Cottonseed Lodge (PFS2)

Game Master Redelia

"What? No way!" The Archer loses her cool for a moment and shouts before collecting herself and whispering once more. "You can't give away your barding. We have that so that monsters don't gobble you up."

Silence ignores the ranger and continues to preen.

"I don't care how much it itches you can't give it away. You'll just have to figure something out. You've already promised."

Turning back to the crowd, she smiles nervously. "Soooooo...uh...that's pretty much it. Come up with an owl poem by Sunday and maybe win a secret prize. Easy, right?"

Ooh ooh ooh!

An excitable goblin in a draconic jumpsuit and a notable lack of self awareness steps forward.

Free verse!

He draws and blows on a kazoo.

Superb Owl Sunday.
For some reason many owls decide to fight.
Then two sides of eleven take flight.
Why? Who knows.
Between each go they make a plan in a "cuddle" (I think).
In the end, the defeated owls slink into a puddle.

The proud goblin bows.

The end!

Well .... I am not good at poetry ... but ... did you know there is an owl in the night sky? It is a northern hemisphere constellation near the celestial equator. It lies between the Rose and the Animal Mother.

He creates a Silent Illusion of that area of the sky and points out the Owl.

If you have People of the Stars it's in there

"Wooohoooo!" A plump, rosy-cheeked elderly human woman wearing a ridiculously enormous bright red sweater dress cheers. "I love secret prizes, dearie! Heehee! Here's a gem for you:

Thank you! Thank you, dearies! I'll be here 'til closing. Heehee!" She preens and bows, then drains her tankard. "Ahhh! That's the good stuff."

A second goblin, wearing a charred wooden symbol of Sarenrae steps up to take his turn.

"Superb Owl Sunday
When the best compete.
Will it be the Chief
whose victory will be complete?
Or will it be the 49...er...yes...that's right
who will provide defeat?
No one knows.
And no one cares.
It's just the break in the middle that gets the stares.
And I've been told
The real winner will be a Swift
Who won't even play the game.
Is that too bold?"

A very tall young man enters, picks up a pint at the bar, and settles down to enjoy the entertainment. I wears a breastplate and has several weapons which he checks at the door.

Seedy grins at the creative energy flowing through the bar, mixing a fragrant cocktail on the house for anyone brave enough to step up and say their piece.

Silence flaps his wings. "Screech!"

Meadow nods at the owl then turns to the assembled throng. "Okay looks like we have three entries so far. There's still one day until Superb Owl Sunday. Remember to enter the contest you need to compose and perform a poem about how incredibly awesome owls are. Silence will choose the winner tomorrow."

An attractive Hwan woman unstraps a gayageum from her back and sets it on the table before her. She begins to slowly pluck the strings in a solemn manner creating a complex and intertwining pentatonic melody.

After a moment she begins to sing, her voice a clear and confident soprano.

"How great is the owl?
Silent and sure, they rule the night sky,
Handsome, wise and brave."

Meadow claps enthusiastically. "Oooh a haiku! Nice. Good job Jun-Mei. What do you think, Silence?"

The owl preens his feathers. Clearly unimpressed.

The ranger frowns at the owl. "Well you're no fun. I thought that was quite nice."

Patrick walks over and studies the owl.

Would Mage Armour be a suitable substitute for Silence's barding? Ms ... erm .... Ms .... I do apologise, I do not believe we have been formally introduced. I am Professor Patrick Barnard.

"Eeek!" Meadow makes some frantic shushing motions before grabbing Patrick and pulling him aside. She lowers her voice to prevent Silence from hearing. "Don't give him any ideas. It's hard enough to get him into that armor as it is and I already have to spend an hour a day chasing him down and wrestling him into it. Mage armor won't work. He can't cast spells. He's an owl." She rolls her eyes at the wizard's seemingly ridiculous suggestion.

Patrick winces a bit, thinking that, it may have been best not to have said anything at all. Meadow can see that he is a bit embarrassed now.

Actually, I was wondering if you had the ability to use a wand ... or maybe just add the appropriate potency runes or ..... maybe I should shut up now

If Meadow was a telepath she would also hear Help! Desna! I messed up again

Meadow sighs. "No that's okay. You're just thinking like a wizard. Magic, magic, magic. It's just not practical for most of us. I'm Meadow by the way. Now if you'll excuse me it looks like it's time finish off this silly contest."

She over to Silence and gently elbows him. She leans in close and whispers to him. So Jun-Mei's haiku was pretty good. Did she win?"

Silence flaps his wings.

"No? Really?" She lowers her voice once again. "Okay Mr. Critic. Who won?"

Silence turns his head almost completely upside down and stares at his friend.

"Really? Okay." Meadow hops up on the bar and clears her throat. "May I have your attention please. Silence has made his decision. The winner of this year's Superb Owl Sunday Owl Appreciation Poetry Slam is..." She pauses for dramatic effect. "Mrs. Crinkle. Hooray!" She applauds enthusiastically.

Patrick applauds politely. He then sends a message to Seedy.
I suspect in this case, the line between master and familiar is ... rather blurred

Grimmylow adds his applause to the rest, throwing in a couple whistles as well.

He goes over to the victor to vigorously shake her hand in congratulations.

Meadow pats Silence on the head and opens a nearby window. "Okay Silence you promised a prize. Go get it. And remember. We're not giving away your barding." She points at the open window.

"Screech!" Silence flies out through the window.

Five minutes pass. Then ten. Meadow glances out of the window several times, looking more and more nervous as time passes. She addresses the crowd. "So...uh...how's everyone doing tonight?" She looks out of the window again. "Uh...I'm uh...I'm sure he'll be back any minute now with Mrs. Crinkle's prize."

Ten minutes later..."Any minute now..."

Another ten minutes pass..."Yup...Any minute now...heh, heh." The ranger fidgets uncomfortably.

Mrs. Crinkle bustles back from the restroom just in time to hear the announcement. "I won?! Whoopeee! Heehee! I knew that owl had good taste!" As it flies away, she quips: "Watch, my prize will be a dead mouse. Heehee! Seedy, dearie, could you give me a good ol' refill? Thank you kindly."

After a good twenty or thirty minutes, she ambles over to Meadow and puts an arm around her waist (because she's too short to reach her shoulders). "Well, dearie, it's time to admit that he stood you up and start partying without him. Why don't you have a <hic> drink with me. Come along, dearie! Heehee!" She begins steering Meadow over to the bar. "Now, what's your favorite drink? I'll treat."

Meanwhile Patrick was pondering what new spell scrolls to buy - maybe something to help find wayward familiars or animal companions.

You better not be out there catching butterflies Silence

A young adult human male stands from his table with a parchment in his gauntleted hand. He clears his throat,

"We gather now here
amidst ally and peer
To recover and rest
and beseech poet best
With a judge most fowl
a wise and fabulous owl
In a place to refresh
food and drink a-mesh
Now we must focus...
on our creations...our opus...
such that we may display
a verbal ballet
to say
we may
belay
the grey
that describes our years
of happies and fears
so that it instead provides color
to inspire another.
I bid you all good luck
that you stand out amid the ruck.
Adeu...
to you."

With a proud smile, he sits back down and takes a swig from his tankard.

After a good twenty or thirty minutes, she ambles over to Meadow and puts an arm around her waist (because she's too short to reach her shoulders). "Well, dearie, it's time to admit that he stood you up and start partying without him. Why don't you have a <hic> drink with me. Come along, dearie! Heehee!" She begins steering Meadow over to the bar. "Now, what's your favorite drink? I'll treat."

"What? No...He'll be back any minute now. I'm sure of it. He wouldn't let me down. He's my very best friend after all." Meadow bites her lower lip and continues to look over her shoulder at the window while Mrs. Crinkle steers her towards the bar. Finally she sighs in defeat. "I'll take a chrisamumumum...chrisanaton...chrisamulum..chrissamama...green tea please."

Chrysanthemum? Patrick suggests.

Grimmylow joins them at the bar, hoisting himself up on a stool.

"I'll have a Chrissy's anthem tea, too. Extra hot please," he says.

He pats Meadow on the back. "Look on the bright side - if he did forget or just decided not to do it, it gives you a chance to forgive him, like Sarenrae would."

"Or pour honey on him while he's sleeping. --OOO! Does putting an owl's wing in warm water while they're sleeping work the same as when you do it to humans? Heehee!"

Excuse me Ms Crinkle, but that is a myth - so I would suspect not.

"Would anyone want to try my new concoction? It's coffee with something I call Bay-lee's cream..."

Chrysanthemum? Patrick suggests.

"Yes that's it. Chrisamumumum...chrisanaton...chrisamulum..chrissamama...what you just said."

He pats Meadow on the back. "Look on the bright side - if he did forget or just decided not to do it, it gives you a chance to forgive him, like Sarenrae would."

"Well of course I'd forgive him. He's my very best friend." She shakes her head. I won't have to though. I'm sure he'll show up."

It is at that moment that the owl flies in through the open window and lands atop a nearby barstool. He is clutching something furry in his talons.

Meadow grins from ear to ear. "Silence! I told you he'd be back! What took you so long? Did you bring Mrs. Crinkle's prize?"

Silence bends down and grabs the furry thing with his beak. He drops it at Meadow's feet.

The ranger's grin slowly transforms into a frown as she observes Silence's prize. "We are not going to award her with a dead rat. What's wrong with you?"

Silence flaps his wings and hoots softly.

Meadow gives the bird a puzzled look. "A special rat? What are you talking about?" She examanies the carcass more carefully and her eyes go wide. Ooooh! Waitaminute! This is that rat that you've been trying to catch for the last few weeks isn't it? The one that keeps stealing the eggs from Mrs. Mullinax's chickens? You finally got him? Good job!'

She pats him on the head then frowns once more. "Still... we can't give it as a prize. Special rat or not. Hmm..." She scratches her head while she ponders the options. Suddenly her face lights up. "Aha! I've got it. Hey Silence...what's that over there." She points to a far corner of the room.

Silence turns his head to look.

While his attention is elsewhere, Meadow reaches over and plucks a white tailfeather from the owl.

"Screech!" Silence flaps his wings angrily.

Meadow scoffs at his consternation. "Oh get over it you big baby. That one was loose anyway. Besides if you had gotten a proper prize I wouldn't have to do damage control. I'll make it up to you with some of that Tien BBQ from that nice lady with the noodle cart later." Reaching into her pack she pulls out a spool of red ribbon. She carefully measures some of it out and cuts it with her dagger. She attaches the feather to the ribbon with a big bow. With a huge smile she turns to Mrs. Crinkle "I am proud to present this award to the winner of this year's Superb Owl Sunday Owl Appreciation Poetry Slam we really need to get a shorter name for this Mrs. Crinkle." She carefully places the ribbon and feather around the older woman's neck.

Patrick actually smiles a bit. This Mrs Mullinax. Does she sell eggs by any chance? And SoSoaps?

He makes a mental note to find the noodle cart with the Tien BBQ. That seems like an excellent solution to the ongoing problem of what to get for dinner.

The ranger's grin slowly transforms into a frown as she observes Silence's prize. "We are not going to award her with a dead rat. What's wrong with you?"

"Heehee! I called it! Told you it would be a mouse, but a rat's an upgrade. Heehee<hic>heehee!" Mrs. Crinkle pounds the bar as she giggles, causing drinks to rattle all along its sturdy surface. She's still chuckling when Meadow places the feather around her neck. With a conspiratorial wink she replies: "I like your style, young 'un! <hic> It is my honor to accept this noble prize. It's even better than a dead rat. Or a pre-digested dead rat. And hey, it matches my dress!" She seems to like the ribbon as much as the feather. It isn't long before she ties the ribbon around her head with a bow over her ear. It's absolutely adorable, until she sticks the feather into it so it juts out over her forehead. "Time to party like there's no tomorrow! Woooohooo!" This woman has no shame.