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Post by Tatalia on Sept 7, 2022 9:07:52 GMT -5
Tatalia woke up to find herself splayed out on the floor in an undignified heap, her body forming an awkward, upside down 'V' shape with her bottom forming the top. The goblin groaned, then flopped over onto her side and tried to stand up. She promptly fell down because she didn't realize she was tangled up in her blanket, which had webbing stuck to it for some unspeakable reason she did her best not to dwell on. Eventually, Tatalia managed to disentangle herself, and she stumbled up to her feet with a yawn and a smack of her lips.
The weary goblin went and peered in the mirror. Her hair was a wild mess, the different strands shooting out in every direction. She hadn't bathed before going to bed, and so smelled like the swamp. There was drool on her chin, and somehow she'd managed to get her hands on a sword, which sat on the bed she was supposed to be sleeping in. Tatalia definitely didn't remember buying a sword. Did she go sleepwalking? Sleep-stealing?
Tatalia's mornings were getting weirder every day, it seemed.
The goblin tried to remember what had happened last night... then remembered, oh, right, she'd massacred half a tribe by accident. That made her fall back down onto the floor again, groaning and clutching her forehead, really wishing there was some sort of magic spell to undo mistakes like that. It wasn't wholly the goblin's fault, but it was her fault enough!
Just... focus on something else for now, Tatalia told herself. The goblin sighed, then rolled back over onto her stomach and pushed herself to her feet again. She had to get her head straight, and to do that she had to get her body straight. So, what would accomplish that for her?
Tatalia decided a quick bath and a meal would do the trick just fine.
While the word 'clean' wasn't part of the Safe Dry Sleep Eat Spot's name, there was, in fact, a place to bathe. Having cleaned up as best as she could in the present circumstances, Tatalia made her way on downstairs, taking all her equipment with her. She didn't expect she'd be staying at the inn long after finishing her meal, not with so much work still to do.
The inn was noisy that morning, moreso than usual. Apparently, there was talk among travelers about how some refugees from a lizardfolk village had fled into the swamp, seeking out shelter after madness has possessed half their kin, sending dozens hurling themselves into flames to impress their god. Tatalia didn't have to ask what the tribe's name was. She knew.
Sighing, the goblin walked toward the bar, stepping around the firepit in the center of the room. But that's when she noticed a familiar face sitting near the firepit, probably because it was the driest part of the whole inn...
Deciding it wouldn't hurt to try and be friendly, or perhaps to try and secure some sort of business arrangement, the goblin strode back over toward the fire and sat down on the empty stool nearest to the one Veliky was seated upon.
"Good morning! Did you sleep well?" the goblin asked cheerily, raising an eyebrow at the other tiny woman. "Having a drink you don't have to pay for once again, I see."
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Post by Veliky on Sept 7, 2022 9:44:25 GMT -5
For several seconds, she doesn't answer or even react. The firepit must be terribly interesting to her, or she's thinking very deeply about something. Or both. She looks at Tatalia, her accomplice of circumstance, dourly. The firelight glinting off of their eyes is a familiar sight to both of them.
"No. I did not sleep well." Her voice is low and emotionless, but there's a slight croak to it. She doesn't even bother acknowledging the comment about her glass of water.
She studies Tatalia's eyes intently; the unhidden reading is uncomfortable. Her gaze feels like a weight that is lifted when she looks back at the flames. After a sip of water form her glass, she elaborates.
"It was reckless and unnecessary. Could've waited. Another two, maybe three hours and I could've gotten what I needed without... that."
Her posture becomes more tense as she speaks, as if the words are physically straining her. She pauses, then lets in a long, congested sniff.
"Lapse of judgement. Unacceptable."
She relaxes again, albeit only to the straight, formal stance that is usual for her. It's hard to tell whether the firepit is a source of comfort, hate or anxiety for her, though, given what Tatalia knows, it is likely to be both.
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Post by Tatalia on Sept 7, 2022 11:06:43 GMT -5
Tatalia hadn't expected such candor out of the halfling. The night before, all that Veliky had wanted to do was pretend the events of the night hadn't happened at all, shove them aside as quickly as possible. But there she was, musing over what had happened, albeit in a way that didn't reveal the pair's involvement. There was reason for that of course. Not but fifteen or so feet away were rough-looking mercenaries and natives discussing the very matter that was causing the two little women so much stress.
It was uncomfortable to be assessed so openly. Still, Tatalia had learned in their first conversation that Veliky didn't really care about social conventions that much. They were an obstacle to her, Tatalia guessed, something that just got in the way of doing things quickly, efficiently. Perhaps it that was very mindset that had led to the unfortunate affairs of the night prior.
Tatalia closed her eyes, sighing. She nodded, then tried to find some useful words.
"It was avoidable," the goblin muttered, heaving a breath out of her nostrils. She opened her eyes again, flicking a glance over at Veliky. "A lot of situations like it are. In the moment of such a heated situation, you think in more immediate terms. One step leads to the next; remove the obstacle and get what you want as quickly as possible. Simple, easy, done. Or so it should seem."
Tatalia flicked a dagger out of her sleeve. It hadn't even been noticeable it was there before; she'd just had it up her sleeve the whole time, completely hidden. She stared into the dagger, clearly thinking about something else for a moment as she eyed her reflection. She turned the sharp, deadly little blade about in her hand a few times as she dwelled on those thoughts.
"We can't undo the wrongs we've done. We can do better going forward." Tatalia turned her gaze back over toward Veliky, her tone very serious. "Be less sloppy; be more informed; be better equipped so you don't have to make the decisions that led us to the wholly unnecessary circumstances we made. There's nothing like a messy experience to make you want to handle things a little more cleanly the next time."
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Post by Veliky on Sept 7, 2022 12:08:47 GMT -5
"It isn't about 'next time,'" she says with but a hint of anger. She leans forward, closer to the fire. "You're right, we can't change the past. We can't change anything - not like this, not just doing things one at a time. The fact that this happened - not that we did it, but that it happened at all - is unacceptable, yet things like this happen every... jater day."
She looks over at one of the tables. As they're speaking, some deal is being made. Coin is trading hands between some brutish-looking lizardfolk and a goblin mercenary. Veliky's been passively eavesdropping on their conversation. It's the usual fare: the lizardfolk wants the mercenary to go into the swamp and kill some big creature that's been bothering people. Veliky watches the whole affair with distaste.
"And it's all because we let play-pretend-heroes do everything. 'Adventurers' helping people..." She takes her eyes off the fire, looking up. Is that longing in her eyes? She takes a deep drink of water, almost emptying the glass. "It's a romantic idea. But it isn't reality." The emotion fades. Her face becomes dour once more. "In reality, things like this happen. When you let 'adventurers' and 'explorers' just run around, doing whatever they see fit, things like this stop being a matter of decision, a matter of skill, and a matter of 'next time.' They become a mathematical inevitability. Sure, we can look forward and strive to do better, but some hack mercenary's just going to do something even worse in our stead. This business might be lucrative, but it just isn't sustainable, and it doesn't really solve problems."
She's silent for several seconds, cooling off from an increasingly heated rant. She then looks to Tatalia.
"Surely you've seen enough to know what I mean."
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Post by Tatalia on Sept 7, 2022 13:38:37 GMT -5
Tatalia had seen enough to know what Veliky meant. She caught that dig against 'explorers,' and understood the implication that she was very much part of the problem. She flipped the dagger over in her hand, staring at it a little more. It was a complicated affair.
"I suppose it depends on what you mean by sustainability," the goblin began slowly, brow furrowed. "From a wholly amoral perspective, the lack of efficiency in this line of work and the new problems that arise from mistakes actually increases the long-term profitability. You get more repeat customers by fixing symptoms than you do selling a cure, after all," mused the goblin, twirling her dagger for a moment. But then she slipped it back up her sleeve and looked seriously over at Veliky. "However, when viewing things from a moral perspective - which I do - these disasters are not sustainable, no. We agree on that.
"The problem is that the current alternatives don't offer much succor, either. Consider where we are now, for instance!" Tatalia sat up a little straight, waving her hand around herself in a broad gesture. "Gazablaak isn't just a backwater village. It's a place where 'monsters' can get help with problems they otherwise can't. The royal army of the Sun Elves isn't going to march down here; and if it did, it certainly wouldn't be to help us with our problems! And the Moon Elves are just as keen to shoot a goblin as they are to speak to one. There's really only two groups of people that put up with us, really: the tribesmen of King's Valley, and... adventurers."
The goblin glanced away from Veliky, shaking her head slowly. She hadn't expected to discuss matters like this when she'd taken a seat beside the businesswoman. She was beginning to sorely wish she'd grabbed something to eat or drink before sitting down, because there was every indication the conversation was going to take a while, but it didn't feel right to interrupt the matter to grab a snack.
Sighing, Tatalia set her hand on her chin and looked back to the crackling flame.
"I can tell you're incredibly clever. You could probably devise a good business model to replace adventurers," the goblin murmured, frowning a little as she spoke. "But, Miss Veliky, if every adventurer dropped off the face of Charon today, I don't think the world would be safer for it. There's too many problems that need resolution before that becomes feasible."
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Post by Veliky on Sept 7, 2022 14:20:02 GMT -5
"...It doesn't need to happen today. These things are slow. They take more time than people wish. But it can happen." She rests her chin on her hand and speaks with equal frustration and dejection. "I just need people on board, I need people to want it to happen... but, unfortunately, the right thing to do often isn't the popular answer."
She lets in a long, congested sniff and exhales. Whereas, at all other times, she's been an emotionless and all-around cagey person, this does seem to be a subject that she's truly passionate about, even if her version of passion is only barely more expressive. But she's quiet, now. She looks at Tatalia with a strange, inscrutable expression and speaks with an unusually soft tone, barely more than a whisper.
"You enjoy adventuring, don't you?" The words hang until she looks back at the fire. "Definitely a thrill. Exhilarating. Wanted to do it when I was a kid: kill the dragon, save the kingdom, get the girl, etc. Maybe I would've gone for it, too. But things happened. We've all got to give what we have."
She studies Tatalia's face while the goblin isn't looking directly at her. She wouldn't say it to save her life, but she's pleased that the goblin even bothers to think about the subject. Most don't, or they just get mad and start fights.
"There's a place in the world for people like you - people who can get things done. They just need rules, restrictions, oversight, things to keep these tragedies from happening... and people don't like those things very much. Anyways, go get your snacks. Come back if you want to talk more; if not, don't bother."
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Post by Tatalia on Sept 7, 2022 16:18:02 GMT -5
The goblin woman nodded, standing up silently to go and fetch some food. Truthfully, she wasn't sure how Veliky had known she was hungry, but Tatalia must have glanced back over toward the bar once or twice. Either way, she had a lot to think about.
Veliky's assessment was painstakingly true. Tatalia did love adventuring; she'd been devouring the same storybook tales that Veliky was referring to since she was a child. In fact, she could probably recite some of those storybooks just from memory, having read and re-read those passages for an infinity. They weren't a very realistic depiction of how adventuring actually played out, however. There was a lot more running away, and a lot less festooned castles with grateful kings to visit.
But there was some real good Tatalia had been able to do as well. She'd fought off zombies and bandits before, as well as reduced the number of giant-sized snakes in the Marsh Flats by a considerable number. She'd discovered ancient lore that could be placed in a museum, and had protected a caravan from displacer beasts... There was always a need for adventurers. There was always a need for a helping hand.
But Tatalia also knew what sort of terrible things adventurers could do as well. She still remembered the feeling of rope tightly bound about her wrists as seeming giants passed her over to the servants of the Baron. She also remembered some of the rumors she'd heard of adventurers going on a rampage when they didn't feel they'd been compensated enough, and the fate of the Bloody Axes returned to her mind yet again. There was... some damage being done by adventurers, too, certainly.
The young explorer chewed on her lip as she got a pouch of roots and berries from Tiny Two Toes. Wordlessly, she walked back toward the fire, then paused and considered whether she should just leave instead. It was her choice, after all. Whatever business the businesswoman had in mind would surely put its clamps on her way of life. Was that something she wanted?
Tatalia sighed again. Veliky had presented perfectly logical reasons for wanting to change the status quo, and by her own words she wanted to regulate adventuring, not stop it. And to be honest... Tatalia wasn't sure how she intended to do that. Wasn't it worth hearing her out, at least?
Her decision was made. The goblin quietly appeared behind Veliky again and took a seat as if she'd never left.
"I'll need to have a clearer idea of how you intend to fix the problem while still meeting everyone's needs," Tatalia whispered, folding one leg over the other and staring intently over at Veliky. "And I need to know for certain that places like Gazablaak won't be left to flounder in your plan. Goblins like us shouldn't become casualties of this experiment."
Did Tatalia just refer to herself and Veliky as goblins?
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Post by Veliky on Sept 8, 2022 14:56:24 GMT -5
She did, indeed, and Veliky isn't one to miss such things. For a moment, Veliky says nothing at all, wondering if she should be excited for or dreading the idea of actually expressing her plans. She stares into her glass of water, almost empty... and finishes the rest.
Veliky slams her glass onto the table, now half-full of some type of cocktail. Some amount of time has passed, though she hasn't been keeping track. Veliky's demeanour has... changed.
"And we need the right people in the right places! I-I mean, there are some mages, powerful ones with all the magic in the world, and, and, and they just live out in the woods, not using it for anything!"
The answer to the question of 'how do you solve Charon's adventurer crisis?' is not a short one, and, of course, it led to more questions. Yet, Veliky seems to have answers for all of them. The brief synopsis is that she wants the concept of adventuring to be tied to a single government organization working under the crown. The general purpose of this organization would be much the same that adventurers and mercenaries serve today: solving problems and getting paid for it. But there are some major differences in how they'd operate:
One: the adventurers be coordinated by an administrative body that receives reports of issues and decides who, exactly, is best suited to solve them. At times, adventurers would also be told to simply 'patrol,' making them immediately available if there is a nearby incident.
Two: the adventurers would be highly regulated, and could be held legally accountable for things they do on the job. With moderative oversight, they would be restricted in the ways that they are able to help people, but the hope is that those restrictions would be with good reason, even if those reasons aren't obvious. One regulation she's already considered is the explicit defining of what qualifies as a 'monster' for legal purposes, specifying that lizardfolk, ogres, orcs, gnolls and, most importantly, goblins, would no longer be discriminated against.
Three: the adventurers would be payed via taxes. Therefor, the enlistment of their assistance would no longer be exclusive to 'whoever can pay for them.' Anyone could file a report without personal expense.
But those are just her ideas for adventuring. Naturally, her mentions of legal accountability led to questions of legality, and she had no shortage of things to say on the matter, showing a distaste for the current 'eye for an eye' Justice system of today. Then, the topic went to economy, during which she claimed that she'd like to abolish the trade economy due to its inefficiency at a large scale, wanting to make solars a universal currency. Then, it sort of just devolved into ranting as Veliky had, at some point, become intoxicated. One thing is certain: she wants everything to be legislated. No legal greyness.
"And Gazablaak... valuable resources, good workers, terrible economy. Reminds me of my hometown, except it has valuable resources and good workers." Did she just tell a joke? "Easy fix: sell stuff to Sol City, get solars, buy stuff from King's Valley, improve infrastructure, it actually starts to function. Maybe, in the future, there can be more than one inn, and maybe it'll have a good name."
"Hey, go to Hell," says a passing Tiny Two-Toes.
"No. Anyways, will be difficult... extremely difficult. But all I really need are good people that are well-coordinated."
She lets in a long, congested sniff.
"Problem is finding good people. As things are, adventuring is an open market. It's lucrative, most of all because it perpetuates the problems that it claims to solve. It benefits the individual more than what I have planned. And, when everyone is an individual... it's a difficult sales pitch."
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Post by Tatalia on Sept 8, 2022 16:27:00 GMT -5
Veliky wasn't the only one who'd had a few drinks. With several empty cups of swamp grog beside her, Tatalia listened in, her yellow eyes bleary, her nose and cheeks flushed brownish-red rather than green, her eyebrows performing acrobatics upon her forehead.
"Can't- can't lettut- let- let it be too centralized!" Tatalia piped up, wagging a finger across at Veliky, speaking with a very grave and serious tone for someone whose bloodstream probably smelled like booze at the moment. "You can't! Becaush... Because, y'know, each region is different! Different cultures, different needs, different people! You need... regional offices. And sub-official regions. I mean-" Tatalia paused, taking a moment to rethink her words, and corrected herself. "Sub-regional offices! For... smaller problems needing, uh, less oversight, and more immediacy."
How two tiny women were managing to make the bureaucratic reorganization of the adventuring workforce sound like a dire and exciting affair was some sort of magic in and of itself.
Tatalia had a lot of her own rants to go on. She liked some of what Veliky said, and she had a lot to suggest or add, too. But there were some parts she wound up speaking up against. There were also times when she started ranting, such as when Veliky suggested the organization would work for the crown.
"How can you trust the royals and the nobles, anyway?" Tatalia muttered over her cup, peering up at it to see if there were any drops left. There weren't. She scoffed, then set the cup down and started raising fingers one by one as she read off her litany of offenses: "They force people into serfdom, they wage wars over 'honor,' they- they- they decide their own rules, and those rules are different for them than for us!" Tatalia smacked her fist down on the table, glowering at nobody in particular. "And all of this because, what, someone was king first, so their children get to be monarchs?! And, what, because the elves, dwarves, and humans were the first mortals made by gods that might not even be real!? It's swine-crap, I tell you, swine-crap!"
After she'd calmed down, though (which took a Herculean effort), the goblin managed to gather her thoughts in quiet and listened to the rest of Veliky's speech. She mulled over everything that was said, and after a few glasses of water was starting to think straight.
The morning had passed, and the hours were entering those of the afternoon. As Tatalia sobered, Veliky's speech drew ever-closer to its end, and the matter of personnel came up. Namely... there was a lack of it for obvious reasons. Tatalia quietly listened to what Veliky was saying, contemplated the matter as she took another sip of water, rubbing her forehead to relieve her headache.
It was, of course, more than just a complaint about the problem. It was an offer. Veliky was looking for capable individuals who were willing to work for more than just themselves. Was Tatalia such an individual?
The goblin folded her arms over her chest, nodding as she thought the matter over. Then she looked at Veliky intently with her yellow eyes.
"There need to be provisions concerning the sanctity of items of historical relevance," Tatalia mused, drumming her fingers on her arm. "Procedure for the safe handling of such artifacts, and for making them publicly accessible so they don't just end up as paperweights in some noble's household. And good relations with scholarly organizations should be fostered. But..."
The goblin chewed on her lip, nodding to herself again as she thought the matter over. She glanced at Veliky again.
"If you can do that... I think I'd be willing to help you found such an organization - so long as we do not lose sight of the original purpose, which is to make adventurers accessible to everyone, and to ensure future tragedies are prevented. We must have ardent dedication to those goals, insofar as they are possible."
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Post by Veliky on Sept 9, 2022 19:09:13 GMT -5
Unexpectedly, the neat, put-together businesswoman's chair scoots noisily as she leans across the table and grasps Tatalia's hand. Her face is beaming, decorated by an earnest smile.
"Yes!" she shouts with unprecedented excitement. "Thank you, I- I-"
She realizes the unsightliness of her outburst very quickly. She returns to her seat and tries to pretend that it never happened, dourening her face and clearing her throat. It's difficult to tell whether the redness in her face comes from embarrassment or her excessive consumption of alcohol. Her speech becomes much as it was the day they first met: emotionless, indifferent and cold.
"It'll take time... a lot of time. I've already looked into the prospects of starting an organization like the one I want. It takes power - political power - and money... so much money. But those... they really just boil down to one thing: time. I need time. I'll contact you when I'm ready."
For once, it appears she doesn't know what to do. Eyes averted and glancing about, she twiddles her thumbs uncomfortably on the table. Perhaps it's best to address some some loose threads from their earlier conversation. What had they been talking about?
"Right, the crown... bunch of dormfaji. But necessary to work with reigning government if we want to change legislation. Reigning government need not be a crown, however. Have ideas for different styles of leadership, but nothing set in stone. Would definitely get rid of their swine-crap birthright system." Returning to a conversational rhythm also returns her to a more relaxed state. She looks Tatalia in the eyes once more. "As for the preservation of artifacts... well, to be frank, you would know more about that than I do. But handling of relics and exploration of historically and culturally valuable locations should absolutely be regulated. Protocols, resources for proper care. Most 'adventurers' I know just put them in their backpack and hope they don't get hit by an ogre. Capability and competence, as always, are very different talents."
She looks at her half-full glass of some unknown alcohol, considers for a moment, and pushes it away. A goblin server takes it away. What would follow next is more awkward silence but, fortunately for everyone, Veliky leads smoothly into more personal topics.
"For all the interactions they have with relics and myths, most adventurers I've known weren't scholars. When did you become so fascinated in history?"
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Post by Tatalia on Sept 11, 2022 0:28:01 GMT -5
Tatalia felt herself experiencing the strangest sort of mental whiplash. One moment she was having her hand shaken vigorously and being struck with a huge, earnest smile that caught her entirely off guard. The very next moment, Veliky scooched her chair back, sat upright, and wore such a stony countenance that it made Tatalia feel like there were two people in the half-halfling's body.
Then everything clicked at once. That was a defense for Veliky, Tatalia realized. She kept that measured, level tone and expression the same way Cantio wore his mask, the same way Tatalia herself used swagger. That also meant that either Veliky didn't fully trust Tatalia (which was fair, of course), or that Veliky really didn't like showing any emotion. At all.
The goblin wasn't sure how to use the information. No, that wasn't right; she didn't want to use the information. That made it sound like weaponizing it or something. No, Tatalia just wasn't sure how to process that. That was the word! Process.
All those thoughts flitted through Tatalia's brain over the course of just a few seconds as she did her best to hide her surprise behind her usual veil of relaxed, almost lazy confidence. Veliky's discomfort with genuine expression wound up putting Tatalia's own wall back up, too.
The conversation grew more relaxed over time. Veliky answered a few of Tatalia's thoughts and questions, and Tatalia accepted the answers. The businesswoman's observations were keen. But then an empty pause filled the conversation, the sort that, perhaps, could make one shift uncomfortably in their seat. But then the dearth of dialogue was broken when Veliky asked a curious question.
"For all the interactions they have with relics and myths, most adventurers I've known weren't scholars. When did you become so fascinated in history?"
It was a fair question. Tatalia had been asked that before, though she was worried if she went into as much detail as she did with her fellow scholars, well... she might just bore Veliky to death. So, she tried to find a happy medium between answering the question fully and not filling the span of an hour with her pontifications.
"Our understanding of the world is built upon our understanding of history," Tatalia began, leaning forward toward the fire but keeping her eyes on Veliky. "At one point I simply adored history for what it was, but as I grew older I began to realize there are certain gaps in our understanding, filled with what is supposition at best and propaganda at worst.
"For instance," Tatalia continued, raising her hand up sharply for emphasis, "does it not seem implausible that civilization was born and flourished within only a thousand years of the world's birth? Does it not seem curious that the official history speaks at length of the creation of the elves, the dwarves, and the humans, giving them an almost divine right to rule when clearly other races such as our own were made as well? And why is it that sometimes ancient ruins and artifacts can be found whose construction doesn't match the work of the old empires in our history?
"Charon's history is fragmented," the goblin whispered, her brow furrowed deeply as she leaned toward Veliky to say those words in a firm, conspiratorial tone. "I know not whether it is mere accident or a purposeful clouding of the past by those who govern us, but massive chunks of our land's history has been forgotten or changed. That realization, that draw of mystery, and how it affects us all is why I'm so fascinated with history! I want the truth," the goblin hissed, eyes gleaming in the firelight. "And that truth won't be found scrawled prettily in tomes. It will be found buried in the wilderness, lost to us all, unless we have the will to seek it out and bring it back into the light!"
The goblin paused mid-rant. She took a deep breath, then leaned away and cleared her throat.
"I apologize," she murmured. "You did not ask me for a lecture. You asked me what made me so fascinated. I, ah... I hope the lecture has sufficiently supplied you with an answer nevertheless."
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Post by Veliky on Sept 11, 2022 14:21:03 GMT -5
It isn't a bad pitch. It starts with a well-known fact that leads into an interesting thesis, pokes holes in common beliefs and evidences its ideas with both charisma and passion. It's inspired and, therefor, inspiring. For Veliky to hear someone's earnest beliefs spoken so eloquently, it's refreshing... no, more than that, it's heartwarming. Even though she doesn't know much of what Tatalia's talking about, she wants to hear more. And then Tatalia stops, and apologizes for a lecture.
"Hm? No, keep going."
Thinking about it in perspective, it isn't too unlike what Veliky had done just before. Tatalia had dropped her guard and said too much - at least, what she perceived to be too much - and then retracted into her shell, although her shell is less frigid and more suave. The thought crosses her mind that there may be more in common between the two goblins than she'd thought, and she isn't sure whether to feel fear or... well, whatever else one would feel in such circumstances. Kinship? No, that'd just be silly.
She realizes that her words may've come across as disingenuous or sarcastic. Elaboration may be in order. Veliky stares at the table as she speaks. "Didn't read books as a child. Village didn't have them. If I'm being honest - exceptionally honest, don't tell anyone else - I can still only barely read Common. So I don't understand a lot of the historical things you mentioned. For all I know, our kind just burrowed out of the earth one day." She looks Tatalia in the eyes, then averts her gaze again. "But I don't mind listening. So please continue."
Dammit. Eye contact is supposed to be a good tactic, but trying it again now would just be awkward. She's truly making a mess of this conversation. At this point, with how strange Veliky has acted, she'd be lucky if Tatalia still wanted to work with her.
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Post by Tatalia on Sept 11, 2022 23:44:16 GMT -5
Truth be told, Tatalia hadn't expected to find much actual interest from Veliky concerning matters of history. The businesswoman was, well, a businesswoman, and she had struck Tatalia as pragmatic to a fault, more focused on results than anything else. But... the explanation about her never having really learned how to read struck a chord with Tatalia. She had only learned how to read because a couple old maids had been kind enough to teach her, and half of Gazablaak didn't know a single written word. That someone with so much raw talent and cunning as Veliky didn't know how to read struck Tatalia as... very sad, and very wrong.
The goblin raised her chin. Well, if someone wanted an education, Tatalia was glad to offer it!
"Very well! I can continue, of course!" the goblin began, enthusiasm seeping back into her voice. She leaned forward again, taking a deep breath before beginning her lecture anew.
"Historians tend to refer to the first thousand years of mortal existence as the First Years. This age immediately follows the creation of the world; which is to say that the mortal races of our world were dropped onto a completed Charon by benign creators who then abandoned them out of boredom or something. Assuming the gods are real, of course," Tatalia added with a dismissive wave, clearly not certain of that herself.
"Anyway, the crux of the matter is that we are to believe that mortals somehow developed unique cultures within nine hundred years, and that for the remaining one hundred years of the Age of Wonders, we suddenly were gifted with reading, writing, books, schools, cities, and a monarchal government headed by the ever gracious sun elves who definitely had our best interests at heart and led Charon into a golden age.
"Now, perhaps I'm just a cynic," Tatalia mused, leaning back in her seat again with a bemused smirk on her face, "but I'd be willing to call bollocks on that one. It takes well more than a hundred years to get fully-fledged cities built without having preexisting cities to lay the groundwork, which tells me that either the 'First Years' lasted quite a bit longer than a thousand years... or that Charon was settled from elsewhere. That is to say: the elves, the dwarves, and the humans may not even be native to Charon.
"It's wild supposition, I know. But as you noted yourself, not much is actually recorded in written histories about where goblins, lizardfolk, and other 'monstrous' beings actually come from!" Tatalia heaved out a sigh, folding her arms over her chest. "One can either surmise that we were included among the other mortal races created by the gods - again, assuming the gods are real - or that we aren't included in the origin stories because it's either inconvenient or because we were not born of the same source. And given the distinct lack of seafaring technologies present among goblinoid and lizardfolk cultures, I'd wager we did not arrive here from the ocean, and frankly I don't think we fell here from the sky. So, I'd wager we might well have been here before everyone else."
The goblin paused in her speech. She took a moment to sip from a cup of mostly sanitary water. It was a good moment to reorient her thoughts as well as to gauge her fellow goblinoid's reaction to her words. She was, after all, quite curious about what Veliky actually thought of the prospect. Nevertheless, a confession did have to be made.
"That last bit is pure supposition," the green scholar admitted, setting her cup on down. "It's difficult to prove anything without exploring more and discovering more, and that is why I make the efforts I do. With further expeditions, I can hopefully find out evidence that either supports or disproves my hypotheses, and with that evidence either elaborate upon my old ones or form entirely new ones.
"And, of course, I'm hoping to garner enough fame and fortune to start a few educational institutions," the goblin added off-handedly. She cracked a thin little grin at Veliky. "I do think having a school in Gazablaak would go a long way toward ensuring future generations make better names than the Safe Dry Sleep Eat Spot."
Elsewhere in the inn, Tiny Two Toes sneezed. Someone was talking crap behind his back again.
"Anyway! I could keep you here all day if you let me keep rambling," Tatalia said with a laugh, leaning on back and grinning yet again at Veliky. "Suffice it to say that if you'd like further lectures on the course of history or pertaining to the nature of the gods, I could probably drown you in words! Or, alternatively..."
Tatalia leaned forward again, this time a rather lot closer to Veliky, and whispered so only the half-goblin could hear her.
"I could provide some assistance in helping you attain mastery over the written word... should you wish to do so, of course!"
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Post by Veliky on Sept 12, 2022 10:04:35 GMT -5
Tatalia resumes her soliloquy, and that heartwarming feelings fills the air again. It is to the cynical mind as the fire is to chilled skin. Veliky still doesn't know what Tatalia's talking about, of course. Peoples settling on Charon from across the sea? Monsterfolk being the original inhabitants? She can tell that they're major revelations in some context, but it's all the same to her. That isn't important, though; for the moment, just listening is good enough. It feels nostalgic. Veliky covers her lower face with a gloved hand, as if in contemplation. But, in truth, the hand obscures the faintest of smiles.
A school though? In Gazablaak? That certainly catches Veliky off-guard. It's surprisingly ambitious, even by Veliky's standards. She's never considered the financial viability of education, but the academies that do exist must remain open somehow. Maybe she can investigate one in Sol City for reference. It could be worth investig-
That's too close. Is being that close really necessary? Veliky turns away, still covering her mouth. But, now, she doesn't obscure a smile, but a nervous twitch, even as her eyes remain cool and indifferent. Tatalia's probably just trying to be secretive, but it causes some discomfort nonetheless.
"That... sounds nice, but I don't think I'd ever have the time," she says maturely. "I need to get back to the Thunderhoof by next week, or I lose a profit. After that, I need to start making investments so I can have four figures by the start of next year. Not to mention starting a business, making more connections and... well, I've been doing the math, and it doesn't seem like I'll stop getting into trouble anytime soon."
Still not removing her hand, she signals a server and curtly orders a glass of water.
"Speaking of which, I realize that my previous refusal of your services may've seemed rude. I hope you know that's only because the matter at hand is delicate. In the future, I might contact you. There are some... odd jobs that need doing."
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Post by Tatalia on Oct 2, 2022 13:39:26 GMT -5
Truthfully, Tatalia didn't eve really notice a big shift in Veliky's mannerisms. Veliky was good at disguising her reactions, after all, and Tatalia was more focused on the content of their discussion.
"You can always find time to get a better education!" was what Tatalia said in turn. "We'll table the matter and make it a topic of future discussion. But, really, higher learning provides you with access to so many resources that could supplement your present knowledge and accelerate the growth of your business! And it's just personally enriching," the greener of the goblin-blooded women added with an idle wave of her hand.
"Still, it's a topic for another time! As for those jobs you might need someone to handle, on the other hand..." The goblin cracked a large grin, nodding eagerly. "Come to me should you need a problem dealt with! So long as it's not anything too unseemly, I'm sure we can come to a mutually beneficial arrangement!
"And don't worry about seeming rude," Tatalia added in an idle fashion, leaning back and away in her seat. She cast a rather serious look at Veliky and noted, "Honesty, however blunt it may be, is a quality I can appreciate. I know you're capable of deception - as am I! - but I prefer forthright dialogue over empty promises. Too often are pretty words used to veil ugly intent."
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