un: sweet lily of the hidden valley - handwritten

[bearshermark]

Haltham says we're going to need another 50,000 or 60,000 more coins for a smuggler, travel fees, rations, and papers, and because now there's more of us. They haven't figured out where we're heading after this or how long we'll be here. It's a little frustrating. I guess the regions of this world must have a lot of border security. He also said the weather is unusually bad for this time of year, so that makes things more difficult.

But I'm not going to be able to go into town much now that I have someone that stands out a lot following me around everywhere, so it'll be hard to make more money to put toward that fund. But I am going to make myself useful and help with everything that needs done around the farm. I think it's important to work together as much as we can, so if anyone could use an extra set of hands or two with anything, please let me know.

P.S. Don't mind Hendrik too much. He only looks intimidating.

-Eleven

Comments

voice; un: blushing beads of heft and beauty

[paperbutterflies]

I have only just arrived, but I can probably come back to the city to help out with jobs. That is... a lot of coin, is it not?

If I may... written messages might not be the best way to reach everyone, as there is at least one person here who cannot see.

voice;

[bearshermark]

[Immediate guilt]

Oh no, I didn't even-

You're right. I- I can go talk to him. How could I forget?

[paperbutterflies]

[ At least Sizhui didn't... start with that...? But will he be overprotective of said blind person? Probably as long as they are both here. ]

Oh - you know Xiao Xingchen daozhang? Has... he been here long? Has he been well?

[ Getting the man to answer that last question is probably kind of futile.

A moment. And then, realizing he was being impolite. ]

I am sorry. My surname is Lan, called Lan Sizhui.

[bearshermark]

Ah, I know Xingchen, yes.

[He doesn't know those other words though]

We all arrived about a moon ago, and Xingchen and I have made a handful of raids on the salt mine for coin. He's been well, and generous with his earnings toward the less fortunate.

[Possibly too generous tbh]

I'm glad he has people he knows here.

[paperbutterflies]

[ On his side, Sizhui winces slightly at the direct form of address, but he has learned as soon as he left the Cloud Recesses that people will not always adhere to what he has been taught as propriety, and if Xiao Xingchen daozhang does not object to it, he is not going to get involved. ]

Ah... I would not say that he knows me - well, not until he spoke through these things that day - but I know of him? Kind and generous are things I do know he is, too.

As it may be, are these funds to be found before we go? I ... don't think I'll be able to contribute much by then, but I will do my best to return whoever takes on the expense the coin later.

un: silhouette among silk spreads

[foxable]

Oh - who's Hendrick? Does he need help blending in?

Stealth magic takes a lot more components, but--

Wait-

60,000 coins?? Like- are we talking like loonies here or like... gold...

Oh god that is so much money... oh god, maybe I am going to have to get a job...

[bearshermark]

Gold coins. It is a lot, though not as much as we've raised before. Still, we had goods to sell and..

[A bank heist]

Well, I'm not sure the same methods can be applied this time. You could probably make decent money thralling, though- or your version of it.

For Hendrik... he's a proud knight that took issue hiding himself beneath a cloak so I don't know that he'd take kindly to any sort of disguise. It would probably cost more than it's worth in components anyway. I appreciate the offer though.

[foxable]

A knight?

Like - are we talking like Sir Ian Mckellan or are we talking like Sir Galahad-actually-a-knight-in-armour knight? That's awesome??

And yeah, I've been wondering about the thralling, but um - I'm not really used to working publicly? Like, with you guys it's different, yeah? We're all stuck together regardless of what we want, so we're basically family, right? You don't get to choose your family. But working out in public is - ah - well it just gets more attention than I'd like.

[ A pause. ]

Though maybe I could work through someone here? Does the uh - what the fuck is his name - Mingyu told me - wait, no, he said he didn't have a name - does the Merchant listen in on this channel ever? Maybe I should message him. Or, um, you know, our host. The um, the Madam. Or whatever you call them... Is that rude? I can't tell if that's rude or not. What should I call her? Ma'am?

Anyway what I'm trying to say is that maybe I could like, do the actual enchanting, but someone who's actually from here could be, um, the front?

I feel like I'm in a mafia movie, I can't decide if this is awesome or terrible.

[bearshermark]

[He laughs, charmed. Fox sounds as uncomfortable as he'd been when he first arrived]

I wouldn't advise talking to Bloodbonnet- he's not likely to be helpful. Anyway, Haltham seems to take messages for him first, and I haven't heard back from him directly. I guess he decided to let his invisible actions speak for him. You can probably be sure he listens in sometimes.

I would volunteer to run for you- I'm pretty plain-looking on my own- but Hendrik is a really tall knight in actual armor and he won't let me go unaccompanied. You could probably find someone though.

un: first blush of tender youth

[somebadnews]

[ That's going to take a significant chunk out of that stash he's sitting on. Doing some quick calculating with what he's already spent... Nearly half. He kind of thought that would stretch a bit further before he had to think about breaking into another bank. He isn't even sure he'd get the same support next time. (Although if he hadn't, how the hell did they expect them to keep coming up with this??)

Not that he's going to bring this up yet. Kind of wants to go over their math before he hands it all over. Because he's spoken to Haltham. The guy can't read and keeps a murder-goat, so. ]

They haven't figured it out, but they know how much it'll cost. You're just going to let them take care of it for us?

[bearshermark]

We know we're going east, so they'll know what region we're going to, how much the papers will cost to... make. Haltham implied that a smuggler is going to cost more to attract because of the weather.

[A quiet sigh]

I'll admit I don't like how little distance we've traveled on what we've already given over. I understand there's a few more of us now, but- well, if you want to try for more detailed information, you'll have to talk to Bloodbonnet directly. I'm only passing on what I've heard so far.

[somebadnews]

[ Uh huh, so it's probably a generous estimate. He'll look into it himself before he makes a decision, but then he gets caught on that 'Bloodbonnet' reference and it takes him a second. He's pretty sure he's heard him use that word before. ]

I take it that's an affectionate nickname.

[bearshermark]

...I think he's earned it. If he doesn't like it, he could give us his name.

[handmaiden of unsheathed swords] voice posted:

[darkeststars]

[ ...Hendrik. Hendrik. Why does that sound familiar. Oh yes-- ]

So your brick wall has ended up joining us here somehow, has he?

[ Eleven would probably know that sarcastic drawl anywhere by this point. ]

I might be able to hide the both of you for a little while here and there, if you think the man capable of trying not to stand out.

[bearshermark]

A-Ah, yes. [Sounding pretty sheepish now, bc wow he probably shouldn't have.. if anyone was going to follow him to another world, he should have figured]

That would be a lot to ask; he isn't fond of hiding. But if I can talk him into it, I'll let you know.

[darkeststars]

He wouldn't need to do much. Just not dress outlandishly and not bring down unwanted attention. I hope you're not routinely traveling around with someone who can't even do that. [ said the Dark Lord completely hypocritically, whoops ]

As for the rest, I suppose we might have known no good deed would go unpunished. Ugh. ...regardless, though -- certainly for the best that we went in. Your assistance was quite invaluable. [ voice going a little more wry ] Hope you enjoyed the light show. [ in the absolute chaos that was the Imperious mission, he's not fully sure where Eleven was at by the time he was summoning a lightning storm on top of of the ship floating out in the bay, which is definitely a thing that totally happened despite yours truly dropping the ball whoops, but Arche certainly had his fun letting loose. ]

[bearshermark]

[He laughs]

Well, it's better than travelling on my own.

[Invaluable, though. Just gonna soak that up for a second, warmed]

That was you, then. That was certainly impressive magi- er, force use. Though it's a bit of a shame. If we had someone who could sail, maybe we could have made our own escape on it.

[unswervingcompanion]

[Of course he heard every word. And he's truly not sure why him following the Luminary around is an issue. Certainly there wasn't one back home but in this new place his oath hasn't changed and his will hasn't wavered. As far as his armor went or the idea that he's dressing outlandishly? He's just doing his duty by being the shield that he'd promised he'd be. And not wearing it would be akin to being poorly prepared to deal with any that would harm his charge.

So he goes in search of the boy who sounds pretty put out that he's here. Hendrik doesn't command the Luminary, it's the other way around. But to hear the other tell it, he sounds as if he's a child who's being punished and that doesn't sit well.

Finding Eleven at last, the knight waited to get the other's attention.]

A word, if you please.

action;

[bearshermark]

[Eleven turns, brows raised, then nods and sets aside what he's doing to follow after Hendrik. He has an inkling, but it's nothing concrete]

Are you all right?

[unswervingcompanion]

[The proud knight nodded. Discussing trivial matters such as feelings would avail him naught.]

All is well, never fear. However, I did overhear you speaking of extra hands to assist in this mission. Am I to assume you wish for my aid?

[bearshermark]

[He smiles, a little sheepish]

I was a little presumptuous I guess, but I couldn't imagine you'd want to stay idle. You're probably the strongest out of all of us- physically, anyway- so it would be a great help. Could I formally request your assistance...?

un: yiling patriarch

[downswing]

Do not toil outside past sundown. Spirits.

[bearshermark]

[Squints. El is suss]

Spirits?

[downswing]

I know no other name.

[bearshermark]

Sorry. I meant, what kind of spirits? Or what's the danger of them?