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From the next stool comes a loud grunt.
Looking up from his ale, the burly dwarf gives the gnome a sideways look as he sniffs at the air. "That drink stinks 'o berries. Yer isn't some type 'o elf child in disguise, are ye?"
After a second, his face softens, and he turns back to his mug. "Bah! Don't mind me. It all tastes like swill after drinking from tha cask 'o a god."
Taking a long drink, he slams the mug back down and makes a face. "Bah, again! Ah, I just needs another job ta get the taste out o' me mouth. Hopefully something ta get me out o' the city for a while."
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With an agreeing snort, Reidog looks up to examine the newcomer. He is not quite sure what to make of her lack of weaponry when combined with wearing armor.
Seeing the strange stick strapped to her back, he assumes she must be some kind of spellcaster. A wizard wearing armor? Finally, someone with some durn sense!
Giving her an approving nod, he commiserates. "Aye, soon enough. Meanwhile, Cailean's own cask is just sittin' in the durn Lodge On Display. Insulting, I says!
Makes ye want to just up and bring it down here. The temptation is too much, I tell ye! What's a dwarf ta do?"
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Her wine glass nearly empty, the dark Undine gracefully rises from her seat and walks with a flowing stride back to the job board. Did I miss anything new? ... No. I didn't. Sigh. Disappointed and bored, she slowly glides back to her seat, descending into her chair with only a slight rattle from her chain belt. She swirls her glass, smelling the aroma of her wine, trying to pass the time.
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Sneaking up behind Laafdahni, Zone places her small hands on the undine's shoulders whilst whispering into he ear, "Fancy meeting you hear. Looking for a job as well?" Patting her shoulders, the woman dressed in various shades of purple, violet, and lavender swings around the table and sits down. "Been up to anything lately? Had a lovely trip to Korvosa myself. Got to even talk to a queen!"
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"Well, that's no fun!" Pouting for a moment, Zone orders up a couple of pints for herself and Laa', chugging one down in its entirety, before picking up her second. Sipping from the mug before setting it down, leans back into the chair. "I think I have a job, but I have to wait a few days before figuring out if I'll be chosen. There's some wizard who can act surprisingly quick in the runnings, as well as some guide from Belkzen who has the most adorable weasel. Oh, there's a dumb kitsune as well, and I think an alchemist."
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Laa' starts slightly at Zone's touch, turning quickly yet fluidly at the sound of her voice. Brightening at the sight of her former teammate, Laa' greets her warmly.
"Zone-tan! How pleasant to see you! How have you been? And how is Lemmy?"
Laa' shares that she hasn't had any work since the Confirmation, which is such a pity, and congratulates Zone on her prospects with sincerity.
A tiny animal walks by, and looks up at Zone-tan, seemingly finding the woman to have a certain charisma, and lies down at Zone's feet.
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HEY! I FINALLY FOUND THE PLACE!
Into the lodge comes stumbling a creature who appears to be having a bit of a tussle with a cluster of grapevines. Soon you realize that the creature is the tangle of vines. He's dressed in a breastplate with a rapier at one hip, a pair of flasks at the other, around his neck is an iron tankard, which sloshes with liquid as well. In one hand he carries a flag of Galt and in the other a pitcher of wine.
I was starting to get a bit angs... anx... worried that I was going to run out of wine before I found this place.
The leshy places his flag against one of the walls and smiles a grin that nearly goes from one side of his face to another.
But you know... you know what. The leshy plucks a grape from his vines and begins laughing uproariously as if that simple act was the funniest thing he'd ever done.
*pant* Then I *pant* I remembered that I COULD JUST MAKE MORE! He squeezes the grape into his pitcher, somehow managing not to spill a drop even as he is in hysterics. PRAISE BE THE ACCIDENTAL GOD!
Suddenly, his eyes settled on Laafdahni's nearly empty glass and the thought of such a tragedy snapped him out of his jollity.
A nearly empty glass!
He immediately stumbles over to her table and pours some of his own pitcher into her glass.
The Drunken Hero forbid that your glass run dry before the night is done!
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Laafdahni's limpid, turquoise eyes go wide for a moment, then crinkle in mirth at the audacity of the vine leshy. She chuckles, then pulls out a chair for him. "Please, sit before you fall. Your company would be most welcome. You may call me Laa'. And who do I have the pleasure of meeting?" She asks as she takes a sip from her newly filled glass, nodding approvingly at the taste.
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"Well now, isn't this a nice little fox. You can be my friend when Lemmy is out working," the purple clad woman mentions while raising her hand to order some foor. "Two plates of ribs please, one for my furry friend down below, and one plate for myself!" Laughing at the vine creature's antics, she raises her pint. "To a night of debauchery and drinks!"
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Well Laa', you can call me 'S'. You... you know why you can call me 'S'? Well, it started a long time ago. You see the druid that created me never gave me a name. My creator was hired by a noble, he was... You know what? I always forget his name. He had a manor somewhere near some hills by a river. That's about all I can remember. I was made as a servant to tend his vineyard. But then one day the mobs came for him, and the burned his manor to the ground after looting it. Then they were going to the same to the vineyard. But I convinced them that I could tend the vineyard and make the wine and they wouldn't have to do nothing or pay me anything. And thank the Lucky Drunk that liked to drink. They told me all about their drinking god and they even gave me some of the wine that I made. They were nice people but a bit crazy if you ask me. They'd get all riled up about nothing and someone would end up losing their head.
Now, what was I talking about? Oh yes, my name. After a few years they began to treat me less as a servant and more like a friend. They even started to take me on some of their raids. They'd let me carry their flag, that one over there, and I would sing songs to lead them into battle. I only know drinkin' songs but it seemed to work for them all the same. So one day they gave me a name, The Vine of the People's Resolve on a count of whenever they drank my wine and heard my singin' they said all fear would be wiped away from them. But I said you could call me 'S' and I'm going to get to that.
The leshy plucked a few fresh grapes and pounded them into a dark purple mash. He used the mash to begin to scrawl something on the table. He stilled his unsteady hand and wrote very slowly:
[code]The Vine of the People's Resolve[/code]
After an agonizing 5 minutes and several more smashed grapes, the leshy pointed to the barely legible writing. See... see how long that took to write. It's too long even too long to say The Vine of the People's Resolve every time. So then one day it hit me.
He dips his finger into the grape pigment and proudly underlines part of his name.
[code]The [u]Vi[/u]ne of the [u]Pe[/u]ople's [u]R[/u]esolve[/code]
You see it? [u]The ViPeR![/u] Kinda cool huh? It's like my very own super secret code name, kind of like Red Raven. And you know what a viper is? It's a snake! And you know what looks like a snake? The letter 'S'!
As if the next part had anything to do with the story, the leshy continued.
Eventually that crowd got into it with your people and the ones who were there said they were going to rescue me. Only I didn't think I needed any rescuing, but I was happy to make new friends so I went along with it and they brought me to their lodge in Woodsedge. And that is why you can call me 'S'.
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Laa' waits patiently for S's story to conclude, hiding her mild irritation at the pacing and winding nature of the narrative.
"Well, S, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. And might I say that you make a very fine wine. Why it practically glows with perfection." She finishes with a twinkle in her eye, casting light on the wine inside her glass. This she raises in tribute to S and tips it toward her full lips. The glowing liquid shines through her cheeks slightly until she swallows with an amused smile.
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Laa' isn't the only one listening in to the Leshy's tale. Though this other listener has an expression mixed with both bewilderment and bemusement on her face. The book she held in her hands forgotten in a now limp grasp. "I... I honestly didn't think plants could talk so much, or at all!" She laughs softly at the whole display and leans forward over her own table to have a better view of S. "Excuse me 'S', you've had a busy little life haven't you. I'm Mely, it's nice to meet you." Then She glances towards Laa' and grins. "It's an interesting creature, isn't it?"
Mely isn't entirely normal herself, and you're biggest question might be how she got into the lodge, or even to it. She's wrapped several lengths of fabric around her body in shades of blue to white and grey that give off the impression of a stormy sky and drape down well past her waist. Still, there's no hiding the fact instead of legs she has a long, fish-like tail of cerulean colored scales curled beneath her chair.
The fox is surprised to get a treat like that from Zone-Tan, and happily snacks from it, when Zone-Tan's order is brought.
For some reason, Zone-Tan is feeling lucky, as a hint of fortune now lies upon her.
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A slender, dark-eyed man with equally dark hair that is carefully slicked back and a well groomed goatee enters in the middle of S's explanation for his name.
Despite the care that he obviously takes in his grooming, it is equally obvious that he has had a long night...morning? Afternoon? Whatever long period of carousing applies to the time before it is now.
He gazes around the room carefully and focuses on the fox for a moment before looking on. "No...too small. I wonder where she ended up...I wish I remembered where we got separated. I wish I knew Wish."
He frowns as the strange little plant man finishes his explanation. "You know..."snake" starts with "s," too. That would be a far easier reason to call yourself 'S'."
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A lanky kitsune with orangy-brown fur stalks into the room. There are bits of leaves, twigs and flower petals tangled in her fur which drift gently to the ground as she walks. As they float down to the ground they fade, vanishing as if they were never real in the first place. She wears clothes that were clearly fine once, but have gotten soiled and torn from whatever mission she just completed.
The kitsune looks around the room with a wide, amused smile, taking in her surroundings and company. Her smile reveals sharp canine teeth. After staring around the room for a moment she gracefully picks her way across the room, sits down beside Razka and remarks, "You're buying."
She raises a hand and orders a bottle of potent wine.
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Finvarra's eyes shine with childlike astonishment at the kitsune's fading leaves, twigs, and flower pedals! Not being too familiar with kitsunes, he wonders how they are doing it.
Walking up to where they sat, Fin asks "Apologize for any interruptions but I am wondering how you get your leaves and twigs to fade when they hit the ground?"
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"Of course," Razka answers the Kitsune when she orders the wine. He actually orders an extra bottle, just in case the 2 Everbloom ordered were for herself.
He sips from his own chalice after pouring it, a method that seems ill suited to getting him inebriated, but he does it with such consistency that it becomes apparent to anyone watching that he's actually drinking a lot.
He grins at Fin's question and Everbloom's answer. "See, I always assumed that they were so sad in leaving your presence that they simply faded out of existence in despair."
He pauses, in his carousing as he spots Mely. "Excuse me...or come...as you like" he says to his adventuring and now, drinking companion.
"Pardon me, but how did you get here? Did someone carry you? Did you slither like a naga? Didn't that hurt?"
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Everbloom lets out a loud, yipping laugh. "Could be!"
As Razka moves to speak with the merfolk, Everbloom gets a hungry look in her eyes. She licks her teeth, and her stomach grumbles. Knowing that devouring fellow Pathfinders was (often) frowned upon, she does not get up to follow him. Instead she orders a heaping plate of fish from the waitress.
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Mely had continued to idly watch the Leshy bounce about the room in what was presumably a drunken revelry. She couldn't be certain if it could get drunk... particularly off its own juice. This kept her from noticing Razka's initial arrival, and caused her head to snap in his direction before she just took a moment to goggle at him in confusion.
After the pause to process his words she flushed faintly. "Oh, um..." Then she stretched her tail out in front of her as the fin curled up the way someone else might curl their toes and fanned back out again. "I get that question a lot. I don't think I could slither, but I haven't tried. I mostly use a horse to get around."
"And I can find myself a pair of legs for a little bit every day. Though I think they're tiring and awkward to use." Her eyes shifted from Razka's face down to the man's own legs. "I have no idea how you all get around so smoothly on them." Only to focus on his expression once more. "What about you? You don't stand out as much as some of us, but you don't seem to be from around here, either."
Everbloom caught her attention for a moment and she tilted her head while offering a grin, taking the teeth licking for some form of greeting.
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Petting the tiny fox, Zone looks at the merfolk and kitsune with curiosity. The woman stares intently though at the merfolk, almost unblinking, as she studies the mannerisms, before shaking her head and ordering another round of drinks, while trying to ignore the drunken plant creature, though he could be fun later. Sighing, the lavender clad woman leans back, and crosses her legs while listening in on conversations in the lodge.
"Sorry for interrupting my sweet, tailed, friend. We use our legs almost as naturally as you can swim, from the looks of things. Tell me, I've never seen your kind before, where do you come from, if you don't mind me asking? Oh wait, I'm being rude, my name is Zone."
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Mely turns herself about on her chair, tail curling back up beneath her to keep her balanced when Zone-tan starts talking. She gives the woman a bemused look and then laughs softly, setting her hands protectively over her lap. "Well thank you for the compliment, Miss. I guess you have a point, practice makes perfect." She purses her lips briefly. "I just thought I'd catch onto it more quickly, but they're awfully narrow to balance on."
At the offered name she bows her head once and then points a finger at her own chest. "I'm Mely, Mely Ara. I'd come shake your hand, but well... that's back to our other topic. I'm not sure I should give specifics, most of my kind aren't particularly social, but I can say we're from around the Eye of Abendego." The merfolk leans forward slightly. "What's that little creature in your lap? It looks a bit like the other one on two legs over there."
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"But how do you...oh...right, side saddle. That makes sense," Razka says.
As she strikes up a conversation with another woman in the tavern, he returns to Everbloom.
"Food? Never touch the stuff, myself. I find it cuts into my buzz," he says as he takes his seat.
Despite that, he does sneak in a nibble or two between sips of his wine.
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Finishing her fruity drink, the fiery-haired, bright peach-colored gnome with green eyes orders a different, flamboyantly fruity drink and turns to watch the crowd from atop her bar stool, ankles crossed and dangling. It's certainly interesting in here. Her eyes crinkle in mirth and twinkle with interest at the capering of the leshy and conversation of everyone she can hear. Now if only there was work for all of us. It sure would be interesting to see how these folks do in the field. What a party that would be!
The fox enjoys the attention Zone-Tan gives it.
Scratching below the chin and the ears feels so relaxing...
The animal calmly watches the scene with curiosity.
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"Side saddle." She repeats Razka's words and grins to let him know the guess was right. Then the gentleman is wandering back to his equally unusual friend without answering her question as to where he was from. She tilts her head and watches him go in confusion, then mutters softly to herself about whether she'd broken some form of surfacer taboo by asking.
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"Oh this little creature? It's a fox, while I think the larger one is a kitsune, but I'm not sure," Zone says while scratching tiny fox's head. "Hmm, never heard of the place, but then again, I'm not too keen on locations until I've been to them. I'm from Kasai of the Minkai Empire in Tian Xia." Grinning slightly, she leans forward a bit. "Practice does make perfect, but I do have to say, you are quite fetching. Most women would kill to have your skin! It looks so soft and smooth!"
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"Cheliax...Cheliax...why am I thinking of home?" Razka says with a frown after a few moments. He looks around the tavern and his eyes alight on Mely again.
"Oh...right. I'm from Cheliax!" he shouts across the room.
"This stuff is GOOD," he says, contemplating the dark depths of his chalice before draining what is left and holding it up indolently to be refilled.
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"Hmmm, A fox. Is it your pet? It looks like a wild kind of dog, but it's so quiet and calm." Mely tries to get a better look at the small fox from her seat by leaning further forward herself. "If you head south and run into a giant, endless storm... well you found the Eye. But... if it helps I have no clue what Kasai or Tian Xia are, so we're even." Mely stops examining the tiny fox as Zone continues to speak, her eyebrows rising up after the first few words. "Um... fetching? I don't think so really, not by surface standards. But thank you all the same. I do rather like my skin." She holds a hand out between them with splayed fingers so she can show it off. "I blame the living in water most of my life, it's kept me rather hydrated."
With a small chuckle to herself she curls up her fingers and runs them over her palm. "But please don't kill me for it, your skin is quite lovely as well. It goes with that purple you wear." Then there's a shout from Razka and she snaps her head around while shouting back a thank you for the man... though her face says she has no more idea where that is than she does Tian Xia.
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Leyten walks up to the bar. "I'll have what he's having," he says, pointing at Razka's chalice. He looks at the sorcerer. "Let me guess... you're from Cheliax."He smiles a bit, but the scar on his lip makes it look more like a sneer.
After he gets his own glass, he takes a sip and says, "Good choice. So, Cheliax. Were you eager to leave or do you miss it?"
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Razka raises his chalice in salute then takes another sip. "Cheliax, indeed," he replies.
"Yes," he answers the man's question.
"My family are the right kind of people so I had everything that I could want. But then, they wanted me to start...doing things. And as soon as you involve yourself in Cheliax politics, the assassination attempts start. What's the point of having everything money and power can buy if you have to work for it and someone might kill you for it? Better to find my own fun, I say."
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Leyten nods slowly. "Family, he says. "Always tricky dealing with family. Life is simpler without them." He raises his glass of wine and says as a toast, "To finding our own fun."
After he drinks, he extends a hand and says, "Leyten. Leyten Krovt. Well met. Are you also looking for a venture to sign up on?"
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"Too true. Too true. Better to find people you like to have fun with than bind yourself to boring people," Razka replies.
He eyes the extended hand for a bit before shaking it then reaches that hand down to his pouch, keeping his other hand on his chalice. When the first hand reappears, it is full of coins.
"Razka Croyle," he says as he organizes them into a single stack, all one handed and lets them drop a fraction of an inch staying in the stack. He purses his lips as he examines them.
"Looks like enough for another couple more days, to me. Going out for coin when you've already got coin is just being greedy. When this runs out, I'll check the boards again,"
Clear throat, stand up straight, and smile!
A totally innocuous human walks into the tavern and quickly nails a sheet of paper to the wall. "An expedition to the Plane of Earth, sponsored by the Pathfinder Core Society and the Peerless Empire! Only sign up if you carry CORE resources- no fancy races like Dopplegängers! Although they are very cool."
And with that, the generic human sneaks out before people can ask probing questions.
I would like to run a CORE run of 8-05: Ungrounded but Unbroken. This is Tier 1-5 scenario.
Luke_Parry
Helikon
qwerty1971
Ilmakis
Banesama
Xerinos
The door swings open and young elf walks in. After a confused look around the room taking in all the conversations happening here he wonders over to the job board. Not seeing much, finds a seat out of the way and starts taking it all in
"Hey buddy, why so blue?" says the publican evening out the dirt on the counter with a damp rag.
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Razka groans at the Publican's joke. "Next he'll be asking a tengu 'why the long face?'" he mutters.
He also groans as he looks at his highly diminished pile of coins. In fact, stacking two coins on top of each other does not a pile make.
With a sigh, he starts one spinning then bounces the other off the table, catching it in mid-air and pocketing it. He snatches up the first before it can stop spinning an slips it to the waitress on his way to the job board, ordering one more chalice of wine.
"Life's greatest tragedy is that all the fun things require funding," he says to no one in particular, though he looks at the two newcomers to size them up.
The guy who's muttering gibberish looks big enough to hide behind, anyway. It's not like you need conversation with a meat shield so long as they can swing a weapon and take some hits.