Sylvia laughs as she sets the bottle back on the counter after filling Zuiigri's glass. "You are right about that. Absolutely right about that..."

She lifts her drink and takes a sip. "Did ya ever find out who started those rumors about you? It doesn't seem like it came to much of anything. Seeing as you're sitting in the tavern having a drink with me instead of being chased out with torches and pitchforks."

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Sylvia smiles and clangs her class against Zuiigri's. "Here here!"

She downs her glass and slams it onto the countertop. She takes a breath and then picks up the bottle. She pours another for herself and holds the bottle over Zuiigri's glass, waiting for his nod of approval before pouring. 

"I'm sure she's bossing around the other spirits. Wherever she is. Wonder if she ended up in the Graveyard of Lost Souls?" Sylvia snorts a laugh. "Doubtful. That woman was never lost in her life. But wherever she is, I know her hammer is going."

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"You'd be right 'bout prices. Havin' to charge out me ass to cover costs." The barkeep chuckles and then slaps the counter before turning away. "Top tier comin' right up."

He turns back around and sets two tumblers on the counter, pops the cork out of a bottle, and pours dark liquid into the glasses. 

"Might as well leave the bottle, Vin." Sylvia says reaching for one of the glasses.

The barkeep nods and puts the cork back in the bottle and slides it between them. "If'n ya need me, just holler."

Sylvia picks up the glass and holds it out in preparation to cheers Zuiigri. "To Guildmistress Lyra, may her legacy live on through her work."

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The doors to the tavern swing open and two familiar people step inside. One is a human with long blonde hair wearing the Guildmistress favor for the Artisan's Guild and the other is the wolf beastkin, Zuiigri. They walk through the tavern and up to the bar, each taking seats. 

"Oi there, Vin. How is it tonight?" Sylvia asks as she adjusts herself on the barstool.

The barkeep walks up and chuckles heartily. "Same ole, same ole, Miss Sylvia. Welcome welcome. And aye, Zuiigri! What'll you both be having?"

The mage's guild member looks down at the coins on the counter and nods. "Three gold. Three missives."

They stand up, slip the coins into a pouch, and gesture Vesta around the desk. "Come with me."

The guild member leads Vesta and Zukar through the common room to a room at the back. They knock three times and then open the door.

"Got some more missives for you to send." The guild member says to another member who is sitting inside a circle.

The one sitting waves Vesta and Zukar over. "Got your letters and who they need to go to?"

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After weeks of travel from Volaire to the border of Tuatha, Otani and Poppy think better of trying to get through and turn direction, heading for Granny Orchid's. 

When they arrive at the little hidden village in the woods, there is a quiet over the small village. The usually peaceful village nestled into and a part of the woods, is quiet. Not peacefully so. But eerily so. The houses, usually wrapped in flowering vines and covered in green moss, are a sick brown color instead with withered flowers on the vines and dead moss on the roofs. The village wasn't a bustling place before but now it seemed deserted. No one wandering around and chatting with their neighbors. No smell of baked goods wafting through the air. 

Just quiet... And dead.

At the top of a small mound, separate but close to the village, sits Orchid's small home. The garden around it is withered and sickly. Any plant they attempt to touch, crumbles between their fingertips. The windows of the home are open, though there is barely a breeze blowing through the village. Poppy would recognize the smell of medicinal concoctions and alchemical solutions but something wasn't quite right there either. The smell was... Almost rotten.

"Who's out there?! EY!? State your business!"

The voice is gruff and familiar. Clearly, Orchid Marigold. 

The door to the home bursts open and a small red panda leaps out into the open brandishing a broom. She swings it side to side and roars.

"I ain't got nothin' for you! I-" The red panda freezes and leans forward, adjusting her glasses sitting on the bridge of her nose. "All be. Is that-! Poppy!"

 

The guild member she finds waiting at a desk near the front, looks up from their work. "A missive? Yeah. Prices did go up with everything going on. So it's a gold per missive."

They look back down at their work, as if expecting her to leave now. 

Zukar clears his throat. The guild member looks up without lifting their face. They look from Zukar to Vesta and then raise their head again. 

"You still wanna send them?"

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Kethri nods. "Of course. I understand."

She walks back down the hall and through the common room. Then she takes Zuiigri to her office. Once they step inside, she raises the wards.

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Kethri smiles and nods. "Of course. Of course. Enjoy your studies."

Then the guild second turns to Zuiigri. "So, anymore items for me to mend?" She chuckles.

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Kethri smiles. "Oh! Of course, you'd like to see your room! Of course! Of course! Follow me!"

She turns and begins walking back down the way they came. She looks over at Balasar as they walk.

"As far as ranking up in the guild, I don't know if Guildmaster Edgewood had a system in place but... While he's left me in charge, I determine guild position based on deeds and dedication to the guild." She waves her hands closely in front of her as she speaks. "The more one does for the guild directly, the more recognition they get, I suppose is the best explanation. You are ranked as an initiate. Initiates get a guild favor, of course, their own room- though it used to be that initiates shared rooms with one another- and certain ward access."

She stops in front of one of the closed doors and gestures to it. "For example, you asked about rooms you shouldn't wander into? Well, most rooms within the guild have wards in place. You must have a ward key to gain access so there is not really a way to accidentally end up somewhere you shouldn't."

Kethri resumes walking and leads him further down the hall, closer to the common room. She pauses by an entryway that branches off from the hall and very clearly declares. "Ward down." There is a shimmer as the ward lowers and Kethri steps inside. Once they are through the ward, she says "Ward up." Then continues down the hall.

"This hall is the members quarters. You will have access to the ward we just passed through allowing access to the hall and then ward control over your own room but no other rooms in this hall." Kethri leads him passed door after door. She finally stops at one door, "Ward down" then reaches for the knob. "This will be your room. If you'd like to rest in here while I send someone to come clean, you may. It may be a bit dusty is all."

She steps aside to let him enter. Inside the room is a single bed, a desk with chair and lamp, a bedside table, a standing dresser, and a window.

"It's not much but it is yours to decorate as you see fit."

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Kethri leads Balasar through the inner sanctum of the Mage's Guild. Down corridors and into rooms. Some rooms hold glowing circles where mage's are busy at work casting rituals. Other rooms are simply bedrooms, though they mostly stand empty. And there are other doors that Kethri simply passes without explanation.

As Zuiigri and Balasar drift back to talk, Kethri doesn't seem to notice. She continues giving her explanation and tour of the inner sanctum without interruption. 

Finally, she steps up to a set of double doors. She turns to face Balasar and Zuiigri and gestures to the doors. 

"And this is the library! I'm afraid a lot of it is restricted to full fledged members or higher ranking officers. However, there is still a section open to initiates and I encourage you to check it out when you have time." Kethri folds her hands in front of her, her hands clasping and unclasping in a nervous habit. "So, I've taken you around the guild. I'll go get your room ready for you. But do you have any questions for me before I leave you to it? You're welcome to wander around."

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Kethri smiles at Balasar. "Hm... Well first, I suppose we should show you around. Let you get acquainted with the place. And I'll go ahead and get someone to clean up a room for you. Not that it's occupied but it may be a bit dusty in there since... Well, since we lost people."

She gestures to a hall to the side. "Follow me. I'll take you to the library and ritual rooms. As well as the member quarters."

She gasps. "Oh! I will also get the permissions adjusted so that you have outer ward control. You are an initiate so we don't provide initiates with inner ward control on the front door but you'll be able to lower most wards inside the building."

Kethri smiles again and begins walking towards the hall. "Follow me!'

 

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Zukar returns her lingering kiss and then lets out a sigh as he takes Vesta's hands. She helps pull him to his feet and he dusts himself off then chuckles.

"Not really sure why I just bothered to try and clean the dirt from my back. I'm coated in blood." He squeezes Vesta's hand in return. "Yes. A bath. Then some sleep. Then you can tell me all about your adventure."

Zukar leads Vesta to the front of the guild where Claire lowers the ward so they can leave.

Once through both the wards, they head for the tavern. Zukar asks the tavern keeper for a room and pays in a few copper. Then he trudges upstairs to the rooms, Vesta's hand still in his.

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Zukar swaps to the common language as well. "I've been sleeping when I can, honestly. I've fallen asleep in corners and on an empty cot in the infirmary. I fell asleep on the floor once." He chuckles. "Don't worry though. Those places were just where I ended up. E'ni'cala insisted I sleep in a bed but sometimes I just didn't have the energy to get to one."

"I'd like to come back and continue to help but... Could we possibly rest in the vardo? Or even the tavern? I have a few gold left. We could rest there." He yawns and then sets his forehead against hers. "I could use a good nights sleep. And knowing you are with me... Maybe I'll actually sleep this time."

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Zukar reaches over to take Vesta's hand and pulls it away from her lips to his lap then responds in Ramtovi. "Have you expressed your concerns with the others? If you can feel her pain... It seems to me you have some sort of connection to this Virelya."

He slides her hand into his while he wraps his other arm around her shoulders. "Have you tried scrying on that very thing? Determining if what you all are doing in the amphitheater is helping or harming?

He brings her hand to his lips and kisses her knuckles. "I worry about you when you use your seer abilities but... I will not deny they are useful and sometimes necessary.

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