Yule Better Believe it

Log Info

• Title: Yule Better Believe it
• Emitter: Jinks
• Characters: Jinks, Mikilos, Valadhiel, Aryia, Seyardu
• Place: Fernwood Pub
• Time: December 25th, 2021
• Summary: The faithful of the Holy Order are holding a Gathering within the first floor of the Fernwood, handing out clothes and food for the needy, treats and toys for the children. It's an organized chaos, and the mood is jolly. Many a folk are lending a hand, or merely watching from the second floor. Those among them are Jinks, Mikilos, Valadhiel, and Aryia, with Seyardu coming in from outside after hailing people to come in. Introductions are made for Valadhiel, her new to some of the company, and Jinks joins their conversation. Seyardu offers a gift that gets Jinks sweating, and a conversation is tabled for another time as there was more jovial matters to attend to.

The Fernwood is in chaos but it's a chaos-by-design. A happy chaos.

Two massive braziers burn outside, flanking the double doors, and faithful of the Holy Order ring bells to draw the cold, weary, and hungry in and off the lower district streets. Callers are out on street corners for blocks, sprawling away from the pub and shouting themselves hoarse at the promise of celebration and gifts.

A celebration, a warm room, entertainment, and filling food-- even new clothes for those in special need. The Gathering has come; it's time to gather.

Inside the common room has seen something of a makeover. The bar has been repurposed as a serving row; breads are stacked and pots of stew steam waiting to be doled out. One of the long common tables plays host to tapped kegs of water and cider, bowls of juice, and platters of fruits and festive cakes.

More of the faithful are busy here, seeing to all manner of Alexandrian in need of some help; even if that help is just company and good cheer.

And then there are the gifts.

A cheery vanguard works in parnership with a grinning hearthguard, both sizing up folks as they come and offering warm clothes for the season and simple-- but welcome-- treats for the younger ones. It's a happy thing they do and they are quite happy to do it.

Above the din (but not beyond it) is the second floor, up the spiral staircase just to one side of the entrance. Business-as-usual finds its home here tonight. The barkeep man's a miniaturized version of the bar from one of the tables. The usuals take refuge from the celebrations below. It may be the season and the space may be rented fair and square... but you never alienate your regulars.

Mikilos usually summons a nice mansion to share a feast within. But with the recent ban on summoning, the elf makes do with alteration, transmutations, and a few pocket dimensions. Which is to say he has stacks of food, clothing, and supplies tucked into a few small bags. Currently the crafter elf is handing out simple tool sets to some dwarven children. Every dwarf should have access to a good toolset. Even those in distant human countries.

Already participating in the chaos is a scarred mul'neissa woman in a verdant green jacket. She's placating two mul'neissa on the second floor, a man with a missing arm and a woman with an eyepatch. She turns over some of the festive foods and drink, making some gesture to the both of them before she slips down the stairs, avoiding traffic. Finding a box she stashed away behind the bar, she joins in on passing things out. Namely tailored scarves. Simple in make, but warm. The glowing-eyed shadow elf nods towards those she knew with a dip of her chin.

Next to Mikilos is a shorter (but still rather tall) high elf with ginger hair and tanned complexion. She's currently handing out small toys to the children, carved from wood or antlers as she seems to be having quite a fun time giving some of her minor trinkets to the children coming by. She flashes a glance over at Mikilos, and gives the taller elf a wry grin, murmuring something to him in elvish that's hard to catch over the din of the crowd.

Seyardu was not the most approachable for those off the streets, despite being much smaller than most of her kin, there was something fairly unsettling about a giant lizard with a smile that showed off way too many sharp teeth.

But being resistant to the cold made them perfect for guiding people to the transformed pub. After several hours of doing so, she finally entered the building, though she lingers at the door to dust off the sizeable pile of snow that was covering most of the althean robes she had on, and most of her head.

Jinks has settled into the warm afterglow of a date concluded with the promise of another on a near horizon. The plates are cleared, the candle burns low, and the second, gnome-sized chair is kicked out and slightly askew where it was vacated. He leans over the table, all glittering jewels and a smug grin with one glass and a bottle nearing empty. The dandy doesn't begrudge the others their charity or need, he just isn't participating. He grins with his eyes half-closed and listens to performers that make up with enthusiasm what they lack in talent.

Aryia nods hello to Mikilos, and raises a slight brow to the elf next to him. It was noteworthy, not too many tall elves around here. Let alone elves in general.

She finishes passing out a turquoise felt scarf to a little halfling boy before she looks up towards the entrance. A grey hand waves at the Hearthguard in greeting.

Ah, the performers. An amateur quartet of local shopkeeps stand near the currently-inert organ. They've all dressed in similar festive colors and stand shoulder-to-shoulder in a loose half-circle. An yrchblood furrier is lead, a painfully-pail Aeisr mason sings tenor, a looming, immaculately-groomed giantborn baker is kneeling and takes the baritone parts, while a flamboyant Lucht fletcher rounds out the quartet as bass. Their rhythm and harmonies aren't always perfect but they soldier on, smiling and confident. Just four fellas trying their best.

Children run between long tables laughing and playing. Some are wearing new clothes for the first time in their lives. Some are dubiously experiencing dark cakes set with candied fruit ready to jump back if it comes to life like a hostile, sewer-dwelling pudding. A few have been done in by the full tummies and warmth of the room and sleep peacefully against parents, siblings, other, more distant kin, or volunteers from the wardhouses and orphanages.

Older folk chat idly, join in on the singing, or just sit quietly and enjoy a rare moment to catch one's breath and relax.

Members of the Holy Order work as a team, and one smaller table hosts a trio on a little break. They watch the horde and talk amongst themselves as they snack and drink, working up their energy before they return to the day's duty.

Mikilos clears out the last of his Haversack... well, last of the gift/donations, anyway, setting a small stack of tunics on the table for whomever needs them. Not the best of clothing, but it's sturdy, clean, and fits just about anyone who cares to put one on. With such a range of people in need, tailor fitting will need done after the gifts are given. Stretching, Miki looks over to see how Val is doing.

Val, for her part, has given out the gifts that she had. Now, she has her snow owl hooting and entertaining some of the younger children, the familiar putting on a display for the kids. She flashes a grin over at Mikilos, about to say something when she notices the attention from the shadow elf. She gives her a friendly nod, but then looks back towards Mikilos, "Friend of yours?"

Seyardu finishes up with defrosting from the outdoors, just in time to see Aryia waving to her. The silver cleric waves back, and taps her feet off before she steps into the pub proper. She waves to Jinks, and Mikilos as well, seeing the familiar faces.

The children would need their new clothes tailored to fit. And thankfully, there was one in their midst. Though, that would have to wait, as the sea of folks would make any adjusting a pain.

Aryia slips past who she can to link up with Seyardu. "Hey," she motions, smiling warmly, if a bit tired. "Peace on your nest, how are you?" <Handspeech>

Mikilos looks to Aryia and smiles, offering a wave before turning back to Val. "Of course, we're all friends here, right? At least for tonight. But yes, I've known Aryia for a while now.And the silver-scale is Seyardu."

Valadhiel smiles over at Aryia and Seyardu, "Well, if you keep trying to get into trouble here in the city, Miki, I might have to stick around more permanently and not roam around so much." She grins cheerfully over at the other two, then nods her head in a polite greeting, not wishing to interrupt the conversation.

Jinks quits his reverie when he goes to refill his glass and finds the bottle empty. He blinks, swirling the green glass in disappointment. Standing, he'll move past the paired mul' and offer a familiar "Good to see you without your shadow" on his way to the upstairs 'bar.' A few coins and a new drink has him ready to brave the press downstairs so he winds the stairs on his descent.

There's a pause at the bottom of the stairwell to let rambunctious clear through and he's down in throng. The gnome returns Seyardu's wave and makes slow work through the crowd while also protecting his beverage from unwanted spillage.

Seyardu smiles back to Aryia, for the briefest of moments before she sees a child staring at the giant silver lizard near the door. "I am doing well enough, Aryia. A bit tired, but alright, I was not expecting so many people to be stopping by here. It was all quite sudden, and more than a bit rushed, with the temples only just reopening in earnest."

Deciding against crowding the front door, she steps off to the side, trying to find any semblance of an open space, and failing in the process.

The pair of mul's smile politely at Jinks. Warm in greeting from the two, yet a cold, "I linger," crinkles from under the table. The one eyed mul shrugs, and says it cannot be helped. But they wish him well, as their guises are not needed when the sea of faces are a blur.

"Understandable. I didn't know this was going on until earlier in the day, so I've been making a lot of scarves." rAryia returns the nod with a wave of the hand to both of the tall elves. She gestures for Seyardu to follow after her, slowing some as she sees Jinks amongst the throng to join the path they carve through towards Mikilos and friend. "Hey," she finally greets. Lamely, as it was just a raise of a hand. <Handspeech>

Mikilos chuckles and nods. "Hey." the towering elf glances around a moment, shifting a couple of now empty donation tables to make a bit of space where everyone can sit without being in the way, yet still have enough room to be comfortable. "Doesn't feel like Yule already, way this year has wooshed past."

Valadhiel whistles once towards the snow owl, who hoots a few times in response before going back to entertaining a group of the children. She smiles slightly, then looks over at Mikilos, "Eclipse wants to keep performing, I swear he's a bard in disguise sometimes." She then waves towards Aryia, "And hello, don't think we've met before. I'm Valadhiel."

"Normally there is more time to prepare. The temples have stalls and the like all set up in the district, but things are still in disarray there. Better to host it somewhere open, rather than in the process of opening again. But it is still a lot of adapting to do." Seyardu sighs before catching the opened table, which she takes a seat at shortly after. She waves Jinks over again, before her attention is on Mikilos and the others. "I do not know many holidays. This seems nice, however."

"In the ground to begin it and on my feet at its end, resurrected twice (with a brief, non-committal drop-in on to the Halls of Waiting)..." Jinks finally pushes through the crowd to join the loose assembly of familiar faces. "Ten-twenty-three can crawl up Mulria's sideways smile and die. Never to be heard from again." He toasts and takes a generous drink from his glass, already quite lubricated.

The gnome's hair is down and he's being adventurous and letting his shock-white hair grown in as a shadow of a beard around his usual goatee. Thin platinum chains dangle between a nostril and ear piercings, glittering like the myriad rings he wears. The season hasn't escaped him entirely, and the dandy wears a kelly green suit trimmed in silver, under a thick, comfortable black longcoat in the local style.

"... but, as Coyote laughs, it hasn't been all misery, I suppose." He nods 'hello.'

Aryia idly nods at Mikilos' observation, but her torch-bright gaze settles on the elf beside him. She bobs her head once, lips moving to repeat the woman's name (yet nothing is spoken). She motions, "I'm A-R-Y-I-A," before sticking out a rough and calloused hand towards her.

The shadow elf nods in agreement with Seyardu, she's been keeping an eye on when it opens to ask a certain temple a plethora of questions.

She looks down to the inebriated dandy, a snowy brow quirked. "Good to see you. Are you, uh, good drunk? Or forgetting things drunk?" she hazard with a spare hand. <Handspeech>

Mikilos snorts softly as he grabs a seat himself, fishing around through non-magical pouches. "Somtimes forgetting things drunk IS good drunk. Plenty worth forgetting. But, fair bit worth remembering as well." Finally the elf draws out a bottle of wine and a few pewter cups. Not the best for wine, but not likely to break, either.

Valadhiel nods at Aryia, "A pleasure to meet you." She smiles and glances back towards Mikilos, "With the year that has been had, a bit of both is not the worst thing I feel." She is, however, careful to keep facing Aryia somewhat, so she can see her mouth moving. "And I see we're thinking the same thing, Mikilos." Her eyes seem somewhat amused as she takes in the wine and the cups.

"Ah, peace on your nest, I have not met you, either. My name is Seyardu, I am a friend of Aryia. As for being forgetful drunk? I do not know if that is a good thing." Seyardu sighs, turning her attention to Jinks. "Peace on your nest. I have acquired a scroll for sharing memories from another bard, and wished to offer it to you if you can not cast the spell yourself. But I would not waste my gold if you will not remember the shared memory by dawn tomorrow."

"This is one of those situations where 'both' is an option and you didn't offer that," Jinks suggests as he carefully sets the glass down. The bard holds up both hands, each folded into a circle and demonstrates an overlap. He abandons the gesture immediately to touch his nose with one hand and point at Mikilos with the other, eyebrows shooting up as he spreads the gesture to include Valadhiel. "The tallmen have it!"

The gnome slides out of his coat and folds it carefully over the back of the chair before sitting down. He scoots forward and sets both hands on the table, loosely cupping his glass before leaning forward. "I'm actually quite fine. Just... warm," he grins something of an idiot grin. An expression that twists into one of naked curiosity at Seyardu's words.

The gnome's head cocks and he leans back in the chair roughly, taking the glass back when he goes and cradling it now in his lap. "I'm... not sure why you would want to do that."

Aryia frowns faintly, dropping her hand to her side as she slides into a seat at the table. She nods some, agreeing with the sentiments laid out. From the way her attention moves about from others speakings, it's clear her ears work.

The mute chuffs at Jinks' answer. "Warm," she echoes with a sign, coupled with a faint smile. "I know that well. I'm glad you're fine."

She stretches, and leans back in her chair. Taking a moment of respite from the orderly chaos of the first floor. <Handspeech>

Mikilos mmmmms. "There's warm, and then there's Warm. The weather has been unseasonably warm, but been a while since have felt properly Warm. May need to find where my things for a sauna have gone, get one put together again."

Valadhiel gives Mikilos a wry look, "More motivation for me to stick around this time, it seems." Once she notices that Aryia is just mute, and seems to hear just fine, she doesn't worry much about her facing as much, instead looking over at Seyardu, "And well met. And this..." She pauses, as the snow owl that was entertaining children flaps over and perches easily on the elf's shoulder, hooting once at Val, "Is Eclipse." With that, the owl hoots a few times towards Aryia and Seyardu, before settling in to relax on his new perch.

Seyardu shrugs and rests her arms on the table, looking around at the group that was formed. "Peace on your nest Eclipse." She chuckles before looking down to her bag, and up and over to Jinks. And then to Aryia, as if unsure for a moment, before she continued. "I met a young gnome named Starresstarrvelys. I thought that you might like to hear her sing, and would consider it worth the cost for the spell." She offers.

Aryia waves to the owl from afar, her a bit... leery of avian familiars and companions. Though, Seyardu's proposal whips her attention back to the the bard and the priestess. "... now?" she asks with a hesitant hand to Seyardu, pinky and thumb sticking out and dipping down slowly. <Handspeech>

Mikilos smiles mildly to Val. "Strictly a side effect. A wonderful one, if it works, but honestly have been meaning to set something up for a while now, but keep getting distracted with other projects." He glances to Jinx at that.

Valadhiel grins, "Oh, I thought you'd appreciate it, but with everything happening around here... I think I need to be here regardless of the state of your sauna. Though I wouldn't mind it operating again." Her gaze flickers over towards Seyardu, even as Eclipse gives her an approving hoot at her acknowledgement.

Jinks' grinning, open curiosity twists with a wince as Seyardu's explanation knocks the wind out of him. He makes an awkward sound the evolves into a nervous laugh as he sits up and forward, turning the glass in his grip. "I'm... not sure?" He turns his head to look at Mikilos and plasters on a thin smile.

The gnome looks for all the world as if he's not sure whether to run from the room or encourage Seyardu on. So he settles for finishing the drink in his glass. "I've heard her before. Once. From outside Lady Inspiration's temple; she's quite good. After the bathhouse." He frowns, realizing the particular market in his personal history means nothing to the people at this table. "Just after what had happened with Lily."

"I am not sure if now is the time, yes, which is why I was thinking on it." Seyardu sighs, and shakes her head. "A sauna does sound good, the bath houses at the Tarrace are wonderful, too."

She is unsure now, as she looks back at Jinks. "Her brother was with her, as well. And, I just thought that you should know, that her and her family, they all arrived in Dalton safely."

Aryia hmmms. Well, less of an actual, heard 'hmm', but her lips bunch up and she rubs her chin. "Never been in one, I don't think. I should try that..."

Though, she looks back to Jinks, and her eyes firm up. "Yes. And he seemed to meld well into the clothes that were too big for him. They got there safe."

The shadow elf inhales slowly. Her fingers rock between Seyardu, herself, and other unknown party member. "We /made/ sure." <Handspeech>

Mikilos shrugs. "Bathhouse are for everyone. They're a place of meeting and fellowship, at least in some cultures. Same for sauna and pubs, really."

Jinks turns his head to look away, nodding tensely as he listens to Seyardu, clearing his throat. He takes a steadying breath and sets the glass down so he can flex his fingers and shake out his hands. The gnome narrows his eyes in a wince when he watches Aryia sign and sits back to wipe perspiration away from his face when she's done.

"That's good," he decides before sucking in a deep breath and running his hands back through his hair. "I'm glad."

Aryia nods to Mikilos in agreement as she gives a little wave to Val as she goes. The mute rises, a few children peering her way with clothes that don't sit just right. Well, if was about time that tailor was needed. She places a hand on Jinks' shoulder, lightly squeezes it. "We can talk more later, but know that all is well." She lightly smiles to him and steps off, giving a parting wave as she's soon swamped by children. <Handspeech>

"I have heard that they make softskins sweat profusely. Which is a bit odd, since sweating is usually a response to stressors in the environment." Seyardu shrugs. "Why one would want to do that on purpose is strange, but the heat is supposed to be nice."

Then her attention is back on Jinks. "You do not have to do so if you do not wish, I can return the scroll to the bard I bought it from, without losing any gold."

Mikilos considers a moment and shrugs. "Many things that stress when out of contorl become enjoyable when you know you can stop them. Like peering over a high, but sturdy ledge." Or maybe that's just him? He looks to Jinx again. "N'ssstta, lamia, is doing alright as well. Still adjusting, but alright."

"I'd like to." Jinks admits, he watches Aryia go and stands, too. He idles with a hand on his coat for a moment before picking it up and sliding back into it. "... but I accepted a geas. It still might be worth it." He smiles sadly and shrugs the coat all the way on, doing the buttons down.

"The stories you hear about her kind, tallman, and it's a miracle she has set herself to sacking a temple yet. Adjustments are to be expected; we're always adjusting." The gnome winks, glancing down at the lapel of his coat and straightening the Tarienite pin there. "Coyote laughs," he concludes before nodding and making his own way off.

"I suppose there is something to be said for that, yes." Seyardu nods, before she waves off the gnome. "They have, a geas on them? What is the fascination of this city with geases?" She sighs as Jinks takes off. "I could likely remove it, but that would cause more trouble. And I know not why it is in place. That is good that the lamia is doing well at least. And that Lars has not done anything."

Mikilos nods, frowning mildly. "I was not aware Jinks had a geas. I can sort of understand it, letting mostly good people go free and do good works, while maintaining a level of control and punishment as a warning to others... but as a policy it seems a bad idea. And I'm almost disapointed Lars hasn't given me an excuse."

"They have enough excuse to do something for them." Seyardu grumbles, leaving it at that with the good cheer still in the air. "I am more concerned about Jinks' relationship with his children and their mother. It seems to be tearing them apart, but I will not speak more on it without speaking further with him first, instead."

Mikilos nods, and shrugs. "I know next to nothing about that, so have nothing to comment. Can only imagine what it's like."

"I know little about family and children either, to be honest. But it is my duty as a cleric of Althea to understand it better." Seyardu sighs. "And help people. I want to help Jinks and his family."

Then she shakes her head. "It is complicated, and softskins like yourself are complicated enough without further issues like that."

Mikilos hehs. "Sith relations aren't exactly simple, but I can't argue softskins hold things any better."

"Sith-makar relationships are simple!" Seyardu huffs, and shakes her head. "Someone is sad, you can tell they are sad. If they are bothered, they come talk to you, and work out issues easily. softskins are complicated. Not everyone seeks to help their community. Some even will do what they can to sabotage others to get ahead. I can not think why a family would be like the one I am attempting to look into. It is a completely alien concept to me."

Mikilos smiles mildly. "So your own courtships have been simple and direct affairs, without complication or confusion? I admit I'm an outsider and my knowledge is both secondhand and atypical, but I am skeptical."

"Yes, well, they are direct enough." Seyardu replies, slowly, as she looks around the room a moment. "Courtships are still courtships, and people need to figure out their feelings. But that is only if they desire to have such a relationship to begin with. Many do not seek out formal relationships, and simply stay together for nesting, and go their separate ways."

"The only reason it took me so long is that I was unused to them, and wanted to discern the others feelings."

Mikilos nods. "Discerning feelings is the crux of most complications. Cypering not only the feelings of another, but comming to understand your own feelings and goals."

"But, what I do not understand, is what happened. People would not consider a child worth looking after because it is not there's. It is not like back home, where everyone would be looking after them." Seyardu sighs. "It is complicated, and I really should not speak more of it, for Jinks' sake. And I do not wish to bring down the mood here. It was good speaking to you, I should likely go back out to guide more here, as there is still plenty of stew to go around."

Mikilos nods. "I do not understad either, but as you wish. I think I had best head home. Belhan and N'sssta were getting along when I left, but not sure they will still be."

"Yes, it is best not to leave them alone too long. I do not wish for N'sssta, or , I am not sure the exact name of hers, to go wandering off. It is dangerous in the city for them." Seyardu nods before she steps out of her stool and readjusts her robes. "Peace on your nest Mikilos, and thank you for all the work you did helping with this. There are many who greatly appreciate this gesture." She adds, bowing to the wizard before she returns to the snowswept streets.

-End Scene-