It is the 20th day of the 9th month which marks the 1st day of the Thesmophoria. What used to be a festival all about fertility only attended by women, it has also become a celebration of the incoming harvest where all are welcome. There are games of skill and chance, stalls where vendors can sell their wares and of course food! The main attractions of this holiday week are the new and exciting recipes from all over Greece and even the world for people to try.
While most offerings are typical greek fair such as gyros, falafel, and delicious kabobs, a few stalls stand out among the crowd.
There is a stall where a swarthy foreigner has cups of a dark liquid with a single word sign: Coffee!
Another stall is tended to by a bushy mustachioed man with a giant pot with a red liquid covering what looks to be some pearl colored strands with chunks of meat. The sign reads: Spaghetti!
A third stall has a slender golden skinned man carefully slicing fish and placing it over rice. The sign reads: Sushi!
The last interesting stall has a pale mustachioed man with blond hair cooking up patties of meat and putting them between pieces of bread. The sign reads: Hamburgers!
The games are also varied this year and have more offerings than previous years with even more prices. There is a booth where contestants throw darts at a board for points. There is a line of strong girthy men and women waiting to strike board to ring a bell. There is a stall where children are throwing rings. There is also an area where a group of stalwart young adults are shooting a crossbow at moving wooden targets. Lastly, the most crowded game has a sign that reads: Whack-a-Pixie!
And much like previous years, Madame Cassandra(not that one) has returned to read palms and tell fortunes.
"It has been several years since I came to Athens, perhaps a good reading from an oracle is what I need," thought Varocles, as he tottered down the street. "Damn! My landlegs aren't what they once were. Hopefully I'll be back aboard ship soon, the Sealord willing. i shall go to the temple at Sounion once this is done."
The salty dwarf twists his mustachios, saunters over to Madame Cassandra, and stretches out his hand with five silver drachma , "Can you give a sailor a reading good lady?"
The slightly older woman smiles as you sit down. "I can give a sailor more than that." She wryly chuckles raising her eyebrows as she accepts your money. She takes your palm and closes her eyes. "Much as Poseidon is in your heart and mind, I sense another god taking an interest in your life. One that you may not expect. I sense your journey through this life to be one filled with equal parts joy and hardship. But you will not be alone in this. " After a few moments she opens them again. [b]"My visions were a little vague this time, but hopefully it will guide you on your journey.
Varocles thanks the oracle for her wisdom and presses into the crowd, seeking a vendor selling “Saltspray Ale.”
Down the street came a man, wearing a breastplate, greaves and vambraces. On his back was a large metal shield, and in one arm a helmet. He would have looked every inch the warrior...if there was a spear in his offer hand instead of a kabob. The remnants of a gyro were still on his face, as well as a smile. Wiping the sauce away, he turned to his brother.
”This is perfect, is it not? I cannot wait to try cooking this for the men. Well, some of it. How do they make the spa-gah-tee? Do you think it is with magic?”
Standing at the centre of the busy festival is a burly man - unarmored save for bracers and unarmed save for a vine wrapped spear. His head is crowned by a floral garland, and his garb and satchel marks him as an itinerant entertainer - one of many the festival has attracted.
He smiles broadly as he soaks up the sights, sounds and smells that surround him - clearly savouring the chaotic gaeity that the Thesmophoria offers.
Polyοἶνος turns toward his fellow troubadour, proclaiming loudly in a deep rich voice;
"Ho-ho! Truly a cacophony of experiences await us my friend. Where to begin eh? Where to begin indeed?!"
The thickset skald smacks his lips as he surveys the vendors, the wares and the colourful patrons on display;
"Perhaps a libation or three to whet our appetites!?"
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Teledoros walks along strumming his lyre, taking in the sights and sounds of a city much larger than where he'd grown up. The smooth-faced young man is dressed in a light chiton over a chain shirt with a bow on his back and a xiphos at his hip. He looks with some amusement at the group of similarly-aged hopefuls trying their luck at crossbow targets.
Polyoinos brings him out of his distraction. "A cacophony once YOU start singing, maybe! I'll take you up on the offer, yes. A bit of something to wet my lips, of course, that we might brighten the day for these fine folk. Perhaps by the food stalls?"
Polyoinos shoots his younger man a wry look before claps his own belly with one meaty hand;
"Ho-ho! Impudent pup, but your logic has merit lad! Something to line the stomach before we drown ourselves in the holy grape and ladies of the night!"
Hefting his vine wrapped spear the follower of Bacchus beckons him to follow as he boisterously approaches a stall where a strong looking warrior stands wiping kabob sauce from upon his lips as he converses with a thinner man enshrouded in black;
"Greetings fellow revellers! I see you have sampled the wares of these food peddlers. Which would you gentlemen recommend we indulge in, and which are more akin to handing coin to Charon?"
With a flagon of "Saltspray Ale" in his stomach, and another in his hand, destined to join the first, Varocles' daily prospects were looking up. He took a moment to observe the various revelers enjoying the festival. Among the many women, children, and idiots, he couldn't help but notice several lubbers stuffing their faces with an abandon as appropriate to a Bacchanalia as a Thesmophoria! "Good for them," he thought, "perhaps there is an Iberian merchant around here, with a good paella!" And a new search began.
Wiping the sauce away, he turned to his brother.
”This is perfect, is it not? I cannot wait to try cooking this for the men. Well, some of it. How do they make the spa-gah-tee? Do you think it is with magic?”
"I think it probably comes from a plant, like rice. They're somewhat similar."
Kyronai shies the conversation away from returning to their family and the mercenary unit they grew up in.
"We could visit that oracle and see what she has to say. It might be fun to see how her augury is different from mother's. We could try our hands with the crossbows. Look at the jugglers! So pedestrian."
”Yes, the Oracle! A good idea. You mean the one talking to the dwarf? I bet this one isn’t real. Still, it should be fun.”
The two half-elves walked over to the Oracle. Looking her over, Amphitryon set his helmet down and said
”Fair Oracle. Might you share your visions with two wandering souls?”
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You search all over for an Iberian merchant chef. However, it seems as though that country has skipped the festival this year. Perhaps something has happened to their representative? Or something worse!
Flustered at the lack of a good paella, Varocles goes back to people watching. ”Usually in the middle of these things, some young aristocrat goes and spouts off to the wrong brawler, and gets a mouthful of fist. If I can stop that blow and save the rich kid, there might be something in it for me,” he wishes to himself.
”Greetings fellow revellers! I see you have sampled the wares of these food peddlers. Which would you gentlemen recommend we indulge in, and which are more akin to handing coin to Charon?"
Amphitryon’s face brightened. ”Ah, if but I had a stall of my own I would answer that question easily enough.” With inspiration striking him, he said ”But perhaps we can be of some service.” Reaching into his pack he pulled out his travel rations. Opening them up, he showed Polyoinos.
”It is but meager fair, but a fair taste of my people’s food. Something I made for the road. If you would but sit and share, my brother here is something of a poet and playwright, who is but missing an audience.”
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Varocles checked the sundial on the street corner, "it's getting late," he murmured to no one in particular, "if it's not to be paella, I shall need to find some other choice for elevensies." He briefly thought of the halfling crewmate he had sailed with nearly a decade ago, Shaeda Stormborn. "Now that was a lass who knew how to properly eat at sea," and she had taught Varocles much about the halflings and their predilection towards numerous meals throughout the day.
Kyronai seems disappointed at the delay in seeing the oracle, but he brightens up at the thought of an audience. He opens his pack and starts shuffling through leafs of paper.
"I mean, I'm not a thespian or anything... perhaps a political critique? Everybody seems to like.. um, you're not Eupatridae* are you?"
"Ah, not myself, no. I'm only passingly familiar with Athenian politics but I'd be happy to listen, happy to share, and happy to accompany." Teledoros strums his lyre for emphasis.
A thought strikes him with some difficulty. "To share, but I have nothing to provide. I believe I saw a vendor selling fish of a sort? I'll be back in a moment."
He heads off to the sushi hut to bring back enough to share.
Polyoinos smiles and shakes his head at the offered trail rations;
"Ah kind warrior... I would decline, for much of the fare on this journey to the Thesmophoria consisted of such. No I would sample other delicacies, and merely inquired upon your own experiences of these colourful purveyors of cuisine... My than-"
The thickset skald had set his eyes to the stalls beyond, but then halts mind gratitude at the mention of the finer arts;
Beaming and booming he laughs;
"Ho-ho! A poet and playwright! Perfect! Wait! What's that? Political critique..."
Polyoinos looks a little crestfallen as talk turns to a more serious topical nature, before it is rescued by Teledoros;
"Bring me some of the fish rolls too Teledoros... While I..."
He too rifles his sachet, pulling forth a full wineskin with a musical lilt to his voice;
"... have something to slake our thirsts gentlemen... Or perhaps rouse them eh?! Ho-ho-ho!"
The Bacchanal chuckles bawdily as he offers up the skin;
"Please my friends! Drink. I am Polyoinos... Blessed voice of Bacchus and my wine is yours!"
The slendor orange skinned man looks up as you arrive. "Konnichiwa! I bring you a delicacy from the far east lands of Nipon. It is carefully prepared tuna or salmon on rice. How many would you like?" He greets you in a somewhat thick accent.
"One of each, will that be enough to share?"
He pays for the food and heads back to the group.
"I must say this....fish, it's not what I expected. Please, try some."
His belly full, for now, Varocles decided to try his chances at some games of fortune, ”Now, where would Tyche’s merchants be located?”
He went off to test his fate at some gambling games.
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Kyronai starts numerous different poems but trails off early into each one complaining about how it's "not ready." This goes on for a bit until he realizes nobody is really paying attention, so he goes off to the crossbow booth in a huff.
You walk over to the crossbow booth. Wooden targets move side to side as people try to shoot them. There are many prizes to be won, most of them stuffed.
Varocles decides to try out Whack-a-Pixie!
You walk up to where the game is and it is a giant box with small holes where a pixie puppet pops up occasionally as small children attempt to hit them with a mallet.
Varocles grabs the mallet after paying his fee, and looks to hit as many as he can...
Varocles laughs a deep guttural laugh, ”now THAT was fun!”
The small children look on, cheering you as you go. Though the timing is a bit tricky, you do well enough. The attendant grabs a small satyr doll and hands it to you! It seems to stare back at you with garnet eyes.
Polyoinos tries some of the fish with gusto;
"Ah the harvest of the sea... in a roll. Interesting!"
As Kyronai shuffles off, the skald leans into address his brother;
"Melancholic that one eh? Best he avoids the grape for now... can deepen the despair or lift a man to elation!"
He nods toward the offered wineskin once again, the claps his fellow bard on the shoulder;
"This fine purveyor of aquatic feasts is Teledoros. An Apollonian whose skill with the bow string rivals his skill with the lyre."
Teledoros holds out some of the sushi to Amphitryon. "If your brother is the artist, what does that make you?"
”Yes...well, it sounded better on the way here. Maybe wine wouldn’t be a bad idea. Anyways. A warrior by trade.” Unable to resist a dramatic flourish he held out a hand, causing a spear to coalesce out of shadows. He let it drop to the ground, and it vanished before it landed. ”But a mediocre chef by choice. I came to sample all of the food that I don’t know how to make. Which, it seems, is far too much for one day. Shall we try our hands with the bow now, or after we have had a drink?” He said with a smile. ”I can think of arguments for both.”
Varocles takes the satyr doll and peers at it, "Ohhhh, a cheeky little creature you are eh?" He turns and looks at the children, does a quick mental "eenie-meenie" and hands the doll off to the lucky winner.
"Mayhaps ring toss will be more to my liking," he thinks, as he heads to the next stall.
Polyoinos raises a bushy brow at the shadowy spear materialising;
"Ho-Ho! A conjurer and a warrior to boot! There is a tale to tell there o'er grape and grain...
The burly skald grins and raises the wineskin;
"There is no argument needed my friend. You and young Teledoros play the games of chance and I shall toast your successes and drown the sorrow of any failures!"
Kyronai glances at his unstrung longbow almost apologetically and leans it against the counter as he hefts a crossbow. He carefully loads, aims, and fires a bolt five times.
Kyronai carefully places the crossbow down before retrieving his bow. He looks at the booth operator with a satisfied and expectant smile.
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”To the games it is then! Come, and let us see...wait a moment.” The trio had come upon Kyronai as the half-elf was aiming the crossbow. ”Watch.” He said, as the first shot landed true. ”We two are members of the Silverstar Company. You’ll see that his archery is better than his poetry.” He continued, with fraternal pride, as the second bolt proved to be a perfect shot. ”I’m hesitant to follow that up, as the best I’ve ever done with such a Weapon is to not hurt myself. Teledoros, how about it?”
The child beams with joy when you hand her the doll. "Thanks mister!" You then move over to the ring toss booth. You are handed 4 rings.
Kyronai fires off 5 rapid shots and save one shot that almost hits the mark is successful! The attendant hands the half-elf a very nice wooden toy arrow. The arrowhead has the mark of Artemis etched into it.
Kyronai is pleased with his prize and with his brothers' praise. All of his earlier sulkiness seems to be gone.
After Telodoros fires his shots, rings being tossed by a dwarf at a nearby booth catches Kyronai's eye.
"A ring toss! Let's try that next!"
Polyoinos pauses at Amphitryon's behest, and watches the warrior's brother with bated breath.
When the sullen crossbowman is awarded an arrow bearing the mark of Artemis, the skald extols his virtues;
"Bravo! BRAVO! Like the labours of Heracles we shall conquer these games of chance my friends!"
He raises the wineskin in a toast and takes a deep draught.
Varocles picks up the four rings, prays briefly, and then in quick succession tosses them...
As the fourth ring settles around his intended target, Varocles lets out a ”woot!” After which he attempts to hide his pleasure at having done so well.
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Feeling the joy of good company and many a game come over him, he took the crossbow. ”Sure, sure. But not until I see what our archer friend can do.”
His first shot landed true, and his smile widened.
A second quickly followed. ”Easy! Maybe I could have joined the back lines?”
His overconfidence got the better of him, and the third shot went wide.
Embarrassment flew across his face. A hasty shot went wide the other way.
Taking a deep breath he concentrated for the final shot. It hit.
”All that against something so close and not moving. Maybe I should stick to the spear.”
Varocles is a master of the ring toss as he aces it. The attendant hands him a small piece of colored paper. "Winner! This is good for a free meal at the White Stag inn."
Amphytrion on the other hand is not so flawless. The attendant hands him an arrow much like the one for Kyronai.
Varocles stuffed the paper in his pockets, and looked at the vendor, "set them up again, today just might be my day!"
Once he had the rings back in his hands, he focused and tried to replicate his earlier feat...
"Poseidon!!!! Poseidon!!!" Varocles couldn't cover up his delight if he tried.
Teledoros takes up the crossbow and aims at the moving targets.
He raises a hand to the sun then lets loose.
He looks around to see who was watching and grins. "Perhaps these are games of chance, or perhaps they're games of skill. Perhaps Apollo shines brightly on me today, and tomorrow he'll do what he will."
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Varocles is unstoppable as he aces the ring toss again. The attendant sighes handing him another Voucher. "Here's another one. You know, you can go play other games so people can try this one?"
Teledoros aces the crossbow shooting gallery and is given a toy arrow though this one has a silver arrowhead.
"Hoho, I shall not stay here and impoverish you my friend." Varocles takes his award and vows to share his fortune with the first worthy that catches his eye.
He turns away from the ring toss vendor and finds he has blundered right into a stranger. He shuffles back and looks up at the one whose personal space he has just invaded. "An elf," he thinks, "well, an oath is binding, is it not?" He smiliest Kyronai, "good sir elf, I have just been blessed with the luck to obtain two free meals at the White Stag. It would be me pleasure to share my fortune with you, as all such luck is gifted by the gods, and is not intended to be hoarded by the receiver."
Slapping Teledoros on the back, smiling, Amphitryon said ”Way to make me look bad. You are a cruel man.”
Kyronai starts in surprise when the dwarf he saw earlier accosts him.
"Oh! I... thank you," he says as he accepts the voucher.
"I'm with a group, though, and they all seem to like food... a lot, so maybe we could all go to the White Stag, and these vouchers could offset some of that cost."
Kyronai waves his brother, Teledoros, and Polyoinos over and explains the situation. Then he'll insist on giving the ring toss a go in case he can win another voucher.
And then afterwards, he'll insist Amphitryon give the hammer and bell game a try.