Rise of the Runelords ~ Burnt Offerings

[Blisstake]

1st of Rova, 4707 AR

Easy dominating the center of the coastal town, the new Sandpoint Cathedral is a point of pride for the merry citizens. It is only fitting that it officially opens on the Swalltail Festival, a Desnan holiday celebrating the begining of Autumn complete with storytelling, feasting, and all-around revelry. The smells of food are prevalent in the air, as food is being served for free, in almost a competetive way. The owners of each of the town's taverns bring out their best meals, hoping to garner the most attention for their culinary trademarks. The general concensus of the crowd, however, seems to be that the Rusty Dragon's curry-spiced salmon and winterdrop mead are the clear winners, much to the propietor's (Ameiko Kaijitsu) delight.

The morning hours of the celebration are mostly spent listening to speeches from Mayor Kendra Deverin, Sherrif Hemlock, and the cathedral's head priest, Father Zantus. They each encourage the festival attendees to enjoy themselves, with the Sheriff reminding everyone to be safe around the evening bonfire, and Father Zantus requesting a moment of silence to remember the lives taken when the previous chapel burnt to the ground 5 years ago.

Kenshin

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Early in the morning, while in your brother's house, a servant informs you that Lonjiku is feeling ill today, and will remain in the manor during the fesivities. He mentions that perhaps you would like to see your neice Ameiko, who is serving food for the celebration.

Everyone

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Go ahead and describe what you're doing during the celebration, or what you'd like to do.

[Drothmal]

Ril'Ailelis can be found at one of the free food tables, looking pensive at the dead and burnt animals in front of him. He was still unsure how this whole "feeding" process worked, but it would seem that mortals needed to do so at rather frequent (and inconvenient) intervals.

The immortal was now trying to fill his Vessel with as much nourishment as it could take, in the hopes that he would not have to be bothered with repeating the feeding ritual for a while. Hence, the exiled-Reaper devoured the plate in front of him and proceeded to the next food table, unhindered by the crowds (who seemed to completely scatter as soon as they saw the seven feet tall human-like creature approaching)

Reaching the Rusty Dragon's table, Ril addresses whoever seems most likely to provide him with food

I would like to obtain sustenance from your establisment

If his Vessel were to indicate that it could not take further nourishment. Ril'aielis will begin patrolling the festival in hopes of finding some wicked creature that deserved his escort to the Beyond

[DrK]

Linea Martell

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Puller her had down low over her face she mingles happily with the crowd. THe wagon had arrived late last night, Master Bissiman insisting on unloading before he would pay her and the other guards. After that she had more or less passed out under the wagon and slept until this morning.

Now however she had been enoying the festival, chatting with the crowd, enjoying the free food and drink, the worries of her past chasing her momentarily forgotten.

Linea headed vageuly towards the Rusty Dragon hearing the praise for the salmon on their lips. A massive hulking figure toting a large scythe caught her eye as he barked demands for food. An imposing figure, and worrying one taht left her hand brushing the hilt of her pistol for comfort. Putting the monstrous human out of her mind she slid gracefully through the crowd. "Thanks to you. May the sunflower illume you" she murmured as she tooks the food and drink watching around for anything intersting or anyone interesting...

[Selinia]

One moment, Lady Linea Martell was holding a pastry. The light, buttery sort, with a hint of sugary glazing over the outer crust.

The next moment, she was not.

"Mmank oo!" The culprit of this daring crime made no effort to conceal herself. Noticing that she had caught the gunslinger's attention, the girl quickly swallows the remainder of whatever she had been chewing previously so as to take a sizable bite out of the pilfered baked good now in her hand, as if that action would indisputably lay claim to it.

She was slightly built, a few inches shorter (and by a rough guess, years younger) than the gunslinger, but her limbs showed the smoothly toned definition of someone readily familir with physical exertion. Her clothing was vividly red and seemed to be made of some lightweight, inexpensive fabric. The garb's rather outlandish cut, sleeveless and with a ruffled skirt that cut off a little above the knee, attested that it might have once been an entertainer's garment, though signs of a few attempts and unskilled needlework indicated that it might have been re-purposed as day-to-day attire. Of a similar red hue was the long pole she had slung over her back - one end of the roughly five-foot length was swaddled in bulky cloth, suggesting a polearm of some sort, but it was hard to be sure.

This strangely dressed girl somehow manages to crack a wide smile despite a mouth full to capacity with ill-gotten carbohydrates, holding out the hand not currently occupied in stuffing her face. Whatever skill she might have exercised in making such an expression did not, however, seem to extend in speech, as her words were muffled almost to the point of incomprehensibility.

"Fffggin gaadz, tiiss nng ish fffggin delthhous! Oo shhud trii un!"

It was honestly rather impressive, when you got down to it, how she was managing to eat so quickly without seeming to spill a single crumb.

[DrK]

Linea

Linea looks slightly surprised by the theft of her pastry but after looking at the young girl and listening to the mumbled expression of enjoyment she can't help but smile. "Yes they are good... esepcially mine!"- the sting taken away with a smile. There was planty of other food to eat.

Looking at the girl she is also clearly not a local, and Linea knows that with her powder horns, strange lamellar curiass and dress she is also not local Linea sticks out her hand "I'm Linea, I've only just arrived in Sandpoint. Have you been here long? Shallw e get a drink, after those long speeches this morning I've a thirst a river could fill."

[Leviathan]

Kenshin

Kenshin clears his throat, even his calm face unable to hide bewilderment at the daring theft that takes place before his eyes. His deep brown eyes flicker over the scene, his hands clasped in front of him in a look that seems almost shy.

He is dressed simply in a loose-fitting knee-length robe of innocuous fabric, but he is less than usual, judging by the sheen of his unusual armour, or by the pair of finely crafted blades sheathed in his belt.

He speaks, his words slow, almost ponderous, his tone quizzical, and his voice laden with a heavy accent. "It is not impolite to converse with a mouth filled with bread?" he asks of no one in particular.

Hearing the one woman introduce herself, Kenshin bows. "I am deeply sorry for intruding. I am Kenshin Kaijitsu. I am honoured to know you."

[DrK]

Linea

Linea looks at the new arrival before taking a second look taking in the short stature and yellowish skin. "I am Linea Martell, pleased to meet you. Would you be from Tien? Its a place I have longed to go to."

She looks about for a place to sit. "Maybe we could sit and have a drink and you could explain how best to reach your lands?

[Selinia]

The girl finishes the (delightfully crispy) pastry as Linea speaks her piece, and Kenshin makes his own introduction. Apparently out of things to put in it for the moment, her mouth takes the opportunity to form her first clear words of the conversation.

"Who cares if polite or whatever the hell you're talking about? It's bread. You're supposed to eat it, not wander around waving it in the friggin' air." She shrugs, a slight smirk creeping into face in place of the grin that had previously occupied it. "Whatever. Call me Sake. It's a pleasure to meet you... though mostly because that was a goddamn tasty thingamajig you were carrying around. Know of any drinks that could wash that down?"

As the group wanders near a set of tables, Sake plops herself down in the first available chair, stretching her arms high above her head and propping the red-hued pole up against her shoulder. Looking a bit more closely at her, Linea might note that Sake's features and build were very noticeably Tianese. It was easy to overlook, with her pale skin and strongly Cheliaxian accent, but with Kenshin standing so near her it would definitely stand out.

"Anyway, yeah, I'm new here. I heard the locals were setting up some big hooplah for their nutjob goddess, so I figured I'd drop by and see if there was anything I could do to screw with them." Another shrug. "I wasn't planning to stay, but hell, free food. I don't turn down free food. Not every day you get to stuff yourself like this, and I don't think I've ever seen an all-you-can eat tavern where the food wasn't absolute piss."

"So that's my story. Whoopdee-friggin'-doo. You can tell me yours if it means you'll buy the drinks. And hell, powder weapons and... shoguns, or whatever the crap they're called, are each about as common around here as the other. Which to to say not goddamn very."

[Blisstake]

"Oh!" and elderly halfling woman gasps as Ril'Aelis requests food. She grabs one of the many plates of spiced salmon, and hands it over to the large man. "Here's some... uh, food. Enjoy!"

From inside the tavern, a young Tien woman emerges, her simple clothing covered in culinary stains. Her hair is black, for the most part, with her bangs being a strange streak of white. She brings a few more plates out with her, and looks as if she is about to return to cooking, when she spots Kenshin at a table. "Uncle Kenshin!" she yells hurrying over to the table to give her uncle a hug, a public gesture rather uncommon from their homeland of Minkai. "I got a message from father saying you would be here. It's great to see you!"

[RocketMan]

Quintin

Quintin has, up until this point, been sitting slightly apart from the crowd. Next to him sits a single untouched pastry carefully laid on a handkerchief. The wizard scribbles away at a leather bound book that looks too large for his small frame. Occasionally he peers about the square, his eyes magnified by his thick glasses, before returning to his note-taking.

The apprentice looks up crossly as a group of three people come closer, talking loudly. When they do not move on quickly, the rises from his seat and stows his book in his pack as a fourth figure emerges from the tavern to join them.

"Excuse me," Quintin says, his voice reedy and high. "I wonder if you might all continue on your way. I am sure that many more delicacies may be located and consumed in such places that will not disturb my research." Quintin says, trying to sound as important as possible.

[Drothmal]

With more sustenance in his plate, Ril'aielis starts to look for a place to sit (mortals seemed to be partial to obtaining nutrients while not exerting their lower limbs)

While scanning for a suitable location, the exiled-Reaper watches as a young woman rushes to hug an older man. Thinking that learing more about the interactions between mortals and their offspring would help him understand his Vessel better, Ril strides towards the eclectic group of individuals.

Luckily enough for the beyonder, a fifth mortal vacated a nearby table and joined the group. Ril'aielis quickly occupies the now free space that was being used by Quintin

[Leviathan]

Kenshin

Kenshin turns at the sound of Ameiko's voice, only to find himself in her embrace. He seems stunned and stiff for a moment, then he lets out a chuckle, his arms moving to return his niece's hug. "You have grown so, little Ameiko," he says with a small smile. "It has been many seasons since I have seen you." He releases the hug, turning his head to inspect the tavern behind Ameiko. "It is good that you take up an honourable trade. You must bring your father much happiness to have a proper daughter."

[DrK]

LInea

The young Alkenstar lady looks at the family reunion and the Tien cast to the young thief's features. "So many Tiens in one place. Its was the Daughter of the Dawn's luck that brought me here. Please sit, tell me about Tien. Is the pass through the Linnrom mountains really so ferocious?".

At the words of the wizard beside them she glances down at the scribe, "Apologies, but.... its is the middle of festival and you are taking up a large table to youreself. We may have to join you"

[Blisstake]

Ameiko offers a slightly embarassed smile and responds, "Well, we don't talk much any more. Not after mother and the incident with Tsuto..." Her voice drifts off, and there is a brief silence before she continues, "Father probably didn't mention any of that. I'll have to tell you about it. Not now, though! I have a lot of work to finish right now!"

With that, she dashes back into the tavern, no doubt to continue serving and producing the delicious food being offered.

Kenshin

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Tsuto is Ameiko's half-brother, who is the result of an extra-marital affair between Ameiko's mother and an unknown elf. Lonjiku remained married to his wife after the incident, but publically disowned the bastard child.

[Selinia]

Sake seemed happy to simply wolf down her salmon rolls, followed shortly by the salmon rolls of anyone who seemed disinclined to eat their own. Judging by her expression (she thankfully didn't try and speak with a mouth full of fish), the meal wasn't up to the standards of the sweetened bread... but she ate it all anyway. Still, either she had an iron stomach or was concealing immense internal distress, as such spicy food was almost certainly not intended to be eaten in bulk, particularly in the wake of sweetened consumables that could easily constitute a full meal themselves.

That accomplished, she turns her attention back to Linea, fingers drumming idly on the haft of her polearm. "Yeah, friggin' nuts, I'm sure. You know, that last Tian I saw had his legs broken and was dead of third-degree burns to the majority of his body, so I guess this really is... something. Hey, speaking of fires, ten gold says that bonfire later is gonna burn down the cathedral, or at least a few smaller buildings. No way Desna's gonna let all these festivities go without finding some way to collectively screw over her followers. Also..."

Without warning or even a real break in her speech, Sake gives the haft of her weapon a sharp twist. With a resounding thunk, the butt end of the pole comes crashing down mere inches in front of Quintin. "...I really, honestly, give give less craps about your studying than I do about a rat's ass, because at least the latter could hypothetically be used as friggin' sustenance in a pinch. You, on the other hand, are whining about something so unbelievably petty I have difficulty finding words to adequately express it. So rather than try, how about this - you go find somewhere quiet, and we will continue to sit here and exploit this establishment for free food. How does that sound?"

[Leviathan]

Kenshin

Kenshin sits at Linea's behest, folding his hands neatly in his lap, his body square to the gunslinger. "The mountains are beautiful. The world is all white glass there. It is very peaceful. But most did not see it so. This journey for them is full of pain and fear. These I think could find no beauty in the ice."

Kenshin frowns at Sake's remarks. "It is not the way of a lord to destroy the things of his people. Why should a god do this if it is not the way?"

His passive demeanour disappears the moment Sake smashes down her weapon. He stands sharply, his arms at his side and his eyes alert. "This is not polite," he scolds. "You are bringing yourself great shame to act in this way, even for one who calls herself after sake."

[DrK]

Linea smiles inwardly at the rash and clearly hyperactive young girl in front of her. But even as she scatters the bookish man's notes she smiles "Apologies, but maybe the middle of a festical isn't the best place to be studying."- she still carried the respect for sages common to all in the mana wastes.

Wait, wait a moment young one she mutters to the girl offering her another lump of food- the only way of keeping her quiet before turning back to Kenshin, "How did you travel from Tien to here?"

[Drothmal]

Ril'aielis observes the bickering mortals, friendly to each other one moment, aggressively posturing the next. The beyonder was truly dumbfounded by the swings in their interactions.

For a moment, Ril had the urge of unwrapping his massive scythe and just collect the humans' souls, getting him closer to his goal to free himself form his Vessel. Fighting down his violent impulses, the exiled-Reaper forces himself to observe the creatures before him: Both women seemed proficient in battle, and the man that had been hugged by the whelp carried himself with the marks of a warrior. Battling these many would only bring harm to the Vessel

Deciding that more observation was in order, Ril'aielis remains sitting quietly by the boisterous group

[RocketMan]

Quintin

"I am not sure that you understand," Quintin says, frowning. "My work is not only of a historical and archaeological nature. Given the current situation, I have, for all practical purposes, a limited array of research methods available. I am in the process of documenting ethnographically the customs and rituals of modern Varisia. While the methodology may be somewhat questionable and the conclusions may not be entirely relevant, it seems the most prudent course of action," the apprentice explains dryly.

"You all, at least insofar as extrapolation of my preliminary data suggests, are not locals, thus constituting an unfortunate sampling error. I hope this clarifies my request." He smiles politely at the others.

[Selinia]

As Linea hands over the morsel, Sake hefts it slightly in her hand but does not commence the voracious gorging she had thus far been partaking in. The girl still takes a bite of the crisp fruit every few sentences, but either she was actually getting full or the conversation had started to take more of her attention.

"Lords and gods aren't the same thing. You friggin' realize that, right? Vassals are tools for a lord, but for a god, mortals are... I dunno. Favored toys, if we're friggin' lucky. Boring toys if we're not. And boring toys get broken when they've exhausted their value." Sake shrugs.

"But hell, you aren't gonna listen to me anyway. When this town goes to hell, don't say I didn't goddamn warn you."

"As for shame, again, I'm gonna have to point out that I give zero craps about that. Zero. That is less than one. That is less than a fraction of one. That is none. Because unlike some of these sorry people, I am not going to be sticking around for whatever ends up messing this friggin' place up. This food isn't going to stick around forever, and as soon as its gone I'm gonna stuff my pockets as full as they can get, maybe nick a satchel off of someone, and then I'm gone. There's nothing between here and hell that could get me to stick around that forsaken eyesore of a cathedral anyway."

While speaking, she withdrew the butt of her weapon from its resting place in front of Quintin's workspace, and she returned her attention to the mage as she finished the snide rant at the samurai. "Oh, well, we're a friggin' sampling error. That makes it all better then. You can stay right there, and observe all you like." Sake's words are absolutely dripping with sarcasm, and she punctuates the end of her speech with a large bite of the orange citrus in her hand. She was probably aiming for a dramatic crunching, but it ended up making more of a wet tearing sound.

Because oranges don't crunch.

[Leviathan]

Kenshin stands his ground against the angry girl, his face showing no anger, or any emotion at all. "You may run from this town, but that is not to do with your shame. It is to escape the shame of the town that you run from the town. To escape the shame of yourself you must run from yourself, is this not so? Perhaps this is why they call you after sake?"

[DrK]

Linea takes a step back as the two Tien's go head to head looking down at the researcher. "Why do are you so interested in the Varisians? Are they not all thieves and layabouts? Or at least that's what I've heard in my trave......?" the words tail off as she notices the massive lurking figure nearby with a scythe.

"Errm, hello?" she ventures as she takes in the reaper's form. Her hands straining to not grip the pistol butt at her waist. "Can we help?"

[Selinia]

"You make the mistake of assuming that I am ashamed of myself. Does this look like the face of someone wallowing in friggin' shame to you?" The girl tilts her head to the side and flashes a toothy grin, her crimson-dyed mane shifting slightly over her shoulders with the small motion.

"Nope? Well, I didn't damn think so. It's a neat trick, you should try it out. Step one is you get a friggin' drink..." Sake pauses, thinking for a moment, before jabbing the food-dispensing gunslinger in the ribs with her elbow. "...hey, weren't we supposed to be getting drinks anyway? Maybe this pretentious ass of a shogun will be goddamn annoying once we're all hammered out of our skulls..."

[Drothmal]

Ril'aielis looks directly at the gunslinger. It was one of the first times since the beyonder had been confined to the Vessel that a mortal had initiated a conversation with him.

I am merely observing my surroundings while partaking of nourishment. I am a stranger in these lands, but it is my understanding that my behavior is not out of the ordinary. responds the exiled-Reaper

Ril considers leaving the table, but decides against it. Maybe he could learn more about the ways of the humans by talking to this unusual woman and the unusual group with her

I have been named Ril'Aielis. Since you have offered your help: Would you explain to me if it a common occurrence to quarrel during the ritual of obtaining sustenance?

[DrK]

Linea gulps slightly. "Erm, I'm Linea" she stammers out. Not offering her hand lest this strange figure tear it off. "I guess its not unusual to argue... depends really."

She looks him over quickly. "Erm. where do you hail from?"

[Blisstake]

Before your conversation (or quarreling) advances any further, you hear a loud bang, not unlike an Alkenstar cannon, originating from the stage where Father Zantus stands smiling, adjacent to a cloth-covered wagon with conspicuous bump.

Spoiler

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It seems he used a thunderstone to get everyone's attention

"Now that I have your attention," he says, as the crowd gives the holy man their full attention, "It is time for the Swallowtail Release! As you know, when Desna fell to Golarion many millenia ago, she became injured upon crashing into the hard earth. A wayward child found the wounded goddess, and nursed her to health, restoring Desna to her full splendour. To reward the child for the aid she gave to the goddess, benevolent Desna transformed her into an immortal swalltail butterfly, allowing her to freely explore the lands until the end of time." With a fluorish, he uncovers the cloth, revealing a cage packed with live swarming swallowtail butterflies. The priest quickly opens the cage, allowing them to fly into the sky, forming a cloud, then dispersing across the city, much to the delight of the Sandpoint citizens, who respond to the release with cheers and laughs. The children especially seem delighted, running around trying to catch the holy animals of Desna.

[Drothmal]

The explosion had caused for Ril'aielis' hand to go for the shaft of his scythe. Realizing that there was no real danger (and cursing the damned mortals for their ridiculous methods), the reaper lets go of the weapon and watches the display.

Seeing the other human children chasing after the butterflies, the beyonder reaches deep within his mind and once again tries to communicate with his Vessel, hoping that the boy would show any signs of sentience.

The child's mind does not respond. Mimicking not the butterflies but the larvae that preceded them, the Vessel's mind remained in stasis under the chrysalis that had formed over his consciousness at the moment of merging with the beyonder

Ril sighs in defeat and, as if nothing had happened, responds to Linea's question cryptically

I come from where every being must go, which is the same place I intend to return to.

With a stroke of inspiration, the exiled reaper changes both subject and target of his inquiries, addressing the small human in the robes who said was cataloging the customs of the region

Is playing with butterflies a trait specific to the whelps of this tribe? If that were the case, the lack of response from the Vessel could be a clue to his origins

[RocketMan]

Quintin

"I have yet to reach formal conclusions on the matter," Quintin says to Ril'Aielis, showing a good deal of enthusiasm. "Desnan rituals have been observed in many societies, including the preliterate. While I cannot comment on the specificity of the Swallowtail Festival, it is likely that it exists within repeating archetypal parameters throughout Varisia, and among the Varisian diapora." He smiles idly at the butterflies before jotting down a note.

[Selinia]

"That's a goddamn roundabout way of saying, 'Yes, there are idiots everywhere', Specs. Friggin' butterflies... I caught a pet butterfly once. It died. Butterflies are stupid. This town is stupid. Gah." With an irritated flick of her wrist, Sake swats idly at a butterfly that had ventured too close to her face, though it was long gone before she could actually hope to hit it.

"What the hell kind of story is that, anyway? 'Hey, you saved my life, now I'm gonna turn you into a friggin' insect.' Seems like something even the clerical toadies of the divine might have trouble spinning into a reason to get yourself killed on their behalf."

The redhead puts a hand to her forehead and scrunches up her face for a moment before dropping it once more and reverting to her toothy grin. "Screw that though, not going to let some ass of a priest keep me from enjoying my friggin' festival. It would be nice to be good and drunk before that moron gives another goddamn sermon though..."

[Leviathan]

"I have not before heard of this story," Kenshin muses, holding out one hand perfectly still, palm upwards and open. "I think that this is a very good destiny for the child. To see with every moment the world. To know each place of it. Each thing in it. To seek with every breath, every beat of the heart, life." He closes his eyes, deeply inhaling the air. "This is a good fate."

One of the swallowtails comes to rest upon Kenshin's outstretched palm. His eyes open, and he gazes at it, his eyes focussed on its every minute motion. "It has to it many wonders, this little thing. Should each one be such, it should be a worthy life to see them all."