Meeting at Ma Rosie's
Log Info
- Title: Meeting at Ma Rosie's
- Emitter: Ashes
- Characters: Ashes, Elyanna, Tae, Aya
- Place: A02: Ma Rosie's Goblintown Gambling Hall
- Time: Tuesday, October 06, 2020, 6:18 PM
- Summary: Mourner Ashlee Ciaradh is eating at Ma Rosie's because it is close to her apartment and has decent food. She's doing her best to ignore the loud gambling noises, and loud dancers, who leave her feeling too tall and indaquate. Elyanna arrives, interested in an opinion. Elyanna reveals her past, she is Blar nobility and was captured and raised in Bludgun, managing slaves. Eventually she rebelled. She's updating her wardrobe but isn't sure whether she should use her family colours or the Blar crest. Ash offers her opinion that the family colours and family crest are Ely's right, and Alexandria is cosmopolitan enough they wouldn't be unusual. Tae arrives soon after, and discusses her efforts to civilize kobolds. She is determined but still finds them frustrating and often stupid. Ash observes that goblins used to be described that way, and the group discusses various prejudices they've seen. Aya arrives, is invited over to hear some of the discussion, then the follow up, regarding the hobgoblin experience. Ash explains hers was unpleasantly military, while Ely suffered as a half-breed and hostage. Finally, the drinks are finished and so are the goblinoids. Ash decides the cards have ordered her to dance, and she's going to show the goblins what's what. Ely follows, to restrain or join. Fade to Wine.
-=--=--=--=--=--<* A02: Ma Rosie's Goblintown Gambling Hall *>--=--=--=--=--=-
The gambling hall might have had color once. Today, black soot coats the top from a mixture of smoke from incense, cigars, and previous fires. Yet, the hall keeps being rebuilt. Somehow. For some reason. Tables fill the hall, leaving little room for maneuvering, and each evening it's packed with as many as it may hold.
The haze is often thick, and the food as expensive as it is exotic. Though founded by gobbers, other species may often be found here, though the cuisine favors the gobber race, with its unpredictable edge, and fiery spices. Occasionally, there are dancers, always gobbers, with handsome warts and round stomaches that wobble sexily over their skirts.
It is basically awful.
Most any sort of game may be found here, so long as it may be played for cash. Chips are dispensed at the door at a booth underneath a picture of the hall's owner: Rosie. In the picture, Ma Rosie sits in all her gobber glory, aged but still beautiful, with big, generous lipstick'd gobber-lips and a dashing number of warts considered quite fetching by the race. Her ears are lengthier than any sildanyari's, a desirable trait, but which has often had some unsavory souls whispering, accusatorily, of 'enhancements.' The picture, by local legend, is dedicated to her one-time lover, 'Jinks'.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Appearing, in Order -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ashes 5'11" 177 Lb Hobgoblin Female A somber arvec in grey clothes with a skull face Elyanna 5'11" 153 Lb Half-Orc Female A grim, Arvek-blooded woman in raven feathers. Tae 6'2" 135 Lb Half-Orc Female Female half-oruch, lean, black hair Aya 4'7" 105 Lb Shadow Elf Female Mul'niessa. Braided hair. Simple clothing. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=
The food in Ma Rosie's is surprisingly good. Surprising, in that one might not expect a Gambling Hall to serve decent fare, and also that goblin chefs aren't exactly renown for being chefs. Although, watching them cook can be entertaining. There's fire, lots of fire. At times, everything is on fire and accompanied by loud whoops. The food is good because gambling might be the main attraction, but people have to eat, and if they can be convinced to eat inside the gambling hall they are more likely to stay once they're done. Thus, a certain quality is required.
The same could be said for the stage show, a certain quality is required. There are dancers up all the time, wibbling and wobbling about and often spreading out amongst the tables. They are enough to keep people engaged until they return to the slots and tables. Short and sexy, by goblin standards, they have a lot of curves, and rolls, and warts, and big ears one can lose oneself in. Staring down as if into a well, ever deeper, if that's your sort of thing.
It is not Mourner Ashlee Ciaradh's thing. She is here for the food. The wind was chilly, the sky dark, and it wasn't worth leaving Goblintown. She ignores the gambling, she does her best to ignore the dancers, refusing all offers of personal instruction, private or lap opportunities. She has her cards out, and a horseshoe of them spread on her table like a little wall, beyond which she keeps her plates of food. Her table is against the wall, her back to it, and as she has a habit of staring at anyone who joins her, she has it all to herself too.
Farther afield for... reasons, elyanna enters the establishment with a certain studious air. She drifts amongst the tables with her arms's movement kept to a minimum to leave her cloak unparted. She warrants a few eyes, though her smoother features no doubt steer any favorable consideration from the non-goblins about. She, too, has little use for the gaming or the dancing. She could use food, probably, but, no she's seeking Ashlee, and has already trailed through the city exhausting options. She ventures toward the skull adorned fullblood, sidestepping a goblin dancer of a particularly janky combination of lanky limbs and bulbous paunch, but, after a few more paces, the bare, carmine fingers of her unarmoured hand curl over the edge of the opposing chair from the Mourner, and in Goblin, she intoes a polite, "Hello, Mourner."
"Hello," Ashlee sits up straight, her hands together on the table in front of her, pointing at Elyanna. She appears to be waiting, perhaps hoping her unbroken gaze will encourage her to go. However, there is official work underway and this visit may be part of it. Hopefully, not something social. She glances down at her satchel, her pamphlet is far away, she'll have to work without it. She raises a hand, gestures and replies, also in goblin, "Have a seat."
Elyanna glances down at the chair and draws it out to do so, "Thank you." The reddish one considers the grey for a few moments in silence, then, "You're looking well." A glance at the array of cards, but, back to Ashes, "I was looking for you." her Goblin being so much more natural than her Trade.
Ash adjusts one of the cards, it wasn't symmetrical in its alignment, wasn't properly mirroring the others. She keeps watching Elyanna, replying, "Thanks." Her goblin is much like her tradespeak, minimal in expression and monotone, and straight to the point. "Why?"
A hand lifts to gently scratch at the corner of a smooth, ruddy jaw, "I've a question about... our culture." She turns steel grey eyes toward Ashlee's fidget. There is a subtle shift of her jaw,, a mild knitting between the brows, "....and I trust you."
"Okay." Ashlee says, watching her hand, her eyes lingering on the line of her jaw. She makes no expressions, at least none that are visible with the skull marking on her face. It hides a lot. Seeing past it, her eyes shift with uncertainty in the dark sockets. "Thanks." She says again, then admits, "I don't know much about it."
Elyanna frowns a little and lets her eyes lower to the table a moment, a subtle sag in her frame "I... see." Hmm. She glances sidelong as a waitress drifts past, "How's the food, here?"
Ashlee nods, indicating her plates which serve as an advanced force outside of her wall of cards. There's one of chips and salsa, another with a salad, chili on a bed of rice. All are half eaten, seemingly enjoyed. She points with her fork, "Have some if you like."
She's quiet for a moment, then offers, "Nan raised me alone in the woods until she died. People stopped bringing food. I was chased from town to town. The Temple took me in, then the Military. My assignments kept changing. When there was a lull in the war, I came here."
"My father is a Lord in Blar, Jowallis von Diesel." Elyanna replies quietly, "I was taken, as an infant, by his enemy and raised in Bludgun." A sigh, and her eyes reacquire on Ashes, "Most of my life, I was called Otilla."
The ashen Arvec nods, continuing to gaze at Elyanna, "Insurance, a Hostage, treated well and raised to appreciate your captive home?"
"Raised to serve." Elyanna replies with a little shrug, "At one end of the lash, then the other." She doesn't waver, here, eyes holding steady, "I was shown the truth of my heritage almost a year ago, and I freed as many slaves as I could manage and came here. I have since tried to atone."
Ash nods slowly, rendering an opinion. "Most, would not fight as hard as you have against how you were raised. Though we have a streak of rebelling against masters."
She turns one of the cards on the table, not revealing it, but spinning it around and looks back up again. "Some things you can't atone. They happen and they change you, and there is no undoing. What did you want to know about our culture?"
Elyanna nods, considering that. She suspected as much, but... The halfbreed sighs with a little fidget, "I wanted to buy more clothing, something better suited for adventuring, and another more suited to social affairs." A shrug, "I chose the von Diesel family colors, and some of the aesthetics of Blar, but, when the seamstress asked if I wanted the Blar Crest... I was not sure." A frown, "I wondered if... it would be appropriate."
Ash thinks carefully, her thoughts gathering. Her eyes on Elyanna the entire time. Finally she says, "You are of noble blood. That's clear to anyone that views you. You've chosen your family colours, for your family name, this is your right."
She looks down, she rotates another card, then swaps its position with one further out on the horseshoe. "A Blar Crest. Alexandria is full of visitors from all nations, wearing their own colours, flying their own flags. Blar builds the community warship in the shadow of Merkabah nearby. You would signal an outward allegiance."
Her dark eyes focus on Elyanna's, "Why don't you use your family Crest?"
Tae's entrance is an attempt to not draw attention. Which around here isn't that hard. Provided one can somehow get /through/ this place without knocking over a few tables and sparking a bit of outrage on the way.
"Ah hells," curses Tae. Yep, she's knocked over a table. The gobbos look up at her with displeased eyes. But something in the effort of looking so very high up at the half-orc discourages them from more. She doesn't linger there, anyway, pressing on. She bumps and almost tramples a few more on her way towards an empty table until she realizes, well, that there are no empty tables, ans she's standing in a sea of smoke and noise with no clear destination.
At this time, a gobbo has caught up to her and pokes her hard in the thigh. "I was winning!" the little gobbo growls angrily. Tae, quite annoyed, turns and picks up the gobbo by her armpits to speak at eye level. In an even but rather alarming voice, she says, "I. am. trying. to. eat." She looks at the gobbo, who blanches and then whines under the attention. Satisfied, Tae puts the gobbo down and finds herself suddenly near where Ashes and Elyanna are seated. Hopefully there's an open seat there. If not, she may be forced to coerce one into existance.
Elyanna gives that some thought, several heartbeats at least eyes half lidded, then she nods at last, "That's a sound idea. Thank you, Ashlee." She gives a little, slightly uncomfortable smile, then flags down a wait-gob, "I have concerns about the investigation." she asides, more casually, perhaps more at ease changing subjects. She straightens though, at the sound of a table getting rammed, and twists to see what's going on.
The ashen Arvec does not smile, although she is pleased that her perspective and advice was good. The nearby crashing into a table likewise draws her attention. She turns her head to observe the half-oruch, and her difficulty with the goblin. She offers some consolation to the little loser, "View it as a gross rejection by Lady Luck."
As some might consider the random addition of an orc to their lives to be such a thing. Ashlee, does not, and there is an empty chair. The mourner managed to dissuade the chair theives while she had her meal. She gestures towards Tae, and the available chair, and some of her half-eaten meals if she so desires.
Turning to stare at Elyanna, she nods once. "Me too."
Tae settles into the seat with a grateful smile. "Let us just call this something of an unusual entrance," is her first comment on the situation. She looks to Elyanna and offers abruptly, "I'm Tae." She turns her attention to flagging down service. How the servers can get through the place is beyond her, though. She desperately wants something fresh, hot, and accompanied by wine.
When help arrives, the half-oruch places her order swiftly. Meat is on the menu, tonight. And whatever good red wine the place can send her way. "What a night," the druid murmurs, turning her attention back to the table. "Oh, and thank you. I should really know how crowded this place is by now, but it still shocks me."
Elyanna nods a smidge with an, "I remember. How is Shade?" in return. After their little scrap in the cave, humbling, it's hard to forget. She turns to the lumpy waitress on her nasally, "Yyyyeah, whattayawant?"
The red woman replies, "A round for the table, something strong."
"It's the dancers." Ashlee says self-consciously. Her table is in one of the darker sections of the establishment and she found a shadow to tuck herself into. Not much of one, as Gambling Hall goes for bright flashing lights and loud machines that can be heard jingling away over the conversations and cabarette. The irony of shouting in a private conversation must be noted, but it is necessary.
Odd that a place with so many big-eared patrons is so-loud. The ashen Arvec gazes at Tae for a while longer, "And the food."
Tae laughs softly, "Shade is doing well. What have you been up to after our.. what would you call that?" Totally chaotic aftermath of an adventure seems like a mouthful. "I haven't gotten myself into much since that little incursion. I'm a bit wary of group ventures these days." And yet, here she sits.
"I suppose they are attractive," she comments about the dancers. "Very much the gobbo style, in any case." The warts are always a problem with her. "The food is my main cause for coming this way. That and, well, having someone to talk to, I suppose. A chance to get away from wandering and chasing the next fool dream that tickles my fancy."
Elyanna hmmm's, "Or the gambling." she suggests, glancing at Ashes, "All tastes, as they say," switching to her rigid Trade, "It is good to be here, together." She steeples her fingers and regards her table companions.
The warts are a problem for Ashlee too. She has none. This is tragic both as a goblinoid, and a witch. Add to that a chest bigger than her stomach, hips wider than her waist, long and lean limbs without much hair, a smooth complexion (under her tattoos) and long dark hair, and she is simply hideous. It's no wonder she sticks in the shadows. Compared to the lush, lumpy, ladies displaying themselves on stage she is a dismal failure of goblin aesthetics. Her large ears and small tusks are her only saving grace; it's a good thing she covers herself up.
"I'm here for the food." Ash says, also answering in tradespeak, looking at Elyanna and Tae, "And the company. We're in an investigation. What fool dream are you chasing?"
Tae looks thoughtful, "Well, let me get a few drinks in.." And look, there's one now! Wine. And something else that looks ominous, meant for another table. She drinks it. She's not precisely Thor when it comes to alcohol consumption, so that one blast definitely has her attention.
It takes a few seconds, and a drink of wine, and Tae has found the power of speech again. Though honestly, the room does feel quite a few degrees warmer. She leans in, as if to whisper, but her tone is still loud. "I want to establish more nations. You know, but not like the ones we have. The so-called 'lesser' races, I mean. The kinds that adventurers go out and kill at the drop of a hat, as if it doesn't even matter."
"Lesser races." Elyanna parrots quietly, considering the women again, "I have had a conversation about such things with one of the local guard." There is a little shrug as she takes up her heavy, ominously bubbling tankard, and spares barely a sniff before taking a swig.
Ash looks around, at goblins and the goblinoids at her table. She nods, "I haven't had those conversations. I've heard humans called such, not here. I've met at least one that lives down to it."
She takes the tankard, and adds it to her half-finished glass of wine. The drinking will take some doing, she starts with a sip. Her skull markings shine very bright, catching splashes of colour from the lights nearby. "The Feiu of the Tears cries for all deaths. The deaths matter."
"The lives are important to me," replies Tae. She looks curiously at Elyanna. "I imagine the guards would just like the 'lessers' to go away. Forever. Generally with little preference for the means by which that goal is achieved. And yet, I cannot deny that those I'm trying to guide are.. difficult. Sometimes quite stupid, honestly." She's frustrated. She spots another drink going by for some other table and claims it. The way she tips the serving girls each time she steals a drink (and of course she pays for the drink as well) suddenly inspires every one of them to make an extra arc past the table, just in case.
"No. Not here." Elyanna confirms, "There are a number who do." she adds, shrugging. She swirls her tankard, flicking a curious glanc into it's bubbling depths, then, takes another swig. "Yes... they are." she concedes, looking to Tae, "Though hardly alone in that regard."
Ash, has to be very careful with her drinks. Two drinks and she's been known to go wild, have an expression, propose or wake up with a strange tattoo. Well, not necessarily those things. She did ride into the wrong camp once. Surprisingly, no one noticed. The next morning she rode out with a cavalry group and found herself engaged with her original cavalry group. She was able to switch sides and keep up the healing with none the wiser.
Her channeling efforts tend to be a little unfocused on the best of times, getting everyone. Battle prolonged, Ash's thoughts return to the two soldiers in front of her. The half-finished glass of wine, and the full stein of ... wonder. And conversation, a conversation is in progress.
"I try not to talk to guards. You are doing a good deed."
"I feel more stupid than wise or good," replies Tae. It's clear she's under the influence of the drinks. At least enough to lower her defences. The arrival of food distracts her. It's a pile of strips of meat, perfectly prepared and mixed with vegetables and pleasing spices. Tae loses herself in it for a time. "In any case, I can't seem to give it up. I believe there's a way to make the world better."
Aya enters the hazy establishment and surveys it as she walks. Judging by where her eyes don't linger, her interest is in neither the games nor the ...dancers. That leaves mostly the food or other patrons as possibilities. Maybe it could be the world-renowned cuisine?
Another swig of... whatever the hell this is, and Elyanna shrugs, "I tried to be merciful with the Kobolds, when we met. I expected more of my comrades to be so inclined after all I had heard of Alexandria." A snort, "Foolishness."
A flare-up in the kitchen causes a lot of shouting, banging of pans and commotion as the flames briefly transform it into the pits of hell before the pyrophiliacs tame it and twist it back to preparing foods. The meals will be coming out extra spicy for the next few orders.
"Kobolds?" Ash aks, a hint of a question in her monotone words. She ends up looking at a lot of goblins, then takes a sip from her stein. "Alexandrian Adventurers are mixed. Some are good. Others are complete mercenaries. The kobolds are the 'lesser' you are working with?"
She notices Aya, raises her hand in a silent wave in her direction.
"At the moment, yes," replies Tae. "At least, I am trying to. I have a few different approaches I'm relying on with them. Honestly, though, I'm struggling to find stable homes for them. There's weird things afoot. Two families I was quite interested in were attacked and nearly wiped-out." The half-oruch grumbles and simply eats for a time. "I almost got there in the past, you know. There were crab people in the south that had started well. Until too many people realized that they could gather pearls of great quality. That ended badly."
Aya dips her head to the familiar skull-faces arvek. A wave? That is a notch up from silent staring. Perhaps Ash has already had one too many? In any case, Aya steps that direction, and not solely due to the wave. "I thought kobolds were something of a rarity here? Too close to the city for raiding, and winters too cold for the scaled." There's a brief glance to the kitchen. Maybe she should ignore the food tonight, as well.
The red woman shakes her head, "There was trouble with some of the creatures, recently. A small handful trying their hand at highway brigandage. We found... unworthy elements within the Guard, but lack the evidence to properly address the issue, as things are done, here."
Tae nods thoughtfully, "Well, it is possibly not ideal, but the Sith-Makar are scaled and they are certainly doing quite well. I was kind of hoping they might assist, but I haven't anything to send their way." She eats with a will. Thankfully it's a large portion, and she is clearly enjoy the flavor. "They have excellent food here," she murmurs. And a kitchen that explodes, it seems.
"The Knight-Commander?" Ash asks, returning to staring, and staring at Elyanna. After which her gaze drifts around the gambling house. A half-oruch, hobbos and gobbos, none with highway brigandage heritage in any way. Must be the Mul'niessa to blame. She greets Aya, "Hello."
"The larger lizards seem to do okay, but they are larger." Ash points at a bunch of plates with half-finished meals, cold now, but the chili and rice is likely safe. "Oh, you said that."
One corner of Aya's mouth lifts. "Unworthy elements in the Guard? What a surprise. Many times, in many places, those are the ones most successful at brigandry." She may well not have any great love for the guard, at least not more than she expects most here would.
"I'm not sure if they are considered unworthy by their superiors," replies Tae evenly. She mutters, "Whoever those superiors are. I haven't a clue who leads this place, nor to what end."
The half-oruch has conquered her meal. Which leaves her sighing in regret. Her disappointment is short-lived. There's suddenly more food brought. Her easy passing of tips and gold has ended-up with an additional plate. One that was completed prior to the kitchen explosion, it appears. "I think they are taking pity on me. Lack of warts and my ears are too small," she explains.
Elyanna is silent for a few moments on that, considering the Mul'iessa over her tankard, then, "No, a Lieutenant. Though I have concerns about that one, too." she asides to Ashes. She reaches out for some chips and salsa, "We lost the Kobolds after a while, then had to deal with mercenaries over the affair."
Ash nods, agreeing with the sentiment. She lifts her hand and gestures towards the red Arvek, "We are investigating a murder. An element of the guard is determined to implicate someone he despises and has worked carefully to do so. There's no evidence implicating him. Procedurally it seems sound, if contaminated. Bullets don't magically turn ninety degrees into the ground."
She watches as Tae eats, and laments her looks. She is very sympathetic. "They are. We can't all be beautiful dancers." A glance towards the kitchen, she's unsure who is in charge also, there and for the city.
"There was a Lord, that vanished, and competing Nobles run it now. That should have been investigated, but this lesser guard took one step and was satisfied as it produces the results he wants."
Another nod, "Good for the kobolds."
The conversation is a bit hard to follow. At least, that is what Tae thinks. It has nothing at all to do with the drinks that keep showing up. Did she order any of this? Anyhow, the food is excellent. But frankly, no amount of drinks is going to make her feel attracted to these dancers. Probably. "You know, it occurs to me," she begins. Huh. There it went. She has no idea what she was going to say. Then she forgets she said anything, and just resumes enjoying her meal. Oh! And look. Another one of those tiny little drinks showed up!
Ashlee has been working on her stein. It should be half empty, like her wine-glass. Then both can race to the bottom. She watches Tae as she starts to raise a point, which gets lost. There do seem to be a few conversation threads and her pamphlet is too far away to help.
She focuses on Tae, who is blurry. The half-oruch definitely has had too many drinks. "What are you doing to help them? What happened to these families you were helping?" A glance towards the kitchen, to the gobbos climbing all over the slot-machines, gambling tables, and dancers, "How are the kobolds stupid?"
"They fight each other," says Tae. "They draw attention to themselves when they need to stay out of sight." She shakes her head, "They are brave when they should be afraid and cowardly when they should stand. As for what happened.. they were taken. Taken and if they are still alive as slaves I'm a bird. No. I followed the trail, you see. Into a place that stank of necromancy and darkness. A place of rot and filth. Men came in and came out, though. Men took them in, even the dead, and left them there."
Necromancy is one of those things that will instantly get a Mourner's attention. The Goddess in Grey, maintainer of the Veil despises it and her followers will seek and stamp it out. A Mourner from Blar has even more cause to hate undead and the magics that make them, and Ashlee was recently punched in the face very hard, several times by a corpse and retains feelings about the experience.
"Do you have detailed directions? The Temple will want to do something." Ash says, in monotone. A few other words would be appropriate, she looks for some. "They sound like goblins. I'm sorry for your loss."
"I appreciater your words," replies Tae. There is a sadness in her tone, now. "They were.. my favorites. The mothers among them were so gentle with their little ones, and they were trying. They were really trying to live well. And then they were wiped out. I don't know. Maybe I'm right, maybe I'm not. But perhaps if I'd left them alone, they would still be alive today." She turns her focus back to the question, "I can provide directions. If something is being done, though, I will want assurances. No mercy for them. No more than they showed to the ones they have taken."
"Death comes for us all. They will be given the same rites for passage through the veil as any other, with the additional treatment for those who pervert the Feiu of the Tear's kingdom." Mourner Ciaradh says, with monotone finality. "Her mercy will show in the swiftness of their end, and of their corrupted constructs who will also recieve rites of passage and prevention against their re-rise."
It sounds, very final. The emotion in the half-oruch's voice reaches deep into the mourner. This warrants a very big sip. Wine, then Stein. Tae reaches out, seeking to take hold of one of the mourner's hands. "I appreciate it," she manages. For a time, she meets Ashes' eyes with a steady stare. There is intense pain there, and little else. Shying away from the gaze at last, she looks down at her plate again. She draws her hand back. "I don't care about justice. I don't really believe in it, anyway. But they have wronged my friends, and I'd rather they never get a chance to harm anyone again."
Ashlee holds Tae's hand. Hers is warm, the grip firm, the tattoos of bones make for an eerie sight. Even in the bright lights of the gambling hall, the momento mori aspect remains. She struggles for something to say, the normal words of consolation seem inadequate. Then she has let go, the hand is withdrawn, she pulls hers closer as well. "I'll do what I can."
"Death does tend to solve problems." Elyanna observes, "Though... it is not the path I am trying to walk." anymore, anyway. She shrugs, looking between the women, and, "I would help." A rueful shake of her head, then, "Many such will fight rather than accept the price of their sin. i can help with that, too."
"I will go once more, and ensure that things are as I remember. I will be able to guide others then," replies the half-oruch. She turns her somewhat unfocused eyes on Elyanna. "I appreciate your offer. I hope.. I hope that it can come to an end at last."
The ashen Arvec bobs her head again. She's already agreed, it makes her feel warm inside, or perhaps it's the alcohol. She takes another long sip. She glances at the stage. Stupid, sexy goblins. She could get up there, do any of those dances, that pole thing, stick her stomach out. Hers is flat, wouldn't jiggle at all, horrors! Show them and all their lumpy, plumpy, bulgy bouncing what's what.
What? What. Her head bobs again. Tae is getting very blurry, that half-oruch has had way too much to drink. And eat. Ash couldn't possibly catch up, so she takes another gulp, and a couple chips. "Yes. Guide please. To the end."
"What's it like, being an arvec?" asks Tae suddenly. When she's had a bit more than her fill, she tends to be erratic. Even more so than usual. "I mean, how do people see you? The 'good citizens' of this fine city, that is." Her attention proves hard to direct. She finds herself randomly staring at Elyanna, who is quiet. Too quiet.
Elyanna glances between the two as things start to lose focus around her. Hmmmm. She takes another swig, sighs and leans in to consider the eyes of Ashes, then Tae. A slow shake of her head, and she wonders, "How do you feel?" She swishes her stein, giving it another sniff as she awaits the response. This is good stuff. Pity. Expecting things to... progress, she sets the drink aside. Then the queestion comes out, "Only my father was Arvek." She takes up her stein again for another hasty pull, then, "In Bludgun, it held me above humans."
"There is your place and you'd better be in it. There is your space and you'd better secure it." Ashlee blurts out. It almost doesn't sound like her, something masculine and authoritative bubbling under and breaking through her monotone. She blinks, looking around, did she say that out loud or remember it too hard. She hiccups and another piece of military wisdom comes out, "Goblins are your responsibility. Stop them killing each other and us, make them kill the enemy."
"Obey orders. Do your part." Ash blinks at Elyanna's revelation, "I didn't think that was possible."
There was another question. Right. She looks down into her glasses, the liquour is all the way down. Her voice is quiet, monotone and all hers when she says, "No one wants to see me anywhere."
Tae tilts her head suddenly at the last from Ash. The fast motion nearly sends her off her bloody seat! The damnable thing nearly tossed her to the ground! Or perhaps the floor itself was to blame. Oh look! Another of those little drinks appeared. "So.. it was good then. I mean, in Bludgun." She looks between Elyanna and Ash more slowly, then settles somewhere in-between. "So orders, and goblins, and in Bludgun, being arvek is a good thing. But here? I mean.. not like here, as in this.. restaurant? Or whatever. I mean among the city folk. The ones that give me dirty looks when they think I'm not looking." She is rambling, and she knows it. Like all people who are rambling, she knows just what to do when she realizes she is rambling: talk more. "Not Shale, though.. she never gave me dirty looks." The half-oruch stirs her drink with a finger, letting out a sigh. "Strange, isn't it? I mean when someone beautiful looks at you as if they think you are beautiful."
"Someone did that once. Then I realized he was looking through to another plane." Ash says quietly. The wine wins, it is defeated and drained first. It had a head start though. Time to finish the stein. She raises and drains it, setting it down. Tae's tumble to the ground barely registered.
There were more questions. "I was in Blar. It was good if you like following orders and being told what to do." She exhales, stares, "The horses were nice."
Elyanna looks with some surprise on Ashes's sudden blurts, "I was a Keeper in Bludgun. Most of our slaves were humans, or the others. Oruch blood was valued almost so much as Arvek, though neither were so high as Ogre." The surprise over her heritage warrants a noncommital roll of the shoulders, and, "It is not common, though the occaisional human is thrown to a worthy Arvek."
Her attention turn toward Tae, "I thought her name was Shade?" She's not climbing into the self esteem rabbit hole. She hasn't drank quite that much... yet, "I need to learn to handle a horse properly."
Tae kind of sways, as if there was music she heard. It sure isn't whatever the gobbos are dancing to, anyway. "Shade is my friend. The cat, you understand. Shale is a mulnee-" Her tongue suddenly seems to not quite handle the word. "Mulln... a mul. Yes." She laughs softly at herself, then hiccups. "That was odd," she notes. A pause again, "What was I saying? Oh, and why ogre? I mean.. is it a height thing?"
"Mules aren't enjoyable to ride. Magical horses are better." Ashlee answers what she thinks she's hearing, something about animal companions. The slave-keeper revelations get no comment, she may remember it in the morning.
She looks at her cards in front of her. So many cards, in a horseshoe, how appropriate. She collects them one by one, putting them back into the stack without revealing them. Except one that slips from her hand and flips over.
The fool. A dancing fool.
Ashlee sways a little in her seat.
Elyanna turns her attention to Tae as she starts to get into the swing of things, "Ahhh... so.... this Mul likes you, then?" she asks with some curiosity. A shrug, then, back to Ashes on her misconception. The half Arvek breaks into an honest, hearty laugh at that, a hand coming up to cover her eyes. She gives that a few seconds to vent mirth, then, with a sigh, she lowers her hand in time to cath Ashlee swaying as well, "Perhaps I should see if this place has rooms."
Tae laughs, too. "Mmm, but I think in this case a ride would be..." She breaks into a fit of giggles. It doesn't fit her at all! "I.. I believe she likes me very much," replies Tae. There are these memories of it. "I mean, I know I like her. Very." A long pause, "Muuuch." Another giggle, punctuated by a hiccup. "And by the hells, not rooms here. I wonder if I can make Wilderness Pointe." Were she more lucid, she'd wonder if she could make it to the front door.
Ashlee is steadied, but she still sways. She picks up the card, upside down to her, right-side for everyone else. Upside down is usually a bad sign, unless it's on one of those poles. That seems to be greatly appreciated by the audience. Who don't know what's good for them.
"Don't walk drunk through the forest at night." She says, as she pulls the card towards her. She's walked out to Wilderness Pointe. Bad things happened. Mostly birds. Also, she lives close to the gambling hall, she can walk home any time. However, she's been given an order. She must obey.
"I have to dance." Ashlee says, standing up, showing the Fool to the others. "The card commands it. Hold my satchel."
Her battered messenger bag is held out, then the death-witch staggers towards the stage.
Elyanna hrms, "Well, there are others, I suppose a carriage could be commissioned." Elyanna replies to Tae's protests, "She is right. Walking through the wood at night drunk is foolish."
Then, she's suddenly having a satchel shoved at her, and she catches it by surprised reflex, lapsing into confused Goblin, "What?"
"Who's drunk?" asks Tae. She giggles then. See, that was a little joke. "I think it may be more ill-advised to dance while drunk, though.." She watches Ashlee with an arched eyebrow. "Yeah, definitely more ill-advised." She sighs quietly, trying to follow Ashlee's motions without falling. It's hard when the room is spinning!
Ashlee makes it to the stage. She dances!
The less said about this, the better.
Chippen, her centipede familiar, crawls out of her satchel and stares across the distance. No! She's doing it wrong! He knows all the right moves, but she's hundreds of inches away, and he has hundreds of feet. It would never translate.
The horror.
Elyanna fixes Tae with a sort of peculiar look. Really? She adjusts her position slightly, looking down at her current burden just in time to see the centipede emerge. Blink. Right. The half Arvek sets the bag on the table, "Watch this, do not harm her insect." With all of that done, she rises and starts to make her wa-ooop! Got a little fast, there! Step... step... step-step...
Tae looks at Elyanna. She eyes the bag and then faces the insect. She offers her hand to the creature, "Why on earth would I harm a cute little guy like you, anyway? Or girl." She giggles a bit, then sighs. "Everyone keeps getting up and here we are, just you and me. I bet you can dance, though."
Ashlee... will not remember this when she sobers up. To honour the gap in her memory, it would be best if her efforts were not revealed either. The less known, and shown, the better. If only she had followed her advice.
Don't walk drunk through the woods at night.
Chippen dances amazingly well by drunken observor standards. Truly transcendant. So many feet, such undulations, such raw and primal energy. Thus, Tae loses the bet.
Elyanna continues to meander, weave, and in one instance, numbly feel up her way to the stage, likely from a seperate vector from the 'in house crowd control agents'. Still mostly making decisions good, the halfblood makes her way up the treacherous stairs after Ashlee while Tae enjoys the table show with her bag. There is an... awful lot of beat going on... and-
No, Elyanna, stay on target! Stay on....!
Cresting the stair, the red woman starts to amble her way toward the Ashen one with a certain, rythmic jauntiness to her staggering.
Who will get there, first?
Tune in next time onnnn Ma Rosie's House!
One of Ma Rosie's Dancing girls, tragically wart-less and underweight.
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