Tales from the Wild

It's Tariday, Firetide 20 21:30:00 1019. The full moon is up. The tide is high and ebbing.

Everything is pale grey, veiled by mist. It's warm, humid, and still.

Event: MEETUP: Tales from the Wild

Hosted by: Elian

Location: W01: Wayfarer's Inn

Participating PCs: Viranchi, Selia, Boshter, Tiasa, Azog, Nicolai

Event advertisement: Come to the outlying village of Wilderness Pointe and share in the story-telling as local hunters, trappers, lumberjacks, and other NPCs sit around the Wayfarer's Inn trying to one-up each other with their (alleged) exploits facing wild creatures and untamed terrains. Heroes from Alexandria and beyond are invited to recount their own brave encounters with mysterious things that peer out of the woods and go 'hoot' in the night--or worse. Perhaps an oruch bloodrager might tell of his run-in with Spring-heeled Jack or a lucht siuil bard might sing of the heroic rescue of a pair of toddlers abducted by changlings. An aesir barbarian might share the saga of his own close encounter with a family of dire polar bears in their cave and how he survived to tell the tale.

Come toast the most hilarious or awe-inspiring tale-bearers, or call BS on them when they strain credibility beyond the breaking point.

---

The village of Wilderness Point is a close-knit community. Many of the locals make their livings off of the nearby forests, some as hunters, some as loggers, but most have had their fair share of exciting encounters with wild things.

Tonight, they have congregated in the local pub, the Wayfarer's Inn, to exchange tall tales and see who can most impress the community--with little regard for strict accuracy. The barkeep has stocked up on extra kegs of a variety of ales, beers, and other beverages.

Elian is standing in a corner of the common room, near the hearth, nursing a tall stein of ale, as he watches the crowd gather, and people starting to drink down the nerve to exceed propriety.

Azog doesn't have any heartache with giving his experienced words on various wilderness subjects, but he's far from the most sensational because he doesn't even embellish a little. Mind you, he's kind of huge and tough and some of what he does is hardcore. But he doesn't seem to understand embellishing at all. And he has a tendency to speak as if relating advice. Why else have these stories if not to share advice?

Yawning as he makes his way down the inns spiral staircase, Viranchi sluggishly mumbles, "Good time to wake from that nap after all, it seems.." A small black cat begins mewlying judgingly at the comment as it bounds down the staircase behind him, leaving half way off too land on his shoulder below. "I got up, didn't I?" He replies too the cat, as he begins making his way too the bar, "Wasn't about to miss out on tonight."

Selia lounges on one of the Inns timber rafters, a small blanket spread to keep off the dust and whatever else is up there. Just how the little lutch got up there in the first place is unsure, but she seems disinclined to come down just yet.

A tall, burly man looking like the stereotype of Paul Bunyon downs a mug o' something and strides to the center of the room, accompanied by various whistles and whoops from the locals. One man seated near the bar calls out, "Tell us your one about the boulder-chucking treants, John."

At this, the brawny lumberjack, John as one might suppose, replies, "Well, Carl, it all started when..."

Tiasa makes her way into the inn. She shakes her head and appears to be talking to the wolf sized lizard that walks in with her, "No Naca, I couldn't stay in my other form, too hard to get through the door and not enough room in here. I might scare some of the people. Just because you wanted to ride instead of walk." she mutters a little and then glances around. She nods to Naca, who follows close to her, eying the others that the lizard can see. Tiasa glances around herself but doesn't see yet many that she knows. She does head over closer to where it is warm, where the lizard follows and plops down, looking like its drifting off to sleep right away.

The lumberjack tells of how his crew were behind on their quota and working late into the evening to make up for it. John had found a glade where it looked like a swarm of fireflies was milling around. Anyway, he walked out into the middle of the clearing and just as the sun was setting, to his astonishment he saw two mighty oak trees bend down and grab boulders. As they were raising the big rocks off the ground, he heard a booming voice call out, "Who dares to bring saw and axe into our neck of the woods?"

Selia listens passively. Treants and lumberjacks having an argument. Not exactly a novel tale, but maybe the specifics will be interesting.

Elian walks over to Azog and says, "It isn't about the Wild, but I remember a certain oruch warrior teaching me a thing or three about bastard swords several months back." He softly punches Azog on the shoulder.

Azog nods to Elian. "There is much to learn in that regard. There is a long history of oruch swordsmen who use the larger blade, and I am honored to be part of that tradition. Though I am thinking of ways to augment it."

Leaving the bar with a frothing stein, Viranchi takes a moment to glance about the lounge, taking note of the lumberjacks tale. Seemingly spying a familiar face near the hearth, Viranchi gives a waves and quietly makes his way over. The small cat, having ceased all noise once tales began to weave, bumps into more than one chair as she haphazardly follows behind the Veyshani. "Even'n Elian." He says upon reaching the elf and orc pair, "Come too hear a tales or two as well?" Giving a friendly nod to each, he then knocks back a swig from the stein.

Many of the people in the pub must share Selia's opinion because they seem to be losing interest quickly in the burly man's tale. Finally realizing this he shrugs and says, "Hey, at least I got away without getting anything broken!" He heads back to his seat challenging, "Well, who's got a better tale?" and making eye contact with several people around the room.

Tiasa just listens for the moment. She is mostly pondering which of her tales might make a good telling. While she figures that out though she is eager to hear the stories of others.

Selia considers a moment, but settles back again, watching with idle intrest and the occasional friendly wave to those she knows.

Elian turns when he hears his name and says, "Oh, hey Viranchi, Sapna. Yeah. I heard this was going to happen tonight, and wanted to see what folks are saying."

Bounding into the Wayfarer's is Boshter! He soon takes a seat. Becasue Hobgoblin realizes he's interrupting something.

A formidable-looking woman stands and says, "When I was a girl, my family moved here from up near the Elvenwood. In those days, the elves were still keeping their borders closed. As we were driving our cart through the woods we could have sworn we were being watched, but for a while we never saw anything..."

Nodding at Elians words, Viranchi frowns slightly upon the lumberjacks false start. Glancing about the somewhat quiet room, his eyes once more perk up as the woman begins to speak. "Plan on joining in later..?" He whispers towards the elf curiously, "You've promised a story or two since we've met."

At the mention of the Elvenwood, Elian's ears perk up. As the woman tells about the spooky night that her family passed, Elian responds to Viranchi, "Uh, sure. Did I mention anything specific?"

Selia sits up slightly, listening. Lots of things in the Elven Woods, could make for an interesting tale.

Soon, the woman tells how her mother was busy trying to keep her and her sister from leaving the tent while her father was single-handedly defeating a her of centaurs by slinging pebbles at them. It doesn't take much of this before folks are calling BS on her and downing their drinks.

Pondering Elians words for a moment, half listening too the woman sharing her tale, Viranchi drinks from his stein with a ponderious gaze. Eventually he replies with a whipsered, "Something about someone naked and backwards on a horse..?" Chuckling slightly, he goes on to say apologetically, "I had it a minute ago.." The small housecat sniffs at a nearby droplet of liquid before stumbling into the hobgoblins table with a soft thud.

Elian raises his eyebrow, "Not sure I know that one, but there was a time when another guy and I were swimming in a river and Amythyst showed up. She was almost as used to the water as a mermaid or a naiad, and has gotten more so. Anyway, it wasn't long before a group of satyrs chanced upon us. They challenged us to some contests of athletic skill, then pulled pranks on us while we were trying to compete. The worst of it was, though, that for weeks afterwards, Spring-heeled Jack was on my trail, and no matter where I went, I had to keep alert for the obnoxious little fairy. Vicious he is. Better to avoid him than confront him."

Selia mmms and lays back on her blanket atop the rafter, speaking towards the celing, but her voice carries to the room well enough. "Always liked the dark. Quiet places. hidden places. Ain't never been big, so tough and strong don't come naturally. But I learned other tricks. Better tricks." The little lutch gestures, and black flames rise from her hand, trailing like smoke. "Always liked the dark, the shadows. But I didn't know how deep they went. Lotta folks don't know, shadows got their own world, sideways to this one. Linked, but seperate. The ShadowLands."

Folks in the tavern think they're hearing spirits until someone figures out that there is a lucht up in the rafters. This causes people to drink more.

Snapping his fingers at the mention of the fae's name, Viranchi gives a relieved, "That's the one.. though don't know how I got the last bit.." Scratching the back of his head slightly for a moment or two, he then continues curiously, "What came of Spring-heeled Jack th--" His sentence cuts short as Selia begins monologuing hidden within the rafters. "An odd flame.." He muses softly, attention peaked at the word Shadowlands, the Veyshanti take another swig from his stein.

Selia lets her hand fall beside her, the black fire pouring down like water, but disappearing long before it reaches the floor below her perch on the rafters. Before it threatens those beneath. "Ain't many been to the ShadowLands. Or any other plane, really, not and come back. Wizards, sorcerers, few clerics maybe. Adventurers types. Bigger, stronger, typically more violent than regular folks. Ain't regular people, but those who live in the ShadowLands, is only sort they've ever met. They think all BrightWorld people is like that. They don't know better. But it goes both ways, ya see."

Nicolai steps into the inn, keeping his head down and posture slightly stooped though even the lowered ceiling should pose no risk. He looks about to say something but instead he stays silent and listens to the voice from the rafters.

GAME: Elian rolls acrobatics: (12)+15: 27

Elian looks up and then, jumps up, grabs a rafter and flips around it to come to balance upon it.

Arching an interested brow as the black flame rains down harmlessly, Viranchi jumps back with a start as Elian hops into the rafters. "It's like a circus.." He wispers down to the house cat, a wry smile playing across his face.

Selia sighs, then sits up slightly as another joins her, but relaxes as she sees who it is. "Lot of ya heard of Shadows. Maybe met a few. Monsters. Evil. Violent. Exist only ta drain away the life of the living, make more of there own kind. But they ain't the normal type neither. Just da ones who travel across the planar divide, make it to the BrightWorld. Many didn't choose to come. Dragged by magic, some wizard playing around, or sent by the Dark Bitch, Taara." The name is spat with hate.

Elian smirks at Selia's evident disdain for the Lady of Darkness. He claps and says, "Now that's a good tale. I've not voyaged beyond the circles of Ea but twice, and had never thought to imagine it from the perspective of those creatures who live in those other worlds."

Nicolai waggles a finger up at the rafters. "Now now. That's no way to talk about a goddess." He thinks for a moment and then adds, "Or anyone at all, really. Surely you can come up with a more interesting way to show how you feel."

An elderly half-sil calls out. "Let her be. Taara is a Bitch, well, unless to say so is too insulting to the dignity of female canines." The others at his table laugh as they bump steins and drink.

Frowning slightly at Taara's name, Viranchi sucks his teeth slightly at Nicolai's words. Rolling his eyes at the man's reply, the Veyshanti returns his attention curiously to the rafters. Taking a swig or two from his stein, he settles into a nearby chair propping a leg on the arm rest.

Selia blinks, and turns to peer at Nicolai. "Fuckin' slattern, may her orifices fill with pig shit and her limbs burn with unending fire." She nods to the half-sil. Right, nuthing against dogs. Anyways, yer regular ol' shadow in the ShadowLand is just a regular bloke. Friends, family, home, regular sort of life. Regular for them, anyways. Ain't too much like what count regular round here. But now and then there be a nice one, ready to come and see the BrightLands, maybe meet a few folk, learn a few things. This one is Issa." The little Lutch's shadow separates from her, moving a little off before it sits up and waves shyly.

Nicolai shakes his head with a smirk, and then nudges and edges his way to the bar to get a drink. He pauses at the sight of the moving shadow, then looks slowly between the figure it came from and back.

Elian seats himself and gawks at the Shadow. "Well, I'll be."

Chuckling at Selia's reply, Viranchi stops mid-drink upon spying the independent shadow. Though he seems to ponder a moment or two before muttering skeptically, "Illusion perhaps..?" As he sets down the almost finished mug, the Veyshanti seems to observe Elian's interactions with it intently for the moment.

Selia has said her piece, and as it looks like things are winding down, the tiny dancer stands up on the rafter, stretches, and strolls casually into the shadows near the ceiling edge, disappearing.

If Ga'Elian was fascinated by the Shadow, he's downright stunned by the lucht's vanishing. He whistles, then jumps down to the floor below, landing like a gymnast.

A wondrous whistle as the Lucht vanishes through the depth of darkness, Viranchi frowns slightly as he tries to spot the independent shadow about still. Chuckling as Elian breaks his search with the acrobatics show, the Veyshanti finishes off his stein before saying with a wry smirk, "Didn't expect things to go that way, for sure."

Between being drunk and getting shocked by the shadow, the disappearing lucht, and the elf jumping here and there, the villagers are thinning out fast, many mumbling about how advemturers ruin the spirit of this small town's gathering. The barkeep says, "Come on back tomorrow folks, and I'll give you half-priced drinks from 2 to 4 in the afternoon."