Ghosts of Gauntcliff IC: Chapter 1

[PathOfDreams]

Once the platters before each guest is uncovered, revealing the bounty inside, Petrie begins to dig into his. The slurry of conversation flying passed him is not nearly strong enough to deter him from his meal. His manner of eating is not like that of a starving savage but is not prim or delicate either. He saves the fish for last, with the citrus squeezed over it, as it appears it will be the best tasting portion; before hand he devours the cake with the pink stuff and the greens.

Petrie is finished with his meal before most of the others have begun to taste theirs. It appears that with the big Forfarian, food is all about business. Petrie gently scoots his empty plate forward on the table to make room for his bottle of whiskey to set in front of him. Though it is nearly drained halfway, he pulls yet again from it.

Sitting back in his seat to favor the whiskey after a good meal, he listens as an observer to the ongoing conversation of flowers, religion and treasure.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"And what is your occupation, M'selle?" Everline asks Elliana -- and then she hears Juergin's talk of the pirate Svartbeard and his father.

"How... remarkable," she says, raising an eyebrow with aristocratic hauteur. "I am certain that my employers would be simply delighted to learn about such a colourful piece of this island's history. Do please feel free to keep me appraised -- and perhaps you would consent to answering a few questions for my work, later on, Monsieur Juergin?"

[steveflam]

Juergin looks at Eveline with a strange look on his face. The lad is surprised that a pretty girl such as shewould talk to him. She is attractive but her attitude did nothing for him. He opens his mouth to say something but nothing comes out. Blushing he mumbles "Ja, mein Frau.. I vill."

The young man bows his head and concentrates on his plate. Clearly Everline was too snobby, high maintenance or a noble. Even if she is older and pretty, he shrugs to himself. Girls, bah. Finding the treasure and exploring the island, that is important. Maybe I'll run into a pirate or two as a bonus he muses to himself.

He smiles to himself as he eats, enjoying the food. Unless someone stops him, he will have three plates of food. He does not, however, make huge plates, but normal ones. He will listen to the conversation around him. Tomorrow would be a good time to see Penda and visit the island.

[Ken of Ghastria]

Primeiro raises an eyebrow at Juergin's exclaimed claim of buried pirate treasure. "How... fanciful," he says simply.

To Sancerre's comment about the "waters," he replies, "Excellent suggestion. Perhaps tomorrow...?"

[ewancummins]

"And what is your occupation, M'selle?" Everline asks Elliana --

Elliana laughs at some little joke of the Captain's, and then responds to Everline's question.
''Occupation? I go to parties, ride, sketch a little, play the pianola, study natural philosophy, etc cetera. I've also written a book on the landforms of the Southern Balinoks. Perhaps you've read it?"

[ewancummins]

Primeiro raises an eyebrow at Juergin's exclaimed claim of buried pirate treasure. "How... fanciful," he says simply.

To Sancerre's comment about the "waters," he replies, "Excellent suggestion. Perhaps tomorrow...?"

Denys replies, ''Yes, tomorrow."

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"Possibly not," Everline replies politely to Elliana's question. "I may have missed it entirely if it came out last year; I was travelling Nova Vaasa for a considerable amount of time. Also, I do not seem to recall catching your family name, so it is difficult to be certain. You are of noble descent, I take it?"

[ewancummins]

"Possibly not," Everline replies politely to Elliana's question. "I may have missed it entirely if it came out last year; I was travelling Nova Vaasa for a considerable amount of time. Also, I do not seem to recall catching your family name, so it is difficult to be certain. You are of noble descent, I take it?"

Elliana replies in a friendly, warm tone-
''My book was published under the name Elliana of Skald. I have a house there; lovely town. The printing was done in Mortingny. There aren't many presses south of Arkandale.''

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"Hmm, I would not expect there to be any presses in Arkandale," Everline agrees. "Wolves have little use for the printed word, and people running from wolves, even less so. Unless spell scrolls are being printed, nowadays?

So, you have a house in Kartakass! For summer or for winter? I have yet to visit Kartakass, but I might like to do so sometime; so many bards there, if rumour holds true, and I do enjoy music. Perhaps you would be so kind as to tell us all a bit more about the land, seeing as we have so many travellers gathered at this table."

Everline glances around the table at said travellers, her blue eyes lingering a moment on every one individual in turn.

(OOC: Everline uses Detect Magic again, scanning the room and its occupants. She speaks no Words of Power and makes no strange gestures to do so.)

[ewancummins]

"Hmm, I would not expect there to be any presses in Arkandale," Everline agrees. "Wolves have little use for the printed word, and people running from wolves, even less so. Unless spell scrolls are being printed, nowadays?

So, you have a house in Kartakass! For summer or for winter? I have yet to visit Kartakass, but I might like to do so sometime; so many bards there, if rumour holds true, and I do enjoy music. Perhaps you would be so kind as to tell us all a bit more about the land, seeing as we have so many travellers gathered at this table."

Everline glances around the table at said travellers, her blue eyes lingering a moment on every one individual in turn.

(OOC: Everline uses Detect Magic again, scanning the room and its occupants. She speaks no Words of Power and makes no strange gestures to do so.)

''You seem to have some misapprehensions regarding Arkandale. The backcountry contains large stretches of wild woods and is home to many wolves, that much is true. The towns and plantations of the river valley, on the other hand, are as civilized as anything one will find in a rustic country like, say, Mordent. The gentry are as well-educated as the merchants of Richemulot or the courtiers of Borca. My book sold well at the market in Gillsburg, I am told. "




Ellian continues speaking, her warm tone now grown a bit cooler-
''Kartakass is also home to a great many wolves. In my experience, the beasts there are more handsome than the mangy predators of Arkandale's backwoods. Even their howls have a nobler pitch, almost like some darkly beautiful song. They are no less dangerous for all that, of course. "

She flashes a grin at the Captain, who sits beside her; his face locked on hers in in rapt attention.

''You asked about the bards? They are more than minstrels. They are lorekeepers, minor priests, and politicians in their own right. Have you heard of the meistersinger contests?"

[Adam]

Bennedict looks up for a moment at the idea of printed spell scrolls. "What an idea..." he mutters to himself as he fumbles in his breast pocket for his notebook, flipping it open and scribbling notes away furiously. "It would require a lot of time to get the mixtures of reagents and inks so they could be added precisely, but could it work?"

[Rock of the Fraternity]

Everline shrugs casually at Elliana's words. "A wise old woman once told me, 'Do not trust the cannibal because he uses a knife and fork'. Regardless whether a wolf is beautiful and noble of aspect or mangy and foul of breath and fang, if they are snapping at your heels, they are but a threat to be removed -- and a fur rug yet to be skinned."

Everline flashes a small, but surprisingly toothy grin at the table. "Or so I was told by a gentleman of my past acquaintance, who favoured hunting dangerous beasts. He had a rather nice fur cloak, crafted from the furs of a dozen different and exceptionally hostile animals.

As for this... meistersinger contest? It seems I may have heard the name before, but... Hmmm, no, it does not seem to have left a lasting impression. Would you enlighten us?"

Upon hearing Bennedict's musings, she smiles again -- less toothily this time.

"The concept is rather entertaining, true, but I think it is as yet unworkable. I have had the great good fortune of being welcomed by the Dementlieu University's Faculty of Arcane Philosophy last autumn and winter, when I was gathering details for the renewed Dementlieu travelogue. One of the sights I was allowed to see, was the University's facility for producing spell scrolls. As far as I understand the concept, writing a spell scroll requires an infusion of arcane energies from the one scribing. Unless you could somehow craft a press with a storage facility for the appropriate arcane energies, I do not believe you would succeed in this ambition."

[RocEter]

Thom enters the dining hall, doing his best to not interupt the flow of conversation. Taking his seat with out saying anything he looks down at his plate to see what is being served. He also smells and tastes his wine, finding every sasifactory he silently begins to eat his food while listening to the conversations being had at the table.

Catching the tidbits of what Benn said and Everline's response, Thom looks up from his plate. " Even if does fail it would be a worth worth expirement. Lucky for Ben he just happens to know a successful Master Printer, who just happens be in good standing with the university." He says. Thom gives a small smile, takes a drink of his wine then goes back to eating.

[Adam]

Everline shrugs casually at Elliana's words. "A wise old woman once told me, 'Do not trust the cannibal because he uses a knife and fork'. Regardless whether a wolf is beautiful and noble of aspect or mangy and foul of breath and fang, if they are snapping at your heels, they are but a threat to be removed -- and a fur rug yet to be skinned."

Everline flashes a small, but surprisingly toothy grin at the table. "Or so I was told by a gentleman of my past acquaintance, who favoured hunting dangerous beasts. He had a rather nice fur cloak, crafted from the furs of a dozen different and exceptionally hostile animals.

As for this... meistersinger contest? It seems I may have heard the name before, but... Hmmm, no, it does not seem to have left a lasting impression. Would you enlighten us?"

Upon hearing Bennedict's musings, she smiles again -- less toothily this time.

"The concept is rather entertaining, true, but I think it is as yet unworkable. I have had the great good fortune of being welcomed by the Dementlieu University's Faculty of Arcane Philosophy last autumn and winter, when I was gathering details for the renewed Dementlieu travelogue. One of the sights I was allowed to see, was the University's facility for producing spell scrolls. As far as I understand the concept, writing a spell scroll requires an infusion of arcane energies from the one scribing. Unless you could somehow craft a press with a storage facility for the appropriate arcane energies, I do not believe you would succeed in this ambition."

Benn taps the corner of the pen against the side of his cheek, thoughtfully. "True, some manner of storing the arcane energy would almost certainly be required. Something like a wand, perhaps, could do the job quite effectively I would think...." he trails off and resumes scribbling. "My only hesitation with working with the university printing facility, Herr Tom, would be the tendency many of them have to co-opt the work of the academics under their roof for their own purposes. Many are the penniless professors whose Universities own the patents to their most brilliant work."

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

Thom's "master printer" remark finally coaxes a smile out of the priest, and Dorgio gives him a smile that does little to hide his rapid, increasing drunkenness. "Ha! Certainly a good enough printer, anyway," he says, eager to shift his attention away from Elianna and the captain's hungry looks--for now. "I'm hoping I can finish my next work while we're here...though I must be admitting that Denys is making the waters sound like a better priority right now."