Open Wandering in Kenash

[Estrellir Konrath]

"Every skill can earn the skilled money," Estrellir claimed. "If you can make the others believe they need what you offer." It was one of the basic principles of Kenash, the barter for goods and services, an eternal struggle for the label of cleverest, strongest, best in a certain field. It'd benefit Eivl to know, although simple advice would only get her so far. Yet Estrellir had her own reasons for helping the Akvatari: More Freeborn businesses meant less Dynasty businesses and Freeborn could be molded and controlled more easily.

Estrellir had to contain her amusement at the shock that scattered across Eivl's face at the job offer. She barely kept her features expressionless before forcing them into the friendly smile once again. Modesty wouldn't do if the girl really intended to work in Kenash, but she'd learn that soon enough... For the time being, Estrellir would help rather than hinder. "I'll decide that once I see the finished product. Don't worry."

She spread her arms, inviting the Akvatari to trust her, let her take control and plan their agreement. "Allow me to make a suggestion. While you get your paperwork sorted out, I'll sketch some of my idea for the plaque and a map leading to the shops you'll want materials from. Metal, right? We can discuss the details when you're officially Freeborn."

Arms crossed in front of her chest, Estrellir waited for Eivl to agree. If so, she'd offer her hand for the ceremonial shake to seal their business. It was etiquette more than anything else, yet the Konrath hoped it'd tie Eivl to her word and give her an idea of importance. She knew nothing of Akvatari morals, but in Kenash, you could always assume outsiders were more true to their word than residents...

Boxcode by Verena

[Eivl]

Eivl nodded thoughtfully at Estrellir's first statement, though she disagreed a little with it. No matter how unique her style of etching ever becomes, there were a great number of far more talented etchers where she came from, and anything she'd created so far were nothing more than a child's scribbles compared to what her friends at home were doing. Of course, she could just copy a design she'd seen. No one would be the wiser. But even at this stage, she had a sense of artistic pride barring her from plagiarism. I can't do it well and I'm already prideful... what will become of me if I ever attained the level of skill required to become an expert? She felt a need to keep herself in check. All she had to do is keep reminding herself that there's always someone better... right? As Estrellir offered to let her know of some ideas for the plaque, Eivl nodded in understanding. She did prefer to be able to just do whatever she wanted with the design, but she understood that this was what she had to get used to if she wanted to make a living creating other people's things. "I work primarily with metals, though I can work in wood if you want... Bone is a bit harder, since I've never done anything in it before, but I have been wanting to try it out..." Realising Estrellir was waiting, she snapped herself out of her train of thought and said "yes, okay, let's give it a shot..." shaking Estrellir's hand with her slightly worn one, the sign of having practiced an artistic craft... to an extent. Her hands would become far more rough, and her fingers more coordinated, in the years to come. "Your shop is on Fire Island... and it's an investigator's office is it..." Eivl mused quietly, before continuing with a slightly brightened face, "I look forward to working with you, Ms. Estrellir." She had the strangest feeling that there was a reason Estrellir did not introduce herself with her full name, as was common with Kenashians. Or maybe it was just that, a feeling. Perhaps she would find out more after she obtains a Freeborn status and is officially a citizen of Kenash. [Some time later] Eivl exited the Magistrate's Office and proceeded to make her way, however doubtfully, to Estrellir's investigative bureau on Fire Island. The island itself has only two notable buildings, with a deserted one further back, so she was able to locate it easily, deducing that a detective agency would not have a sign reading 'Cecily's Pantry'. Also, Estrellir was standing right outside the building, looking like she was contemplating something about the house. Eivl approached her, calling out, and showed her the Freeborn brand denoting her Kenash residency. "Do you have time right now? Let's go see what you'll like for the sign."

[Estrellir Konrath]

Estrellir listened to the materials mentioned with interest before giving a thoughtful nod. "Metal will do just fine. It'd fit an investigator's business better than wood." The idea of a bone plaque only caused a raised eyebrow. Such primitive materials wouldn't be used to decorate her shop, oh no! The smile returned almost instantly though as she shook Eivl's hand with her webbed right.

...

Upon returning to the bureau, Estrellir shooed Mell away from the kittens and set her to work outside. Before they could even get started on the house, they had to clear space so slaves could work outside. For that reason, she equipped the girl with a sharp knife and sent her to cutting away the weeds and shrubs that surrounded the house from all sides and had even climbed up its walls in part.

A chair had been carried down the narrow path leading up to the door and set down in front of the house. Sitting down with a piece of parchment and a charcoal stick, the Konti gave her bureau a long and thoughtful look before putting down the first line.

Since the Lorak had announced their new law, she'd thought long and hard about the image she wished to project. Walking around the property, she'd come to the conclusion that the interior and exterior didn't match up in look, not at all. There was the first inconsistency that she wished to eliminate. Once they'd cleaned up the desk and shelves, the plan foresaw an outside renovation in three steps. The arrival of an Akvatari artist meant the facade would be taken care of first, but that didn't pose a problem in the least. Estrellir had ideas bouncing about in her mind that she only needed to transfer on parchment.

With the cozy and welcoming room in mind, she wrote down 'Konrath's Detective Bureau' several times, trying out different fonts. One time she wrote it in curly script, putting little bows and loops into every letter and using spirals instead of dots. One time she deliberately scribbled it down to give each letter a ragged and hurried look. That she crossed out. Eventually she came up with a curly font that she thought both elegant and professional.

Taking a second page, she carefully copied the last draft in bigger writing. Tongue between her teeth, she tried to make the loops bigger and use all space available. After 'Konrath's' she took a deep breath and shook out her hand, only to forget a loop halfway through 'Detective'. Mumbling a curse, she tossed the page aside and began anew. This time she gave special attention to each and every letter, copying carefully not only its design, but also looking at the way it connected to the previous and next letter. The result still looked a little shaky, but the lines were firm. As she held it in outstretched arms, Mell approached from the side and squinted at the writing. "That's pretty, mistress."

Estrellir snorted. "Of course. I decide what goes above my door, but that doesn't mean there's no place for aesthetics." Lastly she sketched a little frame around it, indicating proportions of the plaque in relation to the writing. The drawing wasn't perfect, but it'd get her idea across.



Rising from the chair, she inspected the front, trying to picture the metal plaque above the magenta door. It was then that a soft voice from behind distracted her. Composing her features into a mask that hid her shock, Estrellir turned and smiled at Eivl. Tricky, those Akvatari, with no feet to reveal their approach to her ears! Violet eyes wandered over the brand in a fleeting glance before she nodded and presented the sketch. "Certainly. This is the design I came up with. It's really just the writing and some sort of frame around the plaque, maybe a single line. It should be simple, but elegant."

Pausing, she allowed Eivl to take the parchment and study it as long as she wished. With a steady gaze and hand, Estrellir waited for the Akvatari to comment or make suggestions. Artists could be fickle, she'd heard, but as a Konrath she was determined to have it her way.

Boxcode by Verena

[Eivl]

As Estrellir handed Eivl the piece of parchment, Eivl was feeling somewhat hopeful about the design being something she would enjoy creating, and was only slightly dismayed at the choice of font her customer had presented her. Hmm... First off, this offset of the ratio of the B is a little unsettling... And t's that are looped would only serve to confuse the reader as it resembles a cursive L. Her eyebrows furrowed for a moment, before she remembered that she was still in Estrellir's presence and smiled reassuringly. And what's this... Vonrath? Is that her last name? It sounds similar to... Wait... is it actually a K? Eivl's eyes widened as the realisation dawned on her. She was dealing with a daughter of the Konrath Dynasty, and would need to be on her guard to make sure she doesn't say anything to displease her. "I had suspected this due to your bearing, but had no form of confirmation until now. Pleased to meet you, Ms. Estrellir Konrath." As she spoke the words, Eivl backed up a little to allow for more space, straightened up, and bowed at 60 degrees to the ground. Once more facing Estrellir, with an involuntarily stoic expression from her concentration to remain professional, she continued, "I hope my manner up until now has been to your liking... About the plaque, would you allow me to fashion a more elaborate border around the lettering? Also, if possible, I would like to keep the piece of parchment as a reference, if you don't mind." Eivl spoke quickly and clearly, using up her store of confidence which would likely run out in five minutes, and was being as considerate as she could, refraining from pointing out her own problems with the font.

[Estrellir Konrath]

It took some time for the Akvatari to notice. As she studied the sketch, Estrellir shifted from one foot to another and waited patiently. When Eivl spoke, her words didn't impress. They rang like an empty and bottomless hole in the ground. Estrellir still maintained her smile and gave a gracious nod. "Don't worry, you've done nothing to displease me. Your ignorance wasn't your fault." Muscles tensed she kept her amusement at bay, although some kind of pride flooded her at the sight of the awkward bow.

"What exactly do you mean with more elaborate? Could you draw it so I get an idea of what you have in mind?" Her brow furrowed a little as white eyebrows came together. Estrellir didn't particularly like the idea of leaving any part of the design in the hands of the artist. She hadn't forgotten what she'd said to Mell just a few chimes earlier... It'd be entirely her own, just like the rest of the bureau. Her design. Her visions. Yet she acknowledged Eivl's right as an artist and allowed her to voice her opinion. Surely the Akvatari would act professionally if ideas were rejected.

Pale hands formed an inviting gesture. "By all means, keep it as a reference. I wouldn't ask an artist to memorize all the details of my request." Silken laughter sounded over Fire Island for a moment, although her smile was a hidden sneer. Eventually she clasped her hands in front of her body. "Do you have any other questions about the design? If not, I could educate you as to where you can obtain materials."

Boxcode by Verena

[Eivl]

My ignorance huh... I'm sure there's a more tactful way of wording that. Then again, I really should have noticed it from the beginning. Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned it at all and pretended I knew all along... Eivl gave up on trying to justify her actions and thoughts to herself and pulled out another piece of parchment and a pencil, excusing herself for a short while to use a nearby flat rock as a drawing surface. She'll need options... But I can't come up with many good designs on such short notice or under such pressure... I'll just have to keep it a little simpler... Eivl muttered a little to herself, sketching quickly, and finally pulling out a pen to add impact to her last design which she felt lacked punch. Rejoining Estrellir, she presented her piece of parchment and began explaining her designs, pointing to each one. "Lilies... Or at least that's what I planned they'd look like. This one is best suited to staying at the bottom of the plaque, if used." "This one is just leaves, and would likely best be used all around the lettering." "This one is the most versatile, though it is very simple..." Eivl trailed off after this one, and immediately regretted her decision to draw this one out. "Did you find any of these satisfactory? I can make changes to them if anything seems off." Being commissioned to do just lettering was a little frustrating after all. Though it's true she is still inexperienced, and has admitted the fact several times, lettering is something anyone can learn in a day's time, three at most. She may be biased in this view however, due to her innate sense of artistry and technique. Eivl awaited Estrellir's response, studying her expressions as she looked the designs over.

[Estrellir Konrath]

Estrellir watched with interest as the Akvatari began sketching a few designs for her to choose from. Offering her the chair instead of the rock didn't occur to her. It was her chair, after all, and she'd dragged it out in front of her shop. Instead she sat down carefully and returned to inspecting the facade while Eivl worked. Watching her hand, the Konti couldn't help but admire the way she threw down line upon line in no time at all.

When the parchment was presented to her, she stood and squinted down at the loops and leaves. The first design reminded her of the Seer's Lily, graceful and feminine. The Akvatari had thought of her heritage, but her business didn't exactly revolve around fortune telling. Divination only aided what she did. The second struck her as too curly and not simple enough, the third as too crude.

As Eivl asked about the designs, an idea hit her though. Violet eyes lit up as she lifted her gaze from the parchment. Two webbed fingers gestured between the drawings as she spoke. "Could you perhaps combine the second and third? No leaves, just slender curves. I also dislike that black dot at the top, although I guess one of those in each corner looks alright."

The idea was punctuated with a sharp nod. Estrellir saw no reason why Eivl wouldn't be able to do as suggested. The question of whether the commission was interesting or even challenging never entered her mind. Artists produced whatever their patrons wished in order to survive, right? Coin put food on the table.

Waving the slave girl closer, Estrellir ordered her to fetch more parchment before turning back to the Akvatari. "If you've no other questions, I'll provide you with a map of useful shops. Let's see..." As Mell returned with blank sheets, she sat on the chair and drew a crude map of what Kenashians fondly called the 'six sisters of sin'. Before continuing, she'd wait for Eivl to point out what kinds of ingredients and tools she needed for her craft.

Boxcode by Verena

[Eivl]

Relieved that Estrellir had not completely rejected the idea of additions to her plaque, Eivl agreed to the request and thought of how best to combine the two. "So then you'd like the curves to be fully black, and to remove the leaves?" she asked, to confirm the image she had in her mind right now. "I'll be able to complete it within two days, if I can find the materials..." I'll need to ask where we can find etchant here... I did bring a little, but it's not going to be enough to cover the written area if I make a mistake... I'm also going to need to find a needle, to replace the one I broke the other day. I doubt I'd need an échoppe for this design, but it would be nice if I could find one along with the needle... "Is that a map of Kenash?" Eivl asked, as she noticed Estrellir drawing on some parchment. She seemed to be waiting for some more information, and Eivl continued hurriedly, "Ahh, um, sorry... I need to find some needles, any sort will be fine as long as they don't bend easily, and some etchant - oh, that's a type of acid by the way - as well as the metal you want me to work with." Taking a step back and observing the house a little, she made a recommendation as to which type of metal would be best suited to the establishment. "Might I suggest a white metal, such as steel or silver? I can add magenta ink to the lettering or the border later on to match the rest of the building..." Eivl thought it was reasonable to suggest, it was in their best interests after all...

[Estrellir Konrath]

Estrellir was pleased with the understanding they had about the border and the satisfaction shone through in her features. "Exactly. Two days will be sufficient."

The islands she was drawing didn't quite match their real counterparts in shape, but the bridges were in all the right places and the shops too, at least enough to be easy to find. She furrowed her brows as Eivl elaborated. "Will sewing needles do?" With a few lines she sketched a rectangle on West Bank and drew something vaguely resembling a needle in it. "Here is Sweet Secrets, a clothing shop. They should sell you one of their needles. The Hammer and Nail should have the kind of metal you want. Silver will do splendidly, by the way, and magenta ink sounds lovely. I'll leave the amount and placement up to your judgment. You can find the shop here." Another rectangle was added to East Bank at the other side of town.

Biting her lip, Estrellir fell silent for a moment as she considered the third material and mentally went through all the shops and businesses. "If there is a philtering store that offers the acid, I cannot think of it right now. However, since I assume it is something used to shape metal, the Hammer and Nail should have it. If not, you can always try the Midnight Market. Provided you know how to navigate it." She gave Eivl a long glance, suggesting that the Akvatari should probably avoid that location for quite some time. She had other things to learn first... thus Estrellir didn't put that one on the map. Instead she turned the page and scribbled a brief note explaining that the artist carrying it worked on behalf of Estrellir Konrath, daughter of Lorenzo, and was to be treated accordingly.

After looking it over once again, she handed the parchment to Eivl. "Do you understand where those shops are? Any other questions about the commission? If not, I will expect the plaque in two days." A polite smile tugged at the corners of her lips. The Konti plainly expected the artist to leave so she could get on with renovations.

Boxcode by Verena

[Eivl]

Looking the map over, Eivl was able to follow Estrellir's instructions as she drew the locations out, nodding along to show she understood. At the final question she was asked, Eivl nodded one more time and said, "I will complete the plaque within two days then, and deliver it here as soon as it's done," taking the parchment and going through a list of things she needed to get one more time just in case she forgot. "Thank you for your patronage, and directions..." she said, bowing, then hovering backwards and away, before turning to observe the piece of parchment again and looking around for the bridge she needed to cross first. OOC: Topic left, thanks for your help.