1629, Dark Season, Fertility Week, Fireday-ish
Context
Lord Raven and Berra have had a small disagreement. Lord Raven is rubbing in that he can eat vegetables, and Berra can only taste them when he does. Session P6.11.
Events
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Perhaps Berra should have looked after her Wyter’s ego more carefully. Beating him within five heartbeats in an arm-wrestling match was probably a poor choice, insofar as one can choose to do such things.
Lord Raven is spending his precious time out of the sword by ignoring the Priest. The Priest is taking care of a boot-lace that needs replacing, and perhaps not ignoring the Wyter quite enough.
Fortunately there is a private dining room for all this to happen in, for Geo’s Inn knows the value of rich customers.
Varanis watches while poking at the food she ordered.
Unfortunately, Lord Raven looks like he might storm out soon, upsetting the mass of customers who have less money but more numerical advantage.
“Hey, Varanis, you got any aglets?” It is a Heortling word, although hauntingly similar to an Esrolian one.
“No, but I could make you some,” the Vingan offers. “Later. Lord Raven, care to join me?”
“In jewellery?” He pronounces it like a verb. Doing stuff with jewels.
Her look of startlement suggests that this is a new idea to her, but she recovers rapidly. “I was thinking of the food. I have some interesting pickled root vegetables you might want to try. But, if you want to make jewellery, we can absolutely do that.”
“I do not think I would have the necessary skills, and the time in which to learn them is limited.” Lord Raven drifts over towards Varanis. He looks politely blank.
Something about him says that he is not really enamoured of the idea of pickles, and yet is focussed on them1Varanis passes Insight..
Varanis watches the Wyter approach, glancing in Berra’s direction briefly. “I’ll eat one if you eat one,” she suggests, ignoring the bit about the jewellery. 2Insight: ||She’s not entirely taken with the pickled veg herself, but the look she gave Berra could almost be called mischievous. Alas, a fail and a fumble, from Berra and Lord Raven. Fumble: She is possibly on the verge of doing something mean. Lashing out, but in an under-handed way.
“Oh, that good?” He suggests, but he forms a neat if utterly tiny sword from smoke, and sits down to use it as an eating pick. “Of course, in much of Sartar this would be eaten by peasants,” he notes. Idly. For no apparent reason.
Varanis stabs one with her knife and holds it ready to eat. It’s a pale yellow, wrinkly root of some sort.
Lord Raven does eat, with the precise movements of someone very definitely not savouring it all the more because Berra cannot have it. “It’s the sort of thing we’d give to plough oxen,” he murmurs, just loud enough to be heard.
Varanis follows suit and winces a little at the bite.3In my head, it’s insanely vinegary and loaded with garlic. – V “Good thing I’m not in the mood to find someone amenable to sharing my bed tonight,” she says once she manages to swallow it.
Lord Raven’s scarred eye twitches a little. “It is a fascinating texture. Is this turnip? I’m not sure I’ve ever had the pleasure.” His voice indicates that he is sure there is an expert in the room.
“I don’t know. It’s not something I’ve ever had before,” Varanis admits. “Xenofos? Wanna try?”
Berra starts running the newly-cut laces through her fingers, checking it for parts that are too stiff.
“No doubt an acquired taste. Some people have more practice with such things.” Lord Raven manages to impale a small, silvery onion.
When Xenofos doesn’t respond, Varanis shrugs and spears another vegetable. This one has a greyish skin and white meat. She examines it, inhales, then gasps from the vinegar scent. After recovering, she resolutely takes a bite. The face she makes as she chews is something worthy of a comic player in a Donandari troop. When she finally swallows, she offers the other half to Lord Raven. “You have to try this one,” she whispers hoarsely.
The smoky spirit looks at her. “Is that a threat or an offer?” He reaches out his hand to take her eating-prong.
“Both? Tastes like oysters that want to burn your tongue off.”4I decided it was Scorzonera + horseradish. – V
Berra squints at the lace, and then reaches for the pot of grease. “Um, a lot of those are supposed to be eaten with other things, you know?” She glances at the pair, just as Lord Raven crunches down on whatever he is eating. “And also it helps to be drunk,” the Humakti adds. “If there are mushrooms involved.”
Berra pauses then, as if considering the taste of something familiar to her.
“Amazing,” murmurs Lord Raven. “I have honestly never tasted anything like it.”
“I hope to never taste it again!”
“Can you have another one?” Berra asks the wyter. “I miss those fishy ones. We used to have them as a treat.”
Lord Raven tries not to look aghast, and just about manages. “I would hesitate to have Thane Varanis keep me company,” he points out very reasonably.
“I think there are some garlic cloves at the bottom of the pile,” Varanis suggests.
Berra says, “Those you eat whole. Most of this goes with bread, unless you’re really unlucky, or out in the fields. Got any salty ones?”
Lord Raven dutifully ignores Berra and finds a bit of garlic.5BRB just off to roll Customs… Special. Heh. I’m going to make up some pickle lore. – B
Berra looks at the pile with growing amusement, and smiles widely when Lord Raven tries the strange white morsel.
Varanis tries one too. Afterall, she got Lord Raven into this.
Berra asks, “You din’t… order water pickles, did you?” She points to a tiny cucumber. “Try that one. It looks like it won’t fight back.”
“I just told them to send some food in,” Varanis admits. “I might have suggested the cook surprise me.”
“Alright. I think you might have practical joke pickles, then. I’d help you, but I can’t. But it looks a bit like these are the ones you put in your water bottle.”
Lord Raven’s scars wink out, and his smoky, opaque surface shows nothing but horror.
“Are you alright?” Varanis asks the Wyter, her expression turning to one of concern. “You haven’t eaten something that is taboo for you, have you?”
“Water bottle?” Lord Raven seems to be broken.
“Yeah, water bottle.” Berra waves a hand in front of the wyter, who looks through it. “It helps with the ploughing.”
“What’s wrong with just adding apple juice to your water bottle?” Varanis asks. “It’s what Esrolians do.”6Note: they likely do other things, but V doesn’t know that. And it was probably apple cider vinegar. – V
“Well, for one, we don’t grow apples.” Berra grins. “But it’s not just for the taste. It really does make you able to keep going all day. Any time you’re out in the field. If you’re smart you have two bottles, though, or else the only one you have tastes of vinegar for days but not enough to be interesting.”
It could be that Lord Raven recognises the idea of Esrolian culture. Colour is coming back into him, like a fire creeping across a dark landscape.
“Next Fire Season, if we find ourselves on a long march, we’ll give it a try,” Varanis suggests. “Or I will. I guess you won’t be able to have them, even in your water?”
“Yeah, not worth the risk.” Berra nods to Lord Raven. “But he could. Y’know. To … wait, not in Fire Season. But maybe at night.”
His eyes narrow, but he says nothing.
Varanis glances between them, then says, “Well, I’ve had enough of new flavours for today.” She pushes the dish away.7She ate something! Voluntarily! Gotta be fed if she’s going to kill Harrek one day. – V
The Vingan offers Lord Raven an apologetic shrug. “It seemed like a good idea at the time. Can we do some training soon?”
“Then I am off the hook.” To prove himself, Lord Raven takes one of the mini cucumbers, but he answers before savouring it. “I have the magic available to me… Teaching that is rather easier than anything else, and I can do it at a Temple, but it takes time…” And therefore probably money, even as a favour. He will need resources.
- 1Varanis passes Insight.
- 2Insight: ||She’s not entirely taken with the pickled veg herself, but the look she gave Berra could almost be called mischievous. Alas, a fail and a fumble, from Berra and Lord Raven. Fumble: She is possibly on the verge of doing something mean. Lashing out, but in an under-handed way.
- 3In my head, it’s insanely vinegary and loaded with garlic. – V
- 4I decided it was Scorzonera + horseradish. – V
- 5BRB just off to roll Customs… Special. Heh. I’m going to make up some pickle lore. – B
- 6Note: they likely do other things, but V doesn’t know that. And it was probably apple cider vinegar. – V
- 7She ate something! Voluntarily! Gotta be fed if she’s going to kill Harrek one day. – V
