The Snack Platter

Log Info

• Title: The Snack Platter

• Emitter: Ravenstongue

• Characters: Dolan, Patch, Ravenstongue, Sora, Telamon

• Place: Fernwood Pub

• Summary: It's a nice summer night for some drinking and snacking, so Ravenstongue, Telamon, and Pothy are at the Fernwood doing just that. Patch and Dolan happen to be in the Pub, too, and they come over for a chat. Sora enters the scene and is given snacks by Pothy in a fit of his new sharing attitude.

Fernwood Pub, evening.

It's another lovely night in Alexandria. The evening sky is clear and dark, with the stars overhead out in full display, and the cool breeze ensures it never feels too warm. That's probably why the front door to the Fernwood Pub is just about constantly ajar with people flowing in and out of the establishment, allowing the cool breeze to come in and mingle with the merry crowd.

Off at one table, Cor'lana dines happily with Telamon. It appears that she's ordered a small feast of some sort for her white raven friend, Pothy, as he eats from a medley of crackers, cheeses, and little slices of sausage. Occasionally, Cor'lana takes a bite here and there herself.

"Snacks," Pothy says joyously, tail wagging up and down as he watches Cor'lana assemble a stack just for him to eat.

"Yes, Pothy, snacks," Cor'lana replies with a grin as she holds out the finished stack. It's a few inches tall, and she has to use two hands to keep it from falling--but Pothy goes at it regardless, being careful not to let a single tidbit drop.

The stars shine, and despite all that's happening in the world, there is still happiness to be savored, beauty to be enjoyed. Telamon sits with Cor'lana, watching with a broad smile as she caters to her corvid companion. "That's not 'snacks', Pothy, that's a snack," he remarks, grinning as he raises his glass of wine to his lips. Sipping, before lifting it to inspect it. "This isn't bad at all. I'll have to ask where they got this one. It's got a nice tartness to it."

His eyes are full of the stars seen in the night skies, sparkling, as he playfully edges a hand towards the platter Pothy is eating from. Pausing. "What kind of cheese is that, Lana?" he points to a set of distinctive slices which are green in color.

Patch enters through the main door, hair mussed from whatever she had been doing before. It's not a mess, but several strands have fallen into her face. She doesn't dawdle, closing the door, and heading towards the bar with a mission in mind. It's not until she notices Cor'lana and Telamon that she slows, pausing and watching briefly before offering a smile at the scene, and continuing to order herself a drink. "I'd like a bottle of the cheap red." some other words exchanged. "No, no. No Elvenblossom tonight. I think that's a lesson learned." her focus on her priorities.

Cor'lana's attention is drawn to the green cheese. "I think it's supposed to be some sort of... llyranesi imported cheese?" she says, picking up a slice. She gives it an experimental sniff and makes a face that's somewhere between intrigued and confused. "It smells sweet. How weird."

She notices Patch entering the building and waves to the familiar bard with the hurdy-gurdy. "Patch!" she says. "How's it going?"

Pothy finishes the whole stack that Cor'lana's assembled, meanwhile. He throws his head back... And then he burps. "Snacks!" he... well, he crows. And he does so in a very happy manner.

Then his blue eyes fall on Patch, and his tail wags again. "Snacks?"

"Oh, Patch, Pothy wants to offer you some of his smorgasbord," Cor'lana says with a smile.

Telamon furrows his brow. "That's a new one." His lips quirk up. "I mean, elves are masters of many things, but cheesemaking is not one you'd expect. Maybe it was just routed through Llyranost or the Mythwood?" He picks up a slice as well, sniffing at it with interest.

Then Lana calls to Patch, and he lifts his eyes, smiling broadly. "Ah, Patch. Good evening, and welcome to 'Pothy eats everything he sees'." He reaches over to stroke Pothy gently, as he lifts his glass in salute. "I hope the evening finds you well?"

A minute or two after Patch enters, the door opens again to admit Dolan. Having completed his duties for the day, he wanders in with a pack over his back that is full to bursting, and now ambles into the Fernwood and in the direction of the bar. The two sildanyar and the bird get a cheerful wave, but he seems intent on whatever his mission is.

Patch twitches an ear at the talk of cheese. She'd not been trying to eavesdrop, but the two were her focus as a bottle is produced for her, and she raises three fingers to indicate the number of glasses. Soon she's sauntering over, flashing her smile towards Pothy as she passes Dolan. "Who could refuse such a polite offer? Snacks indeed!" spoken towards the small white-raven, and flashing a wink at Cor'lana after.

"Only if I am not interrupting..." flaunting the wine and three glasses she has with her. "I did bring wine... it's cheap, grape juice really, but I like it." her glance then back to Pothy. "But only for a tiny bit. I don't like intruding, and the talk of cheese and marketing is a little too civilized to keep my attention." teasing towards Telamon. "I am well. How fare you both?"

"We are doing well," Cor'lana says with a smile. "I find myself unharassed by the city guard, having a meal with a handsome gentleman... And Telamon."

She can't finish her joke with a straight face, snickering. "Pothy is very handsome, however. I mean, look at his feathers. He's a very pretty bird."

"I'm a beautiful boy," Pothy calls out in a rather flamboyant man's voice, before he resumes his snacking.

Cor'lana notices Dolan's wave and she returns it. "Dolan!" she calls out. "How's it going?" She appears to not have noticed the fact he appears to be on a mission of sorts.

Telamon laughs softly at Lana's sally, and he experimentally bites into the slice of green cheese. "Hm. It's not bad. There's an herbal hint there, vegetables, green..." He chews and swallows, before taking another sip of his wine. "Sit down, Patch. You're not interrupting, and friends are always welcome."

He looks wry. "Besides, it's the Fernwood. You wind up rubbing shoulders with people a lot if things get crowded. It's a popular place." At Patch's self-depreciating reference to her wine, he shrugs and grins. "They can't all be elvenblossom or teymdara. Sometimes a glass of something inexpensive is a good way to relax."

Lana calling to Dolan draws his attention as well, but Dolan's steady stride and intent expression make Tel's eyebrow rise. "Hm. He looks like he's after something. Or someone."

"Nothing more dire than dinner, although if I don't get back, it might be dire," Dolan laughs, diverting his steps from the bar into the direction of his friends' table, and adding a cheeky grin in Patch's direction. "You don't want to be around Andie when he's hungry and I'm late. Brightest of days, all of you. Good dinner?"

Patch nods firmly to Lana, smirk spreading across her features as she's bid sit by Telamon. "Oh thank you. I'll try and keep my snacking out of Pothy's share." teasing the bird, and finding a seat once passing out glasses. "As for the wine? That's why I choose it. You can't always have the expensive stuff, or it's never a treat. There is appreciation in the simple and plentiful." she muses, turning to watch Dolan.

"Andie?" Patch asks of Dolan, curious as she takes up her bottle, thumb fiddling with cork. "Who would like to pour?" she asks, "I need to relax, and get some nastiness off the mind."

Cor'lana grins at Dolan's jesting. "Andie is Dolan's fiancee," she explains to Patch. "I've never gotten to meet her, but Telamon says she's swell."

She looks back to Dolan and grins, gesturing to Pothy as he tears into more cheese slices. "It's pretty nice," she says. "I'm sharing this spread with Pothy. He's eaten the lion's share of it--although I feel like whoever invented that phrase never met Pothy. Otherwise it'd be the raven's share."

She reaches for Telamon's glass of wine and drinks a little. Who knows if they agreed to share or if she's just being cheeky.

Telamon doesn't resist Lana stealing, er, borrowing his wine glass. He nods. "She's very striking. Six feet tall, redhead... swears a bit when she's worked up." He offers Dolan a grin. "By all means, man, get your business done. I wouldn't want to be late getting home if Lana was waiting for me to bring the meal. Hungry or not."

His eyes twinkle impishly, as he looks over at Patch. "If you can't get the cork out, I can handle it." He flicks a glance at Lana, smiling again. "There's a trick to it."

"My woman," Dolan agrees, something in the mobile half of his face melting at the mere mention of her. "She swears even when she's not." There's boundless, real affection there, that acknowledges her faults and loves her anyway. "I'll be right back." He turns away and towards the bar, and words and coins are exchanged.

Patch ohs as Telamon mentions a trick, handing the bottle over as she flushes sheepishly over the matter. "I just pull, and eventually... pop." she concedes, making some odd expression with her hand. "It's that season I guess? Everyone I have been meeting is engaged or getting married." she muses, looking to Pothy and licking her lips in play. "What of you Poth? You got a girlfriend out there?" a finger inching after a slice of cheese within the bird's reach.

"So is she waiting this night, or...." Patch asks of Dolan, curious as she extends her glass towards Telamon so he's not doing all the work. "He seems smart enough not to keep the woman waiting needlessly." musing at the tone she hears in Dolan's voice.

Sora makes her way into the pub, looking like she probably just came from outside the city. She still has on her armor and her greatsword is hanging across her back, just right so that it doesn't drag when she walks. She glances around for a moment and then dips her head in greeting before considering a place to sit.

Pothy goes very, very still as Patch asks the question of him. His blue eyes stare at her for moment, and when he finally breaks that stare, he makes a series of quiet little... Whimpers? Yes, whimpers. The closest thing to raven tears that he can get.

Cor'lana frowns as she turns her attention to Pothy, interrupting whatever thought process and remarks she might have had on the notion of marriage or engagements. "Oh, Pothy," she murmurs, and she reaches out to pat down his feathers, smoothing them down. Pothy continues to whimper quietly, standing still in place, but it seems like Cor'lana's affections are at least slowing them down.

The sorceress looks back to Patch with a small, sad smile. "Sorry about that," she says. "If you remember when I said that Pothy was away for a while... He was somewhere for a very long time, and he hasn't talked to us about the details yet. It was a harrowing experience for him. But he's back now, and he can have all the snacks he wants with all the friends that love him."

Cor'lana offers a cracker out to Pothy. It takes a moment... But he accepts it and eats it in two bites. His tail slowly begins to wag up and down again.

"But yes, Dolan's only ever spoken of his lady glowingly like that. Love's in the air, and it's a joy to see." Cor'lana smiles on two counts.

Telamon takes the wine bottle from Patch, and tch's. "Ah, I see the problem. I've had this one too and they always seal the damned things like they're filled with liquid mithril or something. Fortunately, I cheat." With that, he gestures deftly, and says, "Sisig bursag."

At first, there's no sign of anything happening, then he casually passes the bottle to the empty air next to him, and says politely, "Open that for me, would you? Carefully." The bottle... hangs in midair, and one can see the cork start to slowly work its way out. "This is easier," he says with a grin.

When Tel notes Pothy's distress, he reaches out to lay a gentle hand on the bird's back. "One day at a time, my friend," he says softly. He chuckles softly at Lana's comment about love in the air. "Well, there's a practical aspect too. Continuation of family, tradition, stories... all the things that make life worth pursuing unto the end."

The discussion at the bar between Dolan and the barkeep continues, but at length, the keep turns away, and Dolan does the same, wandering back in the direction of the familiar table, choosing a path that will put the entire table on his left side, just in time to catch Cor'lana stroking Pothy. He may not know ravens, but that sound is unmistakable. "I miss something?" he asks, turning his head to look between those present.

Patch loses her smile, her glance now on Pothy with a short-nod given at the explanation. "No, it should be my apologies. I didn't realize." giving up on stealing Pothy's cheese, and trying to offer a smile back to the raven. "It's a lot for him, I can tell. I should of been more considerate." her lips pursing, and sitting back into her seat. "When I get upset, I like to talk about it... but I often talk too much already." musing about the situation, but not as bright about things as she was before.

"Oh, that's a fanciful trick! Handy too." Patch notes of Telamon, and offering up her glass with a wiggle between her fingers. "Does it pour? Or is that the one trick?" managing to grin at the use of magic.

Sora shakes her head, "Always see something new in the Pub." she mutters a bit and then hangs her sword on the back of a chair and heads over to get a drink for herself as she watches the others. She settles into her chair and just watches for a moment. She pulls out a cloth and starts to clean her artifice arm with the flesh one.

Pothy looks up at Dolan as he approaches the table. His whimpering slows even further--apparently he feels safer with Dolan around? His wagging tail picks up speed and he seems like a happier raven now.

"Patch just asked Pothy a question that turned out to be a little too close to home," Cor'lana replies to Dolan. "Has to do with the recent... stay that Pothy had in Quelynos." There's a note there in Cor'lana's that recalls a recent conversation regarding the matter--something about the unease and regret that's reminiscent of the past words. "He'll be okay so long as I keep giving him snacks. That's what he likes doing the most."

Pothy takes a cracker... and then he looks around. His eyes brighten a little as he notices Sora looking at group before she sets about cleaning her arm.

So he takes flight... And lands in front of her. He holds the cracker out in his beak. It's an offering... to share snacks.

Telamon keeps an eye on Pothy, but he responds to Patch. "It'll do a number of things, though it's limited. Cleaning, light house work, garden maintenance. It'll carry light things, but it's not strong enough to really lug heavy stuff around -- that's what my floating disk spell is for." The cork finally pops loose, and the bottle floats over to pour into Patch's glass, before filling one for Telamon.

"Magic is, after all, nothing more than a way to get things done faster and with less work, so to speak," Telamon continues. "I mean, it's all well and good to be able to launch fiery death, but sometimes you just need to open a wine bottle or dig a garden bed."

Tel watches as Pothy flies over to offer the cracker to Sora, and he chuckles. "That is adorable, Lana, you know that right? He's definitely developed some maturity -- and empathy."

Dolan's left eyebrow ascends towards his hairline as Pothy relaxes at his approach - and then flies off. "Yeah, he's changed," he murmurs. "He know her?" He seems to recognize Sora as well, taking it easily enough in stride. "Yeah, looks like that happened the hard way."

"I disagree on that perception of magic, but agree that it can make life easier." The Bard muses in return, sipping her newly poured wine, and looking after Pothy as they take flight. "What a smart, and caring little bird.... I'm sorry he's been through so much." that offer to share cracker with Sora causing a smile. "So snacks, and fun times? Sounds like whatever happened, he needs them." mind on that matter for a bit, letting others talk and mingle.

Sora cocks her head to the side, "Thank you." she says accepting the cracker as she sets aside her cloth. She smiles and does hear some other words, "No first time met him." she says and then dips her head, "I am Sora," she says as she lifts her artifice arm and gives a bit of a wave.

Pothy croaks happily as Sora accepts the cracker. He's made... "Friend," Pothy croaks, just to confirm that the transaction of friendship has been completed. If you give a Sora a cracker, she becomes your friend. That's how that works, right? His pale tail wag-wag-wags.

Then he decides to take flight again... and land on Dolan's left shoulder. "Friend," he croaks again. "Snack?" He looks with a sort of urgent stare at the snacks on the table.

Cor'lana blinks a few times at Pothy. She whistles at him--and he whistles back to her. "Pothy's inviting everyone to partake of his snacks," she says, "because he wants everyone here to know they are his friends. That's so sweet. He really has matured a bit, like you said, Tel."

She looks to Sora with a grin. "Thanks for entertaining Pothy," she says. "You can call me Cor'lana. Or Lana, if that's too long."

Telamon leans back in his chair, sipping his wine, and he smiles at Lana in turn. "New and interesting ways to meet people, hm? Instead of him begging them for food, he's inviting them over." He laughs softly, his hand touching Lana's lightly.

At Patch's commentary, he shrugs lightly. "Magic is often something that is different from person to person, a perception that is sometimes not shared. I suppose the proof is in how effective a spellcaster you are."

Tel raises his glass politely to Sora at her greeting. "Telamon Atlon at your service, ma'am," he replies with a smile. "Feel free to sit down. Space really is at a premium these days, even here."

Sora nods and smiles, "A pleasure to meet you." she says to those that introduce themselves. She just smiles and then gets her drink and food and takes a few bites after sitting down. She nods her head, "Things are often busy." She is probably going to linger at the pub for a while.

The weight of bird on his left shoulder takes Dolan a moment, but he flashes that cheeky grin. "You even know where to land. You want a snack? We can share snacks." With barely a glance at Telamon and Cor'lana, he takes two crackers from Pothy's plate, eats one, and offers the bird the other one. "Yeah, it's way too crowded," he agrees. "I haven't found my folks yet, either."

"I think I am effective enough." Patch muses towards Telamon, sipping her drink and watching the silliness and play of Pothy. "Though, tonight I have a place to be. Some clothes to collect, and things to investigate." smirking as she kills her glass, and leaves the bottle on the table. "I must make some late night visits, but.... I will come by your home soon enough. I have things to discuss." the bard standing, and offering a half-bow towards Telamon and Cor'Lana. "Be safe, and Pothy too." waving at the little bird, crossing towards the door. "Be well, all of you." Dolan, and Sora included.