RPP: Adventure Scout Troop 405

-=--=--=--=--=--=<* A07: Local Alexandria Market District *>-=--=--=--=--=--=-

Just west of the Northern Highbridge and east of the arena, commerce blooms. Noisy and bustling, most anything may be purchased here for a price. Vendors from all cultures sell their wares from exotically colored carts, and the smells of different nations and far-off city-states mix with local ones from Alexandria and its riverbanks.

For all its commerce, visitors are advised to keep hold of their purses. Even the merchants possess a certain, cunning look. Most are positioned at carts or stalls as opposed to a formal storefront, with trade here being mobile, and visiting from all parts of the world.

Though the quality of goods suffers here compared to Upper Alexandria, the options are more diverse. Too, the oversight of the Watch is slightly less, and during times events are held at the Arena, chaos abounds. After dark, the square becomes a hangout for bards and other entrepreneurs whose business is best conducted by night; the shadows at the edges of the square often contain furtive figures engaging in their own brand of business.

Did you know that Alexandria has a organization dedicated to teaching children how to becoming future adventurers. Cesran did not know this, but it does not stop him from helping them out. He is standing in front of a group of three pre-teen children, a human, a half-ourch and a gnome. He is reading over the pamphlet that they have. "Quiet an interesting organization you three have, so all you need are some adult leaders to help out." He grins with a smile fit for a devil. "Unfortunately I cannot help, but I can sign someone up who I know would love to help mold young minds." He takes their quill and he quickly scrawls down in flowing handwriting, "Lady Arwenieniallwehn Sandiel, is just the person to help, you can call her Den Mother Sandy." How does he know Sandy's full name, he's a wizard they know secrets.

Sandy is emerging from the Prestigious Moon at this time! She looks... a little startled, actually.

Cesran spots Sandy, thanks to the enchantment of his headband and he gives her a wave, "There she is now. Why don't you three go over and tell her the good news." The three children race over to Sandy, "Lady Sandy! Lady Sandy! Thank you so much for becoming out Den Mother." The gnome whistles loudly and the three stand at attention before her. The half-ourch steps out and salutes Sandy, "On behalf of Adventure Scout Troop 405, we'd like to thank you Lady Sandy for agreeing to be our Den Mother." The other two salute as Cesran gives Sandy a smile a two fingered salute. Ral-sara looks over at Cesran, "Do you have enough money for a 4th resurrection."

"...are you kidding me?" says Sandy, gawking at Cesran. This is not some kind of sick and twisted delusion. It's real. Really happening. Right here. She looks fairly horrified, actually, and like she might sick up immediately. Happy children. This is the worst thing /ever/.

The doors of the Fernwood burst open as a rather grumpy bard stomps int the night, "Where in the nine hells did everybody go?!?!" Three steps hit the ground before he notices a familiar face and starts marching over with a frown as he raises a hand, though...the site of children and talk about scouts reach his ears before he can even get a word out.

The hand falls to his side as Roland stops. "Did I hear someone say resurrection? Sandy...What did you do??"

The gnome has a small book and he holds it out to Sandy, "Here are is the Adventure Scout Handbook." He opens it up, "You'll be our leader, our Den Mother. You'll help us to learn all about being adventurers, survival skills in the wilderness and in the city. It's all detailed in the book." He pushes his glasses up. "I'm Orval Reinfield, Junior Artificer, this is Yolanda, Junior fighter." He motions to the human girl, "And Junior Acolyte of Daeus, Ferron." He motions to the half-ourch with a wooden symbol of Daeus around his neck. "The rest of the Troop is back at the Den." The book in question was written by most famous adventurer known to the modern world, or so the book says, Alfonso Escabardo Gallient, esquire. The first chapter is dedicated to recounting his deeds of heroism and why he wrote this book.

Cesran looks over at Roland, "No one yet." His staff speaks as it's got a crystal dragon head on top of it, "Cesran is playing with fire."

"I've done nothing except close my shop for the evening," says Sandy to Roland without even looking at him. Then she eyes the gnome and reaches out to take the book from him.

She looks at the book. And makes a horrified sound.

All three children look like Sandy just strangled their puppy in front of it, "You mean you don't want to be our Den Mother."

Cesran moves forward a little bit and he smiles at Sandy, "Now Sandy, think about how much you can help these children. You are a prominent business woman, and former adventurer, if anyone can lend a helping hand to these children it is you. I would, but I am an active adventurer and my research and obligations take me to the far corners of the world. These children need a stable leader, one who can show them just how to grow up to be adventurers." He gives her his best smile as Ral-sara rolls her eyes, "She is gonna break her foot off in your arse."

The children look from Cesran back over to Sandy and the half-ourch speaks in a surprising soft voice for one of his kind, "Please Lady Sandy, we need someone like you to help us."

At this moment, Sandy looks thoroughly beaten. Those children and their strangled puppy expressions are enough to make even her black heart feel a little weakened.

"...fine," she mutters.

"/Fine/." The way she says it, though, someone will be dearly paying for this.

Roland does a quick double take of the dragon staff before looking to Sandy and the kids. "All children need a stable influence..." there's a brief pause, "...You wouldn't have to an aspiring herald or minstrel in your troop? You know Lady Sandiel is a fine supporter of the arts -- In fact, she housed the entire Performer's Guild in their infancy in her own home! You can't embody the principles of a fine Den Mother any better than that!"

The children cheer loudly as Sandy becomes their den mother. "Just wait til we tell the others! We have a Den Mother, now we just need to find a Den Father!" Their whoops and cheers last until the gnome whistles again and they fall in again. The gnome clears his throat, "Thank you very much Lady Sandy. I'll leave the handbook with you to look at, we meet three times a week after school lets out. Chapter 2: Dress for adventure has our uniform in it, but um...well don't have uniforms yet, but we are saving up for them. This week starts our first annual horse wash and grilled meat sale. We go around selling grilled meat door to door and offering to wash horses." The gnome turns and he nods, "We have Aspiring Bard Lucas. He can do bird calls and he can whistle louder than anyone else."

Cesran looks a bit surprised at that, "Oh really I didn't know that. It would seem that Lady Sandy is the very soul of generosity and charity."

SAndy chokes back a sob. She must be so happy. Yes. That's it. Happy. The smile remains fixed in place. It is not a real smile. At all. But kids probably won't notice it.

"...aspirin.... Well. I think I am going to have to think on this a while."

Svarshan comes in from along the way. He has a turkey leg stuck in his muzzle that he's chewing on, as he adjusts a light jacket. The air is cooling in Alexandria, with autumn settling in. He slows as he sees the twitching expression on Sandy's face. The pulsing vein. Slows. ...and. Stops.

Ferron reaches into a small pouch and he takes out a broad green leaf, "Here you go Den Mother Sandy, chew this and put it between your bottom front teeth and lip til it tastes bitter, then spit it out. It's a sure cure for headaches, better then aspirin. At least it says so in the Handbook." Three children are facing Sandy, a human girl, half-ourch boy, and a gnome boy. Cesran looks like he's going to bust a gut holding back his laughter as he stands next to Roland. His staff is slowly shaking her head at the mischief her wizard has caused.

Roland shakes his head, catching sight of the oncoming paladin before a grin creeps across his face. He leans toward the group, and waits for young Ferron's offered remedy to be handed over, "Excuse me...You three are still looking for a Den Father? Miss Ferron -- I believe The Father just smiled upon your quest. If you look this way, I'm sure you'll recognize this longtime friend of the Lady Sandiel!"

Svarshan jobs the turkey leg back between his teeth and stands there a while. Chewing. The sith could be forgiven for seemingly absorbing himself in this task. He carries a crate underneath one arm. This gets shifted to the side and he takes a step towards the edge of the street.

Cesran turns his head and he looks at Roland. He nods, "Yes, who better to instill moral and virtue into young adventurers to be then a paladin. Hurry go ask him before another troop gets him." He calls out to the children. The human and half-ourch hurry over to Svarshan, "Excuse me sir Paladin...we are Adventure Scout Troop 405, an organization dedicated to helping young people to become adventurers. I'm Junior Fighter Yolanda and this is Junior Acolyte of Daeus Ferron. We need a Den Father as Lady Sandy has agreed to be our Den Mother. Would you please consider being our Den Father. We accept everyone into our troop, they just have to want to learn how to be an adventurer."

Orval, the gnome, stays behind and he starts to explain to Sandy about the others in the Troop, they do let any young person in, be they sith-makar, gobber or sildanyar.

"You! This is your fault!" Sandy points at Svarshan. He's here and thus immediately receives the blame. Then she turns back towards... the children. "Yes. I see. Thank you." She takes the lefaf. Looks at it. Then at the children. Then up towards the sky in a silent 'oh gods why do you hate me so much.'

The sith-makar looks from one to the other, from Cesran to Lady Sandiel. His eyes crinkle at the edges, and he gives a nod of his head in the softskin-style. "One would be. Honored," he says. And with that, hefts the crate more naturally to one shoulder, with a, "Let me. Drop thiss off. Insside."

"Yes. Do that," says Sandy to Svarshan, giving him a dour glare. Somehow, she's STILL blaming the Sith-Makar for this. Roland is just balefully glared at on general principle.

Roland smiles and steps back, thinking just how like a married couple the Den Mother & Father are already getting along, before looking to the ABANDONED gnome child as Sandy's attention focus on the Sith-makar, "Excuse me...I was just wondering, how many are in your den currently? I'm sorely not fit to take on such an honorable role as these too, but perhaps I can help in another fashion -- after all, every Adventure Scout surely needs a compass and a sturdy whistle should they get lost." (whether in the woods or in the echo chambers of Sandy's home)

The two children cheer once more as they now have a Den Mother and a Den Father. The two other scouts will go back towards Sandy to wait for Svarshan to come out so they can explain the duties of Den Father to him. Orval hmms as he takes out another handbook and he starts to look through it. "Ah...Chapter 6.3, Music." He starts to read aloud. "Every adventurer needs to have music in their lives, it is the sounds of the soul. Music can lift your spirits and crush those of the enemy, the reverse is also true so watch out for any enemies with lutes. So too does every Troop need a Troop Maestro. They are to teach the traditional songs of adventurers, see appendix XII - XXI and to make sure that the future adventurers have a proper appreciation for music." The gnome grins wildly, "Would you be our troop's Troop Maestro?"

Ral-sara clears her throat, "Is there anything in there about wizards." Cesran glares at his staff, "As I said all ready I'm far too involved in the adventuring lifestyle."

Somehow, this is ALL VARSHAN's fault. Sandy eyes Ral-sara, though, as well. And Cesran. "...riiiight," she tells him. "This... you two conspired. I'm sure of it. No! No maestros! That's final!" She points a finger at the children.

Roland momentarily pales at the question, then nods far too eagerly at Sandy's rebuke. "I'm afraid I'm rarely around...Though, you already told us you have a Maestro in training! I'm sure he knows the way to mastery...practice, practice practice!" And with that, he's taking a quick step back.

"There iss a young Sentinel. Who would do. Well." Svarshan turns to close the door--carefully, with all the construction going on. And then turns back around with a warm smile. "Althean. A. Good influence," he says solemnly. Not. Looking. At. Sandy. ...who would have a much harder time throwing out an Althean!

"Earnest," the sith adds, with utter solemnness.

Orval's face falls a little bit and he nods, "Yes Den Mother. Rule #1: Always listen to your Den Mother and Den Father, except for the exception." He rattles off and is repeated by the human and half-ourch. The gnome looks back to Roland, "The gift of compasses and study whistles would be greatly appreciated. There are about 10 of us this week. There might be more or less though, depends on who shows up."

Cesran smiles, "I think I know who you mean...why don't I go ask her for you." He looks over to Roland and he throws the man a lifeline escape before he's roped into anything else, "Shall we go find her?"

Roland perks up and nods to Cesran, "Absolutely!" For whoever or wherever this girl may or may not be...