Snow Way To Relax
Log Info
- Title: Snow Way To Relax
- Emitter: Seldan
- Summary: The weather outside is frightful, but several adventurers seek to make the most of it, finding work to do to bring more cheer to a dreary day.
Festival Grounds, early evening.
It's late in the day, this close to Midwinter, for horses and their riders to be about on the Festival Grounds, and the icy sleet has managed to drive any stragglers thoroughly inside. Still, someone has managed to clear ice from the main path in and out of the grounds, and burn marks in the dirt accompanying spots of wetness where and there suggest how that was done.
Inside is just as quiet, and a lone figure seems inclined to brave the icy weather this evening. Seldan stands in the middle of the archery lanes, arms folded across his chest, watching the sleet fall from a gray-black sky without a trace of concern for the cold, in his usual shirt, trousers, and robe, an oiled woolen cloak over it.
There was a small, almost muddy looking sith-makar who looked woefully underdressed for the weather, or rather, they simply looked like they didn't bother to change out of their usual clothes. Eztli was walking down one of the snow covered paths, stopping just short of a now slightly burnt path. They stop and look up, balancing a large snow shovel on one shoulder, while they sled they had in their other hand grinds to a halt behind them.
"Huh, are they getting spellcasters to remove snow now? Seems a bit overkill for what some good elbow grease can accomplish." They note. "You comfortable out here like that?"
Carver did bother to change to the weather, either a weakness of character or out of respect for the power of nature. The layers she folds over herself, or enfold herself in, are of many beasts and types
She looks like she just came out of rangerin'. Which is her nature. She even has her bow strung, and pauses as she comes upon the unexpected sight of others in the field.
From somewhere upon the grounds comes the sweet sounds of a violin. A quick, maudlin tune that seems to come from nearby, starting low, and building in strength. Seated in the rows of bleachers, the player huddles under a thoroughly soaked leather cloak, her hood back, exposing curled, red hair.
The song continues, invoking in turn a shivering person, stomping their feet to get warm, to the feeling of being indoors, chasing the chill from one's bones, and then to travelling out of doors once more, making one's way over icy paths and through ill winds.
Seldan turns towards the sound of the makari voice, and turns himself entirely on seeing a figure he has seen only a few times. "Her light upon your path, friend. Yes, I am well. The cold does not trouble me. As to the spellcasters, it is not so great a burden to do so, even for something so small as clearing ice from a path. It pleased me to do so, for shall I not use my gifts to serve all?"
The music, though, grabs his attention, and his eyes seek out its source. "Acedia? Why comes she here?"
"Oh, yes, of course! You know, it'd be kind of silly for me to assume other people don't have trouble with the snow." The small makari laughs. "I've got a proposition then! I'll help get rid of most of the snow on the path, but you'll have to point out an unused area at the festival grounds. I've got a great idea how to serve all, or people who like being out here!"
Eztli turns, and waves wide to one familiar face, then she stops, and looks at the bleachers. "That her name? I guess she wanted somewhere to practice? I don't blame her, the snow has me feeling in a real creative mmood, today."
GAME: Acedia refreshes spells.
Carver twitches toward the sound, fingers splaying and then clenching back to a fist. The scarf around her face is pulled down with a huff, a dragon's worthy exhale of vapor steaming forth. "Nice melody. Why's everyone out in this weather 'nyhow? Twistin' fate almost, or inviting a dreadful cold."
She nods at Eztli. She does not, noticeably, nod toward the Champion.
The Goblin continues to play, pausing only to shrug off her cloak, leaving it sprawled over the seat behind her. She raises a booted foot to place on the seat before her, her fingers tracing an arcane symbol, an utterance in the arcane language causes rhythmic, heavy beat to play. The violin changes songs, playing faster, more upbeat, her foot tapping along.
If she's heard Seldan's question, or Eztli's answer, is unknown, she reacts not to their presence. But the playing seems to please her, as she lifts her voice in song in a pidgin tongue, a cross between Goblin-talk and Yrch-speak. It's full of crude words, and innuendos, a sort of reverse-hero story, the bad guy's rise to power, the story of their corruption, and the eve of a final battle between good and evil.
"Please allow me to... introduce myself. I'm a man of wealth and taste~" <Goblintalk>
"Acedia will come, or not, as it please her, but does she join us, prepare to be tackled to the ground." Seldan's rejoinder is accompanied by a small, affectionate smile. "In the meantime, if you would aid the Lancers, I am certain that they would be grateful, were we to clear the horse arena. Ice is no more pleasant for horses, than for us, and I would not wish to see an injured animal."
The lack of a nod is not lost on the man, but after a momentary look at the speaker, he turns back in the direction of the horse arena, where the ice has encrusted on top of snow dented in with hoofprints and mottled brown with the dirt beneath. Someone was out here - before the sleet started, anyway.
"Eh, why's that? Does she just like tackling people?" Eztli wonders out loud. "You seem to like her at least. I've got no clue what she's singing about, but it sounds fun!"
The small makari hefts the shovel, and she looks over, and nods, after loudly clapping in Acedia's direction. "Well, sure! I've got a shovel, I'll help, but I won't use any snow from there. I was talking to some guards and I got a go ahead to build a slide out of snow cleared from the festival grounds, as long as it's out of the way of anyone trading. Something to make people enjoy the weather here, you know?"
"Me? I just really like the cold, I could take a nap in one of those snowbanks if the mood struck." The small makari chuckles. "If you don't like it though, why are you out here!"
"I do like it. Part of the cycles, innit?" Carver says, "You learn it by experiencin' it." Every runny nose, every cramping finger, and every crust-cracking step. "Besides, was going to practice my archery in the more extreme conditions. Oi, Knight-Man, whatever happened to all the werewolves in your church?"
Ace's song continues, with the evil socialite revealed to be a devil, and the final climactic battle being mostly anti-climactic. For despite the heroic act, and the devil bested, it is revealed that the conflict was a test. Though bested, the devil taunts the hero, promising to return after the hero's death, such is the shadows that may lurk in the ordinary people's hearts. Will they still remember the light that once held the darkness at bay?
The Goblin spins the violin about with a flourish, and casually discards both the bow and instrument. Both vanish in a puff of smoke before they touch the bleachers. She grins broadly then, letting out a little squeak of excitement as she comes hurrying down the bleachers, leaping from seat to seat. Rolling then in remnants of snowfall, she does indeed aim a tackle at Seldan. "Seldan!"
The smile that Seldan wears brightens considerably at the mention of a slide. "A fine idea! Then shall I not clear, but offer aid in transport. Where mean you to build this?" Carver gets rather less attention, but at least this time he addresses her. "Seen to. Many were cured, and more found homes for. It is well that you ask, but all is well."
So intent is he upon addressing both of them, that he does not even see Acedia bouncing down the bleachers, and thus it is that he is tackled quite thoroughly into the snow and ice at his feet. "Agh!" He turns his head and looks up, wearing that very small smile. "It seems tat any attempt to quench you is doomed to fail, little one. Her light upon your path."
" I was thinking off to the sides, maybe behind the bleachers where the musician is?" The small makari considers, tapping one horn a few times. "Maybe not too close though, I don't want anyone jumping from the bleachers on to it after all."
"It just sounded like you weren't happy for a bit, glad you like it though! I love it, the snow's finally at a good depth, I might have to find a place to go skiing when I've got time for a trip out there. What's that, huh? I feel like I missed something here. I guess if things are well, that's good."
Eztli can't help but burst into laughter as Seldan is bowled over, though she does walk over, peering into the snow. "You okay? Didn't knock your head on ice or anything, did you?"
"Old news, seems like. Somethin' of the dreams an' the moon and furries runnin' wild under the moonlight. That lot's always in something mysticl." Carver does not seem to speak like this is a fault, more like she simply does not understand why. "I..." The Tackling takes place. "Well, maybe I'll grab a mug."
"Her light guide you!", is the Goblin's boisterous reply. "I am told my spirit is unquenchable, as well, my enthusiasm for tackling you unawares." She's upright in a moment, grinning as she offers a wee hand to the downed Paladin. "How have you been, my noble friend? It is good to see you once more, and your smile as always improves my mood."
She looks between Seldan, Eztli and Carver. "So we're shoveling snow? Or building a snow fort?" Acedia's eyes open wide. "Please say snowfort, please say snow fort!" She hops up and down excitedly.
"No, I am unharmed," Seldan answers, sitting up once she's off of him. "Such an event is naught that is new, and it shall not be the last time it happens." Snow clings to his clothing and fair hair, the snow that is underneath the crust of ice that has formed - indeed, he has left a paladin-shaped hole in the ice-encrusted snow. "I believe that it is in her mind to build a snow slide, a fine idea. Down the bleachers would suit."
He shakes himself. "Others than I saw to it, for I was away on other tasks, but I am assured that it was seen to, and I have seen none since."
"Well, huh. You're welcome to join!" Eztli grins in that slightly unsettling sith-makar way. "We were shoveling, and I was planning on making a slide with the snow so dense today! It's the best time to pack it together and carve it, I'd say."
"I've missed doing stuff like this, so I thought people might appreciate it." They admit with a small sigh. "You're okay then though, right? Then let's get started! The sooner it's underway, the more daylight we have with it finished!"
Carver furrows her brow, but then shrugs, "Why not?" It's not necessarily against her nature. She slings her bow over her shoulder then blows on her hands, warming her tools in preparation for work. "Us Drans, known for our fantastic siege warfare." Despite her earnest attempts to put off the impression that she's doing this for the goblin, there is a hint of glee; of nostalgia recaptured.
"Well, Seldan, I am going to be really surprised the day you decide to return the favour and tackle me." Acedia giggles at that thought. "Hopefully you will do me a kindness and not don your armor for that one?" Rubbing at her cheeks, her dark skin reddens faintly. "A heck of day today, so miserable." The Goblin looks to Eztli. "It could be a fun way to enjoy the snow, yes? It's a good idea." Rubbing her hands together, she blows into them to warm them up. Then her eyes open wide and she takes a step towards Carver. "A mug? A mug of what? Hot cider? Hot cocoa." She takes in a breath. "Coffee?"
Her eyes widen further. "Siege weaponry?" A light comes on somewhere. "Explosions or fire?"
Snow falls in a chunk away from Seldan's clothing, leaving it soaked and no doubt freezing cold, as he gets to his feet, but he doesn't seem to mind. "I fear you have created a monster," he tells Carver with the smallest of smiles. "Let us be about our work, then, ere we all freeze. Do you create fire here, Acedia, I fear that there shall be no ice slide, and your work shall be for naught. Come."
He steps back and draws a single sigil in the air, a simple enough spell, but his hands guide the blue-silver-gold fire that bursts into life before him at a word into a disk, floating at about the level of his waist and several feet across. "Load this, as much as you may. This will move the snow swiftly."
"Perfect! I'm not an architect, but I've got an idea how thick it needs to be from prior experience. With more people, we'll be able to make something truly grand!" Eztli laughs, looking to the floating disc, before propping her shovel against it, and the one extra from the sled as well. "Here, I've got claws and stuff, so I'll scoop it up well enough on my own. I don't want you freezing your fingers off." The small makari offers, rolling back her sleeves.
"Yeah, let's keep the fire to a minimum. Want to make sure everything's frozen enough it's safe when all's said and done after all." The small makari nods. "Let me know if I'm getting any icicles on my horns though, alright? They're already heavy enough as is."
Carver shrugs, her mantle of furs and leathers shifting. "Sometimes, a little limb freezing can be good for you." She falls into step, and gives a gap-toothed smile at the goblin. "We can do the fire later."
The Goblin pouts ever so slightly, but lends herself to the task of loading the disk. She crouches over and digs, much like a dog, snow being thrown on to the disk in a constant little shower of chunks of snow. It only stays on the disk by dint of it being several feet across.
"Oh, this spell is incredibly useful. I would be happy to learn it some day." She pauses to question Carver once more. "Can you make siege weaponry out of snow and ice? I can imagine that ice would be an effective missile. My siblings and I often had snowball fights that went nasty, iceballs, slush shoved down the back and so on. The iceballs really hurt." Her excited nod follows the mention of fire and later, and she redoubles her efforts to fill the disk with snow.
She looks sideways at Eztli. "Have you thought about getting some horn mittens?"
Seldan, too, bends to the task, but makes it easier by maneuvering the disk to where it is most needed. The thing seems to float a few feet up unless he bids it lower, but it answers readily to his gestures, and goes where he tells it to. It also seems to hold quite a weight for all that it seems to be crafted of blue-gold-silver light.
He goes quiet, focusing most of his energy on directing the thing, but a boyish smile lights the fair features, and he does not seem to mind being wet and cold for some reason.
"It's a handy spell, yeah! I should figure out how to do that some time. Or a way to do that without too much effort, maybe." Eztli agrees happily. "Yeah, it's good until you get injured from the cold. So be careful all of you, alright?"
The small makari dumps one last armful of snow, and picks up the shovel instead. "I used to love getting into snowball fights with kids back homme, it was always great. I didn't purposefully add any ice, but sometimes it just happened, you know? Never held it against anyone, though."
Ace giggles at Eztli, "Oh, you should try holding it against them. Brrrrrr, it's extra cold!" With a running step, hop and jump, the Goblin throws herself on top of the pile of snow, allowing the disk to float her and the snow to where it's needed.
"Way of it, snow is beautiful. It's also deadly." Carver says, surreptiously gathering snow between her hands, rolling and twisting it. She feels its bite through the furs of her gloves. "Grew up knowin' it brought with it the hard times, but some of the best memories in the tents came with it too." She shrugs, then grins, and launches her weapon at Eztli. Dodge!
"Yeah? Well, I guess I would have found it real cold back then. Maybe I'll give it a try." Eztli laughs, getting one last shovelful of snow before the disc took off, and dumping it unceremoniously on the gobber. "Horn mittens, huh? Maybe they'd look nice on me? I get it, winter is hard, I was lucky that things were so nice were I grew up, not having to worry about the cold or lack of food too much." She considers, wandering along only to get pelted by one of the snowballs. The small makari sputters, wiping off the snow and laughing even more. "How can I stand against such a deadly onslaught? Truly, I have been well and completely slain!" They bemoan, accompanied by a long and extravagant pirouette, before falling back first into the snow.
GAME: Acedia rolls stealth: (18)+16: 34
The Gobbo snorts at Eztli. "I think they could look good. You could get them in a colour that matches your scales, or perhaps one that contrasts and sticks out." She about to further extol the virtues of horn mittens when Eztli is bapped in the face with a snowball. There's a puff of snow as Acedia burrows, disappearing from view.
Carver gives a cackle at her successful attack, which is almost as haunting as one belted out by a witch of the Myrwood. She stumbles through the snow to help Eztli up, "Let's go get a mug of mulled ale, Scalie."
Eztli takes one arm, only to drag Carver into the snow with her, cackling madly. "Now we're even!" She laughs, helping Carver back up. "Sounds good! I'll leave this here for now, and once it's set I'll get to carving. Sounds good! We'll bring you back one too, Seldan? You deserve something for all the work you're doing, even if you don't expect anything for helping out."
The small makari blinks, and pokes at the snow pile a few times. "Guess she ran off somewhere, that's a shame. Guess it's drinks for us, then." She shrugs, heading off in the direction of one of the taverns.