Tomorrow should be odder still then, being the last drive there and back for work :) But I suspect Sunday will be the strangest day for you, when you have the uncertainty of the new job looming the following morning :)
Precious things The smell of oil -- maybe oils, Fabian thought -- infiltrated his nostrils while Rystin carefully took the figurines out of their case and set them out on the counter. Fabian thought he could maybe smell linseed oil, but there was something more metallic there as well, a different oil most likely. Rystin picked up a jeweller's lupe and screwed it into his eye socket, a gesture that made Fabian wince just a little, and peered closely at the figurines. "You just walk around with these all the time?" asked Rystin. He sounded genuinely curious. "No, they sort of live in this jacket," said Fabian. "Well, they have been, I was thinking I should put them in the Museum actually, but I don't think I have anyone on staff who could appraise them." He thought about that after he'd said it; was it true? The Maestro would claim he could appraise anything, but realistically Fabian had only really seen him study artefacts that had once been parts of living creatures. Often very dangerous and now extinct creatures, but there had been those snail shells -- he realised suddenly that Rystin was talking again. "...er hiring someone who could appraise such things then?" Fabian wished he'd heard the first part of the sentence, but felt embarrassed about asking the Rust-elf to repeat himself when there were only two of them in a quiet shop. "HR handles the hiring," he said, hedging. Invoking Cass was usually a good way of getting out of things. "Though the recommendations for hiring usually come from departments heads; I only get involved really when we need to replace a department head." "Would the Museum consider hiring a Rust-elf? On a part-time basis, as I'd rather not close the shop."
Fabian's eyes widened and he hoped that Rystin wasn't looking at him. Rust-elves were definitely not on the hiring list, and though the Museum did not have a no-hire list, at least that he was aware of, if it did then Imperial Mandate would almost certain put Rust-elves on there. "I didn't think so," said Rystin. "I didn't say that," said Fabian, reflexively, and inwardly cursed himself. All he had had to do was keep silent! "I'll bring it up with HR. We hire consultants, which is what I think you're describing, based entirely on expertise so... it's possible." He had to stamp on the urge to say that they would probably have to find a way to hide that Rystin was a Rust-elf from just about everybody, and that might include Cass. "You do that," said Rystin, "though I think you'll find you should just have said no. But if I can help the Museum in some way, I'd like to." "Thank-you," said Fabian, who had no idea what else to say. "These," said Rystin, taking the jeweller's lupe out of his eye and ignoring Fabian's shudder, "are precious things. You probably should have them in the Museum, or somewhere with some security. They're old enough to be in your Museum; I'd say they're from Empress Vidicator's time. There's an enchantment on there, maybe even more than one, but you'd need someone skilled in magic to analyse them. Given the maker's marks though -- and they're worn from age, which is a sign of authenticity at least, but makes it hard to read them, these seem to have been made by Misulli." Rystin appeared to be waiting for signs of recognition from Fabian, but though Fabian racked his brains he couldn't remember anything about a Misulli. "Rust-elf craftsman," said Rystin with a sigh. "Quite an important one, worked about five hundred years ago. Fabian almost opened his mouth and only just caught himself in time. He did not think it would be a good idea to say that Rust-elves were not discussed in classes about historical craftsmen and their achievements. "You probably don't teach anything about them," said Rystin as though he could read Fabian's mind. "Which is stupid, because they did a lot of stuff and a lot of it survives to this day. Anyway, I'd hazard a guess, since this is Misulli, that the enchantments are supposed to make the figurine's move. They probably re-enact some historical event." "Oh!" said Fabian. "That's definitely something the Museum would like!" "Of course," said Rystin, with overtones of resentment. "How fortunate that you have such a Museum." "And I can get a Mage to look over the enchantments?" The look Rystin gave him was deep and profound and conveyed an intense sadness. "Not a human Mage," he said.
Greg - Sunday night was definitely an unsettled one. Was more nervous that I expected I'd be, but I suspect I hadn't realized how little I'd been thinking about the new job up to that point.
Really like Rystin, and hope that he finds his way into the museum somehow or another. Likely without Cass' full knowledge of what's going on... which only seems like a possibility, I think, because she's so focused on the Halls right now.
3 comments:
Tomorrow should be odder still then, being the last drive there and back for work :) But I suspect Sunday will be the strangest day for you, when you have the uncertainty of the new job looming the following morning :)
Precious things
The smell of oil -- maybe oils, Fabian thought -- infiltrated his nostrils while Rystin carefully took the figurines out of their case and set them out on the counter. Fabian thought he could maybe smell linseed oil, but there was something more metallic there as well, a different oil most likely. Rystin picked up a jeweller's lupe and screwed it into his eye socket, a gesture that made Fabian wince just a little, and peered closely at the figurines.
"You just walk around with these all the time?" asked Rystin. He sounded genuinely curious.
"No, they sort of live in this jacket," said Fabian. "Well, they have been, I was thinking I should put them in the Museum actually, but I don't think I have anyone on staff who could appraise them." He thought about that after he'd said it; was it true? The Maestro would claim he could appraise anything, but realistically Fabian had only really seen him study artefacts that had once been parts of living creatures. Often very dangerous and now extinct creatures, but there had been those snail shells -- he realised suddenly that Rystin was talking again.
"...er hiring someone who could appraise such things then?"
Fabian wished he'd heard the first part of the sentence, but felt embarrassed about asking the Rust-elf to repeat himself when there were only two of them in a quiet shop. "HR handles the hiring," he said, hedging. Invoking Cass was usually a good way of getting out of things. "Though the recommendations for hiring usually come from departments heads; I only get involved really when we need to replace a department head."
"Would the Museum consider hiring a Rust-elf? On a part-time basis, as I'd rather not close the shop."
Fabian's eyes widened and he hoped that Rystin wasn't looking at him. Rust-elves were definitely not on the hiring list, and though the Museum did not have a no-hire list, at least that he was aware of, if it did then Imperial Mandate would almost certain put Rust-elves on there.
"I didn't think so," said Rystin.
"I didn't say that," said Fabian, reflexively, and inwardly cursed himself. All he had had to do was keep silent! "I'll bring it up with HR. We hire consultants, which is what I think you're describing, based entirely on expertise so... it's possible." He had to stamp on the urge to say that they would probably have to find a way to hide that Rystin was a Rust-elf from just about everybody, and that might include Cass.
"You do that," said Rystin, "though I think you'll find you should just have said no. But if I can help the Museum in some way, I'd like to."
"Thank-you," said Fabian, who had no idea what else to say.
"These," said Rystin, taking the jeweller's lupe out of his eye and ignoring Fabian's shudder, "are precious things. You probably should have them in the Museum, or somewhere with some security. They're old enough to be in your Museum; I'd say they're from Empress Vidicator's time. There's an enchantment on there, maybe even more than one, but you'd need someone skilled in magic to analyse them. Given the maker's marks though -- and they're worn from age, which is a sign of authenticity at least, but makes it hard to read them, these seem to have been made by Misulli."
Rystin appeared to be waiting for signs of recognition from Fabian, but though Fabian racked his brains he couldn't remember anything about a Misulli.
"Rust-elf craftsman," said Rystin with a sigh. "Quite an important one, worked about five hundred years ago.
Fabian almost opened his mouth and only just caught himself in time. He did not think it would be a good idea to say that Rust-elves were not discussed in classes about historical craftsmen and their achievements.
"You probably don't teach anything about them," said Rystin as though he could read Fabian's mind. "Which is stupid, because they did a lot of stuff and a lot of it survives to this day. Anyway, I'd hazard a guess, since this is Misulli, that the enchantments are supposed to make the figurine's move. They probably re-enact some historical event."
"Oh!" said Fabian. "That's definitely something the Museum would like!"
"Of course," said Rystin, with overtones of resentment. "How fortunate that you have such a Museum."
"And I can get a Mage to look over the enchantments?"
The look Rystin gave him was deep and profound and conveyed an intense sadness.
"Not a human Mage," he said.
Greg - Sunday night was definitely an unsettled one. Was more nervous that I expected I'd be, but I suspect I hadn't realized how little I'd been thinking about the new job up to that point.
Really like Rystin, and hope that he finds his way into the museum somehow or another. Likely without Cass' full knowledge of what's going on... which only seems like a possibility, I think, because she's so focused on the Halls right now.
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