strangetrip | Winter's Crest Snow Day [GP]

The Inn was decorated in, if possible, an even more outlandish style than usual. Garlands of evergreens and bright berries competed with gold angels and cheerful small grinning creatures with pointed ears and shoes. A large fir tree had appeared seemingly from nowhere and was now draped with lights and hung with colored glass balls. At the top perched a figure in white robes with wings.

It was, Percy mused, probably for whatever the local holiday was, but it was also close enough to Winter's Crest decorations for him to feel a bit homesick for Whitestone. After all, it was only a year ago that he'd been able to celebrate Winter's Crest in his home city for the first time in years.

Something was still missing - or rather, many things were missing but one thing that he could solve for. Winter's Crest called for snow, and better snow in abundance. To solve for that last problem, he turned to a gnome of exceptional talent. While he didn't know how Sarenrae's power worked, he did have complete faith in her cleric. And thus, together, they concocted a plan: to turn the weather to a more appropriate clime.

The morning of December 20th dawned as it often did in this place - heavy with clouds that would burn off before noon. The clouds were important. They would make the spell casting easier, and Pike knew that she needed all the help she could get. Weather magic was not her forte. Like all clerics with powers as advanced as hers, she knew the right spell but when you had a druid around, there hadn't been much need for her to use it.

Dressed in a warm coat and a big floppy, knit cap, she sat on the ground with her legs crossed. Holding her holy symbol in both hands, she concentrated on the sky. As the Celestial incantation took root, golden rays of light encircled her and rose into the air. With each heartbeat, she could feel Sarenrae's power drawing warmth from the clouds above and into her body.

It took ten minutes to cast the spell and another twenty minutes for it to take effect. The spell would fade if she didn't maintain concentration all day, but it was a small price to pay.

And that's how, before the sun had completely finished rising, it was snowing on the Madonna Inn.

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Remembering the story Kash had told her about his relationship with his goddess, Corbie has to wince, and even that was a gross understatement. "I hope so."

Pike looked at the girl even closer. If Kash had opened up enough to tell her about Vesh, then there must be something special about her. She'd mentioned studying, so maybe she was a young cleric as well? "And what about you? Where does your power come from?"

"It's..." Corbie paused and considered how best to answer that question. "It's inside me, ma'am," she said quietly. "Since I was thirteen." She could still see the horror and sadness in Gran's face when she'd first seen magic there.

“Oh goodness! There’s no need to call me ma’am,” Pike laughed. She was so young for a gnome, it was funny to think she’d be considered a ma’am. “I’m Pike.”

The girl ducked her head in the hopes that the brief break of eye contact would keep her from blushing. "I'm Corbie."

Leaning forward, Pike slid into Corbie’s vision and smiled. The great thing about being so tiny was that if people tried to look down it was very easy to catch their eye again.

“It’s lovely to meet you.”

Corbie's answering smile was shy. "Yeah."

"You're the one who's been working on tailoring clothes for me, yeah?" Pike picked up the tray of cookies and offered her one. "Let's sit and chat. These treats won't eat themselves."

Of course Corbie took a cookie and immediately stuck it in her mouth, her body realizing how hard she was running today even if she didn't. "Mmhmm. It's a good challenge." Lady knew everyone was hungry for ways to stay occupied.

"I'm glad! It's been such a relief." Pike took the tray of cookies and set it on the table between two large armchairs. With a little hop, she crawled into one of the chairs and situated herself. Gods, why hadn't she brought out the stool Percy made her? That would have made too much sense. "I should have thanked you sooner."

Corbie plopped down in the other chair, realizing that she might genuinely be hungry but she didn't quite want to go hunting for real food just yet. She took another cookie and shook her head at the not-quite apology. "I've enjoyed it. Have I done okay?"

"You've done great! Really, thank you." She smiled kindly, "It might seem like a little thing, but it's made a big difference. It's hard to feel welcome in a place that is so clearly made for human-sized people."

"No, I get it. I mean, kinda. A little." Corbie ducked her head. She had always been small, but never so completely out of her element as Pike must be. "I've had to adjust most things I wear. Nothing fits right..." She paused, considering how to explain, and finally used her hands to indicate a space from her breasts to her waist. "Here. It's all too long."

"Exactly!" Pike laughed, "It's good to know that at least someone gets it."

She grabbed a cookie and began to nibble on the edges.

"Do you use your magic while sewing?"

Corbie shook her head. "I was sewing long before I knew any magic." She bit her lip, and then continued. "It was just me and my gran, so we had to make everything last as long as possible. Especially clothes."

"It seems like a wonderful skill to have. I grew up with my great-grandfather, but he did most of the mending." Pike smiled.

"I had a friend who would use this spell called Prestidigitation to tidy his clothes sometimes. It would magically iron out cloth and remove stains and stuff." She'd been jealous of Tiberius for that ability. It was just so handy. "It's always seemed like something that would be really valuable while sewing."

"Oh, shit, not having to do laundry would be amazing," Corbie mused. It had always been such a production at home, taking veritably all day to do. "Though at least here it ain't that hard."

"Right?! It was definitely easier than the handwashing that the rest of us had to do." Pike laughed. "Were you from a world with technology like this one?"

Corbie shook her head. "Nuh-uh. Indoor plumbing, yeah, but we didn't have electricity."

"Mine too." Her head fell to the side, "You're not from Exandria, are you?"

Corbie shook her head, very certain of this. "What I gather about the people and the magic, no, I don't think so. Anyway, never heard that name before here."

“What is magic like in your world?.” Selfishly she’d hoped that someone would arrive with news of Scanlan, but it was a very long shot.”

How did she even start to answer that? "Well... I ain't ever met any clerics for one thing. I'm a wizard. Far as I know, all people with magic are wizards."

Winter's Crest Snow Day [GP]

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