The Trade Caravan Quaraun sat cross-legged on a thick silk rug, needle and thread in hand, his mechanical fingers clinking faintly as he embroidered. The jellyfish tendrils of his hair curled around him protectively, occasionally snapping in irritation. The soft pink silk stretched taut across the embroidery hoop bore a pattern of silver lilies, each stitch precise and flawless. His muttering broke the quiet, punctuated by the clink of BoomFuzzy’s cooking tools on the other side of the tent. "I despise Humans," Quaraun growled, tugging the thread tight. "Burning my lighthouse. Calling me a villain. A big boss!" His voice rose with each word. "I am a silk merchant! A mage! Not some—some dungeon monster!" Across the tent, BoomFuzzy stirred a cauldron of clam chowder, the savory scent wafting through the air. Loaves of freshly baked bread cooled on a nearby counter. "Ya’re nae wrong, Love," BoomFuzzy said, his Scots accent lilting. "But gripin...
Pickling Perfection The air inside the BioDome was crisp and fragrant, carrying the tangy aroma of dill mingled with the fresh, watery scent of cucumbers. Rows upon rows of leafy green plants stretched out, their soft shadows dancing under the glowing artificial sun. Quaraun reclined on a pink velvet lounge, surrounded by frilly pink silk cushions, his usual pink parasol poised in one hand while he sipped black tea from a porcelain cup painted with pink roses. “Glinta, you’re bruising them!” he snapped, watching GhoulSpawn fumble with a particularly large cucumber. “I’m not bruising them!” GhoulSpawn retorted, his tone exasperated as he carefully placed the cucumber in the wicker basket by his side. His green velvet coat was rolled up to his elbows, and a smudge of dirt marred his glasses. “You’re the one who insists I do this by hand. We could use a harvesting machine, you know.” “And deprive you of learning proper care for the plants?” Quaraun huffed. “You are my apprentice, not...