Dopplefeather

Log Info

• Title: Dopplefeather
• Emitter: Slixvah
• Characters: Slixvah, Aelwyn, Schara, Irshya, Culix, Ashes, Merek
• Place: The TarRaCe
• Time: The TarRaCe
• Summary: Brunch rush. Slixvah disguised as a human bartender and Aelwyn disguised as Aelwyn are managing the throng of people while Irysha sleepily gets a pot of coffee and slips out. Slixvah steps out of the baths. Wait. That's not Slixvah. Or is it? Conversation strikes up between Human-Slixvah and Slixvah before someone susses out something strange is afoot. Slixvah quickly departs. No, not bartender Slix, the other one. It's confusing. But fun! A new set of patrons saddle in: Culix, Ashes, and Merek. Culix does some coin tricks and Ashes shows off some cards before all delve into the rush of brunch.

The TarRaCe, Morning, Brunch Time.

"Why does everyone and they mama want this damn drink this early!" the bartender complains, clutching a trio of champagne bottles from storage and stepping up behind the bar. It's a human woman with red hair, black slacks, a white shirt and red suspenders with a few rainbow ribbons tied in her hair.

The establishment is busy, the time between breakfast and lunch an odd sort of busy, where both day's dishes are combined into a lovely combination.

Through the throng of people, a teen half-oruch with a feathered cap and a large messenger bag saddles up to the bar. "Pardon, Unmesi?" they inquire.

The barkeep almost spills everything. "Wuh? Yeah, shug, tha's... me?"

They rummage around in their bag, place a letter on the bartop, then tip their hat before slipping off to deliver more.

A spectral hand grabs the parchment, perplexion all over the human woman's face. A sigh leaves her, and it gets shoved away into a pocket. Don't have time to read it.

"Still getting crimson love letters?" Aelwyn calls out in passing with a sway of his tail, balancing a tray of dirty dishes above his head, along with a set of empty bottles hanging off his fingers. He had a lazy rolling saunter about him as usual - the bustle and hustle of the TarRaCe not bothering him any.

He even has unbuttoned the top button of his white shirt. Again.

Sliding the dishes onto the counter for a second, he fishes out his crumpled note and stares at it. Stares at it while longer in concentration, before he looks up with his red-orange eyes. "Three special brews and a shot with an egg in it." He then lets out a slow grin. "And a Devil's kiss." The ruddy sith-makar gives his horny head a bit of a shake.

Wandering in from the baths, Irshya moves slowly and sleepily, with a pronounced limp. Clad in a white housecoat common to the Tarrace, she makes her way to the bar, little wet footprints following along behind her.

Irshya acknowledges those around her with sleepy nods and a low mumble. She then spends some time puttering around behind the bar, searching the low shelves one by one, letting out a sigh each time she moves onto the next one.

Schara had made a decision, one which made a fair bit of sense in the moment, at the very least. What they did not account for was Slixvah's work schedule suddenly shifting to early in the day. Since out of the bathhouse walked, Slixvah. Feathers, ribbons and all.

They look around at the door, beak opening and closing once.

Human-Slix snorts, rolling her eyes without looking over as she's busy fixing drinks and bar food. "Pfft, I wish. That'd be entertaining. Dunno what this is, too busy to care," she hums before squinting. "Always the weird shtuff..."

A sigh, and she gets the eggs for those drinks as the concoction are starting to get worked on.

A glance over. "Eya Boss, coffee?" she inquires of the gobbo, gesturing towards a half full, hot pot nearby.

She turns back to face across the way- blink blink. She points, speechless.

Aelwyn begins to pack away the dishes, sending them to the back. "Hmmh, lucky for her there are more ways to be entertained than a scrap of parchment." The draconian replies with a flick of his forked tongue. When Irshya appears, he turns his head and tilts his head.

"Boss," He greets, with a bow of his head. "Rough night, Shark-" Aelwyn begins and then suddenly stops, following Not-Human Slix's finger up to the other-Slix. A set of eyelids slowly move over his eyes, before he turns towards one Slix, then to another.

"... this one will take that shot double, Ribbon." The Dragoon rumbles with low amusement as he rolls up his white sleeves.

The Gobbo makes a little happy sound, and holds up her mug, the object she'd been searching for. She nods to the bartender, "Yes please, dear. Irshya is extra groggy today for some reason." Irshya continues to putter around, sorting things, getting mugs and glasses ready for easy deployment, and goes through the process of pulling up a barrel of ale from the basement below.

"Yes, Irshya had a sleepless night. Bad dreams kept her awake, images of doom in the deep.", the Gobbo says to Aelwyn.

The pool-shark blinks a few times, and suddenly appears over the edge of the bar, peering at "Slixvah". A glance is given to the bartender, and then the ruddy-scale Sith, before looking back to Egalrin. She disappears, and moments later is limping her way to the birdlady. Where she moves to plant her face in Slixvah's stomach... inhaling deeply. "Hmmmmm..."

The egalrin at the bathhouse door opens their beak again, closes it, and turns back to the baths. "I knew I should have put in the extra parts to stop this at any point in time. Thought I'd stay in there longer." They mutter quietly to themself out of earshot. "I could leave, but if I do I probably won't be able to get anything to drink until I get back to the artificer's hall, so I should just try to stick this out. Okay. I know she calls Aelwyn flutter, and, I can probably manage this, right?"

Any further muttering was cut off by someone moving within earshot. Beak opens, and closes, and the not slix backs away with a clack against the floor. "... Please do not do that, sugar." They offer with a placating hand and a decent impression of the smooth and gentle speaking Egalrin, at least in tone. "If you need a towel to dry off, there are plenty of towels in the bath house."

They take the opportunity to quickly walk over to the bar, and rest their arms on the countertop. Ah, right, Aelwyn. "Hello Flutter, what is shaking with you today?" They ask before reaching for a menu.

Human-Slixvah shakes her head and doubles up on that drink, sliding that order to Aelwyn. "Here ya go, Flutter," she hums, finishing up the other odd requests before pouring a cup of coffee out for the pool shark with a bit of concern on her face. "Das no good, shug. Do ya uh, need ta talk about it?"

And they off, all focus is now peering at this birdlady. Is it the true Slix? Or is the true-fake-Slix behind the bar? An imposter among us?

Her amusement grows as they catch their tone and mannerisms. Doubly so as they approach the bar. "Oh my gods this is wonderful," she twitters to herself excitedly. <Auran>

A broad smile plays across her lips. "Well hey there gorgeous, what can I get ya?"

Aelwyn's head shoots towards the Gobbo at the mention of doom, before he leans over the counter. "Is there something in the drink that makes everyone so despondent lately?" The draconian asks from some-other-slix, accepting the drink with a gracious nod of his head.

And he downs it, slamming it down by the time the not-slix saunters over. Leaning his elbow against the counter, he twirls the shot glass between his fingers, exposing his sharp teeth at the egalrin. "This one is hoping that Ribbon will." He replies, spinning the shot glass by his fingertip. His tail slowly curls upwards from underneath his black loincloth. "And how was her bath?"

The pool-shark's maw opens, revealing two rows of triangular teeth, as she peers at the not-Slixvah. She huffs, and turns away, marching back behind the bar.

"Irshya expects the shenanigans to cease, it is too early for such.", she grumps. She follows up by planting her face into the bartender's stomach. "Yes. This is the real Slixvah."

She peers then at Aelwyn and shrugs. "Irshya does not think there is anything in the drinks to do such, no."

"Ah, well, it is good to see you, Rosy." The not Slixvah greets. "Just water, please."

"Oh, it's always good for things to be interesting, I say. It was a good bath, of course." The egalrin nods to Aelwyn, before freezing up as their disguise is blown. "You're, Sorry, Slixvah." The egalrin sighs before leaving their seat abruptly and clanking off for the door.

The bartender snorts at Aelwyn as he takes the drink, the mage hand delivering the others. "Please no doom drinks, I don't wanna deal wit' a bar full of downers."

She turns towards the elgarin, one arm reaching around the gobbo planting themselves against her to give them a hug. "Naw, ever too early for shenanigans. Alright cutie! Wawa, fo' tha'-"

She blinks, then frowns, calling out for the egalrin. "Wait nooo, your water! Come back, hon!"

Culix wanders into the main room from the direction of the baths, her clothes freshly laundered and her hair still a little damp. She's wiggling her pinkie finger in her ear, trying to deal with a stubborn bit of water caught there, and making yawning motions with her mouth.

"Rosy?" Aelwyn tilts his head, then shoots a glance towards the bartender-Slix to stop any ideas. Letting out a brief rumble at Irshya's words though, he lets out a disappointed sighs. "Yet that is the salt of life, Sharkie." The ruddy sith-makar says, watching the shark-Gobbo wander back towards the baths. "Another dreamer of Doom?" The draconian ruminates, as Culix steps out.

All in time for the second Slixvah clank off towards the door. "Tch," Aelwyn lets out, getting off on his feet. "At least not a boring shift." The sith-makar begins to sort out the order, placing the prepared drinks on his tray.

There's a shadow on the door, a presence and something more, with a dark impending fate. Mourner Ashlee Ciaradh, an ashen Arvec Nar with a skull for a face, grey vestments and an aura about her not unlike a tomb, steps in and stares. Looking around, her head slowly pans from side to side, lingering on the wet trails leaving the bath, turning towards the bar, and taking in the various inhabitants.

She seems to be seeking something she doesn't find. Her parasol, a grey and black affair with jaunty looking skulls and bones in reflective white, is folded and she places it in her satchel. The long sunshade disappears into the container that is much shorter than it is. She adjusts her hold on the shoulder strap and drifts silently along the edge of the room.

Slixvah groans, rubbing her face as Irshya steps away to head to the baths. "Dunno, mus' be all my red. I gots a feels on who dat might be. But I'm right flattered they'd wanna copy meee~."

She pulls a feather out of nothing, mumbles some words into it, then snaps her fingers as its gone in a >poof!<

Whispered words echo near the eglarin who's going and gone. 'Heys, its coo', ya did great wit' it! No hard feelin's!'

Back to reality, the human woman in slacks and suspenders behind the bar work son getting more orders out, spying another gobbo coming up. "Yo. Want coffee? Still got some left!"

A slow pan takes in the patrons in, Slix having grabbed a pot of coffee before her attention settles on a grey figure in the back. Her brows raise, she grins, and she holds up the pot while pointing at it with a raised brow to the Nar across the way.

GAME: Slixvah casts Message. Caster Level: 6 DC: 15

Culix almost bumps into Irshya as the two pass, and the green gobber exchanges a very brief word with the blue one in passing. She carries on, "Marp. Marp." she tries, and then holds her nose and puffs up her cheeks, and that finally seems to get her ear un-plugged. It twitches. Just in time to be offered coffee. "Yeah. Sounds good." she says, and deftly hoists herself up and into a seat at the counter.

Aelwyn, wearing his white waiter's blouse and his black loincloth / waiter's apron, glances around the bar. Seeing a literal skeleton - well, one decorated as one - makes him deeply inhale. "And here she comes, here she comes." He rumbles by himself, flicking his tail about. "Doom."

As Culix gets settled, the sith-makar bows his head towards Culix in greeting. "This one thinks another set of brews soon," He suggests to not-Slixvah behind the bar, gesturing at his table, before he rolls out with a lazy saunter, taking the drinks with him.

The Mourner moves in a deliberate way, eyes fixed ahead. She focuses on the raised pot, blinks and nods once. An empty table is found and she slips into the seat, looking straight ahead, clasping her hands and resting them on the table top.

"WhoOoOooOooo." A small, eastern screech owl that is tucked under her canopy of hair warbles eerily.

"I don't know." Ashlee answers. "You should ask."

The owlette turns his head around, looking at her, then at the human woman. Finally he spreads his wings and glides over, landing on the bar in front of the pot of coffee, "WhooOoooooo?"

Merek walks into the TarRaCe with his dark attire on, adjusting the hood back which he wears. There's a nod to Ashlee and anyone else that he's met before, while he takes the time to settle into a seat wherever he can for the time being.

Culix makes herself comfy on the seat, tilting her head at Aelwyn's comment, she shrugs, "I'll have a coffee when the fresh pot is done, then, I guess?" she says, a little confused. She follows the gaze back towards Ashes, but doesn't seem perturbed by the countenance- not particularly familiar with them, she has at least seen them about town from time to time.

While she waits for her coffee, she turns to people watching, beady eyes wandering over those milling about, or making their way in or out.

The human bartender readily pours a cup of coffee out for the gobber, her sliding it over. "Here goes, slick," she babbles to them with a smile before giving a parting wave to the makari server taking his leave to tend to the guests. <Goblin-Talk>

Just as she's coming down of a chuckle from the mention of doom, there's a an owlette fluttering over and landing right in front of her! She stops in place, turns, then hunches over some with her head bobbing up and down in a bird-like manner. She fires back, making the same sounding coos, "WhooOoooooo? WhooOOOooo!"

A giggle breaks free from her as she reaches out to pet the bird. "Hello to ya to. Yes yes, it's me, Slix. See? Smell me, it's da same...!"

To the hooded figure walking in, she calls out across the way, "Sit anywhere! Brunch is in full swing! If you order a mimosa I'm gonna bop you with a bottle!"

Ashee raises her hand at Merek, signalling for him to join her. That done, she turns to watch her owlette, who is sniffing human-Slix by bumping his head against her hand. Identity confirmed he flies up to the rafters and lurks in a shadow.

Ashes stares upwards watching this, then lowers her head. She reaches into her satchel and brings out a deck warpped in rough silk. She unfolds the wrap and stares at the cards.

Culix takes the coffee when it's offered, and has a sip of it before setting the mug back down. She grins over at the bartender. "It's always happy hour somewhere, I thought they said? 'sides, some of us are nocturnal." she adds after a moment. "And when the weathers cold there's nothing wrong with a little myrrish pick me up in the morning." she adds. "But, I suppose I've got some business to see to later, so ought not."

Merek does notice the offer from Ashlee, and makes his way towards the woman, while he takes a seat. "Hey, it's good to see you," he offers, then relaxes a little bit. "How are you all doing?" he asks, offering a little smile.

"Myrrish pick me up?" the bartender echoes, already twirling one of the bottles in hand needed for it. "D'aww, aight. I love makin' those. What biz you got if ya don't mind my askin'?"

Her attention flits over to Nar sitting at the table, a soft smile still on her face from the owlette giving her recognition. Brow raise. "You fancy card games, Ashie?" she calls out to her.

"M'good! Sorta. Got a lil' headache, but it ain't nothin', it'll go away!" Human-Slix answers in regards to Merek's question.

"They are Oracle cards," Ashlee says, answering after both Merek and not-Slix ask their questions. A very new set, still shiny. She takes the first cards and flips it over, examining it.

"It's not a good idea to play games with them." The winner is often the loser, as the higher value cards often come with worse results. When a value can be assigned, that is. She considers carefully, this might be one of those situations her pamplet describes as needing small talk.

"I bought them in goblintown." She adds.

Culix shrugs her shoulders a bit, "I s'pose it's no great secret. Just a little bit of skills practice, keep my fingers nimble." she tells the bartender then, and holds one finger, the universal gesture for hang on a sec. She fishes around in her purse- her real purse, not the decoy hanging from her belt- and finds a gold coin. She sets it on the counter, on it's edge, so that it stands upright, and then taps the top of it with one of her claws.

She draws her hand back, and sweeps it past the coin- palm open, attempting to subtly palm it out of sight in one motion. If all goes well, when she turns her hand over there'll be no sign the coin was ever on the counter.

GAME: Culix rolls sleight of hand: (9)+11: 20
GAME: Slixvah rolls perception: (9)+12: 21

The bartender chuckles. "Skills practice, yeah, I've seen ya work, ya do prett' good," she coos, tilting her head at watching the coin dance. There's a snicker. "Smooth. Miight wanna close ya fingies fo' the last bit, saw it glint. But good!"

She tops off the gobbo's coffee for that show.

Her attention shifts to Ashlee, her brows raising high. There's a sudden.. interest in the cards. "Oracle.. cards? Woah. That sounds /really/ cool! Where in Goblintown? Who sells 'em? Are they spoOoOoOooOky?" she inquires, sounding like the owl briefly before giggling at her own antics.

Merek leans back at the seat which he is at, taking his time to relax. He does look about a bit to see who all is around, while he looks to Ashlee, "Can you introduce me to people?" he asks, and smiles, while he then asks of the waitress, "May I have a coffee?"

"I don't know who they are." Ashes answers, glancing around, staring up at her owl. He stares back at her. She glances at Culix, then back to the stare. Dunny takes the hint, dropping down from the rafters and landing beside the gobbo, warbling, "WhooOoOooooo?"

"A witch was selling them." Ashes explains. Everyone knows what a witch looks like, so she clarifies, "A swamp witch. Cards and poison apples."

That begs an explanation. "For rats." They were probaby for rats. Probably.

"Wouldn't trust either if they came out of goblintown." The goblin says, which may come as a surprise- or perhaps not. She sips her own coffee, a bigger sip now it's cooled a touch, and then huffs at Slix. "Sharp eyes." she complains, and then with a flick of her wrist produces another coin- this time a silver. "S'pose I better refrain from practicing when you're around, then." she muses.

The owl next to her does get her attention. She's met enough animal companions to not be /too/ freaked out by birds of prey in her face. But she still inches away from it a bit. Not a big fan of animals, in general, this one. "You asking or just... whoing?" she asks the owl.

The bartender perks up at Merek's question as she's cleaning out the pot. "I change my face lots, but ya met me befo'!" she says to him. "Name's Slixvah!"

Slixvah, the beribboned elgalrin woman is human? Well, there's some of the ribbons on her right there.

A hand of arcane force delivers a cup of coffee to Merek as she snorts to Culix. "Yeah, that makes sense, but tha' makes tha' cards all tha' betta, no?"

She's incredibly interested in this. "... a swamp witch...? Now that sounds reall', reall' slick. I'm... gonna have ta do some askin' 'round ta see if I can pay 'em a lil' visit. Pick dey brain and what not. Thankies Ashie."

"WhooOooooooo." The screech owl repeats, having only one conversational note. Ashes doesn't help or clarify further although she has taken to staring at Merek. She raises her eyebrows briefly, "how are you doing?"

The Mourner nods at not-Slix-who-is-actually-Slix, confirming, "Muddy boots." That's all that's necessary to identify swamp witches, apparently. Slightly more common than glass slippers or silver shoes.

Ashlee turns over another oracle card, from a distance they seem dark and singular. Up close, not much better.

Merek looks then to Ashlee and nods a bit, "Well enough, I am busy these days." Then he takes the time to relax a bit, "What about you?" he asks, while he smiles to Slixvah, "Well it's a pleasure to see you again!" There's a wave to Culix.

Slixvah, the bartender, mentions, "Noted..." and quietly pulls out a pad of paper to jot that down. Muddy boots... who knows, any little bit helps with narrowing thigns down! "Thankies hon!"

More orders are coming in. And she looks a bit torn that she can't focus on those cards. It's drawing all her interest and attention. "Good ta see ya too!" she croons to Merek. "What'cha busy wit' these days?

"Cu...lix..." the gobber offers somewhat awkwardly to the owl, glancing around incase this is some kind of prank she's being set up for and someone is about to burst out laughing at her for talking to a regular old owl. She sips her coffee again. "That's some disguise." she finally muses Slix's way. "That seems like it'd be a pretty handy trick to learn." she adds with a grin.

The answer seems to satisfy the little owl, who leaps in the air and silently flies over to Ashes, alighting on her shoulder. He sidesteps, once, twice, until he's up against her cheek and tucked in under her goblinoid ear.

"Still waiting for Delilah's trial." Ashes tells Merek, a patience that involves a lot of 'protective custody' at the jail. There's a slight hint of amusement in her otherwise monotone words as she repeats Slixvah's question to the man, "What have you been busy with?"

She splits her deck of cards and fans them, looking them over. They all seem to be various shades of grey, a little bit of black and white, and something bright red. Although there are a few that vary, having a yellow, green or blue embellishment.

Merek nods a bit to Ashlee, then he looks to the goblin, while he waits for his coffee. When he has the drink, he will drink it, then he nods to Slixvah, "So you work at this place?" he asks.

Slix-tender shoots a finger gun towards Culix, her giving a slight snicker from the owl antics. "Thanks! Jus' a lil' magic thingy tha' does all the heavy liftin'. But I'm jus' glad I've got the gusto ta sell it! Tons of fun bein' different peeps. It's a lil' pricey, but considering wha' tha' guild pays, it's totes worth."

She watches Ashes for a moment overlong, seeing what she can from back behind the bar. Bird's eyes are helpful here. But the brunch rush, the orders, the letter in her pocket weighing heavy. She's conflicted. But a quiet chirp comes from her pocket. A breath cycles, and she breaks out of her second-long stymie. She spies the waiting look from Merek, the spectral hand from before pointing to the steaming cup of coffee that was delivered to him before. "... er, yeah," she mentions a bit deadpan, gesturing to her position behind the bar. "Pretty sure Irshya would bite my toes off if I wasn't supposed ta be back here."

A patron on the other side of the bar flags down Slixvah. "'ey! Where's my apple fritters?"

The disguised human turns, jabbing a finger across the way. "It's where it put ya common sense at having apple fritters at ten in the morning!" she snips back.

"And my mimosa?"

Slix throws her hands up in defeat before turning back to the trio. "Sorry loves, I gotta get back ta this," she coos before giving a large wink. "Toodaloo~!"

Human-Slixvah bartender delves into the weekend brunch rush.

Culix finishes off her mug of coffee in a few more sips, and leaves the now-empty container on the counter. She chuckles a bit as Slix is called away by customers, and then stretches and slides out of her seat. She heads on over towards the exit, going about that business she mentioned earlier.

Ashes gestures at Merek's coffee, "Yours arrived." Her seems to have been intercepted. She looks around at the crowded restaurant, closes her fan of cards then opens another. "We should go."

Another glance at the coffee, "When you're done."

-End Scene-