049.3 "Prepared casters only, bitches!"

[Corwin]

[20:07] <Kotono> The rest of the walk to Whimsical Sweets is without incident. On arriving you find Josa awaiting, "Ah, salutations and the top of the morning's glory to you, Lady Desjardin!"
[20:08] <Veserya> "Please, if you're a friend of Aaeru's then Veserya is fine," she demurs before nodding agreeably that, "It is a nice morning, too. Has Aaeru arrived, yet?"
[20:13] <Kotono> "Not yet," Josa says, "Come, come," Veserya is lead upstairs, "If I understand your intent properly, you will be joining our business?"
[20:15] <Veserya> "That's right, so all the more reason not to stand on ceremony," Veserya picks up her skirt and starts to climb up the stairs, her voice lowering, "I understand you've suffered painful losses recently, so you can think of me as reinforcement."
[20:24] <Kotono> "From the bottom of my heart, thank you," Josa murmurs as he goes to the closet. "Within here we keep our shared supplies, as well as various concoctions. Feel free to supply yourself with anything within, safe for the emergency funds."
[20:26] <Veserya> "Thank you. I'm quite well stocked, so I don't intend to be a burden," Veserya smiles and pats her trusty leather satchel hanging by her hip.
[20:27] <Kotono> "Nonsense!" Josa snorts, "Truly, it is my duty, pleasure and stalward responsibility to ensure that you are well supplied; for such helps lift the various deadly dangers and diabolical destructions we face in our chosen profession; without such we go naked into the field of battle, as babes to the butcher's axe!"
[20:30] * Veserya raises an eyebrow at the alliteration, but lets it slide. "If you insist! So what sort of supplies do you have in here?" she asks breezily.
[20:33] <Kotono> "Take a look," Josa opens it, "Potions, supplies, alchemical items, and more!"
[20:36] <Veserya> While she recognises most of them, a few draw a second look. "Electric taffy?"
[20:38] <Kotono> "Truly so, from the electric shocker lizards that infest the Galkass Mountains!" Josa declares!
20:39] <Veserya> "But what does it do?" the elf asks pertinently.
[20:42] <Kotono> "Besides being tasty and nutritious, it gives you resistance to electricity and the ability to harm others with electricity!" Josa crows, "Truly is it a breakthrough in Candymancy!"
[20:42] <Aaeru> "Morning!" Aaeru calls, ascending the stairs to the second floor on the heel of her greeting.
[20:43] <Veserya> "You must tell me more about this Candymancy some time," Veserya bids as she straightens up, turning around with a smile for the young human. "Good morning, Aaeru. Did you sleep well?"
[20:44] <Aaeru> "Yep, often do!" Aaeru responds perkily, finding it quite easy to smile back.
[20:46] <Veserya> "Excellent. Josa was just showing me around your supply closet," Veserya nods, indicating said closet. "It seems very well stocked."
[20:46] <Kotono> "Ah, fine salutations, Aaeru!" Josa declares.
[20:48] <Aaeru> "Yeah, it's got all bunch of stuff," Aaeru agrees. "So Josa, do we have a job or something? Because that's like the best way to greet Veserya! I read that it helps with all sorts of complicated stuff like bonding and all that!"
20:50] <Veserya> "Well, I did come here to help in practical matters, after all," Veserya agrees brightly, clasping her hands together before her breast.
[20:51] <Aaeru> "And you'll meet everyone else, too!" Aaeru adds excitedly.
[21:02] <Kotono> "I have found a few," Josa says, "I'm waiting for everyone else to arrive, it should not be long."
[21:06] <Kotono> Soon enough the others come. Arachiel, Whurric, Yuria, Marianne, Lyris and Neveril. Once everyone has arrived, Josa clears his throat, "Ah, a splendid day! A magnificent day! One and all, allow me to introduce Veserya. Veserya, will you introduce yourself?"
[21:10] <Veserya> Oh, there's quite a lot of people! She thought she'd met most of them while drinking yesterday. Still, not to be put off, the elf wears her best smile and steps forward to offer a polite curtsey, "Good morning everyone, I am Veserya Desjardin, a follower of Empress Sulia. If you've not heard of her, she's the goddess of martyrdom, and I personally devote myself to putting off martyrdom as long
[21:10] <Veserya> as possible. After hearing about Aaeru's work in Balmuria, as well as the sad losses you've all suffered, I decided to come here and lend my assistance. While I'm not much for fighting myself, I'm a skilled healer and know many spells to empower others in difficult situations. But even with those things aside, I hope we can all be friends - I had lots of fun yesterday with Aaeru, Marianne, and
[21:10] <Veserya> Balyss, and I hope I get on just as well with the rest of you."
[21:12] <Arachiel> "Hello!" Arachiel waves. "I'm Arachiel! Nice to meet you!"
[21:13] <Whurric> "Pleased to meet you," Whurric says with a short polite bow. "I'm Whurric."
[21:14] <Kotono> "Charmed," Yuria calls with a wave, "Like, nice to meet you! You can help people not die, since we like really need that!"
[21:14] <Kotono> Neveril smiles, "Well met," she murmurs.
[21:14] <Kotono> Lyris nods tightly and tersely, giving Veserya a long, searching look.
[21:15] <Kotono> "Excellent!" Josa nods, "Indeed, our fortunes are rising! Further, there is cause for our fortunes to rise further!" With a grand gesture at the job board, "For there is new work!"
[21:16] <Veserya> "That's exactly what I'm hoping..." Veserya trails off as she notices Yuria's eyes, walking up to her. "If I'm not mistaken, you've already seen the Well of Souls?" she asks softly, looking into the blonde's eyes.
[21:17] <Kotono> "Uh huh," Yuria nods, looking right back into Veserya's eyes, "Like, it really sucked tod ie since I wanted to see the Emperor but instead all I saw was this weird mist and heard these, um, Whurric called them Mechanus gears or something?"
[21:18] <Aaeru> "Death is really weird," Aaeru helpfully volunteers.
[21:18] <Whurric> "It is," Whurric agrees.
[21:19] <Veserya> "Still better than some fates, but not one I'd care for," Veserya muses. "I'm not yet skilled enough to call one back from there myself, but Sulia willing I'll ensure you don't see it again for a long time anyway."
[21:19] <Kotono> "I hear there's supposed to be some cute bald guy behind it, even if he's a filthy traitor!" Yuria pipes up with a cheerful smile, "But I didn't see him or any other cute guys! I mean, like, what's the point of all those gears, anyway?"
[21:20] <Veserya> "Traitor?" A delicate elfin eyebrow is raised in response there.
[21:20] * Whurric also looks curious at that, distracted from Josa's job board announcement as he waits for Yuria to explain her statement.
[21:20] * Aaeru shrugs. "Yeah I dunno myself."
[21:21] <Kotono> "Like, he totally betrayed the Empire!" With a snort, "Like all the Baronies and all that!"
[21:21] <Kotono> Josa coughs and clears his throat, "Ahem! Allow us to ponder the national loyalties of mysterious figures another time. Again, the Job Board has new postings. All of you should go read it."
[21:21] * Arachiel peers at Yuria curiously. "What happened?"
[21:21] <Kotono> "Or," Silver's voice carols up from downstairs, "Josa will be all depressed and cut his wrists. Aaaaaw."
[21:22] <Veserya> "Mmm... Yes, I don't know much about Mechanus, you'll have to tell me about it sometime," Veserya suggests to Yuria, hanging back to let everyone else have a look at the job board before she does herself.
[21:22] <Kotono> Ignoring Josa entirely, "He was one of the Crimson Guard, and they're all nothing but traitors!" Yuria retorts, "I don't know much about Mechanus either, except it click-claks like music a lot."
[21:23] <Veserya> "Oh, you mean in the Well of Souls? Demedais oversees it on Helm's behalf... I wouldn't think Helm would countenance a traitor with such an important task," the elf frowns at that. "Or is it something to do with Malmuth and the Baronies?"
[21:25] <Kotono> "Uh huh," Yuria goes on, "Like, he should have helped the Empire and stopped the Baronies like the rest of the Crimson Guard should have!" Sniffling, "It's not fair that traitors get ahead. Like at all!"
[21:26] * Arachiel looks confused.
[21:26] * Aaeru very quietly draws away from a discussion on politics and takes a glance at the board. There are only really three places she could be of use, but which one is the best for her....
[21:26] * Whurric goes look at the job board while the others chat with Yuria.
[21:27] <Veserya> "Hmm. I remember when the Crimson Guard came to beseech Pallanth for aid. I'd thought they had been independent for some time before that, although I'm not sure if that was in human or elven terms," Veserya muses, casting her mind back. "I did hear Seira had to fight an Arrowhawk to prove her case, which sounded terribly exciting at the time."
[21:29] <Kotono> "They're all dirty traitors!" Yuria humphs, grumbling. Meanwhile Josa is at the board, "Again, I leave the exact assignment of jobs upt o your desires. Any ideas yet?"
[21:30] <Aaeru> "That job about spending the night with Anna sounds really weird," Aaeru complains.
[21:30] * Arachiel wonders at all that befre getting up and heading over to the board. "Anna?"
[21:31] * Whurric shrugs after reading it. "Well, outside of the last one, which I don't exactly fit, I can do any of 'em. I suppose I'd prefer the first though, since they did ask for combat skills."
[21:31] * Veserya elects not to press the point, and goes to look at the board. "It's not exactly what I intended when I came here, but I can serve as a bard and a cleric, really," she offers. "I'm happy helping with whatever you think I'd be most useful with."
[21:36] <Aaeru> "We have to help Anna because Sylvie's a good friend," Aaeru finally says after thinking it over, "but I dunno really what I can do about noises in the dark. Is there, like, someone better than me for that sorta thing?"
[21:36] * Arachiel reads for a bit, then frowns. "Sylvie's mom is having trouble? I don't mind helping!"
[21:37] <Whurric> "Used to be able to see in the dark, would have been useful, but you're probably better, if nothing else she knows you well, so that'd be comforting, right?" Whurric comments.
[21:37] <Veserya> "I have good ears and don't need to sleep," Veserya taps one of her long pointed ears. "But she might prefer someone she knows... really, you all know this work better than I, and I'd like to go where you think I'm most needed."
[21:38] <Aaeru> It's a really expensive-sounding house she'll have to spend the night at, but Aaeru will take the hit since interest in the job seems low. "So Archie'n me?"
[21:42] <Veserya> Since no one has any suggestions for her, Veserya decides to take the initiative - the Waukeen job sounds important to them and it'll help her build relationships. "If we get an arcane caster and a divine caster to go with me as the bard, that could work for the Temple of Waukeen's job?" she looks around in search of any volunteers, not knowing people's abilities.
[21:43] <Kotono> "I shall go with you," Marianne declares to Veserya. Meanwhile Lyris overlooks all of the jobs, "Who's going to what?"
[21:45] <Aaeru> "Hey, can you help out Helm since I can't?" Aaeru requests Lyris.
[21:47] <Kotono> "Very well," Lyris says, while Yuria wanders over, "Hmmm, what looks good?"
[21:48] * Aaeru grins at her. "Thanks! I owe you one, totally!"
[21:56] <Kotono> "Need more help," Yuria looks to Verserya, I'll tag along with it, it sounds, like, fun!"
[21:57] <Kotono> Neveril looks about thoughtfully and hums, "Does anyone else need help?"
[21:57] <Veserya> "Excellent, so if I'm to be the bard which of you will be the wizard and which the cleric?" Veserya looks happily between her two buddies.
[21:59] <Aaeru> "Ooh! Help Helm too!" Aaeru suggests to Neve. "It's, like, diversity! Which is important!"
[22:01] <Kotono> "Right," Neveril says, going with Lyris!