"Some like their bedding soft, while others prefer something firmer," Blikx replies with a small giggle. "I've heard he's definitely the latter."
She gives Ameiko a smile that clearly indicates gratitude for the friendly greeting. "What're you serving today?" she asks, clutching one hand to her stomach to stifle the growling coming from it.
"Do you mind if I take one of the small two-seat tables? I figured I could eat and maybe take a commission or two - if it won't be any trouble," she asks, hopefully.
I hope I'm not pushing my luck, she frets inside her head.
Caught up in the crowd, Nero soon finds himself at the front of the Rusty Dragon Inn. "Smells good." he mutters to himself as he heads inside.
Ven eats her lunch, makes friendly conversation with other festival-goers, and purchases one of the rooms for the night ahead, where she leaves most of her gear for the time being. She heads for the Devil Hunt before the consecration.
Ven hands over two copper pieces, steps up to the block, and nocks an arrow to the bowstring.
Curiously enough, several children run from the crowd and throng Ven, seeeming more excited than any that she won. Ven notices that one of the children is holding the catapult toy she won earlier.
After asking her name, Jody announces, "Let it be known that Jody has slain the Sandpoint Devil, and has saved the children that were in danger. With hunters like these here, Sandpoint will sleep savely every night."
Yeah, kinda figured," she replies to Ameiko, slightly crestfallen. "Thought it wouldn't hurt to ask."
Blikx eats her lunch at one of the smaller tables, leaving her tattoo kit slung. She looks around at the faces in the crowd, imagining them eagerly lining up for her work once she returned to her table in the Square.
Having overheard about the arm wrestling competitions at The Hagfish, Nero makes his way there.
Nero is carrying only his sword and a pouch of coins. The rest of his kit is secured in his foster father's wagon.
Ven laughs. She can see where this is going. "My thanks, Miss Jody, I am only too happy to help. But I certainly cannot eat this entire pie on my own; would any of you care for a piece?" she calls to the children gathered around. She moves off to the side so that others can have their try at the game, and starts cutting small pieces of pie with her knife and passing them out. It isn't exactly finger food, so there's soon some children with very sticky hands and smiles on their faces.
Ven sits to clean her knife thoroughly and whistles as she does so. Even if I can't find work, still glad I came out this way; forgot how wonderful children can be.
Zella shrugs. "Anything can be an Omen and sadly most all Omens are vague. But until anything bad happens, let us get some food and try to enjoy what remains of the day."
"Care to try your luck? Greg here is the best in the guard at arm-wrestling," he says.
With a nod and a grunt, Raniero sits down where the loser had just been sitting. His opponent, Greg, grins. "Let's see how the new boy does."
Raniero holds out at first, but the man manages to pull his arm to the table all the same. Undetered, Raniero tries again when the crowd calls for a rematch.
This time, Raniero manages to get Greg into a lock, managing to sneak a win. The crowd cheers him on as Greg says, "Best two out of three!"
Starting again, Raniero pulls Greg's arm firmly down to the table, declaring his victory.
The crowd goes wild as Greg admits his defeat. Grabbing Raniero a mug for free, Greg takes a time out to relax his sore arm.
"You're strong, but too content. Work harder." Nero grunts as he accepts the mead from Greg. Downing it in one gulp, he places the mug on the table. "Ah... I meant to say...thank you for the drink, friend." He says awkwardly, wiping the foam from his lips as he realizes his comment may have sounded a little rude. "Another mug for me and my friend here!." he calls out, throwing an arm around Greg's shoulders with a smile.
Finishing her lunch, Blikx catches Ameiko's eye and mouths a heartfelt thanks. She works her way through the crowd and puts a silver coin in the woman's hand.
"I know you're not charging, but I figured you earned this."
She gives Ameiko another smile of gratitude and makes her way out of the inn and back to her table at the Square. She checks on Dusty and gets ready to finish her day's work.
He produces the pies and offers her a slice. "I had a bit of luck while you were getting that lovely tattoo. A fitting tribute to our goddess." He admires her hand, holding it and running his fingers lightly over the fresh ink.
"I thought I might try my hand, or my gut, at the Hagfish Challenge this afternoon. What do you say? I hear it pairs excellently with pie!"
Zella looks up at Osru curiously. "A treat for me? I cannot wait to see what it is"
At his comments on her tattoo: "Thank you, I too think it a fitting tribute. Have you ever considered getting any tattoos? There is a talented lass here giving them if so."
On Challenges: "Well, I don't know that I would be able to compete in any challenge there, but I will gladly go with you and cheer for you. Plus I would never turn down pie."
Osru leads the way to the Hagfish. He drops a silver on the counter and swallows a mug of the disgusting swill.
"Oh dear. Suddenly I don't feel so well."
After a while, he comes to at one of the tavern's tables. The dwarf and two men from taking the challenge earlier are still out next to him. "Awake already, huh?" one of the patrons comments. "You tieflings sure are a weird lot.
The crowd inside the tavern is much smaller, and most are leaving. Apparently, the consecration of the temple is about to start.
Blikx makes sure Dusty is sufficiently fed and watered, then sets out her inks and needles again.
"Step up! Last chance to commemorate this day forever on your skin! Let me make a work of art for you to carry wherever you go!"
As she waits for her next customer, she whispers into another ball of wind, and sends it out into the crowd
"I wonder if Cyrdus will be at the dedication, or is he too busy blessing Sir Jasper's inner sanctum."
The crowds once again return to the square as the consecration of the new cathedral is about to commence. It is not quite a packed as this morning, which some of the locals notice with disapproval. However, every eye is on Abstalar as he takes the stage.
The sun is just starting to set behind the cathedral as he begins, bathing the temple in a warm glow. Raising his hand, he sets off a thunderstone with a loud crack, grabbing the attention of every person in the crowd. Clearing his throat, Abstalar opens his mouth to begin, but a woman's scream is the next thing that is heard, quickly followed by another. Neaby, a dog yelped as it's life fades away, its slit throat letting its blood pool underneath it. The crowd begins to panic as something small forces its way through to the other side of the square. High-pitched, tittering shrieks suddenly arise all around town, and then, a drum. The single drum is soon followed by another and another. The crowd tries it best to escape to safety even as the horrid song begins.
We in town, we will fight.
We not only ones in sight.
Chase the longshanks, kill them all
Burn the house and loot the stall!
Ven 23a
Raniero 23b
Osru 22
Goblins 19a
Blikx 19b
Zendallia 11
Ties are determimed by Dex, so a's go before b's.
When the shouts go up, Ven is already on edge, looking around for the source of the disturbance and spotting the ugly thing scampering away. She is ready and hyped up on adrenaline. There's a mix of fear for the people, horror at what the goblins are doing, and an eagerness that might have worried her, had she been in the right mind to reflect on it. Instead, she readies herself and keeps an eye on the freaks.
Ven draws her rapier and shouts as loud as she can, "Goblins! There, behind the wagons!"
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Feeling she has hit her creative stride, Blikx does some of her best work in the last hours before the dedication.
Goblins! Here in town?! Not another fire, not today!!
Drawing on the magic within her, Blikx shapes arcs of lighting into a crackling shield to float before her
Recognizing the priestess of Desna, she moves to stand between her and the goblins.
Despite her companion feeling less than well, Zella still managed to get to the Cathedral in time for the ceremony. "Thanks for making it here with me Osru."
Zella keeps a careful eye on Osru. If he feels the need to be sick all over the place, she is going to be sure to get out of the way in time.
All of the excitement Zella felt fades along with the Thunderstone's bang as she hears the malevolent song. Is this what the omen was about?
"Osru, did you hear that? Someone sees goblins!"
Not sure what else to do Zella casts Bless on all those around her.
A strange power flows into the crowd around Zella as she casts her spell. With the edge of the panic gone, the crowd begins a more efficient disersal, with less risk of trampling others.
"I am honored to accompany you." He feels ill but still tries to be a good escort.
When Zella grabs his arm and exclaims about the goblins, he forgets feeling sick and quickly draws his bow, nocking an arrow.
As Osru draws his weapon, he feels a rumbling in his stomach.
With the intial panic over, the square quickly clears as people hurry for safety, though the smoke that is starting to rise into the sky makes finding a safe place unlikely.
Though goblin voices can be heard all around, you can see three nearby on a wagon on the north end of the square. They are all carrying torches and jagged knives that appear to have holes in them.
With the crowd gone, all that is left in the clearing are five people, most of them strangers to each other.
Raniero 23b
Osru 22
Goblins 19a
Blikx 19b
Zendallia 11
Noticing the three goblins perched on the nearby wagon, Nero pushes through the remnants of the crowd with his sword in hand. Closing the distance, he brings the blade up to strike.
Raniero's swing how's wide, clipping the edge of the wagon. The goblins laughs gleefully at his poor attempt.
Now that she has backup, Ven takes off sprinting around the tent and back to the goblins and coming up on Nero's left.
Osru steps over to get a better angle at the goblins then lets his arrow fly.
Osru's arrow lands true as the falls back with an arrow in his large head. The goblin's buddy hisses at the warrior in front of him and tries to stab him, but his move is so transparent and his reach is so short that Raniero has but to scoot backward a bit to dodge the blow.
What Raniero doesn't notice, is the large tomato flying at his face. Soon, his world is covered in face as it splats all over his face. Laughing gleefully from the bed of the wagon, the goblin then busies itself in filling its mouth and pockets with food.
Blikx chants her words of magic and create an electrical shield in front of her. Seeing Desna's priest staying for the fight, she dashing over to protect her.
[spoiler=Initiative]Raniero 23a
Ven 23b
Osru 22
Goblins 19a
Blikx 19b
Zendallia 11[spoiler]
Zella sees the goblins near the wagon and pulls out her crossbow. Aiming for the goblin atop the wagon, she lets a bolt fly.
The Goblin stops its scavenging as the bolt hits it squarely in the back. Turning around it hissing at the cleric.
Realizing she is just a bit too far away to attack, Blikx moves a little bit forward and to the left in order to get clear line of sight on the goblins .
Once in position, she draws upon the storm inside her what else can I call it?, stretches out her right hand and lashes out with an arc of lightning from the tips of her fingers.
Blikx's eyes go wide as she realizes too late that the arc is not heading towards the goblin.
Dammit, I gotta learn to control this!
Wiping the tomato juice from his eyes, Nero snarls at the nearest goblin. He brings his blade to bear with a savage roar in an attempt to cleave it in half.
Zelladania fires off another bolt at the same goblin she just hit, hoping to drop it.
Blinded, Raniero's swing goes wide as he wipes the mess off of his face. The goblins laughs at him, already forgetting about the bolt in its back.
Moveing forward, Ven stabs at the goblin near Raniero, managing to get a small hit in.
The goblin atop the wagon is still pointing at Raniero in laughter as the arrow hits it in the side, dropping the beast.
The last goblin, suddenly realizing that he is alone, jumps at Raniero with his blade, but misses once more.
Blikx's attack goes wide, striking the wagon and leaving a large burnt spot on the side.
Zella's bolt flies a little too early as the goblin she was aiming at falls with Osru's arrow. The bolt thuds into the wagon, piercing an apple right throuh.
Seeing the goblin engaged with the other people who stayed to fight, Blikx holds her position near the Desnan priestess.
As bad as I missed the first time, I might hit one of them.
She glances around to see if there are any other goblins approaching or hiding nearby.
Furious and just a little embarassed, Nero moves in to strike the last remaining goblin.
"STOP LAUGHING!" he roars.
With a mighty swing, Raniero knocks the goblin into the dust in a quickly growing pool of its own blood.
With the last of the goblins in the area dealt with, the sounds of the area return. All around, one can hear clashing and horrible, high-pitched laughter, behind all of which the goblin song continues.
A scream gets your attention as a goblin decides to try a surpirse, aerial attack from the cathedral. Leaping off the pinacle with blade in hand, the goblin dives toward the group. However, his leap doesn't send him far from the building, and his body crushes into the temporary stage with a loud crash. He doesn't get back up.
However, the goblins are becoming more dangerous, as one than one has grabbed a torch, and several buildings are beginning to burn. Smoke is starting to fill the sky, and that fateful day frm seven years ago is beginning to unfold once more.
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Blixk runs towards the nearest burning building and extends her hands towards it, calling on a chilling blast of wind and snow to smother the flames.
Not again! Not today!
Ven curses loudly in surprise as Raniero cuts down the goblin, and again when the next goblin jumps off the cathedral. "Gods save us, they've surely gone mad!" She keeps her sword out as she looks around, catching a glance of each the tiefling, the mage, the brute, and the priestess. She then does a visual sweep of the square, checking if there are any townsfolk who did not or were unable to flee, or any goblins nearby.
Raniero lowers his heavy blade, panting softly as he tries to regain his breath. "Are you all alright?" he asks the half elven woman whom he fought alongside.
"We should stop them from lighting any more fires, this is getting out of hand far too quickly." He motions towards the manic goblins.