[The Bean] Coffee and a Chat (Orin Fenix)

[Asen]

Yeesh, this was the second time Asen had to explain what Dhani were. Did the people of Syliras really not know anything about them? She was already getting tired of talking about her father's kind.

"Dhani're pretty much serpent folk. There en't much after that, 'cept they 'ave three different forms: Snake, halfway, an' human. An' there are a couple subspecies. I en't gonna go off on a tangent, though, 'cause it'll take too long."

She rested her chin her her palm and sighed. "They're pretty damned long-lived, though. I think Da'll be... one-hundred an' sixty-nine, come summer. He's gettin' old. Think 'e said they live around three hundred years, give or take? Somethin' around there."

Orin's story was largely undetailed and boring, though she kind of expected that from common folk. The half-Dhani tried to imagine what it would be like, growing up pretty much alone. Cooking sounded moderately interesting, though her mother had managed to capture her attention long enough to teach her one thing, maybe two.

His mention of Sylvette, the little scrap of flesh that claimed the spot of his bondmate, sparked a thought in the squire's mind. "Speakin' o' Sylvette, en't bondmates s'posed to stay with each other all the time? She en't here, is she?" she asked, lifting herself from her seat to peer over the counter.

Nothing. Not a single orange hair anywhere, aside from a few on Orin's clothes. She turned around, peering around the room again to double-check. Nope, no dice. Either that Kelvic was incredibly skilled at getting rid of every trace, or the beast wasn't here. Most likely the latter.

"How's the bond work, anyways? I mean, I kinda know about it 'cause we 'ad Kelvics in Riverfall, but aside from that I don't know much about it. D'you... d'you guys talk to each other? In your 'eads?" As much as she disliked Kelvics, she was still curious. Should worst come to worst it was best to have a good handle on how they were connected in case she was forced to use it against them -- 'forced' was a very loosely-used term, however. Simple suggestions would do the job.

[Orin Fenix]

Orin stared incredulously at Asen. Her explanation of what exactly a Dhani was strained even Orin's normally open mind. People that could turn into snakes and some weird half-form that sounded like the worst kind of nightmare were so far from everything Orin knew that it took him a moment to recover. He let the knowledge of Dhani sink in for a few ticks. Even he couldn't think of any questions he could possibly ask about this fascinating and terrifying race.

Of course Dhani were no more strange than Pycons, tiny clay people who could shift their form with a skill that a potter or sculptor would envy, Nuit, undead beings who took on new corpses the way people wore clothes and Akalaks enormous warriors who could see heat trails , or even six-armed Eypharians. Orin just hadn't realize quite how diverse the world really was. There were so many races, each with their own unique traits. Orin normally didn't mind what he was but compared to what all the other races could do Orin was frankly surprised that so many people saw humans as dominant. They were fairly weak, comparatively. "Where do Dhani come from, if you don't mind me asking. I've never even heard rumors of them before I met you." Orin would've remembered if he had. Snake peope sounded memorable. Of course Asen wasn't done with surprises quite yet. Three hundred years?! Orin hoped he never met a full Dhani. He didn't imagine a few hundred year old snake would be friendly. Maybe Asen's belligerence was a racial trait she'd inherited from her father. It would explain a lot.

Orin raised an eyebrow when the conversation turned to Sylvette. Asen didn't seemed to be displaying any of the disgust or animosity she'd shown towards Kelvics before. It seemed it was Orin's turn to educate Asen about a race. Not that Orin was an expert on the subject but he did have a bondmate and he had met several other Kelvics so presumably his knowledge was far greater than Asen's. "No she's not here. We're not chained at the hip and she's not my slave. She's her own person." Orin's voice was tart but not condescending. He had no idea if his bond or relationship with Sylvette was at all typical but he'd clearly shown that one bondmate didn't need to be subservient to the other. Still, their relationship was strange, to say the least. While Orin embraced it wholeheartedly, he was plagued by doubts about it daily. After all, Orin could barely take care of himself, let alone another. It was part of why he pushed Sylvette to have interests beyond Orin, because Orin was afraid that otherwise they’d both get dragged down by Orin’s failures. If they could both stand on their own two feet though, then they could bail each other out of danger if they had to. That was infinitely preferable. Besides, Orin had seen what a completely dependent relationship could do to someone when one partner was gone firsthand. His father had never recovered from losing his mother and Orin didn’t want to leave Sylvette in the same boat, or have it happen to him. And, if Orin had to tell the truth, he didn’t know if he was even capable of loving someone. He felt strongly about Sylvette, although not in any romantic sense, but Orin had never experienced love of any kind. He didn’t know if his feeling was love, or something else entirely, and he didn’t want to admit that to anyone.

Orin was dragged out of his thoughts by Asen’s next series of questions. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously. She seemed incredibly intent on learning more about Kelvic’s and the bond. Orin could’ve sworn that she hated them, so it was odd that she wanted to find out what, exactly they were. Still it would be impolite not to answer and perhaps Orin could change her opinions. ”No, we don’t talk to each other in our heads. I don’t know if that’s even possible. As to what the bond actually is, well, it’s erratic.” Orin shrugged. He had to consider his next words carefully. He didn’t want Asen to get the wrong ideas now. ”You have to understand that I’m still new to this and apparently the longer bondmates stay together the more they can get out of the bond. As for me, like I said it comes and goes. Usually there’s always something though. Occasionally I can sense what direction Sylvette is in. Mostly that manifests as I’m not surprised when she shows up rather than a conscious ability though, if that makes sense. In general, though? All I get is feelings, the more powerful ones. And typically it’s the negative ones. Sadness, pain, anger, anguish. Don’t know what she gets from me, but I for one know that Sylvette is fully capable of every possible emotion. She’s not a mindless beast, that’s for sure.” Orin made sure that his last observations were not at all pointed, but instead just neutral statements. He didn’t want to drive Asen away. Rather, Orin hoped to convince her that whatever information she thought she knew about Kelvics was wrong.

[Asen]

Poor Orin. Poor, poor Orin. Asen could almost see the wheels turning in his head, desperately trying to sort out the new information about her father's bizarre race. He was trying so hard to make sense of it, and yet it just didn't seem to work. Dhani were no different from Pycons, who stretched and changed at will. Well, aside from several obvious traits.

She could even liken them to Kelvics, though the thought made her shudder, what with their second form. Their shifting was unnatural, though. No fusing of limbs, no receding hair or lengthening of body. All they did was turn into a pretty light show, and then reappear in their other form. It was so strange, so fake in the blonde's eyes. It gave her the chills just thinking about what their shifting was like.

It was probably fairly sensationless. Her father had once explained Dhani shifting to her. It was gradual, it was liberating. It was natural. The smooth (well, depending on experience) transition of senses, expanding the understanding of the world around them. She almost wished she were a purebred, not a halfbreed.

But Kelvics...The half-Dhani could hardly imagine the sudden onslaught of senses when going from human to animal. The stench filling their noses, permeating the air around them the instant they change. Choking them, suffocating them because they didn't have the slow and steady amplification of senses that allowed them to adjust easily. Honestly, they were better off staying in the wilds where they belonged.

"Oh, Dhani? They come from all over. Eyktol, Zinrah, the Suvan... I think Da was from around Zinrah. Never really talked about it, though. I don't know where it is, or what it's like. He was too preoccupied with tryin' to patch me up after my latest fight or tryin' to keep me from fightin' again," she told him casually.

The idea of a Kelvic being their own person, an individual, seemed very unusual to the squire. She'd always viewed the bond as a dominant-submissive type of relationship, the Kelvic usually being the submissive one no matter their animal form. A master-slave relationship, if you will. The thought of the bonded being two equal people... it wasn't normal.

"Uh-huh," she murmured in response to Orin's explanation of him not being very experienced in the area of bondmates, "So... she en't really obsessed with you? Or your slave, kinda? She... She's 'er own person? That's weird," she muttered, staring down at her coffee.

"I mean, I always thought bondmates had a hierarchy of some sort. Y'know, like a master-slave. You're tellin' me you're equal? Huh." Once again, Asen tried to wrap her head around the idea of a Kelvic being equal to a less beastly race. They were slaves, or broodmares for Akalaks. She'd always seen them as the lower species, hovering just above Zith. Some could be savages.

"Sorry, it's just really weird that you two're equals. That just... Wow, it doesn't seem right to me. 'Course I was raised way different from you, so I guess that contributes to it." Was this how Orin felt about her describing Dhani? If it was, she understood his confusion. He had been met with an idea that was strange to him, and now he'd done the same for her.

[Orin Fenix]

Now it was Asen’s turn to process what Orin had explained to her. Orin watched her face carefully as emotions flickered across it. Orin didn’t know Asen well enough, nor did he have a great grasp on what facial expressions betrayed which emotions, so he couldn’t exactly read her. Orin sipped his tea as he waited patiently and cautiously for her eventual response. Based on the little he knew of her, Orin wouldn’t be surprised if it was callous and unfeeling. The squire seemed to have little regard for others and their feeling and her lack of tact was horrifying. Orin knew that he was hardly the most composed person and that he often made social blunders but Asen was worse than Orin was, if such a thing were possible. He’d likely need the calming effects of the tea he was drinking. It was still warm and it traced a line of fire down Orin’s throat and into his stomach where it settled, seeming to calm his fluttering nerves. He was mentally preparing himself for his own reaction, prepared to catch himself from saying words he would regret later. It wasn’t often Orin got the chance to actually take the time to line himself up for a conversation, and his normal lack of social skills wasn’t an issue as long as Orin had sufficient time to focus.

Her off-handed reply about where Dhani’s were from was helpful, since it gave Orin something to think about besides Asen’s many shortcomings. Orin couldn’t say he was shocked that Asen was rough as a child as well. She seemed to not have the polish that he’d come to associate with the Knighthood. The names she dropped casually sparked Orin’s imagination. He’d never heard of them before and it simply fueled his already great desire to see more of the world. ”If you wouldn’t mind, could you tell me more about Eyktol and Zinrah? They sound fascinating” Actually Orin didn’t know anything about Eyktol and his fear of Dhani hadn’t lessened in the slightest. However, if Orin knew where they resided, especially this Zinrah, it would probably help Orin avoid them in the future. After all, the thought of snakes with human intelligence was frightening enough. Add on top of that the idea that they were not only long-lived but also could shift into human form and some weird hybrid between the two was enough to give anyone nightmares. Orin could be surrounded by Dhani and he’d never know it until they struck. Of course, the same could be said of Kelvics. However, having a bondmate and also knowing several Kelvic personally, Orin had a hard time imagining them being a danger unless Orin was threatening them first. Overall they seemed a peaceful enough and much maligned group. Orin hadn’t ever felt the same sense of danger as he got when he thought about the Dhani. Even though Orin objectively knew he should probably give Dhani the benefit of the doubt, his fears weren’t exactly supposed to be rational. Although Orin hadn’t realized he was afraid of snakes to this extent, now he couldn’t stop thinking about them.

When the conversation swung back to Kelvics Asen still seemed hung up on this idea that Kelvics were inferior in some way shape or form. Sure enough, Orin throttled down the outrage he felt at the very idea. It just seemed wrong in his bones. At the word slave Orin nearly saw red. However, since his emotions were already being checked he simply had to take some time to cool off. He spent nearly a chime calming himself before he felt he could answer Asen without screaming at her. ”No, it’s not weird. Weird is having a father who turns into a snake, although you seem to see that as normal.” Orin took a deep calming breath, and set his teacup down. He’d been clenching it so hard that he’d been almost afraid it would crack. ”I am, however, prepared to view Dhani as a natural enough occurrence if you do the same for Kelivcs.” Orin chose to grip his hands tightly on the edge of the edge of the counter to prevent himself from doing anything rash and to give himself even the smallest outlet. He had to keep his words as neutral and without inflection as possible or else the dams he’d erected to hold his anger in check would break.

Orin trained his gaze on Asen, not allowing her to escape from his eyes. If it made her squirm, so much the better. Orin wasn’t in a particularly charitable mood towards Asen, but he’d keep himself civil for Gard’s sake, at the very least. ”She is not obsessed, nor is she a slave.” Allowing himself the slightest concession, Orin let a thinly disguised scorn enter into his tone. ”Actually, I don’t think that your upbringing excuses it. People change, learn and adapt, except for you it seems.” Orin narrowed his eyes. His fury was barely leashed and he was getting perilously close to releasing it on the half-Dhani before him. ”Slavery is evil. Consider this: how would you feel if someone had complete control over you and treated you like a thing, an object?” Orin’s voice trembled at the very idea. To think of someone like his Sylvette treated like a possession tipped him over the edge and he stood up abruptly. ”I’m not sure I want to associate with anyone who condones slavery. If you’ll excuse me, I need a breath of fresh air.” Stalking outside Orin let the fresher air bathe him but it still wasn’t enough. Turning to the wall, Orin punched it, letting the pain of his bruised knuckles help mitigate the depths of his rage. He punched it again since he still had quite a bit of steam to let off. The pain was a welcome distraction. Hitting the wall once more with his other hand, Orin started pacing instead. The depth of his emotions shocked him a bit. He’d had no idea how strongly he’d feel about slavery considering he’d never really thought of it before. It was wrong though. Orin would never want to be a slave. He assumed no rational person would. And the idea that people willing enslaved others filled Orin with a righteous fury that even his pitiful attempts to release did little to quell. Orin didn’t think he’d like Riverfall very much if it produced people such as Asen. He resolved to do everything in his power to avoid it. Otherwise, he wasn’t quite sure he’d be able to let matters rest as they probably should.

OOCFeel free to have Asen come after Orin. I didn't necessarily want to end the thread this just seemed like the rational reaction Orin would have. That, or, Asen could stay in and we could wrap it up. Either is fine.

[Asen]

Asen would've loved to tell him about Zinrah and Eyktol. She really would've, except there was that little thing about her only knowing the names of them. Neither parent really talked about their birthplaces; she didn't even remember if her mother had ever told her. She'd always assumed her mother was born in Riverfall. There wasn't much to go against it, after all.

After she started talking about Kelvics she'd noticed Orin's reaction. He looked almost like he was choking, noting the slight shaking and the tightening of his muscles, especially around his cup. She was certain that he was going to break the little cup and spill tea all over himself. He took an extra chime -- a whole chime -- before he relaxed, and she prepared herself for another onslaught.

The cook was surprisingly calm, or at least his voice was, though she could sense the anger hiding just beneath the surface. The half-Dhani leaned back subconsciously, as if she were waiting for him to strike at her. He was definitely on edge, but... she didn't really see why. He was pretty sensitive about Kelvics, wasn't he?

The sensitivi- no, the emotions he felt were powerful, and she admired his capacity to keep them as caged as possible. It wouldn't do to invalidate what he felt by calling him sensitive. That was especially cruel. The squire opened her mouth to retaliate his accusations of her upbringing not 'excusing' her attitude towards Kelvics when Orin swept past her to go outside. His fury came off in waves, prickling her skin and making her uneasy because that fury only appeared because of her.

"Orin, hey!" she said, twisting around so her eyes followed him, "Orin, wait! I en't sayin' it en't evil, just- Orin! Wait!" Asen slid off the seat and ran after him. She pushed open the door and glanced both ways, doing a double-take after she saw Orin hadn't stormed off in a fit of rage. She grabbed his arm and moved so she was directly in front of him.

"Orin, I en't sayin' slavery en't evil. I- I- Okay, look. I've lived twice as long as you at the very least. Maybe even three times as long, I don't know how old you are. I've lived in Riverfall my entire life, I only came to Syliras about three seasons ago. Even then, I stayed inside for half a season 'fore I started walkin' around. This whole Kelvic thing, it's new to me. I've seen Kelvics die from childbirth, from old age. They try to not grow attached to 'em 'cause they're just gonna die," she explained. Hopefully he'd listen to her and not run off again. If he stayed, she'd keep talking. If not... she'd just head back to the dorms.

"I don't think it's okay, slavery. It's just what's normal to me for Kelvics. Your bondmate -- Sylvette -- might be the first Kelvic I've met who en't a breeder. I'm tryin' to get over that mindset, I swear, but after fifty-six, almost fifty-seven years o' seein' 'em live an' die it's hard. I promise you that I'm gonna try to do better by you an' Sylvette both, but it's gonna take time. I know it's almost too much to ask, but I'm askin' you to be just a bit more patient with me. Please, Orin," she pleaded, searching his face.

"Slavery en't good, you're right. I- I'm sorry. I'm tryin'. Hai, you can even punch me if you wanna, if it'll let your anger out better. A skinny little halfbreed's softer than a wall," she said with a short bark that could be considered a halfhearted laugh, motioning to his hands.

OOCIf Orin walks away after she grabs him then you can go ahead and ignore the rest of her words.

[Orin Fenix]

Orin was shocked to find a hand close over his arm and he reacted instinctively. He twisted his torso to break out of the grip and spun, lashing out with his left hand in a punch aimed at the intruder’s chest. His left hand was the one that wasn’t quite as painful. When he saw it was Asen standing in front of him Orin pulled the punch at the last second. Hopefully that would give her enough time to dodge out of the way. However angry he was at her, Orin didn’t want to actually hurt her. Beyond the fact that Orin didn’t make it a habit of hitting people as a release unless they were sparring, because physical abuse was never the right answer, Asen was a squire. There were probably laws against harming squires. There certainly were against attacking Knights and Orin had no intention of spending the evening in jail. Even if his attack did end up landing, the impact hopefully wouldn’t be too bad.

Orin scowled at Asen. He’d come out here to get away from her and she’d chosen to recklessly follow him. It wasn’t like she didn’t know he was angry. Orin seemed to be losing his temper more and more often nowadays. Maybe he should talk to someone about everything that was stressing him out. But he didn’t really know who he could turn to. Sylvette was too young and besides Orin didn’t want to burden her if he could prevent it. Sayana was an option but if Orin went seeking her out there was always the chance he would run into Aren. In his current state seeing the Akalak would just push Orin over the edge. Devi was too practical. Remi, Rondo, and Kevith were too old and Orin wouldn’t feel comfortable opening up to them anyway. All of Orin’s acquaintances in the Syliran Knighthood, Isolde included, were too busy to listen to Orin’s complaints. There was nothing wrong, Orin had just been increasingly dissatisfied with his life in Syliras. That was hardly something he could say to an Order member.

Frustration built in him until Orin let out a scream of rage. Surprisingly, that actually served to ease some of the tension, at least because it was such a ridiculous action that Orin couldn’t help but imagine other people’s reactions. Glancing at Asen, Orin grimaced. ”I’m sorry I’m not really angry with you.” He rubbed his face as if to banish the last lingering shreds of outrage. It wasn’t really successful but at least Orin would be able to talk coherently now. Even if his words did come out fast and hot. Asen’s apology wasn’t really enough to pacify Orin but he appreciated that she even bothered to make an effort. ”Oh, so you’ve condoned slavery for more than twice my life? Even though you knew it was evil? That’s really big of you isn’t it, tough girl.” The last phrase was uttered with as much sarcasm as Orin could muster. Orin was letting his emotions get the better of him. Normally he wouldn’t be cruel but the more he thought about Asen’s excuses the more he felt that’s all they were, excuses to do nothing. ”I understand that you knew nothing of Kelvics, but did you even try? Or were they always just nothing more than cattle to you.” Orin’s words were crueler than they had been in a while. He was unfairly unleashing his sharpest tongue on Asen. She was a convenient target and Orin needed to do something with all the emotions swirling around inside of him.

Orin continued in the same vein, probably far longer than he should have. His words came faster and harsher the more he said. ”Everybody dies. You’ll die, I’ll die, Sylvette will die. So what. Does that really mean you shouldn’t treat them like a person? ‘Oh they’ll pass away anyway, not worth my time.’ Gods. That is the most arrogant and awful thing I think I might have ever heard.” Orin turned away in disgust. He couldn’t even look at Asen any more. Surprisingly, her words cut deeply. Orin hadn’t really thought about losing Sylvette until Asen had mentioned the deaths of Kelvics in Riverfall being a commonplace occurrence. Orin had never asked Sylvette how long she would live. He’d just assumed it would be a normal lifespan. The idea that Orin might lose her before he was ready, that she might pass away well before he did, terrified Orin. This was why he had avoided making attachments in the first place, to avoid this kind of anguish and heartbreak. He'd learned the lesson from his father, that love only led to pain in the end. And yet, he'd let himself be blinded by the joy that Sylvette's presence brought him. He wouldn't detach himself from her fully but he'd be a lot more cautious in his interactions with her.

Hearing Asen plead broke Orin out of his grim spiral of depression. He regarded her. ”You haven’t exactly given me any indication that you can change.” Orin hesitated though, and his words lacked the heat his earlier statements had possessed. She sounded genuine in her desire to prove she could make amends for what she had done and said against his bondmate and Kelvics in general. ”I’m not going to punch you. And I’m still mad. But I’ll be willing to give you a second chance. However, you need to actually try, or else all bets are off.” Orin stared at Asen, then stuck his hand out. He figured shaking on it was as good a way to seal their agreement as any, even if it did make it feel oddly formal.

[Asen]

Asen had grabbed the wrist of the punching hand, redirecting the force so it glanced off her shoulder instead. She'd cringed a bit; he may look soft physically, but anyone can make a punch hurt with enough anger and speed. She had let go of his wrist as she spoke, squeezing the smarting body part. It seemed like putting pressure on an injury relieved the area of pain for a bit, ironically enough. Got a giant gash on your leg that hurts like Hai? Just press down on it! No more pain, wow!

Okay, it didn't really work like that, but still. "Yeah, you are pissed at me. Don't try an' hide it, it en't healthy. An' Orin, I didn't really have much of a choice to 'condone' it as you say. For one, my da is a Dhani, not an Akalak. Two, my ma's a human who married a Dhani. She coulda been the wife of an Akalak. Three, I'm a halfbreed and a woman. D'you really think they'll listen to a disgusting halfbreed who's also a girl, but en't the wife of a big blue giant? Nah, I didn't have much power, an' I couldn't exactly buy every Kelvic off the market," she said. Her reasons were relatively poor; there were things she could've done, but her sloth and bellicose nature meant she'd rather not take action.

As she began to speak again Orin cut her off. Cattle... Yes, they certainly seemed to be cattle in her eyes. He had a point, many of them in fact. His words were like a slim knife piercing her chest. Of course everyone would die, her mother's death made that clear. The half-Dhani had a limited time in the world, and while it was definitely more time than some her mortality still loomed over her. The loss of her twins, the djed storm, the death of her mother, they all served to remind her that every day there was a chance of dying. Disease, murder, old age... She could be gone in the next few weeks without ever realizing she was so close to Dira.

The cook had a way with words that dug past her bold exterior, her carefully-crafted facade of confidence and shattered the supports that held up the mask. It felt like he'd let the full force of his punch collide with her chest and she was unable to slow its progress. The blonde's face fell and she looked to the ground, as if trying to find solace in the land that, far away in Riverfall, contained her mother and children.

"Yeah, I know. I'm not the best person, am I?" she said, offering a small, forlorn smile, "I will try though, I swear to Siku herself. I just need time, is all."

Asen's gaze lifted to fix on the outstretched hand before her. She felt awful. He'd given her one too many chances already, and here she was asking for another. It was her fault, of course. She was the one who decided that 'Yes, insulting a Kelvic and her bondmate is a grand idea! There's no way this could go wrong!' She was a complete idiot and she quite honestly didn't deserve another chance to change, but Orin was kind enough to allow it. She may as well prove his faith wasn't misplaced once more.

She tentatively clasped the cook's hand in her own, giving a firm shake. "Thank you, Orin. I'll see you again, yeah?" she asked, then turned on her heel and walked away. Maybe she would see him again, maybe she wouldn't. She'd try anyways.

[Sayana]

Asen Skills: Skill EXP Land Navigation +1 Observation +5 Socialization +5 Negotiation +2 Rhetoric +4 Storytelling +2 Cooking +1 Interrogation +1 Philosophy +2 Unarmed Combat +1 Endurance +1 Lores: Location: The Bean Coffee: Bitter but nice Making amends Cooking: Boiling water can start several dishes Kelvic bond: Feelings can be shared, but there is no mind reading Sometimes kelvic bondmates are considered equals Endurance: Apply pressure to an injury to reduce pain Philosophy: Everyone will die, everyone is mortal Orin: Passionate about kelvics and against slavery Shield Points: Shield Points Earned Reason +0 None Total: +0 Shield Points Ledger : Please deduct the following from your ledger: Coffee - 3 sm Comments : Great thread. It was quite intense between the two of you at times. Asen certainly got humbled too. Orin Skills: Skill EXP Philtering +3 Socialization +4 Negotiation +4 Rhetoric +5 Persuasion +1 Storytelling +2 Intimidation +2 Herbalism +2 Teaching +3 Interrogation +4 Endurance +1 Unarmed Combat +2 Philosophy +2 Escape Artist +1 Lores: Location: The Bean Gard: Owner of The Bean Tea: Let it steep for at least 5 chimes Lillian Root Tea: Soothes the nerves Lillian Plant: Three broad fuzzy leaves, common around Syliras How to prepare Lillian Root Tea Coffee: Bitter drink that wakes you up Coffee: Basic steps to make it Coffee: Differences in brewing Asen: Born in Riverfall Asen: Story about childhood and moving to Syliras to join knights Asen: Arrogant and rude squire Dhani: Serpent race, long lived Dhani: From Eyktol, Zinrah, and the Suvan Philosophy: Slavery is evil Asen: Thinks of Kelvics like cattle Ledger : Please deduct the following from your ledger: Lillian Root Tea - 2 sm Comments : Great thread. I’m beginning to think that Orin does have anger issues. Or maybe I only manage to read the threads where he gets angry. Don't forget to edit/delete your grade request in the grade request thread. However, make sure to keep the link so that the DS can review graded threads with ease. If you have any questions or concerns about your grade please feel free to send me a message (like really, I’m all ears if you feel like I missed something). Enjoy.