The purple-skinned tiefling finds himself slightly embarrased as he realizes some of the others had listened. He certainly appreciated their reassurances and comforting words, but he was not used to have the attention of more than one person, and even that was quite unusual. He hoped they wouldn't turn to pity him now for his less than happy childhood, the important thing he was here now, whatever fate he would be facing in the end would definitely be of his own making. Worried also for bringing the cheerful mood down as he notices Mei massacre her food, he is relieved there is a new topic, probably more suitable to a light dinner conversation. It takes a moment for Malvyn to digest what the genasi says about coming to Strixhaven simply to be able to enhance his circus act, but then he smiles politely at the pleasant and easy-going Guardok. He clearly had a lot to learn and understand about others. "It truly sounds like the Prismari college will be your home of preference then Guardok, and I'm sure all of us are looking forward to see your act, maybe even at your circus some day." He says, trying to sound pleasant as he slowly starts to eat, looking at his food suspiciously before he tastes it, seeming relieved that what he chose to put on his plate tastes much as at home. "What about you Mellori, what will you do with the knowledge you will acquire at the place of learning? He suddenly hears himself asking.

"A grape!" she chirps, eyes wide. Mei picks up a grape from her plate and holds it briefly between her teeth--imagining the fletching of a swift arrow brushing her nose as it flies by--before popping it into her mouth. It's in dreamy tones she says, "You paint such a picture of it all. It makes perfect sense, like Malvyn said! You're destined for Prismari, all--" she waves her hands about as though doing a sword dance, "--flashy illusions and beautifully dangerous performaaahh, nonono--" her coffee mug tilts onto its edge and she scrambles for it, proceeding to knock it over the rest of the way. "Oops."

Sheepish and ruddy cheeked, Mei uses her napkin to sop up the spill, but listens intently for Mellori's answer to the tiefling's question.

"You would be very welcome, all of you, although not sure about the logistics Mal. Do you mind being called Mal? No problem if you don't like it", Guardok replies.

"Yes, a grape!", he exclaims in confirmation to Mei. "We encourage audience participation wherever possible, but strangely no-one ever volunteers to help with that one", he says with a chuckle just as Mei's coffee tips. "Oh dear", he says and offers his napkin to help with the mopping.

"I didn't even mention all the music and dancing and clowning around", he adds getting a little more animated as he realises people are interested. "Of course, right now I mainly handle music and what we call special effects. Simple illusions and things to enhance the performances".

Mei likes to think she would volunteer. To take any chance to do something she's never done before--rare as they usually are within the routine of her life--before she's set on a singular path. She allows herself to imagine, just for a moment, what it would be like to take him up on his offer to visit. And then a moment more to consider what her life would be like if she were part of the circus itself. 

But only a moment.

"That explains the, um--" she waves the napkins about in both hands, flinging drips of coffee every which way, "--shaky shakers you have! I've never seen an instrument like that before. Do your parents do music and, uh, special... effects too?" She's forgotten all about the spill now, too engrossed in Guardok's stories of home.

"My maracas? You don't have these where you are from?", Guardok replies a little surprised. "They are not the moment common instruments where I am from either, I think that is why I like them. They also excellent for keeping rhythm, similar to a hand drum".

Regarding his parents he shakes his head, "My parents own the circus, acting as the ring masters and making sure the circus functions. Organising our events and travel and such. They aren't gifted in the magical arts though, so they leave the special effects to others. They are just some minor illusions in truth, but the village folk seem to appreciate them".

Mellori pauses to listen to the genasi's tale - that seems, at least to her, to be exciting and would represent an extremely useful use of time to enhance his future.

Looking back at Malvyn, her brows knit momentarily, and then her nose wrinkles - before her face returns to its usual state. "What a fascinating question. I hadn't actually thought of it that way. You see..." she pauses and her eyes look to have de-focused for a few moments, "I have never considered life after Strixhaven. I am here to learn and maybe, if I am fortunate, to add to a body of knowledge. But to me, learning is in its own way, an outcome. Ending with greater knowledge than you started with. But what to do with that learning..." She shakes her head and smiles faintly. "Ask me again in a few years time." 

There was no humour in her voice, this was clearly no attempt at humour but rather an honest answer. Content with her response, she picks up her next piece of broccoli and pops it into her mouth. 

Mae sits quietly, listening and watching the others in their group, quite content to just be there for once. So often she had ben dragged to parties and such and expected to be the center of attention, keep others entertained, such that this was a welcome relief to her. She had met a few tieflings on her world and knew how they generally came to exist, though the ones she had met were mostly happy to just live their own lives, save for one rather sinister lady. But most people Mae had met were decent enough folk, if anything, they became too nice to her. Their praise and adoration became stale, empty, worthless to her. Her mentor and kindly wizard friend were good enough not to shower her with false flattery, and for that she was grateful, and to be fair she was just as adept at showing surface level emotions when needed, but she tried not to, only resorting to her wiles when things got dangerous.

She mused over the satyr and their circus story. That wasn't really her milieu, but she could appreciate a fine performance regardless. She wouldn't mind learning a few things to supplement her entertainment. There was something enticing though about working with a larger ensemble to create something even better though that pricked her mind as she poked at her wobbly red dessert. To be able to perform but without having to carry the entire burden on your own shoulders...at least not all the time...

Th purple-skinned tiefling flinches as Mei knocks over her coffee cup, his fiery red eyes briefly flaring with anger before he quickly collects himself. He then quickly tries to help her clean up, mostly to get his immediate surroundings clean and in order, doing his best to suppress a scolding glare towards the energetic girl beside him. Too focused on the cleaning, he almost doesn't register what Guardok says, only answering absentmindedly. "Yes yes, Mal will be fine." He almost growls as he finishes up the cleaning on his side of the table.

Calming down as he listens to Mellori's answer, the purple-skinned tiefling is intrigued to hear what he likely would have said himself if given the question. He could full well see himself still at Strixhaven many years from now, well, unless he would delve too deep into the forbidden texts he yearned for. "I hope I will get a chance to do that then Mellori." He says with a hopefully friendly smile, taking another bite and briefly making a face as his meat now tastes of coffee.

Guardok - and others nearby - discovered that even in messing with the magic that causes the walkway to rise up for him, it does not seem to every adversely affect anyone else.  There is not time to play with all possible ways to mess with it, but it seems robustly designed to prevent unintended consequences. 

The entire group managed to get the food they wanted, and all sat back down at the table together.  Each participates in the conversations as suits them, continuing even as Mei absently spills her coffee.  Although she quickly forgets about the spill, as well as the clean-up, Guardok had offered a napkin at least, and Malvyn helped with cleaning up any liquid on his side of the table.  A bit of a puddle remains on the table in front of Mei. 

As time passes, quite a few of the students have left the dining area and it seems a bit more sparsely filled.  There are a couple of Loxodon that come in to get food. Approaching 8 feet tall, the service area rises slightly to give them better access to food being served. They quickly gather up some items and head off to a distant corner from your table.  

With most of your group having completed their food, mostly all that remains is the conversations.  It is closely approaching the 8pm bell.) 

(OOC - In other words, a bit more time if characters want to chat more or wrap up conversations. We'll move on a little in a day or so.  We'll get to Orientation here towards the end of the weekend.) 

"Your parents own it! Has the circus been in your family for many generations then? Did your parents meet there?" she asks with a dreamy sigh, mind already concocting an entire love story between an acrobat and a fire dancer.

Worried her thoughts are obvious, she corrects course. "And, ah! No, we don't have anything quite so," she shimmies her shoulders in a little dance, "jaunty and rhythmic. Lots of traditional instruments though. I've always wanted to learn to play..." She sighs softly. But many of the visitors to our village bring interesting ones. Once, there was a firbolg from the Wilds who had this... bag with pipes attached. And they blew air into it and it made this absolutely horrib--" she grimaces and corrects her wording, "--er, uh... unique sound. Like..."

With a whispered incantation and a motion of her hands as though she were sculpting the air, she forms an illusion of the instrument, held aloft over her palm and accompanied by the said "unique sound." 

(OOC - Not a huge issue, but Mei's spell sounds more like Minor Illusion which she doesn't appear to know! Except that spell only allows an image OR sound - unless you're a School of Illusion Wizard.) 

((OOC - Here's the full spell text! She's doing the faint musical notes and the "illusory image that can fit in your hand" and cast it twice to do the two one after the other if that's alright!
• You create an instantaneous, harmless sensory effect, such as a shower of sparks, a puff of wind, faint musical notes, or an odd odor.
• You instantaneously light or snuff out a candle, a torch, or a small campfire.
• You instantaneously clean or soil an object no larger than 1 cubic foot.
• You chill, warm, or flavor up to 1 cubic foot of nonliving material for 1 hour.
• You make a color, a small mark, or a symbol appear on an object or a surface for 1 hour.
• You create a nonmagical trinket or an illusory image that can fit in your hand and that lasts until the end of your next turn.
If you cast this spell multiple times, you can have up to three of its non-instantaneous effects active at a time, and you can dismiss such an effect as an action.))

(OOC: yes, Chara was being a bit hyperbolic when she said her dad made deals with almost every devil in the Nine Hells)

Chara quickly finds herself lost in the conversation as it turns to the circus... especially when a beverage gets knocked over. 

"You know, I've never been to the circus..." she muses. "My dad was always too busy trying to make deals with everyone and everything in the Nine Hells for father-daughter activities like that. Um... what is it like?"

"Bagpipes!", Guardok pipes up. "That's what the firbolg was playing. An acquired taste, usually the further away you are the better", he says with a chuckle pointing at the image in Mei's hand.

"And yes, the circus has been in my mother's family for generations. It was founded by my great great grandmother who was a noble born human betrothed to a man she did not want to marry. Whilst visiting her betrothed's estate, she ran away to hide from her father and found a cave that was lit up by a strange jewel embedded in the roof. While she was in there crying, she wished aloud to be free to roam the world. Unbeknownst to her a Dao Genie had been trapped in that glowing gem, and granted her wish. She was transported to a new land where she stood in the centre of a large tent surrounded by an eclectic group of strangers who all looked upon her for instruction. That was how Freestone’s Festival of Fascination came into being. It is a story told at the start of all the performances to set a magical scene, and one that everyone thought to be a mere fantastical story. Until an earth genasi was born to the human owners. That's me!", he says proudly. "My mother did indeed meet my father when he joined the circus, but not as a performer, rather a blacksmith. She hired him to look after the wagons".

Turning to Chara, as she asks what the circus is like, he picks up three small profiterole like pastries from his plate and begins to juggle them. "Oh it is wonderful, a treat for the senses and a balm for the soul, a bit like a small carnival in a large tent. Have you been to a carnival, or a village fete before Chara?", he asks, realising that analogy might not be the most helpful.

Chara pauses and thinks back on her childhood.

"I never actually got to attend, but I occasionally watched the festivals from the distance... they looked like a lot of fun, but I knew better than to get too close since my neighbors didn't really like seeing a devil in their midst..."

She shudders visibly at some unpleasant memory.

Knap finishes most of his dinner except for an apple, a carrot and a few insects. He wraps them in a napkin then breaks his silence.

”‘My pa says that a gentleman is someone who plays bagpipes but doesn’t. Whatever that means.” Knap stretches arms up high, feeling full and delighted. ”I like strange instruments. Or any instrument for that matter.”

Noticing Chara’s unease, Knap picks up his spoon and slaps it against his knee with a jester's exaggeration . “I’m sure Strixhaven will have some kind of festival or carnival. if not that, I’m sure that fellow Quintillius would put on an interesting show.”

(I should be home late tonight but am ready to move on whenever)

As more time passes, the hall becomes increasingly empty. The 8pm bell has long since passed and it is probably not long from 9pm. Food is still being served, but parts of the serving area are being picked up, packed away, and cleaned.  People you presume to be kitchen workers are cleaning off the tables, with yours and a handful of others the only ones still occupied.  

(OOC - Most of you, with just passive Insight, would get the idea that those working would prefer folks to start moving out so they can finish the cleaning.)  

Although the sound of the weird instrument is faint, Malvyn is quickly convinced he would prefer not hearing one play ever again, and the tiefling smiles wryly at Knap's father's words of wisdom. Malvyn then politely listens when Guardok tells about his family's circus. Entertainment in general wasn't quite his cup of tea, but admittedly nothing much outside books and dusty old tomes ever had been. He would most likely try and partake in some entertainment while in Strixhaven though, the musical experience by the Biblioplex had certainly wettened his appetite. As the satyr mentions the self-proclaimed actor's name again, Malvyn briefly makes a face, hoping he wouldn't find himself close to that intolerable person again. He then resumes eating, finishing up what lttle he had on his plate and his own cup of unspilt coffee. "It's getting late. I don't mean to be rude but I think perhaps I should retire to be fully rested at orientation tomorrow." He says, ready to pull out the chair for Mei when she is about to get up from her seat. 

Having sunk down in her seat at the mention of Mr. Melentor, Mei glances about at the people cleaning the tables and a little sound catches in her throat with the realization they've stayed til nearly the end of dinner. She makes quick work of the remaining coffee spill and prestidigitates the napkins and her plate clean as well. 

"No, no. You're right," she says to Malvyn, words punctuated by a yawn she hides behind her hand. "We should get out of their way too, shouldn't we? This is quite a lot of people to clean up after!" Doing the dishes after her family of eight was already far too many. "This was... really nice though. Our inaugural Floor Four dinner. Maybe we could, um, try and have dinner together a few times a week? I-If you all want to, that is! I know we'll not always be able to come down to eat at the same time every day, but..." Is she asking for too much? Being too pushy again? She should've just kept her mouth shut, now they'll feel obligated to agree. 

Mei pushes to her feet and moves on so no one feels obligated to commit to an answer. "A-Anyways! Shall we head back up?"