Rat and Sandwich

Log Info

• Title: Rat and Sandwich
• Emitter: Gadget
• Characters: Gadget, Ashes
• Place: A14: Artificer's Hall
• Time: Thursday, August 27, 2020, 3:28 PM
• Summary: It's raining. Gadget is talking to a rat in the Artificer's Hall when Ashes arrives. It leaves immediately. The mourner has brough some supplies to make sandwiches, does so, and feeds them to Gadget. The two talk about a dress that Gadget has ordered, then she asks why Ash is being so kind. The mourner explains that she helps ghosts, and Gadget is kind of a living one, which she finds interesting. Some further details on her work are shared, the meal is finished and then she has to go.

-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--<* A14: Artificer's Hall *>=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

The Artificer's Hall rests slightly off the ground, supported on all sides by eight strong, if nonfunctional legs. The entire Hall is carved from an ancient automation of a giant arachnid. While at one time--many eons past--it may have been functional, today it is a hollowed-out shell of its former self, with rooms made for professors' offices and class rooms. The Hall itself may be accessed by a stairway that leads up, and up...and up through one of its many legs.

Once inside, its appearance is anything but a mechanical spider's guts. With ceilings of polished stone and artifice-metal, the Hall possesses the same, ominous acoustics as any grand cathedral. Twisting, jointed arches of metal reflect its true form--as a great, massive structure hosted within an arachnid's mechanical belly. Everything is dark and metallic, with seams barely visible where pieces have been welded together. The whole building pulses every so often with a hum of energy, powered by a kind of arcane force scarcely comprehended by the outside world. Yet, the energy seems almost gobber-chaotic.

The centre of the building is a great octagon, with eight, great halls leading away from its core. Decorating its core are stained glass windows. They add to the almost holy ambiance. Instead of leading to the outside world, each shadowbox displays life-sized figures enact scenes from Alexandria's past from the Artificer's perspective. They display feats of Building, Achievement, and Experimentation. Towards the north is one depicting the Forge of the World. It depicts what is thought to be a snapshot of the tower at the center of the World Engine, the god's planar home.

The whole of the complex includes dormitories and construction rooms, where artificers compare notes, ideas, and puzzle over the grand works of history. These buildings spawn from the Central Hall in an almost arachnid fashion, connected by walkways of dark steel and overseen by golem guardians.

-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  Appearing, in Order  =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Gadget       3'6"     38 Lb      Gnome             Female    A bundle of...possibly joy?
Ashes        5'11"    177 Lb     Hobgoblin         Female    A somber arvec in grey clothes with a skull face
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

No building is safe from pests, though there is much to keep most things with a backbone out of the artificer's hall. That doesn't stop there being the occasional artificer who snacks while working and doesn't clean up his workspace. It is because of people like that that there are rats at all in such a place. One such rat is sitting at the edge of the baby buggy, squeaking into it.

"Oh, yes," comes the slight, feminine voice from inside. "That makes sense. Well, rest assured, I've never even thought about harming a rodent of any sort. I'm nice."

A chill, not unlike the stillness of a graveyard, betrays the arrival of an ashen Arvec Nar mourner. There's a slight swish of fabric as her clothes move, but she's otherwise silent as she steps into the workshop. The rat is an interesting new addition, so she stares at it sitting on the edge of the buggy.

The rat books it, since a tallfolk of any sort is a lot more threatening than a limbless small that hasn't moved all morning. "Wait, come back," Gadget calls out. The rat does not heed.

"Sorry." Ash says in monotone, watching the rat scurry off, then staring into the shadow it disappeared into a while longer. Her clothes rustle as she takes a seat, "What did it talk about?"

"Mostly food," Gadget says. "Avoiding threats. They don't burrow in the cities so much, but people might be surprised to learn what rats might know." She sniffs in the air. "Is it still raining?" she asks. "You smell like wet...and something else."

"It's still raining." Ash says flatly, sniffing at her shoulder to see what else she might smell like. Nothing outstanding registers for her, but she may simply be used to it. There's the rustling of a paper bag opening, "I brought food. Bread and meat."

"Meat?" Gadget asks. "That's a rare treat. You've not brought me meat before, at least outside of soup." She squirms a bit. "I can't sit up," she admits.

"Jerky, from Gobintown." Ash explains, her chair thumps as she adjusts it. She leans over the buggy, she must have, her voice sounds closer, "I can tilt you up."

Although she doesn't seem to be making any motions to do so, "Where is Mr. JingleWidget?"

"Someone gave me a platinum piece," Glasha explains. "Since I am going to be with arms and sight soon, at least, I bade Mr. Jinglewidget write a letter for me and take it with the platinum piece to a dress maker, if he can find one. I should have waited for the storm to end, though. I fear he may get sick."

Ash nods, which can't be seen. She turns and looks back into the artifice hall, in the hopes she'll see the monkey returning. She doesn't. She returns to staring at the basket. Silence grows. She remembers she ought to say something, "I hope he stays well."

Then, "What colour dress?"

Gadget nods, then says, "Oh, red, if I can afford it. I gave the dress-maker a lot of freedom, but also my measurements. I know I need a corset as well. I just hope it all works out."

"Ok." Ash says again. She approves of corsets, though not enough to comment on them. She rustles her paper bag once more, "Do you want me to tilt you up so you can eat?"

"Yes, please," Gadget says. "Thank you." She then waits. As she does so, a soaking wet monkey arrives and wearily moves to the baby buggy. Mr. Jinglewidget makes some monkey noises. "Oh!" Gadget says. "You're back! How did it go?" As she speaks, magic flows through the monkey, and it is dried as it chatters at her in monkey. "I see," Gadget says. "Well, cuddle up behind me. I'm still very warm, and Ashlee has kindly brought us food."

Ash watches the monkey come in, leaving wet footprints, the drying procedure. She thinks things over as he climbs in with Gadget, "I'll tilt the buggy. He can lift you a little more if it's not enough."

She does so, blocking the front wheels and sliding a wedge in behind the rear, so Gadget is lifted about thirty degrees. More rustling of the paper bag, "Do you want the bread first, or the jerky, or a sandwich of them?"

"It's been a long time since I've gotten to eat a sandwich," Gadget admits. She lets that be her answer as Mr. Jinglewidget climbs into the cart with her. He makes some monkey noises at her. "Oh, I agree," Gadget says. He helps her to sit up just a little more on his lap, his legs around her sides as her head rests on his tummy. "Can I ask you a potentially personal question, Ashlee?" she asks.

"Ok," Ashlee says, working on the sandwich. She's cut the bread roll in half, spread out some jerky. Fortunately she's got some mustard as well as cheese and some tomato. It's not a great sandwich; she adds another slice of cheese, now it is. Leaning forward over the bassinette she touches the bread to Gadget's lips, and waits.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" Gadget asks. "Is it your job, or a personal thing?" She takes a bite when offered of the sandwich and can't help but smile. "Mmmm," she says as she slowly chews, savoring.

Ash is silent for a while, pondering a response, eventually going with the first things that came to mind. "You asked." This might need further elaboration. "Ghosts talk to me. They don't always know they are dead, they need someone to help them reach the Feiu of the Tears. So I help them."

"You're like them. Except you're not dead. My job is preparing remains. Not a lot of people enjoy talking with me." She holds the sandwhich closer for another bite.

"That's an important job," Gadget says. She takes a bite and listens as Mr. Jinglewidget makes monkey noises. She swallows and says, "Mr. Jinglewidget wants to know how remains are prepared, here. Also, I enjoy talking to you, so there," she adds.

"Washing, fresh clothes, draining some fluids. Small spells, of preservation, and prayers that the Grey Lady will receive them. Protective rituals." Ash explains, summarizing in her flat tones. "In Blar, the vampiric precautions are normal. In Alexandria, only by request or when something is suspicious. The prayers are in a different order too."

Gadget nods. "What would have happened to me, I wonder, if I had died in that snake pit like I was supposed to." Mr. Jinglewidget makes some monkey noises. "Well, I mean...that goes without saying."

"We might still be talking, but you wouldn't be eating?" Ash asks, another bump of the sandwhich. There was almost, almost a hint of emotion in her voice. A joke, perhaps? A stick of jerky is held out to Mr. JingleWidget.

Gadget smirks and takes another bite, bigger this time. Mr. Jinglewidget takes the jerky and tears off a bite himself. He chews with his mouth closed, surprisingly. "Gobbers have good jerky," Gadget says, though anything's better than eating wild, uncooked bugs and weeds for a month.

The ashen Arvec takes some jerky out for herself, takes a bite and chews it slowly. "They make it with gunpowder," she says, "sometimes." She waits while Gadget chews, before offering the sandwhich to her again, and also marvels at the monkey's table manners. Most goblins don't keep their mouth closed when they chew, and some hobgoblins. Ash does. "You should come see. When you can see."

"I'd also like to see where you work," Gadget says before opening her mouth and accepting another big bite. She doesn't usually put mustard on anything, but when one is being fed by a kind person and not having to be fed random bugs by a monkey, one just accepts it.

Ash thinks about this, everyone sees where she works sooner or later, though there are normal visitors paying their respects and a surprising number of people who want Wills and Notary service. She's still speaking in monotone when she says, "You could have a funeral for your arms and legs. It would be a little weird."

The sandwhich arrives a little early after she says that. And it's just about run out, "Last bite."

Gadget can hear Mr. Jinglewidget licking his fingers as she takes that bite into her mouth. She chews and swallows before saying, "You're pretty cool, Ashlee."

Ash can be heard quietly chewing her jerky. There's a rustling again, "There's more bread," she hands something to Mr. JingleWidget, then returns to quietly eating and watching. "I need to get back to the Temple soon."

"Okay," Gadget says. "Thank you for the food. You're a good friend, Ashlee."

"Oh." Ash says, as if it hadn't occurred to her. She thinks about it, nodding slowly. Finally saying, "You are too. I have to go soon, not immediately."

That said, she keeps Gadget company and finishes eating in silence until she has to.