Lifting up his wine glass in acknowledgement, Kieran replies to Qhude with a shrug of his own shoulders and an expression that is meant to show the half-elf's own curiosity concerning Tebati's intentions. The sigh that follows, as well as a smile that is not quite as sincere as the ones his companions have perhaps grown used to seeing grace the rogue's face so far, also serve to indicate that his usually good mood has somewhat dampened.
Qhude is one of the first to become aware of a galley sailing into Eleder's harbour- a galley with Sargavan flags hoisted from dozens of locations on the masts, sails and the railings. The main flag of the ship is an ornate , a simple black letter upon white cloth, with dancing lights and various magical effects illuminating it. The commotion quickly becomes apparent to the rest of you and everyone seems to be abandoning the dance floor in favor of gathering on the balcony to see the strange spectacle...
You recognise it as the same type of galley that attacked you during the final Trial. Confusion on the balcony seems apparent as the parygoers speculate on the and whether the harbour is under attack once more. In any case, the port authorities seem to be taking no chances this time- from the generous vantage pointof the balcony high above most of Eleder, you can see armed soldiers are rapidly being mobilised in preparation to meet the ship heading towards the docks.
Just as Tebati is waiting impatiently for a break in the music so that she can make her request of the bards, she becomes aware of the murmur in the room and the crowd gathering at the balcony. With a frown, she crosses the floor to see what is going on for herself. "They seem very adamant about being affiliated with Sargava" she notes, "but what is the J?" She looks around to see if General Morvius is at hand.
Qhude makes for a vantage within the room, preferring it to the press of people now on the balcony. Frowning in confusion he waits.
Ansha does her best to ignore the commotion for as long as possible, and tries to hold Utilinus' attention as well. Quickly though, it becomes apparent that her dancing partner's attention has fled her for more pressing matters, and she huffs in frustration. Curse my luck. Where he goes, she follows as she is able, clearly unwilling to appear to have been abandoned by her dancing partner.
"Now what?" Kieran mutters, the irritation in his words not entirely suppressed. Annoyance, however, turns to curiosity and interest once he manages to see the galley approaching from the sea.
"Perhaps it stands for 'Jubilee'? It certainly looks like its crew and passengers may very well be celebrating something, if all the lights are any indication," he quips.
Rather than locating the general, Tebati turns her head to find Kieran over her shoulder replying to her speculation. With a slight frown to find him so close, she ducks her head away and gazes back out into the harbor, unable to think of anything clever or cutting to say.
Armed Sargavan soldiers blockade the docking pier the ship moors at, with several dozen crossbows pointed atthe ship's crew. There is a pause for a few minutes as there seems to be a conversation initiated with the crew on board.
Despite the significant distance between you and the dock, you have a superb view of it. You recognise Jakob as the man being spoken to by the Sargavan military.
Your motley crew moor the ship rather inexpertly at the dock. A middle ranked Sargavan soldier approaches the ship slowly, under cover of several dozen crossbows.
Wha... What on Golarion is going on here? Explain this, immediately, or we'll open fire! This best be no trick, not after today Free Captain!
Ansha follows closely after Baron Utilinus to the balcony. Catching sight of the "J" emblazoned on the ship's sails, she frowns. "J"? she asks herself, mentally going over a checklist of people or things she knows to begin with that letter. Jubilee, juxtaposition, jaundice, jakes...Jake...Jakob? The frown deepens and she curses softly. "That fool must have the Savored Sting's own luck."
She turns to Utilinus and says quietly. "I think that the pirates found one of their captives distasteful and have chosen to return him to you, my lord." She squints to get a better look, but the distance is too much even for her keen elven sight. "Or perhaps he is to be ransomed. He is, after all, a scion of one of your noble Houses--House Mulle, I believe."
"Unbelievable," Kieran manages to say, his tone one of genuine surprise.
"Do you see over there? That... crewman having a chat with the Sargavan soldiers? That, ladies and gentlemen, is none other than our very own noble and heroic fool, Jakob."
"Unbelievable...," he mutters once again, this time more softly.
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Tebati forgets her tiff with Kieran. "Are you certain?" she asks, her eyes growing wide as she maneuvers on the crowded balcony to try to see what the half-elf's keen eyes just saw. "It is not possible. Whole Aspis Consortium ships feared the pirates of the Shackles. How could he defeat them alone?"
N'bellocq laughs, "He was so determined to work with the other teams, and now he is their captain."
Ansha nods self-confidently as Kieran points out that Jakob was, indeed, aboard that ship. Having already drawn her own (erroneous) conclusion, though, it takes a moment before she realizes that Jakob was not a prisoner to be ransomed. "Mhm--Wait, what?" she exclaims as she takes another look. "The Savored Sting's own luck..." she murmurs, her melodious voice a mix of awe and annoyance.
"I do believe we will have the opportunity to ask him just that soon enough," the rogue replies. "As far as I am concerned, I am willing to bet it was probably a combination of quick thinking, divine intervention and good old-fashioned luck," he continues with a wink at Tebati, "and bucketfulls of it."
Kieran's attempts at charm are lost on Tebati as she gazes out blankly into the night. One man alone, in the water, swimming toward an attacking pirate ship ... to sail it back into the harbor victorious mere hours later! How could it be? Jakob is no great hero; that she knows, having witnessed his performance in the Trial of Cavaliers. So what could have happened? "Quick thinking, divine intervention and good old-fashioned luck?" Not enough; not against the Shackles pirates. N'bellocq and Kieran can rejoice for now, but Tebati's in-turned expression is one of concern and trepidation.
Loud so the dock troops can hear. "My name is Jakob Mulle, formerly of the Trials of Grallus. I understand there is a party. I hope I am not too late, I am afraid I was unable to dress. I pray I will not overly abuse my guest privileges if I bring the Avistani and bounty hunter teams as my plus one?
Please come aboard my friend, you have the run of the ship."
To the officer as he/she boards. "The crew is unsecured below. The ship has not been searched. The naked man tied to the after rail is the captain. The woman is his slave mistress and should b be treated well, the other two are crewmen. Here are the keys to the lower deck. The crew has been docile, so try not to kill anyone. Where would you like us to wait?"
Qhude takes in the spectacle and words of the others in silence. What does this portend? Does he that shunned us to save those that would see us dead expect us to accept him back with open arms? Are we to cheer him on and think him a hero when he should by rights be dead.
After a few moments you see the hardness return to Qhude's eyes and he stares at the returned ship with baleful intent. Unconsciously Qhude has clenched his fists at his side and adopted an agressive warrior's pose.
Click for link
** spoiler omitted **
General Morvius appears on the docks a few minutes later and messages are relayed back and forth, Baron Utilinus eventually apologising and leaving the party as well, only to be spotted a few more minutes later at the docks, taking charge. In his absence, the party mostly just watches the docks, sensing something tremendous has happened even if the specifics are known to few. The lute players make a half hearted effort to draw people back into the main chamber but soon give up.
Jakob has an opportunity to relay his story to the Grand Custodian and the General; but Utilinus apologises to Jakob after congratulating him, for only he can attend the party. He assures him the other participants he has rescued will be looked after and will also be compensated for their own efforts in bringing the galley back to Eleder- but Jakob gets the impression he won't be seeing them again anytime soon, with the mysterious plans the Grand Custodian has for them.
General Morvius stays to oversee statements from the other rescued parties and co-ordinate things after Utilinus heads back to the palace with Jakob in tow. The ship's hatch is opened and the original crew of the galley respond with violence after an offer of surrender appears to be offered to them. they surge out of the hatch, but Morvius has crossbowmen in prime shooting positions all over the docks, and the hatch and ladder beneath soon becomes slick with the blood of the fallen. After losing a score of men, the pirates appear to surrender and are put into manacles. The ship is secured.
Shortly after, Utilinus appears with Jakob, the latter in a change of clothes. Presenting him to the party, Utilinus says with clear pride in his voice as it booms through the room-
May I present the man of the hour, whose deed I can scarcely believe myself! Jakob Mulle single handedly infiltrated the enemy vessel, took the pirate captain hostage, trapped the crew in their own lower decks and freed the other participants of the Trial- and also secured our Sargavan navy a fine vessel in the process! It is my honour to bestow upon him the title of "Lord" and bestow upon him the highest honour I can give in the name of our country for his unbelievable achievement- the Badge of Esteemed Distinction!
A small wooden box is presented to Jakob, although no one actually pins whatever is inside on him.
A full investigation of the ship and its motives is under way as I speak. Within a few days, I imagine we'll have the name of whichever rogue Free Captain sent a vessel against us; and i'm sure the other Free Captains will eagerly receive this name and hunt down the man who threatened our truce with our protectors. Now, I imagine Jakob would like to tell his comrades his magnificent tale- let the festivities continue!
Utilinus raises a glass to Jakob one more time and there is an almighty cheer.
Utilinus' excitement and good cheer seems a little forced to you- the man's a damn good orator but you could tell he wasn't completely pleased with what happened...
Tebati does not join in the general celebration in the ballroom, keeping her regard solely for Jakob and, as he lauds him, the Grand Custodian. Her expression is wide-eyed and wary, but she seems in no particular hurry to approach the hero of the day.
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Ansha accepts the Grand Custodian's apology and departure stoically, though those who get a good look at her emerald eyes or the tension in her delicate jaw note that she seems to be quietly seething at the disruption. The elf watches the events in the harbor impassively, scarcely blinking at the bloodshed, and she does not move from her position by the balcony when the Baron returns with Jakob in tow. She listens quietly to the Baron's speech, but remains quiet when the audience bursts into cheering. I wonder how the Free Captains will take this, she thinks, a faintly amused half-smile tugging momentarily at her lips.
Hands clasped behind his back, Kieran looks on as the Grand Custodian introduces Jakob to the rest of the guests in the gala, a smile appearing on his face once the cheering starts. "Quite an impressive feat, indeed," he remarks as he steals glances at his companions' faces in an attempt to make out their thoughts and feelings about this rather unexpected development.
'Qhude seems not quite as happy as one would expect considering a comrade has just returned from more or less certain death,' he ponders. 'And Ansha's smile is... heh... not entirely genuine. N'bellocq seems quite pleased, at least.' He saves Tebati for last. 'Unlike his 'kin', it would seem.'
"Ah," he concludes with a sigh, "the next few minutes are going to be interesting." Turning to the rest of the group, he asks, "Should we not welcome our 'man of the hour', ladies and gentlemen? Shake his hand and congratulate him and some such?"
"Ah," he concludes with a sigh, "the next few minutes are going to be interesting." Turning to the rest of the group, he asks, "Should we not welcome our 'man of the hour', ladies and gentlemen? Shake his hand and congratulate him and some such?"
Ansha gives Kieran a stony look in reply, her lip pressed into a thin line. Welcome back? After the man ruined the most entertaining evening I've had in years? she thinks. Well, I suppose I should at least pretend to be gracious about this.
Heaving a sigh, Ansha takes the initiative. Her features soften and a relieved smile starts to form on her face as she closes the distance between herself and Jakob. By the time she catches Jakob's attention, the transformation is complete, and she exclaims in relief, "Welcome back, Jakob--or should I say, Lord Jakob? We hadn't expected to see you again! It's a relief that you're alright. Dreadful business, but it seems that some deity favors you. Perhaps Desna...or the Drunken Hero." Her smile turns playfully crooked as she draws a subtle comparison to another fool who accomplished the impossible: Cayden Cailean, the Accidental God. "Regardless, it is good that you are alright!"
Qhude is silent as Jakob's deed and reward are announced. Making no real attempt to mask the anger boiling up within him, he keeps his eyes locked upon Jakob. His actions were plain upon the water
Upon Kieran's recommendation to approach Jakob, Qhude turns to the side and spits upon the floor of the ballroom (Polyglot) "No, it is upon him to approach"
"I suppose you have a point there in a way," Kieran answers back, also in Polyglot, albeit with a hint of an accent coloring his words. "After all, he is the one that drew away from us, not the other way around. So he should be the one to come back first. Is that how you see it?"
Despite his talk of welcoming Jakob back and congratulating him, the half-elven rogue does not make a move towards the returned man, at least not yet, letting Ansha do it for the moment and almost marveling at the woman's change of mood from mere moments ago.
"One should take care before running to embrace a friend returned from the dead," Tebati replies in Polyglot. "He is rarely unchanged by the experience."
"Is that how you see it?"
Qhude nods his assent to Kieran's query without taking his eyes off the returned one.
After the cheer.
"Thank you Grand Custodian but I must disagree with you. I did not take that ship single handed. There was the dead pirate who loaned me the clothes that fooled his shipmates. There was the Bounty Hunter who somehow concealed a skeleton key from the pirates. With out that key I would have joined them in the hold. There was the Captain's slave-girl who chose to be my hands and free the others while I restrained the captain. There were the Avistani and Bounty hunter teams who but aside differences and worked quickly and quietly to trap the crew and bring the ship to port.
But more than these I must thank my teammates in the trial for showing me how and why to take the boat. I thank Qhude, who taught me to respect my own strength. I thank N'bellocq who taught me to persevere, Tabati who taught me to trust my own path, Ansha who taught me to think clearly enough to see it and the absent Picklebeard who showed me that a goal worth pursuing requires sacrifice. And finally I thank Kerian who taught me life is far too important to take seriously. So please let the music play, let us eat and drink and dance."
To Ansha.
"Please just Jakob. The title is just a pretty bauble, another petty noble in a country littered with them. I had not thought to see any of you again either. I am glad that you won the trial. I am afraid my own showing was rather poor.
As to the gods you may well be right. I was utterly terrified the whole time but things just broke my way. I must have used a lifetime of luck tonight. I will not be testing fate so sorely again." "Well perhaps once more, I need to apologize to the team."
Jakob moves through the crowd of dancers and hangers-on to where the victors of the Trials have gathered. Jakob goes to place the box in a pocket, seems to notice that it is still closed and opens it. Assuming it does not explode Jakob will continue across the floor.
To Qhude, Tabati, N'bellocq, and Kerian
"Hello, I am afraid I have cast a pall on your well deserved party. I am sorry.
I am also sorry that I abandoned you in the final trail. It was wrong of me to leave my friends for a harebrained scheme to rescue strangers. I beg your forgiveness for this personal failing.
I do not know what your plans are following this evening but, if you would have me, I would like to be part of them. Things are happening now. Sargava is changing and through your skill and my blind luck we are in a position to shape, or at least profit from the change. But that is for the future for now I can only beg forgiveness and express my joy to see you all safe.
One final thing." Jakob bends and removes a folded piece of paper from his boot. He hands it to Ansha. "I found this hidden in the captain’s cabin. It is in code but I suspect it is not too complex. If you choose to allow me back with you or not this paper might provide a clue as to what is really going on and who arranged for that ship to be there."
Jakob bows to the group.
"I will await your decision and again my apologies."
With that Jakob walks towards the food, doing his best to avoid conversation.
Inside the box is an ornate silver eagle, with a tiny pin on the back so it can be pinned to clothing or armour.
Ansha smiles graciously, if a bit faintly, at Jakob's attempt to include her in the accolades the assembled upper crust of Sargavan society are bestowing upon the man. When he begins to move through the crowd toward the other party members, she makes a point to not appear to be following him as she makes her own way toward the group. She arrives a few moments after he makes his plea for forgiveness, just in time for him to reach for a piece of paper in his boot.
Blinking, the elflady tilts her head and looks at the paper curiously when it is placed in her hands. "Interesting," she murmurs quietly after Jakob has explained where he found it. "I had wondered how they knew, and who they had put on their payroll...."
Not understanding all the pent up emotion, N'bellocq moves over to the food table. He picks a grilled shrimp off a large plate with a sizable deficit of shrimp. "Jakob, these shrimp are pretty good." He nods his head to Jakob, takes a bite of the shrimp and then moves off to the window to look at the continued excitement around the pirate vessel.
Tebati shakes her head after N'bellocq with a wry half-smile; riverboat pilot he may be, but the undercurrents of this situation are invisible to him. "Almost to shore with a record catch," she remarks to Ansha, "when the net breaks, eh? Or is cut by another boat blindly crossing your wake. We are not the only ones less than pleased by Jakob's timing. Your dancing partner, despite his grand words, wished that things had gone otherwise. Is it only that he hoped to have you in his bed before morning, or do you think we will find his hand in that message?" she asks, nodding to the paper Jakob handed over.
Ansha looks up from the paper in her hands to give Tebati a dark look. "You are very perceptive, Tebati," she says, a warning tone to her voice. "But I think there is another possibility you are excluding: The Free Captains may well have been behind this attack, and if they were, then our noble fool"--she gestures idly in Jakob's direction, folding the paper again and discreetly tucking it into her bosom--"may well have escalated the situation. Our friends, the pirates, will likely view this turn of events as something akin to a dog biting the hand that feeds it."
She smiles again, though the smile doesn't reach her eyes. "The Free Captains just may decide that a full-scale retaliatory raid is in order, to keep Sargava in its place."
"Then we would do well to be gone from here as soon as possible," Tebati responds. "Jakob may care about 'shaping the changes of Sargava,' but I will not die for this colony."
"What, and miss the fun?" Ansha asks wryly. "In all seriousness...Right now, this is all conjecture. I wouldn't worry about it for now. I have a feeling we'll be leaving Sargava before too long on the task we won the right to undertake in the Trials...And it's a long way from here to Port Peril."
Qhude impassively listens to Jakob's words, though he bristles at Jakob's implication that he had anything to do with 'showing me how and why to take the boat'. He twists his words to sheathe the truth in shadow. Had he spoken plain he would have noted that none of us were in support of his actions.
When he comes to speak to them directly, Qhude scoffs at his explanation (Polyglot) "You say you went to save strangers. Have you seen the blood wrought from your actions? Because of your sole action a score are dead." moving to the balcony and pointing at the dead bodies of the pirates and blood no doubt being scrubbed from the deck of the ship. "I did not see you on the docks standing before the Sargavan crossbows. Tell me fundi, how is it you decide who is worth saving? Clearly you valued the lives of the Avistani and Slavers over ours - what made these pirates worthless in your reckoning?"
Overhearing Qhude's diatribe, Tebati also moves to the balcony, although staying far enough away from Qhude and Jakob not to intrude or appear to eavesdrop. She looks down at the pirate ship and wonders what became of the ship's participants in the Trials. She remembers the runner with the cutlass who congratulated her at the end of the Trial of Endurance. She had thought him honorable. What plans had he already had for her when he shook her hand?
A light shudder passes through her body. Marisama had been right to send her out into the world. She would never have imagined such treachery from so many sides back in Nantambu. In Nantambu, a race is for determining the fastest runner, not for feeding the hindmost to devils or for estimating the value of slave stock. You were sheltered in calm harbor too long, she tells herself. If there is one thing Shimye-Magalla is not, it is safe.
Qhude impassively listens to Jakob's words, though he bristles at Jakob's implication that he had anything to do with 'showing me how and why to take the boat'. He twists his words to sheathe the truth in shadow. Had he spoken plain he would have noted that none of us were in support of his actions.
When he comes to speak to them directly, Qhude scoffs at his explanation (Polyglot) "You say you went to save strangers. Have you seen the blood wrought from your actions? Because of your sole action a score are dead." moving to the balcony and pointing at the dead bodies of the pirates and blood no doubt being scrubbed from the deck of the ship. "I did not see you on the docks standing before the Sargavan crossbows. Tell me fundi, how is it you decide who is worth saving? Clearly you valued the lives of the Avistani and Slavers over ours - what made these pirates worthless in your reckoning?"
With Qhude
Jakob looks down at the carnage. His face still and sad. "I saved those who I had the power to save. We are steeped in death and blood and perhaps I should have stayed quiet in our little boat as we fled from that same crew. Perhaps that would have been best to take the safe choice and stay with you. But that was not my choice. There was nothing I could do to help you. Kieran was sailing the boat into the safe harbor. Tebati's mist shielded you from the catapults. You were safe. The others were not. I apologize if my choise was in error but I do not understand your anger nor why you keep gifting me titles that I have not earned."
With N'bellocq.
"Thank you but I think I will stay away from seafood for a day or two. I am glad to see you. What do you make of all this pomp and display?"
Ansha quietly slips away from Qhude as he and Jakob speak. She smiles at the party-goers around her as she makes her way back over toward the Grand Custodian. Maybe I can still salvage something of the evening....
"Tonight has been quite...interesting," she says once she finds him. "And though it has been somewhat disrupted, the party must go on. Would you care to finish the dance we had begun, my lord? Or has this turn of events soured you on the notion?"
Without taking his eyes off the bay, "The deadliest creatures in the jungle wear the brightest colors. Showy displays often hide a deadly sting."
Qhude makes no attempt at hiding his conversation with Jakob, talking loudly in Polyglot. His self-control is starting to wane further, as he grows even more animated "You abandoned kin during battle, and swam to the enemy. If we were among the Bas'o I would take your manhood and your right hand." growling as his fists clench and unclench at his side.
Driving his deadened gaze at Jakob and beginning to pace before him(Polyglot) "Each time you have been faced with a trial today, you have not trusted the word or ability of your team-mates. Each time you have cast aside our opinion and acted solely upon your interests. You say I give you titles you have not asked for, but you act as though you were a chief that you are not. You are more like your noble family than you think, waving away those that disagree with you and acting in ignorance. How are we to know that you will listen to our counsel in future?"
Stopping his pacing and tracing the scar on his cheek with a finger from his right hand (Polyglot) "You also seem deluded that all life in this world is worth saving, where it is not. I have killed before, I will kill again. You yourself have witnessed this as I slew the thief that assaulted you in Kalabuto." tracing one of the jagged scars upon his chest "What will you do when my fist is raised against our foes? - step in front of me and take the strike on behalf of the other?"
As if on queue, especially considering the warrior's last words, Kieran steps between Jakob and Qhude, his eyes locked with the Mwangi's, yet his expression and stance seem relaxed. "You feel wronged and betrayed, from what I can tell of your words," he says in Polyglot as well, "and I do not know enough of your past, either your own or the one shared with this man, to tell you whether you are wrong or not. Besides, not my place to do so."
He pauses for but a moment, but not long enough to allow either Jakob or Qhude to interject. "But this is neither the time nor the place. For good or ill, we are, for now, companions and comrades-in-arms and disagreements between us are a private matter, a matter only shared with those that are known to us and have fought or competed alongside one another, and not one for all to see, especially strangers. We are not a spectacle for the nobles' amusement, nor is it wise to show potential enemies that we are, even in this, fractured. You may not care what other people think, but neither you nor I nor any of us are here to put on a show for their amusement." He accentuates the last words with a look towards the various guests going about their business, though most probably already stealing glances or staring their way.
Once finished, Kieran looks at Qhude unflinchingly, with what seems like a faint friendly smile on his face. 'He will probably lead with his right, so I should be ready to duck or pull back accordingly,' he thinks absentmindedly.
Utilinus smiles at Ansha, but like much of the crowd seems distracted by the tension in the centre of the room between Qhude and Jakob.
Perhaps once things have settled down my dear... he says, patting her arm.
After Kieran interjects, Qhude turns his eyes from Jakob for the first time - settling them upon the half-elf. Locking eyes with Kieran the tension in his body seems to be building to a crescendo and violence is imminent.
He bares his teeth and hisses before slamming his fist into the nearest table by means of releasing his anger.
Power Attack Unarmed Strike: for
Shaking with rage he turns immediately and stalks from the room, throwing threatening glances at any attendants or guards that seek to block his path.
Qhude's scene seems to have stirred up a lot of whispering and quiet conversations among the attendees. As Qhude tries to leave, his path is momentarily blocked by two guards, who step aside as Utilinus gives them a signal with his hand.
Quite a temper on that one. Shall we continue our dance, Ansha? the Grand Custodian says pleasantly.
"He is Bas'o," Tebati offers to Jakob neutrally when Qhude has left the room. "You do not understand him any more than he understands you. The fish and the petrel might as easily explain themselves one to another."
Leaving the ballroom, Qhude is still seething as he strides back toward the chambers that have been ceded to him for the night. Muttering quietly in a gravely tone as he walks, any servants or attendants to cross his path are growled at with teeth bared until they make way.
Reaching his room he paces a track back and forth on the floor. How dare the bastard elf block me from the answers I deserve. Do none of the others understand this the way that I do. They have all accepted him back without pause or question. No thought given to the insult and betrayal.... are they to side with him now against me?
Tears welling in his eyes he screams and lashes out at the door of a cupboard with his fist. Thoughts flashing through his head as he expresses his depth of depression in the only way he knows how. *Crack* his father dying in Kalabuto *Crack* the long walk away from the Bas'o as they jeered *Crack* the leering eyes of the spectators at the pit fights *Crack* Long nights alone in his hovel, his only friend a flay-pipe *Crack*
Again, and again his fist crashes into the thick oaken frame until his fingers swell and the skin over his knuckles splits asunder. The sturdy cupboard door eventually gives way, splintering apart under his pugilistic ministrations.
As the door breaks, Qhude stops - panting with exertion as sweat runs off his brow and blood drips from his bruised and battered fist. Moving as though in a torpor to the corner where his sack of belongings was thrown, he retrieves his pipe and pouch of flayleaf. Tamping down the drug into the pipe bore, he lights it and gives over to the empty oblivion wrought of the leaf's smoke.
Any who seek Qhude out after more than thirty minutes or so find him passed out seated on the floor in the corner back to the wall - pipe sitting where it fell from his hand in a sticky puddle of blood.
Qhude's scene seems to have stirred up a lot of whispering and quiet conversations among the attendees. As Qhude tries to leave, his path is momentarily blocked by two guards, who step aside as Utilinus gives them a signal with his hand.
Quite a temper on that one. Shall we continue our dance, Ansha? the Grand Custodian says pleasantly.
Ansha does her best to ignore Qhude's outburst, but even she seems distracted. Cringing at the sound of the abuse the table takes, her gaze follows Qhude as he stalks out of the room. "Quite," she murmurs in reply to the Baron. She graces Utilinus with a smile, offering her hand in proper courtly fashion. "I would be delighted--I do so hate not finishing what I start."
The party seems to go back into full swing despite Qhude's tantrum with dancing resuming. Utilinus takes Ansha by the hand and leads her back into the centre of it. With the dancing still being the centre of the party, other activities seem to be taking place in quieter areas of the room- heavy drinking, smoking substances, gambling with dice and in one area, some expensive looking board games. Most of you (Ansha is the exception) are given a polite berth- people seem happy to talk to you but only if approached first.