Postby Bifrost Janger » Tue Dec 07, 2021 11:23 am
Just about everybody knew that Bif was a Humanoidolgist. Self proclaimed, of course. His rants had become quite infamous on the subject; his temper notorious when it came to the wellbeing of the Gremlins and the Gnomes. He had even taken tea with Trolls.
But Bif's second love was a quieter one. Unnoticed to most. In fact, it was right beneath your feet. Rocks. Or Geology, specifically. His bank vault, pockets and pack were full of them. Stones, pebbles, rocks and crystals of all kinds. Ancient things. Some of them were common; some rarer. But each precious and unique in their own right.
There is a difference between Ancient and old. Most any old thing could live long enough to be deemed old. To be regarded Ancient demanded a different sort of perseverance. It suggested cultivation and care; or well-making and cleverness of craft. Be that through humanoid hand, or the forces of nature. Each of Bif's rocks had been formed over unfathomable years. Each was irreplaceable. Each a solitary specimen without twin.
These turns, Bif hadn't afforded much time for his secondary hobby. He was currently a Humanoidolgist in the field. Though, in digging his Gremlin Tunnel, he supposed he might turn up a stone or two. But still, it took up much of his time.
The rest of his time was spent worrying. Bif had fretted a lot these turns. Most often, his insides felt churned. He worried about Hollowshine and brewing. He worried about the Bone Wall. He worried about Alexi Corsair and the ABV. He worried about other, unspeakable things for which he had no confidant. Just like the stones in his pockets, Bif's worries were weighing him down.
He also worried for the Mountain Gremlins. He hoped that they wouldn't start kidnapping again now that his back was turned and he was preoccupied. It was during one of his trips to them, that he passed the notice board in Dundee and saw what it was that Falx had done.
Spreading Knowledge through Trinald.
Bif felt his insides drop all over again as he hastily scanned the missive. Let it be known to those interested that the Shine Recipe perfected by the Hollow residents has been spread far and wide to the following Innkeepers...
Bif's pulse quickened. His breath catching in a gasp. What the ruddy heck had Falx done?! What had he done?! Bif turned from the notice board and ran on shaky legs to find the other Enchanter. His mind was awhirl; panic, anger, disbelief.
"You!!" He yelled when he found him at last, "What were you thinking?! Why would you do such a thing?!"
But Falx seemed utterly unperturbed by the ranting Bif. Likely, he had forseen his coming.
"Oh. I freed you," He stated plainly.
Thrown off by his composure, Bif felt his own indignation falter as he came to a stumbling halt before the other man. It took a marc for his addled brain to catch up. Falx had freed him. It hadn't took much; just the sharing of knowledge to render secrets worthless. The stone in Bif's pocket suddenly didn't feel so heavy anymore.
Bif embraced Falx fiercely for the gesture. How could he repay such a debt; a fumbled hug and a uttered thank you did not seem enough.
"I cannot... I can't believe you did that. I think that's the nicest thing anyone ever did for me."
"Now you can focus on digging your gremlin tunnel, let Alexi and that other Fartown custodian handle their Shine turf wars among the chaos I created. Smuggling is not so interesting when everyone and their grandmother can make Shine. Should make it easier on the little gremlins too."
Falx asked for nothing in return; save for when it was all over, that he and Bif could sit together, and talk about rocks. And it struck Bif then, that no matter how ancient, or precious or irreplaceable any stone was, it could never be as old or as powerful as friendship. Friendship was as old as Valorn itself. It was the foundation upon which this land had been built.
Fear is a strange soil. It grows obedience like corn, which grow in straight lines to make weeding easier. But sometimes it grows the potatoes of defiance, which flourish underground. - Terry Pratchett