Time: 11:45 AM
Day: Monday
Weather: Mostly clear and sunny with few clouds and a light cold breeze. Just above freezing in the sun.
Those Involved:
@Wiggin @ShiroKiyoshi @slifer @Elvario @Ur Degaton @Skyhunter @TheEccentric @The_Queer_Alien @CaptainLiterally @Soverign @Ariel @EldridSmith @Nero Kunivas
TooLongDidn'tRead: Cringing Cockatrice is heating up, Thorne and Naeva are watched, the wedding party is finally getting closer to the vows, and Solomon is making slum friends...
Note From The Author: (Burn baby, burn. The cockatrice is on fire. hope gatttas has fire insurance. and I do what i want. that includes inconsequential music and boring noble parties all while sowing seeds of paranoia. what ninjas... )
Post Listening:
Cringing Cockatrice 2nd Floor
Kallias may have considered Gattas's advice. Shortly after the goblin made his way upstairs, a fireball soared past Kallias's head, exploding on the tavern wall behind him. Flames licked hungrily at the flammable composition of Gattas's business. Ahead of Kallias was the newly created hole in the wall with charred, splintered edges revealing a room set ablaze. The subtle singed and ozone smell was replaced by roaring, wood smoke blaze and accompanied the black smoke billowing out perfectly.
While Kaz had managed to blast himself sideways enough to dodge one of the knights and threw a flaming punch that knocked another one off balance, the other 4 knights rushed the caster with a practiced precision. Kaz's sudden gout of flame forced the knights back but not without taking additional wounds as consequence from their swords(-2 damage kaz. he will need magic to heal the wound or wait weeks for a normal mend). Blood tricked freely from Kaz's arm that he punched with last. With a few of them starting to smoke as their underarmor charred against the reddening metal outer layers, The captain alone was willing to stand against the blaze.
One of that knights that had been forced back by Kaz shouted to Gattas after he finished his entrance,
"Sir, you need to get back. The situation is turning dangerous. Let the professionals handle this!"
A younger sounding voice and clearly one of someone sincerely wanting to help the situation rather than make it worse. However, the room had become too hot and dangerous to enter by those without means. The heat from the burning floor, walls, and furnishings would start to cook flesh. The blackened ceiling was no longer visible. If it was not for the window, door, and hole made by kaz, the smoke would have overtook the room already. It seemed the captain of the knights was able to take the heat, but the air around him moved oddly to suggest he was using magic. Kaz stood on one of the few remaining places in the room not scorched or fully ablazed, but that was quickly changing. He would soon lose footing as the fire was spreading. There was still time, but the structural integrity of the room would be a plausible concern if everyone lingered in the room for too much longer.
Downstairs,
The patrons that remained or were coming in for lunch were done rubber necking. The fireball made it clear it was time to go. Outside the smoke was drawing a crowd from all directions. Some started calling for buckets and a line from the nearest well or fountain. Some of the neighboring businesses didn't wait to start dousing their rooftops with water.
West City Streets - Fae District
Steering clear of the more sparse and narrow streets for the more packed and sprawling avenues, Thorne and Naeva safely made their way through the crowds to the western portion of the city, Fae District. While they no longer caught glimpses of their pursuer, they continued to feel the sense of being watched.
The Fae District was overgrown and overflowing with magic and greenery unlike the mostly, stately stone jungle of the southern human district. Streets here had a habit of not running street or in practical patterns. A river freely cut through the district, filled with aquatic creates and ferry boats. The winter here was not unfelt, however.
Shards of ice flowed down the river as well and several plants were shriveled in frost rather than being in full bloom for the sun. The chill in the air seemed to cut just a bit deeper here. The streets were much less packed than in the human district with the majority of those out being of races resistant to the cold like the frost trolls of the north west reaches. Occasionally, furry critters of unknown classification would try to scurry into Thornes garments in an attempt to find someplace out of the elements. Despite the cold, the streets still smelled like a forest filled with all manner of life.
Eventually, Thorne and Naeva would arrive in the region described to them by Gattas. A somewhat out of the way area without buildings and one comparably large tree to the rest so far filled the space. While some dead leaves were collected in corners around the plaza, unnaturally green ones still clung to most of the tree as if it were spring or summer. The proud oak was quiet at the 2's approach, but eventually a pair of eyes would sleepily open up to peer at them. A brief moment later and a naked girl would protrude from the trunk of the tree to her abdomen before resting and covering her upper half on folded arms in front of her that were supported by the tree.
"Yawn...What can I do for you? Brr it's cold"
Her voices was like the whistling of wind through a trees branches. That said, her voice seemed to emanate from all around them while beneath the boughs of the tree.
Yeothal Turf
"Sorry about the boys, stranger. They are good enough kids to the locals, but they have a rough way about them toward new people such as yourself. Thinking of hanging around for a time, or will you be moving on soon?"
Yeothal asked Solomon as the two walked out of the street and more into the light of the inner court yard. People looked up curiously at Solomon, but none seemed to recognize him or bare him any ill-will.
"Hey, boss, who that?"
Called one of Yeothal's men. He was comfortably sitting in a padded chair by one of the firebins drinking from a bottle of mystery spirits. The men and women here didn't seem to mind the day drinking, and many partook. 5 o'clock somewhere.
"Good question, Bill."
Yeothal answered before turning to Solomon to ask him who he was but was cut off mid question.
"Hey, Yeothal! What's the new guy's name!"
"Shut up, Ted! I was about to ask him....Sorry about that. The fellows here are a good....and nosey bunch. But you know, if you have a mind for sticking around, we could actually use an extra set of hands. Do you have any skills that go with that name, friend?"
Yeothal seamlessly moved between rough around the edges boss, to smooth salesman with a car to sale. His demeanor didn't seem in any case like the brute encountered the previous evening. Looking around, Solomon would quickly put together that Yeothal was the king of the rats here. No ones clothes were without patches or holes. Food was little, rationed, but readily shared by the community. A bowl of something warm was eventually passed Solomon's way. Seemed edible enough, but the smell was bland at best. The only thing these people had in abundance was alcohol and a few hefty bags of newly gained gold. Despite the nature of present company, the bags of gold sat unmolested, out in the open.
Rook City Estate
Baroness Maspira looked as though she was about to answer Verity when they were intruded upon by Kyrian. The news and details of why the priest was late visibly troubled Maspira who's hand went to her mouth to stifle and gasp at the news. Murders. Blood. Violence. And by someone she had offered a job to the previous evening.
"You still have some time, Father. The bride-groom has yet to make an appearance. Let's give up our search for the time being and get you ready."
Maspira proposed as the other three conversed. She and her guard would head inside and eventually lead Kyrian someplace he could get cleaned up and prepared for the ceremony. Kyrian would feel much better after the blood job he got from Kallias. Suffering from a few areas of pink flesh no worse than a sunburn, he would likely be right as rain in time. Around that time, the Rook staff started informing the guests that they could start taking their seats for the ceremony as the time was drawing near. While the ceremony would be held in one of the grand halls of the mansion, it was the massive foyer that Baloc would find herself in. Several gifts from those in attendance were piled up around a table not far from the entry door. There was also a guest book one might sign. While many servants signed the book on behalf of their masters, it was known by all that being seen and speaking with the host and other nobles was far more important than being a name in a list for thank you letters and party favors.
After depositing the gifts, guests would be herded into the grand hall lined with white chairs and ornate decorations to celebrate the occasion. White was the dominant color scheme. Some of the nobles openly gossiped about that little fact and chuckled amongst themselves. Apparently white didn't suit the groom nor the bride for various reasons. The conversations hushed at the sight of Baloc, a beastkin with no apparent useful ties. Her presence was more a puzzle and game to the guests who shifted their conversation to gossiping about which family she may be a servant or bastard of that would grant her entry.
