Taalia Giovanni
Taalia felt back in her element when she wandered the magnificent printing press with Cestie and Bella. The scent of oil and ozone hugging the air. The clinking and clanking of machinery. The whine of great belts whacking around wheels and operating partially mechanized systems while a cotorie of specialized workers went about their sole task. It was a beautiful dance of harmony that was all intended to produce a single product: books.
What what a product they were!
Even before Taalia had been literate, she was smart enough to see the value in writing things down and keeping records. Rashabang had done as such relentlessly, his notes turning into madhouse cross-cross maps of notes and schematics that only his mad genius was able to decipher. So when the girl had finally learned from blessed Singora Angeletta, she did so both as a means of practicality and so that she could understand the various texts she possessed on alchemical and medical procedures. After that, well, she was within Singore Cestie's workshop, learning the gunsmiths trade and the rudimentary math that went along with it. After that then came her own farm, for which she kept ledgers, husbandary notes and contractual records that enhanced her efficiency.
And that was for her own immediate importance. What about the long-term consequences of the thoughts and philosophical inquiry of great minds who had lived centuries prior, whose works could not influence society of today with their wisdom? Indeed, had not Cestie kept schematics from an ancestor? And look where it was taking them...
Yes, yes indeed. Though not a weapon one could throw at an enemy soldier or blast into the ratsnest of a Skaven pit, the book was perhaps one of mankinds most far-reaching and powerful pieces of technology. To accumulate the experiences, knowledge and works of past generations so that future ones may build upon it. It was simply marvelous.
"It seems no matter where I go in life, I always end up in a workshop of some sort, Singore Cestie," Taalia leaned over to whisper to her companion with a cheeky smile.
When the young red-headed girl spoke, Taalia returned her enthusiasm. Perhaps it was ego speaking, but all this talk of 'changing the future of mankind' reminded the shepardess that she was flying across the country in an airborne machine, from Bella Collina of Tilea, through Bretonnia and to Altdorf of the Empire. It was a historical first, and the flying machine Cestie had made would be an engineering marvel that revolutionized travel.
And this girl, so excited about the future and where things will go, will get to honestly claim she spoke with one of the participants.
Keep your ego in check girl, Taalia silently mused to herself, having to correct her own behaviour and put a pin in that inflating bubble.
But, it was that spirit of hope and optimism that humans were known for, a force within them that pushed them forward when reason told them all hope was lost. Taalia made sure to tip the girl another few pennies with a sincere thanks for her tour.
While Cestie busied his curiosity with the machines and Bella browsed the books, Taalia chose to make good on her promise and have some letters printed to send back to Bella Collina, particularly to Vitorrio. He was growing so fast. He was only 6 or so years behind her, just 11 years old when she was a skinny 17 year old out of the slave pits. Now he was a teenager, and Taalia smirked as she recalled some of the trouble he was getting into and the fire it brought out in his mother, Arianna. Taalia, being the adopted big sister, was in a unique position of being both his closest ally but also voice of reason. And so, Taalia paid the coins necessary and had letters printed to Vitorrio, Ariana and Gaulfredo, with Vitorrio being the main subject (that should please him, she thought to herself), and one for Madre and Polo, as well as the boys, now proven young men, who worked her farm. With any luck, they would receive it around the time the prize-money from the arena fight arrived!
Once that was done, she would find Bella, taking note of what she was perusing.
"Any you like?" she asked her bestie.
ooc:
Spoiler
Show
With haggle roll, Taalia may buy Bella a <50gc book, using one of her gems as tender. I don't want to lose perspective, 50gc is almost 4 years of a peasants wages lol, but if she's found one she wants and really likes and if it's cheap enough, she'll buy it.
Alternatively, she'll pay for Bella to send printed letters to someone, as a gift from her.
Re: [WFRP2e] The Power of One - Part 2 - "Transire Benefaciendo"
Reply With Quote