Hot Times in Slateholm 6/23-24

[Tiglath]

Vesper casts about for danger but tries to maintain both the vibe and her party persona.

Fanning her face she laughs to the crowd "Oh, this is no night for fire bugs! If I get any hotter I might have to undo a couple of buttons!"

[ateno]

Galreth looks for injured or people that need to be told where to go.

Galreth

[Eris]

Vesper casts about for danger but tries to maintain both the vibe and her party persona.

Fanning her face she laughs to the crowd "Oh, this is no night for fire bugs! If I get any hotter I might have to undo a couple of buttons!"

...and she has the crowd back! As catcalls ring out to unbutton a few more! Vesper dances her way into the Sea Serpent's Tooth with the crowd filling the small square outside it's window.

Inside the fat man that owns the place and two of his bar maids are taking out the window and replacing it with a potable stage. He calls over to Vesper, "Got your note! If you make the crowd as thirsty as last time, I'll give you half the take after I pay off the other taverns for the ale and whiskey they've sold me."

With a stage in the window, Vesper can put musicians behind her, inside and a bouncer or two out front to, mostly, keep the crowd back. In the back of her mind, she is thinking about who might have wanted to cause a panic, maybe get some people trampled, if the crowd really panicked.

[Eris]

Galreth looks for injured or people that need to be told where to go.

Galreth

Galreth looks for injured people, but there are none, and Vesper clearly has the crowd back under her spell. The fire seems to have just been a distraction that didn't work.

[shaidar]

Gaurbal

When the oil flask explodes the warrior puts his hand on his sword pommel and scans the area for signs of who threw it or any other danger.

{Elizabeth}

Elizabeth slides to the side as others look to stomp out the small fire. She looks around and spies a pair of men standing in an alley across the road watching what is going on. Both men are shadowed, but from Elizabeth's vantage she can just make them out by the flickering flames of the fire on the pavement. They are both wearing dark colored cloaks, but she saw movement and their white faces and hands are visible enough for her to make them out. Looking closer at them, she sees neither is doing anything other than watching, she doesn't see either holding anything that looks like something they could throw, but neither seem surprised by the fire nor to be doing anything to help put it out.

Elizabeth tries to subtly bump Gaurbal to get his attention and jerk her head to the two men watching.

Gaurbal looks over to where Elizabeth is indicating and tries to remember their likenesses for later.

"I think we might have trouble tonight. Be alert."

[archolewa]

{Elizabeth}

Gaurbal

Gaurbal looks over to where Elizabeth is indicating and tries to remember their likenesses for later.

"I think we might have trouble tonight. Be alert."

Elizabeth nibbles nervously on her lower lip, but nods and follows the others into the Sea Serpent's Tooth.

[shaidar]

Gaurbal

Noticing her nervousness Gaurbal smiles "Don't worry, we'll be fine."

When we arrive at the Sea Serpent's Tooth Gaurbal surreptitiously tells the others what Elizabeth saw.

[terrymixon]

Gaurbal

Noticing her nervousness Gaurbal smiles "Don't worry, we'll be fine."

When we arrive at the Sea Serpent's Tooth Gaurbal surreptitiously tells the others what Elizabeth saw.

Draven will take that news to heart and keep an eye out for real trouble.

[Tiglath]

Inside the fat man that owns the place and two of his bar maids are taking out the window and replacing it with a potable stage. He calls over to Vesper, "Got your note! If you make the crowd as thirsty as last time, I'll give you half the take after I pay off the other taverns for the ale and whiskey they've sold me."

With a stage in the window, Vesper can put musicians behind her, inside and a bouncer or two out front to, mostly, keep the crowd back. In the back of her mind, she is thinking about who might have wanted to cause a panic, maybe get some people trampled, if the crowd really panicked.

Vesper vocally greets the tavern's master "Then let me seal our contract with a kiss!" Very much aware that's she's getting attention from all around she delivers a "thespian kiss" and laughs gaily "I'll see what I can do to to arouse... their thirst!"

Noticing her nervousness Gaurbal smiles "Don't worry, we'll be fine."

When we arrive at the Sea Serpent's Tooth Gaurbal surreptitiously tells the others what Elizabeth saw.

Vesper keeps smiling but says "Sharp eyes and the power of the arcane? You bring a lot to the party, Mistress Elizabeth!"

To all she says "This is the Red Man attempting to make his move. Panic the crowd and kill the mood and the business both. Next he'll offer "protection" or maybe an "opportunity" in the Northern District working for no coin - but his men might not yet be done tonight! The tavern bouncers have the front of the stage so can you cover the back of the crowd? We need these two under our power or they'll wreck the show. Elizabeth will spot them and Jake will direct you. If we can subdue them then Galreth can turn their minds inside out - but I still need him for Shadow Cats!"

Looking over at Tinu she asks "Will you help cover the crowd?"

Elizabeth sees Vesper turn back to her with a dangerous twinkle in her eye "It's a sizeable crowd - so you'll need a good vantage point... and, of course, a costume. Your lines are "Good Evening, Slateholm!" As her suspicion turns to the dawning of what might be a horrible realization Elizabeth notes a distracting waft of citrus as Vesper moves in very close behind her and murmurs breathily in her ear "Trust me - I've worked in wardrobe". Then Vesper does something to Elizabeth's dress and murmurs "Oh... what a costume! Um... don't wave too vigorously - and definitely don't sneeze!"

Vesper then gives Elizabeth her best reckless smile and says "I'm going to introduce you as new talent. You say your lines then we'll dance slowly - I'll lead. You watch the crowd. When you see the Red Man's thugs tell Jake and our warriors will do the rest. Just pretend you are shy and nervous and oh, by the Nine, you'll have them right where you want them!" Eye to eye she reassures Elizabeth "You won't do anymore than I've said - that's the act". Then she laughs with apparent joy at the "game" afoot "Come on - it'll be fun!"

Vesper takes Elizabeth's hand and appears to be about to lead her to the scaffold on stage.

(OOC: The above hopefully has some elements of a plan... ).

[ateno]

"Vesper I have a idea that might work to embarrass the thugs and turn the crowd against them, so there is that. But I cant maintain the cats and that at the same time.
Just so you know. But Jake will be with you."

Galreth

[archolewa]

{Elizabeth}

Vesper takes Elizabeth's hand and appears to be about to lead her to the scaffold on stage.

(OOC: The above hopefully has some elements of a plan... ).

"I don't think I'll need to pret--eek!" Elizabeth squeaks as Vesper gets ready to pull her onto the stage, while doing her best to disturb her own dress as little as possible.

Oh dear.

[Tiglath]

"Vesper I have a idea that might work to embarrass the thugs and turn the crowd against them, so there is that. But I cant maintain the cats and that at the same time.
Just so you know. But Jake will be with you."

Vesper nods at Galreth pensively "Ah, good to know. Let's see if Elizabeth can spot the thugs and then hopefully you all can subdue them with the minimum of drama. Your magic could work as the cue for our warriors to throw them out for disrupting the show but, in truth, I think we need to keep them in close confinement until we are done".

[Eris]

"Vesper I have a idea that might work to embarrass the thugs and turn the crowd against them, so there is that. But I cant maintain the cats and that at the same time.
Just so you know. But Jake will be with you."

Vesper nods at Galreth pensively "Ah, good to know. Let's see if Elizabeth can spot the thugs and then hopefully you all can subdue them with the minimum of drama. Your magic could work as the cue for our warriors to throw them out for disrupting the show but, in truth, I think we need to keep them in close confinement until we are done".

Vesper has to virtually pull Elizabeth onto the portable stage and out through the window. Looking about they see the small square, the street, and the alleys leading off it are crowded with people...mostly men, but quite a few women, too! The entire crowd is cheering and more than a few rude calls are being made toward Vesper and now to Elizabeth, too! Bar men and women with large pitchers and a multitude of mugs are weaving through the crowd serving drinks and taking silvers in return.

[1d20-1]=10-1=9

Elizabeth is more than a little bedazzled at all of this and finds it hard to see past the crowd, the noise, and the attention, the leers! Maadera would never approve of this! Trying to ignore all of it she looks for the men she saw and doesn't see them anywhere...but she is distracted, she knows that, maybe she is just missing them.

Then Vesper starts to speak saying something about, "Introducing Lizzie here as a hot new talent just off the boat! Isn't she just darling? " and making her even more embarrassed as all the attention is now directed toward her. It feels like a wave of energy pulsing over and through her making it hard to breathe. Cheeks already ablaze, Elizabeth feels the heat as her whole body seems to flame up! She thinks, I must be as red as a lobster!

"Say hello to Slateholm, Lizzie!" Oh! Vesper turns to her and it is her turn to speak her lines...Oh! Oh! What were they?

[Tiglath]

Vesper, is still wearing her "manly" quartered green and madder red tunic, her (negligent) hose and her pheasant feathered cap. She squeezes Elizabeth's hand reassuringly and "fills" while bidding her sotto voce "Deep breath - not too much!!! We have time... take a good long look. Use your intellect to seek them out!" Vesper then steps a manly swaggered pace forward (but doesn't break contact with Elizabeth) as if introducing her character to the tableau. She launches into an increasingly paced rendition of "I'm not a pheasant plucker I'm the pheasant plucker's son - I'm only plucking pheasants 'til the pheasant plucker comes".*

(OOC: Somehow "We are Motorhead and we play Rock 'n' Roll" just makes itself available for selection...

"I don't think I'll need to pret--eek!" Elizabeth squeaks as Vesper gets ready to pull her onto the stage, while doing her best to disturb her own dress as little as possible.

Elizabeth appears to be in possibly unaccustomed possession of Va va voom... on a hair trigger!

* See: cunning linguist.

[archolewa]

{Elizabeth}

Elizabeth stares blankly out at the crowd, her free hand nervously clutching her dress as if afraid that a deep breath would be enough to do...whatever it was Vesper thinks a sneeze would do. "Uhh, umm. Hi."

Her voice comes out as a faint squeak. She takes a deep breath, closes her eyes, and speaks a little bit more forcefully. "Welcome to..."

What was this city called again? Stockholm? No. Slatelill? No.

"Uhh. This...umm, fine city and its ummm..." Elizabeth's eyes fly open and they dance around frantically, before settling on Vesper's hose. "Tastefully tight trousers."

Let's all stop staring at me and go back to staring at Vesper's backside now...

[Tiglath]

Vesper proclaims "Welcome all to our gathering here!" She slowly passes behind Elizabeth (clearly doing something "stagecrafty") and hisses "One line!" Then whispers much more reassuringly "Look again - you've seen them so find them. You're clever, I'll cover - work out where they must be!"

Taking an immediate bow she introduces "herself" to the crowd whilst still bending from the waist "Welcome all to our Prologue - featuring our new talent Lizzie". Rising to her full height she drops her voice into the manly register to declare "I am Chopper, the good woodsman!" This gets a cheer and a half as Vesper's hose seems to now barely conceal a "comedic aubergine". Vesper slaps her thigh and continues her delivery "This shy maid has wandered lost into my forest glade. Should I treat her to a... slow dance?"

[joertexas]

Vesper proclaims "Welcome all to our gathering here!" She slowly passes behind Elizabeth (clearly doing something "stagecrafty") and hisses "One line!" Then more reassuringly whipers "Look again - find them. You're clever, I'll cover - work out where they must be!"

Taking an immediate bow she introduces "herself" to the crowd whilst still bending from the waist "Welcome all to our Prologue - featuring our new talent Lizzie". Rising to her full height she drops her voice into the manly register to declare "I am Chopper, the good woodsman!" This gets a cheer and a half as Vesper's hose seems to now barely conceal a "comedic aubergine". Vesper slaps her thigh and continues her delivery "This shy maid has wandered lost into my forest glade. Should I treat her to a... slow dance?"

Tinu accompanies her with a slow dance of her own.

[shaidar]

Gaurbal

As suggested Gaurbal focuses on guarding the back of the inn while most attention is to its front. He keeps a particular eye out for the two he saw earlier.

[archolewa]

{Elizabeth}

Vesper proclaims "Welcome all to our gathering here!" She slowly passes behind Elizabeth (clearly doing something "stagecrafty") and hisses "One line!" Then whispers much more reassuringly "Look again - you've seen them so find them. You're clever, I'll cover - work out where they must be!"

Elizabeth's face is beet red. She kind of shrinks in on herself (which presumably helps the shy maiden thing at least...), and nods. She peers out into the crowd, focusing especially anywhere where someone could be at the edge of the crowd, but still have a clear line of sight on a door or window into the tavern. If someone wanted to light the tavern on fire, they'd probably need to be able to get something inside the tavern but would also want to make sure they don't get caught in a panicking crowd.

Taking an immediate bow she introduces "herself" to the crowd whilst still bending from the waist "Welcome all to our Prologue - featuring our new talent Lizzie". Rising to her full height she drops her voice into the manly register to declare "I am Chopper, the good woodsman!" This gets a cheer and a half as Vesper's hose seems to now barely conceal a "comedic aubergine". Vesper slaps her thigh and continues her delivery "This shy maid has wandered lost into my forest glade. Should I treat her to a... slow dance?"

I am nowhere near drunk enough for this.

[Tiglath]

Taking an immediate bow she introduces "herself" to the crowd whilst still bending from the waist "Welcome all to our Prologue - featuring our new talent Lizzie". Rising to her full height she drops her voice into the manly register to declare "I am Chopper, the good woodsman!" This gets a cheer and a half as Vesper's hose seems to now barely conceal a "comedic aubergine". Vesper slaps her thigh and continues her delivery "This shy maid has wandered lost into my forest glade. Should I treat her to a... slow dance?"

I am nowhere near drunk enough for this.[/quote]

Vesper reassures "You're doing fine! They love you! I'll lead you just follow - we'll go really slow so you can spy out the crowd". Then Vesper pulls Elizabeth into a clinch and whispers "Look horrified. Oh, that's brilliant - you're a natural!"

She leads Elizabeth in a slow dance which is actually a "skit" whereby on the pause after each turn or twirl Vesper (as the lecherous woodsman) has her hands end up in compromising locations as she winks and leers at the crowd. She is dexterous enough to make this look good and doesn't actually touch Elizabeth although for bawdy comedic effect the appearance is otherwise.