Vek and Alvah back to business
Arriving near the village and taking vek shape again he steals a quick kiss and says, “Back to business I guess.” Walking in she sees Spatchi yelling at a rocky looking form by the pattern. In between the Pattern with its Tent camp and the Village is a massive pile of stones. A quick guess is around 5000 rocks. Spatchi says, “I don't care where you put them! Throw them off the cliff! They will be safe down there.. That can't stay here! They aren't even the right stone for the castle!” Earth Dufiro responds, “If you want to move them over the cliff, feel free. And when Lord Vek gets here I will tell him where the stones he ordered are and that you can retrieve them! “ Vek and Alvah walk to a group of villagers watching as they find the yelling funny. Alvah smells strong coffee and strong cocoa with them and sees the hot cauldrons on the fire with nearby cups. Dowser walk over, smiling, having his usual drink of hot water and honey. “They have been at this for hours. I think your guardsman may be as stubborn as your dufiro. Vek walks to the pile, unnoticed, and picks up a stone, examining it.
Amber Bronkhorst
Alvah too changes back into her human shape. Beaming at the kiss and returning one. Then she walks close enough to follow the yelling but not to close to be in a stone throw reach. Seeing Dowser she nods "Yes she is.... very strong willed. And i think she still uas the idea we are going to follow Random his plan and not that of our own." Alvah shrugs slightly "It is an interesting scene to watch but i am not going to step between it, the deal was between the dufiro and Vek and Spatchi is already in the mood to bite my head off." She looks around the pattern and asks Dowser. "Do you think there would be enough water in the ground for plants or might we need an irrigation system for the garden?"
Michael James Watson
Dowser ask, "The Garden? The one over the pattern? There will be plenty anywhere we wish it. It occurs to me that of these gardens we intend to build, on is on the far side of the village." He points to a flat area hear the far tree line. "Before the pattern arrived we had leveled the land, cleared it for water use. The plan was to build a 3' wall, 100' per side, and a 20' by 100' wall at one end of the pool. Stones those size it will take about 2000 stones. They should be pretty heavy. Would you be able to help us move the stones from the pile here over there? Id like to get something done today but it looks like Vek is just going to make the argument last longer. Help me build the feature, please?"
Amber Bronkhorst
Alvah follows with her eyes to where Dowser points. She nods slowly. "Sure i am always willing to help. But i have no spells prepared so i can't make it easier in that way. I can help carry them. " Watching the scene with the stones Alvah laughs. "Yes Vek is going to have fun with that probably, so yes lets get something done! "
Michael James Watson
As dowser directs thing the strong men in town come over, many not really understanding what a Amberite is. That his small girl is able to carry several of these stones at a time and not seem to struggle is astounding but its been an astounding couple of weeks. Dowser directs the locations of stacking for construction. She watches him use the wetness of the land to lay the stones in place. The second row settles in easily enough. After a bit she sees his method and starts setting stones. Several of the men are old hands at this and start stacking the stones Dowser tells them all to stop at 1 foot.
Amber Bronkhorst
Alvah happily helps them she just acts as if it is the most normal thing ever. Keeping a curious eye on how Dowser does it. She keeps carrying stones till Dowser says its enough. Also as she helps she doesn't want to "outtun" the men. She just wants to walk up at the same pace. While workimg shs starts to sing a rhythmic working song. Hoping the villagers who are helping pick it up with Alvah.
Michael James Watson
Vek walks over and sits on the wall edge. "Nice wall. I'll need 5 or 6 more of these around before we can start the one for the keep. Spatchi is literally arguing with a stone....On one level its really entertaining. Alvah, would you mind locking these stones in place till i can get the Dufiro to come make them watertight? I'll show you the spell. It just lets the stones stay in place to the 3' height while Rocky over there is digging out the Weres across the realm. We have agreed to not smooth the cliff face. Of course that was always going to be one of the demands i drop in the bargaining process. Ask big, negotiate, get more then you really wanted. Thats how to deal with them." he raises his sign of the pattern and goes through a simple spell that will lock all the stones together for a long while. Its enough to get planting started.
Amber Bronkhorst
Smiling seeimg Vek she then laughs hearing about Spatchi. "Well she has to argue with something or someone. But sure i'll do that immediately good practice for my sorcery." A slight grin on her face "Of course nice tactic with negotiating. Well lets get this spellwork done. " She then copies Vek his movements and placing of the spell till she is confident and content with it. "Even with all the changes it will stay a great place. Is Spatchi accepting by now we do not follow Random his sanctioned plans?"
Michael James Watson
"What makes you think we don't? Random and I had very specific conversations about what was going to e built there. He gave Spatchi different plans so she could argue and do her duty. I have specific things I can compromise on with her if I choose to but at this point she hasn't made her case for them. Arguing with the dufiro is particularly amusing because she doesn't seem to grasp that he has no call in how these things are built. She needs to try to convince me, not him. But there she is, yelling at a creature who has made a deal not the person who sets the terms, and can change the deal. Is a teaching moment for me and a learning moment for her. And of course Random is watching to see how I manage. He has also given me a price if i want to sell the place. "
Amber Bronkhorst
Alvah leans back against a sta k of stones and laughs soft but sudden. "Of course there is a plan within a plan. But why torture Spatchi so? She doesn't deserve that.. although i have the feeling she really needs to find a release for her frustrations. Preferably not my face though. " Looking to where Spatchi is she sighs "Well i hope she'll get it soon that the dufiro is not going to move... " Alvah then raises an eyebrow "Random is watching? How? And why couldn't he be content with a report? " A moment she stays silent. "A price for Veksvale? Wow... let me guess you declined politly?"
Michael James Watson
"Torture? She is arguing with a rock, while she has a plate of bagels and goat kababs. If you think that's torture we have very different experiences. " He smiles at Alvah, "I don't mean Random is literally watching. He is metaphorically watching. He's a busy man and this is a tiny side show. As for declining to sell the place, no, I told him i would speak with my advisors. I've done so. You think I should decline. But to be clear, i will sell anything I own, from land to cats to hats for the right price. Everything is for sale. The price he offered is extremely generous. In time this place will change to something i did not create. We travel and we leave places and people behind. As the saying goes; When the ship lifts, all debts paid, no regrets. But the deal is open indefinitely. I've time. " "Besides, the people here are not the people who were here the first 40 years of the place. Nor really the second 40. There are a couple generations of people that were born and raised here and many of them are choosing to go Downhill for easier living. There are perhaps 30 people here that I might, might, ask to come with me if I decided to find another isolated woodland to create a hunting camp in. Dowser here is a native of Downhill, came here as a boy all dripping with unrequited waters. Once we sorted out his Dufiro genealogy issue he gained the longevity of the Dufiro. Someday he will leave here to go to the Dufirosm and see how his people live. Right, Dow?" He nods, "My father is dead. My sister that was born here is dead. I am only staying out of habit and because VEk asked me to stay. I have the time"
Amber Bronkhorst
Watching Spatchi again she shrugs. "Didn't mean torture torture.. more teasingly torture.. like teachers can torture their students torture.. " Looking curiously now at Vek she smiles "I wonder what has he offered? Or will i hear, in time? But sure i can understand in that sense a place changes the people change. Not being yhe same as you sought out before. And a new shadow is easily found again. " She nods to Dowser "Right, habit is not a bad thing but can get boring at a time. But its good that you are willing to eventually move on as well." She then stretches and looks to the kitchen tents remembering the smell of coffee and cocoa. She walks to Vek holds his face with both her hands on each cheek. "Did you have coffee this morning? If not i'll run and get some." She says this with a semi serious face.
Michael James Watson
"I moved directly to bourbon . I think i'll have coffee later to relax. " He stretches, "As for what Random offered me, there are few things i want that far east. Land, titles, things, rank are of little interest to me. However, access is another matter. Access to the Primal Pattern. Attunement to the jewel of judgment. There are few people I could benefit from studying under. Fiona, Brand, and Bleys are all the top sorcery hitters most of us could learn from but my sorcery and conjuration is almost as good as theirs and my Logrus is better. Being able to construct artifacts using a close shadow of the Jewel would be good. Training under Finndo would be good. Even training under Dworkin might be possible." "Another thing...There is a chance, an outside chance...that this pattern could be moved. That would make this place a very powerful shadow with a strong residual power making it worth keeping. A lot of things are being looked into"
Amber Bronkhorst
Alvah laughs while letting his face go after stealing a quick kiss. "Right coffee to relax. Just know what you call over yourself.. trouble might come. " Turning to the pattern she looks at it "Does the pattern want to be moved even?" Then looking up at Vek she smiles. "I am certain you can get something good from it. You should of you want to go for a trade. I wouldn't blame you." A soft smile "But we have time right. Nothing is to be decided yet, for now things are as they are."
Michael James Watson
"For now I am building a sprawling manse east away from the village, one wall of which will look out off the cliff and it will have a lovely bricked in walled garden. We are building 7 garden water sources. We will be getting a Dufiro of Grown to fill the gardens and to grow thick grass so we need no roads. We will be bringing in the year's mead to rack it and bottle it. Lastly we will be gathering crafts and stock in meat, honey, preserves and wild flowers to put on this year's Downhill train. That is what we are doing. SOmewhere in there we will get some languages in"
Amber Bronkhorst
Alvah smiles at the mere thought of a more "simple" life she nods "That sounds wonderful. I actually started to enjoy growing my gardens in Jetex. I might not be a dufiro of growth but perhaps i can help." She wraps her arms aroind herself and looks happily over the village. "And i may teach some dancing." Looking up at Vek genuinely happy. "And yes languages i'll study those. And perhaps practice changing forms now and then."
