Wednesday Social
The music is low and thrumming, the inn full of people not so many that it's that hard to get a table, but enough that their voices are a low murmuring noise that mingles with the sound of the music. Outside there are not many participating in the usual sports, but several arm-wrestling and various other sorts of competition - including several drinking games - have gotten started. Razen is doing both at the same time, playing an arm-wrestling game in which the winner takes a drink every round. His face is flushed and his exuberant expression suggests that he's won many rounds of this game. In fact another challenger goes down and grumbling buys the half-oruch a drink before wandering away.
A twirling splash of colour makes its way into the Fire Lodge, a pale green Gobbo woman dressed in a yellow dress and red hat. The music, the beat, only causes her to spin faster as she moves towards the middle. Where she dances around the fire three times, and then helps herself to a haunch of lamb and a beer. Murder's path takes her towards Razen, where she watches him win at arm wrestling.
Ga'Elian is standing shirtless near to Razen's table, juggling shot glasses as he dances in place to the thrum of the music. With each shot the half-orc drinks, another glass is added to the juggling. The ranger's cloak, quiver, haversack, jerkin and tunic are neatly laid over or propped up against the back of a nearby chair.
GAME: Ga'Elian rolls Sleight of Hand: (14)+14: 28
Razen says "I think that my opponents are trickling off." He looks sad as he slips into his native tongue, clearly the drinks have had some effect on him, and for a moment he is lost watching Ga'Elian juggle before he shakes it off and slaps his shoulder where his tattoo is clearly visible; his shirt and armor long discarded to prove that he has no advantage over those that he is facing off against. "Come on! Another!" <yrch-speak>
Murder eyes Ga'Elian for a bit, counting the shot glasses. "So how many of those can you manage, Ga'Elian? And how does that stone not hit them?", she wonders, before looking to Razen as he mumbles something in Yrch-Speak. "And how many people have you beaten today, Razen?"
Ga'Elian catches and neatly stacks the dozen or so shot glasses upside-down upon the table now, as he stops dancing. Once they are all stacked, he snaps his fingers and they all flip right-side up, cleaner than the scullery maid has ever managed to wash them. He says, "It's all part of the magic of the stone. It has evasive aerial maneuvers built into the enchantment."
GAME: Ga'Elian rolls Bluff: (2)+1: 3
Razen claps at the trick, distracted for a moment from Murder before he remembers her presence. "Murder!" He grins at her flashing all of his teeth. "I have lost count of my victories, but Ga'Elian has been throwing them for me." The half oruch picks up his winning drink and salutes her with it before downing it. He drinks it like water which only serves to prove that he's had likely the entire dozen or so that Ga'Elian had stacked up.
Murder stares at Ga'Elian for a few moments, and then grins toothily, making a rather ominous giggling noise before she shakes her head. "And how many have you had to drink, Ga'Elian?" She looks to Razen then and nods, grinning more broadly. "So, like, twelve? I am surprised you are not sleeping soundly on the ground. But then.. you're an orc." The Gobbo looks then to the food and drink in her hands, and digs into the lamb haunch, chewing noisily and eating quickly.
Ga'Elian shrugs. "Oh, I just had one when he started. The hard stuff isn't my preference, especially since it takes a lot to affect me. I tend to choose my beverages for their flavor and their ability to quench thirst." He then maneuvers behind Razen and starts to give him a deep-tissue shoulder massage.
GAME: Ga'Elian rolls Heal: (12)+8: 20
The half orc clearly starts to relax immediately under Ga'Elian's touch, his muscles relaxing and his temperment soothing. Though he had been ready a moment ago to call for another challenger now he seems content to sit in his chair and smile at Murder lazily. "Half-oruch." He reminds her gently, his storm-gray eyes slightly glazed. "And strong enough to defeat many this day." Razen's statement could have, and usually would have been said with enthusiasm but now that he's relaxed it almost sounds sad.
"Oh.", she says to Ga'Elian. "Then you have no idea how the ioun stone knows how to dodge the things you do, do you?" She giggles that ominous giggle again, and looks to Razen. "Oh, half-Orc, I didn't know. Looks like you're enjoying the massage." The Goblin begins to finish off the haunch of lamb, gnawing at the bone a bit before guzzling down her beer. "Ga'Elian is a man of many talents, it seems."
Ga'Elian smiles, and says, "It is necessary to have a well-rounded skill set if one wishes to survive on one's own in dangerous environments. I'm sure you're capable of many things yourself, Murder, many of which are less commonly expected."
"I am enjoying it im-imen...sury." He relaxes further into the chair as if he might melt into it. Razen heaves a sigh and looks at Ga'Elian, though he has to try more than once to figure out how to look at the elf without moving much. "Thank you."
The Goblin's eyes narrow slightly as she peers at Ga'Elian. "Less commonly expected? Because I'm a Goblin?" She tosses what's left of the lamb bone into the fire, and sets her mug down on the table. Crossing her arms, she looks to Razen again. "Such a suckup.", she says with a chuckle.
Ga'Elian shrugs, "No. Not because you're a goblin. But it is a saying among my people that every lady has her secrets." He stops the massage, and says to Razen, "Glad to hear it, but if you'll excuse me, I need to go use the facilities. I'll be back soon." With that he turns and vanishes into the crowd.
GAME: Razen rolls str: (19)+4: 23
Razen blinks at Ga'Elian's disappearance but offers Murder a smile. "In fact it's a saying among my people that everyone has a seacret. Interesting that our peoples so far from one another have the same sort of saying..." He stops in mid-sentence and sits very still for a long moment. Razen's hands grip the table. Dark eyes flicker down and there's a small /crack/ as the table snaps in half. The half-oruch holds it in place looking a little more sober than he had a few moments ago and blinks at Murder. "What... What was I saying?"
Murder blinks at Ga'Elian's reply, and starts to say something, but goes silent as he stands and walks away. Whatever facilities are, anyways. "Not entirely surprising..." She goes silent again as Razen breaks the table. "What'd you do that for?", she wonders, her head canted slightly. "You were saying that Orc and Elves have things in common. Then you kind of broke the table."
GAME: Razen rolls bluff: (20)+1: 21 GAME: Murder rolls sense motive: (15)+1: 16
Razen tosses the broken pieces of the table aside with the bouncing of little glasses and rises to his feet. "It offends me!" His voice rises and he throws a few coins at the waiter near him. "Another table! One that brings me more opponents!"
Murder stares at Razen a moment and carefully takes a few steps back. "It is silly, sometimes, what people choose to be offended by." She spins then, the yellow dress twirling quickly, and the Gobbo makes her way towards the exit.
Yelrona has been continuing her wrestling practice in the Colosseum this afternoon, but hunger has finally driven her out of the foggy evening and into the dimly lit Lodge. She enters just in time to see the table crack, and approaches the pair with an air of concern. "Is everything all right?"
Razen deflates a little as Murder turns to leave. "Murder..." His voice is soft and apologetic, but he clearly doesn't know what to say. A new table is brought out for him, and the old one is carried away with the shot glasses that had been tipped over by him in the process. This isn't something unusual in this place. Razen sighs heavily and can not manage a smile for his friend. "Yes, I was just..." He shakes his head. From the warm rosy color that has turned his cheeks, neck, and chest a muddy color he has had possibly all of the dozen drinks that the glasses he'd spilled had once belonged to.
Murder simply twirls out of hearing range and out the door.
Yelrona regards the suddenly alone Oruchkin. "Well," she says casually, drawing a chair at the newly provided table, "_that_ sounded... abrupt."
Razen nodded. "And so it was. I think I may have scared her off." He too settles down at the table, and they are left alone - together, for the moment. "How are you?"
"Bruised. But not bloodied. Still, all things considered I prefer archery to wrestling. I prefer my contact sports friendlier. How are you?"
It took Razen a long time to come up with an answer to that. "It has been an interesting day, but it sounds as though you had a good one!" He smiles at her. "There was something I was going to talk to you about, but I can not remember what..."
Yelrona laughs, not unkindly. "I suppose from your perspective, I absolutely did! I spent most of it wrestling Angorites. I must admit, it's not really my thing... but it's a useful skill just the same. I found myself wrestling two Earth Elementals the other day, and realized just how rusty I was without a bow. Can you believe I used to be primarily a fencer?" She looks curious at the later comment. "Was it chicken?"
Ga'Elian returns, and looks surprised. He says, "Murder, you turned into Yelrona. Is that part of the magic of your hat?" He looks at Razen and the table. Says, "I can figure who did that. What happened? Did something surprise you?"
The comment causes Razen to flush a deep red color that offsets the green tone of his natural coloring. His lack of shirt proving that he flushed all the way down his chest. "Yes something did." He coughs and looks away from the elf. "It was not chicken, but it was /something/" He holds his hand up to his head but it doesn't seem to be helpful.
Morgan comes in the room with her pack in her hands grumbling about a bad adventure. She takes a seat and takes a moment to focus her attention on what’s around her.
Yelrona had seen the goblin leaving on her way in, but rather than say as much, her appearance changes into an unconvincing pseudo-goblin in a yellow sundress. "Ah, you got me. How'd you know?"
To Razen she adds "Was it gorillas?"
Ga'Elian pulls the chair that has his shirt and cloak laying across its back from the broken table over to Razen's new table and sits in it. He says, "That last guy you beat was in there puking his guts out, Razen. That's why I was gone so long."
Razen coughs and starts to shake his head before he thinks better of it. "Not gorillas either..." He pauses in thought only for Aya to arrive. The half-oruch smiles at her. "He drank here but defeat is a bitter drink."
Yelrona nods solemnly. "It's better not to drink people's feet." (beat) "Was it bad jokes?"
"People often want to talk to me about bad jokes."
Aya arches a brow, slightly, at Yelrona's comment before her eyes return to the half-oruch. "Ah. I presume that you handed him the round, then?" Her chin then dips to Ga'elian in acknowledgement.
Ga'Elian looks at Aya and Morgan and smiles. He responds, "Razen here had just bested him in a combined arm wrestling and drinking contest.”
Razen laughs. "Aye so I did." He seems pleased with this, he also seems to doggedly be thinking about whatever it was that he was supposed to be talking to Yelrona about. After her comment however he simply laughs, and laughs, and then glancing at Ga'Elian he chokes on that laughter only to laugh some more.
Ga'Elian says, "He wants more, and you all should see him perform." At this, Elian stand up on his chair, then looks around a sec, and stands up on the table top. He calls out in a voice to carry over the din, "Come on over, people. Razen isn't wiped out yet, but he's already had a long run. Who'll challenge him next? If you win, I'll pay you 10 gold." He sees a teenage giant-born and looks right at him. "Come-on, young man! Surely you can take him?"
Morgan looks to the child the size of a man and wonders if he will try "I will add 10 gold myself if you do it lad."
"I'll pocket five of that twenty," Rona adds unhelpfully, "if you let me."
"Congratulations," Aya offers as she makes her way to the vicinity of the group. "Should I encounter any one-armed drunkard foes, I will know who to call for aid."
Razen grins toothily at the kid, clearly hopeful that the young man will take Ga'Elian up on the offer. "You should take the offer lad, you are not likely to get a better one." He's much more sober now than he had been when he'd been drinking earlier, but he's still clearly not entirely recovered. Or else he might remember what it is that he was supposed to talk to Yelrona about - or even remember that he's supposed to be remembering. Razen takes the stance, arm on the table and leaning forward, wiggling his fingers at the younger man.
"Don't make fun," Rona tells Aya, "we might be attacked by a horde of one-armed drunken barbarians at any moment, and you'll need his assistance."
Ga'Elian hops off the table and walks over to the young jotun. Standing beside him, the seated youth is still head-and-shoulders taller than the ranger. He reaches into his beltpouch and pulls out ten gold coins. Holding them up to display them, he says, "Oh, like I said, he's almost schnockered already. You never know, kid. You could get lucky this evening." He glances toward the young giantess sitting next to the lad.
he says, "Yeah, baby. Go on. Show them who's the bigger man! If you win, I'll sweeten your winnings."
At this, the lad says, "Oh, alright." and pushes himself away from the table. When he stands up, he has to duck to avoid knocking his head on the chandelier.
Morgan starts to count out her coin and gives it to Elian to give to the kid if he wins.
The whole room seems to be watching this challenge, and erupt into cheers (with a few sneers thrown in for good measure) when the lad makes his way to Razen's table.
GAME: Ga'Elian rolls 1d20+3: (7)+3: 10 GAME: Razen rolls strength: (15)+4: 19
Razen clasps hands with the younger man (though in truth the two are likely of a similar age), and their muscles bulge as the two wrestle hand-in-hand with one another. After a long moment however Razen smashes the giantborn's hand down and he grins, laughing his victory away with a clasp to the other man's shoulder. "Good try! Good try!"
Astaren is making his way in and glances around thoughtfully, "Oh... the fire lodge right? How did I end up here." Looking completely lost and then waves to people he recognizes, "Hey Morgan, they have good tea here?"
Morgan shrugs "Never been one for tea, but they do have good ale and whiskey here."
Ga'Elian starts to juggle shot glasses as the contestants empty them. He smiles when the jotun lad loses and reaches up to pat his shoulder in mock consolation. He says, "A valiant effort. You didn't win the gold, but that lass over at your table might still comfort you in your honorable defeat."
Astaren grumbles as he moves over and takes a seat, "So... one step away from being piss then? Oh well." reaching into his bag and pulling out a tea packet, "Always come prepared right? Anything interesting going on tonight? No being visited by ancient spirits and all again?"
Razen leans back in his seat with his drink taken and watches the younger man wander off. "I think that he may be the last one. I have defeated too many tonight." He watches the elf juggle with enjoyment clear on his face. "Best to leave off on a high note yes?"
Ga'Elian sets the empty shot glasses down and says, "A high note? Sure." He unashamedly starts to sing a common drinking song, but in his falsetto register.
GAME: Ga'Elian rolls Perform/Sing: (6)+20: 26
Morgan looks to Astaren "Where is Chip, I found the berries he likes." she gets a small coin pouch from her haversack.
Astaren glances to Morgan, and goes a bit pale, "uhhh, I summoned him this week alre...." only to wince as a psudodragon lands on shoulder, "Ahh Morgan, are those berries I smell?" Astaren glares daggers at Morgan.
Morgan giggles "Yes my friend, I picked them myself. I will show you where I found them growing wild." she smirks to Astarn as she gives the little dragon the pouch.
Yelrona wanders over to Morgan and Astaren while Elian starts singing, clearly entranced by the pseudodragon. In a metaphorical sense.
Razen laughs at Ga'Elian's delightful song and joins in. His is a much lower singing voice, and he could not sing nearly as well as the elf. He does however sing with gusto.
Ga'Elian drops to his normal tenor, and applauds the pseudodragon.
Astaren holds a hand to his head, "No... no... don't feed his ego... I will... to late." the psudodragon taking the bag and then flying up and around. Offering everybody a berry, "From the wonderful kindness of Morgan. Unlike my tea crazed master." Astaren sighs softly and starts to boil his water for tea. 'nice singing Ga'Elian." his voice kinda sheepish.
Morgan says "Rona this is my other Psudodragon friend named Chip... wait is that your real name?" asked wondering.
Uncertainly Razen accepts a berry from the dragon and pops it into his mouth and offers a nod to the dragon for the fruit, and one to Morgan as well for good measure.
Yelrona nods to Morgan. "Hi, Chip." To Elian she adds "Has Chip met your faerie-dragon friend?"
Ga'Elian stops singing and says. "I don't think so. Sparklewing has met another like him, Whisper was the name if I recall rightly." Then he says, "Most noble and beautiful Chip, would you like to meet my friend Sparklewing?" <draconic>
Aya leans against a dim section of wall to observe the dracolings and their antics.
Chip flies over and lands on Ga'Elians shoulder, "Are you kidding? Can you imagine the trouble and jokes we could achieve together? That sounds great!" Returning in common instead of draconic.
Astaren sighs again and focuses on sipping his tea. A whole aura of nope around him.
Yelrona laughs at the draconic enthusiasm, then a giantborn in an oversized hooded robe catches her attention. She nods and finishes her drink. "It's been a pleasure, everyone, but duty calls," she says, heading out of the common room.
Morgan chuckles as she is watching the two different kinds of dragons plot their pranks "I am glad my dragon buddy is not here."
Ga'Elian laughs delightedly at Chip, then calls, "Heya, Sparklewing, drop in. I got someone for ya to meet." At this, as soft 'pop' attends the sudden appearance of a butterfly-winged miniature red dragon.
Razen watches the dragons, sitting up a little straighter in his chair and waving a hand to the waiter. "Would you like something to drink Ga'Elian?"
Chip lets out a chip and peers at the faeirdragon. Staring for a long time, then grinning.
Ga'Elian replies to the half-orc, "Thanks, friend. I do get a powerful thirst at times like this."
Once the fae dragon arrives, it takea no time before they start cooking up mischief together. They fly circles around each other then suddenly zip down to the floor where a little flame ignites... Razen's foot!
Morgan looks to the two and says "Sad thing is they can plot it and we cant hear it." she then smirks at the hot foot.
Razen jumps to his feet with a yell, throwing the drink that he had just gotten on the flames. Unfortunately the alcohol only worsened the situation so Razen kicked his boot off, sending it flying across the room to land neatly mere inches away from Astaren. "Fire!" Razen yells, pointing at the offending boot.
Aya keeps a fraction of her attention on the frolicking dragonettes, perhaps for self-preservation as she steps from the sidewall, and away from any flying, flaming boots to stand behind Astaren. She glances at Astaren's reading material over his shoulder.
Astaren sighs, makes a few passes of his hand and cast a create water over Razen, drenching him in several gallons of water. Good news this would put out the fire on his foot.
Chip lets out a chirp, then speaks, 'That was fun.' then glances to the faerie dragon with a look that says 'what's next.'
Ga'Elian is startled by Razen's sudden reaction, but just as quickly smothers the fire with the cloak he had had draped over the chairback. Then he stands up and says, "Careful Sparklewing. I know this is the Fire Lodge, but this whole place could go up if a flash like that got out of hand."
The tiny dragon squeaks then says to his new-found partner-in-crime, "Rain?"
Razen stands drenched and shakes himself. He stares at Astaren in affront that seems greater than that which he had endured by being set on fire. "What did you do /that/ for?"
Astaren glances at his book again after his spell and then pauses. Glancing up and then behind him, "Oh hey Aya, can I help you? Nothing fancy here, just fire elemental nobility." then blinks over to Razen, "you were on fire, water puts out fire right?" Chip flies over and lands on his shoulder and curls up, trying to look innocent. "My apologies, I did not mean to offend."
Aya arches a brow at the quick reactions of fire fighters. Ga'ellian makes a good point, moreso than Razen. "To prevent others from incinerating," she offers an answer to Razen on Astaren's behalf. A hand does gesture to his reading material as she advises him, "You may not want to use that trick on any of them, though. I expect that they, unlike Razen, are supposed to be aflame."
Morgan gets a evil idea and gets a roll of twine out of her pack and leaves it in the table "Hey my little friends here is some twine." as she says that she casts a spell and disappears and leaves the place.
Razen huffs, blowing out water and wiping his face free of it. Then he scrubs a hand through his hair and seems to fume more. In fact he starts to speak, but suddenly snaps his mouth shut with an audible clicking of teeth. Notably the room has gone silent with all the disturbance, and rather than saying whatever he had been about to say the half-oruch strides carefully to his boot and picks it up. He backs away slowly and carefully, his steps a little uneven all the way and shoves his foot into the sopping wet boot. Dark stormy eyes watch Astaren the whole time as though the man might bite his head off.
Morgan's trick seems to work, because both minidragons are off chasing the twineball.
Astaren watches Razen with some concern, "You know... I could just as easily dry you off..." sighing as he reaches up and rubs his head. "Chip..." watching the little dragon playing with the ball of twine, and seeming rather thankful for it. "Again sorry Razen, was only trying to help." A glance to Aya and a weak smile.
The Fire Lodge is a place that belongs to the Giantborn. It is they that own this space. Phsycaily dominate it, even.
This is their place, and they remain here, busily eating and talking and sharing tales.
... that is, until dead silence becomes a moment as several gnomes arrive.
Gnomes in the space of giants.
Razen shakes his head uneasily at Astaren's offer and backs away slowly to where he had been standing before. At least until the gnomes arrive. Gnomes he recognized. "What... What are /you/ doing here?"
Ga'Elian puts his tunic, then jerkin, then shoulderbag, then cloak, and finally quiver back on, then reaches into his bag and pulls out his amulet and slips it around his neck. Once again fully dressed he says, "I think I'd better pay the barman in advance for the damage they're gonna cause." As if on cue, the same jotun-lad that was Razen last contender trips and face-plants right in the cleavage of the lass at his table, breaking that table under his weight as the dragones trip him chasing the twineball under his feet.
As the gnomes invade, he just shakes his head.
Astaren looks happy to see the gnomes. As it becomes a distraction away from him and the angry soaking wet Razen. As Razen recognizes them, he puts away his book and stands up. A sharp whistle goes out and Chip abandones the twin ball and flies over to Astaren, "Ok enough trouble today. we have a gnomstraction, time to make our escape." stepping backwards moving up against the wall.
Aya arches a brow at the latest entrants. This may bode ill. On the other hand, she may no longer be the smallest in the room by some margin. "Perhaps they're here to test your arm-wrestling skills," she suggest to Razen.
Without his playmate, Sparklewing grows bored and pops out.
With a few waves of his hands Astaren vanishes into thin air and is gone. Escaping both the angry wet Razen, and the gnomevasion. "Well, you know. WE heard a giant is coming to town. An actual bonafide giant. From Bludgun. We thought we'd check and see if he's here."
"He's not, from the look of things."
"too bad..."
The gnomes are all nodding.
Oh good. They're giant hunters. That's even better.
Razen relaxes slightly and turns toward Ga'Elian. "Have you heard anything about a giant?"
Ga'Elian shakes his head and says, "News to me."
Aya's other brow lifts as she looks to the gnomes. "Too bad for whom?" she asks. "It might be better for all that one isn't here for you to ...bother."
"WE've bothered plenty of giants."
Stone Giants," says one, "Storm Giants," adds another, "Fire Giants, especially, back during the Sendor War."
They all start chortling.
The giant born here are not looking amused.
Razen grins from ear to ear. "Yes." It is uttered softly and he meets the lead gnome's gaze. "But first I think a fight to warm the blood!" He claps his hands together, and takes a threatening step toward the gnomes. "Leave now, you are not welcome in the halls of my brothers!" He motions toward the giantkin that he had defeated only a few moments ago.
GAME: Razen rolls intimidate: (8)+10: 18
"Obviously you didn't bother them much," one corner of Aya’s mouth lifts, "or they were very tolerant..." Following Razen's firm suggestion, she adds, "More tolerant than those present. I suggest that you take his advice."
GAME: Razen rolls 1d6: (6): 6
Ga'Elian stands back and watches in awe as Razen turns positively frightening.
"Mmn.."
The gnomes seem incensed by Razen's attitude, not that they didn't expect it.
"Well.."
"Seems they have a defender or two here. Well, then."
"Just know we want the Bludgunni Giant. When he gets here, he'll be our's."
"Oh yes."
The five gnomes, dropping their glamor to reveal /just/ how heavily armed and armored they are, turn to depart.
Razen does not turn around or back down until the gnomes are gone, slapping the bared tattoo on his shoulder once and grinning as soon as they are gone. With that he lifts a fist. "Drinks all around!" The place cheers and he hands a pouch of coin to the waiter before picking up his own gear and slinging it over a shoulder. "With that - goodnight my comrades!"
Ga'Elian smirks at their departure and says, "Well, Razen, you showed them. Anyway, I think I'm ready to call it a night. See you later." He nods to Aya and the others then follows the gnomes out, at a discreet distance.
-End-