For a few moments, the store is silent. Kallista notices however, that there's a shape lingering on a second floor of the shop which has been deliberately painted in such a way to make it easy to miss. Then there's a flash of huge, round reflective eyes as the figure lurches forward and lands on the first floor below with a heavy thud. 
Kina wasn't kidding. At first, it almost looked like Kallista was about to be pounced by a huge spiderhawk, but the hairy legs separate under the head, revealing it to be a cloak. The wearer's face is obscured and only his dark-skinned mouth is visible. The spiderhawk's huge eyes and fangs dominate the entirety of his head. He hollowed it out to make it a hood. A thick beard just adds to the illusion that it is not a person that is in front of her, but as the figure puts his hands on his hips, she can see he's .... probably human? Maybe? It's hard to tell with the spiderhawk cloak obscuring much of his body under hairy legs. He may be 'old' according to Kina, but he looks formidable, standing a little over six and a half feet tall (2.3 meters), and sturdily built. Despite his status as a 'merchant', he looks for all the world like he could still go out on hunting raids, and perhaps still does. His clothes are rugged and primarily made of animal hide, sewn into practical forms suited for hunting; multiple pouches, places to hang trophies of hunts past, and what seem to be handmade charms.

"Are you, now." he says. 
"And why have you come to Artimus Grimbuld for work, hmmm?" he asks, his voice deep and rumbling, coarse, like he hasn't spoken a word for days. Those huge, dead, pitch-black spider eyes capture Kallista's reflection as he leans in close.

(I'm going to wing it from here on out as far as who's where. I'm waiting on Leon to respond to Duncan and Balgrim to respond to Ranik ((whoop, you just did!)) but we're going to go on the assumption that everyone is together and just not having all that much to say or do during the interaction before the group moves onto the next location on the tour so we can all continue playing if someone's falling behind. So, as far as Leon's concerned, everyone is still there at the blacksmith's while he does his interaction with Duncan and as far as Lazlo is concerned, Leon is with the group at that point.) 

As Lazlo comes out of his trance, he hears some applause directed towards him. When he turns to see the source, he sees a trio of satyrs all standing on a street corner. Two twin brothers and what is probably their sister, given they all have the same eye, hair, and leg fur colours. 
"Well, what do you know, we've got a bloomin' tourist!" the female exclaims. It looks like the three are still setting up their instruments to prepare themselves for a performance. 
"And look who's here, the champ in the flesh! How you doin', Kina?" 

Kina visibly blushes and waves in an embarrassed way, so she and Lazlo can both be embarrassed together. 
"Hi... ummm... Carmilla?" Kina asks.
"Carmine! You always get it wrong! Did you forget my brothers too?"
"Of... of course not!"
"What are their names?!"
Kina freezes.
"Caaaaaahhhhaaaaaaarrrrrr...."
"Carmen and Cameron!" the other two say in unison.
"You owe us a drink!" Carmilla laughs. 

"Um," Kallista's a little nervous, but stays where she is, "Kina suggested it. And" she admits, "I was a little curious when she described you hood."

Aelar blushes right to the roots of his hair.  He'd been trying so hard to let her sleep but...she'd asked and...I'm sorry, Raia.  I'll stop talking to you but how can I come to you...when you're well of course?  I feel like I could walk to you right now, like our....connection...is stronger.  And of course I trust you.  I'll just keep silent until I hear from you.

Aelar looks around and an idea occurs to him, but he waits patiently while his friends talk to the dwarfs.  Turning to Daar, he asks, "So what do you know of Raia?  What can you tell me?  I'm very curious as I'm sure you get."

Also, Aelar tries to remember what he knows of dragons. (Nature 5)

Stepping up to the dwarf leader, he introduces himself as a friend of Balgrim, "The marvels of your home certainly make all the tales I've heard of dwarven craftsmanship...well, now I understand them."

Ranik pats Balgrim heavily on both shoulders, laughing heartily.
"And the fresh face is fresh-faced! Aye, always good t'see the wee bairns showin' an interest in their spiritual health. The young are sponges, they are, they just suck the knowledge up, not like us old stubborn greybeards. If'n it's a scholarship ye be after, work hard, study hard, an' the brotherhood will be happy tae 'ave ye. Always work for the order, there is." Ranik says, giving Balgrim a thump on the chest.
"Aye, nice n' solid, like the faith! And how fortunate fer ye, if'n it's work yer after, I'm just the brother ye need. Come, come, let's away from the frenzy, always a melee when the shipments arrive." Ranik says. 

At Hyre's question, Ranik looks a little surprised.
"Oh, them? We call them labours, on account of all the labourin' they do fer us. Ancient dwarven spellcraft, that is. Hardly a one o' us left who are true masters of the art. Ye should see the labours the dwarves 'ave at Wolfbane. Gates are guarded by giant sentinels. Not much of a call for such grand designs here, we just use em' so we don't have accidental tramplin's and it saves on .... cleanin' up, if ye catch the drift."

"Labours, huh? You said hardly any of you who know how to make them well are left, but there are some, right? Could you, perhaps, introduce me to one of those masters? Since that one time I mentioned earlier, I've grown curious about these things... how they work, the magic that operates them."
Persuasion: -1

(Nice roll up there)

Leon raises an eyebrow as he spots Duncan, the half-dwarf. The more you know, he mutters to himself. 

He awkwardly holds his hand out to shake, not knowing if Duncan would be receptive to the gesture. "I'm Leon. I don't know much about smithing, but I'm glad to help and eager to learn."

Leon hefts one of the large mallets, and with all his strength, begins hammering away at the sheet metal. 

Strength: 2

Lazlo bows towards the trio, barely containing the grin that splits his face in two at seeing them. He had anticipated minstrels, but never in his wildest dreams had he ever expected three of his own kind making music here. Three more than he'd ever met, in his life!  He skips over to them, holding out his arm in friendship "Carmine, Carmen, Cameron-  It is really great to meet you! I'm Lazlo  (of house Galanos I am told). I- I've never met another of my kind...so forgive me if I seem at a loss for words (I promise it doesn't happen often)!"  He looks them up and down in amazement, venturing if they let him to touch their horns, or tap their hooves. He feels almost like he was looking in a mirror- except rather than his own reflection he is seeing three wonderful new additions to a world that was rumored to exist, but he had never known. 

"I am a tourist here, sad to say- new in town so to speak. Might I rely on you three to sort me out? I fear I'm a babe in the woods, a stranger in a strange land, a sort of fish out of water.. if you get what I'm saying...."   Lazlo looks toward Kina for guidance- watching to see if she approves or if she is leery of the trio.

Ranik doesn't need any persuasion, it seems, and he greets Aelar in return before he answers Hyre.
"It's not that the knowledge is secret, lad. If it t'were some grand, closely guarded craft for only the most venerated frost beards, would we be paradin' it 'round in public? It's just difficult. Makin' a labour is an art, a rare skill only a few 'ave mastered. Shore'n, ye could study the texts, learn the spells, but if yer craftin' isn't perfect to the smallest detail, the beastie won't obey. It'll go mad, an' a rampagin' labour is no small matter! 'Sides pure brute force, the only way to stop one is to pull the heart stone, know the kill rune, if the thing even HAS one, or push it far 'nough from the life rail." Ranik says. It seems that the kind of magic used is fairly common knowledge to those in the Order.
"An if'n ye be talkin' about the Skell... what they've crafted is beyond even us. Aye, I've heard the stories. Those iron beasts travel wherever they please, without life rails. It's not that we COULDN'T make such a thing, it's just that the Skell 'ave them in such NUMBERS. Our best could probably make ONE labour capable of movin' on its own in a few years. The Skell have an entire cavalry of them."

Sister Daar flicks her tongue over her chin as she recalls what she remembers of Raia.
"Well, she's one of the younger dragons. Most who follow Draco's teachings are. It's not a popular movement among the dragons, as it teaches the importance of 'purging one's material desires' in order to unlock one's full potential by relying solely on personal skill and acquired knowledge. A devout Draco disciple has little use for a hoard of goods. Raia is the only one I know of, however, who has been seen contacting people, interacting with them, truly taking the message of Draco's teachings to heart, while others merely pay lip service in order to appear more virtuous than others. That said, no one really knows all that much about her. She's here, then she's gone, sometimes before anyone has a chance to thank her, if she just stopped to help." Daar explains.

Artimus leans closer, so that Kallista can now very CLEARLY see herself in the giant spider's eyes. She's almost certain that she saw one of its fangs twitch slightly.
"Kina... the centauress? Ah yes. I know of her. She sent you, did she?" he says, then stands up straight again. "It does so happen that I am without an employee. What is your name, child?" he asks.

"Kallista Sir," Kallista says, staring at the spider eyes, interested.

Carmine smiles in a suggestive way and boldly steps forward to meet Lazlo, touching his horns first and then sliding her fingers through his hair.
"Well, Lazlo, you're the first satyr I've met that isn't blood related as well. You can call me Carrie, if you fancy. Seems the other towns have been hiding the good stock. You are a lovely little late-night snack I could nibble on." she says, green eyes fixed on his.
Carmine is definitely a performer and has the body for it, tight in all the right places, soft in all the right places. Her outfit is reminiscent of a belly dancer, only instead of silk shawls, she has brass bangles dangling from her arms and legs that make an enchanting jingle whenever she moves. Something of interest too, is that her cloven hooves are painted bright colours, as are those of her brothers.

Kina clops over to break the two apart, and she leans over to Carmine.
"Don't you dare! He's just a kid!" she whispers, though Lazlo's ears are sharp enough to catch it.
"He looks grown up enough to me. He can't be more than three years younger. That's fine. YOU'RE only a year older than ME, YOU could court him like you did Cameron." Carmine says, not even bothering to whisper.
Cameron gives a wiggle of his brow and a wink to Kina, who looks like she's about to keel over from embarrassment.
"It was fun, while it lasted." he says.
"Sh...shut up..." Kina manages, stomping her hooves. She looks like someone doused her with tomato juice.

Grimbuld stands there before Kallista for a moment, sliding his jaw to one side slightly in thought.
"You don't carry yourself like the others. Those clothes are freshly tailored. You're frightened, but not of me. The wilds don't frighten you as much as people do. Hmm." he observes, then folds his arms.
"There is a tight restriction on travelers, yet here you are, looking for work in clothes you changed into the moment they were tailored for you... which means you're an outcast, an orphan, or your home has fallen, and you managed to slip past the guards, meaning you are here illegally. When did you arrive in Guiston, Kallista?" he asks.

"Yesterday Sir," Kallista admits.

Grimbuld seems unmoved, at first.
"No hesitation. I COULD report you to the watch and have you tossed over the wall. You need to understand the risk you just took." he states.
"Which is why I am marginally impressed you told the truth... either you're foolish and naive, or you're desperate and gambled that I would respect your honesty." he says.
Those spider eyes continue to stare lifelessly at Kallista.
"I can see you've already done labour for someone else. A farmer, most likely. I can see the residue left from a bathing slime. You COULD just do farm work, but you came here, to the shop of an old former hermit. You want to learn about the secrets of the wilds, then, do you? Hoping to learn from an old hunter?" he asks.

"Thank you, Sister Daar, for the information.  When can we go meet that other person?" Aelar asks.

Aelar nods respectfully to Ranik, "A recent experience has made me understand the need for having a weapon.  Growing up, my father, a silversmith, often spoke of the quality of dwarven workmanship.  Do you have weapons for purchase?"

"I know you could report me Sir," Kallista says, "but I also have a feeling that lying to you would mean that you would have me thrown out. And I am desperate, because right now the closest thing that I had to any kind of family was taken away from me, and I'd do anything to get them back. And now I'm in a town that I'm sure will toss me out if I for one moment make it seem like I'm some sort of homeless refugee, even though that is what I am." She stops for a moment, gathering her words. "I would like to work for you, but I would also like to learn Sir. Nature has always been fascinating to me, and it's helped me when I've needed help. I want to help it, try and give back for what it's given me."

Lazlo thoroughly enjoys the tingling sensation that travels from his head to his hooves as Carmine tousles his hair. Now, this was living! Surrounded by music, and revelry- and the beauty of a muse before him. He felt on the precipice of some great discovery- or was it disaster? Who cares?! "The world will sing of this moment... " he sighed softly, stepping back a pace as Kina seperated the pair. Looking at the siblings, he bows once more "I am young- but you'll find I am an apt pupil... Teach me..." He says, spreading his arms wide. His own green eyes look back at Carries "...Everything there is to learn" he laughs. 

Grimbuld grunts in response to Kallista. He lifts the fangs of the spiderhawk to show her his face. His features are haggered, his skin broken up by scar upon scar.
"The wilds do not care if you live or die. That is the reality of 'nature'. Become one with it, however, and you may understand it well enough to use it beyond building walls and gaudy cities." he states.
Kallista can see that his eyes are clouded. He squints at her, as if he can barely see her. When he places the hood back on, his body posture changes and relaxes.
"Prove to me first that you can handle simple tasks. We shall see if your words hold up to your intentions, child. I will expect from you what I would expect of myself. Do as you're told, and you will be properly compensated for your efforts as I deem them. Disobey my directions or show incompetence, and you get nothing. Am I understood?" he asks.

Duncan is very surprised when Leon manages to hammer the plate flat so quickly, though it's not entirely clear whether he was putting forth his best effort to humour him or keep him from feeling disheartened.
"Well done, boy. Consider me impressed. Keep up that level of effort, and you might just have a future in this." he says, clasping Leon's hand.
"I'll expect to see you here tomorrow morning, sharp. Be ready to sweat, we've already got a big order that we'll need to fill. I'll start you on hearth duty and bellows, but move you up to more important jobs if you show the aptitude for it." he states.

Kallista nods, "Yes Sir, I understand."

Ranik looks a little surprised at Aelar.
"Here? No. Ye'd best ask the local smithies for arms. Here in the Hearth, we make arms for the Watch and the Watch alone. No civilian arms, and especially not the church. Our armed faithful don't stay here behind walls, they're out there, providing comfort and aid to the settlements struggling to survive. The Order would never think of takin' profit for arms not used for defense of the people."