merritidings

[merritidings]

Location: Area around the Magical Scar, South of Myrefall Date: May 24th Time: Midday Status: Self-para/Open

The secrets of life are revealed in the laboratory of Merrinyn Delorsath, wherever that may be this week, with her research notes plumbing and cataloging nature's wonders. At least, that's what the triton likes to believe. Her original self-imposed mission was to discover new ways to improve and augment existing issues involving health, but her time on the surface has led her to believe that complete health, of individuals and of the society as a whole, depends on the mutual adaptation of nature and civilization with one another. Suffice to say, biological experimentation has always been among Merrinyn's greater interests.

Her approach to her mission has mostly focused on the incremental progress towards a utopian ideal of thriving biology, remaining more aloof from politics than other researchers, which was why she was able to bypass, rather ignore, the otherwise necessary courtesy call to Myrefall's ruling body. Instead, Merrinyn just made her way directly to the area of the magical...scar, desperately hoping to study and learn what could be welcomed additions to her notes. "When I said I wanted to visit Myrefall, the city didn't have to welcome me with such a magnificent development. A wonderful detour, this is, if I say so myself."

As soon as they were close, Merrinyn wasted no time in taking out her Journal of Easy Noting and dictating her thoughts to it, its magic quickly writing down everything she had to say. "This is marvelous. The surrounding area of the earthquake that had unexpectedly welcomed us on our way to Myrefall has, well, changed, for the lack of a better term. I'm assuming, from the looks of our coachman's face, the width of his opened jaw and its distance from the ground, that this deep chasm, a hundred foot or so, was not always here... A literal scar across the earth, left by the eruption." 

She turned her attention to the roots sprouting from the chasm, squinting, poking at them with a stick, while she continued to take notes. "Roots, seemingly unbreakable, have sprouted from the chasm, clawing into the nearby ground." Taking a closer look, she catches a whiff of an unpleasant scent and coughs, almost gags at least once. "There's a garden of strange flowers, too, oozing viscous liquid, smelling like...entrails? That's new. All around, the grass have changed colors as well, mimicking the shades of the rainbow." She yelps as birds suddenly dive into the chasm from behind and above her. "Now that isn't anything you see every day. Birds are diving straight into the chasm, and without any warning, I should add."  

Merrinyn spent the next few hours making more of the same observations. The coachman she had hired to deliver her to Myrefall had wanted to leave, afraid of the uncertainty this geographical intrusion was presenting, but the promise of more coin ensured his loyalty. At least until nightfall. Still, he returned to his carriage and insisted he'd wait for her a safe distance away. The triton could only grin. Small men, small surface men, always fear what they do not understand. 

That is why she was here in the first place, to understand what this was, to ensure that there was nothing to fear. Of course, the surrounding trees wilting and re-growing half a dozen times did not help matters with the coachman, but the possibility to harness that sudden growth, Merrinyn believed to be useful in her research. "Just imagine... We might be able to regrow limbs by isolating this specific event. We could help hundreds, thousands... Not just in Myrefall but beyond."

Unbeknownst to her, she was fast becoming lost in her thoughts, unable to notice someone else was now closing in on her.

[merritidings]

player task 003: alternate universe (disney princess: the little mermaid).

[merritidings]

ellywick.

The two friends smiled in response. “We’re glad to hear that, miss,” Ilda responded simply.

Ellywick was about to reply right away to the customer’s inquiry, but she decided against it to defer to Ilda’s judgement instead. Ilda, as the current lead of the bakery, was the one with the final say when her father wasn’t around. It had been something that had taken some time for her to learn with her penchant for giving responses as soon as her brain was able to process the question.

Ilda appeared to be in thought about the request. While some of the baked goods in the bakery was a family recipe or a dish that wasn’t the simplest, a lot of them were also taken from cookbooks, recommendations from friends and a bit of personal experimentation. Elly had tried to do similarly in the past with cookies, but hers ended up being more suitable as part of a house’s foundation than as anyone’s afternoon snacks.

“In a different situation, I would be hesitant,” Ilda admitted slowly and softly, “but the lemon cakes are not really anything special.”

Elly added on, “They’re not a special recipe or anything like that.”

Ilda nodded in thanks to her small friend. “Yes. In this case, I would not mind giving you the base recipe for the cakes. We can’t part with every secret, but with it, you could learn to replicate it and reformulate it to your own liking.”

Elly nodded. “I tried making them with more salt once. I didn’t do too well, but there was promise in that. One moment, please.” She turned and walked to the backroom of the backroom, where Nim was sitting and having a bit of a ‘nap.’ “Hey, Nim, could you retrieve paper and pencil? Thanks!”

She quickly found her way back out to the ground and, after a few seconds of waiting, Nim’s metal form emerging from the backroom. She usually stayed there in order to avoid intimidating the customers, but Elly could imagine that the triton had seen worse. “I installed a storage compartment recently,” she explained. “You never know when you need to write down stuff.”

“Merrinyn.” The triton smiled back at them both, giving out her name just like that. If the situation was different, she wouldn’t have done that as well. But they were tiny and cute and they bake really tasty desserts, so why wouldn’t she just give out her name just like that? Besides, they were kind enough to consider giving her the lemon cake recipe. To them, it might not be special or a big deal. To Merrinyn, however, it would definitely let her make some more friends. 

“Oh, it’s okay, I have a...” She started perusing her person after nodding at every thing the duo had said, not wanting to burden them any further. She was the one asking for a recipe. She should already be prepared to note that down, all things considered. It didn’t take her that long to procure her journal of easy noting, a birthday gift from the same shop she had purchased her trident of fish command. 

The journal in itself was small and well-bound, its pages replaceable, and it had come with a matching ink pen, which was easily refillable as well. Although Merrinyn took out the latter as well, she wouldn’t need to use it, as the same journal could also be dictated to. All she needed was to speak her chosen command word and the pen would leap into action to write down everything she’d say until she orders it to stop by speaking the command word again. “Note.” 

“No... Salt...” The pen immediately wrote the reminder down while Merrinyn simply watched it go, nodding absentmindedly before some sort of metallic creature joined them. The triton turned to where it stood, looked it over from head to toe, and grinned, admiring the metalwork. So they were engineers then. Excellent. “That...is beautiful work.”

A Toast for Butter Days

[merritidings]

ellywick.

Ellywick looked up at the triton’s question, corrected herself from her defeated position and gave her a nod. “I suppose you could say that, although I’m not sure what really qualifies someone to be called that.”

Ilda smiled at her. “With the things you have made over the years, I would be surprised if you weren’t considered one already.”

She waved Ilda off with a playful wave of the hand. “You’re so big on the flattery, you and Brunheim. Such kind words for such a humble one like myself.”

“Right,” her best friend replied with a wry smile. “Very humble, indeed. Are you enjoying your lemon cakes, miss?” With that, she turned her attention back towards the triton.

“Yeah, I hope you found what you were looking for,” Elly added on. “Dessert names can be real confusing. There seems to be several that go by the same name or vice versa. How do anyone find anything with that sort of classification?”

“With a lot of experience and a proper menu,” Ilda replied without skipping a beat. “Would you like anything else along with the cakes?”

Ellywick threw her friend a mock stink-eye in response, resisting the urge to shove her tongue at her. They were in the company of smart people, after all.

Merrinyn watched with a grin the exchange between the gnome and the dwarf. They appeared to be very close, perhaps having spent most of their lives together? Or at least their recent lives, maybe even just the parts of their lives that matter to them? 

It is hard to tell with the varying lifespans of the surface, though in the grand scheme of things, there really is no standard when it comes to how long two friends must know each other to become so close, so...intertwined.

She nodded as soon as the discussion was once again turned towards her, a few crumbs of the lemon cake around the edges of her lips. “Yes, I am. These are really delicious and satisfying. I hope to come back for more.” 

The triton offered them each a smile, as she was told to do whenever she must give thanks to others. It is a recent lesson she had learned but not one she has mastered. 

Her eyes immediately narrowed at the mention of classification and then menu. A thought crossed her mind, a daring one at that. Could she herself learn to engineer such perfection? Perhaps not, but it was worth a try, especially if there was a menu, rather a blueprint to the creation. “Excuse me, but... This may be too much to ask, but... Do you happen to have a basic schematics...err recipe for this delightful dessert?”

She offered them another smile, an expectant one at that. They were both very friendly and playful. Perhaps they would be much better sharers than the other scientists she had met back at home. At the very least, this creation was more for personal consumption than profitable claim, anyway. Merrinyn could not see the harm in that.

A Toast for Butter Days

[merritidings]

ellywick.

Ellywick tilted her head to the side, feeling her hair dance around as she did so. Her choice of words were interesting, if very vague and somewhat simplifying what was likely a much more challenging concept as a whole. Interesting.

“So, is it more about comparing the two cultures or combining them? I mean, I can’t say I’ve been in the ocean much, I’m not the best of swimmers, but I can imagine that your people have a different way of handling things since most of the things you see on a daily basis are more … water-based? It sure is a time where people should be coming together in understanding to face the threats in the best way possible, but some are just too busy worrying to see the potentials out there. I mean, it’s the separation stuff that led to this war in the first place.”

Ilda looked at Elly with a frown. “It’s not that simple, Elly…”

“Yeah, yeah, I know, politics and people are complicated and weird like that,” Elly said with a sigh. “I suppose if that’s the kind of stuff you’re looking into, the timing wasn’t really the most spot-on, but you couldn’t have the predicted that sort of thing. I’m sorry for what happened back there.” She groaned, leaning against the counter in defeat. “I’m not good with this kinda thing. Give me broken stuff and I’ll fix it right up, but this isn’t it.”

Ilda said nothing, just patted the gnome’s shoulder comfortingly and gave the customer a polite smile.

Merrinyn nodded, a smile forming on her lips. These humble bakers were quick in the head, and the thought made her rejoice in her simple assumption that she had found others somewhat like her, not like the boring lot who could only talk about things they did not really understand. At least these two did not pretend with all the misguided arrogance of the surface that they knew what they did not. “Yes... Comparing and then combining. The ocean has many strange and powerful creatures, the traits of which could be very useful when applied to the surface. My civilization has progressed greatly, but yours have as well and is somewhat safer and more...open.”

The triton had not fully studied the art of war in her own time, growing up, but she knew full well that it was an unnecessary distraction and even an obstacle for true progress. Merrinyn had never found the subject interesting, if only complicated for all the wrong reasons. Politics in itself is a mere distraction and also an obstacle for any true progress, and people? Well, people can be quite...challenging to handle as well. Science and facts are more reliable, data and numbers are easier to manage, and everything else associated with them and more do not need to mince words or walk on eggshells. Science and technology are what they are.

“That is true. I could not have predicted such a thing. Science could have, through patterns in history and movements in society and...politics.” The last word almost made her threw up in her mouth. “Alas, I am still learning of your history and...politics.” There it was again, the blatant disgust for the absurdist field. Her eyebrow rose at the gnome’s mention of fixing stuff. “You are an engineer?”

An engineer could be useful. Yes, very useful indeed. She took a bite of another lemon cake.

A Toast for Butter Days

[merritidings]

ellywick.

“Oh…” Ilda’s voice turned soft, almost inaudible if you weren’t following along in the conversation. “You were in Arx.”

Ellywick looked from the triton to Ilda and back. She kinda hoped this wasn’t about to turn into a sad party. It was bad for morale, both the bakery’s and the customer’s. “I’m really sorry that happened to you,” she responded. “That thing came suddenly, like out of nowhere suddenly. None of us could’ve expected any of it, really. Maybe aside from diviners, but I think even they needed some sort of warning, right?” Something else peaked her interest about her words. “What were you researching?”

Ilda raised an eyebrow at her friend, but said nothing. Elly tried her best, but she had never been the best at comfort. So she focused instead on making sure the lemon cakes were in order for the customer to bring with her.

“Yes... Yes, I was in Arx.” Her words came out without any second thought. Not even a first. The memories were burned in her head, the trauma now a part of her. Although, compared to the others, hers was remotely manageable. Merrinyn had never been quite emotional nor was she well-versed in handling emotions well. Logic ruled her more, and that often gave way to her treating even the most painful of all memories as facts that need to be studied and dissected, not opportunities for personal emotional growth. “...it was but a boring few days.”

There were deaths, people did die, but Merrinyn was never really anywhere close to any of that. She was just trapped inside a library with a host of other refugees. Their only enemies were boredom, fear, doubt, and hunger, though most of those were manageable with the presence of the scholars and a few gifted individuals like herself, a druid that could fly given the right wild shape. The only reason why she was even there in the first place, why she never left, was because of her elderly landlady who could do nothing else but stay there. Unfortunately for the researcher, she had unknowingly developed an attachment to an experiment. It was both disappointing and quite curious. 

At the mention of diviners, Merrinyn couldn’t help but chuckle and shake her head. Divination wasn’t an exact science, it may never even be considered science, at least that’s what she believed. Divination was her least favorite school of magic. It was all guessing, rarely facts. Still, if it gave people hope, then she guessed it had done its job. It was only recently that Merrinyn came to terms about hope being necessary, even if the science behind it cannot be supported. Hope in the face of certain death? Unhelpful but somewhat necessary.

“Oh, I’m researching...” Merrinyn struggled to find the right words to explain, believing that hers must be understood by the common folk as best as she can make them out to be. By default, she believed that none outside of libraries on the surface would understand the gravity of her research, of her studies, so she had to choose simple words to ensure that the basics would still be understood. “...adaptation. Marrying the best parts of the deep sea with the surface world to help evolve everything to their truest potential? So that none may suffer at another Arx invasion, I suppose.”

A Toast for Butter Days

[merritidings]

ellywick.

The enthusiasm in which the triton bit into that lemon cake was honestly both amusing and downright fascinating to watch. She really wasn’t from around here, was she? Probably on an adventure of sorts, checking out the surface and figuring out the weirdness that was the people on land. Honestly, people could be damn weird at times.

Ellywick and Ilda looked at each other before Elly shook her head. “Nah. If anything, it’s more her place than mine.”

“It belongs to my father,” Ilda provided helpfully, “but he’s not in today.”

“So it’s just us today. Well, it would be just Ilda, but I help out. I’d never leave my friend to handle all of this on her own.” She gave Ilda a playful nudge in the arm.

Ilda seemed like she had a retort prepared, but she felt uncertain of the idea of engaging in full on banter with a customer right in front of them. A paying customer, certainly, and there wasn’t anyone else in here at the moment, but it still seemed a little wrong somehow.

“So yeah, summary: Family business, hers, I help out.” Elly leaned as far up as she could on the counter. Maybe she should ask Brunheim to get a stool or a step ladder for her her or something. Maybe she could tweak her prosthetics to have a lengthening feature, to provide a few extra inches of height when it was necessary. Hm… I should make a note for later. “So what brings you here? It’s far from any waters, as far as I’m aware. I mean, we’re on the inside of a mountain, after all.”

Merrinyn shifted her gaze from the dwarf to the gnome and back again, her eyes wandering from one speaker to another on their respective turns, all while continuing to consume the glorious pastry. It was what that noble said it would be and more. The triton was flabbergasted that she had not heard of such a thing from her elderly landlady. She had thought her her greatest friend on the surface. Such betrayal. 

The triton nodded at the revelation that the shop belonged to Ilda’s father. It was, after all, a common thing, for fathers to own businesses and their children to help manage them. Him not being around made her grow a bit curious, but not curious enough to ask outright. She could do nothing but smile when the friend displayed affection and loyalty to the other. How she wished her elderly landlady would do the same, though she couldn’t fault her for being otherwise. Merrinyn herself was not that showy.

Merrinyn appreciated the gnome summarizing the facts. All surface dwellers should be like her, if not only for the fact that summarizing facts were a helpful approach to sharing stories and information, and Merrinyn was all about sharing information. Well, getting them, anyway. Anything for her research. She was caught surprised by the question of her intention in the area, though she shouldn’t have if she did not easily forget this was how surface conversations usually went.

“Oh, well, I’m here for a...change of scenery, I suppose. I was at Arx, trapped behind walls and books, during the siege, the invasion.” She turned to what remains of the lemon cake in her hand. It wasn’t a lot any more, just a bite or two left, and so the triton sighed. “I haven’t been underwater for a few months now. All for my research... My research that could not prevent Arx’s fate.” 

Those last few words slithered out of her mouth without her consent, as if they were being delivered by her subconscious instead.

A Toast for Butter Days

[merritidings]

ellywick.

Ellywick observed the way the customer’s face changed from curious to doubtful to a ray of sunshine in the matter of seconds. She sure had a lot going on inside her head, that one. I can relate to that.

When she replied positively to what Elly had found and pointed out, she reached for the napkins resting in a basket next to the displays. It was a little high up, however, and she had to stand on the tip of her toes in order to reach them, but she managed to get her fingers on one of them in the end. With it in hand, she grabbed one of the best-looking lemon cakes from the tray and brought it to the front desk, where the five coppers were already on the table. Eager one!

Ilda threw her a smile as she took care to handle the financial exchange and find a paper bag to wrap the treat inside. She turned to the customer. “Would you like a bag to go with it? The treat, I mean.”

Ellywick put the treat on the table, napkin and all, and looked from Ilda to the triton and back.

Merrinyn watched the gnome as she tried to fetch something higher than she could reach. The triton wondered whether she should offer some assistance, if it was even appropriate. There was the possibility that the gnome might take offense to it, motive be otherwise or not. 

According to the books she’s read, the tales she’s heard, vertically challenged folk often found it annoying when the taller ones tried to assist them. Merrinyn could understand that. Sometimes, you just want to overcome your hurdle your way.

She heaved a sigh of relief as she saw the gnome was able to do what she set out to do, her eyes darting towards the lemon cakes. Merrinyn watched the gnome throughout, though her attention was mostly reserved for the pastry. “Thank you, a bag would be nice.” She smiled back, before taking the treat along with the napkin.

At the sight of the dessert in her clutches, Merrinyn couldn’t help but sample one. It was just too irresistible to her. She plopped one inside her mouth, at least the tip, and took a bite, immediately delighting in the taste. With the piece still not swallowed, she tried to make small talk with the, uhh, small folk, trying her best to make her gluttony look normal. It was not.

“So, uhh, you two own this place together?”

A Toast for Butter Days

[merritidings]

ellywick.

Fluffy cakes with lemons?

“Do you mean lemon cake?” Ellywick wondered, almost guessing her way forward based on the triton’s words. She turned to Ilda, as if questioning her own understanding of the names of cakes and other desserts. To be fair, some of the ones in places like Runswick and Myrefall had some complicated names. She had a feeling that some of them were inspired by dishes further south, based on the etymology and the way the borders were closed off at the moment, meaning people would have to be creative on their own with opportunity to travel.

Elly went through her mental list of bakery’s menu. She didn’t have that much of a sweet tooth herself, but she enjoyed it every now and then. Still, there was a reason Brunheim (and later Ilda) had asked her to help out every now and then. It was probably for reasons other than her quite obvious charm and ability to make Nim into a walking storage and cooling unit.

“Uh… Lemon tart, lemon bars, lemon… Yeah, we have those.” She looked around at the displays, walking away from the one with the breads to look at the rows of colorful and creamy desserts. Brunheim was nothing if not versatile in his choices. “There you are.”

She turned to face the customer with a smile. “We have a few of them left. 5 copper pieces for those.”

Desserts were slightly more expensive than your common loaf of bread, but it wasn’t exactly something people splurged on every single day. Well, some did, but that was another matter entirely.

Merrinyn smiled at the mention of lemon cake. It dawned on her that it was pretty much what she meant, a cake of lemons, what that lady had shared with her during their time locked away in the libraries in Arx. 

Before she could respond positively, however, her face instinctively frowned at the mention of lemon tarts and lemon bars. Now she began to second guess herself. Wasn’t the cake actually in the form of a bar? And if she remembers correctly, tart meant the sharpness or acidity in taste. Can what she was trying to remember be all three at the same time? The triton grew quiet and confused.

The displays did help. As soon as one of them turned to their direction, Merrinyn did as well. Everything looked absolutely delicious that the triton could not help but lick her blue lips in anticipation of how they would taste in her mouth. She gulped at least twice, maybe even thrice, as she browsed the selection with her eyes, suddenly celebrating when she found what looked like the exact thing she was looking for: A lemon cake. “Oooh, oooh! I believe that is what I’m looking for! The lemon...dessert!” 

She turned to merchants with a wide grin before taking out five of the copper pieces in her pouch. With little to no hesitation, she surrendered the currency to them, her eyes sparkling in excitement of the pastry’s taste in her lips.

A Toast for Butter Days

[merritidings]

ellywick.

Ilda and Elly took a moment to exchange glances at the newcomer. Neither of them recognized her, so she was definitely not a regular at the bakery. It didn’t take much for Ellywick to recognize her as a triton. They were rare, especially in a mountainous place like Khaggon. What was she doing so far from the water?

To be fair, not many would want to be by the port cities after what occured in Arx.

Ilda gave the woman a smile and gestured towards the newest batch, a set of dark bread. “This is seeded rye bread. It’s really quite flavorful and mighty.” She pointed towards a lighter set next to it. “This is potato bread. We have some loaves over this way, some sweet bread this way,” she said as she pointed further left, “oh, and plenty of cakes. Whatever suits your fancy, really.”

Ellywick leaned forward over the counter, standing on the tips of her metal toes, as she strived to meet the customer’s eyes. Ilda had a tendency to ramble at times, which meant she had to interject a little bit. “The rye bread runs for 3 copper pieces if you want an entire loaf, a copper piece if you prefer slices.” She looked towards Ilda. “Right?”

Ilda gave her a slow, gentle nod. “Yes.”

Elly smiled, looking from Ilda to the woman. “Yeah, 3 for the whole thing, 1 for part of it.”

“Seeded rye?” The triton shifted her gaze from the tiny women to the bread they were offering for sale. “Potato bread?” 

Each one of them appeared to her quite delicious to eat. The difference in color could mean a lot of things. They wouldn’t be all made similarly, of course. Some of them would have more sugar, others more eggs, and yadda yadda yadda. Merrinyn wasn’t here to study bread and the corresponding craft. She was here most likely because she needed to serve her more basic instincts: She needed to eat.

The triton smiled as the price of the rye bread was shared with her. She would’ve opted to take that trade right then and there, but the mention of cakes kept her coin pouch closed. She was certain the rye bread would be delicious enough, loaf or slice, but her interest had shifted its allegiance to another type of pastry. 

“Yes, cakes...” She started looking through the ones on display. One of the ladies she had met, rather was trapped with during the siege of Arx, would not stop talking about cakes. If it were any other circumstance, Merrinyn would’ve grabbed her mouth herself to shut her up. But they were under duress, and while her voice was too high to be anything but annoying, her words offered a mild distraction from the fear and anxiety that had taken them all. “Do you have, uhm, one of those fluffy cakes? I forgot what they were called but they’re supposed to be sweet but not too sweet. Uhm, they have lemons, I think?”

She meant lemon cake, as simple as that. Unfortunately, the triton’s wits feared simplicity and tended to make everything complicated, even the things that should remain...not complicated. 

A Toast for Butter Days

[merritidings]

ellywick.

A Toast for Butter Days

Date: March 26. Time: Mid-morning. Location: Brunheim’s Bakery, Khaggon, Hegaehend.

Open!

The smell of fresh, warm bread was strong as Ellywick stepped out of the backroom of the bakery with a basket of a fresh batch in hand. It was a little large compared to her body as it was scaled for dwarves, not gnomes. The place was calm, quiet, but those that came by were usually bright in attitude and eager for some baked goods.

“And that’s the last of them,” Elly said with a satisfied sigh as she put the basket down and began to put them on display one by one. By the front desk stood a red-headed dwarf with tan skin and bright green eyes. She threw the gnome a tired smile.

“Once again, thank you so much for coming in on such short notice,” Ilda said after she had exchanged the last customers with their order for the necessary copper pieces. “Dad’s getting worse by the day. I worry for him.”

“No worries!” Ellywick said with a smile as she took the moment of peace to sit down on a stool to rest her legs for a moment. The height of it meant that her legs didn’t quite touch the ground, and she felt the weight of her prosthetics this way. “Your baking’s getting good, by the way. You might beat Brunheim someday.”

Ilda gave her a knowing glance and crossed her arms. “Did you sneak taste from the batter again?” she asked with a amused tone.

Ellywick was about to respond, defend her honor as was her right when falsely accused in this way, when the bell above the door went off. She jumped off the chair before even Ilda could react and put on a big smile.

“Hi, welcome to Brunheim’s Bakery! How can we help you today?”

Leaving Arx for Khaggon was never going to be easy. At least for the triton, that held true. It had been days since she had left her second home, days since she had arrived in this strange new city, yet she was still feeling as if she could return to her elderly landlady with just two steps. “It will not be for long, Merrinyn,” she tells herself, trying her best to maintain her composure. “We shall be back before we know it.”

Before she knew it, she had gone inside a bakery of sorts, the strong scent of warm, fresh bread an irresistible lure. The triton looked around, marveling at the visible pastry, especially at the basket of what seemed to be freshly baked bread, a selection that had just jumped out of the oven. They look mighty tasty.

“Yes, what are these, and how much are they?” She turned to the dwarf first and then to the gnome, a little uncertain as to whose voice called out to her and to whom she should ask. 

A Toast for Butter Days

[merritidings]

allegra. 

Allegra steadied herself on the banister as she leaped to her feet. It was then that she was taken out of her own head and able to fully actualize the person in front of her. She stepped backwards and up three steps, all to quite literally see eye-to-eye.

“Merrinyn Delorsath, you must be so far from home.” She repeated, formally greeting her with a curt nod. “I wish we met under different circumstances. And, seriously, thanks for indulging me. It’s all I could ask for right now.”

Merrinyn offered the lady halfing, as she has read in one of her books from the Deep City to be the most appropriate response in such situations. With a brief nod, and a discrete sigh, she willed herself to remain composed and not be taken by her emotions, her loneliness remembered, her unfounded and ill-advised to go back home in the middle of this war, with her research and study unfinished. “It has been quite the swim, my lady. From my home to yours.”

It was an understatement, but given the circumstances that they were in at the moment, it was all she could muster. The triton felt it would be too inappropriate to dwell on her past when they would offer no such wisdom or aid in these trying times. Back home, she chose to seclude herself within the great library’s walls, gorging on each and every morsel of knowledge she could get her hands on. Here, she had found herself in the same situation, though not of her consent nor with any motivation to indulge in the secrets of the books trapped with her, with them. Perhaps that should change.

“You are most welcome, my lady. If we had met under different circumstances, perhaps we would be sharing better stories of ourselves, sharing the wondrous knowledge and curiosities that abound in these walls. It is a shame such a place of study has become our cage.” 

[merritidings]

caeli.

So Merrinyn wanted to know about the world up here. She was researching and studying…on purpose? Willingly? Now that sounded boring. Caeli had to admit, though, she was a little curious about what lay under the water. It wasn’t something she had really thought about before, and her interest was peaked. Were there whole cities under there like up here? What sort of treasures were they smuggling in their underwater hideaways? Certainly it would be much harder to swing swords down there. How did they fight? Maybe she should have paid more attention during lessons.

Maybe she could get to one of these underwater cities one day.

“You’re very observant. Maybe one day you’ll figure it out.” It would be more fun to see her connect the dots herself than to simply outright tell her. “So…what’s the point of all this research you speak of? Simply to satiate curiosity?” She crossed her arms, looking out over the ocean in front of them as she spoke.

“Yes, to satiate curiosity...” Merrinyn offered her new associate a curt smile, as she began to brush the water off her hair. It was true, first and foremost, that the triton had an insatiable curiosity. All this research, all her study, were in more ways than one mere attempts to remedy that curse, which was only a blessing whenever it led to answers that improved upon, well, anything, really. “I have always been curious. About so many things. But I do hope that in time, as I find more answers, that all this curiosity can lead to a better life for everyone, whether they breathe air or swim underwater for most of their lives.”

She wondered if Caeli sought the same thing, a better life. Most soldiers, warriors do, as they begin their journeys. At least that’s what Merrinyn had read, known based on a single acquaintance who has since perished. Most journeys involving swords and spears are often quite short. A better life would extend that, though most soldiers and warriors often lose sight, need, of such an idea, of such privilege and right. Death always comes for those who deal in death...

Her smile slowly weakened, as did her resolve to pretend her mind had not wandered to such dark and dreary thoughts. Her eyes slowly took to wandering all over Caeli’s form, her being, as her mind continued to wonder whether this warrior, this soldier, were just like the rest of them, lost in battles already done, no longer interested in the future of a longer, happier life. Then she joined her in looking out over the ocean before them. “I hope that day comes soon, Caeli. You interest me greatly.”

[merritidings]

allegra.

As the woman protested, Allegra huffed with the shake of her head. Her words were supposed to be comforting - just the same as Allegra’s own - but instead they smothered her. It was a crushing burden; a weighty reminder of her inevitable responsibility. A responsibility she wasn’t even sure she had the chance to return to. There was a fable of a man in her childhood storybooks who had to bear the world on his shoulders. She related the lump in her throat to the world.

She plopped her seat onto the stairwell, dejected, cupping her head in her hands. It was all very melodramatic - like her former years as a teenage brat. “Ugh, you so sound like my nan. And I have, like, no doubt that my father will, but I can’t just do nothing. How useless.”

The outburst put her front and center in the conversation. She doused herself in shame as she pushed her thoughts to the back of her mind. “I’m sorry to unload this all on you, uh - did you ever say your name?”

The triton watched as the noble halfling stumbled into an unnecessary apology and then an inquiry upon her name. She had not as much experience socializing with the so-called nobility of her own race, of her own community, as she had with reading about them, about others of the same status. This was an enlightening experience, one that she also found quite amusing. 

There was a reason why nobility was put on a pedestal - a misguided belief that they were better than the ordinary man or a more factual acknowledgment that they have at their hands, at their whims, the more useful ability to grant solace, sanctuary, from the deprived wants and needs of the ordinary man - and now, in this point and time, the triton realized how pedestals were in the end crafted by mortals, so flawed and imperfect, lacking in so many justified ways, which made them interesting as they are, were. 

“Merrinyn, my lady. I am Merrinyn Delorsath of the Deep City.” She offered her a quaint bow of the head, brief but meaningful, at least as meaningful as she tried to make it. Social constructs were not as pervasive in Merrinyn’s life as they would be in others. She was, after all, someone who spent much of her life hidden behind books, trapped behind walls of information, of research, foregoing social events and opportunities to further her knowledge of the intricacies of society first-hand. Such things just did not appeal to her. “And it is all right. These are trying times. For me, a difficult wade in dark waters, obscured of information and thus drowning in fear. For you, I can only imagine it’s much of the same but with the added weight of your blood and name.”

Merrinyn wondered if she could do anything else to ease the lady’s stress, though her inexperience with such social situations leave her gasping for air. This would be a perfect opportunity to learn, if not for the tragedies looming over their heads.

[merritidings]

caeli.

So, she was saying that she was a bookworm who might want something beat up every once and awhile? Got it. And in exchange, perhaps the other would be a source of information when Caeli needed it. Couldn’t complain about that. And Caeli could keep some things away from this one. It’d be easier if she didn’t know the whole scope. Or, maybe she would be on board for Caeli’s type of anarchy. Who knows. She was equally in the dark about the background of the ocean dweller.

“I don’t see a downside to a proposal like that. A little unexpected of one to be making out here on the beach tonight, but sure.” She said with a shrug. “I’m Caeli.” Names seemed like a good way to start this out.

“Merrinyn...” The triton now out of water offered her a more courtly smile, as if switching from the lure of easygoing friendliness to the more complex demeanor of an ally in war. It is a sort of game courtiers play, she thought to herself, having heard of it from her elderly landlady whose own experiences were muddy at best. Merrinyn was no courtier, no noble woman playing at social elevation, so it was clear her attempt was misguided and uninformed. Her motives were genuine, though: She believed this “friendship” of sorts would be beneficial to both parties. “...I am of the tides, the Deep City, though I reside in Arx for now, learning, studying, about your surface world for my research.”

As she neared, she saw more of the warrior’s features, the things she had not while in the waters for her once-in-a-blue-moon swim. There was something...odd about her, but Merrinyn could not put her finger on it. Her inexperience with surface creatures didn’t help. All that she knew about them, she read from books, from literature, and those barely delved into the intricacies of their difference. She knew of humans, elves, dwarves, gnomes, and whatever else race there was, but she knew close to nothing of the truth of this other woman’s existence.

“You are most definitely warrior, tried and hardened by battles both physical and, I assume, emotional? It matters not. You are a warrior nonetheless, though of what, whom, I cannot be sure. There is something...about you that I cannot quite figure out.” The warrior may not share what, but Merrinyn’s curiosity spurred her to try.

[merritidings]

caeli.

“Hm. If you say so.”

Friends and allies weren’t words that she was so familiar with. At the very least, what she considered friends and allies weren’t of the kind that most would consider good company. She wouldn’t deny being somewhat intrigued, though. It seemed this person had no idea who (and what) she was and the reputation that preceded herself. Some avoided her on a glance, but this one had interacted with initiative.

“Are you looking for these ‘allies’ yourself? Is that was this is about? There’s something you want done?”

"We all need friends and allies, don’t you think?”

She swam closer, slowly rising from the waters. Merrinyn hasn’t been long in the surface world, and while she understood the intricacy of politics and war, she was not herself familiar with those of this kingdom. Most of the lessons she has taken to heart were from the histories of her people, the tritons of the deep cities, settlements really, with little to no context of how they truly apply to the surface world. Merrinyn herself had spent much of her time within four walls, in the company of literature, rarely meeting or making new acquaintances. 

I belong in the sea with my people, with my research, but I cannot improve upon anything if I do not journey forth and gather new knowledge... “My work may deliver me towards antagonistic physicality, and I am better suited to the strengths of the mind.” It would be no easy thing to forge a friendship between two strangers, especially of different worlds, Merrinyn knew, yet for the good of the realms, it must be tried. “I see you seem to be quite the opposite of me. Perhaps we can help each other out. When need be.” 

[merritidings]

arthenni.

“I expect that we do. With what we have stockpiled, plus the assistance of spells, I’m not too concerned about supplies.” Create Food and Water in itself could sustain them if necessary.

She raised a valid point though. If their escape routes were blocked off…no. No, they’d be fine. No reason to dwell on that. “There will be people with Transportation magic if we need a last resort way out.” The benefit of being on a magic-heavy campus.

Arthenni glanced back to the door to guide a few more people in before speaking again. “It’s as safe as anywhere in the city can be right now, as far as I know. This is…well, I don’t know what to expect.” Her own nerves were apparent as she spoke. She’d never been in something like this. She’d only ever seen the aftermath. The aftermath never looked good.

Transportation magic? The words piqued Merrinyn’s interest. This was a place of study, and the arcane can be studied, so it wouldn’t be quite strange and unexpected for a lot of its patrons to know magic. Transportation magic, however, and those that could affect more than the caster herself would be very useful. 

The triton had her own movement spells but they mostly only worked for her and her alone. She could not flee while her elderly landlady would be stuck here, trapped and abandoned. She had known that feeling herself, and living it again, even if someone was in her place, did not interest her one bit.

Merrinyn heaved a sigh, as discreetly as she could, which wasn’t discreet at all. The strange gnome wasn’t as confident as the triton would’ve liked her to be, but getting your city invaded would do that to anyone. They were all helpless at the moment, just waiting for help and rescue to come. They could fight but it seemed like the people with them needed them to stay instead of risking their lives. 

“It’s all right...” She tried to reassure the gnome, though her tone was less comforting and very neutral. “This is as safe as we get then. We just need to make sure everything holds out. Help should arrive.” It better. For everyone’s sakes.