FE 25

[7:08:25 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: It's a new day!  A new morning, and you are all awoken by the sound of banging from downstairs.

[7:08:57 PM] Ander: "I'm up!  I'm up!"

[7:10:01 PM] \*\*\* Kite runs downstairs in her pajamas (black sleep pants and a bright green shirt, looks like). \*\*\*

[7:10:47 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: You guys see a bunch of tables being rearranged by Cag and Cas, and Lenore is up on a ladder, banging nails into the wood to hang a banner.

[7:11:26 PM] \*\*\* Ander comes down in a sleep shirt and boxer shorts, short sword in his hands.  "...karaoke night tonight?" \*\*\*

[7:11:35 PM] Kite: … ah.

[7:12:02 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Irwin looks up from the bar at you guys coming down the stairs.  "... I apologize in advance for everything that's going to happen."

[7:12:29 PM] Ander: "Song's Grace, it is karaoke night."

[7:12:37 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: No.

[7:12:47 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: His kids all give him dirty looks.

[7:13:03 PM] \*\*\* Daneel will come downstairs , little bleary eyed but dressed for the day. \*\*\*

[7:13:28 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Lenore comes down.  "I'm so glad to see you all!  We really need your help."

[7:13:43 PM] Ander: "...help with...?"

[7:14:21 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Cas:  Dad finally let us agree to run some events in here, draw in more customers.

[7:14:52 PM] Kite: ... I would like to be wearing clothing if there is to be an event.

[7:14:54 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Irwin scowls!

[7:15:33 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Lenore indicates the banner she hung up.  It reads "Welcome to the Bearded Unicorn's Swift Courtship!"

[7:16:09 PM] Kite: ... do you require security?

[7:16:29 PM] Ander: ".......................w....wel...com...to...Ok, that word on the end you clearly made up."

[7:16:53 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Lenore:  … courtship?

[7:18:06 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Lenore:  Anyway, no, Kite... we need more asses in seats!  We had a lot of signups, but it's not a full event. So I need some extras.

[7:18:46 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Lenore:  The way it works is that two people are sit across from each other.  They chat for a minute, then everyone shifts, so they're sitting across from someone new, and the process begins again.

[7:19:19 PM] Ander: "...wait...so...like...dating?"

[7:20:41 PM] Kite: ... I am already involved with two people.

[7:20:45 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Lenore:  Very briefly!  You don't need to do anything but talk to people for a minute.  Eventually the right people will meet and connections will get made, and they'll have the Unicorn to thank!

[7:21:09 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Irwin is washing empty mugs that are already thoroughly washed.

[7:21:48 PM] Ander: "...I'm not gonna have to get dressed up for this, am I?  I don't even know if Varia gave me anything for this."

[7:22:30 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Lenore:  No, no of course not.  I just need you guys in the seats so we don' have any gaps in the rotation.  Vashti's out, but I wrangled Hakan, too.

[7:23:16 PM] Ander: "...can I get some free drinks out of it?"

[7:23:45 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Lenore:  Yes.

[7:24:26 PM] Ander: "Ok, I'm in."

[7:25:31 PM] Ander: "I think Answorn and Carrick will forgive you talking to some other people for one night, Kite.  Hell, they're ok with you seeing both of them at once."

[7:26:19 PM] Ander: "And Daneel's weird hat makes for a good talking bit."

[7:26:48 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Lenore looks at Daneel and Kite hopefully!

[7:27:05 PM] Kite: ... but I do not require any other suitors.

[7:27:07 PM] Daneel: No need to get insulting Ander.

[7:28:12 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Lenore:  Just talk to people, Kite!  Nothing need come of it!  You can even tell people that you're seeing two people and aren't looking for more.

[7:29:12 PM] Kite: ... very well. It will probably be good practice.

[7:29:19 PM] Ander: "Yeah.  I'm not looking for any suitors, and I'm cool with this.  Just a lot of talking and drinking and food.  ...do we get free food, too?"

[7:31:29 PM] Kite: When does it begin?

[7:32:26 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Lenore:  Oh, not till this evening.

[7:32:59 PM] Ander: "Well, I'm going to put on pants.  I am told people here don't care for it much when you walk around in your shorts."

[7:33:06 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Lenore:  We're just... eager, I suppose.  This is the first time Dad's let us do something like this.

[7:34:36 PM] Kite: I am going to go put on clothing.

[7:34:46 PM] \*\*\* Kite heads back to her room! \*\*\*

[7:35:39 PM] Ander: "I think it's a good idea.  Bring in more customers.  Anyway, I'll come down and help after pants."

[7:35:46 PM] \*\*\* Ander goes to his room to get dressed, too. \*\*\*

[7:36:27 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: So, you guys have an afternoon to kill!

[7:37:49 PM] \*\*\* Kite returns, wearing pants, and with her kitty beside her, to find breakfast. \*\*\*

[7:38:22 PM] Ander: "Oh, Kite, I went to the temple the other day, looking for Master Scribe."

[7:38:56 PM] Ander: "I was gonna see about some meditation techniques for Carrick.  See if he might be able to bring back some memories from when he was in the crystal pod thing."

[7:39:08 PM] \*\*\* Kite nods. \*\*\*

[7:39:16 PM] Ander: "He wasn't in though."

[7:39:39 PM] Ander: "Apparently, he's been out of the city for a little bit now."

[7:39:53 PM] Ander: "I'm gonna check in again in a day or two, but I thought you should know."

[7:39:55 PM] Kite: Oh. That is unfortunate.

[7:40:02 PM] \*\*\* Ander nods. \*\*\*

[7:41:19 PM] Daneel: They don’t just have a book or pamphlet on meditation?

[7:42:36 PM] Ander: "I know some basic relaxation techniques and some that could help him to expand his mind, but the ones I know that would be even close to doing what we need could take months or years."

[7:42:43 PM] Ander: "I don't think we have that kind of time."

[7:42:56 PM] Ander: "And, even then, they are...REALLY not designed for what we're asking."

[7:43:27 PM] Kite: ... we could attempt to find a wizard, but I am not sure Barrad would assent.

[7:43:54 PM] Ander: "Barrad?"

[7:45:25 PM] Ander: "...I mean...we could speak to Glyph about a potion or two...but then we'd be counting on Glyph with Carrick's brain.  ...that...that seems unwise."

[7:46:38 PM] Kite: Barrad Carrick. ... I believe he has other names as well; I feel nobles do not believe in keeping things simple.

[7:47:12 PM] Ander: "...Carrick's first name is Barrad?  ...is...is that a normal human name?  It sounds very weird."

[7:48:34 PM] Kite: ... I am not entirely sure it is his first name.

[7:50:21 PM | Edited 7:52:27 PM] Ander: "...so...this whole courting thing...anything I should know about it?  Like I said, we didn't really do dating in the tribe, much."

[7:52:02 PM] Kite: I do not think this is conventional courtship.

[7:52:57 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Irwin brings over breakfast.  "apparently Lenore got the idea from a bunch pubs up in the Noble Ward."

[7:53:57 PM] Ander: "You doin' ok there, Irwin?  You've got that one vein in your forehead threatening to burst."

[7:54:08 PM] \*\*\* Ander is smiling at Irwin as he says that. \*\*\*

[7:55:47 PM] \*\*\* Ander digs into breakfast. \*\*\*

[7:56:30 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Irwin:  I just remember the bloodbath of the last time Lenore put on a karaoke night.

[7:57:01 PM] Kite: ... perhaps we should act as security rather than ... "dates."

[7:57:03 PM] Daneel: ... what happened?

[7:57:22 PM] Ander: "Kite, if I am gonna be a date, you are two.  I am not going down alone."

[7:57:37 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Irwin:  You know that Arena fellow the Cleaver?

[7:57:50 PM] Kite: ... I am already involved with two people, which is significantly more complex than ... perhaps I should ask them to participate.

[7:57:54 PM] Daneel: ... he can sing?

[7:58:21 PM] Ander: "...he didn't."

[7:58:39 PM] Ander: "...what song?  I've gotta know!"

[7:59:03 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Irwin:  He cannot sing.

[7:59:23 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Irwin  Whatever it was he did, it was very loud and killed business for the next three days.

[7:59:33 PM] \*\*\* Ander laughs. \*\*\*

[7:59:36 PM] \*\*\* Kite winces. \*\*\*

[7:59:44 PM] Ander: "Oh, please tell me it was a ballad."

[8:00:18 PM] Ander: "I'm picturing that voice doing 'Total Eclipse of the Heart'."

[8:00:38 PM] \*\*\* Kite winces again. \*\*\*

[8:01:40 PM] Ander: "But yeah, Kite.  You should invite them.  If nothing else, Carrick would probably like to talk to people given he spent however long trapped in ice."

[8:02:03 PM] Ander: "And Answorn's spent the past couple weeks being dead.  They are in desperate need of a night out."

[8:02:15 PM] Kite: ... that is likely true.

[8:02:30 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Lenore:  The more, the merrier!

[8:03:03 PM] Kite: Very well. I will go ask Barrad. What else do we have planned today?

[8:03:27 PM] Daneel: Nothing as far as I am aware.

[8:04:07 PM] Ander: "...I guess I should check in with Varia, figure out when the next fight will be and when."

[8:04:10 PM] Kite: ... we may need to advertise for jobs.

[8:04:47 PM] Ander: "Or maybe we should check in with...whoever at the palace and make sure we don't have a job from the Empress now?"

[8:05:00 PM] Ander: "...ads are not a bad idea."

[8:07:13 PM] Kite: That is true.

[8:08:07 PM] Daneel: Yes ads , “ of all the adventuring groups you could choose from pick the group that has all been ratted, and on most quests ends up off this plane of existence.”

[8:08:32 PM] Kite: ... I do not believe that is how advertising works.

[8:09:19 PM] Daneel: Ok yes it is a little to honest.

[8:09:21 PM] Ander: "...ads are something else I could ask Varia about.  I imagine she knows a good deal about getting the word out."

[8:10:16 PM] Ander: "Varia's very useful to ask about stuff."

[8:10:25 PM] Kite: She is very kind.

[8:11:22 PM] Ander: "...in a very intimidating "I could kill you if I really wanted to" sorta way."

[8:12:23 PM] \*\*\* Kite eyes Ander. \*\*\*

[8:12:42 PM] Ander: "...what?"

[8:13:02 PM] Ander: "You have to admit, she can be a little scary."

[8:13:16 PM] Kite: ((20 insight to see if Ander has a crush on Varia!))

[8:13:32 PM] Kite: ((Or at least thinks she's hot. Then again everyone thinks that!))

[8:13:55 PM] Ander: ((Hahahaha))

[8:17:10 PM] Kite: I like Lady Varia.

[8:18:30 PM] Ander: "She's...certainly been very good to me, so far.  I just don't like relying on her as much I have been."

[8:19:01 PM] Ander: "But she has been really nice to us."

[8:19:36 PM] Kite: A reasonable concern. We must excel on our own merits.

[8:22:01 PM] Kite: ... however, we might always ask for advice. Kysthic and Carrick may also be useful sources.

[8:23:47 PM] Daneel: And I don’t know that excelling has to be a goal here. Let’s focus on sustainable survivability first.

[8:25:04 PM] Daneel: If that requires “relying” on a support structure than so be it.

[8:25:51 PM] Kite: Reasonable.

[8:26:04 PM] Ander: "Maybe so, but we need to start getting some actual jobs.  I'm making money off the fights, but our income otherwise is just from Canto, Answorn and now the Empress."

[8:26:32 PM] Ander: "I'm not against a support structure, but at some point we'll want to break free of it.  And, right now, we have no real path forward."

[8:27:52 PM] Daneel: Is that a bad thing? ... plans fall apart, things change.

[8:28:28 PM] Kite: I prefer to have plans and then adapt as needed.

[8:30:12 PM] Daneel: Easier to just make the decision on the fly in my opinion. Planning does nothing but worry you unnecessarily.

[8:30:37 PM] Daneel: Things will go wrong, but I don’t have to face it until they actually do.

[8:31:11 PM] Ander: "...that is, quite possibly the saddest thing I have ever heard anyone say."

[8:31:34 PM] Ander: "What?  Never plan to do anything cause it'll probably go wrong anyway?"

[8:32:00 PM] Daneel: It’s gotten me this far.

[8:32:48 PM] Kite: Definitionally we have all gotten this far.

[8:35:38 PM] Ander: "...ok then.  Guess that's it.  We just wait here in this tavern forever until...WHOEVER deems us fit to actually do something."

[8:36:51 PM] Daneel: Or you can make plans I am not saying you have to change how you operate.

[8:37:45 PM] Kite: I will go and speak with Barrad about tonight.

[8:38:19 PM] Ander: "Ok.  I should help set up."

[8:38:34 PM] \*\*\* Kite tosses Murr the remainder of her breakfast and heads up to talk to one of the boyfriends! \*\*\*

[8:40:24 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: So!  Time moves on! noon comes and goes andit's evening before you know it!

[8:41:57 PM] Ander: "Wow, noon came and went and it was evening before I knew it."

[8:42:00 PM] Ander: (( :P ))

[8:43:53 PM] \*\*\* Kite tries to dress up a little bit, but only a little bit. Mostly just a more ornate hairdo and what appears to be makeup. \*\*\*

[8:44:36 PM] \*\*\* Ander wears his robes.  ...nothing all that special, really. \*\*\*

[8:47:52 PM | Edited 8:48:21 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: So it is that the event starts, with Lenore dressed prettily and holding a clipboard and a little bell, Daneel is sitting across from a short, dark-haired human woman with a stoic expression, Kite sits across from a Kobold man, and Ander sits across from the Cleaver.

[8:49:36 PM] Kite: ((We splitting up?))

[8:50:11 PM] Ander: ((I saw a group in my sidebar listed as "Ander and the Cleaver", so I think we are.))

[8:50:46 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: ((Yep!  I decided to kill myself tonight.  Everyone has their own rooms for their dates.))

[9:03:25 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Don't be afraid to roll insight, persuasion, all of those things, too.

[9:19:55 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: The bell rings!

[9:20:10 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Lenore!  All right, let me just reset everyone....

[9:20:15 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Everyone roll a d12.

[9:20:35 PM] Ander: ((8))

[9:21:08 PM] Daneel: (( 4 ))

[9:25:12 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Okay!  This time, it's Kite and Answorn, Daneel and a Wood Elf man, Ander and a pretty human woman!

[9:25:59 PM] Kite: ((Pfft.))

[9:26:23 PM] Ander: After all this worry, Kite ends up on a date with a boyfriend.

[9:45:03 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: The bell rings!

[9:45:18 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: It is worth noting that Ander's date is crying.

[9:45:42 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Everyone roll a d12 as Lenore resituates everyone!

[9:45:51 PM] \*\*\* Kite ignores the bell and Lenore and checks on him or her. \*\*\*

[9:46:20 PM] Daneel: (( 5 ))

[9:46:31 PM] Ander: "Five more minutes, please.  Sorry."

[9:53:20 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Okay!  What did everybody roll?

[9:53:31 PM] Ander: ((7))

[9:53:37 PM] Kite: 12.

[9:53:47 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Ander, roll again.

[9:53:49 PM] Daneel: (( 5 ))

[9:54:00 PM] Ander: ((2))

[9:56:39 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Kite sits with Hakan, Daneel with Answorn, and Ander with a glowing ball of light.

[10:13:31 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Bell rings!  Roll a d12.

[10:13:57 PM] Kite: 12 again.

[10:14:02 PM] Ander: ((12 too))

[10:14:06 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Reroll Kite.

[10:14:09 PM] Kite: 6 on a reroll.

[10:14:20 PM] Daneel: (( 2))

[10:15:07 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Ander is with Hakan.  Daneel is with Beniste, the glowing ball of pure energy.  Kite is with a fire genasi woman!

[10:32:23 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Suddenly, the kobold, who was sitting with Answorn, just jumps out of his hair and runs out the door away from him!  Answorn turns into a mountain lion, and lopes after him, out of the bar.  Lenore sits there with an open mouth, and shakes her head.  She rings the bell.

[10:33:23 PM] \*\*\* Kite blinks. \*\*\*

[10:33:44 PM] Kite: ... at least Answorn is enjoying himself.

[10:33:46 PM] Ander: "...I guess he found a criminal."

[10:34:03 PM] Ander: ((roll a d12?))

[10:34:08 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: ((Yep!))

[10:34:37 PM | Edited 10:34:55 PM] Ander: ((10))

[10:34:43 PM] Kite: ((8!))

[10:34:59 PM] Daneel: (( 2 first time rerolled for a 3))

[10:35:06 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Ander, roll again.

[10:35:24 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Daneel, also roll again.

[10:35:37 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Kite ends up with Sofia.

[10:35:42 PM] Ander: ((3, rolling again))

[10:35:45 PM] Daneel: (( 7))

[10:35:52 PM] Ander: ((4))

[10:36:08 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: No, three was fine, Ander.

[10:36:14 PM] Ander: ((Oh, ok))

[11:00:50 PM] \*\*\* Ander gets up from her table and goes to Lenore. \*\*\*

[11:02:22 PM] \*\*\* Ander finishes with Lenore and she and the woman he was dating head out. \*\*\*

[11:03:07 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Lenore rings her bell.  "All right!  This concludes this Swift Courtship night!  I hope maybe you all at least made new friends!

[11:03:37 PM | Edited 11:03:53 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: "We have at least one romance connection it looks like, though!" She gestures at Ander, who is currently leaving with Anya!

[11:03:46 PM] \*\*\* Kite raises her eyebrows at Ander! \*\*\*

[11:04:30 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Lenore:  And it looks like Inspector Answorn made a kind of connection.

[11:04:42 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Lenore:  I'm chalking that up as a win.

[11:04:45 PM] Kite: He seemed to be enjoying himself.

[11:05:05 PM] Ander: ((We don't know for certain that wasn't a romantic lion chase.))

[11:05:34 PM] Kite: ((Damn, I just rolled a 6 and a 7 on Insight on Ander and Anya. I am not lucky tonight.))

[11:05:46 PM] Kite: ((Just trying to make sure nobody's being brainwashed or mindcontrolled. >.<))

[11:06:17 PM] Daneel: ((18 insight on Ander))

[11:06:30 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: ((You can always use your Divine Sense, too.))

[11:06:50 PM] \*\*\* Kite tries that! \*\*\*

[11:07:06 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: ((But no, Daneel, Ander seemed okay, Anya seemed okay.  It seems to be all consensual.))

[11:07:21 PM] Ander: ((True.  You could find out if she's demonic or undead))

[11:07:50 PM] Ander: ((Ander was genuinely pretty into her))

[11:07:51 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: And the only things that set off yourdivine sense, Kite, are Sofia, and Beniste the lantern archon.

[11:08:05 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: Anya didn't register, which means she's not an outsider or undead.

[11:08:25 PM] Time, the implacable enemy of all mortals: We'll stop here!

[11:08:32 PM] \*\*\* Kite does wave to Beniste and shrugs. \*\*\*