Spanning the length of Wildemount's southwest coastline along the Lucidian Ocean, the Menagerie Coast is a lush, rain-swept, tropical region filled with scattered forests and jungles, rocky seaside cliffs and beaches, overgrown islands, and bustling trade routes that traverse the perilous seas. This land is known far and wide as a place for lively trade, vibrant art, performance, and excellent food—as well as the indulgence of vice, piracy, and illicit activities of all kinds. A democratic nation, this region is composed of eight independent city-states, each ruled by its own marquis, which operate as one union under the banner of the Clovis Concord.
Five of the seven cities have open shipping ports, supporting a robust economy of goods, services, and contraband. The Myriad crime syndicate has had its hands in the affairs of the concord for decades, and while officials publicly deny that the Myriad is still active along the Menagerie Coast, local guildmasters and politicians fear that the Myriad is stronger than ever.
The major cities that comprise the Menagerie Coast are Port Damali, Feolinn, Othe, Nicodranas, Gwardan, Port Zoon, and Tussoa. Beyond the coastal cities, the Swavain Islands are scattered across the Lucidian Ocean, bearing shipping posts, dangerous reefs, and talk of ancient secrets hidden in the bellies of hungry jungles. It is well known that pirates stalk the oceanic trade lanes, hassling merchants, marines, and adventurers alike. As any adventurer will attest, all this danger guarantees that travel along the Menagerie Coast is an anxious, thrilling, and profitable experience—if you know where to look.
Open shipping lanes and inviting tropical scenery have made the domain of the Clovis Concord a cultural melting pot and a popular place to live or visit. Between the venues for entertainment and vice, and the ample business opportunities, there are many ways to spend and earn wealth here, far outside the gates of the Dwendalian Empire.
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For those of you who grew up under the rigid caste system and restrictive laws of the Empire in landlocked Marrow Valley, just to lay eyes upon this diverse, lush landscape and the wide open, seemingly endless expanse of the sea is a treat unto itself, as if you were tasting candy for the very first time in your life. And without the constant talk of war, the air here just feels more relaxing and liberating.
For those of you who spent most of you lives in the rugged hills and thick forests that border this land, it has been an adventure indeed to drop down into the green lowlands and smell the salty air of the coast. It's certainly a huge contrast to the life you knew before, but of course, to travel is to learn, and this is the very reason why you have chosen to venture out to new lands in order to seek the fortune of your future.
Feolinn
Smaller than its nearest coastal neighbors, Feolinn is widely referred to as the Garden City for its rural aesthetic, proximity to the Plumgroves, and well-kept parks and gardens. Buttressed against the southern tree line of the Plumgroves and surrounded by a number of small family farms, Feolinn is replete with rural charm. The city itself is comprised of four main roads that form a large rectangle, with each corner ending in a promenade filled with shops and pubs, while the city center is mostly made up of residential homes and affluent estates. Suamalie Way specializes in food and fine dining, while Alt'afi Avenue sports theaters, bathhouses, gambling halls, and other venues for private entertainment. Minceli Road contains administration buildings and barracks for the local law enforcement of the Clovis Concord, called Zhelezo, and Soyer Street is home to many of the local harvesters and working class folk.
Feolinn acts as a harbor for the plentiful fishing around the Mother's Sigh Reef, as well as a destination for travelers looking to escape the chaos of Exandria's woes. Feolinn is a popular destination for wealthy socialites, and it is filled with businesses that specialize in indulgence and self-pampering. Not that you fit either aspect of that description, but nonetheless, after a somewhat long bout of travel from your homeland, it seemed like an ideal place to relax and recuperate from your journey.
That and the wine.
The abundance of fruit and sweet roots harvested from the Plumgroves has given rise to a competitive wine and spirits industry. Feolinn wines and ciders are renowned throughout Exandria. The vintners of Feolinn are known for their intense pride—and for the disdain they have for other vineyards, such as those in the Dwendalian city of Kamordah. Classic vintages auction well in Port Damali, while high-end liquor is presented as a fine gift in noble circles. The major wineries and distilleries in this region, including the Soliva Winery, the Laffath & Legrand Vineyards, the Leoleoa Cellars, and the Purple Breast Company all vie for local and international renown.
This week, the town is hosting a citywide alcohol fair, where Feolinn's wineries and distilleries enter their products to compete for prizes, and who doesn't love a street fair filled with wine and spirits after a long journey?
((Ok, we're in! you can narrate your journey and arrival into Feolinn on this sunny afternoon and I'll have you all meet up soon.))
Bosko looks upon the city of Feolinn from a short distance away, with a mixture of relief and apprehension. It has been a month of travel to get here, possibly more, it is difficult to keep track. The journey started in a small fishing village, so small and nondescript in fact that to mention it’s name here would result only in blank looks.
It is close to Gwardan, and people know where that is. The journey has taken him far from home, but it has been worth it. He accompanied a family of fisherfolk who are relocating to make their fortune fishing the Mother’s Sigh Reef. He insisted on travelling with them to ensure their safety, and that he has done.
He has other reasons for coming as well though. Since he left his own people in Lushgut Forest all those years ago, he has become more and more comfortable with the peoples of the Northern Menagerie Coast. And he wants nothing more than to explore further South.
And his passing has not gone unnoticed either. The residents of the Menagerie coast are not used to seeing a Bugbear travelling it’s roads. In fact they truly do not know what to make of him, but as he is travelling with an Elven family they seemed to decide to simply accept him. They have heard stories about goblinkin of course, but few have met one before and so there has not been much in the way of preconceptions so far.
And now here he stands, at the gates of Feolinn, alone without his travelling companions. He looks at the Zhelezo working the gates and wonders how they will react to his approach.
They will see a tall, stocky being standing a little over six and a half feet tall. His body covered in light brown fur from head to toe. The fur is mostly covered with an overcoat under which he sports some leather armour.
On his head he wears a tricorn hat, although he does not have the look of a sailor about him. Slung across his broad back is a longbow, and at his belt is a pair of rather vicious looking claws, one on either side of him.
He takes a swig from his water skin and then heads to the city gate to see what his fate will bring.
Having traversed nearly two thirds of the Menagerie Coast during the past month, you've seen many different races during your travels, and for the most part, you've found that the people of the Clovis Concord either welcome, or accept people of all kinds to their shores, especially in the cities and larger towns. At the very least they seem accustomed to the sight of "non-regular folk", and even though bugbears are not common in the region, Tabaxi are. To people who've seen neither, it would seem that you're often mistaken for a larger version of the fur-covered cat-like people, which is helped when you pull the brim of your hat down to help shield your goblinoid features.
Your tricorn hat does seems to help, and you've found that during those occasions when people do give you a double take, you can tell that it's the hat that appears to assuage their concern; after all, this style of hat is somewhat common in these coastal parts, and so someone who's wearing one clearly "belongs." At that point, any further suspicions are likely relegated to the question of which to be more concerned with, an armed goblin kind walking the roads, or a pirate. By this time, you've passed with no trouble caused and any concerns quickly forgotten.
The same thing happens today at the open gates of Feolinn. Many people are coming and going throughout the day, and when you walk beneath the gates and enter the town, the most you get from the Zhelezo is a slightly curious look that's quickly dispelled by a glance at your hat. A few seconds later, the guard's gaze peels away and you find yourself looking at the garden aesthetics of the town along the main street toward the square.
Alyndra took a large inhalation of breath through her nose and held it with a smile, her eyes closed before letting it out with a grin, green eyes opening with a sparkle. "I don't think I'll ever get tired of that smell." She remarked, hand swinging in Lazarus' as they approached Feolinn's gates. The pair were certainly an odd couple at first glance considering their height difference. The half elf wasn't too short at five foot seven inches but compared to the Firbolg at her side, she was practically a halfling.
It had been a long journey from Trostenwald but was made much easier with the use of the horses they had "borrowed". It was challenging at times considering she had only ever rode a donkey a couple of times and a horse exactly once but Lazarus had a way with animals thankfully. She couldn't imagine how badly her feet would be hurting if they would've had to make the journey by foot. She had gained a few more freckles on her otherwise fair skin during the journey, some of her cheeks and forehead still a tad burnt. The extra sun had also turned her usually brown shoulder length wavy hair almost a shade of auburn.
Staring at another person making their way past on their own horse as they walked the half elf snorted before remarking to her husband, "All I can keep picturing is that the horses never make it back but instead get taken in by someone else who then gets caught for horse thievery. "I swear Guards, I just found them!" "She snickered before sobering slightly upon laying eyes on some Zhelezo. She found it a little hard to take them as seriously as the Crownsguard or Righteous Brand due to the haphazard nature of their uniforms, color scheme or not. But guards were guards and were not to be taken lightly she learned since being with Lazarus.
Suddenly she would reach up and tug at the Firbolg's tunic to get his attention to the fact that she had her eyes riveted on one of the other figures making their way through the gate as well. He seemed shorter than Lazarus certainly but more furry and clearly not quite humanoid but instead of remarking on any of that she asked her husband very seriously, "Do you think we should get you a hat?"
Lazarus felt the salt in the air reach his nostrils all too soon but there wasn't much to do about it. He knew where they were headed and that the sea wouldn't be far from it. He had little love for the ocean, he felt smaller bodies of water worked better for him. Lakes, springs or rivers even brought about a better feeling than the idea of being out in the ocean. That was neither here nor there at this point, all that mattered was that he was here with Alyndra and it just made things better. At her mention of the smell, he would give a light chuckle "Sure, you keep that feeling for the both of us."
The ride itself was long but he wasn't one to think about what he couldn't change, he just enjoyed the scenery a quarter of the time, the other quarter was talking with Alyndra and the other half was just letting his mind wander to its hearts content. He was brought back to the hear and now Alyndra would make a comment about guards taking in found horses. "Hey, that seems like a whole bunch of there problem, not ours." He would laugh heartily at the thought though. It wouldn't be the first time he had to 'acquire' things in order to progress and it surely wouldn't be the last either.
Lazarus would take note of the town guard. He would assume them to be more willing to overlook small crimes and maybe not too observant to the fine details. That thought in mind, he would have to take his time since he didn't know much about the town itself and that was the fun of it. He would turn his attentions to the half elf at his side as she would bring about the idea of a hat and he would look around to find the reason for the sudden wardrobe addition she wanted to make on him. "Well, I don't think I would mind but it might take away from my charm~" He would flick his head to the side, throwing his hand up to smooth back his hair in an ever so overly dramatic way. "I have to think of my adoring fans~" He said winking at her.
He'd gotten in the coach first, and said nothing as the others entered. They'd had a quick, quiet conversation upon seeing him, black inverness cape and bowler over a black beak, satchel in his lap. It had been decided that the children would sit on the opposite side of the coach. That suited Tap fine. As they shuffled in he found himself reflecting on the way people tended to acted like he couldn't hear them if he didn't talk. Or maybe they assumed he didn't know their language.
Tap sat uneasily in the coach as the countryside rolled by, sandwitched between the canvas wall and a rotund... human? Dwarf? Hag? It wasn't clear, but it smelt of cabbage. He was one of eight passengers. It occurred to him that this was only the second time he'd been in a coach. This time there wasn't a corpse. He'd been more comfortable with the corpse. He'd known what to expect from the corpse. There was procedure, a goal. Structure. Here there was... small-talk, family. Banal filial... things. There were children. He wasn't a fan of that.
Children were an uncomfortable breed of creature. He'd stood out among fleshy neighbors enough to begin with, he hadn't needed to stand out even more. He'd grown so much quicker than they, it was just another level of ostracism. A teenager, chronologically, Tap was well past his adolescence biologically and emotionally. It was normal for his people. Not that he'd ever met any of his people. He'd cautiously avoided mentioning his age to his coworkers. They treated him as enough of an oddity.
It had taken him long enough to find his place. Now he was going to have to restart. No one knew him in Feolinn. He'd done it to himself of course. If he'd stood out less, not gotten promoted so fast... Well, how was he not going to stand out? Different enough and you're either the freak or a prodigy. Getting promoted out of the local jurisdiction was probably the only option. He sighed.
They were looking at him. Why were they looking at him? Oh, the sigh. The woman at the other end of the coach was holding her throat. He'd used her voice. Hadn't even thought of it. He clacked his beak together quietly, in what he hoped seemed like disregard, then slumped down in his seat. Reaching into a pocket he pulled out his badge, affixed it to his chest, then pulled down the brim of his hat, as if to sleep. If you want to not appear a threat, one option is to appear oblivious. If you want not to be bothered, make the badge visible.
Narumi had been traveling down from Othe, still adjusting to the way the lowlanders acted, when she heard of a festival of drinking in Feolinn. Drinks and a party, this could be a good place to start my search for Niall. If not, there should be drinks, music, and competitions if these lowlanders party like we do! As she approached the town, she shuddered. This is a lot more people than I am used to. Act like you belong and they won't question it. She began to hurry to the gate, hoping that she could slip inside without being bothered. When she had first attempted to enter Othe, she was chased off by the guard who thought she was there to raid. To her surprise, the guards barely glanced in her direction. Confidence is key! Now, where can I get away from this crowd and find a drink. She hurriedly began to delve deeper into the city.
Bosko passes by the guards doing his best to shrink into his overcoat and appear inconspicuous, and then stands on the main street taking in the scene. He tips his hat up slightly with one furry finger in order to see better. It had a different feel to the other cities he had stopped at. It was just as busy, possibly more so, but there was far more in the way of green spaces that he could see. He had found the other cities very claustrophobic, and although this one still made him uncomfortable, it wasn’t quite as bad.
As he looks about, out of the corner of his eye he notices a couple of strangers still outside the gate that are looking in his direction. He very briefly clocks the small female, possibly elf, staring his way and a much taller male of a race he had not seen before. The male was taller even than Bosko himself, and seemed to be showing off a bit in front of the female.
A low, "Hmm", sound escapes his lips, a little like a growl, but he turns back to the street and starts to make his way further into the city. He had spent some time in the Plumgroves on his way here, and was keen to experience the drinks that were made from it’s fruit. He goes in search of a tavern, hoping to find one with somewhere outside to sit where he can take the weight off his feet and indulge in the locally produced cider.
Turning towards Suamalie Way, which is where most of the food and dining is to be found, you realize that you don't even have to find a tavern to sample the local drinks made from the fruit of the Plumgroves, they're being offered right in the street. As soon as you hit the intersection where the street begins, you come into a large promenade that's filled with open air stalls run by the local distilleries and wineries, having been placed here for the city-wide alcohol fair. There are also numerous food stalls selling any number of fried and cooked offerings, and numerous stages have been set up at regular intervals along the edge of the Way, where musicians and other entertainers play, sing, juggle and perform for the crowd.
Most of the dealers are giving away free samples of their varietals, and of course, selling full mugs and bottles to take away. As you're walking towards one of them, scoping out the various stalls, a well-dressed man with a long, well-groomed mustache calls out to you.
"You look like you've been on your feet for awhile, traveler! I'm guessing you could use a refreshment! Here, come enjoy a free sample of our finest wine!"
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Alyndra and Lazarus
You watch as the tall traveler in the tricorn hat shoot a quick glance at you both, before turning and heading down the street the leads towards the food district. He's not as tall as Lazarus, but he has stocky limbs, and you can see that he's also covered in fur, with long pointed ears poking out from underneath his hat. The brim is pulled down, so you don't get a good look at his face, but judging by his well-worn leather armor and the two short swords that hang at his back, he's obviously some kind of adventurer or traveler.
Hanging back a bit, you follow that same path that he's taking through the steady stream of people as they make their way along the busy street, if only because you're also in need of food and drink after your long journey. After a short walk, you come to the corner of Suamalie Way, which is a large, open air intersection that's filled with a number of stalls that are set up by the local distilleries and wineries. There are also numerous food stalls selling any number of fried and cooked offerings, and a handful of small stages are set up at regular intervals along the edge of the Way, where musicians and other entertainers play, sing, juggle and perform for the crowd.
Entering the square, you catch sight of the other traveler again; he's standing in front of a the large Solvia Groves Winery stall.
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Narumi
After passing through the gates with nothing more than a mere glance from one of the local town guards, you follow along with the steady stream of people who are making their way towards the eating and drinking district. It's certainly been a long day of travel, and at this point late in the afternoon, there's little more you can think about than enjoying some food, beverages and entertainment.
As if fate has answered the calls of your grumbling stomach, you soon turn the corner, and come into a large promenade that's filled with open air stalls run by the local distilleries and wineries, having been placed here for the city-wide alcohol fair. There are also numerous food stalls selling any number of fried and cooked offerings, and numerous stages have been set up at regular intervals along the edge of the Way, where musicians and other entertainers play, sing, juggle and perform for the crowd.
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Tap
Late in the day, the cart arrives at the open gate of Feolinn, and one of the local guards waves the driver through. You go a few hundred feet into the city, before it reaches the end of the line. The driver steps down from his seat, opens the door and lets you all out.
Exiting the cart after a long ride, you find yourself on solid ground. It's a little disorienting at first, standing on still earth, after having spent many hours riding on bumpy roads, always moving, always being knocked around a little bit from the endless bumps on the dirt tracks. Nonetheless, you look around and take in the sights of this small garden-filled city that's adorned with a pleasing, rural aesthetic, which included numerous small farms and Plumgroves you passed that surround the city.
As you learned during the journey, with this abundance of fruit and sweet roots that grow this tropical and fertile region, Feolinn is home to a notable and very competitive wine industry, with wines, spirits and ciders that are are renowned throughout Exandria. The more notable brands that are produced here can fetch a decent amount of coin, due to their prestige and quality.
And, as fate would have it, this is a great time to arrive in Feolinn for any connoisseur or casual drinker of wine and spirits, as it's currently hosting a city-wide wine alcohol fair. As you step off the cart, you see the loose crowds of people, including some of your fellow passengers, heading straight towards Suamalie Way, which is the main street where food and drink can be found.
Alyndra burst into laughter at his flair for the dramatic, pushing him away from her poorly considering her lack of strength and his own hulking form. "Ah yes we must consider what they would think of you. Mustn't upset the fawning fans." She said between her laughter. "Maybe if it had a nice feather in it. Or if it was made from the scales of an exotic beast! There's bound to be all sorts of things like that for sale around the Menagerie Coast."Then the half elf wilted slightly, "Not that we have the money for things like that right now."
"Ooo I think he noticed we were staring." The brunette mentioned as the tricorn hat wearing fellow glanced their way before continuing on his. It just happened to be the only main path that they were also on. "Certainly in need of a shave, that one. Maybe he's a local adventurer? That's a sort of sea...hat... he's wearing, right?"She was quickly distracted from him as the smell from the stalls hit her. "Mmm oh~ we need to get whatever that is." She moaned, nostrils flaring at the delicious scent from the food vendors.
Taking in the scene of the area, Alyndra noted the entertainers and met Lazarus' eye, surely wondering along with him if it was an every-man's game sort of thing. It was a lot easier to get tips when you're the only source of entertainment but in a crowded area like this with competition he would really need to stand out to earn much coin. Green eyes roved over the rest and saw the same fellow they had been talking about earlier, a stall vendor speaking with him and said something that immediately seized her attention, "Honey."She grabbed hold of Lazarus' hand. "I think that man just said something about free samples."Her expression comically serious considering the topic.
Bosko regards the well dressed man, his eyes narrowing under his hat for a brief moment before he relaxes. He wanders across to his stall and looks down at the wares, hoping to see a keg of cider that he could sample.
"Cider", he says in a gravelly tone. "Will try wine, but really want cider. Walked far so need big drink, food too", he adds speaking a bit slowly and reaching up a long arm to scratch the fur on the back of his neck.
He thinks for a second before saying, "Elros and Scarla said lots of fish around here, that is why they move. You have fish?".
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Tap handed the porter his writ, detailing that his bags should be sent to the Porter's Way Barracks. He then pointed to the name 'Porter's Way' with a questioning expression, and gestured at each of the visible streets.
"Yur askin' fer drections?"
Tap nodded, and listened as the porter detailed how to get to the barracks.
"Ya could follow me up ta drop-off."
He shrugged. Orientation wasn't today, so there was no reason not to spend some time familiarizing himself with the area, so he gave the porter a line he heard recited by a poet some years back.
"Many miles to go before I sleep." "Suite yerself."
It wasn't long before he'd begin to feel too warmly dressed in the sun, his inverness meant for dreary weather. As he wandered into the fair grounds, that feeling compounded, as now he looked both too formal and too warm. Taking off the cape as he passed a house of mirrors, Tap couldn't help but notice, with his cape folded over one arm, that his vest and hat gave him the appearance of someone's butler. Exchanging the costume of one role for another, 'All the world's a stage.' he said aloud.
"Back along the edge of the causeway. They use the base of the old fountain to mount it on." The speaker was a robust-looking young woman, serving drinks to patrons sitting at tables surrounding a tent-stall. It took Tap a moment to realize she'd thought he was asking for directions.
"Gramercy." He replied, just the same, swiping the voice of an aging school-marm. No interest in the stage, Tap walked the perimeter of the carnival, trying to get an idea of the layout of the grounds when they weren't in use. Was this a grazing-field? Had there been buildings removed? Was the area just not developed yet?
(Investigation to learn about the function / past of the physical area: 23)
A passing mother could be heard scolding her child for some indiscretion, and Tap found himself hearing the echoing voice of his adopted mother. '... but you need to learn to switch it off sometimes.'
He sighed, her sigh really, the sigh she sometimes reserved for him, particularly when he'd throw himself into something just a bit too much. Work / life balance she'd called it. 'Work was later,' he scolded himself, 'this is life.'
The man at the stall answers. "Then cider it is! We've got a fine sample, aged 3 months, grown from apples picked right here in the orchards outside of town! I think you'll find it to be quite refreshing with just enough tang to quench your thirst and get ride any dust you've acclimated at the back of the throat during your long walk."
The man pours some from a bottle into a mug and hands it to Bosko.
"Fish you'll find at many of the food stalls up and down the way. Many good options I'm sure. After all, we're right the coast!"
"You look to be a man who's quite capable in the out of doors! Have you come far to reach Feolinn?"
As you check out the street fair, you see that this wide street, called Suamalie Way, which is one of the four main streets that form a large rectangle around the city, opens up to a large promenade each each corner that's filled with shops and pubs. Suamalie Way specializes particularly in food and fine dining, and so there are quite a few taverns along the street, but in this larger open corner, and squeezed into every possible space on the entire way, are many stalls selling food and drink, with free samples at the booths run by the local distilleries and wineries. There are also a handful of stages set at regular intervals with a variety of performers entertaining the crowd.
You quickly learn that this is city-wide alcohol fair, where Feolinn's wineries and distilleries enter their products to compete for prizes, show off their wares, and just provide an opportunity for the town to enjoy a festival, because, who doesn't love a good festival in the summertime?
Lazarus would smirk at the mention of a feather to adorn the would-be hat and then would chuckle a reply "Only if the feather was as colorful as me but..." He would look back to the furry individual as she would point out that he may have seen them starring. "Well, hopefully it didn't seem too awful rude of us." When she brought up about a shave, Lazarus would rub his own beard of his chin in an almost defensive manner. "A person has a right to be as hairy as they damn well please, it's a gods given right and I think the hat is called a tri...Tri something?"
It didn't take long for the smells to finally reach his lovers nose and he placed a hand on his own stomach as he felt as if it was about to start rumbling. The sound of the word 'Free' caught his attention. "How about we nab a few snacks and I'll try and make a bit of side coin performing for a bit. What do you think would get the best eye candy for these kinda folks? A singing orc? Or a elf? People do tend to dote on elves but then again, they are looked down on." He would then look down at Alyndra in an almost mocking manner. "Regardless, for now, lets get something in our stomachs."
He would hold her hand and guide them through the crowd, his figure mainly used in an almost imposing manner, but nothing more than a polite smile to those he would accidentally bump into.
As the neatly groomed man with the mustache at the Solvia Groves stall hands a mug to the fur-covered individual in the tricorn hat, he hears Alyndra say,
"I think that man just said something about free samples."
He responds by looking straight towards her and saying,
"Free is right, my lady!! Wine, cider and spirits, all for the sampling, with rather generous samples I will say! And of course, if you want to take home a bottle of anything, we can certainly arrange that, but step right over here and taste some of our finest beverages. After all, that's why we're here, right?"
"Wine for you, m'lady, or red? Or would you prefer a nice tangy cider, like this fellow?"
Nodding along with her partner's idea, Alyndra then stopped nodding and looked up at him softly before it turned sour, glouring up at him as he mockingly looked down at her. "Why don't you just try being yourself this time dear?"She usually only called him 'dear' when he was annoying her and he knew it. Glad that he was listening to both their stomachs, she allowed her attention be drawn by the vendor that had spoke of free samples.
Though the half elf was a little disappointed that said free things weren't food, but free was free, right? Eyebrows raising at the choices, she laughed a little, shy now that she was put on the spot and glanced up at the familiar 'tangy cider fellow', hesitating before saying, "I like sweet drinks so...wine? Red or....pink?" She was fairly certain that wasn't the correct term, but it was certainly the right color of the last wine she remembered trying that she didn't hate.
Hearing the behatted hairy man (she really couldn't quite place his race and it would be rude to just ask such a thing) bring up food and seafood, Alyndra brightened as she asked the vendor, "Ooh, could you make a Bloody Fairy?"Explaining to the adventurer (at least she assumed), "We haven't been in the Menagerie Coast long but I tried a Bloody Fairy down in Nicodranas and was instantly a fan! Apparently every region has their own recipe and ingredients so it's rare to get the same sort of drink twice which makes it fun to order. And Nicodranas had little shrimps in it, though I suppose that's not exactly fish..." The brunette's pointed ears were becoming a bit more warm and flushed that had nothing to do with the hot climate and everything to do with the fact that her mouth wouldn't stop.
Narumi looks around the promenade flustered. Too many people... too many people... She quickly turns to walk away but as the crowd moves forward she finds herself moving deeper into the crowd. Just remember to breath. She slowly begins to make her way into the crowd until she sees a strange large creature asking for cider. A drink would help with these crowds. She then hears them mention fish and her stomach begins to growl. Ooh if there is fish there might be Fusaka fish. Narumi hurries forward towards the stall and smiles, "Um... Could I also get a cider? I heard you mention fish, would there be Fusaka fish there?"
Bosko takes a gulp of the cider, swilling the liquid in his mouth a moment, the taste of the apples delighting his taste buds and, as promised, quenching his thirst some. He drains the rest of the mug before holding it out to the smartly dressed man again, hoping for another.
As he waits for a refill, he starts to answer his question. "I have, yes, travelled..", he doesn't get too far though, before the man is distracted by another customer, calling her over. His mug left in place hoping for a refill, he tips his head down slightly so his hat covers his face a little more as the new customer, actually customers, make their way over. He recognises the small elf lady he saw staring at him earlier as she starts to speak, and feels the imposing presence of her companion. He is fairly small for a Bugbear, so a lot of his kin tower over him, but he hasn't often been in that position with folk from other races.
"Bloody Fairy!", he blurts out a little shocked as the elf lady starts to describe it to him. They eat Fairies here! "Oh, is drink. I was thinking, you meant, to eat", he says to the lady with an embarrassed chuckle.
He takes a step back as another person joins them at the stall asking for cider and fish, his long arm still holding the mug out for a refill. This newcomer is even taller than the last. He pushes his hat up with a furry finger to better see them, exposing more of his own face in the process.
Answering Alyndra, “A sweet wine… I have just the thing! A fine rosé, made from extra ripe plums. I think you’ll like this one,” he says as he pours from a bottle and hands the half-elven girl a mug.
”A bloody fairy, I cannot do, I’m afraid. We specialize in varietal wines and other distilled beverages of fine quality. If it’s mixed drinks you want, you’ll have to visit one of the taverns.”
The man then responds to Narumi’s request, then does a double take when he looks and sees who it is that spoke.
”Another cider… certainly! Coming right….”
“Oh my…! You’re a long way from home, I gather! This is certainly the day for extra tall folk at my booth, and those who have traveled far and wide to get here! Most folk come in from places like Port Damali and Nicodranas, some from the other side of the mountains, but I venture to guess that you actually came from them, am I right?”
He pours a cider for Narumi and tells her that fish can be found at many of the food stalls on the street. He then gives Bosko a refill.
The Menagerie Coast
Spanning the length of Wildemount's southwest coastline along the Lucidian Ocean, the Menagerie Coast is a lush, rain-swept, tropical region filled with scattered forests and jungles, rocky seaside cliffs and beaches, overgrown islands, and bustling trade routes that traverse the perilous seas. This land is known far and wide as a place for lively trade, vibrant art, performance, and excellent food—as well as the indulgence of vice, piracy, and illicit activities of all kinds. A democratic nation, this region is composed of eight independent city-states, each ruled by its own marquis, which operate as one union under the banner of the Clovis Concord.
Five of the seven cities have open shipping ports, supporting a robust economy of goods, services, and contraband. The Myriad crime syndicate has had its hands in the affairs of the concord for decades, and while officials publicly deny that the Myriad is still active along the Menagerie Coast, local guildmasters and politicians fear that the Myriad is stronger than ever.
The major cities that comprise the Menagerie Coast are Port Damali, Feolinn, Othe, Nicodranas, Gwardan, Port Zoon, and Tussoa. Beyond the coastal cities, the Swavain Islands are scattered across the Lucidian Ocean, bearing shipping posts, dangerous reefs, and talk of ancient secrets hidden in the bellies of hungry jungles. It is well known that pirates stalk the oceanic trade lanes, hassling merchants, marines, and adventurers alike. As any adventurer will attest, all this danger guarantees that travel along the Menagerie Coast is an anxious, thrilling, and profitable experience—if you know where to look.
Open shipping lanes and inviting tropical scenery have made the domain of the Clovis Concord a cultural melting pot and a popular place to live or visit. Between the venues for entertainment and vice, and the ample business opportunities, there are many ways to spend and earn wealth here, far outside the gates of the Dwendalian Empire.
-----------------------
For those of you who grew up under the rigid caste system and restrictive laws of the Empire in landlocked Marrow Valley, just to lay eyes upon this diverse, lush landscape and the wide open, seemingly endless expanse of the sea is a treat unto itself, as if you were tasting candy for the very first time in your life. And without the constant talk of war, the air here just feels more relaxing and liberating.
For those of you who spent most of you lives in the rugged hills and thick forests that border this land, it has been an adventure indeed to drop down into the green lowlands and smell the salty air of the coast. It's certainly a huge contrast to the life you knew before, but of course, to travel is to learn, and this is the very reason why you have chosen to venture out to new lands in order to seek the fortune of your future.
Feolinn
Smaller than its nearest coastal neighbors, Feolinn is widely referred to as the Garden City for its rural aesthetic, proximity to the Plumgroves, and well-kept parks and gardens. Buttressed against the southern tree line of the Plumgroves and surrounded by a number of small family farms, Feolinn is replete with rural charm. The city itself is comprised of four main roads that form a large rectangle, with each corner ending in a promenade filled with shops and pubs, while the city center is mostly made up of residential homes and affluent estates. Suamalie Way specializes in food and fine dining, while Alt'afi Avenue sports theaters, bathhouses, gambling halls, and other venues for private entertainment. Minceli Road contains administration buildings and barracks for the local law enforcement of the Clovis Concord, called Zhelezo, and Soyer Street is home to many of the local harvesters and working class folk.
Feolinn acts as a harbor for the plentiful fishing around the Mother's Sigh Reef, as well as a destination for travelers looking to escape the chaos of Exandria's woes. Feolinn is a popular destination for wealthy socialites, and it is filled with businesses that specialize in indulgence and self-pampering. Not that you fit either aspect of that description, but nonetheless, after a somewhat long bout of travel from your homeland, it seemed like an ideal place to relax and recuperate from your journey.
That and the wine.
The abundance of fruit and sweet roots harvested from the Plumgroves has given rise to a competitive wine and spirits industry. Feolinn wines and ciders are renowned throughout Exandria. The vintners of Feolinn are known for their intense pride—and for the disdain they have for other vineyards, such as those in the Dwendalian city of Kamordah. Classic vintages auction well in Port Damali, while high-end liquor is presented as a fine gift in noble circles. The major wineries and distilleries in this region, including the Soliva Winery, the Laffath & Legrand Vineyards, the Leoleoa Cellars, and the Purple Breast Company all vie for local and international renown.
This week, the town is hosting a citywide alcohol fair, where Feolinn's wineries and distilleries enter their products to compete for prizes, and who doesn't love a street fair filled with wine and spirits after a long journey?
((Ok, we're in! you can narrate your journey and arrival into Feolinn on this sunny afternoon and I'll have you all meet up soon.))
Bosko looks upon the city of Feolinn from a short distance away, with a mixture of relief and apprehension. It has been a month of travel to get here, possibly more, it is difficult to keep track. The journey started in a small fishing village, so small and nondescript in fact that to mention it’s name here would result only in blank looks.
It is close to Gwardan, and people know where that is. The journey has taken him far from home, but it has been worth it. He accompanied a family of fisherfolk who are relocating to make their fortune fishing the Mother’s Sigh Reef. He insisted on travelling with them to ensure their safety, and that he has done.
He has other reasons for coming as well though. Since he left his own people in Lushgut Forest all those years ago, he has become more and more comfortable with the peoples of the Northern Menagerie Coast. And he wants nothing more than to explore further South.
And his passing has not gone unnoticed either. The residents of the Menagerie coast are not used to seeing a Bugbear travelling it’s roads. In fact they truly do not know what to make of him, but as he is travelling with an Elven family they seemed to decide to simply accept him. They have heard stories about goblinkin of course, but few have met one before and so there has not been much in the way of preconceptions so far.
And now here he stands, at the gates of Feolinn, alone without his travelling companions. He looks at the Zhelezo working the gates and wonders how they will react to his approach.
They will see a tall, stocky being standing a little over six and a half feet tall. His body covered in light brown fur from head to toe. The fur is mostly covered with an overcoat under which he sports some leather armour.
On his head he wears a tricorn hat, although he does not have the look of a sailor about him. Slung across his broad back is a longbow, and at his belt is a pair of rather vicious looking claws, one on either side of him.
He takes a swig from his water skin and then heads to the city gate to see what his fate will bring.
Bosco
Having traversed nearly two thirds of the Menagerie Coast during the past month, you've seen many different races during your travels, and for the most part, you've found that the people of the Clovis Concord either welcome, or accept people of all kinds to their shores, especially in the cities and larger towns. At the very least they seem accustomed to the sight of "non-regular folk", and even though bugbears are not common in the region, Tabaxi are. To people who've seen neither, it would seem that you're often mistaken for a larger version of the fur-covered cat-like people, which is helped when you pull the brim of your hat down to help shield your goblinoid features.
Your tricorn hat does seems to help, and you've found that during those occasions when people do give you a double take, you can tell that it's the hat that appears to assuage their concern; after all, this style of hat is somewhat common in these coastal parts, and so someone who's wearing one clearly "belongs." At that point, any further suspicions are likely relegated to the question of which to be more concerned with, an armed goblin kind walking the roads, or a pirate. By this time, you've passed with no trouble caused and any concerns quickly forgotten.
The same thing happens today at the open gates of Feolinn. Many people are coming and going throughout the day, and when you walk beneath the gates and enter the town, the most you get from the Zhelezo is a slightly curious look that's quickly dispelled by a glance at your hat. A few seconds later, the guard's gaze peels away and you find yourself looking at the garden aesthetics of the town along the main street toward the square.
Alyndra took a large inhalation of breath through her nose and held it with a smile, her eyes closed before letting it out with a grin, green eyes opening with a sparkle. "I don't think I'll ever get tired of that smell." She remarked, hand swinging in Lazarus' as they approached Feolinn's gates. The pair were certainly an odd couple at first glance considering their height difference. The half elf wasn't too short at five foot seven inches but compared to the Firbolg at her side, she was practically a halfling.
It had been a long journey from Trostenwald but was made much easier with the use of the horses they had "borrowed". It was challenging at times considering she had only ever rode a donkey a couple of times and a horse exactly once but Lazarus had a way with animals thankfully. She couldn't imagine how badly her feet would be hurting if they would've had to make the journey by foot. She had gained a few more freckles on her otherwise fair skin during the journey, some of her cheeks and forehead still a tad burnt. The extra sun had also turned her usually brown shoulder length wavy hair almost a shade of auburn.
Staring at another person making their way past on their own horse as they walked the half elf snorted before remarking to her husband, "All I can keep picturing is that the horses never make it back but instead get taken in by someone else who then gets caught for horse thievery. "I swear Guards, I just found them!" " She snickered before sobering slightly upon laying eyes on some Zhelezo. She found it a little hard to take them as seriously as the Crownsguard or Righteous Brand due to the haphazard nature of their uniforms, color scheme or not. But guards were guards and were not to be taken lightly she learned since being with Lazarus.
Suddenly she would reach up and tug at the Firbolg's tunic to get his attention to the fact that she had her eyes riveted on one of the other figures making their way through the gate as well. He seemed shorter than Lazarus certainly but more furry and clearly not quite humanoid but instead of remarking on any of that she asked her husband very seriously, "Do you think we should get you a hat?"
Nym Durnodel - Aspiring Heroes of Faerûn // Danica Amastacia - Red Dead Annihilation
Lazarus felt the salt in the air reach his nostrils all too soon but there wasn't much to do about it. He knew where they were headed and that the sea wouldn't be far from it. He had little love for the ocean, he felt smaller bodies of water worked better for him. Lakes, springs or rivers even brought about a better feeling than the idea of being out in the ocean. That was neither here nor there at this point, all that mattered was that he was here with Alyndra and it just made things better. At her mention of the smell, he would give a light chuckle "Sure, you keep that feeling for the both of us."
The ride itself was long but he wasn't one to think about what he couldn't change, he just enjoyed the scenery a quarter of the time, the other quarter was talking with Alyndra and the other half was just letting his mind wander to its hearts content. He was brought back to the hear and now Alyndra would make a comment about guards taking in found horses. "Hey, that seems like a whole bunch of there problem, not ours." He would laugh heartily at the thought though. It wouldn't be the first time he had to 'acquire' things in order to progress and it surely wouldn't be the last either.
Lazarus would take note of the town guard. He would assume them to be more willing to overlook small crimes and maybe not too observant to the fine details. That thought in mind, he would have to take his time since he didn't know much about the town itself and that was the fun of it. He would turn his attentions to the half elf at his side as she would bring about the idea of a hat and he would look around to find the reason for the sudden wardrobe addition she wanted to make on him. "Well, I don't think I would mind but it might take away from my charm~" He would flick his head to the side, throwing his hand up to smooth back his hair in an ever so overly dramatic way. "I have to think of my adoring fans~" He said winking at her.
Lazarus Ryder - Adventures Abound in Wildemount
He'd gotten in the coach first, and said nothing as the others entered. They'd had a quick, quiet conversation upon seeing him, black inverness cape and bowler over a black beak, satchel in his lap. It had been decided that the children would sit on the opposite side of the coach. That suited Tap fine. As they shuffled in he found himself reflecting on the way people tended to acted like he couldn't hear them if he didn't talk. Or maybe they assumed he didn't know their language.
Tap sat uneasily in the coach as the countryside rolled by, sandwitched between the canvas wall and a rotund... human? Dwarf? Hag? It wasn't clear, but it smelt of cabbage. He was one of eight passengers. It occurred to him that this was only the second time he'd been in a coach. This time there wasn't a corpse. He'd been more comfortable with the corpse. He'd known what to expect from the corpse. There was procedure, a goal. Structure. Here there was... small-talk, family. Banal filial... things. There were children. He wasn't a fan of that.
Children were an uncomfortable breed of creature. He'd stood out among fleshy neighbors enough to begin with, he hadn't needed to stand out even more. He'd grown so much quicker than they, it was just another level of ostracism. A teenager, chronologically, Tap was well past his adolescence biologically and emotionally. It was normal for his people. Not that he'd ever met any of his people. He'd cautiously avoided mentioning his age to his coworkers. They treated him as enough of an oddity.
It had taken him long enough to find his place. Now he was going to have to restart. No one knew him in Feolinn. He'd done it to himself of course. If he'd stood out less, not gotten promoted so fast... Well, how was he not going to stand out? Different enough and you're either the freak or a prodigy. Getting promoted out of the local jurisdiction was probably the only option. He sighed.
They were looking at him. Why were they looking at him? Oh, the sigh. The woman at the other end of the coach was holding her throat. He'd used her voice. Hadn't even thought of it. He clacked his beak together quietly, in what he hoped seemed like disregard, then slumped down in his seat. Reaching into a pocket he pulled out his badge, affixed it to his chest, then pulled down the brim of his hat, as if to sleep. If you want to not appear a threat, one option is to appear oblivious. If you want not to be bothered, make the badge visible.
Narumi had been traveling down from Othe, still adjusting to the way the lowlanders acted, when she heard of a festival of drinking in Feolinn. Drinks and a party, this could be a good place to start my search for Niall. If not, there should be drinks, music, and competitions if these lowlanders party like we do! As she approached the town, she shuddered. This is a lot more people than I am used to. Act like you belong and they won't question it. She began to hurry to the gate, hoping that she could slip inside without being bothered. When she had first attempted to enter Othe, she was chased off by the guard who thought she was there to raid. To her surprise, the guards barely glanced in her direction. Confidence is key! Now, where can I get away from this crowd and find a drink. She hurriedly began to delve deeper into the city.
Bosko passes by the guards doing his best to shrink into his overcoat and appear inconspicuous, and then stands on the main street taking in the scene. He tips his hat up slightly with one furry finger in order to see better. It had a different feel to the other cities he had stopped at. It was just as busy, possibly more so, but there was far more in the way of green spaces that he could see. He had found the other cities very claustrophobic, and although this one still made him uncomfortable, it wasn’t quite as bad.
As he looks about, out of the corner of his eye he notices a couple of strangers still outside the gate that are looking in his direction. He very briefly clocks the small female, possibly elf, staring his way and a much taller male of a race he had not seen before. The male was taller even than Bosko himself, and seemed to be showing off a bit in front of the female.
A low, "Hmm", sound escapes his lips, a little like a growl, but he turns back to the street and starts to make his way further into the city. He had spent some time in the Plumgroves on his way here, and was keen to experience the drinks that were made from it’s fruit. He goes in search of a tavern, hoping to find one with somewhere outside to sit where he can take the weight off his feet and indulge in the locally produced cider.
Bosco
Turning towards Suamalie Way, which is where most of the food and dining is to be found, you realize that you don't even have to find a tavern to sample the local drinks made from the fruit of the Plumgroves, they're being offered right in the street. As soon as you hit the intersection where the street begins, you come into a large promenade that's filled with open air stalls run by the local distilleries and wineries, having been placed here for the city-wide alcohol fair. There are also numerous food stalls selling any number of fried and cooked offerings, and numerous stages have been set up at regular intervals along the edge of the Way, where musicians and other entertainers play, sing, juggle and perform for the crowd.
Most of the dealers are giving away free samples of their varietals, and of course, selling full mugs and bottles to take away. As you're walking towards one of them, scoping out the various stalls, a well-dressed man with a long, well-groomed mustache calls out to you.
"You look like you've been on your feet for awhile, traveler! I'm guessing you could use a refreshment! Here, come enjoy a free sample of our finest wine!"
---------
Alyndra and Lazarus
You watch as the tall traveler in the tricorn hat shoot a quick glance at you both, before turning and heading down the street the leads towards the food district. He's not as tall as Lazarus, but he has stocky limbs, and you can see that he's also covered in fur, with long pointed ears poking out from underneath his hat. The brim is pulled down, so you don't get a good look at his face, but judging by his well-worn leather armor and the two short swords that hang at his back, he's obviously some kind of adventurer or traveler.
Hanging back a bit, you follow that same path that he's taking through the steady stream of people as they make their way along the busy street, if only because you're also in need of food and drink after your long journey. After a short walk, you come to the corner of Suamalie Way, which is a large, open air intersection that's filled with a number of stalls that are set up by the local distilleries and wineries. There are also numerous food stalls selling any number of fried and cooked offerings, and a handful of small stages are set up at regular intervals along the edge of the Way, where musicians and other entertainers play, sing, juggle and perform for the crowd.
Entering the square, you catch sight of the other traveler again; he's standing in front of a the large Solvia Groves Winery stall.
--------------
Narumi
After passing through the gates with nothing more than a mere glance from one of the local town guards, you follow along with the steady stream of people who are making their way towards the eating and drinking district. It's certainly been a long day of travel, and at this point late in the afternoon, there's little more you can think about than enjoying some food, beverages and entertainment.
As if fate has answered the calls of your grumbling stomach, you soon turn the corner, and come into a large promenade that's filled with open air stalls run by the local distilleries and wineries, having been placed here for the city-wide alcohol fair. There are also numerous food stalls selling any number of fried and cooked offerings, and numerous stages have been set up at regular intervals along the edge of the Way, where musicians and other entertainers play, sing, juggle and perform for the crowd.
--------------
Tap
Late in the day, the cart arrives at the open gate of Feolinn, and one of the local guards waves the driver through. You go a few hundred feet into the city, before it reaches the end of the line. The driver steps down from his seat, opens the door and lets you all out.
Exiting the cart after a long ride, you find yourself on solid ground. It's a little disorienting at first, standing on still earth, after having spent many hours riding on bumpy roads, always moving, always being knocked around a little bit from the endless bumps on the dirt tracks. Nonetheless, you look around and take in the sights of this small garden-filled city that's adorned with a pleasing, rural aesthetic, which included numerous small farms and Plumgroves you passed that surround the city.
As you learned during the journey, with this abundance of fruit and sweet roots that grow this tropical and fertile region, Feolinn is home to a notable and very competitive wine industry, with wines, spirits and ciders that are are renowned throughout Exandria. The more notable brands that are produced here can fetch a decent amount of coin, due to their prestige and quality.
And, as fate would have it, this is a great time to arrive in Feolinn for any connoisseur or casual drinker of wine and spirits, as it's currently hosting a city-wide wine alcohol fair. As you step off the cart, you see the loose crowds of people, including some of your fellow passengers, heading straight towards Suamalie Way, which is the main street where food and drink can be found.
Alyndra burst into laughter at his flair for the dramatic, pushing him away from her poorly considering her lack of strength and his own hulking form. "Ah yes we must consider what they would think of you. Mustn't upset the fawning fans." She said between her laughter. "Maybe if it had a nice feather in it. Or if it was made from the scales of an exotic beast! There's bound to be all sorts of things like that for sale around the Menagerie Coast." Then the half elf wilted slightly, "Not that we have the money for things like that right now."
"Ooo I think he noticed we were staring." The brunette mentioned as the tricorn hat wearing fellow glanced their way before continuing on his. It just happened to be the only main path that they were also on. "Certainly in need of a shave, that one. Maybe he's a local adventurer? That's a sort of sea...hat... he's wearing, right?" She was quickly distracted from him as the smell from the stalls hit her. "Mmm oh~ we need to get whatever that is." She moaned, nostrils flaring at the delicious scent from the food vendors.
Taking in the scene of the area, Alyndra noted the entertainers and met Lazarus' eye, surely wondering along with him if it was an every-man's game sort of thing. It was a lot easier to get tips when you're the only source of entertainment but in a crowded area like this with competition he would really need to stand out to earn much coin. Green eyes roved over the rest and saw the same fellow they had been talking about earlier, a stall vendor speaking with him and said something that immediately seized her attention, "Honey." She grabbed hold of Lazarus' hand. "I think that man just said something about free samples." Her expression comically serious considering the topic.
Nym Durnodel - Aspiring Heroes of Faerûn // Danica Amastacia - Red Dead Annihilation
Bosko regards the well dressed man, his eyes narrowing under his hat for a brief moment before he relaxes. He wanders across to his stall and looks down at the wares, hoping to see a keg of cider that he could sample.
"Cider", he says in a gravelly tone. "Will try wine, but really want cider. Walked far so need big drink, food too", he adds speaking a bit slowly and reaching up a long arm to scratch the fur on the back of his neck.
He thinks for a second before saying, "Elros and Scarla said lots of fish around here, that is why they move. You have fish?".
Tap handed the porter his writ, detailing that his bags should be sent to the Porter's Way Barracks. He then pointed to the name 'Porter's Way' with a questioning expression, and gestured at each of the visible streets.
"Yur askin' fer drections?"
Tap nodded, and listened as the porter detailed how to get to the barracks.
"Ya could follow me up ta drop-off."
He shrugged. Orientation wasn't today, so there was no reason not to spend some time familiarizing himself with the area, so he gave the porter a line he heard recited by a poet some years back.
"Many miles to go before I sleep."
"Suite yerself."
It wasn't long before he'd begin to feel too warmly dressed in the sun, his inverness meant for dreary weather. As he wandered into the fair grounds, that feeling compounded, as now he looked both too formal and too warm. Taking off the cape as he passed a house of mirrors, Tap couldn't help but notice, with his cape folded over one arm, that his vest and hat gave him the appearance of someone's butler. Exchanging the costume of one role for another, 'All the world's a stage.' he said aloud.
"Back along the edge of the causeway. They use the base of the old fountain to mount it on."
The speaker was a robust-looking young woman, serving drinks to patrons sitting at tables surrounding a tent-stall. It took Tap a moment to realize she'd thought he was asking for directions.
"Gramercy." He replied, just the same, swiping the voice of an aging school-marm. No interest in the stage, Tap walked the perimeter of the carnival, trying to get an idea of the layout of the grounds when they weren't in use. Was this a grazing-field? Had there been buildings removed? Was the area just not developed yet?
(Investigation to learn about the function / past of the physical area: 23)
A passing mother could be heard scolding her child for some indiscretion, and Tap found himself hearing the echoing voice of his adopted mother. '... but you need to learn to switch it off sometimes.'
He sighed, her sigh really, the sigh she sometimes reserved for him, particularly when he'd throw himself into something just a bit too much. Work / life balance she'd called it. 'Work was later,' he scolded himself, 'this is life.'
Bosko
The man at the stall answers. "Then cider it is! We've got a fine sample, aged 3 months, grown from apples picked right here in the orchards outside of town! I think you'll find it to be quite refreshing with just enough tang to quench your thirst and get ride any dust you've acclimated at the back of the throat during your long walk."
The man pours some from a bottle into a mug and hands it to Bosko.
"Fish you'll find at many of the food stalls up and down the way. Many good options I'm sure. After all, we're right the coast!"
"You look to be a man who's quite capable in the out of doors! Have you come far to reach Feolinn?"
Tap
As you check out the street fair, you see that this wide street, called Suamalie Way, which is one of the four main streets that form a large rectangle around the city, opens up to a large promenade each each corner that's filled with shops and pubs. Suamalie Way specializes particularly in food and fine dining, and so there are quite a few taverns along the street, but in this larger open corner, and squeezed into every possible space on the entire way, are many stalls selling food and drink, with free samples at the booths run by the local distilleries and wineries. There are also a handful of stages set at regular intervals with a variety of performers entertaining the crowd.
You quickly learn that this is city-wide alcohol fair, where Feolinn's wineries and distilleries enter their products to compete for prizes, show off their wares, and just provide an opportunity for the town to enjoy a festival, because, who doesn't love a good festival in the summertime?
Lazarus would smirk at the mention of a feather to adorn the would-be hat and then would chuckle a reply "Only if the feather was as colorful as me but..." He would look back to the furry individual as she would point out that he may have seen them starring. "Well, hopefully it didn't seem too awful rude of us." When she brought up about a shave, Lazarus would rub his own beard of his chin in an almost defensive manner. "A person has a right to be as hairy as they damn well please, it's a gods given right and I think the hat is called a tri...Tri something?"
It didn't take long for the smells to finally reach his lovers nose and he placed a hand on his own stomach as he felt as if it was about to start rumbling. The sound of the word 'Free' caught his attention. "How about we nab a few snacks and I'll try and make a bit of side coin performing for a bit. What do you think would get the best eye candy for these kinda folks? A singing orc? Or a elf? People do tend to dote on elves but then again, they are looked down on." He would then look down at Alyndra in an almost mocking manner. "Regardless, for now, lets get something in our stomachs."
He would hold her hand and guide them through the crowd, his figure mainly used in an almost imposing manner, but nothing more than a polite smile to those he would accidentally bump into.
Lazarus Ryder - Adventures Abound in Wildemount
Alyndra and Lazarus
As the neatly groomed man with the mustache at the Solvia Groves stall hands a mug to the fur-covered individual in the tricorn hat, he hears Alyndra say,
"I think that man just said something about free samples."
He responds by looking straight towards her and saying,
"Free is right, my lady!! Wine, cider and spirits, all for the sampling, with rather generous samples I will say! And of course, if you want to take home a bottle of anything, we can certainly arrange that, but step right over here and taste some of our finest beverages. After all, that's why we're here, right?"
"Wine for you, m'lady, or red? Or would you prefer a nice tangy cider, like this fellow?"
Nodding along with her partner's idea, Alyndra then stopped nodding and looked up at him softly before it turned sour, glouring up at him as he mockingly looked down at her. "Why don't you just try being yourself this time dear?" She usually only called him 'dear' when he was annoying her and he knew it. Glad that he was listening to both their stomachs, she allowed her attention be drawn by the vendor that had spoke of free samples.
Though the half elf was a little disappointed that said free things weren't food, but free was free, right? Eyebrows raising at the choices, she laughed a little, shy now that she was put on the spot and glanced up at the familiar 'tangy cider fellow', hesitating before saying, "I like sweet drinks so...wine? Red or....pink?" She was fairly certain that wasn't the correct term, but it was certainly the right color of the last wine she remembered trying that she didn't hate.
Hearing the behatted hairy man (she really couldn't quite place his race and it would be rude to just ask such a thing) bring up food and seafood, Alyndra brightened as she asked the vendor, "Ooh, could you make a Bloody Fairy?" Explaining to the adventurer (at least she assumed), "We haven't been in the Menagerie Coast long but I tried a Bloody Fairy down in Nicodranas and was instantly a fan! Apparently every region has their own recipe and ingredients so it's rare to get the same sort of drink twice which makes it fun to order. And Nicodranas had little shrimps in it, though I suppose that's not exactly fish..." The brunette's pointed ears were becoming a bit more warm and flushed that had nothing to do with the hot climate and everything to do with the fact that her mouth wouldn't stop.
Nym Durnodel - Aspiring Heroes of Faerûn // Danica Amastacia - Red Dead Annihilation
Narumi looks around the promenade flustered. Too many people... too many people... She quickly turns to walk away but as the crowd moves forward she finds herself moving deeper into the crowd. Just remember to breath. She slowly begins to make her way into the crowd until she sees a strange large creature asking for cider. A drink would help with these crowds. She then hears them mention fish and her stomach begins to growl. Ooh if there is fish there might be Fusaka fish. Narumi hurries forward towards the stall and smiles, "Um... Could I also get a cider? I heard you mention fish, would there be Fusaka fish there?"
Bosko takes a gulp of the cider, swilling the liquid in his mouth a moment, the taste of the apples delighting his taste buds and, as promised, quenching his thirst some. He drains the rest of the mug before holding it out to the smartly dressed man again, hoping for another.
As he waits for a refill, he starts to answer his question. "I have, yes, travelled..", he doesn't get too far though, before the man is distracted by another customer, calling her over. His mug left in place hoping for a refill, he tips his head down slightly so his hat covers his face a little more as the new customer, actually customers, make their way over. He recognises the small elf lady he saw staring at him earlier as she starts to speak, and feels the imposing presence of her companion. He is fairly small for a Bugbear, so a lot of his kin tower over him, but he hasn't often been in that position with folk from other races.
"Bloody Fairy!", he blurts out a little shocked as the elf lady starts to describe it to him. They eat Fairies here! "Oh, is drink. I was thinking, you meant, to eat", he says to the lady with an embarrassed chuckle.
He takes a step back as another person joins them at the stall asking for cider and fish, his long arm still holding the mug out for a refill. This newcomer is even taller than the last. He pushes his hat up with a furry finger to better see them, exposing more of his own face in the process.
Answering Alyndra, “A sweet wine… I have just the thing! A fine rosé, made from extra ripe plums. I think you’ll like this one,” he says as he pours from a bottle and hands the half-elven girl a mug.
”A bloody fairy, I cannot do, I’m afraid. We specialize in varietal wines and other distilled beverages of fine quality. If it’s mixed drinks you want, you’ll have to visit one of the taverns.”
The man then responds to Narumi’s request, then does a double take when he looks and sees who it is that spoke.
”Another cider… certainly! Coming right….”
“Oh my…! You’re a long way from home, I gather! This is certainly the day for extra tall folk at my booth, and those who have traveled far and wide to get here! Most folk come in from places like Port Damali and Nicodranas, some from the other side of the mountains, but I venture to guess that you actually came from them, am I right?”
He pours a cider for Narumi and tells her that fish can be found at many of the food stalls on the street. He then gives Bosko a refill.
“See! I knew you’d enjoy it!”