Meyanda blinks as she considers Fireday's words. Hearing the stories of her fellow androids puts her more at ease, as she heaves a heavy sigh. "The presence of the divine within my soul was comforting. Having a connection with something bigger than myself... It gave me a reason for existence. But perhaps Hellion was not the correct deity for me to serve. He used me to further his own ends and then discarded me when I was no longer of use.
"Tell me more of your goddess--Iomedae? What is she like?"
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Fireday smiles. THIS was something he knew how to talk about.
"Iomedae is the swift sword cutting down evil and the sheltering shield protecting the innocent. She knows more than most gods about what life as a mortal is like, since she was born mortal herself, the youngest of the gods. She followed the goddess Arazni as a paladin, until Arazni was murdered by a horrible mage called the Whispering Tyrant. But the death of her god did not stop Iomedae's passion to fight evil. She turned to Arazni's master, the god Aroden, and she avenged Arazni by performing 10 magnificent acts of heroism and helping imprison the Whispering Tyrant forever. Then she underwent her 11th act by taking the Test of the Starstone and becoming a god herself, and Aroden rewarded her by granting her Arazni's former position as his herald."
"Then, perhaps a little over a hundred years ago, Aroden died too. No one knows how, but once again, Iomedae had lost a divine patron. People sank into despair and fear, but Iomedae comforted them, shouldering the burden of leadership herself and now standing as one of the mightiest of gods, protecting this world from demons and other horrors Aroden's death released. This is why people call her "The Inheritor," since she knows the pain of having been connected to the divine and that connection being severed. When I channel her power, it feels less like she's a master and I her servant...it feels like she's a comrade in arms right there with me. That she strikes together with me and helps me overcome challenges and strike down evils I couldn't face alone."
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Viv-
He realizes Viv is wondering partially about his clothes and blushes. "Haha this?" He gestures at his elaborate clothing. Suddenly the clothes morph into a different color, then a different fashion before settling into a set of sensible plain clothes with a pair of embroidered sleeves over his forearms. "They're just an illusion, I was thinking about how my clothes are always dirty and torn whenever I come back to town and I made these bracers to see if I could figure out a solution and this seemed like the most fun. I may not have been to Taldor but that doesn't mean I don't like a good opera. If you want a pair, they're surprisingly cheap to make, as far as magical clothes that serve little actual purpose go."
Coen smiles as he continues. "My Father's the one from Taldor, I've never been. I grew up on the Sellen River. Mostly in Hajoth Hakados, that's where my family is now, helping run boats from here to Riverton for Crusaders mostly. I came up this far to see what caused the Torch itself. Now I hardly know what I was thinking other than trying to get away, but I guess I thought I'd learn something special and maybe have a small adventure. I never really expected I'd actually learn anything like what we did."
"What about you? I imagine it's tough being an android anywhere but with your occult powers, you could easily travel anywhere and find adventure."
Viv watches Coen's outfit go through its various shades and hues and forms with some fascination. She plucks at her tiny skirt and says, "Well, this is fine I suppose, but probably Fireday and I will need something to make us look... human? More human? -ish? I guess our next stop doesn't like our kind."
"It's kinda turned into a big adventure, hasn't it?" says Viv on the heels of the prior statement. "I've only been in Torch a little while, not nearly as long as Kaska, but I am suddenly seeing all kinds of places! Now we're talking about going haring about looking for this 'Unity' and visiting places where androids - uh, I guess technically I'm a gynoid - aren't welcome, and who knows what's next? Maybe some day I'll go back to Scrapwall and start working on making it a better place. What a dump. They need a water purifier like the one that Khonnir Baine made here, and some real crops and animals, so that they can establish a real self-sufficient community."
Viv twirls in a full circle and then spins so that she's facing Coen while walking backward, which would be quite a trick in her high heels until he notes that she's actually floating about an inch off the ground but still making a walking motion.
"So if your dad's down in Taldor, how'd you get up here? He moved to the Sellen River or something?" asks the gynoid. She says with a slight grimace, "I have to content myself with finding out about other peoples' families since I don't have any family of my own. Can't - never born, never give birth."
As the conversation goes long Coen and Viv most likely take a break from hanging around where he has been crafting and walk around town. He will offer to grab lunch from whatever place is selling. Before they head out, his clothes will once again take on an almost extravagant look, but slightly toned down from before, a downgrade from stage opera costuming to actual noble'wear.
"I don't know about you but I almost worry that it's too big of an adventure for me. It feels like Holg and Kaska were born for this sort of thing, they showed up on day one with weapons meant to cut machines in half. The bigger the deal this turns out to be, the happier Fireday will be to be involved... but I'm just looking to try and figure out what's going on and maybe help some people out because I can. I'm not exactly built for a warrior's epic."
Coen seems to put on a bit of a self deprecating show when talking about himself or when talking of his father he acts almost as if he's telling a story about a character from a book. "Oh Zolius Deval, my father, was a well known adventurer about twenty years or ago. He was a rondelero duelist
who sold his sword as a champion in Taldor but left for the fourth crusade. Some say it was after winning a duel that he should not have. He ended up guarding boats travelling along the Selen and met my mother when they had a run in with her family. Since my mother also told me about what happened after this point things get less *cough* clear from there, but basically they married and raised me and my brother both in Hajoth Hakados."
"The disguise is easy. You just need a hat of disguise. Have to be careful with them though, don't trust it to work around wizards and don't let people touch you. I'll make some if you talk to him and get the money together." As he talks Coen makes an etherial doll in the palm of his hand out of dust which dons a hat and suddenly changes appearance before being whisked away in the wind. "Though if you're going to pretend to be a human girl, you might want to consider wearing a longer skirt, the same sort of people who care if you're an android or not tend to be judgmental of strangers for a lot of reasons."
"Parents are a mixed bag. In your case I'd bet you had to come from somewhere or something, you just have to figure out whether that matters or not to you, but either way I do have to admit that it's pretty interesting. I mean I'm not an expert on gynoids or whatever but you're constructs with souls and bodies that can be healed with positive energy! You're just like humans and such in the important ways and when divine power treats you the same it means the gods agree on that point. You have an excellent mystery to unravel about your nature, if you want, but you also don't have thousands of years of tradition telling you who you need to be either. I might actually be a little jealous."
Coen looks way too excited and legitimately jealous when he realizes Viv is levitating. "That is amazing! I have to learn how to fly. How fast and high can you go? When did you figure it out?"
Viv absorbs all of Coen's commentary, then spins back around and settles on to the ground, walking normally next to him again.
"Holg and Kaska just come from a people who live in a harsh and dangerous land," says Viv. "They value strength because that's how they survive! Can you imagine being a Kellid tribesman living out in the badlands, hunting and foraging, and having to fight killer robots all the time? No wonder they showed up ready to hew metal! That's how they grew up - that's how life is for them. That's why Holg is so vocal about Gorum and why Kaska is so concerned with fighting and courage and all that - because that's how you keep your friends and family alive."
The gynoid looks up at Coen with her violet eyes and says, "You're part of an epic too, just not one waving around chainswords or axes. Your whole being is suffused with magic, magic from the heavens and stars. It's probably not quite a coincidence. After all, that's where we androids come from, too - up there." She raises a hand and waves it breezily toward the sky. "Stars fall and planets shake. Something of those stars is in you too. But it's a different kind of strength. Holg and Kaska don't really understand it but I guarantee that they value it."
"As for those regressives who think I need to wear a longer skirt, they can kiss my shiny ass. I've no time for prudes who think that their hang-ups are my problems. Makes me want to ditch the bodice and wear a strap with tasteless underboob, just to watch them turn beet red." She sighs and fluffs the ruffles of her skirt and says, "But I'll watch myself. I know, we don't need to call down even more trouble. But it's so dumb! Their sexual hang-ups are already stupid without even getting into the fact that I can't have children so I can't fit into their ridiculous system of inheritances and family lines and ownership of women." She exhales an angry sigh. "So what if I like to dress sharp? If they can't handle my admittedly amazing legs then that's their problem. If I decide that I want to be sexy for me or for someone else then they need to get over it."
The android screws up her face in a weird expression, then smooths her features once more. "I guess I have feelings about that? So strange. So many things just don't bother me. But I can't get past stupid."
"ANYway. After I started being able to lift heavier things in Scrapwall, I worked on seeing if I could lift myself. I could, a bit, but it was more like... jumping, I guess. I could get a little lift but fall back down. It took a lot of work but I finally got the trick of being able to just... keep floating, a little something in the back of my mind keeping me up just like you keep your balance automatically while walking."
Around noonish Kaska gets the shopping for the evening's meal done and hurries home to start cooking. She has a lot to get ready before sundown brings the crowd over.
(A bunch of stuff about Iomedae.)
Meyanda is silent for a few moments, then she says, "Iomedae sounds like a bore. What other gods are there?"
(A bunch of stuff about Iomedae.)Meyanda is silent for a few moments, then she says, "Iomedae sounds like a bore. What other gods are there?"
Though Fireday's face covering hides his jaw dropping at Meyanda's words, his eyes widening communicates his shock.
"Um...well, Iomedae's closest godly allies include Abadar, the god of civilization, trade and law, things that make civilization work...He's even MORE of a bore, at least if the Abadarans I've met are any indication. She's also allied with Cayden Cailean, the Drunken Hero...he passed the Test of the Starstone before Iomedae did, but he doesn't remember how he did it because he was black-out drunk at the time. He fights for the downtrodden just as fiercely as Iomedae does, though he's much more...tolerant of less-than-honorable behavior. "Don't let rules get in the way of enjoying what is truly good in life," as his priests say. Every tavern is a temple to his faithful. Another...more boring god...is Erastil, the god of farming, the hunt and family. Unless you enjoy hunting and village life, he probably isn't going to appeal to you much, but at least he's a straightforward talker and doesn't dress up what he's about with flowery words and metaphors. That's more the domain of Shelyn, the goddess of love, beauty and art. Hers is a sad story: her brother ventured into the darkness and became the monstrous god we know today as Zon-Kuthon, and she is determined to find a way to save him. She loves everyone and almost every god loves her. But don't let that make you think she's soft. Her followers can swing glaives as adeptly as paintbrushes and can make combat look like an effortless dance! There's also Sarenrae, one of the oldest and most powerful goddesses: she's in charge of the sun, as well as healing and redemption. She welcomes all with warmth and light, but the unrepentant evil burn in her radiance. A lot of her followers are much like you, Meyanda, people who previously served dark powers looking to make a change, and she's patient and compassionate to such people. There's also Torag, the god of the forge and of guardians...but he's mostly a god of the dwarves. He made them, you see."
He rubs his neck.
"Those are the ones I know the most about. If you want to know more about Brigh, Joram Kyte would be able to tell you more than I can."
Coen laughs and waves his hand to acknowledge her point on how she dresses.
"Haha sorry about that and it's a fair point, not their business if you want to wear it short or however. I just thought that if you were going as far as to hide your race, you'd want to avoid other possible problems. Especially since illusions tend to break when people touch them, so it's better to be excessively boring or even ugly when trying to avoid discovery. All we need is one handsy woodsman and the whole ruse could fail. Though in all honesty, if it were up to me we would go without disguises and let them deal with it. Maybe they would see that androids can be helpful as well as evil, just like anyone else. Well... unless their dislike of androids really means they murder them on sight, then I wonder why we're going there at all."
"The whole magic thing is always like that. The Kellids like to put their own magic users on a pedestal or in the ground, it's why my mother left her people for the glories of river life. She had magic but wasn't able to meet whatever they wanted from her. I admit I'm magical it's literally in the blood. I just don't see it as anything special... I mean even if I keep becoming more whatever it is that I am, it doesn't make me, Coen, the sort of person who lives in these epics. At best I'm here to translate some cave markings and cast some spells. I can't see myself as someone who should really be dealing with ancient machine intelligences with divine power. That's for people with the conviction of heroes or destiny on their side. I think that's how it works for Holg and Kaska. For Fireday I'd bet this is as much a religious trial as anything else is in his life. I guess I'm just envious of their certainty in getting involved in this, it's something I'll have to work on, I guess."
He pauses in thought for a short while before speaking again.
"I do have to admit to still being jealous over the flying though, that won't change. I'd trade the whole shifting into the plane aetherial bit for flight any day. I'll have to rush to catch up somehow."
"Perhaps I will speak to Kyte. Bright might be a more palatable patron than all of those...do-gooder gods," Meyanda says with a sour look on her face.
Holg pads Fireday in the back feeling the harm of Meyanda's words on him "Not everyone is made for honor and heroics. The girl seems more reckless Fireday"
Stepping forward once Fireday has tried everything else, Holg draws his greatsword and leans over it "If all you have is rage and frustration inside, perhaps it will do good to you to serve Gorum. He does not care on your gender, the color of your skin or your ideals. All he asks from you is to keep fighting until there is not a single drop in your veins to continue bleeding or no more enemies to bend to your knees. Empty yourself destroying all those that mislead you to follow fake gods. Gorum is the True Lord in Iron for he lives in any piece of metal ever built for battle" and he then softly pads his blade with a grin.
Meyanda's eyes light up at Holg's speech. "Lord in Iron? That seems more to my liking. Tell me more..."
"Gorum is the Lord in Iron because he was not born from any hero do-gooders or do-evilers. Legend says he was born from an iron armor standing alone on the battlefield. He will not care how smart or spiritual you are, he only asks you to show strength and fight until the end. You will find him in any iron weapon" Holg points to Meyanda "You are made of iron. You were built for combat. I am well sure he is alive inside you. In your place I would look after him to see if he is really calling you. Follow Fireday's advise, he knows about people's heart, including androids. He found his pursue in Iomedae, perhaps you found yours in Gorum"
"Why don't you travel to Aaramor? There is a temple of Gorum in there. You can join their warriors and learn more about Our Lord in Iron. You can out your hate and prove yourself fighting the most powerful creatures in Golarion, the Demon's of the Worldwound. By sure that helps you to learn about yourself, and if not, you would at least enjoy your life until your last breath. I plan to join them one day and test my own prowess" Holg smiles to the android with great hopes.
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Meyanda's lips curl up in a faint smile. "Yes. I think I will make the journey there and see if the faith of Gorum is right for me. I must admit that the thought of reveling in might, of crushing my enemies beneath my heel, is quite appealing."
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Viv nods to Coen and says, "I know, I know, I won't cause trouble. It just... vexes me."
"Do you find it difficult being a man of two worlds like that? With a couple of conflicting cultures both laying claim to your heritage?" the android asks. "Did your upbringing lean more on your Taldan side, or did you spend more of it with the Kellid way?"
"We can go flying if you want," she adds. "It won't be excitingly fast but I think I can lift you while I fly."
Fireday sighs but doesn't press the issue. You had to meet someone where they were at, and clearly Holg was closer to where Meyanda was at than he was.
He still felt a little miffed, though.
Holg nods at Meyanda satisfied "Perhaps we can share the battlefield one day. I am looking back for that moment!"
As they step back from Meyanda's talk Holg pads again on Fireday's back "Are you deceived she preferred Gorum friend?"
***
Days later at Brigh's temple, Holg looks around and repeats his divination prayer hoping Gorum answers him back "I mean, Gorum, can you guide us to the android called Cassandalee?"
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On his second attempt, Holg receives a reply: "SEEK THE HARBINGER OF DISUNITY'S TRAIL BENEATH IADENVEIGH, BUT KNOW YOU ARE NOT THE FIRST TO TRY TO FIND HER. ENEMIES ABOUND! SLAY THEM FOR MY GLORY! GORUM COMMANDS IT!"
Holg nods at Meyanda satisfied "Perhaps we can share the battlefield one day. I am looking back for that moment!"
As they step back from Meyanda's talk Holg pads again on Fireday's back "Are you deceived she preferred Gorum friend?"
"I would be lying if I said I wasn't, but you're right. Maybe Gorum needs her more than Iomedae does. I'm glad Meyanda is finding her own path, in any case, rather than as a pawn to Hellion's twisted ambitions."
He strokes his chin.
"I should see about getting that breastplate we got refitted...and burning off that blasphemous mark of Hellion and replacing it with the Sword of Valor..."
"Ah! I really wanted you to convince her. You almost convinced me with all those words of glory and honor my good man... I mean android... friend" Holg pads again on Fireday's shoulders "If it serves you, this was all your idea, and I just followed your smart decision and good nose to see she could find a new path in life. And after all... she will end up fighting the demons in the Crusades, as you wanted her to do" the Kellid smiles once more at the android "Let's go an see what Coen and Viv are up to. We can help the man a bit more with his crafting"
***
Holg stands up as he hears the sacred notes fading into the distance, he rises his blade and shouts "We will slay them all!!! For the glory! WOOOOHOOOO!!! YES!" the greatsword shines with the light of Gorum.
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Coen seems legitimately torn over the offer to fly. "I don't need your pity magical flight tour. I'll figure it out and the first time I go flying will be under my own power... unless there's a good reason to save my life or something when we leave, I'm not that stubborn."
"You will find that Kellid and Taldan ideals regarding how I should be living my life tend to agree surprisingly often. Basically, I am doing everything wrong. I'm here in the middle of nowhere doing research instead of in the middle of a big city being stabbed in the back metaphorically and I am not using my magical power to help people stab others in the front literally. If I had to say, I'd think I'm more like my Taldan relatives, but that might only be because I'm here amid all the Kellid people instead of being mocked as an outsider in Taldor proper. As much as I can, I try not to worry about it."
" I can understand you being vexed, I would be too. You just have to remember that these are just simple farmers, people of the land, worshippers of the god of community and the wild."
Coen pauses and looks at Viv deadpan
"You know, morons."
Viv laughs aloud at Coen's initial comment. "Pity flight! Haha! Like a pity f@#$! No, I was legitimately offering out of a sense that you might enjoy the experience. Your choice. But there are always going to be things that you can't do alone. Self-reliance is great and all, but why hobble yourself? You can still pursue the magic on your own, it's not like this will make it impossible for you to uncover a spell later."
Twirling once in the air before settling to the ground again, she says, "As you say, the world is too full of morons to waste time not sharing things with your friends."
"You comin' to dinner tonight at Kaska's?"
Coen smiles at Viv's entire flight explanation. " I know, I didn't mean anything by it, I was just kidding around. I appreciate the offer, honestly."
"Oh! Dinner, uh I had honestly forgotten about it. I'll try to go but it will end up being short for me. I'm still neck deep in enchanting and I'm burning the candle at both ends. I want to get as much done before we leave, so I can't spend too long away. Nevermind the fact that I had several thousand gold worth of crushed gems and such in my room unguarded every time I leave... speaking of which I should really get back!" His somewhat tired face changes to one of mild alarm when he realizes what he just said. He stuffs whatever meat on a stick they bought into his mouth and scurries back to his room after taking off his hat and making a hurried bow, somehow he manages to neither trip over himself or choke on his food.
Viv salutes Coen as he leaves in a hurry. "Don't forget some YOU time! Take a day off if you need to!" she calls as he scurries back to his enchanting.
~~~~~~~~~~
Viv spends the afternoon meandering about Torch and eventually swings by the farmer's market to purchase a basket of fresh fruit to bring to Kaska's dinner party.
"Ah! I really wanted you to convince her. You almost convinced me with all those words of glory and honor my good man... I mean android... friend" Holg pads again on Fireday's shoulders "If it serves you, this was all your idea, and I just followed your smart decision and good nose to see she could find a new path in life. And after all... she will end up fighting the demons in the Crusades, as you wanted her to do" the Kellid smiles once more at the android "Let's go an see what Coen and Viv are up to. We can help the man a bit more with his crafting"
"That's a good idea. Maybe he can help improve the power of this belt. I didn't DIE back in Scrapwall, but there were a few close calls, so I think while this thing HAS saved my life, we'll probably meet more dangerous people and machines the more we delve into this mystery, and this thing needs to keep up with that."
Hours before the dinner Holg appears at Kaska's house with a full antelope hanging from his shoulder. With a great smile he presents a box with spices to Kaska "Time to show our friends what Kellids really eat. I will need the big oven Kaska"
Assuming there is no problem with it, the man invites Kaska to help him cook the antelope "Are you missing the Kellid way of living?" using his cold iron dagger Holg pelts the animal with the resolve only survival in the plains gives you. He then starts to chop it into smaller parts and using the spices to season the still fresh meat he places everything in a large tray "It will be great if you could peel some potatoes" Meanwhile he makes a pile of wood to heat the oven "So... what do you think of our new friends?"
Fireday frowns as he learns about the dinner party Kaska and the others were preparing for. He felt he should provide SOMETHING for the meal, if only to be polite, but his experience with food was...limited. Mostly things like hard-biscuits, dried meat and water (boiled before drinking, obviously), sometimes hot porridge or maybe a bit of cheese and sliced onions once in a while.
He starts pacing their lodgings, trying to figure something out before it's time for dinner.
Kaska opens the door to a shock. It is not because Holg has shown up, she'd figured on a better than 50/50 chance of him doing so. It's the antelope that throws her, and then the spices. She blinks at it then greets the Kellid man. "Hello Holg, welcome. That's a nice antelope, where did you get it?"
She moves aside and ushers Holg through the door. Looking inside the box, she's quite moved by its contents. Holg is taking this dinner idea of his very seriously, which makes her glad because she is too. "Thank you Holg, this is very generous. That must be heavy, put it in the kitchen over here."
She directs Holg to the kitchen. The stone and plaster house is small, and the kitchen is less a separate room than a recessed space on one side of the main room. Kaska helps Holg convert the antelope from a big piece into the smaller pieces he needs, then leaves him to the cooking of it. She peels potatoes as he asks and takes care of other side parts of the meal before settling down to make cakes for dessert at the open fire since the oven is otherwise in use.
Kaska shrugs at Holg's question about missing a Kellid way of living. "I've lived in Torch since I was about five, it's hard to miss something you don't really remember. I know things my uncle has told me, but knowing something isn't the same as having a feeling for it."
Kaska frowns to herself when Holg asks about the others. She does have opions of course, but she's fully aware that Holg talks often, loudly, and usually without care. She's cautious with her reply.
"Viv and Fireday are pleasant, I like them. I expected they would be very much like robots, but they are not. It's surprising. More and more I forget they are machines. Coen is harder to understand then they are actually. His mind seems very different from anyone else I've known, must be the magic I suppose. I find him both most and least likable, depending on what he's just said or done. I can't decide if he is just mostly rude and unpleasant, or if he hates me. It could be both, but I'm fairly sure he hates me."
"What do you think of them?" she asks in return.
Holg keeps cooking while she talks with Kaska. As she answers she was only 5 years old when she arrived to Torch he stares at her "Do you remember anything from that time? I mean... when you were five, before you came to Torch. What happened to our tribe... to your parents"
Once the conversation touches the actual party Holg smiles wide "Well, they are not strong as you or me. I doubt they would have survived if they had not been lucky enough to have you around. A true Kellid warrior" Holg seems proud while saying these words "Although this Coen, he is witty and he seems strong in a different way. His magic is quite savage. Even scary I would say. I can understand why you might like that and angry you at the same time" the Kellid chuckles a bit "Viv is damned cool. Have you seen her new heels? And her sparkling violet eyes are disarming. I am very happy of having her around. Even when she does these android things of her, she still seems cool. And Fireday just seems human. No difference to me. He is a true heart and cheers me up every time we are in difficulties. If I don't know what is best I would turn to him every time for guidance. And he has the potential to become a true warrior, I see it, he has the attitude for it"
"Gorum dam them! I feel just such warm feelings for all of you I cannot imagine walking around alone without you lot" the man starts then laughing at his own words "I already miss them, when are they coming? Are you sure they did understood they were invited to a Kellid dinner today? And where is Brok?!"
Viv arrives late in the afternoon, carrying a basket with a selection of fresh local fruits. Given the toxic water table of Torch this may be a dodgy proposition, but it's the thought that counts, right?
"Hey you two!" she says brightly as she hands over the fruit basket and then gives Holg a mighty hug. "I was just having a chat with Coen a little while ago, then I picked out some fruits for the dinner. I think Fireday was talking to Meyanda. They'll both be here though! So, Kaska, where's this uncle of yours? By the way, you're looking well. Quite fit. I like what you did with your hair."
The android is particularly chatty. Hard to say whether it's because the team's not under stress in some techno-dungeon, or because she's in a rare mood, or just that she feels socially obligated.
After pacing for a few minutes, Fireday finally makes a decision. Food was already well-covered, but no one had said anything about drink! So he makes his way to The Foundry and looks for Khonnir.
"Inheritor's Blessings on you, Khonnir. I was wondering if you could help me. Kaska has decided to hold a dinner, and everyone else in the group is bringing things, so I wanted to contribute too...Could you...perhaps...please recommend the best alcohol that I could buy and bring to share?"
Under his cloth-mask he smiles sheepishly.
Holg smiles happily as Viv drops in with the fruit basket and shortly after Fireday appears with the drinks.
Giving back to the hug he laughs in good humor as well "Look that! I haven't eaten fruits in a long time. Nothing as that gloo tubes crap we were eating at Scrapwal eh! My favorites are Andoran grapes. Do you like meat?"
When everybody is arrived he follows Kaska's directions to set up the table. Then when Kaska's uncle appears he gives him another strong hug, but instead of the laughs and smiles with Viv, he is actually serious when he crosses with the man "You were right Brok. My time with Kaska has showed what a great warrior she has become"
The Kellid takes sit and as the others start to join he starts to split the roasted antelope between each other "This is real Kellid food"
When he places a steak on the dish of the Kellid female he adds "So Kaska... what are your plans about joining us to fight the robots?"
Khonnir hauls out a keg and hands it to Fireday. "The Kellids usually enjoy the stronger liquors. This is dwarven firebelly ale, direct from the Five Kings Mountains. Guaranteed to put hair on even an android's chest! Here, it's on the house."
By the end of the afternoon Kaska has finished most of the cooking she has to do, and also set up the house for dinner guests. The small house barely counts as more than one roomed. The kitchen is a recessed area off the main room. Brok’s sleeping quarters are the same, separated from the main living space by a curtain across the alcove. Kaska’s room has a door, but it is because her room was originally an attached stable. It was converted to an extension of the house when she needed her own room at a certain point, and they never kept animals anyway.
The house is sparsely furnished and almost undecorated. Almost everything breaking up the stretches of bare floor and walls is functional. Rugs are strewn about to keep the floor warm. One wall has a bench built along about a third of its length. A couple of shelves on the walls hold tools and possessions. Wooden and iron pegs set into the walls hold gear and clothing.
The little table and couple of stools Kaska and Brok normally use for meals are hopelessly insufficient for the number of people who will be there this evening. They are moved against a wall and relegated to holding food. Kaska has Holg help her bring in a larger surface, the old sliding door to the stable. It has been removed when the external entrance to what would become Kaska’s room was bricked up. The door had been kept since it’s an excellent surface for working outside when the weather is pleasant. They place the big door atop a couple of small chests to make a large enough, but very low table in the center of the main room. People will have to sit on the floor. Kaska gathers blankets and cushions to arrange around it for comfort.
Kaska had expected Brok to be back sooner than he apparently will be. As the preparations for the evening begin to wind down, Kaska goes ahead and taps the keg of ale she bought to give Holg and herself a little reward for their work.
Viv is the first guest to arrive. Kaska takes the basket of fruit from her and greets her with a kiss on the cheek. ”Thank you Viv. Some fruit will go very well with the other food.” Kaska, ever the literalist, is taken by surprise when Viv compliments her. She has done even less than usual with her hair, letting it hang loose instead of her usual ponytail or braid. ”Thank you, I guess it must be the extra rest I’ve had since we’ve been back.” She reciprocates by telling Viv ”I like your new clothes.”
Kaska puts the fruit on one of the stools and fetches a mug of beer for Viv. ”Uncle Brok should be back any time. He’s been at work today, but that’s over by now.” She also brings out a platter with smoked fish, goat cheese, and chunks of dense black bread. ”While we’re waiting for the others to get here.”
Just as Kaska is beginning to wonder if Brok decided to skip out on coming home since he knew there would be guests, he shows up not far behind Viv. Brok is a large man, obviously strong despite his advancing years. His head is clean-shaven, something Kaksa had done for him the previous day, and wears the simple, rough clothes of a laborer. Viv seems to catch him by surprise. Kaska had mentioned who would be coming but nothing about what they were, and Brok hadn’t imagined the need to ask. He nods his head in greeting to her, but says only ”welcome” and doesn’t smile. Brok greets Holg as an old friend, with a hug and hearty backslap, and settles in with a mug of ale to wait for dinner to be served.
Big says to Holg, ”I’ll try any food once! What are we having?”
She looks to take a seat and says to Kaska, ”Usually you braid your hair. Better for fights, I’m sure. But it looks nice. Relaxed. It’s good to see you, y’know, not having to fight for every inch of life.” she gratefully accepts the mug of beer.
Khonnir hauls out a keg and hands it to Fireday. "The Kellids usually enjoy the stronger liquors. This is dwarven firebelly ale, direct from the Five Kings Mountains. Guaranteed to put hair on even an android's chest! Here, it's on the house."
"Please, I insist! It's only fair," Fireday replies as he fishes some money out of his belt pouch. He doesn't even bother to haggle, before hoisting up the keg and following the others to Kaska's home.
"Hello!" he says as he comes in after Brok. "You must be Kaska's uncle, Brok! It's a pleasure to finally meet you. I am Fireday! I'm sorry I can't shake your hand at the moment while I'm carrying this keg. Kaska, is there a place I can put this? It's dwarven firebelly ale, courtesy of Khonnir Baine!"
Holg greets Fireday with enthusiasm "Well, while we wait Coen for a bit more... How things have been for you since we came back? I found Torch more peaceful and rewarding after my stay at Scrapwall. What things have you been doing?"
Kaska meets Fireday at the door with a kiss on the cheek and a "welcome".
She takes the cask from him and moves it to the kitchen. "This is some potent stuff Fireday, thank you fro bringing it. I hope you're prepared for the consequences if it gets tapped." she teases with an exaggerated nod toward Holg and Brok.
Brok also offers Fireday a "Welcome" but, as with Viv, it is formal and without a smile.
Kaska fills a cup for Fireday from the opened keg, but then lets Holg claim him him because someone else is at he door. The next arrival is A young man of about Kaska's age. He's only barely taller than Kaska with a stocky, muscular build and auburn brown hair.. His face is still boyish, with an open, friendly air to it. Kaska gives him the same kiss on the cheek as all the other arriving guest, followed by a hug. She links her arm through his and leads him to the kitchen area to provide him with a mug of ale. As they walk by, Brok and the young man greet each other with familiarity.
Kaska and the young man linger by the keg to chat for a few minutes before they come to join Viv.
"Viv this is an old friend of mine Galeti. Galeti, this is Viv."
"Hello Galeti!" says Viv brightly. "If you're an old friend of Kaska's then have you lived in Torch long? It's a pleasure to meet you!"
The android chatterbox says in an aside to Kaska, "Are you two related? You both have muscles for days."
Kaska meets Fireday at the door with a kiss on the cheek and a "welcome".
She takes the cask from him and moves it to the kitchen. "This is some potent stuff Fireday, thank you fro bringing it. I hope you're prepared for the consequences if it gets tapped." she teases with an exaggerated nod toward Holg and Brok.
Brok also offers Fireday a "Welcome" but, as with Viv, it is formal and without a smile.
Kaska fills a cup for Fireday from the opened keg, but then lets Holg claim him him because someone else is at he door. The next arrival is A young man of about Kaska's age. He's only barely taller than Kaska with a stocky, muscular build and auburn brown hair.. His face is still boyish, with an open, friendly air to it. Kaska gives him the same kiss on the cheek as all the other arriving guest, followed by a hug. She links her arm through his and leads him to the kitchen area to provide him with a mug of ale. As they walk by, Brok and the young man greet each other with familiarity.
Kaska and the young man linger by the keg to chat for a few minutes before they come to join Viv.
"Viv this is an old friend of mine Galeti. Galeti, this is Viv."
Fireday is pleasantly surprised by the kiss from Kaska. He accepts the cup and takes a small sip.
"Thank you!"
He quickly takes on the role of barkeep, serving out the alcohol to the other guests.
Coen shows up slightly late with a small stack of belts, hats, cloaks and the like, the first round or so of magical items that have been finished. Precariously wedged under one arm is a bottle of common wine in a ceramic jar.
"I come bearing magic bits!" He nods to acknowledge Kaska as he enters and awkwardly offers her the jar of wine while his arms are occupied with the pile of goods.
"It's pretty strong. Common drinking on the river, so it's easy to import."
He hands out an item or two to each person after he enters, careful not to interrupt any conversations. "Try them on and let me know in a few days if anything weird happens."
Gelati returns Viv’s smile with a grin of his own. ”It’s nice to meet you too Miss Viv.” he replies. Gelati seems a little surprised by Viv’s gregariousness and rapid-fire questions, but in a pleasant way. ”I’ve lived here all my life, known Kaska since we were what? Maybe ten?” He looks toward Kaska for confirmation.
”Yeah, about ten.” Kaska agrees, nodding. "And no, we're not related" she says with amusement. Kaska slides her arm around Gelati. "Gelati is apprenticed to Velibor Popovic, a skymetal smith." She says it as if it's a big deal.
Gelati side-eyes Kaska when she pulls him in close with her arm. He seems to find her considerable chumminess a little unexpected, but not uncomfortable.
Gelati asks Viv "What about you? Where are you from? What brought you to Torch? I don't recall seeing you around before..."
There's another knock at the door. Kaska releases Gelati to go answer it, but before she walks away she briefly meets Viv's eyes with a pointed look.
Kaska opens the door for Coen and takes the jar from him. Once his load is steadied, she tells him "welcome" and kisses him on the cheek. Perhaps for a little longer than is strictly necessary for a greeting.
Once Coen has been unburdened of all the stuff he's carrying, she fetches him a drink as well. She cuts Fireday out of the loop in this case, taking a cup from him and delivering it personally to Coen. "I'll check my things tomorrow morning, there's too much for me to do tonight already. Thank you for all your hard work making these things, and thank you for bringing the wine."
Kaska then begins working on getting the crowd seated around the table. It isn't an easy task since there's little enough standing space in the small room remaining as people find their places. She directs people to certain locations, estimating who they are most comfortable by, and who they tend to talk with the most. On one end she places Brok, with Holg next to him on the left. Coen takes the place to Brok's right, with Fireday on Holg's other side, and Viv on the other side of Coen. She and Gelati take the other end of the table, Kaska between Viv (and her annoying seductive clothing) and Gelati.
When Holg asks her about her plans while he serves up the antelope, Kaska considers for a moment before her answer. "I am coming too. I wasn't sure until not long ago, but I've realized something about robots and machines in the time we've been around them. Unlike us, there will be no next generation of robots. They might live forever, I don't know, but when one is killed it leaves no descendants. Sure, I have seen that the parts of killed robots can be used by people to make another. But it is not the same. They are lesser than those whose parts they came from, and it takes two or three to make the one."
"There can be an end to the machines in these lands. Every time one is destroyed, we are closer to that time. So, I will keep killing them to hasten that time's coming. As for the Technic League, I don't know. But if their power is rooted in the machines they have, where there are no more for them to use, they must fall too."
Coen is visibly taken back by the kiss on the cheek and reacts awkwardly with his arms full, almost dropping the pile across the floor. He recovers shortly after fumbling with things for a bit and fake smiles at everyone before starting to hand off their goods apologizing along the way.
"Sorry about that, I didn't intend to interrupt the dinner with this, I just thought it was a good chance to catch everyone in one place. Just remember the belts and headbands take a day to attune, so don't expect anything right away."
He nods at everyone as he is seated and starts drinking as soon as he is no longer the temporary focus of attention, comfortably numbing himself as he works to pass food and drink to Viv and Brok next to him.
Hearing Kaska opine about the inevitable death of all robots and thinking about the androids sitting at the table, and possibly attributing emotions to them that they don't have, Coen comments.
"I imagine they won't disappear unless the idea of them is destroyed. The bodies at least are made somehow by someone. The original makers and the Technic League are probably out there working on making more or improving what skills they have. Any high level wizard with a mind for it could probably make a new body for a spirit or a mind to inhabit."
Fireday frowns as the conversation shifts towards anti-robot rhetoric.
"Besides that, you're forgetting how we androids are. While we don't reproduce the same way humans do, killing us doesn't destroy us. Our nanites repair our body and a new soul inhabits it, so short of dissolving us in acid or something, you'll never wipe us out. But why would you want to do that? We androids mostly just want to live our lives like yours. We have to deal with not just the exploitation by the Technic League, but the fear of the Kellid people who will try to kill us, thinking we're either Technic League spies or robotic infiltrators looking to sow chaos. That's part of why I do what I do...I want to show the world that we androids can be a force for good, that we can be heroes and stand together with the Kellids as brothers and sisters."
He drinks moderately, wanting to keep his wits about him so he can be respectful to his host. This was her home after all, and while he wasn't comfortable with what she was saying, he still respected her.
Viv nods congenially to Kaska and Gelati and replies to the smith, "A skysmetal smith, huh? That's quite impressive. I hear that working with skymetals is really demanding work. You must have quite a lot of dedication."
"As for me, a caravan found me in some old ruins; apparently I'd just activated. It's all kinda fuzzy at that point. They took me along and I learned a bit going from place to place - Scrapwall, Chesed, even Starfall. By the time we reached Torch I decided it seemed like a nice place to stop and settle down for a while - not too dangerous, maybe a place I could earn a living."
Coen arrives just in time to break up the conversation, and Viv turns her attention to helping him with his packages telekinetically - grabbing things before they fall and floating them to a convenient table or spot on the floor in a corner.
"Thanks Coen!" she says brightly. "Oooh this all looks great. Food and fancy bits. All the makings of a good party."
She takes the indicated seat as the meal starts and watches the conversation develop. Holding a fork with a slice of antelope meat on it, she says, "Y'know Kaska's half-right. Part of the problem is that the really massive places, like the Silver Mount, apparently are still making robots. They belch out from caves in the Wastes, where there are more techno-ruins buried. So unless you can get into the Silver Mount and all these other Skyfallen places, you could be fighting robots forever!"
Viv seems happily oblivious to the tense undertones as she continues, "But not androids. We find some from time to time - like me - but I don't think anyone really finds new ones. Making us is not the same as making robots, I guess."
Holg picks up the new belt brought by Coen, as well as the sash and all the other goodies. He dresses up everything before sitting to the table "Wow Coen! This is wonderful! The gems you have selected feel very powerful. I can even feel the lightness already!" the Kellid performs some jumps on place.
"You androids can hold many souls?" Holg seems truthfully surprised and engages with that at Fireday and Viv "How many souls can you hold? Do you have any memories, sometimes, ever, from old souls?"
The man sits grateful next to Brok and start talking about how they reached Torch and updating about the past years. For a long while the talk in a low voice while they keep staring at Kaska.
Holg seems satisfied when Kaska states her interest into follow the way to smite more robots and face the Technique League. He nods to Brok "Aye good words! Let my sword guard your back Kaska, Chieftain of the Red Talons!!! I will go with you"
Kaska shrugs off Fireday's concerns. "You are not like robots. So you don't have children, ogres do just like humans, but I would kill an ogre on sight. You heal from injuries, you make your own decisions, robots do not. There is no point in choosing this or that likeness or difference to say something about the subject. Things can always be found to match the point you want to make."
"Ogres are a plague, robots are a plague. I will do all I can to rid us of that plague. It will be possible because they do not reproduce themselves. They fell from the sky and those can be put down. If Viv is right and some new ones are made somewhere, those places can be destroyed too."