Lady Jade flicks her tail and snaps her jaws at Kildrax.
"Whoah, there! Easy Lady Jade." He picks a hunk of fish out of his 'stew' and tosses it to Lady Jade.
Then Craigie laughs. "Hey Smacky? Want to be my pet?" He chuckles and shakes his head. "Strange looking fish you got there."
Luckily, Kildrax is far too busy telling Lady Jade in Abyssal the many ways he's going to devour her to hear Craigie's insult.
Reva chuckles. "He's a man-eating demon. A Reaver of the Seas! You'd best watch your tongue. He won't like being called 'fish.' "
Smacky waggles her tail at Reva while eating her banana.
"Well, I don't like being called 'pet'!"
"OOO! OOO! AAAA!"
She looks very happy with her banana. She pretends to feed some to Patchy.
"Have a bite Patchy! Aren't you hungry?"
The waitress reappears and, sensing the momentary tension at the table, quickly sets down two ales in front of Reva before slipping off quietly
I have had enough brawls today to last for a week!
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Spreading out his wings, Riy-Zi takes to the sky and finds himself perched on the roof of a blacksmith shop overlooking the busy streets.
Gazing through the busy streets, he is bothered by the sheer number of humans he sees. While there are some halfling, elf-kin, and half-orcs scattered throughout the crowd, there doesn't appear to be any of the more unusual races that he was hoping to spot.
While he is perched on the roof, the Orange masked man reappears on the street, and glancing, up sees the Strix.
"The festival is down here! I wouldn't want you to miss the finest of the Rum Punch celebration." While annoying in his own way, the masked man does appear to friendly and genuine in his encouragement of the Strix.
Craigie laughs at Smacky and Reva. "I'm just joking with you."
Reva laughs at Smacky. She grabs one of the mugs and pours the ale into Kildrax's mouth.
"NOM NOM NOM!"
Smacky grins as she eats her banana. "Mmmff mmmfff jokes? I mmmmfff love jokes! Mmmmfff tell me another!"
"I'm... watching." Riy-Zi replies. "I prefer watching."
After a while he stretches his back and wings.
Bored he flies off and enters the tavern he saw Reva go into. He looks around for her. When he sees her he heads over to her table.
"I'm back."
Craigie thinks... Then he scratches his head. "Okay. I've got one more. Why did the shark spit out the clown?"
"Because he tasted funny!"
Craigie chuckles.
Kildrax laughs -- and not in a good way!
"HAR HAR HAR! THAT'S HORRIBLE! I've got a better one!" As he speaks yellow ooze dribbles out of his mouth and splatters everywhere. "What's that soft thing in the demons mouth?"
Bored of the view, the Strix summons his inner patience to enter the temple/tavern that appears to be the center of the festivities. As he opens the door, he is greeted with the sight of a crowd of... humans.
However, much to his surprise, there is one table near the entrance that has not a single human at it! Around the table sits a Vanara, a Half-elf with an alligator, and Reva and Kildrax from earlier in the day.
Oddly enough, no one has claimed the final seat at the table.
----------------------
The conversation goes on for some time while the loose gathering of acquaintances navigate the tangible tension at the table. Before long, the crowd quiets down as an elderly human female has climbed onto the bar itself!
My name is Duwella Morin, chief cleric of Cayden Cailean and proprietor of this temple. It is my pleasure to welcome you to Cailean's Keg!" With that proclamation, the crowd cheers wildly- quickly settling as the woman continues to speak.
"Today we honor the freedom granted to the Sargavan slaves through Cayden's intervention. Cheers to Freedom!". As the crowd lifts their glasses, a voice yells from the back of the crowd "And to the RUM!" at which the tavern again erupts into laughter before being reigned back in by Duwella.
"It is now time for our age old competition of stamina and self-control. Any who wish to participate may choose to do so, though each should feel no obligation. Participants can declare themselves by taking a seat at the tables over there!" she declares, pointing in the general direction of your table and a few others. "Once everyone is seated, we will begin! As always, the winners receive the blessing of Cayden- and for the less religiously inclined- a personalized silver mug!"
Riy-Zi walks to the table and sits down. He gives Kildrax another piece of meat.
Riy-Zi has no idea what the competition actually is, but he's pretty sure he's better at it than humans. And the silver mug would be great for drinking extracts from.
He goes and sits where he is supposed to.
Smacky laughs at Craigie's joke!
Then she stares at the shark. "That was not funny." she tells Kildrax.
"Competition?" Smacky says. "Sounds fun! I love games.'
She goes and sits where she is supposed to.
Craigie smirks and joins the others in the competition.
Kildrax squirms over to the tables.
"Come, Reva! Let us dominate these fools!"
Reva laughs and joins Kildrax.
Duwella steps down from the bar, with a little help from the bartender, and makes her way over to the corner where you find yourself. The crowd parts for her, while others jostle for the remaining seats at the other tables.
"The rules are quiet simple. Each table will be brought a tray with 12 drinks. 6 are of normal potency. 5 are double strength. 1 is triple strength! You choose and you drink. The last person still at the table wins!"
With the rules explained, the waitress from earlier appears with a tray full of beverages. An large assortment of glass types and sizes are placed on the table. Tall ale mugs, small glasses of distilled spirits, and glasses of wine or meade.
"Please signal your desire to participate by grabbing your first glass! If you would rather not, please step away so someone else can join in the festivities!"
You are able to identify the normal potency vs high potency drinks and can always choose a normal potency drink.
Reva picks up a triple strength drink and pours it into Kildrax's mouth.
NOM NOM NOM! AAHHH!
Smacky decides she does not like this game. Instead she leaves the tables and looks up at the ceiling.
Riy-Zi thinks he is better than the humans around and decides he can't back down now!
Riy-Zi takes a drink.
Craigie smiles at the sight of a few free drinks. He reaches out and grabs one.
--------------
The crowd presses in as Craigie, Riy-Zi, and Reva reach out and grab a glass from the table and quickly consume it. As Reva turns and pours it into Kildrax's mouth the onlooks roar with laughter.
Each of Riy-Zi and Craigie manage to find a regular drink- but the glass that Reva grabbed provides a little extra kick to Kildrax.
Craigie =1/5
Riy-Zi =1/1
Kildraz =2/3
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Quickly, another tray is placed at the table and each of the participants grab again. This time, a burly looking man with a bald head and shaved beard climbs into the seat vacated by Smacky. "Names Nelson. Don't you worry... I'll grab two this time!" he quickly says.
This time though, it is Riy-Zi who is surprised by the strength of the drink. As he finishes, his eyes grow heavy at the table and it takes all of his effort to not fall asleep right then and there.
Cragie= 2/5
Riy-Zi= 4/1
Kildrax= 3/3
Nelson= 3/7
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Riy-Zi doesn't feel so good!
Smacky heads over to the wall and climbs up onto the rafters. Then she swings around up there and finds a good spot to watch the crowds.
Craigie looks at the next tray that's coming. "Okay. Maybe just one more drink."
Reva reaches for another drink to feed to Kildrax.
Riy-Zi struggles to keep his eyes open. Must. Beat. Stinking... but before he can finish his thoughts he has laid his head down on the table, fast asleep. Duwella calls out to the crowd!
"We lost our first one! Didn't take long this year! Don't you worry, he will wake up here in a few minutes. Where is the next round?"
Nelson laughs and smiles. "Hopefully you all put on a better show than the bird over here!" He laughs at his own joke, as if it were the funniest thing he has ever heard.
Quickly, another tray is placed in front of the table, everyone grabbing another beverage.
This time, no one is surprised and the drinks go down quite easily, other than Kildrax, who's eyes start to swim just a little.
Craigie= 3/5
Kildrax=4/3
Nelson= 4/7
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A forth tray comes around, full again with oddly shaped glasses and mugs. The crowd cheers as another contestant at a table across the way falls asleep at his seat. Looking about, there are now 10 people left in the tavern.
Once again, no surprises for the contestants in this round of drinks- everything just as they would expect.
Craigie= 4/5
Kildrax=5/3
Nelson= 5/7
Another two men fall asleep at the neighboring table as the contestants continue to thin out. The crowd roars with laughter as each man (and woman) slowly succumb to the beverages sleepy effects.
Kildrax passes out on the floor!
Reva rolls her eyes at her gluttonous shark-demon. She grabs him by the tail and drags him out of the way.
The now snoring shark draws a lot of points and laughter from the crowd. Reva drags him away from the table- leaving Riy-Zi asleep on the table and Craigie and Nelson starring at each other from across the table.
Nelson laughs again. "First the bird, then the shark! I guess that just leaves you.. halfie."
Smacky watches the others be stupid as she swings in the rafters.
Craigie looks ready to step down until the man across from him utters a racial slur. He glares at Nelson. "I suppose one more can't hurt..."
Craigie drinks.
Sensing her master's anger, Lady Jade clacks her teeth at Nelson.
Nelson laughs at his observational skills, while the waitress sets down another tray. The remaining contestants grab their glass, and with a tip to their competitor finish their contents.
Nelson's laugher, however, slowly turns to a fit of coughing. After a few moments his eyes defocus and slowly his head slumps onto the table, snoring.
Duwella's voice can be heard above the roar of the tavern. "And we have pour first winner! Stand up, stand up!". The crowd quiets as she provides her formal proclamation. "Cayden's blessing looks favorably upon you! May his luck always fall in your favor!" The patrons again cheer and holler, glasses raised in Craigies honor.
The waitress from earlier appears, holding an intricately engraved silver mug. It is full to the top and one smell confirms that this is of much better stock than you had previously been drinking. "Besides being worth a fair bit of coin, should you choose to part with it, this mug also entitles the bearer to free drinks at Cailean's Keg until next years festival!' as the waitress hands the mug over to Craigie. Members from the crowd hold up their own glasses and toast to your courage and luck.
----------------------
Afternoon becomes evening and soon the crowd at the tavern has thinned out- back into the streets with a renewed sense of energy and direction. It doesn't take much effort to learn that the Rum Punch parade- a source of local pride- is set to occur in the lumberyard very soon. The crowd slowly presses in towards the lumberyard in eager anticipation.
"You're tougher than you look," Reva tells Craigie. "Not like this big fool." she nudges her unconscious shark with her foot.
Smacky claps for Craigie. Later, when the parade is getting close she heads outside to find a good spot to watch.
Riy-Zi wakes up with a headache. "Oh, I don't feel well..." he groans. Riy-Zi looks around and sees Smacky hurrying outside. "Where are we going...? Huh...? Parade..? Oh... kay?"
Riy-Zi shakes his head in the hopes it starts working better! Then he follows Smacky outside to the parade.
Craigie pumps his fist in the air. "Yeah! Whoo!"
He puts the last mug down on the table. "I'm done. Thanks."
He grins at Reva. "I am indeed. So is Lady Jade."
Lady Jade clacks her teeth. She waddles over to Kildrax and whips her tail at him, slapping him in the nose. When he doesn't move she clacks her teeth some more and keeps whipping him with her tail.
Craigie laughs. "Atta girl."
He spends some time chatting with Reva. When the people leave for the parade he grins. "Might as well see what all the fuss is about. You want to come?"
He notices Smacky leaving and he waves at her. "Wait up. We'll come, too."
Seeing that Kildrax isn't waking up anytime soon Reva waves her hand, causing him to jiggle... wiggle... and suddenly turn into a pile of yellow ooze. The ooze-shark loses it's form a moment later, flattening out into a puddle. The puddle sizzles, steam drifts up into the air, and in another moment, the puddle is gone.
Kildrax has vanished.
When everyone heads outside to see the parade Reva joins them.
Smacky's eye bulge out of her head! "WHAT JUST HAPPENED TO THAT SHARK! Is he dead? Are you magic Reva?"
Riy-Zi is too busy sleeping to see that awesome display.
But he is happy to go to the parade.