Ah, back to your room. Calleigh's very own room! Yay! It's wonderful to have her own place, isn't it? On getting back, you see there's a basket of flowers sitting on the table that wasn't there when you left. There's even a little note attached, Calleigh sized.
Calleigh grabs a tiny flower and weaves it into her purple hair, because why not? Meanwhile, the note floats upward as Tryll inspects it.
It reads as follows in tiny script, "You're so amazing! You're one of the best courre I've ever seen! I wanna be a courre as great as you are!"
"Ohhh an admirer! I've never had one of those before!" Calleigh thinks, then begins to search the basket for other clues, "Let's investigate!"
It's a basket full of flowers. Where you'd find flowers in Water is anyone's guess. Besides that and the note, nothing else is in there.
"Not even a hint!?" She grabs the note out of the air and examines it.
Nada. No sign of a hint at all.
"Well! That's something. Or nothing." Calleigh promptly abandons the flowers now strewn all over the room in a colorful explosion of flora and takes off to greet the day outside!
Ah, the attention span of chaos.
As Calleigh goes out, Elena appears before her. "Oh, you two. There's a man here that says you invited him to see the crafting facilities."
Were you expecting a diligent investigation? From a courre? Really?
"Hamohand is here!" Calleigh grins. "Where is he?"
Not really. The only other courre I've DMed was Marie, and she was exceptional in many ways.
"In the forges," Elena says. "He seems to like what he sees in there and the laboratories."
So is Calleigh!
"Yay!" Calleigh orbits Elena's head twice really fast, then takes off toward the forges. Tryll follows more sedately in misty form.
By the time you make it to the forges, you find a man there. He is clad in red, perhaps 25 with a lean, muscular form and carved staff, studded with black-purple crystals. His hair is black and his gaze is firm, "I do think I can make things here," he greets Calleigh, "This wondrous, amazing place."
Calleigh peers at him. "You look different!"
"The body is but the plaything of the mind," Hamogan replies serenely, "When it is time for you to promote, you will understand."
"Promote? Ohhhhhh like the thing where you get bigger and lose your sense of humor? I like being small. And fun." Calleigh nods. "Nice digs, huh?"
"They'll do. Now if you pardon me, I have planning and preparations to do."
Okay, you have your psionic item crafter. What's next on your todo list?
next IC goal is the acquisition of currency.
A reasonable goal. How does Calleigh intend to do this?
Calleigh is not much of a planner. Tryll is the planner. But even he isn't sure how to proceed. He's a cautious sort. Prefers to not go gallivanting off into combat unless it's strictly necessary.
Okay then, so how are you planning to get money then?
Combat or not, what's your next move here?
Then we shall ask about! Any sort of check here?
Calleigh leaves Hamogan to his business, flying off to find someone with ideas on how to turn a profit!.
Nah, you're at home and everyone's more or less cooperative. Anyone you're angling to ask in particular?
We will ask everyone until we get an idea we like! There will be no order!
At random, we have selected Drena to begin with. We will select randomly again if he has nothing, and so forth.
You find Drena atop Aurora. He flies here serenely, winds blowing around him. Gentle winds, bringing calm to you and freshening your senses. He merely nods slightly to you as you approach, one windy chin moving.
"Hi Drena!" Calleigh calls, waving, "Do you know anyone looking for work or help or smarts or anything like that?"
"The winds blow and speak of opportunity for volunteering," Drena remarks, winds blowing around you. "Sylvie and Tepen are conspiring on a matter, I believe. One that may require aid."
"Okay! Where are they? Are they in the bath house?"
Drena points towards the tower of the Graceful Blow, "Atop there."
"Thanks!" Calleigh heads for the top of the tower!
You fly on off there. Atop the tower you find Tepen and Sylvie sitting, a basket full of food between them. They're eating and chatting, though keeping their conversation rather low.
"Hiiiii!" Calleigh grins as she circles the pair, clearly not catching on to the low tones.
Both look up, Sylvie's gaze half lidded while Tepen smiles politely, "Ah, Calleigh and Tryll. A fine day under Water, isn't it?"
Calleigh stops, hands on her hips. "Yep yep! Drena said you two were doing a...conspiring. Told us we could help! He's a nice guy for a big bag of wind!"
"We're not quite conspiring," Sylvie retorts, "Closer to planning, without the connotations."
"So you chose to volunteer yourself?" Tepen asks back, "Do you even know what we're planning?"
"No idea!" she beams, "But if you need help, we can probably help! And hopefully without violence! We're good helpers."
Halping!
"We're discussing making a constant connection to the theoretical ideal of a library that can be over-connected to multiple minds at once, and in turn allow them to successfully collaborate together," Sylvie says with a sweet smile, "Did you follow any of that?"
Calleigh cocks her head. "Like a real-time neural network, or just a mind link? Across the Aurora, or multiplanar? You'll probably need powered relay crystals either way, but you're best off talking to Hamogan about that. I think he was working on something similar when we went looking for him."
Calleigh bobs her head, clearly thinking hard. "A mind link would probably be easier and more cost-effective, but it wouldn't have a lot of range and it's easier to interfere with. Also, someone would probably have to actively maintain it, like Tryll does all the time. A neural network would be maintained by the relay crystals themselves and would exist as a static semi-sentient quasi-intelligence that could be used as a repository for knowledge and research. Gotta be careful you don't give it too much leeway or intelligence though, or it can start influencing the minds connected to it. Next thing you know you've got a big crystal brain controlling a bunch of librarians with brain tentacles coming out of their ears, thinking they're the next big thing since mindflayers."
She makes a face, "Bleh blurg bleh. That's how mindflayers sound."
Both Sylvie and Tepen just stare at you, "More of an interconnected and limited hive mind," Sylvie says, "The main hub is the ideal of a library, which in same focus for a powerful spell Sage Vul'lath and Elder Magi Tepen developed. We're considering a deep crystal based node structure along with powerful book foci embedded into it, as well as filters to keep it properly limited."
"Our main concern is regulating it properly. Some form of proto-mind, soulless of course, and properly configured to act as a natural buffer. Not one that could join into the impromptu hive mind or influence it, essentially an invisible protective filter." Tepen considers, "Suffice to say, the mechanics of it aside, we'll need a great deal of money to construct it."
Calleigh nods along, blatantly ignoring their stares. "A hive mind, huh? You're planning to have everyone involved connected all the time? It could work, but it's pretty dangerous. Intercognitive bleed is a real thing and not fun! You would need some pretty big safeguards to keep everyone from turning into the same person. And keeping them from becoming emotionless psychopathic automatons. That's bad, too. But you're right! It would be expensive! Which is good, because we need money too! Do you have an idea how we could get some money? Or lots of money? Or even more than lots?"
"That's why we have the filter, since zombies are bad." Sylvie glances at Tepen, who nods. "We were thinking of going with Ithea to a dungeon. There's a slaad who regularly invites her to them and they're extremely lucrative."
"Neeeeeh," Calleigh hedges, "we were hoping to avoid violence..."
"Treasure raiding?" Sylvie suggests, "Selling something worthwhile for money? Finding a rich mine and extracting ore?"
"Those sound better! Can we do those instead?" Calleigh asks, "Blowing stuff up is fun and all, but we try to limit the amount of violence we cause. It's bad for business. Nobody buys art from people who blow up other people!"
"Really?" Sylvie says, "Then if your art is so important, why not make money through that instead?"
"Because nobody buys our stuff!"
"Then..." Sylvie trails off with a smile, "Why are you worrying about it? If you aren't selling, then what does it matter if you do that?"
"Oh we're always selling, but everyone is so snooty that they won't buy our stuff! We lived on the streets of Brightwater for over two hundred years because it was hard to sell our art there? Do you have any idea how hard that is? Actually it was pretty nice. People were really friendly until they threw us out of wherever we were, and even then it's Brightwater. If you need to eat or something, raid a fruit tree." Calleigh nods, then looks puzzled, "Uhm, wait. What were we talking about? Money! How should we get it?"
Tepen chuckles while Sylvie closes her eyes and ever so slightly sighs. "Then if you aren't selling your art, you need to do something else to make money. Once you have money, you can worry about yourt art. You're a celestial, going down, smiting evil and taking their treasures should be second nature to you, even if you are just a courre. Tryll," she looks in the general direction of the psion, "Back us up here."
'Actually I concur. I prefer to resort to violence only when necessary, or when there is little risk such as our foray into Ysgard. I will fight evil for good reason, but I would prefer that reason not to be money. Also, she is a courre, not a firre. Violence is generally not in their nature. As for myself, while I am certainly capable of tremendous violence, I would rather not start with it if avoidable. That being said, I'm open to listening to what you have in mind, if nothing else.'
"I agree if it is violence without a purpose," Tepen says, "Violence with a purpose is acceptable, such as fighting devils or taking away their treasures. If you are bent on not doing that, then...hm..." Tepen considers, "The slaad's dungeons contain a great deal of fighting, or so I understand it to be."
'Has anyone here ever considered the value of the Aurora? Not the value of the demiplane for sale, but used as trade. It is tremendously difficult to move large amounts of livestock across planes for many merchants, and Gate spells on demand can become daunting. As well, the Aurora could be utilized to grow tremendous amounts of food and rare herbs. The mutability of the Aurora allows us to mimic conditions that may be difficult for most mortals to maintain. And to say nothing of the wonders crafted here at such reduced costs in both materials and labor. It would be something valuable for the citizens here to do. A sort of merchant marine force. I believe that the Aurora could benefit greatly from this. Though it lacks the immediate gratification of a treasure raid, I believe it would be more consistent over time. Your thoughts?'
Sylvie and Tepen share a look before the latter says, "My main problem with that is that Aurora is an army, not a merchantry. We have shops, but only to benefit the Crusade. When we engage in such matters, it is a means to an end, not a purpose unto itself."
'Perhaps it should be both. Thus the merchant marine force.' Tryll puts mildly. 'You are aware of what a merchant marine force is, are you not? We have the capacity and potential to do great things in small ways and turn a profit while doing so. The fact that we do not do it now is not a reason not to do it at all.'
The two exchange another look, "It's not my decision to make," Tepen says, "Why don't you ask Adrian or Gisfal? One of the generals could make that decision."
'We will propose it to them at a later date. For now, let's return to the matter at hand. I will entertain the idea of treasure hunting, provided it is worth the risk. Tell me of this slaad dungeon.'
"The catch is that it's always different, the slaad is apparently an anarch of unfathomable power," Sylvie crosses her arm with one finger out, waving as she lectures. "It may be a dungeon, a cave, a path amid the stars. We've seen all of those and far more in each dungeon. The last one ended with us fighting a dragon over the surface of the sun, after a trip through the stars themselves."
A beat, 'Well. That sounds intriguing. On the surface of a sun, you say? How did you survive?'
"Magic and it was a slaad sun," Sylvie merely shrugs, "The slaad has a sense of fair play, no matter how difficult and demented its dungeons are."
'A slaad with rules? Really? And an anarch? I'm assuming he traps or creates his own minions? What happens if you fail?'
"We haven't failed, so we don't know," Sylvie says, "Each time we walk away much richer."
'Hmm.' Tryll ponders, 'It might be worth investigating, if you've yet to fail. Who do you plan to take?'
"Ithea has to go. Beyond that perhaps myself and Balyss. You'd be best off talking to Ithea when she returns," Sylvie says, "She's the one the slaad likes."
'We can wait. Anything to do in the meantime?'
Tepen smiles, "Why don't you show us your art?"
"ART!" Calleigh shouts suddenly, "We have all sorts of art! Sculpting and painting and pottery and I think we did a relief once and ohhhh don't forget the thing we did for Balerik and there was that one crystal thing back in Arborea we did that nobody liked when we tried to make crystal psionic stuff and it didn't really work and just gave everyone a headache! We got in trouble for that one."
"Oh yes," Tepen says, "I think I heard Baleruk talking about your art again. Why don't you go show more of it to him?"
Calleigh gives Tepen the Big Sad Eyes. "You...you don't wanna see it!?"
Sylvie closes her eyes and slowly exhales through her nose.
Meanwhile Tepen doesn't miss a beat. "I didn't say that. Who better can appreciate real art than a dragon like Baleruk." He leans in, with a smile and a conspiratorial whisper, "Dragons are better at everything, even enjoying art."
I get the feeling that Sylvie doesn't like Calleigh! Remind her too much of her own failings? :D
"This is true! And we can talk to Baleruk about our idea! Dragons love money!" Calleigh cries, zipping off toward Baleruk's giant green gemstone lair. She appears to have completely forgotten the previous conversation, or her part in it. After a moment, Tryll's mist follows after her.
It's safe to say that previous games have shown Sylvie doesn't like children. Even her own.
You go right into Baleruk's lair. Baleruk is there, gnawing on a fish bigger than he is. It lies there, dead and half eaten. It looks like a vastly oversized salmon, empty fish eyes staring at oblivion forevermore. The prismatic dragon looks up from his meal and simply gazes at Calleigh, waiting.
"That's a real big fishy." Calleigh praises.
"I caught it myself. A GLORIOUS hunt," Baleruk says and takes another mouthful of fish.
"Where did you find such a big fishy?"
"In Water," Baleruk says around another mouthful of fish.
"Well yeah, you can usually find fishes in water. It's a good place to find them." Calleigh nods. "Why is it so big though?"
"I desired a meal. Of course a fish would make itself big enough," Baleruk says, "IT IS ONLY LOGICAL!"
"Ohhhhhkaythen." Calleigh nods as Baleruk's shout rattles the air around her, "It's a very nice-looking dead fishy though. You could make the skeleton into a...thing!"
"I eat the bones," Baleruk rumbles, "What do you want?"
"Oh, Tepen and Sylvie were talking about some sort of slaad dungeon thing and fighting a sun and they were gonna make a big brain thing and Sylvie didn't think I was smart enough to understand it but I totally am because we've done it before sorta and then they told me to come show you my art, but we don't have any new stuff and I really think that Sylvie just doesn't like me but they said to come see you so here I am!" Calleigh nods decisively.
Baleruk leans in, close enough for one of his eyes to be your entire world. "So you came to me. You want something. I can smell the avarice."
Calleigh valiantly resists the urge to hug his eyeball, but only just. With help from Tryll. "Weeeeelllll, we're sorta broke. So we went looking for someone to give us an idea of what to do to get some money and we talked to Drena who is a nice guy for a walking talking flying breathing thinking bag of wind and he told us that Sylvie and Tepen were conspiring about things so we went to talk to them and they needed money too but for different things and I already told you about it and then Tryll had this idea to use the Aurora as an interplanar trading hub and Tepen sorta shot him down but I don't know why and then they told us to come see you so here we are!"
"Excellent." Baleruk rumbles, "You will make me money." He gestures with a wing, "Here is 10,000 gold. Go to Brightwater and establish a trading house for Aurora."
Leave it to a courre to use rambling to convince a dragon to part with a giant pile of gold.
"Yay!" Calleigh cheers as precisely ten thousand golden coins are meticulously and telekinetically placed in the small bag at her hip, "This is a great idea and nothing could possibly go wrong! Thanks! Wait! We gotta take stuff to trade, right? We gotta set up...things. Goods! YEAH! Right? Or do we set up the house first? Hm."
Baleruk replies as you ramble, "If it goes wrong, you will repay EVERY. LAST. COIN! Good luck."
"Oh! Oh well yeah I mean that makes sense you want to make money too." Calleigh around. "We need exports!"
"Find them," Baleruk commands, "GO! FIND THEM ALL!"
Calleigh salutes Baleruk's eyeball and then flies away. As she parts, Tryll's voice sounds in Baleruk's head, '...more or less what I was aiming for. I'm sure we'll be able to get good returns from this. Thank you for your assistance.'
The reply is curt, 'I hope your kind doesn't get headaches,' Baleruk says.
Plan now, Yuth?
Any trading post needs goods to trade. Preferably rare goods that the Aurora can provide in abundance. Simple goods can move as well, considering all the work Muirfinn put into the farms. Also, I'm sure that with all of the people we've recruited and rescued, there are craftspeople willing to share wares from Lifasa. I imagine Lifasan crafted goods are somewhat rare. Collector's items, if you will.
Work with me here, I'm putting this together. Also, we have a half-Mercane who can probably be tapped for advice, yes?
Yes. Also, you have Surraruthru making silk goods over in his thread. Might be worth dropping in on him for that.
I will do that first then! Thread invasion is a go!
Moving you on over momentarily. This thread's locked.