"Not me!" says Loel.

Ekador shakes his head.

"I can tell different metals apart by smell but I do not think that is the sort of thing you meant."

"Yeah, they'd all be copper or whatever. Does this house have a chapel?"

"I don't know for sure that I don't work on metal, but I probably don't. I mean I could tell where ore is but that might be more because it'd have earth around it."

"Yeah, this house has a chapel. So do we go there or do we bring the coins here? Here seems comfier."

"We don't even have a game invented yet."

"Yeah, but we're going to, aren't we? And I don't know about you guys, but I'll find it easier to think up games with the coins actually in front of me."

"All right, who wants to haul the other end of the bin of blessings?" asks Aleko, getting up.

"I'll do it," says Loel.

"Yeah, she did."

"Isn't her dog cute? He grew really fast but for a while he looked like a weird-colored dust bunny, all fur and feet and ears."

"Her dog is adorable! I love her dog."

"Thought you would. How far are we gonna have to haul the blessings?"

"Not that far, I guess. Down some hallways. At least it's all on the same floor; I wouldn't wanna have to lug that thing upstairs."

"Yeah, me neither."

He laughs.

Meanwhile, Patience finds someplace to sit, just about exactly five feet away from Kiri so she might absently lean or gesture into range but isn't going to have a hard time scooting out if she wants. "So this is us, I guess. Loel met me at the door and stuff and I've known Kiri for years, tell me about yourselves?"

"I often find that a difficult question," says Sarelle.

"I... grew up in Malinqua?" says Ekador.

"Okay, um, well, you're not wearing your blessings, what are they?"

"Intelligence, flexibility, resolve," says Ekador.

"Clarity, vision, talent," small sigh, "determination."

"...Insert obvious question?"