Closed Tall Tales, Ales, and Grails (Lenelle)

[Leila]

Timestamp: Spring 13, 513 AV It was the slowest night Leila had seen since she'd started this job. She had one person asleep at the bar, and another in the corner drinking and sobbing, and refusing to talk. She'd already wiped down all the tables, stools, and bar several times, washed all of her cups and glasses, and even swept a few times. And she still had several chimes to go before she could leave. She couldn't even try out making new drinks, for there was no one around to buy them. She went back into the kitchen, and grabbed a plate of food the cook had made her before he left. With so few customers, she could cover for him. Taking her plate out to the bar, she looked down and smiled. Roasted chicken, golden potatoes, a hunk of bread, from the crusty side, and something she hadn't seen since she lived back home; a bar of chocolate! She pulled out her journal to study her plant drawings while she ate. While studying her poorly drawn Heath Aster, she wished she would get into a better line of work, something more interesting. A career, not a job. Maybe she could open an Herbalism shop like her father. But it was scary, he tried and failed, and it left him devastated for the rest of his life. Why would her shop succeed when his didn't? He used to be respected, the man of the house, but after he lost his shop, her mom walked all over him. And he let her. She wished he could be that man she knew from her youngest of years. She picked at her food waiting for new customers to enter, or her current ones to leave.

[Lenell Belleste]

Spring 13, 513 AV

Lenell had been in town for many days now, but she still had varied little from her routine of work, library and back home. She had told herself that tonight was a night to branch out more. And the World's End Grotto seemed like the place to start.

She stood back to admire the scenery as she reached her destination. Close by, she heard the sound of the docks and the ocean waves. The small group of foothills that surrounded and backed the Inn gave it a cozy, nested look. She took a deep breath and made her way carefully towards the door. She pushed her way inside and winced as the door banged behind her. She seemed to be unable to handle doors in this city. She would rather, for now, enter places quietly and poke about the edges of them unobserved. But the doors seemed to think her plans unworthy, and announced her entrances invariably with bangs.

She turned around to whisper to the deaf and mute wood that had betrayed her so. "If you really feel that I must make a grand entrance, couldn't you give a nice little chime effect? Bangs are for the arrival of warriors. You have no sense of proper dramatics."

She turned around, blowing her hair out of her face in frustration, and was surprised at how empty and quiet the Inn was tonight. From what she had heard, this was the place to meet and greet in Zeltiva. She saw two customers at the bar. One of them was sobbing over a cup, and apparently her "Curse of the banging Zeltiva doors" had not disturbed them. Another sat quietly, had looked around briefly at the noise, and just as quickly turned away back into their own thoughts. A serving girl seemed to be taking her meal, and looking through a journal or sketchbook. She was the only one who didn't look away after the door had ceased its noisy announcement. Of course, customer were her job, but she seemed to have kindness in her eyes. Lenell started towards her.

"Hello," Lenell said. "This is my first time here. I don't know what I might get, perhaps nothing, but I am new to Zeltiva and trying to learn more of the city." She caught sight of a drawing in the book the girl was looking at. "Oh, that's lovely. Did you do it? I wish I could draw myself. Are you from Zeltiva?" Lenell sighed, and drew her hand through her hair. "Oh, I'm sorry, I'm pestering you now. My name is Lenell." She stuck her arm across the bar to shake hands.

[Leila]

Leila watched as the woman entered the Inn noisily, but that was just those ornery doors. She smiled as the woman spotted her, and made her way over to the bar. She chuckled as the woman seemed to spew conversational pieces with the restraint of a dog with a steak dangling in front of it. "And I'm Leila, Leila Hughes," as she took her hand and shook it gently. "And how about you take a seat, I'll get us a couple of ales, and I'll answer the rest of your questions? As you can see, it's a very slow night, so I can help you get acquainted properly." Leila got up from her seat, grabbed two flagons, and filled them with honey mead. She set the two golden drinks down, sliding one over to her new companion. Leila took her seat once more, took a bite of her chicken, then spoke. "Yes, I drew that, though I'm quite terrible, self taught quite recently. It's called Heath Aster, and I found this particular branch over near West Street, near a little hovel called Bree's Bivouac, which houses a shrine to the Goddess Rak'keli. And it isn't pestering if you spend the few coppers for that drink," she said with a wink. "Now tell me, what brings you to the grand port city of Zeltiva? If I had to guess, I'd say you were considering the University."

[Lenell Belleste]

Lenell placed the coins for the drink on the counter, and smiled at the girls perceptiveness. "Ah, yes, you have it. I am a University student, just arrived this season. I suppose this proves the rumor that barkeeps learn how to read people well."

Lenell took a sip of her ale. She had little experience with alcohol, and almost all that experience was in the form of glasses of wine with celebratory family dinners. The ale was tasty, she found. Well, being a student was supposed to include new experiences, so here was one for her.

"I grew up in Syliras. My family are potters there. I'm taking pottery, because I do enjoy the creative aspects of it, and it is also a skill I can use to get a job. I'm also taking Anthropology, but just because it interests me."

She turned to look at Leila's drawing again. "Heath Aster, you say? I'm impressed. Botany is not one of my skills, not at all. I am self taught at drawing myself, though my learning is more specific, based on simple pottery decorations."

Lenell leaned back and surveyed the room again. "I am surprised at how empty it is here. I understood this was such an active spot in Zeltiva. You say it is just a unusually quiet night? Oh, well, it gives me a chance to talk to you." She turned to Leila and smiled. "Are you from Zeltiva then? And how is it you know so much about plant names?"

[Leila]

Leila was quite surprised to hear that the woman was taking pottery. It wasn't something one often heard from a student. She didn't get as annoyed by a pottery student, there was a soft spot for them. And it was quite simple. They made plant pots, and Leila used plant pots quite often. "Yeah, it is indeed quite slow tonight, I imagine a lot of people are tired from work, and the wave of travelers has flowed out rather than in. It happens from time to time." She sipped at her mead, wondering if it was hard to make your own plant pots. This led to her thinking if she'd ever seen any pottery shop in town, and couldn't think of any. "Yep born and raised here in Zeltiva, never once left. As for plants, my Pa taught me most of what I know. He used to have an herbalism shop, but it closed down when I was little. He taught me a lot in this little garden that we had in our backyard. Now, though, I do independent research. I was recently approved to open my own shop, over near Bree's Bivouac, an herbalism shop, just like Pa. Do you make plant pots and the like? Is it hard to learn? What do you want to do with your learning?"

[Lenell Belleste]

Lenell took another sip of her drink. The sobbing customer seemed to still be at it, though only in bursts. Well, whatever homesickness and stress she was feeling, at least things weren't that bad. She thought of the plague that had taken such a toll on the city, that she had been lucky enough to miss. Perhaps the customer had lost all their family. She felt ashamed at her staring and turned away again.

"A shop of your own? How wonderful! My entire, and I do mean entire, family have run a pottery business in Syliras for a while now. They do fairly well for themselves. I am a bit of an odd sheep out, leaving home to study."

She took another sip. "This is quite good. I suppose I'll have to get the courage up to try kelp beer and tea," she grinned, "but not tonight. Well, I have a job at the Glassworks. Mostly, we make simple dinnerware for the University dining hall, but I do believe my boss wants to make a go at serving more of the local population. However, we are set up only to make large batches of items, so there would have to be a big enough order to fill before he would make anything else. I can make small pots like you are talking about. My study at the University pottery studio is both to extend the types of wares I can make as well as the artistic quality. It's a useful skill, makes money, but also lets you express yourself. I love Anthropology, though, would love to someday do my own research and write my own books."

She smiled at Leila. "So, what places are a must see here in Zeltiva then?"

[Paragon]

Leila

Experience

Skill	XP Earned
Teaching	1
Socialisation	2

Lores

•	Lore Earned
•	Lenell (acquaintance)
•	Lenell's Academic Resume: Pottery & Anthropology
•	Helping Out a Visitor to Zeltiva

Lenell Belleste

Experience

Skill	XP Earned
Socialisation	2
Land Navigation	1
Interrogation	1

Lores

•	Lore Earned
•	Location: World's End Grotto
•	Leila (acquaintance)
•	Plant: Heath Aster
•	Leila's Herbalism Shop Plans

Other: - 2 CM

Legend Becomes Reality

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