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Today is the day of the autumnal equinox, the 22nd of the month of Rova. The sun, while still very low in the sky at this hour, is shining brightly and the air is unseasonably warm around Sandpoint.
At dawn, the proud new cathedral bells echo throughout the streets of Sandpoint to start the day of its own consecration. The warm breeze lazily flaps the streamers and colourful bunting hangs throughout the tidy and especially clean streets.
There were many citizens already out of bed at dawn this morning in their getting ready to celebrate, and the main square of the town has an early-morning bustle of different traders preparing their wares for today’s festival and consecration.
For the town, today is an important day combining their Autumnal Equinox celebration with the consecration of their new cathedral, which will become an official place of worship in the eyes of Desna.
Everyone is excited at the festivities that are planned to begin at noon with the welcoming speeches outside the new cathedral and will continue throughout the afternoon until Father Zantus’ prayers for consecration at sunset.
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The turnout for the speeches is very respectable and the four keynote speakers deliver short but well-received welcomes to the festival. Mayor Deverin’s friendly attitude and excitement proves contagious as she welcomes the town and much to everyone’s amusement says ”Even Larz managed to tear himself away to attend”.
Sheriff Belor Hemlock reminds everyone, in his usual serious fashion, to be safe around this evening’s bonfire and requests a moment of silence to remember that lost their lives in the fire that claimed the previous church many years ago.
The next speaker was scheduled to be Lonjiku Kaijitsu but a sudden illness prevented him from attending the ceremony.
Cyrdak Drokkus, the town performer, lifts the crowd's spirits with a completely irreverent recap of the long process the town went to finance and construct the new cathedral and throws in some self-promotion for his new production of “The Harpy’s Curse” revealing that the lead role will be played by none other than famous Magnimarian Diva, Allishanda!
Finally, Father Zantus steps up to the stage and behind him some acolytes wheel a large covered wagon into the square. Father Zantus recounts a short parable of how Desna first fell onto Golarion and was nursed back to health by a blind child who she transformed into an immortal butterfly as a reward for her aid.
"Thank you all for coming to celebrate this joyous day today. I hope that you can all rejoin us at sunset to give our prayers and thanks to Desna to officially consecrate our delightful cathedral and round up our festival." With that, the acolytes pull aside the wagon's cover, releasing a thousand children of Desna - a furious swarm of swallowtail butterflies that swarm into the air in a spiralling riot of colour to a great cheer from the crowd.
From behind the swarm of swirling colour, Father Zantus cries out,
Goblin Toss - Market Square - 1cp - Daverin Hosk - Bean Bag Toss attack roll
Three Goblins have found their way into your house and are tearing the place up! Grab them and toss them into the fireplace before they can destroy everything. This game is a simple bean bag toss setup in the middle of the Sandpoint Market square. A board is setup with lines of three holes. The board is 10 feet from a throw line. The closest hole is the largest and the farthest hole is the smallest. There are buckets of beanbags sewn to look like Goblins by each of the three stations. Each bean bag has a Goblin name printed on it.
Take three Goblins and try to toss them into a fireplace, you need to get one bean bag in each of the three holes at AC 10, 12 and 15 respectively. The bean bags have a range increment of 10' and there is no non-proficient penalty. Get all three in and win a small bag of venison jerky. Anything less gives a miniature crude carving of a Swallowtail butterfly.
This game is being run by Daverin Hosk of Goblin Squash Stables. He's getting perverse pleasure out of the idea of tossing Goblins in the fire. It's for this reason that he has written a Goblin name on each beanbag, just so he can desecrate some Goblin's memory even more. Unfortunately there's been lots of young children asking their parents if the jerky is really made of Goblin meat from the Goblins they threw in the fireplace, like Daverin says it is.
Gorvi's Goblin Fishing Extravaganza - Gorvi - Junker's Edge - Perception and luck. 3sp
One mans junk is another mans (or half-orcs!) treasure. Gorvi saves the more useful or interesting items that find their way into the refuse wheelbarrows. He has chosen a few items from his collection to be the prizes in his Goblin Fishing Extravaganza. However, there's a catch. The participant can not see into the container from the ground, which is where they must “fish” from. The participant is provided 10 seconds prior to each “fishing” attempt to stand on the platform next to the container, where they view the prizes. The participant makes a Perception roll during the 10 seconds on the platform. They then make a d% roll for a “fishing” attempt. The Perception rolled prior to this attempt is added to the d% roll and the results of the “fishing” attempt are revealed to the participant. If a goblin cutout is hooked, that turn is lost. Otherwise, if a prize is hooked, the participant wins that prize.
Pixie's Kiss - The Pixie's Kitten, Kaye Tesarani, 1sp - Fortitude
“But beware! A pixie’s kiss can bring the strongest man to his knees!”
Game Details: One of Kaye Tesarani's workers starts by pouring a “very special” fruit brandy labeled “Pixie Punch” into the belly button of one of her half-naked and artfully painted colleagues and then places a slice of lemon halfway into her mouth.
The objective of the game is to suck the alcohol from her belly, pick up the slice of lemon using only your teeth and drop it into a bowl. The more lemons you drop into the bowl, the more points (and kisses!) you get. 1 lemon = 1 point. Each kiss is usually accompanied by the pixie girls’ and the crowds counting shouts: “One! ... Two! ... Three! ...”
The difficulty however is that Kaye spiked the fruit brandy with a special substance called “Pixie Dust” which is normally used to spike the drinks of unwanted customers. Only the strong alcohol and the small dosage prevent the contestants from being knocked out cold from the very first sip.
If used to its full intent, the victim must make a Fort save after every sip of the spiked drink. If he fails his save, he is knocked out cold and – once conscious again – must succeed on a second save to prevent the secondary effect (or right away if he succeeded on the first save). A dump in the river (or any large amount of cold water) usually ends the unconsciousness immediately.
Since the “Dust” is heavily watered-down, the contestant receives a +4 bonus to his saves and a failed save does not cause immediate unconsciousness. Instead, a failed save results in a cumulative –2 penalty to all further saves and is accompanied by a strong feel of “drunkenness”. The contestant falls unconscious if any one Fort save fails by 10 or more (a modified 5 or less), but only for half the duration.
When knocked out cold, the contestant is usually laughed at by all bystanders and gets a bucket of water over his head, bringing him back from the dreamlands and getting some humorous but cheerful comments. Finally, he must make one last Fort save (using the last final modifier) to prevent the poison’s secondary effect.
PIXIE DUST
Type poison, ingested; Save Fortitude DC 15
Onset 1d4 rounds
Initial Effect unconsciousness for d6 x 20 minutes
Secondary Effect sickened for d6 x 10 minutes
Usually, the kisses are the prices of this game, but if any contestant actually manages to get 10 or more points, he most probably will be given some sort of price and receive the admiration of the crowd.
Red Barrow Run - A game for pairs through the streets, starting down Tower street. A chase! 3cp for each entrant.
This year, Gorvi has set up a race track from his shack down Tower Street, a sharp left turn onto Shell Street and another left onto Junker's Way, ending at Junker's Edge. Two of his signature red wheelbarrows have been scrubbed down and repainted for today. The race includes two teams of two, one person on each team pushing
the wheelbarrow and the other riding within. The goal is to be the first team to cross the finish line, but keep in mind the race track has been crafted to make travel difficult. The winning team gets three attempts to “fish up” an item in Gorvi's Goblin Fishing Extravaganza! There is also a special reward for any team that can beat this year's best run (8 rounds).
Chase Rules: Each round (as a pair) you choose an obstacle to try and overcome and roll the appropriate dice. 1 Player rolls and the other player can aid another. If you pass you move onto the next object, if you fail you retry the obstacle again. You need to complete the race in 9 turns to win, 11 turns for 2nd place or 12 turns for 3rd place.
Obstacle 1: Unexpected Fence. Either Boost and Hop (Climb DC10) or Bus on Through (Bull Rush CMD 18)
Obstacle 2: Cluttered Alleyway. Either Up and Over (Acrobatics DC10) or Squeeze through (Escape Artist DC18)
Obstacle 3: Crowded Street. Either Follow the crowd (Sense Motive DC 14) or Out of my way! (Overrun CMD 18)
Obstacle 4: Steep rooftop. Either Easier than a duneon wall!(Climb DC 10) or Don't Fall (Reflex DC 18)
Obstacle 5: Mind the Gap. Either Leap (Acrobatics DC 15 or Short Cut (Knowledge Local DC17)
Obstacle 6: Fruit Cart. Either Oh Yeah (Strength DC 16) or (Move that Cart! (Intimidate DC14)
Obstacle 7: Possible Short Cut. Either Let Me DO the Talking (Diplomacy DC16) or I know where this goes! (Knowledge Local DC13)
Man o'war Tug of War - Outside the shipyard. Group of people. Test of strength. Free
The Valdemar Family has set up a tug-of-war contest near the shipyard. Do you and four other landlubbers think they can overcome five of the biggest and strongest of the shipwrights of Sandpoint? Test your strength and mettle with four others and see if you can.
A 50 ft length of thick rope, like that used on ships, is lies stretched out down Water Street, near the shipyard. To succeed, a team must win three out of five strength checks. The strongest member of both teams rolls the strength check for his/her team, while the teammates roll to Aid Another.
Victory against the shipwrights earns the team bragging rights for the day. The losing team falls into a large puddle of muddy water and walks away with wet clothes and wounded pride.
Riddles and Rhymes - Chask Haladran. Outside the bookshop. Int/Riddles. 2sp
Chask will provide riddles to anyone willing to wager 2sp. If the participant is able to correctly answer three riddles, they receive a prize from Chask. If any riddle is answered incorrectly, the participant has lost.
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Amongst the cheering crowd in front of the Cathedral stands a tall woman of great beauty. She is scantily clad in purple and white silks, leaving much of her olive skin on display. Jeweled bangles glitter on her wrists and ankles. She moves with the grace of a dancer, swaying her hips sensuously as she walks across the festival grounds. Her eyes are an unusual shade of purple, glinting with joy at the many games available. She seems to pay little mind to the many stares she gets from those she passes by.
The woman stops in front of the Pixie's Kitten, laughing with delight when she sees the establishment's employees and their state of (un)dress. She steps forward.
"I do believe this sort of fun is exactly what I'm looking for. I'll bite. Well, I won't. Unless, of course, you ask me to."
She takes her time with the game, her tongue caressing around the belly of the courtesan as she laps up the brandy, her lips lingering against the other woman's as she takes the lemon slices from her.
The brandy starts to have its intended effects, but little can stand in the way of an Arshean who wishes to indulge in her desires. Soon, ten lemon slices fill the bowl. The woman licks her lips and turns to Kaye Tesarani, swaying a bit unsteadily. "I believe there was mention of a special prize?" she purrs.
Kaye Tesarani, looks back at Amethyst with her equally unusual purple eyes, mentally measuring her from head to toe and waits for the small crowd applauding to disperse.
"Now that was an impressive performance my darling. Normally the prize is a chance for a kiss from one of my chosen girls or boys, but for you, I might have something you would enjoy." Kaye herself leans forward, giving Amethyst a small kiss on the cheek then takes her hand and leads her to the Pixie's Kitten entrance without a word. Just inside the doorway, Kaye leads Amethyst over to a small rail of clothing.
She runs her hands through the silken fabrics on the rail and settles on a burgundy dress with a plunging neckline and high slit up her thighs that would leave little to the imagination.
"I think you would do this particular dress much more justice than the rest of my girls, don't you think? You can still have that chosen kiss too if you'd like." She winks, adding with a sultry voice. "Just remember, you're welcome to come back here anytime."
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Vasia walks through the celebration, present yet apart. Slender, but not tall, with her midnight hair and ageless face, she could be anywhere from her mid-teens to her mid-thirties. Her eyes, however, show a strange mix of youth and aged wisdom. She smiles at the few people that she's come to know in town, but doesn't speak to anyone. She pauses for a moment as a woman in purple and white silks tests her mettle against the special brew outside the Pixie's Kiss.
"Now that looks like fun. You should try it."
"Are you being serious? Don't you see how that woman is staggering. There's something in that punch," she mutters under her breath.
"Of course there is. That's why it's fun."
Vasia rolls her eyes and continues to wander the crowds until she reaches the Curious Goblin. "Riddles? Now this looks like fun," she says with a grin. Instantly her face is transformed from an emotionless mask to a giddy child.
"Bah! Riddles are too much like real work. Head back to the Pixie. Did you see the abs on that one fellow?"
"I'll try your riddles!" Vasia calls out, holding up her two silver coins.
Amethyst gasps in wonder at the lovely dress. She wastes no time in trying it on, unashamed of stripping naked in front of Kaye. She strikes a pose as she looks at herself in the mirror. "Oh, my, yes. Simply marvelous. And I will be certain to take you up on your offer, madam. Pray tell, could that special kiss be from you? You are a magnificent woman."
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"Be careful what you wish for!" The cheerful voice comes from the doorway as a magnificent hat enters, followed by its cheerfully smiling owner. Morgana Deverin has the dark hair and pale skin of the most chelish of aristocrats, and a wide smile that wouldn't fit Ergorian at all! "If you get too close to Kaye Sheriff Hemlock will have you in the stocks. Don't say I didn't warn you!"
Contrary to her words she closes in and kisses Kaye on the cheek, tilting her head in a practiced gesture so the other woman doesn't get a face-full of feather. "Always a pleasure Kaye, although I'm sad I don't get a chance to ransack your wardrobe!" She turns to Kaye and offers a hand. "Morgana, of House Deverin, and it's a pleasure to meet the woman who can withstand the Pixie's Kiss. That's no mean feat!"
Morgana is fairly tall and walks with easy confidence. Her clothing is exquisite, a gorgeously embroidered robe which falls down to near her ankle, mostly obscuring the fine leather boots and high heels she wears. Beneath the silk robe can be seen a breastplate, polished to a high sheen. The most important item however is clearly her hat, with a full six colourful plumes sprouting from it.
"May I know your name champion?"
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A little halfling, cute as a button with chocolate hair and mahogany eyes, had a lovely place all picked out to watch the speeches, right in front, she even got their early but it was too early and there was nothing to do that early and it was sooo long before everything started so she wandered away to here and there, smiling, nodding, to people like they actually noticed her, until FINALLY it was time to listen to the important people to talk and the spot was taken. The little one sighed a long long sigh filled with the weight of the world before she wandered off to find a new place way in the back on top of a barrel on her tiptoes and still couldn’t see over the giants of Sandpoint that were everywhere. She sighed again, with even more weight, before she climbed up on to an awning and settled to sit way above the giant's heads to finally listen and it was boring so so so many words with little embellishment and no real plot.
Instead, she watched the crowd, noticing a lady in little else than silks and another lady she had noticed before that sometimes seemed to listen to things that were not there and the lady with the hats with so many feathers that she often wanted to dive headfirst into and their purses of course, but she doesn’t do that anymore nope not even to get a little extra sausage for breakfast which would be nice. Breakfast she means.
First though… a game.
"Step right up Vasia, are you really sure you are up to my challenge?" asks Chask, the bookseller. "You might even be in with a chance of winning a most precious prize if you can answer all correctly."
He goes on to ask four riddles, of which you must answer three.
"What can you put in a barrel to make it lighter?"
"I am as strong as seven men.
I am as tall as seven men.
Yet seven men can not stand me on my end.
What am I?"
"Who becomes pregnant without conceiving?
Who becomes fat without eating?"
"What runs around a city but never moves?"
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Kaye looks admiringly upon Amethyst throughout the whole undressing and trying on of the new outfit. "Now, you might even be welcome to become an employee if you were ever in need of some employment."
She takes a step closer so she is a hair's distance from Amethyst and sweeps her hair behind her ears, lowering her voice to a whisper. "I am not part of that prize today my darling. But you never know, if you keep doing well around these parts, you might just be lucky."
She softly touches Amethyst's shoulder for a second before taking a step back again, returning to business as Morgana enters the Pixie's Kitten.
Amethyst smiles at Kaye, then turns to regard the newcomer. "I am known as the Amethyst Swan. Charmed, I'm sure." She offers her hand for Morgana to kiss.
"I am new to this town, late of Magnimar, but I can already tell I am going to enjoy my stay here. Do you have any advice on how I might make it more... pleasurable?"
“Gorvi… Gorvi… GORVI!!” the halfling has to yell her little chest off and jump up and down and wave her hands in wild motions to get the extra giant half orc's attention. Gorvi is at least one person in town who normally notices her since she spends so much time in the junk that they might even be called friends from time to time or at least Melody calls themselves that even though she mostly gets scowls and yells to stop taking the Good stuff. “I’d like to play, please.” she holds out her silver pieces, her eyes walking her precious coins leave her fingers and clop down into his meaty palms accompanied with a pained gulp from herself.
Morgana kisses the offered hand with aplomb, lingering a little to shoot a look up at Amethyst from under the brim of her hat. "Charmed indeed." She replies with a smile. "Well I'd suggest wandering around and enjoying the festival. The food is free and some of it is particularly good, come with me and I'll show you the best places to begin. You get a wonderful view from the Old Light."
As they leave the Pixie's Kitten and head towards the Old Light Morgana gets distracted by a very excitable halfling who seems to be very excited about playing a game. She leads Amethyst over to watch and applauds as the halfling plays. "I'll play as well." She tells Gorvi handing over a gold piece. "Two games for me and one for my friend here." She indicates Amethyst. "Keep the change my friend."
After the games are done she notices the halfling staring in wonder at her hat. "Do you like it?" She asks the small woman. "I had the extra plumes added for the consecration today, one for each god in the Cathedral. Amethyst and I are on the way to try some food, would you like to join us. Remind me, your name is Harmony? Something musical I'm sure..."
The mahogany eyes go wide as saucers, wider even, as the hat lady speaks to her, HER, not the gaggle of kids that had fished the mock Tessa BunBun that was poking out of her pack that is used to distract from the real Tessa BunBun safely tucked under the others and were currently dismembering her. “Oh… Yes, it is ostentatiously magnificent, like the fluffy bottom herself, just not on your bottom of course, WHICH is still nice not Fluffy, I’m sorry for implying otherwise.” she paused, covering her nose for some reason, but the paused part is special and adds “Please.” a one word reply signifying the enormity of the offer and the pure joy of getting it. “I’m Melody, miss” she dips into a practiced curtsy.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Melody." Morgana replies with a smile. "That was fun wasn't it? Shall we have one more go, just for fun?"
She tosses Gorvi another gold piece and takes up the rod again. "You did better last time though so I'm having two tries!" She says teasingly to the halfling.
Amethyst matches the halfling's curtsey. "The Amethyst Swan. Or simply Amethyst."
She plays along since Morgan has paid for her, but her mind wanders as she watches the crowd, admiring various people who catch her eye.
"That... that is a name, a beautiful one I mean, stunning even..." the halfling's brain is working hard to think of how to talk to people.
"Um... yes! be careful, I saw Gorvi grinning a day or so ago quiet wide with all his teeth when he found a bundle of old used... um undergarments discarded in the heaps even had to swat away a goblin that decided it was lunch worthy like he was planning a special prize for people who did too good at this game." she warns the hat lady who seemed to have more luck than a pile of clovers and pennies glued together.
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"Step right up Vasia, are you really sure you are up to my challenge?" asks Chask, the bookseller. "You might even be in with a chance of winning a most precious prize if you can answer all correctly."
He goes on to ask four riddles, of which you must answer three.
"What can you put in a barrel to make it lighter?"
"I am as strong as seven men.
I am as tall as seven men.
Yet seven men can not stand me on my end.
What am I?""Who becomes pregnant without conceiving?
Who becomes fat without eating?""What runs around a city but never moves?"
"The answer to the second is 'Rope'. The answer to the third is 'Clouds', and the answer to the forth is a wall," Vasia says with confidence. Her happy face frowns a bit. "For the first one ..." she says, pausing.
"Small rocks! Say 'Small Rocks'!"
"... um ... Nothing?" she offers without anywhere near as much confidence.
"No! Small rocks!"
On Melody's first try, she manages to hook something pretty heavy. Upon pulling it up she finds an ornate dagger covered in grime.
Spurred on by this, Morgana gives it a go and on her first attempt manages to hook a Goblin cut-out with "Nine-Toes" emblazoned on its chest.
Amethyst is unfortunate and cannot remember where any prizes are, managing to hook a goblin named No-Ears. Whereas Melody and Morgana gain prizes on their additional tries.
Everytime someone pulls a goblin cut out, Gorvi gets over-excited and grins from ear to ear. "Isn't that just a great memento!"
Gorvi chuckles at first, but when more prizes are pulled, he begins to scowl. "You better go play summin' else now. I want more people to come an' play!"
Luckily no one pulls any used-underwear from the game.
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"Well done my dear! Aren't you just a wonderful problem-solver? Here, have a selection of good books."
On the table in front of Casia is a selection of novels and non-fiction books.
"That last riddle that you didn't quite get, was a hole! Isn't that such a delightful answer!"
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Sabriyya had gotten up before dawn to get started on the orders for the festival today. Alma, the owner of Sandpoint Savories, had said sun up was fine, but Sabriyya had wanted to cut out a little early so she had gotten there an hour early to make sure she could finish in time.
The festival had been more heavily attended this year than anticipated however, and instead of getting out first thing she had been stuck there all morning long.
I'll take a break when Melody checks in, I told her to be here at two bells before noon.
Melody had never shown however, so she kept working. At one bell before noon, she had gotten nervous and by noon when the trouble-making halfling had not shown up, she was near a panic.
"I'm sorry, Alma! I just can't concentrate anymore! I must go! I'll be back, I promise! Sorry! Sorry!" the Varisian woman said, grabbing a bag of goodies she had just finished backing before snatching up her scarves off the rack and wrapping them around her scarred neckline. She dashed out the backdoor in search of her halfling, calling "MELODY! MEL-OH-" loudly as she pushed through the crowds.
"Oh you're the one who does those wonderful puppet shows aren't you?" Morgana says, snapping her fingers. "I don't think I've seen one yet but I'd love to some time. Would these be of any use for your performances?" She asks, offering Melody Nine-Toes and Raffi.
"Oh Amethyst, I'm sorry. I got totally carried away with the game. Come on, this way, we'll go to the Rusty Dragon for some of Ameiko's salmon. You're coming too Melody, my fishing partner needs a drink!" With that Morgana leads the way back into town, waving and exchanging pleasantries with townspeople as she passes.
When she hears someone practically screaming the halfling's name Morgana doffs her plumed hat and waves it in the air. "She's here, don't worry! Just come on over!"
Vasia frowns. "But that doesn't make any sense," she protests. "If you put a hole in a barrel, it wouldn't make it any lighter, it would still be the same barrel with a hole in it. It might let out some of what you put into the barrel, but that doesn't make the barrel lighter."
"Oh for Calistria's sake, girl! It's just an effing riddle. It's not meant to be the be-all and end-all of logical analysis. Loosen up. You won a prize."
"Well ... I guess ... the barrel's weight would be reduced by the amount of material that was removed in making the hole."
"Is it any wonder you don't have friends? See? This is why you just need to find someone to climb on top of for a night. You're too nit-picky."
The dark-haired girl ignores the romantic novels - and the grumbling in her head when she does so - to reach for one of the Adventurer's Chronicles.
"And speaking of a prize. I need an ale. Why don't we head back to the Rusty Dragon for some lunch ... and ale."
"You know I hate ale. How about a single glass of wine instead?"
"Gods! I still don't accept the idea that a granddaughter of mine doesn't drink ale."
Vasia takes her new reading material and wanders through the crowd towards the inn where she's been staying.
Melody is flabergasted to the extreme at all the conversation, oodles of words, directed at HER. No one else does that other than... oh balls, green big smelly balls, she had promised, not balls but to be back at... too late, she winces as the calling begins "Sabriyya!!! I'm sorry, very sorry, greatly and sincerely, I started playing, they started talking, Amethyst Swan, that is a name, her name, lovely name, and her hat is bed worthy for plump pigs in tutus. I won this." she holds out the grimy knife as a present to say I am sorry please forgive me.
Sabriyya breathes out a sigh of relief upon seeing the halfling. She had nearly been desperate enough to start climbing up on roofs, except for the fact that she couldn't climb a rope yet alone a roof.
"Oh thank the ancestors!" she says, dropping to her knees and throwing her arms around Melody and squeezes her as tight as she can (which is not very tight). She pulls back and takes a look at the knife, "Oh. It's uhm, nice. You got it dirty already?"
She is about to hold up the bag of freshly baked goodies when Morgana invites them to accompany her to the Rusty Dragon. She leans in to Melody and asks behind a covered hand "Is that an invitation or are we being summoned? Are you in trouble already? What did you do this time? And where is a swan?!" she asks, folding her arms across her chest.
Melody can't help but snuggle into the hug, being she still isn't accustomed to things nice like that, nope not one bit but one could get drunk on hugs, addicted even, yes... where was she, Oh "I didn't do anything other than see where Gorvi put the best stuff when I was wandering this morning, not on purpose and not so I could be sure to get the best things, no, and even if I had she wouldn't have seen that I mean look at the hat there is no way one could not have seen that scrumptious fluffiness sneaking up even if one was blinded and dead. She is the swan, her name is Swam, not that she is a swan." she points to the woman in the red dress.
"Uuuuuh huh. I see." she says, clearly not seeing at all. "And what does Miss. Swan have to do with you and the mayor's niece's hat, exactly? she asks.
"Oh, she took the hat from the mayor's niece, is she going to get arrested? She seems more suited to militia work then I was, maybe they'll let her stay, but she paid a GOLD piece to play the games, just flipped it through the air in a picturesque arc like the kids throwing pebbles at a floating Tessa" she says rather plainly then answers "I have no idea."
"We are all having lunch together, darling," Amethyst says, smiling at the newcomer. "Join us, will you? I hear the salmon at this... Rusty Dragon, was it? That it is simply scrumptious."
Both the rag-tag group of revellers and Vasia turn up to the Rusty Dragon simultaneously. Vasia standing close behind the rag-tag group.
Ameiko Kaijitsu strides to the newcomers. "Greetings all, we are very busy as you can see, there's just one table right now and that's all we've got if you want some food. Are you all together? I very much hope so." Not waiting for an answer as she is rushed off her feet, she directs everyone to a large round table just as a teenage waitress clears the last of the used plates away.
The Rusty Dragon is thriving, packed to the brim both inside and on the temporary tables outside. The smell of curried Salmon, the free meal of the day, permeating everything.
"I'll make sure you all get a curried Salmon right away. Order your drinks with Molly here. She's just working with us for the day." She rushes off again to greet a new couple who have just turned up at the doors leaving all of you sat at the table.
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"A floating Tessa? Wait. Is she the one that is the beautiful red-head or the plump, cranky one that's always missing her underwear?"
Turning to look at Amethyst as she takes her feet again, she says "Hello. Lunch? Sure, Ameiko's food is delicious if not a little too spicy, but delicious just the same!"
"I'm afraid I do not know you, are you Ms. Swan?" She extends her hand and says "I'm Sabriyya, but everyone calls me Sweets."
"This salmon is simply scrumptious, don't you think?" Vasia questions as she dives into the well-prepared fish.
"It would go a lot better with ale."
Vasia reaches out and gingerly takes a small sip of white wine. "Now don't pout, Bunica. We're having a nice lunch - don't spoil it."
She looks up as the four ladies enter the inn. They all seem a little special, but her eye is drawn to the woman with the elegant hat.
"Isn't that the mayor's niece?"
The dark-haired woman looks quickly back down at her meal and attempts to remember how to use her cutlery.
"Got you flustered, does she? Hmm. Promising."
"I'm not flustered. She's very pretty, that's all."
"Is that why you're trying to cut your fish with your spoon?"
"Hello." Morgana says in a friendly fashion as Ameiko, clearly horribly busy, drops them on the most empty table - only one woman, who is already enjoying the salmon. "I'm sorry we're crashing your space, but this is the only table even remotely empty and Ameiko hates turning people away."
She sits neatly on a chair and then shifts up right next to the young lady. "It doesn't matter, if we sit close there'll be plenty of room! Oh, you have the salmon!" She inhales appreciatively. "Molly, four plates of the salmon please! And some sausages for Melody here. Ale all round of course!"
She smiles around the group and then realises what she's done. "I'm so sorry, that was rude. I can only apologise and assure you that the salmon is the best thing Ameiko does. It's well worth it."
She turns back to the person whose table she's stolen. "I'm Morgana, of House Deverin. Again I'm sorry about this. Can I ask your name?"
Amethyst places her hand atop Sabriyya’s. ”Indeed, I am the Amethyst Swan. Call me Amethyst, Sweets.”
She takes her seat beside Morgana, lounging languidly as she awaits her meal.
Sabriyya takes her seat at the table and looks at Vasia, tilting her head sideways. As they group will eventually come to see, she calls things as she sees them and does not shy away from biting her tongue. "Hello. Maye I ask where you are from? I've never seen anyone cut and eat their fish with a spoon before and I'm quite intrigued."
She absently picks up a spoon and fingers it, twirling it around in her hand. "Is it an aversion to cutting yourself or does your God prevent you from using forks, I wonder?"
"Leave the poor girl alone Sabriyya!" Morgana says with a laugh. "There's a mighty hustle and bustle on today, it's no wonder people are mixing things up. Why, I nearly left the house without my hat today! And after all the effort I went to in order to get it just perfect for the festival."
Shrugging, she sets her spoon down on the table as instructed and folds her hands pleasantly. "So. What's fun in the festival so far? I've been working in the bakery all morning and this is my first chance out. Anything exciting?"
"I'm Vasia," the girl replies, dropping her spoon to the table with a clatter. Picking up her knife in place of it, she resumes her assault on her fish. "And no, Desna has nothing to say in the matter of spoons versus knives insofar as consuming fish." She takes a bite of the food under discussion.
"Smooth."
"I'll pass on the ale, thank you. I already have my wine. That's a very beautiful hat, by the way."
"lovely lovely lovely hat, so much fluffy volume" Melody circles her arms widely like she is tracing a huge bottom which is thrown off a little as she wiggles her face in the center of the mental image she is creating with a grin as wide as possible like this is the most amazing situation of her entire life.
"they have something called a goblin toss but I don't know if you throw goblins or are throwing things at goblins." she remembers to answer Sabriyya's question.
Looking between Vasia and Melody, she furrows her brow before spinning her whole body to study Morgana's hat. "Why is everyone so fascinated with this hat, I wonder? It is a nice hat, it is as if it is the center of attention."
Dropping the conversation when Melody responds, she spins her whole body to face the rogue. Looking her up and down, she add "You could not throw a goblin if your life depended on it anymore than I could! I would certainly like to see that!"
"I could try, with a small one, a BABY goblin, no throwing babies just sounds wrong even goblin babies. OH!" the halfling turns about into her pack, rummaging, dislodging a plethora of fake Tessa BunBuns until she pulls out in progress stuffed goblin doll. It is mostly just a big green head with two arms sown into its neck. She wiggles it with a grin at Sabriyya, and says in mock deep gravely voice (and in Goblin) "Heh Heh you smell Sweet, Sweets" and then chucks it at the other woman.
Then throws a worried look at the innkeeper, knowing she should not be throwing things inside, flashing her eyes at Sabriyya like it is her fault if she gets in trouble for it.
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For her part, Sabriyya plays along even more. Feigning surprise and horror at the monstrosity, she throws herself out of her chair onto the floor and screams "Noooo! Ahh! Evil Goblin Smella-Chrysa has me! Who could save me?!" she jokes, laughing as she catches the doll and making a wrestling match of it. "You win, you win! Take all of the sweets I baked for Melody today!"
Getting back up, she reaches down and picks up the bag of goodies and sits on the table as she reseats herself, "Victory is yours, mighty ugly one! All hail Smella-Chrysa, the smelliest goblin!"
Melody grins widely then starts cackling, high pitched and wild, her laughter sounds a bit like a mad woman's, which she remembers being told not to do that in public anymore and quickly stifles it with an apologetic look around the room.
Remembering proper etiquette, observed in others, she bites her lip a look over to the spoon dropped "Hello, Va-Si-A. Desna is who the new temple is for. Are you here to work there?" say the name correctly, ask questions, Be Interested.
"Why thank you Vasia! And you too Melody." Morgana replies, seemingly delighted by the praise aimed at her headgear. "I know a lot of people think hats are rather old fashioned these days but I think they're important. A girl can absolutely look good and still be capable of standing up to any many or goblin she chooses!"
Once the mummery starts Morgana watches and claps enthusiastically. "The two of you should do a show!" She suggests, "The children would love it."
A little later, once the salmon has arrived and slowed conversation, Morgana feels something digging into her hip and pulls out her prize from the goblin fishing. "Is anyone here familiar with magic? I won this at the goblin fishing but I have no idea what it does... although there are plenty of non-magical uses for a wand" She adds in Vasia's ear, interested to see how the young woman will react to a little teasing.
”I dabble a bit in the arcane arts. May I?” Amethyst inspects the wand,
"I do follow the Great Dreamer, but I'm actually here to study the Old Light and other Thassilonian remnants. It's a fascinating arena," Vasia replies, seemingly growing comfortable for the first time. She adds comments here and there through the dinner conversation. When Morgana brings up the subject of the wand, she shows interest. At her suggestive statement, the woman's smile falters just a bit.
"Oh, I like her. I'd have her in bed within the hour. She's a screamer, that one. I can tell. They'd hear her here in the common room."
The internal voice of her bunica continues on in detail as to what measures she'd take to make Morgana scream. Vasia's dusky skin flushes deeply. She clears her throat and attempts to ignore the lewd and graphic images being paraded through her mind. "Yes, non-magical uses. Er ... Yes, I'm sure there are many. This one is certainly magical, though, so let's determine what its purpose is."
As Amethyst examines the implement, Vasia calms herself and reaches out with her mind towards it to sense any auras on the wand.
Amethyst quirks a finely arched eyebrow at Vasia. ”Indeed? I, too, have an interest in the ruins of ancient Thassilon. Perhaps the two of us ought to compare notes at some point.” She favors her fellow scholar with a radiant smile.
"Calistria's c#++! They're both flirting with you! Gods! Pick one, girl!"
"I'd love to compare notes with someone else interested in all things Thassilon," Vasia replies with a small smile, her blush not fading in the least.
She is not! Stop projecting.
Melody cocks her head watching the two lean into the other as they talk, "why am I getting the image of two wolves circling a bunny, Sabriyya." she whispers and sniffs the air a bit imagining the smell of blood, no that is not blood, that's... "OH!" the halfling stammers "the salmon smells delicious, yes, very tasty."
Drinking more of her ale, she holds of on eating the salmon for now. The conversation is getting good.
Reaching out without looking at Melody, Sabriyya pats Melody on the shoulder and whispers "Shhh, not now. Hold on!"
The talk of Thassilon gets her attention. Spinning away from Melody for now, she leans on the table with her chin in her elbows and says. "Hey now, all things ancient are things that I'm interested in. If someone is comparing notes, count me in."
"Thassilon in particular. Recently I've been studying the language and trying to master those difficult tongue movements. Such a dead language is hard to pick up with actually being able to listen to it spoken." She flicks her tongue and twirls it a couple of times, trying to demonstrate the motions.
Amethyst recognises the wand as a simple, low-level creation able to help mend a variety of items. It was clearly not well-cared for.
Vasia identifies the wand's very faint transmutation aura.
Just as Sabriyya tries out Thasillion, Ameiko comes rushing over whilst depositing a tray of ale on another table on her way. "I hope you enjoyed our magnificent Salmon and are looking to come again to sample the Rusty Dragon's delicacies, I know I can't stop Morgana coming to eat here if I tried." She says, as she begins clearing plates and cutlery.
"Now, if you don't mind moving this lovely gathering outside, I am in need of this table for another big family who are clearly starving." She gestures over at a Mother and Father whose children are running rings around them and the table of diners next to them, constantly bumping into the other customers.
"After all there is much fun to have today and still time to enjoy it before the consecration!"
"I think that's our cue to leave!" Morgana says with a smile, standing. "Thanks Ameiko, I'll be by later in the week when things calm down a bit! Shall we ladies?"
One outside she takes a deep breath of fresh air. "So, what do people want to do now? I can't say the tug of war is terribly exciting, but the Red Barrow Run is always a huge laugh. Is anyone willing to partner up with me? They take teams of two so we could get a couple together?"