#rivervale_lodge

It's not too far a walk from the Novak house to a certain Lodge - it'd be faster with a bike, but their bikes, like everything else, were swept away in a few noisy and terrifying minutes. Amity could have flown - she quite likes flying! - but walking gives her the chance to jump in puddles and rattle a stick along fences. Both activities are quite satisfying.

A large dog, clearly on duty, stands up! Edwelwies is on the job!

She slows and stops, a bit far from the porch. "....hi doggy."

Edwelweis closes up, she's huge, then sniffs ,and seems to give a chuff of approval and assumes a possession by the pooka's side as if to guide her the rest of the way./

She allows herself to be herded - the dog's head is not that much lower than her own.

Edelwiess barks at the door, and a door opens and standing there is a troll , this is not surprising, for it is a lodge for trolls. This one is a graybeard but young for that seeming. He has a knight's laurels, and wears some black and purple, "Hi. I'm Vali, Mountain of the Lodge... which is kind of a like a seer or Shaman , you must be Amity Novak, I see you met Edelweiss. Come on in if you want. Can I help you?"

She looks up, and up, and up. Struck with uncertainty, she reaches to clutch at Edelweiss' fluffy coat.

"Not a molehill, for sure."

Edwelwiess gives the lightest of leans against the wilder to reassure. She is a guardian dog after all and seeks to reassure.

The troll grins wide at that, wolf fangs showing, "Love the pooka sense of humor. You want a mountain dew or something?"

She leans right back, and tries to keep hugging the dog AND peer around Vali at the same time. "Um."

He steps out of the way taking to strides back and giving her room to go in or out "Sorry, didn't mean to spook ya."

"Not spooked!" Her wings flutter. "Just. Ummmmmm."

"....I'm allowed, right?"

"Yes," He nods "This is a freehold and you have a right to safe haven. " He kens her to see if she's feeling low on glamour.

Not particularly - childlings tend to run high, with lower banality.

"Whatcha see? Like, do you have a crystal ball?"

"Actually," He ponders "I do have one, I prefer the magic 8 ball, it's got more personality. He eyes the table where Sally Mae had put out some brownies . He had been helping himself to one and some milk, "I am also of House Beumayn and visions ARE possible. I also am not half bad with some arts. Soothsay, Winter... macaroni ducks."

She tilts her head to one side and then the other, responding with a soft trill. "Ducks?"

"Are you also a big blue pooka? A blue-ka, even?"

"No, but I'm married to one, My wife Tiffany is a thane here but she's also a Springer Spaniel pooka," He takes a sip of milk and reaches for a brownie while they talk.

Quick little hands snag the closest brownie - which might have been the one Vali was reaching for, too.

"Ohhh. I've met a springer spaniel once. Bouncy."

Vali notices the brownie he was going for has vanished, but simply takes another and says "She is that. Lovely lady." Nearby she can see the balefire here , the vibe is different from the DeBuke Farm, that farm feels about grwoth and renewal, this balefire projects a sense of protection.

A shy glance over - Des Moines had a freehold, of course, but the Bale was kept in a special chamber, guarded by shining knights and thanes.

"Didja know that Tiffany's a nickname?"

"I think I'd remember if her name were Nick," he says faux somberly.

She giggles.

"Did she TELL you her name was Tiffany?"

"Actually she told me her name was Princess Banana Fanna fo fanna something, but a third party filled me in," He admits, "I was Tiffany's damsel," A fond look on his face, "I guess I still am in someways. "

"Do you have a hat?"

He gets her her own glass of milk while they talk, and pulls out some strawberry or chocolate mix for her to add in as she likes.

"I have more than one... no pretty floral bonnet though. Just a helmet, a graduation ceremony cap, and a top hat for fancy stuff, a NY Giants cap, and I used to have a trilby but it died in the line of fire." He sighs.

"Damsels need pointy hats." She steeples her hands above her head. "Preferably with a little streamer."

He ponders "I did WEAR One like that, New Years eve party. So Amity, how do you like the area so far?"

From the kitchen there is slamming sounds, causing Vali to look that way

"I like it with my feelings, I suppose." She stretches, as if craning her neck could help her hear better.

"Do you think it's chemicals? Brain chemicals? Eponine, Sarah Toning."

"I think it's childling, but I'm not sure," Vali admits.

"The Brownies are gone? NO! I worked so hard..." A lament.

"Like little phasers, shooting at your neurons. Pew pew."

The lament from the kitchen.

"Helloooooooooooooo?"

"Jack the Brownies are out here with me, come get some while I've got them," Vali clearly recognizes the voice "We have a guest."

A slightly disgruntled warble.

The Satyr boy pops out. He's younger than her but not by too much, he has dirt, like garden dirt, under his nails, and looks like he's been outside, "Oh, hey! Brownies!" He reaches towards the plate with his dirty fingernails.

"Hi! I'm Cherie!"

"Oh, Hi Cherry," The boy waves instead of grabbing a brownie "Your folks bought the new house across from Old McGillicudy right? The one with the glass panels on top now?"

"They're suncatchers!"

"We're going off the grid!"