Dinner with Rocky

Log Info

• Title: Dinnery with Rocky
• Emitter: Rocky
• Characters: Rocky, Braelnoir, Cryosanthia
• Place: A03 The Tarrace
• Time: Wednesday, June 23, 2021, 11:35 PM
• Summary: Rocky and Braelnoir are having dinner in the Tarrace when Cryosanthia arrives with Lily. Cryo has, for some reason, chosen to disguise herself as a carnation scale also, one with tremdously oversized horns. No explanation is given as the now pink-scale relays her day. Largely, it was seeing off the funeral boat and running errands for Cesran which did not pan out into an expedition. She's tired, and worried, and has big horns. Lily is quite enthused with the meal, and Braelnoir is tucking into meat, even though Rocky advises her that vegetables are necessary. The merc insists she's eating well, leaving an opening for Cryo to tell the tale of her killing a fire lizard, except the pinkscales energy is low and she doesn't make the connection. She does thank Rocky for being, his existence giving her hope that not all is lost. Some tragedies of the past can be reduced.

-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-<* The TarRaCe *>--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

Inside, this two-story structure has been almost completely opened up. Generous windows on both stories allow daytime sunlight and cooling night breezes to flow in as needed, while the brick walls have been whitewashed - contrasting with the dark-stained beams and supports, and the rich polish on the wooden floor. A broad strip of stone runs from the entrance to a framed doorway set into the opposite wall, with a sign above the lintel declaring that the baths are to be found that way.

The ground floor is sprinkled with tables and chairs of assorted sizes, offering welcome to guests both large and small. One whole corner of the building - into which guests are not permitted entry - has been given over to the kitchen, which serves as the domain of the famed monster chef Ligum Serforus. Mundane meals are available, but the chef delights in offering up obscure dishes made from the freshest of monster ingredients.

Opposite the kitchen a small bar runs in front of an array of shelves, displaying a broad selection of beverages (most of them alcoholic). The bar-top has been fashioned from what looks to have been old pieces of armor, fused and welded together before being polished to provide a near-smooth finish. Set above it, three human-sized statues have been built into an alcove in the wall: Tarien, Rada and Ceinara jointly keep benevolent watch over the room and its occupants.

To the right of the entrance, a small stage offers a platform for a handful of performers at a time. To the left of the door, a spiral staircase of wrought iron winds its way up to a balcony dining area, that is chiefly reserved for special events and parties.

-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  Appearing, in Order -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Braelnoir    5'11"    146 Lb     Human             Female    A tall, pale Acanian woman, branded in silver.
Rocky        6'8"     460 Lb     Sith-Makar        Male      A grey Sith in armor, bit like a statue.
Cryosanthia  6'9"     291 Lb     Sith-Makar        Female    A dashingly tall, elegant white-scaled lizard woman.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  NPCs of Note  =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Little Fang 'Lily'               Kobold            Female    A pinkscale youngling in a bathing suit, Cryo's daughter.
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Low Country Boil, take a mix of crawdads, crab legs, clams, corn cob, and veggies, toss it all in a bucket, boil well, drain the water, and set the bucket out for eating. Good variety, fairly cheap, and typically enough to feed a small family. Rocky is about halfway through his third bucket, and is just starting to slow. Takes a lot of food to feed a big lizard.

The night finds Brae in the mood for grub she doesn't have to kill herself, and perhaps just a bit more exotic than what the Fern's offering for tonight. She's forsaken armour and her larger weapons, bringing only those enclosing her fist or sheathed on her belt. Spying the big Sith in the midst of a power chow-down, the Korite makes her way over that way, holding up a palm in greeting with a, "Hello, River Stone, you are well?" <Draconic>

Rocky chuffs happily, cracking open a crab leg with blunted fangs, slurping out the sweet meat inside and tossing the shell into a fair pile before nodding. "This One is quite well. Long hike this morning, work up good appetite. Found no bandits, but spoke with many travelers." <draconic>

Two carnation scaled Sith'Makar enter, a woman and a child. The child is quite small, but instantly recognizeable as Little Fang. The woman with her would be Cryosanthia, presumably.

Disguised as a pink version of herself, with a different style of horns. Extravagantly big horns. She would be well blessed if they were real. As a disguise, they're a bit blatant.

Carefully maneuvering herself and her horns over, she sits at the table. "Peace on your nests. Good to see you both." <draconic> The Korite grins broad and warm, nodding and replies, "Best to stay in condition. Did you discuss anything exciting?"" <Draconic>

She draws out a chair and settles in, then raises a hand to flag down a waitress.

The pink invasion brings an eyebrow up momentarily, then at the sound of her sister's voice, she grins more impishly, "Ya know what m'religion is, right?" she quips with a wink, then, "How ya been luvs?"

Rocky chuffs happily again, tail thumping lightly as the others approach. The scales might be different, but the walk is the same. Grabbing a fresh crab leg from the bucket, the warrior cracks the shell before holding it out to the youngling. "Careful. Is hot." Turning focus to Brae, he shakes his head. "Weather, road conditions, bandit reports. Plesant, but forgetable."

"Yes?" The larger pinkscale tilts her head to the side. It's a wonder she can hold her head up at all. Those horns are massive. They're decorated too, little bands of black and grey metals, that emphasize the rosy colour. It's possibly the biggest rack Braelnoir has ever seen on a Sith'makar, and conceivably so for Rocky as well. "This one thought Kor was more red-themed."

"Tiass Braess." There's a small pinkscale hugging a leg. She hisses in draconic, "River Sstone!." There is a small impact on Rocky's side., She sniffs loudly, carefully taking the crab leg. "Crabss!"

Braelnoir snerks, "Very red." she concedes and reaches out to bump Cryo's shoulder with her safe knuckles.

She twists in her seat and takes the little pink head between her palms to plant a kiss on the colorful scales, "Little Fang, your scales are lovely today." <Draconic>

Then it's back to Rocky for a nod, "Any trouble out there needs solvin'?"

"Thansss!" Lily crunches away on the crab leg, moving back to Braelnoir and getting some garlic butter on her leg. She's pulled the meat out of the shell, but it crunching away at the shell too. Perhaps the chiton tastes good. "Ssassa smells funny." She tells Braelnoir.

Rocky keeps an eye on Lily, sure shes quite able to handel the hot food, but cautious anyway. Peering a few moments at the large rack on display, he snorts approval. "Look nice. Heavy, but nice." Asecond snort, and he shakes his head to Brae. "Nothing new. Talk of harpy in northern trails, but nothing specific. May just be traveler, glimpsed eaglerin, or flcok making plans. Too soon to say."

Braelnoir smiles, "Yer welcome, luv!" the human returns warmly, though she glances down at herself as she is embuttered. She shrugs, then swings her attention toward her sister as her neice brings certain news to light, "Y'alright, Cryo?" Sniff-sniff?

Rocky's answer brings her eyes his way again and she nods, "Yer probly right, luv. Word o'someone goin missin' or livestock mysteriously gettin' butchered'll probably tell the tale in time if there's atchally a problem."

"Thanks!" Cryo almost echoes Lily, and grins at Rocky. "It's just a disguise, they're the same size they've always been. Large, but not impossible. It makes it easier to hide my wing-spars when they're like this."

"Harpys huh? This one hasn't heard good things about them."

Cryo's particular scent is strong, not entirely unattractive, but definitely distinctive in a 'notice me' sort of way. She leans on the table, "So the Funeral boat went out today with the Nek'sektoth. This one was not on it."

Rocky scoops a few clams out of the bucket, prying them open as much with stubby claws as with the blunt knife meant for the task. "Ssaaa, funeral boat. This One heard was leaving, but was too far out to join. Know little of sea burial anyway."

"This one does not either." Cryo says, sighing some more and leaning on the table further supporting herself. She shakes her head, "Those poor women. Did you know Sahuagin females lay 200 eggs at a time in deep underwater chambers, then leave them to hatch and murder each other, and they come to collect the strongest a year later?"

"This one didn't. This one thought 4 in a clutch would be challenging." The pinkscale rambles. "Cesran told me. He was researching their funeral rites. We didn't find out anything. Only weird stuff like that."

"Dumping them over the side might be all they expect. The only thing I'm certain, they don't burn their dead like we do."

Braelnoir looks to the waitress and says, "Slab o'steak? More exotic th'better. If ya got Manticore, that'd be great! Ahh, seared outside, bloody's hell inside an' spice it up hot. An' a pitcher o'beer if ya would, luvvie? An' some veggies I guess."

That done, she looks her sister over again and, "The who now? Someone we know?"

Rocky falls still for a long moment. "...200? That is... many younglings." He chuffs softly, giving Braelnoir the mildest of disapproving looks. "Veggies are important."

The pinkscale, the larger one, shakes her head, "No. A Ner'Sektoth, or Sahuagin as Alexandrians call them, are distant scale-cousins of the Sith'makar. They are also Children of the Flame, but have forgotten."

"They are violent, aggressive, with a brutally hierachial society. The often mutate, grow extra arms and such. They may have 200 younglings, but theirs are like paranah, and sealed up eat each other to ensure only the strongest become the next generation."

Cryo smiles awkwardly, "the one that was caught in the fisher's net was fearsome. This one wonders if we seem that way to softskins. Aryia defeated it. We thought throwing it overboard was too callous, and Seyardu wished to properly honour him."

"I doubt I'm any o'that." Brae remarks blandly as she settles back in her seat, "Well, ok, violent an' aggressive I'll grant."

She makes a little wrinkle of her nose at 'softskins', but, "That's nice of'r... Honorin' a worthy enemy's a thing, but... back in the Stride, we weren't much on all'at. I didn't think much o'the enemy dead at all. Not till Brakka. Till Merkahah."

The Korite looks to Rocky and shrugs, "Yeah... yeah, I know... just... since I got changed, I been really leanin' in on meat." she explains, then upnods to her sister, "She'll tell ya."

"She has," Cryo grins happily, showing off all her teeth. She wobbles her head towards her scale-sister, "this one is sure you are not related. They are... ugly."

Lily has returned to Rocky, holding her little clawed hands up for more legs. She waves so he'll see her.

"This one thinks Seyardu was feeling guilty." Cryo says, "She is very generous and dedicated to the Nest Mother to the Stars, and strives to emulate that. Perhaps, she felt she didn't do enough, somehow."

"Like this one did, with those Kobolds, so long ago. There was meaning to me in it, when there noramlly wouldn't be."

Rocky chuffs and nods. "Dead are important. Remember, honor what came before. But not more than those who live." He nods in understanding to the Korrite. "Meat is good. Very good. But veggies still important." Following his own words, the greyscale gnaws on a cob of corn. Alerted to the presence of a hungry youngling, he scoops from the bucket, offering a handful of crawdads. Tiny tiny lobsters. Sort of.

A nod, "Yeah... I... had ta bring them poor bastards out once we realized what... who they were." Brae replies softly, the entire business with the Corpse Wagon still a tender spot for the merc.

She ruffles Lily's headscales as the kobold is in reach, and answers Rocky with a, "Yes, daddy." cast in a playful tone and her take on a posh accent, back in her former humor.

Lily takes the kobold-sized lobsters. She may actually have eaten these with her tribe. She promptly sits down and starts shelling it, knowing exactly what to do.

"Vegetables are not bad. This one has them. Fruits are nice also." Cryo says. "Anyhow, I couldn't go with the boat because Cesran said we might investigate the leylines today, but then that was cancelled. They had all ready left."

And... yeah. She shakes her head, "That stuff, that thing, that was a terrible place. You blew it up. You did what you could."

Rocky snorts quietly and squints at Brae. Little Sister's sister should be an easy enough line to follow, but the kinship isn't quite there. 'Cousin', maybe.

Braelnoir grins and turns to look as the waitress brings her order, "Oh, bless ya, luvvie, yer just in time!" There's a small handful of coins slipped onto the girl's tray, and the Korite sits straighter in her seat. Ready to commence the assault.

She looks between the members of her family, "Sorry ya couldn't make it, luv. Could... always write a song'r something if ya need?"

"This one might. This one did not feel the strong attachment." Cryo admits, "and I think their songs would be mostly screaming and rage. I will have to see how the ceremony went, and what Seyardu and Aryia say about it."

The pinkscale exhales, "She's still not looking good. Whatever spell those devils hit Merek with, she's worn and stressed since. And he..."

She shakes her head, "he was telling me about memory spells. As if this one did not live with Salina for decades and have her mind diced by them. Head so much in the clouds."

"No matter. This one is tired also. Or something." Something that makes her smell strange.

Rocky chuffs, nudges the bucket towards Little Sister. "Eat. All is better with full stomach. Maybe not good, but better."

Cryosanthia takes the bucket and dips her nose low into it, inhaling the smell. She seems tired, those illusionary horms seem realistically heavy. She's be travelling a lot, trying to stay on top of things. Too many things. "These will. They smell good."

She pulls out some crabs and starts cracking them. Lily, hearing the sound of available food comes around, and is passed chunk. "Thank you River Stone. This one is so glad you're here. You give me hope."

Braelnoir starts to cut into her meal, some kind of exotic creature that smells of vegetation's musk of 'I don't want to be food!'. As her request, as the knife carves through the scorched crust of the outside, the juices flow forth and she sighs in contentment at the smell.

"Never did get t'that swim, luv." she notes, glance between the Sith and kobold, ending back on Cryo, "Let's cut us a quiet day outta the schedule and getcha some relaxation."

Rocky nods, tail thumping on the floor. "Is important to care for self. No one else is better qualified to know you."

"This is truth." Cryo says, sitting upright. "We should, you too River Stone, a family swim, soon. The Tornmawr is lovely right now.

Lily taps, looking for more crab.

"Yes Little Fang, here. Eat and grow strong."

Braelnoir nods, hastily chewing down a hunk of... whatever the hell the waitress was able to scare up for her and she swallows about half her bite, tucking the rest in her cheek to talk out the other corner of her mouth, "Sweet! I'll pack light." She glances at the Sith and sets a couple little chunks of her meal on their plates, "Y'gotta try this... yer alright with spicey, right?"