Nod.

Is it something I can help you get?

Nod.

All right. I'm willing to help you with it. Maeverine is a menace and I'd like us all to be rid of her.

Ellie can't expressed her gratitude verbally, but she can smile widely.

My acolyte suggested teaching you a sign language so you could talk silently. Does this sound acceptable to you?

Nod.

All right. He's already figuring out teaching methods that will get by Maeverine's notice. For now I think it's wise to explore and play the good little acolyte, but if you can get whatever her desecration material is to me sooner rather than later, I can get to work making it. Pause, then another note: It's not related to human sacrifice, is it?

Headshake.

Ellie considers whether to try to act out 'rock salt' by charades. Probably easier to just wait for the sign language. Or the acolyte. He, at least, she can communicate with in writing without having to make a conspicuous offering.

Okay. I'll get a list of likely candidates and if one of them's it you can point at it. Is it from anything living?

Headshake.

Mineral, then?

Nod.

Twenty questions works too, she guesses.

Yep!

And eventually they narrow it down to the appropriate mineral.

I'll get to creating it, then. Thank you.

Nod.

Back to wandering. Cheerful-ish wandering. Ellie gets another meal when the sun begins to sink behind the horizon, then goes back to the temple to take advantage of the free bed.

It is a pretty comfortable bed! Maeverine made her earn a bed half this comfortable. And while there's a second bed in the room, there are enough empty bedrooms that Ellie can just have this one to herself.

The night is quiet, but for the gentle sound of rain.

Ellie is entirely used to sleeping through rain.

She wakes at her accustomed early hour, is briefly confused that there is no task immediately awaiting her attention, then goes in search of food.

Food is provided for free! It's a bit bland, but 'bland' for Tisvetaia's domain is noticeably an improvement on 'bland' for Maeverine's domain.

Mmm, food which contains a distinguishable flavor.

Absent anything else to do, Ellie will do more exploration of the town and surrounding area today.

It is very pretty! But that's not a surprise by now.

There are hot springs, apparently, and Ellie can visit the beach if she likes. Or, she can go travelling to another town and look at that.

The beach, first. Ellie's never been to a proper beach, even though Maeverine's domain is bordered by ocean.

The ocean is certainly a sight to behold, and the beach itself is lovely and very striking, with its black, glittering sand.

There are people, but the concept of tourism hasn't really caught on yet, so Ellie doesn't have to deal with crowds.

That's nice. She'll spend most of the day wandering up and down the beach, in and out of the surf. It's relaxing to not have any responsibilities pressing on her.

Tisvetaia is kind enough to ask if she would like to have lunch delivered to her while she's down there, or if she just wants to eat random things from the forest.

Ellie is unaccustomed to eating more than twice a day, and she is not yet hungry. Thank you for the offer, however.