You should keep the head attached and Kargas I think, when this beast is cooked properly...you deserved the cheek meat. We should let everyone that wants to come and enjoy this pig. It would do wonders for the moral of the city.
"That's an excellent idea, Cade! I bet this pig could serve quite a number of people. As long as Mr. Fox..., er, Aldern and Amiko don't mind." Since she's doing the cooking, Rig doesn't want to presume too much.
As Ameiko begins to prepare the boar for tonight's meal, the adventurers retire to wash and rest up, and prepare for the evening. Some of them try to get in another nap before they have to be presentable this evening.
By the time dinner rolls around it is getting late, as the large beast took some time to cook. But word has spread in the neighbourhood around and many familiar faces have turned out. Sir Aldern is there of course, as is Daviren Hosk and Cyrdak Drokkus, and Cyrdak has brought a few musicians with him from the playhouse. Brodert Quink is there, though he looks a little out of his depth among the growing crowd.
As the party enters the common room, Sir Aldern stands up on one of the benches, a wine glass in his hand.
"Here they are, the Sandpoint Six!" Aldern shouts, holding his wineglass high.
"Fresh from yet another conquest, this magnificent boar that will soon be set before you. And most notable in this conquest, if I may say so, was the way in which the Mighty Kargas here, impatient with the boar's hesitation, decided to charge the boar before the boar could charge him. And he practically impaled it right through, before the rest gathered around to finish the poor beast off!"
"So raise your glass with me to the health of the Sandpoint Six!"
Aldern raises his glass and then drinks deeply.
Seeing Master Quink across the room, Laurana yells for him trying to get his attention in the busy room, indifferent to Aldern's toast.
"Fresh from yet another conquest, this magnificent boar that will soon be set before you. "Master, Master Quink!" And most notable in this conquest, if I may say so, "Over here! It is me, Laurana!" It is was the way in which the Mighty Kargas here, impatient with the boar's hesitation, decided to charge the boar before the boar could charge him. And he practically impaled it right through, before the rest gathered around to finish the poor beast off!" "Okay, I will come to you! Excuse me. Excuse me. Excuse you!" She yells at a man she felt was getting a little to close as she tries to wiggle her way through the room.
"So raise your glass with me to the health of the Sandpoint Six!"
There is a good deal of cheering from the crowd and many others raise their glasses and drink Aldern's toast.
Ameiko and her kitchen staff bring out the boar, roast suckling pig-style with an apple in its mouth and surrounded by vegetables and garnish.
"Come and get it, you drunkards and freeloaders!" Ameiko calls out cheerfully. "There won't be any fancy table service with this crowd in here. Just come on up and I'll carve and serve you as you get here!"
Ameiko begins carving as the crowd gradually starts queuing up to the bar.
Flo cheers and drinks with the crowd as toasts are made. What a night! I can't believe so many people showed up! Aldern is quite the storyteller.
"Come on everyone, let's get our fill before we head out to guard duty!" Eagerly, she gets in line and is practically bouncing with the excitement of the night. She does her best to make conversation with those around her, trying to learn as much as she can about them and aspiring to incite laughter and merriment among them.
Rig feels like they've maybe earned a little rest and relaxation. And he finds himself famished with the smell of the pork wafting through the air. He's certainly happy to toast to Kargas' daring and graciously accepts the accolades being thrown at the group.
Cade mingles around the room taking in all that is said and what is not said. He is polite and cordial.
Flo, if you are in need of help with certain tasks tonight..let me know I may be free tonight. Then again maybe not but if I am able to help..count me in.
"Oh! Laurana! There you are," says Brodert, as he adjusts his spectacles. "They told me there was a dinner here..." his words trail off as he looks around the crowded taproom.
"I, ah, understand you caught a pig, out in the Tickwood. Was this the creature that was defending the stone disk you found?"
A muscular man comes over to the table where the group has gathered. He looks the group over, his eyes settling on Kargas.
"You must be Kargas, then, right?"
"I'm Master Korvut. Das. Call me Das. I made those Boar Spears you used. Sir Aldern bought them from me just the other day. I'm the town's armorer."
"Feel free to visit my shop, the Red Dog Smithy. I do weapons and armor; well, metal armor, anyway. Rovanky does the leather stuff. But if you need weapons or armor, I'm your smith."
"I heard about your battle with the goblins too. A few of them tried to get into my shop, but my dogs look after the place real good. Nothing scares off a goblin like a good mean dog. Heh."
Das smiles a big grin.
"If you stop by I could give you a discount, seein' as it sounds like they would be used for a good cause. Sure. What are you drinkin', by the way? Sir Aldern may be buyin' the wine, but if you care for somethin' else, let me get it. What do you say?"
It occurs to Kargas that if went over and helped carve up the boar he'd be standing near Ameiko, but he hesitates nervously. During his moment of indecision a muscular man approaches and introduces himself, distracting the half-orc with talk of weapons and armor.
Kargas grins at Korvut. "Damn good spears you make, friend. I'm a little short on coin at the moment, but if a payday comes I'll drop by for a shirt of ring-mail. And I never turn down a drink, that spicy honey mead Amei--uh, Miss Kaijitsu serves is like nothing I've ever tasted. If we're going to spend Aldern's coin I'd prefer the mead!"
Rig feels an hand on his arm from behind, and when he turns around, he sees one of the women that the group rescued from the goblins the other day.
"Hi! It's me, Shayliss, remember? From the raid?"
The woman smiles winningly and looks Rig up and down.
"I don't think I was able to thank you properly that day, there was so much happening. So I'm glad I ran into you."
"Everyone is talking about you. I mean, all of you. But you seem to be a big mystery to most of the people around here. Are you from Garund? Everyone wants to know. And now I'm hearing that you deal with animals as well as goblins! Is that true?"
She looks around with a little embarrassment, and wrings her hands together.
"You see, ah... there's something I could use your help with. We have a problem with rats... in our cellar. Big ones. I don't know how they get in there. Maybe you could come and have a look? You could probably handle it on your own, you don't need to bring the whole group."
"Oh! Laurana! There you are," says Brodert, as he adjusts his spectacles. "They told me there was a dinner here..." his words trail off as he looks around the crowded taproom.
"I, ah, understand you caught a pig, out in the Tickwood. Was this the creature that was defending the stone disk you found?"
"Yes, yes, food. Go and eat, there should be plenty for all. You can have my share. You know me, no meat. blah. What's that? Oh the etterflap? No that was a spider thingy. This is a boar, also known as a wild pig.' She shouts to be heard above the common noise of the room.
"Oh, a boar, right. Well, that's all right then. You know, enlarged boars may have been used in the Thassilonian realm of Thassilon as mounts..."
Brodert wanders off towards the bar.
"but if a payday comes I'll drop by for a shirt of ring-mail... "
"Sure, those are easy enough. Stop by some time soon so I can measure you. I can get started on it now."
He raises his glass. "Death to the Goblins! And good health an' fortune to those tha' make it so!" Many around the bar take up the toast.
Raising his glass to Korvut's toast Kargas downs his mug. Wiping his mouth, he takes a deep breath and makes his way towards the table where the boar is being carved. "Uh, Miss Kaijitsu? Would you, um, like any help?"
Ameiko smiles. "Not finished attacking the boar? Your falchion would be too big a knife for this job! Ha! No, thanks, I can handle it. My waitresses are here, so I'm not on my own. You just make sure Sir Foxglove there doesn't get too drunk."
Rig blushes a bit at the attention shown to him by Shayliss. "Properly thank me? Why, you can thank me with a dance."
He sweeps her up into a series of swirling dance steps designed to make her look like she knows what she's doing.
He laughs at her Garund question. "Heavens no. I'm Kelish, from Qadira. I suppose I AM a bit darker than folks around here. I guess the closer you are to the heat, the more likely you are to look like burnt toast," he jokes.
"Rats, eh? I suppose I could have a look. Sure." He seems a tad overcome with the personal attention, but a bit more dancing helps him feel more at ease.
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Cade continues to make his way around the room. Greeting this person or that person. He continues until he hears that most of the toasts have stopped. He moves over to the area where the boar is being butchered.
He gives a slight disarming smile to Ameiko as he climbs up a chair and the unto a table near the boar, so that he can finally see everyone in the room.
He looks around and picks up a small carving knife used for meals. He starts to tap the side of his pewter mug until all is quiet.
His smiles is wide and genuine as he takes in the crowd and his companions.
He chuckles slightly as he starts to talk.
So this is what the top of tall folk's heads look like....
He laughs at his humor and continues onward.
This boar is our hopes of bringing some happiness to a time of hardship. To bring a small bit of light to those dark days of the past. Those days are behind us and we can only look forward to the future. Learn from this hardship to make you stronger for future adversities.
He raises his mug
To the good citizens of Sand point...may your blades remain sharp, your bed always warm and you mug ever flowing with good spirits.
As the cheers die down, he continues with another toast.
But wait there is more
he laughs again and still that smile is ever present.
Tonight could not have happened if not for a team effort but still there is one who provided us with a show of prowess. The might of his blows helped to save lives at the expense of repairing his tunic...yet again....Kargas please allow me to present you with the cheek meat from this fine meal. Where I am from, cheek meat, which is relatively lean, yet very moist meat and highly prized for its flavor. This meat is reserved for those of high station and honor. A delicacy for our most distinguish guest. It is also very good when making Guanciale.
As the meat is cut from the boar and placed on a plate, he presents it to Kargas. Then he raises his mug again.
Kargas, in a short time I have come to count on you. To trust in your judgement on the battlefield. To call you a friend. I am still working on your taste in clothing...it is a work in progress...but to you and the rest of my new companions...the sand point six. I thank you for...well keeping me alive. To my mew companions.
Rig blushes a bit at the attention shown to him by Shayliss. "Properly thank me? Why, you can thank me with a dance."
Shayliss laughs with delight as Rig leads her in a dance.
"You know how to dance! How wonderful! Mostly we just get these little folk dances around here, unless you manage to get an invitation to one of the Scarnetti's balls."
Shaliss is not a particularly gifted dancer but she joins in with gusto.
When Amieko sees Rig and Shayliss head to the dance floor, she looks at one of her servers.
"Here, take over," she says as she hands off the carving knife to the waitress.
She heads into the back, and returns with a stringed instrument none of you recognize. She begins to play a rousing tune that Rig and Shayliss can dance to. The instrument has an eerie quality that makes the tune seem like it is coming from another world entirely.
When Cade gets up to make his speech, she stops and quiets the strings with her hand. When he is finished she gives Cade a look.
"Good companions are better than gold. Trust me, I know." She winks at Cade and goes back to playing.
Shayliss leans close to rig between numbers, and whispers to him.
"Did you eat already? If you have, maybe we can slip away for a bit and I can show you our cellar. Hopefully it won't take long and we can come back and rejoin the party."
During the party, Colvyn sits in a corner, sightly away from the crowd. There were two reasons for this. One was the fact that he was still tired from his night shift on guard duty. The second was that he wasn't comfortable with a big crowd. He ate the meat, thanking Erastil for the successful hunt. Looking around, he couldn't help but smile. This was a good community, too bad that the town council couldn't see past their personal interest. When Cade stands up to make a toast, Colvyn turns his attention to the Halfling. As he mentions Kargas's prowess in combat, Colvyn couldn't stop himself from smiling. That boar didn't really stood a chance against the big Half-Orc. At the end of the toast, Colvin raises his mug. "Hear, hear!"
Flo joins the rest in accepting Cade's toast. She downs the rest of her drink and takes the moment to interject with a few words of her own. "Before we all resume enjoying the festivities, I would like to thank Ms. Kaijitsu and the rest of the Rusty Dragon Inn staff for hosting this get together and their continued hospitality!" she raises another drink to toast them as well.
When the spotlight is off of the Sandpoint Six, Flo makes her way to Kargas. "Kargas, why don't you ask Ameiko for a dance? I've seen those looks you've been throwing her, now is your chance!" she says, nudging him a little towards her. Oh, love. What a beautiful thing!
"You want to go to the cellar now?" Rig is more than a little puzzled. But he's also not terribly good at saying no. He shrugs his shoulders. "Well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt. Let's try not to be gone too long."
Kargas snags an unattended mug from a nearby table as Cade starts his speech, rolling his eyes at the gentle jabs at his fashion sense. Tipping his drink at the halfling in salute, he drains it and returns near the bar, watching Ameiko out of the corner of his eye as she plays.
The half-orc stutters a little at Flor's suggestion. "Yeah, uh, about that, I don't know any dances--n-not like Rig was doing, ours involve a lot of stomping and howling...doesn't really seem, um, fitting."
"Is this the same Kargas who's idea of hunting a boar is to charge before it does? The same Kargas who's goal is to kill the Sandpoint Devil without even knowing the first thing about it? The same Kargas who repelled a goblin raid? And here you are, worried about how to move with another person to a beat they can both hear." Flo chuckles a little and takes Kargas' hands and leads him in a little dance. She is no great dancer herself, but this isn't her first time moving to music.
"Nobody said you have to be good, just have a good time. More importantly, make sure you have a good time together! Compliment her cooking and ask questions about her. Keep her talking and laugh a little!" With a big smile and a mischievously raised eyebrow, she releases him in the direction of Ameiko. She raises a hand to her mouth, feigning an "oops" expression and steps away from him before he can get back to her. As long as he doesn't overthink it, he is going to do great!
Laurana watched the festivities from the corner of the room. It was all a little too much for her and yet the vibrancy of the festivities did affect her. When Cade was finished with his speech, she was surprised to her herself yelling, "Woot! Woot! Kargas!" She immediately sat back down and stared into her wine glass.
"You want to go to the cellar now?" Rig is more than a little puzzled. But he's also not terribly good at saying no. He shrugs his shoulders. "Well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt. Let's try not to be gone too long."
"Yes, good idea!" smiles Shayliss, and she leads Rig out of the tavern.
She leads Rig down towards the dock district, to a building with a sign that shows three candles burning and the name "VINDER." Rig recognizes the logo as that of a Chandler's shop. She opens the door and beckons him inside.
Though Rig and Shayliss are leaving the floor, others have joined in the dancing, and the music continues. Cyrdak Drokkus steps upp, and doffs his hat in a sweeping bow before Laurana.
"My dear lady, will you favor me with a dance? You may consider it your audition to perform in my next play!" he grins with a twinkle in his eye.
Sir Aldern sees Drokkus approach Laurana, and he blinks, suddenly realizing that it should have been he who proposed such a thing first. He goes up to Floredana, and bows slightly more deeply than Cyrdak Drokkus did.
"Your most Aquamarine Majesty, would you do your most humble servant the honor of granting me this dance?"
Laurana stared at him blankly for a moment, "I, uh, I dont really know how but am willing to try." she offered getting up from her seat. "Let me just apologize now for tripping, or doing something else equally silly." Ah! what have I gotten myself into!
Flo responds with as much of a curtsy as her flowing outfit will allow. "Sir Foxglove, it would be my pleasure! Shall we?" she says as she joins him in dance. Just think, a few days ago I was working in a Cathedral. Now I'm fighting goblins, socializing with nobles, and potentially planning a counter-raid!
Kargas coughs nervously. "Hi, um, Miss Kaijitsu. Your playing is lovely but, uh, I was wondering if you maybe wanted to...dance...with me?"
Still in his corner, Colvyn was slowly drifting into sleep. He barely notices when Rig leave with the woman. He smiles slightly when Laurana and Floredana start to dance. But after that, the music just became background noise as the world around him just faded away. After a few minutes, he starts snoring away, oblivious to the world around him.
She opens the door and beckons him inside.
Shayliss enters the building, followed by Rig. She lights a lantern once inside, and Rig can see the interior of the Chandler's shop. Oil, lanterns, and candles take up only a small part of the room. There are also coils or rope and netting, bolts of canvas, various tools, pots and pans, and other household items are on display.
"My father closes the shop at sunset," Shayliss says. "Everyone's upstairs. We should be quiet; I have a niece whose little and we don't want to wake her. The cellars are this way."
She steers Rig towards a door under the staircase. Beyond is a flight of stairs going down, and a cellar cluttered with crates, barrels, and piles of cloth and rope. Shayliss points behind a tall stack of crates.
"If you look behind there you'll see what the problem is."
Rig steps forwards, but sees nothing untoward. But when he turns around, he sees that Shayliss' dress is pooled around her feet and she now wears nothing aside from her flimsy and rather brief smallclothes.
She smiles when Rig turns around. "I know it's not especially romantic, but I know we can get some privacy down here. Don't you think I'm pretty, Rig?"
Ameiko looks up at Kargas with a wry smile.
"Well, well. Why Kargas! I'd be delighted. After all, you did bring home the bacon." She looks over at Cyrdak as she puts down her instrument.
She steps onto the dance floor with Kargas.
Cyrdak looks at the two people he came in with, and snaps his finders. With a nod the two put down their food and produce instruments; on pulls out a fiddle while the other produces a tambourine. They begin playing and the dancing continues once more.
The dancing and merriment continues for several songs until and elderly man walks in.
The elderly man turns out to be Lord Lonjiku Kaijitsu, whom the party met only earlier today.
He looks at Ameiko and Kargas dancing together and his eyes blaze with fury.
"What in the Nine Hells is this?" He shouts angrily.
The music grinds to a halt as everyone in the tavern turns to look.
Laurana was having an absolutely fabulous time, once she got over her awkwardness of not really knowing how to dance. "This is somethings I really need to do more of!" She would tell with great exuberance to anyone that would listen.
"What in the Nine Hells is this?" He shouts angrily.
The music grinds to a halt as everyone in the tavern turns to look.
Laurana looked on confused as the old man, whom she recalled to be Ameiko's father, seemed angry about some unknown event. She was not about to let old man Kajitsu ruin her fun just because he couldn't put two and two together. She piped up "Uh, dancing and having party. I'm surprised you couldn't tell."
Rig turns the corner, hand on the hilt of his blade. Seeing nothing, he turns around, confusion on his face. And then he sees Shayliss, and recognizes how blind he's been.
"Of course I think your pretty," he stammers. "It's just, it feels like this is more out of a sense of 'owing' me, and that's not the case." He pulls her dress up around her, but allows her to move in close.
"How about we just start with dinner?" He smiles charmingly, hoping he has 'defused' the situation a bit.
Colvyn was slowly falling asleep when all the sudden he heard an angry shout and the celebration just stop all of the sudden. He couldn't see anything from where he was because of his size so he got up on the table in front of him. From there he was able to see who was disturbing the celebration. "Oh great, it's Lord Angry for no reason." Looking around, he tries to see if Cade would take care of the man, but he couldn't locate the Halfling. Turning back to the old man he puts his hand around his mouth to make sure that he gets heard. "Like Laurana said, this is a celebration, your Lordship. Some of us went on a hunt and got a huge boar that was too much for our single. So we invited other simple folks to have a nice evening. I know it is hard to understand, but sometimes, us commoners, like to dance and listen to fun music. So if this is unpleasant to you, you are more than welcome to head back to your fancy mansion. your Lordship." With that, he gives a nice bow and a big smile.
"How about we just start with dinner?" He smiles charmingly, hoping he has 'defused' the situation a bit.
"Dinner?" she pouts. "We just came from dinner!"
She approaches Rig and puts her hand on Rig's chest.
"Don't think of it as a reward, then. You don't think I'd be down here with that mouse, giving him a reward? It's you I'm drawn to."
She puts her other hand against his cheek.
"Don't you get lonely, being so far from your home on your own? You're very handsome, there's no need to be shy. I'm not expecting you to marry me and settle down, you know. For all I know you'll fly off back to Qadira tomorrow."
"But tonight, here we are, together..."
She moves forwards, clearly planning to kiss Rig.