#rivervale_lodge

For Rowan, an outsider, this crowd being instantly welcome and cared for with the help of one hard working boggan lady called "Anne Marie" a knight of Liam no less and all the trolls might indicate RV really does do a lot of lifting when folks are in need. Rowan has had time to evaluate and... even when Unsseliee moods dominated for a time, there's no denying if they're facists, they're hard working ones with a care for people.

For Kerri? Well, she leaves for a bit and suddenly finds out Dagmar and Symon have sent several refugees

Well, when in Rome.... When Rowan discovers the hustle and bustle during the next day's visit to the Lodge, they abandon the day's sightseeing plans and pitch in as needed. They're not particularly adept at housekeeping stuff, but they can follow directions.

Kerri, meanwhile, has been checking in on all the arrivals, providing reassurance and getting the details of their situation.

This pitch in attitude earns respect , Gerd nods "Hope your trip to New York went well. Here, take these please and stack them over there for later laundry"

Kerri finds Pudge the boggan happy to assist with his kith's boon at full force.

"Over there? Got it." Rowan carries and stacks, and says, "Yeah, that's a whole lotta city over there. Easy to get to the big tourist stuff, but hard to get into it once you get to it. Places were jammed."

Kerri makes sure that Pudge is taken care of, too. "Here, pause a moment and have some hot cocoa. I have a few questions." She pushes the mug across the table to the boggan.

"Wayfare spoiils me" Gerd admits to her "Statue of Liberty's torch rocks though. THAT has glamour"

"You been up there?" Rowan asks.

Pudge takes the coco "Please, ask away. I can't promise I'll remember anything but I'll sure try"

Gerd smirks "Not bad for a girl originally from Looozanna huh?" Then more seriously she nods "I have. Yes there are signs. And I ignored them. I am big on following fae law. Mortal law? Not so much"

"Oh, no," Kerri says, "I wouldn't expect many of you to recall much about what happened in the Dreaming. No, I'm more interested in what you can tell me about how the others are doing? Are they all recovering well from their ordeal?"

Rowan smirks appreciatively. "Love it. Wouldn't mind getting a chance at that, if you can afford to spoil yourself with a little more flicker-flash?"

At that, Pudge looks appreciative for her care even more so "Well, Beldame has sent word that she is finding this Earth Runes to her liking, apparently it has a lot of fine sluagh woven in the stitch work. She was one who took it hard among we adults... sluagh weren't meant to be made to clean, not like that. But she's a strong willed and I trust she'll mend. But she's not here to check. Majestix, well, that Eshu may seem to be a bit less helpful than the rest of us, but don't you buy it. He's just glad to be free, and he's telling stories and charming folks as much to keep an eye on them as anything. He never fully bent like some of the rest. No, the real damage was done to Goldy. Four years gone from her parents, and she not aged a day, and she WORSHIPED our captor. I remember that much. We have to be gentle. Oh, she's powerful in some magics, and .. that horrid holy voice used her as a weapon against all the rest of her. SHe feels guilty... consantly"

"Well, maybe when all this dies down, Rowan, I might indulge you. You may not know your way around house work but you're busting your ass and it's noticed" Gerd says "Sides, IT IS cool."

"Hm. Well, I understand that EarthRunes treats the sluagh there very well, so that's a solid place for Beldame. I imagine she'll be fine, but do check in with her now and then, if you would? I'll have a chat with Majestix, check that he's not letting himself get too overprotective. As for Goldy..." a sigh "...that kind of slavery is traumatic. Poor girl."

"Hey, I'm not looking for a trophy here," Rowan says, "but thanks for saying it. What else needs doing?"

Pudge nods "Aye. She's my big worry. Our little Clurichaun on the other hand is , well, she's still a childling and will need care, but she's always been a scrapper and held on fine so it seems. She needs a break more than anything and shee's getting that. That sluagh fellow of yours, Scamper? he gave her two coins. She lost all her collection. So that helps steady her. I may seek more rare coins for her"

Scamper? Well, only one person that could be, but I'm betting he doesn't like that name. "Okay, that's good to know. There are a few flea markets that happen outside of town on the weekends, and there are often coin collectors there. Might be a good outing."

"Good, because it wouldn't be one of the big trophies" Gerd says with a smirk, "But you would get one. As for what else, well, we have plenty of cooks, so cleaning is probably the most in demands.. Options, and you pick, clean the second bathroom toilet, take out the trash from the kitchen, or feed the dogs. They're big eaters"

"Wonderful" Pudge says "I'll see what we have for moneys, bank accounts are still valid I think. Speaking of which, how can we pay you back? "

"Dogs it is," Rowan says. "Where's the food for them?" Important to get on their good side, too.

Gerd directs here where it can be found

And Rowan gets to work on prepping the dog dishes. "They well-mannered eaters, or do I have to keep 'em separated to prevent fights?"

"Oh , they're too damn big and dangerous to NOT be trained" She says "They'll wait their turns. Just pour the food and say 'go ahead' and they'll have at. They each have their bowls. Eddie has one at my home too but I've been using her to protect the kids here so..." A shrug "and Echo , well, that's Olgar's ddog. We had more, but... well, they went with the old Chief."

((Sorry, didn't see Pudge's comment.)) Kerri says, "Let's see. I suppose part of that answer depends on where you all end up. Are you planning on staying here or heading back to...where were you before?"

"Yeah, what's the real deal with that?" Rowan asks, following directions and setting down bowls. The dogs, hearing the familiar sounds, have come trotting into the kitchen and are sitting dutifully, waiting.

"I think for most of it, we're going to reclaim old lives if we can..." Pudge says , worried about Goldy recovering hers most "Majestix will travel eventually, he's bursting too. Gutter? Well, not sure about him.. he was our captor's brute might to Goldy's magic power, but feels a lot less guilt about that and more resentment. Apparently your Dirk took him aside and explained to him a ffew things... both got injured but your Dirk must be a tough fellow because Gutter seems to be respecstful. This IS a lovely area, no doubt. I can't say one of us might not settle, but we won't be hogging your resoruces to be sure. But most of us will be out of your hair soon , no troubles"

Gerd looks at Rowan "Big deal with the dogs? The dogs are great. Fae hounds, bad ass defenders. Hear things we don't, smell things we can't."

Kerri considers this, then says, "I'm going to take you up on that repayment, but likely not in the form of cash. Let me think on it a little bit. And I promise, I have no intention of burdening you with obligation. More cocoa?"

"Oh , thank you, no," The boggan says "I should go help my people. As for repayment, happy to assist. "

"Ha. No, I can see that the dogs are pretty awesome." The last dog dish is down, Rowan steps back a bit, then says, "Go ahead," to the dogs. Then they turn back to Gerd. "No, I mean about the old Chieftain. I mean, straight-up legend...then leaves? She piss somebody off?"

The dog dishes are heavy when filled, but Rowan is a troll so hardly any weight at all. Gerd handles the trash then returns to say "Chief Shacklebreaker pissed off a lot off folks in her life. It's how you know she was doing good things in this world, and likely still is. Rowan, you DO ask a lot of questions , no crime, but you don't share much about yourself. Do you have family? A motley?"

Rowan's red-lensed glasses turn Gerd's way and they smirk again. "Pretty sure most of the questions I asked until that last one were about the dogs and the chores, but okay, sure." They lean back against a counter and fold their arms. "No family that I talk to anymore, not for...I guess about eight years now? Been in a few different motleys in that time. I end up wherever fits. Try not to burn too many bridges, but y'know, shit happens."

"Mmm family had trouble accepting the real you even by mortal standards? " She says "And yes, now I'm the nosey one. As for Motleys, well, yeah, it can happen. To answer your question, and give you the boring answer? She just retired with her husband. They had dreams and followed them. No shame, the lodge was left in good hands. It took some of us off guard, but that's because you tend to think of some folks like Oak Trees. Been there forever, shaded you,, always in the background... and you sure don't expect them to just walk around one day and move to a new wood. But if you're feeling worried we'll be attacked or over run, don't worry, our new Storm is also a bad ass, our new Chief is used to running things, we're provided, and have friends. Also there is no war in ba sing se"

"Got it in one," Rowan says to Gerd's first question. "And then chrysalis made it impossible, and that's all they wrote." A chuckle at the last part, and then they shake their head. "Not worried this place can't take care of itself, muscle-wise. Diplomacy-wise might be a different matter in some cases."

"Nonsense," Gerd says "We are loved through out the land, unless you know something we don't about that?"

A shrug from Rowan. "Loved from a distance. The first up-close impressions could use a little work. Like I said at that restaurant, kinda easy to see how some people might decide to settle elsewhere."

Pudge has return to the crowd, talking toeach and asseccessing

"You caught Dagmar at a bad time, Rowan. And frankly, you don't give the best close up impression yourself," Gerd adopts a Kerri tone, the mix of understanding and boundaries there "Whether you intend it or not, you come across sometimes as snobby and putting down the place you're visiting even while among the 'quaint' natives. Even before Dagmar got riled, you did seem to have your nose up in the air a tad. Now I'm hoping we misread you, but you might want to know the reaction you got wasn't the be all end all"

A snort of amusement. "Snobby. Okay. Good to know. What else needs doing?" Apparently ready to move on from this conversation.

And Gerd notes the response "And that's part of the problem right there. It's great you're tickled pink and all, but I'm not sure you realize that was a wee bit dismissive of my own observations and concerns. Still, we move on. We have some blankets hanging on the line. Take this, and beat them good" She says handing over the blanket beating device, high tech this stick thing "Without knocking them to the ground, of course"

Rowan blinks at the stick-thing. "Just...beat them?"

"You never beat clothes on a clothes line before? Mm here, let me show you. "

"I got beat up at a laundromat once, but I don't think that counts." Rowan follows.

"Okay, there are some areas you Urbanites are missing out on. This can be theraputic" And she takes her out of the lodge to the clothes line where some material hangs. And demonstrates. The .. dust and stuff that comes off might surprise Rowan

It does. "Whoof!" they exclaim while watching the cloud rise up from the fabric. "Okay, and...just keep doing that until no more dust clouds?"

"Pretty much. See, that gunk? does not need in your washing machine, not if you want to keep it working. Think of it as rinsing the first laeyr off before you put dishes in the dishwashing machine" A beat and a smirk of her own "They have dishwashing machines in the big city right?"

"I might have heard of one or two," Rowan plays along and takes the carpet beater. "Okay...." A wind up and...wham! (Not particularly impressive, but not a weakling either.)