she asks. He looks at her and swallows his bit of sandwich. He makes monkey noises at her. "Uh huh," she says. "Uh huh," she repeats. "Oh really," she says, raising an eyebrow. She turns to Murder and says, "Mr. Jinglewidget reserves the right to change clothes in the baby buggy, since he doesn't want us looking at him naked."

The Gobbo blinks a few times, and then laughs. "Sure, I suppose, I mean, I'm not in the habit of staring at monkey bits, you know? It's... adorable that he is self conscious like that. I mean, he can't really be naked if he still has fur, right?" She sighs and nods, "It's fine, we can set up a little changing area or something for you two."

<OOC> Murder gigglefits.
<OOC> Ashes STARES :)
<OOC> Murder says, "I can't wait to see the section regarding lovers. "Hello. I'm Ashes. I'm currently screwing your brains out..." xD xD"
<OOC> Ashes says, "HA!"
<OOC> Ashes coughs... "Ashes... used to date Merek...."
<OOC> Murder says, "..."
<OOC> Murder says, "... ..."
<OOC> Murder says, "I see why she joined Vardama's temple."
<OOC> Ashes imagines the 'Advice for Vardamites being Intimate'. Almost the same. 'You are not a corpse. Maintain Eye contact. say hello. Expain what you are doing.'
<OOC> Murder laughs!