Nota Bene: Between regular gaming sessions, the players sometimes play out little slice-of-life moments. These may take place actually between the episodes, or may be something that happened off-camera in between our on-camera moments. These moments, which are for the sake of the players and characters developing deeper relationships but do not directly influence the storyline, generally take place without the company of our DungeonMaster because our DM has a lot going on and doesn’t necessarily want to devote the time to supervising things like this, which don’t have bearing on the story beats, but merely enhance the players’ understanding of their own and the others’ characters.
After Ambassador Lanna Krynn, the Xhorhasian Embassy guard she’s brought with her, and their would-be assassin Abe have departed, the two original party members and their recently acquired babysitter settle back to process the eventful morning’s goings-on.
To his surprise, Tāmarai heals (Healing Word) Rinn of the few wounds he has sustained protecting Stubby and magically gives him a bit of a clean-off, getting the blood out of his clothing (Prestidigitation) and repairing some of its new damage (Mending). Stubby apologizes for bringing an assassin to their door, to which both Tāmarai and Rinn indicate that she is surely not at fault for this, and need not feel the slightest bit of guilt, because they do not victim-blame in this house.
While Tāmarai goes to the back room to dress, taking her usual hour to get herself just so, Stubby and Rinn heat leftover dinner. Rinn took mental notes while Ambassador Krynn was there, so he now knows to ask about Stubby’s family helping to defeat Vecna and save Vasselheim, years ago. The publicly known version of the tale had not mentioned Vox Machina, but now he knows. The two also dance around the fact of Rinn’s use of magic during the fight with their assassin. Rinn, taken aback and nervous to have anyone find out about that, is distracted enough to overcook (ahem, burn) some of their breakfast. It’s still edible, but not enjoyably so.
As they eat, Rinn offers to take the girls to the Slayer’s Take to request a different babysitter, one who would actually have been there to protect them instead of off elsewhere, but the two will hear nothing of the kind. He could have run, but stayed and fought with them; while he sees his magic as uncontrolled and dangerous, they see it exactly as they see his daggers: possibly dangerous, yes, but also very useful and practical to have. Though he is reluctant to believe them at first, they eventually make him understand that they view him as a useful ally and a potential friend, but not a source of danger. They like him. They want him around. Rinn takes a moment to deal with that, severely overwhelmed.
Once everyone has collected themselves again, they set to making themselves a plan for their day. They have some loot from Draconia/Ravinia to sort through, examine, and theoretically sell; especially the frozen pile of books, which they need to thaw and read in order to determine if they’ll be more useful as information or as more objects to sell; supply themselves with healing potions just in case; visit some shrines; get Stubby’s workshop going, in what used to be the stables attached to the embassy; plan for a trip into Old Vasselheim; and Tāmarai wants to introduce herself all around town to potential clients.
At this point, Stubby asks Tāmarai what her actual profession is, and Tāmarai realizes it was never explained to the one person who has the most right to know: her pupil. She describes herself as something between a servant and a student, a trainee on track to become kalaimani, a profession almost entirely unheard of outside of Xhorhas: someone who studies the arts, performs, and acts as a professional host for parties at which they perform their arts.
Back to the discussion about visiting Old Vasselheim: Stubby wants to go and kick a titan in the toe. Tāmarai wants to look for the “culturally significant object of her people” (the Luxon beacon that the ambassador indicated was somewhere in the old city). Rinn does not share his reason for wanting to go, but he does want to go. Eventually they all stop trying to protect one another (by going alone and letting the other two remain in New Vasselheim where it’s relatively safer) and agree that it’s best if all three of them go there. They also inform Rinn that since he’s meant to watch them, he can stay with them at the embassy, either by taking the extra bed in Bob’s room, or by taking Stubby’s room and Stubby can move into Tāmarai’s room with her. They mutually decide on the latter option.
They set up an alarm system of strings and bells over each window, and also rig up the damaged fishing net that they got from the kobolds of Ravinia, so that it covers their inner garden and protects it — at least theoretically — from incursion by roof access.
Yulisen, 25 Brussendar 845 PD
In just a few short days, the three of them have managed to create a kind of routine. Each of them knows what the others will do around the embassy, and what they themselves are expected to do. Each has learned the other’s strengths, at least in terms of housekeeping and cooking (Rinn is the best with not burning things, normally; Stubby’s excellent at spicing their foods, when they want to cook instead of eating out; Tāmarai can chop anything uniformly and relatively quickly).
While Stubby tinkers and Tāmarai practices dance or calligraphy — she’s making business cards to give to businesses as she introduces herself, so that after they’re back from New Vasselheim, she can demonstrate tea ceremony to the proprietors and offer the service to their clients — they’ve set Rinn to reading each of the books in their ‘thawed’ pile out loud for them. One day as the sun sinks lower in the sky, he uses his Light cantrip to extend their working hours, much to the delight and gratitude of the girls.
Da’leysen, 26 Brussendar 845 PD, around midday
Rinn runs into Stubby as the two are each out on their various errands. Stubby is on her way to the Raven Queen’s temple to feed the ravens and catch Uncle Vax up on her news — assuming he pays attention to what she tells the birds — so he goes with her. She tells him that her uncle was the Raven Queen’s chosen Champion during his life. She also shows Rinn her newest gadget, a clockwork magpie she’s calling Sentri.
The two discuss magic, and in particular, Rinn maybe learning how to control his and do more with it. He is noncommittal.
Since they’re at the Raven Queen’s temple, Rinn takes a moment to himself to light a memorial candle. Then the two go back to the embassy to start the afternoon’s reading, this time a book about the Everlight, Sarenrae.
Take your meds.
Hydrate.
Don’t forget to love each other.
Is it Game Day yet?