Chilli Chips and Chippen
Log Info
- Title: Chilli Chips and Chippen
- Emitter: Ashes
- Characters: Ashes, Braelnoir, Carver, Slixvah, Zofija
- Place: A07: Fernwood Pub
- Time: Tuesday, March 22, 2022, 10:16 PM
- Summary: Ashes and Zofija have a date for drinks in the Fernwood. Ashes misunderstands and brings Braelnoir along, as well as party supplies. Supplies from a Vardaman wake, but the thought was there. Slixvah and Carver notice and join, and then depart. The Arvek Nars continue to talk about their animal companions and adventures until Ashes has to leave for prayers.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-<* A07: Fernwood Pub *>--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-
The common room of the Fernwood Pub dominates the inn, spacious and airy because of the high, vaulted ceiling. Ornately carved beams of dark, polished wood form a lattice overhead, supporting the arched roof two storeys above the floor. To the right of the double-door entry is a spiral staircase, winding upwards to a balcony that rings and overlooks the main area. Large windows at this level grant an excellent view of the river to the west and colorful market stalls to the north and east. An air of coziness is salvaged by keeping the pub dimly lit; parchment-shrouded mana lanterns hang at intervals from the base of the balcony, nestled amongst lush, magically propagated ivy and ferns that grow over this false demi-ceiling and the struts that support it.
The bar is sleek and simple, comprised of meticulously polished black lacquer. Tables are set under the darker niches formed by the balcony floor as well as on the balcony itself. A few are deliberately sized to accommodate halflings and gnomes, but the majority are meant for human-sized individuals. A large common table is on the main floor, set before a semi-circular stage situated against the western wall. Beside it, with pipes mounted upon the wall and running up past the balcony and almost to the ceiling, is a refurbished pipe organ made to look like the one lost when the Fernwood was destroyed during the Merkabah Siege.
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-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Appearing =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ashes 5'11" 177 Lb Hobgoblin Female A somber arvec in grey clothes with a skull face. Braelnoir 5'11" 146 Lb Human Female A tall, pale Acanian woman, branded in silver. Carver 5'7" 133 Lb Human Female A plain-faced woman with a brown top knot. Slixvah 5'8" 130 Lb Eaglefolk Female A rust red and white Egalrin covered in veils, ribbons, and shawls. Zofija 5'8" 225 Lb Hobgoblin Female A well-dressed Arvek-Nar with a big hammer. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Watching from under a table -=-=-=-= Jinks 3'4" 39 Lb Gnome Male A gnomish fellow in fancy garb and jewelry. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=
It's cold outside.
The wind is from the west, driving dark clouds before it, blotting out the stars overhead. Elsewhere they glitter brightly in the dark sapphire sky. It's ominous and beautiful at the same time.
It's still warm enough that the Fernwood has opened some windows, and the mage lights and chandelier candles cast a cosy glow around the wooden interior.
Seated at a table near the stairs, almost underneath the stairs, is a grey toned Arvek Nar in similarly shaded clothing. She has a small defensive wall of cards spread in a half circle in front of her. Fortune cards, with a complicated pattern on the back.
Ashes was invited out for drinks, and possibly food, and misunderstood the intention behind the invitation because of course she did. She's asked others to join her and waits while they do. Perhaps this is the mythical thing hinted at in the Vardama pamphlets: a party. For celebration, not adventuring.
She's not good at organizing parties either.
Zofija was almost worried that the other Arvek-nar would not want to end up going, but even if that was the case, it wouldn't be too bad, as she would already be at the pub to drink some of her concerns away. So when she reached the door of the building, there was a slightly awkward nervousness to her before she looked around, and found Ashlee at the table near the stairs. She steps over to the table, pulling a chair out and hanging her hat and overcoat on it before she sat down. "Hey, wasn't sure if you were going to show up, but glad you did. Are you doing some fortune telling?" Zofi asks, gesturing to the cards. "And uh, course, it's alright if I sit down here, right?"
One such soul that wasn't invited was that of a white and rust red feathered Egalrin woman. She's coming down the stairs, whistling some tune softly to herself as she goes before she spies a familiar Nar and a not so familiar one. "Oh hey muscl- ooh! Are those what I think they are!" she coos, skipping down the steps. "I just love those things!"
With the invitation came some acceptance, and the venue made the commute manageable.
Neither contracted, nor on campaign, an Acanian woman sits with Ashes, clad in a black one shouldered corselette and pleated kilt of black leather, paired with overknee boots to match. Hair of spun mercury is bound folded back on itself, but still drapes her seatback nearly to the floor. While most of her martial accoutrements are absent, she still bears the frogged weapons' belt that bears her Aesirian warhammer, and an anachronistic longblade.
Because Korite.
The human looks up as the new souls find their way to their table, blinking once, then, after a glance to Ashes, shrugs and gestures to the free seats at the table, "Sure, luvvie, make y'self cozy."
Ashes looks up, nods to Zofija, an awkward stillness hiding nervousness or any other emotion she might be feeling. Her makeup is fresh, seems recently applied, perhaps within the hour. There's a happy bee that seems to be flying out of one of her ears. On the opposite cheek is a silvery scale-pattern. Something fishy.
She nods to the question, echoing Braelnoir's answer. There are more questions, which she addresses in order, "Yes. Yes."
Her head turns, she stares at Slixvah, her eyes peering out of the black sockets of her skull-marked face. "Yes." There's a moment of confusion as she counts. Did she miss a question? No. All things have been answered.
"I brought some hats." She sets a small stack of what appear to be paper fezzes, a dark in colour with the Grey Lady's scales in silver on the front. These have come from some funerary-wake mass, without a doubt.
She places the small stack in the middle of the table, beyond the border of cards she uses to mark her territory.
Carver stirred with a snort, the young lady wiping at her eyes as sleep that almost took her is shaken off. Blinking rapidly, she picks up her mug to find the beer warm and suddenly unappealing. She pushes it away with a grumpy sigh, instead focusing on the nearby faces for anyone familiar or unusual.
"Well, good to see you, Ashlee." Zofija greets, offering the other Arvek-nar a smile as she scratched at one of her ears for a moment. "The face paint looks nice by the way, I like the silver."
Her attention turned to Braelnoir, and she cants her head, realizing someone else was there when she was preoccupied getting herself seated. "Ah! One of Ashlee's friends? Wasn't expecting you, but hey, good to meet you." She greets, offering a hand. "Skyguard Zofija Vogt."
And more people came by. She looked up to the stairs, and grins. "Hey, Slix! Good to see you. Finally coming up for air?" She teases, before pointing out the person nearby. "That lady there, she was with me at the Ox-strength the other day. If you ever need someone to watch your back in a brawl, she's good for it."
"And, hats? Sure, why not, if you're offering." Zofi grins, taking one of the paper crowns. "Nice of you to offer."
Slixvah glances between the two Nar before a brisk realization crosses her eyes. She chirps, "The cards! I love em! And what cute hats!" She swipes one and dons it without hesitation before the winged woman slides into a chair next to the human.
She looks her over. "My goodness! Your hair is lovely, sugar!" she hums happily, shooting a glance to Zofi and giving a knowing, sly wink. "Hey muscles, yes I am!"
"Braelnoir" comes the Acanian's reply, leaning forward to clasp hands, "Nice t'meetcha luvvie!"
Upon release, she twists to look barward with a, "Bill? Round fer th'table, if ya would?"
Upon the Elgarin's compliment, she smiles with a, "Thanks, luvvie, so, ya can throw down, huh?"
A grin spreads, "Good t'know, reckon the Ox ain't been properly turned upside down recently enough an' someone maybe oughta see to't!"
Wink.
Carver pauses as she spots a finger pointing her way, ever-so-briefly going crosseyed, before recognizing in return. She gives a tentative wave of greeting but drags her lukewarm beer closer to down it with one gulp.
"Thanks." Ashes says, staring at Zofija and pulling her shoulders back when she smiles. Ashes doesn't smile. It's not that she can't, theoretically. She was told never to, and... well... never has.
"Okay." She says in flat monotone, glancing at Carver. Throwing down in bars is another one of those things she hasn't done. "Mourner Ashlee Ciaradh," she offers, since names seem to be exchanging.
"I get a lot of practice painting corpses." This is mourner small talk. She remains staring at Zofija while a house centipede crawls out of one of her sleeves and stares at her in turn. Her attention shifts and some communication appears to be occurring with the large bug. Oh. Don't talk about work. Right. "This is my familiar, Chippen."
Zofi picks out an orange har that almost matches her skin, shifting to make sure it was secure in her hair before nodding to Braelnoir. "I was going out for drinks with Ashlee, but seems to turned into something else. That's alright though." Zofi chuckles. "I can at least pay for two of us, but I really shouldn't be buying rounds for more than that really."
"You paint corpses for vardaman duties, I guess? I know people do that sometimes. Makes sense the skills are interchangeable."
Zofija reaches into her bag when she sees the centipede, and pulls out a dried cricket she offers the insect. "Hey Chippen, good to see you again too. Hey Slix, you should show Ash Fiadh! I'm sure she'd like them." The Arvek-nar suggests.
Slixvah chuckles in a trill. "Throw down fists? Absolutely not. Drinks? Nope! This bird's a lightweight! People? Well, heh, talk with me later," she hums, adjusting her not-party hat some. "Name's Slix, sugar!"
She gives a little shrug. "Last I went to the Ox, I was hanging upside down from a rope."
Ah, so this was the Nar! Slixvah gets a glimmer in her eye and turns. "Ooh, a familiar! I'm a little familiar toting gal myself. Zofi though is way better at it than me. You seen the /size/ of that beast she's tamed?" she raves. At the suggestion, Slix nods slowly and quietly reaches into a pocket on her shirt, pulling out a tiny, palmed sized thrush. They're fast asleep." She's a sleepy bab."
The silver tressed human grins, then reaches out to bump knuckles against Ashes' arm, "'ey luv, gonna run up m'room fer a bit, think I fergot something."
She rises then, throwing a smile to the gathered ladies before she polishes off her tankard and slams it, as custom demands, to the table.
"Have fun, be back in a bit!"
As Braelnoir is moving stairward, the bouncy half-sil server is making her way to the table.
"Okay." Ashes bumps knuckles back on Braelnoir's arm. Her hand has stylized bones on it, markings on her skin. Makeup, a tattoo, or strange vitiligo. Her eyes follow the merc as she heads for the stairs then return to the group at the table.
"What does her name mean?" She asks directly, staring at Fiadh, then looking between the small bird and the larger bird person, and back. It's like having goblins, but not. "I have an owl."
She looks back at Zofija, nodding. "It's a beautiful gryphon. I don't have a horse."
"Tattoos are really interesting Ash, I like what you did with them." The Arvek-nar compliments with a gesture to one of the hands, only to stop when she realized how long she was looking, and instead look to Braelinoir as she was getting up to leave.
"Oh, good to meet you Braelnoir, wasn't expecting you to head off for now, but hopefully I'll still be around to see you when you're back." Zofi chuckles, waving to the acanian before she is off. She looks to the thrush as they're shown, and sighs. "Aw, sleeping again today. Ah well, if they need it, they need it."
"And yeah, I spend nearly as much time taking care of Screech as they do preening sometimes, they're pretty proud, griffons." She adds with another chuckle. "You're welcome to see them anytime Ashlee, go for a ride even, they wouldn't mind."
Carver downs the drink then slowly slumps over on the table again. She's sleepier than she thought.
Slixvah waves bye to the merc, watching her leave for a spell before turning back to the table. She giggles. "Derivative of the concept of good luck and wisdom. And, I thought it was a cute name. Sorry muscles, maybe next time!"
She pockets the bird just as they start to stir, them chirping a complaint before resuming their slumber. "An owl? HoooOoooOow interesting! Hehe."
"Oh! Yes! An evening flight from the mountains sounds like a good idea! "she chirps, glancing to Zofi with a wink.
Ashes follows the glance and a wink. She nods. "Nan Mochtrath made them." Oh, she's talking about her tattoos. "Braelnoir lives here."
Some more nodding as her thoughts digress into how birds preen and clean their feathers. She's instantly curious if there are particular insights that Slixvah might be able to provide. She hasn't known many Egalrin, none on an adventuring level. Still, those are personal questions. She knows not to raise them. "I know how to groom a horse."
All Arvek Nar should.
"I don't own a real horse." She admits. Unsure of where the conversation is going and not wanting to be left behind she adds, "I can fly with a spell. We could fly together."
"Nan Mochtrath? Who is that? If they're around here, I always thought it would be interesting to get one, maybe something for my days in the skyguard." Zofi asks as the elven waitress comes by with her drink and those for the others there. "Braelnoir went upstairs, I'll cover the drinks for now." She says to them before they are off. "It's good to know how to take care of animals, what with how many you have. Grooming a griffon isn't that much different. Well, half of it is, a lot of the practices with horses transfer to a lion apparently, just don't need to reshoe them." She explains, before she can give the idea more thought following a swig of her drink. Zofi rubs at one of her ears for a moment before she nods. "Well, Screech can handle two people easy enough, but, they're not old enough to have the wing strength for actual flight yet. That would be fun though, if you wanted to join me."
Slixvah nods along politely, glancing between the two Nar. "Don't worry sugar, I don't even know how to ride a horse! Though, try a ride on Screech! It's fun!"
She perks up, pretending to hear something as she cranes her neck over towards the other corner of the pub,and rises. "Some friends just came in loves, going to go say hi! I'm gonna take these chairs here, if you don't mind thank you!"
She takes the remaining chairs in her arms, "Nice to meet you, bones!" she coos before giving a supportive pat on Zofi's back with a wing. And she's gone.
... she took the chairs. No more visitors. Sly bird.
"Nan Mochtrath raised me." Ashlee says in monotone, then adds "She's dead." She's about to say more when Slixvah leaves and sweeps all the chairs out with her. She blinks and looks back at the table, the drinks, her cards, and Zofija.
"Four is a lot?" She pulls her arms in a little. Chippen moves from the table to stand on a card. The Mourner wants her pamphlet but it isn't handy. She'll have to ad-lib without direction. A thread comes to mind and she pulls it, "Where did you get Screech?"
"I'm sorry to hear that, Ash. I know how that is, it's hard." Zofi sighs, taking a sip of her drink and offering the other to the mourner. "You don't know how? I could teach you some time." Zofi offers, clearly surprised by the thought of it. "It's not that hard, but it's a bit rough on the legs the first few times. But you get used to it."
Then Slix was taking all the chairs. One brow raised, but she just chuckled and pat the egalrin on a shoulder. "Good to see you Slix." She offers before they departed.
"Well, it's not a lot, but you have to take care of all of them. So gotta know what you're doing since you're caring for 4 animals." Zofi shrugs, pulling another cricket out to offer the centipede standing on the table. "I keep these as treats for Screech, so they're fine. How I came to get them? It's a bit of a story."
"To put it simply, the cavalry, with the borders a bit more stable were looking into things after dealing with Myrddion for some time. You can imagine the idea of flying cavalry would appeal to them, so, there was a bit of an offer. They'd offer some of their recruits to bolster the Myrrish forces, and in return, they would share their knowledge and resources for the rearing and training of Griffons. I was one of the ones they carted off for that."
Chippen takes the cricket in his mandibles, and then gets to eating. There are quiet cracking noises.
Ashlee listens, taking the drink and a long sip of it. She glances at Chippen, pondering his care requirements. She's never really thought about them at length. He eats what she eats, and while that might have changed her average meal order she never felt constrained. If anything the anthropod takes care of her. He teaches her spells and with them, the occasional life lesson. Which says a lot about her.
"So you fought with Myrr?"
"Yeah, for about four or so years, give or take. Not much of it was active fighting, most of it was training. Most people in the skyguard are given a griffon egg to take care of early in their training, while they take time to learn with the veterans and their animals. After all, when you're flying, you can't fall unless you've got magical artifacts to stop a fall. That's why they wanted some people with pre existing cavalry experience I think. Something happened, and they needed to replace a lot of people." Zofi continues after being asked the question. "You want anything to eat? Foods good here, and I should offer after all."
She waits for a response, before continuing. "So it was a while until I actually did any work, and most of that was with griffons from the stables there. It's been, well a few months since leaving. Quite a few at this point."
"A full tour." Ashlee nods, taking in the details, then saying, "I have a snapleaf. The chili chips are good" All of her menagerie will eat something from it.
"They stopped giving me a horse because they kept dying." She says. "It's been longer since I left."
"Pretty much, it was like I was a real part of the skyguard, and the order of the scales chapter that was part of them. Another reason why I was sent over, I guess." The Arvek-nar nods, before giving Ashlee another grin. "Chili chips? Well, I'll take your word for them being good, get some for myself, unless you want to share."
Zofija waved over the elf again, to place the order, before her attention was back on Ashlee with her chin resting on a hand. "That is, that's rough Ash, I never had any horses die on me, but it wasn't uncommon back there. What happened, if you don't mind me asking?"
"The chips come in a group size." Ashlee explains, glancing at the kitchen then back at Zofija. She shakes her head. "The other soldiers died. Only the horses came back. They thought I was healing the horse."
Her voice continues to be a flat monotone, no inflection, no hurry. There is little expression to her face, and what might be there is concealed by the skull marking. Even her ears are still. "I don't like talking about my service."
"I was in the light and heavy cavalry units. We were always engaged. The commanders wanted me healing only them." There's a slight shrug of her shoulders. "The Feiu of the Tears wept, and took a lot."
Zofija listens when Ashlee speaks, and she sighs. Unsure for a moment, before reaching to put a hand on the mourner's shoulder after taking a long swig of her mug of ale. "I believe you Ash, I've known enough commanders with heads too big for their shoulders. No concern for people under them. It's rough, and part of the reason I'm not back there." The cavalier states. "Don't have to talk about things you don't want, came out to have fun and get to know you after all, but not make you feel bad. It's a bit hard looking at you, so just let me know if something's bothering you, okay? Just because you aren't smiling or frowning or what have you, doesn't mean you aren't feeling."
"Granted, sometimes talking helps, but I'd rather talk about something that makes you happy. So what's on your mind you would want to talk about, Ash?"
Ash's shoulder is stiff to the touch. She doesn't seem particularly strong. Her clothes are loose and she is a priestess, so her slight build is hidden. She shakes her head slightly, still unwilling to criticize former commanders. "They were focused," is the best she can do.
What does she like to talk about? She looks at the back of her cards. Chippen looks up from the one he has formed a spiral atop of. She meets his beady little eyes with her own. The simple answer is: she doesn't like to talk. About anything. It's always a struggle. Orders are much simpler, although it's not a time for those.
She stares at the table a little longer before looking up to meet the other Arvek's eyes. Her expression remains carefully fixed. Her fingers squeeze together and then she flattens out her hands. "Tell me about your adventures."
Zofi pats Ashlee on the shoulder one time before settling her hand back around her drink. She takes a sip of it while she waits for the cleric to speak, and when she looks up again, the cavalier gives another smile as she meets her gaze. The platter of food came by, and Zofi pushed it towards Ashlee, fishing out a chip to crunch before continuing. "Well, I don't have that many adventures under my belt unfortunately. Well, there's a few I've got, but a lot of the Skyguard and cavalry was routine, where I spent my years." She begins. "Had a few interesting occurrences here on jobs. And sometimes there were interesting things going on in the skyguard. Like the time I had to rescue a griffon hatchling from a belltower, that was fun, finding them in the city."
"That sounds neat." Ashlee says.
An owl flies down out of the rafters and lands on her shoulder. "WhooOooOooooOoo?" He warbles, then tries to peck the happy bee off her cheek. "It's not a real bee, Dunny."
"There are griffons in the city?" She asks. "I thought they were only on the gates."
Gryphons, phoenixes, easy mistake to make.
It's the platter of food, that must have attracted her owl. There's a ruffling of her clothes and the white lizard and doormouse appear. The mouse runs out of one sleeve, and the lizard climbs out of her shirt collar then scuttles down the outside of her clothing. Each takes a card, and Ashlee puts some of the chili chips on a saucer in front of them. Ignoring each other, they tuck in, except her owl. He remains on her shoulder and waits for the Mourner to hold up something for him to snap.
"Was wondering where your owl was, Ash. Good to see you again, Carbuncle and Minnie." Zofi chuckles as she looks to the animals, though she learned from last time not to bother them herself. "And yeah, even if it wasn't always crazy, I enjoyed my time in the Skyguard. Learned a lot, useful things, and about the world outside Blar." she continues. "And, there _aren't_ supposed to be any griffons in the cities outside of the keeps, not when skyguard aren't out on patrol at least. But they're clever animals, and sometimes things happen. Fledgling undid the bolts holding their gate in place to the pen, and snuck out when shifts were changing. So a whole bunch of people were out looking for them."
"They can't fly yet, but they're still great at climbing and gliding once they're old enough. And they have a preference for higher elevations."
"I reckon he managed to glide to the outer scaffolding of the belltower, and clamber up the ladder to where the bell was, somehow. I found them nestled underneath the bell there, luckily before it was being pulled before sundown."
Ashlee listens, mostly by staring and not moving. Her owl does the same. When the story is finished she keeps feeding her friends. Chippen seems fine with a laden chip of chili and cheese. Carbuncle wants some kind of jousting contest, where she teases the lizard with the food and then pulls it away a few times, before he takes it. Minnie serves herself, snuffling and then nibbling right off the saucer. Dunny waits.
"Do they turn to stone at sundown?" Ashlee asks before she remembers, that's gargoyles, and it's sun-up. "Never mind. It sounds fun."
She thinks over her own rescues. She hasn't saved many animals. Ghosts probably don't count. Adventurers, well... that's expected. She nods again, and in that moment finds unexpected understanding and inspiration. "I like to fish."
"Would be nice if they did sometimes." Zofi chuckled. "Sometimes getting a lot of fledglings to settle down for the night is exhausting enough you're the one wishing you were going to bed. I do, and don't miss dealing with that. It was moreso concern about the bellringer making way too much noise when it came time to pull."
Zofija took a couple of chips off her side, popping them into her mouth to chew in silence as she watched the animals eating, and the arvek-nar staring back. "You like fishing? Fishing is fun." Zofi nods back. "It helps supplement a griffon's diet, they like having a wide variety of meat on the regular, keeps them happy and stimulated. Do you know any good places to fish around here? It sounds like you've been around for a while."
"Yes." Ashlee answers, aware of a couple good spots. It occurs to her that she's met two mermaids now, and hasn't asked either of them where a good fishing spot would be. Of course, the circumstance in one wasn't good. Actually, both times were bad. The sewers are definitely not a good place to fish. She's left holding a chip for Carbuncle while she ponders this thought, and the little lizard eventually gets tired of waiting and climbs on her hand to get it.
This snaps her back. "Merek has a boat. He fishes all the time." She's unsure what he does with them, perhaps they're thrown back. "I'll introduce you."
She glances at the door, just in case. He shows up at the oddest times. Not this time though it would seem. The interruption comes in another form, a whirr of the clock and then a set of chimes start marking the hour.
"I have to go to prayers."
"That would be good, honestly. Not sure what there is between you two." Zofi nods. "Would be nice to go out fishing with you too."
She looks to the clock when Ashes mentions prayer, and the Arvek-nar sighs, and nods back. "Gotta go? Well, I don't want to interrupt things you have to do. Thanks for coming out here and humoring me Ash, it was nice to get to know you and share drinks and the like still."
Zofija left her seat, and stretched, before offering a hand to the cleric. "You're really interesting Ash, and I would like to learn more about you."
"Thanks." Ashlee says, sounding the same in her unhurried, monotone way. She nudges her pets off the cards so she can gather those up, and then picks up the menagerie one at a time and slips them into her pockets.
They don't stay, immediately climbing out and going other places. She checks that she has all her things, glances upstairs. "Braelnoir might come back. Or you could leave."
She doesn't elaborate further on Merek. He is best... experienced on his own terms.
"There's not much." The Mourner explains, looking at Zofija, making a small shrug that adjusts both satchel strap and owl on her shoulders. "I follow orders and help people."
"Thanks for the meal." She didn't get much. Hopefully her friends weren't sneaking snacks for later into her bag. That gets messy. She will find out later that they did, somehow, when she wasn't watching. She stands and drifts towards the door, like a very solid ghost or a grounded angel.
Then she's gone.
Inspirational Image
https://i.imgur.com/qS9mUzv.jpeg
