[ NPC Open] The crows in the garden are laughing at my expense.

[thethirteenthchild]

Who: Dahlia Leeds (thethirteenthchild) & YOU!
What: Work, Historical Society, around town, and whatever else I think of
When: Late May, early June
Where: Kinda everywhere
Warning(s): None for now!

My stone, my shield, my steady hand.

[ Town Hall ]

Got paperwork to do? Dahlia's here to help, as usual. She sits in the front office of Town Hall, working on a few things at once--- approving employment paperwork, making a stack of things for Fever to file whenever she's on shift next, filling out some budgeting thing for Mayor Poe. She keeps busy these days, with how full the town has gotten. It's no wonder there's a sign out front advertising the upcoming open election for a few more Town Council slots. You can ask Dahlia about that as well. Or stop by for a chat! She could probably use a break.

Hold your light to the darkness in my head.

[ Graveyard ]

One early, grey morning, Dahlia can be found out at Fall's Promise Cemetery. She's sitting on the steps of the Leeds family mausoleum, and seems to be enjoying a picnic breakfast as she sits on the short stone stoop and looks out at the sea. She seems lost in a daze, a far away expression on her face. It's a familiar one to any one who knows her.

Behind her, a bundle of blue gladiolus flowers tied with a black ribbon lie.

If someone approaches, she will snap out of her stupor and wave. She seems amenable to a visit.

Put your ear to my heart or set your teeth against my throat.

[ Historical Society Meeting ]

For the past few weeks, the community bulletin board and the library have had fresh flyers with the mark of the Pumpkin Hollow Historical Society have been advertising a public meeting.

"Converse with your neighbors. Learn more about the history of our fair island and the world around it. Help us gather research about the monsters that appear here. Refreshments provided!"

Those interested can join the rather elusive group for a midday open meeting, finger sandwiches and tea available for those dropping by. Dahlia herself mingles, happy to compare notes or simply discuss the benefits of joining her research club.

Give me something pretty to wear beneath my bloodstained clothes.

[ Errands ]

On a weekend day, Dahlia can occasionally be found around town, doing some various errands. Shopping for new clothes or accessories, picking up groceries, going out to lunch. Sometimes she stops by the Temple with a sandwich for Degas from her favorite cafe or pops into the constabulary with snacks for Cerrit. She also frequently stops by various weapon shops for knives. One day she comes into town to dispose of a sack of shattered glass and bent metal for reasons unknown.

And occasionally she can even be found in the tavern, drinking. She's apparently quite fond of their ale.

Won't you cut down that apple tree for me?

[ Wildcard ]

Want a Pine Devil moment? Want to catch Dahlia throwing knives at trees? Throw anything you like at me, or DM me on Discord to plot!

Comments

[thethirteenthchild]

"That'd be me," Dahlia replies, looking up from her work. "What should be the name on the paperwork?"

[blindwatchersees]

"Well, if it is confused and has my letters scrambled up, it might say something like 'Theodor Gorlash.' They're actually supposed to be in an order where they say 'Lord Sheogorath.'"

[thethirteenthchild]

"That's quite the clerical error." Good thing Fever's taken over some of that. She's better than the guy who was doing it before. Some local boy who really should have been focusing on his school work. "Let me check under both names and see if we have anything outdated."

She turns to her cabinet and pulls out a handful of incorrect documents. "Here we are. We just need this one redone. It's just some personal records, address and phone number for urgent contact."

[blindwatchersees]

"Thank you kindly. You know, I don't mind being addressed incorrectly, except when I do, but self-perception can be quite a powerful thing, don't you think?"

[thethirteenthchild]

"I can agree with that." Dahlia fishes out a fresh copy of the document that needs reworked, along with a pen and writing board. "You can fill it out here at the desk or grab a seat over that way."

[blindwatchersees]

"Could I grab a seat and fill it out at the desk? Or is this strictly an 'either/or' situation?"

[thethirteenthchild]

"...Well, I'd prefer you didn't sit at my desk, considering I'm still working here and this is the only desk chair?" She laughs awkwardly. "But I suppose if you want to pull one of the other chairs up to the other side, that's your prerogative."

[blindwatchersees]

"It is my prerogative, isn't it? I do so love that word. Haskill loves to use that word, you know, when he's talking about me." He walks over to a chair and pulls it over to the desk. Then, he walks over to another chair, and pulls that one over. Uh oh, he's getting a little carried away. If he's not stopped, he may pull every unoccupied chair he can find in the building up to Dahlia's desk.

[thethirteenthchild]

"Oh, no you don't. I specifically said you can pull one of the chairs over, I was very precise with my language," Dahlia insists sternly, having already assumed this was probably some fae bullshit. "Put the others back, please."

[blindwatchersees]

He pouts, but he’s clearly pleased at her catching on so quickly. Instead, he sits down with as much of a flourish as one can manage, and signs his name to the paperwork with exuberant flare.

Sheogorath examines his signature, and smiles, and asks, “Is there anything else I could sign? My handwriting is nothing short of splendid today, and it would be a shame to let that go to waste.”

[thethirteenthchild]

Dahlia just looks at him neutrally, and without breaking eye contact, she produces a thick stack of scrap paper that hits the desk with a gentle thunk.

"Knock yourself out."

[blindwatchersees]

“Thank you kindly!”

And he begins signing his name to the scraps.

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How thick is this stack, Dahlia? And more importantly, how patient are you?

[thethirteenthchild]

"Feel free to use the backs as well," Dahlia adds placidly, returning to her own work. As long as he sits there quietly, her patience can outlast him at least until it's time for her shift to end.

Plus it's a little bit funny.

[blindwatchersees]

Well, so long as they’re both getting a kick out of this, no reason to not keep it up. Besides, he can save these signatures for a bad day!

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[thethirteenthchild]

Yep. This might as well happen.

If left uninterrupted, Dahlia will simply allow this to carry on in near-silence for the several hours remaining before she goes home.

[blindwatchersees]

He does give off the unspoken vibe that he wants to chat, but it seems like he’s trying to be well-behaved and not interrupt Dahlia overtly. Just… he’s being as subtly distracting as possible by doing the exact thing she gave him explicit permission to do.

[thethirteenthchild]

Dahlia lets him ride that one out until he runs out of paper. Her patience is truly something to behold.

"Did you need more or have you sufficiently immortalized your good-handwriting day?"

[blindwatchersees]

“Oh, I wouldn’t dare immortalize a signature. That’s such an awful burden to put on something so pretty and unassuming. Besides, if I made my signature immortal, I couldn’t have more days like this, now, could I? But I do think I’ve stored up enough of a good day to tide me over through the worser ones.”

[thethirteenthchild]

Dahlia huffs out a laugh. More fairy nonsense. He seems to be seelie-aligned, at least. "I'm pleased to hear it. Is there anything else I can assist you with today?"

[blindwatchersees]

"I think that's that for now, but it's good to know that I'll be in capable hands when I come here. You certainly know how to do a job right." He gives her a wink and a terribly charming smile. He's practically oozing with delight that she's taken his little game in stride.