OOS 44

Notunoth 19-20 (exact date uncertain), as the party travels on the cloud manta from Oceanside on the way to the Mirage Temple. It occurred during session 22. 
== Transcript == 
Ondo: 
A day or two into the journey to the Mirage temple, when they are stopped to camp for night, Ondo approaches Veg. 
"Ah, Squire Veggrek? How are you doing?" 
Veggrek: 
"Hello, Ondo." Veggrek looks up from polishing his armor, a faint smile spreading his face. "I'm all right. How are you holding up?" 
Ondo: 
"I am..." he pauses to think. "Managing sufficiently." 
Ondo crouches down and opens his chest compartment. He begins carefully removing objects in an attempt to reach something further in. 
"I wanted to apologize, you asked me if I would do this quite some time ago it seems," he says, "I was working on it - but it wasn't quite... I don't know how to describe it." 
Veggrek: 
Veggrek's face falls as his eyes flicker between Ondo's mask and open chest. "I-- what?" 
Ondo: 
"I - here, just a moment, I think I've almost got it - I was compelled to start over at least three times, I do not know why. Ah, there it is." 
He gently removes the carved wooden figurine of Dyana. She is holding the Brightblade in one hand and a bottle in the other. Particular attention has been given to her hair and her face, which is smiling softly. 
Veggrek: 
The tension in Veggrek's face evaporates. His pupils get very big, fixed on the carving. 
"Oh," He says quietly, reverently. "It-- it's her. I don't know what to say." 
Ondo: 
"Does she look right?" 
Veggrek: 
"She's perfect." Veggrek's voice trembles. He wipes his eye on the back of his arm, keeping his fingers stained with metal polish at a distance. "I-- Thank you, Ondo. I'm always-- I'm sort of worried I'll forget her face, so this... helps." 
Ondo: 
"I am glad." Ondo sets the figure near Veg enough that it doesn't risk getting dirtied, but he can pick it up if he'd like. 
Veggrek: 
Veggrek tracks it with his eyes, then blinks the tears back, then looks up at Ondo. He doesn't have eyebrows to raise, but his eyes are wide, pupils narrowed to slits. "I-- You're, um-- Are you giving this to me?" 
Ondo: 
"Yes? I mean um - supposing that you want it." 
"Otherwise I suppose I could just... give it away?" he sounds confused. 
Veggrek: 
"I-- Of course I-- I'm flatt-- honored? I just..." Veggrek worries his lip with his teeth. "Okay, as my friend, can you promise me you won't-- If I start hoarding things, you'll call me on it? If it's just the one, that doesn't seem-- I mean, it's not garbage, it's a beautiful gift, I-- I don't want to seem ungrateful, I'm really not." 
Ondo: 
"Ah... If I notice, I shall let you know. I do not think one figure makes a hoard though, really." 
Veggrek: 
"Definitely not. But-- how many, do you think? Ten? Five?" 
Ondo: 
Ondo tilts his head to the side. "I would think you might just call it a collection, at that point. I am not sure what the answer is though." 
Veggrek: 
"Well, you might, but..." Veggrek turns his attention back to the maintenance of his armor. "Just... I can only accept this if you promise to keep an eye on me, okay?" 
Ondo: 
"I promise," he says with a slight nod. 
Veggrek: 
Veggrek grins. 
"Thank you, Ondo." 
Ondo: 
"You are welcome. Although," he puts a hand to the chin of his mask, "If my hoard gets any bigger, I may need to start carrying it outside myself. I should manage that myself." 
Veggrek: 
Veggrek blinks. "I don't-- I don't think you have a hoard? You seem... organized? Or-- I mean, you don't-- Well, do you carry trinkets?" 
Ondo: 
"I don't know. What is a trinket, exactly? Sometimes I just find things in here that Akaros picked up." 
Veggrek: 
Veggrek squints. "I'd... have to look at it, I think. Would you mind? If I start grabbing things, slap my hand." 
Ondo: 
"Oh? Er, no go right ahead." Ondo remains seated and begins opening his various compartments. 
They are quite full. His chest is the most packed, as it can fit the most dimensional objects, but a variety of things from adventuring gear to woodcarving supplies to just pretty rocks has been crammed into any space it will fit. 
Veggrek: 
Veggrek rubs the chainmail against itself, letting the rings polish each other as he appraises Ondo's inventory with a critical eye. 
"Okay, so... A trinket is something that doesn't have actual value or usefulness." 
Ondo: 
"I see. So, it cannot be sold or done anything with?" 
Veggrek: 
"Well, it-- It can? Sometimes? But probably not for much. Garbage, basically, that hasn't gone where garbage goes." 
Ondo: 
"I... suppose some of these toys I've made may count then? I do not know what to do with them." 
Veggrek: 
"Can I see?" 
Ondo: 
"Yes, here." Ondo begins to remove wooden carvings from his main compartment. There is a tiny Cornelius, a Scabacca, a Dog, an Akaros, and several others. 
The last one he pulls out appears far older, and he tucks it back in after taking a look at what he grabbed. 
Veggrek: 
"Well, you made these, so that-- I mean, it's a skilled craft. Of course you could sell them." 
Ondo: 
"Oh. Should I?" 
Veggrek: 
"Do you want money more than you want to hold on to them?" 
Ondo: 
"Ah, um..." 
"I do not really have great need of money, though it does buy potions. I am not even sure what these would be worth." 
Veggrek: 
"I'm not the one to ask. Maybe at the festival, you can ask another craftsperson? But the point is they're skilled artworks, not trinkets." 
Ondo: 
"Artwork?" Ondo holds up a figure in front of him. "I was just making toys from things that I remember seeing." 
"Is it the not being used that makes them art? I do not understand." 
Veggrek: 
Veggrek opens his mouth, and then closes it, and then opens it again. "Well-- No, you're right. They can be toys. Um-- they're still not part of a hoard, I don't think, since-- Well, you make them because you enjoy it, right? And anyway it's... Look, if you found some string on the ground and tied a knot in it, that's not art. I'm not sure I'd even call it a toy." 
"They're toys and art, but they're not garbage." 
Ondo: 
Ondo nods seriously. "Alright. Then I shall see if there is someone at the festival who wishes to take them. Thank you for your help, Veggrek." 
Veggrek: 
"Anytime, friend. Thank you for yours!"
Category:OOS