Work Text:
A large, burly, light-furred Gnoll with an arcane burn scar across his left cheek walks through a storeroom in the Stormtower, checking things off a stock list. Nodding, having cleared the list, the Gnoll would look around and upon not finding anyone, would sigh before calling out:
“Lilia, where are you?” The sound of a chair clattering as it was moved broke the silence followed by a cry of ‘Khybers Balls’
A heavily tattooed Umbragen Drow with her hair tied back rounds the corner. Dressed in cargo trousers, a shirt and boots, all of which are stained, with a bandanna around her neck. She glares up at the Gnoll as she wipes some alchemical residue on her trousers. “The fuck, Gnawbones? You startled me.”
The Gnoll smirks at her before turning slightly more serious. “Aye, I was wondering why you were holed up here and this-” he gestures to the list “-needed doing anyway so 2 jobs in one.”
The elf runs her fingers through her hair. “Just doing a favour for the Painters.” Seeing the Gnolls questioning look she continued, “I lost a bet with Lani about that duel that never happened so now I have to find a way to bootleg some of the more specialist paints that they are running low on.”
Gnawbones gave her a confused look. “Wasn’t the deal you get them some not bootleg them? Why didn’t you buy some?”
“Have you seen the prices?” The drow shakes her head at the thought. “I’m not spending that much on paints.”
The Gnoll snorts. “You mean you didn’t have enough money to pay for the paints.”
Lilia glares up at him before her expression relents into a smile. “Yeah, yeah. But regardless, I’m trying to figure out a way to create a solution that can be added to the cheaper, regular paints to create the less opaque versions.”
“And how is that going?”
She sighs, running her paint-stained hand through her hair. “Not the best, some headway but it’s just not that stable.”
The gnoll pauses before speaking “Consistancy?”
Lilia frowned “Extremely runny?”
Gnawbones nodded “What about that preserve-thing you were talking about a couple of days ago?”
The elf’s eyes widened. “That, could absolutely work thanks a bunch Gnawbones!” She pats him on the shoulder, rushing back to her station, affixing her makeshift mask as she does. “If this works, I’ll be out soon I promise!” The gnoll just shakes his head in amusement before turning to leave.