Fifteen of Summer, 520 AV (Daybreak)
Robert yawned as he tapped his foot, covering his mouth. He then shaded his eyes from the brilliant sunrise that promised a day of excessive warmth. Beside him, his tabby cat did not yawn, for she had already curled up in a stray coil of rope and fallen asleep.
'The Captain said that he'd meet us at the docks..." Robert muttered, yawning again. The Lhavitian had grown accustomed to the strange sleep schedule the rest of Mizahar seemed to conform to, but even though he'd spent all day searching with Marino, and a long night satisfying the whims of the resident Otani after a few rounds of drinking with a Svefra Pod, he'd kept to his habit of waking before sunrise. Having broken his fast with a small meal at the Protea Inn, Robert had walked to the Docks thereafter to fulfill an outstanding obligation.
A movement on one of the larger ships caught his attention, and he turned.
The Veronica?
He raised his hand in salute, which the approaching figure returned, walking briskly towards Robert with a few documents in his hand.
"Captain Chaliva! Good morning to you. Have you slept well?"
Once the skipper of the Veronica had reached him, the Founder returned his salutation, shaking Robert's hand to you.
Good morning as well, Robert. I hear you've had a busy few days since the storm?"
"Just a bit, Captain." Robert grinned. "Searching for those totem pieces was something of a pain in the arse, but if what Vas says is true, they'll bring Syka good fortune."
'Good man. You've done a splendid job so far, and I'm confident you'll be a boon to Syka in the near future. Come, walk with me. You said that you had a letter of recommendation from the Deeptrench Lia?"
Robert held out the item in question, parchment sealed with a wax sigil, which James broke and opened as they walked to the cabin of the Veronica, reading the letter under his breath.
"Hard-working young lad... Ready and willing to help out... Wasn't useless on the voyage from Lhavit to Syka..."
They climbed the gangplank onto the Veronica, and entered his cabin, James motioning for Robert to sit on a chair in front of his desk.
"Excellent whiskey, a silver tongue... a strapping young man?" James raised an eyebrow. "... Treated me like a proper lady, if I were a younger lass I'd be all over him." James sighed, kneading his forehead as he tossed the parchment onto his desk. Robert chuckled awkwardly, scratching the back of his head.
"Well..." Robert began.
'This sounds like Elizabeth alright. If nothing, she was quite the fiery and forward woman in her younger days. I'm glad to see that her spirit's undampened by the long voyages and storms at sea."
The Captain rubbed his chin thoughtfully, thinking over the letter.
"You're looking to start a distillery in Syka, then." He eyed Robert, examining his body language and evaluating his speech as Robert answered the implicit question.
"Yes, Cap'n. I heard from one of the Deeptrench that Syka needed a brewer - and no offence to brewers, I've enjoyed many an ale or lager back in Lhavit - but as a distiller, I'd be able to make a wider variety of liquors than a brewery or a winery. As long as something has sugar, I can make alcohol out of it. I've taken a few classes on philtering and herbalism at the Alluvion Academy, so I know a bit about making medicinal infusions. With the right equipment, I can make rectified spirits - Syka would never run out of pure alcohol for medical purposes."
And here Robert looked a little shifty.
"And if tourists do come, well, I'd imagine an exotic Sykan liquor or two would convince them to loosen their purses."
James laughed. "I can see you've thought about this! I don't suppose you have a sample of your whiskey?"
Robert shook his head. "Not the best time or place for it, sir - it's above a hundred proof, so it'll taste best in the evening after sundown. I've brought two casks of the last of my family whiskey with me, but it's currently stored with Stu. For the best taste, we'll need it slightly chilled to match Lhavit's usual temperatures, since it was made for that climate, and a few drops of water to bring out the flavour."
Chaliva considered Robert's words, before nodding.
"We'll have a private table at the Tidepool this evening for dinner and a tasting, and to hash out the rest of the details. I'll bring Randal along to discuss where we'll build it, and we can settle how much us Founders will loan you. As for the equipment, I'm guessing that we'll have to purchase them in Riverfall, since we don't have the men or skills to make them. The Bluevein Winery might have some for sale. You can accompany me on one of my trips across the Sea - it's only two days by ship, so we can do that relatively quickly."
Robert smiled, rising from his chair and shaking Chaliva's hand firmly.
"Thank you sir, this was more than I hoped for. I'll be off then - those totem pieces aren't going to find themselves."
The Captain chuckled, and rose as well. "Where have you already searched?"
"Most of the Commons, I think. Me and a few others went down south past Stu's bar, and I've gone over the Isuas Groves."
"Well," the Captain contemplated Robert's words for a few moments, running over his mental map of the settlement and the Maw, "I don't think you'll know of these places, being a newcomer, so it wouldn't hurt to have you search them too. There's a Dovecote located to the east of the Storm Shelter - just take the right path when walking towards the shelter. You'll find it interesting, I'm sure, but don't go in the door just yet. I'll explain later."
"Have you met Tony yet?" Robert shook his head; the Drykas had been preoccupied with other matters when he searched the groves.
"Tony's the head gardener of the Isuas Grove, it would do you good to talk to him for a spell. He always needs help - he's getting a bit on in age, so if you have time... Might learn something interesting."
Robert nodded, committing the Captain's words to memory.
"Thank you, Captain, I'll see what I can do about your suggestions."
Robert yawned as he tapped his foot, covering his mouth. He then shaded his eyes from the brilliant sunrise that promised a day of excessive warmth. Beside him, his tabby cat did not yawn, for she had already curled up in a stray coil of rope and fallen asleep.
'The Captain said that he'd meet us at the docks..." Robert muttered, yawning again. The Lhavitian had grown accustomed to the strange sleep schedule the rest of Mizahar seemed to conform to, but even though he'd spent all day searching with Marino, and a long night satisfying the whims of the resident Otani after a few rounds of drinking with a Svefra Pod, he'd kept to his habit of waking before sunrise. Having broken his fast with a small meal at the Protea Inn, Robert had walked to the Docks thereafter to fulfill an outstanding obligation.
A movement on one of the larger ships caught his attention, and he turned.
The Veronica?
He raised his hand in salute, which the approaching figure returned, walking briskly towards Robert with a few documents in his hand.
"Captain Chaliva! Good morning to you. Have you slept well?"
Once the skipper of the Veronica had reached him, the Founder returned his salutation, shaking Robert's hand to you.
Good morning as well, Robert. I hear you've had a busy few days since the storm?"
"Just a bit, Captain." Robert grinned. "Searching for those totem pieces was something of a pain in the arse, but if what Vas says is true, they'll bring Syka good fortune."
'Good man. You've done a splendid job so far, and I'm confident you'll be a boon to Syka in the near future. Come, walk with me. You said that you had a letter of recommendation from the Deeptrench Lia?"
Robert held out the item in question, parchment sealed with a wax sigil, which James broke and opened as they walked to the cabin of the Veronica, reading the letter under his breath.
"Hard-working young lad... Ready and willing to help out... Wasn't useless on the voyage from Lhavit to Syka..."
They climbed the gangplank onto the Veronica, and entered his cabin, James motioning for Robert to sit on a chair in front of his desk.
"Excellent whiskey, a silver tongue... a strapping young man?" James raised an eyebrow. "... Treated me like a proper lady, if I were a younger lass I'd be all over him." James sighed, kneading his forehead as he tossed the parchment onto his desk. Robert chuckled awkwardly, scratching the back of his head.
"Well..." Robert began.
'This sounds like Elizabeth alright. If nothing, she was quite the fiery and forward woman in her younger days. I'm glad to see that her spirit's undampened by the long voyages and storms at sea."
The Captain rubbed his chin thoughtfully, thinking over the letter.
"You're looking to start a distillery in Syka, then." He eyed Robert, examining his body language and evaluating his speech as Robert answered the implicit question.
"Yes, Cap'n. I heard from one of the Deeptrench that Syka needed a brewer - and no offence to brewers, I've enjoyed many an ale or lager back in Lhavit - but as a distiller, I'd be able to make a wider variety of liquors than a brewery or a winery. As long as something has sugar, I can make alcohol out of it. I've taken a few classes on philtering and herbalism at the Alluvion Academy, so I know a bit about making medicinal infusions. With the right equipment, I can make rectified spirits - Syka would never run out of pure alcohol for medical purposes."
And here Robert looked a little shifty.
"And if tourists do come, well, I'd imagine an exotic Sykan liquor or two would convince them to loosen their purses."
James laughed. "I can see you've thought about this! I don't suppose you have a sample of your whiskey?"
Robert shook his head. "Not the best time or place for it, sir - it's above a hundred proof, so it'll taste best in the evening after sundown. I've brought two casks of the last of my family whiskey with me, but it's currently stored with Stu. For the best taste, we'll need it slightly chilled to match Lhavit's usual temperatures, since it was made for that climate, and a few drops of water to bring out the flavour."
Chaliva considered Robert's words, before nodding.
"We'll have a private table at the Tidepool this evening for dinner and a tasting, and to hash out the rest of the details. I'll bring Randal along to discuss where we'll build it, and we can settle how much us Founders will loan you. As for the equipment, I'm guessing that we'll have to purchase them in Riverfall, since we don't have the men or skills to make them. The Bluevein Winery might have some for sale. You can accompany me on one of my trips across the Sea - it's only two days by ship, so we can do that relatively quickly."
Robert smiled, rising from his chair and shaking Chaliva's hand firmly.
"Thank you sir, this was more than I hoped for. I'll be off then - those totem pieces aren't going to find themselves."
The Captain chuckled, and rose as well. "Where have you already searched?"
"Most of the Commons, I think. Me and a few others went down south past Stu's bar, and I've gone over the Isuas Groves."
"Well," the Captain contemplated Robert's words for a few moments, running over his mental map of the settlement and the Maw, "I don't think you'll know of these places, being a newcomer, so it wouldn't hurt to have you search them too. There's a Dovecote located to the east of the Storm Shelter - just take the right path when walking towards the shelter. You'll find it interesting, I'm sure, but don't go in the door just yet. I'll explain later."
"Have you met Tony yet?" Robert shook his head; the Drykas had been preoccupied with other matters when he searched the groves.
"Tony's the head gardener of the Isuas Grove, it would do you good to talk to him for a spell. He always needs help - he's getting a bit on in age, so if you have time... Might learn something interesting."
Robert nodded, committing the Captain's words to memory.
"Thank you, Captain, I'll see what I can do about your suggestions."