hazmats | Glowfic Constellation

"Stalas has told me about bicycles. There's a surfacer merchant guild I've been talking with about potentially getting them exported."

keep_busy

"Great. ...I didn't patent them or anything, I have no idea if I should be expecting to get spending money off that."

first-and-final

"I expect you will. Caridin isn't technically legally obliged to pay you for the idea, but he's got House Ortan flinging themselves at his feet, he doesn't need the money, and he's not the type to cut you out just because he can."

"I will make sure you are paid a cut of the bicycle profits," says Bhelen confidently.

keep_busy

"Thank you."

Nod.

"Do you need any resources for researching the full spectrum rune light?"

keep_busy

"I'm not sure where Caridin's materials have been coming from exactly but that's what I've been using so far. I suppose if there are any books on runes in general that would be useful."

first-and-final

"Eventually you'll want plants to test on," Stalas puts in. "Might be a good idea to figure out where we're getting those ahead of time. As long as you're Caridin's semi-official apprentice you should be completely set for actual runecrafting materials, but the books are a good thought. Do you already know where she'd get those, Bhelen, or should I go solve it?"

Bhelen snorts. "I was just going to talk to the Shaperate, but go ahead and solve it."

first-and-final

He laughs. "Will do."

keep_busy

"...You might not want to tip off whoever sells you plants that you're going to start competing with them. Plants you can grow from the food part include potatoes... garlic... onions... I'm not sure if you can do it with carrots. Strawberries, raspberries, anything with seeds in it, but it'll be harder to get a seed to sprout than a potato eye."

"I was not planning to tell them at all," agrees Bhelen. "I might be able to get the Carta to acquire seeds, but then they'd want a cut I'd rather not give them." Pause. Glance at Stalas. "... Brother. Solve it?"

first-and-final

"Happily."

Bhelen smiles.

"Are potatoes a good first crop to start with? You've mentioned them several times now."

keep_busy

"I think so. They sprout even if you don't want them to, they don't get very tall or sprawling, I think they can tolerate reasonably chilly temperatures which I'm assured are present down here, they're really nutritious, they're easy to harvest and plant, and they're a starch and you have no starches in the native diet."

Nod. "What's the significance of starch in one's diet?"

keep_busy

"...Well, mostly I just miss it because I'm used to starches being most of my calories, but the conventional wisdom in my world is that variety is really important."

Bhelen considers this, then nods again.

"It'll take some time to quietly gather enough potatoes to farm without tipping off our suppliers, but I can keep a small supply on hand for when you're ready to test the runes. Let me know when you'd like me to begin sneaking them in en masse for growing."

There he goes, assuming Annie can definitely do that thing.

keep_busy

"I will."

first-and-final

Stalas grins and squeezes Annie's hand. This is exactly how he wanted Annie meeting Bhelen to go.

keep_busy

Handsqueeze!

Rica awws internally, and squeezes Bhelen's hand. Look at them, they're so cute!

Bhelen smiles a bit, then says, "Now, anything else? I think I can use the Blight as an angle to get casteless into the military, but I believe I need to talk specifics with the Grey Wardens first to figure out my angle for the Assembly, so not yet there, Stalas."

first-and-final

"Yeah, reasonable," says Stalas. "I can't think of any more brilliant plans off the top of my head."