Nugget of Wisdom

Log Info

• Title: Nugget of Wisdom
• Emitter: Slixvah
• Characters: Slixvah, Patch
• Place: Southern Banks of Tornmawr
• Time: November 12th, 2022
• Summary: Patch runs into Slix who just fell out of a secret hiding place. Well, less hiding, and more 'shelter of web stuck under a bridge'. What, she likes sleeping there! Anywho, Patch is invited in and she gets to witness the witch getting their magic ready for the day. It's an esoteric, weird process. Questions about witches are asked and answered, and the two head out to hang out for the day after getting a bite to eat.

Southern Banks of Tornmawr, Under the Bridge, Morning

It's chilly. The Tornmwar banks make an excellent wind tunnel, drawing in the cold breeze from the sea air. It's rather vacant at this time of day. Why would one want to be down here unless they work along any of the shops? That means vagrants are easy to gather and sleep for free. On the cold rocks of the bank.

Or... on the underside of the bridge...?

There's a peculiar sight. A nest stuck to the wall, made of a pink silk cocoon. /Someone's/ in there. Fussing about. Compl...aining?

"Fifi, I love you, but you gotta slow ya roll wit' dis stuff. My brain kinda hurts."

Twittering of some kind.

"Yo, woah, woah, ok look. You gave me that once, and holy moly that felt like I got clocked in the skull. We doin' this 'gain?"

Tweet Twoot Twote.

"Ok, naw, I'm out. You can keep that biz fo' now, gettin' a headache-"

A makeshift door of silk unseals, and an egalrin woman peeks their head out and takes a step. Talon meets air. "... aw fiddlefu-"

Thud.

GAME: Slixvah casts Web Shelter. Caster Level: 6 DC: 17
GAME: Patch rolls perception: (19)+10: 29

Patch had followed her ears, a familiar voice from under the bridge drawing her towards the bits of stone and rock. She'd been walking the sandy shores, watching people as they were taking some recreation in the cold and wind.

Patch needed to think, but that discussion to and with Fidah has the bard curious as to what she's stumbled on to! Too bad all she sees as she turns to head under the bridge is the poor rust-colored Egalrin 'beefing' it with a misstep out of shelter of webs.

It's met with a snorting laugh, her entire approach blown as she doubles over, and slaps at a knee.

"Oh, it was not the head you should watch for. Fidah done let you walk off the damned ledge!" her cheeks pink in her mirth. "Gods, Slix. Are you okay?" hoping the woman isn't hurt. "I shouldn't laugh, but... the situation." yes, she didn't know what to think, it just happened!

Slixvah, sporting just one robe and pants, groans as she rolls to her side. The crack on her beak is almost healed, but dirt and pebbles stick to her face and front as Fiadh is perched on the cusp of the door some ten feet up. "It twas Unmesi's own doing."

"Oh sod off," Slix waves a dismissive hand to the familiar above, her gaze settling on Patch as she gets to her feet. Her face is afloof. "Well this is embarrasin'. Yeah, I'm aight. Crashed from higher places when I was a wee fledgling."

She dusts off her robes, giving a weak smile. "So uh, come here often ta one of my sleeping places?" she jokes, wrapping herself with her wings to stave off the chill.

"I've taken to roaming he city, if that's what you mean?" Patch says with a softer tone, her amusement still evident, but her laughing has ceased. The wind seems to bother her a bit, being /in/ the tunnel itself now casting a bit of chill. A hand rises to the back of her neck, a sigh, but whatever thought caused it is short lived. A grin meets Slixvah, her hand dropped as she crosses to the Egalrin, helping to dust her off. Short hair means less mess in the wind, that's an improvement. No braids needed.

"Sorry again, Hon. I think my luck, your curse. The mojo was taking from ya because of my good luck today." she says with a grin. "I mean, lookie what I found while out seeking and peeking?" a wiggle of brow and a sudden hug coming soon after her words. Careful of wing.

Fidah is even shot a glance, and given a wink.

Slix chuckles, giving a thankful nod as she's dusted off. "Probs, yeah. Sounds 'bout right. Ain't too fussed 'bout it though." She blinks, a smile cresting her eyes, "Ey, ya did! Oo-" Hugged!

She chuckles, giving the embrace a squeeze.

Fiadh just... watches. Staring. Creepily. "Unmesi."

"Can a girl not get like, ten seconds? Yeeesh!" Slix bemoans, pulling back and unfurling her wings. "Step into my parlor?" she asks of Patch, throwing a wink as a quick hop and beat of the extra limbs throws her up the ten foot height into the doorway of the webbed shelter.

Feathers extend down to offer a boost up. "Caught me right in tha middle of Fifi jamming mojo into my skull. Don't think y've seen dis befo'. How you doin' by the by?"

"Still mad at some things, but it's the 'inner' mad. The mad that you remember. Ya know?" Patch admits, taking that boost of feather and scrambling into the nest of webs. It's awkward, she's not good at climbing, and that means she kind of just sloshes over the edge next to Fidah. "Hiyo little birdy. You're looking good today." she spits out before she rolls over and sits up.

"Do you mean how like the holy and arcane types have to meditate, and prepare their minds? No. Actually, I never quite understood it." The bard admits, daring to look over the edge at Slixvah below. "I'll be quiet and watch, for sure! It's neat stuff, but my connection to things is /way/ different. I just /know/ it. Learned it through the hymn. No one ever experiences it the same in my circles."

The inside is an unstable, yet cozy sort of thing. Like a big hammock incased in a dome. And soft! Spools of silk act like pillows! Robes are strewn about the place, there's random bolas and daggers dangling from above, as well as random bunches of aromatic dried plants. "Ah, I getcha, I getcha," Slix croons, scooting some things around to make room.

Fiadh waves a wing. "Salutations," they say simple. "Your platitudes have been noted."

"You can say thanks, ya know?"

"I will take in into consideration." Fiadh preens.

Slix rolls her eyes before nodding to Patch and closing the door. Light from outside diffuses into a soft hue inside here. "Well, yeah. It is that. But like... ok. The mojo in my skull is like... really weird. Fiadh here gives me all my magic. They give me little insights inta the way the world works. Some of it is... hard ta keep in my head. Been gettin' betta about cramming more in, some of it is just... a doozy."

Fiadh flutters over to land on Slix's head. "We must resume."

Patch nestles a bit into the shelter, the 'unstable' part seeming to be new and isn't trusted fully. She's careful, deliberate as she seeks to sit comfortably, but is not near the ledge. She doesn't seem to trust that. "So, uh. I don't mean to be the odd one, but do birds normally make webs? Or is this the mojo too? Witch's magics?" Patch asks, and muses. She's curious, and tends to ask a lot of questions, suddenly pausing.

"Right, no questions. None." Patch reaffirming her attempt to let the other woman prepare her daily Witchy-ness without too much interruption. "And all of this weird mojo came popping up after the death of Animus." a hand rising to cover her mouth. "Right sorry. That wasn't a question, but... silence." a finger pinching her own lips, and finally settling to watch.

Thankfully, one cannot fall out of the shelter, as it's fully enclosed. But it certainly feels weird. "Naw. 'tis my mojo. I cast it last night. Lasts fo' a while." An amused glance is shot towards Patch. She giggles. "I love questions. And you're so curiously cute, I love it."

Fiadh nestles in. "Questions beget wisdom," they tweet.

"And wisdom is what lies beyond and inbetween," Slix hums, crossing her legs and closing her eyes. Nothing out of the ordinary...-

"A little birdie once told me-" Slix intones.

Then it gets weird.

Little glyphs and runes of turquoise and cyan manifest near Fiadh. They slide off, wafting through the air, bouncing off of something unseen before falling on Slix. The air is still. But the weapons and dangling herbs dance like there's a gentle breeze. "Matron may have eyes on the back of their head, but it is their folly for their insight," Fiadh chirps.

Little cyan outlines of eyes appear on Slix's feathers. Then silently vanish. Slix's face grimaces.

"Do unto others-" A white glow radiates from her hands. "Exactly what they just did to you." The white glow fades and flips to a brackish black. Before that too fades.

Patch blinks, watching with attention as it begins. The 'affair' of Slixvah's magics being infused into them seeming to be of great interest. The colors, the words, especially the words. Floating glyphs? Oh, that's eerie with how the air grows still. It's not what the elf had imagined. Not at all. It was better.

Patch manages to remain quiet, her lip bitten on as she had let her hand fall away. Not wishing to interrupt, she sits still, hands in lap as she waits to see if there is more. It seems when it matters, she can find patience.

Further this ritual continues. Each passing beat growing more esoteric than the previous. More odd. More ethereal. Feathers float in the air from her wings, unraveled like they are, though the ends taper into nothing, vanishing. Slix's eyes half lid. A mesmer gaze at nothing held. Though her face twitches more in slight pain as Fiadh resumes speaking.

"Take what you can get." Eyes flash a sickly green.

"A hundred brushes is a hundred more stokes towards lusciousness." The feathers on her wings suddenly unravel into a large pile, then reel back in.

"If you play with fire-" Her hands catch fire. Then extinguish with a sizzle. "-one gets burned."

Slixvah tilts her head back, it looking like she's getting a rather intense headache. Fiadh reaches forth with a wing to pat Slix's beak. "Strong wings to carry you home." The egalrin's extra limbs tremble, Slix's back arcing like there's an intense cramp before it releases.

All the weirdness stops. The unseen wind abates, the runes vanish.

Slix flumps to the floor.

Fiadh flutters down atop the egalrin and looks smug. "It is done."

GAME: Slixvah refreshes spells.

"Now I see why you chose the term 'Mojo'." Patch says, her eyes having gone wide, and her back pressed into the wall of the shelter more as it went on. Horror, and awe. Mild appreciation too as the magical winds swept hair. It was something to see, a grin suddenly wide on her features. "It was some crazy shit!" and she was delighted to have witnessed it.

"Oh, and the words. I... I have a lot of questions, but I don't think." Patch's brow suddenly furrowing as Slixvah doesn't immediately stir, head cocked to one side in confusion. "Oh goodness, does it really hurt the head so?" she has to ask, this mostly spoken towards Fidah. "SO, that makes sense now."

Patch doesn't yet move, but a hand raises towards her feather friend.

Slix is breathing, but unmoving for the time.

"Lesser minds have difficulty coping with the potential of the infinity," Fiadh chirps.

A feather animates. Grabs the small thrush. And throws them into a pile of silk in the corner. Slix groans as she sits upright, a hand pressed against her skull. "Call /me/ lesser? Fifi, shut your thimble ass up." She spies the hand, her scooting a bit to lean into it. "Ta answer ya question... yeah. Does hurt. Gettin' my head jammed full of stuffs. Gimmie like... a minute. I'll be good."

Fiadh makes no attempt to escape. There is the sound of light snoring. Already zonked out from all that.

There's a deep breath. "... aight, so... questions?" she hums, cracking an eye open to peer at Patch as the last vestiges of a pound skull throb away.

"Yeah, why did half of that sound violent, and the other half like a mother talking to a child?" Patch says with a grin and teasing flair of brows, shifting closer and letting the Egalrin woman rest against her. A hand rests on her shoulder, patting it gently. "It's a lot to take in, but I am afraid my serious questions might be something you'd laugh at." at least admitting her first bit was a joke.

"It was enlightening. I see why Fidah is as tired as they are when I meet them. If that is... daily? I am glad I follow Vaire." Patch says bluntly, but it is followed with an apologetic smile. "Do you wonder if it's like.... Animus' shards of mind spilling forth now that the body can't contain the energies? It's like, Animus' will? Stjepan talks a lot about the shards of Animus."

Slixvah laughs quietly, grimacing as the snickering inflames her skull. She leans against Patch, taking that offer. "Well... it is funny ta see," she admits, having laughed at it. "Fifi is an emissary of wisdom. Like... theys be the concept of literal wisdom. All dat you was hearing is lil' nuggets of it. But it's not like, just that, it's more. Loads of meaning behind each thing theys say. Sayings through the ages."

A slow bob of her head as she rests her head against Patch's shoulder. "Yeah. Every day. But these days Fifi's been jammin' mo' and mo' in my head. And... yeah. Probably is bits of Animus getting jammed into me. Or, maybe, Animus' magic made some concepts metaphsyical. Literally the only reason why I gots this magic."

"Well, now I know the rest of my questions are as unknown to you." Patch admits, grinning as a hand ruffles the woman's feathery shoulder, bumping her head to Slixvah's lightly in play. "I heard a lot of those little nuggets, and wise they are indeed." she admits, sighing. "A shame it's such a ding to the head. Like drinking, but without the fun parts."

"So, we will learn of your nature and magics together. Mostly because it's cool, but also because it's important to you, and... everything." Patch admits with shrug and wink. She's half-teasing. It's all threads and string with her. "The mess we see now is like some festered and changing wound. Understanding it will help us heal it. I hope." the last words hopeful.

"Questions beget wisdom," Slix echoes, throwing a wink towards Patch as a happy chirp slips out from the ruffle and bump. "It's a ding to tha head. But... as much as Fifi and I bicker sometimes, it's worth it. I know it is, they know it is. I ain't eva been able ta hold this much in my noggin' befo'. It's like a muscle sorta. Tha mo' ya strain it and use it, tha mo' it can do."

She looks off to a pink corner of the shelter, her leaning back into one of the many silk piles to rest and hum warmly. "That'd be right nice, shug," she coos. "I kno a lot, but I don't know a lot. It's like I got a puddle of knowledge, yet the whole ocean churns on..."

A glance to Patch. A smile. "That right there, honey, is exactly what we doin'. Stuff's weird. And wield the weird. Knowin' the weird helps figure out where the weird is goin'. Some of the weird is bad. But some of it is good. And what Fifi's got is certainly the good stuff. It ain't a hope, it's a know!"

There's a sigh, and she reaches behind herself to rub between her wings. "... though... wish it wasn't so.. annoying on some of thems."

"A little more than cool really, more fascinating, but. I was trying to contain some things." The bard muses back at Slixvah, watching the woman👩 with a soft smile. She shifts, as Slixvah rubs between her wings, dipping away from the large feathery appendages, finagling her way across the unstable, and shifting nest of webs. "Some of them aren't' as annoying? Do you choose what is imbued?" this changing Patch's perception it seems. "Here, I was thinking it was same each time. Can the ritual vary? Do you know more spells than can be focused into you from Fidah?" the words pouring forth, her verbose nature on display. She does quiet, an apologetic smile flashed.

"I... I don't ask much about you being a witch. I figured you'd tell me when you wanted or needed. Like with the necromatic stuff when you introduced me to that cute woman👩 in the yellow dress👗." Patch means Mourner Verna. "So forgive the bombardment now." a hand daring to touch that tender spot, rubbing lightly at the feathers. This likely leaving them a mess.

Slixvah bobs her head, giggling. "I totes understand. It is pretty neat." She tugs at one of the wings, giving it a good stretch as the unstable shelter sways slightly. "Hmm? Oh, yeah, I do choose. Fifi lets me know what theys can do, I tell 'em what I need ta prepare, and theys give me all tha lil' nuggets of wisdom for the day. Basically all the stuff you saw was all the lil' mojos I do fo' later! Healin' and hurtin'. Burnin' some stuff. Just in case."

A shrug. "It can vary. Really all we need is some quiet and some time to chat. Works pretty similarly for the rest of the time. And yeah! I uh, actually know how ta get a scroll, turn inta a drink that Fifi can have, and theys can figure out how ta give that to me! Pretty neat! Fifi knows a ton!" The apology is met with a pat on the head.

"Ask away. I want otha's ta kno' of these magics. Part of my paper, remember?"

Might have been a mess, the touch is welcome as Slix sighs in relief. It's taut there.

Patch blinks. "Oh." some of those answers making something 'connect' in the mind. Realization, followed with a puzzled expression. "Slix. All that just leads to 'more' questions.'Ask away!'" she says with a wide grin, and scoff repeat of Slixvah. She shifts to peer at the woman. "So, all of those were spells. And Fidah likes a strong drink. Got it." she muses. Happy.

"It's not a damned paper, Slixvah! It's a damned THESIS!" she hisses, but it's in excitement. "It's a novel? No, a series! It's not just a 'paper'."

Patch is a little excited, but all of this comes with her sitting again, crossing her legs as she sits behind the Egalrin while shaking her head. "People who aren't behind this, are not the sort /we/ need to associate with." a playful hum to her tone again. "How can I not watch this show?"

Slixvah laughs, covering her beak with the back of her hand. "Yep yep! All dems was spells! Probably saw a couple ya've seen befo'! Lil' different than ya o' Eztli. Have ta plan way ahead. Sometimes I plan bad."

There's a blink, and she puts up both hands in mock surrender. "Yes yes, a damn thesis!" she defends playfully. "I apologize fo' misspeakin'! I'll be sure to inflate my already massive ego evermore next time!" She winks at that.

The shelter wobbles a bit, the bird woman staying put as the elf slips behind her. Wings shift a bit to make room. "Totally get the 'need ta know' basis of things, 'specially now."

There's a playful glance over the shoulder as Slix is taking out a bundle of ribbons to place on her lap. One is pulled free, and she begins the slow process of adorning herself with them. "I got all kinds of shows, good thing ya get an all access pass."

"Not trusting some of the ends just yet." Patch muses to the look she gets from over Slixvah's shoulder. "Sorry, I associate the 'damn' and 'damned' with necromantic stuff. It just stuck." a tease, but two hands are suddenly on to Egalrin's back. Dexterous and practiced with press and flex. The elf has 'some' strength despite her slim and small stature. Backrubs offered in these trying times.

"Slix's box of places and people?" Patch asks of the ribbons, and eye catching sight of them with a subtle lean. "You're going to have a nest full of banners and strips, huh? The motif of curtains? Already sleeping in a cocoon of silk. How much bigger can the ego get?"

That garners another guffaw. "It's aight. Makes sense, it /is/ tha' dammed and what not. I-" A sharp inhale cuts her off as hands start their work, the eglarin all but slumping over in half-bliss. "... shooooot.. Pattie, ya an angel," she sing songs.

"Heh. Perhaps yeah. People, places, things. But tha ribbons, gonna be real, I just like how they pretty they are," she answers, fumbling fingers slowing down in tying off strips to her wing tips. "Girl, my ego is a city block. Prolly half the reason I can do this stuff is 'cause I'm cocky as heck. If that ego was any bigger, I'd have to draft some documents sayin' to recognize my kingdom claim."

She subtly shakes her head. "Ain't good at much else 'cept what's in my noggin' and talkin'. So gotta stay stalwart in what I'm good at!"

"I have to think about the things I do at times. Under stress, or duress." Patch admits as she continues that play of fingers, muscle being teased like notes as she 'plays' a song on the Egalrin. "I wouldn't leave someone to die, but once I notice something off, I can be annoying. I don't know if what you do is 'ego', but if that's what you want to sell yourself, fine." a grin there.

"We all have our limits, but I found mine are surprisingly far regarding others. Even if I can be rude, and cold." she notes. "I don't do certain things like other adventurers. Maybe it's a good thing, maybe it's bad, but people I trust and trust me have surfaced from it." Patch notes of Slixvah, sighing. "SO, what I mean is. Ego doesn't look like a thing the more I know you. That looks more like an excuse to do what you think needs be done. That's not ego. It's you being awesome. A lesson many people need these days."

Slix's efforts of getting her ribbons donned again are thwarted as she's half limp leaning forward, eyes fluttered closed from the bliss. "People manage dey stress differently, and man is it hard ta think under pressure. But I can get that findin' somethin', trying ta get ta the bottom of it. Can come off as crass ta some."

She bobs her head, wings flexing some once Patch gets to the bottom of her back to give a backwards 'hug' to the elf. "It's a good thing. If we's all the same, life'd be drab. We're puzzle pieces meant ta learn how ta fit. If it's uniform, then there ain't no click."

A squeeze, then Patch is released as Slix turns a bit to face her. Smiling away. "Bah, I am pretty awesome. But so are you! And Fiadh!"

"Zzzzzzzzzzzz..." comes from a silk pile.

"And so many otha peeps! But ya right. Lotta people you will find totally suck at some stuff, but you can trust them wit' ya life ta do something you totally suck at. Like- take fo' example, if I eva need ta sue someone, I'm sure I could get Tegri ta get that sorted no probs! Or if I need a study buddy that can keep up wit' my ramblings, I'd go lookin' for ya!"

"These days... I am more worried about being sued. Still, he'd come in handy. Point made." Patch chimes, having returned that squeeze. Yes, the handsy teasing of the bird finished. "Well, you look to be feeling more yourself. A bit uppity, and willing to argue." seeming to like that that Slixvah is more themself after the ritual.

"A study buddy?" Patch muses. "So! I am hungry, you're freshly prepared and up? How about we go grab a bite? What are you doing today?" letting some topics drop. For now.

Slix giggles, reaching out to ruffle Patch's hair. Still she does it, regardless of its length. "Hard ta sue when ya got friends in high places," she teases. "Yeah! I'm ready ta face the day! Headache gone, back pain, gone- thanks to you- and totally feisty for the day at large!" She pumps a fist.

The shelter rocks.

The witch resumes the task of getting the ribbons finished up before feathers animate and pick up robes strewn about the place. "'course, study buddy! Learn all sorts of stuff of each other and of other things," she winks. "Yesss! A bite or three! I was gonna actually work on a wand today. Telamon dropped a request on my lap and he's payin' a pretty copper for it. Let's get food and you wanna watch tha process?" she offers, pulling down the last of the bolas and daggers on the roof.

-End Scene-