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23 Rova, 4712

It is now the first day of fall, and the entire population is gathered in front of the main doors of the new cathedral on the western side of the building. Tall stained glass windows honor Shelyn and Gozreh, whose worshippers share the western chapel, flank the doors on this western wall.

Several merchant tents feature food, clothes, local crafts, and souvenirs. Some of the detritus of construction still lies scattered about, but most of the old scaffolding and waste wood have been repurposed in the construction of the high dais in the southeastern corner of the open square in front of the church.

In four chairs on the raised dais can be seen a slender middle-aged woman with short auburn hair; a burly, bald Shoanti man in the uniform of the town guard; a flamboyant man whose bright clothing is at the height of Magnimar fashion; and, of course, a pleasant-looking cleric whose fine linen robes are elaborately and tastefully embroidered in a repeating pattern of blue butterflies. As the crowd begins to settle, the first of these individuals stands at half-past eleven, and the crowd falls quiet.

"It is so delightful to see so many faces here today, both new and familiar," she begins. "To those of you from out of town, I am Kendra Deverin, mayor of Sandpoint, and you are most welcome!" She pauses as the crowd shouts its agreement. "To those who already know me, I'm glad you could all spare a day to celebrate. I'm sure only Rovansky, our tanner, is too busy to - oh look! Friends, here in the first row, Larz is here!" Loud laughter ripples through the crowd, especially among those who sit close enough to the tanner to see his unamused expression.

"Anyway, I can smell the lunch our tavern keepers are cooking already. A round of applause to Ameiko, Garridan, Cracktooth, and Jargie." she pauses and allows the crowd to pay their due respects. "I'm sure Father Zantus can spare an extra prayer that they don't burn anything before we get to eat it." More cheering erupts: the aromas drifting over the crowd are glorious.

"Now, since you have three more of us to stand there through, I'm going to sit down and welcome Sherrif Hemlock to the stage." "Thank you, Ms. Mayor." A no non-sense looking man nods to the first speaker as he steps forward into center of the recently erected stage. A muscular looking dark-skinned man in a neat tabbard over well-kept studded leather armor. His eyes scan the crowd. After a moment he dropped to one knee and pulled a holy symbol from beneath his tunic and address the gathering, "A moment of silence."

He bows his head and began speaking, "Let us remember." He takes a calming breath and continues, "Let us remember the memories of those friends and family members who lost their lives in the tragic blaze that made our new cathedral necessary. Cherish those memories and may the blessings of the Gods see them happy and well in the Afterlife."

He rises to his feet and clears his throat. "In remembering let us also not allow these events to repeat themselves. I am of the understanding that a bonfire is planned for tonight. I urge you all to observe caution during this event." He continues to scan the crowd. "Now, I would like everyone to be aware that additional guardsmen have been added to each patrol detail over the next four nights, and members of the Sandpoint Militia have also agreed to add their support during the festival. All instances of wrong-doing will be dealt with swiftly, and to the fullest extent of the law."

"No exceptions." he says, matter of factly.

"As the sheriff of Sandpoint, I, Belor Hemlock, would also like to welcome everyone to enjoy themselves during our Swallowtail Festival... but, remember, keep the peace." he says. With that, the sheriff beckons with his hand for the next speaker to step up. "Now, give your attention to Cyrdak Drokkus, proprieter of the local theatre." He nods to the crowd and walks back to his chair, passing the next speaker who is already on his way up to the center-stage. This man is quite a contrast to the Sheriff; he is brightly dressed, sports a well-groomed goatee, and seems to be thoroughly enjoying the day. As he reaches the center stage he loosens his collar a bit, winks into the crowd and starts to talk:

"Well, thank you Sheriff for that uplifting oratory." he pauses briefly, allowing his comment to begin to shift the mood of the crowd. "Now, I know this town has been through some hard times, but look at what we've accomplished," he says, waving his hand towards the glorious new church behind him. "And I'm telling you, they spared no expense with this place. Father Zantus' chamber pot? Solid gold. I kid you not. Our generous nobles put a pretty copper into the construction of this remarkable venue. I think the church itself even chipped in a silver or two!" he says; his comment eliciting laughter from the crowd. "I even heard a rumor that all of the Gods got together and scrounged a gold pieces or two to help get this thing built. But don't take it from me, the Padre over here is the one with the direct line, he's the one you want to hear from."

"But, before I let him get things going, I'd like to take this opportunity to extend my personal invitation to each and every one of you to the new production of "The Harpy's Curse" starring the world-famous Magnimarian diva Allishanda as Avisera as the harpy queen! Previews of this production have been well received, and it officially opens tomorrow evening at the Sandpoint Theatre."[/dialog] The crowd, at the shameless self promotion, begins to grow restless. "And now, without further adieu, please join me in a bit of applause for his holiness himself, Father Zantus!" The crowd cheers as Cyrdak motions Zantus to the center stage. The young priest looks noticedly abashed at the reception set up for him. He wears the traditional ceremonial robes of a priest of Desna and a shiny silver holy symbol about his neck. He smiles and tries to calm the crowd down, eventually speaking when the applause has subsided:

"Ahem, thank you. Thank you Cyrdak. And thank all of you for coming to join us on this most Holy day."

“Today ushers in a new season, many would call this season Autumn. The season which makes summer give way to winter, bring cool air and brightly colored trees to the canvas of the world. But others would refer to this season as Fall...and there is good reason for that. For today also marks the day that Desna fell from the heavens after doing battle with Lamashtu.

Lamashtu gloated as she began to ransack Desna’s palace, laughing all the way as her body fell into the sea below. Though all the world wept for the loss of the goddess, and of dreams, it is said that she survived, wounded, washed up on the rocks of the sea. She was discovered there, on the rocks, by a blind orphan, forgotten and cast aside by all the world. Though the orphan knew not of who she had discovered and could do little for the wounded goddess, she still stayed there by her side, holding a vigil on the beach, praying and tending to her as best she could. And though she tired and knew that the goddess had little chance to recover, she remained all throughout the night and into the week, praying and keeping faith.

And eventually, Desna did recover, though all the world thought her lost; and to thank the child who had prayed for her health, she transformed her into an immortal butterfly to forever remain with her in her palace in the heavens”

Father Zantus motions toward the newly finished cathedral, the sunlight glittering off the stained glass windows. “This story reminds us that tragedy is just a setback, not an end. Though our place of worship was destroyed, and our previous priest, Father Tobyn, perished in the flame, we have persevered as Desna would desire, and built anew. In celebration of our new grand cathedral, let the Swallowtail Festival begin.”

With that, several of the priest’s acolytes throw off the canvas of a nearby wagon, revealing a thousand swallowtail butterflies...the Children of Desna. The butterflies flutter in every direction, eager children of all ages chasing them in a futile attempt to catch one.

“Now,” Zantus booms, “Let us feast!”

At his words, a number of men from the town begin setting up tables around the square for everyone to use. Lunch is free, provided by the local taverns, the White Deer, the Hagfish, and the Rusty Dragon. Each serves its most popular dishes: Peppercorn venison, compliments of the White Deer; lobster chowder, the Hagfish's famous dish; and the Rusty Dragon's curry-spiced salmon and early winterdrop mead.

The welcome speeches concluded, the crowd begins to disperse in order to begin the feast. Amazingly, for the first time almost since you arrived, everyone manages to locate each other and you're all able to secure some seating and have your fill of as much food and drink as you'd like.


Another update to follow tomorrow.

dmw71 wrote:23 Rova, 4712
.... Amazingly, for the first time almost since you arrived, everyone manages to locate each other and you're all able to secure some seating and have your fill of as much food and drink as you'd like.

Fulp goes through some small talk while filling his stomach, including asking how scared the others were when they heard the explosion earlier and admitting it caught him off guard as well.
He raises his cup, Friends, to a lucky detour. What a town this Sandoint seems to be. Cheers to all.

Everyone settles in with a serving of their first choice of meals, and the merchants responsible for supplying all the free food are circulating throughout the square, pushing their own creations.

Each serves its most popular dishes: Peppercorn venison, compliments of the White Deer; lobster chowder, the Hagfish's famous dish; and the Rusty Dragon's curry-spiced salmon and early winterdrop mead.

First to pay a visit is the exotic Ameiko, proprietor of the Rusty Dragon. "You did try the winterdrop mead, no?" she asks, and then recognizes Sylvan and Sparrow, and then Ciar and Fulp. "Nice to see you all again. Please, vote for my food," she says before continuing to circulate.

Spotting you speaking with the head of the "other" inn in town, the gruff Garridan pays a visit next. "Me peppercorn venison is good?" he asks. "Just like your stay in my inn last night, I trust."

A short while later, Jesk “Cracktooth” Berinni arrives and introduces himself as the owner of Cracktooth’s Tavern. "Is over by the theater," he says. "Do stop by after seeing a show sometime." His thuggish appearance not seeming to fit his personality.

Last the visit the group is a gregarious one-legged man named Jargie Quinn. "Name's Jargie," he says when he first arrives. "None of you's look familiar. 'Tis a shame you haven't met 'Norah' yet. You'll have to stop by the 'Hagfish' sometime."

---

Everyone in town enjoys their meals -- with Ameiko's exotic cuisine and mead the overwhelming favorite of all the vendors -- and, with stomach's full, proceed to enjoy all that the festival has to offer. There is an illusionist entertaining the crowd in one area, a face-painter decorating the children in another. A fortune teller has a booth set up and seems to be a popular draw based on the size of the line forming. There are also game stations set up throughout town. A young boy passes, recruiting for a game called 'The Devil Hunt.' "If'n yet good wit' a bow, c'mon down to the 'Old Light'," he calls. "See'n if you can catch the 'Sandpoint Devil'," he calls out.

Another young boy follows and is attempting to recruit people, again over to the lighthouse, to play a game called 'The Lighthouse Smash.' "Who needs a Lighthouse without a light?" he repeats as he navigates the square. "See if you can knock it down so we can use the stone to build something new."

Just off to your left, a game called 'The Goblin Toss' is taking place and is being run by Daverin Hosk of the Goblin Squash Stables. "Only one copper piece per play," he says to passerby's, trying to lure them into playing. "Three Goblins have found their way into your house and are tearing the place up!" he says. "Toss 'em into the fireplace before they can destroy everything!" There are three stations set up and being run at the same time. Each station consists of a simple board, propped up on an angle, with a hole cut out in it. The first station, meant for children, has a board with a large hole cut into it set up five feet away from a toss line. The second station, used primarily by older children, has a board with a medium sized hole cut into it resting ten feet away from a toss line. The third station, where the adults are lining up to play, has the smallest hole cut into the board and is fifteen feet away from the toss line. At the toss line of each station is a bucket with beanbags in it; each beanbag sewn to look like a goblin, with a goblin name printed on it.

Set up off to your right are the 'Dragon Races' being run by Gressel Tenniwar of 'Fatman’s Feedbag,' probably Sandpoint's most notorious tavern... notorious for fights, and frequented primarily by Varisian scoundrels or less-reputable sailors. "Pick yourself a dragon and pit it in a Dragon Race against your friends," Gressel calls. The game has two 30' long, double lane tracks set up next to each other with a three-foot wide gap between the two tracks. Near the starting line, there is a large cage with 12 lizards in it; each lizard has a set of twig and cloth wings attached to their backs and is painted a different color to resemble little dragons. It's a popular event, with crowds forming to watch the participants goading their lizards down the 30' long track, without touching them, to try and get their lizards to cross the finish line first.

Off, further away from the main crowds, are other games. Tug-of-war is one. There is a giant, six foot long hammer that is being used in a hammer tossing competition. Similarly, there's a "spear" tossing event as well... only, the spear is a dozen feet long and most people attempting to even lift it are struggling. Other smaller gaming stands and tables are also set up, spread throughout the area, mostly being used to host card and dice games.


It's a festival! Time to enjoy yourselves.



Feel free stay together or split up. Whatever you'd like to do. Please detail what your character plans to do here in the public forum, and we can resolve here in the public forum or in your private forum, as appropriate.

Have fun!

"I'd like to see the old light house before a bunch of kids try and tear it down," Ciar says. He looks up into the sky, spots the old light house to the west of them and starts heading in that direction.

Fulp heads with Ciar, wondering what type of entertainment this might be.

Sparrow likes the idea of a bow shooting game. He follows the boy recruiting for the devil hunt and tries his luck.

Festus grabs another mug of the new ale and wanders over to watch the lizard races. If anyone is taking bets, he will pick risk a few coppers on some races. Afterwards, he will watch the tug-of-war competition and the hammer toss.

"I'll be back" says Sylvan. "When I do, I'm going to try my hand at that spear." He heads back to the inn.

'I have little interest in children's games,' says Eohannud. 'I think I will form a critique of that illusionist's technique over there, and then cast my fortunes at the gambling tables. If anyone wishes to join me at cards, I am sure we can turn a profit!'

He then makes his way over to where the illusionist is performing.

A few hours have passed while everyone (except Eohannud) have been trying their luck at the various challenges.

Hours pass while everyone has their fill of fine local food and drinks, followed by the many games available to participate in.

A sharp retort, like the crack of distant thunder, slices through the excited crowd as the sun’s setting rays paint the western sky -- another thunderstone. Everyone in the party returns to the main staging area and meets up at their previous location, per their agreement. Elsewhere, a stray dog that has crawled under a nearby wagon to sleep starts awake, and the buzz of two dozen conversations quickly hushes as all heads turn toward the central podium, where a beaming Father Zantus has returned the stage. He clears his throat, takes a breath to speak --

Suddenly, a woman’s scream slices through the air. A few moments later, another scream rises, then another. Beyond them, a sudden surge of strange new voices rises— high-pitched, tittering shrieks that sound not quite human. The crowd parts and something low to the ground races by, giggling with disturbing glee as the stray dog gives a pained yelp and then collapses with a gurgle, its throat cut open from ear to ear. As blood pools around its head, the raucous sound of a strange song begins, chanted from shrill, scratchy voices:

Goblins chew and goblins bite.
Goblins cut and goblins fight.
Stab the dog and cut the horse,
Goblins eat and take by force!

Goblins race and goblins jump.
Goblins slash and goblins bump.
Burn the skin and mash the head.
Goblins here and you be dead!

Chase the baby, catch the pop.
Bonk the head to shut it up.
Bones be cracked, flesh be stewed.
We be goblins! You be food!

The shape that raced by and killed the dog now hides at the wagon’s edge — a single goblin, licking the blood from its dogslicer as it looks excitedly at the crowd. It, and two other goblins in the immediate area, begin seeking out new targets. With all the locals scrambling in fear, their attention is drawn to the less fearful party members.

The goblin song is sung repeatedly.
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B7HTD1K ... U2bFk/edit


Actions?


Note: If anyone wants to keep participating in any games, we will continue to run them in your private forums. This centralized action will be resolved here in the public forum, but, as always, feel free to continue to use your private forums for any non-public actions you want your characters to take.

Sparrow acts quickly when he sees the little scourge. He pulls out his bow and hopes he fares better with it than in that silly game he played. He releases two arrows at the goblin by the wagon.


Longbow [1d20+2] = 14+2 = 16 Dam [1d6] = 5 [1d20+2] = 5+2 = 7 Dam [1d6] = 1

With a practiced action, Ciar pulls his sling from his belt, slips a metal ball into it, and fires it off at one of the goblins...
But he hurried his shot and it flies wide.

Sylvan's face is red with rage at the senseless killing of the dog. He managed to calm himself, pulls so mistletoe from his pouch, and mutters words in Druidic cant.

Eohannud draws his dagger and attempts to use the confusion of the fleeing crowd to surprise and strike out against the goblin nearest him.

"Frackin' goblins," Festus growls, unslinging his axe and stalking toward the closest one. He brings his axe to bear, hoping to cut one of the little bastards in half!

The screams of locals are heard in other sections of town further away, as is the goblin chanting. In the immediate area, however, are a trio of the pointed eared menaces.

Before the others have a chance to engage with their melee weapons, Ciar pulls his sling from his belt, slips a metal ball into it, and fires it off while Sparrow lets loose a pair of arrows from his long bow. The pair target a goblin near a wagon. The halfling's shot sails wide, but one of Sparrow's arrows sinks into the arm of the creature. The shot wounds it badly.

Eohannud quickly draws his dagger and strikes out against the goblin nearest him, drawing blood and wounding the creature. Fulp attempts to brain the same goblin just wounded by Eohannud with his walking stick, but the wily creature fends off the attack.

"Frackin' goblins," Festus growls as he unslings his axe and stalks a goblin looking to climb the nearby stage, but the creature narrowly avoids being sliced in half.

The goblin targeted by Ciar and Sparrow pulls the arrow out of his arm with a pained yelp, but then gets distracted by a plate of salmon on top of the wagon it was cowering under and climbs on top of the wagon and begins stuffing the fish in one of its pockets. Festus' target, whom escaped death by quickly scampering up the stage just ahead of the mighty axe swing, dives off the stage at the dwarf with a curved blade extended. The blade harmlessly clinks off the links of Festus' new chain mail, but the effort was too close for comfort. The goblin struck by Eohanuud's dagger returns the favor and strikes out at the mage with a curved blade, issuing a cut (-3) and bloodying his fancy new outfit.

Sylvan's face turns red with rage at the senseless killing of the dog. He pulls some leafy material from a pouch at his waist and mutters some words in some foreign cant.


Actions?

(Note: If you haven't already done so, please deduct the projectiles from your inventory.)


Rolls

Sylvan will move into attack range with his spear, hurling it at the one that just stuffed fish in its pockets.
"i it, kopuk ukun intikam olacak!"

For those that speak goblin:

Deciding the time for ranged attacks is over, Ciar draws his sword and attacks the goblin fighting Eohanuud.

Sparrow smirks at Sylvans spear chuck and shoots his bow again, trying to finish off the fish stealer.

Longbow [1d20+2] = 3+2 = 5 Dam [1d6] = 5 2nd arrow [1d20+2] = 11+2 = 13 Dam [1d6] = 4