Jigano knew that Sam's heart was a good one, so he wasn't surprised when the bookmaker offered to help. He was a little surprised by the tact his friend used, though, in the most pleasant and proud way possible. The shy Ascended was coming out of his shell, slowly but steadily, and it was a moment's balm on the sad conversation.
Maea didn't seem like the type to want sympathy, and most of the farmers Jigano had met were a proud people, poor but stubborn and taking charity only as a last resort. He nodded acceptance of her thanks, flicking his fingers in a gesture of dust on the wind. "It is the food you raise that feeds us," he said, his voice still gentle. "It is only right that we should help you, as you help us."
She recovered - at least for the moment - faster than Jigano had expected, but he bowed his head in gracious acceptance that she wanted to change the subject. Nodding for Sam to continue his excavations - nearly complete, now, the window almost unearthed in its entirety - the bard grabbed the second shovel and began a much less impressive start to the second window well. "Well," he began in answer to her question. "Some of our number are Outlanders, but others are from around here," he nodded to Sam with a smile. "So we've learned a great deal, or already knew it. I'd like us all to come together once the Hall is fixed up and pool our knowledge, but yes, a number of outlanders and naturals alike are planning to fight the spire's guardian so we can gain access to it. Ludo told someone that the key to the barrier lay at the top of the spire. Another said that they were told that Ascended would be key to activating - or, perhaps, deactivating - the spire and and bringing the barrier down. Either way, the first step will be bypassing the mad guardian and putting it out of its misery."
Maea didn't seem like the type to want sympathy, and most of the farmers Jigano had met were a proud people, poor but stubborn and taking charity only as a last resort. He nodded acceptance of her thanks, flicking his fingers in a gesture of dust on the wind. "It is the food you raise that feeds us," he said, his voice still gentle. "It is only right that we should help you, as you help us."
She recovered - at least for the moment - faster than Jigano had expected, but he bowed his head in gracious acceptance that she wanted to change the subject. Nodding for Sam to continue his excavations - nearly complete, now, the window almost unearthed in its entirety - the bard grabbed the second shovel and began a much less impressive start to the second window well. "Well," he began in answer to her question. "Some of our number are Outlanders, but others are from around here," he nodded to Sam with a smile. "So we've learned a great deal, or already knew it. I'd like us all to come together once the Hall is fixed up and pool our knowledge, but yes, a number of outlanders and naturals alike are planning to fight the spire's guardian so we can gain access to it. Ludo told someone that the key to the barrier lay at the top of the spire. Another said that they were told that Ascended would be key to activating - or, perhaps, deactivating - the spire and and bringing the barrier down. Either way, the first step will be bypassing the mad guardian and putting it out of its misery."
