Crystal

[sprent]

FORM: Sending crystal
SENDER: Gela Baynrac
RECIPIENT: Absolutely everybody.
NOTES: Now for something completely different

(Just to switch things over and away from all these (albeit, important) thoughts of death—)

What is something lovely that has happened to you lately?

Or at least something very interesting?

Comments

[tadpoled]

Went on a camping trip. A welcome respite from the Gallows.

[sprent]

Oh, camping! I'm glad you've had good weather for it. Where did you go?

[tadpoled]

Out looking for sprigs and seeds to replace those lost in the garden during the attack. I should be able to improve our supplies of essential herbs now.

Sleeping under the stars was the best part.

[sprent]

(+5 approval.) Oh, that's so good of you!

If you need a hand with any of the gardening, I'm happy to help out. I wouldn't say I have an especially green thumb, but I like planting things.

[tadpoled]

I'd be happy to have company while planting. You don't need to have a green thumb, I've some magic to assist.

[sprent]

(Well...

It's probably fine if the magic is used for growing plants... that's very harmless.)

Alright. Call on me when you're ready.

[tadpoled]

How busy are you now? I'm in the garden now.

[sprent]

Not at all. I can come down.

Do I need any tools?

[tadpoled]

Only your hands!

-> action

[sprent]

Easy to bring! See you soon.

(Gela finds that she is guilty of having enjoyed the gardens all year round and having thought little of them after the attack on the Gallows. It is as Tav implied: they are fairly barren with soil turned over, waiting for new saplings.

Two helpers are here: a woman and a white duck.)

She follows me, (Gela explains of the bird. She is working her loose sleeves up her arms. The duck stomps off toward the dirt to root around in the overturn, ferreting for small things with her beak.) ... Mostly. How can I help?

Re: -> action

[tadpoled]

[Tav also has two 'helpers' in shape of guards standing several paces from him.]

So do they.

[He gestures toward the guards with a smile before opening his camping pack onto the dirt. Inside are sprigs and seeds of various sorts. ]

The soil is soft enough we can hand-plant all of these.

[Tav kneels down in the freshly turned soil and digs a small hole, measures the depth up to the third knuckle on his pointer finger, adds a seed, and then leans back.]

And then once you finish, [ Tav makes a lifting motion with his hand and turquoise light fills the patch of earth. Elfroot sprouts up out of the ground as if it had been there all the time.]

[sprent]

(Gela casts the waiting guards a look and smiles at them automatically, raising a hand in greeting. She's still smiling when she looks back at Tav, and then into his camping pack, craning her head. It quickly becomes necessary to kneel and sit back on her heels while she pulls her hair behind her head, tying it off with a strip of leather cord.)

I didn't know you could use magic to grow plants, (she admits,) that is — helpful. Should I plant them, and you can do that?

(The duck can do whatever she wants.)

[tadpoled]

[The guards offer a wave in return before returning to their muffled conversation. Tav nods and turns back to Gela.]

It's common enough where I come from. There are entire circles dedicated to restoring nature.

[And at her suggestion,] That sounds perfect. Let's do that.

[He completely opens up his satchel, the ties falling to the ground to reveal a myriad of pods, seeds, sprigs, and the like.]

[sprent]

Really?

(This is a surprise, albeit a nice one. She finds herself relaxing, spacing that second hole away from the first, so that the two plants do not fight each other for space in the soil.) Are you from a circle like that?

[tadpoled]

I can't remember, unfortunately. However I do get along with other circles I've met.

[Tav watches Gela work with a soft smile.] Wonderful spacing.

[sprent]

Thank you!

(This conversation is going so well Gela decides she will be brave and talk about magic after all. It seems okay.) You are a rifter, aren't you? Are you getting along with the mages here?

[tadpoled]

I am, yes.

[Tav spreads his hands over the seeds that have been planted and with a quiet murmur and a glow under his hand, the seeds sprout into sprigs.]

I work for Strange, primarily growing the components for potions and the like.

[As for the rest of the mages,] I'm afraid it's hard to get to know anyone with my friends here constantly lingering.

[He gestures behind him to the two guards again.]

Speaking with anyone at length is a privilege.