Experiencing Creative Difficulties
Log Info
- Title: Experiencing Creative Difficulties
- Emitter: Cryosanthia
- Characters: Cryosanthia, Vaera, Sabina, Barclaiigh, Merek, Mikilos, Cesran, Toha
- Place: A03: The TarRaCe
- Time: Saturday, August 14, 2021, 10:09 PM
- Summary: Cryosanthia is doing the books for the TarRaCe, and some creative writing on the side, although it seems she is stalled in that area. Lily, is bored, and all over the establishment, having been in the pool and the kitchen several times. A new Sith'Makar arrives, a strong and stern looking redscale with a wooden leg. Sabina arrives, having had a break of sorts and strikes up conversation. Everyone congregates around Cryo's table, she explains the vegetable discrepancy, one of the Chefs has been 'experimenting'. Barclaiigh arrives, desiring a bath, but is diverted. Cryo insists he tell the group about Tanith. Meanwhile, the redscale inquires if the all-golem band, <Band Name Here> will be performing. Cryo explains, it's not completely all-golem, and they are experiencing creative difficulties. Namely, 733 Vocalizer Unit, insists on songs that turn everyone off their meals. Also, she's the Sith'Machine, or Sith'Mekar, and does it with an illusion which she demonstrates. Vaera is disappointed, having wanted to copy the artifice leg. Toha arrives, and Cryo introduces her as one of the golems she knows who helped her with the illusion design. Toha explains she hasn't had much luck interfacing artifice with organics. However, the examples of Zeke, Gadget and Merek demonstrate it's possible to get something functional. Merek is there and talks about artifice and his time in the Iron Hells, but Vaera has someone helping her with the design. Barclaiigh and Lily dance around on stage, inspiring Lily to perhaps build a mecha one day. Mikilos, who is also present, show's his great skill at controlling Kobolds by ordering steamed shrimp for Lily. He also joins the esoteric discussions too.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-<* A03: The TarRaCe *>--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-
Inside, this two-story structure has been almost completely opened up. Generous windows on both stories allow daytime sunlight and cooling night breezes to flow in as needed, while the brick walls have been whitewashed - contrasting with the dark-stained beams and supports, and the rich polish on the wooden floor. A broad strip of stone runs from the entrance to a framed doorway set into the opposite wall, with a sign above the lintel declaring that the baths are to be found that way.
The ground floor is sprinkled with tables and chairs of assorted sizes, offering welcome to guests both large and small. One whole corner of the building - into which guests are not permitted entry - has been given over to the kitchen, which serves as the domain of the famed monster chef Ligum Serforus. Mundane meals are available, but the chef delights in offering up obscure dishes made from the freshest of monster ingredients.
Opposite the kitchen a small bar runs in front of an array of shelves, displaying a broad selection of beverages (most of them alcoholic). The bar-top has been fashioned from what looks to have been old pieces of armor, fused and welded together before being polished to provide a near-smooth finish. Set above it, three human-sized statues have been built into an alcove in the wall: Tarien, Rada and Ceinara jointly keep benevolent watch over the room and its occupants.
To the right of the entrance, a small stage offers a platform for a handful of performers at a time. To the left of the door, a spiral staircase of wrought iron winds its way up to a balcony dining area, that is chiefly reserved for special events and parties.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Appearing, in Order -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Cryosanthia 6'9" 291 Lb Sith-Makar Female A dashingly tall, elegant white-scaled lizard woman. Vaera 7'0" 262 Lb Sith-Makar Female A tall, dark red Makari with a wooden leg. Sabina 5'4" 130 Lb Human Female Tsuran woman of dark hair and green eyes. Barclaiigh 4'5" 202 Lb Mountain Dwarf Male A thick tree-trunk of a dwarf. Wavy auburn hair, traveling clothes Merek 5'10" 215 Lb Human Male A black-haired, dusky male with golden eyes. Mikilos 6'8" 180 Lb Dawn Elf Male Tall male dawn elf, rosey blonde and handsome. Cesran 6'1" 185 Lb Human Male A tall dark-skinned man Toha 6'2" 282 Lb War Golem Female A female contrivance of leather and steel, with oruch weaponry. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- NPCs of Note =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Little Fang 'Lily' Kobold Female A pinkscale youngling in a bathing suit, Cryo's daughter. Panflute War Golem Female A female-form golem with resonant tubing and instruments. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=
The TerRaCe has busy times and slack times. Like the tides, it ebbs and flows, a tribute to Rada. A breakfast rush, slack through brunch, a lunch hour, a mid-afternoon emptiness where people are taking to the baths more than eating, but some drinks are desired. First dinner, just when people are getting off work, and Late Dinner, for people who are coming to see a show and drink until closing.
Cryosanthia has been here since just after breakfast and has done nothing productive all day. Well, she has a table, it's set up, and there is a lot of paper. She's been writing, and/or working on the records for Sabina.
Little Fang is not amused. If there's anything worse than Ssassa talking all day, it's her not talking and not playing. Although the whitescale seems to have a supernatural sense regarding the carnation-scale's location and is paying enough attention to interrupt anything fun she might start.
So, Lily has been swimming three times all ready, debuted her solo act on the stage to a largely empty TarRaCe, helped out in the kitchen where she is -definitely not- a mobile garbage disposal. She's even allowed to assist the line chefs, she's 'right-sized' at least, and doesn't drop hair in the food. Nor sweat into it.
Scales... a scale might be another issue.
A dark red sith-makar had been listening to rumors of people passing, and despite the emptiness, she had heard the name of a tavern in the colosseum district more than a few times. Even of an all war-golem band, which piqued her interest upon hearing of one of the members taking the shape of a mechanized Makari. So, it was enough to get her to stop by the building in hopes of catching them, and perhaps trying the heated baths.
Unfortunately it seemed they were not present as the red makari looked around at the door. Disappointing, but she might as well make something of the trip, so she took a walk through, nodding to Cryosanthia as she worked at the table.
Bina, thankfully, just doesn't appear behind Cryo. That would be more of Aya's thing to do. Instead she 'just appears' at the doorway to the Tarrace and breath in a breath that blows out in a content sigh.
Just like the tides Bina can't be here all the time. She'd go mad. Madder.
She takes in the sight of things and how things are running and nods slowly to herself. She works her way towards the table holding Cryo and the unammused Lily. And if there are no sudden dodges she plucks up the rosey kobold and gives her a hug. "Peace apon your nests!" She says with glee.
"Peeaaassce Beansss!" The little Kobold says, hugging Sabina tightly, then sniffing her clothes. This is followed by rifling through her clothes, in case any sweets were left in pockets for her to find.
Cryosanthia's head raises, her nostrils flare as she scents a strange Sith'Makar. She focuses in Veara's direction, nods, and greets the sudden arrival, "Sabina! Peass.. ahem Peace on your Nest. You look as tired as I feel. Are you well?"
Bina does still look tired but her smile is wide as she sits down with Lily in lap.. as well as Lily in her pockets of which there are mroe then there appear to be. She comes away with lint, a bit of string and several copper pieces. Sadly no treats.
Bina chuckles as the Lily's finds and tsks. "Usually one asks first, Lily. Unless you're trying to steal things and then you're not suposed to let the person know you're going through their pockets." Ah.. lovely advice for a young kobold.
She then nods to Cryo. "I am well enough. There never seems to be enough time in the day to do all the things that need doing and that I wish to do."
There was little to discern from the scent, save for the presence of one unknown to Cryosanthia as the Makari took a few more steps away, every other punctuated by a dull thunk against the floor. "From how many words I heard about this place, I was expecting it to be much more busy." She says idly to no one in particular. Though a comment of Sabina being tired makes them turn their attention to them, and she raises a brow just slightly.
Barclaiigh is probably here for the baths! The dwarf's hair is matted with dried mud, a few small twigs, and a stray leaf sticking out from behind an ear. His long tunic has a few patches stained brown and damp and his sandals and calves are a few shades darker than normal. Still, he seems in high spirits and his puckered lips whistle an off-key, tuneless series of notes as he detours towards the bar. He unhooks a battered traveling mug from his belt as he goes. So a drink or two first, then! Slap, slap, slap go his sandals as he passes behind Vaera.
"Yes, Lily, please remember, they are family but their things are still theirs." Cryo admonishes gently, smiling at Sabina, "The people can be communal with their property, and this one only imagines things are worse amongst hers, where everything is closer with so much less."
"Wasssn't sstealing." Lily can't exactly pout, but if lizards could, she would be doing so. Instead she sits with crossed arms and a wiggly tail on Sabina's lap. She was... doing something else entirely that wasn't stealing but involved going through her Tia's pockets.
Cryo waves at the dwarf as he passes, then says, "Oh, Sabina, oh right, you were there! Tanith is back. That's her anointed perch over there!" She points at Barclaiigh.
The redscale gets more of the whitescale's attention. Does Cryo sit a little taller, did her partial wings strain in their bindings. "The attendance varies. You have an excellent command of the trade language, are you a Speaker-Caste?"
Bina chuckles at Lily. "I'm sorry, Lily-fang. I did not mean to imply that you were." She points at the string and the coins. "Have you ever spun a coin like a top before? It's not as easy as it sounds if you use the string. But it can be done." There. Perhaps something to assist a bored kobold.
"Tanith's anointed perch? My my! Blessed by a dragon into being a perch. That's.. likely a very large step up in the dragon world view. Congratulations!" She also nods a greeting to Vaera. "Welcome to the Tarrace."
"Thank you for the welcome. I was hoping to see if the war golem band was here today, but I could not figure out what their name was to find the times." Vaera nods to Sabina, and to the kobold in her arms. There was a moment where there were more thunks against the floor, and she pulled out one of the stools, sitting down near the dwarf. "As well as any who have been around non Makari for long enough, I would say. Not speaker caste though, no, but I am surprised I may manage to pass for one."
"H'lo!" Bar responds with an hurried wave. 'Tonk' goes the mug and he's grasping the far edge of the counter and hoisting himself up and half-over to look at the kegs, enquiring with the barman about the taps. He's asking about things like 'finish' and 'mouthfeel,' region of origin, and potency with his little hungry eyes darting between the 'keep and kegs. His lips form a little 'o' as he listens and eventually just invites the fellow to surprise him. They all sound so fantastic. He drops back down to the ground and self-consciously dusts the debris he's left behind to the floor.
"Misses!" The Khazad-aul lifts his arms and navigates through the crowd with a surprising amount of energy carrying his considerable mass. He seems to have another question but chokes it back and idles behind Vaera as they exchange introductions, chewing on his lower lip and shifting from foot to foot.
"Oh! That's, heh. they are 'Band Name Here'." Cryo says cheerfully, then looks down at her papers, "They might be on later tonight, they are having some creative differences. Lee has been writing a few songs that have 'destabilized the biologicals', which It considers a worthwhile achievement, buuuut... it does turn the customers off their food. So. Um... there's that."
Lily shakes her head, looking at Sabina and the coin. She pickes up the coin, holds it on edge with one finger, flicks it hard with the other. It 'brrrrrs' in place. She looks at it, she looks up at Sabina, "Wherresss ssstring part go? Ssshow, Tiass Beanssss."
Cryo looks at the pair, a redscale and a dwarf. Her table is full of papers. "Here, this one will make space, you can join." She's careful to pack up without disturbing Lily's spinning copper.
Bina grins to Lily and reaches out to pluck up the coin. She then takes the string and begins the wind it about the coin so it catches itself and hold to the coin. Wrapping until the short-ish string only has a finger hold to grab onto. She then sets it on the table much as Lily did but instead of flicking it she starts to pull the string. The coin topples over before it can get started and Bina hands over the string and coin to Lily. "See?" She saks the little one.
Bina mms at the mention of Band Name Here. "Yes. I meant to talk to them about that. I understand someone was extremely disturbed and the band had to stop their song. That means unhappiness all about. They need to aim towards happier tunes while here in the Tarrace I think. But artist will be artists."
Vaera watches the dwarf hop off the seat and dust himself off. "Peace, Khazad." She greets. "Strange name, a bit confusing. If placed on a listing, it looks like a temporary name." They note. Of of the stool they slide with little distance to the floor to begin with, and a few more thunks puts them at the table where they sit down with a chair spun. The back pushes the coat enough to see the wooden right leg beneath it. Music should only cause those feelings in certain situations, and I can understand a tavern not being the place for it."
Barclaiigh holds up one finger when the barman hollers, hustling back across the floor to snatch up his mug, start back, and stop again when he realizes he's forgotten to pay. He flips a coin with a meaty thumb, samples the pour, toasts the 'keep, and then returns to take the offered chair. "Oh. Oh, my. Wonderful." Slrrrrrrp. He brings the head up from the mug on his mustache.
"So... Pick up the Bones... is probably out." Cryosanthia says, with a little bit of resignation. She sighs, cooling the air in front of her, "Well, that's the creative differences I mentioned."
Lily looks at the string and coin, at Sabina, at the string and coin. She picks it up and starts winding, "Whysss... the way that harder?" Winding complete, she pulls the string. Success!
Well, she pulls to hard and yanks the coin off the table, where it lands and goes spinning across the floor. Lily launches off Sabina's lap, which is mildly unpleasant as all the little Kobold's weight focuses in her feet to press the woman's leg.
Cryosanthia is stacking papers, she notices the wooden leg as the redscale sits, she doesn't remark on it though and keeps packing. "This one is Cryosanthia, Speaker-Caste." She indicates the carnation-scale, "This is Little Fang, my daughter."
"Peasssssce." Her daughter says, chasing a coin across the floor and not looking back.
Bina winces once as Lily rapidly moves in her lap and then again as she launches off and away. She closes her eyes adn takes a deep breath and sighs before opening them again. "That was a good pull, Lily." She says softly.
She notes the wooden leg and Bar's new mustache. The first getting a small head shake the other getting a smirk.
"It is due to a matter of control. If you do not pull the ends or wind them properly, then you will not cause it to spin, and lose all the momentum you try to make. Like starting a fire, it requires more technique to use a string to spin the wood you are lighting with, but if you know how, it's much faster than using your hands to spin the stick directly." She offers in explanation to the youngling. They look to them, and back to Cryosanthia, one brow raised slightly for a moment.
"Vaera." She says simply, leaving out any mention of caste. "Peace, Cryosanthia and Little Fang."
Cryo has her stack of papers and books, some of which Sabina might recognize. She says, "So, this one determined the discrepancy with the orders and inventory."
Her explanation is interrupted by Little Fang leaping up onto the table. At around two feet tall, even standing, she's shorter than most of the seated adults. She stands between Cryosanthia and Vaera and points at both the Sith'Makar woman. One is a whitescale, the other is a red, and Lily has presumably mixed paints, "like two nest-mothersss."
Cryo blinks herself out of the world of accounting. She reaches and pulls Lily towards her, "It doesn't work that way Lily, and Vaera is a stranger even if she has much better heritage."
"Doesss for Ellss and Kamisss." Little Fang protests, determined to argue the point.
"They are softskins, mated and did something magical," Cryo says, reaching and pulling Lily over to her side of the table. "Vaera is a stranger to you." Who smells strange, like nothing.
Who smells strange, like nothing.
Cryo exhales, "Thank you though, Vaera, this one does indeed and at last, have a hope for a Peacefule nest."
Barclaiigh folds his lips to suck the foam from his caterpillar of a mustache, smacking his lips and tilting the mug for a closer look at the brew inside. He glances between the three scaled tablemates, robbed of his train of thought for some time. When it comes back to him he snaps and points a dirty sausage finger at the human. "Auntie might come and have a word with you, miss, get you into some Stoutbrew. Expand your already-impressive roster."
He nods at Sabina and takes another long drink. "She was going to come tonight but got tied up with other business. Something about 'feeling her oats.' Which I think was a joke." He grins and shrugs, smiling a wide smile.
Bina presses her hands into her lap and tries to relax. She introduces herself to the red-scale first. "I'm Sabina. One of the owners of the Tarrace. Nice to meet you Vaera." And then turns her masked face to Bar. "Auntie? Really? Auntie who?"
The only hint of a reaction from the dark red Makari aside from watching Lily leap onto the table was an almost agitated flick of the tip of her tail at the sudden declaration.
"Cryosanthia is correct. I know nothing of your mother." She agrees, shaking her head. "A peaceful nest, that is good, it it the best any can hope for."
"Good to meet you, Sabina. And you as well, sir." She responds with a respectful bow of her head.
Cryosanthia has a full embrace on Little Fang, holding her in her lap. She turns towards Barclaiigh, "I'm curious about the Auntie as well, your relative brews?"
Lily paws at the table.
Cryo continues, "One of the chefs was adding to the orders for experiments just before the messenger ran them, and the extra payment was when they arrived, and sometimes out of pocket, sometimes not."
"So, that is why there was more on hand than the book logs, and why the extra wasn't making it to customers."
She nods to Vaera once more, "Yes, this one has waited a long time."
"My great-auntie, Deirdre Stoutbrew. My father's father's sister. She's a sort of clan liaison and why we're in Alexandria." Barclaiigh bounces a finger-tip as he traces his lineage back two generations and sidesteps a sibling. "Finding new trade partners and buying some brew supplies that don't grow well on our lands like oa-ooooooooooh!" His little eyes light up as it clicks and he laughs a little. "Oats. Feeling her oats! Oh, auntie!" He shakes his head and finishes his drink. One palm bounces on the table.
Once the Khazad has collected himself he smiles wide at Vaera and nods, "Barclaiigh Stoutbrew. Of the Redridge Stoutbrews. Brewery, fields, and waystop. Your leg is very interesting," he adds genuinely.
"It is passable at the very least. Interesting is a way it could be put, Barclaigh." She responds with a look down to the limb, which had been tapping a bit against the floor. "Your family makes alcohol? I have not met those who actually make it in any large supply."
"I am sure you have those you can speak to regarding it, most likely." She responds to the whitescale. "If I am understanding what you are saying correctly."
Bina listens intently to what Cryo is saying about the 'errors' and then grimaces. "I'll have to have a little talk to them in the morning. Asking me about it or even letting me know would have been one thing but enough experimenting that it affects the numbers is.. not good for business. Thank you Cryo."
She gets up with a wince, looking more tired now and takes her leave. "I'm sorry all. I must head off to sleep. Tis an early morning for me now. Please enjoy your stay."
Cryosanthia looks Vaera's leg, watching the tapping. She pushes the paperwork towards Sabina for her to take it with her. The table is much clearer now. "Sleep well 'Bina."
Turning to Barclaiigh, the whitescale says, "It must be pleasing to have your clutch-mothers and clutch-mates with you. The brew sounds delicious and this one will enjoy sampling it, should some come around while I'm here."
Lily is freed enough she can attempt her coin-spin experiment again, and is winding it up once more. Adults and adult conversation forgotten.
"So, we can order food and drink," Cryo suggests, "Should you wish to stay and eat and drink with me." She glances at Vaera once more, "You have very good scent control."
She looks at Barclaiigh,"This one's mate... this one thinks she may safely say the word cihuaa once more, also suffers lacking limbs. It is not always something he wishes to discuss. This one is not sure," a look at the redscale, "If Vaera wishes to or not. You do not have to answer Barclaiigh if you do not wish to do so."
Merek strides into the TarRaCe. He looks about the dining hall, seeking a place to settle his old bones. His attire is dark, as always, hood up, cloak and belt cape. He takes a breath, the time to relax.
"Our biggest contracts are with the Mithril Lode mines!" Bar is happy to talk about the family business with Vaera, shifting in his stool to turn more fully toward her. "It's a heavy thing that fills your belly. They say when it's cool it's thick enough to slice like loafbread. The flavors aren't a complex affair but the miners seem to like it."
He sucks at the last dregs of his mug and waves animatedly to attract the eye of whatever servingfolk move across the floor. "But that's not all we brew. Spirits as well as keg beers," he leans close, eyes shifting left and right as he lifts a cupped hand, "we even have cousins that are vintners." He makes a dramatic face and then winks at Vaera before leaning back and laughing.
The Khazad looks across the table at Cryosanthia and blushes a bit. "No offense, 'course!" He scratches awkwardly at his beard, a loose cloud of dust and dried mudclumps falling loose as he does.
"I am sure that I will most likely. Sleep well, Sabina, perhaps consider lengthening the sleep if you can spare." She says to the woman before she takes off. The comment gives her pause, and she nods. "And you as well. Though your words seem genuine, or at the very least quite convincing. You can ask whatever you want about it, aside from how I lost it."
She listens carefully, hard to gauge still, but she nods again. "It seems you have many of the common alcohols covered. I'm not sure why wine making is so bad, however."
"Perhaps I will have some food or drink, since I will need to wait for the band, anyways. I was hoping to investigate the drummer, so I might figure out how their legs work."
Lily points at Merek and looks up at Cryosanthia and gets her Ssassa's attention to go that way. Immediately, the whitescale stiffens. There's a flicker in how she smells, alert, aware. It vanishes. She carefully scans the room.
Almost as if she's looking for things that aren't there; almost as if she can see them without using her eyes. This is followed by a lingering gaze on the man. How he seems, his posture.
"All right, you can go say hello, but come back Lily," Cryo lets her down, and calls out, "Peace on your Nest Merek, Remember, Cesran wants us to go check the leylines, soon. This time it'll really happen."
Still on alert, her attention returns to the table, and Vaera, "Ahh.. ah. So you might get a replacement They don't work." She waves her hand, glancing around the Tarrace. There aren't a lot of people about, "Well, they do but they don't."
Raising both hands, Cryo touches around her eyes. In a shimmer, she's replaced by a golem in the shape of a Sith'Makar. One with a lot of mechanical seeming pieces, and even apparently empty gaps in the frame where it's possible to see through her. Camera-like lens eyes focus on Vaera and she extends a leg.
It certainly seems mechanical, with pistons, and completely artificial, "This one is the Sith'Machine. It's an illusion. Toha, This one's golem friends allowed me to examine her closely for my disguise. You would need to speak to a real one, like her, if you wish to see how a leg works, and hers is not in a Makari's configuration."
Lily meanwhile, has reached Merek and stands silently beside him, staring up.
Barclaiigh scoffs and leans back, "It was a joke... Porter doesn't think I'm funny, either." He sniffs and seems ready to sulk but the girl comes back with another beer; this one in a house glass. All wounds are healed. The Khazad-aul is filthy and currently shares a table with Cryosanthia and Vaera. When the white sith changes shape he's caught by surprise and chokes on his drink, sputtering and turning away to keep from coughing on his conversation-companions.
The red sith-makar lets out a puff of air at explanation, and another at the transformation. Still, she looks to the extended leg, hovering a hand close to it before she prods at one of the pistons.
"Perhaps it was wrong to hope there was such a thing as a makari war-golem. Most artifice is not designed for legs such as mine." They note. "I was hoping to find some ideas how I might at the very least, improve the one I am stuck with."
Merek looks up, nods to Cryosanthia and notices the conversation seems to do with... Machines, as well as legs. Well that's something to think about, he looks at Lily and smiles, "Good to see ya Lily. You doing alright? Are you fighting that gnome? Jinks?" A look back to the golem sith machine, where he notes, "We are talking about Artifice? I make artifice, I made my arm."
This Jinks sounds like a fantastic, upstanding fella worthy of admiration and praise.
Cesran lands just outside of the TaRaCe on his flying carpet and he gets off of it before having it roll itself up. He tucks it away under his backpack and heads in staff in hand. He takes a moment to look around and raises his hand in greetings to Merek and Cryosnathia and Lily before he heads over to the bar to order a drink. "One Green Hornet please."
Ral-Sara staff rolls her eyes, "That again you really gotta try something new." The crystal dragon head on the staff remarks. "Like some whiskey." Cesran snorts, "I don't like whiskey I like green hornets."
"Noooo. He turnsss mean." Lily hisses back at Merek, "Ssmellsss like the huntersss."
"Lily, no." The Sith'Machine interrupts, staring directly at Merek, her head shaking just a little. There's a click-click-click noise as her simulated crest lines down. She faces Vaera, and indicates Merek, "He makes artifice, and has replaced a limb, he may be able to assist you."
"Peace on your nest, Cesran, this one was just mentioning you."
For reasons best left to the imagination, serendipitously, perhaps for some, a tall, feminine figure sheathed in leather and steel steps into the Tarrace.
Her stride is heavy, more mass than any irksome force of her tread as she looks around with a very slight pivot of her head to either side.
The emergence of the Sith Machine is less a stunning manifestation than one she'd considered statistically unlikely on her arrival, but the emergent tone from within the stern faceplate is folksy and warm, accompanied by a wave of a hand, "Hey! How ya doin?" while the other is draped with a formless tan cloth.
Barclaiigh smears a hand down the front of his mustache and beard after the coughing fit has come under control, turning to look wide-eyed at all the fantastic arrivals. His lips purse, gape, close, and then make a "o" as each newcomer is more interesting than the last. He turns and drapes one arm over the back of his stool like a dwarf enjoying his first surprise street performance. 'Slrrrrrrrrp' goes his lips when he lifts the mug. This 'Jinks' character sounds pretty neat, too.
Cesran waits for his drink and he turns to get a better look at Cryosanthia, who for some reason looks like a sith-makar looking war golem. He figures she has reason for doing what she's doing as his eyes glow as the magical enchantments on them give him some insight into what's going on. It's not for him to delve into the reasons. "Peace on your nest Cryosanthia. Is there something that I can help with?" He asks as he waits for his drink to be made.
His staff of course has no problem asking the question that Cesran doesn't want to ask. "Peace on your nests Cryosanthia. Did something happen to you to turn you into a war golem?" The staff asks getting right to the point. "Maybe Cesran can turn you back."
A talking staff. Bar's eyes go even wider and he looks from Vaera to Cryosanthia to his beer. He sniffs at the head. "Fantastic," he breathes.
There was much to see in the room suddenly. Vaera pulls her chair back so she could face those others without leaving her back to them. "Peace, we were just discussing how artifice works for limbs. It's just idle musings for the most part. But makari limbs do not work how most do."
The arrival of Toha takes their attention, too. "I am doing fine. Peace." She says to the war-golem.
Merek nods at Cryosanthia, then looks at Lily and offer some advice, "Now, no need to be that mean. He might be mischievous and mean, but he means well. Anyhow, You gotta any cool new things?"
The man engages Vaera, "Aye, I make artifice. I can definitely assist if you need." A look then to Barclaiigh, "Good evening," he offers, then a wave to Toha when she's about.
Merek notices the wave from Cesran and waves as well that way.
"Peace," the Sith'Machine returns to Toha, a precise mechanical incline of her head, a flashing of inner lights, all a pale blue.
Then the Sith'Machine turns Sith'Mom and fixes Merek with a stare, "Do not undermine my parenting, please Merek. The gnome has changed, he looks at her like he wants to kill her and smells like the hunters that stole her parents. Something has happened, this one is not sure what, but she does not want Lily alone or playing with him any more."
"Little Fang, come here." She orders, in draconic. <draconic>
Relaxing somewhat, which is hard to spot with someone pretending to be a machine, Cryo turns mechanical eyes towards Cesran, "Greetings Ral-Sara. I joined a golem-only band. So, only-golems. Cesran, I let Merek know we're going to the LeyLines soon."
"Also, this one has news."
Lily hunches up and returns, as ordered.
Barclaiigh digs a hand into one of his pouches, sorting through a calloused palmful of contents before setting aside a small pile of blackberries and stowing the rest. He then scoops them up and bobs his head towards Lily, raising his eyebrows inquisitively at the Cryo-bot. He'll pop one in his mouth as he waits for an answer and then goes in for another drink from his beer. "Little pink dragon girl! You also made friends with Tanith Ari-ari Sicksel, yes? That was a fantastic day. Fish from the skies!"
"Peace is nice!" Toha returns cheerily, then gives a little bow of her head, "Hi! I'm Toha, it's nice ta meetcha!" Her face turns to level her eyeslit to the eyes of the Sith-Mechar, "I too late fer the show?" A pause. Headcant. "What's up?"
She looks over to wave at Merek as she catches him at the edge of her peripheral, and again for Cesran.
Cesran gets his drink and nods politely to the bartender as he pays for it and gives a tip as well. He takes a sip of his drink as he listens. Ral'sara hmms, "I see. Is the band any good." The staff asks. Cersan finishes his sip, "Thank you for gathering others. It will be dangerous as I don't know exactly what's wrong with the leylines only that something is wrong with them. I'm hopeful that we'll be able to fix it before the problem becomes worse."
Merek glares at Cryosanthia, "Then clarify that, please. Just looking at me when I mention someone doesn't tell me which way you want the conversation to be, I apologize."
The man then nods to Cesran, "Aye. I will be travelling with you all. I've looked into the journey, I don't know what to think, the things I've actually seen..." He pulls on a visor on which he keeps with him.
Merek returns to Cryosanthia, "I really enjoy that band."
"I will think about it, but the offer is appreciated. But there is one who is helping me to learn already. And I would do this for myself." She responds to Merek. The way the sith-machine is speaking drew another of the few hints off emotion from the red makari, another more agitated flick of their tail that lasted longer. "If there is a problem, it should be dealt with. Especially when young are involved." She says simply.
"Your staff talks. Good evening." She greets the man and staff. "And it is good to meet you as well, Cryosanthia was just talking about you Toha, about how she modeled her magic off of you. If possible, I would ask a bit more about how your limbs work, if you would be okay sharing such."
Food! Berries! Being called a dragon! Lily has decided Barclaiigh is an instant and worthy friend. Also, he is the perch of, and friend to dragons, making him doubly sanctified. "Yessss! Tanilsss. Sso musssh fisssh." Now she's attempting to climb Barc's lap, should there be any space on the dwarf's lap. He is a wide man.
The Sith'Machine shakes her head at Toha, "Perhaps later. This one has to check with Lee. The compositional unit is experiencing creative difficulties. Please stand by."
She focuses on Cesran, "This one thinks so, this one is the weakest link as I can't get the timing perfect. So a lot of practice is in order."
"So." She looks down at the table, then up, "Well I hope you saw a reason I should come because it seems you all should be able to handle it without me, but it's not far, perhaps we're early to a problem for once and it will be simple and a straightforward acting job."
"Braelnoir performed a play for that Death Orb out in the desolation."
"Anyhow, it's being dealt with by staying away from him. Thanks for the assistance, hopefully one of them can help you with the artifice, Vaera." The Sith'Machine nods at the redscale, looking like something artificial, smelling like she's not quite there. "Anyhow, there are many questions to be answered, this one will be quiet for now."
Cesran takes another sip of his drink as Ral'sara pipes up, "Of course I talk I am alive although Cesran didn't know what he was getting into when he made me." Cesran chuckles, "Indeed I didn't. I was just following the traditions that I was raised on, making a powerful staff as a mark of my own personal power and spell casting prowess. Using rare components, the rarer the better or at least a mark of more prestige."
Cesran nods, "Good, I am glad to have an experienced crew going with me. Got some good muscle and brains going with me so I think we'll be a success no matter what happens." He gives the top of Ral'sara a pat. "Good luck. I never had any interest in music. It's fun to listen to, but I wouldn't care to try to play it myself. I hope all your practice paysoff."
Merek takes out a cigarette pack, and knocks out one then places that in his mouth. He takes out a device, something artifice, clicks and uses it as a light. He takes a long drag, then lets the cigarette hang off his lip. "I think we will win. Whatever it takes."
The man stands up, "I would like to have a snowball fight. I think that would be pretty wonderful."
Toha shrugs a little in a smooth flow of engineered articulation, "Well... I suppose that'd be ok. I ain't gonna strip down here, but I suppose it can't hurt ta have someone else able ta help with repairs."
There's a list of her head and she twists some to look back to Cryo, "Death Orb? That's a terrible name fer a tribe." she notes.
Barclaiigh spent the afternoon fishing in a stream with his hands and then wrestling in that same stream with a bear. He's quite the mess. He's also used to nieces, nephews, and little cousins that like to sit on feet and cling to legs or demand piggy-back rides. This is all old hat. He scoots back and offers a forearm with which to hoist the kobold. He's insulated and padded but quite strong. "The blackberries are very, very tart; the best kind. I have magic currants, too, but they make you full for whole day-- and then you can't eat your fish!"
The Sith'Machine shakes its head, "It's a Shard of Animus located near the Red Ridge mines, it's being guarded. Getting too close, it compels the biological closer and the unit is slain." Cryo is slipping into her role.
"It desires all mages Renew the Pact before it will issue further instructions. As it is the only talking Shard of Animus, that is being undertaken."
Animus. The dead god. Things are starting to sound even more fantastic.
The Mecha'Makari observes Merek, noting his drinking, noting his smoking. There are things it should tell him. The utility of doing so is evaluated. Finally it says, "It will be winter soon, there will be snowballs then."
Lily hoists herself up on the arm, then climbs around to Barclaiigh's shoulders. She's a lot larger than the small golden-scale, but not that heavy. She leans her head over his shoulder so she's hovering around in front of his face, ready to snap up any more berries that appear. "Magiss Currantsss!"
"No magic currants." Cryo says, "the music is fun Cesran. This one writes what she knows."
She also adjusts, moving around the table so she can stretch a leg out for Vaera's examination. "I came up with something plausible, based on bones and a few things Toha showed me." The limb seems almost plausible.
"I did not do much, but if I was help in some way, then that's good." Vaera nods to the mechanical makari. "You created life out of magical components, curious. If you are confident you will succeed, then that is good too, but you should always back up your confidence with other plans, just in case."
Another moment with a not agitated, by slightly more pleased swish of her tail. "I am good enough with repairs, and it would be good to learn about them, if I'm going to be figuring out something for myself similar. Perhaps another time, then."
She looks to the limb again, trying to make sense of it. "Having it be waterproof is important, too. I can't swim with this thing, unless I leave myself defenseless by taking it off beforehand."
There is much that Merek will opine about in that mind of his, he thinks long and hard about it. He looks at Cryosanthia, drawing the cigarette in hand. "It will be winter, that will be nice."
The man walks along to make an order for a drink, "I never really got to play in a snowball fight come to think of that."
Toha a nod, then, an articulate, "Oh."
The golem looks to the red Sith and gives another little shrug, "I haven't figured out a way ta properly interface to meat based construction. That'll take more study, but the purely mechanical end, I got that licked. Water's never been an issue fer me."
Cesran nods, "Yes I've been to that site, it's interesting and we'll have to see what comes of it. I'm glad you are having fun Cryosanthia. Everyone needs some fun now and again." He shakes his head , "Oh I didn't create life, that's almost impossible for me to do, magically speaking of course. Ral'sara is more of a transfer of life. She is made the still living limb of a darkwood tree. I was gifted it by the druids that live just north of the city for helping them out through various adventures. I theorize..."
He's interrupted by Ral'sara, "That means he's just guessing."
Cesran clears his throat, "I theorize that the combination of the living dark wood and the rare crystal as well as my own bonded item gave rise to Ral'sara unique intelligence. I think of it as more of I gave her an outlet rather than I created her." He hmms, "You know who you should talk to if he's still around, Munch. That war-golem could eat just about anything."
Mikilos exits out of the Bath, having either been soaking or recently arrived. Between teleportation and magical drying it's hard to be sure with the wizard. Though if someone were to teleport into the bathhouse, would likely have been a commotion. Pausing by the door, the elf peers around a few moment before heading towards the gathered group of familiar faces. "Snowball fights? Lower Market tends to have a big gathering for the kids now and again, organized by Lady Sandiel... or more likely organized in her name but without her knowledge." He glances to Cesran. "Last i heard of him, Munch was prowling the roads of the mountains north of the city, trying to find bandits foolish enough to attack him."
The small pile of berries are scooped and offered from a flat palm up to Lily, Bar snagging a stray fungal cap and popping it into his mouth before the kobold can get her hands on it. He chases the morsel with another drink from his glass. "It's a shame this gnome you know is poor company. When I was learning from the Circle I knew a gnome named Chukwuemeka. She came from a place called the Vast and her beautiful skin was darker than these berries. She could speak with the Wind and was the bravest person I'd ever met-- other than auntie. Even Woyzeck liked her. Truffles, too. So don't give up on gnomes." He plucks a blackberry and munches, wincing and shivering at the tart stabbing in his tastebuds.
The Khazad looks away from entertaining his scaled parrot stand-in and tries to catch up on (and parse) the conversation at hand. He just blinks a few times, wedged firmly in between disbelief and marveling at the topics bandied about so casually.
Lily listens intently, as Barclaiigh seems to be talking to her. She picks the berries, one by one and eats them. Not much chewing, but she appears to squeeze the juice out of them. "Knowss Clangsswrenssh, Sparrrswidget, anss Boomerrs anss Bangerrss and Sisssyfissy." She rattles off a couple more gnomish or goblinoid names.
"We spend a lot of time in Goblintown." The Sith'Machine explains, "Peace on your nest. Mikilos."
"Ral-sara is fantastic Cesran, however she came about. Vaera, this one's mate has crystal limbs, and has seen mithril ones on a gnome, there are options that would survive water." It pulls its leg in, re-orienting on its chair.
"And that's the problem, the actual use of it. I need to be able to climb a tree with it again, swim, that sort of thing. It would open up a lot of options. But that's easier said than done." Vaera responds to Toha.
"So you created the containment I suppose I should call it. Still interesting."
"I am not the biggest fan of snow. Too easy to track, and be tracked. Benefits the inexperienced disproportionately to the experienced. And I've met good gnomes too. And bad ones. Same with others races.
"Unless they have become the go to replacement for missing limbs, this one has likely met the one you are talking about."
"If you spend time in goblin town, I have something you may find interesting, but another time. The origin is not the best, anyways."
Vaera looks around in her chair, finally receiving her food, a particularly lightly cooked steak. She cuts into it with a dagger from somewhere in her jacket, which was lined with numerous pockets and objects inside.
Merek looks at everyone, nodding as he does. "You all have a wonderful game of snowball for me if you go there this winter, alright?"
A strange thing to ask. He takes a drag from the cigarette, placing both hands to his pockets. "As for... Talk of Shards, well. A few of you know my experience with them." The conversation brings up a lot of memories for the man, memories that need a drink, while he takes. From the flask whiskey which specially is made for him.
There's a lot to erase.
Cesran nods to Mikilos, "Greetings Mikilos, it's good to see you again. It's been some time." He smiles as Ral-sara beams, "Of course I'm fantastic."
Cesran chuckles, "I never said you weren't. I built you to be fantastic. Oh I hadn't heard you had taken a mate Cryosanthia, congratulations. I hope you both have many happy years together." He shivers at the mention of winter. "I hopefully not too soon. As beautiful as winter is I'd prefer if it didn't happen at all. I hate having to use a spell every day to keep from being cold."
Mikilos nods in agreement. "Winter has it's high points, but a lot of downsides. Personally prefer the fall, crisp mornings, but still warm come afternoon."
"Put a few layers on!" Barclaiigh laughs, cupping a hand to his ample gut and giving it a jiggle. He also has that fantastic beard and a head of wavy hair to put a stray sheep to shame. Lily's made quick work of his palmed berries and so he goes back diving into his pouches. Other than a trio of fat, glistening currants he only has bits of mushrooms and some moss clumps. Passable foodstuffs but certainly not as tasty.
"What about you, little pink dragon? Have you seen the snow?" He's no idea if she's old enough. "Porter is no fun during the winters. Lazy bugger sleeps through the whole thing."
"It's... involved, Cesran." The Sith'Machine says, "This one had a mate for eight decades and then he left me. He has returned. This one would rather not speak of it now. I feel to discuss it threatens it still, but yes, that has happened."
Its head turns, it faces Merek, "Zeke is back."
She's staring at him with a puzzled expression when another war-golem enters. Feminine in form, with a lot of unusual tubing and orifices about 'her' body, the golem scans the room then approaches the table. Her voice is odd, part whistle, part chirp, it's as if the words are assembled from sounds of woodwind and brass instruments, than the usual methods. "Signal greetings to all assembled. Sith'Machine, unit is desired for harmonic integration test and sound check. Please disengage social functions and accompany."
"Acknowledged," the Sith'Machine answers, turning to look at Mikilos, "Watch Lily for me, please." She faces Barclaiigh, "thank you for keeping an eye on Lily, when she becomes too much trouble give her to Mikilos."
Lily, meanwhile, stares up at her Ssassa and grins, "Can takess apart?" She twists her head around to look at Barclaiigh in the eye. Really, really closely, "Uhhhhuhhh. Ssassa makes sssnow, and ssaw from the nesstss."
"Perhaps later."
The whitescale of course, loves winter, that needs not be stated. "Peace on your nests, I'm being summoned."
Merek looks at Cryosanthia, "I can gather that from the conversation. I'm glad you are finding peace in the world, keep working at it."
"And walk safe, Be well to you too Lily."
"Well, even if I can't learn from the show, I should stay and listen regardless." Vaera says, mostly to herself. "There is no peace, but peace on yours, Cryosanthia." She says, still with the bizarre lack of emotion. She manages to cut a large piece of the steak to chew on.
"If you are cold, put more furs on. Or one of those coats."
Very few caught on to Merek's defeated 'have a good snowball fight for me this winter' wish. He's a skilled Seer, it's impossible a Seer not knowing what's coming. When it comes to their own life. Which he often contemplates, along with space. Big. Empty. SPACE. Stars and black holes and theorizations on the energy of dark energy inherent to empty space. Nothingness. His life.
No can know that for sure when their strand might end, but one can definitely know when the shears of the fates are touched tightly to it.
Barclaiigh drains the glass and sets it down next to his traveling stein. He shuffles through his various pouches and pockets and digs out a few more copper after a concerted searching effort. He considers the lonely discs in his palm with pursed lips before putting the coins back into a pouch. He pulls out a stone instead and gives it a quick kiss before squeezing it over the glass to produce a steady stream of water.
"Can we dance to this music, little pink dragon?" He wonders, shaking the last few drops from the stone into the glass.
Cesran ahs a little bit as Cryosanthia's explanation. "I understand, relationships can be complicated, which is why I have avoided them. I have too much work to do, too much to learn about magic." Ral-sara sighs, "Yah I've been trying to marry him off for a while now."
Merek says, "cesran should marry his staff."
Mikilos squints at Little Fang. 'Take Care' of her, eh? Tricky. But he's up to the challenge... hopefully. Step one, flag down a passing waitress and order a platter of steamed shrimp. Step two, leave it in reach of grabby hands. There is no step three.
"Yessss." Lily says, watching the drawf squeeze water from a stone.
"Oh?" The Sith'Machine looks at Ral-Sara, then pats Mikilos on the shoulders, "This one has been trying to assist Mikilos on that very thing. We should compare notes."
It gives a small bow to those assembled, turning to follow the other golem, Panflute. Vaera is given a long stare, "Perhaps you and Merek have something in common. Beyond the limbs."
The lack of appropriate scents has been noticed, the odd version of farwell, she suspects damage, but she is also not too curious about such things.
The steamed shrimp plan will work marvelously!
Perhaps they do have something in common. Merek's from a Veyshanti family that settled in Rune. The Rune war had a tremendous impact on them. The Redscale Sith'Makar is oddly unexpressive, even for the lizard people, as if she was raised by golems. 'There is no peace, but peace on your nest', is a very Merek thing to say, and something Cryosanthia would say in her worst moments. They may both have PTSD. Or perhaps, all adventurers do.
"Hey, Pan!" Toha returns to the other golem with her usual wave. "Nice ta see ya! Knock em flat!" she cheers, reaching out to give the full- and part-time mecha-musiciennes a light clap to a shoulder.
She draws back slightly and her head angles about to overtly regard the others as the more... layered conversations ensue around her. Her personal contributions no longer needed, she steps over to a chair and starts to fiddle with the cloth draped over her arm.
Merek looks aside to Cryosanthia, and perhaps there is the sense of a smile, "You be well." Then to Vaera, "I suppose I will need to ask your name, if she's going to say that. I'm Merek. The Theurge."
"That's a neat trick, ain't it?" Bar asks Lily, opening his hand to show her the rock before he drops it back into the pouch. "Circle magic might not be the fancist but the Word provides what we need." He downs the glass of water in a go and stands, moving around the table. He holds his big hands up to Lily so she can brace as he angles towards the space in front of the stage.
"Do you want to stay up there while I dance a fool or come down and show me how they do it here in the great city of Alexandria, little pink dragon?" He can go either way.
"Relationships, complicated is a way to put them, I would say." Vaera nods. "Though if you could find someone who shares your passion for magic, perhaps it could work. It's a place to start at least."
She looks back to Merek, and offers a wave with her free hand. "Vaera. Good to meet you, Merek." She replies to the Theurge.
Cesran finishes his drink as Ral-sara nods in agreement, "We should, Cesran needs a strong woman who can put him in his place, I'm thinking a giantborn who was a fighter in the coliseum." The staff shakes her head, "Nah, then they'll just talk about magic all day long."
Cesran smiles as he goes to pick up Ral-sara, "Yes and that'd just be terrible." He says as he gets up, "Thank you all for the conversation, but I must head off to retire for the evening. Have a good night." He heads towards the entrance and takes out the carpet of flying. He unfurls it and steps on it before he flies off.
Mikilos sighs, but grins at Mecha'Cryo. "I am perfectly capable of handeling my own relationships." Despite all evidence to the contrary.
"Signal greetings unit Toha. Unseen duration has been excessive. Currently occupied, will seek encounter subsequently." Panflute waves to Toha, vanishing into the stage door.
The Sith'Machine glances back at Mikilos and teasingly bounces her tail from side to side, flashing all sorts of internal lights and piping at him. Scandalous! It is in effect, an odd light show.
Several sections of her are transparent, showing mechanical innards, with her tail lifted it's like looking under the hood. Flashing strobes run up her inner thighs, her belly has a transparent dome and a deep glow within. Bands on her undertail flicker towards her hips, and there is a flashing between her legs that corresponds... to nothing on a machine.
Mikilos has never claimed to not be oblivious...
And.. thus, Cryo knows, he needs help. She flashed him and he didn't even blnk. Clearly she's still in season.
She's through the door.
Lily, stands on Barclaiigh's hands and leaps up on the stage. It's not her first time on stage. She likes strutting about, and does so, doing a stomp-clap, stomp-clap as she walks along the edge. She points at Barc, "Danssss thisss way."
Stomp-Clap. Stomp-Clap.
Merek casually faces Vaera, "Well, what brings you to Alexandria. Work?" he walks her way with a whiskey in hand. A sip, a look at the near seat, "May I?" He chuckles at Mikilos and Cryosanthia, adding a wave to the mage, "Nice to see ya Mik."
The movement of the sith-machine makes Vaera blink and glance back to Mikilos. "Work, that sounds about right." Vaera nods. "Figured this is probably the best place for me to be for now with all things taken into consideration."
Mikilos watches Lily with mild amusment, and nods to Merek. "Nice to be seen. Keep telling myself to get out more often, and then keep not doing it. What are you up to?"
Barclaiigh is no kind of skilled dancer but approaches the situation as a stranger in a strange land with no family or friends to be embarassed around. He laughs and follows Lily's instruction with no shortage of amusement. Hopefully folk have the good sense to steer clear of the big fellow.
Lily watches from on stage. She seems delighted at the idea that a huge dwarf is copying her movements. Perhaps, this plants a seed where one day she will pilot a giant kaiju mecha that stomps all over. A glorious future, germinating now, as she makes a stomp-step, watches Barclaiigh, then claps. "Yessss! Thatsss how."
Merek seems amused about the dancing, then he takes a look along to Vaera, "I think that makes sense. Work is good to find, I... Well, if you need anything, you only need to ask." The man takes a drag from the cigarette, "Anyway."
"If I need anything that's fair, I'll keep it in mind." Vaera says, turning to watch the music and those dancing near the stage. They tear into the steak again. "I want to learn how to do this myself though, it's important. And any work will be mostly to just pay for what I need. You shouldn't tell yourself to go out. Don't think, act. If you tell yourself, you leave the option to not do so later."
Mikilos chuckles. "When I just act, find myself holed up in the library surrounded by obscure texts and it's a week later. Best put at least a little thought into it, until instincts get themselves sorted."
Toha spends a moment unhooking the pouches from her hip chains and carefully arranging them on a table while the others sing and talk, before following suit with the armaments dangling from her back. Each of these are gently lain upon the table in parallel. That done, the construct draws the cloth in part around her waist and ties it over the left hip, then draws the resultant extraneous flap upward, nudging the whiplike braids back out of the way so she can fasten the cloth around the back of her neck.
She settles into the seat carefully and flags down a waitress, asking for a selection of teas. A little bit of each, please.
While the somewhat puzzled waitress moves on the handle that, the construct turns her focus about the crowd.
Barclaiigh manages to play along until the dirt in his hair turns to mud with sweat and gets into his eyes. He blinks and winces and waves at Lily but finally relents and waves, moving towards the side of the room where he might give these baths a try.
Lily sees the steamed shrimp arrive from the stage. Her eyes are good. In a flash of rose-coloured scales she is in Mikilos' lap and reaching for them.
"Seems with her dance partner gone, she is back for your food. Something to keep in mind." Vaera notes once she sees the kobold return. "That is not exactly what I mean. But if there are things you need to tell yourself to do, it is best not to be put off."
"A lot of things are like that. I'd rather be back out in the forests, but I need to force myself to learn more."
"Tio Miksssoss doesss everything." Lily confirms, pulling and peeling a shrimp. Then another, they are disappearing fast, "Sssepsssss eatssss. Doessn't eatsss."
No complaints about the Dawn Elf from the Kobold department, that seems clear.
Mikilos nods in agrgeement, and gives the Little Fang a quick hug. Don't get between eating mouth and food. "Not everything everything, but I try to be well rounded. Find something I struggle with and find a solution or a way around it."
Merek stands and turns in a swirl of dark clothes, "I need to be about my way for a while, you all take care!"
Lily interrupts her eating long enough to play a little tune on her harmonica as Merek exits.
Vaera watches the war golem work at the table, and the other two. "Seems like there's a lot of work." She says to Toha. And then she looks to Lily, and she smiles. "Then it sounds like he is a good person for you to know, Little Fang. Listen to what he has to tell you while Cryosanthia is up performing." She says to the Kobold, with another brief tail swish. "Improving at everything is not always a good idea. For example, since I lost my leg, I can't fire a bow nearly as well anymore. So, I learned to use this firearm I acquired. I can still brace on the wooden leg, and don't need to worry about the muscle loss as much. But that's what you mean by ways around it, I would think."
"Take care yourself, Merek." She replies in farewell. And with that, Vaera settles into working on her steak. She could get much more food for free, but it was nice to listen to some music and learn interesting things for a change of pace.
Toha waves, "Cya Merek!" and then turns to regard Mikilos playing with the little one. She wonders about the process, the construction of small fleshlings by the unions of two larger. The mechanics of it, and the mental.
Her attention is diverted by the observation of redscale, "Mebbe. Kinda work ya looking for?" she wonders, her tone light despite the stern cast of her face.
Mikilos does not have children. He's checked. Has practiced the construction startup, however. And, well, he has had some practice taking care of kids. It's not too hard to relate when your inner child is awake and active. "Exlores Guild tends to have good work. Not the safest, but pay is about the best to be found, and the strive not to overwhelm workers."
A nod, and Toha adds, "It does get wierd sometimes, though." to Mikilos's statement as she looks his way. She reaches into one of the pouches and takes out a small collection of brass and crystal bits, and begins piecing them together.
Lily seems to have finished off the shrimp. She curls up on Mikilos' lap, not entirely unlike a cat, although a rather heavy, scaled one.
Mikilos watches with casual intrest, and nods. "Often weird, sometimes stinky, but seldom really deadly."
Then.
Mikilos corrects himself. "Death is often possible, but usually have the skills and knowledge to avoid it."
"I was destroyed once." Toha notes sourly, "I failed saving Verna, an then the demon just up and did me, too." More crystal bits are slipped into a brass framework, what's shaping up to be a roughly spherical shape.
Mikilos snorts in amusement, continueing to watch. "Demon killed me as well. Though that wasn't really through the Guild. Was a whole mess of a deal. Hear that demon is back, far as that goes. Not sure how I feel about that."
Toha's hand closes, and the cotrivance in progress implodes in her grip as her head whips toward him, "What?!?"
Mikilos frowns mildly as the... whatever it was going to be is destroyed. "Duke of the Iron Hells Eclavan (Eclavin? however his name goes) was apparently spotted near the city. I got the information third hand, so I don't know all the details, unfortunately."
Toha shrinks slightly into herself before her hand opens, apparantly realizing what she's done. Her wrist turns, twisted brass spindles and tinkling shards of crystal slide out of her palm to pepper the table. Her hand starts closing again, hesitating, then her head shakes a little bit. The undamaged pieces, where she laid them, are scooped up and returned to the pouches whence they came. She stands then, reaffixing the pouhes to the chains at her waist, "I'll hafta get ready, then." she says in a grim tone with an undertone of something else.
Mikilos nods. "Not clear how one goes about that, but good luck. I've been looking for solid anti-demon spells, nothing has really stood out." Murmuring quietly, the archmage passes ahand over the shattered materials, returning them to their previous shapes.
GAME: Mikilos casts Make Whole. Caster Level: 15 DC: 21
"I have, too." Toha replies ruefully, "Nothing I've been able ta tinker together hurt him, last time." The pouches in place, she reaches first for the sword she carried on their trip to Silvermoon, "I hit the bastard with everything I had... and nothing." she says, considering it, before her process continues and she reaches back to sling it from the chains of her back.
With his spell, her half-formed sphere is restored to previous order and she pauses, lowing her chin. A pause there and a soft, "Thank you.... I didn't.... I didn't mean to..."
Mikilos waves vaguely. "My fault. I shouldn't have been so casual with such information. All I was able to do was run. Three plane shifts, a half dozen conjured celestials, and more creative tricks that I can fully recall, and all it did was delay him." The elf frowns a moment, and shrugs. "But, did keep the sword out of his hands, so, partial success."
Toha reaches out for the orblet, her hand hovering, not quite closing over it before withdrawing completely, and the construct turns his way, "No... I'm glad" she sounds it, "I know, thank you."
She slowly turns back to pick up her rifle and, like the sword, reattach it to her back.
"I think I heard a little about that..." she turns back toward him and offers her hand, "Thanks fer that, Mikilos.... probably kept the world from a far worse way."
Mikilos accepts the hand in a firm handshake. "Very least I could do. I was the one who tracked down and obtained a True Death weapon in the first place. Little proud to be the first mortal to weild it, but I was blind how terrible it could have been in the wrong hands."
Toha nods, "At least ya realized it, eventually." she replies, meeting the shake in kind. Her head cants as she lets go, then, "I'm gonna find some pally, see what they do about demons. I'll letcha know what I find, ok?"
The golem at last takes up the orblet and carefully places it into a pouch before she turns, "Carry on with the strength of the Mountain."
She gets about a step from the table when she realizes she forgot something, and with a quick futzing with another pouch, she leaves a couple gold pieces at her place at the table before she turns to make her way out, "Take care."
OOC
Merek has arrived.
<OOC> Barclaiigh says, "Is this atom-Merek or still-mostly-one-piece-Merek?"
<OOC> Merek says, "Is there a difference."
<OOC> Barclaiigh says, "Alright, it's Jungian Merek."
<OOC> Merek says, "Schroedinger's Merek."
<OOC> Merek spittakes.
<OOC> Merek says, "LOL"
<OOC> Merek says, "I'"
<OOC> Merek says, "I'm sorry. But I laughed"
<OOC> Merek says, "'Perhaps you and Merek have something in common'."
<OOC> Vaera confuse
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Cryo said "I think you both have PTSD""
<OOC> Merek says, "She also said a very Merek thing."
<OOC> Merek says, "'There is no peace, but peace on your nest'."
<OOC> Vaera says, "Oh, lol"
<OOC> Merek says, "For an added bonus, when you have an emotional moment you can tear off your artificial arm to make a point."
<OOC> Merek says, "Leg, whichever."
<OOC> Merek says, "The leg thing might look less cooler if you uh, fall over doing it."
<OOC> Toha nods, "Like a MR Potato Head"
<OOC> Merek says, "Merek's thick stubble can be described as 'alcoholic detective'."
<OOC> Barclaiigh says, "Absolutely absurd and vulgar detective story called 'Crooked Little Vein' is such a blast. Highly recommend."
<OOC> Barclaiigh says, "Opens with an alcoholic detective lamenting a feud he has with a rat that lives in his office and defecates in his coffee mug."