Hey look! Sometimes it's just a crazy series of unfortunate and possibly odd events that lead to people not being where they say they're going to be. But today, there are people here who have the last name Kennex. Maybe. On occasion, Porter has been called a Kennex. Among other things. He's carrying a box of bottles in from somewhere, "WHERE DO YOU WANT THESE?" he shouts to someone. Probably Catalana. Maybe someone else?

Octavian, a silken spaniel, an aid in Kennex livery, 2 Kennex corsairs arrive, following Zoey.

Catalana is struggling to get down the stairs. A little, possibly cute goat is chewing on her gown. "Billy....Gruff....Bore.... whatever your name is, stop!" The goat does nothing, though when Porter begins to boom, the goat shrieks in surprise and faints! Likely not the first time the goat has done this, Catalana is not surprised and saves her skirts from the bastard animal and answers Porter, "On the bar. I'm excited to see what people create."

Finn hears the loud voice and goes running! Thea however takes her time, twitching her lips. It HAS to be a big giant thing. The loud. Eventually she makes herself known, greeting everyone with a brief smile,"Good evening." A blink hoaever interrupts everything at--the GOAT!

Zoey descends the opposite staircase on her way down to the party, eyeing the goat chewing on Catalana's gown wearily as she does. She smiles brightly upon arriving. "Good evening, Thea! Glad you could make it."

Porter checked composure at difficulty 15, rolling 4 higher.

Porter puts the box of bottles down on the bar and turns just in time to see the goat shriek and faint. He blinks a couple of times, like he's honestly not sure what to think. "Is it dead?" he asks calmly. "I'll carry it out back, Cat." Your dead goat. He's got you. What else is family for, if they're not going to carry your presumably dead barnyard animals?

Catalana nudges the goat with her foot and it jumps back up, like it's no big deal and begins to eat the potted plant. She sighs. "No. Blame the Blackrams. They created these shrieking fainting beasts. I plan to put it in Aethan's office and lock the door."

Abruptly stops his way to Porter and goes to sniff out the goat NOT the plant. What is this?! Thea thanks,"Thank you,"really questioning the bottom of her own dress. "Think they have more? Im sure Martino would love one..."

Thea totally thanked Zoey!

The goat looks at Finn, shrieks even louder and faints yet again.

Sniffing at the goat, Finn starts barking, and nudging him with his nose. WAKE UP!

"Isn't there somewhere better than the regent's office that you could leave... him? It?" Zoey looks at the goat uncertainly as she approaches the ingredient table.

"Honestly, you could probably drop that thing off in the nursery and know one would know. Kids scream a lot," Porter suggests and watches with a kind of mild amusement as it gets up, moves, shrieks and falls over again. With the mystery of the goat behind him, he turns to look over at Thea as she makes her way in. "Hey," he says before dropping down onto one of the bar stools. "Hey, Zoey."

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

Catalana chuckles at Porter, "Where do you think I've been hiding the thing?" She answers Zoey with a shake of her head "I can think of better places, yes. But is it as much fun?" Finally, she waves to Thea and waits for the goat to regain consciousness.

Thea almost steps over to the goat but well--this must be normal. "Hey,"she nods over to Porter, a smile for him and Catalana both. Her gold-flecked green eyes look over to the table, asking,"So-dare I ask what is over there?"

"In these trying times, it's important to have a little fun," Porter remarks agreeably, before he uncorks one of the bottles and starts pouring drinks. "Maybe if the goat was drunk, it would faint less," he suggests. A messenger arrives and he scribbles off a message before sending it back out into the world. "Over where?"

"I believe she means the table," Zoey says to Porter. "I'm curious as to the ingredients as well. Black pepper was an interesting choice last time."

"Yes. That,"Thea confirms with Zoey. "Wait-the goat is drunk,"she asks. For all she knows, it could be! She knows nothing about goats! Finn meanwhile keeps nudging it and barking at it to play.

Catalana flails her arms, "Don't get my goat drunk." Instead she gestures to the bar. "I think, you should all try for the sweetest combination possible to start with." She nudges the goat with her foot. Nothing. Looking back to the bar, "What about vodka infused with strawberries and cream?"

Thea looks over at Catalana, eyebrow lifted,"Is that wise? To start sweet and then work your way down...?"

"Wouldn't adding cream make it cloudy though?" Zoey asks. "I thought vodka was supposed to be clear."

Catalana shrugs "I don't know. I just usually drink what I'm handed." She defers to Porter though, likely because he's the expert on vodkas.

"I'm going to get the goat drunk," Porter decides. But he doesn't really, because actually getting animals drunk is rude and terrible and we don't do that here. Not on purpose. Instead he looks over at the stuff on the counter. "I imagine in the actual distilling process, you wouldn't use cream to get it sweet. But we're just having fun and making flavors, so. You know. Mix things." As an example, he grabs a bunch of stuff and starts adding it to one of the bottles. He is not a professional. He is 100% making this up. Then when he's done, he starts SHAKING IT the bottle. It's placed down on the table. "Try that!" It's supposed to taste like caramel.

Thea looks up at Porter and all she hears is -supposed- to. But not one to steer away from much of anything, she walks over and takes the glass,"Fine. But if it doesn't, Gods help you....,"she threatens. Thea starts to take a large sip, nothing at all timid. Holding back her review at the moment.

Zoey eyes the bottle. "I'll try it," she decides.

Catalana eyes the vodka, "Are you meant to shake it? " Regardless, she too takes a sip.

It sure tastes MOSTLY like caramel. But no, he probably wasn't supposed to shake it.

It isn't TERRIBLE! The shaking made it weird but--"It's not awful,"Thea admits to Porter, finishing it off. "I mean, it could have been worse.."

Zoey sips it and agrees. "Not quite worthy of the Kennex name, but I've had worse."

Porter sliiiides a bottle over in Zoey's direction. "Alright, so you go ahead and make one. Critics." Another goes to Thea. It's okay! Porter will wait. As he drinks this concoction.

Catalana totally keeps her words to herself and turns to see Zoey's creation.

Thea eyes Porter but squints at her bottle. Alright then--hm..Thea starts mixing things, hiding it has goes. She keeps it prettu close too, making sure no one can see! Eyeing it, she wonder if she should shake it--Nah! Thea then proceeds to pour three glasses,"I wouldn't smell it first...."

Zoey muddles mint and raspberries before adding them to her bottle. "I think this one has potential."

Catalana squints and takes the shot Thea offered. Within seconds she spits it out. A glorious spray of Vodka all over Porter, which is punctuates by the goat waking, shrieking and falling unconcious again. At least the thing isn't dead!

Thea blinks at Catalana then zooms over on the goat. Which has Finn momentarily excited--Did he do that?! Slowly taking a sip of whatever she concocted, her face turns beat right. But she swallows anyways, her eyes tearing.

Zoey watches the both of them nervously and pushes her bottle to the side. "Thea, what did you do?" All the same, she picks up her glass and sips...

Catalana is pawing at her tongue, if she could remove a layer of it, she would! Tears stream down her cheeks and she stares at Thea. The betrayal! The horror!

Zoey checked composure at difficulty 15, rolling 0 higher.

Zoey freezes a moment before turning away and carefully spitting the offending liquid back into the glass it came from.

She didn't MEAN to do it! "Im SORRY! I just you know know-started putting things in the bottle. Maybe a pepper or two.." Which is TRUE! Thea clears her throat, really hoping,"Is there whiskey? Water?"

Zoey gestures vaguely toward the liquor cabinet.

Catalana chuckles and finally recovers her good humor. "Let's not try that one again." Her eyes on Zoey now, "What did you make?"

Thea hurries over to the cabinet and searches for SOMETHING rid of this. Cant believe she made this and hurries back, pouring a quick glass of whiskey and swallowing.

Porter just watches everyone start spitting out the drink and starts to laugh. He has not consumed any of it. Bastard.

"Raspberries and min," Zoey answers Catalana, still struggling to maintain composure after Thea's unholy concoction.

Catalana straightens her shoulders and takes a sip, her face completely neutral. Well, that's better than the reaction to Thea's at least.

Giving Porter the look, Thea slides her bottle to him. Fair is fair! She also sips Zoey's. Who iis she kidding--she downs it. Getti g rid of the spice. Which surprisingly,"This isn't bad..."

Porter checked composure + survival at difficulty 15, rolling 6 higher.

Porter looks down at the bottle, sniffs it. Then he looks over at Thea, brings it to his lips and takes a long swallow of it. He maintains eye contact. Then after a few seconds, he looks over to Catalana and says. "I think you should pick this one. It's totally fine. I could drink this entire bottle." No, Porter. NO.

Catalana smirks at Porter. "Oh? Please do. Show us how it's done."

"Porter, have you gone completely mad?" Zoey pours herself of the raspberry mint vodka she mixed.

Thea slowly smiles at Porter when he says that,"Ill get you a whole case for your birthday,"agreeing with Catalana. The alcohol however is starting to get to her and she well--shes making her way to an exit. Up the stairs. BOT kidding about the new present!

Porter checked stamina + survival at difficulty 99, rolling 85 lower.

Porter is a stubborn man. He looks Catalana straight in the eye as he starts to drink MORE of it. Until it's too much and he bails, clearing his throat and choking. "I'm going to die," he gets out before getting up abruptly and stumbling in the direction of somewhere else. Like the kitchens. Maybe he drinks all the water in the pool. Unless it's been drained. He probably expires in a partially frozen fish pond. It's fine.