An Overture (Part 14)

When last we left our heroes, they were just finally arriving at their supposedly final destination of Happy VAlley. The gnomish town is covered in float passenger balloons, lifted by magicite. You've pushed further into the wealthy gnomish town to find a place to stay. This place is PACKED.

..with gnomes.

You continue to see Gnomes and their friends, the Xorns, moving through the city. Given the way no one makes light of the squat horrifyingly toothy monst ers, they're apparently a common enough sight here in town.

Davienne glances around as they move through the throngs of small people. Lips pursed her eyes are looking for two things: A food cart merchant and a reasonable inn. the former may just lead to finding the later.

Klaus is a bit nervous about the Xorns, but the gnomes and everyone seems to accept them as normal, so it's not like he's in any position to raise an issue. He, too, is looking for a decent inn that looks like rooms may be available.

Auranar looks... less than pleased. Though normally the elf is on the verge of smiling, all trace of such a smile has fled her lips, and she looks at the ongoings with more of an expression of tiredness. She follows in the wake of the others watchfully, trying to keep an eye on the man they're supposed to be guarding, and the other on everything else.

For his part, Tonyon is a little frightened of the Xorns. That's obvious. Sure, he's HEARD about the stories of Happy VAlley having earth elemental allies, but that is quite a different thin than seeing them up close, tri-radial symmetry and all. And teeth. So many teeth. ALL THE TEETH.

Before long, you've reached another inn, the second one of this long journey. This one is titled Tween Earth and the Stars".

Inside, it is PACKED. With gnomes. Gnomes from abroad who've come to see the festival.

In fact, aside from a couple of khazadi, you are the only non-gnomes present. It is, fortunately, not built for them alone. There's space for you.

Davienne eyes the inn and wrinkles her nose. "The place looks packed. doubtful they'd have two rooms, let alone one," She says as she peers through a window. Glancing at Tonyon she asks, "Was there a specific place we were going too?"

Klaus peers inside the inn, and sighs. Packed. The chance of there being has got to be pretty small. On the other hand, if everyone here is local, maybe there -are- a few rooms. He will head to the desk, if he can find it, and see about the rooms?

Auranar eyes the room and shakes her head. "Perhaps we should consider camping outside." She glances almost hopefully toward Tonyon. It will be harder to protect him with all these people about, and then there's the mimic...

It's true. The mimic could still be out there, despite the beating he received last time you forced him to disgorge Tonyon from inside the tree trunk.

Then again, who knows? It's a mimic.

Either way, Tonyon pauses and looks at Auranar, nodding. "But... they have /baths/," he complains.

This is hard logic to argue with. They do have baths. "Come on in," says the gnome from behind the (smaller) bar, waving at the lot of you. "Welcome to Happy VAlley, travellers!"

Davienne shrugs her shoulders and heads inside after the rest. Her eyes take in the room and many faces with great care. The khazadi get a longer look, but nothing hostile about it. "A bath would be nice," She agrees.

Klaus smiles to the Gnome, and says, "Thank you, Innkeeper. Do you have rooms? And baths? We would like both." He wouldn't know a mimic in this crowd until it struck, but hopefully a place this active will discourage the mimic, who seems to prefer acting where it won't be caught."

The pink-haired sildanyar only shakes her head and thinks to herself that a bath doesn't sound so bad. If one could be had given this crowd. Even among her own companions there would be something of a line. "Very well, we can try." It didn't hurt to try.

"You're in luck, anyway," says the gnome, with the kind of wisened experience of one who's dealt with adventurers aplenty, "Our rooms for big people haven't really gone yet. By rooms I mean 'room' and accommodations I mean 'you might be able to all squeeze in there'. Sorry. Most of our space is reserved for gnomish folk! But we have it. It exists." He offers a warm smile in your direction. "Here the festivities, are we? They're going to be grand! All manner of song and dance and fireworks and contests!"

Davienne glances at the others. She might even give Tonyon more of a side-eye. Sharing a room with this group wouldn't be that bad. But her lip only twitches a little at the thought. Instead she reaches out to pat, and maybe slightly push forward, Tonyon. "Oh indeed we are. Lord Tonyon has travelled far and through much to perform for it!"

Klaus looks to his companions in surprise, then nods to the gnome. "That sounds great," he says, though on hearing it's one room, he's not enthused. But he figures if we stay up on watch, we'll be sleeping in shifts anyhow. "And do you have baths?" he asks. Not that he needs one, he's had one already this month. But Tonyon seemed interested. He nods and will make room for Tonyon to make arrangements with the innkeeper.

Auranar looks at the gnome with a blank expression that only deepens into displeasure. "I am /not/ sharing a room." The words were final, and very clear. There was no way that anyone was convincing her to share a room with virtual strangers. She looks around at the little gathering of adventurers and it only hardens her resolve. "I will find a room elsewhere... or sleep outside."

"Don't worry! There are privacy partitions!" The gnome offers. As if this might help.

... it really doesn't.

He lays a finger against the side of his nose in thought. "Ah! Wait! No! I have it! I know where you can get separate rooms! And you're going to perform?" he eyes Tonyon skeptically.

Tonyon manages to muster up a smile.

He does not look thoroughly pleased, but you know... this IS what he says he's here to do.

Klaus shrugs as Auranar states her point with conviction. "Have you seen how packed this place is? You'll be lucky to find a place outside that's more private than a room crammed with people." He considers, "Though some of the other inns might have the large rooms open like this does, if they haven't rented them out. I'd feel better if you took someone with you, though," he adds, eying Davienne.

Davienne glances at the Innkeeper as he seems to have an answer. one brow raises and she asks, "I can put a bedroll on the floor of a smaller room if any are actually available. but what is your thought, good sir?" She notes Klaus' look and nods her agreement. No going alone.

Auranar lifts an eyebrow at Klaus. "I can handle myself in a city." She looks at Tonyon though, considering him. "Though I would prefer if we were all together, I will not share a room." There are just some things that can not be negotiated. "Perhaps you could tell us more about this place you know sir?"

"Yes!" The gnomish barkeep explains, "One of my customers, Edison Fullbrightsmiles, was here last week. He was searching for people to patronize for the upcoming festivities! He might still be looking. He and a few others. Perhaps if you can impress him with your talents, master Tonyon, he might be willing to put you up for the night! And then you can perform tomorrow at Happy Valley Cultural Appreciation Center?"

Oh gods.

Tonyon is white as a sheet. "Y-yes. I also have wine. A gift for the mayor. VEry good wine."

"Oh, excellent!"

Klaus is confused by Auranar's reply. "How can we be together if you won't share a room?" he wonders, but he's not expecting a reply. He -is- expecting to share a room, and to possibly wind up on the floor. That's fine, he's had worse. The bits about a patron or sponsor sound good, so he will give Tonyon an encouraging smile. "There you go, sir, it'll work out well."

Davienne smiles at Tonyon and gives his shoulder what is meant to be a reassuring squeeze. Leaning over she gently whispers in his ear, "Breathe. It'll be fine." Then more loudly says, "That seems a fine potentiality indeed."

"I agree. This sounds fortuitous." She eyes Klaus for a moment, then lowers her voice toward him. "Under the same roof, but in separate rooms would be most preferable." That sounds like the best that they could hope for to her. "Or around a single campfire but in separate tents."

"Well, EXCELLENT then! Master Morning Fullbrightsmiles lives in the lowertown, in one of the larger states there. You're more than welcome to use the transporter to get down there. First time, right? Enjoy!"

He wiggles his fingers at you, clearly expecting you to be off to do ust that.

Klaus ohs to Auranar, and nods, "I see. It makes it harder to keep watch, but I guess I'm used to the army, where you share a tent with the people in your squad and don't get to choose, but keeping watch is more important anyhow." But for now, it's to the ... "Transporter?" This somehow is not boding well in his mind. "How do we get to this transporter?" he asks hesitantly.

Davienne nods and asks pertinent direction details of the man about Fullbrightsmiles, she doesn't quite manage to note look amused at the name, from the Innkeeper. "Transporter?" That needs directions to it too. Then? Then she is happy to help steer the stage-frightened Tonyon towards his potential patron. "Shall we?"

Since the other two have already asked for directions to the transporter there is no need for Auranar to do the same. Instead she heads back toward the door, meaning to clear a path for the clearly terrified Tonyon. As she does this she mumbles to herself about the state of the military if it trains people to sleep all together in a single tent.

"Well, if I have a patron, I guess I'll be some kind of 'real bard', right?" remarks Tonyoin, wryly amused and obviously entirely anxious about this news. 'Anxious' is putting it mildly, actually. He's terrified. To be fair, he's trying not to look it.

All the same, you're soon on your way through crowded town streets as gnomish performers juggle, dance, do fancy illusions of a huge variety of things and more for onlookers. It's actually quite lovely, much of the time, when it's not horrifying because gnomes. Before long, you're directed towards what looks like a large, covered metal platform that sits upon a corner with an elaborate artifice control apparatus manned by an armed, gnomish guard.

"Hullo," he offers when you arrive. "Needing a lift to lowertown?"

Klaus follows along as we go through the streets, and watches the horrifying gnomes with interest. As we wind up at the platform, he looks on with amazement. "And this will just take us there? Fantastic!" He'll step aboard. He's a bit naive about gnomes and artifice, but he'll learn, if he survives.

Davienne watches some of the performances as they go along. Keeping a quiet eye on Tonyon more than anything. with a nod to the wagoner she says, "Aye, lowertown." And once aboard? That is when she turns to Tonyon and asks, "What has you so...worried? Anything I can do to help?"

The contraption she sees makes no sense to Auranar, but like Klaus she knows very little about artifice so... There's little to do but to stride forward and join her fellows in heading toward their next destination. And if she's evesdropping on Davienne's words to Tonyon? Who would blame her?

The contraption is soon whirring to life as you all pile aboard and then it begins to descend beneath the earth. Evidently, it's not unlike the cliffside lifts that sit inside Alexandria offering transport down to the docks for shipping and personal conveyance, merely taking you underground instead. You are briefly plunged into darkness before the lights seem to turn on and you find yourself overlooking *another* township down below you, mined out beneath Happy VAlley. It's not quite a mirror image of the one above, but close enough. It's clear that this is the /wealthier/ part of town, too, with vast glowing mushroom gardens and villas and estates that are quite large.

Happy Valley is /wealthy/.

Tonyon shakes his head. HE's not going to talk about it here and now.

Klaus looks impressed as he realizes where we've been taken. "Extraordinary!" he gasps quietly as he takes it all in. The momentary dark was a bit worrying, but now that he can see, it's all pretty cool. He will follow along wherever we're supposed to go. Nominally, he's still on guard duty, but this place has got to be pretty safe, right?

Davienne says, "Hard to help when you are not want to talk, but I'll let ya be," Davienne says with a shrug of a shoulder. when the contraption plunges below the earth her eyes go wide and she grips her seat. "Oh!" Is her only comment on the underground town. But her expression shows a hint of awe."

Auranar is as amazed as any of the others by the experience of being shown the world from a whole new perspective. The wealthy homes make her eyes narrow somewhat, but she shakes off something inside her own mind and waits for them to land before fixing her rumpled clothes. For a moment its clear that she's much more used to wearing skirts than pants as the motion is more skirt-smoothing than pants. She sighs.

"It's just... not here," says Tonyon, not much liking the closed space of the elevator, though his eyes are wide. He's rich, but to dig like this and to have that many estates, it's a whole OTHER level of wealth.

He smiles at Davienne, though

SOon, the lift sets down and he steps off it a bit unsteadily. According ott he directions, Fullbrightsmiles isn't all that far from you and you're making your way along gently sloping cobblestone streets, decorated with murals kept meticulously clean.

The murals are of various gnomish miners and their Xorn compatriots doing various things, a reminder of the working gnome that has brought them this fabulous wealth. On a sign reads 'Never forget upon whose shoulders you stand'.

If Happy Valley is anything, 'class conscious' might be it, despite the wealth.

Of course, whether that's anything more than skin deep remains to hbe seen. You arrive at the estate, a wrought metal gate fit for a gnome and besides it ANOTHER wrought metal gate for 'Visitors'.

Clearly, this one is for Big People. Like you. Behind them sit a large villa, a doorway set its front that's shaped like... a tooth?

Skribbles has arrived.

Davienne nods and returns his smile. Letting it be is something she is quite skilled at as a trapper. As they wind their way to the estate she remains quiet, eyeing the sites as they go. But when they get to their destination she just stares. "Is...is that a tooth?" She asks as she eyes the odd door.

Klaus will make his way to the gate for the big people, not sure what to make of the class consciousness. But hopefully it won't impact him - he's just a visitor, and he likely won't be here that long. He will approach the doorway with the others, letting Tonyon lead, but staying close on his left side.

Skribbles also goes to the door for big people, because her ego will not let her walk through a mere "gnome" door. Besides, party seperation is never a good thing despite what Lord Fred of the Mystery Machine Inc. constantly says. When Davienne points out the tooth, she shakes her head and smiles wide to show off her sharp teeth, "Mine are better."

Auranar moves a bit closer to Tonyon, both to reassure him and also to ensure that he doesn't bolt out of fear. He looks a bit like he might and she's hopeful that this'll work out. "Just remember to breathe." She tells him quietly, eyes on the gate.

"Carved to look like anyone," says the gnome who's been with Tonyon since the beginning.

Tonyon nods to AUranar's words, grateful, explaining to Davienne, "It's just nerves," he tells her, "I've never had the steadiest of them. You know?" He lets out a heavy sigh.

Davienne nods her head and seems to think for a time. "Well, what steadies them? Maybe instead try and think of that when the jitters come?" She offers. "You know what I imagine when I'm nervous? the other person as a cat. Kitten usually." Then she lifts her hand to knock upon the door.

Klaus gives Tonyon an encouraging clap on the shoulder, and assures him, "You'll be fine, eh? You've had the courage it takes to get here, from here out, it's all easy." Hopefully. He eyes Tonyon, and hopes really hard.

Skribbles watches the others give Tonyon some words of encouragement while secretly inside she knows that Tonyon will most likely be eaten by something covered in fur and with sharp teeth sometime in the near future. She smiles to Tonyon though and gives him a hearty thumbs up with a smile.

Auranar doesn't hold out as much hope for Tonyon as most of her companions. Really he seems pretty cowardly when it comes to his music. At least from what she's seen so far. She doesn't add anything; she's already said her bit, she just waits patiently for someone to answer the gate door. Hopefully sometime soon.

"Oh, yes. I've definitely survived this far, what, with being eaten by mimics and all. And everything else." Tonyon moves with the others towards the door and then lets the gnome knock upon it with its knocker loudly.

THUD THUD THUD.

The door opens after a few minutes, another gnome standing on the other side dressed in excellent quality servant's clothes.

"Your business, sirs."

There is then explanation between the two gnomes on the matter and you're soon being lead inside.

....there is more tooth-related architecture inside, along with a LOT of paintings of smiles, and teeth in various states... Oh no. You're in the home of that most terrible villain, that most gruesome of occupations, that most traumatizing of experiences...

... you're in the home of a *dentist*.

Klaus shrugs off the mimics. "You got out, right? You overcame. You'll do the same with each obstacle. That's what victory is all about. Overcoming each obstacle in turn." The dentist's home is wildly disturbing, and he's not feeling hugely steady, himself, but he will try to put on a good face in front of Tonyon. If he doesn't .... the Dentist. *shiver*

Davienne takes just a little step back when the decorations hit her. The half-sil pressing her lips into a thin line. Might be someone had a bad experience once. "Ah, Our employer, Lord Tonyon, is here to play for Master SMILEBRIGHT

"For Master Smilebright. In the hopes of earning patronage."

Auranar blinks at the decorations, but really it doesn't click for her what his occupation is by the fact that he has so many teeth-related objects laying around. If anything she's vaguely concerned that he's obsessed with teeth. For... some reason. No stranger than anything else that his race is known for pursuing really. She's careful not to touch anything, making her way through the house with care.

-TBC