Fall Festivities

[Guest Brimstone]

When the party emerged from the ‘port BS was making a slight kissing nose through his teeth as he stamped his foot in the damp clay earth. “Leg went numb again,” he complained, even as the pins and needles started radiating up his calf. At least it was only one leg this time. Maybe his body was getting used to the magicks woven around him. You would think that something that by its nature was genetically engineered to adapt to its environment, but there was something about magic that seemed to grate against the very being of the Del Marian breeds.

But they had finally arrived. The port was indeed pretty damn impressive. Brimstone had imagined it to be just a simple fishing village, but instead it seemed quite the bustling metropolis. No hovercraft of any modern technology, but clearly the large barges tied to the docks weren’t fishing for tiny trout either. There were items being tared out by the gross.

The empath’s brow rose slightly. Perhaps he’d been marketing in the wrong circles. He was going to have to scope out the scene and see if he could do some business and move some of his merchandise along. Even now his gaze drifted along the docks, ferreting out the various lines of commerce. Once he parsed out his potential markets, he turned back to Claw. “So? Where’s the party?”

[Guest Carolyn]

Svana let go of Carter's arm after they stepped through the portal. She'd latched on for fear the portal might take her somewhere other than the intended destination and had the thought that perhaps he would keep from going someplace else.

"Sorry," she mumbled having realized her fear was irrational.

[Guest Pete]

Carter smiled at Svana. "Don't think anything of it. It's flattering to someone's port in a storm. Especially someone with the kind of magic you can wield." He held his arm out for her to take if she liked, he wasn't sure if people did that where she was from but the idea of walking around with someone who understood his feeling of displacement appealed to him. "Shall we see the sites?"

[Guest Carolyn]

Svana smiled as she took Carter's arm. "Yes, let's see what sort of trouble we can find here. Hopefully, all we'll find is libations and maybe some food that doesn't look like vomit," she said with a smirk. The thought of what BS had been eating on made her stomach churn, surely these people here had normal food.

[Guest Solem'cleavu]

Clawrift simply shrugged. "I need to get with Onyx to find that out which is why I chose to 'port us near her house. For some reason she'll only tell me in person, guess it's her way of picking on me."

Leading the others down the street and up the nearby hill before they ended up at the door to the mansion designated for the current ruler of the area. Claw knocking on the door loudly before waiting for Onyx to answer.

[Guest Carolyn]

Svana shook off a chill. “Opossum just walked across my grave,” she mumbled. She had a bad feeling, but it felt like one of those that generally presents itself and amounts to nothing.

[Guest Pete]

Carter cocked an eyebrow at Svana, "You have opossums where you're from? That's very interesting. Small whitish furry creatures that raid trash and chicken coops? That's an animal I hadn't thought would be a universal constant."

He took in the mansion and whistled a low appreciative sound. Quietly to Svana he added, "I don't know about you but I have definitely began hanging out with a much higher social class since I arrived here."

[Guest Carolyn]

The warlock’s mind wandered to something other than an opossum when the description was given. “A Wolpertinger? Wait, you can only see those when you’re drunk,” she said with a smirk.

“I’m not sure I understand you,” she said. She too had noticed the rather large house, but his idea of classes was completely different from hers.

[Guest Brimstone]

"A wolpertinger?" That was a new one to the empathic mutant. "That anything like a pink elephant? Not that I've ever seen any of those either. Nor any other sort of rare phantasmal creature. Least not while drinkin'."

His attention then turned to Carter. "So what, you hang out with Kings and such? No wonder you hit it off so well with Drac and his ilk." And he emphasized the implication by giving kissing noises. It probably was in bad taste, but then again after nearly being chomped in half by some alien clown, he felt he should have been allowed a few low-brow ribbings.

His eyes grew wide as they approached the mansion and gave a low whistle. "Seems like none of yer kin like to slum it, do they Claw?"

[Guest Carolyn]

“Do you mean Pink Elekk?” she wasn’t sure what an Elephant was, but it defiantly sounded close to Elekk. “They’re real. You just can’t see them unless you’re drunk. I’ve got a Wolpertinger and Pink Elekk for pets. I picked them up at Brewfest a couple of years ago.”

She listened as BS misunderstood Carter even worse than she did. “I think what he means is that he’s with a higher ‘class’ than he was where he came from. So, I’m guessing that the classing isn’t at all like the classes where I come from.”

[Guest Solem'cleavu]

"In response to your comment about none of us liking to "slum it" as you put it Brimstone I do need to inform you that this mansion is not owned by the Royal Family but by the city government itself. When my time to run this area comes to an end it will then be the residence of the next city ruler and I will no doubt return to the castle while I await my next duty."

This from Onyx as she had answered the door herself before standing to the side. "Now, if you'll please come in I believe we can get some things out of the way before you go ahead and head to the festival outside the northeastern borders of the city."

Before he led the way into the building Claw did continue where Onyx left off. "Not to mention the fact that I am not related to the Royal Family in any way so calling young Onyx "kin" is completely wrong. It would be more accurate to state that I am a part of the nobility rather than the royalty of this nation."

[Guest Pete]

Carter watched the discussion swirl past him and quickly gave up trying to explain. It wouldn't have mattered and BS or Svana could ask for explanations later if they wanted. Quiet and observation was among Carter's best traits and he took a moment to assess his companions as well as the mansion he was about to enter. There were a lot of unknowns here but his gut instinct said he was in good company and that whatever lay before him at least he was going in style. Rooting around to childhood lessons and what he knew of this world's etiquette he smiled at Onyx. "Many thanks for your invitation Lady Onyx."

[Guest Brimstone]

<<"Do you mean Pink Elekk?" she wasn't sure what an Elephant was, but it defiantly sounded close to Elekk. "They're real. You just can't see them unless you're drunk. I've got a Wolpertinger and Pink Elekk for pets. I picked them up at Brewfest a couple of years ago.">>

"I won't tell you what I picked up at the last Oktoberfest I went to, but I can guarantee they weren't pets. More like pests."

He hadn't meant it to sound as crass as it probably was. As it was he was referencing an event from many years ago, his mind "skipping a track" as he took in Onyx's officiating headquarters.

'Ornate' was the first descriptive word that crept into his befuddle brain.

<<"In response to your comment about none of us liking to "slum it" as you put it Brimstone I do need to inform you that this mansion is not owned by the Royal Family but by the city government itself. When my time to run this area comes to an end it will then be the residence of the next city ruler and I will no doubt return to the castle while I await my next duty.">>

<BR style="mso-special-character: line-break"><BR style="mso-special-character: line-break">

BS leaned in a bit. "It's still very foo-foo," he insisted to Claw as he stepped inside, making sure to give a tip of his hat to the lady of the house.

Indeed it was very palatial inside as well. He probably would have made some crack about the little guy footin' the bill for such lavishness except he was pretty sure that much of the design was by donation, mostly likely from the Royal family themselves.

Still, it was definitely foo-foo.

<. "Now, if you'll please come in I believe we can get some things out of the way before you go ahead and head to the festival outside the northeastern borders of the city.">

"What kind of 'things'?" The mutant asked. Not that he was suspicious. Well, yes. He was always suspicious. Just clearly not suspicious enough, otherwise he wouldn't have had his ass handed to him by a clown, so he was making up for lost ground. As it was he'd made sure he was packin' some decent heat. Claw may have insisted that the Vashtalian port was a safe haven, but the empath had learned long, long ago that there was no such thing as a safe haven.

Just degrees of safe-ness.

Edited December 2, 2010 by Solem'cleavu
someone keeps confusing Claw for Drac

[Guest Carolyn]

The Warlock raised a brow at BS for asking, “What kind of ‘things’?”. This guy was like a newbie in a raid or dungeon that was about to die four times over before any real fighting had begun.

She dropped back from the group as they entered. She slowly let go of Carter’s arm, letting him follow the group. She looked around the inside of the door for a moment before following the group.

It was time for her to revert to her silence and solitude while she listened to whatever important information was about to be imparted. She felt the same anxiety that she felt before every battleground, the why am I doing this anxiety.

[Guest Solem'cleavu]

((why do you keep thinking that Claw is Drac for some reason? What's really sad is that I even mention Claw's name in my posts. o.o ))

Onyx just quirked a brow at Brimstone's question. "What kinds of things? Maybe I've misunderstood but I was under the distinct impression that you had some business in this town as well. Something about needing to drop something off at one of the tailor's here?"

Claw in the meantime had helped himself to a mug of ale and took a seat in one of the more cushy chairs in the main room that everyone found themselves in.

[Guest Carolyn]

Svana apprehensively raised her hand. "That's me," she mumbled.

[Guest Brimstone]

BS seemed a little more at ease, now that the air had been somewhat cleared. He ended up parking his hinder on one of the couches before fishing out a rather tattered notepad. The pen he had to shake several times to get the ink running, but he was soon jotting down trade ideas with what he had glimpsed briefly at the port.

Most of what was mulling about in his head was actually more for his job than for his own personal perks. He did help run the “Science Department” in the castle after all. Still seemed a bit laughable since much of the “science” involved was magic based, and even more inane since he was part of that whole mantra of “magic and mutants don’t mix” group. Still his expose to the manna-based energy sources didn’t seem to sting as much as it used to, provided he was braced for it. Heck he’d even managed to get a spell or two to work. Very tiny spells, but it was almost enchanting to watch his face light up the first time it succeeded. Of course he’d never be any sort of spell caster, but it was nice to know that he could manage one or two if pressed.

Heck some day one of those itty bitty spells might save his life.

Once he had his list compiled (giving their newest recruit a chance to speak with Onyx to determine the type of mending needed to repair her garb) he fumbled for his smokes. His “special brand” of course. And no, not the funny green weed kind. This stuff made those Marboros seem like those little candy sticks they used to give out at Halloween.

The kind of stuff that can stop your heart, or cause it to explode.

He now looked about the place. No way he could indulge without risking everyone else’s health. “’Scuse me a moment. Potty break,” and he got up and headed not to the head, but to the balcony area overlooking the port and harbor. There he safely lit up the home-rolled fag and inhaled deeply, feeling the lethal toxins burn into his lungs.

[Guest Solem'cleavu]

Onyx just sighed and shrugged once Brimstone left, returning her attention to Svana. "Now, what did you have that needed repair miss?"

[Guest Carolyn]

((OMG... what happened to Pete?))

The Warlock’s fell to the floor remembering what Serenity had said about her armor. “My armor,” she finally mumbled after a minute.

[Guest Pete]

<<Pete works two on, two off and then three on etc. so he disappears from time to time as 60+ hour weeks leave no time for computers until the off days ;)>>

Carter watched all the interactions playing out around him as he felt Svana withdraw. He was at a loss in these situations himself. It was probably a sad thing that he was at his best when things were at their worst. Give him a gun and some cover and he could fight his way out of a starship full of clowns but leave him at a social dinner and he had no clue what to do next. When he realized that BS was headed out to the balcony he was afraid to ask what sort of potty break that entailed. He settled for blending into the background and hoping the group left for the promised festivities soon.

[Guest Carolyn]

((Are you a Fireman? I think you're land locked, so you wouldn't qualify for an oil rigger.))

[Guest Pete]

<<Correctional Officer. I work in a detention facility. Good times all the time.>>

[Guest Solem'cleavu]

"Well Miss Svana, if you wouldn't mind leaving the articles to be repaired here I'll make sure they're ready for you to pick up by the time you return. Oh and you don't have to worry about paying for the repairs as I'll be the one covering them. Please consider this a token of thanks for helping out my little brother. I've heard about it from Lord Claw as well as my elder sister Serenity."

Standing up then as she bowed slightly to the girl and then to Carter. "And thank you as well Sir Carter, if you have need of anything please do not hesitate to ask."

[Guest Pete]

Carter mimicked her bow, "Your generosity is greatly appreciated lady." He found himself growing at least somewhat comfortable with the leaders of this land. Strong, casual creatures who seemed to rule by merit rather than by heredity. It was an idea he could get used to he discovered.

[Guest Carolyn]

((Ahh... Most of the ones I've known work shifts of say 8 hrs, etc... One of the ones I know took the job with the idea that he would be able to beat up inmates without any consequences.))

Svana gave a slight bow in return with a slightly confused look on her face. She quickly began digging through a small pouch tied to her belt and pulled out a neatly folded robe that was clearly bigger than the pouch it had come from. "I'm pretty sure this is the only thing that needs repairing," she paused and looked at the table within arm's length of her. "Where would you like me to leave it?"