Treehuggers and Hippies

-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-<* Druid Grove *>--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

No matter what your faith, religion and creed are, the sacredness of this place cannot be denied nor ignored; the tangible sense of divine presence is simply all too real. This grove, ringed by a thick cluster of trees and stones that seem to hide the surrounding forest from sight, is as fresh and as green and as eternally warm as the world itself when it was new and yet is still in its springtime. Nestled in the middle of the sprawling expanse of the Eldwyn Forest, this grove is not overly sizable in scale just yet but is dominated by fresh patches of grass, tall slender trees, and clear streams of water that gather into a small pond just off the northwestern portion of it. Standing stones jut up from the earth in seemingly random places as if dropped here by some immense giant long ago.

In the very center of this sacred glade stands a tree that resembles no other tree in nature. Its sinewy frame is seemingly barely that of a young tree in its early stages--slender enough for an Orc to wrap his arms around--and yet slowly branches upwards towards the heavens bearing leaves that seem to change colors from green to gold. It is ringed by small runestones embedded in the ground.

-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-- Contents --=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=- OrmarrA short, bandy-legged, pepper-and-salt oruch0s 1d -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= Exits -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=- Light Woods <LW> -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

The day opens like any other. Fresh snow covers the ground, its surface pristine. Many of the visitors to the Grove leave no footprints--though their feet sink as any other's, the snow remains undisturbed. Perfect.

One thing is different, however: a series of casks along one side, filled with nature's natural bounty. Just fremented. Severely. A satyr sits on one end of the cask line, a set of drums on one knee as he beats a slow, but lively tune. His horns twist unevenly, and his hair spikes unkempt across his shoulders. The tune stands familiar to those who know it, and pixies and whisps dance in the shadows, providing moving lanterns.

Most of you received invitations--through the whisper of the wind, an insightful doe--or, for others, the more direct route. For our drunken barbarians, someone likely shouted in their ear until they were awake. It's Korujen's birthday. Or rather, birthing day. The large wolf lies in a corner of the grove, her new puppies staring, wide-eyed and curious. The years-long favored companion of Essence Druji, he'd seen fit to throw an event. The Essence stands nearby, an elderly servant of Dana, and accepting congradulations with one hand...and holding a mug in the other.

Magnus has arrived.

A peaceful day like any other, and perhaps it is fate that draws Wren to the grove, the slender young elven ranger walking through the forests easily.. Or perhaps more likely it is her feeling that her est friend will he here. In either case the silver haired elf wanders into the grove, pausign as she observes the goings on. "Now this seems pleasant... "

Magnus arrives on his own, aimed at the casks. That he has his own, battered, mug hardly qualifies as a surprise, for sure.

"It's supposed to be pleasent, Wren." Calls the soft voice of Synestria from the woods as she enters the grove herself, with her tiger, Pixi padding in right after. It seems the tiger is in good spirits as well, but Synestria is actually smiling too. "I want you to behave yourself, Pixi." Syn says, though she doesn't seem to need prompting, apparently sitting near the cask line, as if to watch people get drinks.

Syn looks over to Wren and chuckles. "Looks like we're gonna have a good time. Perhaps Pixi will behave and go to meet the new pups....." Hopefully.

Jugga woke up with someone yelling at her through a door. A party. Drinks. Free drinks. That part woke her up. She isn't the most nature-centric barbarian, but drinks are always good. So it iss that she shows up at the appointed place, at the appointed time. She lets her eyes roam the gathering, and when her eyes fall upon the line of casks she has her first smile for the day. "Ah. Exactly what I was hoping." Then she is distracted by the dangerous animals and their owners. She recognizes a few faces, and gives a nod to them.

"And then I said...eh. I forget what I said, s'been so long ago." An older oruch leans against one of the casks. One of the empty ones. The one satyr isn't the only one here--there are two of them, and the barrel the oruch leans against is already emptied. The half-goat nods agreeably to the old oruch before reaching in to scrape at the bottom of the barrel.

"Eh. Happens more an' more often, doesn't it Frightful?" The oruch wipes his mouth with his forearm, and waves to the arrivals. "Good to see ya! Bug-ear here's already made it through a barrel."

Sour-expressed as she makes her way through the snow, Eleia arrives in a grandly not-very-noteworthy-at-all fashion. She likely picked up on one of the more esoteric summons herself, and made for the place almost straightaway. Despite her demeanour she's quiet and respectul in introducing her newcome self to the Essence and such things, before diverting off to take a look at, and get a feel for, the gathering in general, arm wrapping about her walking staff.

A smile crosses the face of Wren easily, and she smoothly walks over towards Synestria, via Pixi, taking a moment's hesitation to scratch delicately behind the ears of the striped feline. "So.. do you know anyone else here Syn? Or am I going to have to announce you?" This followed by a soft chuckle, perhaps that is one of the young elf's tricks to avoid being noticed.. diverting the attention elsewhere.

Essence Druji shakes the hand of a pale elf of modest height. At his feet, Korujen leans down, bathing one of her pups with her tongue. The older wolf watches the newcomers as she does, quiet but watchful. By the age of her coat, this will likely be the last litter in her lifetime.

There are four total. A small litter, but a successful one, with their heads as round as a baseball, and their bodies little more than that, with stubby limbs somehow attached. They crawl around the grass near their mother, with small, oofing sounds.

Near the other side of the grove, the drummer continues to play. A half-orc has joined him, and the woman drops to the ground, flute in fingers, and begins to play. The tune picks up, with the dance of flute and beat of drum underneath.

After nodding to Synestria Jugga sets off to the casks and the Satyr who seems to be scraping at them. "Drinks are free aye? I am Jugga Hellsdottir. I got an invitation from some shaggy fella. I forget his name. He don't like taking baths in the city?" She scrubs at her ear, "But...drinks? I'm thirsty."

Shaking her head, Synestria lightly punches Wren on the shoulder. "You don't need to anounce me. I'm probably one of the more junior members here." Pixi purrs softly as she's petted by Wren, but Synestria passes her way by to introduce herself to Essence Druji and to give kind words and pats to the older wolf who had the litter. Pixi, on the other hand, pads her way over, and nudges against Synestria, as if jealous. Synestria giggles and holds her hand out to Pixi, but stays between the tiger and the cubs, should her predatory nature come out. She is trained, but she doesn't want to take any chances. She then tells Pixi to heel and walks her way to the drinks, where she tells Pixi to stay, and she grabs a drink.......running into Jugga......

Or more accurately, colliding with Jugga.

A couple of feet later, and sliding to a stop, Synestria looks up....

and up....

And up...

"JUGGA!" She yells to the giantborn after she stops seeing stars. "Good to see you here!

At syn's words, Wren chuckles again, before she herself approaches Essence Druji to introduce herself, and congratulate upon the litter.. And while she is there, she cannot help but crouch for a long moment, gazing adoringly, longingly perhaps at the cubs. "They're so adorable... This is what I want to protect.. Moments like this.. New life... "

Crackle crackle. There is someone! Out there! In the trees! On the edge of the grove.

The Essence shakes hands as the wolf tends her cubs. "Haven't seen you in a--oh, you're a new face! Welcome!" he says. As he does, one of the cubs bumbles out further than the rest, nearing Wren's feet before its mother gets up...

...and grabs its scruff, gently hauling it back towards the rest of them.

"Sommat." Bug-ear mutters in response to Synestria's question. Scrape, scrape, scrape come the sounds from inside the barrel. He pauses, then jerks upwards to peer at the sydanyari. And.

That is one butt-ugly Satyr. Ancient, his lower jaw hangs outward in an oruch's underbite, and just the other day?

Someone slugged him a good one.

The shiner shows beautifully, all colors of purple and yellow and as puffy as a pillowcase.

"...you deserved that," mutters the oruch, Ormarr, as he takes a drink from his own flagon.

"Was a beaut!"

"An' half yer age!"

"What do ye take me for, a satyr??!"

"YES!"

And then: "...wuuuah!"

Sandy suddenly is thrown out of the woods by *something* and into the clearing itself. She leaves another little elf shaped furrow where she slides to a halt. "Oh, god damn it," she says, at her abrupt entry.

Jugga grabs a drink, then starts to turn to see what is going on with all these nature people. And as she turns about she gets run into. Of course, it is the girl thhat bounced into him that goes bouncing away. Jugga scowls and looks for the troublemaker. However, it is a friendly face, and the sight of Synestria brings a smile to the giantborn's face, "Synestria! And Pixi!" She bends down to give the woman a one armed hug and backslap, "If I didn't know it was Mr. Shaggy that invited me, I'd have thought it were you. Are you drinking?"

"New by a mere couple of days, yes," Eleia affirms softly, head inclining just slightly in a nod. "And thank you." She watches the canine antics fairly impassively, then looks over Wren a scant moment before returning to the Essence. "In addition, I believe contratulations are in or-" And then she whirls about on one foot and a stick, looking blankly at the meteoric elf.

Wren smiles warmly to the essence, nodding, "Thank you.. My name's Wren." at the cub bumbleing towards her, the elf's heart just melts in adoration, but that's not perhaps the important thing. The rustling at the edge of the clearing catches her attention, and her eyes narrow for a moment, hopping back from the cubs, one hand on her bow, the other the fletching of one of her arrows. While the grove may generally be a safe place, the cubs deserve extra protection.. And then Sandy is hurled out, to Wren's raising of a brow, pulling her hands away from the bow and arrow. Then she looks over to Synestria and Jugga with a smile, "Who's your friend, Syn?"

The Essence makes a sign of the hand towards Eleia and Wren--a gesture, or a twitch, to most, though a druid would recognize it as a secret greeting. "I like to meet our new faces," he says as he does. A slightly older man, he shows the age of living beneath Eluna's sky. His hair is as wild as the wind, his skin like old leather. "With Taara's work, we've a greater task than ever. ..." he smiles, lifts his own mug. "Might want to get more to drink," he says, obliquely. Then turns to say hello to someone else.

Laughing lightly, Syn gives Jugga a hug herself, but the backslap prompts an 'OOF!' from Synestria as she gets her own drink. "At this time, Jugga! I'll definitely drink!" She then clunks her 'glass' against Jugga's and slurps it. She then walks her over to Wren. "Wren, this is Jugga. Jugga, this is Wren, an old friend of mine from Elvengate." She then smiles to the Essence Druji before presenting herself, yet again.....feeling kinda silly to reintroduce herself. However, in her greeting, she speaks in Druidic to him, introducing herself as Synestria from Elvengate.

Bug-ear looks from the newly-arrive sildanyari and back to Ormarr. "Not on yer life," he says to the old oruch, before the man can even open his mouth.

Wren has disconnected.

Sandy slowly picks herself back up sand brushes herself off. SO MUCH FOR HER ORIGINAL PLAN. She casts a dirty look back at the woods and whatever it was that tossed her out here.

Jugga puts her drink free hand down to hold onto Synestria, "Why you stumbling all over the place." She finds herself far too funny, and ends up laughing merrily as she walks with Synestria to whatever it is that an Esseence Druji might be. The fact that they are speaking druidic doesn't keep her attention any better, so she ends up looking off to see Sandy picking herself up off the ground. She roars with amusement, "Hoy! Sandy! Now that is the way to come visitin' a party!"

Eleia looks to Jugga. Back to Sandy. Shakes her head a little. She turns to Synestria, her brow quirking ever so slightly. "Pardon my asking, but am I the only one rather confused at this moment by such... manner of arrival and casual treatment of it?"

Magnus has been drinking on his own. Listening, mostly. Watching the satyrs careully.

Giggling to Eleia, SYnestria bounces on her feet a bit. 'Survive an avalanche and see how strange that becomes." She says says before looking back towards Sandy, but then turns her attention back towards Essence Druji.

The Essence looks surprised at the words, and silently shakes his head. He casts a look towards the rest of the crowd. Druids. "Just be careful," he says, voice just low enough for only the wild elf to hear, "Just as we hunt, we're hunted, as well." And so saying, he pats her hand, his own as rough as aged leather, and winks. "But I'm an old hand at these things."

Beside him, the mother-wolf whines, then gets up to fetch another wandering, bumbling cub. The drummer looks over, and seems to pick up on Sandy's arrival, because the next tune is...what's coming to be? The well-known opener of the play, "The Lost Love of Lady Sandiel."

I saw her once from far-away

Her eyes were green, her hips did sway

I do not know what I did that day

...she entranced me from afar!

Looking up into the essence's eyes, and nodding her head, Synestria replies to him in Drudic. "Thank you for the warning. I shall keep my eyes and ears open." She says before looking behind her and lightly petting the wolf's head yet again. She then looks towards Eleia. "Grettings! I am sorry for being somewhat curt. I'm Synestria.....She.." She indicates the tiger that idly bats at Jugga's legs. "...is Pixi. My friend."

And then there is a song. Not only are her dastardly plans to crash the party, there is singing. About h4er. And her hips. Sandy just stands up straight and stops dead. Her face turns bright red and her face scrinches up. "..now you stop that!"

"Eleia Farrens," the other druidess answers softly, nodding a little. She gives Pixi a glance for a moment. She mimes the Essence's earlier druidic gesture quite fluently once she looks back to Syn. "And don't worry about the shortness. I've been known for it myself," she adds. It's... likely a very accurate statement, given her expression retains hints of that sourness from when she arrived.

Jugga chortles and turns away from Sandy, focusing her attention up Eleia. "Have you met lady Sandy before? She is a legend amongst the adventurers of the city." Glancing down towards Pixi she grunts, "Synestria. Pixi is playing with my leg. She isn't hungry is she?" She works her lips around as she contemplates the tiger. "I would rather not get any body parts missing. I'm about all healed up from my last adventure." To Eleia she says, "Jugga Hellsdottir. I aint one of you folks. I got invited cause I like to drink I guess."

"It's nice to meet you both," he says, answering Eleia's gesture with one of his own: did you bring drinks? We're going to need them. The Essence crouches down then, and mutters something. The words are odd, but something's magical about them, and the elder druid's touch has the big cat pushing her cheek against his palm.

Essence Druji gives her another pat on the cheek, before standing. "Such a nice girl. How did you two meet?"

Cesran has arrived.

In response, the satyr raspberries Sandy. The second verse then picks up. Same as the first, a little bit worse!

"...how the fuck did I get myself talked into this?" Sandy puts her hands over her ears for a moment and then says, "That's quite enough! Stop that!"

Jugga's answer isn't from Syn, it's from Pixi. Pixi hasn't attacked Jugga's boot as much as she's unlaced it and gotten herself tangled in the boot laces. The more she tries to tumble out of the string, she more she gets tangled up in it. By now, she has pulled almost all of Jugga's bootlace out of her boot, it all paws up, and is almost completely tangled. Though, from the look on Pixi's face and the flick of her tail, she's having a blast.

Synestria giggles a lot at Pixi before sighing to Eleia. 'I still wish to apologize." She says before giving the return greeting to her. She then tilts her head at Sandy. "Being catapaulted into a clearing isn't something you normally do?"

Giggling, a pair of pixies whisk by, flying circles around Sandy's ears before going on their way. One of them lands on the edge of Magnus' tankard. The creature has small, gossmar wings and glows like a lantern. Tonight, the pixies, the whisps, are the lanterns--constantly moving ones that whisk, weave about the grove.

Jugga looks down at her boot, at the tiger, then up at Synestria. "If this is a trap trying to lure me into petting your tiger, then it is working." That said, she squats down and after draining her cup, she tosses it to one side. She then turns to the cat and says, "You like that? You are going to get tied up if you keep at it." She grabs at the lace and starts tugging it around, both playing with Pixi and trying to get her untangled. Once the tiger is out of immediate danger of getting bound, she risks a hand in order to pet the tiger. She grins like a child as she does so, "So soft."

Cesran shows up late getting prodded along by a young buck, "Hey buddy watch the horns!" He's been followed around by the young deer all day until he finally went with the buck. "All right all right I'm here." He looks around at the others and he nods politely to those that he knows.

In the distance, the sound of singing voices can be heard. There are about eight or nine of them, all told, but the perceptive can tell that there are about twelve or thirteen marching feet headed towards the glade. It sounds like a four-part harmony, tightly and expertly in-tune. The words are indistinguishable this far into the glade.

"Then consider it accepted and put it out of mind, I suppose," Eleia says simply, shrugging some small amount. "Don't not enjoy the company on my account." And then she's busy peering at the interaction between giantborn and tiger curiously. She adjusts her grip on her stick. "I should hope it isn't. Being catapulted into... most things sounds rather uncomfortable.

"Fucking pixies," is what Sandy says, giving them dirty looks. "I'm here becasue I wanted to see how all the lil' flower pickin' dandies were doing. Apparently 'quite well' is the answer." Sour puss that is Sandy, yes.

The Essence shakes hands here and there. To one young Lucht, or halfling, he exchanges tankards, each placing a leaf of holly in the other's before partaking.

Korujen the wolf grunts tiredly, and begins to get up--to fetch again the same pup that's begun to wander off. ...this time, he doesn't make it very far, and falls on his face in a tumble in the grass.

The satyr continues to play, with the half-orc flutist accompanying. Their tunes follow the dance of the pixies across the Grove, who have seen fit to flit and now dance around Sandy's ears.

Totally. Sprinkling golden fairydust.

Totally.

Even as Jugga tries to untangle the tiger, Pixi fights it every inch of the way. Each little bit Jugga pulls away, Pixi bats at it with a paw, and thumping a paw on the ground to catch the lace in her paws, though her claws never come out. However, things go quite unexpectedly as Jugga begins to pet Pixi. and it goes something like this.....

• PURR*

• FLOP*

Right onto Jugga's leg as she literally pushes onto Jugga's hand as she pets along the tiger's spine. The light tail flick shows that Jugga has done a good thing.

Synestria scratches her head at the elf that was catapaulted in. "You mean you're not enjoying yourself?" She says before grabbing a tankard, getting some juice and handing it to Sandy. "Drink."

A pixie lands on the edge of the cup.

Jugga is taken by surprise by the flopping of Pixi. It is a lucky thing she's giantborn or she might have gone for a fall. As it is she grunts in surprise and is forced to put other leg out to catch herself. She laughs quietly, looking up at Synestira, "She don't mind." But then she is back to petting the big beast. She has resisted up to this point, but now she is finally able to pet the beautiful tiger. "You are a pretty lass Pixi. I never really expected you to be so soft. Or your purring to be...so loud." She leans into Pixi to give her a solid post to rub back upon. Again she looks up, "You two fighting?"

Near one of the casks, the older oruch punches himself in the stomach. He burps. "Tasted better goin' down than comin' up, eh Frightful?" he asks. He nudges a large, red-tailed hawk that's landed next to him. The creature is a decent specimen of its species, and carries the smell of the wild with it. It watches the gathering with the earth's predatory eyes.

The singing grows closer, and the source becomes clear as it comes up the road - about eight anointed priests and priestesses of Daeus, and a single Paladin, the only one on horseback. The priests wear the golden-dyed robes of their office, the Solis embroidered into the linen; the Paladin bears a silver Solis around his neck and a Sunblade's tabard. None of them are armored or even armed. Four of the priests are carrying something, each on a pole; a wooden rack filled with dirt, in the center of which is a tiny but healthy oak sproutling. The four other clergypeople lead their fellows in constant hymns of praise to Daeus and his wonders. Knowing them, they've probably been singing since they left the city. The Paladin, who some may know as Valen Phanuel, rides ahead at an easy walk into the glade before getting off of his horse, allowing the animal to roam among the nature-worshippers as it pleases. He then approaches Ormarr, the priests ending their song as they make their way into the grove. "Hail, friends of nature," he tells the gathered, approaching the eldest Essence among them and bowing at the waist. "We servants of Daeus have brought as a token of our goodwill a sprout from our sanctified gardens, that it may bask in the light amongst its brothers and sisters. May its hallowed branches shade thy folk."

"I can see how she's so... renowned," Eleia comments to Jugga. "But I haven't met her, no." She shifts her stance towards the left a little, watching the incoming paladin rather unexpressively. "What curious timing," she muses quietly, head tilting a little. "That they would come during this event," she adds after a moment to nobody in particular.

Eleia's comment earns a murderous glare. SHE HEARD THAT. THAT'S WHAT THESE OUTRAGEOUSLY HUGE ELF EARS ARE FOR. Still, she half-swats a pixie with obvious annoyance. "Hells. Keep your god damn distance. What are you? Mosquitos?" She stomps further in. Then there is Phanuel. Talking. HEr eyes swing towards him and just lock there. "Oh gods. It's like someone stepped out of a gods damned story book."

All of the attention Jugga gives Pixi is rewarded of course. Pixi finally slowly rolls herself up onto her haunches, and cheekrubs Jugga's hand, before pawing at her and, then tugs it lower only to cheekrub her hand again, then lightly mouth on Jugga's hand. It's obvious that she's not hungry, but what she's doing is quite unusual.

Synestria smiles at the paladin entering the grove and bows towards Phanuel as he presents the sprout to the Essence druid. And a Pixie lands on top of her head. Giving a giggle, she lightly brushes the pixie away. 'I know you like fun, but don't cause havoc here......yet."

"Bless me..." the Essence says. He then bends down to pick up the pup, who's wandered again. A small thing, composed of two spheres, its small legs stick out like stubs around the older man's arm.

The wolf companion watches, then turns around to pace towards the rest of her cubs. Quiet, but watchful, she's a wild creature all the same and glances back towards the crowd from time to time, to keep an eye on things.

The Essence pauses a moment, and scratches at his old beard. Craggy, and there's a twig at one end, he doesn't appear used to speeches. So he clears his throat again. "Perhaps one of you would like to return the blessing? Go on...the Sun is to the Earth as stars to the sky, and it's a gift to us all," he says. "As you can see, I've got my hands full," he says. He cups the pup in one arm, where it's fallen asleep.

And is drooling all over his robes. He looks at Eleia, and makes choking noises. He's not /supposed/ to laugh, but the tankard's mostly empty, you know.

Cesran moves over to get a drink and he nods politely to the Essence as he take a tankard and he sniffs it a little bit to see what's in it. He takes a test sip and he looks to see the procession as it comes up the road. He spots Valen at the lead and he gives a polite nod. He wonders if he should have brought a gift as well. He casts his mind back to any spells that he knows. He looks over at Eleia, "I think that's what he's going for."

The priests of Daeus proceed to lower the sprout before the Druids. For the moment Phanuel is far more concerned with the formalities at this moment, an air of storybook shiny knighthood about him that really may not be his fault as he awaits the formal reply from the druids. Then perhaps, carousing. But not yet!

Jugga seems over her fear of Pixi for the moment at least, so even when she gets the cheekrub and the mouthing she doesn't shy away. She grins and says, "You want something? What is it? I don't speak tiger like all these folks do." She will let the tiger pull her where she wants though, while only glancing towards the priests. "Oy. Soon will have the finger wigglers and we'll all be drinking tea and reading books together."

Synestria walks her way forward and quietly Picks the sprout up by it's base. "We, the servants of the Giver of Fruits, and the Lord of rangers, accept this token of goodwill. We also hope that the Sun Lord will continue to shine brightly." She says as she takes the sprout to a place of bare ground and, taking her own hands, digging a small hole so she can put the sprout into the ground, then cover it. She then stands and looks towards the tree. "Queen of the wild and wood, please bless this gift from the followers of the sun lord with your holy blessing, and give it water." She then extends her hand......and water pours out of it.

SYn then looks to Jugga. "you've made a friend, Jugga. She's marking you."

"...blah blah blah," is what Sandy mutters under breath. She casts an accusing glare at the woods. As if someone has abandoned her.

Essence Druji smiles and scratches the wolf pup behind its ears. Soon, it will grow, becoming something wild and strong...but for now he scratches its ears, as as it sleeps against his arm.

And drools.

"Good words," he says to the sildanyari. And that's all. Just an old man's smile through an old beard, that Dana's had more to do with styling than any comb.

Thankfully, it appears murderous glares are no match for not giving a shit. Eleia's attention is squarely on the unfolding formality of accepting the gift. At the end of it she simply nods her feelings upon it, and shifts her attention to one Valen Phanuel. "So. I take it you heard tell of the goings-on here this evening?"

"Missin' someone?" the old oruch asks. He tilts his tankard at Sandy. Squints an eye at her. "I ain't sayin' I could drink you under th' table, but I bet I could come close," he grunts. He leans against one of the older casks, this one empty. Most of the others are full, though their totals are quickly depleting, and Bug-ear has long since passed out.

With another shiner. Pixie-sized.

Cesran keeps towards the back as the ceremony of greeting and he continues to sip his mug. He wonders what else is going to happen as he's never been to a Balefire celebration before. He'd tried to research it as well and there isn't much written about it, at least that he was able to find.

Jugga watches Synestria give her formal response to the clerics while her hand gets nibbled on. When Synestria is finished and explains what is going on she snorts, "Oh. Well. That's better than her taking a piss on me." She shifts so she can pet Pixi with her hand currently not being a chew toy. While doing that she says, "This aint going to turn into speeches and other old men stuff is it? I thought it was dancing naked and getting drunk."

Synestria has disconnected.

The priests add reply with a short word of praise and a nod of their head before they move to pick up the rack again, moving it out of the way so no one will step on it. Meantime Valen seems to relax as the formalities are ended, and he turns to Synestria. "Yes, well-spoken," he tells her. "It is good to renew these bonds." Then Eleia, "A few of us were invited, yes," he tells Eleia. "Earth and Sun have long been allies in Alexandria, and we did not wish to come to our friends' house empty-handed. But we did not come to interrupt your celebrations, only to offer a gift. May we stay for a while and rest? It has been a long walk from the city for us, and we are thirsty."

Cesran laughs as he hears Jugga's comment about what she expected that to be. He moves over towards her, "Well I've tried to so some research on Balefire celebration, I've found very little of it, but nothing said dancing around naked and drinking." He shivers a little bit, "It's way too cold for that I'd be worried about freezing something off that's very dear to me."

Yaakrr has arrived.

"I wouldn't be so certain of the nakedness aspect," Eleia remarks, shaking her head a little. "And this isn't Balefire. We've a week and a half until that, yet," she explains softly as she turns slightly to speak to Cesran.

Magnus has disconnected.

Eleia then turns back to Phanuel, nodding a little. "I'm certain it will be fine enough, unless the Essence should contradict me."

Cesran ohs a little bit to Eleia, "Ah I see so the drunken naked dancing comes in a week and a half good to know." He teases as he takes another slow sip, "Mmm this is good what are we drinking." It's probably fomented elk milk for all he knows

"Hah. You come from a line of men with thin blood. Even the humans that were part of my company could dance in the snow without danger of their walking sticks dropping off. You just need a bit of ale. Hop over the fire a few times, drink some more ale, some more whiskey, slap your chest and roar like you are a wolf...or howl like a liion. Whatever it is." Jugga thumps at her chest a few times, then lifts her head back to howl. Sounds more like a wolf than a lion.

Wandering out of the woods, pixie-lights, and party-goers, comes one of the eaglefolk. This one however is not the elder female that may be more well known. No it is a newer face to the area. Yaakrr, who rumor has it is a cleric of Gilead, comes out of party obscurity to head towards the beverage barrels. He nods politely to those he passes and walks with his hands clasped before him.

Cesran looks over at Jugga, "I'll save that for later. You just wait until summer comes, you'll be dying of the heat and complaining how warm it is and I'll be just fine because I'm used to warmer weather."

Phanuel bows his head in thanks to Eleia. "You have our thanks," he tells her, then turns to the priests and says, "It is permitted." At that they seem to sigh with relief and head for the mugs. The Paladin goes for the elderberry wine, a potent potable as is, and fills a stone flagon. before heading for the fire to meet everyone else. "Good evening, Wizard," he tells the man. "You too, Jugga." He takes a draught of the newly-fermented stuff, and from his expression it's probably rather sour. "Been a while since I've had elderberry wine," he comments. "Not since we feted a fae noble in my hometown, which lies on the outskirts of the Mythwood. Her servants brought their strange fey liquors from the forests, and many strange things happened those few days. Mother saw fit to hide my eyes and pull me away from the celebrations on several occasions; I was very young.

Cesran smiles and nods his head to Valen, "Good day Valen glad you could make it out this way. Very nice present. Where did you get that sapling on such short notice?" He asks curiously and he chuckles a little bit, "I think I would like to attend one of those ceremonies, not many fae out in the Jade Islands."

"Hah. You should bet me on which of us will sweat more when it gets blistering hot. I might not like it hot, but you'll not see me crying over it." Jugga then turns to look towards Yaakrr as the cleric arrives, "Ah...damnations. Shaggy should have warned me this was going to be full of all priests..." Still, she lifts a hand to wave, "Hoi there Yaakrr!" She goes to pick up the mug she threw to the ground when dealing with Pixi, and stumps towards the casks. "I need more drink. I aint drunk enough."

Eleia has reconnected.

"Ah, Jugga, greetings," replies Yaakrr. "It seems wherever I find real drink, I find you. A toast to you and your ability to conquer the best of drinks!" He caws in what is meant to be a chuckle. "And I see my friend of the Sunblades is here as well. Wind's blessings to you," he nods towards Phanuel and acquires a beverage for himself.

"Well, if it's not overmuch bother I'm not much for dancing either," Eleia remarks to Jugga with a wry smile and a gesture of her rather well-worn walking stick. "So likely I'll refrain from either aspect."

"Aye," Valen tells Yaakrr. "We brought the new sprout from the temple gardens to this grove. Do you remember it? It is here to take root." Meanwhile the priests of Daeus are mostly keeping to themselves; no doubt they don't relish the thought of carrying that rack all the way back to the temple in Alexandros, so a quick nip from the barrel must serve to lift their spirits.

Jugga chortles loudly in response to Yaakrr, "That's cause me and drink are linked together in our hearts. Where there is drinking to be had, you'll find me. Where there is puke on the flagstones from a binge gone wrong, there you will find me. It is spiritual." More laughter follows, along with the draining of her current mug, as if to prove her point. Then she looks to Eleia, "If you can dance well, then you haven't been drinking enough I say. Only ones that need to know how to dance are the folks who do it for others to watch. Dancin' is meant to be drunken and joy filled. Like good bed shakin'." She nods to the walking stick in question, "THat don't keep you from shaking all the important bits. You look like you could shake if you wanted to."

Cesran hmms, "Well see, I'm sure the summers here are nothing compared to the summers at the Jade Island." He looks to Eleia, "Oh why not? It's a party time to have fun." He finishes his mug and goes to get some more.

Eleia has partially disconnected.

"Because it causes me physical pain," Eleia expounds, shrugging a little. It's certainly true that her weight's been kept almost entirely on her left leg since she arrived, and equally true that she's now taking a seat. "Don't fret on it. It's not a large concern."

"Ah yes, I had wondered what that sappling was for," comments Yaakrr in response to Valen. "It will be most welcome here I am sure." Pouring a nice bit of drink down his gullet, Yaakrr then looks around, having smiled as best he can at Jugga's philosophy on life, or on drink anyway. He butts in a bit on the conversation between the giant and the woman with a stick. "Is there some discussion about dance going on here? Among my people it can be quite the affair, though it is mostly on my side that the effort be made." A pause as Eleia expounds. "I am sorry to hear about your pains. Is there anything that healing can see to in this case?"

Valen just remains quiet for the time being, sipping from his mug and looking reflective. He gets a good look at the druid grove while he's at it, taking in all of the wonders the place has to offer.

Jugga studies Eleia, watfching her sit down. Then she grunts "Old injury eh? So many healers and none can heal it eh? Well, I am sorry to hear about your pain." She goes to get another cup of drink.

Cesran hmms, "I'm sorry I did not know that." He looks at Yaakrr as his question was the same, but he knows that not all can be healed by magic, while magic is a useful too it's not always the best solution, just the best solution in 99.99999 of situations.

"Not that I've encountered," Eleia says to Yaakrr, shaking her head a little. "Again, no need to fret on it." She shakes her head more fully. "What is this oddity of dancing, might I ask? I'm not terribly familiar with the Egalrin."

"Among my people," says Yaakrr in explanation, "It is done mainly to attract the females at certain gatherings. Or that is when most of the dancing occurs anyway. I understand it is similar among your people, but it is hidden behind more words." Another gulp of drink. One might wonder if this is his first or not.

Cesran nods, "It's the same with my people...there is a saying among my people. If you want to pleasure a woman you do it in the bedroom, if you want to seduce a woman you do it on the dance floor."

"Something like that. The laying words over it is especially apt," Eleia notes, vaguely amusedly. "A goodly number of words and not insignificant quantities of drink." She shrugs a little. "It would be refreshing to see it more honest, I must say."

Yaakrr has disconnected.

Cesran look Eleia and he shrugs a little bit, "Life is too short gotta have fun while you can. I respect try to respect those that have a different opinion than I do." He takes a drink of his mug, "So long as no one gets hurt that is."

"Hm? All I said is I would find it refreshing." Eleia shrugs minutely, glancing at the fire for just a moment. "There's a good deal of added noise to our social tendencies, niceties and things. Cutting past it would be nice on occasion."

Cesran nods, "I understand what you are saying, while it's nice to use descriptive language in book it's also nice to get straight to the point. Although putting it too bluntly you could end up with the opposite results that you'd expect. Although it is the quickest way to get an answer. Sometimes though it's the social niceties that can change a no to a yes."

Eleia nods a little, and pushes herself to her feet. "Indeed. That said, I should move along on my way at this hour. Pleasure to see you again, Cesran." And then she goes thump thump thumping off through the snow to go... wherever it is she's going.