The World of Athema (IC)

[dyslexicfaser]

Edgar

Edgar takes the offered hand in a firm handshake. "I certainly am, Sir Kjeldoran," the monk agrees with Dominic. "Both your city and tavern seem a place beyond reproach."

"I go by Edgar," he went on. "And this is my first stop since my arrival in your fair city earlier today."

[Zimmia]

Paggan

Paggan smiles at Daniel. "I am Paggan Weimar, pleased to meet you, Daniel" she says as she extends a hand to him. "Would you care to join us for something to drink? Everything is so wonderful here I'm sure they do a lovely pot of tea, since you're in uniform," she asks with a gesture toward his guardsmans mail.

[TheMeanDM]

Paggan (& Kilbain/Sage):

The young man takes the extended hand and, for a brief second, seems somewhat hesitant what to do with it. He shakes it politely, and makes a slight 'bow' to Paggan.

[roll a sense motive, Paggan]

"Actually...I am..um...off duty for the night." he says, nudging his ring-mail jerkin with his boot. "Thank you for...um...asking me to take a drink with you and your..friends."

About that time, a copper mug hits the bar top in front of Daniel. "Here you go, Danny boy." Roderick says, with a sly wink and a mischievous grin. "A refill for you, m'lady, and good sirs?" he asks Paggan, Kilbain, and Sage.

* * * * *
"Ah, that's what I like to hear, Master Edgar." Mayor Kjeldoran says. "No finer place north of Alseric and South of Belorian will you find." he chuckles. "I expect that Threshold will be as welcoming to you as my establishment has been."

[Zimmia]

Spoiler

Show

Sense motive: (1d20+6)[11]

[TheMeanDM]

Paggan:

"So, um...you're not from around here, are you?" he asks, then blanches a shade of pale. You can see in his eyes that he's mentally berating himself for sounding like a fool. "Oh..um..of course you aren't. I meant to ask..um...where are you from, Paggan?" He grasps the mug of ale and takes a quick drink from it.

[fendrin]

Hekesh

Hekesh watches the flirting at the bar.
Ah, that reminds me of simpler times. Good times in Shangtai. I'm getting old. I should think about settling down, getting a wife... yeah, right. Too much to do. Time enough to rest when you're dead, right?.

[dyslexicfaser]

Edgar

Edgar figured that perhaps he should capitalise on this fortuitous meeting to gain some information on the city he had found himself in quite by accident. "As I have said, I am just newly arrived from further south, and thus I do not know how things are done here. If you do not mind my asking, Mayor, how might you suggest one go about finding work in this town?"

[TheMeanDM]

Edgar:

Mayor Kjeldoran puts a hand to his chin and strokes his beard slightly. "Well, what is it that you are good at, Master Edgar? They're always looking for work at the saw mill, though I don't know if a man of your wits would be satisfied with that kind of work."

[Proven_Paradox]

Sage throws a few side-long glances towards the two humans with an impish grin on his face. He nods to the barkeepers query and says, "Yes, I think I'll have something more stout and perhaps dwarven this time... And could you use that wand again? 'Tis a fascinating use of magic..."

[dyslexicfaser]

Edgar

"Oh, you might be surprised what I might settle for, if the need arose," Edgar mused aloud, amusement coloring his voice. "But I have some small skill in the mending of things and healing, as well as at tasks requiring strength of arm."

He could also read thoughts, if needs must, though he decided against mentioning this to the Mayor. Since he had left his homeland, he'd found that some people got so upset when he did the mind reading thing. 'Rights to privacy' or some such thing. They could really be unreasonable about it.

[Threeshades]

"Aye!" Kilbain hands his horn back to the young man in anticipation of his next filling; "Jus' one more ale will be just the right thing fer me. Only thing better would be twenty!", he laughs loudly, ignorant of the fact that his joke was rather below average quality.

[TheMeanDM]

Kilbain/Sage

"One for you and one for you." Roderick nods, smiling. He takes Kilbain's horn and refills it with the strong dwarven ale. He takes the copper mug from Sage, and refills it with the same strong dwarven ale. He smiles wide, and points the small wooden wand at the mug. Lips moving slightly, the blue ray then emanates from the wands tip, encircling the mug briefly and then fading.

"So, what brings you two fine men to Threshold?" Roderick says, striking up the conversation.

****

Edgar:

"Ah, healing. That's always a useful skill, keeping folks alive and well." he ponders a moment, stroking his beard again. "I may have need of a man with your talents, Master Edgar." he muses. "After the show, come to my study, if you would be so kind." he points to a door across the common room, near to the stairs leading up to the upper floors.

"Hannah" he says, lightly tapping the red-headed waitress on the back, as she is delivering food to a nearby table. "Please see to it that Master Edgar here receives a mean and some drink, on the house."

She nods to Dominic "Yes, right away." she tells you of the two specials, venison steak or fresh caught fish.

[Zimmia]

Paggan

"Since you're off duty, you most certainly should have a drink with us," Paggan replies with a patient smile on her face. "And to answer your question, I'm from quite some ways away in Trillian in fact. I'm here in part to show and spread the teaching of Forseti, the Presiding One and in part to 'take the temperature' of the wider world for our Lord back at home." She takes another sip of the fine wine before continuing. "And you and your... sister?" she says askingly and nodding to the other woman, "did you grow up in this lovely place?"

[TheMeanDM]

Paggan:

Daniel nods, taking a sip of his ale. "Yes, she's my twin sister. Bridgette." he says, and places his mug on the bartop.

"We've always lived here. Our parents farm a small bit of land south of here. Master Kjeldoran talked my da into letting us get off the farm. He showed him how we could do more for the family working in town than on the farm, even with hiring some farm work to be done."

He shrugs. "Not too much exciting ever happens around here, though. Which I guess is good. Probably not like in Trillian, though!" he says, getting a bit excited. "I hear that there are lots of fights with those Troyan snobs, is that right?" he asks, a bit anxiously.

[fendrin]

Hekesh

Hekesh stifles a chuckle at the guard's comment about Troyans.
How did that saying go? Something about pots, kettles, and darkness...

[Zimmia]

Paggan

"Well Daniel, certainly on the border there are still issues from time to time," Paggan allowed thoughtfully. "When two groups with different ideas live next door to each other, it gets loud sometimes. When those two groups are both countries, it gets louder and messier." She looks as though she was about to say more then thinks the better of it, returning to her wine.

[dyslexicfaser]

Edgar

Edgar's suspicious nature tended to rear its head whenever things seemed to be going especially well for him - and being offered a job before his first day in this town came to a close qualified - but having been just barely getting by these last few weeks allowed him to shout down the mutinous urge with little trouble.

He inclined his head to Dominic "I will do so. My thanks, Sir."

And to the waitress: "The steak, please?" It had been far too long since his last good meal. He was practically salivating at the mere thought.

Things in Edgar's world seemed to be looking up. Perhaps the One was still looking out for His wayward son, after all.

[TheMeanDM]

The music in the background, which you hadn't been paying too much attention to, due to the conversation, switches to a quick, light-hearted song.

The crowd begins clapping, and some stomping their feet.

"Up and at 'em! Off yer hands!" Martin hollers to the crowd, and some men and women oblige him, standing up and beginning to dance, spinning and whirling.

Most of the crowd sings loudly with Martin, drowning out the deep voice of the bard.

"Of all the money that e'er I spent
I've spent it in good company
And all the harm that ever I did
Alas it was to none but me
And all I've done for want of wit
To memory now I can't recall
So fill to me the parting glass
Good night and joy be with you all"

Daniel, a little bolder now, stretches forth his hand toward the common room. "Care for a dance!?" he says loudly, over the singing, boisterous crowd, who continues to sing.


"If I had money enough to spend
And leisure to sit awhile
There is a fair maid in the town
That sorely has my heart beguiled
Her rosy cheeks and ruby lips
I own she has my heart enthralled
So fill to me the parting glass
Good night and joy be with you all"

Oh, all the comrades that e'er I had
They're sorry for my going away
And all the sweethearts that e'er I had
They'd wish me one more day to stay
But since it falls unto my lot
That I should rise and you should not
I'll gently rise and softly call
Good night and joy be with you all

At the close of the song, Martin and his minstrels seamlessly flow into another rowdy dancing song.

I am a little beggarman, a begging I have been
For three score years in this little isle of green
I'm known along the Platinum Route from the Trouan to the Asloo
And everybody calls me by the name of Johnny Dhu.
Of all the trades a going, sure the begging is the best
For when a man is tired he can sit him down and rest
He can beg for his dinner, he has nothing else to do
But to slip around the corner with his old rigadoo.

I slept in a barn one night in Threshold!
A shocking wet night it was, but I slept until the dawn
There was holes in the roof and the raindrops coming thru
And the rats and the cats were a playing peek a boo.

Who did I waken but the woman of the house
With her white spotted apron and her calico blouse
She began to frighten and I said boo
Sure, don't be afraid at all, it's only Johnny Dhu.

I met a little girl while a walkin out one day
Good morrow little flaxen haired girl, I did say
Good morrow little beggarman and how do you do
With your rags and your tags and your auld rigadoo.

I'll buy a pair of leggins and a collar and a tie
And a nice young lady I'll go courting by and by
I'll buy a pair of goggles and I'll color them with blue
And an old fashioned lady I will make her too.

So all along the high road with my bag upon my back
Over the fields with my bulging heavy sack
With holes in my shoes and my toes a peeping thru
Singing, skin a ma rink a doodle with my auld rigadoo.

O I must be going to bed for it's getting late at night
The fire is all raked and now tis out of light
For now you've heard the story of my auld rigadoo
So good and gods be with you, from auld Johnny Dhu

[Zimmia]

Paggan

"Sure, why not," Paggan answers with a smile. "Keep an eye on my things?" she asks the bartender and extends her hand as she and Daniel move to the dance space.

By the time the songs are over she is laughing with delight and she joins the others in the loud applause of appreciation for Martin and his group. "Why they're wonderful!" she says with a smile. "Do they come your way often?"

Spoiler

Show

Not sure if my lovely (joke) dancing needs a skill check of any kind. The only ones I can really think of would be dex (to keep from stumbling) and cha (to laugh off the mistakes as part of the joy of the moment. If there's more, let me know.

Dex check: edit I hate typos. Rolled a 10 in the OOC thread
Cha check: (1d20+4)[23]

[TheMeanDM]

Spoiler

Show

(1d20+1)[16]
(1d20+1)[20]

Daniel leads the dancing, helping Paggan through some of the 'rough' spots, but doing it in a manner that makes her look like she was the one leading.

"Well, he's been around here a couple of times." Daniel says, catching his breath. "This is the first time I've got to see him, tho. I had to pull guard duty those other nights."

[Proven_Paradox]

It seems it's all Sage can do to keep from laughing out loud as the woman says 'louder and messier,' and he struggles internally to keep from commenting on how much worse things can get when two gnome cooperate. It seems he eventually settles against it. He takes a drink of the ale and responds to the barkeep's query. "Well, as you've likely guessed, I'm an alchemist and arcanist from Gnomehome. I've just recently graduated from college, and now I'm out roaming the world, seeking inspiration for new inventions and spells and such; hence my list. I've been out for a few weeks, and just happened to wander this way, so here I am." He shrugs and smiles. About then the music gets louder, and his words are lost. He stays on the shelter of his barstool, acutely aware of the dangers to a small person entering an area where tall folk are dancing.

[Threeshades]

Before Kilbain speaks he empties his horn, once again giving it back to the barkeep to fill it up. He gulps down the ale he poured into his moth and rubs over it with his forearm and then with a warm grin briefly says: "I came fer tha glory, but I be stayin' fer the ale!"

[Sxoa]

Miyuki

Miyuki watches the crowd and the singers with an intent eye, trying to pick out people who look well traveled, well informed or like they might be involved with the underground fighting scene. As she finishes her food, she follows Hekesh's glance at the scene at the bar and marks Dominic as someone to talk to. When people begin to dance to the music, she frowns slightly, remembering how much Khaldun enjoyed dancing in the desert night. She quickly regains her composure and once again goes back to surveying the room with all the dignity and poise of one of her (former) station.

[dyslexicfaser]

Edgar

Edgar taps his foot in time with the music and eats his comp meal, a smile on his face. He's found himself in a better mood than he's been in quite some time.

[fendrin]

Hekesh

"I've been on the road so long, I miss the tribe's dances. So much more fun than the dances of Shangtai. I suppose those are more artistic. Dances like these are intended for the dancers, not for an audience. Tell me, Miyuki, when was the last time you danced for fun?"

[Sxoa]

Miyuki

"I like to think of my swordplay as a dance, but I suppose that is not what you mean. For the sheer joy of it? Probably not since I was in the wastes. In Hyperborea we did not so much dance as drink till we could not walk straight, though the end result was interesting footwork nonetheless." she says in common with a sly smile, speaking loud enough to be heard over the music. "I have never seen man nor beast drink so much as some of those dwarven berserkers did after a victory, or before one for that matter. I am afraid though, that I do not have much talent for the dance, tea and calligraphy are more my cup of...right...well... And what of you Hekesh? When have you last danced the Raqs Hana'i? You have been on the rode for a while now I take it? I would think there is not so much time there for such things."

[TheMeanDM]

Kilbain/Sage:

Roderick laughs heartily. "Well, Master Kilbain, you'll never be leaving Threshold then, dare I say you'll probably never leave that very spot--for we've the finest ales in all the world!" He grins wide as he takes Kilbain's drinking horn, once again, and refills it.

"Well, Master Sage, wanders are always welcome in Threshold, so long as they're...peaceful...wanderers. We wouldn't want Danny-boy here to get all excited and cut himself with his sword...again."

Daniel un-ceremoneously snorts some ale through his nose in utter shock and surprise. "Damn you, Roderick! That was five years ago!"

Roderick removes an empty glass from a now empty seat at the bar. He takes a clean rag and runs it over the outside of the glass. "Oh, was it? Seems just like yesterday....boy, what a gash..." he trails off, adopting a false "misty eyed" and "wistful" look on his face as he cleans the mug.

"Roderick, please..." Daniel says, glaring slightly at the bartender.

** * * *

Hekesh/Bresk/Miyuki:

The older gentleman named Dominic seems to be making the rounds, shaking hands and talking with his patrons.

He arrives at your table, and he doesn't bat an eye at Bresk the lizardman.

He bows slightly to Miyuki with his hands pressed together in front of him.

"'Quel undome, arwen en amin. Creoso amin eska." he says in quite good Shangtai elvish.

"Dominic Kjeldoran, Mayor of Threshold and owner of this humble inn, at your service." he then says, offering his hand to first Bresk and then Hekesh.

[fendrin]

Hekesh

(prior to Dominic's arrival at the table)
"It has been many months. I generally prefer the raqs baladi, but it seems to be slowing in popularity. Probably because of the way some Masinyane are entertaining themselves by making their slaves dance it for them."

(after Dominic's arrival at the table)
When grasping Dominic's arm, Hekesh speaks to him in Shangtai Elvish.
"Mae govannen, heru en amin. Lle leme har?"
(translation: "Well met, my lord. Have you journeyed south?")

[TheMeanDM]

Hekesh:

Dominic chuckles. "I traveled wide and far, in my younger days. After the war, I felt the need to find different surroundings."

He raises an eyebrow in a curious manner. "You are one of gods' faithful, if I am not mistaken. Quite a ways from home, are you not?" he inquires of Hekesh.

[Threeshades]

Kilbain looks at the two men with an eyebrow raised. "Be ye two always squabblin' like that?", accepting the next horn filled with ale he says "I guess I cannae stay ferever since there still be some fame an' glory ta get out there. So say, lads, be there anythin' ye know 'bout, that be suitable fer an aspirin' hero like me? Someone who needs an axe... or two, by their side? A treasure ta find? A horde ta fight?"