Blossom Valley - Days 1 to 3

A series played using Iron Valley and incorporating the calendar from Wanderhome.  This post is published under the CC-BY-SA-4.0 licence.

The New Arrival

Name: Buttercup

Ancestry: Halfling

Pronouns: It / Its

Gender presenation: Masculine

Profession: Witch

Hobby: Coin-collecting

Favourite things: Fish, Jewellery

Birthday: 

• Edge: 1
• Heart: 2
• Iron: 1
• Shadow: 2
• Wits: 3

Skills

• Science: +1
• First-aid: +1
• Cooking: +1

1st Tillsoil, Year of Migration (Morning)

I read the letter again on the boat to Little Plains. I'd read it many times already but today it felt so much more real. The letter was from Mayor Gravel, welcoming me to the wider Blossom Valley area and letting me know that I'd been assigned a residence in Little Plains. Little Plains is a smaller, satellite community outside of Blossom Valley proper and the Mayor felt that it would be a better introduction to the community. I've been assigned to Dream House, so I guess from now on I'm Buttercup Dream. That will take so getting used to, but I'm eager to get to know my housemates and the wider village. I heard that their Halls of Knowledge are bigger than back home, so I'm sure it will be more than sufficient to support my studies. I'm particularly interested in meeting as many magic-users as I can find, learning about magic from perspectives will be invaluable.

As I write this we're drifting slowly along the Emerald Run and have just passed the docks of Blossom Valley. It looks big, at least a few times bigger than Grassdale. As much as I'm eager to visit, I'm also glad to be starting somewhere closer to home in terms of size. The captain says they'll be stopping there to pick up supplies once they've dropped me at Little Plains. The cargo hold is empty except for my suitcase and holdall. I prefer to travel light, just my science wand, my coin collection, and my fishing rod. Oh and a few changes of robes, black is wonderful at hiding stains but they'll need washing eventually. I wonder what sort of fashions the people in Little Plains follow. I hope I won't stand out as being too weird just because of what I like to wear.

Promises

• Help housemates with doing chores (simple, laid back - 1 box)
• Take a tour of Little Plains with a neighbour (simple, laid back - 1 box)
• Get a part-time job (complicated, laid back - 2 boxes)

1st Tillsoil, Year of Migration (Evening)

Trying it's best to help bake bread, using it's cooking knowledge (wits): 3 + 2 + 1 = 6 vs. 1 & 7. Weak hit. Time passes = 1.

Trying it's best to help bake bread, using it's charms to help Ace (heart): 2 + 1 = 3 vs. 4 & 9. Fail. Time passes = 3.

Trying it's best to help bake bread, using it's cooking knowledge (wits): 2 + 2 + 1 = 5 vs. 3 & 8. Weak hit. Time passes = 4.

The day ends with the bread made, but no time for a tour or getting a job.

Well, today was busy! I arrived at the banks of the Jade Waters and disembarked the ship with my luggage. I noticed a pale figure further along the bank, also dressed in black and sheltering under an umbrella. They were standing on a short jetty with a small boat tied off beside it, I wonder if they ferry people across the lake, to save them walking around the edge. Anyway, as I walked beside the farmlands to Dream House, I smelt the amazing smells of bread being baked and immediately was reminded of home. I was glad that one constant would be the tradition of baking bread at the start of the week. I was a little disappointed that when I reached my new home, I couldn't smell anything wafting out from the windows. I soon discovered that this is because my housemates are all elementals and elementkin, so don't really need to eat. I was greeted by a Ace, a very neatly dressed cosmic elemental, and Bismuth, a wind elemental who was full of energy and barely stood still. They welcomed me in and even humoured me when I suggested we bake some bread!

Luckily, despite not eating, my housemates had thought to stock up on basic supplies, so I did my best to remember the Marshmeadow family recipe and we got to work. Baking bread is slow process anyway, but things took a little longer as Bismuth kept getting distracted by all the ingredients and utensils in the kitchen. Eventually he decided to go and tend to the garden outside, which I think (kindly, I hope) was for the best. Ace is incredibly organised, maybe a little moreso than we needed, we spent a lot of time measuring everything twice and double-checking the steps of the recipe. That said, while we waited on the dough, we chatted about our interests and I found out that they're really into astronomy. My scientific interests run more towards magicology of course, but I've read up on the impact of the stars on magic, so we had plenty to talk about.

We ended the day with lots of tasty bread, so much in fact that I think I'll take some to our neighbours in Eclipse House tomorrow morning. I made good progress getting to know Ace, and Bismuth was around to flit in and out of the conversations too. After this, I'll write a letter to my younger sibling Clover back in Grassdale. I hope he's doing well and that Egg Highwall isn't being too much of a nuisance. I remember Egg being very enthusiastic but also so very loud. I love how in our Halls of Knowledge we witches shared space with a wizard. I just wish he'd been a bit less eager to boast about "wizardry's superior magical potential." Ah well, if all else fails I can maybe petition the Mayor for permission for Clover to join me here, though I guess he'd be assigned to a different house. I wonder how that will be we've always been Marshmeadows together, but I guess I'm already leaving that behind so why shouldn't he do that to?

2nd Tillsoil, Year of Migration

Promise

• Take a tour of Little Plains with a neighbour (simple, laid back, 1 box).

Today is friends day so I started by waking up early, grabbing a quick breakfast roll, and then making a basket of breads to take to my new neighbours. As I was doing the latter, I met another housemate; a tall wood elemental in a high-necked blouse and ankle-length skirt who introduced herself as Nimbus. We didn't have a lot of time to chat, she had to get to work in Halls of Knowledge, but I should talk to her about potential part-time jobs sometime. Anyway, I went next door to Eclipse House and introduced myself.

Trying it's best to make a good first impression (heart): 4 + 2 = 6 vs. 3 & 8. Weak hit. Time passes = 1.

I met Lily Eclipse, a young dwarf with striking pink streaks in her blonde hair. I think I made a good impression, or at least I hope so. To be honest most of our conversation was her talking about Frappe Waters, apparently he works with animals at Greenview Farm and (in Lily's words) is dreamy. 

Trying it's best to politely get back on topic (heart): 5 + 2 = 7 vs. 1 & 3. Weak hit. Strong hit.

I managed to slowly prise the conversation away from him and suggested we might go for a walk together. Lily jumped at the chance, eager to take us past the farm and maybe get to see Frappe, so I decided to build on the enthusiasm and get going. We don't see Frappe but as we reach the edge of Jade Waters we do see the tall person in black, still stood on the pier, still under their umbrella.

Trying it's best to make find out who that is (heart): 6 + 2 = 8 vs. 5 & 7. Weak hit. Time passes = 2.

Lily explained that the ferryman is Elm Flood, a vampire (hence the umbrella on a clear day), and the he takes people to and from the Island of Blessings. I wanted to ask more about him, but Lily got distracted telling me about her sister Etoile who tends to the grounds of the shrine on the island, and about Elm's sibling Broom who tends to the shrine. I did however learn that Broom is an accomplished sun magician, so they might be someone to chat with later.

Trying it's best to make good time travelling around the lake edge (edge): 6 + 1 = 7 vs. 4 & 10. Weak hit. Time passes = 3.

The ferry only goes to and from the island so we had to make the journey around the lake on foot. It wasn't bad, most of the snow had melted and the rain was holding off. We chatted as we went, sharing our love of jewellery and how much fun it can be to find a new piece and wonder who we'd feel like when we wore it. I like Lily, she's definitely someone I want to get to know better.

Trying it's best to make good time seeing the rest of the village (edge): 4 + 1 = 5 vs. 2 & 7. Weak hit. Time passes = 4.

We saw the marketplace, which was starting to wind up by the time we reached it. I waved to Bismuth, who was packing up his shoe-mending stall. Lily explained that most of the homes on this side are still empty, but hopefully more people will be coming soon. She told me that the residents of Rest House are very business-oriented and run both the cafe and the spa near the market. We stopped in at the cafe for soup, and then we made our way back homes to sleep.

3rd Tillsoil, Year of Migration

Promise

• Get a part-time job (complicated, laid back - 2 boxes)

Today was Soup day and since my housemates don't eat it's normally a day they spend working on their hobbies. I was hoping to convince either Nimbus or Pollux to tell me about the Halls of Wisdom, but apparently they prefer to spend their days off playing sports so were already out by the time I got up. Bismuth had decided to join them, so it was just Ace and me for the day it seemed. Luckily Ace is a keen amateur astronomer, perhaps an appropriate choice for a cosmic elemental, so I decided to ask if they'd take me to the Halls.

Trying it's best to convince Ace to let it tag along (charm): 4 + 1 = 5 vs. 1 & 7. Weak hit. Time passes = 1.

It took some time, in part because Ace is very particular about... well seemingly everything. Eventually they were happy that their choice of tie was suitably consistent with their socks, had carefully packed their notebooks and pencils into their briefcase, and we were ready to go to the Halls of Wisdom. The Halls are a very grand building made of green marble, with narrow windows and tall pillars along the front. Ace took me through the tall, arched doors and into the foyer where we met our first fellow knowledge-seeker.

Trying it's best to avoid colliding with Chanterelle Star (edge): 1 + 1 = 2 vs. 1 & 8. Weak hit. Time passes = 2.

A wild-looking rhino in a leather jacket and a fedora was bustling towards the exit at a breakneck pace and we were very nearly caught in a one-person stampede. After they were out and thundering down the path, Ace explained that we'd just me Chanterelle Star, the village's resident archaeologist. It was always so much happier out doing fieldwork and it made sure that it's trips to the Halls were brief. We talked as we made our way upstairs, passing the classrooms on they way. A short, plump wood elf in a bow tie and vest was practising a lesson in one of the rooms.

Trying it's best to follow along with the lecture (wits): 1 + 3 + 1 (science) = 5 vs. 1 & 7. Weak hit. Time passes = 3.

Ace went on, keen to keep to their schedule, but I stopped and was so caught up listening to the lecture that I took in the whole thing! Afterwards I introduced myself to Bolita Flood, a biology teacher, who had been preparing her lesson plan for her upcoming classes. We ended up comparing notes on our observations of healing magic, neither of us practices, but had enough to talk about that we spent a pleasant chunk of time on the matter.

Trying it's best to demonstrate a theoretical medical spell (shadow): 4 + 2 + 1 (first-aid) = 7 vs. 5 & 5. Strong hit.

I'm still quite limited in my practical magic, but with Bolita's collaboration I was able to perform a very simple spell to clean and disinfect the surfaces in the classroom! Bolita was impressed and even suggested that I might assist her in teaching some of her classes. I was honoured and humbled by the offer and said that I'd be more than happy to do what I can. We agreed to chat more later, and I decided to explore the Halls more.

Trying it's best to explore the Halls without getting lost (edge): 4 + 1 = 5 vs. 4 & 7. Weak hit. Time passes = 4.

In the small, but very cosy, library, I met Puppy Star, an owl with a penchant for cardigans and pleated skirts. It had several books on mine engineering open on a table, but had been distracted by the flowers in a vase on a side table. When I came in it was busy rearranging them into a more pleasing display, when it was done we chatted for a while. Eventually Ace stopped by to check in on me and I realised that it was early evening! I'd had so much fun that I'd lost track of time. I said my goodbyes to Puppy and Bolita, and then Ace and I made our way back to Dream House.

Promises

• Help housemates with doing chores (simple, laid back - 1 box) COMPLETE
• Take a tour of Little Plains with a neighbour (simple, laid back - 1 box) COMPLETE
• Get a part-time job (complicated, laid back - 2 boxes) IN PROGRESS (5/8)