Of Shark-Bites and Snowball Fights

Log Info

• Title: Of Shark-Bites and Snowball Fights
• Emitter: Irshya
• Characters: Aelwyn, Irshya, Ygraine
• Place: A03: The TarRaCe, Colosseum District
• Time: Wednesday the 21st of December, 2022
• Summary: Returning to the TarRaCe, Ygraine once again encounters a somewhat unconventional waiter - from whom she receives cocoa, advice, and moral encouragement.

-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-<* The TarRaCe *>--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

       Inside, this two-story structure has been almost completely opened up. Generous windows on both stories allow daytime sunlight and cooling night breezes to flow in as needed, while the brick walls have been whitewashed - contrasting with the dark-stained beams and supports, and the rich polish on the wooden floor. A broad strip of stone runs from the entrance to a framed doorway set into the opposite wall, with a sign above the lintel declaring that the baths are to be found that way.

       The ground floor is sprinkled with tables and chairs of assorted sizes, offering welcome to guests both large and small. One whole corner of the building - into which guests are not permitted entry - has been given over to the kitchen, which serves as the domain of the famed monster chef Ligum Serforus. Mundane meals are available, but the chef delights in offering up obscure dishes made from the freshest of monster ingredients.

       Opposite the kitchen a small bar runs in front of an array of shelves, displaying a broad selection of beverages (most of them alcoholic). The bar-top has been fashioned from what looks to have been old pieces of armor, fused and welded together before being polished to provide a near-smooth finish. Set above it, three human-sized statues have been built into an alcove in the wall: Tarien, Rada and Ceinara jointly keep benevolent watch over the room and its occupants.

       To the right of the entrance, a small stage offers a platform for a handful of performers at a time. To the left of the door, a spiral staircase of wrought iron winds its way up to a balcony dining area, that is chiefly reserved for special events and parties. 

-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

Despite the doors being firmly closed, they occasionally shake and rattle as the wind howls outside. The chill is kept at bay by a cheerfully brightly burning fire. The cold has deterred many of the usual crowd, and much of the staff have been sent home.

Those that remain chat and laugh together, enjoying hot chocolate, or apple cider, and a hearty beef stew.

Irshya wanders out from the baths, wrapped snugly in a white housecoat. Yawning, she searches out the cider. Wet footprints follow along in her wake.

The cold may have deterred some people - but the cold may have kept some in. Aelwyn is still doing his shift by the time Irshya wanders into the TarRaCe; wearing his white blouse, sleeves rolled up his ruddy scaled arms with their faint purpling towards his fingers.

"Boss," The ruddy sith-makar greets, as he moves to instead hand the cider to her. "The bottom of the baths still whisper dark, rousing dreams to her?" The draconian rumbles with an amused whip of his tail, hand sliding onto his hip.

Providing footprints of another sort, Ygraine cracks open the outer doors just enough to let herself in - and promptly turns around to lever the portal securely shoot once more. Laughing softly, she shakes her head, then turns to face the room as she sets about removing snow from herself lest she track it all farther inside. As she works, she steals peeks at the room and its present occupants, cracking a broad grin when she spots a familiar (and familiarly soggy) goblin being greeted by a similarly recognisable waiter. Still, her first greetings are reserved for the trio of statues watching over the room, the Muse formally inclining her head to two, before bowing to the third.

The Gobbo mumbles something incoherent to Aelwyn, taking up the mug and squeezing it in her hands. She slurps at it a few times before letting off a yawn. "Irshya slept well, thank you. It seems as though you may be trapped here this evening. You may sleep in the cosy room beside the kitchen. And dinner is on the house."

The mug is carefully set upon the bartop, and Irshya makes a beeline for Ygraine, hugging wetly at the woman. "Ygraine!" After releasing her, the Gobbo runs around the woman a few times before heading back to the bar. The cider is slurped at once more, before she moves to lean against Aelwyn's side. "Have you met Aelwyn?", she wonders of Ygraine.

Aelwyn tchs as he crosses his arms, "This one is not that afraid of some," An exaggerated flick of his tail, "Cold wind." Nope. Except that he had no idea how to deal with it. "... but this one might take a nap."

Watching the Gobbo suddenly beeline towards the doorway, the sith-makar turns his head - and with the slow rolling gait of his, he follows, bowing his head. "Muse. She has survived the perils of the winter, once more." Glancing down at Irshya, he then flourishes out his notepad, flicking it open. "And how can the TarRaCe comfort her today?" A toothy grin.

"Ack!" Laughing, Ygraine crouches down to welcome Irshya into a wet embrace. "I might be rather cold for you to attach yourself to!", she warns even as she returns the hug. Grinning over the goblin's head, she offers Aelwyn a cheerful nod. "There are certain advantages to serving a deity with 'fire' as one of her interests. She has been kind enough to grant me the ability to shield myself against the elements, when required. Or to shield others, in fact. Should anyone need to venture out, I can provide them with a period of warding. But, ahh... here and now? I think that some mulled wine would be very welcome indeed, thank you. And yes, Irshya, Aelwyn and I have met a few times. He has been very kind and welcoming on each occasion. You have a good staff here!"

She snorts, and squeezes at Ygraine's waist. "Irshya doesn't mind cold water, she is well insulated. But the freezing cold wind makes her shiver. She is going to hibernate in here all winter."

She grins. "Good good, well... you treat her right, Aelwyn. Impress her. She IS one of the founders and owners, after all."

"Shield others? Perhaps this one should serve a deity as well, Muse." Aelwyn responds with a playful flick of his tongue. "Skies must know that those of fire needs to fight against the cold tide." The draconian looks down at Irshya.

After a moment, he looks back at Ygraine, orange slit pupils narrowing for a moment. "Ah." He clicks his teeth, then he tilts his head with a rumble. "Shall this one detach Sharkie, or will the TarRaCe's Muse survive over the table?" He walks by the gobbo and rumbles in amusement. "Teeth removal free of charge."

Looking bashfully sheepish, Ygraine shrugs apologetically at Aelwyn. "I have been away for two years... and I did not want to give the impression that I was claiming any right to give orders or receive special treatment. I hope that you can forgive me for not admitting to my, ahh, *connection* to the TarRaCe. It has been wonderfully cared-for in my absence, I think! And... heh. I am used to finding myself ensnared like this, I assure you! And I can agree that there are advantages to serving a deity, to be sure. Especially if you are deemed worthy of receiving a portion of their power. But perhaps being a Dragoon is your own calling?"

Irshya giggles lightly, "Yes, serving a deity might keep him from setting himself on fire again." She pouts then at his suggestion of prying her from Ygraine, the sharky one only clinging more firmly. "Irshya doesn't bite Ygraine. Only Siths that burn themselves. But yes, the Gods do give their adherents a means to protect themselves from Winter. Better than fire, even!"

Aelwyn waves a hand, his sharp teeth splitting his blunt snout open. "By a land shark? Muse does find herself ensnared in the most special circumstances." The draconian takes a few steps forward and gestures with his hand towards the warm fire. "If this one were to give special treatment; this one will make sure she both knows it and know that she well earned it." He rumbles and flicks his tongue again; before he bows his head.

His tail taps Irshya lightly to urge her to move Ygraine at the least, towards a table and away from the potential chill of the outside. His scales were sensitive that way. "Sharkie has been an excellent boss for this place, this one can agree on." A glance down. "... even if she insists on biting this one. What if this one had been serving a deity back then, Sharkie?"

Ygraine giggles as she happily continues her hug of the little shark-goblin, then *blinks* and stares down at Irshya for a few moments. "You *bit* him? Really? Wow. That's, err, new! And it sounds like there is quite a story behind the incident, eh?"

Her cheeks flush a light lavender at Ygraine's response, and she glares at Aelwyn.

"Irshya assumes your deity would laugh if Irshya bit you." Her tail curls back and forth behind her.

The pool-shark does nudge Ygraine closer to the fire. "Have a seat and warm yourself, Ygraine, while Aelwyn fetches your mulled wine."

Irshya peers at Aelwyn then, her maw opening to show off some of her triangular teeth.

Aelwyn taps at the floor with the tip of his tail. "Or bring more fierce gnawing on teeth at her," He rumbles back, showing off his row of sharp teeth down at her. The draconian follows on after the pair, pulling out the chairs with practiced ease. "It will be just a moment," He responds, bowing his head. "Do not let Sharkie fool the Muse, only most of the things she claims of this one are true." With a bit of a tail flick, he then turns towards the kitchen; tail swaying lazily behind him as he walks away with his rolling gait.

Giggling again, Ygraine nods amiably to Aelwyn. "Thank you!", she calls after him - before grinning at Irshya. "So... were you inducting him into the Order of the Tooth by a new method, hrmmm? But yes. A warm spot would be nice: being protected from the elements is not the same as feeling *cosy*, is it?"

The pool-shark huffs and shakes her head. "Irshya cannot recall, but likely he deserved it at the time." She giggles lightly. "He is not part of the Order, yet. But Irshya considers him a friend, and he is a good worker. Irshya does her best to help him out. He is... odd."

Irshya snuggles up close, nodding. "Yes, comfort is better than some spell. The crackling fire has a character, yes?"

Ygraine would normally strive to divest herself of the wetter portions of her attire... but with a soggy goblin glomming onto her, it seems a rather redundant effort. Consequently, she settles down to enjoy the fire - stretching out her feet towards it - while wrapping an arm around Irshya to draw her close for an affectionate snuggle. "He seems nice, yes. And kind-hearted. Eccentric, certainly, but I cannot claim to have met many sith'makar at all. And it is hard to judge quite what might be unusual for his people, and is merely unusual to me courtsey of lack of exposure."

"Well, he also has very hard scales. Irshya is unlikely to do any damage by biting them, they are quite tough. And Irshya was not trying to hurt him. So he complains to complain."

The Gobbo leans against Ygraine, her warmth making up a little for her wet condition. "They are a good people, Siths. Tough. Both of mind and body. Worthy warriors and even worthier friends. Irshya knows one that is completely silver. It is hard to look at him in a bright light. Skielstregar. Irshya likes to see her reflection in his scales. It is amazing."

Stroking gently, Ygraine grins down at her friend. "I think that I have heard him mentioned... but I do not think that I have met him. Of course, I have precious little notion of who is still around to *be* met, from those whom I encountered when last I was here. A few are still here, definitely, but there is quite a lot in the way of 'old tales' that begin after I had departed! Still, I am trying to settle in, and to better prepare myself for anything... adventurous or heroic that might come my way. I am even working on forging a closer bond with the old rapier I inherited from my family. Though I fear that by the standards of most adventurers here, I am still very much just a potentially-useful provider of spells against the weather, and the like!"

Irshya seems content to lean warmly, little hairs on her neck and arms standing up slightly as she's lightly stroked. "Irshya will make sure to introduce you and he. There is Slixvah, a really sweet birdlady. Aryia, a shadow elf monk. Patch, whom Irshya calls Patches, she a dawn elf. And she follows Ceinara. Then there's Culix, a Gobbo. She's adorable. Oh, do you remember Barclaiigh? His last name is Stormbrew, Sabina made a deal with his family, so we sell their beers here."

The Gobbo peers up at Ygraine, "Whom have you met, then, lately?"

Frowning pensively, Ygraine nods slowly. "I'm... not sure that I recall Barclaiigh. Though I remember the Stormbrew name. Patches, I recently met. And I have encountered her apparent beau, Dirk. I did encounter a very amiable birdlady engaged in a magically-assisted snowball battle, a few days ago, but I did not catch her name! And... hrmm. I don't think I have bumped into Culix, no. I have spoken to Mikilos a few times. And was very pleased to run into Seldan again. When first we met, I had no idea he was so powerful! I just encouraged him to pursue art, since I found him sketching one day. He has been assisting me with my efforts to awaken a connection to my family blade... I've also met Cor'lana and her wonderful raven, Pothy. And her husband Telamon. Others, too, but a pleasing scattering of Ceinarans among them - where we had seemed to be rare as hen's teeth among the adventurer's guild, when last I was here."

"Irshya will definitely introduce you to Barclaiigh, he's a good sort. Stout, as a Khazad is like to be. Drinks like the world is ending, though." The Gobbo giggles. "A snowball fight? What is that?" Her expression is that of curiosity. "Irshya has heard of Seldan. Paladin. Saved the city from a Duke of Hell. He is definitely a powerful person. Pothy!"

Irshya giggles. "A stomach with wings. Oh uhm, you have a family blade? Irshya will help if she can, though she is more trident inclined."

"You have not encountered a snowball fight? Ooooh. That is something we shall have to change. Perhaps make sure that you are shielded against the elements first, but I think you should like it." Ygraine grins happily. "And, ahh, yes. Seldan is rather impressive. He was in the fight where I 'met' the nice birdlady. Seldan sprouted *wings* when he wanted to, himself. And there was rather impressive magic being thrown around.... But, ahh, yes. I have a few weapons to my name... one is a rather battered but finely-wrought old rapier, that was passed down to me. I don't have much else to expect by way of inheritance from my family, but I got that before I came here - perhaps in the hope that it might help to keep me on an honourable path, given that I was in part devoting myself to the study of how to best use such a blade. But I am only just starting the process..."

She cants her head slightly, and shrugs. "Irshya is already shielded against the cold. Not just her fat. Rada himself sees to it that she does not suffer much from the cold. She has earned this favour. So Irshya can see this snowball fight..." She smiles brightly and her eyes widen. "Wings? What were they like? It must be fun to fly."

Her head cants the opposite direction, "Are you in danger of falling from the honourable path?"

Her arms wrap around Ygraine's waist and squeeze lightly.