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 Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2009 8:34 pm
Tam shrugs. "Women are capricious... I've never quite understood the things they do. I suspect she was testing ye... and I pray ye passed, dulcha... I pray ye passed." He gives him another hug and urges him to go back inside. "They will be giving out the prizes soon... for the best costume and all. As for myself... I think I'm going to stay out here and get some fresh air.That cider has completely gone to my head. Besides everyone guessed me anyways.... so I'm not winning anything.... and I flubbed a few guesses... including... would ye believe it... the mayor... talk about feeling stupid."
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Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2009 8:35 pm
*Kero chuckles*
Okay...I'll come and see you afterwards...
*Goes inside, sitting at his table and seeing who won what*
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Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2009 8:45 pm
Oddly enough, the winner of the night, the one no one could identify, was Andra... the other giant. He comes forth and accepts the cup with eyes so wide, everyone laughs.
"Just don't let it go to your head, apprentice..." laughs Shar as she pats him on the back, staggering him a bit.
Salunia win a price for being the cutest costume there, and the prize for the most unique costume went to the siamese twins, who were to everyone's surprise, Brother Grayson and Mica.
Even so, by the time the evening is over and all the prizes have been distributed, it appears that almost everyone is going home with some sort of an award or another.
"Back to the salt mines..." grumbles Hopian, slipping an arm around Fortuny who leans against his side.
"Salt?" echoes Lyssan in confusion.
"It's how we pay for our expenses, Ma." says Tam walking up to the table.
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Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2009 8:54 pm
*Kero nods*
Yep...I dug a salt mine years ago, to cure some venison...now it's a major form of our income...I mine the salt, and Sira cures it...then we give it to the people in exchange for what we want or need...and sell what we don't give away to travelers...at a good rate, mind you.
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Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2009 9:00 pm
"I see... and what happens when you two leave... is the village economy going to fall flat on it's face?" asks Lyssan with a stern look at Tam.
Tam shakes his head. "Actually, I don't think so. We've been rationing it out fairly carefully. So it is no different than a wise trader who has a fairly solid source. If the trader dies... then the village would need to look for a new source for it's salt... just as it always has had to do. That's kind of why we chose salt in the first place. Gems and precious metals would have made the town truly dependent."
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Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2009 9:03 pm
*Kero nods*
I was originally going to mine copper...the crown can't really tax me, after all...according to them and their priests, I am nothing but a mindless beast...incapable of rational thought or of having morals...never mind that I'm top of my class at the temple...I don't walk on two legs and I have fur, so I must not have a brain...
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Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2009 9:08 pm
Tam sighs. "I know... listen, if it's any consolation, kiddo... it's only recently... in the past 100 years or so... recognized those of us who walk on two legs... or I would not have been allowed to buy our house... and poor Corby would never have been allowed to join the temple... though in truth... how a person looks has never stopped a temple, a good one anyway, from accepting whoever or whatever they want into their numbers."
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Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2009 9:13 pm
*Kero shrugs*
Hey...they hurt themselves....if I were recognized, I could have told them the location of any and all of their precious metals...and educated them in ways to get it that don't hurt anybody...but they're biased, and so they lose...because if I want the metal, I can just go dig it up...
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Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 4:14 am
"True and if someone was watching you and then followed you finding to where you got it from... they could lay a claim to the mine legally and you'd have no recourse.... technically, of course. Most of the judges are fair minded enough to back you... just not all. All an enterprising thief would have to do is go to the right judge... there are pluses and minuses to this form of government. That, Taro, is a definite minus..."
Tam yawns and winks at Salunia who is leaning up against her mother, half asleep, bored by the recent turn in conversation. "A bit too deep for you, princess?" he asks handing over a small pouch of coins to Mica and another to the innkeeper.
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Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 6:59 am
*Kero smiles...then stiffens, his nose in the air...he waves Tam back when he starts*
Sira...I smell silver...true silver...sterling grade...what am I smelling...do you smell it, Hope?
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Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 7:02 am
Hopian gives a tentative sniff and shrugs. "I smell it, but I'm afraid my nose is still recovering from all that darn smoke. Sorry, Kero... not sure of the grade. Could ye be smelling the inn's good silver?" he asks with a laugh.
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Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 7:08 am
**Ummm...the bracelets...jewelry, and stuff**
*Kero shakes his head*
I..I don't think so...it....it's too pure to be the inn's good silver...*Looks at the innkeeper*...no offense meant, sir...but pure silver does not a good dining implement make...too soft...
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Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 7:11 am
Tam shakes his head. "Why would you smell it now and not while we were living here, dulcha?" he asks in confusion. "Could it be someone has stashed a bit in their gear, to take to an assayers? This is an inn and all kinds of people make their way through it."
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Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 8:54 am
*Kero shrugs*
I don't know...but I smell it....and that's the long and short of it...it's not underground, though, so you're probably right...
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Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 11:49 am
Tam shrugs and smiles at the innkeeper. "His nose has never been wrong before. So ye might want to double yer guard tonight, just in case. If someone is hauling some of that through, ye don't want them losing it here... bad fer the reputation."
The innkeeper nods and agrees. "We do alright, to be sure.... but a bad word in the wrong ear could ruin us as good as any fire or disaster... could actually hurt us worse when it comes down to it. Damage from a fire can be repaired... one reputation can sometimes never bounce back fully. Thankie, Master Cat. I'll keep an eye and and ear out."
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