While you haven't been entirely alone in your Journey to Sandpoint's not-quite-famous yet highly-acclaimed Swallowtail Festival, the road dotted with travelers going in either direction at various paces, you look forward to the company of others soon. For two days you've awoke from the limited comfort of a roadside inn. As you'd been told, they are each dotted close enough along the coast to be reached in a day but not without truly working for it on foot. The travelers passing by have been as varied as folks get but it is less surprising than, and perhaps because of, the scenery. Built atop the scattered ruins of the ancient and extinct Thassilonians of whom so little is known, such is life in Varisia. Unnaturally large tors, shrines to Desna, and other amazing features regularly command your attention.
You see the signs of civilization unfolding before you reach the fishing village. As you close in, the Long Coast begins to pacify from wilder forest. The road begins to widen, farmland becomes more commonplace, and more fishing vessels can be seen among the waves.
Right as you pass over a jutting of limestone pavements that are lifted by lightly forested hilltop, you see it: Sandpoint's smoking chimneys and bustling streets. You woke early today and hope you haven't missed the start of the festival.
Having left from Magnimar, a large city of Chelian descent to the south, you approach the towns southernmost entry, an unattended bridge. Hanging from a bent nail on the bridge is a sign and a mirror. The sign reads "Welcome to Sandpoint! Please stop to see yourself as we see you!"
The festival typically celebrates the Autumnal Equinox but this year, you'd heard, it additionally celebrates the blessing of the freshly-constructed cathedral: a place of worship for all faiths, several of which are specifically honored.
As you cross the bridge it becomes clear the day is out of the ordinary: The Sanpoint Mercantile League's shutters and door are closed. Same for the Sandpoint Boutique next door. It seems clear everyone must be at the festival. You pass into the market square and it is clear everything is closed. You hear laughter and music and talking from the north.
Some children play in the uncommonly wide-open area while mothers and fathers and older boys converse before heading up. You notice a dwarf boy absentmindedly his nose as he watched some older boys kick a ball. An dwarf maid in simple but colorful dress walks by him, grabbing his wrist and pulls him along. Message received, he follows. She is not alone as a small trickle of folk, seeming to know where their going, head in the same direction.
You follow.
You find your way to the Cathedral courtyard, the source of the noise
Merchant tents of all sorts containing food, clothes, local crafts, and souvenirs take up much of the edges of the courtyard, ready to serve locals and travelers alike. A few performers play tunes and sing songs, entertaining the crowd as they begin to amass.
The stage in front of the cathedral sees activity as a middle-aged human woman of caramel skin and kind eyes who approaches the podium. To her sides are a holy man not quite yet middle aged sporting a well trimmed beard, and a bald, stern-faced guard clad in full plate, save his helm which he carries under his arm. Though it may not come as a surprise, you note the darkness and heavy lines to his features identify him as not of Chelian descent, a trait obvious held by the majority of the human portion of the crowd. The crowd quiets to a dull roar.
The woman is the first to speak, "Hello, everyone! I see many familiar beautiful faces out here today and it's amazing to see each of you now. It was a long journey for us to reach this point but we are finally here! The cathedral is nearly complete. All it needs now is our good priest's blessing and to be filled with the worship we all have longed to give to our gods. Too long have we waited and the moment is almost upon us. Let us greet our friends, old an new to this amazing moment in our towns history.
Travelers new and old, welcome to Sandpoint! We know we may not have quite the size of the cities, but what we lack in size we are sure we'll make up for today in excitement. You might not be able to appreciate this but if something is good enough to draw our good tanner Larz Rovanky here from his workbench, I'd hedge a bet that Desna herself could stop by and not find a single complaint. By the gods, Larz, I think you've gone grey since I last saw your face. Welcome back to the world! *some laughter is heard from a pocket of people close to the front of the stage. A tall man, muscular man with salt and pepper hair pulled into a pony tail is red faced as his friends laugh and pat him on the back*
We've games for all ages, food enough for all and then some, and the best wares this side of the lost coast! Please, everyone. Enjoy our festival and again, welcome.
Speaking next is our Sheriff Hemlock. Please, all, welcome him.
"Hello everyone. *He breathes deeply as his eyes slowly scan the crowd.* Please try to not lose yourself in drink and not get to raucous. While you're having fun, be mindful. All must be especially careful of the bonfire. I needn't remind you of the fire that consumed our last cathedral. For those new to Sandpoint, we are a good people and any trouble will not be tolerated."
With those dour words, the crowd is obviously less cheerful than they'd been from the mayors words. Dour-faced, he walks off the stage and before your eyes finish following another speaker steps to the podium. Flamboyant of dress and manner, you are sure this bard is about to undo all the Sheriff did to darken the air.
Raising his hands to the sky he shouts "Sandpoint! Let's all give a cheer for our most sensible Sheriff Belor Hemlock! Rumor has it he once found a good time on the side of the road. When he picked it up, it's said, he didn't know what it was so he tossed it back. *He laughs at his own bad joke* I know you were expecting our good Lonjiku to speak but, no surprise he has fallen *His hands raise to punctuate his words* 'ill' and will not be here with us today. Maybe he, Larz, and the Sheriff were separated at birth!
More seriously, let us take a look at what you, the people of Sandpoint have done!" What follows is a not-completely-irreverent detailing of the long process that lead to the financing of the cathedral. You learn the seemingly antisocial man he spoke of, Lonjiku, is the owner of the glassworks and produced the stained glass windows on the construction.
"And finally I would like to welcome the good Father Zantus to the stage. Be sure to stop by the Sandpoint Theatre to see my latest production, The Harpy's Curse! The lead role of Avisera the harpy queen will be played by none other than the famous Magnimaruian diva Allishanda!"
The final man, Father Zantus, steps to the podium.
"People of Sandpoint, travelers and locals, thank you for being here today. Please offer prayer to the Gods today as you revel in the eternal wonder of our beautiful home. Enjoy our games and music and shops. Soon we shall show you why this is called the Swallowtail Festival. After that, lunch will be provided to you by the taverns of our town, and when the sun sets we will all pray in consecration of our new church. I am glad to declare the Swallowtail Festival underway."
With a cheer as one, the crowd claps and yells, smiles on all the faces. Father Zantus smiles back as he watches the crowd break up. Music begins to play, food carts begin to form lines, and shop keeps shout their wares. Several games look like they're starting up and dancing breaks out here and there. Couples walk hand in hand. In nearly no time, the festival truly has begun.
It's mid morning. What do you do?
