07.13l: Upon Garden Paths

The goings on of courts
kitsunenotsume
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07.13l: Upon Garden Paths

Post by kitsunenotsume »

The rather annoying alliterative accent almost immediately evaporates as the pair departs the area of the game tables. He pauses momentarily to glance at the floating maze with a distracted thought, but shortly thereafter recovers to converse with the lemurcat.

"Lady Asai, I appreciate your willingness to give audience to my proposition. I am currently in representation of a small independent culinary operation within the trade-wards. As it stands, the. . . erm, competition is somewhat authoritarian regarding differences in operational opinion. As a result, as the de-facto public-relations associate, my options for working within the system to improve our business visibility have been somewhat limited by political and capitalistic pressures."

He pauses momentarily as they pass another group, and exchanges out a pastry or two before continuing.*
"Now, as I understand it, you are affiliated with a number of literary exchange outlets. As a purveyor of baked goods and other fine delicacies, I see that we may have an opportunity for mutual advance. It is not unusual for the consumption of confections and light beverages to be interlaced with the consumption of literary and social experience, and, with your permission, I posit such a venture to your consideration."
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*: While the masque is visible to anyone closely following his mannerisms, the man clearly inhabits each role with subtle verve and intensity when it is brought to the fore.
Veyska
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Re: 7.13l: Upon Garden Paths

Post by Veyska »

Asai will be silent for several seconds after Caelund finishes speaking, and when she finally does respond it is at first something of a non sequitur. "You remind me a bit of an odd mage I knew a few lifetimes ago back in my home shadow before Dworkin poached me from the university's staff... Had half a dozen personalities he randomly switched between, some of which had different specializations which were fundamentally incompatible and literally could not occur in the same being. Unfortunate that it meant he couldn't ever be hired as a professor like four-sixths of him had hoped - bit hard to hire someone when you literally don't know who will be showing up on any given day - but he did get free lifetime admission to the college and an honorary position in exchange for letting the staff study him." She gives her tail a sharp flick; precisely what this is indicative of is unclear nor does she explain it.

"It's been my experience that that's really more of a bookstore thing than a library, but if you're willing to help foot the costs of adding in a small dining and serving area I'd certainly be willing to give it a trial run. I'd have to give some thought as to where, as unsurprisingly not every location would be suitable. Some are almost literally holes in the wall that serve more as means of returning borrowed books and while the truly valuable books are all kept in the castle there are some locations with curated collections that are too valuable to risk anywhere near something so dangerous as a flaky pastry or spillable cups of liquid." She tilts her head, thinking for a moment. "I have a location relatively near the docks that is currently finishing renovations, it has a tiny courtyard-like area between it and the street and a tolerable view of the harbor and I hadn't yet decided precisely what sort of library it would be. I think that might be a good trial location, there'd be no need to prune any collections and relocate books and it's in a slightly more affluent section than a good deal of my other locations are."
kitsunenotsume
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Re: 7.13l: Upon Garden Paths

Post by kitsunenotsume »

"'A few lifetimes'?" The man chuckles softly, "In the words of The Bard, 'one man in his time plays many parts'. Perhaps the only difference is that some personas run in parallel, rather than in series. Perhaps for no other reason than to provide an alternate perspective."

"As a more concrete consideration, however, I'll see what we can support. We've already got an order of new chairs under construction, so perhaps a commission of some tables and a counter-top might be arranged to be delivered to the location. I'll need to consult with the management and accounts for the rest, but those should be well within my authorization to offer at this time. A location at the docks. . . aught to be rather fortunate. Presuming of course that whatever antics occurred this afternoon left it reasonably intact." The statement trails off enquiringly, but he continues shortly thereafter with further business.

"Another facet that might bear your consideration would be staffing. While we are open to most candidates, we'd prefer to avoid employees affiliated with the Guilds due to a running, ah, conflict of interests. Well, technically mostly their interest in conflict, but I'm working to develop a mutual accord*. Fortunately, the exchange this far has been rather blunt and direct, so I'm hoping for a quick resolution. Beyond that, and presumably a strong concern for the sanctity of knowledge, would you happen to have any preferences for staffing qualifications?"
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*: Context suggests that a tit-for-tat strategy is implied.
**: While it is subtle, Caelund occasionally reacts to and scrutinizes unseen phenomenon. Which, while reasonable for the sufficiently paranoid, the faint ticks are not necessarily directed any anything in particular. Asai should also be able to tell with confidence that Caelund isn't simply choosing to remain walking, but isn't actually 'within' the bounds of the flight spell.
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Joshua
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Re: 7.13l: Upon Garden Paths

Post by Joshua »

(OOC: I am guessing I'm not needed here. let me know if that's not the case.)
Veyska
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Re: 7.13l: Upon Garden Paths

Post by Veyska »

"My libraries are more than just libraries and I defend my own, so beyond any superficial damage which is irrelevant save as perhaps a token line item in the budget listing I keep mostly out of habit anyhow I expect everything will be fine. In any case, I can help with the tables and chairs well enough, I already provide some number of those for locations that have enough room for them since the most basic tier of membership doesn't include check-out permission for most books*. It would mostly be the serving/selling area that would need sorting out; I could recite dozens of cooking books from almost as many shadows at you and probably make a fair pass at implementing most of the recipes therein, but my practical knowledge of the kitchen mostly consists of how to raid pastries or scraps from roasts back in my home shadow without getting swatted by the chefs." Asai grins cheerfully at this.

"As for additional qualifications, the only other one that springs to mind immediately would be a strong preference for at least basic literacy. Extra eyes in the shop might as well be used, and occasionally extra hands if they're free. Several existing library locations offer relevant tutoring, and any potential employees would be welcome to participate in the library employee sessions I schedule at need."

(*I haven't really fleshed it out in my head, but I figure basic "Come in and read books" is open to anyone, so in effect "existing" is the sole requirement for basic membership and there probably aren't any actual membership records for that. Checking out (most) books would have at least a token vetting process, Asai's all for universal literacy but she's also for booksellers doing well in business too. Maybe a secondary tier wherein you can "rent" books cheaply and a tertiary one where you pay some fee or somesuch that'd be roughly equivalent to normal modern library memberships?)
kitsunenotsume
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Re: 7.13l: Upon Garden Paths

Post by kitsunenotsume »

After a moment's ponderance, the server nods slowly as though emerging from a brief topor. "Fair enough, I'll just arrange for just the counter-tops and display-cabinets. The staffing requirements should not be an issue - we already have similar expectations of our employees so we can probably handle that internally, though you are welcome view to the candidate dossiers if you desire."

He then smirks softly, and his overall mannerisms shift perceptibly as his attention apparently changes stations. "As for the culinary art, I suspect you are much more familiar with it than simply unsolicited requisitioning. After all, it is hardly different than any other discipline of science, reliant entirely on local variables and equations, perceptions and prejudice. One can hardly make the same snicker-doodles in a shadow where bicarbonate of soda decomposes into cesium, or fails to deteriorate at all. An understanding of the Principalia Mechanus is just as important, and arguably the same, for cooking as spellweaving and shadowcraft. To conjure the same cookie, one might simply warp the parameters of a space such that the most stable state matches that of the desired entree. One selects the outcome, and attempts to augment the local variables until said result is effected. The technique differs, but the principles and end-state are shared. It just takes a bit longer to do it within the bounds of the local system.

Quite frankly, I'm still pleasantly surprised that a decent portion of our recipes work here. Well, not the Atomic Apple-blossoms, of course, but that's due to, erm, other reasons."
Wyvern
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Re: 7.13l: Upon Garden Paths

Post by Wyvern »

Alys approaches, looking slightly amused. She nods first to Asai, "I hope I am not disrupting anything?"

Assuming an affirmative answer, she turns to Caelund - and reveals, palmed in one hand, a copy of his trump card*. "Caelund. We need to talk."

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* This has been edited in to Caelund's character page. Also, Asai can easily see what Alys is holding, but she's being careful not to show it to anyone beyond that.
kitsunenotsume
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Re: 7.13l: Upon Garden Paths

Post by kitsunenotsume »

The cheerful and distracted demeanor of the server frosts slightly as Alys approaches, before freezing solid and falling to the grass with a metaphorical thump when the card is revealed. In its place is a visage of strict professional business as his right hand moves down to the card-case at his belt, a thumb riffling through the exposed corners of the stack before stopping abruptly.

"Ah," comes the terse and icy reply. "Yes, we do."

He glances about discretely, before directing their movement towards the nearest "hard to subtly eavesdrop" area, so probably either rather centrally in a garden somewhere or the more classical garden or wall nook.

Once situated, Caelund looks to Alys. "Might one presume that recent evidence has suggested an alternate interpretation to our earlier discourse?"
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*: While the transitions are well played, mid-ranked psyche would discern that each personality and shift is calculated and dramatized. However, the professional visage is the closest to an authentic response that the man has demonstrated tonight.
Wyvern
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Re: 7.13l: Upon Garden Paths

Post by Wyvern »

The card gets tucked away again as the group* moves.

Alys nods to Caelund's question, "My current interpretation is that Dworkin has offered you no more context than he has given to anyone else. Which, given the arrival of a certain diplomat and presumed entourage**, could prove to be problematic."

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* Assuming Asai is following along?
** It's probably safe to assume she means Odin... and, oddly, not Krajk.
kitsunenotsume
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Re: 7.13l: Upon Garden Paths

Post by kitsunenotsume »

"Context would suggest that there is more to the situation than one can focus on at once. It remains to be seen if the old boggart* will admit to appreciating the concept." Caelund temporarily waxes philosophical, as much a confirmation to Alys as an insightful gripe.

"Though I can certainly agree; any agent among us** capable of compelled conversion is concern enough. One might surmise that you refer to a threat less visible, and from the expediency of dispatch a magnitude more pertinent." An almost imperceptible inclination of his head serves as an indication of attention to whatever else Alys chooses to elaborate on.
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*: a mischievous and sometimes malicious anima locus; clearly an inapplicable nomenclature, right?
**: seems to refer more to Amber as a whole than 'Amberites' or 'people at this party'
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