No problem, Tisvetaia is happy to treat a guest.

The beach: is not moving anytime soon. Ellie can have as long as she likes with it.

...She can plausibly take the whole day off, right? It's not like Maeverine is actually here to chivvy her into doing something useful. And besides, she already said she'd wait for the acolyte who's on his way here. She doesn't want to run out of things to do before he gets here.

Well, Maeverine doesn't pipe up to order her around, so - perhaps it's okay.

The acolyte's still on his way, it'll be another day or two before he gets here.

Ellie stays out long enough to watch the stars appear above the ocean, then goes back into town.

Some people recognize her and wave hello.

She can have the same room she had back, if she wants it. Also, free dinner.

Hello recognizable people. Ellie does not make herself unapproachable, but she doesn't go out of her way to start a conversation either.

She will take both the dinner and the bed, and tomorrow morning, she'll have a breakfast as well. She should probably do something more reconnaissance-like today. Approaches to and from the town?

There are a few! A little mountain path to the north, a larger, flatter one to the east that seems to be a main center of trade, the town's harbor, and a few more minor paths. The wilderness itself isn't difficult to traverse, even with mountains there are little dirt paths that trail up and down the less steep portions.

Ellie will spend her day hiking in the jungle, then. Getting the lay of the land.

Night falls. She returns to the temple.

The next morning, she asks Tisvetaia if her acolyte is getting close.

He is!

Tisvetaia predicts he'll be here around noon.

Then Ellie will eat breakfast and stroll around town for a few hours. Presumably Tisvet can direct him to her.

Presumably!

Around noon, a man in black locates her and walks up to introduce himself.

"Hello," he says, smiling. "I'm Tainel, Tisvetaia's acolyte. It's nice to meet you."

"Ellie, of Maeverine. Likewise."

"How have you liked Tisvet's domain so far?"

He speaks slowly and deliberately, but not unnaturally so. It can be played off as a personal quirk of Tainel's - but the reason why soon becomes apparent. As he talks, be begins signing, slowly and deliberately so she can watch, every word he speaks.

Oh, isn't that clever. Ellie pays attention to the signing. Hopefully the system is not too complicated.

"Quite well. I've never really been out of my god's domain before."

"It's nice to travel," he agrees. "I don't leave my god's domain all that often, really. There's a lot to do here, and Tisvetaia has a hell of a protective streak."

The sign language isn't very complicated - the grammar is the same as spoken language, but there are a lot of signs to learn.

Fortunately, Ellie has an excellent memory. And here is all this new territory around she can tie signs too!

"I've noticed. It seems to mostly manifest positively."

"Definitely. And I let her know when she's gotten into over protective territory, so we're safe from that quirk."

Yeah, if Ellie tried that, she'd get smited smart quick.

"Why don't you show me around a little? I've been wandering on my own, but I'd be interested in a native's perspective."

"I'd be happy to!"

Tainel doesn't sign in front of non-Ellie people for fear of someone pointing it out and giving things away to Maeverine, but they can coincidentally tour places that don't have any people. Here is a set of obscure hidden hot springs, here is this cool cave Tisvetaia has with mushrooms that light up when touched, here is a lovely waterfall. He makes a good tour guide, if a chatty one, for obvious reasons.

Taniel is a competent person. Ellie approves of Taniel.

After the waterfall, she signs back at Taniel. I think I've picked up most of this.

Quick study! he signs back, smiling, while talking about some completely innocuous history of a nearby town.

So, do you have a plan for Maeverine? (Names don't just translate into sign language without being painstakingly spelled out. So Tainel has dubbed her sign name 'Soon To Die.')

Get a lot of rock salt. Descrate one of her outlying temples. Then kill her.

Straightforward. Does Maeverine pay attention to some borders more than others? Tisvet and I were thinking that she be your rock salt transportation method. Not like you can drag a cart of the stuff without getting caught.

There's a small village where the mountains run into the coast. She doesn't send anyone there more than once every six months. I could land a boat there and any real response would be at least a day away.