A short, rosy cheeked gnome saunters down the path, a small child sized cart trailing behind him. He stops for a moment to scratch his head. He looks in both directions on the path. It seems as if the gravel road was winding forever, and he was unsure whether he had taken all his turns correctly. He sincerely hoped his niece got his gift, lest he be bringing an unexpected party to her. He checked to make sure his hat was on straight and muttered
“Yup . . still pointy as ever”
He pulled his cart a bit further, straining under the weight. He stopped for a moment, pulled off his pink shoes, and rubbed his feet for a moment. He combed his toe hair while he thought to himself. He was completely lost. He had been given a mandatory “vacation” from the Istensia Healers College, and had nothing left to him but his wrench and his cart. But, this would be a new town, with new opportunities. He had his sack of telescopes to sell if he needed money for the return journey. He checks his cart for a bit to drink, and then sits down, with an exasperated plop. He was just a little fellow, in such a wide world after all. He couldn’t possibly be expected to travel on his own for so long. He knew the town wasn’t much further, but he set up camp anyways, hoping to arrive in town by morning..
He drifted off thinking of seeing his niece the next morning. He could hardly wait to meet all the interesting characters. He already had his vacationing and partying shirt on… maybe this town would help him forget all that nonsense about “tinkering under the influence”.
‘My wrench was perfectly under control’ he thought, as he fell asleep.
Glimmer skips down the road merrily, jumping every now and again following a very small creature. She can be heard squeeling "STUPID FROGGIE! YOU COME HERE RIGHT NOW! DON'T YOU MAKE ME MAGICTIZE YOU! I'LL DO IT!"
Glimmer jumps at the frog, narrowly missing it's leg as it hops off. She utters several gaelic swears before righting herself and spotting the gnome. "Well by the wings, it's another one! Hello gnomie! I'm Glimmer! Who're you and whatcha doin? Want a cookie? I LOVE cookies. But not stupid frogs." Glimmer begins waving and flitting eratticly at the approaching gnome.
Riddles watches the fae skipping down the road, and hears her introduce herself. Within moments of her offering a cookie, he loses all his dignity and screams "COOKIE!" And runs over to her, rocking while he stands and waits for a cookie, and excitedly says
"Hi! I am Riddles! You must be from Jastery! Do you know my niece Lylonna?"
He excitedly fires off a few more questions: "Would you like a telescope! Its tiny, but I am sure you can use it! It helps me know what is coming."
He takes the cookie from her, and plops down on his butt in the middle of the gravel road, and slowly nibbles the edges of the cookie in silence, staring at his new bestestest friend.
Glimmer giggles at Riddles and hands him a pouch full of a dozen cookies. "I'm from the Papillio tribe of the Seelie Court, but I live here in Jastrey, yes. I'm the finest Scout there is and I run the mail service here in town. I do know your Lyllona. The gnomes just hatted a new gnome named Tregard recently. We've also gotten another one of you name Kollista. She's agreed to let me keep her which is completely divine. I collect peoples for pets. I have a Grishal the Goblin and now Kollista. You wanna come let me keep you? I like people bout' as much as I like cookies. And I like Riddles. The name and the things themselves. Fact, I was tryin to catch me a stupid froggie to make my Grishal do the talent show with me. We have lots of dwarves here, too. I'll introduce you to Taklinn. He's mine, too."
Glimmer puts her eye to the telscope and says "Woweeeeeeeee! Look how big that cookie looks. Like like lookin into a pile o' 80 cookies waiting to be nommed right up. Deeeelicious! So Riddles, where you from and what brought you here, besides Lylonna?"
"The fairy mail service?" he quipped. "I think I sent my niece a letter through you!" he says happily. He wiggles his butt on the gravel in happiness. He continues to munch of his cookies contentedly, holding the bag of cookies close to him, as if it were a baby. He listens to her talk about the gnomes in town, thinking to himself about how many great hatted gnomes he left behind in Tinkerkin. He raises an eyebrow at the idea of being a pet. At the very least there would be cookies..
"EWW!" shrieked Riddles! "I don't wanna live with a stinky green nose! But thank you for the offer! Plus, I think I am staying with Lyl."
He continues to listen to her, and chuckles at how big the cookies look. If only cookies were that size for real.
"I am from Tinkerkin! I am on vacation from the Istensia Healers College! I was .. er I am the head neurotinkerer there!" he says, as he pats his trusty wrench. He looks down at the remainder of his first cookie, and promptly licks the last bit of cookie from his fingertips.
"Anyways, I like healing and stuff. I am a great neurotinkerer, no matter what you hear! But right now, I could use a good white uordeq. Do you have a local pub?" he says as he jingles his coin pouch, content to spend all his money while he was in town, and make plenty more selling his amazing telescopes.
He stands up and promptly begins to play with her wing, fascinated by the intricacies of the wings, and the infinite hues of colors present.
[A white uordeq is like a white russian, and thus has half and half that would go nicely with the taste of cookies]
Glimmer giggles at the green nose comment. "Funny you should say that, as he practices the healing arts as well. I've learned a great deal from him in my past. Now we do have a tavern. I carry my wine with me, though. And a flask of my lovey's firewater. It burns so good! Let's have some. Takky won't cares much!" Glimmer pulls her flask and offers it to Riddles.
"I suppose it's fine if you stay with Lyllona. Just promise to come play and ahve tea and cookies. I always have cookies and candies. I get too sleepies if I don't eat em right up. Now there's this one Uordeq. Uncle Wreynn. Be nice to him is all I ask. He takes good cares of mes and I get reaaaaaal angries if peoples go messin with hims."
"I shall be nice to your uncle, even if he is an uordeq" Riddles coughs out, as the firewater burns down his throat "but that still does not mean I will accept a greenie, even if the nasty is a healer."
"And I would love to have tea and cookies. How about every other day from now until foreverty?" he says at the pair walk closer into the town.
Solas slides out from behind a tree with a strange sort of prowess that would've been more characteristic of an Uordeq than the Empyrean. His ice blue eyes flicker over the scene from behind the black slip of cloth securely fastened to his head. A sly, almost knowing, grin paints his face. Tucked under one arm is a large blue book. Silver markings dance across the cover.
"Well," The word comes out as a half hiss, "What do we have here?"
Riddles groans, and a slight bass sound escapes his lips. He turns to Glimmer and states with his best feigned enthusiasm "A talent show will certainly be interesting to watch!"
Before he could finish his thought he looks at the masked man, and then promptly hides behind Glimmer. He tugs gently on her tutu and says:
"Miss Glimmer, who is the blind man?"
"Oh where are my manners! Riddles, this is Solas. He has excellent sight in fact. A true Seer, this one. Nothing to fear darling man, unless you cross him. But I don't forsee that. No I simply don't. Have a cookie Solas!" Glimmer hands the Seer a cookie and continues on.
"Mr. Riddles here is Lyllona's Uncle. He's come on vacation all the way from the Healer's College to visit her. Delivered the letter meselfs I did!" Glimmer munches hungrily on her cookie, and eyes Solas to do the same.
(OOP- Solas do I recognize the book?)
Riddles timidly comes out from behind Glimmer, and walks slowly up to Solas, staring at the man's blindfold the entire time. He mutters "Delivers the letter herselfs she did, just for me!"
He walks up to Solas, and holds out his hand. "Doctor Mr. Riddles, nice to meet you good sir, healer here, at your service!" he says formally.
Internally, Riddles resists the urge to scurry up Solas and poke the blindfold. Instead he just grabs the cookie Glimmer was handing Solas, breaks it in half, hands the other half to Solas and then munches on his newly claimed half of a cookie. After shaking Solas' hand, he runs back behind Glimmer.
"Aye Dr. Mr. Riddles it is then deary. Have some more cookies." Glimmer hands Riddles another pouch of cookies before turning to Solas.
"I do SO wish you'd rid yourself of that book. It's out of my library and that's all I care about now. Do not put it down. I fear the eyes shall see. Do you ever feel the urge to...oh nevermind. Just ask for help should you begin chewing grass for deliciousness instead of cookies."
((Glimmer Recognizes the book as Dalgoon's Astral Grimoire.))
Solas bows at no one in particular before lightly taking the half cookie in two fingers. He pops it in his mouth so that half, or rather a quarter of it sticks out. He smiles lightly.
"Nice to meet you Doctor Mr. Uncle Riddles." He says with a smile, not the grin he wore previous. "I'm Solas the Farseer of the Wild Hunt." He wrinkles his brow slightly "Although I don't know about all that true seer and crossing me business. I just am who I am." He smiles again before turning to Glimmer. "The book is safe in my keeping, dear Glimmer. And I have already made a promise to destroy the book should any problems... manifest do to my studying it." He nods as he says the last bit.
Riddles stares at the book for a bit, then, mortified at the approaching bear, scuddles up Solas' back out of fear. After Glimmer introduces Ohren, Riddles crawls back down Solas, and walks carefully over to the bear, and pets him softly..
"Hello Mr. Bearen!" he says, his eyes strafing over to the pair of horns. He turns his head sideways, smiles, and then keeps petting.
"Doodad" he says, as he continues to pet the bear. He gingerly places a part of the cookie in front of the bear, and then runs back over to Glimmer. He pulls out a TINY telescope, and looks through it at the town. He puts away the telescope, and goes and tugs on Solas' sleeve.
"I have a wrench for if people cross me" he says, as he pats the wrench. "But they rarely do, seeing how my hat is so pointy, they know I am a good guy because of it."
He stares at the book in Solas' hands for a bit longer.
Ohren cautiously looks at the cookie and then back to the gnome and then to Glimmer, then back to the cookie, Glimmer, cookie, Glimmer, cookie... He then quickly devours it in a voratious manner. He looks back to the gnome and grumbles and growls in bear speach. "Grr rarr gr rrgggggrrawawrrr." He opens his mouth and blinks expectantly at the gnome.
Solas smiles kindly at the gnome, laughing just a bit.
"Yes it is a pointy hat." The Empyrean says. "No one in Jastrey will dare cross you." He follows the gnome's eyes down to the book. His smile drops suddenly. Solas crouches at the knees to be eye to eye with the Gnome. "You have nothing to fear from the book, halfling, so long as it remains in the hands of a Seer."
Riddles looks at Solas and says "You can touch it if you want to" with an innocent smile. "I am sure the book is fine. Whats in it?" he says, as his focus shifts back to the bear.
Riddles looks at the bear from beside Solas, and blinks back. He then sticks out his tongue, and then giggles. He then holds out his neurotinkering hand, and a small bit of light glows inside of it. He walks over to the bear, and pets the bear. [Heal 10]
Solas stands upright, lightly brushing the dirt from his pants and hands.
"No thats quite alright." He says. He looks at the book in his hands. "Spells, mainly. Spells and rituals for manipulating the Astral." Solas says, almost as if it weren't a big deal. He looks to the bear for a brief second then back to the gnome. He cocks an eyebrow, "Late for something?" He asks.
The sounds of stamped feet and armor clanging can be heard over the soft grumblings of a winded dwarf as Taklinn runs to the group from the same direction as Ohren entered. with a fishing pole in his hands instead of his trusty axe, which hung from his belt he bellows "Ye durned horned dolt! Ye stole me damned fish out from under me at the lakeshore! Yer belly ain't the only one in Jastrey that rumbles!" he scolds as he throws down the fishing pole and strides up to the large horned bear. He puts his hands on his hips and gets nose to nose with the seated bear, ears red and temper riled.
"Okay! Thats fine!" the plump gnome says, as he adjusts his party shirt. He then walks over, and pulls his cart closer to him, and sits down in it.
"No, I am just thinking I suppose." He turns to Glimmer and says "So when is this talent show? And wh -"
He stares in the direction of the clanking armor. "Is that Mr. Taklinn Glimmer?" he says, thrusting a finger in the direction of the dwarf.
Glimmer falls over giggling at the sight of her very irate Taklinn and says "Dr. Mr. Riddles, this is my Takky." Glimmer approaches Taklinn and lays a hand on his shoulder before saying "Aye, a luaidh! Mo nàire ort! Dè a tha thu ris?" (Aye, my beloved, Shame on you! What is happening?) Glimmer pulls Taklinn's arm and rights his kilt, giggling at his puffy red cheeks and blustery babble.
"Meet our Dr. Mr. Riddles lovey. He's come to see his niece, Lyllona!"
Upon the lick to the face, Taklinn's bluster is defeated, and he just hangs his head as the paw comes up to his shoulder. Grabbing the bear by the jowls, he says with a half hearted smile, "Ye could have left me one o' the fish, ye lazy lout. I wasted the better part of the day catchin' those fish and ye set me back on what I was doin'." As Glimmer comes up and begins bothering with his clothing, he turns on her and finally sees the gnome. With another scratch on the big oaf bear, he turns to the newcomer and sets his gaze carefully upon him, measuring him up. "Tis good to see another of the Tinkerkin in Jastrey. I hold to the old ways, and iffin' yer ever needin' me axe, it will be yours; provided it ain't against me kin or to do work ye won't do yerself." He bows lowly to the Gnome, Beard almost touching the ground. Standing back up he looks to his beloved and give her a quick kiss and says to the new Gnome "Taklinn Fireaxe, of the Forgesplitter clan, formerly of Glanacral and all places in between, at yer service."
Riddles looks at the dwarf with extreme excitement, and wiggles as the dwarf introduces himself. He gives the dwarf a long, swooping bow, nearly falling over, and says:
"Good to meet you Mr. Taklinn Fireaxe, the same offer goes to you, if you ever need any neurotinkering done, cosmetic or functional work done, just give me a hollar. I am a wonderful healer! Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose, so let me simply introduce myself. My name is Riddles! Mr. Dr. Riddles, to be specific. I am a healer gnome! And if you ever need my magic, just give me a hollar!"
He looks at the fish and the smiling bear, and giggles to himself.
"And no worries! I would never be a bother to a cousin" he says, with a flit of his tongue and a smile at the end. "Let us go get a drink in the tavern, yes?" He says, nodding at everyone to let them know they are invited. "Now .. where is your tavern?"
"Aye a bit of drink afore I hit the road would suit me just fine lad. The Shady corners is just over there." Taklinn moves up to the Gnome and offers his hand saying "I tend to keep me family name a bit personal lad, but as the old ways dictate, I gave ye me full name. I go by me clan name around these parts, what with the filthy hoots and goblins around. Only me trusted friends and kin are privvy to me family name, and I would like to keep it that way. Now what say we go an' get that drink. We have some fair brewers around here, fer humans, and I also acquired something last year that may interest ye. A decanter of endless spirits that I have donated to the tavern to ensure that we dont go without any spirits we are wantin'. Only thing I haven't been able to get out of it is the Century Brew, though if I ever get me hands on some I may put a bit in the decanter an' see if I can get any out in return." He puts his arm around the Gnome and picks up his coney, giving a wink of thanks to Ohren as he starts to walk towards the Tavern.
Solas smiles. As much as the town was going to shit, it was nice to see genuinely good people wandering in. He watches the two head off toward town and tavern. He looks to the bear and bows his head.
"I appologize for my behaivor toward you last we met, Ohren." He looks up, into the sky. "I hope one day you will understand that might doesn't always make right." He smiles. "Sometimes those who will exert power over you are the most wrong. And rather than bow to those with power, you need to stand up for what really is right. You're good people O. don't let anyone tell you different."
He turns on his heels
.
"Right," He says. "Back to work." With that he takes off into the woods.
The gnome skips to catch up with Taklinn, listening intently to the dwarf's every word, a gleam of admiration in his eye. He strokes his face, his chin where his beard used to be, long and grey. He listens to the first bit of what the dwarf had to say, out of breath from skipping, excited at the idea of a good ale. He hastens his reply:
"Do you have any good stouts my friend? I could really use a dark one right now. A dark brew and a nice bench would do me well. I understand how ya feel on the family name. I usually just go by Riddles as a result, and that's all that people call me. That or Dr. S. The 'S' is for Shadowlark. My niece is of the same name, I can hardly wait to see her. She certainly does have a dark side to her though, that knife-gnome."
His pace slows as he clutches his belly, and gasps for air. That jog had him quite worn out. He nods to Taklinn, and then spurts out:
"You know, I may seem quite sprightly, but I am pushing well on 160 years of age. Or maybe it was 170. I have no idea, but I do know one thing, this old body isn't what it used to be" he chuckles. His belly jiggles a bit from the effort. "Anyways, let me get ya a stout alright?" he says, a slight dwarven accent coming out, due to his present company.
"Aye the Bumgartner's ale is respectable for human brew, or I could get ye a good stout from the decanter. Tell ye what, we'll get one of each. This coney should keep me fed fer awhile, and I need to get more provision's from the tavern anyways. Gonna be out of town fer a few days. If yer lookin' fer a place to ply yer healing trade, ye can probably ask Haven, Rhadama, or Chataya fer a bit o' space in the Healer's Den" he says as they enter town and he points the Den out to his new friend. "Those three Ixifar are good to have around in a pinch. If yer needin' a blade sharpened, or want to practice some fightin so as to rid yerself of a bit of yer gut, the Warrior's Hall over there is a good place to practice. There is a forge as well as practice dummies and weapons." Taklinn smiles as he looks upon the Gnomes belly, wondering how big it was when he first took to the road. "Those of us who are a bit up in age can always use a bit of exercise to keep our edge." He says as they walk further into town and closer to the Shady Corners.
Glimmer giggles at Taklinn's statements as she flits along quietly behing the pair. "Mr. Dr. Riddles sir, why don't you just nevermind what he says and have some more cookies. If ye need a good mage, talk to Thalenir. He's the best around. Akon is a warlock, I don't reccommend her. Kollista, the other new gnome, is a warlock as well. She's under my eye however and has promised not to dabble with dead fae. The Brotherhood is a group of mixed company, but they will help you if you seek them out. Speak with Kirell, Drux, Victor, Garith, or Berendor to be requestin services with them. We're a mixed lot here. We have pirates and assassins, as well as healers and rogues. Warriors and savages, and a few bards and mages. You'll fit right in." Glimmer plops herself on the bar and begins eating her cookies hungrily, stopping to sip some wine every few seconds to subdue the everlasting hiccups that seem to plague her.
Riddles turns to look at Taklinn as they walk, and comments:
"Yes, I most certainly think I will find a nice spot for myself in the healers den. You say I should talk to one of those birdies over there, yes? Well I suppose I should do that. Now, this endless decanter that you were talking about, does it have a fidwigit inside of it to make sure the distillation is perfectly timed with the syrupometer? Because I do love a well timed distillation process. You see, a well timed stout takes skill, you must have a perfect balance of weight in it, and still keep it on the dark side. The alcohol by weight and volume must be perfectly ..." the gnome rambles on excitedly about the distillation process, as the trio nears the bar: "and that is why it is important that you have a steady hand to drink with!" he says, in conclusion.
The gnome becomes more and more jolly as he thinks about getting a nice ale, and he turns to Glimmer and says "The Brotherhood yes yes? A mixed lot. Sounds like I would fit in perfectly! Plus, it sounds as though this town could really use a nice neurotinkerer."
As Riddles enters the Shady Corners, he holds open the door, and watches Glimmer flit in past him, and plop down onto the bar.
[Moving to Tavern in Forums]
Riddles wakes up, and yawns very loudly. He hears some noise coming from down the road, and he realizes he is closer than he thought to town. Just a bit further and he could be having eggs and bacon. In the distance he hears the sounds of a preacher talking about sausage. He packs up his things again in the cart, and waddles his way towards town, eager to meet new faces.