Up From the Depths (IC)

[Callos_DeTerran]

Centuries ago in a kingdom now buried by the desert sands, the city of Cynidecea looked out over green and fertile lands. Cynidecea reached its apex during the reign of King Alexander and Queen Zenobia, and upon their passing the people erected a pyramid in their honor. Scholars have long puzzled over why the city fell into its long decline but something that has never been in dispute is this. Cynidecea fell to barbarians, and eventually the lush lands dried up into a harsh and unforgiving desert.

Time passed and soon little remained of the city and the lands surrounding it but sand.

Then came the Lady Ashinna Vestang, a vain woman, who received the title for a small oasis that she named for herself and promptly forgot. It wasn't until a harsh sirocco unearthed an ancient Cynidecean outpost near a notorious section of the desert known as th Valley of Death, not more then half a week's journey from her desert holding, that she took any interest in the oasis. She quickly mounted an expedition to the site, intent on claiming whatever long-buried treasure had been unearthed. Eager to profit from her find she brought her findings back to her oasis where she planned a party to celebrate her first anniversary as mistress of the oasis and to unveil the found treasures to those in attendance. A masquerade ball, in tradition with the ancient Cynidecean ways, was to be the theme of the party, with nearly everyone in the oasis invited to attend. And Lady Ashinna Vestang is famous for how exquisite her parties are..

Ashinna's Oasis had turned into a veritable bee hive of activity with the return of the marchioness from the desert and announcement of a masked ball. Despite the influx of guests, the Oasis remained a quaint little hamlet with few merchants or craftsmen to it's name and only a single inn. The Dancing Tabi received more business lately then it had in a long time with visitors, merchants, and followers too poor to afford their own camping equipment packed to full in the small inn. Outside of the hamlet's borders a small ring of tents had been set up for those who had brought such thing, many of them showing up as much as a week before the ball began in order to prepare for the momentous event.

Many of the permanent merchant stalls and buildings bear posts proclaiming the ball, several of which had blown away to make for fluttering paper occasionally blowing across the way. Lady Ashinna's manor was no different from the rest of the town with buskers, merchants, and a temporary camel pen all taking up space in front of the small manor.

For close to a month now a steady stream of tailors and seamstresses had been imported into the oasis, tasked with making all of the invited 'peasants' more presentable for the ball. All of this was being organized by the town crier, a man named Hajean Qatari who to ensure that everyone was suitably presentable for the masquerade, and if they weren't, to make them so.

And to think, such chaos was happening and it wasn't even the night of the ball yet..(Which is two days away)

[tonberryking]

Kikue

A small slip of a girl with a train of raven black hair manages to squeeze out of the crowding throng. Her effort yields little reward; though there are plenty of 'commoners' about, few costumes would rival her petite stature and some would even wonder if 'a child' such as herself was invited. However, she managed to make off with two articles of costume: a sturdy wooden mask painted orange with white streaks, suitably a grinning fox mask, and with it a matching pin on tail made from what feels like real pelt and silk.

Strutting away in a saunter, Kikue looks contemplatively at the pair articles; enough for a start, but not enough for a whole costume. At least, not for one of Ashinna's handmaidens, let alone one who's been meaning to tell her something important lately...

Though her worn peach colored kimono with the green grass patern at the hem (and the grass green sash) would possibly match it's servant's garb and she feels foolish enough as is. Stopping only a short distance from the crowd, Kikue glances about. This may mean she'll have to resort to the stash of gold she'd managed to save unless she's able to act more wily than a real fox.

With that in mind, she glances around, at the stalls, the people plodding about, looking for all the world like a fourteen-year-old girl with curious almond eyes...

[dyslexicfaser]

Bill

A tiny form detached itself from the crowd, taking a seat on an overturned box someone had left behind. It was a Deep Gnome of indeterminate age, neither as young as he once was nor particularly old, clad in battered, shapeless furs and animal hides that had seen better days. The only interesting feature of the gnome's outfit was a well-kept, brass-bound tome that dangled from his belt by a thick cord.

Bill's feet drummed out a beat on the box and his hands wriggled about in a preoccupied dance as he took in the small oasis town. Being somewhere he had never been before, close to his goal, simply left him with too much excess energy.

He had been lured to the town by talk of an old civilization being uncovered, but he was a student of the modern as much as he was of the past, and he was eager for a lesson.

[GimliFett]

Tariq ibn Rael

The dusky-skinned dwarf moved through the crowds with ease, as unhindered by the throng as he would be by the constant rubble of his home in the badlands. The ball would be interesting, but was not of primary concern to Tariq. Of greater concern were the artifacts retrieved from the sands of the desert. Tariq wished to see and catalog these items of history and attempt to ascertain their importance and former uses.

Tariq ibn Rael carried a scimitar, belted just below the sash around his waist. Additionally, four darts were arrayed around his person as was a worn wooden club, scoured smooth by the desert winds as is the small wooden shield adorning his left arm. Heavy hide armor can occasionally be seen underneath the billowing robes the dwarf wears.

Looking through the masks and costumes available for the gala, Tariq seeks something resembling a scorpion.

[Diarmuid]

Pneldobnithayn Burnyvissak

Another small gnome waited on the edge of the crowd gathered to receive their costumes. He was content to wait his turn, as he would probably just grab a bunch of random pieces and claim he was a chaos elemental or something just as silly.

"Pnel", as he is commonly known around the oasis, stands just over 3 feet tall and slight of build, he has light brown eyes and "sandy" hair. Not just in color, his hair and cloths generally have some amount of sand in/on them. Usuaully this happens when he plays with some children and joins in their games of tumbling. His skin, and eyes however mark his as not one of the normal gnomes or even a true brother to Bill. His skin is bronzed to nearly shining and his eyes gleam with orange around a dark red pupil marking him as one of the gnomes from the desert.

He greets anyone that looks in direction with a friendly wave or some comment about the heat and how at least it's a dry heat. At the moment he is dressed simply in some leathers that are well worn and have sand caked into the joints, but he has been seen in the past with a small bow and a little morningstar when the situation has called for them.

[Diarmuid]

Just FYI, Callos posted in another game I'm in that he's having computer problems.

[tonberryking]

Kikue

Those dark brown almond eyes catch the wave the overly friendly gnome send her way and without missing a beat, the handmaiden looks wider eyed at Pnel, up from the mask and tail she's holding in her hands. Having found a sucker possible aide for her endeavors, she doesn't return the salutation with a smile or a nod, but rather a troubled, almost tearful look of sadness.

Inwardly she reminds herself not to try to take gross advantage; she may need this outside... uh... help, but she's doing it over something to allow her to save face... Nothing terribly extravagant is her reasoning as her lip almost quivers...

[Diarmuid]

Pnel

The small gnome stops to ponder the sad looking girl. She had some costume pieces. Were they perhaps broken, or too large? She did look quite slim to his eyes. Never one to abide by frowns if he can help it, he darts through the crowd, slipping behind the taller folk, attempting a simple game of "peek-a-boo" with the girl to try and coax a smile from her.

[tonberryking]

Kikue

Inwardly surprised, but outwardly only showing the same sort of depressed look, Kikue tries to get the gnome closer by rewarding him with the sight of her covering her mouth with a long, wide sleeve. It looks like she's trying to stifle a giggle before she gives a warm look over.

Are you perhaps an entertainer for my Lady Ashinna?

[Diarmuid]

Pnel

Maneuvering through the crowd, he eventually "peeks" out near enough to the girl to smile and see her apparently trying not to giggle. He wonders why anyone would want to try not to giggle. He was just about to ask her that very question when she mentioned working for the Lady Ashinna.

Eyes lighting up at someone obviously recognising him from one of the very very brief times he was allowed in the same room with her to make some of his limericks and a bit of tumbling, the gnome's chest puffs out and he raises himself to all of his terribly imposing 3 feet and attmempts to ceremoniously brush the dust off of his garments (though he merely succeeds in making a small dust cloud that mostly just settles back on him).

"Ahhhh hello there. Clearly you recognise Pneldobnithayn Burnyvissak."

Sweeping into a small bow, one of his hands darts behind his back...

[roll0]

And comes back around with a somewhat crumpled little desert flower that he flourishes and presents to the young lady in front of him.

"As I have done for the Lady on many occasions, now I have brought a smile to your face as well."

A serious look, one of confidence in a job well done had settled on his features...but then his head jerked from side to side as if being rattled from side to side by something and an enormous grin splits his face. Holding his arms out as if for a hug, he almost squeals with glee,

"Oh you've come to ask me to perform at the party, but you were too afraid to approach me. That's why you were sad. Well of course I would be honored. My usual fee will apply, but I think I may have to charge a little extra."

Winking as he says the last part, he turns his face to the side and coyly taps one of his round, cherubic cheeks with a small finger.

[dyslexicfaser]

Bilius Tryggvassen

Bill made his way through the swarming mass of humans and other creatures that seemed to overrun what he thought was a marketplace. He kept one eye on the people and one on the architecture, the avid interest of a scholar in his gaze.

He kept one hand on his prayerbook - his one truly valuable possession - aware that such gatherings could bring out the pickpockets. Anything else of his a thief was welcome to, but the prayerbook he needed. His other hand brushed the sandy exterior of a building, and Bill lost himself for a moment in admiring it. Pure functionality, of course - no aesthetics. Four walls and a roof to keep out the wind sufficed. But then, that was humans for you. Part of their charm, Bill often thought. Always busy, always looking to make something of themselves, something that mattered. Something that lasted.

He went back to trying to navigate the crowd, which was always a tricky proposition when one was three feet tall and could be stepped on and trampled without hardly any notice.

[tonberryking]

Kikue

Nearly betraying her true self Kikue takes a step back, a hand held up in front of her. Apparently the girl disdains physical contact with others from the discomforting look she wears. However after a moment, she plucks the flower from the gnome's outstretched hand and nods

"Ah... actually, sir, I need help. It falls to my own discretion to provide a costume and All I have was barely obtained... I have no money..." she leans in closer for a moment before flitting back out of reach and offers the gnome a deal.

"But I work in her conclave and I can get *you* into the party's entertainment if you'd be kind enough to lend some coin. ...You wouldn't want to see me sad, would you?

Attempt at diplomacy. (1d20+2=9) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1453292/)

[Diarmuid]

Pnel

Pnel's face scrunches up at the explanation given by the woman, and when she mentions coin he is a little confused.

[roll0]

Not really sure what to make of this little slip of a thing, he tries to assuage her concerns a bit.

"If you need to get a costume, I wouldnt think you would need coin for that. Heck why d'ye think all these people are waiting about in line. You just need to wait a bit and they'll give ya something grand to wear. I dont have a special costume in mind, so I'll just wait and see what fits when everyone else has had their pick."

His smile is offered up once again and his little chubby cheeks puff out a bit.

[tonberryking]

Kikue

The girl sighs.

"Nothing FITS me and I was near the front up until a few moments ago. My arms were too small to grab at anything... And even if I got anything more than a mask and tail... Nothing will fit. It was all human sized work...ADULT human work..."