[Location]The Sweetest Stings

[Creeper]

Located on the outskirts of the Petal of Vibrant Essence, nestled in a flowered, fertile dip in the Petal, a large, twisted stump marks the thriving hive of dire bees. These bees are between three to five inches long, and have been living in the stump, expanding their impressive honeycombed home for a few hundred years. The flowers and lush growth that fill the area are no doubt thanks to their industrious, uninterrupted labors. The stump has been somewhat modified over the years to allow the beekeepers who tend to the hive to access the honey and honeycomb as safely as possible, so there are several built-in shelves and a few drawer-like structures that aren't necessarily visible to the untrained eye. While the stump and it's large buzzing inhabitants are somewhat central to the Sweetest Stings, higher up in a few of the thicker branches, still part of the same Petal, spans the living quarters and the storefront and storage for the sweet harvested goods and the keepers themselves. A single staircase leads up to the storefront, which is connected to the storage room filled with necessary equipment and vats of honey in various forms of processing—though some of that is also done on the ground in a well-hidden dugout underneath some roots of another tree. The living quarters are separate and accessed by a ladder by the two keepers and any visitors they wish to entertain. Because the bees are dire and only are soothed by their keepers, both of whom bear marks from Caiyha herself, they are dangerous and it is ill-advised for visitors to wander the lushly flowered gardens or to approach the huge, impressive stump that is their hive. Wandering too close could be injurious or even fatal to unwary visitors, though a single dire bee is less interested in a stranger if they're flitting about the rest of The Spires. The access to the storefront is furthest from their hive, and is thus a bit more safe than the rest of the grove. Honey can be sampled at any time, and is available for sale in various forms throughout the year, though it is best in the Spring and comes from storage in the Winter. In small quantities, bee venom is also available for medicinal purposes as an anti-inflammatory and anticoagulant. Beeswax is also available in various forms—candles, sheets, and melted cubes of different weights.   Maarla Name: Maarla Race: Jamoura DoB: 91st Day of Spring, 232 AV PoB: The Spires Title: Apiarist of The Sweetest Stings Skills: Animal Husbandry: Bees 61, Philtering 52, Agriculture: Bees 43, Herbalism 37, Medicine 30 Gnosis Two Marks of Phylonura Maarla's father was the original apiarist at the Sweetest Stings, having begun to nurture and care for the small colony of dire bees he found inhabiting the impressive stump centuries before Maarla was even born. Her father and mother tended the bees, both also Favored by Caiyha. Her mother loved flowers and planted many pleasing to the bees and medicinal for health when found in honey around the clearing they created to help give the bees ample room to find pollen and build their hive. Over the centuries, the couple also made modifications to the tree one season at a time to allow them the clever access Maarla now has to the honey and the comb. The Djed Storm of 512 AV claimed them both. Maarla was not prepared to tend the apiary alone, but has found solace in the flowers of her mother and the beloved dire bees of her father. She tends to them like her children, and deeply appreciates their rhythms and cycles. She sings to them when she thinks no one is looking, and the bees can be soothed by her voice alone, thanks to Caiyha's mark, when she goes to collect from them. Still young by Jamoura standards, Maarla hopes to find a mate who loves her bees and their honey to tend gardens with her, for now content with the friendship of Hultz, the badger Kelvic who had been rescued by her mother after stumbling into just how dangerous dire bees could be while rooting out a snack one day three years ago.   Hultz Name: Hultz Race: Kelvic Badger DoB: 3rd of Fall, 508 AV (4 years old; appears in his 30s-40s in human form) PoB: The Spires Title: Apiarist of The Sweetest Stings Skills: Candle-making: 55 Beekeeping 47, Herbalism 25, Medicine 10 Gnosis Single Mark of Phylonura After being rescued from near-death after an attack from the dire bees while trying to help himself to the delicious honey in the hive, Hultz became fascinated by them and their process. He couldn't pass up hanging around for some free honey, either, especially when there was less risk of getting stung when among friends. He also displayed an affinity for candle-making and quickly excelled at making beautiful things out of wax for his gracious Jamoura friends. He's quiet and gruff, but with a hidden sweet side that's less obvious than his sweet tooth. He usually runs the counter or is making candles. In human form, Hultz appears to be a middle-aged man with black hair and salt-n-pepper sides. Amber eyes match the honey that was his downfall to begin with. He's broad-shouldered and short, and prefers to wear just pants if he can get away with it, considering his dark body hair as justifiable adornment as the Jamoura he shares a home with.   Employment And Training Positions Available Philterer (Honey Processing) = 7 GM/day Apiarist (Beekeeper) = 6 GM/day Candle-maker = 4 GM/day Clerk = 3 GM/day Gardener = 3 GM/day Training Available Beekeeping Medicinal Uses of Bee Venom Candle-making   Prices Types of Honey for Sale: Type Small Medium Large Crystallized Honey 3sm/oz. Raw Honey 2sm/pt. 4sm/qt. 16sm/gal. Strained Honey 1sm/pt. 2sm/qt. 8sm/gal. Whipped Honey 2sm/pt. 4sm/qt. 16sm/gal. Dried Honey 2sm/oz. Comb Honey 5sm/pt. 10sm/qt. 20sm/gal. Beeswax for Sale: Type Price Candles 1cm/each Sheets 1cm/6 inches Melted & Cubed 2cm/sq. inch Bee Venom 5gm/oz. Moderator's Note: Hiring requires Moderation, everything else requires no Moderation. *Full Credit to Sojourn