Purple Thumb

[Chambers]

Chambers also rechecks the leaflets. ''Well there you go, I don't know how I missed that.'' The cherry was perfect for pots, clear as day. ''My apologies it would appear I'm spouting nonsense.'' It doesn't change that I'd like one in the courtyard.

Noting the money worries he waves a hand. ''Don't worry about it as long as we are keeping it to the low hundreds I can cover the plants for office, and your folks in exchange for the lift.'' The thing about the tombstone business, there's always well paying work. ''Nothing we want is going to break my bank account. So with that in mind personally I like the idea of uniformity around the doors and the cherry tree elsewhere, but if you don't think that will work?'' He actually seems curious to hear Corn's thoughts on interior design.

He nods. ''A sound plan indeed.'' And technically not a lie, even better. ''So shall we run down the list of what it is we want then look at pots, plant food and the like?'' Never one to do something without proper organisation.

[Corn]

"I like the idea of uniformity, but I also like the idea of cherry trees next to the entrance. How about we get two cherry trees for the entrance and the Everpurple for the yard? Also, I appreciate your offer; let me buy one of the plants for the office at least - and I will be paying for the ones I will use to bribe my sister and my wife as I will see the benefit from them. "
Chambers suggests lists and Corn nods. "Let's check, as we are here, what we actually need. There must be information around. These plants may be served better with different soils or nutrients... " he says as he skims the leaflet. "I think we will find more information on the stand that sells them, to be honest" he says after a couple of fruitless moments.

[Chambers]

Chambers nods it seems the uniformity was more what he had been after. ''Yes I think that will work well.'' Chambers smirks a little. Guanxi is more then just exchanging knowledge, and it seems you are just as quick as me to not accept what you don't have to. ''I meant nothing by it, you can buy what you will just know that regarding the office plants I can soak up the cost without to much concern.'' He wouldn't offer to buy Corn's family bribes again it felt far to much like imposing.

He indicates for Corn to lead the way giving way to the other Moros's clear superiority in the field of flora. ''Then it seems we have a heading, after you my learned companion.'' I wouldn't know dirt from soil.

[Corn]

Corn nods but explains "I will ask the fine people here for their expertise. But I also have a ... good eye, so to speak for things like that. You do too, I would guess."
He picks up a bit of soil for display and looks at it with focus as he presses it along his fingers for a few seconds.

3 successes total

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2024-03-23 01:53:21	[02] Corn rolls 7 to int+ Occult (Scrutiny) (10 Again)	5, 4, 5, 3, 7, 2, 8	1 success
2024-03-23 01:53:21	[01] Corn rolls 7 to int+ Occult (Scrutiny) (10 Again)	9, 6, 6, 3, 2, 4, 10, 7	2 successes

He examines the life resonance of the soil and how it connects with the plants and microorganisms in it, checking its richness and thickness of life-sustaining properties. "I plan to do that to the samples we will buy as well as the plants. We will get healthy ones. A few seconds looking at what one will purchase is normal, I think." he said with a smile. "Only the best for the company and my family."

I think we are pretty much done here. Do you want to close the scene? I don't think we have much more to add.

[Chambers]

He chuckles. ''I don't doubt you do.'' What looks like intense concentration while reading he knows to be the hallmark of scrutiny. ''But sometimes I do find it best leave things down to the whims of chance.'' While I can set it in stone when needed, that always comes back around. ''But if you are looking for the best by all means.'' Chambers chooses not to engage in scrutiny but has no objections to Corn doing so. The lie subverts all things anyway, without knowing how to unravel the pancryptia surrounding plant life and all it entails I would be stabbing in the dark more then helping.

Instead he casts his faze further afield . ''Now as for the pots, any preference. In this area I am going to be rather more critical.'' Stone work was very much his wheel house. ''Do you think we should go for something more reserved a brown or terracotta to fit better with the office's aesthetic, or something more to match the plants?'' The exact design not mattering so such as the craftsmanship of the pots themselves.

If you want to dip your more then welcome, I still have four talking points listed if you do want to keep going, I've just been spreading it out a bit. If you do leave I will keep it open for a bit in case someone else wants to hop in

[Corn]

Then let's keep going

"I would think brown for the office aesthetic, but I trust your taste." Corn replies.

[Chambers]

With what already seems like an uncharacteristically short reply from Corn, Chambers will start measures pots by hand checking for things like uniformity, proper structure, weak points and above all dismissing out of hand anything that has a mark logo or sign of being mass produced. Which means a lot of pots get very quickly passed over, of the things he leaves to fate this clearly is not one because he is very fussy about it.

And given this is no short task it feels like a good time to ask a question that had been playing on his mind. ''Jacob. Mind if I ask you a fairly personal question?'' Mages after all can be touchy about such things so better to check, although given how I wonder how if he gives as much detail when someone is actively asking. As he does a yellow ceramic pot joins the list of failures because it's paint job is uneven.

[Corn]

Corn is absorbed by Chambers more or less dismissing or passing over nearly everything in his price range. "Mason, what did that pot from that famous brand had that was wrong? I liked it. Or that nice yellow pot with the slightly uneven paintjob to give it character... " Personal question? "Ask, but I don't promise an answer."

[Chambers]

Eyes flick over to Corn as the questions were raised. The ne nods at the well known brand. ''That is mass produced.'' It's not venom in his words but the pot does seem to have earnt his displeasure just for being that. ''It represents the death of good honest crafts and skill. It means nothing, no effort, no vision it embodies so much that is wrong with the world.'' Chambers is definitely way more intense about this then is required like the pot had done him some personal wrong. I wonder if he will get what I am trying to hint at. He lightens his tone as tries to explain. ''I cannot in good conscious support that unless I absolutely must, I take pride in very little but my craft, my craft is one of those few things.''

Then onto the offence of the yellow pot. ''Character is given through time and devoted skill to inspire thought or through personal touches symbolic of the artist or the patron. The hasty work, the uneven layering it's just laziness masquerading as being unique.'' And something Chambers seemingly will not tolerate in his purchases. ''I would rather a simple, unadorned pot that had clearly had the time and care put into to show the crafter was taking it seriously. Not just churning out a easy pay check.'' There maybe explaining what I will accept might explain my point better. He looks to his fellow Moros clearly curious on Corn's thoughts regarding these values.

He nods in acceptance of the very expected condition. ''That's completely fair.'' Vocalising that acceptance. Now how to phrase this to keep secrecy intact? ''When we met you said something about the grace of God. I was wondering are you religious?'' This question is tinged not with judgement but simple curiosity. The Moros position on such is always very interesting.

[Corn]

Oh, oh... Chambers is one of those... puts a lot of emphasis on personal skill and effort. Corn thinks. I wonder what he would think about me taking every shortcut I can when sleepers are not around.
The explanation though, is well received. That's what Chambers believes and he's passionate about it for good reason. OK, he doesn't think mass produced goods are all that is wrong with the world, but his job is not being threatened by mass production either.

Then the question that was surprisingly easier than he thought. "Yes, I am religious. I am a practicing Catholic Christian." Corn says proudly. "Is that a surprise? I have heard that question in the past from people of the company. But yes, what the company does, does not disprove - or prove - the existence of the Christian God."

Corn is a catholic; I am not, so Catholic questions are above the player's knowledge.