Sime~Gen Roleplaying: Householding Naros Scenario
Episode #123: AWOL and Available (2/28/99)
Darrel zlins Riyyh in the deserted rose garden as he makes his way across the Naros grounds.
Riyyh tries to decide whether a small fountain or a statue would be better, for the central rosette.
Darrel is ignorant of the acoustics, so he decides that this would be a good opportunity to discuss a few things with Riyyh.
Darrel draws closer, letting his nager gradually become more obvious.
Darrel: Good afternoon, Sectuib Riyyh.
Riyyh turns to Darrel.
Riyyh: Hello.
Darrel looks around.
Riyyh: I was just considering the possibility of placing a small statue here.
Riyyh indicates the bare snowy circle in the center of the rosette.
Darrel: A statue? Of what?
Darrel inspects the site.
Riyyh: I hadn't decided. I was still considering whether it should be a statue or a fountain.
Riyyh: Either one would have to be rather small, of course.
Riyyh: We have put flowering annuals there in the past.
Darrel takes a few steps to the side, so he can view the scene from another angle.
Darrel: A statue would attract more attention, but a fountain would look good from all sides.
Riyyh, who is always keeping track of these things in the back of his mind, vaguely notices Darrel has stepped into the acoustical "sweet spot" of the garden.
Riyyh: [this is where you can hear a person talk all over the Householding, not just over half of it]
Riyyh: True, although adding a fountain, which brings a certain amount of ambient noise with it, may change the atmosphere and usage of the garden somewhat.
Darrel: But a fountain also attracts birds, particularly if there is a basin at a level high enough to discourage cats.
Darrel, of course, has not considered the effect of the noisy water on the ability of conversations to be overheard.
Darrel: Although a statue would add a certain elegance.
Darrel wouldn't want to offend Riyyh if the other channel has his heart set on a statue.
Riyyh considers the possibilities of having singing birds in the garden... it would provide an unpredictable, yet intermittently successful, additional audio masking.
Riyyh thinks this could be rather entertaining.
Riyyh does want his members to be happy.
Riyyh: Well, I will put it to the craftspeople and let them decide. It is they, after all, who will have to make it.
Riyyh smiles.
Darrel: Either one would make this a very... friendly spot.
Riyyh glances at Darrel.
Darrel: And I have found your members to be a very hospitable folk.
Riyyh: I am glad. We do want our guests to feel welcome.
Darrel: I have been showered with offers of tours and entertainment. It's a bit overwhelming, actually.
Riyyh: Oh? ~~somewhat concerned~~
Riyyh: Would you prefer more privacy...?
Darrel does wonder vaguely why just about all of his would-be hosts happened to be female.
Darrel: Oh, I'm very interested in learning Narosian customs and getting to know its people.
Darrel's Tecton career has convinced him that it's much easier to get along in a place if you are in with the administrative, janitorial, and maintenance staff.
Darrel: But it is a bit awkward, when I don't know what's expected of me.
Riyyh: I see.
Darrel: I'm afraid of offending people through misunderstanding.
Riyyh: Of course.
Darrel: For instance, there was this one young woman who was peering in my window the morning after I arrived.
Darrel: When I invited her in, she made a suggestion which I wasn't expecting from a stranger so much younger than I am.
Darrel: ~~ awkward ~~
Darrel: And I wasn't sure what was appropriate under the circumstances.
Riyyh nods.
Darrel hopes that Riyyh will be willing to clarify the matter.
Darrel: Would you mind very much explaining the local etiquette?
Riyyh: Perhaps in a less... public... location?
Darrel: Public location?
Darrel looks around at the ostensibly deserted garden.
Riyyh assumes a patient expression; he's more than willing to talk about it here if Darrel truly prefers, of course.
Darrel zlins, and finally notices a nager or two.
Darrel: Oh, you don't want to disturb the others. Of course, we can talk somewhere else.
Riyyh gestures toward the nearby guest cabins.
Riyyh: Your cabin? Or my office?
Riyyh: Or perhaps the Dining Hall, one of the booths?
Darrel: My cabin is closest, and there is some very nice tea in the cupboard.
Riyyh should hope so.
Riyyh: Very well.
Riyyh: [smiles]
Darrel leads the way.
Darrel: I think that the Lilac Dream blend is particularly relaxing.
Riyyh follows behind.
Darrel opens the guest cabin door, hoping that there won't be any unexpected guests waiting in the living room to ambush him.
Darrel appreciates the friendliness, but he would like to get the rules straight, first.
Darrel: Come in and make yourself comfortable, please, while I put the kettle on.
Riyyh: Thank you.
Riyyh takes a seat in the living room, admiring the cabin's cozy neatness.
Darrel has, of course, no idea how this hospitality offer appears to the eager ears of those who believed the initial rumors about Darrel's first night in Naros.
Darrel turns on the burner under the water, then gets out teacups and measures the Lilac Dream into them.
Darrel pokes his head out into the living room.
Darrel: Do you take your tea plain or sweetened?
Riyyh pretty much likes tea any way it can be made.
Riyyh: [at least, Narosian tea]
Riyyh: Plain this time, thank you.
Darrel ducks back into the kitchen and starts pouring water into the cups.
Darrel returns to the living room shortly with two steaming cups.
Darrel offers one cup to Riyyh, and sits down himself.
Darrel: You're very welcome.
Darrel: Now, if you could see your way to explaining the local etiquette, I would be eternally grateful. I really don't want to cause trouble or offend anyone.
Darrel: ~~ appeasement ~~
Riyyh: Certainly.
Riyyh takes a tip of his tea, and sets it down.
Darrel cradles his own cup in his tentacles and listens ~~ attentively ~~
Riyyh: Because you are an outsider - a visitor, unrelated to us - you will attract a good deal of interest from women of childbearing age.
Riyyh: And from their brothers, to some extent. [adds]
Riyyh: It happens to everybody from outside. [confesses]
Riyyh thinks it happens to him too, but not for the same reasons.
Darrel: Childbearing age? Is their interest in, um, children, then?
Riyyh: While it would be cruel to allow them to think there was any hope of a permanent arrangement - since you are moving on, after all - if you genuinely desire to serve one or two of them in this regard, certainly nobody will object, and in fact we would be grateful.
Darrel: I was given the impression that many of them just wanted to talk to a new face. Or that's what they said, anyway.
Riyyh: Some of them are interested in marriage, as well, of course, but since you are not staying....
Darrel's stomach clenches at the words "moving on" and "not staying".
Riyyh: And yes, we are very gregarious here at Naros. Everybody will enjoy spending time with you, even if it is just at... Darrel, whatever is wrong?
Riyyh has never zlinned anybody with this particular reaction to discussions of sex.
Riyyh hopes he hasn't offended.
Riyyh knows that Naros' culture is very different from the Tecton's, but had thought that in matters of simple procreation, the culture clash wouldn't be this bad.
Darrel: I had hoped to stay here for a while, at least until I can matters straightened out with the Tecton.
Riyyh: Well of course, you are welcome for as... er....
Riyyh worries what all 'getting matters straightened out with the Tecton' might entail.
Darrel defines "straightened out" as "not being returned to Bender Cove, and hopefully not being penalized too harshly for running away".
Darrel: If you would rather that I leave, I will.
Darrel: ~~ forlorn ~~
Riyyh: You are welcome to stay at least until the Tecton realizes you are here. After that, though....
Riyyh knows Naros can't afford to harbor Tecton fugitives at this time.
Darrel is far too Tecton-straight to be comfortable with the idea of going rogue, although that's better than Bender Cove.
Darrel: I understand. I wouldn't want to cause Naros trouble when you've been so kind to me.
Darrel: ~~ abandoned and betrayed ~~
Riyyh cringes from the accusatory feelings.
Riyyh: Oh, dear.
Riyyh: Please understand, you are welcome until then.
Darrel nods.
Darrel: I'm sorry. I have no right to burden you and Naros with my personal difficulties.
Darrel: It was unrealistic of me, but I'd hoped....
Darrel breaks off uncomfortably.
Riyyh: You hoped I had more influence with the Tecton?
Riyyh remembers Darrel's letter fairly well.
Riyyh: I'm sorry. My position has not been strong, of late.
Riyyh thinks that's quite an understatement, actually.
Darrel: Well, the Sectuib of a Householding, even one that's out of favor, is more likely to be listened to than a Second Order channel.
Riyyh: Perhaps.
Riyyh thinks that's not saying much.
Darrel: I wrote over a dozen letters to the District office. There was no answer to the first three, and the rest were returned unopened.
Riyyh: It must be very frustrating. ~sympathetic~
Darrel: When it became obvious that I would not be allowed even to state my objections to my Bender Cove assignment--well, that's why I ran.
Darrel figures that at least when they try you for desertion, they make a token effort to let your lawyer explain your side of the story.
Riyyh: I see.
Darrel: Perhaps I was wrong to come here, and involve you against your will. If so, I'm sorry.
Riyyh spreads his hands.
Darrel: I just couldn't think of any other way.
Riyyh: You are here, and it is fine for you to stay for a little while.
Riyyh: At least you will have recovered your strength before moving on, instead of stumbling on frozen and exhausted, right?
Riyyh tries to be ~encouraging~.
Riyyh: You couldn't have gone on much longer the way you were.
Darrel: True enough, and I am grateful for your hospitality.
Riyyh: Naros welcomes all travelers and you are no different in that regard.
Riyyh smiles.
Riyyh: We are pleased to have you.
Darrel: I hope I will be able to do something for Naros to show my gratitude for such hospitality.
Riyyh: That is not necessary, but we appreciate the sentiment.
Riyyh: If you are well-rested enough to find yourself a new home and make peace with the Tecton, that will be reward enough. [smiles]
Darrel has decided on a tentative plan of action, based on Riyyh's explanation of local etiquette.
Darrel: Well, there's always the chance that whoever the Tecton sends to investigate my disappearance will be more reasonable than the District office.
Darrel is discovering that hope continues, even when not justified by a realistic assessment.
Riyyh nods encouragingly.
Darrel: And in the mean time, I will enjoy your excellent hospitality.
Riyyh: Please do.
Darrel thinks that from the sound of things, enjoying Narosian hospitality might well be the key to greater things.
Riyyh: Have your questions been answered? [gently]
Darrel: Yes. Thank you so much for making things clearer.
Riyyh: I will leave you, then. Please don't hesitate to ask if you have any other concerns.
Riyyh rises.