Here is the gameplay thread. I'm still talking to Evindyl about his character, but you may post here to bring your characters online.
It's morning. The sun is rising in the east and the beautiful trees and flowers greet the sunshine. It rained last night, a storm from the Eldeen Marches. It smells sweet. Also, the birds are chirping and everything seems so lively.
It's a good day in Arcanix, and aside from the floating structures and people flying on giant birds, its a late summer day.
Cursing at the sound of birds chirping, Rom slowly gets up with a throbbing hangover. Cheap booze means harder hangovers. His new room at the Inn from the cheaper end of town, which still wasn’t cheap enough, might have been a bad decision he now realizes. Rom gulps down a warm pitcher of stale water quickly, and pours the dregs over his head.
”Another day? Another job hunt. I hate birds!! Shut up you stupid-ly happy avians! I swear…”
Rom’s tirade was cut short by a sudden need to run to the too small chamber pot and empty his now swirling guts.
A minute later, Rom pushes himself back up from the floor.
”Let’s try that again…with gus…hmmm…with gusto. Up. More water. Clean up. Clothes…then no more cheap booze. EVER.”
Jhondar swings his legs over the edge of the bed and supports his weight with his arms as he lowers himself from the human-sized bed to the ground. Time to get to work, I guess," he muses. He heads downstairs to the common room of the inn and looks for a seat where he can look outside at the beautiful day. He flags down a waiter: "Good morning! I'll take one of your breakfast specials with some coffee, please," he says.
"Hmm. It's time to see whether this place deserves the House Ghallanda seal. There are definitely worse jobs the House could have assigned me, but I could definitely use something a little more exciting than undercover evaluations of inns. Maybe I can find something a little more exciting to do on the side."
Astrid rolled out of the large bed she and Jess shared, her bunkmate having gotten an early start while it was still dark.
Milk the cows, collect the eggs from the henhouse. She served at the tavern and there was more to getting a place that served food ready than most people thought.
Washing up, the neonate wizard got dressed and left the barn loft. She looked up at the sky, seeing if any heavenly bodies were visible this morning.
Greeting some animals and the beautiful day, she went across the field and made her way to the inn for breakfast.
For months she's been living of the kindness of the proprietors, of late she was happy to be able to pay them back a bit and pay for her breakfast.
Jhondar swings his legs over the edge of the bed and supports his weight with his arms as he lowers himself from the human-sized bed to the ground. Time to get to work, I guess," he muses. He heads downstairs to the common room of the inn and looks for a seat where he can look outside at the beautiful day. He flags down a waiter: "Good morning! I'll take one of your breakfast specials with some coffee, please," he says.
"Hmm. It's time to see whether this place deserves the House Ghallanda seal. There are definitely worse jobs the House could have assigned me, but I could definitely use something a little more exciting than undercover evaluations of inns. Maybe I can find something a little more exciting to do on the side."
The waiter comes over with a breakfast menu. One that includes Hotcakes, scrambled eggs, and bacon for one; for another, the inn's famous Brelander waffles, and another a selection of skillets -- including one recipe from Valenar.
The waiter comes over with a breakfast menu. One that includes Hotcakes, scrambled eggs, and bacon for one; for another, the inn's famous Brelander waffles, and another a selection of skillets -- including one recipe from Valenar.
Jhondar keeps his face impassive as he mulls over the menu: Well, if they're known for the waffles, I might as well give them their best shot.
Then, he smiles up at the waiter. "I'll take the waffles, please."
The waiter comes over with a breakfast menu. One that includes Hotcakes, scrambled eggs, and bacon for one; for another, the inn's famous Brelander waffles, and another a selection of skillets -- including one recipe from Valenar.Jhondar keeps his face impassive as he mulls over the menu: Well, if they're known for the waffles, I might as well give them their best shot.
Then, he smiles up at the waiter. "I'll take the waffles, please."
"As you wish, sir," said the waiter as he takes down your order. "Anything to drink, fair halfling?"
"As you wish, sir," said the waiter as he takes down your order. "Anything to drink, fair halfling?"
"Yes, I'll take some coffee, please."
An attractive human young lady nearly walks by your table, but stops to look around.
Excuse me... Sir? It seems to be getting crowded, do you mind if I sit here at the table with you? Her manner is professional, if not uptight. She seems pleasant enough but lack... warmth.
"As you wish, sir," said the waiter as he takes down your order. "Anything to drink, fair halfling?""Yes, I'll take some coffee, please."
"Of course," said the waiter, remembering. "Would you like it black? Or with milk?"
Buckling on his sturdy rapier, Rom finally feels normal enough (and armed enough) to deal with normal people. Running a hand through his hair he plasters a smile on his face, steps out of his room, and down the inn’s stairs.
Glancing around, he fights off the little bit of vertigo he gets from maneuvering down the stairs too fast, and ‘casually’ makes his way past a halfling and his waiter discussing coffee orders of some sort.
Once steady in his seat, he closes his eyes for a moment then opens them to wave at a pretty barmaid across room who seemed less busy at the moment.
Buckling on his sturdy rapier, Rom finally feels normal enough (and armed enough) to deal with normal people. Running a hand through his hair he plasters a smile on his face, steps out of his room, and down the inn’s stairs.
Glancing around, he fights off the little bit of vertigo he gets from maneuvering down the stairs too fast, and ‘casually’ makes his way past a halfling and his waiter discussing coffee orders of some sort.
Once steady in his seat, he closes his eyes for a moment then opens them to wave at a pretty barmaid across room who seemed less busy at the moment.
and just as Romilen turns back to the table, BAM!, the handsome scion of House Orien appears ... appears, seated, directly across from him ... appears with the sparkle of his dragonmark fading in the palm of his left hand
"Well met Lyrandar! Good to see you again. I'd say something about what the cat dragged in, but I'm not sure the cat would have done that. You might need need coffee, you might need iltrayan, or you might need both. Both and more sleep maybe?"
Gaelyn smiles broadly, which pushes his ear tips out beyond his hair
"Maybe food too. You had a LOT of fun last night!"
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Grimacing, Rom tries not to regurgitate again.
”Gaelyn. Fun? Assuming I can remember anything from last night…sure let’s call that fun. Food and something liquid to drink is my main goal at the moment however, as you surmised. And I’ve told you many times before it is ‘Captain Rom’ not ‘Lyrandar’. I’m not my family, nor property of such, even if my Dragonmark or my parents might intimate otherwise.”
Astrid and Jhondar
The waiter approaches Astrid, "May I take your order? And you also want coffee?"
Gaelyn and Romilen
A pretty barmaid approaches you. "May I take your orders?" she asks.
Astrid and Jhondar
She looks up blinking, Hotcakes, scrambled eggs, and bacon... tea, no coffee. She looks around, seeming to relax as she spots one of the barmaids.
Astrid and Jhondar
She looks up blinking, Hotcakes, scrambled eggs, and bacon... tea, no coffee. She look around, seeming to relax as she spots one of the barmaids.
"Right, coming right up!" said the waiter.
"Of course," said the waiter, remembering. "Would you like it black? Or with milk?"
"Black, please."
Excuse me... Sir? It seems to be getting crowded, do you mind if I sit here at the table with you?
Jhondar waves at an open seat at the table. "Certainly, be my guest." He smiles. "Or, more precisely, I suppose, be their guest alongside me."
He looks at Astrid, sizing up her mannerisms. Hmm. A bit formal and reserved. Reminds me of some of the folks at the University of Wynarn. Probably not much for small talk, but I do need to get some data from other customers to bolster my own observations. Well, let's give it a shot.
"Hi, it's always a good idea to at least know the names of those with whom you are dining. I'm Jhondar. Do you come here often?"
"Of course," said the waiter, remembering. "Would you like it black? Or with milk?""Black, please."
"Of course," said the waiter. "Coming right up!" The waiter leaves your presences to make the orders happen.
Astrid and Jhondar
The waiter approaches Astrid, "May I take your order? And you also want coffee?"Gaelyn and Romilen
A pretty barmaid approaches you. "May I take your orders?" she asks.
"I totally want coffee, and really would like a little iltrayan too. Toast & Jam I think; just not sure today is saying "waffle" to me. Toast, Jam, some cheese, that would be great."
Gaelyn smiles with actual empathy ...
"What can we get you Captain? A few sips of iltrayan really could help set you right."
Looking to the halfling, I noticed you didn't really ask, though the question was implied. Astrid.
I'm here, pretty much every day. She started matter-of-factly.
She doesn't seem offended but neither is she warm or inviting. Probably nothing personal.
"I totally want coffee, and really would like a little iltrayan too. Toast & Jam I think; just not sure today is saying "waffle" to me. Toast, Jam, some cheese, that would be great."
"We have some iltrayan in stock, actually," says the barmaid as she took your order. "Do you want your coffee black or with milk?"
Feeling a little better when Gaelyn called him 'captain', Rom smiles honestly at the barmaid.
"Thank you my dear! Large plate of scrambled eggs with cheese. Toast with butter, and a decent cup of whatever fruit juice you can squeeze up that isn't too expensive please."
Feeling a little better when Gaelyn called him 'captain', Rom smiles honestly at the barmaid.
"Thank you my dear! Large plate of scrambled eggs with cheese. Toast with butter, and a decent cup of whatever fruit juice you can squeeze up that isn't too expensive please."
"Coming right up!" she says.
"We have some iltrayan in stock, actually," says the barmaid as she took your order. "Do you want your coffee black or with milk?""I totally want coffee, and really would like a little iltrayan too. Toast & Jam I think; just not sure today is saying "waffle" to me. Toast, Jam, some cheese, that would be great."
"Black ... and I can sweeten it myself."
"I totally want coffee, and [b]"Black ... and I can sweeten it myself."
"All right, hun," she says. And then having taken down your orders, she heads for the kitchen.
I noticed you didn't really ask, though the question was implied. Astrid.
I'm here, pretty much every day.
Jhondar smiles again as Astrid as she replies. "Fair enough, I shall endeavor to be more direct. As a regular, what do you think of this place? How is the food? What do you think of the service?"
Finally, the home of a smile. It wasn't criticism, just observation.
In the beginning, I had no choice... liked it because it was free. Now, I can pay and I still eat here. Good people, too.
What brings yourself?
"Black ... and I can sweeten it myself."
Smirking, Rom pops out a question he can’t help himself from asking.
”What? Are you going to teleport milk into your coffee or just the cow to the inn? What’s that saying? ‘Gotta have it fresh? Then it’s gotta be ORIEN FRESH!”
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"Black ... and I can sweeten it myself."Smirking, Rom pops out a question he can’t help himself from asking.
”What? Are you going to teleport milk into your coffee or just the cow to the inn? What’s that saying? ‘Gotta have it fresh? Then it’s gotta be ORIEN FRESH!”
A blond elf, wrapped in a dark green caftan, neatly belted with an elegant red belt with gold embroidery, enters the same tavern. You can see that his hands are gloved and he wears a mask on the upper half of his face, leaving his jaw free.
He looks around the tavern hesitantly, then chooses one of the tables. When the waitress approaches, he speaks with a strong accent unlike any you've probably heard before
Do you 'ave any hairbal tea?
"Herbal tea?" the waitress asks, if her hearing is correct.
Yes, yes. Herbal tea. And if possible, something from the Aerenal cuisine. Barley cakes with walnut jam, perhaps? Or something similar. He tries to pronounce the words clearly enough so that the accent does not interfere with mutual understanding, and otherwise it does not look snobby, rather... This elf is completely out of place here.
Astrid notices the newcomer. Who wouldn't?
It's interesting... she intimates, discreetly. One hides behind a mask but, all one does is draw attention.
Then she fixes her spectacles upon the bridge of her nose.
Yes, yes. Herbal tea. And if possible, something from the Aerenal cuisine. Barley cakes with walnut jam, perhaps? Or something similar. He tries to pronounce the words clearly enough so that the accent does not interfere with mutual understanding, and otherwise it does not look snobby, rather... This elf is completely out of place here.
"We can do herbal tea," the waitress said. "We don't have anything from Aerenal, unfortunately. Barley cakes are possible, but not walnut jam. We have strawberry, boysenberry, and raspberry jam."
Finally, the home of a smile. It wasn't criticism, just observation.
In the beginning, I had no choice... liked it because it was free. Now, I can pay and I still eat here. Good people, too.
What brings yourself?
Jhondar nods at Astrid's response, taking mental notes. Hmm. That sounds like a ringing endorsement, and it's good to know they give back to the community as well..
Aloud, he responds: "Good to hear. I'm just passing through taking care of some business for my family." Then, he looks around at the other occupants of the room, trying to determine if anyone besides Astrid is taking note of their conversation.
It's interesting... she intimates, discreetly. One hides behind a mask but, all one does is draw attention.
"That's true, and probably something I should remember myself, too."
Finally, the home of a smile. It wasn't criticism, just observation.
In the beginning, I had no choice... liked it because it was free. Now, I can pay and I still eat here. Good people, too.
What brings yourself?
Jhondar nods at Astrid's response, taking mental notes. Hmm. That sounds like a ringing endorsement, and it's good to know they give back to the community as well..
Aloud, he responds: "Good to hear. I'm just passing through taking care of some business for my family." Then, he looks around at the other occupants of the room, trying to determine if anyone besides Astrid is taking note of their conversation.
It's interesting... she intimates, discreetly. One hides behind a mask but, all one does is draw attention."That's true, and probably something I should remember myself, too."
Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22
You are too distracted to notice anything. Although your sense motive was successful . . . You deduced that the newcomer is from Aerenal and he could be here as a tourist.
"Black ... and I can sweeten it myself."Smirking, Rom pops out a question he can’t help himself from asking.
”What? Are you going to teleport milk into your coffee or just the cow to the inn? What’s that saying? ‘Gotta have it fresh? Then it’s gotta be ORIEN FRESH!”
"Truth be told, we're in Arcanix ... I was just going to cast a spell. We do that a lot here. But I gotta call open license on the slogan the RomCom, that was brilliant. Like I'll give you verbal credit and maybe buy you a Lightning Rail pass or something. Seriously, I think even my grandfather would laugh."
"We can do herbal tea," the waitress said. "We don't have anything from Aerenal, unfortunately. Barley cakes are possible, but not walnut jam. We have strawberry, boysenberry, and raspberry jam."
Thank you. Ai see you 'ave food from Vailénarian cuisine on the menu. This weehl do too. He points his finger at several dishes. Then, after looking around and catching a couple of glances, the elf smiles amiably enough and nods his head.
Thank you. Ai see you 'ave food from Vailénarian cuisine on the menu. This weehl do too. He points his finger at several dishes. Then, after looking around and catching a couple of glances, the elf smiles amiably enough and nods his head.
"One Valenarian skillet, coming right up," said the waitress.
You see a bard enter the room and get on stage. He's a halfling, and like others of house Ghallanda, he's part of the hospitality market. He doesn't have a dragonmark you can see, of course. He starts to play. Badly.
"I'm from house Ghallanda, and I'm here to entertain you," his music is even subpar, even as he plays the lute to bad effect. Soon, the patrons are booing him.
Elf just sighs. The idea of adventures in war-torn lands, where people need help and he has a chance for heroic achievements, seemed less and less good to him. So far, all he's seen is bad food, bad music, and the general decline of a culture so far removed from the bright and vibrant Aerenal...
"Truth be told, we're in Arcanix ... I was just going to cast a spell. We do that a lot here. But I gotta call open license on the slogan the RomCom, that was brilliant. Like I'll give you verbal credit and maybe buy you a Lightning Rail pass or something. Seriously, I think even my grandfather would laugh."
Nodding, Rom spins a pointed finger at Gaelyn.
”I’ll believe it when I see it. If I’ve learned anything from my accountant parents: No Dragonmarked family let’s money get away easily. Look at the Last War! What was accomplished? Nobody got ahead in the end…except the Families! They all made out like bandits. Its almost ridiculous if it wasn’t hilariously funny too.”
"I am sad to agree; I think there were a few profiteers outside the Houses, but the Houses were part of that for sure."
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Jhondarr and Astrid
The waiter returns with your food. "Two Brellish Waffles and coffee black," he says to Jhondarr. He places the cup down and pours the coffee. The coffee was certainly black, but these beans came from the plains of Valenar.
The waiter then gives Astrid her hot cakes, scrambled eggs, and bacon. He poured the tea. The food was magically floating in the air. After all, this was Arcanix. "Here is your order of hot cakes, scrambled eggs, and bacon," he said. "Along with your tea."
Gaelyn and Romilen
The waitress returned with your order. Of course, the food plates were floating. "Toast and jam for you," she says. "Along with a glass of Iltrayan and some black coffee."
She pours the coffee into your cup. Again, the beans came from Valenar. She then gives Romilen his food. "Right, here's your scrambled eggs with Cheese, I hope you don't mind that we used Aundairan Bleu. Some toast, and a decent cup of grape juice."
Himo Naïlo
The waitress returns, carrying your skillet of a traditional Valenarian breakfast. A skillet with sausage and eggs, potatoes, and cheese. It looks hearty, to tell the truth. "And some herbal tea," she says.
She pours the tea, and of course, the food was floating.
Jhondar's attention is involuntarily drawn to the stage by the sight of the halfling performer. Hoping for a reminder of home and his family, he awaits the beginning of the halfling's act with rapt attention. Only for his hope to be dashed. I was going to try showing Astrid my dragonmark to explain why I'm asking so many questions, but I don't think I want to admit to being a Ghallanda right now, after enduring that... display. Why is it always my most incompetent family members who are the loudest about being my family members?, he thinks while rolling his eyes. The arrival of breakfast is a welcome respite. He thanks the waiter and digs in, trying to ignore the trainwreck of his family name that is taking place on stage.
Waving the cup of juice in the air, Rom looks at it warily and frowns.
”Grape juice! Wine’s poor cousin. How far I have fallen… It reminds me of some Karrnathi tragic opera! If only I could sing?”
The elf sighs again.
Let's try again. On the house, of course.
The elf turns his head and at this moment the waitress probably flinches. A stray strand of blond hair shows a strange wound on the neck, not quite suitable for a healthy (or even a living?) being. However, strangely, this wound does not look infected and even seems to emit a faint warm light... Or was it just her imagination? The elf immediately corrects the mistake and covers a strange area of skin with his hair.
I'm waiting, the elf says, meeting the waitress's eyes. And he smiles the friendliest smile he can.
The elf sighs again.
Let's try again. On the house, of course.
The elf turns his head and at this moment the waitress probably flinches. A stray strand of blond hair shows a strange wound on the neck, not quite suitable for a healthy (or even a living?) being. However, strangely, this wound does not look infected and even seems to emit a faint warm light... Or was it just her imagination? The elf immediately corrects the mistake and covers a strange area of skin with his hair.
I'm waiting, the elf says, meeting the waitress's eyes. And he smiles the friendliest smile he can.
The waitress looks on with surprise at the strange wound. She lets down the skillet to the elf. "This is not on the house," she says.
Jhondarr and Astrid
Astrid half winces, but otherwise focuses on the food and tea. Self-consciously she looks up with a mouthful of breakfast. Chewing and swallowing... she reaches for her cup.
Sorry. I'm not the best of... company. She breaks up her sentence to allow for cadence (or lack there of) of the music, such that she can be heard.
Sighing, she continues to eat although she does look up from time to time.