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The day has finally come, the Swallowtail Festival, a celebration of the Autumnal Equinox. The square before the newly-rebuilt church quickly fills with both visitors and locals alike. Food and merchant stalls line the edges of the square featuring festival food, clothing, local crafts, souvenirs, and games.
The buzz in the air is palpable. Excitement abounds for the events planned for this Swallowtail Festival...
The turnout for the welcome speeches is quite respectable, and the four keynote speakers each deliver short but well-received welcomes to the festival:
Mayor Deverin's friendly attitude and excitement prove contagious as she welcomes visitors to town and jokes about how even Larz Rovanky, the local tanner (and notorious workaholic) managed to tear himself away from the tannery to attend, much to everyone’s amusement (except Larz’s).
Sheriff Belor Hemlock brings the crowd down a bit with his dour mood, his reminder to be safe around the evening’s bonfire, and his request for a moment of silence to remember those who lost their lives in the fire that claimed the town’s previous church several years ago.
The next speaker is scheduled to be local nobleman Lonjiku Kaijitsu, but a sudden illness has prevented him from attending the ceremony (this isn’t something that surprises the locals, given Lonjiku’s well-known dislike of frivolity and festivals).
Sandpoint’s own showman Cyrdak Drokkus is more than up to the challenge of bringing the crowd’s mood back up with his rousing anecdotes. He delivers a not-completely-irreverent recap of the long process the town went through to finance and construct the new cathedral. He throws in a bit of self-promotion at the end, as is his wont, inviting everyone to stop by the Sandpoint Theater the following evening to check out his new production of The Harpy’s Curse, revealing that the lead role of Avisera the harpy queen will be played by none other than the famous Magnimarian diva Allishanda!
Finally, Father Zantus steps up to give a short speech thanking everyone for coming before declaring the Swallowtail Festival underway.
It seemed the local children never got tired of hearing of the adventures of Mangrove. He always set up in a small grove of elder growth aspens and oaks, near a low swampy area and over and over told of some of his supposed adventures from his early life. But today... today was special. With the opening of the Swallowtail festival there were children from all the surrounding areas, and even a few from foreign lands, so the excitement of his adventures was palpable in the air.
"Now, now. There will be plenty of time the remainder of the week for hearing more stories. Let an old Leshy go nourish himself for a bit, and please go listen to those with far more important things to say than I share the spotlight".
Mira Damaris, the newly appointed fifteen-year-old member of the Sandpoint Militia, patrols the bustling square of the Swallowtail Festival with youthful exuberance. Clad in her official Sandpoint militia attire, she navigates the crowd with an extra skip in her step, making sure to stop and tell everyone she's official militia now.
She exchanges friendly words with vendors and helps children enjoy the festivities. Despite her relatively simple duties, she takes her role seriously and has already helped elderly Miss Fitzgammon find her lost cat. This is serious business!
As she continues her patrol, Mira reflects on the speeches from earlier in the day, particularly Sheriff Hemlock's reminder of the past tragedy. His speech deepens her sense of pride and responsibility.
A pair of girls giggle as they approach Mangrove with some paper decorations, Can we decorate you for the festival?
"Well I don't see why not. Just don't go overboard, and nothing flammable or dangerous".
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The two Tian Min girls hang the paper charms on Mangrove's branches, then run off giggling as their parents call for them!
From the bustling crowd, a young voice calls out, You know those are good luck, don't you?
Kusano emerges with a funnel cake on a stick and a giant grin on his face!
This year's Swallowtail Festival is so much more fun than last year!
The two Tian Min girls hang the paper charms on Mangrove's branches, then run off giggling as their parents call for them!
From the bustling crowd, a young voice calls out, You know those are good luck, don't you?
Kusano emerges with a funnel cake on a stick and a giant grin on his face!
This year's Swallowtail Festival is so much more fun than last year!
Mangrove smiles as his friend approaches.
"Well you know I don't much believe in luck. Most of my victories have come due to skill and knowledge... but I don't guess it will hurt anything. I'm always open to new ideas".
Kusano grins, Let's go check out the games!
Kusano is one of the Tian Min children in town, his mother and father working for the elder Kaijitsu in the Glassworks. The young teen, dark haired with an easy smile adorned upon his face, is known to be a bit of a scrapper. He has a bit of a reputation of getting into fights easily, though a high percentage of those are with those commonly known to be bullies.
Look, Mangrove! They have tug-of-war!
Is that Mira over there? Hey Mira! Over here! Kusano waves frantically.
Hearing Kusano's call, she waves back with a big smile and makes her way over to him and Mangrove. "Sandpoint militia, coming through. Make way please." she says with as much authority as a fifteen year old can muster.
When she reaches her friends, she says excitedly "Hey, Kusano! Mangrove! Having fun?" She tries to keep her tone professional but seems unable to hide her excitement.
When Kusano grins and points to the tug-of-war game, she bites her lip, torn between her sense of duty and the temptation to participate. "I really should keep patrolling..." she says, though her eyes keep drifting back to the game.
Kusano smiles, Come on, we all know I am the troublemaker around here! You can just claim you are watching over me! We could use your strength for the anchor position!
The youngster's grin is infectious...
Mira laughs, unable to resist Kusano's infectious grin and playful logic. "Alright, Kusano, you've convinced me!" she says with a mock sigh, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I'll keep an eye on you and join the game. Just remember, if anyone asks, I'm on duty, making sure you stay out of trouble!"
Mira claps her hands excitedly, bouncing up and down as she gets her position on the rope. She takes her position as the anchor, gripping the rope tightly and planting her feet firmly on the ground. Her strength and determination are immediately apparent.
A dour, dark man in splint mail with a rose painted on his shield looks on to the frivolities, and shakes his head. "I just feel the doom coming. There is nothing we can do to forstall it. Why do we keep pretending."
Even the laughter of children running around seems not to lift the aura of despair around him.
Kusano's feet slip and he gets dragged back and forth in the fray!
"Well I'm not real strong, and would hate to lose some bark or leaves... but I'll help out".
Athletics
Root Leshy Heritage: Your body is made from hardy roots that attach you firmly to the ground. You gain 10 Hit Points from your ancestry instead of 8. You can go without sunlight for 2 weeks before you begin to starve. You gain a +2-circumstance bonus to your Fortitude or Reflex DC against attempts to Reposition, Shove, or Trip you. This bonus also applies to saving throws against spells or effects that attempt to move you or knock you prone.
But though his roots sink deep, the limberness of his branches hurt him in this endeavor.
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Despite her friends' missteps, Mira sets her feet and hauls with all her might, pulling all three of the loggers into the mudpit! The crowd erupts in laughter, even eliciting good-natured ribbing from the loggers.
As a prizes, you each receive a winners' ribbon and bragging rights for the day.
All of the food stands offer free food, all paid for by the town.
Amongst all of the attendees, only a lone man seems to wear a dour look and seems to be on constant watch.
Kusano, dirt smudged on his face, approaches the dour warpriest, Hey mister, lighten up! It's a celebration? You don't like fun?
After victory is declared, Mira makes her way over to the loggers and helps them up out of the mudpit one at a time. She shakes each of their hands and tells them how great they did.
Afterwards, she's beset with prizes from vendors who want to be seen with their wares held by the winning ribbons.
Crunching some salted nuts, Mira stumbles behind Kusano and jokes "Feel the doom coming? Are you in the next tug-of-war and getting matched against us or something?"
"Sorry I wasn't more help. I'm better at entertaining than at muscle things... but it was still fun".
Mangrove happily adds the ribbon to his good luck tokens.
Ent Marching Song
Perform
"Sorry I wasn't more help. I'm better at entertaining than at muscle things... but it was still fun".
Mira nudges Mangrove with her elbow, probably too hard as she sometimes misjudged her own strength, "Oh c'mon, Manny! You did your job perfectly, you made those loggers so confuzzled that they couldn't focus!"
"Huh. And here I thought they were sizing me up to see how many board-feet I might be worth".
Let em try! Kusano proclaims scrappily before bursting into laughter.
"There is no use to 'fun'. Everyone seems to not care that life is fleeting with no purpose."
You are an odd duck, aren't you? Are you some sort of priest? the young lad looks Anthony up and down, scrutinizing his armor.
"I'm a cleric of Milani, the Everbloom. My task, apparently in life, is to overcome my own despair. I look for meaning, for purpose. But, find it sorely lacking."
Mira is not one for deep thoughts or fancy sayings, so she scratches her head while trying to process what Anthony says. "So uh, why don't you just be happy, and then your task in life is complete."
She takes her winner badge off her shirt and pins it on Anthony. "There you go. Now, you are a winner, too. You can be happy now."
She smiles, proud of her accomplishment.
Looking first at Mira, then, disdainfully, at the winner badge, he says, "Such is the lot of everyone in this life, pretending to be happy, while ignoring hard realities. Getting rewards for participation when nothing has actually been accomplished. Having no purpose in their lives, and ending in the Boneyard."
Mira's brow furrows as she tries to process the warpriest's declaration. All she hears is "nothing has been accomplished," though, which clearly wasn't true. She turns and points to the mud pit where the tug-of-war took place. "Oh, excuse me, mister, but you clearly didn't see those men we pulled into the mud!"
Puffing her chest out and standing up a little taller, she proudly declares "Oh, we accomplished something indeed! Tug-of-war festival champions!" She pumps her fist into the air.
Mangrove studies the new arrival and takes a slender branch/hand/arm and rubs where a chin would be on a humanoid.
"I guess you can choose to look at life two ways. One is that nobody gets out alive so why keep living... or you only live once so grasp everything you can while you're alive".
A big grin then spreads across his woody visiage.
"I simply choose the latter as I can't change anything about the former".
Maybe you just need to find your 'purpose' in life? My father is a miserable sod because, as he puts it, "I was trained to be more than this!", Kusano puts on airs when he mimicks his father, puffing up his chest and speaking in an exaggerated low voice.
Maybe you just haven't found yours yet? the lad grins before getting distracted. Test of strength!
He bolts through the crowd toward the mallet and bell device, stopping briefly to gesture emphatically for you all to come along!
Mira smiles at the thought of a test of strength. "Now we're talking!"
She looks to Athony and says "You can come too, Mister cleric of Milani.
She pauses and thinks for a moment. Father would not be pleased with my manners.
She shoves her hand out for a shake and says "Please to meet you. I'm Mira. I'm in the Sandpoint Militia, see?" she shows off her official garb before smiling and adding with a wink "You've probably heard of me."
After the result of offered greeting shake, she turns to Mangrove.
"C'mon, Manny, let's go win some games!" Mira says, grabbing him and enthusiastically pulling him along with her as she takes off after Kusano.
Anthony shakes Mira's hand. "I'm Anthony... I'm... I'm a bit lost for the moment." Still, he follows them, unsure of where he should be or what his purpose is.
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The test of strength is a mallet and bladder sort of contraption. A few big men wait in line to take a big swing, generally getting up to the 2/3 mark. Kusano runs up and takes the mallet, spitting into his hands for grip, he swings with all his might! He makes it up to the halfway point and grins. The lanky 13 year-old passes the mallet to Mira as he moves to grab his prize of a candied apple...
Anthony is cajoled into participating. Afterwards, he says, "No strength. Just what does that prove?"
Aw nuts, you just slipped! Just keep trying! Look, they have a wheat sack race over there! Kusano looks longingly over there, but waits patiently for at least Mira to take her swing...
Oh, mister Priest, go get your candied apple! The boy says with a grin, Maybe it'll make you feel a little better.
Mira pats Anthony on the back and says "Bad luck is all." She takes the mallet from him and says "My turn!"
Mira is very comfortable with a mallet in her hand. She carries her Warhammer while on patrol today and naturally feels at ease with similar weapons. With a practiced motion, she whirls the mallet overhead and slams it down on the bladder, nearly getting it three-quarters of the way up there.
"Well I've already embarrassed myself with my lack of strength in the rope pulling stunt, but since I don't blush nobody knows. Might as well try my hand at this. I understand leverage more than brute strength".
STR Check
Then grins at Mira as his effort matches hers.
Ha! See Muscles aren't everything".
He then flexes his spindly arm branches in a false show of bravado.
This elicits a chuckle from Kusano, Wheat sack race?
Without awaiting an answer, he runs off!
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The day largely goes like that, Kusano running off after the next game and filling himself with whatever sweets he can find. As mentioned before, the food stalls around the square are all offering complimentary treats. But also, the three major inns and taverns are also offering their own specials free of charge, with only the caveat that you vote for their contest for bragging rights!
The Rusty Dragon Inn and Tavern offers up its remarkable curried salmon and early winterdrop mead, which easily overshadows the other offerings. The Hagfish offers their lobster chowder, pretty standard fare but good comfort food. And finally, the White Deer offers their peppercorn venison, well-prepared served at a medium temperature in a red wine peppercorn sauce with herb roasted vegetables.
Soon, around mid-day you find yourself in one of these three fine establishments with your stomachs growling angrily with hunger...
Mira liked the Rusty Dragon because she liked the music Miss Ameiko would sometimes play. She always seemed to have this smirky-smile that Mira found endearing. There was something about her that always put Mira at ease.
She didn't spent much time around the White Deer, but she was familiar with Jargie Quinn over at the Hagfish. Boooooy could that man could TALK. Once you got him started, it was hard to get him to stop!
Mira probably shouldn't be drinking the winterdrop mead, but somehow, one finds its way into her hands. She's not going to let it go to waste! After downing the ale, she asks "I'm so hungry I could eat three meals! Let's get some food. Anthony, where you wanna go?"
Snag sees Kusano and Mira in the garden and will move over to them and look up at the giant moving plant. "Hello...Snag has not seen many moving plants before."
Snaggy! Have you been playing the games? Look, look, I got a tug-o-war ribbon! Kusano puff out his chest with pride.
"Congratulations! Snag not able to play games yet. Snag had to do some chores this morning." Snag says with a sigh.
At least you haven't missed the Swallowtail release! It's going to be at noonbell! Kusano grins.
Snag sees Kusano and Mira in the garden and will move over to them and look up at the giant moving plant. "Hello...Snag has not seen many moving plants before."
"But of course you have young Snag. We just move on a different schedule than flesh and blood individuals. Do trees and plants not grow from seedlings to mature plants. Does the wind not cause leaves and branches to sway in its embrace. Does the Autum not cause many of our leaves to wither and fall, then grow back anew each spring. Even when you climbed my branches a while back did my branches not shake and bend as you made your way up".
He then takes a quick dance step or two.
"I just happen to be one of the lucky few who has attained a semblance of awakening and am able to experience life as I choose instead of waiting for it to happen to me".
Snaggy! Have you been playing the games? Look, look, I got a tug-o-war ribbon! Kusano puff out his chest with pride.
Mira's hands go to her hips as she pivots to face Kusano. She opens her mouth to say something but abruptly closes it, thinking better of herself.
She shoots him a look that says We both know the truth here, but she lets him have his puffed-chest moment and moves on.Turning to Snag, Mira considers reminding him that he doesn't have to start each sentence with his own name, but she's done this so many times before, and it's never really stuck, so once again, she moves on.
"It's okay to do chores, Snag. Everyone has to do their part. I'm working today!" she says proudly, puffing her own chest out as she tries to look as militia-like as possible.
Two ales in, she forgets she holding her second mug in her hand as she does so.