RtA Log - Food Has Now Become Drinks!

[myrynvalona]

Characters: Kiernan, Harper, Dirk, Cahaya, Moxon
Location: Gilded Steel Lodge - Eastegate

--[ Gilded Steel Lodge(#7355RJ) ]----------------------------[ Somewhere ]----

Rustic Opulence - extravagance of the interior shouldn't be a surprise
if one has ever been to Gilded Steel in Amber, but the tone is that of
a hunting lodge. Trophies taken from hunted beasts hung on the walls,
sturdy tables spread through the common room of the great building,
with weapons and armors hung about on display alongside the animal
trophies.

Closer to the front is a bar where patrons can drink and enjoy the
company of others, and serving wenches roam the tables to take orders.
Just beside the open end of the bar is the door to the kitchen,
allowing the waitstaff access to the tables and to patrons at the bar
as well.

Toward the back there is a display counter, where one can purchase the
various metalworks and services from the smithy. There are also stairs
leading to the upper balcony, and the rooms available to travelers.

------------------------------------------------------------[ Exits: Out ]----

Kiernan is in the lodge today. It's a few hours after lunchtime, but not quite dinnertime. He's quietly speaking with the bartender about this and that and the other thing. Whatever the conversation is about, it's not really very much audible. At least, not until one gets close to them. After awhile, Kiernan nods, and the bartender nods, and heads off for the back to make something or other that Kiernan had requested. Now? He just has to wait.

Approaching the lodge, Harper walks with the quiet confidence of someone either secure in their person or certain that at this hour their destination will have what they seek. Ducking in, she shifts her bow on her back to accomodate the entrance then starts toward the bar. Spotting Kiernan there, she claims the seat beside him, "Hey. Would you please tell Lady Amethyst that I am sorry for running off like that?"

Kiernan glances over at Harper as she sits down. He seems pleased to see her. He also seems a great deal more relaxed than he had the other night. He nods to her question. "Aye, I can do that. Think she understands, though." He glances off in the direction the bartender had gone, then back to Harper. "How are you?" On the heels of the question, the bartender returns with two glasses, clear, full of some pale pink, smooth looking liquid. It looks thicker than alcohol, but easily drinkable none the less. He sets one in front of Kiernan and the other in front of Harper. Kiernan offers the man a nod and reaches a hand for his. He takes a drink of it and then perks up. "Oh! This is good," he says. "Thanks, man." That to the bartender, of course.

Harper shrugs, "If she does, she's a better woman than I am. But thanks." Turning to look at the bartender as he shows up, she lifts a hand to signal that she would like to order and is stopped when he puts the oddly thick, pink thing in front of her. She lowers her hand and eyes the drink with suspician and mistrust. Lifting her gaze, she stares at the bartender, "What is it?" Because... pink? Sidling her gaze over to Kiernan, she watches him take that drink. His expression is so pleased that she looks back down again at hers. Sliding her hand forward, she lifts the glass to sniff at the sludge within. Sniff sniff sniiiifff... She might remind one of a red-haired mage but for the hair, skin and gender. Sniff. Slowly, she lowers the glass again but only far enough to take a sip. Then another. She, too perks up a bit and smiles, "Hey. This is good. Thank you. What... is it?"

"Maybe. I'll let her know either way," says Kiernan. Kiernan's expression is oddly expectant as he watches Harper. The bartender points at Kiernan. "Ask him," says the man, and goes off about whatever else he'd been doing before. Kiernan laughs softly at Harper's sniffing of it. It smells just as good as it tastes, too. "It was Amy's idea," he says. "I noticed you don't seem to have any problem with drinking liquid things, so.." He shrugs a little bit. "This is the solution. If you can't eat it, you can drink it." He leans closer and murmurs softly to her, "Won't change the geas and associated problems, but maybe we can get some weight on you so it's a little easier to bear." He shrugs a little bit and reaches out to rest his hand on her shoulder. "And since I have to be drinking juice and water and such anyway, then I'll join you in drinking them." He pauses for a moment. "Oh. It's just fruit, mashed and blended until it's smooth with water and milk added."

Dirk laughs "good to know." He keeps a nervous eye on Cahaya.

Cahaya gives Moxon a smirk, before looking back to Dirk. "I am not goin' ta try ta shave ya. Ya are too hard ta pin down."

Dirk nods "if you say so."

Moxon says, "We're gonna need bigger pins."

Cahaya, Dirk, and Moxon are sitting at a table across the lodge.

"Maybe a bunch of swords," Cahaya poses.

Harper lifts the glass once more. This time, she takes several swallows of the pink liquid inside it. Eyeing Kiernan, she nods slowly and as his hand rests on her shoulder, she smiles. Whatever he said was low enough that it did not carry. Her reply, however, is a bit louder, "Thanks, Kier." Hearing voices, she glances over her shoulder and smiles at the table where the others are. Looking back, she adds, "At least I'm in good company, yes?" Looking again toward the other table, she motions that way, "Shall we invade?"

Moxon closes one eye. "Arr! Prepare to repel boarders!"

Kiernan returns the smile, and pats Harper's shoulder lightly before turning to follow her gaze to the voices. "You're welcome," he says, looking back to her. "I think we should, aye." He lifts his glass and takes another drink. He waves the bartender over again and murmurs a few words to him. Then he rises to his feet, glass in hand. He waits for Harper before heading off toward the table they're planning on invading.

Moxon says, "Careful, men, their cannons may be loaded with 'friendship.' 'tis a cruel weapon indeed."

Rising, Harper turns to walk with Kiernan over toward the boat-table or table-boat. She does wait for him to speak to the bartender, but does not really wait to hear what is being said. The walk across the floor is companionable and when they reach the table, she smiles at the gathered 'hoard'. "Prepare to be boarded. Or is that permission to come aboard?"

Dirk laughs "the best ship is friend ship."

Moxon brandishes a straw, or a coffee-stirrer. "Ha! Ho! Hey! Whut!" he fences Kiernan, theatrically.

Cahaya waves his mug of beer at Harper and Kiernan. "Hey there! Ignore the doof and have a seat."

Dirk stands up and bounces to Kier and tries to give him a huge hug.

Kiernan walks beside Harper over to the table. He grins at Harper and then looks to the table. "I think prepare to be boarded," he says. He dodges Moxon's brandished straw and fences it with two extended fingers, actually /grinning/ for a change. "How is everybody?" He brandishes a fencing strike of sorts at Moxon, still with extended fingers.

Moxon riposte! Parry! Maneuver!

Kiernan shifts the fake blade, slashes, stabs, jabs, and blocks!

Moxon ducks out of the way for his Dirkweapon!

Cahaya takes a swig of his drink and watches, amused.

Slipping around Moxon, Harper ducks the fencing madness and the onslaught of the Dirkweapon and claims Moxon's seat, shifting his stuff over closer to Cahaya, "Hi. Does this mean I am the new captain? It is a valid tactic after all. Distract and stage a coup..." She looks up at the mock-fighters and smiles as well. Hey, it's a two for...

Dirk tickletacklepounces Kiernan.

Kiernan pulls his latest blow, slips around Dirk, and takes up the offensive! And is then tackled. He lands on his back on the floor, looking a touch stunned. "Ouch Dirk," he says, the smile still in place. "Little warning next time, hm?"

"Well, the old captain was drivin' us off course," Cahaya says with a shrug. "Ya can take the wheel."

Dirk says "If I warn you it wouldnt work."

Moxon claims a new chair. "There's a grandfather clause in place for enemy crew, right?"

Harper nods, laughter brimming in her eyes, "Ah, okay then. You don't want a shot as first mate?" Turning to Moxon as he settles, she grins, "Sure, why not?" Her attention shifts to Kiernan and Dirk and the laughter makes it to her lips and out, the sound low and warm, "He has a point, Kiernan. Are you okay?"

Kiernan laughs. "True, Dirk." He pats the man. "Get off me, now, huh? Chairs are much more comfortable." He lifts a hand and points at Harper. "Hey! No giving out my position! I'm first mate, dang it!" Pause. "Aye, I'm okay."

Dirk smiles "do I have to move?"

Cahaya sticks his tongue out at Kiernan. "Was here first, so it is mine, ya see." He looks to Harper. "How have ya been? Have not seen ya around so much."

Moxon quiets, taking a moment to sketch the valley Mordred has claimed.

Harper shrugs at Kiernan, "Yes, but he... Yeah. Like that. You're first mate on our ship." She nods as though that makes sense and settles everything. Looking back to Cahaya, she shrugs, "Been better. Been worse. I've had some small successes against Mordred's scouts. Otherwise?" She's been losing weight. Lifting the glass of slightly thick pink liquid, she tips her head toward Kiernan. "There is hope. How about you?"

"Aye. You have to move. Off, you're squishing me." Kiernan is still in good spirits, but breathing might be becoming an issue. He looks up at Harper and grins. "I can live with that," he says. He grins at her whens he tips her head toward him, and tips it back. Good thing he's set his glass down on the table.

Cahaya frowns. "Was lookin' for Myrddyn," he says, "but, cannot find him. I think, maybe I should be turning against Mordred instead.

Dirk gets up and smiles "that was fun, I'll have to do it again."

Moxon adds, hopeful: "It's somethin' to do. Keep y'busy." As if it were crochet.[A

Harper nods slowly, her gaze lowering a little, "I haven't seen Myrddyn in a long while. I hope that he is okay." Looking up slightly, she focuses on Cahaya for a moment, then looks to Moxon, "It is. I had an idea that I want to float to you guys. Is now a good time?"

Kiernan coughs once and gets up. "Thanks Dirk," he says, patting the man on the shoulder. He sits down in the chair next to Harper, and reaches across the table to snag his glass of pale pink thick... whatever it is. "I'd like to meet Myrddyn at some point. See if he'd be willing to teach me more of the forest lore and such." He falls quiet, lifting his glass to take a drink of it as he listens.

Moxon shrugs? "Table's open." He nibbles at his boar.

"Myrddyn's lore is that of another land, mostly, I think," Cahaya says, before nodding. "Tell us, Harper."

Dirk smiles and gets something to drink.

Harper nods, "Well..." She thinks for a moment, then nods again, "With the bow that Sir Harold made for me, I can shoot accurately to about 400 yards. I recently discovered that I can ... call a wind to carry the arrow farther. So, if we lay an ambush for some of Mordred's minions, I can act as sniper and draw them into it from a distance. I would love it if I could shoot, then enter a tree and come out behind them, but I don't know how to do that quickly. So... Maybe the ambush is set with folk in trees so that they won't be seen and they come out after the mantis-things pass...?"

Moxon asks Cahaya: "Is that a common skill, treewalkin'?"

Kiernan glances to Cahaya and nods. "Still. Forest lore is always good to stack up on." He falls quiet as he listens to Harper's idea. He nods slowly. "Maybe archers behind them, too, and to the sides of the the ambush site." He doesn't seem to have caught the part about entering a tree, but Moxon's question catches his attention. "Treewalking?"

Cahaya shakes his head at Moxon. "I have not met many besides me who can do it," he says. "It does not work the way she wants ta use it, though. Not really." He looks to Kiernan. "Enterin' one tree and comin' out another."

Dirk yawns and stretches.

Moxon says, "Their eyes are garbage. They navigate and distinguish by pheromone. Smell like anything else you can. But then, these are bigger than the last ones, too. Armored, not as light as I recall."

Harper nods, "I can do it. But so far, it is really slow. The entering and leaving parts." Lifting her glass, she takes a long drink of the pink stuff it holds. Two swallows, maybe three. Lowering it, she looks disappointed when Cahaya speaks up, "Mmm. What if it is just.. practice?" Then to Moxon, she nods, "Yeah. I haven't found chinks in their armor yet. Unless there are seams in growth plates...?"

Moxon quirks a grin at a thought, writes something in backward upside-down Begman.

Kiernan blinks slowly a few times. "Huh. That sounds handy. Is that teachable? Or something you have to be born able to do?" He glances ot Harper. To Dirk and Cahaya. Back to Moxon, curious. He drinks more of his pink thing, too.

Dirk shakes his head "I cant do that."

Moxon says, "Seams, yeah, but flexible chitin underneath. Crush, break, don't slash or poke."

Cahaya raises an eyebrow at Harper. "For a faster way ta jump inta a tree?" he asks. "I have been doin' it for years, and it does not really get any faster, that I have seen." He frowns. "May be possible ta learn a way, short distance, but what I think ya need ta make that work is a distraction. The treewalker is vulnerable when goin' in and out of trees. Fire from a distance while walkers go through for ambush."

Dirk says, "how about a glass to concentrate the light and burn them?"

Moxon says, "They're seven feet tall."

Dirk shrugs "you dont have to burn their heads."

Harper listens to all that is offered and nods slowly, "Good idea, Cahaya. I am willing to give it a try. Do you all want to see if it works?"

Kiernan considers that. "Hm. Hammers and axes be ideal, then?" He nods to Cahaya. "Distraction. Maybe trip cords in their path. That should slow them down some. Maybe prepared pits in their path too. Deep enough they can't just jump out of them." He looks to Dirk and shakes his head. "I hesitate to use fire anywhere it might get out of control." He looks to Harper and nods. "Sounds good to me."

Moxon says, "No fires."

Cahaya gives Kiernan a grin. "Leave that to me," he says, before he stands. "I will try ta think of some things we could use for a distraction. Right now, though, need ta be goin'. I have been up too long, today."

Harper nods again to Kiernan, "I... have no idea if it can be learned, but I'd be willing to try and teach you. I have no idea when I learned." Listening, she smiles, "Yes. Pit traps with sharpened sticks that have some of that acid on them. The kind that converts organic matter to fertilizer..." Looking up, she nods, "Night, Cahaya. Be well."

Dirk yawns "I need to crash. See you laters?"

Kiernan smiles over to Harper and nods. "I'd like that, thanks," he says. He waves to Cahaya. "See you later, Cahaya." And then to Dirk. "Give me a hug before you go, Dirk," he says.

Dirk hugs Kier tight

Moxon clutches Dirk's shoulder and kisses Cahaya.

Kiernan hugs Dirk back. "Have a good night," he says.

Cahaya kisses Moxon back. "Goodnight, all of ya." And with that, he slips away.

Dirk heads out too.

Moxon finishes his dinner and gets a refill on his ale.

Harper nods to Kiernan, then to Cahaya as he moves out, "Or, he can. He might be better at teaching than I am." Softly, she adds, "Night, Lord Dirk." Leaning back as the others head out, she considers the question of the ambush, "Hmm. Crush 'em, huh? Okay. A trap that drops them into a pit with a switch that somehow releases a net holding boulders that then fall on them from above..."

Moxon wags eyebrows. "You gonna conceal the boulders? That is a ridiculous amount of tonnage to camouflage."

Kiernan watches Dirk and Cahaya leave, then turns his attention back to Harper and Moxon. "Hmm. That's not a bad idea," he says. Pauses, and glances to Moxon, considering. "Maybe something inside the trap set to spring the walls inward?" He lifts his glass and takes another drink of the fruity drink thing.

Moxon says, "If-if we do boulders, keep them ground level. Roll them into the pit once the bugs are beneath them." Moxon says, "... and seven-foot bugs means twenty-five or thirty foot pits. Damthassalotaa diggin'." Moxon says, "They could be jumpers. Not sure yet."

Harper nods, though she blushes at Moxon's pointing out the rather obvious flaw in her thought processes. "Mmm." Scratching that, she listens a while longer, then nods, "So... have a 'lid' or something close over the trap... Though then we have to hope they can't dig really fast. But, we... try the traps, see what works and improve."

Moxon apologizes over his beer. "I can break stuff down, smash plans. S'my job."

"A lid. Hm. How would we set up lids that they can't see?" Kiernan sets his glass on the table again. He glances to Moxon and lifts a shoulder. "Better to point out flaws now, rather than have them be obvious later to the enemy."

Moxon says, "Mordred is a general. A good one. I do small-unit stuff."

Harper nods to Moxon, then to Kier. She touches her nose with her fingertip, "Exactly. Better now than later." Shrugging, she adds, "You have to do small unit stuff. That's what we have. Scouts, harriors, that sort of thing. We don't have an army. So. Oh, the lid? Have it camophlaged? I don't know... Good question, though."

Moxon says, "I also have an idea, but I need to be able to subdue, tag and release back into the hive for it."

Kiernan reaches for his glass and takes another drink of it. He pauses a moment and nudges Harper with an elbow. Gently. He glances to Moxon and nods. "Hmm. We could probably lure one away alive."

Harper glances at Kiernan at the nudge. "Huh?" Her glass is more than half empty by this point so when she lifts it, she nearly finishes it. Which is almost a shame. Lowering the glass, she watches Moxon, "Oh. So... you would be releasing it back to the hive after infecting it with something? or... maybe with a slow poison? Something that would not allow them to breed anymore?"

Moxon nods. "I'm wary of disease, because Chaos is fairly sturdy. Can't give 'em the flu and expect results. Parasites, though, motor-control organisms or something fungal." Moxon says, "Athelete's-plate. Whothehellknows."

Kiernan half smiles at Harper. The bartender appears then, with two more of the pale pink drinks and sets one in front of Kiernan, and one in front of Harper. This time, there's a touch of orange to the shade of pink. He offers a nod to the man and finishes his current glass before handing it off. He nods to Moxon and Harper both. "Maybe study one, figure out how they communicate and try to disrupt that?"

Moxon says, "Sadly, eggs mean STDs aren't real viable. No octoplasmotriple-herpes."

Harper stares at Moxon, then looks up and away. She absently finishes her drink and passes the empty to the bartender with a quiet, "thanks." Lifting the second drink, she looks at it, then over at Kiernan, then down. He also wins a quiet, "Thanks." A sip is claimed before she looks back to her companions, "Right. But. Maybe we could get a Begman to make a bunch of little pods that they could eat. Or swallow. Or that would be deposited using an arrow. They could open up once in the gut and the contents mix. Small explosions could break them open like a clam."

Moxon wags a finger at Harper. "You're depending on something we have to manually spread among them. Think cleaner, safer, less hazardous to us than carryin' giant bullets that can go off in our pockets."

Moxon gently taps Harper's forehead. "Generate idea, then break idea as hard as you can. Immediately consider what goes wrong when it doesn't work, or is used against us, yeah?"

Kiernan dips his head to Harper. "You're welcome," he says quietly. He considers Harper and lifts a shoulder. "I don't know," he says, then stops as Moxon speaks. "Right. What he said. Plus, things that explode can cause fires. That would be bad in the forest." He looks back to Moxon and nods again. "Or that, aye." He falls quiet, contemplative. "Hmm. Is there any way to make arrows hit harder?"

Moxon says, "If there are more than three 'as long as...' statements, set it aside. Too finicky."

Harper frowns a little, listening. Moxon's tapping her head gets a lifted brow and a startled look, but she does continue to listen, "Mmm. So..." Shaking her head, she takes another drink instead of going on with the thought. After taking that drink, she savors the flavor before swallowing. Then, "So, what was your idea about capturing one?"

Moxon says, "Disease-bullets: as long as we get them inside the bugs, as long as we hit them precisely in the mouth, as long as the bullets don't go off on us, and so on."

Kiernan is quiet now as he listens to the pair of them. He listens, but doesn't speak just at the moment. He takes another drink of his fruity concoction, and leans back in his chair. Thinking.

Moxon says, "So, let that one cook a little longer in your back-brain. I do it all the time." Moxon replies to Harper, "I'm gonna run it past a doctor, an alchemist and a fortune-teller, but broadly I think I can find an anti-bug creature -- no matter how small -- they'll do the work of spreading among themselves."

Harper nods, "Ah. The parasite. Right. I wonder if you could find one that makes it impossible for them to reproduce. Chemically. Or, because it snacks on their genetalia."

Kiernan pipes up here. "I do, too," he offers. "'s where I thought up pit traps and trip wires." He pauses and considers. "Perhaps that's how we could trap one? A pit somewhere we lure one to, without spikes in the bottom. Or maybe a loop of rope and try to get it to step into it. Or a net." He turns to Harper and laughs softly. "That's a good one, Harper."

Moxon says, "Don't care so much about eggs, Harper. I care about the ones full-grown that can cut a man in half today. We'll deal with larvae when it's over."

Harper nods, slowly. She drinks more of the orangy-pink concoction in the glass, "But... Well... Okay. " Draining the glass, she sets it down gently on the table, "So. Something that turns their innards to jello. Or... Whatever." Turning the glass between her fingers, she stares at it for a while before adding, "I am sorry, guys. Suddenly? I need to sleep."

Kiernan nods slowly to Moxon. He looks to his glass, expression thoughtful. He takes another drink and sets it down. He glances to Harper as she speaks of the need for sleep. There's a small smile on his face as he nods. "Rest easy, Harper," he says to her.

Moxon says, "Let's all. New ideas tomorrow."