Cheryl the Assistant Innkeeper, Scourge, a sweater wearing rat-dog leave, following Mae.

GusGus, the fluffy Whitehold Mountain puppy, Drysi, a young shaman apprentice, Shailaja, a Whitehold Mountain Dog, 2 Crimson Blades Private arrive, following Khanne.

Waldemai eyeballs the sweater-wearing rat-dog.

It's been a while since there's been a Darts and Drinking Night at the Murder of Crows. RUMORS say that this has something to do with marital issues between Magpie and Mae. And, well, they *are* divorced now. But, the event is back on! Rejoice everyone! Although, at the moment, Mae isn't here yet and Magpie is sitting at the bar looking rather beat up, but whole. "Hey! Come in come in.. come in.. Commoners and Nobles tonight alike. All are welcome if they're willing to donate to the Soup Kitchen. Hope you brought your drinking bellies."

Cheryl the Assistant Innkeeper, Scourge, a sweater wearing rat-dog arrive, following Mae.

Waldemai calls out, "It depends on what we're drinking tonight!"

Victus checked stamina + athletics at difficulty 30, rolling 49 higher.

Josephine's already there, off by the fire - her bones are old - and sipping something heavly spiked. The somberly dressed woman in lycene silks and the discreet jewelry on her person. "A surprise, and very strong, have no doubt Goodman" Josephine calls back.

Josephine checked luck + legerdemain at difficulty 30, rolling 28 higher.

Khanne chuckles as she walks in just in time to hear Magpie's announcement. "I always bring my drinking belly!"

Making his way in, the large form of Jeffeth Bayweather hesitates near Magpie, leaning in to place a gentle hand on the man's shoulder. VERY careful. Leaning in he murmurs quietly to Magpie before stepping away with a bright smile, then the big man is moving to take a seat.

Jeffeth has joined the Window Table.

"Hello, Murder!" Esoka shouts boisterously as she makes her way in. Bright and stompy, as she generally is. "I am ready to drink!" And eager.

There's a bit of a rustling at the door as the familiar form of Victus begins to lumber through. Only he's not come alone and it's not just because of the cat nor bodyguards this time. Instead, he's brought with him an entire throne, carved of wood, that matches the big man in height. "'Scuse me. 'Scuse me, comin' through." The High Lord lugs t he driftwood throne on his back all the way through the establishment, and eventually sets it down with a loud 'thump' right in front of the crow bar. He has to awkwardly climb over the armrest to sit down, but he looks mighty satisfied with himself when he finally does. "Alright alright, what're we drinkin' tonight?"

Victus has joined the Crow Bar.

Out of the back, carrying a crate, is Mae! Bundled in darkness, layers and layers. With her, less bundled, is Cheryl. Then comes Scourge, who is definitely bundled for the cold. The little dog is be-sweatered and be-scarfed. Mae moves to drop the crate somewhere behind the bar. It clattered and clings. Hopefully doesn't break.

Mayir makes his way out of The Back, tipping his hat to the regulars here that recognize him as an underboss of the Grayhopes. "All right! Darts night! And drinking, too, I guess, but darts is my game!" He stretches his fingers. Need to get limber for this.

Harper slips in just behind Victus before the door closes behind him. Panting hard she pauses to catch her breath before meandering into the room, eyeing the throne with raised brows as she darts out of the way of the servants carrying it. Spotting Esoka she tosses her a grin and a wave, heading over her way. She gives Magpie and Mayir both grins as she wanders past.


**********************************************************************
It's so subtle that most people fail to notice it. For just a moment, perhaps no more than a half a second, every single silver coin in the city of Arx glows faintly. A little glimmer, a trick of the light surely that the vast majority dismiss, or perhaps their eyes deceived them. But still, a few swore it happened. If only for a half second.
**********************************************************************


Waldemai signals for, "An ale...got to get warmed up." He flips a coin on the bar, and...well, you all saw it.

'well perhaps we know where all the stolen rocking chairs have gone." Josephine mirthfully states. "It is an intruiging seat your Grace." She offers up. "Waldemai, come warm yourself by the fire as well. I don't bite."

"Oh, we're not doing darts I don't think and what the fuck, High Lord? You brought your fuckin' throne? Is that for me?" Magpie asks from where he's sitting on a stool. Then he spies Harper and throws the woman a warm grin, "Heeey, you made it." Jeffeth gets a grin too. "You're covered tonight man. Anything you want, on the house."

"Hey, Harper! You make sure you pay your entry fee!" says Mayir, pointing at the guardswoman that he spots. But he's kidding. Is he kidding? Anyway. He takes silver coins from an entrant, then glances down for a moment. "And we haven't even started drinking yet."

Khanne watches Victus carry a throne, of all things, into the Murder and plonk it down. She looks at the thrown, then to the man and smiles. "Moving in?"

Waldemai takes his ale right over to the fire. "I'm too used to the heat at my forge," he grumbles. "Makes my blood thin in the winter. How are you keeping?"

Khanne blinks at Magpie. "What? Did you say no darts?"

"What? It ain't all the way from the Maelstrom, just all the way from my house. In Arx, also not on the Isles." Victus replies with a shred of mirth as he sits back in his seat. There isn't exactly enough room between his legs and the bar for him to actually spread out all that much, but he does a decent job hiding that much. "I figure if I'm gonna end up on my ass tonight, it might as well be somewhere I'm familiar with- and what the fuck do ya' mean no darts?"

Mae looks up, squinting at... something? Nothing? She stares a long moment, then shrugs. She turns, and steps back over toward Magpie. "Sorry about bein' late. I, uh-... Had a... thing..." She's staring at Victus, and his throne. "Oh, goodness! Apparently this is Thrax land now," she says, as she grabs Magpie's arm. "No darts tonight?" she echoes.

'No darts?" Josephine echo's everyone else. "Well that's just... what is it tonight then?"

A shout raises up from a table. "But it's darts night!" It's definitely Jeffeth, the big man is frowning.

Alayne enters the gathering like a starved woman fresh out the streets. She'd have her skirt weaving and waving back and forth as her knees prodded strongly into it on heavy footing towards one of the tables. Gloved, long and spindly fingers wrapped around many a handful of fruits to pull herself a giant's plate- mashed potatoes, two slabs of bread - knifed each with a spread of cheese atop - and a bowl of stew to go with. She'd bring the assortment to a far-off bench, sitting down solely with the purpose of eating like a starved woman at sea.

Jacali comes meandering through the door with a shady figure somewhere nearby, as average as can be. A fingerless-gloved hand lifts to tap her knuckles beneath the brim of her hat in a casual doffing to any that happen to look her way. There's a quiet clinking as she makes her way to the bar, and the observant might note the presence of bottles hanging from a thick, cheap leather belt. She's missed whatever news has people chattering, something about there not being any darts. The man behind her seems utterly crestfallen, but for her part her grin couldn't be cheerier. Her hands rest on the bar, tapping out a pattern in rhythm over and over again, "Must ask, me, simply must, just whom might I speak with in regards to donating some -most- splendid refreshments for this evening's gathering, ey? Who, indeed? Brought some of me own, thought it right neighbourly."


Magpie looks at Mae in confusion. "You *told* me no darts. I didn't make any." He says in sudden irritation. Maybe that post-marital/divorce business isn't fully resolved. "Are you fuckin' serious, Mae?" Watch the man's temper flare, everyone.

Esoka waves back to Harper, a big upward swoop of her arm. "Come for darts? Or drinking? Both are fun, though I'm poor at darts. I've nearly won the drinking contest a couple of times, though." Nearly. Her lack of clear victory makes her frown, and set her jaw in a determined sort of way. "Hello, Mae." She attempts to foist a purse of silver on the woman. "For the kitchens. And also the drinking."

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

Duchess Scone, a prissy white puppy arrives, following Melody.

"Wait! Wait! I'm here to play darts! But I thought we just meant no souvenir darts!" says Mayir, trying to scramble and save this thing. "We can still PLAY darts, right? I mean, we at least have three behind the bar we can use to play." He just doesn't want Mom and Dad to fight!

"I told you no /commemorative/ darts!" Mae complains back at the man, tugging at his arm. "Is the stuff inside your head okay? Or did it get seriously broken?" she asks, with a frown, as she stares at Magpie. Then she turns to the crowd. "We are playing darts tonight!" she calls. "Just no commemorative darts!"

Harper grins at Mayir and tosses him a wave, "As if I wouldn't!" She just chuckles as Victus sets up the throne before looking over to Esoka. "Heya Aunt Esoka! Somehow I doubt I'm all that good at either of them, but I'll try!" She turns around and follows suit to Esoka, "Here you go, Mae." She chuckles at all of the arguing over the darts, then turns and gives Jeffeth a grin and a wave as she spots him.


There's a hesitation as Jacali turns her head to look toward the quarreling lovers, her lips pulled tight in a drawn line as her eyes dart back and forth between them, her hands coiling into fists as they still rest on the bar. That drawn line turns to pursing as Magpie's temper begins to rile, "Lad, she's gunna get that big'n in here, she will, can see it in her... bitey one, I remember, sharp and smart like a whip, she is." A finger is lifted to now point between the two of them, her brows raising so high that it actually begins to lift the brim of her hat. "And we're all gunna have to find a new place t'eat, on account of the crime scene what's gunna be left when all's done..." And then Mae's firing back, a slow breath leaving her in a sigh.
Her head hangs a touch, and she merely quiets down and begins lifting bottles from their secured place at her hip, placing them on the bar top. "Goodness, I don't belong in this place, me, I don't..." She mutters.

Khanne bites her lip, not wanting to be -that person- to complain about no commemorative darts. Instead, she asks, "we still get booze... right?"

Waldemai sits down in a chair near the fire, puts his booted feet up on the table, and leans back to watch the show. "And they ask me why I never married..." he muses and has a nice swallow of ale.

Jeffeth lets out a relieved sigh, leaning against the wall. Whew. "Be more clear next time!" The big man calls out from his table. As Alayne enters, the large knight quickly stands and waves. "Alayne!" He motions to his table and one of the empty seats before going to sit back down at his table.

Harper gets a little wave and a light smile. "Hey Harper." Jeffeth calls out before his eyes flit to Esoka and he bounces back to his feet once mroe, only to duck into a bow. "Dame Greenblood." And then like the human jack in the box that he is, drops back into his chair once more.

Josephine has joined the Hearthside Table.

With Duchess Scone tucked under her arm, Melody steps foot into the Murder. She pushes -- Probably squeezes, past a few drunk revelers, before hoisting the tiny puppy up into Jeffeth's face. Boop. "Hi Jeffy!" With that (very) important bit out of the way, she falls into a quiet, watching the others get set up.

Alayne's cheek puff horribly large while she struggles to chew and process the insumournable lengths of food in her mouth. With her gaze summoned by Jacali's complaints, the northern woman brought up a hand and a loud, throat-clearing set of groans to draw Jacali's attention, taking quite some time until she swallowed before speaking. "Come," she'd say, using the relatively point-ended end of her chin to direct the bar-hoarding Apothecarian to the bench before her table. "You'd most likely fit here. Somewhat."

Waldemai has joined the Hearthside Table.

"Oh son of a fuck." Victus breaths out once Mae and Magpie get into it. "Hey, hey now. Everybody's here with the expectation it's time to get drunk off our asses. Ain't no place for hostility when there's booze to be shared, eh? Besides, no commemorative darts? Pshaw. I don't remember to bring mine home half the time. In fact, once I woke up and it was in the side of my cheek. Didn't notice till the baby ripped it out." The Prince of the Maelstrom continues off on this ramble for some time yet, some odd-ball complaints about 'children throwing hands' and 'kicking pointy-things deeper'. "Anyhow, let's have some fun yeah? Also I'm really not in the mood to get back up after I dragged this thing through half the fucking city, so..."

Jeffeth grins broadly at Melody, letting out a quiet laugh before motioning for her with a hand to take a seat.

Jacali checked luck + all at difficulty 9, rolling 5 higher.

Magpie looks at Mayir first with a sharp look, but then Mae is tugging at his arm and what they're saying sinks in. "Oh." He calms down rapidly, then winces. "Ow. Stop pulling." Then the man clears his throat and looks around at the crowded room. "Right. Darts are happening." He slides down from the stool and slinks around behind the bar to fetch some extra darts to set on the counter. Then he looks at Victus and snickers softly. "I can't believe you brought a throne."

Melody has joined the Window Table.

Mayir looks over at Harper and waves her over to a seat near him, grabbing one of the tables here. "So, why was Magpie asking all about whether the two of us were close?" is the question just audible as he takes a seat, folding his hands in front of him.

Mayir has joined the Murder Table.

As Magpie realizes what's what, Mae just flashes a bright smile. And when he goes to pull away, she lets his arm slide out of her grip so much until she can grab his hand, tug, and then kiss the back of it, with a loud 'mwah'. Then she peels away. "Okay everyone! Darts! One thousand coin to play if you're a fancy silk. Two thousand if you're so fancy you brought your own /throne/. One hundred silver for us low lifes," she says, loudly. "OH, and, uh-..." She points to Jacali. "Give it to Mayir." She points at Mayir.

Jacali dutifully offers the bottles to Mayir, then settles off somewhere out of the way.

Khanne heads over to Mae after the announcement. She leans in first to give the woman a hug, then pulls out a small pouch of silvers to hand over with a smile.

Josephine is overheard praising Grady.

Josephine is overheard praising Grady.

Abilard, a methodical researcher arrives, following Perrach.

Abilard, a methodical researcher have been dismissed.

Waldemai puts up his hand to play, and passes over his coins.

Harper makes her way over to Mayir and sits in the chair offered. Leaning in to listen to his question, she just laughs and shakes her head, "Reckon you'll have to figure that one out on your own." She just grins and looks around, pointednly avoiding answering Mayir any more than that.

Esoka large waving takes in Jeffeth as well. "Sir Jeffeth! Here to represent the Knights of Solace tonight? I'm not grand with darts - too small, I think - but I'd rather enjoy trying to outdrink you." A shake of her head to Harper. "I'm sure you'll do fine! And if not, that's part of the fun. It's all for a good cause. Even if you don't get a small sharp thing to take home."

"Oh! Uh! Thank you!" says Mayir, brightly, when the gift of the alcohol is handed off to him. "We should talk sometime. You in the business?" he asks of Jacali, half curious and half wary, perhaps, but interested.

Jacali settles in next to Alayne once the handoff is complete, her grin turning broad as she nods in the other gal's direction, "Ello, poppet. Lovely evenin' to get pished, I'd say." One bottle she's got left over from her giftings is lifted up, offered toward Alayne.

Victus shifts over a bag of coins to Mae, having to lean over the bar to effectively do so. As he reaches into his back-pocket for the rest, patting back inside of his coat for a moment. "Uhh..." The Prince in the throne leands toward Magpie. "... Can you spot me an extra thousand silver?" From the look in his eyes, this is /not/ a joke.

Harper has joined the Murder Table.

Mae flashes a smile to Khanne, returns the hug, and kisses her cheek. "Good to see you, sweets," she murmurs. Then she takes that money, and continues to move around, collecting coin. "Same as last time, we are playing for /two/ rubicund ingots tonight! Courtesy of Baron de Liar... er. De Lire!" Mae calls.

Magpie eyes Victus, then sighs. "Fine." He mutters with an eyeroll, reaching to pull some coin out and dump on the bar.

Perrach doesn't appear to be excited for the games but that is his usual mein. The Thraxian Knight ventures towards a vacant seat to catch up on what has been missed. Sadly it's knowing his High Lord needed to borrow coin in the lowers.

Esoka has joined the Murder Table.

Jacali checked luck + all at difficulty 9, rolling 10 higher.

Alayne's eyes settled briefly on Mayir as Jacali approached and she wouldn't hesitate to summon the sailor with a simple wave of her hand. "Come sit with us, I'm sure she'd be happy to answer," quickly explained Alayne whom's right hand shot out to take the bottle of spirits out of Jacali's offering grip. "My goodness, thank you. In the business of gifting, are you? Did you brew it yourself, or did you just 'happen' across it as if a gift from the gods?" inquired the northerner, twitching her smile a toothy white, mirthful thing while pulling off the cork of the bottle, sniffing its contents.

"I'll do both." Jeffeth calls out to Esoka with a bright smile. "They do drinking after darts which is very smart." The big man calls out with a solemn nod before leaning in over to Melody and scritching the head of the puppy she holds. The puppy does not look like she likes it.

Perrach has joined the Crow Bar.

Having gently set the puppy in her lap, Melody then begins fishing in her coin purse, struggling with the coinage. "They're all silvery and different sizes," she grumbles out, "Why does it gotta' be so complicated?" Eventually, fortunately, she finds the 'right' amount, and passes it off to Mae when she draws close. "Hey you. Been well, I hope?"

Mae grabs Melody in a hug when she gets close,a nd kisses her cheek. Mwah! "The silver ones are all worth the same. It's the brown ones and the gold ones that are different," she says, with a grin. Then she pulls away. "Alright, let me draw out numbers!" Mae calls, as she starts to work picking matches.

"Ahh, see? Jolly cooperation between noble and common." Victus muses, his cat having clambered up the back of his oversized throne to sit atop it as a perch. Her one eye looks out across the crowd disdainfully. "Didn't even have to lose a dagger over it neither." He presses one boot between the bar and himself and /heaves/. Sliding the driftwood seat back just enough that he wouldn't have to scale the back of it if he wanted to be free of its royal constraints. "Oof, fuck. I hope my throwin' arm ain't gonna be hampered tonight. I ain't come in the top three since this whole thing started ya' know!"


"Made it, truth bein' what it is, noodle, myself, I did. Same as I did all that which I brung tonight, not that it matters." She smirks toward Alayne, leaning back in whatever chair she's settled herself on as her accompaniment, Vandred, goes off to get himself involved in the festivities. Jacali leans toward Alayne, brows high, hand moving to lift the brim of her hat so that she might actually look at the woman with those pale green eyes of hers. "Quite known, me, well know for fragrances as well, should you be lookin'." The alcohol inside that bottle is rich, dark and sweet.

Vandredis an average man, in average clothes. Exceedingly average, and with slight bags and an expression of being altogether on the wrong side of bed. A small coinpouch is plucked out from his belt, opened and peered inside. Ah, the joys of wealth. It's given a small shake before the coinpurse is donated to Mae, either by handing it to the woman, or putting it in a donation bowl - whatever might work best as it seems to be too busy. His dry lips part and smack as he looks at Jacali, and he offers a single thumbs up towards the woman. Oh, he revels in this, considering he offers a smile.


Mae goes to the chalkboard next to the dart boards and she starts rolling dice and writing some things down. Then she starts writing on the board. "OKAY!" she hollers. "We're going to start with High Lord Victus the Poor vs Sir Jeffy the Vehemently Silver! After that, we got... This Vandred fellow against Miss Josephine. Then Salty Sir Perrach and Maybe Half-Elf Alayne! Next, Melody Who Owes Me A Letter and Waldemai The Drinker. The Most Beautiful Shaman In Aion will be taking on ... Mayir. And finally everyone's adorable little sister Harper will get a bye." That's a lot to say. Mae sucks in a breath. "So! Victus and Jeffeth!"

Magpie seems fairly content to just lean on the bar now, watching. The man never joins the darts, and tonight he's looking tired, so maybe he won't even make it to the drinking. He overhears Jacali though, and asks, "Fragrances? I have this amazing perfume that I'm almost out of. Think you could make more?"

The smell proved immediately too much for Alayne- the sweetness and richness of it quickly bringing a downpour of grimacing and wrinkled layering across the bridge of her long, thin nose. "My goodness," she'd murmur, hesitantly forsaking all sorts of good manners and inhibiting virtues to latch her pale lips around the bottle's core tip and thus drink directly from it. Soon, her countenance whole grimaced- Alayne slapped the bottle down on the table and groaned - gods, she groaned - clearing the path of her throat like a giant's belch. "Its sweet. Its really, really sweet- you said you brought a lot of these? How kind," she'd reply, falling to hoarse murmurs from the after-effect of the drink while dabbing at her mouth with a cloth while watching Mae, and the hypothetical scoreboard.

Khanne has joined the Crow Bar.

Lowering himself into a seat at the crow bar, Perrach watched as the damn cat made it's climb upon the seat. The Thrax man shook his head with obvious dislike of the half dead thing. From the common room of the Murder the challengers are called out, pairs matched then Sir Perrach shouts aloud, "Pretend the board is that fucking cat!" That should be enough encouragement.

"Hey!" calls out Mayir, protesting. "Why don't I get a title? Man. I'm not writing ads or anything for you for a while." Mutter, mutter, mutter. He shakes his head. But then he goes back to murmuring at his table.

Melody slants a smile as she's called out. "Aw, Mae! I'll definitely get you that letter soon." Worrying her bottom lip a moment, she turned in her seat to better take in the room, winking at Jeffeth and quietly wishing him well before getting distracted by the scents that Jacali is apparently sharing with the others. "Got a shop around here, by any chance? I'd love to see what else you've got."

Sir Jeffy stands up from his table, giving Melody's shoulder a squeeze as he moves across the tavern floor towards Victus. One fist is raised to his chest as he gives a half bow to the other man. "Your Grace." The knight greets, nodding his head to the other man once he straightens. Motioning to the board to the High Lord. "After you, your Grace." Jeffeth is looking over Victus' shoulder to the throne and arching his brow a little bit before looking back to the board.


"Bet I could, bet I could, could indeed at that," Jacali retorts to Magpie without turning to look toward him, too captivated by Alayne's reactions, a slow smirk tugging one corner of her mouth upward. "Brought different sorts, me, I did... maybe one of those might be better to your liking, it well might. Brought some bitters, me, brought some ale..." She begins, finally finding her manners to twist to look toward Magpie with a quirked brow, "Can make custom fragrances, too, aye, I can. Some I've concocted already, I have, might well like them, you could. Stop by the Black Cauldron, I'll sort you right, I will."

"Mayir the Whiner against Khanne the Beautiful!" Mae quickly corrects herself, as she starts writing out names on the chalk board.

Victus stands up. "First round against that giant?" He muses, looking Jeffeth up and down as he approaches the darts board. "Can't catch no breaks or no silver it seems." With a quiet chortle, he takes his position with tiny dart in hand.

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

Victus checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 41 higher.

Victus checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 39 higher.

Jeffeth checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 24 higher.

Jeffeth checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 53 higher.

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

Khanne chuckles as Mae makes her corrections to Mayir's name. She shakes her head with a grin and says to him, "that's what you get. Good luck to you, when it is our turn." She sits at the bar, putting Drysi and GusGus to work. Seems the shaman isn't taking time off, fully, but is writing a few missives to be delivered before things really get started here... or, well, at least until she is no longer sober.

Any kind of answer Alayne could've brought to Jacali was immediately drowned beneath the missiles for darts that flew out of Jeffeth's grip, smashing into the bullseye as it was. There was a certain shuddering to her jaw, and she'd squint; she'd squint horribly tight at that, until her eyes slowly dragged back to Jacali. "I'm more the kind of woman to endeavor in bitter drinks, yes. The more bitter the better- sweet.. Hrm, sweetness isn't too good on my tongue," she'd admit, bringing up the bottle's cork to struggle it back in place. Alayne wasn't exactly strong- she had to work that cork's edge to slip it in quite a bit until it lodged itself properly.

Harper laughs and gives Mayir a grin, "See that's what you get when you complain Mayir!" She bumps him with her shoulder, "Next time be careful what you ask for."

Magpie gives Jacali a nod, "Yeah, alright. Sounds good. I'm Magpie Grayhope, by the way." He extends a hand to the alchemist. "Think you could mix up a custom scent, just for me? Something that says.. 'Magpie Grayhope'?" He asks with a grin.

Mae steps back, to watch the throws as they go. Of course, she has to eye Victus. "Did /you/ just call /him/ a giant?" she asks, eyes going wide. "You both are half giant as far as I am concerned," she huffs.

The first dart hit, but isn't anything to write home about. Jeffeth sighs quietly and adjusts his stance taking his second dart and flinging it powerfully this time a double bullseye. And the third, another bullseye. The knight rocks back on one heel to survey his work. "Well thrown, your Grace." He turns to give Victus a bright smile. Taking a few steps back, Melody's words have his attention and then he's looking over to Jacali and Vandred.

Jeffeth is immediately retreating from the darboard in their direction before giving a bow. "You two. Vandred. Jacali, right? Good to see you again." He offers a bright smile at that. "I'm glad to see you, because I wanted to apologize for my behavior the night we met. I'm not usually so..." He purses his lips thoughtfully as he looks at the ground. Then back up to the pair of them. "Cranky. I apologize for my crankiness." A bow.


"Could well do, aye, I could. I'll even do you the courtesy of not namin' it anythin' like 'The Shameful Wank', or 'Blood Sausage Memoires'. 'Right Bastard' might still be in the drawin', mind, dunno. Don't quite know ya yet. We'll give you a sniff when you come in, won't we? Aye, we will." Her smile is the barest bit crooked, her hand moving to grip hold of Magpies for a firm shake, "Jacali, that's me, it is. Ol' Jac, Grinnin' Jack, yer smilin' friend." She nods with every bit of that introduction, before her attentions meander their way back to Alayne, "I've just the thing, I have." She releases Magpie's hand, held much longer than might be comfortable, so that she might rummage about in her satchel before withdrawing a much smaller bottle. This, she offers to Alayne next. Apparently it's time to get -soussed-.

"This is what happens when you drink the best 'tea' in the Compact," Melody remarks with her elbow propping up on the table and her chin in her hand. "The next day you find yourself with no coin and the worst luck." This was followed with a sigh, and a touch of concern clouded Melody's expression as she considered Jeffeth. "You were /mean/ to someone?" She turns that now wide-eyed stare onto Jacali for a moment. "I don't believe it. Be nice to her, I want to collect all the good scents."

The disappointment on Victus' face is palpable. He lets out a long, drawn-out sigh as he turns, patting Jeffeth once on the shoulder as he goes by before returning to his seat. The throne creaks with his added weight and his eyes land on Mae. "I don't meet people tall as me often, and people throw 'giant' at me plenty enough. Figure we're like our own species by now. That's how that works, right?"


Vague recognition settles in as Jeffeth speaks, Jacali's brows raising once again as she considers the large man blatantly. She just watches him for long moments, considering his words. "... Aren't no harm, noodle, no harm done. We all have our bad days, we do... other'n me. My life's an enchanted thing, it is, and it's hard to be too upset when you're so lovely as I, as ever, ever-splendid." She nods.

"You should start a club, your grace," Mae says, to Victus, ever so sweetly. "A close match, but Lil Jeffy takes the round! Next up, Vandred and Josephine!" she calls. "C'mon up."

Josephine checked luck + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 33 higher.

Josephine checked luck + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 40 higher.

Josephine checked luck + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 17 higher.

Vandred checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 23 higher.

Vandred checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 13 higher.

Vandred checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 20 higher.

Having heard the term 'giant' one too many times, it was perhaps Jeffeth hadn't noticed Alayne sitting so close-by to Jacali while addressing her, for the woman and her height did the best they could to hunch and midget herself on that bench she sat on. "You're offering out drinks," she'd mention, reaching out to grip the smaller bottle from Jacali's grip and thus bring it before her, studious of its surface. "But you yourself aren't drinking much. Is this some kind of trap?"

Perrach watched Jeffeth best Victus in the round, the knight doesn't make too much noise over it. "Need a bigger target and spears."

"Oooh, Right Bastard. I like that." Magpie says with a smirk. "Call it that. It's funny." The man says, watching as Jacali just hangs onto his hand for a while. When she lets go, the man reaches under the bar for a rolled cigarette of tobacco and lights it on a candle, "How much a custom job like that gonna cost me?"

Her turn. Josephine uncrosses a leg and the woman who's easing her way into her fifties is making her way to the dart area. There's a kind smile for Vandred. "Good luck" She offers before taking up a trio of darts that she seems to like. Fingers running along the metal of it before lifting them and one two three, off go the darts None in the center like normal, but respectable. Mostly. It's not her best throws. She stands to the side for Vandred, silently watching.


Staring dully at the dartboard, Vandred seems to wake up a bit as the first set move up to throw. Maybe it's the sight of someone he recognises. He doesn't verbally acknowledge Jeffeth, but there's that upswing of a head that is a backwards nod, before he then speaks, "Evening, Sir Jeffeth. Good throwing." . That seems to be as good as the man has, in terms of full conversation. He raises a hand and rubs his thumb's knuckle across both of his eyes, working at them for a second.
He takes his odd set of darts, rolling the three of them a few times in some half-hearted attempt to at least figure out which ones are heavier and lighter, before giving up on that. He instead simply lobs the darts like they're other implements that should be thrown, before offering his gloved palms up. "Good throwing." He offers to Josephine, with a gloved thumbs up and then a nod towards Mae. The man steps back, offering the floor to the next set of dart throwers, and meanders his way back in Jacali's direction.


"Don't fret. She's a darts shark," Mae says, flashing a smile to Vandred. "Alright, next up! Perrach and Alayne!" Beat. "See, Victus? More giant-kin."

Alayne checked luck + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 11 higher.

Alayne checked luck + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 15 higher.

Alayne checked luck + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 1 higher.

Alayne checked luck + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 0 higher.

"I really am a dart shark. The looks their faces Goodman Vandred, when I first came to play. I don't think they thought I would be able to see the board even."

Jacali checked luck + all at difficulty 9, rolling 36 higher.

Perrach checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 14 higher.

Perrach checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 2 higher.

Perrach checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 35 higher.

"Which one? They both look tall to me." Victus muses, scratching at his bearded chin as he looks between the two. "Ohh the girl. Yeah, she /is/ a big one ain't she? I bet you've got bear-blood in you. Or maybe something in the water?" The High Lord tilts his head to the side slowly, pondering. "How does one make big people anyway..."

"In my experience, your grace, they pop out of women whilst thunder crashes and your ship threatens to go down," Mae says, oh-so-sweetly.

Vandredoffers a smile, despite the otherwise blank expression. He nods back towards Mae and Josephine, before offering his right gloved palm roofwards in surrender. "I just wanted to throw something. Give a bit for charity. And the amount of food I am going to eat tonight. Thank you for the opportunity. Have a pleasant evening." There's another bob of his head in a polite bow/nod that doesn't exactly bring chin to chest. "I look forwards to seeing the winner."


"Vandred." Jeffeth smiles toothily before looking down to Melody with a frown. "I wasn't /mean/ I just.. Orathy was bein'.." The big man waves a dismissive hand. "It doesn't matter, I just wasn't being very social. Is all." When Jacali calls him a noodle, the big man's lips contort and he lets out a breath of a laugh before smiling ever so brightly. "Well thank you. It's good to see you again. Both of you." The knight says to Jacali with a warm smile before Alayne's name is called.

Jeffeth straightens up quickly and looks caught off guard for a moment, eyes widening for a moment. His mouth starts stammering for a second before words come out. "Ah Alayne. Good to see you again. Welcome to the Murder." He just smiles brightly for a moment before clearing his throat. "Ah, best of luck." And then is quickly trundling back to his table, his attention snagged momentarily by Victus before he settles down once more with Melody.

Almost as if awakened from some kind of stupor, Mae's calling to her had Alayne stand up from the table with a sudden slap of both hands against it. "That's right," she'd announce, a certain gruffness to the apothecarian's voice- a certain tone that demanded business and attention to her; to the surefooted steps of hers, as she meandered - bottle of Bitterbite goodness in hand - all the way towards the offered darts. She'd weight them like a child holding its first knife, sizing one end to the other. She even seemed about to throw with the feathered end first, until getting a good handle of it.

Stars and constellations having aligned, Alayne doesn't horribly handicap an onlooking spectator when she throws the darts, miraculously landing them haphazardly across the broadness of the board, with a toothy; a white smile to show. "Did I win?" she'd suddenly ask in excitement, yet something about Perrach's throws soon had her look more than doubtful on the matter.

Perrach slides off the seat at the crow bar when it's his turn to throw. There's a brief look to Alayne, the is probably a permenant setting of his demeanor. She's acknowledged to throw first before his own darts are cast. Once finished, the knight flatly answers. "No."

"Oh," Alayne replied to Perrach- as flatly, as disheartened, and snuffed out much like the proverbial candle. "Well, congratulations," she'd intone in addition, showing definitive hardship at the prospect of admitting defeat. She shook the bittersweet drink in her grip after before struggling the cork; struggling it to such degree, she utterly failed at opening it.

"Winner, Sir Perrach!" Mae calls out. "Good job, both of you. Next up, Melody and Waldemai!"

"Too bad we can't summon a kraken to fight for /every/ birth in that case." Victus chimes back to Mae. "It'd make your job a hell of a lot more fun I bet. Suppose though if we had thunder, lightning, and /two/ krakens... Shit that baby would be HUGE."

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

Understanding hits Melody immediately when Jeffeth mentions the name 'Orathy'. "Ahh..." This prompted the Prodigal to lean over and give Jeffeth a plush kiss on the cheek. "Well, whatever. You apologized and now you're beating the High Lord at a game of darts. Oh -- Now it's my turn." She deposits the puppy into Jeffeth's arms before moving to the dartboard. "Best of luck, Master Waldemai!"

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

Waldemai checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 22 higher.

Melody checked luck + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 57 higher.

Melody checked luck + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 42 higher.

Melody checked luck + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 47 higher.


"Depends on the quality, that does," Jacali retorts to Magpie.
There's so many people to look at, so little time. As Vandred moves to approach she turns her gaze his way, taking in a deep breath and letting it out in an exaggerated sigh. "You're a disappointment, you are. Failed me for the last time, you have." She tsk's, sighs again, shakes her head and returns her attentions to Alayne.
"Delicate constitution, me. Prefer watchin' others enjoy the fruits of my labours, me. Right Saint, I am, a Saint. Our Lady of Perpetual Inebriation they call me. Saint Jacali, Our Lady of Good Times." A pause, "Changed my name, I did, me, I'm allowed that." The corners of her mouth flick into a bit of a grin, before her attentions are once more forced to shifting toward another face. Jeffeth this time.
"A right pleasure, tis, yours and mine, his and them, we all... most blessed." And then to Melody.
"You're welcome, chickadee, most very welcome to come to the Black Cauldron, aren't so far out the front door. Fine beverages, all, sweet and bitter, spiced, warm and whatnot, I've everything you could need and the skills to produce all that you'd want, I do." She announces, ever so proudly, "And many fine fragrances for ladies such as yourself, hen, floral and fresh, pure and lovely, ey? Ey? Aye."


"Best of luck, Melody." Jeffeth rumbles before he is popping onto his feet, and quickly bounding over towards Alayne. "I can get that for you!" The big knight announces probably a bit too loudly, motioning to the bottle and the cork. He didn't kick any chairs over or anything on his way over. Of course not.

Waldemai throws reasonably well for a blacksmith with big, thick hands. "Oh, well done," he says to his opponent, and laughs. "Now I can get to the serious drinking."

Melody throws reasonably well too! Rather exceptionally well, today. Seems luck was on her side. "Well, I'm not complaining with those kind of results." She flashes a grin Jeffeth's way before nodding at Jacali's suggestion. "Oh I'll definitely come by! Maybe when this whole thing dies down, if I'm still able to think clearly."

Mae watches. Waldemai gets a big smile. Then Melody goes, and she lets out a low whistle. "Wow, okay. That was-... Okay!" Mae laughs. "Winner, Melody. Next up, Khanne and Mayir!"

An immediate, quiet shreak imploded out from Alayne as Jeffeth came thundering her way- however tall was this woman, Sir Bayweather certainly made her feel compact-sized, funneled more-so once he was standing right before her. She gulped, doing so thickly, with her left hand sticking out, Bittersweet drink in hand. "Here, thank you- oh, you shouldn't have. Its so much trouble, and the puppy; whom's puppy is it? It is adorable," she'd offer, and comment, watching Melody's little canine momentarily before looking not too far up to Jeffeth's face after.

Khanne checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 0 higher.

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

Khanne checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 12 higher.

Mayir checked dexterity + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 33 higher.

Mayir checked dexterity + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 26 higher.

Mayir checked dexterity + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 43 higher.

"It's not over yet." Perrach states to Alayne before returning to the seat at the crow bar. His movements are haltered to witness Jeffeth leap at the chance to help. Meanwhile the Thrax man resumed sitting. To watch and scowl.

Khanne looks up when Mae calls her name. She sets her quill down and gathers up three darts. She smiles at Mayir and says, "good luck to you." But really... does he need luck? She tries to focus, her tongue even sticking out a little, as she throws each dart, but.... they are rather miserable throws. Probably her worst ever! She pouts and says, "if only I could use a bow..." Laughing she nods to Mayir and says, "all I can say is... at least I am better than my husband. Have at it, Mayir."

Lottie bounced on in in usual form, gold curls rebounding about her shoulders animating the little baker all the further. She was quick to glance about, a large grin catching her features as she noted how gloriously jovial the crowd was. Oh and there were games! Two of her favorite people playing their turn in fact! She maneuvered thattaway through the throng of patrons to observe and cheer.

Mayir hops up to his feet at the announcement that it is his turn at darts. He waggles fingers over at Harper as he goes, perhaps daring her to heckle him. But the Grayhope thief -- er, marine logistics -- fingers are nimble and he plants three solid darts on the board, routing the shaman. "Hah! Who's whiny now, Mae?" he asks. "I mean, me probably." He answers his own question. "But still!"

Soot, a gray foxhound puppy, Violet, a shopkeeper, 1 Crimson Blades Lieutenant, 3 Iron Guardsmen arrive, following Petal.

Mae's watching again, smiling encouragingly all the while. Khanne throws. Mayir throws. "Winner, Khanne! ... In the contest of being sweet and lovely and wonderful and adorable and not whiny. In, uh, throwing darts... Winner, Mayir!" Mae flashes a sunny smile at Mayir. "Next up would be Harper, but she's got a bye this round! So, we move on to round two! Jeffeth and Josephine!"

It's not long before Melody is scooping up the puppy out of Jeffeth's arms and making her way back to Alayne. "Duchess Scone? She belongs to Sir Jeffeth," the Prodigal says with a tick of her chin towards the Knight. "I've decided to take her out for the evening. This is /probably/ the worst place to take such a tiny puppy, but I'll be sure to keep her safe." Another smile blossoms and she adds, "I'm Melody, by the way."

Harper grins over at Mayir as he moves toward the dart board. As he ends up throwing really well, she grumbles over to Esoka, "Damn and I was all set to heckle him. Where's the fun in that?" She calls over instead, "Good throwing Mayir!"

Josephine checked luck + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 31 higher.

Josephine checked luck + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 40 higher.

Josephine checked luck + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 39 higher.

Jeffeth immediately grimaces as he practically storms through the tavern to help. "Sorry." He quickly proclaims, looking down at Alayne with a slight wince. "Very sorry. Just. Saw you needed some help, is all." There's a hard swallow but the drink is handed over. A task! Jeffeth quickly opens the cork with one hard twist of one meaty mitt. The Bittersweet is then handed back, and he's glancing down to Melody and the puppy.

"Well she's mine. Duchess Scone. But Melody helps me take care of her because." Jeffth frowns a little bit, looking sidelong at Alayne. "I'm not sure if she likes me that much." Then he's being called to play once more, Jeffeth smiles broadly to Alayne, "Enjoy your drink!" And then is heading over to get his darts.

Petal arrives in the Murder of Crows while toting along her very large sewing basket. She is followed by about about four guards. She smiles when Mae speaks of the winners, but she does clap. Then her her hands are quite full! She continues further inside, looking for a place to sit.

Jeffeth checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 75 higher.

Jeffeth checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 38 higher.

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

Khanne sticks her tongue out at Mayir and says, "see, I still won." She gives him a wink and heads back to her seat at the bar, and, presumably, her quill.

"Hello, Mayir!" Lottie called, sidestepping toward the bar and utterly reeking of the scent of her profession. "Congratulations on your win!" And she dipped a curtsy to the next she greeted. "Well fancy seeing you so soon, Lady Khanne!"

Lottie has joined the Crow Bar.

"If I am beaten, then I am beaten." Josephine murmurs to Waldemai. And there's a msile for Jeffeth. "A pleasure. Shall we?" All that somber grey sil is re-arranged so her arms aren't hindered by them and she throws her own darts again. Better, much better than last time and a deep satisfied breath, she steps back to let Jeffeth throw now.

Alayne looks relatively flabbergasted as Jeffeth goes this way; that way- looks this way; that way, and can't help but just follow and trail him with a lightly ajar look on her face until he's off to dent the board again. Eliciting a calm sigh, Alayne brought the bottle up to her mouth and took to a deep swallow before glancing back down to Melody, her lips thin; her smile having gone up to her eyes, now watching the downward woman with hints of mirth to her. "I like small dogs- puppies, that. The name's Alayne, by the way, nice to meet you Melody," she'd say, reaching out with a gloved right hand as offering.

Magpie finally eases out from behind the bar and wanders over to one of the tables, sitting down next to Esoka with some care for healing injuries.

"Lottie! Hi! Oh my gods! It's been so long! I saw your ad that you had restocked!" Mayir the Triumphant makes his way over to Lottie, throwing his arms around her to give her a hug. And a kiss on the cheek. If she will allow. "How are you?"

Magpie has left the Crow Bar.

Magpie has joined the Murder Table.

"Winner, Jeffeth! Who is clearly gunning for the victory... Next up, we have Perrach and Melody!" calls out Mae.

Khanne hears a nbame and looks up, spotting the blonde woman quickly enough. She looks up and exclaims, "Lottie! Hi! Everyone is in love with the icicles! Absolute love!"

Victus' attention is stolen by a messenger that wanders on through the bar, clad in one too many silks to be comfortable here in the murder. They certainly seem ready to flee at any moment as Victus takes his sweet time reading through the missive. "Mhm... Mhm... Yeah, tell Cora after the darts and drinks. I'll be sober-enough." He murmurs in reply and quick as lightning, that messenger is rushing right back outside. Now would be about the time that he'd try to swivel in his seat, but unfortunately a throne had no such swivel technology. With an annoyed grunt, he stands up again and stretches out wide. "Magpie! You gonna drop us a hint to the drink of the evenin' or what?"

Melody checked luck + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 29 higher.

Melody checked luck + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 50 higher.

Melody checked luck + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 40 higher.

Lottie did allow, giggling in her bright fashion and returning the kiss to Mayir's cheek. "It really has. I'm good! I got caught up helping my Pa with some things and my poor counter girl is just... well, I'll be honest. She's useless, but sweet. Couldn't keep up between orders and daily bakes. How are /you/?" And then to Khanne she grinned all the broader. "Oh, good! Those batches turned out great! I'm so glad they worked out for everyone."

Petal continues further inside. She cheers when the next match is announced before making her way toward the bar and choosing a seat there.

Jeffeth's first dart is a.. triple bullseye? That's probably not a thing, but it's definitely a double bullseye. The next two throws aren't as exceptional, but they definitely rack up the points. The big man bows his head to Josephine, a bright smile on his lips. He then is going back to join Melody and Alayne once more.

Magpie looks over to Victus and grins, "I don't know anything about this one, High Lord. I had nothing to do with it. Could be *anything*." He shares.

Petal has joined the Crow Bar.


Vandred can do nothing but offer a soft shrug towards Jacali, it is his best approximation of a heartfelt apology. "I am not good at darts." He admits. He doesn't otherwise intrude in the woman's conversations, and instead pads his way towards the food spread, and it looks like there's already a hunk of brown bread being secluded in a satchel for later - while he proceeds to get himself some stew, eating in heavy full mouthfuls while still standing near the spread. There's an intent to get his fill, and then some.


Victus says, "Fuck you mean /NOTHING/ to do with it?!"

Perrach checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 45 higher.

Perrach checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 7 higher.

Perrach has rolled a critical success!
Perrach checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 49 higher.

Mayir gestures over at the darts being thrown over there, beaming at Lottie. "Well, I won my first round, but I bet one of these other people are going to crush me. Like this Knight of Solace over here. But I need to come by the shop sometime and get a cookie from you! And you never did give me that date we talked about. So need to collect on that."

"I mean, I don't know what it is. At all. But I plan to drink, for sure." Magpie says, grinning widely. Because it'll be so good for his health.

"You do?" Melody asks Alayne with a tilt to her head. "Well, you ought to stop by somet --" Mae's calling her name again, so now Duchess Scone duty has been passed onto Alayne for the time being. Another few skillful throws has her miming wiping the sweat from her brow, and then she's back to sitting by Alayne and Jeffeth. "I'm doing pretty good today, Jeffy. Who knows, maybe I'll win? We should bet on something..."

Lottie's brows lifted in unison, large blue eyes wide as she glanced toward Victus and his exclamation before attention returned to Mayir. The expression remained, an odd juxtaposition with the excitement of her words. "Oh yes, yes. I know. Send me a note with a where and when! But no where /too/ nice. I only got this one dress after all and it ain't nothin' pretty like the silks wear." She blinked, looking over to Khanne briefly and cleared her throat. "Er, I mean nobility."

"You are going to die in a puddle of vomit one day." Victus informs Magpie. "And I'm sorry to say, but it'll probably be funny too."

Khanne grins at Lottie at the correction. She shrugs and gestures to her silk (and fur, leather, shamany like dress even if silk) dress. "I mean, it's no steelsilk, but..." She shrugs again.

All color and liquid drained out from Alayne's face once the puppy was put between her spindly, coarse fingers- coarseness slightly abated by less-so - yet still by no means smooth - clutch for gloves covering her hands. She'd struggle to accomodate the little creature, lifting it this way; lifting it that way, having it face left, then right- then she'd hold it against her shoulder like a baby, which prompts out a lick to the lower portion of hear earlobe that sends thunder down her spine, and she quickly brings it back down to a basket-like clutch. A hundred types of relief came upon her once Melody returned, and she lowered the little thing for a pup back to her with the preciousness of a golden relic. "You'll win," she'd reply to Melody, huffing.

"Magpie won't die!" Mae whines out, catching Victus' words. "I promise. I'll dutifully keep him alive. Again."

"There are worse ways to die..." Magpie replies to Victus perhaps a bit more ominously than he meant, but there it is. He looks around then, frowning, before calling, "Mae!! Is Scourge here?"

Josephine has left the Hearthside Table.

Lottie gave Khanne an appreciative smile in reply to her lack of offense. "It's all very nice! I especially like that bracelet. It is moonstone?"

Scipio comes striding into the Murder with a few passing smiles of acknowledgement, and makes his way up to the bar. He knocks his knuckles against the scarred surface, and orders a glass of neat whisky.

"Okay!" says Mayir, cheerily, as he thinks over their options. "Sounds good! We can go to the Traders! Or to the brewery! It will be fun." He beams and kisses Lottie on the cheek. "So glad to see you again! But I'm up soon!" And then he's flitting back to his table to take a swig of ale before his round.

Mae turns from Victus and Mags to watch throws. Melody goes first, and Mae flashes a big smile. Then she looks back over, to Magpie. "Huh? ... Oh, yeah. I mean, I locked him in the cabinet behind the bar. He was being annoying," she says, flippantly. Back to the board, she counts Perrach's darts. "Winner, Melody!" she declares. "Next up, Mayir and Harper!"

"Lest you intend to chain 'em and leash 'em, I have an odd feelin' he's gonna keep getting into weird shit." Victus tuts in Mae's direction, slapping a big hand on Magpie's back for emphasis. Painful emphasis. "Just an odd hunch. Considerin' you smell like..." He takes a whiff of Magpie's shirt. "Yeah there's something illegal in there, I guarantee it."

Khanne looks down at the bracelet mentioned and nods with a smile. "It is! A gift grom my husband. He gives the most amazing gifts." She turns her wrist a little, admiring the way the stone shines, then lowers her hand.

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

Mayir checked dexterity + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 19 higher.

Mayir checked dexterity + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 23 higher.

Harper checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 12 higher.

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

Harper checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 10 higher.

"Nice throwing." Perrach compliments Melody flatly though he recognized the skill. The Knight returns to his seat again to watch the rest of the contestants.

The big man watches Alayne struggle with the dog with delight on his features. He keeps looking like he's about to make a suggestion on how to handle the Duchess, but he never does. He just watches with wide eyes, dancing over the sight. Finally, fortunately, Melody returns to rescue Alayne and Jeffeth lets out a quiet laugh. "I think she likes you. But yeah, like Melody was sayin', you should come by sometime. We could have drinks."

Then he's smiling toothily back down to Melody. "You're doing great today Melody. Maybe you'll win." Jeffeth agrees with a bright smile giving an enthusiastic nod.

Lottie heaved herself up onto a bar stool to keep watch of the next round as Mayir darted off, though she grew a bit distracted and leaned to admire the bracelet in unison with the woman. "It seems so! It's just so pretty. And intricate!" As Perrach returned to the bar, she squinted slightly in vague recognition then eyes went wide again as it clicked. She lifted her hand in greeting to the man along with a smile to boot.

Scipio spins away from the bar, taking a sip of whisky as he weaves his way through the crowded floor in the direction of Jeffeth. He raises his hand to offer him a wave and a friendly smile, and helps himself to a seat at his table. "Sir Jeffeth! So good to see you!"

Magpie checked composure at difficulty 20, rolling 15 higher.

Scipio has joined the Window Table.

"Oh, poor Scourge." Magpie looks like he might go rescue the poor tiny dog, but then Victus is slapping him hard on the back and there's a sharp, loud, intake of air as the sailor grabs tightly at the edge of the table. He squeezes his eyes closed and oh-so-slowly lays his forehead down on the table and nurses small, careful gasps of air. The High Lord gets no response from him, he's too busy holding back tears while he white-knuckles that grip to the table.

Oh! Look! It's Mayir's turn! "Watch and learn, Law Woman. Watch and and learn." Mayir steps up right to the line and tosses three tightly-grouped, but not really ideal throws. He shrugs his shoulders. "It's okay," he says. Not his best, for usre.

"Awww, it just had to be Mayir," Harper grumbles as she pushes away from the table, giving Magpie and Esoka an impudent grin before sidling over to the darts. Picking up one and looking at it curiously, she grins over at Mayir, pointing the pointy end toward him like she is going to throw it, "This end goes first right?" Eyeing the board she tosses it, not doing too bad for her first time, but certainly not stellar. At least she manages not to toss darts into anyone and actually hits the board a few times.

Alayne's fingers wrap around the length of the bottle in her hand, feeling at the humid glass while taking in Jeffeth's words. She flared her nostrils briefly after a deep, ruminating inhale, and she'd reply; she'd do so with hints of doubt for undertone. "Come by- come by were, exactly? Miss Melody was about to say, but I fear she was interrupted," Alayne replied, lifting up the bottle to take yet another swallow of its contents. The drink hit her to a face-crunching degree, and she'd lean back; she'd press the knuckles of her bottle's gripping hand against her mouth. "You may be misjudging the situation, Sir Bayweather. Dogs tend to hate me- as do all animals."

"He spoils me rotten," Khanne confesses to Lottie. "Makes me speechless. I am so bad at giving gifts, usually. I just, so often have so much on my mind... I forget." Her lips twist a little to the side.

"VICTUS!" Mae shouts across the way. "Do that again and you and your throne are getting tossed out of here!" she scolds, with a hard, hard look. Hard as an annoyed kitten. "Hmph!..." And then she looks back to the darts. "Winner Mayir," she says, her agitation still present. "So... Jeffeth had top score. He gets a bye. That means Melody and Mayir. Winner will take on Jeffeth for the victory..." she says. All while she glares at Victus.

Carmichael Ulbran, 3 Ulbran Thugs arrive, following Theodoric.

Melody checked luck + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 39 higher.

Melody checked luck + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 36 higher.

Melody checked luck + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 12 higher.

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

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

Mayir has rolled a critical success!
Mayir checked dexterity + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 34 higher.

Melody grinned at Alayne and then slanted it towards Perrach. "Thank you!" And then Jeffeth is praising her as well. "Aw, this place is the best..." She genuinely seems flattered, if briefly. "If I win, Jeffeth, can I keep Duchess Scone?" That smile of hers widens, a cloying sweet smile. "Or am I asking for too much?" A roll of her shoulder followed and Alayne's question was, unfortunately, unanswered, as she was back to the dartboard and just baaaarely scored above Mayir.

Lottie's full attention returned to Khanne and features softened a touch. "Oh, I'm just terrible too. Not because I have a lot going on... but more that I swear thoughts just fall right out my ears at the most inopportune moments. Like birthdays.. and Year's End."

Esoka gives Magpie a determined snort. "I intend to try. I was robbed the last time. And the time before that." Surely this time will be different. She yells some more at the dart throwers. Encouragement! Her yelling is particularly loud for Harper. "If we got to throw actual knives, I think I'd do better at that game. Or maybe axes. My tribe's proficient at axe-throwing."

Perrach has left the Crow Bar.

Petal peeks over the bar, seemingly thoughtful and then she seems a touch nervous for some reason or another. She murmurs quietly to her guards, has a smile and then slips out.

Petal has left the Crow Bar.

Soot, a gray foxhound puppy, 3 Iron Guardsmen, Violet, a shopkeeper, 1 Crimson Blades Lieutenant leave, following Petal.

As the next two come up, Mae steps over to Magpie, and leans down to check on the man. She murmurs a few words.

"Oh, man, I'm a goner," laments Mayir as he hops to his feet for the semi-final round against Melody. And sure enough, he turns in a solid, but ultimately unavailing score. "Well," he says, taking off his hat and dipping a bow to the barmaid. "Well done, Melody! But you still need to answer to me working here, you know." Assistant (to the) Manager.

Harper makes her way back over to the table and slips onto the chair she had vacated before, giving Esoka and Magpie a grin. "Well at least I tried! Gonna have to do some practicing I think." As Victus slaps Magpie on the back, she frowns and half raises back up out of her chair then settles back down and watches Magpie. She leans toward him and whispers to him, laying a careful hand on his arm.

"I didn't even-" Victus starts, looking back between Mae and Magpie in kind. "I didn't even hit you that hard. Fuck's sake man you can beat me in arm-wrestling and now- Ahhhh." He puts a hand on Magpie's shoulders to steady the man, not so rough this time.

"Scipio!" Jeffeth rumbles as he reclaims his seat, waving the Whisper over. His attention then goes back to Alayne, where he gestures to the table. "Would you like to join us Alayne?" The big man rumbles with a broad smile. He slowly looks over to Melody and arches his brow at her wager. He purses his lips and just frowns lightly. "Melody." Jeffeth starts tilting his head back and forth, wavering between decisions. "You can have her for a week or so. How about that?"

Then Jeffeth slowly looks up to Alayne. "Well she certainly dislikes me." The large knight announces, glancing over to Duchess Scone. The knight scoots back and pats the seat next to him at the table for Alayne to join. "So it seems like maybe she dislikes you a little less than she dislikes me. Which is a form of affection, I think."

Alayne has joined the Window Table.

Theodoric strolls in, flanked as usual by a hungry looking crowd of lanky leather clad ruffians. He makes several greetings and he makes for the bar, stopping suddenly to inspect the food spread, and poke a finger into the cheese. Thankfully, he plates up the fondled portion of spread and some bread and then resumes his path to the bar and plops down.

Mayir is overheard praising Mae: Turning in an A-plus Darts and Drinking night, as always!

Theodoric has joined the Crow Bar.

"You best not expect me to be going easy on you," Melody tells Mayir with a waggle of her finger, "Even if I do answer to you." Assistant (to the regional) manager. "And uh -- Sure, a week, Jeffy! That works for me." She's definitely not planning on keeping the puppy longer, nope definitely not. "Anyways, get your butt up here."

Magpie lifts his head slowly again, a grimace on his face. "Yeah..Mae. Yeah. Fine... " He says, then scowls at Victus, "Orathy cracked half my ribs and carved a hole in my side." He says, carefully slouching back in the chair. "First you beg coin off me, then beat me up. Maybe if I sat in that nice throne there I'd feel better." He looks to Harper then, giving her a smile at something she leans in to say to him. "I'm okay, but thanks."

Mayir has left the Murder Table.

Mae waits until she gets some sort of a response out of Magpie. She frowns all the while. Then she glares at Victus again, then finally turns her attention back to the darts. "Winner, Melody!" she says. "Next up... Melody and Jeffeth! Do the thing!" she says, waving at the boards.

Khanne finally notices all the fuss over Magpie. She frowns and looks in his direction, then to those around him. Whoever looks her way first is asked, "is he okay?" Unless it's Magpie, who she would of course ask, "are you okay?" Brows furrowed in concern, she nods towards Lottie. "Me too... he, on the other hand, gives me gifts for Thursday. Or, because the clouds reminded him of my eys. Or a lady bug flew by, red wings reminding him of my hair. or... unicorns. For some reason. Unicorns." She shrugs, eyes still watching Magpie.

Jacali points at Khanne, "I've a fragrance inspired by unicorns, you know. Send him my way, won't you? I could use the coin."

Jeffeth checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 38 higher.

Jeffeth checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 48 higher.

Jeffeth checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 58 higher.

Melody checked luck + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 63 higher.

Melody checked luck + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 48 higher.

Melody checked luck + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 34 higher.

Khanne grins at Jacali. "Do you? I might be afraid to. He still hasn't realized I haven't work the pink.... ugh. Pink unicorn dress."


Vandred has had at least one known bowl of stew. There is probably another that was gone, and the man is half-way through a third with a chunk of bread that appears to have been soaked in enough stew that its constistency falls into the realm of 'dubious liquid'. The man then makes his exit, having paid a bit for charity, eaten his fill, and then is probably off for something less harmonious and heartwarming.


"Well I..." Victus tightens up his lip, arms stretched out. "Well I did not know that. And I'm sorry." It comes out strained, but genuine. "Do you wanna sit in my driftwood chair? Do you want me to go kick Orathy's ass? What, what can I do? I can pay ya' back for the silver and shit."

Lottie was per usual pretty oblivious and until Khanne noted her concern, she hadn't even realized there might have been a problem. She looked over, brows lifting again, but before interjection could be made she was already aw'ing at the Halfshav's words about her husband. "That's just so sweet." And then there were mentions of unicorns. Immediately she looked to Jacali. "Inspired by unicorns? What does it smell like?! That sounds like it could either be AMAZING or... like a stable. I'm hoping for /amazing/." She added a little gesture of her hands lifting and waving quickly with fingers splayed in emphasis of her final word, which she had sort of trilled.

"Okay, showtime," Melody mumbles under her breath, focusing her attention squarely on the dartboard. "Wait, unicorns?" Aaaand her attention was stolen away just like that. It was a bit of a surprise to herself when she steeled herself and managed to score one point higher than Jeffeth, regardless. "Oh, oh wow." Wide-eyed, she turned to Jeffeth and asked, bluntly, "That's unexpected. Do you need some of those rubithings?"

Harper gives Magpie a smile then lets go of his arm and moves back to her chair, but still keeps a close eye on him from time to time. She sits back in her chair and crosses her arms, looking over to Esoka, "Well on a good note I didn't stab my toe, Aunt Esoka!" she tries to sound cheerful but it seems a little forced. Glancing over at Victus, she gives him a faint grin at all the offers to Magpie.


"Not pink, not at all, no. Unicorns are vicious shits, them lot, they are. Romanticised terribly, story's all wrong, it is, isnit? Itis." Jacali huffs, finally standing to her feet, "I'll teach him the right of it, me, I will. Teach him beauty aren't harmless. Black Cauldron," The be-hatted lass with the raggedly fashionable clothes allows, "And feel free, won't you, feel very free to happen by yourself. Come and be merry, share a moment with the Captain of Carousing, mm?"
And then Lottie's asking about the fragrancing, Jacali's head turning that way, a brow quirked. "Like mayhem, that one. Mayhem. Wager I've somethin' different for someone so bright, I do, mind... somethin' innocent, somethin' soft. Fairytale, it's called, Fairytale, indeed. Whimsical and sweet, a dream within a dream..." She waves her hand in a slow arc, voice going all far-away to really sell the pitch, "A gentle, soothing blend of cherry blossom, white sandalwood and star anise... ey? Beauty, that is, -beauty-."


Waldemai applauds the finale. "Well thrown! Well thrown and not a random bedarting in sight!"

The darts are thrown and Jeffeth scores one point lower than Melody. The big man lets out a laugh before throwing up one arm over Melody's shoulders. Hugging her into his side, "Well thrown Melody, good work." The big man pipes brightly before leading her back over to the table. "Drinking starts soon!"

Magpie gazes at Victus, deep and thoughtful. "I think sitting on your chair there will be enough, High Lord." Slowly the man gets up, "Though, if it could be moved over here that would be nice." He leans against the table rather than go to the chair. Khanne gets a quiet nod and a little wink. Then there's a curious look to Harper and Esoka, "Wait, are you really her aunt?"

"Unicorns are beautiful, and gentle... at least, they were when I met them..." Khanne says in disagreement to Jacali. Turning towards Lottie she smiles softly, leaning in to murmur something more quietly before looking towards Magpie again. He winks at her and she nods, then looks to Esoka. "Hi Esoka!"

"Wow!" exclaims Mae, excitedly. "Just one point away! Melody takes the victory!" Mae says, with a bright smile. "Congratulations, Melody! And Jeffeth, good job, too!" she says. "Okay, so I'll get your rubicund, in the mean time, Mayir can you introduce the-... uh..." And Mae's looking around. Left, right, back, forth. "Mayir...?"

Melody bopped Jeffeth's shoulder with the back of her hand affectionately as they wandered back to their table. "Seems it was my lucky day after all." Returning to their company, she winks at Alayne and shares a saccharine smile with Scipio. "I said I wasn't going to get drunk tonight, but beating Jeffeth is cause for celebration," she decides. She was probably going to get drunk either way. "Are you sure your hand wasn't cramped from writing out all those missives the other day, Jeffy?" Then Mae is talking about rubicund and she shakes her head, waving the woman over. "I'm in no rush. Come sit with us if you're feeling up for it?"

Lottie was entranced as Jacali went on with her description of both unicorns and the perfumes. A blush touched her cheeks when she mentioned the little baker, head tilting. "I'll come by. I promise It just sounds lovely. And I'll buy a bottle!" She looked to Khanne as she leaned in, nodding with broadening smile.

"Lady Khanne!" Esoka yells it merrily to the bar at large. And the shaman herself, of course. "I hope you're well. It's been far too long. And yes, unicorns are magnificent!" This is stated firmly to Jacali, in case it needs more support.

Harper grins at Magpie, and lifts her shoulders, "In the same way that you're a Grayhope sorta... only I did the adopting of Cal then found out about Aunt Esoka after I got back from Stormwall." She looks over at Esoka, "She humors me with it." Her eyes sparkle impishly. Her good humor returning as she talks about her 'family.'

Theodoric slurps up his cheesy-whatever-bread and slurps from his mug, wiping his mouth on his coat sleeve. "Are you still whinging about your fight there?" he calls out to Magpie.


"... Mmm," Jacali begins, staring across at Khanne. "Very tellin', that, tellin' indeed. Tells you why, I might, should you happen by later. Must be poppin' off, me, must be off, work to be done, dreams to fancy into bein'." She nods once toward those she'd been speaking with, once again knocking her knuckles against the outside of her tophat before firing off a bit of a salute.
A disarming grin is afforded to Lottie, pale green eyes settled with interest for scant seconds before she's turned on her heel, a wiggly-fingered wave offered over her shoulder, "Magificence and malice aren't mutually exclusive, lovelies, not at all... ask me how I know, please do, please do." And with that, she's meandering out the door.


"Okay, no Mayir! ... So! ..." Mae's hollering again. "Thank you all for coming out! As you all should know, the money raised for this event goes to fund the Crow Soup Kitchenssss. Yes, plural, we have /two/!" she exclaims. "And it's not cheap to keep the Lowers fed, so, thank you all! Now, then... I announced last time that Magpie would take over running the Murder. That's still true! And as you can see by his present condition, he takes his work very seriously," Mae says, with an affectionate gaze sent over to her ex-husband. "And as you can see, we're still running Darts and Drinking! ... Which brings us to the /drinking/!"

Mae takes a breath, then continues. "You've all been asking for it. /Begging/ for it. Well, here it is." She pulls the bottle out. "Brother Winston's Winter Wry Whiskey!" she exclaims, before setting the bottle down on one of the tables. "Made of the finest Oathlands rye..." She's reading the bottle's label. "And, uh, there's a warning not to put it near an open flame... ah... Right! So! If you want to play in the drinking contest, please let me know! And make sure you're paid up!"

Mae gets Brother Winston's Winter Wry Whiskey from the most incredible crate.

Mae drops Brother Winston's Winter Wry Whiskey.

Lottie raised her hand toward Mae, "I'm in, please!" And she started digging through her apron for coin purse. "And I'd like to add a little more for donation too if that's ok?"

Waldemai is always ready for a drinking contest. "Aye," he says, or perhaps, "I." No, that would be too grammatical.

1 Grayson House Guards, Peaches, a lovely white war filly with a peach saddle, Deliverance, an albino falcon, Stormy, a silvery gray hunting hound, Rascal, a hyper terrier, Rosalie, a lady in waiting arrive, following Reese.

"Whiskey! Yes!" Khanne makes a bit of a fist pumping motion, smiling bright. "Count me in!" She then nods to Esoka and says, "far too long. Slowly getting back to my normal routine though... I know we still owe each other a sit down."

Magpie throws Theodoric an annoyed look, "Shut it, old man." He says, then gives up on Victus's chair and starts for the drinking table to take his seat. "Ooooh, whiskey. This sounds wonderful to help me sleep tonight. I'm definitely ready for this."

Khanne adds on to Esoka, "Oh! And, I am planning to honor Eirlys' memory in Stormwall, as soon as it is safe to do so. I will tell you more later."

Reese arrives in the Murder of Crows while wearing quite a bit of pink, but she she every dress differently? She also has lots of weapons and lots of ribbons tangled up in her messy golden locks. She glances over the Murder of Crows trying to get a feel for things here. "Oh, I am in." She announces, looking eager to get drunk.

"We are family!" Esoka says firmly to Harper. "Found family, which is even better. Calaudrin loves it. Even when he grumps about it. That's how you can tell he likes things." A nod to Magpie. /He/ knows. Her expression grows somber at mention of Lady Eirlys, and she bows her head to Khanne. "Aye, please keep me posted. I'd like to go and pray at the garden that's grown up around where she fell. And I'll do whatever I can do help honor her, of course."

"Yeah, yeah I have you." Victus worms an arm around Magpie's side as he takes his arm around his shoulder as well, dragging the Grayhope over to the throne. He's not very ceremoniously in setting Magpie down upon a seat of royalty. But it's Grayhope royalty now.

Harper grins at Esoka widely, "Well I didn't wanna speak for you Aunt Esoka." Distracted by the talk of whiskey though, she raises her hand at all of the talking of drinking. "I'm game! I'll try it!" She grins over at Victus as he helps Magpie over to the throne, "Don't get too used to sitting in thrones Magpie!"

"Don't get all sore with me! I lost a lot of coin on you!" Theodoric protests, lifting his mug and shaking it in Magpie's direction. "Let's get to drinking, mend that bruised ego of yours."

Lottie psh's at some murmur between her and Khanne, grinning as she waved her hand dismissively.

Khanne chuckles good naturedly at something Lottie says to her in their quiet conversation.

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

Reese looks over to Harper, waving in the guard's direction. "Hi, Mistress Harper." She says toward her. She continues further inside, stopping by Mae to hand her silver for the contest.

Khanne is overheard praising Mae: The most charming hostess with the sweetest compliments.

Alayne emits a dragged-out, revelatory 'ooooh', upon Jeffeth's explanation. It was a cover-up, clearly; a cover-up to the final truth that the loss she so desperately sought to hide in truth was all over her face. "Godsworn?" she'd murmur - no, she'd slurr - inhaling and sniffling loudly at the drunken wetness stacking inside her mouth. In unladylike fashion, Alayne's hands patted away at the edges of the table to aid in her standing. Her height didn't help, for soon as she stood she'd heave this way or that, threatening to fall over. "Thank you for the invitation, but I think I ought to head back to my quarters, Sir Bayweather. Miss Melody- mister; master, crafter, healer.. Sc-i-scir-scir-sceer-scipio, it was good meeting you," she'd explain, having a conundrum of hesitations at trying to remember Scipio's name, and title. She'd even click fingers his way, to aid in the task.

Khanne is overheard praising Magpie: No darts??? Well, he's to be forgiven this time.

Lottie is overheard praising Mae: What a great party!

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

"Alright everyone... If you're paid up, we'll start pouring. Our winner today will receive a new prize!... Because we totally forgot to prepare something, we're going to start a new tradition. The winner of a drinking contest will have their name added a space on the wall here in the Murder of Crows! Along with a quote, whatever they want it to be!" Mae finishes pouring. "Now let's drink up!"

Waldemai checked willpower at difficulty 15, rolling 11 higher.

Lottie has rolled a critical success!
Lottie checked willpower at difficulty 15, rolling 10 higher.

Esoka checked stamina at difficulty 15, rolling 4 higher.

Khanne checked stamina at difficulty 15, rolling 2 higher.

Reese checked willpower at difficulty 15, rolling 9 higher.

Theodoric checked stamina at difficulty 15, rolling 5 lower.

Jeffeth has rolled a critical success!
Jeffeth checked willpower at difficulty 15, rolling 33 higher.

Harper checked stamina at difficulty 15, rolling 3 higher.

Scipio checked willpower at difficulty 15, rolling 1 higher.

Magpie checked stamina at difficulty 15, rolling 19 higher.

Waldemai tosses the glass of wry whiskey past his well-calloused tonsils. "Ahhhk. *koff* That's smooth."

Lottie pulled a long, pink (of course it was pink) ribbon from her apron and proceeded to tie her hair up into a high ponytail with a plush bow on top. She took back the deep swig of whiskey without immediate issue! Hooray! Though the after-burn drew forth a sharp gasp. "Ooooo-ey! That's some stuff!" Her face squinched up as that burn settled.

Theodoric grabs a shot, brimming with confidence he slams it back. A moment passes, another, his normally dark face looking a bit green. "She's finally done it, she's poisoned me." he gags, sitting flat on his ass in the nearest chair.

Harper slips over to the chair by Esoka after Magpie vacates it, but as she spots Reese she gives her a big grin and a wave, "Heya Princess Reese! Good to see you!" She turns her attention towards Mae. As she's given a glass of the whiskey, she takes a deep drink then gasps and shakes her head. With watery eyes, she looks over at Esoka with a laugh, "Wow, that stuff is burning a hole all the way through me."

Victus checked stamina at difficulty 15, rolling 6 higher.

Reese takes a drink of the whiskey and she seems to handle such alright. She waves over to Waldemai next and now finds a place to sit. "Ooo, this is pretty strong. I am going to turn up inside." She says and her cheeks are so pink now, pink like th ribbons in her hair.

Magpie takes up the cup and drinks it down in a couple of breaths, coughing slightly and lightly pressing a hand to his chest. "Oooh yeah. This is going to make my night sooo much better. This is really good."

THIS is why Esoka came here tonight. She bellies up for drinking straight away, taking a glass of whiskey and knocking it back. It prompts a wince, but she bangs it down on the table with vigor. "More!" A bright smile is directed to Reese, when she spots the Grayson. "Princess! You're just in time! There's booze!"

By sheer willpower alone, Scipio manages--just barely, mind you--to make his way through the first drink. His face screws into a pained wince, and he places his empty glass on the table, exhaling air through pursed lips to cool the burn. "This isn't going to end well for me, I don't imagine." He rests a hand on the table, and shakes his head.

Khanne takes her shot once it is poured for her. She coughs, the air leaving her in a wheeze, long after the motion. "Spirits...." she whispers, hoarsely.

Victus saddles up alongside the other after commandeering a stool. He's pretty quiet now compared to his entrance earlier. He downs the first shot and gives a long, questioningly look to the glass. "Hm... It's... Good?"

Lottie erupted in a deep-belly laugh at Khanne's response, birthing the flame of such a high alcohol content drink back up her throat. Oh, gods WHY?! And soon she was coughing too. Coughing and laughing.

Reese smiles warmly to Esoka, seemingly happy to see the knight. "And that is what I need about right now, lots and lots of booze." She murmurs softly.

Magpie smirks, "Sorry, High Lord. As I said, I had nothing to do with it." Then he just waits for the next round, sighing in contentment.

"Ooooh, is it too strong for old man Theo?" Mae says, her tone mocking as she can manage. "Really, though. Can you poison a serpent?" she asks, tilting her head to one side. "Mhm, mhm. That's /Theodoric Ulbran/ as the first one out!" Mae calls, loudly. So /everyone/ can hear it! "Next round!"

Lottie checked willpower at difficulty 20, rolling 2 lower.

Scipio checked willpower at difficulty 20, rolling 11 lower.

Victus checked stamina at difficulty 20, rolling 3 higher.

Waldemai checked willpower at difficulty 20, rolling 6 lower.

Magpie checked stamina at difficulty 20, rolling 2 higher.

Khanne checked stamina at difficulty 20, rolling 3 lower.

Harper checked willpower at difficulty 20, rolling 1 lower.

Esoka checked stamina at difficulty 20, rolling 3 lower.

Jeffeth checked stamina at difficulty 20, rolling 18 higher.

Reese checked willpower at difficulty 20, rolling 5 higher.

Scipio checked composure at difficulty 20, rolling 16 higher.

Waldemai can't make himself force the stuff down. "Gah...and I thought that cupcake stuff was bad." He shudders once, turns his glass over, and heads back to his seat to sooth his damaged throat with some nice cool ale.

Victus sets down his second glass on its head. "Yes I can tell, it's not creating a burning hole in my stomach and I also want more." He muses in kind to the injured Magpie. "Why are you named after a bird by the way?"

Steeling himself for a moment, Scipio draws the shot up, taking it down in one go. He nearly immediately regrets it, and looks for a moment as though he might vomit. Not a Whisper, though, no. He raises his hand, shaking his head as he staggers over to his seat. "That's it for me."

Harper turns and laughs at Esoka's comment on the booze. "Reckon that's what a lot of us came here for." She picks up the next glass as it's delivered and eyes it uncertaintly, but taking a deep breath she downs it. She hiccups then claps a hand over her mouth. Then she looks over to Victus and grins wide, frowing as she hiccups once more before continuing, "How's it compare to tea though is the real question?" She gives him a slightly crooked grin, not looking entirely steady as she perches on the edge of her chair.

This one did not go down so smooth. Lottie took the second shot, only for her body to immediately try to reject it. The imaginary bouncer at the door of her stomach had declared it was at max capacity for such a rowdy crowd. Her hand clapped over her mouth, urping a bit and nearly spitting the booze right back out. Someone must have bribed that bouncer, though, because she did eventually manage to get it down. "Ope. Nope, nope, nope. I don't want to vomit all over. Out. Nope."

Magpie takes up the second cup and drinks it down more steadily as the strong booze works wonders for easing some of his discomfort. He smiles, "Ahhh... yeah, this is-.. shit, are people dropping out already?" He looks around the table, snorting. "Wait, what? I'm not. I'm named after my boat. Didn't you know that, High Lord?"

Khanne takes the next shot in hand, fingers twirling the glass on the bar as if contemplating whether she should continue or not. "Whiskey! I thought. Tonight is my night! I thought. But noooo... this is no whiskey. This is... lamp oil...." She coughs again, her hand jerking, spilling the shot glass. A splash (a drop really) gets into her eye and she starts to blink rapidly. "Oh, fuck! Whiskey, you are a jerk! Like sharks! ouch!"

"The trick is..." Mae says, loudly. "You take a deep breath /in/, then you shoot. That way your instincts can't take over, and you can't suck in a breath after you take the shot," she says, as she moves around the place, to check on people. "Cause otherwise you just suck in alcohol air and it burns the lungs then you're coughing then your pukin'..." Of course she knows these kinds of things! "Geez! Who's left? ... Victus, Mags, Jeffy, and Reese!"

Esoka tries to down her second drink all in one go. But she ends up choking, and sputtering a good quarter of it out. It's not very dignified. An "Ugh" and look around the table. However clear her eyes might've looked a moment ago, they're a touch glazed as the drink sinks in. "I am not going to be victorious tonight," she mourns.

Theodoric glares at Mae, still coughing every so often he finds some stew to try and drown the toxin he has taken courtesy of the villainous hostess.

1 Grayson House Guards have been dismissed.

Peaches, a lovely white war filly with a peach saddle have been dismissed.

Deliverance, an albino falcon have been dismissed.

Stormy, a silvery gray hunting hound have been dismissed.

Rascal, a hyper terrier have been dismissed.

Rosalie, a lady in waiting have been dismissed.

Alayne has rolled a critical success!
Alayne checked willpower at difficulty 20, rolling 27 higher.

"Alright, next round!" Mae calls.

Magpie checked stamina at difficulty 25, rolling 7 lower.

Victus checked stamina at difficulty 25, rolling 4 lower.

Magpie checked composure at difficulty 25, rolling 19 lower.

Alayne checked willpower at difficulty 25, rolling 5 lower.

Jeffeth checked willpower at difficulty 25, rolling 15 higher.

Reese checked willpower at difficulty 25, rolling 0 higher.

Alayne, having stolen away one of the many ale bottles scattered about, finishes her departure from the event with a wobbly set of steps about her worn, darkly boots.

Mae drops the most incredible crate.

Alayne has left the Window Table.

Magpie takes up the next glass and grimaces a little, looking a touch queasy, but he just drinks down the whiskey anyway with a triumphant smirk on his face. Then, suddenly without warning the man crumples over a bit and pukes all over the seat and arm of the throne he's sitting in as his stomach violently protests the overindulgence. At least it looks like pretty much the only thing in his stomach was that whisky.

Lottie gets Brother Winston's Winter Wry Whiskey from the most incredible crate.

Jeffeth gets Brother Winston's Winter Wry Whiskey from the most incredible crate.

Waldemai laughs aloud with joy. "Of course! Sir Jeffeth! No one's will is stronger than his!"

Reese gets Brother Winston's Winter Wry Whiskey from the most incredible crate.

Khanne gets Brother Winston's Winter Wry Whiskey from the most incredible crate.

Theodoric gets Brother Winston's Winter Wry Whiskey from the most incredible crate.

Lottie hopped to her feet. "Ok, I better get going before I do anything tremendously stupid and that will definitely happen once this whiskey settles in." A handkerchief was pulled from her apron and handed over to Khanne for her eye. "We'll talk again soon about that patronage thing for sure." She leaned to grab her bottle of whiskey for the road.

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

Esoka gets Brother Winston's Winter Wry Whiskey from the most incredible crate.

Harper laughs at Mae as if what she said were utterly hillarious, then starts to say something but it's interrupted by a hiccup. Looking over at Magpie, she yells, "Go Magsy! You can..." another hiccup interrupts her. She just gives up talking and lays her head against the back of the chair to watch with a happy glow, hiccuping ocassionally. She gives Magpie a slight grimace as he gets ill. "That's no good," she says to noone in particular.

Victus sets down the next empty glass. "See I always thought you named the ship after yourself and you yourself were named after a bird..." He slurs, standing up slowly with a wobble to his step. "Anyway, I should stop. I gotta go plan out a rescue mission that'll kill me..." His eyes settle on Magpie hurling upon his throne, which seems to provoke little to no reaction from the man. "... I'm gonna go throw up in the gutter first." He hobbles back toward the door, making it as far as said corner in the street to begin his violent removal of his stomach's contents.

Harper gets Brother Winston's Winter Wry Whiskey from the most incredible crate.

Reese takes another shot and then another, having had three so far. She is still flushed and pink cheeked, but she is also still hanging in there and looking like she could drink some more.

Scipio gets Brother Winston's Winter Wry Whiskey from the most incredible crate.

Victus gets Brother Winston's Winter Wry Whiskey from the most incredible crate.

Jeffeth is talking softly with Melody as he continues to drink. He doesn't really seem to notice that ther are only two left in the contest. He's distracted with talking to Melody and goes to slam back a drink when he catches everyone else drinking it in his peripherals.

Mae watches it happen. Magpie smirking. Magpie looking panicked. Magpie spewing on the throne and himself. "Oh, geez..." Mae says, quietly, as she moves away from Magpie, and to go hide behind Reese. "You okay, sweets?" she asks the Princess. She's just going to ignore Magpie's puking. And everyone else's. "You and Jeffeth!"

Khanne nods to Lottie as she gathers up her things as well, wrinkling her nose and hurriedly getting as far away from Magpie's sick as she can. "Yeah... I need to get home. We will talk soon. Don't forget the apricot pastries!" She smiles then heads over to Mae to give her a hug. "Take care, Mae."

Reese draws herself up straight when Mae hides behind her, trying to be a very good shield. "Yes, Mae, I'm okay." She softly says, before peeking back and giving the woman smile that touches her blue eyes. Her cheeks are still very pink as she pours herself yet another shot.

"Ugh.. ok.. now I feel better.." Magpie says when he's done heaving, wiping at his mouth. He looks at Victus's retreating form, calling, "My mom picked the name, obviously!" Then he throws another grin to Harper, "Soooo... want to see my wood-" He stifles a burp, then continues, "wood shop? It's next door." The man crawls out of the throne carefully, grabbing for a towel to blot at his shirt.

Khanne has left the Crow Bar.

It was the smell that actually got Lottie's attention, the retching not even causing her to bat a lash... but the smell sure caught her. "Gah. That. I don't want to do that. Here I'll walk out with you!" A hand lifted to Mae as well as she moved for the door. "Thank you!"

Victus returns after some... indistinct noises following his business out at the street corner. He's a little more stable, though not by much. When he returns he makes a beeline for the crate of drink and pilfers one bottle of his own to store in his coat. "Cat. Let's go." He calls out as a mostly hairless feline runs beneath his coattails. With that, he's off!

Isabetta enters with downcast eyes and wipes them before heading straight to the bar and ordering something to drink. Surely there is something to drink.

Isabetta has joined the Crow Bar.

Victus has left the Crow Bar.

12 Thrax Elite Guards, Crow - Thraxian Steward, Lilybelle - Maimed Maine Coon leave, following Victus.

"Good!" Mae says, to Reese, Encouragingly. "Magpie, you're covered in vomit and disgusting stop flirting!" she scolds the man. Then clears her throat. "Next round!"

Harper cracks open one eye to look at Magpie, from her perch on the chair where she is currently just looking happily out of it. "You just tossed your..." she hiccups, "whatever, and I think I shoudln't have..." another hiccup, "ditched the guards so they could helpmewalkhome!" She gets the last of the words out really quickly before another hiccup takes her and she just laughs.

Reese has joined the drinking contest and still seems to be in the mix of thins there. She is sitting in front of Mae and has a new shot of Whiskey nearby. When Isabetta arrives, she looks over to her having a somber and yet still affectionate smile for the Lady. "Lady Isabetta, come sit by me?" She asks. Reese then lifts her glass of whiskey.

Reese has rolled a critical success!
Reese checked willpower at difficulty 30, rolling 3 higher.

Jeffeth checked willpower at difficulty 30, rolling 13 lower.

"Oh, well, you can stay here if you want. Lots of beds. Come on, I'll let you crash in the back." Magpie says, making his way over to Harper with only a quick glance at Mae's scolding. He lets out a low whistle at Reese's determination, "Damn, Princess.. You are really holding your whiskey."

Isabetta obtains a drink right? Probably obtains a drink, it is a bar. She then takes Reese' offer and heads over to the princess. She sniffles and finishes her drink off in one draw. She slows as she eyes Reese then goes over the rest of the way, scrubbing at her face with her free hand.

Melody, likewise, has lowered her voice into but a murmur, speaking in soft and gentle tones to Jeffeth. Probably about nothing important. She even pats his shoulder a couple of times for good measure. Then she's on her feet, stretching one arm far above her head. "Reese is pretty good at this whole drinking stuff. Must be 'cause she married a Lycene, probably been drinking them poisons and getting used to the vile stuff."

Lottie has left the Crow Bar.

Esoka slumps with a sulky grunt on to a bar stool, only looking a /little/ satisfied when Victus and Magpie also find themselves out of the game. She starts yelling again, a little groggy but happily, as Reese pushes on, though. "Go, Princess! Drink! Drink! Drink!"

Choking on his final drink, Jeffeth places the glass down with a wince before clapping heartily for Reese's victory. Wide eyed and red faced the big man brings his wrist forward to wipe the back of it against his lips. The big man relents, placing one large hand on his stomach, and leaning forward, wincing.

"Reese is good at ''everything'' because she is the Knight of Ribbons!" Mae counters Melody, declaring quite proudly. She remains standing behind the blonde princess as the blonde lady approaches. That's Isabetta. She looks aside, and blinks. "Hey, sweets... you okay...?" she asks, her tone shifting quickly from excited to concerned. "I think Reese just won the drinking contest..." she ways, with a wary glance given to Jeffeth.

Isabetta glares at her drink and leans over to whisper something to Mae, her expression dark before she drinks a little more.

Reese downs the shot of whiskey and while her cheeks are pink and she must be a touch tips, her eyes are clear and she seems far from sick. She even seems to have her wits about her. She smiles once more when Isabetta joins her, but the sorrow lingers her gaze. for some reason she seems almost protective of Isabetta. She peeks over to Melody at her words, not seeming quite sure what to say. "Oh, I could probably out drink him too." She says, but her tone is somber. She smiles at Esoka's cheer. She then looks over to Jeffeth with some concern. She has a smile for Mae, nodding in agreement. She is arrogant enough to agreew with that.

Jeffeth checked stamina + survival at difficulty 43, rolling 25 higher.

Harper tilting her head in a slightly overexaggerated way to Esoka, her hiccups finally seeming to have passed for the moment, she says, "Aunt Esoka. Can I use that cot at the smokey whiskey shop thingy?" She grins over to Magpie, "S'okay, I will just walk a tiny ways!" She wrinkles her freckled nose as she thinks, "If I remember what direction it is." She sniffs toward Magpie, "You need a new shirt, Magsy!"

"Uh-... Winner... Reese!" Mae declares, distractedly. She gives the princess' shoulder a squeeze. "We'll, uh, get your... placcard up eventually, sweets," she says. She then steps aside, from Reese to Isabetta. She stands behind the woman, and leans forward, and wraps arms about her neck and shoulders, giving a hug. "Thank you all for coming tonight!" she calls, as she hugs Isa.

Leaning forward and then back in the chair, Jeffeth may turn a light shade of green for a moment. But with some deep breaths, it doesn't seem he's going to puke. Probably not. He glances down at his glass, then up to Melody. Jeffeth slowly pushes back from the table and goes to stand, "Thank you so much for the night, Mae-bug!" The big man calls out, his words only slightly slurred as he heads for the door.

"Alright.. alright... Just trying to be polite." Magpie says in defeat, then he looks around, bleary-eyed, "Yeah, ok.. good night everyone. I need to sleep now." He stumbles his way to the door to the back and disappears through it.

Magpie is overheard praising Mae.

"It was a good birfday, thank you Mae." Jeffeth mumbles with a toothy smile, and only tottering a little bit.

"I didn't win," Esoka slurs, tragically, at Harper. Then, a grunt, as she properly registers the guardswoman's question, and a nod. "Oh. Aye. Sure. There are lots of places for drunk people to collapse at Calaudrin's shop. It's very good for that." She does manage to stand up, and do some warbly yelling, for Reese's victory.

Esoka is overheard praising Mae.

Isabetta gives Mae a hug silently though she manages to also clap for Reese a little. After the hug and then downs a little more of her drink. Wait, it's empty. She frowns at that fact. She puts the glass down and wipes her hand on her hip.

Esoka is overheard praising Reese: DRINK!

Mae is overheard praising Reese: The Mighty Knight of Ribbons!

Reese allows the squeeze to her shoulder and she stops drinking now, which is probably a good idea. She stays seated close to Isabetta. Reese then pours Isabetta some of the whiskey, but just a half tumbler full.

Reese is overheard praising Mae: yeah, great party

Mae is overheard praising Melody: Throws darts like you wouldn't believe!

"Easy there..." Melody helps Jeffeth onto his feet, or at the very least, makes a visible attempt to. "Thanks for the games, Mae! I have no idea how you managed to keep everything all organized. Oh, and I'll get that letter back to you soon." A wink followed, and then she's helping Jeffeth on out!

Reese is overheard praising Melody: Yay, darts!

Jeffeth has left the Window Table.

Melody has left the Window Table.

Duchess Scone, a prissy white puppy leaves, following Melody.

Scipio has left the Window Table.

Waldemai has left the Hearthside Table.