Entry tags:
Veridia Round 5: Shep
Prev | Next

First household in spring: Shep! Now with additional Gytha! Gytha has packed her trunk and come to stay with Shep as her assistant/apprentice potter/to get her out of the Salter household before either she or Brigid strangles the other one.
I did roll for ROS, but it was one of the ones I deleted because I didn’t feel it suited my game, which I’m taking as ‘nothing of note happened’. Sometimes these households need a break, they’ve got enough going on as it is. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Shep: Gythaaaa, what do you have there?
Gytha: Um... nothing.
Shep: Gytha, I can see your hands. Where did you get a kitten? When did you get a kitten, for that matter?

Gytha: I found her behind Da’s shop yesterday and snuck her home! And then I hid her in my basket this morning... she was all alone and I couldn’t just leave her there. What if something got her or she starved? Can she stay, pleeeease? I just know she’ll be the best mouser when she gets older!
Shep: Okay, okay, she can stay, I’m not heartless. Just lemme know before you start bringing home more cats.

Gytha: Thank you, Shep!



The kitten is a finicky genius apparently, and Gytha names her Daisy. (◡‿◡✿)


Dinn brings by some sacks of fertilizer from Seax farm for Shep’s fields. This time we will FOR REALZ grow some wheat and brew beer, I just know it.



Gytha is learning the basics of pottery. She also helps care for the garden and house—many hands make quick work, etc, etc.



In the afternoon, Gytha takes a moment to visit her mother’s niche in the burial chambers.
Gytha: Why do I miss someone that I’ve never met? It’s so strange.



But so far Gytha is enjoying her new situation. She’s a lot calmer without the tension of having Brigid around all the time ready to nitpick her every move. And for her part, popularity sim Shep is happy to have a friend around all the time (and bonus, Gytha is old enough that Shep only has to be kinda responsible for her).


Shep sells off the rest of her blackberry flower honey to Elphin and uses the tidy sum he gives her to have a stand built for her pottery!

Gede volunteers to be Shep’s first customer. Thanks, bro!

Diseta: Wow, look at you, you’re a regular big time businesswoman now.
Shep: Haha, thanks. Soooo, you wanna buy a vase for your lovely wife?

Oh, shoot, I forgot to pick a business perk for her. Anyway, Shep has leveled up her business by the time she closes the stall, though she also picks up a bug from someone.



Gytha: I finished my plates and the cleaning. Um, since you’re not feeling well, can I go out?
Shep: Kid, you can do whatever you want in your free time so long as I don’t hear from Norweni about any fighting or public indecency.
Gytha: I would never. Feel better!
Never get caught at it, anyway.


Gytha is actually seeing her boyfriend less often now, even though they live closer, since she’s been busy instead of finding excuses to stay over at his house all the time.

Gytha: Urrrrrgh, don’t look at her.

Oh, NOW you like her, now that she doesn’t live with you? Cool.


Gytha: So what’s learning magic like?
Angus: Um... hard to describe? It’s just there. Like being able to see or taste. Maybe it’s like... when someone learns to fight? And the movement is supposed to become, like, muscle memory. It’s instinctive.
Gytha: But a lot of people can learn how to fight; they can’t all learn to do magic.
Angus: Hey, you asked. That’s the best way I can put it.

Shep feels better after a hot meal, a bath, and a nap, so she heads out to check the newly sprouted wheat one more time. So far, so good!

Shep actually started instructing Gytha in arts and crafts autonomously several times, which is just so cute to me.

Meanwhile, Gytha is training Daisy to become a fierce huntress.


After her nap that afternoon, Shep wasn’t very tired and decided to stop by the mead hall, but none of her other friends were there so late. :(



Gytha has a want to earn her first cooking skill point, maybe because Shep’s cooking is about on par with Brigid’s. (It’s still better than eating Brigid’s cooking, though, because it’s not actually made by Brigid.)

Shep is happy to have a hot meal someone else cooked, even if it’s just oatmeal. Clearly she should’ve gotten an apprentice earlier instead of walking to the mead hall or the market to buy meals like a chump.


Shep: Hey you, I haven’t seen you in ages! Check out my new shop, it’s cool, right?
Derelei: Yep.
Shep: I’ll invent a friends and family discount, just for you.
Derelei: Oh, that’s... nice of you.

Derelei: Shep, can we talk later? When you’re done with this?
Shep: Sure. Wanna meet at the hall after sunset?
Derelei: That’s fine.


Shep: Hey, I’m going out for a couple hours. Don’t burn the house down or anything.
Gytha: I won’t! That’s my brother’s thing.


Shep stops by the village well first, where I spy Elmet and Angus bonding over... beets.

Shep: Yeah, after this I’m headed to the mead hall. Derelei said she wanted to talk about something.
Elmet: Uh-oh.
Shep: What? What?

Elmet: Did she say what she wants to talk about?
Shep: No.
Elmet: Shep, even I know that’s not a good sign.
Shep: Pffffft, says you.

idk, Elmet’s getting very socially savvy, he has AT LEAST three friends now.

Derelei isn’t there yet, so Shep grabs a quick dinner.


When Derelei does show up... oh, huh, Elmet was right, this isn’t just a nice regular chat.
Derelei: Shep... are you ever going to offer me a commitment?
Shep: Uh, I was under the impression that we were dating.
Derelei: Yes, and that’s all! And only because I pushed you for it! You know I want to get married some day, have a family.
Shep: No, I don’t?
Derelei: How many times does a woman have to mention marriage for the idea to cross your mind, for the spirits’ sake?

Brigid is leaving before her little sister can embarrass her. 😔


Derelei: Shep… do you want to do those things with me?
Shep: I... don’t know. I don’t think so...
Derelei: That’s what I thought.

Derelei: You’re very dear to me, but this isn’t fair to either of us. I want to start my own family sooner rather than later, and I don’t think you’ve ever been interested in such things.
Shep: This is it, then?
Derelei: Maybe someday we can just be friends again, but until then, this is it.

Yeah, I broke them up. Shep was just never rolling any wants for Derelei or showing a lot of interest in her, and I felt bad for Derelei after watching her roam around all winter with engagement rings and wedding bands constantly in her thought bubble. Maybe now she’ll meet someone who wants the same things out of life that she does (maybe one of the newcomers later this round?).


This kitten is Gytha’s best friend now. Sorry, Enna, you’ve been replaced.

Speaking of, Enna stops by to check out Gytha’s new digs that evening while Shep is still out.
Enna: It’s cool that you’re living in the village now. Think you can convince Glam to move over here too?
Gytha: I dunno, I think he likes having to take the boat or walk an hour into town. You might be out of luck.





Shep’s wants haven’t changed at all since Derelei broke up with her. She’s content with her pottery and her new business. Maybe, she thinks, the break up really was for the best. And she already has her own family now anyway: a random 16-year-old and the stray cat said teenager brought home unannounced.


Daisy ages up into a full-size catto near the end of spring. She looks very soft.

Gytha: Um, Shep, will you help me braid my hair for the festival? I can never get it to sit evenly when I do it myself in a crown.
Shep: Of course! Come sit down.

At this rate, Shep’s lot is gonna be overrun by teenagers by mid-summer.




It’s time again for the spring festival. After a long winter, it’s refreshing to be out in the warm spring air to dance and carouse with your friends and neighbors. Does it make sense to have the bonfire during the day? Not really but idc. Shep indulges in some mead and joins the dancing.


After the fire burns out, Shep manages to chat up Norweni for a bit. Sooner or later she’s going to make her one of her best friends!

Or not.

Apparently mead agrees with Gytha a lot more than ale, lol.


Wulfric: How are you doing, Gytha? Are you enjoying your apprenticeship?
Gytha: *hmph*

Gytha: Y'know what... you know what, I wanna know, why don’t you ever stick up for me when Brigid’s being mean to me?!
Wulfric: I’m not sure what you’re talking about. I know she’s stricter than I was when you were younger, but—

Gytha: She’s not strict, she’s mean! And, and she was always telling me do this, don’t do that, be a proper young woman!
Wulfric: She’s only trying to help you, Gytha.
Gytha: Yeah, whatever.

Shep and Angus decide to hustle Gytha off to the dance floor before she can start any more drunken altercations.
Gytha: Angus! Smustle with us!!
Angus: Um, I don’t think I’m any good at dancing like that…
Gytha: Pleeeeeeeeeaaaaase?


It’s a smustle party now!

Angus: I definitely don’t know this dance.

Gytha: That was so fun!
Shep: Even though you were arguing with your dad?
Gytha: Pbbbbt. It’s hardly an argument if he refuses to respond.


Gytha: Shep, sometimes I wish you coulda been my step-mother instead of Brigid... or just my mother...
Shep: I think I’m a little young to have been your mum, but I could be like your super cool big sister instead?
Gytha: Yeah, I think that would be good too.
Shep: Sweet. I always wanted a little sibling to boss around.


After Shep goes to bed, Gytha spends the rest of the evening trying to teach Daisy how to shake hands. Daisy seems skeptical about this.

What a fierce hunter!



Shep went off to scout for wild hives she could potentially use to restock her own (unfortunately she ended up losing two of them over the winter), while Gytha takes care of the garden and other chores at home.


Helenet always stops to chat with Gytha when she’s in this part of the village. Gytha’s not stupid, she knows Helenet is checking on her, but it’s kinda nice.
Gytha: Your baby is going to be so cute, I just know it! You should name them after me.
Helenet: Oh, not you too. I’m not sure Angus would appreciate his girlfriend and his sibling having the same name.
Gytha: Oh, good point. Maybe not then.

Bless you.

Gytha finally earned that cooking point. Now what?

I’m not buying you a horse.


Shep appreciates having a meal already prepared at home after a long day, even if it’s just sandwiches! It seems like Gytha’s apprenticeship is working out well for both of them.
no subject
no subject