There is another option the characters can use, other than spending the night in the Library, which has no bedrooms.  Yes, they can make do, sleeping on the floor in the private area, or on the furniture, maybe even conjure up something comfortable.   Or...

There is the Jolly Madison Hotel a block away.  It is the early, early, early, morning, but then in midtown Manhattan, people are up and about, some are first coming back from a night at a club, and the hotel has a night desk clerk.

And best of all, the Library has a permanent account here, as this is three minutes from the Library walking, and is used for VIP visitors.

It has a few things the library does not:  showers in the rooms, and free breakfast.

(There is actually a closer hotel- next door, wedged between the Jolly Madison and the Polish Consulate is the Morgans Hotel, but despite the name it has no relation to the library.  But, it is smaller and very expensive, so the library went with the Jolly Madison)

Either way, the characters can get a night's sleep (either a good one or a so-so one, depending on their option) and they can meet with the gang in the morning.  Very late morning, in the Library.

Tiatha is here too, as she has been working on the Thanksgiving Invitation List Project.

The Nisse look quite tired... but there is the smell of coffee.

The Jolly Madison Hotel.  Just to the right is the Morgans Hotel, to the right of that the Polish Consulate, and then to the right of that, across the street past the bus and taxi, the Library.

It had been a long night. Gremian slept on the floor near the heater/air conditioner in the same room as the male Nisses. The machine wasn't like home, but it was enough to make him feel comfortable. And it masked the Nisses' snoring. He opened his eyes. But as he didn't want to talk to them, he laid there waiting for them to wake up.

Amara slept in a nice bed for the night and in the morning, she got up, cleaned up and got dressed. She when into the living room and summoned up a nice breakfast of pastries, coffee and tea.

One by one, after breakfast, and in some cases during breakfast as the hotel provides convenient "to go" cups at the coffee table in the breakfast lounge, characters drag themselves over to the Library and the conference room in the "private" section.

The Nisse are already there- they spent the night here, as they weren't trusted enough to be on their own.  The signs of their presence are obvious: there are Christmas decorations up.

"We didn't actually plan to do that," Arna says.  "It just sort of happened.  I'm not quite sure how."  She gives a very innocent looking shrug.

Karl is busy reading Tiatha's list.  Not that he was asked to.  He's just nosy.

"What's a Thanksgiving List?" the gnome-like Fey asks.  "Is this a list of people you are supposed to thank?  Am I supposed to make one?"

"Thanksgiving is an American holiday, so I am not sure. It is about a month before Christmas. Did you all get something to eat? I can make some milk and cookies if you want" she asks the Nisse

With the sound, Gremian woke up completely. He readjusted his clothes. He removed a garland of his shoulder. "Hi Amara, I don't know what happened to the room", he said as he looked around. "I just woke up, I'm interested in the milk and cookies too."

"Like she said, a human holiday, I think a cooked turkey is involved", he tried to answer Karl. And he wondered who left the paper there and if it was important.

"Yes, I went to a dinner once at Denny's. It involved cooked turkey, stuffing, potato's over various kind and pie with a lot of relatives that you hardy see." she waves her hand over a table and a large plate of cookies of various kinds appear with a pitcher of milk and chocolate milk.   She waves her hand again and a pot of strong coffee appears with some mugs, cream and sugar, and glasses.

At about this same time, the Library has a new issue to deal with.

Fey often come to the city with no idea of how to actually go about living here.  It's not easy- get a home, get money.  Some have it easier than others, for example, Gremian scrounges and "borrows" everything he needs, and lives in a place that is rarely explored by Humans except on their periodic Maintenance.  In fact, it's more or less unlivable by anyone other than his own kind, and the pigeons.

But shortly after arriving, while looking lost and bewildered, Johnny ran into a Goblin working on a sanitation crew in Times Square.  Being Fey, they could recognize the reality of each other.  The Goblin was in an unusually charitable mood, having found some really exciting trash that morning, and directed Johnny to the Library.

"They'll help anyone," the Goblin had said, though it was apparent that in the Goblin way of thinking, that wasn't exactly a complement.  So Johnny found the library.

The senior Librarians weren't in yet, but the receptionist understood that Johnny was "one of them" and ushered him in to the Library's Restricted Private Area, suggesting that maybe the others there could offer some help, because "they do that, a lot."

He was no stranger to meeting strangers. Did it all the time, practically professionally, although usually not in such a needy state.

He knocked on the door to the 'Private' space, waited a polite moment, and then let himself into the room. He'd been invited after a fashion. It wasn't like he just walked himself into someone's home.

"Good morning new friends." He gave those assembled in the room a deferential nod as he both looked and let them look "I am Johnny, newly arrived in the city and on the doorstep of the Library. I must confess that New York is already confusing me." It took something out of his sails to admit it but he needed their help and there was no need to parse words about it. "It has been suggested that you fine folk of the Library are the ones I should speak to. Perhaps there's something I can do here in exchange?"

Amara looks over at Johnny "Oh, hello. are you here to be the new Santa Clause? You would need to have a white bead though" then she hears he is new "Oh, we are trying to help some Nisse, so we can help you at the same time. I am Amara by the way. Would you like anything to eat or drink?"

Gears changed rather quickly here. It made him laugh. "I had no intention of going red, white, and bearded." He shrugged. "Sometimes you play lead, other times you're stuck being second fiddle."

He was glad she'd said something. Conversation provided a reason to be looking at her and there was a great deal to look at all at once. "So what manner of aid to these sprites require?"

There were rules you followed. High on that list of rules, when someone offers you food and drink you say yes. "Eat and drink both if you don't mind Amara."

"Well, they are looking for a Santa Clause. They are big into Christmas. And as far as food and drink, we have milk, coffee and cookies. I can get something else if you want it" she says to Jonhny

To say that the Nisse are big into Christmas is perhaps an understatement...

"It is a big thing for us... the old Yule," Arna explains.

Karl, the youngest of the red capped white haired trio, follows up:  "But this place made it bigger.  There's magic here, it takes you over."

The Nisse appear to believe that the "Christmasy-ness" of the city somehow affects them, drives them to become more of what everyone imagines them to be.

"Christmas Elves," Arna says.  "Little North Pole Toymakers.  That's our fate.  Truth is, we'd rather bake and make sweets.  Life in the Big City, right?"

One of the Nisse walks up to Johnny and looks up, with an appraising expression, before concluding, "Naah, he doesn't seem the type."

Gremian finally finished the cookie he had in his month when Johnny arrived. "Hi, I'm Gremian, I'm relatively new in New York and at the Library." He refilled his mug. "Excellent coffee"

OOC: Sorry, didn't have much to add about the Nisses or Johnny.

"I'll start with the coffee, maybe find something with more substance to it later." He poured a cup and gave the sprites more attention even as he's quickly assessed for the role of The Man when it comes to the Christmas season.

"I showed up looking for some help and if I can help out too, that's fine. I may not be the good choice for St. Nick, but I'll play you some tunes to keep you in the spirit after a bit."

He offered the man who smelled like he worked with machines a handshake in the usual fashion. "Sounds like you are just slightly ahead of me in all this then Gremian. What should someone brand new to the Library and the city know?"

"Well, I can summon up most food and drink." she waves her hand and bowl of caviar appears."How about some Christmas tunes?"
This message was last edited by the player at 01:51, Thu 04 Aug 2016.

Gremian shacked the offered hand. "Like you said, I'm just slightly ahead. I found out this night that I have kin here. But anyway, the Library is probably the best place for help on fairies matters. People throw lot of food: most of the time it is edible like pizza, and sometime it is not: like vegetables. The Statue of Liberty is boring to visit. That pretty much what I could think of, mate"

He couldn't resist laughing when the bowl of fancy food showed up. It was honest mirth. "Amara you go from cookies to caviar in the blink of an eye. While I appreciate the luxury food, I'm more of a burgers and fries guy."

Today's topic seemed to be all about food. Eventually he would come to find what he could do around the Library but for the moment, he could carry on as desired. "I'll stay clear of the giant statue then Gremian, thanks for the advice."

Johnny moved to the corner to set the messenger bag aside and unsling the backpack. It was all done with the kind of ease that comes from having done this many times before. "It is difficult to turn down a request to play." He removed a battered violin case from the messenger bag, set the case on the table, and took the violin out with some care.

The golden body of the instrument was unmistakable. It shimmered in the lighting of the office, especially to the eyes of those here. Just like everyone knew that only Fae saw what they really looked like, to mortal eyes the instrument certainly wouldn't look this way.

"How about an old carol of a tune?" It wasn't really a question, he was just letting them know what was coming. From the moment the bow hit the strings, they knew he was a fiddler and not a concert violinist. He moved with the music in steps that were nearly a dance. He played something well know but with some flair and took up about five minutes of their time with it.

OOC: No idea how to post a link here. But this would be the tune

https://youtu.be/jg4sZZaf3Gg

She grins at Johnny "So am I actually. I can summon up most kinds of food. So our problem is these Nisse what to have a Santa Clause and were going to make a troll one and change peoples minds, which we can not allow. So we still want to help get them a Santa and that's why we thought you might be the one. but then she looks closer at Johnny "But how can we also help you? You just got here. I have been here for a while. I live in a high rise in the penthouse, I love heights as I can fly. And we can do burgers later."

"My needs are a bit more vague than the quest for a Santa although I will be happy to throw in to help with finding one." He sat down, feet almost went right to the table top, thought better of it at the last and simply crossed ankles on the floor.

"In short, the world has become too small too fast for me." He took a deep breath like he was getting ready to tell a story. Which was exactly what he was doing. "Used to be you could tramp the world, walk a few miles and start all over again. Villages may as well have been across oceans. Then folk began to travel more. So if you wanted to start your own story over again you had to go farther."

He shrugged. "It wasn't a problem it was just the way of it. Here in the Americas, wandering has been easy. Plenty of small towns still, and if you got tired of one, just hop a train or a bus and start yourself all over again."

"There was a tale by a man named Orwell, spoke of Big Brother watching over everything. My problem is not Big Brother, but rather Little Brother. News flies from person to person at magical speeds. And this has happened, well, quickly to me."

"Like most of us I'm just trying to live my life and not get caught at it. Seems I need some lessons on how to be a modern Fae and get by in these times. Hoped those at the Library could lend a hand."

While Johnny was playing, Gremian lost a cookie into his coffee. At the end, he applauded. He then fished for his lost cookie with a spoon. "Way better than what we hear all the time on the radio. And I know the feeling, gremlin-ness was almost lost when human got better airship. I change to mostly tinkerer instead of a destroyer. Maybe a similar change could work for you too: instead of entertaining as a traveler, you entertain travelers. There are many here in the summer."

"I have not been here that long but I am worried that I will have to move at some point with all the camera's that take lots of pictures. Not that I normally mind being photographed as I know I am attractive and males seem to attracted to me. But anyway I too just want to live and I wish there was a way we could destroy pictures of ourselves." 

The senior librarians often arrive late.  They're both rather old, for Humans, so perhaps they need the extra sleep.

Today, Dennis Flattery is the first of them to show up, and he's more than a little surprised to see the group in the conference room.

"Well they're new," he says, looking at the three Nisse.

"Not really," says Rolf.

Ignoring that, Dennis looks over at Johnny.  "And so are you.  Hobgoblin?"

He continues: "By the way, Amara, I just heard that part about destroying pictures.  Avoid them, if you will.  Destroying will only call attention.  Maybe not at first, but it will.  The Veil will do what it can to hide you, even in pictures, as long as you don't stretch its magic too far."

He turns back to Johnny.  "What brings you to the Library?"

"Thank you Gremian." Praise from any Fae folk was always appreciated. "Perhaps you set the right example of trying to adjust. It will take time. The flip from breaking to making could not have been easy for you."

He laughed, shook his head at Amara's description of men enjoying looking at her. "Amara, I think you'll find that men and women both keep their eyes on you when they can. But you can't just rip up pictures like you could have if you posed for a painting. They fly from person to person through their phones. There's nothing to stop it."

Some older people arrive and one of them does multiple things to offend all in one brief sentence. Race before name, trying to fit him onto a card to be cataloged. He gave the man a sly look. "I have been a a harper and a harp, the bow, the arrow, the string upon the bow. Sometimes I take the lead and others I am merely the accompanyment. I am and have been many things. You can call me Johnny."

"And as I just told these fine folk, said briefly, I am in need of modern living aid. And I am willing to work in trade for such help. Perhaps the Library has a music section?"

"We don't really have much music here," Dennis says.  "Though.. there are plenty of opportunities for Fey in the music world here and we do have connections.  The first question is, to want to be in the hidden in plain sight, or in the shadows?"

There are, as he explains, two ways of doing things.  Humans are notoriously insistent on things like Documentation and Records and other things Fey find terribly constraining, almost imprisoning. What's worse, Documents all seem to rely on Older Documents, and Fey don't come into the world with Birth Certificates, nor do they arrive with Immigration Papers.

So when Dennis refers to being In Plain Sight... he means, with forged documents.

"They make such a deal over Birth Certificates, but the truth is, in any bureacracy as big as this city's, there are always people willing to break a rule for the right reward.  I wouldn't know of such, of course.. but I know of a few who do, and they can make proper arrangements, and soon you'll be an officially documented Human, with all the papers to prove it.  Of course they will be wanting something in return."

The other option is to stay "in the shadows", work for cash, have no official record.  Or don't worry about cash at all- "borrow" what you need to survive.

"There are Fey who prefer each solution options," Dennis explains.  "The Goblins who work in Sanitation, of course, they have their papers.  So does Breeze, the Sylph.  On the other end of the scale... well, it's mostly the Small Folk who get by on what they scrounge.  There was a Nature Fairy here the other day who can fit into doll clothes.  Very convenient, and I'm sure there are a few little girls in the city who are missing doll clothes and wonder why no one believes them when they say Fairies Took It."

"You need papers?" Karl asks, stunned.

All three Nisse look at each other.  Rolf slaps his head.  "THAT would explain why we were never allowed to open our Confectionery and Bakery!  Humans want Papers!"

"I've been living off the books for quite a long time on my own." He shrugged. "That has become too challenging. I believe my best chance is to come close to going legit. Even the underground music movement still expects people to have names that can be looked up, cell phones that can be contacted, and a whole world of other things."

"So I'll need enough to get by but don't worry, favors for favors? Feels like I've been doing that my whole life."

Amara looks at Johny "I am sure we can help you figure something out. If you want to be official, I am sure I can charm a person for all the papers you would need and then find a job. And yes, I know men and woman find me attractive and I know how to use it" she smiles

"Well if that's how you'll do it, you're in the right city," Dennis says.  "The city's current government takes great pride in being immigrant friendly, and immigrants don't always have full documentation.  Perhaps a little smile.. and a bit of magic... will get a clerk at the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue you a license, and after that, you're pretty much set.  If you want to go all in, of course, best to talk to the Goblins and their contacts, they can manage the whole deal, birth certificate and all.  Amhara's help, on the other hand, might be cheaper."

"I talked to a Goblin once," Rolf says.  "They're all about getting paid.  Definitely will cost you, if you asks a favor from them.  But... while we're talking papers... Amhara... do you think you could help us get the bakery approved?"

"We'd like to be legit, too," Arna says.

"Sounds like we have about as many choices here as you do at a crossroads. Any one of them could lead someplace interesting."

He gave the tall women a considering look. "Might just be easier if we traded favors instead of involving yet another party. But those crossroads deals always have unintended prices."

A bakery run by fair folk? Nothing could go wrong with that. "Seems like you might be quite busy soon Amara. Were you getting bored?"

"Well Johnny, we need to trade favors as they can make the papers that will pass scrutiny. I probably could make a copy but if they checked it, it would just raise more questions. So we need to do that if you want to live more out in the open. But if you want to stay in the shadows, you avoid that but you really do need to stay out of sight. I like being able to move around and be in the public, I would recommend that"

Rolf begins jumping up and down.  It is impressive:  on a good jump, the top of his pointy red hat gets to about shoulder height, for Johnny and Amara.

"Don't you see, this is it!" he says.  "We don't have to be CHRISTMAS Elves!  Not if we have OFFICIAL PAPERS saying we are BAKERS!"

Arna nods.  "It's all very confusing, but yes, I think it works like that.  Nothing is stronger than the power of belief, and a stamped certificate from the city, that's something everyone believes in."

Dennis nods.  "It's true, in the Human world, millions of people are what they are, and they know what they are, and everyone else knows it, because they have a piece of paper that says so."

"And they say Faerie Magic is hard to understand," Arna says.  "We need these papers.  Please take us with you and Johnny?"

"Wait what?!? You were willing to endanger the city for something you didn't want to be? Anyway, I don't think I can help much with this Paper Quest, I only got a", Gremian fished for his card in one of his jacket inner pockets, "an identification card. At least, it was enough for an officer to not bring me to the brig one time." He put his id away, in a different pocket. "Maybe I could help with something else?

Julian finally arrived at the Library himself, having braved traffic to get home to rest and return with his customary cup of coffee in hand. He came bursting into the room with his usual nervous energy, glancing about those gathered while offering a sheepish grin.

"My apologies for being late...traffic was murder today. I brought a peace offering though..."

The researcher unshouldered his pack to withdraw a box which he then set on the table. Opening it with a flourish, he moved aside to allow anyone who wished to partake, "Donut, anyone?"
This message was last edited by the player at 04:36, Fri 12 Aug 2016.

Amara looks at the Nissi "You have to look human to get papers. You can't exactly pass for a human person, can you" she takes one of Julian's donut "Glad you could make it"

"You don't understand," Rolf tells Gremian.  "It's not us.  There's magic out there that makes us.. us.  The way it makes you you.  Small folk like us, magic shapes us.  That's why... none of your kind, back in the old books.  You're new.  Us, we've been around a long time.  Maybe we could have become like you, but when we got here, the power of the belief here, and it's a real power, very strong.. it decided we are Christmas Elves."

"Open any Christmas book and look at the Christmas Elves and it's us," Arna says.  "Pointy hats and all.  We don't want it, we don't want jingle bells on the ends of our hats.  But the magic... it's so strong.  We wanted to make cookies and candy."

Arna picks up one of the donuts.  She needs both hands, the donut, in scale to Arna, is more like a very large Bundt Cake.  "People like this," she says.  "We could do this.  But nothing is stronger than the magic of Christmas in New York.  And so we had to go with it, because when it calls you can't fight it, unless you really can."

"Except maybe Official Papers," Karl says.  "Could be our only hope, or we'll be Christmas Elves forever."

Dennis tries to follow along.  He's worked with a lot of Fey- things like "you can't fight it unless you really can" usually make sense once you delve into the Fey logic, which often runs sideways compared to Human thinking.

"Now, your appearance," he says, seizing Amara's train of thought.  "The Veil can hide you, will hide you, but.. you have to let it.   Do it once or twice, and after that, it's instinctive."

Then he realizes something.  He turns to Amara.  "You.. you see through it as if it wasn't there, don't you?  You've never seen the illusions the Veil hides you with?  You don't know what your friends look like, to mortal eyes?"

In reply to Amara Tahan (msg # 30):

"The problem with dwelling in the shadows is that those shadows grow shorter every day it seems." Johnny said it with some sadness. "It would be easier to stay in out of the light in out of the way countries but I have come to like it these lands. I've tramped all over them and I'm not so willing to yield them up."

A man came in bearing sweet treats like he belonged here exactly. No one reacted badly to the normal mortal and truth be told, there were plenty of them in the library. "Names first then maybe food. I'm Johnny." He offered the slim man a handshake. "Amara and company have been helping me through some of the issues of modern living, although it sounds like that was already on the playlist for these now-Christmas Elves. Makes me wonder what you and yours looked like before the Santa myth grabbed a hold of you so hard."

"Back to you Amara, I have no problem in playing the favor trading game. It is time honored is it not?"

"For you currently Christmas elves though, you could play a long game to get out of this shape and into something else. It would not fix your current state. But new songs and new tales, perhaps couched as bringing back an even older story, done properly, done popularly.." He trailed off for a moment. He was enjoying the notion. "It would take some time and some good fortune, if making hit songs and stories was easy everyone would do it. But new songs can reach literally millions quite quickly due to mortal technology. You could go from Christmas Elves to Tolkien Elves - eventually - by manipulating belief."

"We've always looked like this," Arna says.

Dennis interjects:  "Bearing in mind the Fey concept of 'always', of course," he says.

"I think the Santa stole our look, not the other way around," Karl says.  "What's a Token Elf?  Do they bake?"

Dennis shakes his head.  "Well, we have some work to do, then.  The lot of you should do the rounds of the city offices, get the paper work in order, one way or another. "

"But the Fiddler's right," Rolf says, referring to Johnny.  "A song.  Songs have power.  Maybe you can sing us into bakers!"

"Now if we had the Troll with the Staff," Arna muses.  The other Nisse look at her.

"That's right," Rolf says, suddenly mindful of an oversight.   "There is a lot of pent up power in that.  I hope he knows what he has.  A shame for us to do all that work, if he's only going to take it back to Norway."

"Lot's to do, then," Dennis says.  "There's your problems, and we have a few more new faces showing up today, according to the receptionist.  Somehow I suspect Johnny's mere lack of official paperwork is going to be the easy problem."

Amar looks at the Nissi "Well, you just have to adjust your plan, I have had to do that a lot in my life, is it just a thing that happens. So if the viel protects you, we can see about opening up a magical shop of sweets for you maybe."

She looks at Dennis "Well, if I concentrate, I can see what the fay look like but normally I don't bother. I have been doing this for over 2 thousand years. Thought I was not free for most of that though."

She looks at Johnny "I am still willing to help you figure out what you want but it is up to you if you want to stay in the shadows or not. and your right, it is becoming so much harder.

"Oh donuts!, thank" said Gremian as he pick one. He put all of it in his large month and could only nod and frown at the Nisse's response. He wanted to respond that he probably chose to became a Gremlian, but he didn't want to talk with his month full, and before he finished, the subject had changed to Paper, Troll's staff and Veil. He looked around. "Should we go after the Prince to make sure that he handle the extra power correctly?"

"What about our papers?"  Karl asks.

"You go with Gremian to check the Troll," Rolk says.  "Arna and I will..."

"Rolf, you're sending Karl.  Unsupervised."  Arna, the one female Nisse, points out as a matter of duty.

"You're right.  You go with him.  I'll go to wherever we go to get our papers."

"As I asked Johnny, legitimate or not?" Dennis asks.

"Does it matter?" the head Nisse replies.  He turns to Amara.  "Let's go get some papers!  Whatever works!"

** ** ** ** **

And meanwhile, the library's receptionist was speaking to the new arrivals.  The reception desk is in the public part of the Morgan Library, but the receptionist has been doing this a while.

"You'll want to speak to the others in Private Research Section," she says, giving directions to a door in the very back of the oldest part of the library.

Amara looks at the Nisse "OK, we can do that but I need to make some calls first."

Julian quirked a brow at the mention of papers, mouthing the word silently before taking a donut for himself. He took a few bites while thinking over the idea before finally breaking his silence, "Papers aren't entirely out of the question. I could certainly help with that. It's a lot of paperwork you'll need...especially if you want to be business owners."

Gremian, too, was relieved that it wasn't Karl that would go with him for the Troll. For a short moment, he wondered if the Nisse could be a child unlike the other two. "Well, Arna, right?, It seem that every one else is going to get Paper. I'm ready to go see the Troll Prince when you are he said as he put his empty mug on the table.

"Plus if you want to open a business, you have to find a good spot and run it. You might need a partner who knows more of the human world."

Grabble grumbles up to the receptionist and is promptly told to go to the 'Private Research Section'. He grumbles his way to the door at the back of the library and peaks inside. Noting the array of other fae in the room, he opens the door and enters the back room. "Gah! Who decorated this place? It looks like Christmas threw up all over the room." Along with that charming greeting, he somewhat dramatically shields his eyes from the blaze of cheer.

Looking from one person to the next, the diminutive man scrunches up his face and frowns in a way that is not at all endearing. "So who's the head honcho around here? All they told me at the front was to head back to Private Research." Grabble's accent is distinctly chicagoan, almost to the point of cliche, and marks him as a non-local.

It is confusing and awkward time for Grabble to show up, but he quickly realizes something.

They are talking about a Troll, and two of the group- a Fey he's never seen before, and a Nisse that he has, are going off to find him, though the Nisse isn't exactly sure where... just, "in the rocks, by the Giant's Stairway".

And Grabble knows in an instant... THAT troll.  He's seen it.  Goblins get around, and they have a habit of seeing things.


And this is how Grabble ends up going off with Gremian and Arna on a quick jaunt to another thread, Dovregubbenson
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:26, Mon 22 Aug 2016.

"We have our spot, it is a wonderful place," Rolf says.  "We... it is legitimate.  It is owned by a Goblin. We have magic for three years, called a lease, that allows us to use it.  But the Goblin did not tell us that we need this other paper to have our bakery."

Amara looks at Grabble "Hello, nice you could join us. We are working on a Christmas issue now involving a troll. I hope you are up to it. Or do oyu also need help, we are going to be helping different fay here with settling into the city. I gather you are not all into being a Santa clause?" she says with a smile.

After explaining that he can find the troll, he gives Amara a one eyed glare. "I'm alright with settling in. I'm a goblin." He says this as though that makes everything quite apparent. At the suggestion about Santa Clause, he lets out a harsh laugh. "I'll be a Santa Claus when they let me smoke on the job and give a few snot nosed kids a piece of my mind." It is not entirely clear how serious he is.

Grabble excuses himself to follow the newcomer and Arna in search of the troll. At least, he excuses himself in the sense that he makes some kind of grumbling sound as he turns around and heads out the door. His long trench-coat whips out of site just before the door slams a little too hard.

Sionann had thanked the receptionist with a smile and headed to the restricted section.  As the door swung open she found herself blinking in the face of strings of fairy lights and glittering baubles, complete with a real holly wreath on the inside of the door.  The unexpectedness was enough to make her laugh out loud, something that happened all too rarely of late.  "Well this is...interesting."  She managed finally, her accent soft and without any of the twangs that most American Irish accents had.

"Well, it is getting busy in here. Hello I am Amara" she says to Sionann "And how can we help you? I hope you like Christmas, this room is alive with it"

Two of the people present were Nisse, the small Norwegian red capped Gnomes that gave the world the accepted image of everything from Lawn Gnomes to Santa's Elves to... well, that's about it, the range of white bearded little people in pointy red hats.  They are the Tomten in Sweden and Kabouters in the Netherlands, but.. all the same.  (Though Nisse, Tomten, and Kabouters, citing their different native languages, might dispute that.)

"Oh, we're getting busy!" one of them, Karl, says, as others arrive.

(Technically, they all have Norwegian accents and it sounds sort of like "Oh, Vere gittin beezy!" but your GM has a hard time typing accents.  Mentally convert, if you wish.)

"Are you here to help us?" Karl asks of Sionann, not sure if he should ask anything of Grabble, and content to watch the Goblin go with Gremian and Arna.

Rolf, meanwhile, tells Amara, "If it's all the same, we'd rather not have a Santa Claus, now.  The bakery thing is much more appealing, if we can manage to make it work."

He looks at the newcomers, and adds, "Oh there is a lot of explaining between here and there.  But I don't.. unless one of you wants to spend the rest of your life being a very large version of us, eating cookies and squeezing through chimneys?"

Julian took a moment to dig into his backpack, pulling out a pen and pad of paper to write on, "The paper you have from the Goblin must be a lease. That's a good start. But we'll need to get you papers to show you can legally be here. We don't want a regular health and safety audit to end up getting you exported."

The researcher began jotting down the growing list of items they'd need. Some would be simple enough. Others however, would take a measure of..."creative" methods.

"I don't suppose you have that paper the Goblin gave you on you right now do you? I'd be helpful to see just what he's written you all down as."

Amara smiles "Yes, we wouldn't want the Nisse rounded up and deported as illegals. " she says with a giggle.

"They probably need social security numbers, licenses, a bank account and a cell phone. Just no prank calls to us, OK"

"Cell phones?"  Karl asks.

"Human magic, very powerful," Rolf explains.  "They can speak to each other, and also send Runes.  Such a thing would be good to have... but I think one thing at a time, easier that way, no?  We need our Confectionery papers.  Now, our Goblin Says We Can Stay Here... err... Lease... agreement... it is at our confectionery.  We do not carry such things.  Do we need it?  We should go get it, then.  Or... Gremian is going to nearby, with Arna.  She knows.  Can you... Cell Phone to them?"

Sionann waved off the question, the regular staff here were obviously more than busy at present.  She recognised the Nisse, at least for what they were, and it explained the unseasonable decor, there was no one here not touched by the Veil.  In some ways it was like being at home, only...not.  She was certainly able to wait until the little folk had left to find their papers and anything else they needed, she got the impression they were in much the same predicament as her with regards to needing the paperwork and such to remain here for some length of time.  "Oh I can wait a little, you're obviously a touch swamped.  I've a missing item that needs to be found and perhaps some of the same papers as these fine people to arrange."  She gestured at the Nisse and tried to bury the urgency in her tone.

Amara looks at Sionann "So is there anything you might need as we are working on their stuff. Or would you just like something to eat and drink?"

"I'll just find myself a corner out of the way for now, I've some notes to be writing up anyway."  Sionann hefted her bag by way of illustration.  She had come here for work initially after all.  What she did take the time to do was focus her vision and peer through the Veil at the other woman, noting the difference in her apparent height and her true one.  Sionann seemed to remember seeing her face and name attached to a couple of papers she had read on Egyptian antiquities that had passed through the Library, perhaps they could compare notes at some point when everyone had less on their minds.
Half of her wanted to ask for a cup of tea, but she had seen how Americans brewed the stuff and was more inclined to wait until she had time to discover the kitchen for herself - and possibly buy a kettle to go in it.  For now she would make do with the bottle of water that was tucked in her bag along with everything else.

Amara looks at Sionann "OK, if you want something, just let me know" she waves her hand and a goblet appears in her hand. She takes a sip of it as she looks at the woman, looking at her true self. Seeing what fay really looked like and knowing what they could do were two different things.

Looking at her through the glamour that cloaks the fae in their mundane lives, Sionann looks almost as though she has been in a recent accident.  Her pale skin is marred with grazes that seem to be spiritual rather than physical and her eyes are a dull brown, almost black.  They look a lot like those of the seals that can be found in the bay, or sometimes further up the Hudson, only devoid of the warmth that those creatures convey.  Between her fingers are webs of skin, although they are currently dried and chapped, shrunk back against her hand so that they are almost invisible unless someone looked closely.  It is at odds with the apparently healthy aspect of her mortal seeming and does not give a clear impression of what kind of fae she might be, however it is clear that there is more to her than meets the eye.

The two remaining Nisse are rather eager to commence with the acquisition of Official Papers. Whatever they need, to make their confectionery legal, become The Candymakers, and escape the dread fate of being Christmas Elves for the rest of their lives.

"I've never made a toy in my life," Karl grumbles.  "And I'm afraid of Reindeer."

Rolf, the putative leader of the Nisse (though now it's down to two) sees that Sionann looks a little withdrawn.

"You should come with us," he says.  "We're going to get Official Papers, if you need them too you can see how Amara does it.  And we've got to do something with Dovregubbenson's staff, all the magic we put into it, it's got to come out sooner or later."

Karl, the other Nisse, suddenly looks concerned.

"Wait a moment, Rolf, you never said anything like that before." he says.

"Well I had no need to, I thought everyone understood these things.  It's pure magical potency, sitting there, it will find a way, it's got to do something.  Like a boulder balanced at the top of a mountain, it will find a way down."

"Can't the Troll just use it for something?"

"Oh, no, Power like this has rules, Karl!  You can't be both the Channel and the Direction!  The Troll can't control it alone!  Don't you know the stories, Karl, great magic can grant the wishes of others, the bearers of the magic can't use it on themselves! Dovregubbenson's got to grant wishes... or the wishes will start granting themselves."

Karl looks more confused than usual.  "Granting themselves... would that be bad?"

"Ever had a Wish granted for you?  What if it was someone else's wish, anyone else's, but the magic finds its way to you?  So some little girl wishes for a pony, and poof, you've got a pony.  And then that little girl gets someone else's wish."

"That's not so bad," Karl says.

"Think about it," Rolf says, slightly furrowing the brow under the rim of his red hat.  "Some wishes are very, very inappropriate if find their way to the wrong people."

"Couldn't we have used all that magic NOT to be Christmas Elves," Karl asks.

"Anything but that.  Remember, it's Christmas Magic.  Very powerful.  Fulfills wishes... but won't negate Christmas in any way."

"Sionann, let me know if there is anything I can do for you. I have certain powers that might help. I am Djinn after all" she says with a grin. She doesn't care if other know what she is.

"That might not be a bad idea."  Sionann acknowledged.  "Mine will be a little different because I have documentation saying that I can stay here for a while but that time is coming to an end soon and I am not ready to go home."  She flashed a smile at Rolf, thinking that her paperwork was likely to be both more and less complex than that for the Nisse.  At least she existed as far as the system was concerned, but that also meant her papers could not just be created wholesale.

"Wishes can be dangerous magic."  She knew a Leprechaun back home, half the time they hid because people had no idea how to wish properly, not anymore at least.  "If you're too vague they can get all twisted around and give you what you asked for rather than what you wanted, and if you try to get specific and tricksy, the magic does all it can to turn the wish back on you."  On the other hand, a wish could solve her problem nicely, and it could even be considered a kind of present.

"Oh, when I was a slave, I had great magic to grant almost anything.  But now that I am free, my wish granting is very, very limited. I can't make anyone rich anymore." she remembers when she had more power, but also remember the bottle she had to live in and the servitude she had to endure.

"There's a whole staff charged with magic that can do that sort of thing," Rolf says.  "I should know, we collected it, and if Christmas magic lends itself to anything it's wishes.  Amara, if you can help us... we'll use that magic we put in the Troll's staff... for a wish for you.  Or her..."

"That would be Al-tru-ist-ic," Karl interrupts, drawing out the word to make sure he gets it right.  It's clear it is one of those words that he is very impressed with, and possibly a little surprised, and very proud, that it somehow made it into his vocabulary.

"Yes, yes, altruistic use of magic, generally a very good thing," Rolf says.  "I think we can help you, then, but we need our papers and that staff."

"I am happy not being able to do wishes beyond food and minor items. I lead a happy life. So if you need to use the magic someplace else, do it. But yes, lets get you papers so you can open your shop"

Sionann pursed her lips, perhaps it was a side effect of having wielded such magic but the djinn seemed very unconcerned about that level of power being left laying around.  "I am presuming your power, even at its height, had laws to govern it?  No wishing for extra wishes or immortality and such nonsense?  If this is the pure magic just layin' around then I'd be thinking it has no such constraints.  A wish too close and pop.  Not even the chance to advise that not all wishes should not be wished.  Do you not think it should be dealt with sooner rather than later?"
She could understand the desire to get the Nisse their papers as soon as possible, their enthusiasm was infectious certainly.  She wondered how much they could tell about her, the not quite offer of a wish, had they seen someone in her condition before, or did something in her bearing give it away.

When you are ready to go to get the Nisse their paperwork, it will be here, in a new thread:

The Citywide Licensing Center


You can post there anytime.

In reply to Sionann (msg # 67):

Amara just smiled "We had some limitations, go killing, no making someone fall in love and no raising dead things but it was pretty powerful. But it also included imprisonment for me, so I am fine with far less power." and she looked at the Nisse "So are you all ready to go get some papers?"

She could not quite help but feel that her point had been missed, however Sionann was not in the mood to argue over the dangers of wild magic and even though she had only known them briefly, she wanted to see the Nisse secured in their hopes for a bakery and a new life in the city.

[To the Licensing Centre]

She heads off with the others to the Licensing Centre.

Licensing Centre --->

Gathering his lists and backpack, Julian follows after the others

[To the Licensing Centre]

A large old truck slowly pulls up outside the library and after being parked Virana slowly steps out and looks around slightly intimidated by the way the city seems so crowded and so much busier then her home town was, but she turns away from the street and after locking the truck heads into the library hoping that she would be able to find the person her fathers message was for





(OOC:What the truck looks like and this is one of my own.)

http://d.facdn.net/art/goldwol...wolfnhn_imag0013.jpg
This message was last edited by the player at 10:47, Thu 10 Nov 2016.