[center][color=FFCE00][h2][u]The Soft Haven Bounty House[/u][/h2][/color][/center]

[center][sub]14th of the Full Autumn Moon, 1698 P.A.
Mid morning - Clear Skies[/sub][/center]
[center][sub][@Hero][@Trainerblue192][@Obscene Symphony][@Scribe of Thoth][@McMolly][/sub][/center]

Delight sprawled plainly across Cerric’s face as more and more people began to volley their inquiries at him. [color=skyblue]“A wonderful bouquet of curiosities you’ve handed me and yet sadly, I am ill prepared to answer them. Let’s start with what I can answer and then we’ll drag in our favorite scribe to shore up the gaps in my knowledge. Aetherborn are divided into three categories: Primordial, Animas, and Genesian. Primordial aetherborn manipulate ambient aether to create elemental effects, Animas aetherborn manipulate others’ aether to affect the mind or body, and genesian aetherborn infuse their own aether into objects or aetheric constructs! A brief overview but were we to delve into the depths of aetheric theory, I’m afraid I’d have to enroll you in the Royal Academy.”[/color] He ticked off questions on his fingers as he answered. 

[color=skyblue]“As for you, young lady, I frankly just learned the name of the plants shortly before we completed the Bounty House. Lord Mystralath is an avid collector of aetheric flora and shipped a small portion of his collection here. A poorly laid stone on the bridge led to one of our porters stumbling and some of the Lord’s collection found itself at a loss for wings as it flew over the edge and dove into the water. A week later and the Lord could only marvel as this mirage coral seemed to take a liking to its new habitat.”[/color] Cerric shrugged, ticking off another finger. [color=skyblue]“Not quite as exciting as the Rancor of Morn Og but far more real.”[/color]

[color=F621EC]“Cerric! Where in the hells did Katya go stumbling off this time?”[/color] A woman called down the stairs, irritation laced in her words. 

[color=skyblue]“She answered the call of the unknown, of the adventure in her blood, as she does every night, Aeowyn.”[/color] Cerric shouted back up the stairs, receiving a slew of curses in response. Cerric grimaced at the foul language. [color=skyblue]“My apologies. Aeowyn is many things but the picture of grace is far from one of them. Unless she wants something from you but then she’s more of a terrifying shadow.”[/color] 

Meanwhile, Aleka was studiously ignoring the situation and turning his head as if mulling over a puzzle as Kyerth spoke. The silence between him and Kyreth stretched until finally Aleka spoke. [color=B3FB95]“Kyreth Bertasson. Notable skills are mending fences and roofs, willing to learn, fine with small jobs. I think you’d likely do best with a steady contract or apprenticeship so we’ll look at what options we have available after I conclude all this.”[/color] Aleka stated as he wrote in his book. [color=B3FB95]“Unless your traveling companion is against it, at which point we’ll need to have a different conversation.”[/color]

[color=skyblue]“Aleka! Would you be so kind as to enlighten us to the meaning of Asvari? Such a pretty word I’d have no difficulty remembering but after having traveled the entrity of Othard, never have I encountered it. Is it a Verazian phrase?”[/color] Cerric interjected before Aleka could demand another person to his desk.

[color=B3FB95]“It is what we call the Tainted.”[/color] Aleka nodded, waving at Lilann and Kyreth. [color=B3FB95]“‘Tainted’ is a term derived from religious persecution. Othardian Gods call them blasphemers, heretics, and traitors but we hold no faith with Azaiza and her court. Veraz was founded by a collection of exiles. We would be doing them, and our God, a disservice to turn our backs on your Tainted and so we offered them a new name when some sought succor on Virazian soil.”[/color]

A slow clap echoed through the room. While Aleka was elaborating, a halfling woman descended the stairs silent as a ghost. No taller than 4ft, she lounged in plain but sturdy traveling clothes. A cloak had been thrown across her shoulders and it draped down to conceal her left side. She wore her hair long, tucked neatly behind long tipped ears that reveal some touch of elven ancestry, and her features were twisted into a sarcastic sneer. A fan drifted nearby, waving on its own accord to offer her a cooling breeze. 

[color=F621EC]“The only [i]succor[/i] they need is six feet of piss soaked dirt.”[/color] Aeowyn scoffed as she pushed herself upright, barely making noise as she crossed the room to Cerric, who seemed unphased by the halfling’s declaration. [color=F621EC]“What horse shit are you feeding these shit stains? They aren’t your moronic customers that you have to woo to purchase your second rate goods so let Aleka do his gods damned job and go finish balancing our accounts.”[/color] She stopped her way across the room, ignoring the rest of the group as she tapped one of the doors and it flew open. She threw a short farewell to Cerric over her shoulder and the door slammed shut. 

[color=B3FB95]“Next.”[/color] Aleka gestured for Eila or Ermes to take their place in front of his desk. 

[color=skyblue]“Aeowyn Silventria, everybody. Don’t cross her and she won’t make your bedsheets crawl down your throat in the middle of the night.”[/color] Cerric said cheerily, picking up a little bell on one of the side tables next to the couch and ringing it. Footsteps could be heard of the stairs from far up the Bounty House before an older human woman, gray and black hair tucked neatly into a cloth around her head, came down in Mystralath finery. 

[color=orange]“Good morning, Mr. Liadon. How may I be of assistance?”[/color] She inquired after offering him a curtsy.

[color=skyblue]“Vivian, darling that you are, would you be so kind as to collect Aleka’s records book for Lord Mystralath’s perusal once he has finished adding them all? I’m certain our Lord will be quite interested in our newest additions and I would loathe to make him wait to satiate his curiosity.”[/color] Vivan offered another curtsy and stood patiently at Aleka’s desk, a polite smile firmly fixed in place as she waited.