Meetup: The Thrill of it All

Setting up here at the Festival grounds is a group of four gnomes. In charge of the gang is Dababob, a gnome in an understated outfit. A burgundy sweater vest, dark colored slacks, and a clean shirt. He's in charge and directing the gang, but most of the time he's laying his face in his palm and sighing. The rest of the gang is in brightly colored work clothes, with stripes, polka dots, and paisleys. They apparently go by Chalarry, Abadaryl, and Habadaryl, though only Chalarry speaks for the group to the boss man.

"My brother Abadaryl says the stand is almost ready sir," Chalarry explains. "But my other brother Habadaryl says we're missing the backup control knob for the device." Dababob sighs heavily, and speaks in clipped words, emphasizing barely contained frustration. "Just don't worry about that, finish setting up so I can begin the demonstration." "Alright sir." And so before you know it, the stand is up, and Bob is before the group ready to begin.

Bob uses an improvised megaphone to project his voice to the slowly growing crowd. "Good morning and welcome to my demonstration. I have here today an invention so amazing, that I don't even know where to begin. Liquid soap that froths as much as you need, to wash everything in your home. And right here, I have the magical machine that generates this soap. I will start it up shortly. Are there any questions?"

Munch lounges near the edge of the crowd, able to see over most folks. The metal man idly nibbles on product from a local goblin merchant, 'Meat on a Stick'... given the lack of definition, the merchants lack of hygiene, and the golems reputation to eat anything, there has gathered a small crowd of Academy students daring each other to buy and eat a sample themselves.

As Raniq squeezes into the front of the crowd, he watches the gnomes with evident confusion. His ermine sniffs in the direction of the machine and chitters in Raniq's ear.

Munch watches, but isn't too interested. As a barbarian and a golem, soap isn't the sort of thing he encounters too often.

James heard the rumors. Being in the guild gives advantages when it comes to hearing rumors like that. He moves close, close enough to be able to see what's going on.

Telecorn was actually going to try to swim today, so she was walking down the river. Only to come across something going on here at the festival grounds! Oh boy oh boy oh boy a show. She hops on up around to see what's going on, having missed the initial spiel but really wanting to see.

Which is just in time for Bob to continue the presentation. "Alright," he says, clearly a soft-spoken gnome when not using his megaphone. "What my assistants here have done, is run a supply of water from the river, into the machine. This will allow me to mix soap, with water, and demonstrate to you the unlimited frothing potential of this magical soft soap. Larry, hit the button."

Larry looks, and shakes his head. "Sir the control knob is missing. My other brother knocked it off." Bob walks over and spits "I don't care. Turn it on. You're embarrassing me!" He then hits the button himself, and the machine whirrs to life. Soap bubbles begin to emerge from the machine, big and beautiful, catching the light and making rainbows. Unfortunately, the soap bubbles also begin to form in the river behind.

Mingling in the crowd are a few enterprising vendors selling chicken shish-ka-bobs, bags of roasted nuts, and other sundry snacks.

Munch says, "So... what? This for people too lazy to rub their hands together, or something?" He doesn't get it. He does however, spy a potential problem. "River supposed to be getting cleaned?"

Autumn wanders into the area from one of the side roads. Arms crossed under the long sleeves of her robes. She looks around at the odd gathering of adventurers and slowly approaches.

There's another gnome in the Festival Grounds too, with as questionable grasp on personal hygiene as the vendor of 'Meat on a Stick'. It's Ralickwort, and if anyone was ever in need of this invention, then he'd probably be it. Still, he's fairly set against it, although the little black fox a few steps behind him might feel differently. "Wassat smell?" he asks, gruffly, to Munch. "Smells like clean or summat. River should smell worse than that, hurr hurr hurr."

Raniq gasps as he sees the frothy spume spills into the river, then shakes his head and says, "Oh, dear dear dear."

James trills a laugh at this. The interplay between the demonstrators is more interesting to him than the soap. Feathers don't sweat.

Bob walks back up to the crowd, just in time to hear and see the reactions. "What do you mean cleaning the river?" he asks Munch, his frustration with the Larrys beginning to boil over. The gnome then leaps off of the stand, and runs around behind to see what's going on, first hand.

It's geting worse, too. The unlimited frothing potential, as he called it, is living up to its name. A hill of bubbles is forming in the river. Already as large as the stand itself, and growing with every minute. "Turn the control knob!" he shouts, running back around on his little legs, and climbing back up onto the demonstration stand. "Larry, turn the control knob, it's too high."

"Sir, it's busted. I tried to warn you but I was just embarrassing you. I'm sorry." Larry replies, as Bob shoves him out of the way and begins pawing at the machine, trying to find the knob, or something he can do." The bubbles are really getting out of control. It's like a localized blizzard back there.

Munch eyes the hill of soapy bubbles, eyes Ralickwort, eyes the bubbles, eyes Ralickwort... the golem doesn't even have a proper nose, but it would be nice for the locals to owe him a favor.

Telecorn runs toard the river. Laughing, she runs through the growing pile of soap bubbles that is encroaching onto the land, and becoming one of the larger edifices in the city today.

Ralickwort, seeing the encroaching bubbles, screws up his face a little. "Bloody hell," he says. "It's gunna make me clean, innit. Bloody Nora!" With a leap and a bound, the little black fox jumps into his arms. Deftly, the gnome removes his filthy hat, and places the fox underneath. The hat, incidentally, doesn't bend much as it's removed.

Autumn wanders a little closer to watch the bubble wave and looks at it curiously. She makes sure to drift upwind of the bubbles in case whatever is making them might be flammable or alive.

Raniq actually heads over to the malfunctioning contraption and examines its controls.

Larry, and his brothers, have given up. They get out of the way, and let Bob frantically try to do this thing. The machine is not magical, but the soap is. It froths unnaturally well, which is why the river is becoming a gnome-made disaster back there. When Raniq approaches, Bob glares at him. "Sir don't touch the machine." He does manage to turn it off at this point. Well, sort of. It's slowing down, but the damage is done, and the river is going to be a mess all day.

Munch considers a few moments, and heads for the Soap Hill. "Just lye, and fat, right? Nothing too bad if someone swallows a bit?" He's going to eat some regardless, but may as well ask.

"Dun do it, Munch!" Ralickwort shouts. "It'll squeak up yer insides! Yoo'll regret it!"

Raniq replies, "Yes, of course." and backs away from the machine.

Rayne laughs as she touches the soapy stuff, she smells it gently and she tilts her head slightly looking around before she laughs again at the people eatting it.

Telecorn is totally oblivious to the problems here. She's just running through the soap. Disappearing entirely into it, then coming out the other side. The mountain is still growing too. Just at a slower rate as the frothing actoin slows. The problem is, the soap is still there, and the natural movements of the river are continuing to froth it.

Raniq's ermine, after sniffing the air again, stands and vaults itself off the young wizard's shoulders, disappearing into a nearby bulge of bubbles. At this, Raniq says, "Herman, wait!" and dives in, too, disappearing momentarily.

Munch wades in, unconcerned, and absently chomps at a few passing bubbles. Not much there for taste, as it's mostly air, so the golem wades in further, sticking his face into the hill, and inhales strongly. Typically, this is a very bad idea, but Munch doesn't really need to breathe, so he can likely get away with it... he hopes.

Rayne stays out if the soap directly but she was having a ball watching the others interact and play with the soapy foam. Laughter abounds and the small bard provides some music to entertain the crowds

Bob walks back over to his assistants, and raises his voice. "You idiots! You've ruined everything!" Fortunately the bubbles smell delicious. Like flowers, and candy. Not too strong, but just right. And there for everyone to smell, who can smell it, since the mountain of bubbles is towering over the festival grounds now. "Pack up the machine. Nobody's going to buy our soap after this disaster!"

James has somewhat of a sense of smell. Ravens after all do like to swipe food, traditionally, and sniffing it out helps with that. So he inhales deeply of the smell of the bubbles. But he does not go into the mountain. In fact he backs off a bit to avoid getting an avalanche of bubbles falling onto him.

Autumn calls out "Can you turn off the machine before it covers the city?" She watches from outside the hill and frowns.

Hearing the gnome's remarks to his associates, says to him, "Sir, your machine notwithstanding, I would be very glad to purchase a load of the concentrated liquid, and you can charge it to my father, the Lord Alvar Aiglos."

Bob looks. "The machine is off! It's all I can do! But the soap in the river is already there, and the ultimate, unlimited potential of the frothing action remains! One silver piece for a home-sized bottle, buy now!" Always be closing. Then there's interest. A bobttle is brought out. "Thank you. Give it to your father in good health!"

Telecorn is totally loving this. In the middle of the mountain, she raises her hands, and sends up a blast of burning hands. The result is like a volcano, sending bubbles flying in all directions from the top of the mountain, flying over the grounds, risking landing on anyone and everyone. She then runs back out of the mountain, covered in soap, laughing loudly.

Munch hrrms, little more than his head sticking out of the foam. He seems less than fully impressed, and sighs... blowing a rather large bubble in the process. Well.... this is new.

The gnome Ralickwort is suddenly engulfed by an enormous swathe of bubbles. Maybe someone used a little spell to push them onto him; maybe not. At any rate, when the pile blows in another direction, the horrid little witch and his behatted fox ... no longer seem to be there? Maybe he was held together by the muck. Maybe's he's crawled away somewhere else. Nobody'll know until ... or if ... they find him...

Positively covered in foamy suds, Raniq reaches for the bottle, a few coins in his hand. Once the exchange is made, he calls, "Come on Herman." The white weasel emerges from the bubbles crawling up Raniq's body.

Rayne continues to play music for those engulfed in the soap mountian, she laughs softly as she watches what she can at least see from out here.

Raniq remarks aloud, "I can't imagine the Festival Grounds will ever be so clean again.

Munch considers, a full blast of acid breath would be far too much... but maybe a mild mix... and soon, the golem is blowing colored bubbles. Mostly smoke covered, and rather foul smelling when they pop, but still, colored bubbles!

Autumn watches Munch start to smoke and bubble in colors, backing off to a safer distance.

James is enjoying the scents and the sights. Unfortunately the gnomes, which he was enjoying most of all, are packing up to go, though Bob did manage to get some salesmanship in first it seems. The bubbles coming forth from Telecorn's volcano are coming his way, and he uses his wings to blow them around.

Autumn wanders over towards the river just downstream from the bubble hill to check the water, to figure out how much more the bubbles will last.

Bob gets his associates to start taking apart the stand, and unhooking the machine. The tube going to the river is a loss, given that it's almost entirely buried in the mountain of soap bubbles now. In fact the stand itself is in danger, so Bob gets some urgency in his voice. "Hurry, hurry, pack it up before we lose everything!" Bob himself is selling bottles while he still can, at least selling enough bottles to have made the trip worth it. IF nothing else he has proven the soap bubbles work. And with the amount in the river now, it'll keep frothing for another couple hours before the mountain will slowly begin to dissipate.

Telecorn don't care about any of that. She's just running around like a kid having a good time.

James can't fly through this, but he starts using his wings. Apparently some of the kids around love it. So he flaps them morea ggressively, churning the air, sending the bubbles flying around, whipping them around at people.

Bob and the crew have finished packing up, and are starting to amke their getaway, as a pile of bubbles come crashing down behind them. It's like an action movie escape. And escape they have, leavig the festival grounds a bubbly wonderland. with Ralickwort somehwere inside. Somewhere. Never to be found again?

Raniq, who has long-since abandoned any concern for dignity, continues to play around in the bubble-filled plaza.

He says, more to himself than to anyone else in particular, "If I'd have expected this, I would've prepared Prestidigitation last night, just to make animated bubble sculptures."

Telecorn is totally having fun with it. Her hands out, much like James is doing with his wings, just running around in the bubbles, whizzing through the mountain and coming out covered in bubbles.

Myaris cocks her head to the side as she comes upon the festival grounds to find...well this is definitely not what she was expecting. She heard about something going on here but, this...just has her stopping and staring for a moment.

Raniq blows handfuls of the fluffy stuff at some of the preteens that are running wildly around him.

James has joined in just having fun. This mess of bubbles is bringing out the raw raven in him. Gone for the moment is the serious explorer. For the moment, he's just having fun. His large black wings actually are great for playing with the bubbles. He doesn't run around, but he flaps, blowing bubbles at everyone around, especially the children, but also folks like Myaris and Raniq.

Telecorn decides to do her trick yet again, going deep into the mountain, and blasting burning hands up into the sky to make another volcano, sending the bubbles shooting out, and floatig over what's left of the crowd. Backing off is no escape!

James settles down from his playing with his wings, and walks over to the others, nodding to Myaris and Raniq. Telecorn is... ah, too much to deal with, what with the shooting flame sand bubbles going flying. Besides, she's in the center of the soap mountain. "This is not what I expected today."

Myaris cocks her head to the side, "Is this sort of thing normal?" she asks, she isn't used to people just having fun because, so she is a little suprised by it, "It is strange." she has moved to get a bit more involved.

Raniq calls upon arcane energies, saying, "Mage Hand" <in Eldritch> as James strides closer. He uses the conjured effect to clear a path between them momentarily as if a great hand were simply pushing the foam aside. At the bird-man's words, he grins, "Yeah, she really knows how to let loose.". He nods to Myaris. "Well, it is very strange to be sure, but until it dissipates, what else can you do? Complaining won't make it clear up any faster."

Myaris nods, "Wonder what fireworks would do, maybe the bubbles would refract the light?" she giggles and then shakes her head a bit. She is playing with the bubbles and seeming to enjoy herself, one of the few times she has smiled.

James shakes his head. "This is definitely not normal. Some traveling salesmen came to sell their soap. They dumped a bunch into the river by mistake, and due to the magical properties of the soap, this happened." He then gives another flap to send bubbles flying.

Raniq uses his Mage Hand to try to sculpt the bubbles, but the effect is more comical than effective.

Myaris giggles a bit and then smiles a little, "Practice makes perfect." she says and giggles, she doesn't try to do anything similiar herself as she plays with the bubbles, though she is considering the fireworks thing.

Telecorn burns another charge of fireworks. From within the bubbles, she doesn't know people were talking about fire works. She just makes the mountain erupt again. It's starting to recede now, slowly, as the soap in the river is used up. But the bubbles that are therewill remain a while, being so much of it!

Raniq's attempt at a huge teddy bear merely results in a frothy dome. He says, "Eh. Too complicated, I guess." He adds a swirl to the dome, transforming it more into the shape of soft-serv ice cream.

Rayne laughs a little as she sets down her tamburine in efforts to move into the bubbles "Telecorn!" she calls as she manovers into the bubble mountain

Telecorn hears that from within, but can't be seen. "Rayne!" she replies. "Isn't this great, whatever it is?"

James trills. "It's something," as he flaps the bubbles around and watches how others play with it all.

Rayne laughs a little at the pair of them, "are you sure its safe?" she tries to gather some of the bubbles in her hand.. looking at them spectively.

James chimes in "Didn't that one fellow eat some of it?"

Raniq says, "Oh, yeah. With as many as there were, I daresay most folks in the area got a taste at least. I know I did... kinda sweet, you know? like candy."

Myaris giggles, "Like candy?" of course she has to try it so she is trying to catch bubbles with her mouth now.

A short while later, Raniq tells the gathered folks, "Well, it's definitely been a hoot, but I need to go eat something, change into something less... scented, maybe take a quick bath to rinse this stuff out of my hair. See you all." He waves as he turns to leave.

James trills. "You're not going to eat the bubbles?" Then he flaps. "I shou ld probably go soon myself, but I can't pull my eyes away from this shiny spectacle."

Telecorn calls out from in the bubbles. "I'm not gonna eat soap but I do like how it smells!"

Raniq comments as he walks away, "They're not very filling."

Rayne raises her eyes "candy?" she laughs a little "next thing you know they will have one of these machines captureing all the little gnome children that go chasing after it." she shakes her head "where did that machine go?" someone is now on a mission to decommision tasty bubbles

Myaris giggles a bit and then does stop and shakes her head, "Very interesting."

James looks to Rayne. "I believe the inventors of the machine made their escape before the mountain collapsed on them."