(For Esquie and Verso)

[lost_and_foundry]

Barcus Wroot is not lonely. That would be absurd. If anything, he's surrounded by too many people, mostly gnomes, mostly deep gnomes, all of them clamoring for his attention and guidance and advice. He is the leader of a powerful laborer's guild, which is firmly in alliance with an equally powerful church, and he has the ear of Ravengard and all the other gentry. Not to mention their coin, any time he wants to undertake a project for them. Never in his life has demand for his attention been so high.

It feels so empty.

But maybe he's just tired. Burnout happens. He absolutely does not miss Wulbren. Good riddance.

Getting drunk, or even tipsy, is not his style, but he's skirting the line tonight, having had enough whiskey that his ears are ringing slightly. He's not so dazed he doesn't notice the strangeness of the two...men? Talking to the tavernkeeper. One is clearly human, but the other is bigger than an Orthon and the gnome gets distracted wondering how on earth they made it through the doors...

Comments

[amourpeint]

Verso can't help but snort out a short laugh. "Mine. I think it'd be a bit harder for him to keep misplacing them if they were bigger, but what can you do?"

"They are my friends!" Esquie chimed in, with a little bobble of his head. "But also magic. They're on an adventure!"

At that? Verso couldn't help but shake his head, looking and sounding a bit exasperated. "We were already on an adventure-" Cut off as a large hand just plumps down on his head, earning a low huff from the man though he doesn't protest the gesture.

"It is a new adventure!"

[lost_and_foundry]

Esquie's childlike demeanor makes something in the gnome's expression soften. "Well, that's good. Rocks in general need more friends, I think. Maybe not so much the adventures, but I'm biased."

He reaches into a pocket and digs out a few coins, which he slides across to the bartender. "I think I was done drinking anyway. Where did you see them last? In the city?"

He doubts this is going to be a particularly strenuous hunt. It sounds a bit like a child that's lost his favorite toys, except the toys may also be magical.

[amourpeint]

"What can I say? He and his rocks like their adventures," Verso replied with a fond smile as Esquie waved cheerily to the bartender before turning to start a slow meander towards the door. "He announced their loss a couple blocks back, but unfortunately that doesn't mean much. You could see him lose them one place only for them to show up in a place he'd never been before later."

...How did Esquie get through the door that he was peering back through now? From the startled expressions of a few passerby's just visible, it's likely they didn't see how the feat was done either.

"Allez mes amis!" Called in a cheery, sing-song that earned a reassuring wave of a hand in return from Verso.

"Honestly, even if we can rule out any being in the city that'd be a help," He got the sense this one wasn't much for adventures, offering a hand regardless. "I'm Verso, and my companion is Esquie."

[lost_and_foundry]

"Mm, well, the last one I went on wasn't all that much fun," Barcus says ruefully, but hops off the stool gamely enough, stretching. "But as long as you don't expect me to go down into the sewers, I can at least get you started looking."

He gets distracted by Esquie, staring again as if to try to determine how he got outside, but then he shakes himself a little and looks up at Verso. "Ah. Barcus. Barcus Wroot. Well met, Verso. And...Esquie?"

He's still not sure what sort of being Esquie even is, but there's no polite way to ask that. He'll just wait until someone rude asks and listen in to the answer.

Heading to the door, he finds it quite easy to get through, himself, but on the other side he looks up at Esquie again, bemused. "You lost all four at once? What sort of rocks are they, aside from being magical?"

[amourpeint]

"Trust me when I say I'm with you on avoiding the sewers." Oh good, Barcus wasn't trying too hard to unravel Esquie's whole... Esquie-ness. Verso was glad to see it, the whole interaction would go a lot easier for everyone that way.

"They all sneak away when I am not looking!" Esquie confirmed, perking up at the question about his rocks. "They are. The best rocks! They are all grey on the outside like fluffy storm clouds, but inside they are colorful! Florrie and Urrie sparkle, but Soarrie and Dorrie don't. But they shine in their own way too!"

[lost_and_foundry]

After traveling in close proximity to a group of tadpole-infected weirdos, Barcus has developed a high comfort level with things he can't explain. Besides, there's something about Esquie that feels weirdly wholesome.

"Well, I've never known a rock to sneak away, but I'll take your word for it." The physical description of the rocks catches at his attention, though, and because he's Barcus, he can't help but analyze them. "Hmm. Well, if they're geodes, they're obviously volcanic rocks. What color are the sparkles? I used to have a citrine geode when I was little, but I gave it to my sister before I left home. She always said she thought the sun would be the same orange color, and I told her since I was going to the surface I'd get to see it for myself, so I..."

He trails off, looking apologetic. "I'm rambling. Sorry, I might be a bit tipsier than I thought."

[amourpeint]

"Be sure to check your pockets on occasion, just in case." Verso advised, as he... actually looked to be doing just that himself, hands going through a variety of pockets, visible and non, on his person.

"I think the sun looks like a lemon." Esquie muses, considering the idea.

"Not an apple, like the other stars?" Verso couldn't help but tease, which just had the large figure tilting his head with a soft thoughtful hum.

"Maybe! A yellow one," But Esquie was more than happy to turn his attention to Barcus' question about his stones, perking visibly. "But my stones are all different inside! Florrie sparkles like the ocean. Pretty blue! Urrie's darker, with more green. Dorrie looks grey inside, until they get wet and then you can see all the shiny pinks and oranges, and Soarrie's insides are shiny like fluffy white clouds!"

[lost_and_foundry]

"Check...my pockets?" That's a weird suggestion, and slightly suspicious, but Barcus pats his waistcoat gamely, finding nothing unexpected. "Well, I have a coal sample but I don't think that's what you're looking for. It's good anthracite, though. Actually, here, it's not a nice magic rock but you can hold onto it until we find yours, if you like."

The coal sample is, in fact, very tiny. About the size of a thimble. But it doesn't matter that much if it gets lost, and it's in a little broadcloth bag. Barcus offers it up.

"It sounds like Soarrie might be mostly calcite," he goes on, starting to lead the way down the street without explaining where he's going first. "I wonder if Dorrie might be an agate of some sort--"

And he's off, launching into chatter about the types of minerals that can be found in various types of stone.

[amourpeint]

"His rocks sometimes ...show up in pockets with no rhyme or reason." None that Verso had discovered so far, anyways. And he's not especially watching Barcus' own hunt, so that might make it a bit less suspicious a thing.

"Oh!" Esquie however was delighted as he gently took the little bag between two fingers, bobbling one way then the next in excitement as he peered into it. "Hello, new little friend!"

And if Barcus wanted someone to hang raptly on every word he was saying? He was getting that from Esquie, who held the bag with the coal in it carefully as he nodded happily in response to the gnome.

"You know so much about rocks! You must be their very best friend!" He enthused, even as Verso, with a wry smile, was urging their little band into movement.

[lost_and_foundry]

"How odd. I suppose that's magic, for you. I wish I had some knack with it, myself. I've studied the theory, mind you, but the best I can do is a weak cantrip here and there."

He smiles warmly at Esquie's acceptance of the coal sample, and chooses not to mention it was given to him by a vendor who's hoping to sell the Ironhands several tons of the stuff for their furnaces. At least this piece has a non-flammable home now?

"I'm not sure I ever thought of it quite that way," he says. "As their friend. Earth and stone and gems fascinate me. Always have. My first job was as a breaker boy in the mines in the Underdark. Of course, these days I work more with metal and alchemy."

"...how did you two start traveling together, anyway? You seem close, but you're, ah, different-looking?"

[amourpeint]

"Hm. You might be able to work with Pictos, if you can at least manage a cantrip..." Verso mused thoughtfully, head tilting slightly though he kept his attention mainly on the walk. "We can give that a try if you'd like, as a thanks for the assistance."

He had gold now to offer payment proper, but if Barcus was amenable to a trade, even better. And it wasn't anything too difficult or dangerous if they inscribed it on a glove or a bangle or something.

"Oh! I've heard of the Underdark. It sounded like a hard place to live," Esquie hummed, masked face turning to regard Barcus briefly. "But that's how you get a diamond."

"Oh, I met Esquie when I left my home city. Not right away mind, but I got separated from the others and managed to stumble across his nest by accident," Verso sees you Esquie, don't spook off their help! "Luckily for me, he was more interested in friendship than violence."

That just gets a soft hoot of laughter from Esquie as he bobs his head in agreement. "Oh yes! I would much rather make friends! We've known each other for years now! So many adventures!"

[lost_and_foundry]

"Pictos? I'm not familiar." He looks over at Verso, visibly interested. For a couple of odd-looking drifters, these two have already proven themselves enjoyable company. "I'd be very interested, indeed. Mm--are you new to town? If you need a place to stay, I can recommend a better boarding-house than the inns in the Lower City. You'll want a place with larger rooms, I imagine."

He nods in agreement with Esquie's assessment about the Underdark, then pauses slightly at a diamond, which is a subtle compliment, but one that feels very deliberate. He gives a sheepish smile and a shrug. "Pressure makes us more ourselves, perhaps."

"That's funny. I have a friend or two I met on the road, as well, only none of them stayed once the adventure ended." This is said completely without bitterness. He never expected Tav to stay, let alone any of the others. Besides, he has work to do. Still, it could have been nice to have such a strong connection to someone.

[amourpeint]

"They're like... oh, runes, or glyphs. You don't need a lot of magic to make the smaller ones work," Verso didn't mind sharing the information. It was hardly a thing he was keeping secret, and getting to know a local who they could get information about their new home from? Invaluable. And aside from that, Esquie was an excellent judge of character. "We've only been here about... oh a week now? But wouldn't say no to a recommendation."

"Ourselves is the most important thing we can be. There is only one of you, and one of me, and one of Verso," Esquie replied, with a tone that suggested if he had the face for it, he'd be wearing a bright smile. "And your friends did stay with you. They're right here!"

A tap to his own chest, over where a heart would be.

"Esquie, mon ami, are you getting any sense of your rocks? I'm sure Barcus would rather not be out the whole night." Verso prompted gently, knowing that otherwise his rotund friend would get absolutely sidetracked.

[lost_and_foundry]

"Oh? Well, now you're speaking my language. I'm a master alchemist. The symbols must be different, but I imagine we could enjoy ourselves comparing notes. Mind you, my interest in alchemy is more the production of explosives, potions, and other useful odds and ends than the spiritual journey, but I have completed several stages of that as well..."

Careful, Verso, he doesn't just wax rhapsodic about rocks.

"Ah, but perhaps now isn't the time to go into that. I'll put in a word for you at Ansur's Reach, but you have to promise to be kind to their furniture." He can take the chance of them skipping out without paying--he has plenty of money--but he'd rather not take the hit to his reputation that would occur if they wrecked the place.

Esquie, meanwhile, continues to leave him pleasantly flustered, but the comment about his friends makes him look, for just a second, extremely sad. He hesitates, putting a hand on his own chest, then chuckles weakly and smiles. "Well, that would explain the indigestion, I suppose."

[amourpeint]

"Well now, sounds like you're the man to know around here then. Pictos are incredibly useful in that sort of endeavor." Verso replied with a smile. And while part of it was the typical tactic of being charming in general to get on people's good side, there was something genuinely pleasing about the idea of taking some time to put their heads together and see what came of it. "Once we've made some headway on this rock hunt, that'd make some nice downtime I think. And luckily, we're not the vandalism sort so I can promise that easily."

"Oh no," Esquie hummed, tilting his head. "That would be the wine."

Pay no attention to Verso elbowing his friend in the side with a soft grumble under his breath in French. Goddamnit Esquie, you are horrible at secrets!

[lost_and_foundry]

"I have of late become rather better-connected than I ever expected to be," he admits. "You're fortunate you missed the crisis last year, with the cults and the Netherbrain."

"...did I ever say where I was leading you? Sorry, the Ironhands have a stone yard near the docks here, and I thought it might be a good place to start looking. If not, at least you get a look at the Chionthar under the moon."

[amourpeint]

"Doesn't that always seem to be the way of it?" Verso replied, with a sympathetic smile. "I can't say I'm sorry we missed that though. I've heard tell of it and even that was quite enough for me."

"You think they might be making new friends?" Esquie mused, before nodding happily, which had his banner swaying lightly. "Yes, that sounds like something they'd do. More friends is always nice! And we can see the river while it is all sparkly!"

[lost_and_foundry]

"New friends, maybe." Barcus smiles a little again. "Or if someone picked them up by accident, that would be the place they'd end up. This is ridiculous, but you really remind me of my littlest brother, Esquie. He was always looking for friends, and beauty, even in the Underdark."

"Where are you from, if you don't mind my asking?" This is addressed slightly more to Verso than Esquie, since he seems to be the one most suited to mundane conversation.

[amourpeint]

"What he is looking for is also looking for him." Esquie replied, peering up at the sky as they walked, somehow managing still not to step on anyone or anything or trip. For such an oddly-shaped fellow, he seemed remarkably steady on those... feet?

"Lumiere. It's... across the sea a ways." It wasn't entirely a lie- no matter the sea wasn't entirely in this realm, there was one between him and home. And he'd noticed that if you could put it on another continent somewhere it was less likely to find anyone that knew enough to argue it. "Quite the city. Can't beat the bakeries, or the wineries."

[lost_and_foundry]

Case in point, Esquie. Barcus blinks up at him, gaze going thoughtful. "That's true of a lot of us, I think. For better or worse. But it's been years since I saw him. I hope he's still sculpting."

Turning back to Verso, he nods he s acceptance, assuming he means somewhere around the Moonshae Isles. "Further than I've ever been, then. Are you adventurers, then?"

[amourpeint]

"I bet he has gotten so good at it! Lots of time to practice!" Esquie hummed, ranging slightly ahead, not out of any impatience, and not overly far, but just like a child whose attention was caught by an interesting sight. Verso didn't seem worried about it- they were on a straight shot of a street at the moment, and even if they did somehow get separated? Esquie would find them easily.

"Aye, I suppose we are," Verso considered this, before huffing a soft laugh with a nod. "Not what I left home to do really, but Esquie is so excited for adventures how could I say no?"

[lost_and_foundry]

Some sort of spirit, Barcus decides, watching Esquie move weightlessly down the street. Not giantkin, that's for sure. Some sort of benevolent spirit entity inhabiting a form like a giant doll, for reasons of its own. He seems kindly, and it's never a good idea to call a magical being out on that sort of thing.

"How odd," he muses aloud. "For me to feel so comfortable around someone so unusual."

Verso is comprehensible, at least, and he turns attention to him willingly now, trying to picture what it might have looked like for him to fall into Esquie's nest. Clearly he's been adopted since.

"Well, be a little careful who you take work from," he advises. "The Flaming Fist will hire you to do the work they don't want to do any day, but half of them are mercenaries to begin with, so what they don't want to do is not going to be pleasant work. And the patriars in the Upper City are mostly jackasses, although they'll pay well enough for whatever damn fool thing they ask of you."

He speaks from experience, there, although he hasn't done adventuring for them. Just commission work in gems and metal.

[amourpeint]

"It's hard to stay wary of him really, giant marshmallow that he is," Verso offered. "Especially since you're his buddy now that you've helped him with a rock hunt."

That's just how it works, the fond tone seems to say. He does get a bit more serious at the suggestion Barcus gives, arms crossing as he nods his understanding.

"Honestly, does a city even have nobles if at least some of them aren't utter ducons? The thing about the Fists though, explains why Esquie was so uninterested in their jobs. One tried to talk to him and he just gave them a flower, a weird little metaphor, something about water and dams, and wandered off after giving them a pat on the head." Verso couldn't help but chuckle at the memory. "He's an excellent judge of character."

[lost_and_foundry]

"Is that all it takes? I need more friends like that," he says with a soft chuckle.

"If the Ironhands need anything, I'll keep you in mind, if you like. Every now and again one of our vendors asks for a guard to and from the City. Or one of the tieflings, perhaps. Rolan must have needs for potion ingredients at times. And you can trust him not to send you into anything too horrible. He's a bit, mm...pompous, but a good man nonetheless."

Up ahead, there's a yard surrounded by a wrought iron fence. Within are large blocks of granite, stacks of smaller stones for building, and a few odds and ends, including bits of carvings. There are two dogs roaming the fence line, but for as big and heavily built as they look, they don't seem particularly aggressive, and they're sleek and well-kept. Barcus whistles to get their attention, and they run to the gate, tails wagging. He reaches through to let them sniff him. "Yes, yes, I know, I smell like cats. Back up so I can let us in."

"The black and tan one is called Nails, and the grey one is Hatchet. Brounce named them, said they needed to sound tough."

[amourpeint]

"I think most people would benefit from a friend like Esquie." Aside from a very few select examples of Beyond Help sorts but they're not talking about that right now.

"I wouldn't say no to the recommendation. Done escort work and gathering before, good way to keep busy," For all Verso might look somewhat intimidating on his own with all the scars and the almost prowling sort of pave, most of the jobs he does take for the sake of getting paid tend to be lighter fare. Chasing bandits off towns, escorting traders, running errands. A softer touch than his look would suggest, but given his companion it's hardly surprising. And he can't help but give a small grin at the sight of the dogs waiting at the gate. "I mean, for a guard dog, not a bad play. Good dogs though, you can tell."

Esquie had, as was only proper, stopped by the gate and was happily watching the dogs with a happy little hum when Barcus was greeting them. "Very good dogs!"