Beorn speaks softly. A rather blood running song about vengeance can indeed be popular. A few drums and thumps would go fantastic with it. I say you have potential!
Ignoring the glares Variel shoots in her direction, Litsy takes advantage of her sudden popularity to coax some information out of her new "friends" in between innocuous questions about their lives or the tastiest drinks the inn has to offer. Are they regulars? Did they notice the place getting rowdier than usual? How do they explain that change?
Glad to at least get a rise from the target of her ire, Merelda smiles wickedly and wonders at the obliviousness of most human males. She then prances off, actually expecting more feeble grabs and not always unwelcome touching. She rarely sleeps alone anymore, and it might be time to start assessing her choices of foot warmers for the evening. Beard boy? Maybe… The barmaid she was helping was a tasty-looking snack too. Among the throng of humanity, selection is usually generous if not always the most appropriate for her tastes.
“Next! Who wants more shitty ale?”
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That barmaid can handle her own that is for sure. And Litsy seems to be thriving and not getting into any full fledged fights. Even Pollux seems to be keeping qui…where is Pollux? Tal looks around the room for the witch.
Perception
Variel just catches sight of him disappearing into the kitchen area. Variel moves himself to a hopefully open chair to keep an eye on Litsy, Beorn and the kitchen all at once. Most pressing though was Beorn in case he signaled that he found the mysterious voice.
”Ron!” Sasha hustles forward and rolls the body over, listening for a heartbeat and murmuring words of hope and encouragement.
The Stranger watches the woman with the exciting hair molest the body. Pollux considers covering Castor's innocent eyes but it seems to be the wrong kind of molestation. Or the wrong hair at least.
Pollux and castor remain calmly sitting on a crate just out of sight from the door.
They are calmly eating turnip slices.
Pollux is toying with a cleaver
Castor is staring at Sasha and contemplating how to most quickly kill her hair.
*crunch*
Pollux bites through a thick slice shattering a momentary silence.
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Merelda spends her time making tips, taking orders, and judging the poor quality of kintargan dock beer. Compared to coaxing donations out of supplicants or outright theft this job is fairly easy if tedious. Even if her selection of suitable bedroom accessories seems scarce there's no lack of solicitations, which henerally come with generous tips.
A deep groan emits from him as he comes awake. Rubbing the drowsiness from his eyes he blinks in brief confusion at her before recognition returns. "Oh no. It happened again didn't it? How long have I been out and whose that?"
As Ron finishes his sentence and gets up to his knees Sasha's train of thought is interrupted by the sharp crunch and chew of someone biting into a hard vegetable. Turning slowly she spots a man in a long yellow jacket sitting on top of the turnip crate with a large rat perched on his lap. Both seem to be indulging in fresh turnip and the mild melodrama before them. His pale gray face looks unconcerned.
The yellow coat gets up and walks briskly forward."Hello this is Castor, he is wildly successful at most of what he does. My name is Pollux. My record is more mixed but I can usually manage to split a turnip."
Pollux rapidly thrusts their left hand forward for Ron to shake. Only the intersession of several minor saints prevented Ron's fingers from joining the turnip as Pollux was still holding the razor edged cleaver. Realizing the error Pollux instead thrusts out their left hand, the one holding the turnip...
"Hmmm this is getting awkward." Pollux looks at the turnip, looks at the cleaver, and then shoves the naked blade into a defenseless pocket. Something squeaks.
Pollux stares at Ron and the strange hair on the young woman expectantly.
Hmm.. I do believe he is a relation of (insert here) if so, no doubt they are just as annoying. Thrunes can be so pricklish about being heckled
'Feeling' the night wear on and her partner suddenly missing, Merelda sashays back to the door behind the bar and grabs a quick look...and immediately regrets it. She closes the door quickly, shaking her head at whatever THAT group was trying to do back there...
She turns back to the bar and gathers drink orders yet again.
"What's next? Ale? Mead? I'm sorry...you want WHAT? That's such a GIRLY drink! You want a little paper umbrella in that too??!"
She guffaws and slaps the bar in front of her, pointing at the man who ordered the strange cocktail.
"Maybe we should give you my best thong too and see how well that fits your tush as well!"
"I don't kn … who? WHAT?"
Sahsa, preoccupied with shaking Ron awake, is unaware of the intruders until the bar owner actually points them out. She scrambles backward — not far in the tight kitchen — and lays hold of an empty wine bottle.
"Ron, this guy do something to you?" she asks, but it didn't seem that way, not if this … whatever it was … had happened before.
A bit calmer, she resets her face with the expression she uses at closing time. "Look you, maybe we can't keep every rat out of the place but the kitchen's not for customers. You want turnips, order 'em like a normal person. Out there." She points with the wine bottle.
Litsy spends her time laughing and telling stories with her new drinking buddies as the hour ticks away. She's halfway through her second ale when she suddenly starts staring into space for a full minute, blinks, then looks down at her drink with incredulity.
"Damn, that stuff is strong."
She looks at her right, then at her left. Her newfound friends have already moved on to discuss something about Umriel from the docks, doubting the relevance of his chauvinistic sense of pride when he was one-eighth elven, and voicing suggestions about where he'd like to shove his cane of his, along with his inflated ego.
Unnoticed, Litsy empties what's left of her ale in the nearest empty pint, and walks away.
She finds Variel near the bar.
"I know whatcha going to say," she cuts him off almost immediately. "But those ghosts I've seen aren't 'cause I'm drunk. I think. Listen, there's something weird happening here. See that guy toppled over? He hasn't had a drop to drink. I was sitting next to him the whole time."
"Look, I may be tipsy, but my eyes still work, okay? I did not see that guy have a drink. Said he was off the stuff 'cause his girl gave birth a couple weeks ago and needs help with the bairn, for f@!*'s sake. Is there a spell going on or something?"
"I don't kn … who? WHAT?"
A bit calmer, she resets her face with the expression she uses at closing time. "Look you, maybe we can't keep every rat out of the place but the kitchen's not for customers. You want turnips, order 'em like a normal person. Out there." She points with the wine bottle.
Pollux would have pulled themselves up to their full height, if they had any. "Come Castor, the oysters appear to be using sleep magic on this so called 'Ron' person. And we both know enchanters cannot be trusted."
.<chitter>
.
"Yes, not even the bivalves. Pity" Pollux and the black rat leave through the same door they entered through.
A beat or two after the pair have left (or sooner, I have may be a semi-omniscient narrator but you are an eternal mystery) you realized the strange yellow coated person stole a turnip. And a cleaver.
Sasha shakes her head as the stranger leaves, then helps Ron get to his feet.
"You all right? We could use you out there; things are getting a bit much … I had to have one of the customers help out. That's her shouting, I think."
Headed back into the bar, she waves at Merelda.
"You said this had happened before? And that … weird guy … said something about sleep magic. These oysters of yours; they're OK, right?"
Beorn speaks to the unseen voice. You know, while it can be amusing to rile up a barroom, I reckon that tweaking the noses of the rich, powerful and pompous can be even more entertaining! They worry so much about their status, making one stumble about in front of their fellows can be grand fun.
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Without much more going on that he can see Variel orders another ale. From his vantage point he could see all that he needed, and it seemed that everyone else was hanging out enjoying themselves. At least it seemed that way until Litsy approached him. Her guilty conscience must have been getting to her as she was already apologizing. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down there. What do you mean about ghosts? I haven't seen anything close to that. As for the slumped over guy he probably had too many before we got here then passed out now.
Looking around the room though he sees Beorn talking to someone, but it doesn't look like anyone is listening. Was it possible that he was talking to a ghost? Alright Litsy I will if I can detect any magic shenanigans. I just hope I don't get kicked out for casting a spell. Can you go rouse up the crowd singing another song fora distraction?
During the next song Variel will cast detect magic and scan the crowd and the room for any signs of magic.
perception
"What do you take me for? Some kind of cheap bard?"
"HEY! LASUN! CAN YOU SING THAT ONE ABOUT THE BOAT FROM SOTHIS AGAIN?"
Taking advantage of the fact that the hair has stepped away from the bar Pollux ducks under the bar hatch, inexpertly pulls a full pint and sets it on the bar. The stranger then removes the red spattered cleaver from their pocket (there was a tomato with the turnip, Pollux will need to launder their coat). Holding the red dripping cleaver in a suggestive manner the tatterdemalion gives the eye to those propping up the bar.
Pollux then turns their back on the lonely brew and uses the distraction of the ale vs. cleaver conundrum to cover casting Detect Magic. The illusion and the Sleeper in the Kitchen have convinced our hero that something more than political singing and illegal gambling is going on here.
Hmm political singing under fascist threat, illegal gambling, Rick's Cafe Kintargo?
Once Ron is back on his feet, Sasha waits a moment and follows Pollux out into the bar, where she catches Merelda's eye when she can.
"Thanks for covering; the boss will be back in a minute," she says.
"But could you keep an eye on that creep?" Then she remembers what kind of bar this is turning out to be. "The creep in yellow. Caught 'em nosing around the kitchen talking about enchanters or something."
Smiling mischievously, Merelda tips an invisible hat to Sasha and grabs another customer to get his drink order.
[spoiler=Sasha Spell Craft 12]It seems like Ron is recovering from the effects of a sleep spell.
Beorn thinks to himself that there might be something gained finding out more about said voice.
Eyeing the yellow-coated man and the rat...
...and just getting ultra creepy vibes off of both of them.
She speaks to the obviously intelligent one of the two.
"Hey Rat! Get that guy on the other side of the bar! Employees only...sort of! Oh...hey! Maybe also go swim in the barrels of ale here? It should improve the flavor immensely!"
"Variel- Variel, I swear to the Gods I just saw something weird. Don't move! "
Without more explanations, she starts to silently move to one corner of the room, apparently trying her hardest not to get noticed by something.
Litsy realizes she hasn't really thought of what to do next with the little f*#%er.
The next step was surely to prevent it from fleeing.
So she grabs the nearest coat, and throws it on the lizard, hoping to disoriented it enough to tackle it!
"F@@#ING SHIT!!!" Litsy yells out in frustration, though her voice is mostly covered by drunk men shouting at each other.
Before she can be suspected of flipping their table herself, she returns to Variel, keeping her eyes peeled for any sight of the damn creature tormenting the inn.
"Variel! Variel, you've got to help. The lizard's got wings, Variel, and it can turn invisible, and I don't know where it is but I know it's f+~#ing with us. Can't you do something about it? The f%*+er's too fast for me to catch it. Come on, you must have a spell of some kind?! "
Pollux finishes adding a finger or so of everything liquid in the bar into a pint mug. Was that wasp killer? No that's a powder, it goes bad if you mix it early. Turpentine most likely. Takes a swig and leaves the bar area the suspect flagon sitting tantalizingly unattended behind.
"As you say, lady who is in no way associated with this establishment. Your bellow is our command"
Hearing the uproar of the table being overturned, Merelda immediately apologizes to those next in line and moves out into the main area looking for the culprit. Spotting the mess she glares around for trouble…
…and sees the small girl she saw earlier cussing and pointing at the rafters. Smiling, Merelda puts on her rough-sounding voice and snaps her fingers in the girl’s face.
“What’s all this then?? You causing trouble girly? Shouldn’t you be in bed by now missy?”
Merelda is obviously ignoring the impassive male nearby with the protective gaze.
Litsy blinks when Merelda suddenly snaps her fingers an inch away from her face, attempts to swat her hand away, and fails.
She gives the elf a glare that instantly dwarfs whatever anger Variel could be showing at the moment. It's the you just f~*$ed with the wrong person kind of glare that most apprentices at the Calistrian temple would only dream of rivaling.
"You f+*&ing daft, or you're doing it on purpose, gran? If wanted to flip twelve stones on me f!%!ing own, I'd have wiped this floor with your fat arse already. Thought bloody elves have good eyesight!"
She points at Pollux's flask. "Oh, look- there's an abandoned drink on the bar. Why don't you down a few of those, and wait for some poor bugger to bed you?"
Beorn hears Litsy's outburst and hurries over to Variel. Variel, That voice in my head said it was leaving. I suspect an invisible troublemaker.
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spellcraft on the auras as not a spell effect?
perception
Variel spies the multitude of magical auras and it takes him some time to try and piece it all together. He hears Litsy tell him not to move and Variel plans on doing exactly that, nothing. He keeps his concentration going trying to track the moving illusion auras. He is so busy on the magic that he doesn't see Litsy moving into position and look like she flipped a table. He knows she shouldn't and probably wouldn't do such a thing, but couldn't rule it out 100% though. He is brought back to reality when she comes flying over to him telling him of an invisible flying lizard with wings.
know arcana taking a wild guess here
I have heard tales of small dragon like creatures called psuedodragons or fairie dragons that are about the size of a cat. They like to play pranks on people and cause mischief. It is possible that is what we are dealing with here. If it is one of them then none of my spells will help as it will resist my sleep and color spray.
Any further thoughts on the creature are driven out when the original protagonist to the group, the heckler of Beorn, starts in on Litsy. Listen here lady, you have no right to speak to her. You have no author..author..authorrr...rights here. You don't own this b...b...bar nor a...arrr...are responsible for her. Leave her b..b..be and go back to your own business.
Pulled in another direction almost immediately with his attention Variel is back to the idea of a psuedo/fairie dragon with Beorn. Ask it mentally if it is a pseudo or fairie dragon and if it would like to meet outside to talk. It can stay invivisible if it wants.
Ahoy! Can you hear me? Can we talk outside the bar? I'll get you cookies!
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What time is it? Is it bad out there?
"You've been gone maybe an hour. Seems like a sleeping spell, or something like it. Things are … well, busy. That's Merelda. She's … " she points just as that corner of the bar explodes in profanity. "…helping?"
Snapping her fingers in Litsy's face again, Merelda busts out laughing so hard parts of her body covered in hard leather start to bobble in ways they normally don't!
"HAhahahahHAahahha!"
She then smiles broadly and winks with her hands on her hips.
"Finally the real woman shows her moxy! The Savored Sting appreciates those who stand up for themselves and those they care about! So...what has you so riled up Lady Moxy? I have to say...this is the oddest tavern I have ever been in! Tables fly into the air on their own here?"
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Litsy glances at Variel. "Just one. She'll still have nine left. I promise I won't cut it off."
"No? Killjoy."
"Look here, gran, I don't give a shit what the god of hookers thinks on a good day, and I think the least she can do is to return the favour."
"I ain't here to solve your f*#+ing midlife crisis. Whatever made you wake you this morning thinking you were good at anything other than looking for b*&%&%+s was wrong. Okay? And I'm not going to play detective with the deaf and blind."
"So why don't you piss off, have a drink, and try to enjoy life while it lasts? Keep going at it and it might not be for much longer."
And with that, she stomps off.
It's not easy to spot Pollux in a crowd, odd as he may look. He had a knack for disappearing in shadows somehow, and the most annoying thing about it was that he didn't even seem to be doing it on purpose. But with a bit of persistance, you could eventually guess he was. No matter how crammed the room, people always left at least a foot of space around him.
Litsy shows up at his side. "Oi! Pollux!"
"There's a f*#!ing invisible thing on the loose. Variel thinks it's a fairy. We need to kill it with fire. Come along."
Merelda smirks and winks at the stuttering Variel watching nearby. She points at the retreating Litsy.
“I think someone needs to get some serious ‘relaxation’ if you know what I mean? So are you her brother? Babysitter? Father? Sugar-daddy? Do YOU know why the table flipped over?”
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...
Litsy shows up at his side. "Oi! Pollux!"
"There's a f!&~ing invisible thing on the loose. Variel thinks it's a fairy. We need to kill it with fire. Come along."
Pollux jumps as if Litsy has surprised the stranger. Pollux was apparently in the middle of showing Castor a trick involving the cleaver, a small elderly apple, and an unaware bystander. Pollux drops the cleaver.
As Pollux tries to pull the blade free of the floorboards the wanderer complains, "We killed fairies last week Shelyn. We'll help of course but I fear we are being typecast."Pollux continues to scan the space for active magic while a lightly drunk rather matronly lady wonders why there is an old apple on her shoulder.
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will save barely
Variel had to show some restraint around Litsy as he clearly agreed with her regarding the new 'barmaid'. He would like to snap a finger off as well but that would not be a good idea in front of Litsy. If he kept telling her not to do things like that and did them himself, she would never learn. He managed to keep the grin off his face but perhaps not the twinkle in his eyes when Litsy mentioned her proposal and then answered herself right away. As she storms off Variel couldn't help but feeling a bit proud of her sticking up for herself while cringing at the language she used...still a work in progress.
Turning back to the lady Variel tries again to keep his cool and not escalate the situation. As he talks it becomes easier to relax and not force himself to be nice. As he relaxes his stutter almost stops. I know what you are implying but not everything can be resolved with carnal desires. As for who am I? My name is Variel and who are you and what should I call you?
Merelda is astute enough to notice that Variel never does answer the question as to his and Litsy's relationship. It is too difficult to explain to a stranger anyways.
As to why the table flipped, my guess is we have some sort of pixie prankster that is causing mischief. I noticed a few magical auras that fit the results of what is going on. As he mentions magical sight, he gives Merelda a look up and down.
Litsy pokes Pollux between two ribs. It's unpleasant. "I've told you not to call me Shelyn, for f~@+'s sake. How's that more difficult than remember than Tiny?"
"You'll complain to Variel once you've seen him. Come on. Leave that bloody cleaver where you've found it- what is wrong with you? No- don't answer that."
Merelda smirks. The human male was really cute when he was trying to defend his ‘woman.’ She wiggles her eyebrows and gently touches her bottom lip, its blood-red color looking almost real.
“Oh…but there still is sooooooo much that CAN be cured with carnal desire! Anyway, every pixie or respectable fairy would be invisible in this environment. But it must be up to no good here… things have escalated precariously. Oh! I’m Merelda Widdomeria of Kyonin by the way, and I’m kind of an expert on such things: Exterminating vermin…as well as carnal desires! Which do YOU need at the moment good Sir?”
She then moves past him and brushes his arm just enough to be noticed, flicking her hair braid over her shoulder dismissively afterwards.
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Litsy pokes Pollux between two ribs. It's unpleasant. "I've told you not to call me Shelyn, for f#!#'s sake. How's that more difficult than remember than Tiny?"
"It is a sad truth, but we have lost the faculty of giving lovely names to things. Each is as easy to remember as the other and by that I say that each holds an impossible infinity of nothing at all."
"You'll complain to Variel once you've seen him. Come on. Leave that bloody cleaver where you've found it-
"No. The cleaver is mine by Right of Discovery. The previous owner wasn't using it in a way I chose to recognize, there were minuscule racial differences between us, they probably worship in a different manner, and they were asleep at the time so I declared them lazy, shiftless and undeserving of this providence. Plus I nicked it."
what is wrong with you? No- don't answer that."[/b]
"Oh so you don't want this?" Pollux returns a sheaf of paper to their pocket. It looked like at least a dozen paves of onion skin densely covered on both sides in unreadably small handwriting. It is titled "What is wrong with Pollux: an initial survey" and appears to be signed Castor.
"Hmmmm fire...." Pollux ostentatiously looks for things that would be a pleasure to burn...
"Oh, "Litsy looks down at the cleaver. "Then if you've nicked it, keep it. Just don't use it on anyone-you know how Variel is about these things."
From afar, she sees a blonde woman with a long ponytail and pointy ears make a show out of looking for the invisible fairy, flicking her hair while an exasperated Variel looks about to burst. " Actually, hold on. You may have to use it."
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Merelda smirks. The human male was really cute when he was trying to defend his ‘woman.’ She wiggles her eyebrows and gently touches her bottom lip, its blood-red color looking almost real.
“Oh…but there still is sooooooo much that CAN be cured with carnal desire! Anyway, every pixie or respectable fairy would be invisible in this environment. But it must be up to no good here… things have escalated precariously. Oh! I’m Merelda Widdomeria of Kyonin by the way, and I’m kind of an expert on such things: Exterminating vermin…as well as carnal desires! Which do YOU need at the moment good Sir?”
She then moves past him and brushes his arm just enough to be noticed, flicking her hair braid over her shoulder dismissively afterwards.
Variel shakes his head no at Merelda and responds in elven keeping Litsy out of the conversation of what he is saying to the brazen woman. While almost all men and women may appreciate your carnal healing, that is a discussion for a later time. As for right now, neither of those options appeal to me. This prankster may cause some mischief, but it has not done anything that warrants death. Plus it seems to be an intelligent creature so I would prefer to talk to it first to try and reason with it and come to some other arrangement than its death.
When Meralda moves away with a flick of her hair Variel mutters a slight incantation turning the locks the same color as her lips. He then turns to Beorn to see if he had any luck talking to the creature. So what's the plan Beorn? Are we taking this outside or did it tell you what it wanted?
Beorn watches the interactions with a rather exasperated expression. I believe that the voice wanted primarily to cause mischief by pranking and no doubt instigating a brawl. They have seemingly left and I do not know where they have gone.
While almost all men and women may appreciate your carnal healing, that is a discussion for a later time. As for right now, neither of those options appeal to me. This prankster may cause some mischief, but it has not done anything that warrants death. Plus it seems to be an intelligent creature so I would prefer to talk to it first to try and reason with it and come to some other arrangement than its death.
Merelda smiles broadly and turns her head back to Variel demurely. Her eyes widen with excitement.
"Challenge accepted...STUD-man Variel. As far as if it is intelligent or if it remains dead or alive, I'm guessing your little girlfriend might not agree with your opinion right now."
She gestures at the obvious fact the little woman seems to be pointing at the stained cleaver in the sallow-looking man's possession. Mereleda' eyes narrow at the sight and body-language.
"She seems to 'like' the rat-man more than you right now for some reason..?"
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Variel looks around as Merelda points out Litsy and Pollux. He lets out a big sigh. Well, that can’t be good but hopefully not bad. I am sure I will have to alter that conversation later once I know about it. Let’s just hope someone doesn’t end up dead or shanked in about 30 seconds, and I am not sure which one would be responsible.
Litsy makes her way back to Variel and Beorn. "'M back, and brought the rat man." She shoots a quizzical look at Variel. "Were you talking shit behind our backs?"
"Now, what's the deal? Did you find the bloody thing yet?"
Pollux arrives seemingly in mid conversation. "...yes I do have a great deal to offer."
The strangers dark eyes take in Variel and blond lady like a child staring at the moon.
"Someone is using, yes Castor, probably using sleep magic. The Ron person fell asleep in the back while molesting the oysters. Quite rude of him, and he says it has happened before."
The yellow shoulders slump in defeat.
"We tried but Castor and I were not able to locate the spell caster. I suspect invisibility while Castor favors a clever disguise. We could empty the bar to reduce their cover, but they might leave. Castor also suggests baiting it with cheese and cat tartare but he's had a one track mind since I promised him oysters. Unfortunately I appear to have been lying again."
The one in question talked to me in my mind I believe. They said they were leaving and suggested some rather violent songs as well.
Pollux tilts their head looking at Opera.
"Voices in your head urging violence. Are you sure you are not just going mad?"
Pollux steps back and turns aside to stealthily cast Message
on Beorn. (via message, whispering softly in Beorn's hear) "They can be quite similar."