The room goes so silent after the first few notes of her singing that you could hear a pin drop. She sings this song and when done the room erupts with cheers. The Tian owner of the bar comes bursting out of the kitchen and shouts something in a strange language at the woman who blushes and bows as she jumps off the stage. She then picks up a large serving trey that she had set down on the side of the stage and comes over to take each of your orders.
"What can I get you? she asks with a smile. Her elvish accent is thick and you can tell she is fresh from Kyonen.
Sorin grins, the last few notes still in his head.
"Whatever you got to warm up a weary traveler. But another song wouldn't be so bad either.
"Thank you miss."
It had a been a long road to get here, but ever since he left his caravan to make it on his own, everyone told him that the Swallowtail festival was an event you couldn't miss.
I no longer have a home, he mused to himself. Only destinations. Not a bad way to live for a while.
Denche snaps out of the trance the soothing song put him in, shakes his head, looks at the barmaid and raises his left hand.
"I'll have an ale, simple as that. Is everything all right back there? I agree with my fellow here — the sooner you return to singing, the better."
Sorin raised an eyebrow.
Were all people this friendly on the road? He didn't seem like he was the manipulative type...Perhaps the tales his mother filled him, that other travelers were cheats and liars, was all tales and nothing more.
"You here for the festival as well?" Sorin asked the half-orc sitting next to him.
Ariza remains in her seat, legs tucked under her bottom so she can see over the table. A small tear fills the corner of her eye as the last note of the song fades away. Catching the sound of the owner's voice, she strains to understand the words while she reaches up and strokes the blonde fuzz on the inside of Rezzin's ear. The small monkey's tail twitches, tickling her neck in an all too familiar way.
She watches as the singer heads toward the table. She is definitely as beautiful as her voice. And tall, of course. Must be nice!
"I don't like ale, hun," Ariza says. "What do you think I should have?" she asks with a wink.
"Don't like ale, you say?" you hear as a short, stout dwarf approaches the table. "Don't worry, I'm sure the wine is fine too!" he says with a smile as he sits at one of the few empty seats left in the establishment.
"Cayden be praised; this place is fantastic! Is Sandpoint always this busy, or is this whatsit-whatsit Dragon place just this popular? Pity the music ended; that was nice." He drains the tankard of ale that he brought in with him, setting it on the table with a contented sigh. "Another of these, if you don't mind." he says, addressing the elf, "I like 'em Strong, Golden, or Barleywine, if you've got any of that."
Denche tilts his head slightly to Sorin, keeping his eyes on the barmaid.
"Any distraction is good until I find some work. The whole village is swarming with folk, but no luck yet."
Maybe I should've been a cook!
He pauses briefly and adds:
"Denche's the name."
"Sorin." He replies simply.
"Sorry to hear for your situation. I'll keep an ear out for any oppourtunities."
"Thanks." He says a bit drily, not actually expecting any help.
"You've been to the festival before?"
"Festival? That would explain all of this," he motions at the scrum around him. "What festival is that?" He looks expectantly from the one man to other, as they seem to know what they're talking about.
"The Swallowtail festival," Sorin clarified.
"I just arrived this night, so as for what it stands for and the activities tomorrow, I've no idea."
Ariza listened to the banter at the table but held her peace. Rezzin, her Monkey, reached out and pulled on her ear. Tilting her head slightly, she listened as the small beast chittered in her ear.
"Of course you can go out," she said. "But you come straight back when I call you ok?"
Rezzin chittered again and then leaped from her shoulder and ran out the open door.
Ariza looked around the table and then turned her gaze toward the waitress/singer expectantly.
Distracted for a brief moment by the monkey, Denche audibly murmurs and says: "Well, judging from the name, swallows play a central role. Since it is the month of Rova and time for the last stragglers to migrate, I'd wager it's a celebration of the end of the farming season."
He grins and adds: But I too have no idea what it entails.
"So does the festival bring you all here as well? Tell me, there must be some talk to pass the time."
Ariza looks at the Orc that hadn't yet mentioned his name. Something he just said tweaked a memory.
"That's right. The Swallowtail Festival is the one where they release the wagonload of butterflies. I have read about that in my studies of this area. I can't wait to see it in person, now that you mention it!"
I still wonder what the waitress will recommend for me to drink?
"Swallowtail Festival?" The dwarf's eyes turn up to the left as he lightly scrunches his brow, searching his memory. "Do I know that?..." he says softly to himself.
After explaining what he knows of the festival, he continues. "But anyway, I'm sorta here for work; I didn't even know this festival was happening. I travel around and help out at shrines to The Drunken Hero where I find 'em." He lightly smacks the bottom of his tankard on the tabletop as he says "The Drunken Hero."
For the first time that night, Denche focuses on the gnome diagonally across the table.
"A feast for the swallows then, huh? Peculiar!"
At which point he immediately gets lost in thought for a second, empty-eyed.
"Better not think too hard about it. Let's just wait and see." he finishes with a concerned grimace.
Sorin turns to Rak.
"Work you say? Well I hope you'll have time to enjoy the fun. After all, festivals were meant to be enjoyed."
He smiles, and addresses the group as a whole.
"While we wait for our server to return to take more orders and bring some sup, anyone care for a game of chance?"
Sorin pulls out a silver from his coin purse, and places it on the table. He then takes out some chalk and draws a series of circles on the wooden table until it resembles a bulls-eye.
"I wager one silver, that I can bounce my silver on the table and land it closer to the center than you lot."
Sorin immediately throws the silver piece onto the table.
The coin lands directly in the center of the bullseye, rattling until it settles. Sorin seems satisfied with the result.
"So, any takers?"
Rak watches with interest as Sorin draws his target on the table, then bursts out laughing when the coin lands on the bullseye. "If you're that good, my friend, you have to let your mark throw first!" He winks at the human across the table. "No thanks, I think I'll pass this time."
Denche watches in amazement — such a game is completely new to him.
"Pfew, I'm with the dwarf on this one! Your second throw is likely to be as good. Even if that coin is nothing special."
"There's no swindle here. Every game of chance favors one way or another, I simply demonstrated which way it went tonight. Should your coin land on mine, I'll give you 2 gold pieces."
Ariza reaches into the small pouch at her waist and pulls out a silver. She tosses it on to the table, aiming for the coin that already lay there.
"I don't mind donating a silver to your cause."
"Thank you kindly."
Sorin picks up the silver wagered and on his own. He then produces a deck of cards from a side pocket.
"And so I propose we play some cards to pass the time. These two silver shall be our starting pot. What say you?"
I'm in.
Rak digs into his belt pouch for some coins, coming up with 2 silver. "Eh, as good a way to pass the time as any. Though if you're as good at cards as you are with that coin, this may just be a gift." He sets the two coins on the table in front of him. "What's the game?"
Still suspicious and longing for his missing ale, he shortly waves his hand horizontally in a stopping manner.
I'll watch... and settle disputes if necessary.
What's keeping them so long?! I do hope there isn't the proverbial giant rat infestation in the kitchen cellar.
[b] " Let's begin."
Sorin shuffles the deck and deals out hands. He continues to explain the rules. The Unitas pot is placed which is followed by players exchanging cards at their leisure with the deck to make a better hand. Another round of betting. Then the players shuffle the remaining deck and draw a second hand. Another round of discarding cards for new ones followed by one last round of betting. Each hand your hand beats is worth a point so it is possible to tie and split the pot.
Sorin begins to discard and draw new cards for a better hand. But just to impress everyone at the table, he fans the cards repeatedly for flume effect. Just being showy
Rak thinks back to see if he can remember anything about this game.
"Didja make this one up like the bullseye game? No matter, I can still play." Rak organizes the cards in his hand, moving some back and forth to try to make an order that seems like a good hand, then exchanges with the deck to try to improve it.
Liking what he sees, he throws another silver in the pot. "Let's see how that goes." He looks from Sorin to Ariza, waiting.
Ariza throws another coin into the pot. I truly don't understand how this game works, but why not?
"Well, I'm done with my first hand."
Sorin places his cards facedown and looks expectantly as the other two. He wants to win this first hand, but just barely. It wouldn't do to win outright as the one who suggested the game.
From their faces, it looked like they were about where he wanted them hand-wise.
"Ready for the next round?"
Denche watches intently, but doesn't say anything. He didn't notice anything out of the ordinary during the shuffle, dealing or subsequent play.
Faruna comes back with everyones drinks and Sorins soup smililing at them playing cards. "Good to see you are able to entertain yourselves." She will then smile down at Ariza and set down a steaming cup in front of her. "I brought you some tea, the owners special brew. I think you'll like it."
"Will anyone else want anything to eat? Not good to drink on an
empty stomach."
Sorin thanks Faunra for the meal before scooping up the cards. He then, not caring of their perceptions, tosses each coin wagered back to their owner.
"Consider that payment for company and conversation," he says with a smile.
"I'm sure you'll find good use for it tomorrow during the festival."
Denche picks up his mug, takes a sip and mlems* before nodding approvingly. He scrambles in his vest pockets with his other hand and produces 5cp, which he then slides to the barmaid.
"That's all I needed, thanks."
A moment later he adds: "Do you know when the festivities start tomorrow?"
"They start at about 9 AM with speeches from important figures from around Sandpoint. I wouldn't stay up to late drinking tonight as you don't want to miss the fun and games. I'm even giving a concert in the afternoon if any of you wish to attend."
Rak takes his ale from Faunra and pours it into his own tankard, presenting the empty mug to be taken away. He takes a long drink before pronouncing "Mighty tasty; thanks! Let's add some huntsman's stew or whatever you have like it. How much will that be?" He pays for the drink and meal, then continues. "So what is the festival about, other than these long speeches? How long will it last?"
"That will be 8 copper pieces." she says with a smile and then goes and gets his stew. Returning she hears his question "This year the swallowtail festival is being thrown to honor the dedication and opening of our new church of Desna since our last church...burned down. The festival lasts all day with the day's events concluding with the dedication of the church at sunset."[/b]
"Sounds like a good time."
The soup is almost half consumed, its boiled vegetables and spices easily sliding down his throat. It did indeed warm a weary traveler.
"Delicious. What do I owe you for, lets say, the soup, tea, and if you have them, a room for a night's stay?"
Thank you for the tea! This wouldn't happen to be the same tea as in the chadao ceremony would it? I feel honored, regardless! I will have some stew, if I may, and let me know how much this will all cost.
As for the festival, I love the change of being part of these unique historical and cultural festivals in person, so I wouldn't miss it for the world. Is there, perhaps a place you would recommend that I sleep for the night?"
Ariza sends for Rezzin mentally; telling him it's time to come back
"Well brave adventuring types such as your selves are usually always welcome here at The Rusty Dragon but as you can see we're rather busy tonight...I'm afraid we might be out of rooms. Let me go check and I'll bring you your stew as well. If we are out of rooms I think the Hagfish might have some...or there is always the Pixies Kitten though I'm not sure if I'd stay at either of those establishments." With that she goes into the kitchen.
Faunra comes out of the kitchen quickly and ducks a pot thats being thrown at her as more strange words come from the kitchen. She makes her way toward the table your seated at. "My apologies it seems we have just enough rooms available for you. They will be 2 silver each unfortunately they aren't near to each other will this be an issue?"
As you are speaking a strange looking man comes in holding a very familiar looking monkey around the scruff of the neck.
"Not for me — I'll weather it outside. There's a nice spot on the western beach with all the tranquillity one could need. Reminds me of Ember lake ..." he stops midsentence to look at who's monkeying around.
Faunra comes out of the kitchen quickly and ducks a pot thats being thrown at her as more strange words come from the kitchen. She makes her way toward the table your seated at. "My apologies it seems we have just enough rooms available for you. They will be 2 silver each unfortunately they aren't near to each other will this be an issue?"
As you are speaking a strange looking man comes in holding a very familiar looking monkey around the scruff of the neck.
Ariza stands up quickly and grabs her Quarterstaff before it falls to the floor. "I will take a room," she says quickly to the waitress and then turns to the man holding Rezzin.
"Unhand my monkey, you ruffian!" she shouts. "You don't want to make me either of us angry!"