Almost all the children totally fall for Dart's trick. One of the more suspicious kids keeps looking at him and actually sees the ball. He says "AAA hahaha, the ball is over there."
All the kids laugh and shriek in joy. For a moment, all the troubles seem like they don't exist. The sky is clear, but some heavy clouds can be seen in the distance over the ocean. There isn't much wind, but enough to cool the air.
Izumi withdraws from the game after ten minutes, soaked in sweat and winded... but happy. It's easy to be distracted by monsters and evils, and forget the town and it's people who Izumi loved. Priests of Shizuru were rumoured to be formal and standoffish - aloof, or so her parents told her... but in the midst of the cheers and laughter she could not understand why that would be.
She basked in the sun, Shizuru's light and decided that worries about ancient evils could wait for a day.
"Ok Rooke, let's see what we can get. It is highly possible, we won't get everything on our list today. I'm not from Sandpoint, like you, but I've cam here for the festival and know where we need to go."
Unless someone joins them, Dolgrin will show Rooke the temple first and try to meet Father Zantus for some holy water.
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Since they have an unexpected night of respite, Dart decides to swing by the bakery and ask his beloved baker if she'd like to join him for dinner.
And while I'm there, he thinks, I'll also look around to see if I can find a moment to chat with Arika since Aneka did ask me to see what was troubling the other gal. Relationships are work, Dart muses while walking to the bakery, but oh so rewarding, he thinks with a smile, thinking of Aneka's sweet, flour smudged, smiling face.
Since it looks like thr group of cleric will be staying in tonight, Rooke will tastefully check on Ameiko and her health.
"How are you, Ameiko? Feeling better?"
Dart finds the Averin sisters completely focused on their work. Arika seems to be working on a new cake she wishes to become her trademark. The bakery is somewhat empty, only the sisters and the scholar Brodert Quink waiting for his order. Aneka sees Dart and says "Hi, make yourself comfortable, I'll be right with you."
Ameiko thanks Rooke for his concern and says "Well, I wouldn't be alive right now if I let a little beating keep me down, wouldn't it?"
Some things to note about Ameiko:
- she doesn't have a shortage of courters; she has become an expert in turning men down
- she has just lost her father
- she has just become the Kaijitsu matriarch
Of course saving her from near death is very important, but there's a lot going on in her life at the moment.
"Hey. But I'm also serious." Rooke countered, allowing any additional meaning to hover between them.
Ameiko replies seriously to Rooke "I still can't believe what Tsuto has done. He did have a few issues with my father, but I don't think he would have him... killed. I tried talking some sense into him, but he just knocked me out and... I don't know what he would do to me." Looking Rooke straight in the eye she says "I bet he is now with the woman who he thinks he loves. They must be planning something far more nefarious than the few goblins that attacked during the Swallowtail festival. I think we are still in danger, especially with the things that you encountered below the city."
Dart notices that Arika is very focused in baking her cake. Eventually Brodert turns to him and looking at his blue hair asks "I've heard of you, young man. Are you an outsider of the material plane?" Aneka finally finishes his order and comes to bring it for him and says "This is my Darthain, and he is no longer an outsider. Isn't he beautiful?"
Ameiko replies seriously to Rooke "I still can't believe what Tsuto has done. He did have a few issues with my father, but I don't think he would have him... killed. I tried talking some sense into him, but he just knocked me out and... I don't know what he would do to me." Looking Rooke straight in the eye she says "I bet he is now with the woman who he thinks he loves. They must be planning something far more nefarious than the few goblins that attacked during the Swallowtail festival. I think we are still in danger, especially with the things that you encountered below the city."
"Listen", Rooke says as he takes Ameiko's hand. "We'll do our best to bring your brother back to you, if you wish. Just please bear in mind, Tsuto might not give us a choice. Are you ready to accept that possibility?"
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Dart blushes at Aneka's unabashedly loving words and says, "Yes, my beloved speaks truth. I'm not an outsider anymore as I belong here now. With my Aneka. but for my heritage," he says, looking more directly at Brodert, "simply some Elven blood, nothing more."
He then turns his full attention back to Aneka and says, "I'd like to place an order, actually. I'd like one dinner companion for tonight," and he gives her a smile.
And as Dart is having that exchange with his beloved, he looks out of the corner of his eye to see if her sister is reacting in any noticeable way.
Ameiko looks at Rooke tenderly and says "I understand. Still, he is the only family I have left." Although it seems she is about to speak more, she stays silent as there is nothing more to be said. She suddenly realizes she needs to check on the mashed potatoes and leaves abruptly. She stops at the kitchen door to glimpse back then enters.
Aneka blushes as Dart asks her to dinner and fumbles Brodert's order. She barely catches it in time from spilling honey on his clothes. "Of course." she says giggling. Her sister, however, watches the scene and starts pounding on the cake dough. Aneka sees it and tries to help, but Arika won't have it, she wants to do it by herself. Brodert looks at Dart and says while smiling "Now that is some sisterly competition if I've ever seen one."
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Dart takes his leave of Aneka specifying the time he'll be by to pick her up and walks out with Uncle Iroh Brodert.
"Sisterly competition, huh?" Dart says, initiating conversation, "What, uh, what sort of competition did you see happening there?" Dart may be naive, but he's smart enough to seek out those uncle-ish characters to seek their wisdom!
Ameiko looks at Rooke tenderly and says "I understand. Still, he is the only family I have left." Although it seems she is about to speak more, she stays silent as there is nothing more to be said. She suddenly realizes she needs to check on the mashed potatoes and leaves abruptly. She stops at the kitchen door to glimpse back then enters.
As the varisian watches Ameiko leave, Rooke takes a sip from his mug and says a quiet prayer to Cayden Cailean. "By the Gods, Cayden. Only the luckiest man on Golarion would call himself such, if he had the love of that woman!"
The caydenite walks out to the main room and begins to look at it with a critical eye. There is a severe lack of Cayden Cailean iconography here. The Common House has no lack of clerics, but it's like The Rusty Dragon [u]needs[/u] me. I'll have to talk to Ameiko about coming on staff.Rooke finds Dolgrin and the dwarf takes the newcomer to the Temple and Father Zanthus.
Aneka tells Dart she'll be ready at sundown. Brodert tells Dart "Oh, I've seen that quite a few times, actually. One sister wants something and the other sister has it. It is well known that Arika is not as dedicated to the bakery as her sister, she wants to marry a rich man to spirit her away! It seems now that Arika feels that her sister is doing something right and wants to copy her footsteps. Poor girl, I always try to tell the young people that following the steps of some other person is never the path to happiness. But what does an old bookworm like me know?" He starts rambling and walking away, apparently forgetting that he was talking to someone.
Rooke and Dolgrin find Father Zantus reading. It appears to be a holy book of Desna, a very old and used one.
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Hmmm, very insightful fellow, that one, Dart thanks, glad to have encountered someone who can roll decently on sense motive such a knowledgeable individual. I should open a tea shop with him some day, Dart thinks, then wonders why that thought occurred to him.
The blue-haired boy then sets off to the Rusty Dragon where he takes advantage of the free room and board they're enjoying to request having a lovely picnic dinner prepared so that he and Aneka can have a lovely meal out under the open sky.
Rooke introduces himself to Father Zanthus, and all three clerics take a nice quick tour of the new temple.
"Say Father. How is your supply of Holy Water? We could use some in the tunnels we're investigating. To, aehm, you know, lift the spiritual energy down there." He tried to avoid talking about actual demons living there.
Father Zantus replies "Well, let me check..."
"Right now I have 8 in stock."
"Well, yes father. We'll take four of them. We probably and hopefully don't need more than that." Dolgrin grumbles and hands the preist some coins. "Here, this is for the church."
Father Zantus thanks the dwarf and adds a bonus vial from his own pocket. "To help with defending the town.", he adds feeling very helpful.
Dusk comes and Dart finds his date ready wearing a light brown dress. It is a little worn out but elegant and it fits her well. She is wearing a little bit of make up which is extremely well made. She smiles broadly as he appears and waits for him to approach.
This dress was used in Cyrdak's performance after the festival. It looks like someone at the theater helped Aneka get ready for the date.
Izumi is walking in the streets, half patrolling half enjoying the warmth, as a little girl with bright red hair approaches her and says "Could you help me, lady?" She has a cute doll with red hair with a little wooden sword glued to its hand.
"Thanks, Father Zanthus. For the holy water and hospitality", Rooke smiled.
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After arranging for the picnic dinner, Dart readied himself and put on a fine, light blue tunic, a waistcoat over that, leather breeches and boots, and pulled the top of his hair up into a topknot leaving the rest hanging down.
As he approaches his beloved, Dart smiles, gives a bow while reaching out to take her hand, brushes a kiss on the back of it and says, "My love, you look positively radiant!" He then gestures to the picnic style dinner in the basket he's carrying and says, "I thought it might be nice to dine out under the stars? Perhaps near the beach where we can enjoy the gentle sound of the waves as background music?"
[ooc]Oh, thought you'd given something extra. Anyway, your sheet says you have 19gp. Did you already deduct the money? If not, where does it come from? Ameiko's loan? How much is left?[/b]
After being done with the duties, Rooke and Dolgrin realize that night is coming and this always means jolly good times at the Rusty Dragon.
Meanwhile, Aneka blushes with a smile at Dart and says "Well, that would be lovely! What did you bring? I haven't eaten a thing since talking to you."
Dolgrin was too cheap to give the Father more than he demanded. He was expecting a discount in the first place. They had to be careful with the money loaned from Ameiko after all.
His mood softened, when the goof priest gave them another bottle on top and on the way out Dolgrin through another gp from his own purse in the collection box.
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(ooc]Technically, Dart had people at the Rusty Dragon prepare the food, so I'm not 100% sure what they would or wouldn't have, but I'm going to wing it based on things I think they logically should have had.[/ooc]
"Well, we should have plenty to fill your poor, empty tummy," Dart says, giving her a smile. "I've got roasted chicken, some seasoned potatoes, rolls with a smattering of jelly, and some milk to wash it all down."
He then extends a hand to take hers, points his toes in the direction of the beach and says, "So, shall we?"
Aneka happily accompanies Dart to their picnic in the moonlight. The sea breeze is cooler than usual, but it's a good feeling after a hot day. The food is delicious and Aneka is mostly silent, looking at the sea.
She isn't sad, it just seems that she doesn't spend much time looking at the sea and its vastness is getting to her.
Dolgrin and Rooke find the Rusty Dragon full of people. There is a loud cheer as Dolgrin enters the tavern.
Aneka thinks long and hard to answer Dart. Instead, she just says "You go first."
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Dart chuckles at the response and then says, "You clever minx! You turned that around on me," and gives Aneka a warm smile. "Hmm," he says, pondering, "obviously I do adore the scenery at the bakery, of course, only when you're there" and he gives her a wink before continuing with, "the theater is quite nice, and performances at the Rusty Dragon are very entertaining, but I'd say that, aside from the bakery, my favorite place in town is the temple of Shelyn. She is my goddess, after all, and it was her divine hand intervening that brought me here to Sandpoint. To you," and as he says those last two words, he lightly boops her on the nose.
The priestess of the Sun went looking for her friends...
Aneka smiles at Dart and says "One day you'll have to tell me how that happened. I mean, how you came to Sandpoint. Performers normally prefer the large towns to go to, you know, the large theaters and the more refined people. I suppose I have Shelyn to thank for you too, I guess." Although she doesn't ask Dart anything, it seems she is still curious about how he came to be in Sandpoint. However, Dart feels that she is more relaxed than he has ever seen her.
Izumi walks away from the little girl. Apparently she was talking to someone else. The priestess finds Rooke and Dolgrin in the Rusty Dragon having fun. It all feels... a little frivolous to her. Still, Rooke is showing off how he can stack 5 full mugs on top of each other.
Rooke sees Ameiko out of the corner of his eye, and excuses himself from the table of admirers. The caydenite waits for the bar owner to become free and poses this thought.
"Ameiko. I can't help but notice the lack of Cayden Cailean iconography around your great bar, and no caydenite cleric on staff. I was hoping tomorrow we can talk about if I can can be brought on-staff. I have over 5 years pouring and mixing drinks at The Commonhouse in Kaer Maga. I just wanted to think about for tonight. You know, if you want, I can perform a little 'audition' for the next few hours? Let you see what I can or can't do?"
Aneka is glad to accept Dart's kiss, though she seems somewhat unsatisfied with his answer. She doesn't ask anything further, however. She does, however, answer his original question saying "I do love watching the mill. The way the grains are crushed and the wheels turn... it's mesmerizing!" It looks like she wants to continue talking, but stays silent. She changes the subject with a chuckle "So, big hero, do you think we're going to have more goblin problems?"
Ameiko grins at Rooke and says "Well, I'll have to ask my staff! Hey, Bethana! What do you think we hire this drunkard here?" The elderly halfling looks at Rooke and doesn't say anything. She just looks back at Ameiko and smiles, conveying that she understood that it was a joke.
Ameiko turns to Rooke and says "Well, if you can go through the shift without serving yourself my ale and not our customers, I suppose that could be helpful. But the real test... well, tonight you'll have to perform. Can't be helping out in the Rusty Dragon if you don't have the talent!" She leaves out that Bethana is too shy to perform anything, but it seems she is challenging Rooke.
Ameiko turns to Rooke and says "Well, if you can go through the shift without serving yourself my ale and not our customers, I suppose that could be helpful. But the real test... well, tonight you'll have to perform. Can't be helping out in the Rusty Dragon if you don't have the talent!" She leaves out that Bethana is too shy to perform anything, but it seems she is challenging Rooke.
"Talent? Perform?!" Rooke asked incredulously. "I'm a hell of a cleric who can make Cheliaxian Mohitos with the best of 'em. My other talents have been known to put Calistrians to shame, and aren't performed in public!" Rooke, with a confused look on his face, goes behind the counter, ready to take orders, while trying to figure out in his mind what the varisian can perform.
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"I...I don't know if the goblins will be a problem in town or not," Dart says, genuinely uncertain. "I'll do, we'll do I should say, what we can to prevent it."
He then looks back at his beloved and says, "But you did say you wondered what brought me to Sandpoint. What say we walk over to that lovely mill and I'll tell you on the way." And with that, Dart gathers up the remains of their picnic and the basket, links arms with Aneka, and begins leisurely strolling with her to the mill and begins his tale.
"I love acting, as you know. Stumbled on it in my childhood. As the weird half-Elven kid with the blue hair, I needed to find a way to fit in, so acting out the role of evil warlord or valiant hero when we were playing make believe was that opening for me. Eventually, that grew into an interest in theater. That's, ultimately, what ended up leading me to the church of Shelyn. That was in Absalom. I also met my Uncle Mort there. He's not really my uncle, more of a mentor, really. He helped me get chances to perform at some small venues around Absalom, but I was always looking for something more. I happened to overhear a stranger talking about the grand stage in Sandpoint. That caught my Elvish ear," he says, wiggling them slightly, "and...I don't know. It just felt...right. Didn't really know anything about the town, anything much more than that the stage was here. I honestly didn't even know I was wandering into a festival when I arrived in town. I just knew I came looking for something. Shelyn is often associated with muses, spirits, beings that push a performer to excel and reach their greatest heights. Honestly, while the stage was what brought me here, I think it was you that Shelyn wanted me to find all along. My muse. The one who pushes me to become the best version of myself."
He then shakes his head chuckling, "Sorry, that was probably a bit much of an answer. It's how I got here, though, and what led me to you."
Ameiko finds it amusing that Rooke got embarrassed by her idea, but she hides it well. Bethana approaches him and says "I'm Bethana, glad to have you here. My old bones are not as quick as they once were. I'd talk to Clark, our cook, to get to know the staff. And uhmm, Ameiko takes these performances very seriously. It's one of the things she does that makes her feel like herself and... well, she sort of needs the distraction now. You seem nervous about performing, maybe you should ask for help from one of the Sandpoint heroes, the blue haired one. I hear he has been deflowering maidens around town, so it'd be good to give him something to do other than destroying homes."
Aneka hears attentively to Dart's story then smiles at him warmly. They get to the mill as he finishes talking and she tells him "I've lived here my whole life, and have never dreamed past the bakery. It looks like we're very different, you and I, don't you think?" She leads him inside and it's empty at this time, but the wheels are still turning. Since there is nothing to see, so Aneka looks out the window and seems to be watching something.
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Dart enjoys the warm smile, and then, as Aneka observes how different they are, he smiles and says, "It's true, we come from very different places. I'd say that means we compliment each other." And as she goes over to the window, he walks up behind her and gives her a back hug as he tries to figure out what she's looking at.
Aneka allows herself to be hugged. Dart can feel her heart is racing so much, for a moment he is worried her ribs might be in danger of cracking. Out the window, he sees a couple entering the lumber mill next door. They have lust in their eyes.
She is one of Vinder's daughters, the sister of the one who tried seducing Jonathan a few days ago.
He is one of the lumber mill's operators.