With a backwards glance at the bemused stall holder hunting for an elusive coin, Zanryn nods sagely, “That would be most prudent.”

Durmatl flashes a toothy grin at the others as he looks at the pamphlet, noticing they are only missing four of the roses. "Blue, White and Peach. And the Black, of course." he says, the words slithering out his mouth as he speaks, "Did anyone see where to get these already?"

As you all wander through to the heart of town you see what appears to be a human dressed in full plate mail. He stands with a ceremonial blade on his hip the hilt done up in the same rose motif. The mayor stands next to him with a couple a beautiful woman with red hair giving away white roses to any that asks. Her date looks like the captain of the guard and is watching the crowd a little bored but a goofy grin on his face. 

OOC: While I wait for others to post (Durmatl wouldn't want to approach a Captain of the Guard anyway), do we want to try and get one or two other players in here? Or give Bacon a poke that he can build a character?

OOC: I can run it with three its mainly scaling encounters from this point but if you know anyone wants to play go ahead.

Zydalia assesses her appearance, wiping her hands down the front of her dirty dress, shaking out her long hair, adjusting the fit of her bodice. She's not had terribly good experiences with people of these ranks before, and looking the way she does has played a large part in that. 

Perhaps her well dressed companion would be a better fit for this task, but she plasters on her biggest smile anyway and approaches the red-haired maiden in her most pleasant manner.

Seeing Zydalia‘a obvious discomfiture at the social interaction, Zanryn strides boldly up to the Mayor, the Captain and his lady.

Drawing himself up proudly to his full three-and-nearly-a-half feet, and with practiced ease, he bestows a slight bow upon the Mayor, a polite nod to the Captain, and a winning smile on the lady. “My lady, I wonder if I might ask the favour of a rose for my dear companion?”

AS you both approach the the front of the crowd the lady smiles at Zydalia and hands her a rose. "Why of course every beautiful lady loves a rose. How are fairing with the scavenger hunt?" She asks as she passes off the basket to a maiden to continue her work. The captain of the guard smiles at you both bemused by Zanryn. "Well ive seen some wierd couples never a gnome and a tiefling. But each his own i suppose." The mayor nudges the captain. "I must be off the misses will be cooking fried lamb one of my favorites. You all notice he is a bit heavy and this may be an understatement. HE wanders off the stage leaving you with the two gentlman and lady. "Aye You kids might want to be off too. Cant hang around her tomorrow son."

Zydalia stashes the white rose with the others, thanking the lady profusely. However, regardless of how appreciate she is for the addition to their collection, she's not sure she wants to make it clear how well they've done. 

"We're getting there with the roses*," she smiles, glancing across at Zanryn. "It's the first time we've appeared in public together. People have a lot of opinions about such pairings, you see." She debates doing something that looks intimate or familiar, and settles with putting a hand gingerly on his shoulder. 

Zydalia looks back to the last speaker, frowning as she realises what's actually been said. "Sorry, what do you mean? What is happening tomorrow?"

"My son has to start hi guard training and tomorrow is the crowning ceremony so he is on guard detail." He smiles, "Though i'm sure he'll sneak off to be with her." THe captain pulls a book out and looks over a page that was dog eared. "Which roses are you missing. Least i could do is point you to the right direction."

"The crowning ceremony," repeats Zydalia. "How fascinating. What an exciting time for your kingdom."

She's hesitant to let him know exactly which ones are still outstanding, so she looks at the leaflet, angling it away from him. "I think we're looking for the blue and peach ones next." She takes her hand from Zanryn's shoulder. "And of course, the black rose, if we so happen to come across it..."

Zydalia doesn't like her lack of trust in officials and the higher societal classes, but a widowed tiefling from a town with a bleak reputation has to be careful who she confides in. She's been fooled far too many times to take anyone at face value.

She quickly tries to figure out how many roses she has herself - can she actually trust Durmatl and Zanryn?

Zanryn has no such concerns about this simple Captain of the Guard*.

"Aye it is a yearly event for the town." He looks at his list. Well you can a get a blue one from the water and spirit vendor. This year i think the gimmick is they are drinking roses. She hand blown glasses to look like blue roses. as for the peach he pulls out a token. The misses has those give this she wont charge you. He passes a small token with a roses emblazoned on it." At the mention of the black he shrugs, "I aint ever seen one and i been in this posting for my whole life." He looks about fifty his eyes old but sharp. "Me and the misses looked forever and a day ago for one. My son took to hoping this girl and him would be ones ones to be granted it. I believe death just don't show up during the festival because it makes him said to miss his love across time and space." 

Durmatl watches the exchange from a distance, fingering the rose in his pocket. Together they appear to have almost all of them now, but by himself he only has the one. Still, the two both seem pleasant enough, and for all the huff about the festival, actually joining in to find these roses is more of a distraction to him than anything else. The most interesting thing about the entire display is the rumor of the black rose, with its tale of Life and Death.
Silently he wonders if perhaps it would take something obvious to summon Death to visit the festival...

The idea of a force as powerful as Death being left heartbroken by a lost love sits like a boulder in the widow's stomach. Is it an awful thing that she feels terrible about poor Death, separated from his true love for eternity?

Zydalia accepts the decorated token from the mayor.

"You're a very kind man," she comments. "It's clear why you're in charge of things around here. Perhaps you could let me know where we might find your fair lady?"

"Well it is the busy season though an easy one at that. If you go two streets over there she'll be at the guard office. The other vendor should be near there as well." The captain turns to give someone else directions before saying, "Anything else i can help you with?"

"Not at all," Zydalia says, bowing her head at the captain. "You've been very helpful. Many thanks." She turns and moves back towards Durmatl.

"Where would you like to visit first? The guard office, or the spirit shop?" She glances at her companions, then herself.

She really hopes there is a way to get swine grease off the fabric of her dress. She noticed Durmatl's hesitance to approach the guards earlier, so it would seem he's not the most comfortable with authority figures either. "On second thoughts, perhaps Zanryn ought to take the lead on visiting to the guard office..." 

Durmatl nods, then follows Zydalia's glance down to her dress. "You should get that cleaned at the inn, tonight." he says matter-of-factly, then looks over to Zanryn. "Yes, do you want to see the guards? Most of them do not like Lizards, so you should do it."

As he waits for a reply, he shortly considers something, then steps up closer to Zydalia. In his claw he holds the single rose that he had won earlier, presenting it to her. "Here. For safe keeping. We are together, yes?" he says, also including Zanryn with a questioning turn of his head.

Zanryn meets Durmatl's eye with guileless sincerity, "Indeed, we are bound together in fellowship". In a somewhat fatherly tone he continues, "Sometimes it pays to treat authority with a certain authoritative disdain; deep down they know they are not very far above the gutter themselves. To know another's weakness" - he glances pointedly at Zydalia's swine-stained skirts - "is to know ones own strength".

Zydalia accepts the rose from Durmatl, placing it with the others. She smiles at him, nodding in agreement with his suggestion of laundering the soiled garments.

"Yes, I'm rather in a state. I'm looking forward to getting cleaned up at the inn later. But first, shall we finish getting these roses and collect our winnings?"

She marvels at Zanryn's words and the eloquent structure of his sentences. He's clearly very wise, and she's eager to learn.

"Disdain, I can do," she returns, putting her hands on her hips. "I suppose I'd never thought of it like that."