"You have to break it in somehow," the carpenter injects softly. It takes the crew a beat to recognize his attempt at humor.
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"Beautiful, isn't it?" the aiuvarin intones softly, staring at the granules with a father's pride. "That's the work of just two men working for half a day."
The carpenter nods. "We can use one of the spare pulleys from the ship until the blacksmith can set up his portable forge and fashion a proper block and tackle." He hands Kork the fist-sized contraption. "Take care when hammering in the piton, you don't want to break it."
"I have just the thing," replies the carpenter. After a brief dive into the cargo bay, he returns with a small crate of snowshoes--enough for a party of 5. "I'll set about making some more right away," he adds cheerfully.
"It is no bother. As a carpenter I have all manner of rosins, oils, humectants, finishes, varnishes, and other items available. It comes with the job description." The quartermaster sticks her head in and calls him over. As he turns to go, he offers a goodbye. "It was a pleasure. I'm sure you'll make a fine crewman."
The aiuvarin smiles at Jaym'row and introduces himself. "I'm Elendriel Malorn, the carpenter. I perform essential repairs on the ship, and stay out of everyone's way when I'm not needed." He chuckles softly and continues. "There aren't many elves in Eredorn, but my mother was one of them, and she taught me elven woodcraft to pass the time and make coin." "She went back home when it became clear that she would outlive me," he adds, faintly melancholy. He sighs and says, "I suppose she wanted to make sure that she would have forgotten me when my time came to pass." He brightens and continues, "I met and became friends with the quartermaster due to our mutual fascination with elven culture. When she asked me to come, I gladly agreed. If you start to get sick of elven food, blame her; she's the one who ordered so much of it."
A heretofore quiet aiuvarin man in nondescript workman's attire nods along to the song while the other crew clap their hands and stomp their feet. After the rest of them congratulate her on her performance, the previously silent elfspawn strides up to her and says in a low, mellifluous voice, "I have some rosin for that bow that will work much better than what you're using. Spruce tends to be a bit tinny in humid weather otherwise." He hands Jay'mrow a small tin of rosin.
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