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* Rhys walks in from the back room, a small chapbook in one hand. He goes to the front door and unlocks it. "Hall's open." * Nacheyla comes down the stairs. She's arguing with the little yellow star again. * Rhys returns behind the bar. <Nacheyla> Evening boss... can I get a beer and a sandwich? * Michelle enters through the side/front door. She's dressed in a white skirt and blouse, with a pink cardigan sweater and matching scarf. <Rhys> Of course, Nacheyla. Just a moment. ::he pours her a mug of beer, and goes into the kitchen. He returns a few moments later carrying a plate that has a sandwich on it. "Here you go." <Nacheyla> Thanks... ::sits at the bar and continues talking in a mildly exasperated voice to the star:: * Zoya enters, looks around, and takes a seat at the bar. "Good evening, Rhys. A cider, if you'd be so kind." * Michelle walks over to the bar and perches on a stool. "Hmm...better go with cocoa this evening." <Zoya> ::smiles and nods to Nach and Michelle:: <Rhys> Michelle, lovely evening tonight, and you're dressed to match it. ::begins getting Zoya and Michelle's drinks:: * Rhys serves Zoya her cider, and Michelle her cocoa. <Nacheyla> I swear, you are the most stubborn piece of magically animated goo I've ever had to deal with... ::takes a long swallow of beer:: I am not. * Michelle sips her cocoa. "Has anyone seen Moon Dancer recently?" * Zoya takes a deep drink from her mug and looks askance at Nach. "Having problems?" * Rhys looks at the mantle of the side door, and begins to pour a mug of Weiders. <Nacheyla> ::looks over at Zoya:: Nothing more than normal. I sometimes wonder about this ion... it's not anything like any of the others I have. <Zoya> I didn't think standard ioun stones were sentient. You sure you didn't pick yours up in the vicinity of the Tower? ::grins:: <Nacheyla> Well, this was a special one, made just for me... <Zoya> Really? Who made it? I've heard it's a fairly difficult process. <Nacheyla> My late master... several hundred years ago. * Rhys puts the mug of Weiders back under the tap, pushes the tap level the wrong way, and the Weiders scoots out of the mug back into the taps. "How odd. I could've *sworn* he was coming..." * Alranis slips through the door, glances around, and settles in at the bar. <Rhys> Ah. There you are. Will Weiders be all right? * Michelle sips her cocoa. * Alranis nods to Rhys. * Zoya nods at Alranis cordially. * Rhys pours Alranis a mug of the beer and sets it in front of him. <Nacheyla> Well, one of my late masters, anyway... ::she raises her beer mug somewhat sadly:: Greyson was my first master, who taught me to hunt the undead... Kalorn was my mage master and taught me the ways of sorcery. <Zoya> I suppose it's useless to ask you what he did differently for this stone? * Alranis lifts the mug towards Zoya, then takes a sip. <Nacheyla> I don't know... I wasn't there and he didn't live to tell me about it. When I went to see him one morning, he was dead, the stone clutched in his hand. <Zoya> ::looks surprised:: That's... Interesting. <Nacheyla> In any case, ::glances at the stone fondly:: except for some quirks, it works exactly as it should. * Michelle sips her cocoa. * Rhys peers at the ioun stone. "Hmmm... interesting." * Zoya takes another drink from her mug. <Nacheyla> ::the ioun stone bounces gleefully around Rhys head for a moment, dodging behind him every time he turns to look at it:: * Rhys doesn't turn to follow the stone. <Nacheyla> ::the stone makes a "nyahnyah" noise behind his head and then darts back to Nacheyla:: * Rhys looks around at the quiet room, flips his chapbook open, and begins to peruse it. * Alranis takes a sip of his beer. * Glossaria pushes the door open with her toe and shoulders her way into the Hall, carrying a stack of books that easily top her own height by at least a foot. * Rhys closes his chapbook, marking his place with an old ribbon. "Glossaria, well met. Would you like some help with those?" <Glossaria> ::Glossaria's voice emerges from somewhere behind the stack:: No, thank you, M'lord Rhys, I have them....but if someone might steer me to the bar...? * Zoya looks up as Gloss enters, and laughs softly. "What now?" She glances at a few titles. * Michelle puts her cocoa down and steers Glossaria to the bar. * Glossaria drops the stack on the top of the bar (after checking, of course, that no food or liquid is present to mar her precious books), and sighs. "Ahhh...the roads between here and the Tower, I've discovered, are not quite as even as one might wish..." <Rhys> You couldn't have made multiple trips or asked some of the gnomes to assist you? You must be a little tired. Can I get you anything? * Michelle perches back on her stool and gives Glossaria an incredulous look, "And why did you decide to carry all these books so far by hand?" * Glossaria plucks a slim volume from the top of the stack, new-looking and freshly bound, with neat script proclaiming "Journeys in the Far East." The rest of the titles, on the other hand, are nowhere near as ordinary...titles like "Joy of Sex," "Hot Ghentish Moon," and "How to Love Him and Leave Him" catch the eye upon casual inspection. * Zoya raises an eyebrow at her librarian. "You're not on about *that* again, are you?" * Michelle shakes her head, "Maybe we should have let Eljorin ravish her after all." * Nacheyla eyes Glossie's reading material with a smirk. <Nacheyla> Preparing for Eljorin's return? <Glossaria> ::tapping the slim volume against her palm and scanning the room:: Multiple trips would have been inefficient...I must admit, I didn't think of the gnomes...tho' they've been somewhat...hard on my-- ::blushing:: on Mistress Zoya's books in the past. Is m'lady Lisl about this evening? This book is for her...I finished the copying she requested. <Michelle> If you want I'll take it to her. I still haven't found a new place to live since my last house got scattered to the four winds. <Glossaria> ::looking at Zoya earnestly:: You must admit, Mistress, it *is* a severe gap in my education...and so many people seem to know a great deal about the subject! I really *can't* afford to be so backward. Actually, it was research for m'lady Lisl that brought it to mind...that's how I found *this* one...::pulling a book neatly and easily from the middle of the stack...the book is bound in what looks like green silk, and the florid title reads "Songs for the Jade Flute." <Zoya> ::reaches into the stack and deftly removes a moderately thick volume without disturbing the rest of the stack. She opens it toward the middle and flips a few pages idly. At one point, she turns the book sideways... then the other way, her eyebrows knitting with confusion, then rising with surprise. She holds up the diagram for Gloss:: You want to fill the gap in your education with THIS? <Glossaria> Yes, that would be fine, m'lady Michelle...she said she wanted it as soon as I could finish. ::handing over the fresh-bound volume:: * Michelle sets the book on the bar next to her cup. * Alranis takes a sip of his beer. <Glossaria> ::unperturbed:: The pictures *do* look improbable, I admit, but according to my recent studies, they *are* anatomically accurate, and possible. * Nacheyla looks over at the sketch... <Nacheyla> Interesting... <Zoya> But what's the use? I mean... All you really need to know are the basics. The rest of this... ::shrugs:: It's all in personal taste. <Glossaria> And if you think *that* one's interesting, just read *this* one! ::handing over the "Jade Flute" volume...which has nothing to do with music, of course:: * Michelle gets a stern look on her face for a few moments, then sips her cocoa. <Glossaria> Oh! Oh dear...I *do* have a few more to fetch. ::inspecting her stack:: I'll be back in just a moment...my apologies! * Michelle shakes her head, "I hope Temire never gets this enthusiastic about the subject." * Zoya flips through "The Jade Flute" a few pages at a time, trying to maintain a look of intellectual curiosity, but one particularly lurid drawing catches her eye and she gapes. "I wouldn't have thought that was possible." She shows the book to Nacheyla. "How long do you think you'd have to be in physical training before attempting that?" ::considers...:: "Or in therapy afterwards?" <Zoya> ::shakes her head:: I didn't think Glossaria would ever focus in on a single subject, but sexual acrobatics? Hmph. Maybe I should have let Eljorin have her for a night or two, after all. * Nacheyla grins, stands up, looks behind her, then bends backwards until her hands are on the floor about two inches from her ankles. With a quick flip, she does a hand stand, then returns to a standing position. <Zoya> ::laughs:: Show-off. And how much time to you devote to staying that limber, eh? Much less doing... ::waves at the book:: that sort of thing. <Michelle> ::The stern look crosses Michelle's face again.:: <Zoya> ::glances at Michelle:: What's wrong? <Nacheyla> A few hours a week... you never know what sort of weird acrobatics you're going to need fighting creatures whose corporealness is questionable * Michelle taps her head, "Someone's been listening in and offering all kinds of helpful suggestions.: <Zoya> ::laughs heartily:: <Nacheyla> Of course, I've learned the hard way to make sure I have enough floor space... you can't imagine the sort of damage you can do to your muscles by landing on something unexpectedly <Zoya> ::grins at Nach:: I live in a building that re-arranges its own architecture every few weeks. Of course I can imagine it. <Michelle> At least it's not every few seconds like when you first found it. <Zoya> True. <Nacheyla> Oh... I sort of forgot about that... does the Tower do that? Make your memories all mushy? Or am I finally getting old? <Zoya> *My* memories are quite clear, but I do believe the Tower... encourages people to forget its most peculiar traits. Doesn't want to make them nervous, or something. <Nacheyla> Ah, well, that's a relief... I've been counting my grey hairs recently and not been terribly pleased with the numbers... <Zoya> It happens to the best of us. <Nacheyla> You'd think, as old as I am, I'd get used to it... but every birthday is the same... am I really three *hundred* and twenty nine? <Rhys> I think you're the best equipped one of all of us to answer that, Nacheyla, regardless of the condition you believe your memory to be in. <Nacheyla> It's not a matter of memory really... it's a matter of where does the time go? It seems only a few years ago that I was celebrating my hundredth birthday with my fourth husband <Rhys> If you settle down and think of it, I bet you can think of quite a bit that happened in the intervening time. And it's a credit to your mind that your memory of those earlier events is as sharp as it is. <Zoya> ::musingly:: I've thought a time or two about looking into longevity spells... <Nacheyla> Thanks... ::makes a face:: No, it was definitely Polaran that was there for the 100th, I'm very sure. <Nacheyla> ::talks to the star:: <Nacheyla> ::the star jumps up and down in apparent disagreement:: * Michelle sips her cocoa. <Nacheyla> Yes it was. <Nacheyla> ::the star bounces around emphatically:: <Nacheyla> Yes, it was. No, it wasn't Drent. I remember Drent. I wouldn't have married Drent if I wasn't so young at the time... * Zoya interestedly watches Nacheyla argue with her ioun stone. * Nacheyla glares at the ion stone, her hands on her hips. * Glossaria shoulders open the door again, this time carrying what looks like a short stack of medical texts. * Alranis takes a sip from his beer. <Rhys> Welcome back, Glossaria. I'm glad you didn't return carrying a stack equal in size to your original load. * Glossaria hurries over to the bar and plops her books down. "I'm sorry I took so long...I found a barrow for the return trip... it's outside." * Nacheyla makes a quick gesture and smacks the ioun stone into the mug of beer. It zips out, making spluttering noises <Glossaria> ::cocks her head at Nacheyla:: What did he...it...do? <Nacheyla> Oh, just being it's normal argumentative self <Glossaria> ::blinking a couple of times as she considers this:: Argumentativeness is often a sign of hormonal-driven rebellion in pubescents...perhaps it's nearing the age of mating? * Michelle puts her face in her hands and groans. <Zoya> ::sighs:: Or maybe it's just ornery. I think you've been focusing a little too much on hormones and mating, Glossaria. ::eyes her shrewdly:: <Nacheyla> Maybe Glossaria is nearing the age of mating? <Zoya> ::raises an eyebrow in Gloss's direction:: <Glossaria> ::looking back at Nach, considering the question seriously:: Well... I was perhaps a few weeks from my pupa stage when I.... changed. I'm not quite sure what my current life span will be, so I really have no basis for comparison. I seem to *resemble* a mature humanoid, at least. <Nacheyla> ::points her finger sternly at the little star:: I remember who my husbands were and in what order I married them. After all, I cared about them all. You didn't. <Nacheyla> ::the star stops bouncing around and hums something very quietly:: <Nacheyla> Oh. ::sits down suddenly, looking surprised, pleased and speechless all at the same time:: <Glossaria> ::looking extremely interested:: What did it say? <Nacheyla> It said it cared about *me* * Alranis takes a sip from his beer. <Glossaria> ::looking unsurprised:: Well, it's your familiar, of sorts, isn't it? Of course it would care about you. <Nacheyla> Well, it's always been more than just a thing, but I never really thought about it having feelings ::turns to it:: Not to talk about you as if you weren't here... * Michelle sips her cocoa. <Glossaria> ::Frowning a little:: So...it's having *romantic* feelings towards you? Cross-genera dating? Is that wise? * Michelle groans again and starts lightly pounding her head against the bar. <Nacheyla> No, no... ::looks at the star a little oddly and it makes a chirbling sound:: it just cares about me. Perhaps in the same way I care about my grandchildren's grandchildren <Glossaria> Ahhh, I see... care, as in welfare. ::glancing at Michelle:: If you have a headache, m'lady Michelle, you should really take an infusion of willow bark... pounding it like that will only make it worse. <Nacheyla> ::laughs:: You really have no idea how funny you are, do you? * Michelle stops pounding her head and just shakes it, "Glossaria, Glossaria, Glossaria..." <Glossaria> ::raising her eyebrows:: Funny? I wasn't intending to be humorous. Or did you mean funny as in strange? That, I'm well aware of. <Rhys> ::completely deadpan:: "I've heard of people suffering brain afflictions where they continuously repeated the last thing they were saying when the attack struck. I do hope this isn't similar." <Nacheyla> Funny as in hilarious... ::laughs again:: You're education is lacking in the damnedest places... * Michelle looks at Rhys out of the corner of her eye, "Are you trying to encourage her?" <Glossaria> ::Frowning in concern, peering at Michelle:: I've seen such things in my books... but she doesn't seem to have the concomitant lack of facial function... <Glossaria> ::looking a trifle embarrassed:: I'm *trying* to correct it, Mistress Nacheyla.... <Nacheyla> it's not a bad thing... it makes the rest of realize how silly some things are that you take so seriously, and how serious some things are that we don't pay any attention to. It's refreshing <Glossaria> ::smiling with relief:: I'm glad... it's difficult, sometimes... there's a wealth of information about this culture, but there's likewise a wealth of... well... fantasy. Sometimes it's rather difficult to tell the difference. <Glossaria> I'm trying to create an experiential base that would heighten my ability to discern between them, but that's also proving more...difficult than I expected. ::with a slightly dejected expression:: <Nacheyla> Well, you don't have to live your entire life in ten minutes, you know... most of us have had several years worth of growing up before we could tell the difference... and even now, sometimes we can't. <Rhys> Last call, everyone. Closing in ten minutes. * Nacheyla looks over at the bar and suddenly realizes she has a sandwich she's barely taken a bite of. With a semi-sheepish look, she begins eating her dinner * Zoya swigs back the last of her cider and puts the mug on the counter. <Zoya> ::looking over the pile of books:: Did you say you had a way to get these home, Glossaria, or should I carry some for you? * Rhys scoots Zoya's mug toward the kitchen. <Glossaria> ::opening her mouth for a moment, and then closing it again to think:: Well.... you *could* be right. But as I said, I have no idea of my life span. I could have an ordinary human lifespan to look forward to, which would mean thousands of generations more than I'm used to...or I could have a normal bookworm lifespan, which would mean, at best, two or three years. Or somewhere between. Magic is funny that way. <Glossaria> No, I wouldn't want to trouble you, Mistress Zoya. I've got a wheel-barrow just outside the door. <Zoya> All right. Be careful. * Michelle finishes her cocoa and picks up the book Glossaria brought for Lisl. <Glossaria> Always, with books, Mistress. ::smiling:: <Michelle> Goodnight everyone, ::Michelle heads for the door, wrapping her scarf around her again.:: <Rhys> Good night, Michelle. * Alranis nudges his empty mug across the bar, and stands, stretching, then heads out the door. "Good night, all." * Nacheyla waves * Rhys sends Alranis's mug back to the kitchen. <Zoya> Good night, all! <Rhys> Good travels, Zoya. * Zoya heads out the door, still shaking her head slightly... <Glossaria> ::jumping a little as Alranis leaves:: Oh, my! I didn't even notice him there! <Rhys> He's definitely a quiet one, I'll grant you that. * Nacheyla finishes off her beer, nods her thanks to Rhys and wanders up the stairs. <Nacheyla> Goodnight! <Rhys> 'Night. <Rhys> Can I help you load up your wheelbarrow at all, Glossaria? <Glossaria> I'm still confused, though... picking up a few books from her stack and shuffling through them:: Which of these are reliable, and which aren't? Can you tell me, M'lord Rhys? <Glossaria> ::gathering a few more into her arms:: Yes, thank you. If you could take that stack ::nodding towards a pile:: ...and perhaps glance through them on the way out? * Rhys looks at the monstrous stack and sighs. "I'm sure that they're each reliable to a certain degree, Glossaria. But I don't have any idea which is more reputable and accurate than the others." * Rhys looks at the stack, and makes a swift raising gesture with his hand. The stack rises and drifts toward the door. <Glossaria> ::sighs:: Oh, dear. ::frowns:: I'll have to start exercising if I have to try them all... ::picking up the rest of her stack and tottering to the door:: * Rhys takes the top book off the stack and glances at the title on the spine. "Wild Nights and Days of a Calimshan Courtesan"? Highly unlikely to be accurate. <Rhys> Or even nonfiction, for that matter... * Rhys eases the stack of books into the wheelbarrow. <Glossaria> Hmmm.... ::shakes her head:: So much biographical matter mixes fact and fiction... ::sliding her stack neatly into the wheelbarrow, and arranging the books spine-up in subject order almost instinctively before taking the wheelbarrow handles:: <Rhys> I don't think biographical is quite the correct term, but I suspect you'll find out what's what soon enough. Good night, Glossaria. <Glossaria> Well, thank you for your help, M'lord Rhys. ::smiling brightly:: Perhaps Master Eljorin will return, and I'll have a chance to gain a new perspective on this material... <Rhys> Perhaps. Or perhaps he'll blush himself into unconsciousness. <Glossaria> Good night, M'lord Rhys! ::balancing the wheelbarrow on one hand for a quick wave before trundling off into the darkness:: * Rhys returns to the Hall, and locks the door behind him. * Rhys fishes his chapbook out from behind the bar, and quietly reads a few lines from his marked page out loud. <Rhys> "The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere / The ceremony of indifference is drowned; / The best lack all conviction, while the worst / Are full of passionate intensity" <Rhys> Quite true... |
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