You return to Kalsgard as the sun is setting. This is, of course, still quite early in the evening, given where you are and the time of year. You return the horses, and discover that in your absence, the Caravan has been quietly looked after by its Varisian neighbors in the Caravan park, many of whom know Sandru Vhiski and Koya Mvashti well.
Tomorrow, the city will be in an uproar. A respected merchant named Lute Haggersley will make a series of accusations about the Rimerunners Guild and Thorborg Silverskorr, accusations that will include kidnap, torture, consorting with devils, creating a public nuisance, theft without repayment, failure to announce blood feud, failure to pay weregild, and “being a hideous purple ogre”. After a quick initial check into the claims, King Sveinn Blood-Eagle will immediately suspend all of the Rimerunners Guild’s operations and seize all of their assets. As a more thorough investigation proceeds, the king will publicly distance himself from his former cordial relations with the Guild and its members.
But tonight, none of that is yet known. You have returned with your friends, comrades, relations and loved ones safe and now well.
And the night is young.
After taking a quick trip to his room to clean up, Kalimac returns to the front room of the inn to inquire about good places to eat nearby as well as entertainment venues.
He receives recommendations for a number of good restaurants, the ones nearby all being Tien. Recommended evening entertainment, mostly in the Fire Quarter, includes:
- The latest play from Cheliax at the Arnora Theater
- The Whistling Fox, a bar in where the high Skald Thyrie Tarnralsdottir performs
- The Stephfir Ostlery in the Horn Quarter, where the popular bloodsport of horse fighting takes place
- The Hall of Splendid Valor, easily the city's finest and most expensive brothel
- The Hroldmar Arena, currently featuring races
Before departing on evening entertainments, Kalimac finds Hrunndalf. "הרוננדאַלף, מיין פרייַנד, איך גלויבן מיר דאַרפֿן צו רעדן. איך טראַכטן עס זענען עטלעכע זאכן איר דאַרפֿן צו הערן פון מיר ערשטער, אלא ווי דערגייונג אויס פון די גרייפּוויין."
There is that ever so subtle look of worry again. "איך בין אַלע אויערן."
Kalimac pauses, uncertain of where to begin. He is clearly not enjoying this.
"איך וויסן איר'ווע באקאנט אַמעיקאָ אַ לאַנג צייַט. א פּלאַץ מער ווי איך האב, איך טראַכטן, און אַ פּלאַץ נעענטער. איידער דעם עפּאָס פּאַסירונג מיר ניטאָ אויף, איך האט ניט וויסן איר אַלע אַז געזונט. אבער אין דער פאַרגאַנגענהייַט ווייניק וואָכן מיר'ווע דערוואַקסן נעענטער, און ..." Kalimac swallows, then takes a deep breath. "און איך'ווע סטאַרטעד קאָרטינג אַמעיקאָ."
Presenting Ameiko with the choices of entertainment options, Kalimac asks, "Anything pique your interest? I'm not sure I could stomach horse fighting, but the High Skald sounds interesting."
"New bard songs? I'm there," says Ameiko. "Give me, how about, an hour and a half to get ready, then dinner, then the Whistling Fox?"
Hrunndalf nods, slowly. Metabolizes the information. "נאָר ווייַל איך'ווע וויסן איר שוין טוט ניט געבן מיר די רעכט פון וועג. איר האָבן יעדער רעכט צו נאָכגיין איר ליבע. אבער איר וועט האָבן צו פאַרגעבן מיר פֿאַר נישט געוואלט איר גליק. איך האָבן אַ זוכן פון מיין אייגן, פון וואָס איך בין ניט וועגן צו שטיין אַראָפּ."
He exhales. "אויב איך זאל פרעגן, ווי ... האט זי געווען ריאַקטינג צו אייער אַדוואַנסאַז?"
If I may ask, how... has she been reacting to your advances?
The ice broken, and finding himself without a hammer lodged in his skull, Kalimac eases just a bit.
"איך פֿאַרשטיין גאָר. איך נאָר האָפֿן דעם טוט ניט קומען צווישן אונדזער פֿרייַנדשאַפֿט." Kalimac ponders Hrunndalf's question for a moment before answering. "ווי פֿאַר מיין אַדוואַנסאַז, זי האט שוין ..." Kalimac looks for the right word. "ופנעמיק."
"As for my advances, she has been...receptive."
"אַוואַדע. איך טאָן באַטראַכטן איר מיין בעסטער פרייַנד דאָ, באַזונדער פון אַמעיקאָ און איר ינער קרייַז. די וואס זאָגן אַז אַלע איז יריד אין ליבע און מלחמה ... קלאר האָבן קיינמאָל געווארן צו מלחמה. איך טאָן ניט אויסן צו גיין מלחמה קעגן איר, האר קאַלימאַק. איך האב געזען איר פאָר." Hrunndalf allows himself a grin.
Then a more... panicked look briefly crosses his face. "ופנעמיק ... האָבן איר ... ביסט איר ... איז זי ראָמאַניקאַללי ...?"
Upon the return to the inn, a rather preoccupied Alaric heads upstairs to the room that he and Melinda share. What follows is some jangling and the standard array of cursing that accompanies him removing his armor. The only noteworthy part of this, is that it seems like he has picked up a little halfling... at least enough to speculate on the ancestry of his chainmail.
Hrunndalf grin back. "אַ, יאָ. די סכנות פון דייטינג אַ קייסעריניע." He looks somewhat relieved. "גוט. אַ דאַנק פֿאַר גערעדט אויס. איך אָפּשאַצן עס."
Kalimac nods. "איך קען ניט ניט דערציילן איר. מיר פאַרלאָזנ אויף איין אנדערן ווייַט צו פיל פֿאַר מיר צו טאָן קיין ווייניקער."
"Should I get cleaned up? Or..." She turns green, a color she has been often on the ride from Ravenscrag.
"Oh, not at all. Kalsgard entertainment continues well into the late hours. Shall we meet after freshening up, then?"
"Shouldn't be too long." for some reason she sounds slightly unsure of how long that actually will be.
Myri does freshen up, then dresses in a white shantung silk t-shirt under a vest picked out with a metallic design and a bright tatter dress which brings out the brilliant blue of Myriana's eyes and gives her a wild, somewhat fey-like appearance.
She wears a blue-green scarf around her waist, tied to her left. Her hair is done up in a single ponytail which still falls midway down her back is held in place with a long hairpin topped with a red pearl. A gold arm ring set with fresh water pearls rests around her left bicep.
She stands in the middle of the room for almost as long as the rest of the time it took her to get ready, holding her quiver, apparently indecisive on whether or not she can part with it for even such a short period. Finally, she slings it over her shoulder, maybe she'll be able to get out without Ameiko seeing her. I think my sister would approve, anyway." she tells herself internally.
Finally she turns around to Alaric her arms crossed over her chest. "Should I dress?" She seems to be speaking mostly to calm herself more than anything else.
"Right?" her eyes focused only on Alaric, letting the world disappear to just the two of them. "If yes, then... it's okay. I think."
Alaric can feel the light trembling start again. Nervously, Mel asks, "So after... dinner? Are you feeling like anything in particular?"
When the group gets back to the rooms, Lio goes to the room she shares with Shalelu. A few minutes later, she comes out, sans armor, dressed in a shirt and hose that have seen better days. It's probably what she was wearing under her armor. She is carrying a small bag, and looking to Shalelu, she asks, "Barod?"
Walking through the city to the bath house, Lio takes your hand.
When the group gets back to the rooms, Lio goes to the room she shares with Shalelu. A few minutes later, she comes out, sans armor, dressed in a shirt and hose that have seen better days. It's probably what she was wearing under her armor. She is carrying a small bag, and looking to Shalelu, she asks, "Barod?"
Shalelu nods. "Barod." The two elves exit the Inn together.
Her breath catches when she sees you.
"Ready?" she asks.
When Buttersnips walks into the common room of the suite, she is wearing a dress of dappled green, subtle patterns of darker and lighter greens chasing themselves across it. The patterns shine and dance in the light and almost seem to move. She has accented it with a gold bracelet that bears a repeating fish motif, and a pair of gold earrings in the shape of small birds.
Her breath catches when she sees you.
Myriana relaxes slightly at Buttersnips reaction, "You look...stunning, Buttersnips. Your dress is amazing. What is it made of?"
Myriana relaxes slightly at Buttersnips reaction, "You look...stunning, Buttersnips. Your dress is amazing. What is it made of?"
"Thank you. I made it myself, actually. It's mostly silk, but a number of other materials. And you look ... absolutely wonderful."
"So ... did you want to get dinner first?"
"Hmm," she says. "I'm not sure I like them as much cooked."
"I've always been fond of them dried or smoked." Lio contributes. When she is done with the meat, she licks some grease off her fingers. "Should lizard be greasy?" She comments. "But I suppose, at least it is interesting." She looks at you, wonders what you're thinking.
"I've always been fond of them dried or smoked." Lio contributes. When she is done with the meat, she licks some grease off her fingers. "Should lizard be greasy?" She comments. "But I suppose, at least it is interesting." She looks at you, wonders what you're thinking.
"I'm thinking about you naked," she comments evenly in response to your expression.