Tibern straightens himself after the very enthusiastic ship captain slaps him on th back and nearly knocked him over. He gives the man a nod of acknowledgement and respect before he moved to join the others as they step down from the ship. As they walk he simply with a few flaps of his wings flies until his feet touch solid ground again, regarding the children with their heads curiously.
"I have never had the opportunity to go to many festivals. I was sickly as a child and never spent much time outside of the grounds of my family home. But if the children are an example of what we may see I think that it will be most enjoyable indeed."
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Rekuberk Onc Level 8 | Half Orc | Barbarian (The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks)
If there are vendors en route to either of her intended destinations, Serwawill inquire about purchasing a Dragonchess set, and if she finds one she will purchase it (standard PHB price is 1 GP). Let me know if she does, and I will adjust her equipment accordingly.
"Yes the miniature humanoids are fascinating. What little opportunity I have had to interact with them has been...pleasant."
Mordikaiwatches the children running around, laughing and playing, as the group walks into the city making their way towards the clock-tower and the other festivities.
"And to think they will transform into full sized humanoids over only a decade or so, it is a truly wondrous design."
"I was once small like them but I matured in different ways due to my own circumstances. Let us hope they will enjoy this time before they are burdened with matters of being an adult." Tibern says as he looks around them, his tail flicking a bit as he takes in the sights.
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Rekuberk Onc Level 8 | Half Orc | Barbarian (The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks)
Noranys smiles and accepts the beaded cord from the children, making her way into the festival area, allowing the crowds to obscure her path and intent. She visits several of the merchant tents and food stalls, purchasing food (not for her, candy that she distributes to the most able looking of the children from earlier) and a trinket or two, as well as completing her intended task.
After a good amount of time has passed, and she has visited a suitable variety of merchant tents, she will scout the various options for a place to spend the night. She would be checking not only the price, but the security of rooms, and her guarantee of a single-occupancy room, preferably one with an alternate escape route.
Nods at Midnight, she hears her own voice coming from Nute "Let's continue", he grabs her hand and begins to lead her towards the music. Still glancing from time to time back at the guards.
Midnight lets Nute lead her through the crowd and toward the festivities, trying to take everything in at once. She is shyly cautious towards anyone who tries to interact with her and her only reaction to the stares, shunning or veiled hostility is a brief flicker of disappointment across her face.
While overwhelmed by the sights, sounds and smells, her eyes unconsciously scan the crowd for anyone armed and armored differently from the villagers.
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First D&D set: 1980 red box. Haven't stopped playing since. :)
When the ship had paused for repairs, the elfgrew a bit restless: like a shark. Even while still gaining his sense of things, he would walk across the boards of the ship, or along the cobbles of the streets restlessly. It was an exercise in caution for him to resist looking over his shoulder every other step. He was caught between the sensations of the wind, the restless spray of the ocean, and taking stock of his new situation. Neitherbeings that rescued him had asked for anything to repay their deed...and that seemed to irk him more than if they had.
He would sometimes fall behind in step...lose himself in a labyrinth of fragmented memories; half-remembered screams, searing-pain, and always...the spray of blood. His? Someone….or...something else?
And still, the throbbing between the plates of his skull. Always, this...stabbing pain behind his eyes. The day aggravated it. Questions irked it. His temper flared with it. The only solace that could be found, was at a bottle’s bottom. The captain could be generous indeed.
Ilvisarcould not remember that night, nor the morning after....but he paid for that bliss in the noon that followed. From there, experimenting began...but still, he did not know the balance, nor his limits.
The world seemed to trigger him, randomly; a sound of metal scraping...the laugh of an elderly human....even birdsong sometimes sent his dark eyes, far….far away. He would snap back though...always come back when he thought Tibern, or Mordikai had left his sight. At least...in those first few days. By half the week spent, he was working alongside the crew; a borrowed hat he’d eventually “pay” for, with “winnings, from a card game”. His sweat and toil across the open ship began to catch with the men around him….but he never could surpass them of course....and this too, seemed to anger him. The world should know that the Ar-tel-quessir were the supreme race...but none would know their glory through him.
In the days that followed, the elf would push himself harder. He would be exhausted by the time rest could be taken. He quietly competed with the crew as much as he could. They came to call him “The Sea Wolf”, because he never really spoke...but he growled often.
Now land-bound with his two companions, Ilvisarcame to the rail of the ship to witness the captain’s amicable abuse of Tibern'sback. The sun elf scowled softly at the exchange, but only turned his attention to the approaching shore. He looked conflicted...but that was nothing new. The dark eyes narrowed, and he seemed to study the people and the laborers as they toiled about the docks. The Ar-tel-quessir made minor adjustments to his garb, mimicking as much as he could with the limited supply. Did the guards eye suspiciously those that wore the hoods of their cloaks on rise? Did they pay to mind those that did not?
He tousled his hair through the wind and spray, then smoothed it back again under the worn and wide-brimmed hat. It wasn’t a fashion-statement, so much as a cruel-necessity. His eyes crossed as he glowered up at it, vowing silently to find it’s replacement when first, he spotted his chance.
Before long, they were land-sharks again, and he was trailing Mordikai and Tibern like a permanent shadow. The black eyes were narrowed against the sun, as much as in contempt of the festivities. He wanted to blend in, but he also wanted to disappear. A compromise would need to be struck to keep himself from trouble.
As Mordikai and Tibern exchanged words, and the children approached to laurel them with beads, the gold elf quietly sneered at the one that offered him the necklace; only holding forth a crooked finger for it to be strung from. He eyed the children suspiciously, until he witnessed them repeat the trick with other newcomers, then growled to himself.
Blend in.
Ilvisar closed the distance with the other two long enough to remove his hat, and relent to let the haphazardly-crafted necklace rest around his neck. Before he’d even taken another step, the coolness in the beads sent a shiver from his neck, to his tailbone. He instantly hated it.
But he’d hated a lot of things that he’d grown accustomed to.
“...as long as there is drink to drown out the music…” he comments to Mordikai, then arches a brow at Tibern. “...you seem fine t’me. Perhaps you were simply a runt.”
The elf seems dubious of Tibern'sstory; the crispness in his words accentuate this. Is this a compliment, or an insult? The elf pointedly raises his foot as Tibern's tail swept a bit wide. No comment was shared. He seemed to watch the crowd keenly...and everyone’s proximity to the trio. Even paranoid, Ilvisardoesn’t miss a step.
Such is the annoying quality of elves and their grace.
Mordikai remarks that the children will soon be larger humanoids, to which Ilvisar simply wrinkles his nose…but nods, barely. It’s humans that he avoids most of all...even going so far as to sometimes avoid letting his shadow touch their own. There’s a wuff of breath as an irritated response; though somehow the metal man might divine that it’s not necessarily directed at him so much as the crowd.
“...what sort of wonders does Gond offer?” he asks, with a surprising interest in his tone...though the volume is nearly lost in a passing carriage.
The elf pulls the brim of his hat lower as the sun breaks past the rooftops, and cuts through his thoughts. He seems dazed a moment...forgetting where the conversation began, or was...as if the light stabbed through to the back of his head, and plucked today from the present.
There’s a miss to his right step, but he catches himself when the sensation of falling grabs his attention back from the hells of his past. Darkness swirls in the mental wake.
“...I wouldn’t mind a drink.” he admits, but it’s through gritted teeth.“...but my curiosity is not as keen a knife as yours. Your lead.”
Ilvisar lets the rapier he carries be apparent, where it rests against his hip. The daggers he carries though...those are hidden; one up his sleeve, and the other across the small of his back.
"I myself am one of the many wonders that Gond has blessed the world with."
"During the festival of Ippensheir, the newer model Gondsmen are paraded around, while the priests and acolytes demonstrate all the wonderful things they have made the previous year, as well as a few favourites from years past."
"Magical machines that play music without need of a skilled musician, mechanical horses that run on coal and wood instead of having to eat grass and oats."
"Toys that play back, when played with by children, all manner of flying and floating devices, ones that deliver messages, others that can record images of the land beneath them and display them later using illusion magic."
"A corkscrew device that can dig fence posts in seconds. A self driving plough that can turn over a field in a day without direction."
"A machine that can write down what it hears from its master, a machine that can cut peoples hair, although there are disputes about the success of that one."
"There are so many wonders on display, the people spend all day and never see everything there is to see."
"I myself, do not have my tools, nor have I had time to make anything of note in my recent travels, but I have been blessed with magic to repair damaged items. I could set up shop and offer to fix peoples things, so that they might know a little of Gond's wonder."
"Or we could find a place for you to acquire the liquid relief you seek."
Mordikai stands tall again looking out over the surrounding festivities.
Tibern shrugs at the question about what to do at the temple, not exactly sure what he could do. Most of his recent experiences dealt with his study of the bit of magic he knew with his childhood tutor that had taken him on the to either kindness or more then likely pity. "I am not sure what I would care to try. I think that for now we should look around to see if anything is of interest."
At the comment from Ilvsar, the tiefling bristles slightly but calms himself quickly, ignoring the small stirring of rage that sometimes spoke in the back of his mind. He wills his tail to stay still and pulls it back somewhat before he turns to regard him, sighing internally as he sees how openly he his showing off his weapons. "Well since I was the only tiefling in my family I can not say. My immediate family were seemingly all humans. Now calm yourself before you have the guards attempting to incarcerate us."
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Rekuberk Onc Level 8 | Half Orc | Barbarian (The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks)
The gold elf regards the exchange between his companions mutely. The dark eyes sweep on around them briefly once more. As Mordikairegards Ilvisar, and gives a litany of Gond's wonders, he cannot help but raise his eyebrow a touch in interest. After all, the warforged is a wonder himself. The elf considers these things, with a brief shrug of his shoulders.
"...perhaps Tibern is right?" he offers mildly. "May hap we should tour the facilities, before you set up shop? Your service is one of convenience..****y stands t'reason it should be located as such, no less, mmm?"
The corners of his lips tick a touch upward as his words nestle under the tiefling's skin. The answer regarding Tibernbeing the only tiefling in his family catches Ilvisaroff-guard, and he narrows his eyes a bit more; but perhaps he only thought he misheard the other. His head cants to the side, and his brow rises quietly.
Despite himself, he can't seem to hold Tibern's gaze. The dark eyes break away to the left, the colour flushes up in his face, and after a moment he seems to weigh the other's words. (with regards to Ilvisar's temper)
There is a long inhale, and a slow release. He relaxes a little. When he glances back at the wizard, he gives him a single nod.
"...you are right." he admits, but the words seem hard to form for him.
(OOC: As an aside, I realize I may not have described things well. Ilvisar is wearing his cloak, hood down, and already-described hat in place. From the OOC-thread I made a mention that he wears things with long sleeves, and high collars if he can find them. The daggers, then, would be hidden from view; but you are right that the rapier is in view. He makes no move to conceal that. )
As noted, Serwacontinues to travel with Vedui at present, she keeps an eye out at vendors in the area for a Dragon Chess set, which she can afford, or a Lute, which she cannot, and would only do "window shopping" of the latter, requesting to strum a few times if the shop keepers will allow it. She and Vedui check the schedules for the Performance contest, and the Duel. "Good idea. Mock skirmishes with wooden weapons against strangers does sound like good practice. And good stress relief."
OOC: @coelhogerge
Let me know if anyone sold Dragon Chess, and I will modify the character's inventory accordingly. Also, let me know if the schedules for the events are significantly staggered - they might be to allow people to participate in more than one, or for tourists to observe (and maybe bet on) more than one. If there is a significant gap prior to or between the Performance and Duel, Serwa will excuse herself from Anthony to ask around about the man the church instructed her to find. If there are no significant time gaps before or in between the contests noted, she will seek him out afterward.
Nute and Midnight, you two continue to explore the the fair and its activities, at any given time you are able to observe two or three guards 'casually' keeping an eye on you and surrounding you form a distance, but nothing more. Among the crowd of celebrating citizens there are mostly farm folk from the nearby lands, mostly damaran, daelen or rashemi in origin, with but a few mulan and fewer shou or tuigan thrown in the mix, an overwhelming majority of humans, but a few half-orcs and dwarves can be spotted about, more of a reason for you two to stand out. You'd surely be able to identify some of them carrying gear and items that would unmistakably mark them as 'adventurers', and some knights can be spotted in full plate armors and bearing Theskian heraldry mostly around the Lord's Palace, showing off before the jousting begins. In the center of the festivities, at Belltower Square, you can spot a wooden makeshift platform sided by two banners bearing the lord's symbols you've seen at the gates, it seems as if it would be used for a speech some time during the celebrations. Aside from that, the competitions and celebration continue to happen all around you, as organizers move around with marked wooden boards raising contenders for their events.
Serwa and Vedui, observing the wares and trinkets among the merchants, you are able to see all sorts of items, from the local traditional clothes to 'blessed' knitted items bearing messages of the dogma of Tyr, from rashemi dream-catchers to shou geisha statuettes, from ornate tuigan wool tunics to thayan jewelry. You are eventually able to find various different wooden and stone-carved dragonchess sets, more traditional sets showing wooden dragons are available, as are sets bearing bald thayan wizards and skeletons instead of the more common dragons, all of them share the usual price you'd expect, so you'd be able to choose. On the dueling fields one human guard bearing the local uniform and stamping papers at a table welcomes you with barely a nod near the dueling grounds right outside town, "Name and five gold each, no thayan coin, fights at high-sun." he barely eyes you anymore, continuing to check the list of names in a vellum over the table, near his table you are able to see various forms of wooden weapons leaning against a support, and hanging on a wooden panel from metal hooks is a silvered longsword with the word PRIZE written over it. As you walk around town you see some acolytes bearing religious attire swinging censers over home entrances and even being escorted down cellars to properly bless crops and foodstuff, all clergy here seems as busy as the other townsfolk. When you inquire around the Captain's Loft, you see a crowd getting ready to watch as a few contestants are already among the crowd performing some tricks and warming them up, a team of busy bartenders dart here and there in an attempt to serve all those that barely fit in the establishment's interior and a thin fellow behind the counter can't hide the big smile as he points his other workers for tables with risen hands, he briefly eyes you at the door and points at you, causing one of his staff to hurry towards you, the sweaty lass can barely find time to welcome you as she eyes around checking if any other table has others, then finally focuses "Welcome, captains! Are you here for the contest? We're accepting all sorts of shows, from magic tricks to poems and music. It's five gold coins to enter, winner gets one of the ornately-crafted instruments the lord provided us, a wand of equal quality, or their value in gold, your choice. Please, make yourselves welcome, I'll be right back, coins at the counter!" and hurries off.
Ilvisar, Mordikai, and Tibern, as you move further from the docks into town, a pair of guards cornering a street glance you up and down - even seemingly doing a double-take when they spot Tibern - but eventually they seem to only nod and proceed to mind other visitors and cargo coming in, not having enough time to pay much attention to you, whether you'd be hooded or not, though you think a properly masked individual might get a whole other treatment as you eye their studded cudgels. You move through streets heavily decorated with colored pennants, into a swarm of running children, merchants offering their wares, carts heavily-laden with crops from all around and even farm animals moving about, it's difficult to maintain distance at times. You eventually reach an area where you can safely observe the crowd at the center Belltower Squere, where the swarm of people and merchant tents surround a wooden makeshift platform sided by regal banners bearing three great white cats over a red and yellow field, it seems as if a pronouncement might be made there at some time during the festivities, but no one seems to be focusing on that for now. Aside from that, the competitions and celebration continue to happen all around you, as organizers move around with marked wooden boards raising contenders for their events.
Noranys, you make your way around town with barely anyone noticing you, aside from merchants swarming around your way and almost shoving their wares over your face, with trinkets and gear from all over the region available for purchase. Once when briefly looking behind someone in the crowd, you could swear you saw a figure with a withered grinning skull staring back at you, but as soon as someone comes in the way, it vanishes and left you with only an eerie feeling. Given the size of the town, you don't expect to find especially secured lodging in any of the establishments, checking around at the Bloody Hook you see only what you'd expect - burly drunken sailors one mug away from a fist fight - and you are shown a room bearing only a straw bed and a candle table. At the other side of the river, the Homehearth's staff clearly puts in the effort on cleaning, their structure fares much better than the previous one, while the Sea Cat seems more professional and much cleaner. The best of the lot would be the Captain's Loft, structurally, but it seems rather crowded due to the contest it is hosting, with all sorts of people inside. You kept an eye out for anyone that would fit what you'd expect of the one you had to make your delivery to, but are not sure if this particular day would be the easiest in which you'd find anyone in particular, and are left only eyeing your blank sealed letter.
--Serwa and Vedui, observing the wares and trinkets among the merchants, you are able to see all sorts of items, from the local traditional clothes to 'blessed' knitted items bearing messages of the dogma of Tyr, from rashemi dream-catchers to shou geisha statuettes, from ornate tuigan wool tunics to thayan jewelry. You are eventually able to find various different wooden and stone-carved dragonchess sets, more traditional sets showing wooden dragons are available, as are sets bearing bald thayan wizards and skeletons instead of the more common dragons, all of them share the usual price you'd expect, so you'd be able to choose. On the dueling fields one human guard bearing the local uniform and stamping papers at a table welcomes you with barely a nod near the dueling grounds right outside town, "Name and five gold each, no thayan coin, fights at high-sun." he barely eyes you anymore, continuing to check the list of names in a vellum over the table, near his table you are able to see various forms of wooden weapons leaning against a support, and hanging on a wooden panel from metal hooks is a silvered longsword with the word PRIZE written over it. As you walk around town you see some acolytes bearing religious attire swinging censers over home entrances and even being escorted down cellars to properly bless crops and foodstuff, all clergy here seems as busy as the other townsfolk. When you inquire around the Captain's Loft, you see a crowd getting ready to watch as a few contestants are already among the crowd performing some tricks and warming them up, a team of busy bartenders dart here and there in an attempt to serve all those that barely fit in the establishment's interior and a thin fellow behind the counter can't hide the big smile as he points his other workers for tables with risen hands, he briefly eyes you at the door and points at you, causing one of his staff to hurry towards you, the sweaty lass can barely find time to welcome you as she eyes around checking if any other table has others, then finally focuses "Welcome, captains! Are you here for the contest? We're accepting all sorts of shows, from magic tricks to poems and music. It's five gold coins to enter, winner gets one of the ornately-crafted instruments the lord provided us, a wand of equal quality, or their value in gold, your choice. Please, make yourselves welcome, I'll be right back, coins at the counter!" and hurries off.
--
Serwa
She peruses the variety of Dragon Chess sets, and after some deliberation, says in her standard flat, emotionless tone, "This is the most morbid. We have a winner," and purchases the set featuring skeletons and Thayan wizards, paying 1 GP. On reaching the entry for the dueling contest, she pays 5 GP, to enter the contest encourages Vedui to do the same, and inquires, "Do you have all kinds of wooden weapons? Wooden polearms and such as well? Or just lame wooden swords?" At the Performance contest, she counts out her remaining coin, 3 Gold Pieces and 8 Silver, and sighs. "I'm a little short. I was hoping to win a nice instrument, those are expensive. Maybe get a good Lute to strum on the road, I've been meaning to learn how to play. Some strings accompanying my music might make my songs sound more upbeat, a lot more inspiring. You don't have a couple of gold left to spot me, do you, Vedui? I'll pay you back when I can, I swear on my life, or Death itself, if that means more to you." Vedui knows Serwa speaks farcically, and no amount of instrumental accompaniment would make her songs any less morose.
OOC: To confirm, based on her understanding, how far off time wise is the Duel, and how far off is the Performance, from now? I have adjusted her inventory to remove the gold for the chess set and the duel entry, and added the chess set.
Serwa, the performances seem to be happening mid-morning, with the performers probably stretching around until nightfall in order to get more coins from the hopefully generous folk aside from the contest itself. The dueling with happen at high-sun, when the sun is highest in the sky and shadows straight under you, or mid-day (or noon). The guard collected your coins, eyed them a bit seeing the rashemi minting, bit one of them and eventually handed them over to another guard while "Welcome aboard! Name and..." interrupted when you inquired about other weapons, pointing behind him "Over there, lady, padded spears and polearms of all sorts. Try to avoid hitting them in the eyes, aye?" he is still staring at you while he waits for a name to write down on the list.
Serwa, the performances seem to be happening mid-morning, with the performers probably stretching around until nightfall in order to get more coins from the hopefully generous folk aside from the contest itself. The dueling with happen at high-sun, when the sun is highest in the sky and shadows straight under you, or mid-day (or noon). The guard collected your coins, eyed them a bit seeing the rashemi minting, bit one of them and eventually handed them over to another guard while "Welcome aboard! Name and..." interrupted when you inquired about other weapons, pointing behind him "Over there, lady, padded spears and polearms of all sorts. Try to avoid hitting them in the eyes, aye?" he is still staring at you while he waits for a name to write down on the list.
Serwa
"Omen. Serwa Omen." She spells the names out letter by letter. "No shots to the eyes, got it. So I'll exclusively aim for the groin." Vedui is likely used to the deadpan humor, but the flat monotone may not be similarly readable as a jape to the guard for the Duel. She examines the padded halberds and glaives, and if allowed, takes a few practices swings and thrusts, then nods and replaces the training weapon, and leaves without further comment.
Whether she will enter the Performance contest will be dependent on Vedui's ability and willingness to lend money. Depending on his answer on that, she will either partake in the Performance contest first, at mid-morning, changing into her Rashemi Dancer's costume that was gifted to her by her lost love, or she will excuse herself from Vedui and tell him she will regroup with him at the dueling grounds, at noon, and slip off to go ask around about the man the order of Kelemvor instructed her to track down.
Taking a moment to scan the wooden boards announcing the various events, she is unsurprised when the person holding it notices her and hurries away with a concerned look. "Nute, it seems these are contests of skill and the winner actually gets a prize. You know, in my city, the only contests of skill outside the training grounds for the fighters academy and the noble houses, are the slave pits where slaves are forced to fight so their buyers can determine their worth. My, uh .... father, intended for me to go to the pits one day ...." Her voice trails off as she is lost in thought for a moment.
Shaking it off, she comments, "People seem so happy here; I've never met anyone happy in my city. When the festival is over, will they all go back to being miserable, overworked and fearful? Do your people have festivals like this? Let's find a location where we can watch some of the contests..."
Tibern
Tibern straightens himself after the very enthusiastic ship captain slaps him on th back and nearly knocked him over. He gives the man a nod of acknowledgement and respect before he moved to join the others as they step down from the ship. As they walk he simply with a few flaps of his wings flies until his feet touch solid ground again, regarding the children with their heads curiously.
"I have never had the opportunity to go to many festivals. I was sickly as a child and never spent much time outside of the grounds of my family home. But if the children are an example of what we may see I think that it will be most enjoyable indeed."
Rekuberk Onc Level 8 | Half Orc | Barbarian (The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks)
Kayassa Level 3 | Satyr | Warlock (Cleath13's LMoP)
Bertolt Silentlash Level 3 | Variant Human | Bard (Our Little Lives Kept in Equipoise: Death House)
Daerthe Narcion Level 4 | Drow | Rogue (Karmoli's Great Upheaval)
Serwa
If there are vendors en route to either of her intended destinations, Serwa will inquire about purchasing a Dragonchess set, and if she finds one she will purchase it (standard PHB price is 1 GP). Let me know if she does, and I will adjust her equipment accordingly.
Mordikai nods agreement with Tibern.
"Yes the miniature humanoids are fascinating. What little opportunity I have had to interact with them has been...pleasant."
Mordikai watches the children running around, laughing and playing, as the group walks into the city making their way towards the clock-tower and the other festivities.
"And to think they will transform into full sized humanoids over only a decade or so, it is a truly wondrous design."
David Gearlock | Human | Artificer | Revenge Heist
Knox | Warforged | Cleric | Shadowthorn's Out of the Abyss
Tibern
"I was once small like them but I matured in different ways due to my own circumstances. Let us hope they will enjoy this time before they are burdened with matters of being an adult." Tibern says as he looks around them, his tail flicking a bit as he takes in the sights.
Rekuberk Onc Level 8 | Half Orc | Barbarian (The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks)
Kayassa Level 3 | Satyr | Warlock (Cleath13's LMoP)
Bertolt Silentlash Level 3 | Variant Human | Bard (Our Little Lives Kept in Equipoise: Death House)
Daerthe Narcion Level 4 | Drow | Rogue (Karmoli's Great Upheaval)
Mordikai looks Tibern over, trying to imaging him as tiny Tiefing, before scanning the area around them.
"It does not look like there are any of Gond's many wonder on display. This is disappointing."
"What should we do? Is there anything you would like to participate in?"
David Gearlock | Human | Artificer | Revenge Heist
Knox | Warforged | Cleric | Shadowthorn's Out of the Abyss
Noranys
Noranys smiles and accepts the beaded cord from the children, making her way into the festival area, allowing the crowds to obscure her path and intent. She visits several of the merchant tents and food stalls, purchasing food (not for her, candy that she distributes to the most able looking of the children from earlier) and a trinket or two, as well as completing her intended task.
After a good amount of time has passed, and she has visited a suitable variety of merchant tents, she will scout the various options for a place to spend the night. She would be checking not only the price, but the security of rooms, and her guarantee of a single-occupancy room, preferably one with an alternate escape route.
Birgit | Shifter | Sorcerer | Dragonlords
Shayone | Hobgoblin | Sorcerer | Netherdeep
"A duel it is, practice makes perfect..." Verdui will also sign up for a duel.
Nute
Nods at Midnight, she hears her own voice coming from Nute "Let's continue", he grabs her hand and begins to lead her towards the music. Still glancing from time to time back at the guards.
Characters:
Nute Kenku Druid - War of the Faithless
Ignace Miltorn Aasimar Paladin - Descent into Avernus
Midnight lets Nute lead her through the crowd and toward the festivities, trying to take everything in at once. She is shyly cautious towards anyone who tries to interact with her and her only reaction to the stares, shunning or veiled hostility is a brief flicker of disappointment across her face.
While overwhelmed by the sights, sounds and smells, her eyes unconsciously scan the crowd for anyone armed and armored differently from the villagers.
First D&D set: 1980 red box. Haven't stopped playing since. :)
Ilvisar
When the ship had paused for repairs, the elf grew a bit restless: like a shark. Even while still gaining his sense of things, he would walk across the boards of the ship, or along the cobbles of the streets restlessly. It was an exercise in caution for him to resist looking over his shoulder every other step. He was caught between the sensations of the wind, the restless spray of the ocean, and taking stock of his new situation. Neither beings that rescued him had asked for anything to repay their deed...and that seemed to irk him more than if they had.
He would sometimes fall behind in step...lose himself in a labyrinth of fragmented memories; half-remembered screams, searing-pain, and always...the spray of blood. His? Someone….or...something else?
And still, the throbbing between the plates of his skull. Always, this...stabbing pain behind his eyes. The day aggravated it. Questions irked it. His temper flared with it. The only solace that could be found, was at a bottle’s bottom. The captain could be generous indeed.
Ilvisar could not remember that night, nor the morning after....but he paid for that bliss in the noon that followed. From there, experimenting began...but still, he did not know the balance, nor his limits.
The world seemed to trigger him, randomly; a sound of metal scraping...the laugh of an elderly human....even birdsong sometimes sent his dark eyes, far….far away. He would snap back though...always come back when he thought Tibern, or Mordikai had left his sight. At least...in those first few days. By half the week spent, he was working alongside the crew; a borrowed hat he’d eventually “pay” for, with “winnings, from a card game”. His sweat and toil across the open ship began to catch with the men around him….but he never could surpass them of course....and this too, seemed to anger him. The world should know that the Ar-tel-quessir were the supreme race...but none would know their glory through him.
In the days that followed, the elf would push himself harder. He would be exhausted by the time rest could be taken. He quietly competed with the crew as much as he could. They came to call him “The Sea Wolf”, because he never really spoke...but he growled often.
Now land-bound with his two companions, Ilvisar came to the rail of the ship to witness the captain’s amicable abuse of Tibern's back. The sun elf scowled softly at the exchange, but only turned his attention to the approaching shore. He looked conflicted...but that was nothing new. The dark eyes narrowed, and he seemed to study the people and the laborers as they toiled about the docks. The Ar-tel-quessir made minor adjustments to his garb, mimicking as much as he could with the limited supply. Did the guards eye suspiciously those that wore the hoods of their cloaks on rise? Did they pay to mind those that did not?
He tousled his hair through the wind and spray, then smoothed it back again under the worn and wide-brimmed hat. It wasn’t a fashion-statement, so much as a cruel-necessity. His eyes crossed as he glowered up at it, vowing silently to find it’s replacement when first, he spotted his chance.
Before long, they were land-sharks again, and he was trailing Mordikai and Tibern like a permanent shadow. The black eyes were narrowed against the sun, as much as in contempt of the festivities. He wanted to blend in, but he also wanted to disappear. A compromise would need to be struck to keep himself from trouble.
As Mordikai and Tibern exchanged words, and the children approached to laurel them with beads, the gold elf quietly sneered at the one that offered him the necklace; only holding forth a crooked finger for it to be strung from. He eyed the children suspiciously, until he witnessed them repeat the trick with other newcomers, then growled to himself.
Blend in.
Ilvisar closed the distance with the other two long enough to remove his hat, and relent to let the haphazardly-crafted necklace rest around his neck. Before he’d even taken another step, the coolness in the beads sent a shiver from his neck, to his tailbone. He instantly hated it.
But he’d hated a lot of things that he’d grown accustomed to.
“...as long as there is drink to drown out the music…” he comments to Mordikai, then arches a brow at Tibern. “...you seem fine t’me. Perhaps you were simply a runt.”
The elf seems dubious of Tibern's story; the crispness in his words accentuate this. Is this a compliment, or an insult? The elf pointedly raises his foot as Tibern's tail swept a bit wide. No comment was shared. He seemed to watch the crowd keenly...and everyone’s proximity to the trio. Even paranoid, Ilvisar doesn’t miss a step.
Such is the annoying quality of elves and their grace.
Mordikai remarks that the children will soon be larger humanoids, to which Ilvisar simply wrinkles his nose…but nods, barely. It’s humans that he avoids most of all...even going so far as to sometimes avoid letting his shadow touch their own. There’s a wuff of breath as an irritated response; though somehow the metal man might divine that it’s not necessarily directed at him so much as the crowd.
“...what sort of wonders does Gond offer?” he asks, with a surprising interest in his tone...though the volume is nearly lost in a passing carriage.
The elf pulls the brim of his hat lower as the sun breaks past the rooftops, and cuts through his thoughts. He seems dazed a moment...forgetting where the conversation began, or was...as if the light stabbed through to the back of his head, and plucked today from the present.
There’s a miss to his right step, but he catches himself when the sensation of falling grabs his attention back from the hells of his past. Darkness swirls in the mental wake.
“...I wouldn’t mind a drink.” he admits, but it’s through gritted teeth. “...but my curiosity is not as keen a knife as yours. Your lead.”
Current Characters:
Past Characters:
Ilvisar lets the rapier he carries be apparent, where it rests against his hip. The daggers he carries though...those are hidden; one up his sleeve, and the other across the small of his back.
Current Characters:
Past Characters:
Mordikai turns and addresses Ilvisar,
"I myself am one of the many wonders that Gond has blessed the world with."
"During the festival of Ippensheir, the newer model Gondsmen are paraded around, while the priests and acolytes demonstrate all the wonderful things they have made the previous year, as well as a few favourites from years past."
"Magical machines that play music without need of a skilled musician, mechanical horses that run on coal and wood instead of having to eat grass and oats."
"Toys that play back, when played with by children, all manner of flying and floating devices, ones that deliver messages, others that can record images of the land beneath them and display them later using illusion magic."
"A corkscrew device that can dig fence posts in seconds. A self driving plough that can turn over a field in a day without direction."
"A machine that can write down what it hears from its master, a machine that can cut peoples hair, although there are disputes about the success of that one."
"There are so many wonders on display, the people spend all day and never see everything there is to see."
"I myself, do not have my tools, nor have I had time to make anything of note in my recent travels, but I have been blessed with magic to repair damaged items. I could set up shop and offer to fix peoples things, so that they might know a little of Gond's wonder."
"Or we could find a place for you to acquire the liquid relief you seek."
Mordikai stands tall again looking out over the surrounding festivities.
David Gearlock | Human | Artificer | Revenge Heist
Knox | Warforged | Cleric | Shadowthorn's Out of the Abyss
Tibern shrugs at the question about what to do at the temple, not exactly sure what he could do. Most of his recent experiences dealt with his study of the bit of magic he knew with his childhood tutor that had taken him on the to either kindness or more then likely pity. "I am not sure what I would care to try. I think that for now we should look around to see if anything is of interest."
At the comment from Ilvsar, the tiefling bristles slightly but calms himself quickly, ignoring the small stirring of rage that sometimes spoke in the back of his mind. He wills his tail to stay still and pulls it back somewhat before he turns to regard him, sighing internally as he sees how openly he his showing off his weapons. "Well since I was the only tiefling in my family I can not say. My immediate family were seemingly all humans. Now calm yourself before you have the guards attempting to incarcerate us."
Rekuberk Onc Level 8 | Half Orc | Barbarian (The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks)
Kayassa Level 3 | Satyr | Warlock (Cleath13's LMoP)
Bertolt Silentlash Level 3 | Variant Human | Bard (Our Little Lives Kept in Equipoise: Death House)
Daerthe Narcion Level 4 | Drow | Rogue (Karmoli's Great Upheaval)
Ilvisar
The gold elf regards the exchange between his companions mutely. The dark eyes sweep on around them briefly once more. As Mordikai regards Ilvisar, and gives a litany of Gond's wonders, he cannot help but raise his eyebrow a touch in interest. After all, the warforged is a wonder himself. The elf considers these things, with a brief shrug of his shoulders.
"...perhaps Tibern is right?" he offers mildly. "May hap we should tour the facilities, before you set up shop? Your service is one of convenience..****y stands t'reason it should be located as such, no less, mmm?"
The corners of his lips tick a touch upward as his words nestle under the tiefling's skin. The answer regarding Tibern being the only tiefling in his family catches Ilvisar off-guard, and he narrows his eyes a bit more; but perhaps he only thought he misheard the other. His head cants to the side, and his brow rises quietly.
Despite himself, he can't seem to hold Tibern's gaze. The dark eyes break away to the left, the colour flushes up in his face, and after a moment he seems to weigh the other's words. (with regards to Ilvisar's temper)
There is a long inhale, and a slow release. He relaxes a little. When he glances back at the wizard, he gives him a single nod.
"...you are right." he admits, but the words seem hard to form for him.
(OOC: As an aside, I realize I may not have described things well. Ilvisar is wearing his cloak, hood down, and already-described hat in place. From the OOC-thread I made a mention that he wears things with long sleeves, and high collars if he can find them. The daggers, then, would be hidden from view; but you are right that the rapier is in view. He makes no move to conceal that. )
Current Characters:
Past Characters:
Serwa
As noted, Serwa continues to travel with Vedui at present, she keeps an eye out at vendors in the area for a Dragon Chess set, which she can afford, or a Lute, which she cannot, and would only do "window shopping" of the latter, requesting to strum a few times if the shop keepers will allow it. She and Vedui check the schedules for the Performance contest, and the Duel. "Good idea. Mock skirmishes with wooden weapons against strangers does sound like good practice. And good stress relief."
OOC: @coelhogerge
Let me know if anyone sold Dragon Chess, and I will modify the character's inventory accordingly. Also, let me know if the schedules for the events are significantly staggered - they might be to allow people to participate in more than one, or for tourists to observe (and maybe bet on) more than one. If there is a significant gap prior to or between the Performance and Duel, Serwa will excuse herself from Anthony to ask around about the man the church instructed her to find. If there are no significant time gaps before or in between the contests noted, she will seek him out afterward.
Nute and Midnight, you two continue to explore the the fair and its activities, at any given time you are able to observe two or three guards 'casually' keeping an eye on you and surrounding you form a distance, but nothing more. Among the crowd of celebrating citizens there are mostly farm folk from the nearby lands, mostly damaran, daelen or rashemi in origin, with but a few mulan and fewer shou or tuigan thrown in the mix, an overwhelming majority of humans, but a few half-orcs and dwarves can be spotted about, more of a reason for you two to stand out. You'd surely be able to identify some of them carrying gear and items that would unmistakably mark them as 'adventurers', and some knights can be spotted in full plate armors and bearing Theskian heraldry mostly around the Lord's Palace, showing off before the jousting begins. In the center of the festivities, at Belltower Square, you can spot a wooden makeshift platform sided by two banners bearing the lord's symbols you've seen at the gates, it seems as if it would be used for a speech some time during the celebrations. Aside from that, the competitions and celebration continue to happen all around you, as organizers move around with marked wooden boards raising contenders for their events.
Serwa and Vedui, observing the wares and trinkets among the merchants, you are able to see all sorts of items, from the local traditional clothes to 'blessed' knitted items bearing messages of the dogma of Tyr, from rashemi dream-catchers to shou geisha statuettes, from ornate tuigan wool tunics to thayan jewelry. You are eventually able to find various different wooden and stone-carved dragonchess sets, more traditional sets showing wooden dragons are available, as are sets bearing bald thayan wizards and skeletons instead of the more common dragons, all of them share the usual price you'd expect, so you'd be able to choose. On the dueling fields one human guard bearing the local uniform and stamping papers at a table welcomes you with barely a nod near the dueling grounds right outside town, "Name and five gold each, no thayan coin, fights at high-sun." he barely eyes you anymore, continuing to check the list of names in a vellum over the table, near his table you are able to see various forms of wooden weapons leaning against a support, and hanging on a wooden panel from metal hooks is a silvered longsword with the word PRIZE written over it. As you walk around town you see some acolytes bearing religious attire swinging censers over home entrances and even being escorted down cellars to properly bless crops and foodstuff, all clergy here seems as busy as the other townsfolk. When you inquire around the Captain's Loft, you see a crowd getting ready to watch as a few contestants are already among the crowd performing some tricks and warming them up, a team of busy bartenders dart here and there in an attempt to serve all those that barely fit in the establishment's interior and a thin fellow behind the counter can't hide the big smile as he points his other workers for tables with risen hands, he briefly eyes you at the door and points at you, causing one of his staff to hurry towards you, the sweaty lass can barely find time to welcome you as she eyes around checking if any other table has others, then finally focuses "Welcome, captains! Are you here for the contest? We're accepting all sorts of shows, from magic tricks to poems and music. It's five gold coins to enter, winner gets one of the ornately-crafted instruments the lord provided us, a wand of equal quality, or their value in gold, your choice. Please, make yourselves welcome, I'll be right back, coins at the counter!" and hurries off.
Ilvisar, Mordikai, and Tibern, as you move further from the docks into town, a pair of guards cornering a street glance you up and down - even seemingly doing a double-take when they spot Tibern - but eventually they seem to only nod and proceed to mind other visitors and cargo coming in, not having enough time to pay much attention to you, whether you'd be hooded or not, though you think a properly masked individual might get a whole other treatment as you eye their studded cudgels. You move through streets heavily decorated with colored pennants, into a swarm of running children, merchants offering their wares, carts heavily-laden with crops from all around and even farm animals moving about, it's difficult to maintain distance at times. You eventually reach an area where you can safely observe the crowd at the center Belltower Squere, where the swarm of people and merchant tents surround a wooden makeshift platform sided by regal banners bearing three great white cats over a red and yellow field, it seems as if a pronouncement might be made there at some time during the festivities, but no one seems to be focusing on that for now. Aside from that, the competitions and celebration continue to happen all around you, as organizers move around with marked wooden boards raising contenders for their events.
Noranys, you make your way around town with barely anyone noticing you, aside from merchants swarming around your way and almost shoving their wares over your face, with trinkets and gear from all over the region available for purchase. Once when briefly looking behind someone in the crowd, you could swear you saw a figure with a withered grinning skull staring back at you, but as soon as someone comes in the way, it vanishes and left you with only an eerie feeling. Given the size of the town, you don't expect to find especially secured lodging in any of the establishments, checking around at the Bloody Hook you see only what you'd expect - burly drunken sailors one mug away from a fist fight - and you are shown a room bearing only a straw bed and a candle table. At the other side of the river, the Homehearth's staff clearly puts in the effort on cleaning, their structure fares much better than the previous one, while the Sea Cat seems more professional and much cleaner. The best of the lot would be the Captain's Loft, structurally, but it seems rather crowded due to the contest it is hosting, with all sorts of people inside. You kept an eye out for anyone that would fit what you'd expect of the one you had to make your delivery to, but are not sure if this particular day would be the easiest in which you'd find anyone in particular, and are left only eyeing your blank sealed letter.
Art Portfolio
Copied:
--Serwa and Vedui, observing the wares and trinkets among the merchants, you are able to see all sorts of items, from the local traditional clothes to 'blessed' knitted items bearing messages of the dogma of Tyr, from rashemi dream-catchers to shou geisha statuettes, from ornate tuigan wool tunics to thayan jewelry. You are eventually able to find various different wooden and stone-carved dragonchess sets, more traditional sets showing wooden dragons are available, as are sets bearing bald thayan wizards and skeletons instead of the more common dragons, all of them share the usual price you'd expect, so you'd be able to choose. On the dueling fields one human guard bearing the local uniform and stamping papers at a table welcomes you with barely a nod near the dueling grounds right outside town, "Name and five gold each, no thayan coin, fights at high-sun." he barely eyes you anymore, continuing to check the list of names in a vellum over the table, near his table you are able to see various forms of wooden weapons leaning against a support, and hanging on a wooden panel from metal hooks is a silvered longsword with the word PRIZE written over it. As you walk around town you see some acolytes bearing religious attire swinging censers over home entrances and even being escorted down cellars to properly bless crops and foodstuff, all clergy here seems as busy as the other townsfolk. When you inquire around the Captain's Loft, you see a crowd getting ready to watch as a few contestants are already among the crowd performing some tricks and warming them up, a team of busy bartenders dart here and there in an attempt to serve all those that barely fit in the establishment's interior and a thin fellow behind the counter can't hide the big smile as he points his other workers for tables with risen hands, he briefly eyes you at the door and points at you, causing one of his staff to hurry towards you, the sweaty lass can barely find time to welcome you as she eyes around checking if any other table has others, then finally focuses "Welcome, captains! Are you here for the contest? We're accepting all sorts of shows, from magic tricks to poems and music. It's five gold coins to enter, winner gets one of the ornately-crafted instruments the lord provided us, a wand of equal quality, or their value in gold, your choice. Please, make yourselves welcome, I'll be right back, coins at the counter!" and hurries off.
--
Serwa
She peruses the variety of Dragon Chess sets, and after some deliberation, says in her standard flat, emotionless tone, "This is the most morbid. We have a winner," and purchases the set featuring skeletons and Thayan wizards, paying 1 GP. On reaching the entry for the dueling contest, she pays 5 GP, to enter the contest encourages Vedui to do the same, and inquires, "Do you have all kinds of wooden weapons? Wooden polearms and such as well? Or just lame wooden swords?" At the Performance contest, she counts out her remaining coin, 3 Gold Pieces and 8 Silver, and sighs. "I'm a little short. I was hoping to win a nice instrument, those are expensive. Maybe get a good Lute to strum on the road, I've been meaning to learn how to play. Some strings accompanying my music might make my songs sound more upbeat, a lot more inspiring. You don't have a couple of gold left to spot me, do you, Vedui? I'll pay you back when I can, I swear on my life, or Death itself, if that means more to you." Vedui knows Serwa speaks farcically, and no amount of instrumental accompaniment would make her songs any less morose.
OOC: To confirm, based on her understanding, how far off time wise is the Duel, and how far off is the Performance, from now? I have adjusted her inventory to remove the gold for the chess set and the duel entry, and added the chess set.
Serwa, the performances seem to be happening mid-morning, with the performers probably stretching around until nightfall in order to get more coins from the hopefully generous folk aside from the contest itself. The dueling with happen at high-sun, when the sun is highest in the sky and shadows straight under you, or mid-day (or noon). The guard collected your coins, eyed them a bit seeing the rashemi minting, bit one of them and eventually handed them over to another guard while "Welcome aboard! Name and..." interrupted when you inquired about other weapons, pointing behind him "Over there, lady, padded spears and polearms of all sorts. Try to avoid hitting them in the eyes, aye?" he is still staring at you while he waits for a name to write down on the list.
Art Portfolio
Serwa
"Omen. Serwa Omen." She spells the names out letter by letter. "No shots to the eyes, got it. So I'll exclusively aim for the groin." Vedui is likely used to the deadpan humor, but the flat monotone may not be similarly readable as a jape to the guard for the Duel. She examines the padded halberds and glaives, and if allowed, takes a few practices swings and thrusts, then nods and replaces the training weapon, and leaves without further comment.
Whether she will enter the Performance contest will be dependent on Vedui's ability and willingness to lend money. Depending on his answer on that, she will either partake in the Performance contest first, at mid-morning, changing into her Rashemi Dancer's costume that was gifted to her by her lost love, or she will excuse herself from Vedui and tell him she will regroup with him at the dueling grounds, at noon, and slip off to go ask around about the man the order of Kelemvor instructed her to track down.
Midnight
Taking a moment to scan the wooden boards announcing the various events, she is unsurprised when the person holding it notices her and hurries away with a concerned look. "Nute, it seems these are contests of skill and the winner actually gets a prize. You know, in my city, the only contests of skill outside the training grounds for the fighters academy and the noble houses, are the slave pits where slaves are forced to fight so their buyers can determine their worth. My, uh .... father, intended for me to go to the pits one day ...." Her voice trails off as she is lost in thought for a moment.
Shaking it off, she comments, "People seem so happy here; I've never met anyone happy in my city. When the festival is over, will they all go back to being miserable, overworked and fearful? Do your people have festivals like this? Let's find a location where we can watch some of the contests..."
First D&D set: 1980 red box. Haven't stopped playing since. :)