|
Andi cheers as Vorin and Empheria do a tremendous job on their pumpkins.
Happy that she got the pumpkin to look even more like a goblin, Andi then sets to thinking about how to best pulverize the thing. I could have Licorice and all his friends swarm the entire pumpkins patch and destroy the entire place, but maybe Mr. Hosk doesn't want that. Hmmm... Besides my claws and my cat, I don't really have any other fun tricks.
In a moment of uncertainty, aware that everyone is looking at her, Andi does what many 7 year olds would do in the situation and then immediately regret: act without thinking. She picks up the pumpkin, walks behind Talsin as he stands staring out into space, thinking about lost memories, and smashes the rotten pumpkin on his head.
"Ha ha ha! That was so funny. Right? Ummm... right?"
Vorin smiles happily at the reaction to his technique. He accepts the help out of the pumpkin, giggling a bit, and wiggles his toes in the grass to get the pumpkin out of them once he's standing normally again.
He looks up, though, as the offered prizes are presented for a choice. His eyes grow wide again, and he nods seriously to the warning, "I understand." after a moment's thought, he points to the wolf dagger, "That one, please."
He is so distracted by this, he doesn't notice what Andi is doing behind Talsin.
Empheria takes the knife and tries to make a few careful chopping motions with the unwieldy handle.
"Mr. Hosk, this knife is bigger than my hand. Do you happen to have any smaller ones?"
"Aww man. I want one!"
Trace makes up his mind, and after a bit of focusing, summons a light horse into the pumpkin patch.
"Smash that pumpkin." he says triumphantly, pointing at a medium sized pumpkin with a particularly ugly goblin painted on it.
Talsin lurches forward as the pumpkin impacts the back of his head, pain and sliminess jerking him from his thoughts.
"Owww, what...what was that for?"He asks, turning to face Andi, blinking back a few tears. He raises a hand to wipe at the back of his head, and brings it round and looks at it after. "Eeeew, nasty pumpkin guts. Why'd you have to do that?
He turns and stalks over to a corner of the fenced off area, trying to clean his head as best he can as he goes.
Talsin lurches forward as the pumpkin impacts the back of his head, pain and sliminess jerking him from his thoughts.
"Owww, neg...neg qlui'ejh kot?"He asks, turning to face Andi, blinking back a few tears. He raises a hand to wipe at the back of his head, and brings it round and looks at it after. "Eeew, khab tognwl baql. Qat'lh sog khaj'do ejh?"
He turns and stalks over to a corner of the fenced off area, trying to clean his head as best he can as he goes.
Owww, neg...neg qlui'ejh kot? - Owww, what...what was that for?
Eeew, khab tognwl baql. Qat'lh sog khaj'do ejh? - Eeeew, nasty pumpkin guts. Why'd you have to do that?
Vorin jumps and looks back as well, and just stares a moment in confusion. "Andi? Why'd you do that? That only would've been funny with someone mean." Not that Vorin hasn't done similar things in the past. Many times. He is, though, kind of protective of his friends. The fact that it's Andi who did it, however, leaves him confused rather than angry.
Glancing down at his clothes - which are starting to turn brown again, indicating his first daily hour of prestidigitation is wearing out - he activates it again with a moment of concentration, and then steps over to Talsin to try to use it to clean him up.
Trace pats his horse, kinda bummed no one thought making a fully grown horse appear out of thin air was impressive.
"Good girl, Nickel." he says quietly, giving her a pat. He had been tempted to drop her on the pumpkin, but this mount helped his family a lot and since he didn't know the ins and outs of the spell, he didn't want to risk losing it.
Though Vorin was distracted by Andi's joke, he does look up in amazement as the horse appears. He takes a second to make sure Talsin is all right, then asks Trace, hopefully, "Can you teach me to do that?"
|
|
Andi pauses for a bit, then burst into tears. "Oh no! That was really mean, wasn't it? Oh Talsin I am very sorry. I am just like Milosh."
Having not cast her create water spell earlier in the day, Andi gives it a try now.... right above Talsin's head. "Here Talsin, let me get you clean! I'm really sorry about the pumpkins!"
Talsin looks around at the others, confusion etched across his face. What are they saying?
As Vorin comes over to make sure he's alright, he notices Andi begin to cast something behind Vorin.
Recognising the spell Andi goes to cast as create water, Talsin backs off, holding up his hands. "El. El, el, el, el, el!"
I don't wanna get soaked. I'm already dirty, I don't wanna be wet as well.
He doesn't move fast enough however and gets drenched by the column of falling water. "Andiii, qaaaaat" He forgets all about the pumpkin guts on his head, some of which has been washed off completely and an awful lot more of which has been washed down the back of his shirt, as he begins to wring out his clothing.
"El. El, el, el, el, el" - "No. No, no, no, no, no"
"Andiii, qaaaattt" - "Andiii, whyyy"
Trace bursts out laughing. Gut holding, bent over laughing. It's the funniest thing he's seen in a long time.
After he wipes the tears from his eyes, he walks over to Talsin.
"Don't worry, I've got you. Andi did a good job but I think you'll like my methods better. "
With that he casts prestidigitation to clean and dry the poor kid in front of him.
Vorin jumps back as the water splashes down, but then he starts to giggle as well.
Ceiling satisfied that things are returning to normal, he says, "What should we do now? Raffle next? After you and Emmy get daggers," he adds to Trace, sure that both will.
"Golarion to Talsin... Is everything okay?" Empheria asks. She had never heard him speaking in those weird words come from him before.
"I'd go with you to the raffle if we still have some more time," Empheria says, looking at the state of the tournament in the tent across the road.
As Trace cleans him off with prestidigitation, Talsin manages to calm down enough to be able to understand and speak common again.
"Thanks Trace. I don't want to know what would have been done next to clean me if you hadn't done that"
He looks round at the others, his scowl lessening as he does so, seeing as it must've been sort of funny if Vorin is laughing as well. He also makes sure to smile at Emmy when she asks him if he's ok.
"Once Trace and Emmy get their daggers, sure, I'll come to the raffle" he agrees, hoping that he might get a chance to get Andi back for the pumpkin.
"Ah, no, I only have larg-" Daviren stops answering to Empheria as hell breaks loose.
"Horses! Ah, that's brilliant! Did you already know that goblins hate them and dogs more than anything? Oh, that's perfect. On the other hand, missy, that wasn't quite nice. As much as you were effective, your allies need to trust you in a scuffle, eh? If you want to stab someone in the back, have the nerve to do it in their face!"
"So, you boy can get one of these knives, and, uhm, I'll see if I can make one for you in a few days, little one. What's your name?"
Vorin looks back and smiles as the others are awarded. Once that is complete, he indeed starts to lead the way towards the raffle. "I don't have any money for a ticket, but I hope one of you wins!"
Empheria introduces herself. "Empheria Helbang. I live down the road. You probably know my brother and sister," she says.
When she goes back to the group of kids, she is surprised by what Vorin says. "What? You have to have money to enter a raffle?" Empheria asks, disappointed.
"Awesome! I didn't know that. Serves goblins right that what they hate should crush em! Oh can I have the Bear one! And don't worry guys, I have a silver, I think. I saved it up from a bunch of chores and errands. The tickets can't be that much, and we have a better chance with more tickets!
I'll give you each one cookie if I win. If any of you win, I just want one for my sister.
I wonder how the tournament went?"
Alma Avertin, the kindly old baker, smiles as you approach. "My, sich beautiful boys and girls! Want a ticket? They're free, one for each of you, and at the very least you win a homemade cookie!"
"Alright! That means more money for Venice's birthday present!"
Trace looks at the ticket he received.
"So it looks like I'm 93. What did you guys get?"
Vorin brightens immediately at the news that the tickets are free. "Thank you thank you thank you, yes please!" From his grin, the free cookie would be a treat in itself.
Looking at the ticket, he grins and looks back to Trace, "21!"
"Oooh, cookies. If the tickets are the only way to get them, I'll take a ticket please"
"I got number 19. I wonder is that a winner?"
It doesn't cost anything, after all. I got... 36!" she announces.
Once all of them have their tickets, born looks at his again with a smile, before looking back up, "When we find out if we won?"
Looking back to Andi, Talsin, and then the others, he says, "If we win that really big pie, we can all share it together!"
Excited as he is, he is starting to look a bit tired. It's been an exciting day, and they've gone through most of the activities in the entire celebration.
Of course, be it cookie or pie, some sugar will likely rid him of that tiredness, for a time anyway.
Alma checks your tickets, squinting her aging eyes, against a piece of parchment. "Alright, so, you, little one, have won this."
She presents to Empheria a fluffy sponge cake covered in icing sugar. "Goes great with tea. And you, boy, got a special prize! This one's for you!" From under her stall, she produces a wondrous cake, shortbread crust enveloping hazelnut and chocolate cream, with fat meringues popping out like isles in a lake, handing it over to Talsin. "It's a new one I've made just for the festival, let me know what you think of it! You others, meanwhile, can have a cookie." The cookies she refers to are buttery delights as wide as her hand. "I've got butterscotch, cranberries, elderberries, chocolate, uhm, dried strawberries and honey. What'll you have?"
Suddenly, a loud clanging noise echoes through Sandpoint. Looking around, you can see Ameiko wielding a pot and a ladle, and banging them together. "Hot pot à la Sandpoint ready!" she shouts triumphantly. "Come for a bowl if you're brave and bold!"
Around the taverns, activity becomes more intense. Not to be outdone, Quinn limps out of the Hagfish, banging a pan of his own with his walking cane. "And there's REAL food here! Shrimp dumplings! Clam chowder! Cod and chips!"
Jesk "Cracktooth" Berinni, from the Cracktooth Tavern, is the next one to advertise, raising in the air three chickens on a spit like a knight would raise a sword. "Meat! Roast beek, pork loin, grilled chicken! Fresh off the fire!"
And then it's the turn of Besk Margravi, daughter of Risa from Risa's Place, who shakes her hand in the air to conjure snapping sounds like fireworks. "Risa's famous potatoes!" she yells. "Spiced according to the ancient recipe! Come eat something that won't be stuck on your stomach!"
"I won this? Wow!", Talsin says, eyes growing wide as dinner plates as he reaches for the cake he's being presented. Once he takes it, he turns to his friends. "After lunch we can each have a piece, though mine'll be the biggest. I want cod and chips, what about the rest of you?"
Vorin cheers for Emmy and especially Talsin, as they win. But, his attention is quickly distracted with the arrival of cookies. "Chocolate, please!"
Once he has his, he takes a bite, chewing as he starts to follow the others. Though, after a few steps, he says, "What about the stew? I bet it still tastes good, since we didn't put the water in. I want to try it."
"Yes, I won!" Empheria exclaims. She immediately breaks off a piece of the cake and eats it. "Anyone want a piece?" she offers. "Just save some for my brother and sister."
"Hey Emmy, you should bring that cake over after the festival with your brother and sister! Mum loves having you guys over! It'll be easier to cut up then! Do you need help carrying it? I've got a spell for that. Plus it'll make the cake look like it's floating, which is always fun to surprise people with.
If Talsin wants, he can bring his too and we can have a... a something-tea? I dunno, mum puts out fancy cups and warm drinks and biscuits and stuff.
Then we can all have cake and tea or cocoa, or maybe iced tea if it gets hotter... And Andi, Venice loves playing with you and Licorice! I'm sure if I asked really nice Mum would even let you all stay for dinner!
But that's like, ages away. Still, easier than cutting cakes on the ground with our new daggers."
Trace once again goes off on his own idea train. His house wasn't very big, but they could fit them all in and it'd be nice to have somewhere to sit out of the sun, and with drinks.
He'd probably wind up making everything anyway, his Mum would be tired after taking care of Venice all day.
He hoped the others would come though, taking care of Venice wasn't something he resented, but being able to play with other kids while she played with her friends all in one safe space would be something to look forward to.
"Anyway, I'm with Vorin. I think I kind of owe to Ameiko for the chocolate. Besides, all the other stuff we can get all year round. The stew is festival only!"
|
|
"Sure Trace, sounds like fun... Licorice likes Venice..."
No way am I making Licorice go by that baby. Babies just pull tails and throw things at cats.... Trace is really nice, but I would be surprised if his mom let us come over. None of the adults here in Sandpoint like us orphan kids. All think we are just trouble. Bet she wouldn't even let Trace play with us if she knew...
Unlike Andi, Vorin doesn't have any doubts, instantly excited. "Yeah, that'll be fun!"
"That sounds... nice Trace, but are you sure your parents will want me over?" Talsin says, as he begins to think about whether or not Trace's parents are some of the adults who give him weird looks. "I would like to share this cake though, and I'm sure your sister would like some."
Ameiko's hot pot is nothing short of a miracle, considered all the ingredients that went into it. Somehow she's managed to marry the eel with the venison, the pumpkins and all the dozens of different things the Sandpoint citizens threw in, no doubt thanks to the pungent, zesty taste of the Minkaian spices she threw into the mix.
Quinn's baked shrimp dumplings are nothing to sneeze at either, soft and slightly squishy, filled with juicy crustaceans. As for Jesk's barbecue, it features large, savory chunks of meat sprinkled with salt and rosemary.
As you are eating, Sheriff Hemlock passes through the square, signing up those who wish to fight in the melee brawl of the afternoon.
|
|
"Ahhhhh.... Licorice, those baked dumplings are nothing to sneeze at, I tell ya. Delicious." Andi lies down on the floor and props her feet up on the chair. To make more room, she tells everyone.
"I don't know about you, Talsin, but I am entering that melee. Licorice and I can be pretty tough, you know. I bet I could take out a couple adults before they knew what hit 'em. Er... actually probably because they will be too busy to hit a girl and a cat."
Vorin runs to get a bowl of the hot pot, saying quickly, "Thank you! But sorry about before." That completed, he heads back to the others, eating as he walks. "This is really good!"
He nods quickly in agreement with Andi, as the sheriff goes by, and pipes up, "I'll sign up!"
Talsin goes up Quinn, stomach rumbling as he asks "Could I have a bit of Cod please? With not too many chips. Once he gets his food he returns to the others, waiting until he gets there before digging in.
"You and Vorin can get hit if you want Andi, I just wanna watch. Besides, I'll be too full from this lovely food" Talsin says, before stuffing another bit of cod in his mouth.
"I wonder if I could get some hot-pot after?" he then asks nobody in particular, the question garbled round the food he still has in his mouth
Vorin looks up to Talsin from his food, and giggles. "Who says I'll get hit? I'm good at not getting hit." He mimes a fencing-style parry.
"Hey Emmy, you should bring that cake over after the festival with your brother and sister! Mum loves having you guys over! It'll be easier to cut up then! Do you need help carrying it? I've got a spell for that. Plus it'll make the cake look like it's floating, which is always fun to surprise people with.
"You mean we shouldn't eat it all now?" Empheria asks. "I guess I should be saving room for the soup. Don't worry about carrying it. Your spell usually fizzles after about half an hour anyway, and surprises us more than anyone else," she laughs.
She gets some soup from Ameiko and watches to see who was signing up for the tournament.
Sheriff Hemlock moves around the folks as young men and farmhands sign up for the brawl, most trying to impress the local girls. The square is so alive and cheerful that nobody notices Daviren trying to command silence from the crowd, nor the weird, pitchy song that's mixing with the loud cheers and conversations. Out of frustration, Hosk finally grabs the hammer he'd used for the pumpkins, banging it loudly against one of Ameiko's spare pots.
"Bit late for lunch, Hosk" says the girl, before freezing and swearing in a foreign language. As the square falls silent, the words of the song are more clearly heard.
"Goblins chew and goblins bite.
Goblins cut and goblins fight.
Stab the dog and cut the horse,
Goblins eat and take by force!"
"GOBLINS! GET TO SAFETY!" shouts Hosk, the sound waking the stunned townfolk. In a second, everyone is trying to run, some towards the church, some to the sea, chaos running. Confused, you look around yourselves, and catch a glimpse of the creatures. As short as Empheria and even more wiry, with large, balloony heads filled with teeth, they look just like the faces drawn on the pumpkins. And unlikely for you, three of the stealthy creeps were hiding very close to you. With rabid yells, three of them pop out of crates, woodpiles and piles of rags, waving around sword-like pieces of metal as they rush to you.
On the other side of the square, Sheriff Hemlock has drawn his sword, Daviren Hosk is wielding two hunting knives and Ameiko has produced a small butcher cleaver, and the three are each fighting off a couple of goblins. You are alone with the three psychos.