Aleksei and Saedrus look very...different. Well, for anyone who knew Aleksei back before he was a priest -- and a paladin -- he looks distinctly like /vintage/ Aleksei. He's dragged out his old, beat up but well-loved leathers. Of course, there are still marks of difference, like that he still has the alaricite longsword (although he did have that long before he took his vows, too!) and the two pieces of jewelry: the gold locket that's mostly hidden under his shirt and the iridescite signet ring on one hand. "Hello!" he says, bright and boyish. And Saedrus, well. Saedrus is wearing pants.

A huge hideously ugly mastiff, Pyotr arrive, following Thena.

Serenity, Drysi, a young shaman apprentice, Champ, a pygmy goat of excellence arrive, following Khanne.

Thena gets A double-sided leather tabard with the Sigil of the Knights of Solace from a double wrap sword belt made of quality leather.

Mae is present! Dressed not in her cloak but in her leather vest and a blouse and trousers. She's currently moving quickly, and there's a bit of sweat on her brow as she brings out another tray of meat* kabobs. "Leksei! Saed!" she calls across the way, with a big grin. "We have beer and food! Help yourself," she says. There's a keg set right on the bar, with wooden mugs next to it. Pour yourself, it seems.

Magpie is sitting on the bar with a cheerful smile on his face as he keeps snagging meat kabobs from a plate close at hand. "Hey Aleksei! Hey Saedrus!" The man calls cheerfully from his perch. "Come! Eat! Be merry!"

Thena totally had that tabard on the whole time, really. Over top of what is an odd mix of armor and not armor, meant to walk the line between 'I'm working here' and 'I'm mostly just making other people work here'. She's been outside fussing with logistics, but now she drifts into the Murder proper for the first time this evening.

Aureth arrives at a stroll shortly after Aleksei and Saedrus, and displays his approval by walking up behind vintage Aleksei and giving him a swat on the ass, and Saedrus he swarms with a cheek-kiss approximately four seconds afterwards. "Hi, boys," he says, cheerful. In his old stomping grounds, he is wearing-- dressed down trousers and a slightly dilapidated old jacket, but the gleam of his silvery shirt is -- well, as fancy and spidery as it ever was. One day it will be pried from his cold dead body but that is not this day. "Hey Mags! Mae!"

Not just /any pants/, thank you. Saedrus' breeches are kidskin leather, softest he could find, and look near to painted on the long legs of the dancer. Otherwise it's kneelength riding boots and a poet's shirt of teal silk. It is a fair sight different from his elaborate Whisper finery though! The iridescite ring on one hand though is an almost permenant feature. Long white hair has been left out loose down his back, brushed off one shoulder as he arrives with Vintage Aleksei at his side. Evergreens search out Mae, and the courtier smiles brightly when he finds her, "hello darling," he touches a kiss to Mae's cheek. "Hello Magpie," passed over the girl's head then he's searching out a pouch of silver to hand to Mae. "I cannot promise I will actively participate but it is for a good cause." He warns. "Aureth," Saed chuckles in greeting returning the cheek-kiss.

Esoka comes dressed in leathers as well, if of a rougher sort than she tends to favor in most of her daily affairs. The sort one could spill a drink on without too much regret. "Good eve, Murder!" she hollers chipperly to all and sundry as she mixes with the crowd.

Khanne slips into the Murder quietly. She's dressed in a hodge podge of things as she normally is, and as she has been to this particular place a time or two (or three or four) she seems comfortable enough. She smiles, lifting a hand to wave at Mae and Magpie, nodding a greeting to the others as well. "Hello everyone."

Aleksei readily accepts the swat to his ass as the sort of thing that just happens when you're in the Murder with Aureth. Particularly in his old, worn out, PERFECT leathers. Ah, nostalgia. "Is anything drinkable?" he asks Mae and Magpie with a crooked grin, striding up to the former a bit after Saedrus to drop some coin in her hand. "I /will/ be participating," he tells her Very Seriously.

Mae grins at Saedrus, and returns the cheek kiss. "Well! You'll at least get the commemorative bottle and throwing dart!" Mae tells the man. Then she stage whispers, "I don't recommend drinking the rum," she says. Then she turns to Aleksei. "Yes! The beer is /just fine/. We also have some fancy brandy. Stone wall? Red wall? Something... wall... Isabetta sent some bottles. Some Lycene thing. I don't know," she says. Mae then gives a wave to Khanne and Thena. "Welcome!"

"As the proprietor has said that the beer is just fine, /I will have a beer/," Aureth says with grandiose cheer, flinging his arms in the air as he permits Aleksei and Saedrus to escape from his molestation. Amazing! A beer!

Khanne strides over to Mae and holds her hand out to the woman. "I can't say I am good at darts, or that I can outdrink everyone... but... I can try!"

Audric stalks on into the Murder, a grin on his face. Or at least, that's probably what it's -supposed- to be, but it mostly just makes the sellsword look a little unhinged. "Isn't it a lovely night out?" he asks, of no one in particular, and beelines towards the bar to order a glass of whiskey. And then the bottle. "Who's planning on losing at darts to me so far?" He asks, turning back towards People and givin' a general wave.

Saedrus tips his head to the staged whispering from Mae, a soft hum of approval before he looks towards the bar. "You are growing very fond of brandy, Mae dear." the Lycene courtier teases softly. Aleksei gets a mildly flat expression over his absolute participation -- probably bracing for impending grabby hands post the drinking contest, or something. "Dame Esoka," he brightens though to see the woman, even more, there's Thena and Khanne and both get a bright hello and delicate dip of a bow from Saedrus.

Thena looks over at Khanne when the woman walks in and offers a tentative smile. "Lady Khanne. Finally we're in a room together without something trying to kill us." She waves to Mae and starts to inch over towards the food and drinks, casting an eye towards the dartboard. "I might compete." She offers a smile and wave to Esoka as well, and a little head-incline and grin to be-pantsed Saedrus before looking for a beer. A beer!

Magpie throws waves to the others that all roll in, his mouth full of food while he enjoys his kabob. When Audric comes in, his brows lift and his eyes suddenly light up. He swallows hard, then calls from where he's perched on the bar counter, "Audric! Hey! Baron!" He beckons quickly with his free hand to try and get the man to join him.

"Are you sure?" Aureth asks Thena.

Thena narrows her eyes at Aureth and, with a short sigh, recants to, "Nothing that's trying to kill us /yet/ and the beer doesn't count."

Khanne smiles brightly at Saedrus and wiggles her fingers in a wave then turns to Thena with a laugh. "Damn! What a novel idea! Night is still young though, yeah? We'll have to keep our wits about us..."

Mae turns to Khanne and throws her arms around the woman and delivers a cheek kiss. "You're a northern barbarian! You're supposed to be able to drink!" she says, with a little giggle. She releases Khanne, then looks over to Audric. "If you keep up that attitude I'm going to have to compete. I won't let you steal away the joy of beating Aleksei..." she tells him. Then to Thena. "You have to! Show how the Knights of Solace are the best! Certainly better than the grubby Valorous Few."

"Audric's never had the joy of beating me in his life!" Aleksei declares as he strides over for some beer. "Granted, I don't think we've ever so much as sparred. Not sure why." He glances over his shoulder at Audric. "Audric, how come we've never sparred?"

Aureth sighs regret and says, "I should have invited the zombies along."

"I want to play the drinking game!" Esoka declares, with a booming sort of enthusiasm. "So I will not have beer now. I will wait for the...whatever it is that is for competitive drinking." To Thena, she says, "You should do darts! I think you would pierce things very well."

Audric tips his head to one side, briefly, before lifting his glass to take a drink. Then he pushes off the bar to amble towards Magpie. Aleksei gets a genuine - if brief - grin. "Because if I sparred with people they'd realize I'm not all talk, and I really can't have that," he says, "Fine, fine, Mae, I'll be -slightly- more humble and not like, juggle as I prepare to throw. What's up?" The last to Magpie, standing juuust a touch too close.

"You mean they'll realize you're old and slow..." Mae muses, as she wanders over to fetch a few more mugs of beer.

Khanne makes a growly 'argh' kind of barbarian-like sound with a wink to Mae. "I can drink! Just... I don't drink as much as I used to, so I might not be able to outdrink the others! Worth a shot though!..." She smirks and says, "no pun intended." Mist-grey eyes turn to Audric. "So you are the famous Audric, huh? Heard your name for the last couple of years, here and there... never had the chance to meet you. Khanne Halfshav..." She holds out her hand.

"Look, I just want to put it out there that if something tries to kill me tonight I'm not engaging. Someone else has to deal with it," Thena declares, then the corner of her mouth tics up at Esoka's enthusiasm. "I've done pretty well so far." She shakes her head to Mae, smiling. "I have no quarrel with the Valorous Few. It seems bad for one's health."

No beer for Saedrus, but he does follow on with Aleksei towards the bar, a vaguely pitiful look towards Magpie-- wine? Else the Whisper will just take a glass of brandy for himself. Evergreens skim along the those spilling into the Murder, catching on Audric a moment then off to the dart boards with a little worry working in on his brows.

Khanne ... also gives a hug and returned cheek kiss to Mae.

"I can't believe she's calling Audric old. What is he, sixteen?" Aureth takes up his beer for a swallow as he perches on one of the stools, leaning backward onto the bar with his arms bracing against the counter behind him. "You cleaned up in here, didn't you?" he says. "I'm not sure how I feel about that."

The bartender is more than happy to pour a glass of wine for Saedrus. And look at that, it's even /decent/ wine!

Saedrus all but swoons for the bartender-- and takes his wine with a cheerful little sip.

"Audric is twelve," Aleksei amends to Aureth's statement, as if he's any older. "Audric, if people didn't think you were good at stabbing things, they wouldn't keep hiring you to stab things." He takes a gulp of his beer.

Magpie smiles as Audric joins him, leaning down to ask in a quieter voice, "So, I've been saving coin up for a long time and I'm thinking about buying myself a piece of land. Before I start kissing ass around the city to find out who will bite, tell me... do you like being a baron? Would you do it again?"

Khanne arches an eyebrow and looks to Magpie. "Baron Magpie?"

Thena doesn't spit-take. Not quite.

"Audric is ancient!" Mae exclaims. Nevermind that they're the same age. And grew up together. And Mae is actually older. "Can't you see how he limps and grunts as he walks. He's past his prime. He's a brown banana. Which come from the Lyceum I'm told," she says. And then she turns to eyes Magpie. And she sighs.

"I'm twenty... something," Audric says, glancing briefly over his shoulder. "Not even -slightly- old yet. And it's -usually- more the army that they want, rather than me personally. I guess unless there's demons, then it's me. Or ghosts. Or weird blood mages." He frowns, briefly, then looks back at Magpie. "I have a haunted castle and a town of a few thousand people that all refuse to go in it. I'm not sure I'm the very model of a standard baron-general." He pauses for a moment. "...it's pretty alright, though. There's a diamond mine. Buy a place with a diamond mine."

Esoka nods short to Thena, about her piercing abilities. "Indeed you have. I'm not betting tonight, but I'd wager on you in that contest if I were." She turns to offer Khanne a deep inclination of her head in greeting. "Lady Khanne. It is always well to see you. Is this your first time at the Murder? It is a place with much..." Pause, as she searches for the right word. "...character..." She's about to say more, but she has to turn and //stare// and Magpie.

Khanne shakes her head to Esoka. "No, not my first at all. Magpie and Mae are good friends of mine. Magpie's my protege too. Been here a few times." She smiles at her and says, "it is good to see you too Esoka, like Thena, seemingly at a time and place we won't be fighting off things trying to kill us... hopefully."

Magpie lifts his gaze when he suddenly sees all the people looking his way, "What the fuck? Did I say that louder than I meant to?" He asks rhetorically, then peers around at his friends. "What?! I'm just ... you know, thinking about it. I mean, first I'm Deputy Minister, then? ... who knows? It's good to get an idea of things." Then he gives Audric a grin, "Diamond mine sounds nice."

"'Preciate it," Thena says to Esoka, dabbing at her mouth surreptitiously with the back of her sleeve and twitching her nose a little to clear the beer.

"You say everything louder than you mean to," Mae says, to Magpie. Then she sighs. "Okay! Is anyone /not/ playing darts?!" Mae calls. "Because I trust you all are good for the silver... I just need to make the /chart/ real quick!"

"I still can't believe Audric did that to himself on /purpose/," Aleksei says, like nobility is a disease that Audric knowingly exposed himself to. "I'm playing!" he calls over to Mae.

Saedrus touches a quick kiss to Aleksei's cheek then steps about to take a seat next to Aureth. One leg crosses the knee of the other and Saed leans to Aureth a little, a sip of wine, "are you going to join the competition?" he asks aside.

"The problem's finding someone to sell it," Audric says, before remembering Khanne said something to him. "Sorry," he says, turning to face her. "Little distracted tonight." He takes another, longer drink, stepping back towards the bar and leaning lightly against it.

"Character it's got." Aureth stretches out his legs to prop a claim of his foot against the bottom rung of the next stool over, and rolls his shoulders, ducking his head as he lets the stretch of his limbs loosen muscles and tension from layer upon invisible layer. Some places are always a little bit home to you, no matter how far you roam. "Of course," he says. "You know, terribly."

"But you'd do it all over again, if you had to choose again? Did you have to swear fealty and shit?" Magpie asks of Audric, pointedly ignoring his wife when she points out his noisiness. "And yeah, finding someone would probably be the hardest, but Khanne's a pretty cool patron... Maybe she could get me some connections or something." He throws the shaman a grin.

"Alright!" Mae declares, after a few moments spent at the bar, with a pair of dice and a sheet of paper. "You are /all/ playing!" she declares, loudly. Nevermind whoever protests. "Dart boards are over there!" she says, pointing. "First up... Esoka and Audric!" she declares.

Khanne gives a soft smile to Audric and nods. "Understandable." She doesn't elaborate, she just met the man, but, for whatever reason, she does seem to understand. She turns to Magpie and says, "hey, I gave you connections for other things recently. What do I get in return?" She grins then leans in to speak more quietly towards him.

"Yeah," Audric says to Magpie. "Probably." He shrugs, then gives Khanne a brief grin, and saunters towards the darts. Plucking up a few of them, he spends a moment twirling them between his fingers. "I haven't thrown in a bit. I do wonder if I've still got the knack."

Mae tears out a sheet of paper and walks over, to the dart boards, and pins it to one of the spare dart boards. Therein is the list for ROUND ONE:

Esoka - Audric
Thena - Magpie
Aureth - Aleksei
Khanne - Saedrus

"Gotta have fealty to /someone/, Mags," Aleksei says with wide-grinned amusement. "Hey, Kennex might be willing to part with some land for fast cash." He scrubs a hand through his hair, sighing a bit, and then wanders over to Saedrus and Aureth while Audric and Esoka step up first. "She said you're playing," he warns Saedrus.

Esoka gives her knuckles a theatrical sort of crack, squares her shoulders, and steps up to the dart board. Studying it with a grunt. And then turning to study Audric, in a similar fashion. "I have heard of you, Baron Audric of the Valorous Few. You have a tendency to keep Tikva Grayson from dying, which I appreciate." That said, she gets in position to throw.

Audric checked dexterity + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 25 higher.

Esoka checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 6 higher.

Esoka checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 14 higher.

Esoka checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 4 lower.

Audric checked dexterity + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 45 higher.

Audric checked dexterity + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 27 higher.

Magpie gives Audric wave as he goes to throw darts, then throws Khanne a charming smile, "You have my endless love and adoration, Khanne. What more do you need." As she leans in to murmur to him, the man's smile fades. He leans in to murmur back, mindful of his volume now though he does laugh at Aleksei's suggestion. "I don't think I want a mess like that."

When Aleksei arrives, Saedrus slips his leg off the other's knee and toes on the lower rung of his seat. "Oh," he says softly, looking off to the note Mae pins to one of the boards. Evergreens flick to Khanne and he chuckles, "enjoy your win, my Lady." He's already accepted defeat. While one hand brings his wine to his lips, the other reaches to settle on Aleksei's hip absently.

"Having a liege isn't that bad, anyway," Audric says. "The Velenosa rarely tell me to do things I wasn't already going to." Esoka gets an odd expression, halfway between a smile and a wince. "I can occasionally keep people alive, yeah. And then if they -do- die I can go and cut out the culprit's organs and feed them to them! It's good all around." Then his hand flicks, and the darts start goin'.

"Hah." Aureth cocks an eyebrow at Aleksei, glances at Magpie, and puts down his beer as he swings back up to his feet. "I'm glad to see you still have those pants," he tells Aleksei with a cheerful leer, just for old times' sake. "If I have to lose embarrassingly it might as well be to someone hot."

Mae steps over towards the board, with her book and a pencil in hand to count scores, and smiles brightly as she waits for the throws.

Esoka throws, throws, throws. Mediocrely, for the first two darts. Her third one misses the board completely, imbedding itself in the wall. She glares at it, but that doesn't seem to incentivize it to move. She offers Audric a bow, of gracious presumed defeat, before giving him the floor.

Khanne listens to Magpie and nods to him before they end their murmuring. "What do I need more than your love and adoration? Well, I suppose that is a good question. We'll get together soon though. been awhile since we had a good chat." She turns to watch the game of darts playout then, saying aside to Saedrus. "I'm not so good at darts really. Don't be so sure..."

"They're very nice pants," Aleksei agrees of his old breeches. "I miss the duster sometimes, to be honest. I mean, not that it's /missing/; it just sits in my wardrobe. But -- you know what I mean." His gaze flicks to Audric for the briefest moment's study before it wanders back off to watch the darts. "He's probably cheating," he calls over sympathetically to Esoka.

Audric flicks the three darts out - each one nearish to the center, and one far closer. "To be fair," he says, giving Esoka a brief grin. "I've been throwing knives at people since I was twelve. It's the same principle." He steps back, briefly moving to the bar to refill his glass. His pacing lands him next to Saedrus, who he leans over to say something to.

Mae watches, and records Esoka's score. Then she watches Audric throw. She sighs, and clearly looks disappointed. "Audric takes the round," she says, with all the excitement of announce the toilet is clogged. Ya know, if Arx had indoor plumbing. "Next up, Thena and Magpie! Battle of Grayhopes!" she declares.

"That's what /I'm/ banking on," Thena murmurs in reply to Audric's comment, then sets her beer down and walks to the dartboard carefully, pulling a set of darts from it. "Mags?"

Saedrus watches the first round and gives a little applause, smiling more for Esoka than Audric. The latter though ends up beside him, and the courtier shifts a touch aside on his seat, though his head leans towards the whispered words.

Magpie sets down his meat and drops down from the bar counter. Khanne is giving a spontaneous hug and kiss to the cheek before he strides confidently over to the dart board. "Place your bets on me! I'm feeling lucky!!" He calls out, then snags up the darts and gets to throwing once Thena and he are at the line.

Magpie checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 33 higher.

Magpie checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 3 higher.

Magpie checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 35 higher.

Thena checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 22 higher.

Thena has rolled a critical success!
Thena checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 91 higher.

Thena checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 74 higher.

Mae's book is back up. She's watching! Recording! Really putting that innkeeper bookkeeping to work!

Lilybelle - Fluffy Maine Coon arrives, following Victus.

The lumbering frame of Victus wanders into the Murder with cat in tow. A softly uttered "Shit" had as he spies most already out and about in jolly fun. For once being unattended by guards or a stewardess, the High Lord drifts his way toward Magie. Or Mae. Whichever Grayhope was closer was the one he was going to stick to first. "Sorry I'm late. I can't run from paperwork to save my fucking life as of late." As he speaks, the cat clambers up his arm to rest atop his shoulder. "Who's winning?" He asks with a gesture toward the darts.

Aleksei glances over at Saedrus and Audric with a hint of curiosity as they whisper away, before his attention slides back over to Magpie and Thena. "You're representing the Faith!" he calls over to remind his Godsworn sister. And then Victus arrives, and he startles just a /touch/, if only because a High Lord just walked into the bar. He blinks at him.

Magpie throws his darts and they all hit the board. (which really is a step up from when he competed against Mae recently) He even gets two on high-point regions. "Oh yeah!" The man says smugly, backing up and gesturing to Thena to have her turn. "Alright cousin, beat that." He spies Victus and brightens, "Your highness! Hello!"

"Grace," Aleksei stage whispers at Magpie.

Thena squares up and squints at the board, then lets loose her first dart. It thunks solidly into the board and she leans from one side to the other, eying it. Then she delivers the next two in rapid succession; one right after the other and they both bang right into the bullseye. She nods once, satisfied, and goes for her beer but then Victus is strolling right on in and she turns towrads him, inclining her head respectfully.

Mae spots Victus, as Magpie and Thena are currently throwing. She flashes a bright smile his way, then looks back, just to see her husband throw. "Yay! Magpie!" she exclaims. Becuase, really, he did well! Then she turns and scampers over to Victus. She throws her arms around the man, and gives him a squeeze. Yes, she's hugging Victus Thrax. "Audric beat Esoka. Magpie just threw. You can hop in next round... if you got the silver," she tells him, with a little grin. Then she releases, and looks back over, just in time to watch Thena throw. "Woah."

"I always thought nobility were exaggerating when they complained about the amount of paperwork," Audric says, his tone dry. "I solemnly apologize for the various times I mocked you about it, your Grace. It's fucking obnoxious just for a Barony, can't begin to imagine." He flashes a brief smirk, before lifting his glass to drink long and deep.

Saedrus' attention is squarely out at those playing darts. "Best of luck Dame Thena," he calls happily, smiling bright -- and brighter still when /Aleksei/ corrects Magpie of titles. So proud! He applauds Thena's throws, "well then," he chuckles. Whatever is being said between himself and Audric, Saedrus doesn't look too interested or invovled in the probably idle conversation.

"The sharp things I stick in people usually stay attached to my arm," Esoka concedes to Audric. "Which, I shall admit, is messier." She heads back to find a place to lounge and spectate, barking a chuckle at Aleksei. "No, no, good Aleksei, I can admit when I am defeated fairly. I shall triumph in drinking!" She sits back to watch Magpie and Thena, and lets out some loud, probably obnoxious, hollering when Thena hits that bullseye. There is some fist-pounding on a convenient table. Victus entrance gets her attention, and she offeres the high lord an inclination of her head.

"I do." Aureth scratches lightly at the line of his beard, watching Audric and Esoka with a slight arch to his eyebrows. He whistles with two fingers to his mouth at Thena's display. "Shit, I am never going to measure up to any of you," he says. His mouth ticks up at the corners as his pale gaze lingers on Victus for a moment. "The last time I was at a party with Your Grace, you had a shark on your head," he shares, to all apparent good nature.

"Thena takes the round! And maybe messed up the darts, by hitting the one into the other... in the bulls eyes..." Mae says. "Aureth and Aleksei! You two are up!" she calls.

Magpie rolls his eyes, "Grace." He repeats when Aleksei offers that help. Then his eyes go to the dartboard as Thena throws her lot. He gapes, "Fuck... Damnit Thena!" He gives her a playful shove of the shoulder while muttering further before shaking his head and wandering back to his place near the bar. Victus gets a grin, "You should join in." He encourages, snagging up another kabob of roasted pork to snack on.

Khanne applauds and whistles loudly for Thena. "And this, ladies and gentleman, is why when there -are- things trying to kill us, I am glad I have Thena on my side...." She smiles and waves to Victus.

"...is it cheating if we stand behind someone and make obnoxious noises to distract them?" Audric asks, looking over at Mae. "Because I kind of want to see if I can mess up Aleksei's throws. It'll be funny?"

Thena flails at Magpie a little. "There's a beverage here, man!" She flickers a little smirk. "Fun fact...I actually did earn the knighthood." She does a series of little mock bows to everyone.

"It's only cheating if it's not Aleksei," Mae offers over to Audric with a bright smile.

Audric slumps slightly.

"You would have to cheat spectacularly to get me to win," Aureth tells Audric.

"Wait," Audric says, after a moment. "I think you agreed with me. Excellent." From somewhere, he produces a scrap of parchment, which is quickly torn into small bits, balled up, and one is tossed at Aleksei.

"Grace, Highness, Victus. Whatever works." The Thrax rolls his hand a few times through the air. "None of that proper shit matters here, it's game-night! And booze! Where's the rum?" It takes a second to register when something smaller and lighter pushes into his side. Victus' hands held rigidly in front of himself as Mae actually /embraces/ him. He's stiff as a board for a moment, utterly perplexed, before giving her a light back on the back in return. This does not happen often. Or really, ever apparently. "I got a lot of mileage outta that shark, Archlector of the Dead and ill-shit-fated. Still keep it around for a fancy mask party. Ain't broke yet." Then it's back onto Magpie again. "Yeah I'll give it a shot. Who and what am I doing and giving shit to?"

Saedrus tips his head, "ultimately, I could just lean over the bar." as a mild quip for distracting Aleksei.

Audric checked dexterity + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 29 higher.

Magpie snickers as he sees Victus's reaction to that hug from Mae, giving the man a shrug and a smile. "She does that. I'll get you some rum." He says, ducking behind the bar to dig around for some of the better rum and pour out a cup for the high lord. Then he stays behind the bar, leaning on the counter with an amused smile as Audric tries to throw Aleksei off his game.

Aleksei checked willpower + empathy at difficulty 44, rolling 9 lower.

Aleksei checked luck + athletics at difficulty 24, rolling 16 higher.

Aleksei checked luck + athletics at difficulty 24, rolling 2 lower.

Aleksei checked luck + athletics at difficulty 24, rolling 25 higher.

"Why are you /helping him/?!" Aleksei complains over at Saedrus. He strides over to the spot in front of the dart board, taking up the darts. He lifts them, one by one, trying and failing to ignore the tiny balls of paper being pelted at his head. His first dart strikes true on the board, as does the third, but the second manages to lodge itself in the wall, leaving him glaring over at Audric.

"You are in time to throw sharp objects, your grace," Esoka says to Victus. "And there will be drinking for sport later." She sounds more enthusiastic than one should about the prospect of pickling their brains. More table-pounding is done for the archlector-on-archlector match.

Aureth checked dexterity + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 10 higher.

Aureth checked dexterity + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 14 higher.

Aureth has rolled a critical success!
Aureth checked dexterity + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 25 higher.

"Because I really want to find someone that I won't get in trouble for pulling their jaw off and beating them to death with it," Audric says, looking back at Aleksei and speaking in a deadpan. "I'm feeling pretty Deathy right now. Nothing personal."

Audric lets out a slight, almost confused little noise of discomfort. For some reason.

"You'll enter round two, Grace Highness Victus," Mae says, with a grin over to the big man. "Against me, since we have even scores. So, hope you're not /awful/," she says. Then she looks back over, and puts on a straight face as Audric starts to pelt Aleksei with paper. Ref doesn't see it! She's distracted by Saedrus' butt. She looks back up. "Uh... Aleksei? Sweets? You were supposed to... throw them at the board," she points. Then a sigh. "Winner, Aureth!" she declare. "Khanne and Saedrus are up!"

"He likes it when you have to work at it," Aureth says. His dartwork is neat but nothing special, one after the other -- plink, plink, plink! -- into the familiar old dartboard. He turns back to the others with eyebrows swept high over his pale gaze, even as he reaches up to twist his hair into a tighter queue at the nape of his neck. "I mean, just for the record, Death is /not/ in favor of pulling people's jaws off and beating them to death with them," he feels the need to point out. "That would /not/ be her thing."

"Of course not." Saedrus responds to Aleksei -- and, he doesn't even move off his seat! The only move comes when Audric starts pelting Aleksei with paper balls-- huh, maybe he just almost dropped something. Ignore the noise from Audric. He takes one more little sip of wine before slipping from seat to feet and moves off to the board after a final word to Audric. "Best of luck, my Lady," he smiles to Khanne.

Khanne looks up from a bit of a daydream as she watched the others. "Oh, our turn?" She saunters over to the dartboards and where Saedrus stands. She gives a small hipcheck to him with a grin and says, "and to you, Saedrus. After you..." She then goes about picking her own darts in preparation.

Saedrus checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 3 lower.

Saedrus checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 1 lower.

Saedrus checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 5 lower.

Victus gives a nod to Mae and Magpie respectively. "In that case, I'll await to shoot some fucking sharp things. Or do we throw? Do we throw or do we shoot? Fuck it, I don't care." He takes up his own perch at the bar to watch the two of them go at it, one long arm stretched out behind his head while his feline friend hops up beside him. Claiming a barstool for herself.

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Victus before departing.

Khanne checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 10 higher.

Khanne checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 4 higher.

Khanne checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 1 lower.

Audric gives Saedrus a brief, incredibly bright grin. For some reason. Then it's gone, and he looks at Aureth. "No? Shame," he says. "Oh well. I'm probably going to do it anyway." He gives another smile, then drinks.

"I intend to do much better in the drinking contest. I've held off from alcohol all day to prepare for it. And I've been eating all this pork, so my body should burn up the alcohol faster." Magpie says in a scientific sort of voice. "I've put a lot of planning into this. Salty food so I'm really thirsty, no alcohol all day. I'm gonna kick that drinking contest's ass." Who is he even talking to? Whoever will listen. He slides the rum he poured for Victus to the man when he takes up a perch on the bar.

As far as impressive goes -- at least Saedrus knows which end to throw. It's not a talent for the courtier though and all three land on the wall around the board. Oh! Except one! That one landed on the floor. Pale cheeks flush a little warm and Saedrus laughs warm and bright, "I did say you would be the victor, Lady Khanne." He points out only midly embarrassed.

Esoka cheers SO LOUDLY for Khanne and Saedrus. Variable hit rate of their darts aside. They get lots of bellowing. When she

"What pork?" Mae asks, blinking a few times at her husband. Then she glances to the kebabs. "Oh! Right. /That/ pork," she says. "Yep, yep! Okay!... so... Looks like Khanne has defeated Saedrus!" she says. "Next up is ... well. Me and Victus! Who showed up late, so gets to throw against me. I promise I'm just /barely/ good, your Grace Highness," Mae says, with a sweet smile. She then starts over to the board.

Thena applauds carefully, to keep the beer in the glass clutched in one hand from splashing out.

Khanne's own darts hit the board... mostly, at least a bit... except one that hit just outside. She turns to Saedrus and uncharacteriscally, gives him a hug. "Sorry. I really thought you might beat me."

Esoka cheers SO LOUDLY for Khanne and Saedrus. Variable hit rate of their darts aside. They get lots of bellowing. When she's done yelling, she takes her leaning over toward Mapgie. "Mapgie Grayhope. A good evening upon you." Pause. "I have heard you took the post of deputy to the minister of prodigal affairs." She does //not// sound like she knows what to make of this. *re*

Saedrus returns the hug lightly and laughs a little still. "Oh no chance of that, my Lady." He assures, and clearly he is right. There is a bright smile for Esoka's cheering and he shakes his head lightly returning to the bar to find Aleksei. "That was just pathetic," he laments softly, smiling though.

Victus breaths a laugh through his nose when Magpie speaks and passes him a glass. "No you're not. I am." Is his deadpan answered before takes one loooong swig. After a moment of some noisy gulps, he sets the empty glass back against the bar and raises up for the occasion. "Show me how it's done, small lady." The towering man muses to Mae, already starting to psych himself up as he begins to hop from foot to foot.

Aureth returns to his beer to rescue it. He takes a swallow and then says, "What the fuck does pork have to do with booze?" He gives Audric a thoughtful look, as though he is considering his priestly duty, and then says, "Just so long as She's not why," which is why one of these days he's going to bring Orazio to tears. "And it's no one I like."

Mae checked dexterity + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 35 higher.

Mae checked dexterity + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 40 higher.

Mae checked dexterity + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 28 higher.

Audric checked composure at difficulty 15, rolling 6 higher.

"Ooookay," Mae says, to Victus, with a sweet smile. She goes to collect darts and then throws. Plonk. Plonk. Plonk. No bulls eyes. Mae scruches up her nose in distaste.

"I'd be nice and sympathetic, but you conspired against me," Aleksei informs Saedrus archly as he leans against the bar. He does, however, sidle over nearer to Audric and elbow him with surprising gentleness, murmuring a quieter word to him.

Victus checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 20 higher.

Victus has rolled a critical success!
Victus checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 74 higher.

Audric looks over at Aureth, giving the man another smile. "If you liked any of the people involved in Kima's death, I wouldn't like to be you afterwards," he says, with all of his normal cheerfulness for a brief moment. Then he turns that grin on Aleksei, replying in kind.

Victus checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 40 higher.

Saedrus gasps, rejected by Aleksei. "I did no such thing." he insists of conspiring then huffs a little breath turning away to go stand with Aureth and watch the last of the competition. Huff.

Magpie peers over to Esoka, nodding, "I did! I didn't think I would get it, but Samantha must have really liked my proposal. Mayir helped me with the diagrams." He muses. "I have some good ideas I think, but we'll see how they shake out. I even learned Northern Shav. Now I know how to be rude in *two* languages." Then he watches the next round of the dart throwing. "Gods, who do I support? Fuck.. uhhh.. You're both winners! Keep your heads held high!"

Khanne says in Northlands shav, "Hey! other people helped!"

"Oh, no," Aureth says, immediately sympathetic to Audric's position and with vehemence: "Fuck whoever that was. With their own jawbones, sure, I don't care."

"Oh, is that all you do?" Victus quirks a brow. "Like knives but without all the flippy shit. Yeah okay, I can probably do alright at this." He plucks the darts free when Mae finishes her round. One, two, three shots on target. With one apparently landing close to somewhere especially good! He turns to the rest of the bar and raises up his arms. "I DID OKAY!"

Aureth is overheard praising Victus for: He did okay!

Saedrus is overheard praising Victus for: Most okay throws!

Saedrus is overheard praising Thena for: A bullseye! And another.. right through the first.

Magpie looks over at Khanne, then laughs, "Yes! Khanne helped too. And Lady Monique... "

Magpie is overheard praising Mae for: Darts and drinking! What more could you want in a night?

You know who doesn't have 100 silver to rub together? Talia. The young woman steps into the Murder of Crows anyways, mumbling to herself with a frown. "I can't go work on an order that isn't there, though," is what she's currently muttering, her gaze only lifting to skim the room long enough to find a table and slide into it quietly. It's only after that her gaze lifts again to take in the room, drawn by the sound of yells and laughter.

Saedrus is overheard praising Mae for: Holding a wonderful night of games and good company.

Was she rude to him? Only those who speak the language would know. However, Khanne smiles and winks at Magpie so it seems... probably not. She then cheers for Mae and Victus, laughing when he declares he did okay.

Aleksei grimaces a bit at whatever Audric tells him, then reaches to kind of shake his shoulder a bit. It's a comforting shake. "Yeah," is all he says. He looks back to the game, only really half-watching Victus and Mae.

Esoka makes a low "Mmmm" sound to Magpie. "Well. Congratulations. I only speak the tongue of the Crownlands shav'arvani, myself, so you can better me there." She chuckles low, and whatever Khanne says. Even if she doesn't understand it, she //presumes// it's worth a chuckle. "I am interested to hear your ideas. And if you ever need anything for it...well, each prodigal is in a different situation, but I would support such things as I can." She turns to watch the contest between Mae and Victus, letting out a low whistle at the high lord's last shot.

Mae looks rather smugly confident as she steps back, and gives a gesture to Victus. "That's all," she says. Then she watches him land three darts in a row... and one bulls eye. She blinks a few times. "I-... uh." She clears her throat. "Winner, Victus!" she declares. Then Mae picks back up her book and scribbles quickly, then rolls a die. She scribbles some more, then tacks up that sheet, over the first. It reads:

Audric - Aureth
Victus - Khanne
Thena - BYE

Audric shakes his head briefly, though the gloom around him does seem to lift a bit. "Thanks, though. It'll be alright," he says, cheerfully. "Once I get very, very drunk and go hunting." Then it's his round again, and he steps up to take up and fling a handful of darts.

Khanne looks at the new sheet tacked up and laughs. She glances to Victus and says, "I almost feel like I should just hand the darts over to you and walk away."

"Thanks Esoka! I'll keep it in mind." Magpie says with a smile. He climbs back to his perch on the bar now so he has a better vantage to watch the competition. "Aureth!! You got this, man!" He calls in encouragement. "Don't let us down!"

Victus lets out a jovial holler when he's declared the victor. Something not quite akin to a normal, human noise, but not quite feral either. Turning back to Mae, he pats her once on the back with a wide grin stretched over his face before he moves back to watch the contest resume. "Nonsense. You're a north woman and your hair looks like fire. You'll do fine." He offers to Khanne.

"You will always do better than I, my Lady!" Saedrus says for Khanne. He believes in her!

Aleksei digs in his pockets for a notebook so that he can find his own sheets of paper. At which point he starts balling them up and throwing them at Audric.

Aleksei checked luck + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 13 higher.

Audric checked willpower at difficulty 13, rolling 3 higher.

Talia's head jerks quickly in the direction that Magpie calls of the name, and then-- Well, then the woman sitting at the table is just staring at the Archlector, her fingers creeping to cover her lips, pressing over them.

Aureth checked dexterity + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 9 higher.

Aureth checked dexterity + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 17 higher.

Aureth checked dexterity + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 5 higher.

Audric has rolled a critical success!
Audric checked dexterity + legerdemain at difficulty 25, rolling 45 higher.

Audric checked dexterity + legerdemain at difficulty 25, rolling 25 higher.

Audric checked dexterity + legerdemain at difficulty 25, rolling 35 higher.

There's a little ruckus from outside and then a couple of whistles; Thena cocks her head like a hunting hound and puts her beer down. "I'm sorry...duty calls. Think we got a drunk one out there." She tugs at her tabard and checks her dagger before striding out the door.

Well, this is just silly. Aureth steps forward, though, scrubbing his hands together to blow on his knuckles, and then reaching to collect his darts for his own throws. "Riding your hopes upon this fragile instrument strikes me as a terrible plan." He tells Audric, "Cheers!" and then hoists his darts to throw three times in rapid succession. It is not the most impressive or showmanly performance he has ever put on.

A huge hideously ugly mastiff, Pyotr leave, following Thena.

Audric is pelted! He looks over his shoulder at Aleksei briefly, then grins and looks back. Slow breath. Ignore the paper assault. Three darts go out in quick succession, thudding into the board in a line towards the center. Not quite there, alas.

Esoka snorts what sounds suspiciously like a laugh at the paper pelting Aleksei inflicts on Audric. The darting from both parties is cheered loudly, though. A hand is raised to Thena, as she departs on knightly business.

Mae watches keenly, looking away only when Thena has to go. She gives a wave, then looks back. "Winner... Audric! Next up... Victus and Khanne!" she declares.

Isabetta slips into the building and observes quietly from near the edge of the crowd, her gaze wandering though not lingering really on anyone for noticeable periods of time.

Magpie groans. "Aureth... That was not good enough!" He calls, then shakes his head and flings some peanuts in Audric's direction. As Victus and Khanne are called up next, Magpie grins, "Oooooh! This will be good." He spies Isabetta from his perch on the bar counter, "Isabetta! You made it!"

Victus absconds from his perch with a confident swagger, stomping up to the board and observing the result of the round. With a jaunty "Mmm, MMM." to top it off. He approaches the board and plucks three darts right out, with a grin back to Khanne. "Ya' got a shot I'm sure, I'm already a little drunk. I indulged before I got here." He muses before turning back and taking aim.

Victus checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 19 higher.

Victus checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 26 higher.

Victus checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 30 higher.

Aureth raises his arm dramatically to avoid the shelling of legumes. "Hey! I never promised to be any good. He throws knives professionally!"

"I am northern, for certain, but a shaman, not a sword. My aim is better with a bow than a dart." Khanne grins and watches the match between Aureth and Audric, cheering for Audric before her game with Victus is called. "Oh.. well... there's no shame in trying your best, so here I go!" She picks out her darts and takes aim at the board.

"I think he throws /people/ professionally," muses Mae, as she watches Victus' throws.

Khanne checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 6 higher.

Khanne checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 15 higher.

Khanne checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 1 higher.

"There's no shame in it," Audric says, brightly. "Deathlector is right. It comes in handy sometimes, so I practice." He picks up his briefly set down glass, draining it, before sliding it to the bartender for a refill. "Only when they -really- deserve it, Mae."

Saedrus settles up into a seat by the bar, drawing the length of his hair over one shoulder to brush through lightly. Fingers work a loose braid, containing the lengths, watching the final rounds of darts.

Isabetta makes her way to the bar, keeping her head mostly down and trying to stay out of the way of the main bustle. "Better late than never," She tells Magpie, then asks, "How has it gone so far Mister MagiousPious?" She totally delivers the name in a straight face and neutral sounding voice, though at least she keeps it down.

Aleksei sidles back over to Saedrus, having now abandoned his quest to distract Audric. He leans up against him, beer in hand, and murmurs something in a low voice to him.

Mae finally does turn to spot Talia's entrance. She gives a wave. "Hi! Help yourself. There's beer and meat*!" she says, gesturing thataway. Sure enough, there are meat* kebabs over on the bar, along with a keg and some wooden mugs next to it. Self serve! Mae looks bak over. "Oh! Lady Khanne wins! ... The battle of beauty and grace and being absolutely, positively amazing." Pause. "And Victus wins at darts. That means, final round-" And then Mae catches sight of Isabetta. She looks over, and flashes a grin. Then back over. "The final round is Victus and Audric! The winner will receive a /personalized/ figurine! ... And we'll sell that figurine, to the whole compact!" She points at Audric, then Victus. "You two technical noblemen can start when you're ready!"

Mae gets Murder of Crows throwing dart from the most incredible crate.

Mae gets Murder of Crows throwing dart from the most incredible crate.

Mae gets Murder of Crows throwing dart from the most incredible crate.

Mae gets Murder of Crows throwing dart from the most incredible crate.

Mae gets Murder of Crows throwing dart from the most incredible crate.

Mae gets Murder of Crows throwing dart from the most incredible crate.

Saedrus crosses one leg over the knee of the other, booted toe tapping sharply against the air. It's the perfect portrail of pissed off boyfriend with the addition of crossed arms and head turned away from Aleksei. "I thought I was /conspiring/ against you." He says, not in a whisper, and without responding to whatever was said to him.

"Ooooh, nice work, High Lord! Khanne, you can come sit with us on the loser's side of the room. It's okay. We still love you." Magpie calls cheerfully, then snickers at Isabetta's greeting, "Well, Thena crushed me at the dart competition. Victus and Audric I think are going into the finals against each other but I might have lost track of where we're at in the competition. After that the drinking competition is happening and I think I have a gooood shot at that one."

Aureth rescues his beer again from the bar's top, and finishes it off to go for another one. "I'm too old to do the drinking game, by the way, before any of you try to make me," he says. He starts to move towards Saedrus but, finding him occupied, settles his weight back on his heels and pauses a moment,the transit of his pale gaze flicking the bar resting upon the unfamiliar figure of the young woman at the other table whose gaze, angled in his direction, meets his however inadvertantly. Collecting his new beer, he toasts Talia with it. "The real question is which of them is going to make Magpie more of a profit."

Audric turns towards Victus, giving the man a grin, before stepping back and picking up a few darts. "Well," he says. "This should be pretty close, yeah? If our reputations are anything to go on, the Murder might need a new wall afterwards."

"I'm sorry," exhales Talia beneath her breath, flushing as Mae's attention turns to her. She is quick to nod her agreement to the prospect of beer and meat but she doesn't actually leave her seat. Instead, her gaze darts again to Aureth and then away quickly when she meets his, before she's folding her hands in front of herself and staring at them.

"Well, you were, but I forgive you," Aleksei says totally reasonably, reaching to rub his shoulder. "I'm very gracious." He looks over at Aureth. "You're never too old for a drinking game!"

Khanne blinks and turns to Mae, then laughs when she continues, declaring Victus the winner. A small blush paints over her cheeks. She moves off to sit over near Magpie. "I can handle being a loser with company like this."

Victus claps his hands together a few times for Khanne. "Didn't miss any of 'em. Better than One of those holy men over there can say." He throws his head toward the pair of Archlectors elsewhere in the bar. "Ya' know my wife loves those figurines." He calls to Mae as he grabs a pile of darts for himself. "She stacks them up in the library and uses one of me to hug people I don't like. Right now there's a fucking pile of em laying together in the library like some inter-kingdom orgy. I don't get it, personally." He lines up beside Audric once his spiel is done, casting a grin toward the man in kind. "We got enough between us to pay for it, don't worry yaself."

Audric checked dexterity + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 29 higher.

Audric checked dexterity + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 66 higher.

Audric checked dexterity + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 46 higher.

Victus checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 25 higher.

Victus checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 28 higher.

Victus checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 17 higher.

"Drinking will be fun!" Esoka yells at Aureth. Persuasively? Well, loudly. Which she seems to think doubles for persuasive. She notes Talia's eyes darting to the archlector and offers the woman a chipper nod of acknowledgement, as she settles back to see the conclusion of the darts.

"Does she have both of mine?" Aleksei calls over to Victus smugly.

There's no real answer to Aleksei, just a huffed sound as the courtier reaches for his wine. Saedrus' attention is spitefully on the darts competition for the moment.

Magpie gives Khanne an easy smile. "You can be a loser with me anytime, Khanne. I don't mind." He rolls his eyes at Aureth. "You can drink, you wimp." Then he laughs when Victus talks about his wife's love for the figurines. "I love that people love them, what can I say?"

"Nah, we burn those." Victus calls back to Aleksei as he moves to pat Audric on the back. "Good shit." He comes away from it with a grin, swaggering up to the bar for a refill of rum.

"Not really worried about the cost so much," Audric says, three darts flickering out from the sellsword's hand and thumping in a tight little cluster. He flashes a brief grin at Victus, inclining his head towards the man in a sign of respect. "I didn't even cheat. I promise." This is probably not reassuring.

Khanne smiles at Victus and says, "good point." She winks over to Aleksei and Aureth, getting herself a mug of beer. She pouts over to Aleksei then and says, "I don't have any of you... I like them too." She leans her head on Magpie's shoulder. "One day, you'll make one of me... I just know it.. one day... Hopefully I'll still be alive when you do."

"I am too old for the aftermath of a drinking game, Lucky," Aureth says firmly. "You know, I always thought if one of us was going to be burned in effigy by Thrax that it would be me."

Isabetta asks Magpie, "Where can I turn over a donation? I do not mean to play, just I wanted to show some support." She keeps her voice low still, trying not to draw too much attention to herself.

"Wow, rude," Aleksei says, frowning. RUDE, VICTUS. And then he barks a laugh at Aureth. "What! /I'm/ gonna get burned in effigy by Thrax /way/ before /you/ are. You can get burned in effigy by -- I dunno, Valardin or something." He informs Khanne sagely, "I was in the /original/ figurine set. I helped save the world." It's very serious.

Mae watches... and there's the darts go. "Winner, Audric!" she declares, with a little laugh. She sets aside her book, and first steps over to Victus, to give the man a hug. "Well done, my grace highness. You almost were good at this," she says, with a grin. Then she whirls away, and goes to Audric. She throws her arms around the man and squeezes him /tight/. "Congratulations, Audric!" she says, loudly. And then she steps back. "And now on to drinking!"

"Getting burned by Valardin is lame!" Aureth complains.

"One would think being burned by anyone is rather," Saedrus' brow and nose wrinkles a little, "-- well, 'lame' is somewhat too tame, I think."

Talia's lips only flicker into a tense smile at Esoka's nod, failing to return any of the chipperness. Her green eyes lift to Audric for a moment as he is announced the winner, only sliding sideways for a moment towards Aleksei and Aureth and then glancing again towards the Baron. (Aka the pose where I fit as many A names as possible.)

Khanne waves over to Isabetta before looking at Aleksei. "I know... I have one or two, but not you." She smiles and cheers for Audric then. "Congratulations, Audric!"

"Why is Valardin burning you?" Esoka asks Aleksei, a little concerned. She squares up for the drinking, shouting, "Good show, Baron Audric! I feel far less poor losing to the grand champion."

"Awww, Khanne. Someday... someday." Magpie wraps an arm around her shoulders and gives it a comforting squeeze. To Isabetta he answers, "There's a box, over there." He points to the bin that holds the money and other donations. His blue eyes wander to Aleksei, "And you were very sad when I wouldn't give you a set outright." He teases, then grins widely, "Yesss.. the drinking contest." He lets go of Khanne and rubs his hands together gleefully. "We got a *very* special new rum for this one."

Audric returns Mae's hug, squeezing the woman with bone-creaking force for a moment. Once that's done, though, he drains the rest of his glass and stretches his arms up above his head, joints popping. "I feel better already," he says, letting a skull's grin spread across his face. "Thanks," he says, in general. "When I get back, if anyone wants some pointers on throwing pointy shit, let me know and I'll help out, yeah?"

"Orazio made me do /dinner/ with him and that Pure Faith contingent," Aleksei whines at Aureth. "They all think the two of us are probably servants of the Abyss, it's just that the Seraph of Sanctum says they're not allowed to say it out loud." He pushes off from his lean against the bar to join the drinking game. "I have a /special/ set!" he declares of the original figurines. "Limited edition."

Mae gets Murder of Crows throwing dart from the most incredible crate.

Saedrus hops off his seat and steps up to Aureth's side, wherever he might have ended up, reaching for the man's hand if he is permitted. "It is for a good cause, and I very much doubt either of us will last too long. At least sit with me while I participate." Saedrus sighs to Aureth -- and you know, probably hold his hair back when he needs to puke.

Mae gets Murder of Crows throwing dart from the most incredible crate.

Audric pauses, midway through pushing off of the bar again. "Fuck me I think I accidentally made a pun," he says, frowning -hard- for just a moment. "Ugh. I'm disgusted with myself."

Victus drops Murder of Crows throwing dart.

Mae picks up Murder of Crows throwing dart.

Isabetta walks over to the bin and puts some coins in, then heads back to the bar. "Regrettably, my stay was just a short one. I hope the rest of the night goes well." She dips her head to Magpie and then gives a quick little wave to Mae as well from across the room.

"But Death loves you," Aureth says, waggling his glass of beer in Audric's direction and then taking a swallow. He smiles faintly back at Aleksei and says, "Um, I am pretty sure that if /you/ are serving the Abyss, mister Paladin, that you are doing it the fuck wrong." He cocks an eyebrow at Saedrus and says, "I'll sit with you but I won't make myself vomit for friendship."

"Girls, you're both pretty." Victus calls over to the pair of Archlectors as he lifts a newly filled glass of rum up. "We probably hate you both equally too." The glass is swirled and lifted to his lips again with a grumble. The added hug from Mae again catches him off guard, but he doesn't completely freeze this time. More of humble and open tolerance. Shockingly well-mannered.

Mae has only smiles for Victus' uncertain reaction. Then she squeaks as Audric nearly crushes her. But she survives it! She turns and scampers over towards Isabetta, and then leans in to press a kiss to the corner of the woman's mouth. It's followed by a few whispers. And then turns, and heads for the bar. She produces a bottle of-... uh. Well. It's a bottle! Of liquid! "Alright, who's drinking?!"

Saedrus huffs a small, amused sound for Aureth's agreement. "I doubt I will last long enough for that to happen-- especially if I must shoot rum."

Mae gets Prince Creston's Black Rum from the most incredible crate.

Mae drops Prince Creston's Black Rum.

Magpie gives Isabetta a wave, "Seeya!" He says cheerfully before going to grab a seat at one of the Drinking Tables. Those are the ones with tarps spread beneath them, for any who wants to know. "You know I am. I've been dying to try this stuff again."

Khanne raises her hand. "I'm drinking!"

"You better not!" Aleksei says to Victus, frowning. "Why would the Isles hate Aureth? Are you all secretly obliterating souls or something? I feel very strongly that I need to be special in being all despised by Thrax." He pauses a moment before he adds, "I /am/ very pretty, though, thank you." He peers over at Mae. "Me, obviously."

Audric turns that rictus grin on Aureth for a moment. "She'll love me a lot more before I'm done, don't worry," he says, apparently -still having not gotten the message- that Death is not actually encouraging people to murder other people. "You all have a -fantastic- night." The last is back to Audric's normal beaming good cheer, and then the sellsword heads for the door, throwing a wave over his shoulder and whistling tunelessly.

Saedrus raises the hand not occupied holding Aureth, "I will try." to Mae.

"Aw, you don't think he's prettier than me? That's the nicest thing you've ever said," Aureth says, grinning with the click of his teeth against this glass. "I mean, they probably hate me because I've been an asshole to them in particular for years," he asides to Aleksei. "I don't think they hate Death, I mean, I did all those funerals for free and a bunch of them even showed up."

"Alright, everyone who's drinking, go over there!" Mae says, pointing over to the large table with the tarp underneath it. Mae then starts lining up shot glasses and pouring out. "Round one is starting!"

Esoka has rolled a critical success!
Esoka checked stamina at difficulty 10, rolling 44 higher.

Magpie checked stamina at difficulty 10, rolling 15 higher.

Saedrus checked stamina at difficulty 10, rolling 6 lower.

Khanne walks over to the large table, standing on the tarp. She looks down and asks, "what is this for?" Then... "oh...just in case..."

"Aureth! Aleksei! No one cares, come drink this awesome rum that we had specially put together just for this event!" Magpie calls with a cheerful smile for the two archlectors, then he grins when Mae pulls the bottle out. "It's so lovely..." He snags up a shot glass and tosses it back, coughing in spite of himself. "Gods, this stuff... " He says, snickering. He takes the next shot better, and the one after that is smooth sailing.

Khanne checked stamina at difficulty 10, rolling 3 higher.

Aleksei checked stamina at difficulty 10, rolling 15 higher.

Saedrus no doubt drags Aureth to the table, he doesn't bother taking a seat though, just eyeing off the three shots in front of him.

Victus just holds out his hands and shrugs exaggeratedly at Aleksei. "I don't know. Look at his face. I could see someone havin' the desire to punch it." Another shrug as he's hauling himself over to the drinking competition. "Besides, can't hate one person all the time. That's fuckin' boring." But now it is the time to drink, drink like their life depended on it. And he shall do so.

Victus checked stamina at difficulty 10, rolling 14 higher.

Aureth checked willpower at difficulty 15, rolling 7 lower.

Esoka has been holding off drinking all night. Just for this. She downs her first three shots of liquor in quick succession, doing more enthusiastic table-pounding after she's swallowed them. No flinching or grimacing. She just grins and calls for, "Another!"

Aureth checked stamina at difficulty 10, rolling 4 lower.

Ugh this is a terrible idea, but all right. Aureth will line up the shots, too, since he is at the damn table. Except he lines up the first shot and that's as far as he gets. "Nope," he says hoarsely after one drink, with booze in his nose and tears streaming from his eyes. "Just nope. Nope, nope, nope." Having noperocketed into the sun, he is out.

"/I/ care," Aleksei sniffs at Magpie as he approaches the table. He peers down at his first three shots, tossing back the first with a startled grimace. "Fucking Abyss..." He knocks back the next two, gasping, but surviving.

Khanne downs her first three shots, then bites her lip. "Shoulda had more bread before coming..." She chuckles as she watches Esoka. "Another!"

Khanne says in Northlands shav, "My hero!"

Saedrus takes a steadying breath and takes up the first shot. The poor courtier almost chokes after the swallow, reaching a hand to Aureth's shoulder, "Gods.." he whines. "No.. no, no.." in concert with Aureth's equal level of bitching out of the contest. They'll go sit over there, and look pretty instead.

Victus downs the rum like it was nobody's business. Except it was, because, it was a competition. "Mm. Kinda feels like it's tryin' to fight ya' on the way down. Like an actual octopus that's clinging to your throat when you try to swallow it." He taps on the table a few times. "More, more, more."

Magpie is just laughing at the reactions to the rum. "I swear, the more you have the more you taste the fish... You don't even want to know what we had to do to get this." He says, then grins when Victus puts the taste to words. "Damn.. you're a poet. You should write some stories for me to put in Mystery Bags." He's being quite serious.

"Fish?" wheezes Aureth from the table to which he has retreated with Saedrus. "/Fish/?"

Saedrus whines in complaint after the echoing of 'fish', gag. ugh.

"Oh, come on!" Mae whines out, to Aureth. Mind, Mae's not drinking the stuff. And she seems fully aware of it. She just giggles, and starts pouring out more of the inky black, high-proof rum. Where the hell did they get this... "Round two!" Mae calls out.

Aleksei checked stamina at difficulty 15, rolling 2 higher.

Magpie has rolled a critical success!
Magpie checked stamina at difficulty 15, rolling 36 higher.

Esoka checked stamina at difficulty 15, rolling 11 higher.

Victus checked stamina at difficulty 15, rolling 7 higher.


**********************************************************************
Under the threat recently faced in Farhaven and its forests, scouting parties have been combing Redrain lands and the Gray Forest alike to find any traces of what could be the source of the surely fabricated stories. Princess Marian Redrain, Lord Armand Farshaw, Mistress Jayanthi Hawkeye, Master Aksel Nygard, and relunctant Sword of House de Lire - Shard, leave towards the Northlands and return to the city amidst even more cockamamie tales. Trickling down from the North however, the bards sing more about the legend of the wendigo at the fireside and in the tavern. Bloodied and bruised, each in their own way, though a few brows are raised at Lord Armand's bleeding temples and the full set of stag horns tied to his horse's saddles as they enter the city gates.
**********************************************************************


"If I end up puking for the first time in forever, I am blaming the grossness of this rum, not the fact I drank a lot..." Khanne complains to Magpie while setting up her next round.

Khanne checked stamina at difficulty 15, rolling 3 lower.

Shard pushes into the Murder, in the process of rubbing her face. She looks tired and sour, the latter of which being her usual state, and she pauses only a moment at the threshold to peer at what exactly seems to be going on.

Magpie just sighs in disgust at Aureth's wheezing. "Honestly, Aureth." He says with an eyeroll. "It's not *that* strong." And to prove it, the man keeps throwing back more of the shots without missing a beat. He snickers at Khanne's complaints, "You just need to go sailing more. Everything tastes like the sea. Don't even notice it after a while."

Esoka turns to beam at Khanne and reaches big palm over to clap the lady's shoulder roughly. "Another is right!" She gets herself another glass, which is downed. This time, there might be some grimacing. Just might. She works her jaw as if literally chewing on some before swallowing.

"I just know from experience. Seafood likes to try an' take its revenge from beyond the grave." Victus muses in kind to Magpie with a shorthand gesture to Aureth. "What's the Queen of Death stance on dead things taking you with them after the fact? It's probably pretty glorious, right? 'Cause if so, octopuses are the fucking elite." Then it's onto the next drink, which he hammers back and sets back down on its head.

"This stuff is disgusting," Aleksei reports. "Also, sailing is terrible." He looks down at his next set of shots with a hint of reluctance, but he's in it to win it, apparently, because he steels himself and shoots them down one after another. "/Ugh/."

Grasping at the side of the doorway, Agnarr slowly ducks his way in. He's kind of dressed for the occasion, which is to say that lovely fancy gambeson, simple clothes otherwise, and no armor. He moves to stand somewhere out of the spotlight.

"The seas are unkind to those who it hates." Victus retorts to Aleksei's comment. "That's gonna be another figure in the burn-pile."

"Are you all trying to poison yourselves?" Shard asks, before moving toward an empty spot of wall without waiting for an answer. She leans against it, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Aureth is just getting soft... " Magpie teases, glancing over to the man with fond amusement before asking Victus, "Did you try that other stuff I sent over? Which one did I send you, the python wine?"

Mae looks all too pleased as the shots go down. She's grinning, ear to ear. It's probably becuase she's not drinking. She then turns, and grabs up another bottle of Prince Creston's Black Rum. The inky black mixture that smells of molasses, high-proof alcohol, and the deep ocean. Mae starts pouring again, and then looks over. "Shard! Agnarr!" she says, with a grin. "Either of you want to drink? It's a competition!" she adds, as if that might help.

Saedrus leans up against Aureth, the sane person here, with another small whine. Catching the eye of a server he asks gently for, "a bottle of red, please, the same I had a glass of," to wash the taste out. Ugh. "I have known soldiers to tast--" no, wait, he won't finish that sentence and falls quiet instead, eyes on Aleksei that's /still going/.

Shard points at the current line of drinkers. "Not with the faces they're making."

"Death doesn't choose how you go," Aureth says with a slightly raspy complacency as he scratches his hand at the back of his neck. "She merely embraces you when it's time. She doesn't foreshorten your life, nor will its story ended. Not her thing." He rubs at his beard, and then says mildly, "I've been sailing fairly recently. Mostly what I remember is ''freezing my balls'', so, no thank you."

"Mangata doesn't hate me!" Aleksei insists. "She likes going with the flow. Anyways, I like being /in/ the ocean. I just don't like being -- on /top/ of the ocean. Like on a boat. On the ocean."

"Shard'll join," says Agnarr, not terribly inclined himself to join by the look of it. Even if, at a glance, he doesn't look easy to topple. He finds a spot to linger on the same patch of wall as Shard and reaches over to give her a light push towards the drinkers. "Tell 'em how tough you are, eh?"

Khanne manages to down her drinks, but looks a bit green at the gills after. She sticks out her tongue and shakes her head, stepping away from the table and finding a seat at the bar, back to her beer, which she downs, quickly, in effort of ridding her mouth of the taste. "Nope... nuh uh. I breathed seawater and it was better than that..."

"Says you, Aureth. I got it on good authority she might just sick a horde of skeletons on someone," Mae the Harlequin says to Aureth. The shots are all queued up and handed out, and Mae gives a little wave. "Round three!" she declares. "Bottoms up!"

Victus rolls his eyes right on. "You lot suck. 'Cept you." He points to Khanne. Well, he tries to. He's off-target the first time, but after a few more lazy gestures he manages to catch her at the end of his finger. "Because breathing sea-water was pretty fucking magical." On they went, to the next batch of drinks.

Aleksei checked stamina at difficulty 20, rolling 10 lower.

Victus checked stamina at difficulty 20, rolling 8 lower.

Magpie has rolled a critical success!
Magpie checked stamina at difficulty 20, rolling 8 higher.

Shard narrows her eyes and pushes Agnarr back, not that this does much of anything. "No, she won't. I'll keep my ability to taste instead."

Esoka checked stamina at difficulty 20, rolling 3 higher.

"Sure, yeah, if you obliterate souls and remove them from the /Wheel/, she'll fucking destroy you," Aureth says with a shrug, "but /generally speaking/, the skeletons are okay guys. It's the zombies you have to watch out for..."

"Knowing you, the only taste you ever know is sour, anyhow," grunts Agnarr in reply to Shard, giving another retaliatory push, this one somewhat more effective than the one she gives him. But not by much. His hand tucks at his swordbelt. "What's the winner get anyhow?"

Magpie seems remarkably stable despite how much rum has gone into him. He looks between Khanne and Victus, "Hey, the next time you guys go and do that, I want to go. That sounds amazing!" As the next round comes out, the man just cheerfully drinks each one down as if he were sucking down beer. Maybe his grand plan is working? "Aureth! Can I have a skeleton bodyguard?! Pleeeease?"

"Is there //really// squid in this?" Esoka asks, raising her glass and //peering// it. She sounds a little fuzzy as she makes that query to no one and everyone. "Well. Whatever. I will defeat the sea monster things!" And she drinks some more, making an "Ugh!" sound and a wincing face. But she manages to ask for, "Another."

The High Lord downed that last shot without a hint of hesitation and set it back down just as quick. For a moment, Victus is still, staring straight ahead. "Oh. Wow." He grunts. "Think that might have been... Hm... Where's my cat?" He turns on his seat, squinting eyes toward the floor. "Who's got my cat?" As he tries to stand, his legs give out and he's promptly crashing flat on the floor. This however, does not deter him in his quest. "She's around here somewhere, that little shit." He begins to crawl, two palms forward with his legs dragging right along.

Shard looks as though she's going to push back yet again, but ends up letting it go. "Fuck if I know, I just got here. A bucket?" She watches Victus fall over with a squinted eye. "Probably a bucket."

Saedrus blinks, leaning up off Aureth when the High Lord of the Mourning Isles goes down and starts asking after his cat. "Oh dear," he asides to Aureth.

"I suck /very well/," Aleksei says with a bit of a cackle as he girds his loins for the next round of shots. He's looking a bit hazy now. He lifts the first of the next set, incredibly reluctant, and knocks it back. And then, before he even gets to the second or third, he suddenly scrambles, tripping over his feet, to tumble onto his knees in front of bucket and heave his guts up.

Khanne smiles at Victus and nods. "Yes, yes it was. Still feels like a fucking dream..." She watches the others drink, cringing when they do, just at the memory of the taste. She blinks and watches Victus go down hard, as any large man would. "Wow...." then to Aleksei with a laugh, "wooooow!" She laughs more, shaking her head.

Saedrus winces. Ugh. Babe. Why?!

Mae sends a sly glance over to Shard, grinning like an idiot all the while. Could be she's just terribly amused that she's got so many peopl drinking this foul black liquid. She then looks back to the drinkers. She spots her husband, drinking like it's his job. She sends him a grin. Then she looks as Victus crashes down to the floor, and her eyes flash wide, but she starts to giggle. "Out!" she calls, to the man who is now Highlord of the Floor. She barely has time to savor that image before Aleksei is trying to sell Ralph a Buick. Metaphorically speaking. "Out!" Mae declares, and points at Aleksei. She starts pouring out two more shots, smiling all the while.

"No, Magpie, you cannot have a skeleton bodyguard," Aureth says with a deep sigh. He winces a little as Aleksei crashes to the bucket, and he pats Saedrus sympathetically on the shoulder. "We're going to have a lot of fun hauling him back up the hill, you and I," he says.

"A bucket? Ought to make me a knight for drinking that stuff," Agnarr jibes, raising his arm to lightly elbow the Shard-targeted word. He wrinkles his nose as Aleksei gets to vomiting, muttering.

Magpie just giggles when Victus falls to the floor, "Noooooo.... You need to win! Ooooh, that's sad." He says as the High Lord is declared out. Then Aleksei is down and vomiting in the bucket and the Grayhope sailor is snickering more. "Well, now I know something I can beat Aleksei at!" He says around more laughter, then just giggles more when Aureth tells him no. "Why nooooot?" He asks, some slurring working into his voice now. Then he looks back to his wife, "Alright, let's go. I'm just playing for bragging rights, Esoka. You're already a winner, so don't be afraid to give up."

Talia slips out quietly while people are drinking, barely a whisp in the wind.

Esoka blinks owlishly at the vomiting and falling over going on. Squaring her shoulders and persevering. She waves a hand, an unsteady swipe of the air, at Magpie. "Phah! To the last, uh, squid drink burning thing, Magpie Grayhope Culler Deputy Prodigal...person!" She gives the table a final bang and reaches for the next glass.

Shard scowls at the mention of knighthood, but the sight of Aleksei puking into the bucket doesn't seem to phase her terribly much. "Don't worry, he's just demonstrating his reason for disliking the ocean."

Mae steps on over, with two shot glasses. She sets one in front of Esoka, then leans over Magpie. "You're Magpie Culler in the Inquisition's records, by the way, my love," Mae says, with a big grin. She kisses his cheek, then sets down the shot glass in front of him. "Round four!" she declares.

Victus manages to find himself another chair to occupy himself. Not one that had his cat in the vicinity, unfortunately. But surely that fat fluffball couldn't have gone far. "My wife thought the snake wine was funny." He calls out in Magpie's general direction. "She got bit by a fucking snake herself. Was a weird week... Damn that bottle would've looked nice in the cabinet." He rests his chin in his open palm, looking wistfully to the competition. "Next time we got on a fucking magical Marin'alfar adventure, I'll bring you Magpie. Take your wife too. See if she wants to deal with the evil sting rays."

"Aye, hate ships myself. But you get over the sickness after a day or two," opines Agnarr, bringing a hand up to stroke at his beard and peering over Esoka's way with a head-tilt, she being the last woman standing. "Need some extra hands on board?" he calls Victus's way, priorities also in mind.

Esoka checked stamina at difficulty 25, rolling 12 lower.

Magpie has rolled a critical success!
Magpie checked stamina at difficulty 25, rolling 45 higher.

"He really, really doesn't," Shard says.

"Why?" Agnarr asks his lieutenant.

Aleksei mumbles something into the minor echo of the bucket. Eventually he pulls his head up, peering blearily out at the crowd. And then he drops onto his side on the tarp. He hugs the bucket and makes miserable noises.

Shard shrugs, and gestures towards the poor Archlector now hugging the bucket.

Saedrus sighs, leaning to touch a kiss to Aureth's cheek before he stands to go and see fallen beloved. Maybe Aureth will come to help though considering when Saedrus kneels by Aleksei, brushing fingers into the man's dark hair he asks, "do you think it is time to go home?"

Esoka is going to //do this//. She stands up, swaying like a muscular, tattooed tree in the breeze. Looking more than a little green, truth be told. She manages to swallow it, but staying upright is apparently no longer a thing she manage. There is a loud, dramatic crash as she topples to the floor. Chairs are harmed.

Magpie peers at Mae, "Whaaaaat? That... no. I am fixing that. Tomorrow!" Will he even remember? He snatches up the shot and throws it back without so much as a flinch, squinting in Victus's direction. "Thanks! That sounds like it'll be a lot of fun!" Well, that's what he was trying to say, it comes out more like 'Thanksh shound lotta fun', but surely people will get the gist of it. He gives Esoka a wan smile as she teeters, "You got this." He says encouragingly, then winces as she goes down. "Ooooooooh. You don't got this." Very very sad voice.

Aureth does sort of shuffle in Saedrus's wake. It's most likely going to take both of them to haul him off properly, really.

"Oh, thought you meant Victus." Agnarr's a mite less concerned, because this means he might still get extra money. He curiously watches the last round, then exhales to see Esoka topple. "Loaded drinks," he accuses. Well, not really.

Shard glances over toward the bar, then toward Archlectors and Whisper. "Need any help?" she offers.

Khanne blinks tiredly and says to Victus, "You have to take me too! Again! Never enough times.... "

Mae watches the shots go down, ever so excited. And then her eyes flash wide. No, she's not worried about Aleksei spewing. Or Victus unable to stand. It's Esoka that gets her attention. Crash! A chair or two breaks, and she winces, eyeing them a moment before she steps over and crouches down. "Sweets? Are you... are you alive?" she asks, ever so sweetly. Then she glances up. "Winner, Magpie Culler!" she declares loudly. Then looks back to Esoka.

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Victus before departing.

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Victus before departing.

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Victus before departing.

Esoka shoves herself semi-upright, though she remains on the floor. Blinking at Magpie. "What?" Blink, blink. "What happened? Did I win?" A blink around the bar. Gradually, it sinks in that she is staring at them from the floor. "Maybe I did not win." She pokes a piece of chair. Then, belatedly, throws a fist into the air and manages a, "Wooo!" for Magpie.

Mae gets Prince Creston's Black Rum from the most incredible crate.

Mae gets Prince Creston's Black Rum from the most incredible crate.

Mae gets Prince Creston's Black Rum from the most incredible crate.

Mae gets Prince Creston's Black Rum from the most incredible crate.

Mae gets Prince Creston's Black Rum from the most incredible crate.

Mae gets Prince Creston's Black Rum from the most incredible crate.

Mae picks up Prince Creston's Black Rum.

Khanne bites her lip and looks at Esoka. "Are you okay?" She's not chuckling... okay, she is a little.

Magpie checked dexterity at difficulty 40, rolling 24 lower.

Binky, an asshole crow have been dismissed.

Gregory, an unassuming disciple have been dismissed.

"Hey!! GRAYHOPE. Magpie fucking-... augh. Tomorrow, woman." Magpie protests, then smiles again and gets to his feet. He goes to bend a bow to everyone, "Thank you all for your su--- " And he falls to the ground. "Owwww... my face." There's a long pause, "Hey, peanuts." Because he had thrown some earlier.

Saedrus continues to try and get Aleksei out of the foetal position and cuddling the bucket, with some help from Aureth. "Come on, we need to get you home, Aleksei," he prompts gently. Evergreen eyes turn up to Shard and the Whisper's cheek flush a little, chuckling, "that might be helpful. Though, if you wish to stay you are more than welcome-- Aureth and I can manage, I am sure." Says the world's scrawniest Whisper.

Aleksei is a bit of a dead, stumblish weight, particularly for Aureth and Saedrus, neither of whom are known for their brawn. "That rum tastes like /being on a boat/ which is why it's /terrible/," he slurs. Shard helping would probably be beneficial.

Mae, down on her knees, wraps her arms about Esoka. "No, sweets, you did not win," she says, as she holds the woman, ever so tenderly. She then looks up, just in time to see her husband faceplant. She winces. Then giggles. "Oh, Magpie..." she says. She then whispers to Esoka. A whisper that's probably loud enough for, oh, everyone to hear. "He's really fun when he's drunk. Let's me /do/ things..."

"Go help your favorite archlector," suggests Agnarr, pushing off to stand up straight, scratching at the small of his back under the gambeson and looking at Mae with a squint. "Do enlighten the Murder, eh?" he requests, mildly.

Esoka keeps her fist in the air and waggles it at Khanne. She's fine! Ish. She does not try to get up yet. "Yay!" she cheers, when Magpie joins her on the floor. A hand is reached over to kind of slap at him in a shoulder-clapping sort of way. "You are a winner!" She grunts as Mae hauls her to her feet, and she gives the bar a wave of...not triumph, exactly.

Shard isn't really known for her brawn--but as it happens, she does have some. In fact, she has quite a fair amount. She pushes off the wall she's leaning against and moves over to help as she can. She's a mercenary captain, it's not her first time helping out with someone very very drunk.

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Shard before departing.

Aureth likely goes off ahead of the group, since Shard has kindly stuck around to help, to see the house is open and you know, buckets are readily available, or something. Saedrus though helps where he can, the other side of Aleksei, and a smile to Shard. "Thank you."

Serenity, Drysi, a young shaman apprentice, Champ, a pygmy goat of excellence leave, following Khanne.

Aleksei looks suddenly -- if drunkenly -- delighted. "I'm your favorite Archlector," he not-really-whispers to Shard when she comes over to help. "I'm her favorite," he adds to Saedrus, leaning in off-balance to try and press a kiss to his cheek. "You're /my/ favorite."

Magpie gives Khanne a warm smile. "We're *both* winners, Khanne. We're both winners." He slowly climbs back to his feet, crunching on some peanuts as he does. "Thank you all. I... am going to go take a piss now. Carry on." He announces brightly, and heads for the door. Then he stops at Victus's chair and reaches to give him a bro-hug. "Thanks for coming, man, in case I don't make it back inside." Then he's moving on.

"No!" Mae declares at Agnarr, giving a scrunch of her nose to the man. Then she looks over to Aleksei and Shard and Saedrus. There's a laugh. "There's Knights of Solace right outside!" she declares. "On orders from /Dame Thena/ to haul drunk Archlectors back home!" she adds. Then she turns to watch Magpie go. There's a sly smile on her face.

Saedrus is about to get a rum-and-vomit laced kiss and the Whisper draws back from Aleksei, "oh, Aleksei.. no."

Shard hefts her side of Aleksei, and gives him a squinty look. "I only like two of you," she false-whispers back to him. "That's not a big accomplishment!"

"Still have a job to offer me," Agnarr reminds Mae. With the intense competition dying down, he moves to take a seat at one table, watching the Shard-and-Saedrus-aided Aleksei go. "I'll buy you a bottle if you ever make Shard over there smile, 'lector."

Another hug. Third one of the night. That's a record, and an extra one for awkwardness too. Still, Victus gives the man an added thump on his back for it in true sailor fashion. "I gotta find my cat." He replies, standing up slowly with the aid of the back of the chair. "Mae. Small one." A gesture in /that/ general direction. "Good shit you Grayhopes got. Good shit. I'm gonna win something next time. Swear." Just then, he spies the fluffy ball of concentrated irritation that was his feline friend stalking by the door. His eyes go wide, and immediately the giant begins stumbling and lumbering over there. "You little shit, you made me worry. You are so /fucked/ when I get over there." And just like that, the cat was out the door. The High Lord would not be deterred from his vengeance. "RUN WHILE YOU CAN." He shouted across the Lower Boroughs as he made his exit.

"I've made her laugh," Aleksei tosses back at Agnarr. And then his expression /plummets/ when Saedrus /won't kiss his vomit mouth/. "What!" he cries, staring forlornly at him. "Why don't you love me? I vomited and now I'm a vomit face and YOU DON'T LOVE ME ANYMORE." He slumps, which surely doesn't help with trying to haul him out.

Lilybelle - Fluffy Maine Coon leaves, following Victus.

"Still!" Mae declares, over to Agnarr, as she keeps arms on Esoka. She needs to keep the woman upright, after all. She's whispering to Esoka, but that stops as Victus goes stumbling after a cat. "I-... Good night, Victus!" she calls. There's a nose scrunch to go with. "He'll... probably be okay..." she decides. And then eyes are on Aleksei. Mae cringes. She /cringes/, and holds that look on her face as she stares.

"Ain't counting it if I don't see it," states Agnarr, somewhat stubbornly. He brings up a hand to briefly palm at his face at Aleksei's next outburst.

"/Aleksei/!" Saedrus groans when the man slumps, forlorn and apparently rejected. Saedrus complains, and would probably normally go down if it weren't for Shard taking most of the Archlector's weight. "I /do/ love you-- but, oh for the sake of the Gods, Aleksei! Stand-- up!"

Esoka passes a purse to Mae, to cover the games and something-or-other, giving the smaller woman one of those poundy pats on the shoulder. "Of course! This was very fun! And I won almost! Except I did not win." She manages to steady herself against a table. Eyeing the door, like she's plotting her way out in her brain. She toes the wreckage of one of her chairs. "That should pay for that!" She grimaces at the sight of Aleksei. It does not bode well for her.

Shard sort've...angles her shoulder more under Aleksei to try to keep him from just slumping straight to the floor. That's probably not very comfortable for either of them, but she has a dogged, determined expression on her face at this point. "Up, come on."

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Shard before departing.

"I am standing!" Aleksei claims, even if he's standing in a distinctly slouchy-slumpy-drunky kind of way. "Right?" he demands of Shard, who will clearly support him. "Even thought I should just LIE ON THE FLOOR. //BEREFT//."

"If you lie on the floor," Shard says, straight faced, "I'm getting my horse and I'm going to pull you back home by your ankles."

"Thank you, Esoka," Mae says, with a sweet smile. She presses a kiss to the woman's cheek. "There's Knights outside to walk you home," she says. As if the knight will take such an offer. Then she looks over to Aleksei. She scrunches her nose. "The floor doesn't want you either! Get out!" she yells his way.

Saedrus sighs. Loudly. "Thank you, Mae," he says off in the girl's direction, whining again for the jolt of Aleksei's outburst. "You can lie on the floor, bereft, at home." Saedrus then tells Aleksei. A look to Shard suggests they hurry up before either Saedrus gives up, or the Archlector does (though the former will probably come first). "Do not tempt me." Saed says of horses dragging the man home.

"The floor of the Murder loves me!" Aleksei declares before he's hauled right on out and all the way home.

Esoka checked stamina + athletics at difficulty 30, rolling 21 higher.

"I think I will stay in the Lowers tonight. Even if I still think that shop and apartment have roaches," Esoka says. She dislodges herself from Mae, and the table, and manages not to faceplant directly back on the floor as she makes her exit. It takes //supreme// effort and involves a lot of weaving.

Keso, a street urchin, Peanut, an oversized mastiff leave, following Aleksei.

Khinn, the Surly Attendant, Aleksei leave, following Saedrus.

"Party's over, looks like," Agnarr exhales, and, stepping over some mess on the floor, rises from his chair with a roll of his shoulders. "Try not to swallow any roaches or spiders," he adds to Esoka.

"You can stay here!" Mae declares, to Esoka. "We have rooms," she says, and gestures. This is, afterall, an inn. There's a huff, then she turns to Agnarr and flashes a smile. "Help yourself to nay of the food! I need to... to go find my husband. Make sure he didn't... I don't even know," she says, scrunching up her nose.

"Send me one of your urchins when you've decided how much you're to pay me," Agnarr reminds Mae thus, looking over to the remaining foodstuffs. He glances over at the bucket, then around the place, then decides, "Next time. Like my bread toasted."