ScrollAndSwordCircle/InKirighast

ScrollAndSwordCircle/AlongComesASpider

<ST`> == A Meeting in Kirighast ==

<ST`> The Circle arrives at their pre-arranged meeting place with Matreng e-Sokoy - the contact that the deceased Master Gebhard gave them. It is a seedy cafe, where the patrons linger over creamy tea and crunchy snacks sprinkled with herbs. Oil darkens the air, from the vast fryers in back where the popular spice crackers are made.

<ST`> One man sits alone near the door; he looks up as they enter.

Arkadi sniffs the air...looks like there's more than just 'spice' around here

Gia closes her large silk parasol as they enter, squinting her eyes as they adjust to the difference in light.

<ST`> The man at the bar jerks his chin at the group, apparently meaning that they should seat themselves. The lone man looks up at them and motions them over.

Osprey follows the rest of the group, keeping a wary eye on the cafe's shady patrons.

Arkadi doesn't seem particularly nervous, he's been in places like this dozens of times BEFORe he Exalted...now *he'sthe big gun in the room

Gia seats herself silently.

Arkadi plunks down in the chair

<ST`> "You must be the funny-eyed foreigners that Summer Lightning told me about," he grunts. "Call me Mat."

Hollow Moth seats herself with the others, keeping a neutral expression.

<Arkadi> "If you insist."

Malic sits himself down next to Hollow Moth and drags over a spare seat to put his feet on, making himself comfortable.

Osprey leans against the wall, arms crossed.

<ST`> A waiter deposits some plates and a bowlful of small filled pastries on the table. Three pitchers hung off its edge are filled with different sauces.

Malic idly glances to the other dark, shadowy corner where Forge and Ember have seated themselves, giving Forge an infintesimal nod of acceptance.

Malic snatches up a handful of pastries, dipping a few in a heavy, sweet syrup before popping them into his mouth.

<Arkadi> "I'll asusme you know why we're here?"

Hollow Moth takes a pastry and nibbles at it silently.

<ST`> "The ghost called in a favor for this meeting. He says that you want some information." Matreng is dusky-skinned in a sallow and unhealthy manner. The row of defaced caste tattoos up his right arm shows that he has repeatedly gained and lost status over the years.

<ST`> The pastries are greasily stuffed with a variety of vegetable, meat, and fruit minces. Many are fiercely sour or spicy.

<ST`> "So, what do you want to know?"

<Arkadi> "Yeah...we want a heads-up on wha tof the big dead boys is planning."

<Arkadi> "Eye and Seven Despairs."

<ST`> He rapidly changes the subject, indicating that it's not safe to talk about that here.

<ST`> = Later, in Mat's Hovel =

<ST`> "The Eye, eh?"

<Arkadi> "Eyeball himself."

Gia rolls her eyes.

<ST`> "You been seeing all the funny-looking people in town? Like that man at the cafe with horns on his face, and the bartender with mouths where the palms of his hands should be?

Malic snorts. "We noticed the large assortment of people with assorted parts, yes."

<ST`> "Well, Eye's been trafficking with the Fetid Realm of the demons."

<Arkadi> "...oh lovely."

Gia blinks.

<Malic> "Well, that only makes sense. But regardless, what specifically can you tell us about him and his trafficking?"

<ST`> "I can't tell you anything definite about his plans, but I know what his deathknights have been up to, and it ain't pretty." The greasy man rips a piece of jerky off the rope of meat hung from his ceiling.

Osprey scowls, his eyebrows moving together.

<Arkadi> "Elaborate, please."

<ST`> He takes a large bite, and continues. "Well, first of all, the Scar of Uproar walks in and out of the forest just outside of town every eleven days. Every time he comes back, he's riding on...something...people say it looks like a crab made out of peeled sugarcane."

<ST`> "Or something out of a maid's nightmares...all fibers and dirt and dripping goo."

Gia wrinkles her nose. First spiders, and now this.

<Arkadi> "I assume he's a Deathknight?"

<ST`> Mat nods.

<Arkadi> "Writhing, slimy hell-beasts aside?"

<Malic> "Aside from bad taste in mounts, what is the man doing that is objectionable? Existing doesn't count right now."

<Malic> "We're more interested in their activities then their fashion statements."

<ST`> "The Blood Scavenger died in a duel with something from the beyond, they say. The other three are up to darker things."

<ST`> "He keeps these creatures in his sacred courtyard. Whenever someone is sentenced for a crime, he throws him to thim."

<ST`> (them)

<ST`> "They play with him and slowly remove his flesh, until all that's left is a head on a broken spine...but the head does not die. It only screams."

<Arkadi> "..that sort of throws the whole concept of 'let the punishment fit the crim'e right out the fucking window."

<ST`> "Depending on the severity of the crime, they are played with more or less. The worst offenders' heads are sent back to their families and nailed to their door."

<Arkadi> "...lovely chaps, remind me to not send them a bouquet next Calibration.:

<ST`> "Yes, well...when your city is run by a cadre of insane deathknights..."

<Gia> "As deplorable as it sounds, this does not strike me as the sort of thing we would be sent to investigate. You mentioned darker things?"

<ST`> "The Chorus at Midnight and the ghost Star of Dirt and Doubt have demon music that rings endlessly from their towers. They sing together with them. This is worse than it sounds...savants tell me they are able to delay the rising and setting of the sun."

<ST`> "It seems like they are assembling some underworld magic, to change this place into something else."

Gia raises a crimson brow. "This sounds more like it."

<Gia> "Do you know when the ritual is to take place?"

<Osprey> Osprey's frown deepens at this news; the Eye's servants must command potent magic indeed, to affect celestial bodies in this way.

<Arkadi> "Huh."

<Malic> "We might want to check on that...but, Mat, you mentioned the freakishly twisted and mutated townsfolk in relation to the demonic dealings. How are those related?"

<Arkadi> "Experiments?"

<ST`> "When a demon's service is completed, they permit it free run of the city for one quarter-turn of the moon."

<Malic> "I see. That will need to be remedied as soon as possible..."

<Arkadi> "You know, this truly is a chamring place...I thought Ahlat *likedyou people?"

<Malic> "He doesnt LIKE anyone."

<ST`> "Ahlat is a complex being."

<Arkadi> "He doesn't dislike them, then...that's pretty much the same thign for him."

<Malic> "Complex...Mela's icy milk..complex.."

<ST`> "The demon music is always playing, but the dead only join it when the moon is dark."

<ST`> "It seems that this is the only time the magic can be performed, but it is the nature of the unholy ones to dance and sing. I can show you translations of the music."

<ST`> "It's never -pleasant-, but it's clear when it's eldritch and when it's not."

<ST`> Matreng seems to be gaining in color and confidence here in his home.

<Gia> "I would be very interested in seeing these translations."

<Arkadi> "Knock yourself out, I know jack and squat about that metaphysical stuff."

<Gia> "There are a great many things you know nothing about, Arkadi, but it never hurt to expand one's mind."

<ST`> "Alright." He leans out the hallway and chatters something in a heavily accented dialect of Firetongue. "Is there anything else while we wait?"

Malic shakes his head. "No."

<Malic> "Well then, is there anything else you can tell us about the Eye or the demons? Anything specific?"

<ST`> "You should look out for the Curate of Lilies that Wilt in Scorn, the last deathknight."

<ST`> "He works with the Varang, they say; it's said that he wants to change the stars."

<Gia> "I think we've met."

Malic nods. "Yes, indeed we have.."

<ST`> "He's not a good fighter, but I have seen it myself, the ways he can command the fates of ghosts. It is because of his arts that the Bayou of Regret is constantly expanding."

Arkadi sighs

<Arkadi> "That figures."

Osprey silently listens to the conversation.

<Malic> "And, how have you been learning all of this, Mat?"

Malic looks at Mat from under his hat, amber eyes narrowed.

Arkadi pauses a moment to light up his cigarette

<ST`> "I know people in many places." A ghostly page runs into the room carrying a sheaf of papers. "It's not difficult to deal in secrets, if you know who to buy them from."

<ST`> "These are the translations you asked for."

Malic takes them and looks over them before offering the papers to Gia

<Gia> "Thank you very much." Gia scans them, chewing on her lower lip thoughtfully.

Osprey glowers at the ratty little ghost. "You seem awfully eager to help us," he notes.

<ST`> "Gebhard is a generous employer. He's paying fairly handsomely for this."

Gia 's eyes widen for a moment.

Hollow Moth blinks.

<Osprey> "Gebhard." Osprey's tone is level, but the question is obvious.

Arkadi blinks at the others

<Gia> The Chosen's face pales considerably as she tugs on Osprey's sleeve, pointing at a particular song.

<Gia> "This starts off with the Scripture of the Maiden in Terror, but.."

Arkadi idly wonders if this guy has anything to drink

Osprey looks at the paper Gia holds.

Malic peers at the papers again, having read not a single word.

<Gia> The scripture is repeated several times, and each time a syllable or two changes, until at the end it's a dark, twisted parody.

<Osprey> "Most inauspicious..." the tribesman mutters darkly.

<Malic> "You need to expand your vocabulary to include new versions of "inauspicious". How about nasty, bad, ill-omened, malevolent, ominous."

<Malic> "Creepy."

Malic thinks.

Osprey ignores Malic.

<Arkadi> "Just plain bad?"

<Malic> "I prefer ominous, ill-portending...bodeing badly! Not sure.."

Arkadi sighs, grinds out his dogend, and lights up a fresh one

Gia shoots Osprey an uneasy smile. "Like that scripture wasn't depressing before."

<ST`> "You recognize these?" Matreng pulls a pair of spectacles out of a...rip? in his shirt and peers at them more closely.

Osprey glances at the ghost, then looks back to his companions. "If this fellow is so eager to talk of his master's secrets to perfect strangers, anything we say in his presence will surely make its way back to that master."

<Osprey> "Perhaps," he replies to the ghost.

<Osprey> "It is something we have come across in our own astrological studies."

Malic looks closer at the rip...mm..yep. That ghost is keeping his glasses in a knife-wound. "Just some random blasphemy. That's all."

Arkadi blinks at the wound

<Arkadi> "Huh, right into the heart..."

<Malic> "Imagine that hurt. Good place for glasses though..."

<Malic> "So. We're done here, right?"

Arkadi rubs the bridge of his nose...he's getting too old for this shit

<ST`> "I'll have to ask a favor of you all."

Osprey regards the ghost levelly.

<ST`> "I can't have you distributing this information casually."

<Malic> "Do we look like the sort of people to do anything like that casually?"

Arkadi idly scratches his beard stubble...it's been too long sinc ehe last shaved

Malic adjusts his hat, scratching his hair.

<ST`> "Do I look like the sort of person who draws conclusions based on how people look?"

<Gia> "Being discreet is what we're paid for. Among other things."

<Arkadi> "Considering that knife wound is an asassin's blade, no...I'd imagine not."

<ST`> CUT

<Osprey> The group walks back through the crowded streets of Harborhead, the crowd unconsciously parting around them, forgetting them as soon as they pass.

<Osprey> Cows, sacred to the cult of Ahlat, wander the streets freely, paid the same sort of respect that other places reserve for nobility.

Arkadi sighs

<Arkadi> "This trip was a bit of a bust..."

<Malic> "Well, yes. In general."

<Osprey> A sacred bull walks past, placidly chewing his cud.

<Arkadi> "...you know what the worst thing about this place is?"

<Gia> "We could send up a quick prayer, or something."

Osprey scowls. "We have many pieces of the puzzle; what we need to do now is start fitting them together."

<Malic> "That is what one does with puzzles. But this one doesnt seem to have any pictures to help out."

<Arkadi> "...this is why I preferred card games."

<Malic> "But you lose at those too."

Osprey sidesteps a cart laden with fruit.

Hollow Moth titters.

Malic snitches a banana and starts eating.

<Osprey> "From what the ghost told us, and showed us, it seems likely that the infernal music of the Eye's followers is related to the dark astrology which has been deviling us."

<Arkadi> "..can't we jsut arrest them for disturbing the peace?"

Osprey looks askance at Arkadi.

<Gia> "I am fairly certain the last verse of that song was a dark scripture itself."

<Malic> "Arkadi, you go arrest them. I'll find your spine-on-a-skull later."

<Arkadi> "Your dreams, my nightmares."

<Osprey> The group reaches the bazaar at the center of the city. The marketplace bustles with activity.

<Arkadi> "OH! Hold on a sec!"

<Malic> "Something like that...oh, I need some of these." Malic drops his hat lower on his face and wanders over to a stall selling necklaces and other minor bits of jewelery.

Hollow Moth raises an eyebrow at Arkadi.

Arkadi hustles over to some food vendor, and comes back with some sort of unrecognizeable pork dish wrapped in a flat piec eof bread

<Arkadi> "Haven't had the chance to eat one of these in *months*."

Arkadi sinks his teeth into it and eats happily...despite the fact the dish looks somewhat...dubious

Malic nods, glancing around at the jewelery...pulling out a few coins he offers the man a good price for two of the pieces of jewelry, coral and shell types. The others his eyes don't touch somehow disappear when Malic does, but the shopkeeper is too busy cooing over his nice new silver to bother about that. For the moment.

Malic joins Arkadi at his pork dish, grabbing another and paying for it. "This is good."

<Arkadi> "See, this is one of the reasons I dislike Yu-Shan."

<Arkadi> "You never get all that hungry up there...and all the food up there are luxurious delicacies..."

<Malic> "They don't have over-spiced, over-cooked pork in moldy bread?

<Arkadi> "exactly!"

Gia frowns thoughtfully. "Jupiter tells me that we should do our best to ensure that the vendor whose wares you seem to enjoy needs to sell out of his food soon. In the next hour and a half, preferably."

<Malic> "Jupiter is obviously losing at the games and feels a need to amuse herself elsewhere..."

<Arkadi> "Look, the one thing most Elder Exalts, and almost ALL Gods will *neverget is that it's the little things tha tmake life good...sort of tasty food when you're starvign your butt off and have nothign ebtter to do."

Gia shrugs helplessly.

<Arkadi> "Look at the bright side."

<Gia> "Whatever the reason, I think we should do our best to ensure that the vendor has the best salesday of his life."

Arkadi blinks

<Hollow Moth> "Does that mean we need to eat... those?"

<Arkadi> "Oh, they're not that bad..."

<Arkadi> "Back home, there was this one guy, was always sellign these sausages in a bun."

<Malic> "I could go find you some roast spiders, Moth."

<Arkadi> "Wretched things..."

<Gia> "Moth, I doubt we could eat every single item he sells."

<Hollow Moth> "Roast spiders?"

Hollow Moth looks askance at Malic.

<Hollow Moth> "They'd just get burnt. Spiders need to be steamed."

Arkadi blanches

<Malic> "..same thing...its all cooking."

<Malic> "I just eat the things."

Gia excuses herself and goes to buy some pork from the vendor, then looks around for a beggar to give it to.

<Arkadi> "..remind me NEVER to eat your cooking, Moth."

<Malic> "You were eating spiders in Skullstone and didn't mind. Or was it that you didn't notice?"

<Arkadi> "..WHAT?!"

<Malic> "Ah.."

Osprey eyes the pork-vendor. His stand is not as large as those of his competitors, nor are his dishes as tasty-looking.

<Arkadi> "Well, how much money do you all have on you?"

Malic drops into Rivertongue to converse this way. "I have enough to buy his stall five times over, that isn't the point."

Gia hands the snack to a beggar with a brief smile and returns to the group.

<Arkadi> "Look, I've done dumber stuff in my job..."

<Gia> "The problem is not spending more than we're allowed to spend while in Creation."

<Arkadi> "The purpose of tha tlaw is to keep us from raising armies or buying a lay with the Empress..."

<Malic> "Since when does anyone care about the purpose of a law?"

<Hollow Moth> "An army... of pork buns!"

Hollow Moth snickers to herself.

<Gia> "But it's still a law," Gia states flatly, obviously enjoying that she gets to point out the law to Arkadi.

Arkadi blinks at Moth

Malic fishes one of the..purloined jewels from his belt pouch and eyes it

<Arkadi> "Gia, don't lecture me about laws. There's the big important ones, and the pissant ones."

<ST`> A curtained carriage moves slowly down the road.

Arkadi looks at the carriage

Osprey takes note as the crowd parts around the carriage, many of the people prostrating themselves as it passes.

<Malic> "And its the pissant ones you can't break, Arkadi."

<Gia> "You're talking about quite a slippery slope, Ark.." she trails off, noticing the carriage.

<Arkadi> "You're telling me an illegally moored dragonboat has the same importance as trafficking with demons?"

<Arkadi> "You have GOT to be kidding me.

<Gia> "I don't suppose anyone in there would like some pork pastries."

<ST`> There is a sound of voices inside, talking of the benefits of a virtuous diet.

<Hollow Moth> "They just need some persuading, Gia."

Arkadi ponders

<Arkadi> "They want virtues? I'll show them virtues."

<Arkadi> "Make sure that carrtiage notices this..I'm pretty sure they're loaded."

<Malic> "Notices what?"

Arkadi strides out in the middle of the bazaar, pastry in one hand, the other restign on the pommel of his sword

Osprey raises an eyebrow at Arkadi.

<Arkadi> "LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADIES AND GEEEENTLEMEN!"

<Malic> "Oh, that. I don't think they can fail to."

Hollow Moth blinks.

<Arkadi> "My name is Arkadi, and I'm here to shwo you the benefits of the world's 101st manmade wonder!"

<Gia> If Gia were drinking something, it would have come out of her nose at that moment.

<Arkadi> "Yessir, yes ma'am, what I am holding in my hand is nothign less than a stupified, bonefied, magnified SUPERSIZED miracle!"

Arkadi holds the pastry aloft

<Arkadi> "I wish you all to note that I have been eating these pastries religiously, day in day out for no less than 10 years!"

<Arkadi> "Now, I wish you all to turn your attention to my good friend Malic! Give 'em a wave buddy!"

<ST`> The meats seller looks mildly shocked at this odd turn.

Malic stares at Arkadi, blankly. "What. Are. You. Smoking."

Arkadi 's gives malic a look that says 'Play along, or your ass is grass, and I'm the lawn mower'

Arkadi plucks a blood orang eoff a nearby fruit stand and holds it aloft

Malic sighs, tips his hat back and takes a deep bow, rising up with a brilliant smile on the stunned watchers. "I will kill you." Waving one arm in the air, Malic makes a spectacle of himself, reluctantly.

<Arkadi> "This here is a genuine blood organe, the same as any other that is sold..."

<Arkadi> *orange

Arkadi tosses it to Malic

Malic catches it, idly throws it around a few times

<Arkadi> "And using this simple orange, I will give you the first example of the long-term benefits of this man's *points to the pork vendor'sproduct!"

<Arkadi> "Now, on the count of three, my good friend Malic will lob that orange, right at my head...with every ounc eof his strength !"

Arkadi turns to the fruit vendor "Don't worry sir, you will be compensated for this!"

Osprey glances at the women, to see if they are as bemused by this as he is.

Gia suddenly gets vastly more interested. "I wish he would have had me do it," she mutters quietly to Osprey.

<Arkadi> "Okay buddy?"

<Arkadi> "On one..."

Hollow Moth looks faintly pained.

<ST`> A murmur runs between the nearby vendors. This show is starting to draw a crowd, both of spectators and of other sellers, hoping that the excitement will help drum up business. The courtained cart, and a second one behind it, appear to have stopped in the shade of a tree.

<Arkadi> "Two..."

<Arkadi> "Three!"

Malic smiles at Arkadi and pulls his arm back. With a surupticious tug at his vest and a well-timed flex of his muscles, Malic manages to make himself look much bigger then he actually is. The smile on his face never falters as he hurls the orange in a ruddy streak straight at Arkadi's mouth a fraction of a second early

Arkadi cues up Orchestration of conflict (6 motes, personal) as his blade leaves the sheath, cutting a strance arc across the air as the orange tears by it...well actually part of it does. A perfect corkscrew-cut peel falls at the floor at Arkadi's feet, and the completely peeled orange land sin the hand sof a nearby beggar

Osprey clears his throat. "Tremendous!" he exclaims. "Never have I seen such skill."

Gia makes awed murmurings.

Hollow Moth stares in mock-surprise.

<Arkadi> "But wait! There's more!"

Arkadi sheathe shis blade

Arkadi scratches his chin

Arkadi points at Gia and Moth

<Arkadi> "You two! Would like to assist me in this?"

Gia smiles radiantly. "I'd love to!"

<Hollow Moth> "I, uh, alright!"

Arkadi runs over to a nearby vendor, and comes back with a length of strudy-lookign chain and a VERY sutrdy lock

<Arkadi> "Now, ladies I am goign to ask you somethign very...VERY personal..."

<Arkadi> "Would you be willing to tie me up?"

<Hollow Moth> "Why, certainly."

Gia blushes and giggles. "I'm sure I can oblige."

<Arkadi> "now, make sure these are good and tight! I don't want to be able to move a FRACTION of an inch!"

Arkadi grimaces

<ST`> Oddly, though this is a startling breach of propriety in Harbourhead, the crowd watches politely, in serene bemusement.

<Arkadi> "I *dohowever, would like to breathe, so I'd be obligied if it wasn't quite so tight."

Gia does her best to tie Arkadi up in such a way that he is as uncomfortable as humanly possible, all the while smiling innocently and giggling with Moth.

Arkadi winces a bit

Malic drops into the crowd next to a young, unattached woman, smiling at her. "Amazing, isn't he?"

<Arkadi> "NOW! *winceAs you ALL can see, I am *grimacebarely able to BREATHE properly, much less pick this lock! *wheeze*"

<ST`> The woman agrees demurely, at which point Malic notices that she has two mouths. A Demon-Blood; polite but damned.

<Arkadi> "Now obserVE! The Long-term benefits of eating the wrold's ONLY edible miracle!"

<Arkadi> "Stand back, ladies...this might be a little shocking."

Gia backs up fearfully.

Hollow Moth moves away.

Malic smiles and looks for an attractive woman who isn't demon-spawn.

Arkadi seems to tense a bit...and a load creakign sound is heard...it gains in intensity...and then the popping starts, as link after link begins shattering under the strain. Finally with a shuddering crash, the chains break loose from his chest and tumble to the ground in a single gigantic heap

<Arkadi> "BEHOLD!"

Osprey exclaims in astonishment.

Hollow Moth gasps.

Arkadi takes a moment to catch his breath

<Arkadi> "Now, ladies and gentlemen! I would be amiss if I told you that this product made me instantly like this!"

<Arkadi> "I ate this product, once a day, for 10 long years!"

<Arkadi> "But it made me the man I am today!"

<ST`> There is a communal gasp of amazement.

<Arkadi> "Every journey begins with a single step, and the sooner you take that step, the sooner you reach the destination!"

Malic enters a coughing fit, trying not to let his coughs be mistaken for laughter. They surely are not that.

Osprey makes his way toward the vendor's stand with artfully exaggerated haste.

<Arkadi> "So I pray you! Don't let this opportunity pass you by! Seize the moment, start that journey today!"

<Osprey> His Flametongue is not totally fluent, but the money he sets in front of the man, and his excited gestures, make it clear that he wants pork. Lots of pork.

<ST`> Soon there is a sizeable crowd behind Osprey, all clamoring for pork!

<Arkadi> "So don't tarry! Supplies are limited!"

<Arkadi> "Get it before it's all gone!"

Arkadi takes a bow

Osprey exclaims at the wondrous flavor of the snacks.

Malic walks over to Arkadi, shaking his head. "I think that was the most creative thing you've done since you attended work dressed all in one color."

Arkadi exhales

<Arkadi> "It worked, didn't it?"

<Malic> "Well, yes. Also the most successful thing since you were Exalted. Perhaps the only successful thing.."

Malic cocks his head, considering..

Arkadi wipes the swea toff his brow

<Arkadi> "If I EVER try do something like that again...kick me in the head, really hard."

Osprey wends his way out of the thick crowd gathering around the pork stand.

<Osprey> The other nearby snack vendors are looking upset.

<Osprey> ...although some of them also seem tempted to sample their competitor's wares. Just in case.

<Gia> "Now to see if Jupiter has a reward for Arkadi's work."

Arkadi hustles over to the vendors he borrowed sutff from...and pays them for the goods...at 5 times the value

Arkadi hustles back

<Arkadi> "How the hell did *Iend up doing that, anyways?"

Hollow Moth titters.

<Arkadi> "I'm the ageing grump in the back row, not the bazaar superstar up front."

<Gia> "Some things we'll never know." Gia smiles, the statement being as close to complimentary as Gia is comfortable getting with Arkadi.

Arkadi fishes for a smoke, goes to tap one out...anbd the pack is empty...

<Arkadi> "Goddamn it."

Malic hands Arkadi a smoke. Not that is one of his own.

Arkadi takes the cigarette and sniffs it dubiously...okay, it's tobacco...nothing elese in there, good

Arkadi lights up with a shaking hand

<Arkadi> "He'll be sold out within a half-hour, I know it...now what?"

<Osprey> Now that Arkadi is no longer making a spectacle of himself, the Arcane Fate has made the crowd forget him, and his companions. As far as they know, they all heard of the pork's miraculous properties through word of mouth on the street.

<Malic> "We find someone else for you to make a fool of yourself for."

<Gia> "Now we wait for Fate to reveal itself to us.

<Gia> "

<Osprey> Some have vague recollections of seeing people (whose names they cannot recall, of course), performing extraordinary feats after eating the snacks from this stand.

<Arkadi> "And as you'll note, I broke no laws."

<Arkadi> "Even the dumbass pissant ones."

ScrollAndSwordCircle/StormingTheTower