Oh, I do like to be beside the sea side.

[Faith Augustin]

20th Saun 717

This was Pash's boat, The Muse. Faith had agreed to help him to get some things for growing started on his boat, and so she'd arranged to meet him there. Of course, she had her Domain Bag hung over her shoulder and she made her way down to where he was docked with a light step. The heat was unbearable to almost everyone, and Faith prayed her thanks to Famula for the ability to regulate her own temperature. Without it, she would be a lot more uncomfortable. Still, the young woman wore a white sleeveless dress which fell to a knee length white skirt with a pair of sandals. Her long hair was held back by a ribbon around her head and as she made her way, Faith smiled and nodded at people she recognised and who recognised her.

The Order of the Adunih was full to bursting right now; so many cases of heat stroke and heat exhaustion that it was not even certain how they would cope should this continue throughout the second half of the season. Saun was always hot but this arc it was beyond the normal and into truly unnatural. She had heard whispers, of course, about the superstitions of the island and how the 1st Vhalar was the date when all sorts of unusual things happened. Maybe, they said, this was an omen, this weather.

Faith didn't believe in that, she thought it was nothing more or less than just baking hot. She was an incredibly devout individual and she was quite sure that, if the Immortals had plans for Scalvoris, then they would have them and that was that. Although, she had to admit that Ziell as the Immortal of Prophecy might do something, she supposed, but really she thought it unlikely. It was just really, really, really hot.

"Hello!" Faith called as she arrived at The Muse. She was once again struck by the thought of a life on the ocean, the way the biqaj lived. Could she live that way? She had to acknowledge that yes, she could, but then a slight smile crossed her face as she considered that she would have some kind of obsession over making it safe for the baby she was carrying. No one except her, Padraig and the immediate family knew about the child and that was how it was going to stay for a while, by their own design.

"Hot enough for you?" Faith asked with a smile as Pash emerged. She grinned at him and climbed aboard when he bade her to. She was sure footed, but obviously not used to being on a boat. "Alright then. I brought cakes. Want to eat and tell me what exactly it is you want to achieve?" She had a rough idea, but if they could drink some tea, eat some cakes and discuss specifics, that would be helpful to her, in helping him.

[Pash Raj'oriq]

The past two seasons of being fed meals far out of his ability to come up with, let alone the skills to recreate, had somewhat spoiled the tall Biqaj against ordinary fare. While he was only eating at Cally’s once a trial on the evenings he worked, it was enough—enough to leave him curious on how to reproduce some of the flavors he’d come to enjoy and enough to make him wonder how he could make better use of his sloop to provide more variety in terms of food when far out in the Orm’del sea. He could only think to ask Faith, who of course had been happy to oblige him.

If only it hadn’t been Saun. Dismal, oppressive, never-dark Saun.

His cabin provided only a little respite, portholes and skylight-like windows open to the breeze. Kali was off doing hunting things and Niv was off doing Tunawa things and so Pash was left to himself to do, well, Pash things. Which to-trial meant a bit of cleaning and by the time he heard the dark-haired woman’s familiar voice, he had moved on from tidying the small living space contained in his sloop’s hull to conditioning the old wood of his grandfather’s lute.

“Es’jah—welcome!” He shouted a return greeting in his own language after setting his instrument back in its place and making his way up the three stairs and out of the hatch into the bright light of dueling suns and baking temperatures on the surface of his deck. The seafaring musician tried not to wince at the fiery heat on his bare feet, waving Faith aboard and offering a calloused hand to help her if she wanted it, “If ‘t were any hotter, I’d jus’ be swimmin’.” Pash admitted with a smirk, aware that Faith’s blessings afforded her an enviable ability to adjust her own body temperature, “Well, a’ least if th’ water felt safer.”

He laughed, shaking his head at the thought of all that seemed to enjoy living in Scalvoris harbor. The tall Biqaj had pulled his hair up hastily on the top of his head to keep it off his neck and out of the way while cleaning, his vest revealing the detailed patterns of inked lines that made up the tattooed sleeves on both his arms, “Cakes, eh?” Pash did not hide his excitement about any prospect of food, dessert-like items high on his list of interests on any given trial, especially if there was chocolate involved, “Well, it’s prob’ly best t’ eat those belowdecks an’ where it’s a bit cooler—for th’ sake o’ sweets an’ all. Y’ can see some o’ th’ space I’ve got t’ work with an’ we can look about th’ sloop after for some more ideas.”

He’d hold the hatch for Faith and follow behind her, the cabin hardly a dimensional challenge for someone of much shorter stature than himself. While he more or less brushed the ceiling of his own home even though he’d built it with his father arcs ago specifically for him, the small space would have been quite comfortable for his friend, almost cozy, stepping down into a very tiny, well-kept kitchen on her left and some storage on her right. Pash would bade her to sit on the bench in the little living area where his folding table currently took up the most space, a few more shelves and his lute taking up the rest of the opposite wall and beyond the living area a curtain that kept his berth about as private as one could get in a space so small, “Can I get y’ some water? ”

He offered, though made the actions to do so anyway, reaching for two mugs on a shelf in his miniature galley before squatting to lift a panel from the floor. Underneath, built into his hull, was the storage for fresh water. If Faith watched him, she would see a few broad, wet leaves of some kind flop out of the opening while the Biqaj filled the mugs and set them on the cutting-board-sized counter near his basin before he tucked whatever the plant was back into the water and replaced the panel. He managed to balance two mugs in one hand while picking up a little basket from his shelf that held his meager cutlery and a few plates. It only took a step or two to join the dark-haired woman at his table, where he sat opposite her on the floor on a round cushion covered in colorful, hand-woven fabric. Pash set the mugs and things on the table between them; the fresh water was surprisingly cold.

Lagoon blue eyes did not hide any anticipation about the promise of cakes, “Did y’ bake in this heat? I can hardly bring m’self t’ use th’ lil’ hearth I’ve got this season.” He chuckled, “No’ that I’m at all great at cookin’ when I do.”

Comparatively, of course. Clearly, he’d survived, though there’d been more than a few trials somewhere in the middle of the Orm’del sea he could say just barely.

“I s’pose I’d like t’ work on m’ options, which ‘s why I invited y’ here.” Pash would explain while giving Faith opportunity to share her snacks, making sure to provide utensils and not ooze too much eagerness over it all, “I don’ have much room t’ work with, but I don’ own much, neither. I was thinkin’ ‘f tryin’ t’ grow some herbs ‘r vegetables on board. It’s kinda’ th’ wrong season now, but it’s never a bad idea t’ plan a little ahead, eh? I’ve managed t’ keep Ellis—m’ lemon tree on deck—alive for a few arcs now, so maybe I can try m’ hand at other things.”

[Faith Augustin]

When she took his hand, steadying herself as she climbed about, Faith's hand was cool. She looked around with interest as he led her into the boat itself and nodded. "Thank you, yes. I'd love a drink." Watching what he did, she raised an eyebrow. "What are the leaves?" Curiosity was a blessing and a curse to the human woman and she hungered to learn.

She nodded, yes, she'd baked. "This is a chocolate meringue with ice cream in it's center." The ice cream didn't melt in the impossible heat and was an example of the "topsy" dessert they served at Callys. It melted when it touched something cold, she explained, yet if Pash took a bite into it, the ice cream was cold. It was butterscotch with small pieces of honeycomb in it. There were other cakes, a selection which should keep him going for a few trials.

When he spoke about what he wanted, though, Faith looked up at Pash sharply and her face showed her amusement. "You have a lemon tree called Ellis? You name your plants?" Whatever worked for him, she thought with a grin and she glanced around. "Well, plants need sunlight and water. The problem with outside that you'll have, though, is that you can't hang growing boxes off the side of the boat, like you could with a wagon. Or I assume not, since I think that might lead to water sloshing over the side on a regular basis? If not, maybe." She considered, though, that there were better options.

"Window boxes are good. But ideally, you might have a space on the roof, for example, which could have planters put on it. I was once on a boat between Rynmere and Ne'haer," Faith smiled at the memory. "It was U'frek's, he was transporting a number of us to Ne'haer and so he made it go so fast that it took three trials. He liked my cooking, I was very pleased. But, the ship was going so fast that my owner was very seasick. I told him that I had heard that being high up stops seasickness, so he and I climbed to the crows nest." She shook her head, slightly, her eyes showing amusement at the memory. "It stopped his seasickness. I am, however, terrified of heights. Whilst I was there, clinging on for dear life, it occurred to me that it would be a good place to have planters, stepped along the outside of the basket itself. But, I suppose you don't have such a place here?"

Fundamentally, she explained, the first thing that they needed to do was to identify spaces. "They can be really small. Like, for herbs, you don't need a lot. A series of small planters circling up the mast, for example. That kind of thing. But I don't know the ship." That would be her first thought, to have a look at where he might be able to grow things, where there was space. Then, she could hopefully maximise that space.

[Pash Raj'oriq]

"These? Salt buoys. They're a lil' Biqaj secret, y' could say." Pash grinned when she asked, pausing to lift a bit more of the plant that lived in his water storage so she could see it, "I can put salt water straight from th’ sea ’n m’ hold an’ these lil’ friends—" Yes, maybe the seafaring minstrel liked his plants a bit much, "—turn it into fresh. Y’ can have a bulb ‘r two if y’ want. They’re jus’ another type o’ seaweed, I guess, an’ grow fairly easy."

If she reminded him, she could certainly take some of the plant home with her before she left.

Once they’d settled for a moment at his table in his little cabin, Faith said chocolate and the tall Biqaj grinned, lagoon blue eyes washing over the cake that she shared with him—oh, and she’d brought extras. It wasn’t even his birth trial, but truth be told, while he didn’t chase coin like his people, he did have a particular weakness when it came to chocolate. Bless her. The butterscotch and honeycomb only made the mysterious dessert the dark-haired woman had somehow managed to invent that much more delicious. It may have appeared impossible to believe that Pash even tasted the cake so fast had it disappeared from in front of him with more than one appreciative word of delight, but, he did.

"Aye, I named it, though Niv’s been livin' in th’ lemon tree for a handful o’ trials now." The tall Biqaj nodded without a hint of shame and tilted his messy top knot in the direction of a little cup with the moss that had once been on his person, "An’ that’s Moe. Jus’ seems strange t’ live with livin’ things without names. Y’ don’t name your plants?"

He didn’t keep animals as pets, mostly because seafaring life made it difficult. He knew other Biqaj who kept animals around: dogs or cats, a bird or two, an otter. He’d just never bothered, but a lemon tree’s fruit helped prevent scurvy and was pleasant to have around. The moss, well, it was just a memento now, a reminder of Moseke’s kindnesses.

"Aye, I wouldn’t hang anythin' off th’ sides. I’d think th’ salt water wouldn’t be good for most plants, anyway. It wouldn’t be too safe t’ put much on th’ mast either, though, simply ‘cause o’ th’ sails in a storm or how I’ve gotta move th’ boom t’ catch th’ wind."

He considered the raised roof of his cabin that sat above for a moment and then blinked, tide pool gaze narrowing at the smaller woman before him,

"U’Frek’s ship? Y’ what?" Pash kept his expression as calm as possible, though the Immortal was fresh on his mind if not ever-present in his heart because of his race, "You’ve traveled with U’Frek? An’ fed him, too? Always with th’ stories, Faith, an’ here I am jus’ twiddlin’ m’ thumbs. Nah, that’s no’ true. I … we … he spoke t’ me … t’ us in a dream a few trials ago."

The tall Biqaj wasn’t sure he could properly articulate details, but how Faith seemed to know Immortals was fascinating. His Maker, too? He couldn’t help but smile wanly, aware that what may lay ahead of himself, Kali, and Arlo was most likely far more dangerous than it sounded at the moment after U’Frek’s request for their aid, "O’ course, I’d do for him whatever he needs o’ me, but I don’t think it’ll be cookin’."

Once their conversation drifted back to gardening in his space, he stood, setting dishes in the little basin in his tiny galley and nodding at her suggestions, "I like th’ idea o’ usin’ th’ roof o’ m’ cabin. I don’t want t’ grow much as m’ sloop be small an’ I’ve gotta move ‘round places t’ keep it movin’. M'haps you'll have some ideas on how t' store things better, too, t' keep 'em fresh. Y' seem t' have some good thoughts on those things even at Cally's."

Herbs were good. And maybe some simple leafy vegetables that were easy to grow—lettuces and such, though a few fruits wouldn’t be so bad. Some things were pretty tasty when dried, but not everything was. There was only so much preservation he could do, but his storage on board was no longer as limited as it once had been thanks to a domain bag,

"Here, we can go above decks an’ look ‘round. I’m jus’ thinkin' o’ keepin’ a few fresh things growin’… some leafy things an’ maybe a fruit if there’s somethin’ easy t’ grow. I don’t know much ‘bout plants, so easy things I can keep alive without too much ‘f a green thumb."

He chuckled and led the way, holding the hatch for her and letting her look around wherever she wanted, answering questions about the use of a part of the ship should she ask.

[Faith Augustin]

Faith beamed at the description of the 'salt buoys' and nodded her head. "That would be excellent, thank you." Something like that would be very useful and interesting. Padraig would be able to use it, too, she was sure. Alchemically, something that extracted dissolved solids from a liquid was a fascination. Medically, too. Yet, for all that her mind was ticking over, Faith couldn't help but smile as Pash more or less inhaled the cake. "It's good to see you enjoy it. When I'm experimenting in the kitchen, I'll call you in to taste test." He would be, she thought, a willing and eager volunteer. "I brought a few, a selection. They should be stored somewhere dark."

When he told her that the moss was Moe, though, Faith's face showed her delight. "Moe? Well, I'm glad you made a friend. No, I don't name my plants, but then I have a herb garden, vegetable patch and flower garden so I have a lot of plants. Also, the farm." The blessing of Vri she bore meant that she never forgot anything, she explained, but even so she'd be hard pressed to name them all. Plus, she wondered, there was the concept then of naming each grape or bee, lemon or sunfruit. Where, she asked with serious silver eyes, where would it end? "We have a four tailed cat which sparks electricity called Quattro and a glow in the dark dog called Cosmo, though," Faith was entirely serious at that, earnest even. "And a pony called Snowball." She grinned delightedly and then turned her attention to growing things.

Which lasted only a few moments and Faith looked at Pash's expression and nodded. She was entirely serious when she said, "U'frek's ship, yes. Padraig and I both. It was .. I was told in a dream, by Famula, that I had to go to the docks at dawn. Padraig was given a similar message," although who by and the nature of it was his to explain. "I was still a slave then, it was during the shadow beast attacks last arc, Padraig was my tutor. We travelled to Ne'haer, then Oscillus. There, we were part of the battle at the Tomb of Treid." Faith looked at Pash and she smiled, with a slight shrug. "My owner was happy to send me to the galley, so that I would cook. He didn't like the idea of anyone else cooking and he was very sea sick. So whilst I cooked and U'frek enjoyed the food, so he told me, the responsibility for that happening lies with the man who owned me at that time." Faith was not, never would be casual about meeting the Immortals and, in fact, U'frek had been the first Immortal she had ever met. However, something else was important to her, important that Pash understood. "I was there, it transpired, to lead a much more important person to where they had to go. There were real heroics those trials, none of them mine."

U'frek had spoken to Pash in a dream? Faith looked at nodded her head. "If he's asked you, you plural, to do something then it's because he believes you can. He wouldn't waste his time otherwise. Why would any of them?" Whatever it was that they were going to be asked to do, Pash and Kali, she was sure that they would do it, and then some.

Faith was happy to go for a look around and she considered that the roof would be best. "In terms of storage, I use green sand to keep things cool. A cool box is very useful. Snowcrystals for things that need to be frozen, that works too." Looking at the space that he had, she frowned and considered. "How high could you grow? If we put plants that grew upwards, attached to sticks or not, how high could I realistically plan for, here?" That might well determine what they grew in such a small space.

[Pash Raj'oriq]

"Truth b’ told, I know they’re out there, but I find it hard t’ believe there’s folks who don’ like chocolate." Pash admitted in response to Faith’s offer of allowing him to taste new things, "An’, well, there hasn’t been much, if anythin’, I haven’t liked from th’ menu o’ Cally’s since I’ve been workin’ for you."

Of course, the tall Biqaj could be accused of being a simple creature when it came to any kind of tasting palate if only because he possessed a need for quantity which sometimes required the ignoring of quality. He’d been spoiled a bit, both by having a family that enjoyed cooking, but also travel and his love of new experiences, Cally’s being a step up in terms of food experience. A high step that would be difficult to step down from once he traveled again. Some of what he enjoyed he’d like to attempt to reproduce or approximate himself in some way, thus the occasion for the dark-haired human’s visit to his sloop,

"Don’ worry—I’ve got jus’ th’ place for them." Pash’s tone implied his stomach, but he had just enough self control to save the rest of Faith’s cakes for sharing with Kali’rial. It was perhaps better for hi m to put the cakes away and out of his sight, anyway. Food storage was cool and dry in its own compartment under the floorboards near his galley, which he stood and tucked the cakes away while they continued talking about things, before he took her back up the stairs and into Saun’s suns,

"I’ve always felt it odd ‘r m’haps a lil’ unfair t’ take an animal out t’ sea, but I s’pose there’s some who may like it." He laughed, aware of friends and family who kept dogs, cats, birds, and other unusual animals on their boats and in their travels. Company was always a welcome thing to have during the long journeys, though for various reasons, the seafaring musician often found himself traveling alone, "I’ll have t’ envy such a time with m’ Maker, but, aye, what He wants o’ us—Kali an’ Arlo an’ m’self were all in th’ same dream with him, actually, jus’ less than a ten-trial ago—I’ve no doubt will be possible when he says it’s time."

The tall Biqaj’s confidence was not out of the ordinary, though to be tasked with something by the Immortal who crafted his people came with a weight he couldn’t express in words. And, well, a very real sense of honor and duty and capability to be so called upon. He grinned, then, almost self-deprecating, and led them above decks again, shading his face from the glare of the suns with his free hand and exhaling at the rush of searing heat that of course didn’t bother Faith at all.

"How high? Hmm." He ran calloused fingers through his hair in thought, lagoon blue eyes straying to the rigging and the ropes that were needed for the mainsail and the jib sail, though most of those didn’t stretch to the aft or over the cabin. The boom did reach all the way across the roof, however, so that didn’t really give much room to work with. Behind the raised area was of course the aft of the sloop and the tiller. He could possibly strap a pot or a container or two against the aft railing and grow taller plants from there, however, making sure to bring them in from the weather just like he tucked Ellis in when conditions were stormy. That just meant he couldn’t take on too many plant friends lest he run out of room to sleep in his own cabin.

"No’ very high, I’m afraid, but I could stick some pots ‘r build a container t’ have against th’ aft there—" he pointed and described his ideas and limitations, explaining that the boom that held his mainsail was always in motion across the ship in order to best catch the wind, "—so I’d have t’ stick with lower-growin’ plants an’ such. I’m no’ that ambitious, but if there’s some fresh things that are hardy an’ I can have on hand, it’s probably a good thing. What d’ you think some options are b’sides lettuces an’ herbs an’ such?"

Sloop Reference

Size and layout of The Muse

[Faith Augustin]

When Pash said that U'frek had appeared to the three of them in a dream, Faith raised an eyebrow in some surprise. That might, in itself, not be entirely unusual but her words showed what she was reacting to. "Arlo? I met him and we've been on to Immortals' Tongue together. We're both studying a letter in Immortal History," alongside all the other things she was doing, Faith had thought it would be interesting and appropriate to do this. Padraig had smiled and said nothing, but the subtext was clear. She was never still.

In terms of what he was planning, Faith considered it and nodded. "That all seems very doable, and should be fairly straightforward." Looking at what he was suggesting in terms of growing things, Faith considered. "Tomatoes and strawberries, potatoes, onions. Green beans, maybe" In terms of the salad ingredients, she added. "Spring onions, garlic, radishes."

With regard to sweet things, though, and his obvious sweet tooth, Faith pointed to a few places where he might be able to grow sunburst fruit. They were, she explained, very good growers for him. Each fruit had three distinct sections and every section tasted different. Also, they were sweet which Pash seemed to enjoy. They had a good long shelf life, too.

"I'd say, Pash," she said motioning over to the soon-to-be roof garden. "You could grow raspberries, blueberries and figs easily too. Depends on your taste, really." She suspected that variety was what Pash would want, since he seemed to have rarely met a foodstuff he didn't like. "And, of course, there's the jams and preserves. If you want, I can show you how to make those, before you leave." She smiled and shook her head slightly, wondering about her apparently inherent need to feed and fuss. "Although, I wouldn't want to make them in such a small galley. Better to make them before you raise the anchor." So it seemed to her, anyhow.

With a glance around, she came to the conclusion that his thoughts would, indeed, optimise the space and Faith smiled at him. "It's efficient," she gestured to the galley and the whole of the sloop, in fairness. "You will be unsurprised to learn that I like efficient."

It was, she considered, quite one of her favourite things.

[Navyri]

Oh, I do like to bedside the sea side.

Overall, this thread was a quick read, but it didn't feel complete. The two were in the middle of a conversation, Faith offering to teach him more things (such as making jam at another time), and then it was over. I felt like the wrap-up was either done because one or both parties lost interest or for easy points. I am disappointed to see such an abrupt ending, but I suppose that can be chalked up to personal taste. Other than that, I liked the PC interaction, the dialogue flowed well, and the cake sounds delicious.

Pash Vy'Ryn

Skill Points

Collaborative - 15/15
These may NOT be used for magic.

Skill Knowledge

Gardening: Window boxes and planters for growing food
Gardening: Growing herbs in a ship’s cabin
Gardening: Using a ship’s cabin roof as a gardening space
Gardening: Keep vegetables and fruits cool when storing them
Logistics: Places to grow vegetables on a sloop
Logistics: Creative storage techniques with local materials

Non-skill Knowledge

Scalvoris Materials: Green sand to keep things cool
Scalvoris Materials: Snowcrystals to keep things frozen
Faith: Knows what to do with chocolate
Faith: Promised to let you taste test new sweets
Faith: Doesn’t name her plants
Faith: Has cooked for U’Frek himself

Other

Loot: N/A
Fame: N/A
Injuries: N/A

Faith

Skill Points

Collaboration - 15/15
These points may NOT be used for magic.

Skill Knowledge

Seafaring: Basic layout of a ship
Seafaring: Sail placement, ropes, and accessibility of space

Non-Skill Knowledge

Pash: Names his plants

Other

Loot: Please deduct the cost of ingredients for the cake. Milk, Eggs, Flour, Honey, etc, etc.
Fame: +2 Giving a Gift
Injuries: N/A

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