#rivervale_lodge

Squire Valter is often overlooked. To his mind, that makes him a good thane and squire. He patrols like clockwork, and does his tasks dutifully.

Lut and Tig? They've been thanes of Rivervale period since before many knew of the place. Of course, Lut fell in love with a daughter of eve/teacher, and Tig also acts now as a kind of guide to new comers to the barony. While distanced, their tie remains strong.

Tiffany is the only Pooka thane. Very much in her husband's shadow to most eyes, Vali would fully admit she's the real hero. As a fire fighter she's found a niche for her that's allowed her to help a lot of people. Bomb disposal and firefighting is a dangerous job and sometimes she worries about laving her family too soon. Who will take care of Vali and the kids if she's gone? Yet she shows up and hangs with the giants when a mission is underway

Sir Carowyn is an odd duck. A liam knight whose rank is of little import to the workings of the lodge he visits. Sally Mae's scandal, the sidhe takes on the duties of a thane though some are unsure if it IS one. Apparently the other thanes think he is.

Thanes are protectors of a hold, but they also gather extra glamour in addition to the balefire now and then, and even Rivervale, which is quite sizable, is no exception.

Lut takes charge, "Okay, time for a gleaning. You know the drill, check on the dreamers, make sure they're doing okay. Tig's proposed we treat it as kind of a wellness check, for mental health as well as physical. Tig, how's Mr. Kalwaski?"

"I'm going to check on him again, I've been kind of worried, poor guy has empty nest syndrome since his daughter has gotten to college and seems to have forgotten he existed. It's really hurting his leather work hobby," Tig admits, "I'm going to see if I can coax him to get me a belt. And get a feel from there." Tig answers "Or maybe a gift for a lady friend."

Lut nods "Carowyn, you're still working the second Kings Convenience, anything to report? Dross or Dreamer wise?"

Carowyn answers "Actually, I think I've got a dreamer in the making. Young kid, dirt poor but with artistic talent. He was grafitying some but he doesn't have the best paints for it. I'm going to leave some paint materials near the back wall and let him go at . I talked to Jaymes, he's good with it but if it ends up profanity laden I have to white wash it."

Tig chuckles "Jaymes can be a priss about somethings"

"Be nice, he's offering his wall," Lut assures, "Good idea, Carowyn. Tiffany, well, damn, you're musing half the station so ... glamour gathering you're already ahead of some of us. Sniff out any dross?"

"Nose knows," She admits , rightly proud of finding a source of dreamers among Bergen County's bravest, "NOW, obviously surviving items for a fire must be paid for as homage to the fire fighter gods, but, for some reason I keep returning the stuff that means a lot to folks if I can. That said," The pooka pulls out a pack of baseball cards "A lunch box protected these with its LIFE. I think the grandfather's ghost would approve of us using them to help the area."

The dross flickers, a low whistle comes from some of them.

"The Bronx Zoo era, 1977 yankees team collection?" Lut, who does not know that there are Mets fans that would boo hiss him, openly admires "Slightly singed but wow, the memories. Great find. We haven't even started this week's search and you come in ahead. You know the drill then, half to the Mountain's keeping half to ..."

Tiffany shakes her head, "If I hand it over to my damsel someonee's gonna think it's just because I use him for sex. If We hand it to him, it's all above the table"

Tig winces "She's got me thinking about Vali and sex in the same moment, Lut. Make her stop."

Tiffany grins wickedly "What? My Beaumayn Boo? 'CLIMB ME, FRENCH ALP' I yell, as his throbbing veiny..."

"THANK YOU, Tiffany" Lut says interjecting fast before THIS can continue, and takes the cards "I think you're cheating your due but fine, I'll hand them over as a group find."

Valter hurmphs with grumpish disapproval

Tig smirks "What about you, Squire?"

"Well, at my old job I'd sometimes hunt for chimera, but that's discouraged here," Squire Valter does not bitch about it, nor does he pay attention that Tig enjoys calling him a squire in a 'aren't you a bit old for that title' kind of way "And I'm fine with that. I thought though I'd check around the autumn leaning folks in the area, make sure they hadn't gotten WORSE."

At that, the other thanes grow somber, even Tiffany. It's a dangerous job, and Valter is wiling to face it.

Lut nods "You know that means early check in protocols are required right?" A failsafe, one to keep someone from accidentally facing a true autumn person alone without any back up nearby.

"I do," Valter nods "And of course I'll also look for dross or threats as usual. I thought I'd try the tenements."

The tenements aren't full squalid slums like one sees in Urban hell movies, but they're the closest thing to an area of poverty and despair the county has. It can get dangerous but he is a warrior and a troll. So no one seems shaken by it.

"All right, Dirk often works that area or did before Serenity. Now he's cut down on that so not to endanger her. "

"She does tag along," Carowyn observes

"That's her damsel, course she does," Tiffany chuckles "Oh dear, princess and the bad one. Course, if anyone else calls Dirk a princess, Serenity will kill em"

Tig can't help it, THAT he grins at.

Which for a troll is as good as a guffaw

"I noticed, I thought I might take up the slack there so to speak," Valter says.

"Good thinking, Valter," Lut nods. He doesn't beat himself up for not thinking about that. He's just glad Valter has become a team player.

Lut then says "Okay. I think we're all pretty much set." He holds out a blue hand "Thanes on three!"

The others insert their hands, and for the most part shout "THANES!" In Unison, though Valter does so quieter and with more dignity and Tiffany adds "Ask me again and I'll tell you the same"

And they part, each with their patrol, each with their mission!

In the Lodge's glamour gathering system, the people are powered by two separate yet equally important sources: the Balefire, which fuels the hold and those in its warmth; and the Thanes, who process the Dreamers and Dross. These are their stories.

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