Gear would have invited everyone to stay with her family at the right, but by the time she can bring it up, they've paid for an Inn already!
She lets them know where she'll be and heads over to the noise and familiarity of the rig, spending some time to fill Iroh in about everything that's happened before settling down to rest
Everything is okay. The folks stopping here all have a mask in hand, and will be going to some party tomorrow evening.
The Rig
Iroh doesn’t turn to you as you enter his workspace.
“Oh! Gear! Quickly now, pass me the thingame! Size 5!”, he says excitedly.
You do, of course, and he keeps on working.
He takes a maggiger close to his eye, inspecting it for flaws, then says, “I’ve missed you.”
Together you discuss matters.
“Juyo, yes, we fought once, years ago. To this day I wonder how he shrugged off that fire bolt. When we were young this city was wild—imagine what you saw at Cucha, but worse! We were wild too, I suppose. I felt that pure technology, quantifiable science, was the way forward, that the Science Brigade alone could lead us. He felt that only the rule of the giant-blooded men would be just.”
“As you and I both know, artifice without care is not the path we should take, and I believe Juyo long abandoned his sense of superiority, too. The man you meet upon the plateau is not his reputation. Like I always say, go with an open heart and catapult ready.”
After a comfortable silence, he says, “Time for tea.”
What is a mask, if not a face? No? Your true face then, what does it look like? Will you take that mask off too, and reveal another? When you are not yourself who are you? Are you alive or a spirit, if you do not know yourself?
Baber wakes from an unpleasant dream where they were getting beaten with hammers. They're sitting on the ground with their back against a wall, with the pleasant morning stench of an alleyway around them. They don't remember how they got here, but the taste and smell of stale beer gives them a hint, along with the splitting headache.
"Must have celebrated our victory against the monkeys too hard. Ugh, I need a bath" they mutter. They slowly stand up (the wall graciously assisting them) and head off in the direction they think the inn is. That bath and a meal sounds heavenly right about now.
Baber, roll 1d4 for what went wrong and will come back to haunt you.
1. You lost your ocarina and 30gp.
2. You have a note that simply says “thanks x” and an extra 12gp.
3. You’ve taken 5 damage, and almost remember the fight you got into. Someone has a grudge now.
4. You fed your snacks to something that crawled out of a hole. It’ll be back.
The morning is left to the children, who tire themselves out hunting for spirits and earning rewards for their valiant efforts in treats and trinkets.
The afternoon rolls in with the city’s street performers putting on show that spans every district. Most have been training all year for this, and it’s easy to see. One feathered performer catches your eye Gear as you peer out from your room, a fire eater who dances graceful along a low wall. She gives you a bow before continuing her endeavours.
Gear, earlier, how did you practise the skills you wish to learn? Did you consider asking Luce for a lesson at her shrine?
Music is beginning to be played all around Dogabag, and you’re sure beyond too. Drums, strings and woodwinds—whatever the people can get there hands on. Every more hanging silks are up than usual, and you see fresh graffiti on the walls of many buildings. Most depict masks, spirits and naughty demons, and expressions of love. Everyone is in high spirits!
Meanwhile, just outside the inn, Hado crosses paths with Baber. He’s off to wash and nap, you suspect.
One by one the folk staying at the inn don their masks as they pass by you Hado. Hado, make a Perception check.
Notes:
1. The weather is sunny and dry.
2. You’re a few minutes walking distance of each other and know where the other is staying.
3. You definitely planned to meet up somewhere, right? Was it at the Rig (Gear’s family home), the Leaner (Luce’s shrine) or the inn? First to post decides!
4. You’re all 3rd level and fully healed.
5. You’re invited to the best party going at the Nasty Surprise in a couple hours time. It’ll go on until midnight at least!
After a nice bath (where did all these bruises come from?), Baber scarfs down a meal and starts to almost feel like a real person again. Time for a quick nap, then off to meet up with Gear and Hado at the Rig!
Gear spent her time initially trying to practice stealth and acrobatics at the Rig, but over than entertaining the kids didnt really get that far. A quick suggestion from Juro lead her back to the temple, and talking with Luce. Which ended up being a lot more productive, if with a similar amount of pratfalls.
Still, if nothing else - Luce is an encouraging and enthusiastic mentor. Possibly too enthusatic.
A much more limber, if tired Gear meets up with everyone at the Rig, ready for the party!
((OOC: Just as book keeping: Gear now has turrets. For the sake of simplicity, Assume she's manually refreshing and summoning her Force Ballista in tiny turret form every hour. If she's switching, i'll declare that! For aesthetic sake: She has added three wooden sculptures to her staff - a monkey, a mini-rogorogo, and a dragonfly. The monkey's the force ballista. If she wants to resize it to being small, she'll spend an action to do that! I also have Catapult, Identify, Faire Fire, Detect Magic all prepared, in addition to Shield and Thunderwave from my subclass.))
I’ll call that step one to becoming a robotic avenger!
—
The evening sweeps across the city. The sky is a soft lilac, and the sun burns a crisp orange behind thin, pink clouds.
You’re all together on what is called the ‘courtyard bug’; a circular platform attached to six bridges suspended over a storage yard. It has a single palm tree on it surrounded by a lovely circular bench. Birds sing harmoniously all around, paying you no mind. The tree is carved with a simple message ‘IROH AGNI’.
There’s plenty of time if you want to do more here, but if you’re ready to head over to the Nasty Surprise, you’re there in no time.
Luce calls up from below, “Hey gang! You know what? You should have a name, all heroic teams have a name! Also?! Party time!!”
She’s wearing a simple cloth bird mask and an excessive amount of religious symbols.
Across the street outside the bounds of the Rig four masked people are stood idly. Are they watching you?
Gear facepalms slightly. "Maybe next time, Filling, try and be less ominously lurking." She grins slightly,. "I'm sure Baber will be happy at the booze."
After a moment she takes Filling to one side. "If you do see anything suspect, let us know yeah? I have a feeling we're not done with the demon summoner yet."
“Isn’t this so damn cool?”, one of her friends says. His voice is so deep it seems to reverberate in the air, “I feel so free on the day of the festival. Like my mask?”
Together you make your way to the Nasty Surprise, telling tales and bad jokes as you each (if you’re so inclined) taking a swig from the booze your new friend brought along. You pass by folks heading to other parties, each one masked and robes as you are. Giddy with the night’s joy, many prance around like fey or mockingly Chance each other like monsters. Or at least, a very tame view of such things.
Luce takes Baber and Hado’s arms, and Filling the Hollow peaks out at Gear from beneath her bird mask.
“Thanks again for getting me out of my funk.”, she says.
By the time the bottle is done you’re an eight man (and everything else) squad ready for the night!
—
The moon shares the dusk with the setting sun, and the star sign Yidshe is prominent against the deep purple sky.
Torches are lit leading to your tavern of choice, and people are already laughing and dancing together. The door is open and non bar your way. Inside you see what looks to be a little volcano, a master of illusion and a skilled artisan evidently put an erupting mountain of effort into furnishing this place for the festival!
Tynnanseldom correct, never unsureRegistered Userregular
Along the way, Hado would definitely have used Create Bonfire to delight a pack of kids or three. ((I assume there are kids around, at least early in the evening?))
Down to clown and excited to party! Baber, showing off their fancy new bracelets, immediately begins dancing to the music while looking around at all the fun decorations. A volcano! They can almost feel the heat!
[OOC: Yeah, New Zellatia is a pretty safe place overall so people let there kids out late. They’re tough around here too!]
The place is full of folks, but fortunately you’re right on time, just enough room to move and a spot free at the bar to muscle in and get some food and drink!
You’re taken back by the sights! The tavern has been separated into themed elements!
Rufio swaggers through the crowd towards you and beckons you in.
“Luce! Even with a mask you give yourself away every time. Only you can make religion look good.”, he laughs.
Luce jingles her many symbols and gives a little bow.
“Perceptive as ever! I always worried years of getting a ball thrown at your head would steal your wit.”, she retorts, “This party? Wow. You’ve outdone yourself this time!”
Rufio owns the Nasty Surprise, and is currently wearing his mask (also a bird, as it happens) as a hat. At least until Luce pulls it down.
Luce gives him two smoking finger guns, “Gotta keep the spirits guessing babe. It’s fine. Everyone knows you’re handsome, they can wait a night.”
[This map is a placeholder until I finish work, but needless to say the owner has knocked this one out of the park!]
The crowd gathers and Rufio is lost as he chats with everyone he can. Your new friends bust some moves on the dance-floor, and while you’re having your own fun... You do wonder who else might be here, hidden behind a mask.
Once a terrible facility for the creation of monsters, large cages still hang from the ceiling, so large people can easily walk through the bars!
Thankfully any other sign of cages have been removed, and is instead beautifully furnished with bamboo and palm wood.
This year Rufio paid a fortune for craftsmen and wizards to create an elaborate elemental theme, a real marvel to behold!
Earth Section
The main dance hall is the least changed, but has a slowly turning sandstone floor raised up 2 feet from the regular wooden floor. It’s hard to tell if it’s magical or mechanical beneath the masonry.
The regular bar is being tended by a close relative of Gear’s, Melon. He’s having a shot right now with a customer; classic Melon.
Fire Section
The main attraction, for now at least, is a work of illusion (plus clay and some phosphorus liquid perhaps) that appears to all like a miniature volcano. The whole room is red, and glows with heat.
Rufio has clearly placed this masterpiece next to the expensive cocktail bar to draw people in. Even in masks and robes you can clearly make out some well-to-do types lounging and giggling at something inane.
Air Section
If you’re younger, or simply not a drinker, this brightly lit area with a huge enchanted trampoline is for you. A bunch of fake monster statues have been put up, as if it’s an ancient ruin.
Local artists have created a crystal clear view of a cloudy sky, as if you were flying.
Somehow Rufio has managed to acquire the skeleton of some flying beast. It’s hung from the ceiling, but low enough to reach.
Ice Zone
It’s an... okay-ish ice rink, if you’ve never seen one before, which, well, none of you have. It’s already melting and isn’t perfectly flat. Ice doesn’t get on well with New Zellatia. Having it adjacent to the fire section was perhaps not the best plan.
However, a genuine wall of ice separates it from the ‘spirit zone’. A wizard is on call to keep it that way, wand in hand.
Spirit Zone
The so called ‘spirit zone’ is behind a closed door. It’s pitch black and has different music. VIP’s only. A big fellow is guarding the door.
Nothing suspicious in here.
Water Section
There’s a few more seashells around and some sand thrown down, but it’s the same pool that’s always here.
What really stands out are the paid performers, who are well into act one of a story about a group of sea hunters chasing a deadly serpent.
Despite what you may believe, Big Octo and Little Octo are not actually the same species - They're twins born to Tungalni parents, but one came out as a Floretta. (That is... basically how it works, if i've interpreted the lore correctly?). The "Big" and "Little" thing appears to be an obscure joke between the two, as is the fact they share the same name. It's entirely possible they switch who's Big and who's Little each day, possibly as part of their act. Even Filling isn't sure, and she's super good friends with them both.
Turino meanwhile is a Kaburin who specializes in juggling. Have you SEEN how many things she can get airborne? It's pretty crazy. She insists that its' actually harder to do juggling with five limbs than two, but no one's entirely convinced.
---
Gears response to things is stare around and then just go "Whoa."
She's not really sure WHERE to start, there's so much. It's kinda overloading, how much of everything there is. The VIP room is interesting to her, of course! (Never tell gear she's not allowed to go in an area, that's a terrible terrible hilariously terrible plan)
Also, seriously, Spirits room? Totally gonna have bad guys in it. Gear has read any number of terrible terrible novels predicting this exact sort of thing.
Tynnanseldom correct, never unsureRegistered Userregular
Hado makes a beeline for the fire section and orders a drink. Something earthy. A few drops of water past neat. He’ll sip this for a bit and watch the fauxcano do its thing, mask on.
The bartender slides you over a Backstab. It’s got a little umbrella in it.
Backstab
- Brown sugar powder on the rim.
- Scotch
- Amaro Meletti.
- Yellow Chartreuse.
- Lemon and lime juice.
- Half a black pepper at the bottom of the glass.
[OOC: That’s how Floretta work!
Don’t worry about paying for drinks, like a real night out you will just get up in the morning with an amount of your money having evaporated. Don’t sweat it.
Some suggestions for you all:
You could try getting passed the guard to the ~*<Spirit Zone>*~ but violence will get you kicked out, or worse, you just kick the whole room’s ass and have no friends any more.
That door is not the only way in there if you think about it.
You’ve good reason to suspect the demon summoner is here. Best take a snoop around you. Rather than roll Investigate, tell me how you go about it and we’ll go from there.
Hado could see what that tall woman with the red hair is doing in the beer garden, walking away. Wait, I thought this was out of character? Ahem.]
Hado, you only catch a glimpse, but you see a reflection twisted through your glass. The woman you saw up on the cliff while you were surfing is outside. She’s walking away from the party. So soon?
By the time you take your elbows from the bar she’ll have already walked passed the pool and headed to the beer garden. The beer garden has several tables with large shaded canopies. It’s a nice place to hang out, but attracts bugs. Tonight fireflies crawl on the underside of the canopies, creating natural golden points of light.
The night has settled in. The sky is black with bursts of constellations.
You call over as you wander up the garden, not wanting to just startle someone. She is facing away from you. She does not turn.
With each step you reassess the woman. Twenty something. Late twenties. Thirty? Forty?
You slow as you approach, and turn your head carefully back towards the pool. People are swimming and laughing. The performers are almost to the bit where the rivals kiss... No one is looking this way. The music seems distant.
You take another step.
Endless_Serpents on
0
Options
Tynnanseldom correct, never unsureRegistered Userregular
“Uh. Ahm. Hi. I’m... Hado. I’m, uh, not very good at surfing. What’s, uh. How are you?”
Baber takes a break from dancing for a bit and walks over to the bar.
"Ale, please. The bitterest you have, if you don't mind."
After receiving their beverage (whatever the bartender served them, Baber probably loves it), they wander over to the fire section to ooooh, and ahhhh over the fauxcano [OOC: thanks for that, Tynnan] for a little bit, then they head back over to the air section because they want to jump on the giant trampoline! They're looking around at the crowds for the summoner, but with everyone wearing a mask it's going to be hard to tell who's who. First, some fun! Besides, they might bump into someone that has a clue!
You get yourself a Winner’s ale, the official ale of the Champion of Ryllegrand.*
Having polished off the ale (terrible stuff, but you don’t notice) you set your glass down on a table and hit the air section!
There are several people bouncing around, and you notice a pendent bouncing around too. Someone has dropped it in the fun.
Baber give me an Acrobatics check!
*It is not know what, if anything, the Champion drank, but there’s no law saying you can’t just openly lie about what you’re selling so long as it’s not poison.
You land flat on your stomach with your arms stretched out. It springs upwards as you slam your hands shut and you miss the opportunity.
“Yoink!”, you hear someone say as they bounce away.
“Is this yours?”, he smirks, “You can have it back on one condition... Face me and my pal in a righteous dance off! You’re gonna need a partner. Meet us on the turning dance floor of your doom!”
He’s just some guy. His friend shrugs and mouths ‘sorry’. Together they leave for the dance floor.
Can you leave such a challenge unfaced, or does your Calipdis blood boil with the rage of a tempest?!
It’s two on two! Will you grab Gear or Hado to be your dance partner?
- The first team to reach 3 dance points makes a Performance check. If either succeeds the 14 DC, they win! If they fail the dance off starts again, and the next DC for that team will be halved.
- If either team reaches 3 heat points, they lose, their spirits crushed.
- If any dancer leaves the dance floor, their team loses.
Square Up
To begin, each dance combatant must make an Intimidation check to determine initiative order.
Once the dance off begins the combatants can make one of the following actions on each of their turns.
Groove
Your rhythm grants your team 1 dance point.
Flex
Your aggressive moves force the opponent of your choice back by 5 feet. Their team takes 1 heat point.
Shop
You provide an opening for your ally, allowing them to move 5 feet towards the middle of the dancefloor. Your team removes 1 heat point.
Strut
You move towards the middle of the dance floor by 5 feet.
What flashed through your head as you approach the red haired Ishtari woman?
Only Hado can read this...
Describe to me a short scene involving the fact that Ishtari are a single tribe, and that there has never been a single known instance of them marrying outside their race. Everyone’s equal, but the Ishtari must grow, be fruitful and multiple, as the saying goes. It only has to be three lines minimum.
If you do, you’ll gain 50 experience.
If that stumps you, just write out a little memory. It doesn’t have to connect to anything.
Posts
She lets them know where she'll be and heads over to the noise and familiarity of the rig, spending some time to fill Iroh in about everything that's happened before settling down to rest
(No worries on story lull)
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Everything is okay. The folks stopping here all have a mask in hand, and will be going to some party tomorrow evening.
The Rig
Iroh doesn’t turn to you as you enter his workspace.
“Oh! Gear! Quickly now, pass me the thingame! Size 5!”, he says excitedly.
You do, of course, and he keeps on working.
He takes a maggiger close to his eye, inspecting it for flaws, then says, “I’ve missed you.”
Together you discuss matters.
“Juyo, yes, we fought once, years ago. To this day I wonder how he shrugged off that fire bolt. When we were young this city was wild—imagine what you saw at Cucha, but worse! We were wild too, I suppose. I felt that pure technology, quantifiable science, was the way forward, that the Science Brigade alone could lead us. He felt that only the rule of the giant-blooded men would be just.”
“As you and I both know, artifice without care is not the path we should take, and I believe Juyo long abandoned his sense of superiority, too. The man you meet upon the plateau is not his reputation. Like I always say, go with an open heart and catapult ready.”
After a comfortable silence, he says, “Time for tea.”
The Festival of Masks!
What is a mask, if not a face? No? Your true face then, what does it look like? Will you take that mask off too, and reveal another? When you are not yourself who are you? Are you alive or a spirit, if you do not know yourself?
"Must have celebrated our victory against the monkeys too hard. Ugh, I need a bath" they mutter. They slowly stand up (the wall graciously assisting them) and head off in the direction they think the inn is. That bath and a meal sounds heavenly right about now.
1. You lost your ocarina and 30gp.
2. You have a note that simply says “thanks x” and an extra 12gp.
3. You’ve taken 5 damage, and almost remember the fight you got into. Someone has a grudge now.
4. You fed your snacks to something that crawled out of a hole. It’ll be back.
The morning is left to the children, who tire themselves out hunting for spirits and earning rewards for their valiant efforts in treats and trinkets.
The afternoon rolls in with the city’s street performers putting on show that spans every district. Most have been training all year for this, and it’s easy to see. One feathered performer catches your eye Gear as you peer out from your room, a fire eater who dances graceful along a low wall. She gives you a bow before continuing her endeavours.
Gear, earlier, how did you practise the skills you wish to learn? Did you consider asking Luce for a lesson at her shrine?
Music is beginning to be played all around Dogabag, and you’re sure beyond too. Drums, strings and woodwinds—whatever the people can get there hands on. Every more hanging silks are up than usual, and you see fresh graffiti on the walls of many buildings. Most depict masks, spirits and naughty demons, and expressions of love. Everyone is in high spirits!
Meanwhile, just outside the inn, Hado crosses paths with Baber. He’s off to wash and nap, you suspect.
One by one the folk staying at the inn don their masks as they pass by you Hado. Hado, make a Perception check.
Notes:
1. The weather is sunny and dry.
2. You’re a few minutes walking distance of each other and know where the other is staying.
3. You definitely planned to meet up somewhere, right? Was it at the Rig (Gear’s family home), the Leaner (Luce’s shrine) or the inn? First to post decides!
4. You’re all 3rd level and fully healed.
5. You’re invited to the best party going at the Nasty Surprise in a couple hours time. It’ll go on until midnight at least!
Still, if nothing else - Luce is an encouraging and enthusiastic mentor. Possibly too enthusatic.
A much more limber, if tired Gear meets up with everyone at the Rig, ready for the party!
((OOC: Just as book keeping: Gear now has turrets. For the sake of simplicity, Assume she's manually refreshing and summoning her Force Ballista in tiny turret form every hour. If she's switching, i'll declare that! For aesthetic sake: She has added three wooden sculptures to her staff - a monkey, a mini-rogorogo, and a dragonfly. The monkey's the force ballista. If she wants to resize it to being small, she'll spend an action to do that! I also have Catapult, Identify, Faire Fire, Detect Magic all prepared, in addition to Shield and Thunderwave from my subclass.))
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—
The evening sweeps across the city. The sky is a soft lilac, and the sun burns a crisp orange behind thin, pink clouds.
You’re all together on what is called the ‘courtyard bug’; a circular platform attached to six bridges suspended over a storage yard. It has a single palm tree on it surrounded by a lovely circular bench. Birds sing harmoniously all around, paying you no mind. The tree is carved with a simple message ‘IROH
There’s plenty of time if you want to do more here, but if you’re ready to head over to the Nasty Surprise, you’re there in no time.
Luce calls up from below, “Hey gang! You know what? You should have a name, all heroic teams have a name! Also?! Party time!!”
She’s wearing a simple cloth bird mask and an excessive amount of religious symbols.
Across the street outside the bounds of the Rig four masked people are stood idly. Are they watching you?
Geth roll 1d20+3 for perception (Trying to figure out if the masked people are watching us)
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"So. Something we can do for you?"
(Gear: Handling social situations with aplomb.)
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She’s with her pals, Turino, Big Octo and Little Octo (they are the same height—don’t ask).
After a moment she takes Filling to one side. "If you do see anything suspect, let us know yeah? I have a feeling we're not done with the demon summoner yet."
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It’s hard to tell what with the masks and robes, but what kind of people are her friends, Gear?
(It's past midnight here and my brain is dead - i'm about to goto bed actually. I dont think i can tell you about them right now, sorry!)
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Gear earns 1 experience point.
Conformists, y'know?))
He taps it; an ant eater made from cloth.
Together you make your way to the Nasty Surprise, telling tales and bad jokes as you each (if you’re so inclined) taking a swig from the booze your new friend brought along. You pass by folks heading to other parties, each one masked and robes as you are. Giddy with the night’s joy, many prance around like fey or mockingly Chance each other like monsters. Or at least, a very tame view of such things.
Luce takes Baber and Hado’s arms, and Filling the Hollow peaks out at Gear from beneath her bird mask.
“Thanks again for getting me out of my funk.”, she says.
By the time the bottle is done you’re an eight man (and everything else) squad ready for the night!
—
The moon shares the dusk with the setting sun, and the star sign Yidshe is prominent against the deep purple sky.
Torches are lit leading to your tavern of choice, and people are already laughing and dancing together. The door is open and non bar your way. Inside you see what looks to be a little volcano, a master of illusion and a skilled artisan evidently put an erupting mountain of effort into furnishing this place for the festival!
The Nasty Surprise awaits!
The place is full of folks, but fortunately you’re right on time, just enough room to move and a spot free at the bar to muscle in and get some food and drink!
You’re taken back by the sights! The tavern has been separated into themed elements!
Rufio swaggers through the crowd towards you and beckons you in.
“Luce! Even with a mask you give yourself away every time. Only you can make religion look good.”, he laughs.
Luce jingles her many symbols and gives a little bow.
“Perceptive as ever! I always worried years of getting a ball thrown at your head would steal your wit.”, she retorts, “This party? Wow. You’ve outdone yourself this time!”
Rufio owns the Nasty Surprise, and is currently wearing his mask (also a bird, as it happens) as a hat. At least until Luce pulls it down.
Luce gives him two smoking finger guns, “Gotta keep the spirits guessing babe. It’s fine. Everyone knows you’re handsome, they can wait a night.”
[This map is a placeholder until I finish work, but needless to say the owner has knocked this one out of the park!]
What do you do?
Once a terrible facility for the creation of monsters, large cages still hang from the ceiling, so large people can easily walk through the bars!
Thankfully any other sign of cages have been removed, and is instead beautifully furnished with bamboo and palm wood.
This year Rufio paid a fortune for craftsmen and wizards to create an elaborate elemental theme, a real marvel to behold!
Earth Section
The main dance hall is the least changed, but has a slowly turning sandstone floor raised up 2 feet from the regular wooden floor. It’s hard to tell if it’s magical or mechanical beneath the masonry.
The regular bar is being tended by a close relative of Gear’s, Melon. He’s having a shot right now with a customer; classic Melon.
Fire Section
The main attraction, for now at least, is a work of illusion (plus clay and some phosphorus liquid perhaps) that appears to all like a miniature volcano. The whole room is red, and glows with heat.
Rufio has clearly placed this masterpiece next to the expensive cocktail bar to draw people in. Even in masks and robes you can clearly make out some well-to-do types lounging and giggling at something inane.
Air Section
If you’re younger, or simply not a drinker, this brightly lit area with a huge enchanted trampoline is for you. A bunch of fake monster statues have been put up, as if it’s an ancient ruin.
Local artists have created a crystal clear view of a cloudy sky, as if you were flying.
Somehow Rufio has managed to acquire the skeleton of some flying beast. It’s hung from the ceiling, but low enough to reach.
Ice Zone
It’s an... okay-ish ice rink, if you’ve never seen one before, which, well, none of you have. It’s already melting and isn’t perfectly flat. Ice doesn’t get on well with New Zellatia. Having it adjacent to the fire section was perhaps not the best plan.
However, a genuine wall of ice separates it from the ‘spirit zone’. A wizard is on call to keep it that way, wand in hand.
Spirit Zone
The so called ‘spirit zone’ is behind a closed door. It’s pitch black and has different music. VIP’s only. A big fellow is guarding the door.
Nothing suspicious in here.
Water Section
There’s a few more seashells around and some sand thrown down, but it’s the same pool that’s always here.
What really stands out are the paid performers, who are well into act one of a story about a group of sea hunters chasing a deadly serpent.
Turino meanwhile is a Kaburin who specializes in juggling. Have you SEEN how many things she can get airborne? It's pretty crazy. She insists that its' actually harder to do juggling with five limbs than two, but no one's entirely convinced.
---
Gears response to things is stare around and then just go "Whoa."
She's not really sure WHERE to start, there's so much. It's kinda overloading, how much of everything there is. The VIP room is interesting to her, of course! (Never tell gear she's not allowed to go in an area, that's a terrible terrible hilariously terrible plan)
Also, seriously, Spirits room? Totally gonna have bad guys in it. Gear has read any number of terrible terrible novels predicting this exact sort of thing.
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Switch: 0293 6817 9891
Hado
The bartender slides you over a Backstab. It’s got a little umbrella in it.
Backstab
- Brown sugar powder on the rim.
- Scotch
- Amaro Meletti.
- Yellow Chartreuse.
- Lemon and lime juice.
- Half a black pepper at the bottom of the glass.
[OOC: That’s how Floretta work!
Don’t worry about paying for drinks, like a real night out you will just get up in the morning with an amount of your money having evaporated. Don’t sweat it.
Some suggestions for you all:
You could try getting passed the guard to the ~*<Spirit Zone>*~ but violence will get you kicked out, or worse, you just kick the whole room’s ass and have no friends any more.
That door is not the only way in there if you think about it.
You’ve good reason to suspect the demon summoner is here. Best take a snoop around you. Rather than roll Investigate, tell me how you go about it and we’ll go from there.
Hado could see what that tall woman with the red hair is doing in the beer garden, walking away. Wait, I thought this was out of character? Ahem.]
Hado, you only catch a glimpse, but you see a reflection twisted through your glass. The woman you saw up on the cliff while you were surfing is outside. She’s walking away from the party. So soon?
By the time you take your elbows from the bar she’ll have already walked passed the pool and headed to the beer garden. The beer garden has several tables with large shaded canopies. It’s a nice place to hang out, but attracts bugs. Tonight fireflies crawl on the underside of the canopies, creating natural golden points of light.
The night has settled in. The sky is black with bursts of constellations.
Do you follow her?
I'll have a think and figure out what gear's doing))
Steam: https://steamcommunity.com/id/TheZombiePenguin
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Switch: 0293 6817 9891
With each step you reassess the woman. Twenty something. Late twenties. Thirty? Forty?
You slow as you approach, and turn your head carefully back towards the pool. People are swimming and laughing. The performers are almost to the bit where the rivals kiss... No one is looking this way. The music seems distant.
You take another step.
"Ale, please. The bitterest you have, if you don't mind."
After receiving their beverage (whatever the bartender served them, Baber probably loves it), they wander over to the fire section to ooooh, and ahhhh over the fauxcano [OOC: thanks for that, Tynnan] for a little bit, then they head back over to the air section because they want to jump on the giant trampoline! They're looking around at the crowds for the summoner, but with everyone wearing a mask it's going to be hard to tell who's who. First, some fun! Besides, they might bump into someone that has a clue!
You get yourself a Winner’s ale, the official ale of the Champion of Ryllegrand.*
Having polished off the ale (terrible stuff, but you don’t notice) you set your glass down on a table and hit the air section!
There are several people bouncing around, and you notice a pendent bouncing around too. Someone has dropped it in the fun.
Baber give me an Acrobatics check!
*It is not know what, if anything, the Champion drank, but there’s no law saying you can’t just openly lie about what you’re selling so long as it’s not poison.
Baber tries to bounce their way over towards the pendant
You land flat on your stomach with your arms stretched out. It springs upwards as you slam your hands shut and you miss the opportunity.
“Yoink!”, you hear someone say as they bounce away.
“Is this yours?”, he smirks, “You can have it back on one condition... Face me and my pal in a righteous dance off! You’re gonna need a partner. Meet us on the turning dance floor of your doom!”
He’s just some guy. His friend shrugs and mouths ‘sorry’. Together they leave for the dance floor.
Can you leave such a challenge unfaced, or does your Calipdis blood boil with the rage of a tempest?!
It’s two on two! Will you grab Gear or Hado to be your dance partner?
Baber bounces back over towards the Earth Section and waves at Gear, "Hey, it's time to trash these clowns! Get your dancing shoes on!"
Then they do some quick stretches, pop their knuckles, crack their neck, and step onto the rotating dancefloor.
Here’s how we face off in New Zellatia!
- The first team to reach 3 dance points makes a Performance check. If either succeeds the 14 DC, they win! If they fail the dance off starts again, and the next DC for that team will be halved.
- If either team reaches 3 heat points, they lose, their spirits crushed.
- If any dancer leaves the dance floor, their team loses.
Square Up
To begin, each dance combatant must make an Intimidation check to determine initiative order.
Once the dance off begins the combatants can make one of the following actions on each of their turns.
Groove
Your rhythm grants your team 1 dance point.
Flex
Your aggressive moves force the opponent of your choice back by 5 feet. Their team takes 1 heat point.
Shop
You provide an opening for your ally, allowing them to move 5 feet towards the middle of the dancefloor. Your team removes 1 heat point.
Strut
You move towards the middle of the dance floor by 5 feet.
The Turning Dance Floor of Doom
The Jackal Masked Thief
He is Just Some Guy
Geth roll 1d20+1 for Initiative Z
Wend
The Lion Masked Regular Person
Sorry About This
Geth roll 1d20-1 for Initiative W
Wend stands with his arms folded while Z’douche gets up in your face, Baber. Well, more like your chest.
“The Z’douche is z’loose!”, he sneers, “You’re going down!”
What flashed through your head as you approach the red haired Ishtari woman?
Only Hado can read this...
If you do, you’ll gain 50 experience.
If that stumps you, just write out a little memory. It doesn’t have to connect to anything.