The air is filled with music, not that of a dark and beating wardrum, but rather lutes and lyres and fiddles, panpipes and all manner of wooden flutes. They play merrily in sync, creating a a melody equally as soothing as it is exciting. Smoke rises from a large fire pit over which hangs a roasting lamb on a spit the mouth watering smell of which travels for miles around jastrey. Several kegs of ale and casks of wine sit stacked next to a make shift bar that sits near the tavern. Lanterns hang unlit from trees in preperation for nocturnal celebration. Tables have been dragged out of the tavern and have been set up in a semicircular fashion. A stage rests opposit the bar and tables. Off to one side, near the fire pit is a rather long table filled with all manner of fruits, and meats, and breads. The sun sits high in the cloudless, azure blue sky.
Solas stands, rather drunkenly, onto one of the tables. "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN." Solas begins a speech, flailing his hands. "UORDEQS AND EMPYREAN. DWARVES AND FAE. ANGORI AND MEN. ELVES AND IXIFAR. GOBLIN AND DRAKNA. GNOMES AND ALL THE RESIDENTS OF JASTREY COME. LET US CELEBRATE THE ELESTREI. LET US SING AS IF NONE WERE LISTENING. LET US DANCE AS IF NONE WERE WATCHING. LET US LIVE AS IF IT WERE OUR LAST. COME EAT, DRINK, BE MERRY." He hops from the table and into a chair, taking a swig from a pint of ale.
As Mikaeus settles the last keg into place, he watches his fellow Empyrean call the residents of Jastrey to the celebration.
"Come down, you blind bafoon. Let the town hear the joyous, celebratory music without your piercing voice, for once." He stretches his magnificent, teal-blue wings, reaching for a mug himself, before crossing the tavern to join Solas in a relaxing, and hard-earned, seat.
"Well this is an interesting sight, and in the name of all Immortals, Solas. I had no idea you could be quite that loud." Katri approached, hood and mask drawn so that only her eyes could be clearly seen. The Uordeq flinched at the even louder sounding of the vuvuzela in the hands of Blisdon.
"Well, shaman, if they didn't hear your friend shouting, they certainly heard you!" She chuckled, her thick accent drifting from behind the black material covering half her face. "So a festaval, huh? And all are welcome? This should be fun."
Solas eyes the Manfae, smiling a broad and warm smile. "Quite right, brother Mikaeus. The music will draw them in."
Solas looks to the Uordeq girl and lets out a hearty laugh. "It is often times the most quiet of folk who possess the potential to make the largest splash." He motioned at her with his hands "Come, Come Cassitran, Yes all are welcome. Put down your hood and mask." He says "Eat some, drink some. It is a party after all."
Katri chuckled and did as the Empyrean suggessted. She drew down hood and mask and walked over to him and the fae she didn't recognise, and sat down close by. She pulled out her own flask and took a drink from it. "Indeed, I can beleive it, my good seer. I heard you out in the woods."
She looked at the teal-winged male, "I don't believe I've met you before. What's your name, fae?"
Blisdon had taken to making himself an odd concoction involving Water loaded with crushed mint leaves and what seemed to be several mushrooms and perhaps even a still living fish swimming inside his beverage as he turned his attention to the Stealthy uordeq.
With a devious grin he bounds up to the usually-stealthy uordeq and gives her a big, squeezing hug from the bear of a shaman, lifting her far off the ground and spinning around several times before setting his back down and lifting his arms up high in the air.
"Spring brings out the best in everyone, And if that won't do it then booze sure will!"
Katri gave a squeak as she was grabbed into Blisdon's hug and spun around. She laughed sincerely, "Blisdon, whatever you're having feel free to share! You seem in a delightful mood, for being turned into one of us Uorderq. "
The Uordeq girl sat back down, still laughing, "It's nice to see everyone in such a good mood. Parties in Jastrey seem to be good for that."
A rather unkempt goblin pants heavily as he rushes to the tavern from the healer's den with a large bucket of water on either arm. "Grishal hear the horns, so Grishal get buckets!," the goblin pants between heavy gasps for air. "Where's the fire? Shady Corners still in one piece? Why Grishal have to bring heavy buckets? Why.... sound.... horn?"
The goblin collapses to his knees under the weight of the buckets, gasping for air, but slowly starting to nod his head in time with the music.
"So many new faces... GRISHAL! There's no fire. It's a party." Katri muttered as the human in the kilt ran back into the tavern, before shouting to the goblin. She watches her brother sit down and raises an eyebrow at him. A second later, a rock bounces off the bench close to his thigh. She grins and turns partially away from him.
Blisdon looked at the uordeq baby-mama and then looked back at his own beverage, watching the fish swim inside his large glass fish before looking back at katri, with strange and delusional eyes.
"Parties are fun! Would you like a Banana? Banana's are goo..-" Blisdon's voice trailed off as he noticed what seemed to be a human in a kilt lose his kilt in the middle of a jig and retreat back into the tavern.
"...Did that just happen?" Mumbled the shaman with a dumbfounded expression.
Blisdon seemed confused again for yet another second before catching sight of a dancing goblin and quickly dashing over to him, taking the goblin by the arm, taking a bucket from one of his tired arms and began to jig with him to the beat of the music, the large bucket water occasionally splashing and sloshing out of the bucket and onto the ground.
Mikaeus met the eyes of the female Uordeq intriguingly. He had heard great things of this creature in his little time in Jastrey already, and the fae could not contain his bubbling curiosity.
"My name is Mikaeus. I have been wandering-" The fae stopped for a second, rethinking his words. "-moreso, relocated, for quite some time. I had the good fortune of meeting Solace, Blisdon, and Finnian in this great town, and they have been satisfyingly hospitable."
The fae awkwardly adjusts his position as the ale begins to work it's wondrous effects. He glances at Blisdon, trying to contain his drunken, faeish instincts to sing and dance as he had done so long ago. In an effort to mask his childish ways, he glides to the nearest keg, fills his mug for the third time, and addresses the Uordeq;
"Are you just going to stare at my wings, or are you going to introduce yourself?"
"Katri. Katri Cassitran. It is good to meet you, Mikaeus." Katri nodded to him. "I do believe that you are the first actual male fairy I've seen in Jastrey. Not accounting for Gaius who ran afoul of some rather... interesting fairy dust effects."
She watched as Blisdon changed gears altogether and rushed over to pull up grishal to dance with him. There was certainly no denying that the former dwarf was on something, but regardless of what, the result was certainly amusing to watch. Already this party was rivaling the Night of Drunken Frogs and the last party in town she had attended, before Akon was forced to step down.
She glanced up at her elder brother with a grin and a wink, "Hello Ras. Have a nice time seeing Father again? I also notice you've gotten rid of that aweful white hair and gotten your eyes back."
"That i have Kat... Feels nice. But if at all possible i would like to forget about that.... unfortunate event... for at least a while... though i am going to have to have a conversation with you and Akon sometime." Rasiri downs the rest of his ale. "I hope this party gets at least a bit crazy."
Captian Belle stumbles out of the cabin and lets out a call for his Corsairs. "CORSAIRS THERE IS MERRY TO BE MADE!"
And stumbles half drunk already and waving Val perhaps a little too haphazardly towards the outdoor bar and surveys the situation at the few people he knew nothing of such as the goblin those he had heard of but had not met such as the Uordeq woman and in the end navigated toward Uordeq Rasiri seeing him as the definite ally he and his Corsairs had.
"Good day to you dark one, what is this that I've stumbled upon?"
"Well, Ras, I would say it shall. Blisdon is far gone into whatever he's been drinking and it's being thrown by the Hunt. We shall discuss the incident with Father later then. For now, drink and be the same sorry Uordeq I grew up with! Even I'm going to try to behave like you today." Katri snickered at her brother.
She lifted her own flask to her lips again when the half drunk man stumbled over to her and Rasiri. She raised an eyebrow at him and drank inspite of the smirk on her face.
From seemingly out of nowhere the Uordeq shaman appears behind rasiri, smoking some sort of wrapped cigarette of tobacco and other mysterious herbs, his spare hand holding a large and ripe looking banana that he waves appealingly in the uordeq seers face.
"Would you care for...a banana?" Says Blisdon, with an accompanying grin that can only be viewed as thoroughly insane.
"Drink until you wake up in the bushes with an agori nuzzled between ya' arms! That's the way to live, For we just might all have our heads rotting on pikes in the opressive heat of the summertime!"
Four days. She disappeared for four days and everyone knew who she was now, regardless of whether or not she knew them. Of course, she supposed that was the hazard of accidentally portalling the whole damned town to her father's doorstep in said four day absence. She sighed, capping the flask and sliding it back into her bag.
"Katri Adria Cassitran. And you, sir, are drunk. Don't you know you should introduce yourself to someone before assuming you know that person's identity- whether or not you do?" She quirked an eyebrow at him, her smirk never moving.
Solas turns to Captain Belle, "AHOY CAPP'N" He says, raising his pint high into the air. "You've stumbled across the Jastreyan Spring Festival. Hosted by none other than your friendly neighborhood Wild Hunt. Please take a load off your feet. Grab some food. Pour yourself some ale, or perhaps a glass of wine. Nevermind the Princess. Today is a day dedicated to peace and partying not politics." He joyfully and drunkinly stomps one foot to the beat of the music whilst clapping all the same.
The Ixifar walked into the party carrying some of the Corsairs remaining rum and stood near his captain torn between his quiet-nearly mute-nature and Ixifar party heritage. It wasn't long before his foot was tapping in rhythm and he swayed toward the center of the dance floor leaving his massive hammer "The Last One" near Rasiri and Captain Belle.
"THERE YOU ARE ROSS!" The captain shouted hugging the Ixifar in a drunkenly awkward embrace before he made it to the dancefloor.
"Solas, Friend you forget a pirate's politics often are a party." He yelled toward the seer
"And you young lady, I am Captain Belle leader of the Crimson Corsairs. Tis a pleasure to meet your aqaintance"
Katri nodded in thanks to Solas. She had a feeling she'd be getting a lot of the "are you the princess?" crap, but this party was not where she wanted it to start. She watched the "Cap'n" hug an Ixifar he called Ross, before returning to introduce himself.
"It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Captain Belle." The Uordeq nodded, her foot tapping in time with the cheerful music.
"The Ixifar is an animal at these things." He said watching him lift the goblin over his head and twirl him around. "If a little.." *Hic* "Innapropriate, In any case I'm sure he'd love to see a woman on the dancefloor."
The Captain began caressing the cask of rum. "I missed you." he whispered, pouring a flagon.
A small fairy floats into the party and hands a dark red envelope sealed with wax and marked with the Cassitran family crest. He hands it to Rasiri and waits momentarially with his hand out expecting some manner of gratuity before grabbing some goodies and a mug of ale before drukenly flittering off into the distance.
Blisdon continues his happy hop and dance all throughout the party, springing from one leg to another, never letting both touch the ground to the beat of the music as he flails his arms about in a wild fashion.
"Woolooloolooolooo" Gobbled the Shaman as he slowly orbited around the pirates and solas. "Fate will surely conquer all, And a storm like never before is coming...But today? Tonight!? We live!"
Katri looks at the letter in Rasiri's hand and her eyes narrow as they light on the Cassitran crest, "Well. That can't be good..."
She reaches up and hands the mail fae a few copper and a piece of candy before he flits away, "Thank you."
"Rasiri Cassitran, what in the hell did you do?" Katri looks back to her brother and the letter. Any thing marked with that seal came from their father and anything he was sending to Jastrey for Rasiri couldn't be anything but trouble.
Taklinn Walks back into town looking drained and tired from his travels over the last few days. he ambles up to a keg of ale, and fills his mug before quickly draining it, the foam sticking to his beard. He smacks his lips a bit, and closes his eyes, completing his taste test. "Twas a decent effort, if a little rushed. Another five months left to mature and she would be quite good." After a moment, he finally takes in the many new faces in town and smiles knowingly; "Seems we have a new crop of spanners in town. Curious that during this time of year it is more prevalent than in the winter months. Something I will discuss with the durned mage when I see him next."
Blisdon immediately stopped his dancing when rasiri begins to exit the party.
"It seems you've lost already if this is how you overcome your challenges and face your demons.I took you for someone stronger than that." Blisdon spit once on the ground to emphasize his distaste, glaring at the uordeq with a wild and furious look upon his face.
"If the slavering maw of the beast smiles at you, showing every razor sharp tooth and every piece of half-chewed,stinking flesh in between them with it's hungry eyes casting down it's greedy gaze upon you... Then laugh, Laugh in the face of death for every soul who only had the strength to whimper, cry, and beg for their life."
Blisdon stared at the uordeq seer for a moment longer, before breaking back into his joyful hop-dance-flailing-motions that he was doing before, as if a sudden switch had flipped him back to what he was.
Rasiri stumbles as the elf collides with him looking after her for a second then turns to adress the grevious mistake his fellow "uordeq" just made. "Excuse me Blisdon. I am going to ignore that. I have things of my own to stand up to. I am a proud Uordeq prince. I shall NEVER COWER AGAIN. Today marks a new Rasiri Cassitran. I am tired of my father thinking me weak, and when he comes or the next time i face him i shall slay him in cold blood. I am strong. I AM THE STRONGEST!" Then Rasiri throws his hood back down and returns to the party quietly and sits by Katri. "Want to open it with me?"
"Our father, Rasiri, is mine to slay. Take care not to forget that. Also take care to remember that it is not you who will ever succeed him, whether or not you ever become the 'strongest'. Not to mention, you have yet to prove yourself a proud prince of anything. Much less of our people." Katri's voice was harsh for a moment and her eyes flashed. She calmed and continued, "Never the less... Yes, let us see what Aleksei has to say."
Rasiri smiles, "I knew that you were going to tell me off Kat, you always do. And you are the only one i tolerate it from. But i will at least fight father, to show him that i am not a snivelling wimp before he dies. And do i have to prove lineage? I think that was taken care of for me, but i digress i never wanted the throne i have loftier goals." Rasiri pulls the letter out. "Come Katri, let's see what our beloved father has to say." Rasiri opens the letter and reads it aloud to katri.
Katri spared a glance at the captain when his hand moved to his sword, "Let go of that thing. I drug him out of the Shadelands to keep him from dying, do you think I'll attack him? Any Cassitran blood spilled is on my hands whether I cause it or not, and it is my responsibility to avenge any spilled. I won't hurt my own brother. My only excetion to that responsiblity remains Aleksei."
"I never said liniage, Ras. If you recall, I know it rather well by default. Shame I never got to meet your mother, though I know Aleria thought a good deal of you. You can fight him, I have no problems there. Killing him, however, shall be my pleasure and yes... You never were fond of the thought of taking his place." Katri turned to her brother with a grin and listened, her face becoming serious, as he read.
Lylonna had kept a cautious distance from the dancing goblin and drunken Uordeqs, at least until Taklinn arrived... The little gnome threw caution to the wind and ran towards the party
"TAAAKKLIIINNNN!!"
She plopped down and sat next to the dwarf, teeming with excitement to tell him all about what had happened in his absence.
"So did you hear that Akon makes for a pretty gnome? And Valez too, altough he was not too enthused about wearing a hat... Well, neither of them were really... Valez was definitely less happy about it though... But I am glad you are back in town! I've been a little lonely lately, having been the only gnome in town for a while and all. But aannyywaays.. How are you?"
"Solas, aside from the fact that no such parliment exists, I intend to return to the party and drink myself back into a good mood once Ras reads and puts away this letter. I have no intention of continuing with any more politics the one day I have allowed a memeber of the Wild Hunt not only hug me, but pick me up and spin me around." Katri looked up at the Empyrean when he scoffed. "The minute I returned to town I got smacked with bad news and have remained in a foul mood, but not today. Today I will have fun and, very likely, get drunk. For the time being, however, ignore us."
Katri took another drink from her flask and turned back to Rasiri. She licked her lips, which were staining red from her flask's contents, and peered at the letter over her brother's shoulder.
Silver stepped out of the cabin and stretched, flexing her claws, sunlight glittering on her silver scales. The festivities attracted her attention. She could see Ross dancing and the Captain seeming to be drunk enough for three people.. again.
Silver smiled fondly and grabbed her song book. The Captain didn't call her Silver Pipes for nothing. It was the perfect opportunity to practice her bard training.
Katri chuckles lightly as she is pulled away from her brother and the captain by the Ixifar she has never met, only knowing that Captain Belle had called him Ross. She willingly danced, when he pulled her out.
"Your name? The captain over there called you Ross, right?" Katri questioned as she danced with him.
Taklinn nods his head as the little gnome talks to him, his eyes not leaving the pirate who has his hands too ready at the hilt of his sword. At the news of Valez and Akon changing to gnomes for a brief time he smiles. "Seems that the more things change the more they stay the same around Jastrey. Riff Raff coming in and trying to assert themselves and their place like always, and the Uordeq talking about the place they have run from and abandoned like they belonged there in the first place. I have been out of town atending to a matter that was time sensitive. By me ancestor's teachings, the best times to forge adamant are at precise times in the lunar year, and this past week just happened to be one of them. I do apologize fer me absence though, especially with a bunch of cutthroats movin' into town to stake their claim."
"Katri. My name is Katri Cassitran. Being that I do not know you, is it safe to assume you are new in town?" She asked Ross, keeping her peripherals trained on rasiri. A letter from home could be dangerous.
The Uordeq was much calmer now and danced intime with the music rather well inspite of her cloak, bow and sword. She somehow managed to keep them from hindering her movements with an air of one used to it. Later, if she had the chance, she would remove them and set them safely aside.
As Rasiri slowly opens the letter and breaks the wax seal, a small hidden needle pierces the his glove and inserts itself into his thumb. The toxins flow through his body quickly causing his vision to blur and and body to fall deathly limp before he's able to read the first word aloud *50 tox*
The letter falls unread to the ground at Rasiri's feet.
Chataya walks up to the festivities, a smile on her face. She grins at all around and grabs a drink. She stands near Solas, surveying the crowd, obviously pleased to see everyone happy. She looks with concern at the letter Rasiri was holding, and glances at Katri. Seeing the Uordeq Princess happily dancing with the new fairy, she lets out a happy laugh and continued watching everyone.
Glimmer stands outside, adjusting her tutu. She follows shortly behind Taklinn, throwing a handful of glitter and saying "A party is not quite a party until Miss Glimmer walks in fellow townsmen and ladies." Glimmer claps twice, hiccups, gives Taklinn a kiss on the cheek and flits quickly to Katri. "Alright Miss Dekie. Give me the short of it. Who are the fabulous people, who are not, and do have some cookies!" Glimmer shoves some at Katri and waits for a response.
Katri smiles at Glimmer and begins to speak when she notices something fall in her peripheral vision.
"Rasiri!" Katri sees her brother on the ground, and darts over to him. She would apologize to Ross later. She snatches the letter from the ground, taking care to only touch the side. She checks Rasiri for a pulse.
"Indeed we're here in Jastry to investigate a long cold kidnapping trail." Ross said in a somewhat droll tone before perking up "But finally we can party and by my grandfather's downy feathers we can let loose the troubles of the day and i intend too. My hammer is over there why don't you set down what encumbers you so we can really cut loose" Ross winked.
"Bah, I'd have nothing to worry about anyways lad, even if ye deemed it so. Jastrey is a....magical place. We have royalty from the shadelands who still assert themselves in their own fashion. And it seems that we have a pirate ship berthed in a landlocked town." Upon getting the peck on his whiskers Taklinn seems to relax a bit before meeting glares with the Captain. As Rasiri falls to the ground Taklinn averts his gaze foor a moment and scoffs "Filthy Urdek. Too scared to view their enemy in the eye when they attack. It seems more has happened in me absence than I thought."
"Thank you, please make sure he's going to be alright. I'm going to see if anything else is hidden in this letter." Katri nods to Ross and Chataya and stands, before returning to the letter in her hand. She glances at her brother when she hears him groan, and the corners of her mouth turn up slightly in releif before she grows serious once more.
She is careful to avoid the needle that is in the partially broken seal that had brought her brother down and begins to look the letter over quite well before removing it. [Inspect Secret]
Solas looks on full of a furious rage. He stares at the fallen uordeq. "In the name of the Forsynteril," Solas shouts. "the Wild Hunt declares a blood hunt on Alexi Cassitran, King and patron of the ruling uordeq family for taking the head of Blisdon, shaman of the Wild Hunt, and ruining our damn party!" He takes a large swig of ale before slamming it down on the table. "This celebration of peace has now become a declaration of war, conflict, and strife. Let it never be said that the Wild Hunt suffers transgressions against its brothers."
"Why he be the Captain of the High Seas of Jastrey!" Taklinn chuckles. "Truth be told lass I ain't knowin' who the swashbuckler is, nor do I care. It seems that a bit of jingle in yer purse is enough to warrant carrying a gift of the Immortals." Taklinn regards the Captain and says "Tis none of me concern, but if any harm has befallen Treygard in yer aquisition of that sword, ye will answer to me, have no doubt."
"I don't know who you think you are talking to, but you best mind your tongue. You have NO idea the horrors unseelie will rain. I am Seelie, of the Seelie Court, Papillio tribe. I could have been your best friend, as I'm the best archer this town has. You however sir, apparently can not take a joke. Call me what you will, and kindly don't die at my feet. You and yours will receive no help from me."
Silver sighed at the animosity that her Captain had stirred up. She strode away to the edge of the green and sat on a rock.
"My love is gone, carried away
by the wind that shakes the willow,
and all the land is beaten hard
by the wind that shakes the willow.
But I will hold her close to me
in heart and dearest memory,
and with her strength to steel my soul,
her love to warm my heart-strings,
I will stand where we once sang,
though cold wind shakes the willow."
Katri's thickly accented voice is underlined with disgust as she reads, "My Dearest Son,
It's been so long since you've been home, it warmed my heart to see you again. However it crushed it to see you on bended knee before me. I do hope your time among the light has not made you soft, so I left a small test for you in this letter. If you've read this much unharmed and have remembered the needle, if not, I'm sure by now you are quite dead. Consider it a lesson on how a father shows his love for his children.
Days before you returned, I have met a man who bears your resemblance. He claimed that your brother Rayst was dead, you no longer walked as an Uordeq and your sister bore the child of a light walking human. None of you are fit to take lead of the house, and with this letter house Cassitran, its honor, its lands, and its power shall die when I take my final breath. Let there be a vacuum, let their be strife, and let the lesser houses murder and destroy one another in our absence.
You are not worthy of the throne, or the title of prince. You have been tainted by those who walk among the light. You are soft, weak, and kind-hearted. You are no son of mine. You are no Cassitran. You are nameless, clanless, and alone. Take shelter in the bosom of those you call friends, as they clearly did not respect you as their master.
Know this is how a father shows his love for his son. See that Blisdon is taken care of and do yourself a favor and stab yourself with the needle.
Your loving father,
-Aleksei"
The girl paused, crumpling the letter in her hand her eyes and voice grow cold, colder than anyone in town would have ever see,"I'll kill the bastard."
"Solas the Farseer, of the Wild Hunt, I believe I would love to speak with you all later. As for you Rasiri, you no longer bear the Cassitran name. I strip it from you here and now. The only time my mouth will EVER repeat in kind the words of Aleksei. My only brother is now dead, you are not family.You have betrayed race, but I let that go as the fault of the astral. HOWEVER, you do not go before the one man we have both sought to dethrone and KNEEL like a COWARD. AND SO HELP ME IF YOU WERE INVOLVED IN RAYST'S DEATH, RASIRI." She spat.
"In the night I hear the shattering of broken glass"[Ruin] The letter dissolved to dust in the hands of the girl and she spun on her bootheel and stormed into the treeline.
Wreynn can be seen coming down the road rolling two large barrels clearly marked Baumgarten Farms and a large sack over his shoulder. As he gets closer he sees the concern among the eyes of the people there and jests, "So, where's the music? Where's the dancing? Why the glum faces? I thought this was a party! I've brought Jeb's finest, lets all drink until we can't stand anymore!"
"My arrogance is to keep the people happy. I get you are new here. I get you don't know us all, and you are OBVIOUSLY prejudice. My arrogance is typically accepted with cookies, candy, food, and drink. I shall see you starve before I argue with the likes of you. Now your Drakna girl, I will help, and the rest of your party. They have my finest healing and combat expertise at their call. Hopefully it shan't be to your back with your silver tongue."
Taklinn's ears grow red when he is told to hold his tongue. He takes a long pull from his flask as he comes up with a retort, until he hears the insults to Glimmer. He sucks air in through his teeth and shakes his head just as she says her response. "Well now ye gone and did it! Nothin' I can do will stay her wrath now. Perhaps it is ye who should be holding his own tongue lad, and if ye have a problem with it, ye need say the words. I ain't one fer parsing words, or even usin' em. If ye be itchin fer a fight, me axe is more than willin' ta scratch it fer ye! This ain't over by a long shot upstart, but fer the time bein' I would prefer to kill urdek scum, but I warn ye that any more insults will change me mind! Time fer WAR preparations!" He hauls his pack off of his back and pulls out several well made axes and places them on his belt, before tossing his traveling cloak aside and pulling out an adamant Hauberk out and putting it on. Finally he pulls puts his two handed axe across his back and picks up his favorite axe and shield, obviously excited at the prospect of fighting the dusklings.
"Glimmer," Wreynn called out, opening his sack and pulling out a handfull of candy. "Whatever he said to you can't be that bad, or anything I haven't called you a dozen times. Here, calm down and have some sweets."
Wreynn carefully lifts one of the kegs onto a table, taps the bottom of the barrel, and pours a large glass of brew. He takes the first sip to sample, leaving a frothy mustache and a smile. "Besides, worse comes to worse, if it turns out you really don't like him, a body full of holes tends to sink to the bottom of the lake."
Glimmer sits down with the seething Captain. She begins unwrapping a pouch of cookies and pulls two tea cups and sugar cubes from her bag. She slides the cookies to the Cpatain and says 'Listen here, I'm not whoever or whatever you think I am. Eat some cookies and enjoy the party. We all live here, and I'm a prominent member of this town. You can verify my reputation with anyone here. You'll also be needing my services should you need anything suiting your roguish needs. I handle the mail and delivery system here." Glimmer chomps a cookie and smiles.
Silver saw the Captain simmer down and began to relax as well. She would prefer not to fight, but she had pledged her service and would not go back on her word. As the drink began to be passed around she crossed the green back to the party and opened her song book.
"We'll drink the wine till the cup is dry,
And kiss the girls so they'll not cry,
And toss the dice until we fly,
To dance with Jak o' the Shadows.
We'll dance all night until the moon runs free,
And dandle the lasses upon our knee,
And then you'll ride along with me,
To dance with Jak o' the Shadows.
We'll sing all night, and drink all day,
And on the girls we'll spend our pay,
And when it's gone, then we'll away,
To dance with Jak o' the Shadows.
There's some delight in ale and wine,
And some in girls with ankles fine,
But my delight, yes, always mine,
Is to dance with Jak o' the Shadows."
Taklinn's eyes still full of fire, he turns his gaze away from the fae and the captain mumbling hoarsely "Don't be thinkin' I'm forgettin' yer insults to me and mine. One day you and yers are gonna pay fer yer impudence. Holy water never steered me words off course.". He walks over to Katri and says, "Listen here girl, if there are filthy urdek skulls to split, then count me in. Don't be thinkin' I am doin' this out of friendship mind you, but rather as to repay a gift ye once gave me, and a chance to kill some of yer thievin', murderin, filthy kin, of course."
As Rasiri was being poisoned, and the captain digging his own grave with Glimmer, Lylonna quietly moved to the far end of the table taking a plate of food with her. She snacked as watched the Uordeqs' family drama unfold, and kept an eye if she needed to jump out of the way should the captain push Glimmer and Taklinn over the edge.
When the captain conceded and sat down, the gnome moved back closer to Glimmer and Taklinn. "These Dekis sure do got a lot of problems... Though it does give me quite a funny idea..."
She jumped back from the table, her eyes lit with excitement, "And now it's time for Jastery Theatre.... 'Two and A Half Dekis!' followed by 'Uordeqs of Our Lives'! ...Tonight, Rasiri almost dies! Katri almost looses it! What of Taklinn and the Pirate Captain?"
With a big grin, "So whatcha think? Clever aren't I? I think it will be a huge success, and we can make an uncomfortable situation into comedy! ...Though I must be careful not to offend the Dekis, I do not want to get a poisoned letter either..."
The bard's song calms Solas's angered spirit in an instant. He drinks in a solumn silence as he listen's to the beautiful song. The fire fades from his eyes. "Master Reinholdt." Solas says, a smirk threatening at the corner of his mouth. "Thank you for the party favors."
Solas stands and proceeds to light the lanterns before crossing the dance floor to pour himself a pint of the brew the Uordeq carried in.
"My home is waiting there for me,
and the girl I left behind.
Of all the treasure that waits for me,
that's what I want to find.
He eyes so merry,and her smile so sweet,
her hugs so warm, and her ankle neat,
her kisses hot, now there's a treat.
If there's a treasure greater, it lies not in my mind.
Oh, I have see nstark Tarwin's Gap,
and the Trolloc's raving horde.
I have stood fore the Halfman's charge,
and walked on death's cold borde.
But a winsome lass, she waits for me,
for a dance, and a kiss 'neath the apple tree..."
Silver sings as the sun sets, the rising moonlight glinting off her scales. She has a ready smile and a vibrant laugh as the tension eases from the air. She weaves her way through the party as she dances, her song carrying through the cool evening breeze.
Blisdon seemed to be in a foggy blur as the event's transpired past him. He could vaguely recall smiling devilishly at rasiri when he answered his challenge. The shaman could also recall raising his sword high into the sky upon solas's declaration of war against the Uordeq king.
But now he was back in reality, his pupils slightly dialated as he watched the pirate woman sing her soothing songs. "Tomorrow....A blood hunt the likes of which the bards will sing songs of for years....But tonight? We celebrate the spring!" Grumbled the Uordeq shaman in a very dwarflike fashion, hints of an implaceable accen't bubbling through his usually normal speech. as he made his way to across the party closer to the singing pirate woman.
"A dance?" Said blisdon to the Silver Drakna as he held out his hand to the would-be Bard, His still-burning cigarette in the other.
Silver had a ready smile for the man who was the first of those at the party to approach her. "Yes, you may." She said, delicatley offering a clawed hand towards him. She studdied the stranger whom had come to her. Silver was never one to jump to comclusions, she prefered to revel in the experiences of life. She laughed softly as she was swept into a dance.
Silver's cheeks burned red as she thought of the difficulties her crew had gone through in town. It was her first time away from the protection of Ilistar, and she had floundered more than once. "My name is Silver Dragoran, and thank you for the kindness you offered us." She turned her face up in a smile as a calm wind brushed her face. "May I ask you help again?"
Teufel can be seen walking into the center of the party, shielding his eyes from the setting sun. He walks directly towards the keg, crouches down, and fills his mug with ale. He walks over, and sits down in front of a well-shaded tree. He looks around and thinks to himself 'these blokes really know how to throw a party. Ale, lots and lots of ale.'
He stares into the forest and sees a small oddly adorned gnome sprinting towards the tavern, signing to himself as he runs.
Teufel mutters to himself "odd . ." and then proceeds to watch the revelers.
Blisdon continued to swirl and turn with the Drakna girl "Blisdon, Shaman of the wild hunt." He repeated with a chuckle as he released the bard girl from his hold and moves back to take a drink of his strange, murky concoction inside his own glass with what appears to be a small fish still swiming inside the glass. " You're a far better dancer than I, I'm sure a far better swashbuckler aswell. An enjoyable dance nonetheless though- At least now if you've got any bit's of you dangling off that shouldn't be you know who to call out for!"
With a chuckle blisdon helped himself to another inhale of his herb mixture as he sat down on a nearby bench, taking in one of the few perfect nights in jastrey where no battles had to be fought or mysteries be investigated.
Solas allowed the music to take control as he spun across the dance floor, snatching up the Drakna woman from his Uordeq companion into a dance of his own. His blue eyes sparkling, he says, "Solas of the Wild Hunt." He looks intently into her eyes. "Welcome to Jastrey."
Silver laughs as she is spun into another dance with a new partner. "Quite a pleasure to meet you, Solas!" She said in a light, almost musical tone. Her eyes twinkled with mirth in the lantern light. "I am so glad that the mood was able to turn back to merriment! I apolagise for Captain Belle, he can be a hard man to understand. But let us not dwell. The Wild Hunt is most gracous to throw a party."
Blisdon Turned to the new uordeq visitor, nodding up at him and with a strange slithering and possibly psychidelically influenced walk the uordeq sits beside the other uordeq.
"I like your style, Snatch some ale and sip it down. Ya gotta do it like the dwarves do, Ya drink until you can't see straight and then drink some more for good measure. Thats the stuff that puts hair on yer' chin."
Solas bows at the waist as the song comes to an end. "The pleasure is all mine." He says before standing again. He smiles warmly. "There's no need to appologize for your captain. The choices he makes are his own, not yours. Remember that." He bows again as He turns away from the woman and makes his way to his table to drink some. Looking around the party, he smiles warmly.
Hearing the sounds of merriment going on in the distance, Odelia rolled up the piece of parchment she had been painstakingly making small marks and measurements on and added it to the scroll case on her belt.
The evening air was growing chilly fast and she draped her dark blue cloak over her shoulders before heading toward the party.
"Well, this is certainly an improvement over the night I arrived," she said to no one in particular as she arrived, recalling the creatures trying to burn down the Shady Corner. A smile graced her lips and she filled her mug up to the brim before taking a seat. "What are we celebrating?"
Valez sat outside the tavern. Ears perked to hear the occurences from inside. The wind blew ever so slightly and he smiled. He took out a piece of parchment and began to write some letters. Upon completion he put them in his pocket and pulled out a flask. He eyed it then took a sip. His lips parting in order to take in the substance.
Silver made her way to the table and pulled out a giant bottle of red wine. She smiled hapily as she pulled the cork and poured herself a glass. "Ahhh, that soothes the soul." She drank half of the giant bottle, and the conversations around her seemed to make her laugh more. She heaaded back to the dance with lower inhibitions, a genle sway, and a ready grin.
"I'm fine. It's all a mess, but I think I have an idea of how to fix it. Or at least start to fix it. Rasiri and I had our fight and all should be well between us now, and the new Ixifar, Ross-" She gestured in the direction from which the aforementioned Ixifar would likely come from, had he followed her back to the party- "Helped calm me down a bit more. I think mostly we just need to prepare for whatever Aleksei may try. For now, however, I think it is time to relax and rejoin whatever festivities are left."
The Doors of the tavern explode open as what seems to be a stack of floating crates drifting down from the steps until they finally make their way to the open-air bar and picnic tables. It's not until the large crates of fruit and delicious pastries
finally get set down with a thumb and a slight grunt can Blisdons uordeq features finally be seen poking out from behind the crates.
The Shaman then scurried around, Placing large, decorative plates of the freshest spring fruit that he could find, purchase, or pillage from the local orchards and vineyards around the bar and the many long picnic tables scattered around for the enjoyment of the guests and partygoers.
This continued for several moments until the uordeq shaman stopped for a moment to take a deep breath of the refreshing springtime air, taking in all the wonder smells of roasted lamb and honeysuckle on the breeze that blew through his hair .
"Spring has come and another adventurous summer in Jastrey awaits us!" Exclaimed blisdon before pulling from seemingly nowhere a large vuvuzela, adorned with wild hunt heraldry and blasting out a long and joyous noise of the horn.
"BBBBBRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ"