"I...guess so."
Melanie seems mildy worried by the forboding speech.
"I don't think master kulgan would mind."
I hope.
He didn't have a deck that I saw, and the apprentice's first duty is cleaning and organization. I've seen things."
She shudders, then wipes her hands briskly remembering some failed experiment, and peers at the cards curious now.
Kearra laughs at the bartender's cowardice. "Tell you what, old timer," she says sitting down next to Pushie. "I'll arm-wrestle you. You win, I'll buy you and your friend a drink. I win and I'll just one. Sound good?"
Pasie looks the half orc up and down. "Hmm... I bet you could take her Pushie! Giver the old," Pasie makes a face and pretends to arm wrestle someone in an exaggerated fashion.
Pushie frowns at the interception of the challenge by Kearra. "Fine... Don't say I didn't warn yea." A small sense of malice enters pushies voice as he speaks these words.
"No need to fly off the handle, my good man. Just a friendly wager."
Kearra's elbow slips on the wet counter and she loses the arm-wrestling match easily. With a hearty laugh, she buys Pushie and Pasie their drinks and one for herself. She offers a cheers of congratulations to both of them.
Lotar throws his head back with a mighty laugh as well. He grins at Pushie.
Not bad for an old duffer! Not bad at all! Yer friend may not be the brightest, but she knows how to play the shark, and she's got a strong arm to back her up. You all here for the fair?
"Yea know. Pushie once wrestled a baby elephant... And won!" *hic*
After finishing her second drink, still having not gotten used to that taste, Pasie seems to be getting a bit tipsy.
Kearra laughs at Pasie's tipsiness. "Looks like I should have bought a smaller mug." She claps Pasie on the back good-naturedly.
"And of course we're all here for the fair, friend dwarf. What else is there to do in this town? I mean there's a boxing ring but that's nothing compared to a real fighting pit. So you might as well play carnival games by day and drink away the night."
"I guess, I'll listen then. No harm ever came from knowledge, but only from actions in ill-considered reaction to it, or so says Master Kulgan. He was right about the fire."
She seems to have talked herself into it, and looks at the fortune teller intently. After a moment, her stomach gurgles, and she grimaces at the dour expression on the mystic's face, before resuming her study.
"I'm sorry. I should have eaten before I came in. Please continue."
After having studied the cards for several minutes, the Fortune Teller looks up from her musings.
"Well, the past doesn't detail anything outlandish, or even out of the ordinary. Its here," She points to the last card of the middle column. "That things start to get interesting. Your near future shows a journey, a quest, or perhaps some profound internal change within you. Something will be happening to seriously change the course of your life." She points again, this time to the three cards on the right column, in turn with her words. "This one says that you will make lots of new family, or perhaps form lasting bonds with complete strangers. This middle one...I'll come back to that. She pauses for a moment. "This last one says that your future will be hard, filled with persecution and distrust. You will be harmed, and people....creatures may try to take your life. But you must persevere," Her hands move back to the middle card. "You must persevere because of this middle card here. It says that a large swath of land, perhaps the whole Kingdom, and maybe even beyond, will be experiencing some kind of massive upheaval. You will be at the center of it, and your actions will dictate the outcome. It will cause great sorrow, but inspire great hope too."
She gathers up the cards.
"Be true, and choose your allies wisely, for they will have a say in the days to come."
Friend dwarf? That's a new one
I suppose you're right, greenie. I come here looking for good work for a good axe, and all I get's the faire and this interesting pair. He half-salutes Pasie and Pushie with his mug. Then he shrugs. Might as well pl- I'm not much for faire games, but I can DRINK by day and drink more by night!
Lotar holds his mug high, drains it, and looks for a refill.
The bartender, staring slack-jawed at the results of the arm-wrestling contest, quickly comes to his senses and refills Lotar's drink.
"Had you ever seen such a thing, master dwarf?"
Lotar grins and shrugs. Heh. Ye should see some of the old miners and smiths where I come from. If 'e hasn't keeled over, a codger that's spent his life at the coalface kin still handle most young bucks. We say 'e's got "ol' dwarf strenth." Well, that's old man strenth right there.
"I thank you."
Melanie bows deeply to the woman, then departs.
I think. Still, it is always best not to offend.
Looking over the tents of the circus, and the food stalls, Melanie's stomach growls again. After the fortune teller's tent, however, the light is too bright, and strange. She walks away, not even realizing where her feet are wandering until she bumps into the dubiously attached door of Hare's Shanty. Stopping a moment only, she enters the bar.
Hopefully it'll be quieter in here, and this headache will pass.
Looking over the room, her eye finds an empty booth near the end of the bar, and she sits, taking in the rest of the room, the headache pounding behind her eyes.
Seeing nothing too strange, she lowers her head to the table.
Melanie hasn't been sitting for more than a few moments when the bartender wanders over.
"Kin I get you anything?"
He waits patiently for a moment, then cocks his head to the side.
"Hmm, sounds like they are announcing the last round of games outside. Probably means the big circus grand finale is starting in an hour. Do you think you'll be going?"
Kearra turns her attention to the Bartender. "A circus, huh? What do they got there? Any dragons?"
"Oh my gossh! Pusshie there'ssh a circussh in town! We have to go! We have to!" At this Pasie starts to look a little green. "Oh... But firsht *hurk* is there a bucket somewhere?
The bartender continues.
"Well, not real dragons, no. But they have some people in costumes, and a few illusionists who can conjure up anything you've ever thought up! I've been several times already, and this last performance is supposed to be bigger than anything they've done yet! I heard they brought in the best performers for this one show. I already got my tickets. I recommend you all go. I know that a lot of the events here in town started giving away tickets instead of prizes. the tickets aren't cheap, so that may be a good way to get one!"
He glowers at Pasie.
"The "bucket" is the street. It's that way."
He points outside.
"I thought it was last call for games? If there's a strongman to wrestle, I'm down for that. Or a drinking contest," Kearra says with a laugh. She nudges Lotar in the side.
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Varian, who has been quietly eating while he heard the conversations, cleans his mouth and speaks "Interesting. The same friend who recommended the rare steak did so with getting a ticket, and he was right with the meal." Varian reaches for his pouch and pays his meal, and Pasie's one. "Pasie, after you feel better you and Pushie could accompany me. I always appreciate company, specially if you tell me how did you two end together. A good story is the prrfect dessert after a good meal."
"Wait... No I'm fine never mind... Jusht gata... Man... Am I sleepy..." Pairs eyes begin to drift and droop. "Shorry Pushie..."
"Pasie no!" Pushie yells with a mouth full of steak right before seemingly evaporating as pasies head hits the counter.
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Varian steps back quick as lightning, drawing his sword and adopting a defensive stance "What sorcery is this?! Where did the old man go?" but his knightly instinct kicks in and he sheathes it, dashing to Pasie and hecking if she is alright "Hey there, las! Are you alright? What in the Endless Heavens is going on?"
Pasie snores for a moment as Varian speaks to her. "I don like that's stuff too much..." Looking around Pasie realizes what happened and steps outside to vomit. Only partly from the alcohol. "Sorry everybody. I never really had enough to drink to have that happen before." She blushes and looks embarrassed. "Is there a place I could wash up?"
"Not a sorcerer, wizard. Different thing entirely. Ugh, my head is killing me, I wish I had some fenwhistle.
Melanie wanders over to the stool, the notices the passed out halfling.
" Oh, you meant the girl. Lightweight, get her hydrated when she wakes up, no problem. See?"
She seems unconcerned, then startles when she sits on pushies stool.
"Huh, ectomorphic residue suggests a summons, heat a large one, and recent. You're not serving summoned ale are you?"
Melanie looks at the bartender dubiously and gestures at lotar.
"To a dwarf? Don't you remember the summer taproom war?"
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Varian stares at the young woman that speaks fast and uses words he doesn't even know existed and says "Yeeees? I don't understand what you are saying... not a single word, milady. But you seem knowledgeable, perhaps you saw or know what happened to the old man? Because people just don't randomly disappear or appear out of thin air."
Pasie reaches up and puts her hands over Varian's mouth. "No-No-No! There wasn't any old man here what are you talking about! He-he! I'll be right back. Wait for me darling? I would love to go see the town with you!" Pasie looks for a reasonably private area to "Freshen up".
Lotar gives Kearra a sidelong glance as she nudges him. A half-orc that wants to be drinking buddies? Things are very different here.
He stops mid-guzzle and stares agape when Pushie disappears, then starts to set down his mug when Varian draws his sword. He picks his mug back up as the threat of violence dissipates.
At the mention of the possibility of summoned ale, he shoots Melanie a worried glance, then shoots daggers at the bartender. Probably not summoned, but sometimes doctored. Barkeep may have some fenwhistle - he seems to like his herbs.
Kearra laughs at Varian's statement. "I don't know what planet you live on but there people who can disappear into thin air. He probably teleported or something. I mean, he wasn't an illusion seeing as I could touch him."
Melanie doesn't correct the half-orc.
"Thank you sir dwarf. I heard you talking of the carnival, and I must say I enjoyed the illusionist. The fortune teller was kind if confusing. I was going to get something to eat, then watch the dancers. Later there's going to be a sword dance, I think. I've never seen one."
She looks at the bartender, then considers a moment, glancing over the alcohol before shaking her head and wincing at the headache.
"Do you have any fenwhistle, and perhaps a cup of stew if it's mostly broth?"
The bartender is a strange mix of emotions. He's a bit frustrated with Lotar's insinuations, he's confused as to where Pushie went, and dones't have the social grace to not stand there with his mouth open.
He collects himself, muttering about how this day is going, and repsonds to Melanie.
"Aye, I have a bit of fenwhislte, and I've got some very thick stew, and some very thin soup. What will it be? A silver for the fenwhistle and a bowl of either."
"Soup please, as long as it's hot."
She smiles and hands over the silver, then tastes the soup and nods in appreciation at the barkeep as he hands her the dried herbs. A quick look at the leafs and she adds them to the soup.
"Perfect. My thanks. Hopefully this acts quickly enough not to miss the dancing."
She finishes her soup in a determined fashion, then looks back at the group, smiling as she sees Pasie returning.
"Fresh enough to see some mock fighting? I was told there would be thews, and after the dancing something called a cat anna?"
She shrugs, then heads toward the carnival.
As Pasie returns, Pushie follows behind. Eyes dead ahead and an angry look on his face. "Sorry but we need to be going." Pushie gently puts his hand on Pasies head and Begin's to guide her to the exit.
"Sorry everyone... It was fun meeting you all... Thanks for the food." Pasie eyes the floor solemnly as she apologizes.
"Ha, that vanishing trick was the most entertaining thing tonight. NO need to apologize. Let's see if the circus can top it." Kearra gets up to walk out with Pasie and Pushie
Lotar watches as the others begin to leave. These freaks are too entertaining not to keep up with for tonight. I can drink myself to sleep later.
He downs what remains of his beverage, leaves proper coinage for the bartender, and heads out.
The bartender is a strange mix of emotions. He's a bit frustrated with Lotar's insinuations, he's confused as to where Pushie went, and dones't have the social grace to not stand there with his mouth open.
He collects himself, muttering about how this day is going, and repsonds to Melanie.
The carnival is alight with games, salespeople barking their wares, and lots of fun mayhem. The dance competition is looking ready to gear up, the strength competition after that, and near the bar the ring toss is advertising new prizes. People are already starting to line up for the Circus' Grand Finale, and signs advertise tickets for a silver apiece.
Melanie waves to any who followed her from the tavern.
"Oh good we haven't missed the dance competition! Hurry, this way!
Upon hearing about a dance contest Pasie becomes visibly exited, she slowly looks up at Pushie with puppy dog eyes. "Please..." His resolve holds for an instant before he melts under the gaze as he agrees to allow her to compete.
"Bit too drunk to dance right but I'm always down for a strength contest. Whatd'ya say, old man? Rematch?" Kearra asks as she gives Pushie a good-natured punch in the arm.
Pushie seems to take Kearras request seriously. "Fine. Just don't buy anymore damndable drinks... For anyone, Especially her!" He says pointing at Pasie.
After this he frowns. "Still need a way to get in... Not exactly rolling in funds."
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"I will buy tickets, that way you can try to go for other prices. A few silvers aren't that much, as soon as I can get back to work I will earn enough money for everything I need and want. I will catch up to you in the dance contest, but I very much would like to try my luck in the ring toss and strength booths." says Varian as he goes and buys tickets for everybody.
Lotar rolls his eyes at the dance competition. He goes to offer money to Pushie and Pasie, but Varian beats him to it.
Lotar goes with Varian toward the ring toss. Looking for work, are ye? Judging by the way ye drew yer sword in there, ye seem like a lad that works a rough trade. I'm looking fer work myself.
"Yus!" Pasie squees as they head to buy tickets with their new group of friends.
The dance competition is nearly done setting up, and the competitors for it and the following strength contest are already there. The announcer mentions that there is still time to sign up, if there are any last entries. After Varian buys the group their tickets, they head over the the square where the competitions will be held.
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"That? Well, I am ashamed to admit that Plushie disappearance threw me off. I am not used to magic, least the kind that allows you turning invisible. But I do know how to use this sword, you are right. After all, every blacksmith worth his salt should know how to use what they forge." says Varian to Lotar after buying the tickets. When they are returning, he points to the ring toss booth and approach it "To be honest I have never fought. Not outside of training or wild beasts, at least. But I trust my steel. We won't fail. As for work, if the cause is just I will gladly join anything, I didn't plan to be only a blacksmith all my life."
The carnival barker sees Varian approach.
"Only a copper for five, count 'em five rings! If you get all five, you can win out Grand Prize! Of course, no one has been able to get all five yet today. Do you have what it takes?"
Pasie switches attitudes very quickly one inside the carnival. She becomes very hyper active, gawks at everything and everyone. Almost like a child... "Quick Grandpa! Let's look for some copper on the ground! So that maybe we can play to!