Sir Floppington the Soulful Hound arrives, following Rowenova.

Rowenova has joined the Black Wood Table 1.

A pack of giggling and gossiping Redreef handmaidens, A pit bull that Ember never bothered to name arrive, following Ember.

Since they live right next door, Nova shows up and sits down at a dark table, with Sir Flop laying down beside her.

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

Emberly is overheard praising Avary: For Donating to the food drive!

Emberly is overheard praising Baldessare: For donating to the food drive


Around the food drive, various minor nobles are already in attendance -- the types who never really make news but are no less noble for it. Mingling with them are well-to-do commoners who wish to showcase their largesse by their ability to donate food, coin, or favors.

The bartenders are there murmuring among themselves whether or not they think that whatever system they've figured out for tallying how many drinks a person has is going to work. (This system is a sheet of paper. A big sheet of paper. It's under the bar, out of view.)

Some people simply come and drop off loaves of bread and leave -- some stay and mingle. And some, like the three young noble ladies in one corner, whisper among themselves while pointing at the event's hostess when they think she can't see them. They're Ladies by right of birth, but really only girls, probably no older than 14 all around. Their whispers and giggles as they gesture toward Emberly are a bit more noticeable than they probably think they're being.

Emberly smiles a little as she moves through the room "welcome welcome, I thank you all for coming, and bringing your baked goods to this cause, please do set them on the table and feel free to mingle. I will be sure that all food is tested by our lovely testers here, all the food will be delivered by Wagner and myself into the lowers.

Rysen enters the Black Axe Pub beside Mikani, carrying crates of salted jerky, cheese and nuts, flanked by several Crovane servants carrying the same. He comes to stand before those assembling the donations and lowers the crates from his shoulder, before stretching. When he spots Emberly, he smiles. "Thanks again for putting this together. How have you been?" His grey eyes linger on Emberly a moment, amid the whispers and giggles of the younger ladies. Lygeia, meanwhile, passes toward the bar, but first stops to give Sir Floppington some well deserved pets.

Sitting up, Sir Floppington looks up with those Soulful Eyes to Rysen, and that houndly tail softly swishes. "Lord Rysen." says the wolf-framed/shaded scout seatuated nearby. "How have you been?"

Emberly smiles to Rysen "holding up, trying to do good, as I would had before".. she says a bit as she looks around her eyes pan over the crowd and then back, "to help as I know how." she says quietly before she adds "thank you for coming."

"Of course," says Rysen to Emberly with a sincere smile, but a hint of concern in his voice. "The painting you sent me now rests proudly in The Lair to inspire the Gold Order. You have helped feed the bodies and souls of the Compact, Emberly." After a few pets for Sir Floppington, Lygeia returns from the bar with drinks for Mikani and Rysen. The Crovane knight offers a brief word of thanks to his retainer, and turns to Rowenova at her greeting. Her question seems to baffle Rysen, and he gazes at her seemingly unsure of what to say. "I'm better," he says after a moment. "I hope you and Sir Floppington have been safe in your adventures."


Indeed, heads are turned by the displays of fashion from Emberly and Mikani. Jewelry attracts the watchful eyes of admirers. One non-notable noblewoman elbows her husband gently and gestures toward Mikani's hair beads, murmuring something to the effect of "Do you see? Like that."

Her husband leans in and murmurs back: "Maybe when we're rich."

Bread is bundled up, cleared out of the way by able-bodied bar staff so that it can be readied for transit and freshly donated baskets set down in their place. The operation isn't exactly a military-trained war machine, but it's working efficiently, especially with the three-drink maximum in place.

Briar, the fleet and agile shrike, Narciso, a tall light rose-grey Jennet stallion with tiger eyes and a dark mane and ombre tail, Azure and Azul, a singing pair of icy white and deep blue tits, Alejandro, a gravely sober Torean in Fidante Livery arrive, following Aconite.

Beakers - an austere raven, Aconite arrive, following Orick.

Some bibacious assistants and teetottalling gardeners show up with clean hands and stock pots of fresh curries which are not too 'hot spicy' but smell good. Also, they bring some fresh vegetables from the backyard garden not far from where we all are now. How do we know this? The half dozen individuals do speak about this and that, and that is what can be discerned during the drop off.

The wolf-framed/shaded woman peeks up toward Rysen. "He has been doing well. Sometimes, I get bit up or tossed around, but I am fine now." And then the scouty lass reaches down to gently ruffle the tawny furs along Flop's flank. "Glad you are doing better." After telling Rysen that, she looks back to the unfolding activities and the assistant/gardener group. "Thanks, guys and gals." And then, she nods her wolfy-dressed nog to Emberly.


Off in the corner, not far from where Nova and Rysen converse, a trio of young noble girls -- maybe 14, max -- are watching the food drive, whispering among themselves, giggling. Their attention is mostly held by Emberly, but occasionally they see someone wandering past who they decide looks funny, and gossip about them instead.

The bartenders are having a quiet argument over whether one of the well-to-do commoners mingling in the food drive's crowd has had one beer or two. Their system of tally marks on paper has already failed, thanks to an errant spill onto the paper's surface.

Emberly bustles about making sure she is helping out with collecting food or the econ for suppling the food, she draws a little breath and she looks about "thank you for your donations Lord and Lady Crovane" she says as Mikani's family adds to the pile

Emberly is overheard praising Mikani: attending the food drive

Emberly is overheard praising Rysen: attending the food drive

Emberly is overheard praising Rowenova: Attending the food drive

Emberly is overheard praising Orick: Attending the food drive

Professor Orick, Guildmaster of the Apothecary College and his dear friend the mysterious and alluring Aconite, arrive together with Orick opening the door and Aconite carrying a small parcel of something edible. A pie, perhaps? Hard to tell from the smell because it is covered by a towel. Something berry, maybe? Orick glances back to Aconite as they enter and he remarks, "Emberly puts on a good fund raiser, she helped me with the last one for the college."

Emberly is overheard praising Aconite: Attending the food drive

Aconite follows along with Orick carrying not only Orick's pie but a carefully packed crate of cheese. The ivory glad Courtier's dark eyes drift between faces but she's following Orick towards his destination. The tall Fidante ward nods to Orick's explanation though she offers no verbal reply.

Rysen raises an eyebrow when Rowenova mentions getting bit up and tossed around. He takes a long drink of ale, and smiles as Mikani shows off her star iron hair beads to the adoring patrons. When Rysen hears the lady speak to her husband about acquiring something similar, he laughs softly.

Rysen says in Northlands shav, "Tell everyone I bought you those beads, Mikani."

Rowenova says in Northlands shav, "They're beautiful, and they look like Goodman Asher's work."

Rysen mutters something to his wife in Northlands Shav, and grins. When Orick and Aconite enter, Rysen glances over his shoulder, and raises his mug in a welcoming toast from across the pub, before nodding to Rowenova and offering a word of agreement.

After the hired help from the Defense Lab drop off the aromatic curries which are not-too-hot spicy and veg sides, they all tip their imaginary caps toward Emberly before heading out, talking about the work they need to do in the back and in the lab.


Orick and Aconite attract the attention of the three whispering and giggling girls for a moment. The three girls are really not that subtle, and the sad thing is that they probably think that they really are.

Emberly collects the donations and she smiles a little as she nods her head to the defense lab as they donate and then head out, she smiles a little as she draws a breath and she recieves a few messengers, each carrying sevral plates of cheeses and nuts and bread.. She smiles as the food keeps on comeing in through the doors "Crovane thanks you!"

Orick checks composure and etiquette at normal. Orick marginally fails.

Orick glances over at the laughing girls and then he shoots Aconite a look, words pass between them easily without having to be spoken.. it is a look that asks, 'Is that for us?' He cuts his gaze back to the laughing girls and sends them a smile, adjusting his vest and nodding awkwardly in their direction. Softer, in an aside to Aconite he asks, "Is my hair sticking up?" It is /always/ sticking up. "Something on my face?"

Rysen checks charm and empathy at normal. Rysen is marginally successful.

The silent greeting given by Rysen is met with a pause and a small dip as she tucks a foot behind her in quick genuflection but she doesn't want to loose the cheese or Orick's pie to balance. Aco's inky eyes only flick to the other courtier's and offers nothing but a nod of her head in polite recognition before turning her attention back to the tables so she can carefully despoit the crate and brushes off her kid-gloved hands before folding them in front of her. Though they look nothing alike Aco turns to regard the Headmaster of the College expectantly with all the cruel amusement of siblings. "Didn't you check before you left?"

Emberly checked dexterity + alchemy at difficulty 9, rolling 38 higher.


The smile that Orick offers the giggling girls makes them dissolve into a deeper fit of giggling, turning to one another and covering their mouths. Aconite's comment makes them giggle even more, and they scurry from their corner to a different spot for a moment, so that they can regain their composure.

A fishmonger enters, and with him, two strapping men carrying baskets of... well, fish. Lots of fish. The party is thus gifted with that particular aroma. "No need to thank me," the fishmonger says, beaming with pride. "Just doing my part to help."

As Emberly thanks people on behalf of his family for their donations, Rysen smiles, and places a hand lightly on her shoulder if she'll allow it. Admiration gleams in the Crovane lord's stormy eyes to see the poise and balance of Aconite, and he comes to stand before her and Orick, "Welcome to the Black Axe Pub, and thank you very much for donating. Please make yourselves at home. I'd recommend the ale, whiskey and tea, if you care for a drink. My cousin makes sure we're stocked with the best the Northlands has to offer."

Emberly smiles softly to Rysen, she murmers softly to him before turning her attention back to the bar "three drinks are taken care of for the event, anything more comes out of your own pockets." she says teasingly as she tries to keep her shoulders back and head high whilest runing the event.

"You know how I feel about mirrors." Orick hisses from the corner of his mouth at Aconite as he looks away from the girls as someone addresses him, a thin hand nervously going to his head and fluffing his hair as he listens to Rysen with a smile, "Of course, yes... Emberly is one of my best students. I always try to support my students in all their charitable endeavours." He looks to Emberly and offers her a wave, lofting a small back of silver and then giving it a gentle toss in her direction when she looks ready to catch it.

Emberly checked dexterity + alchemy at difficulty 9, rolling 42 higher.


Staff from the Black Axe do their best to get the donated baskets of fish brought right back out of the Black Axe before the smell can start working its way into the wood. A cat waits by the doorway outside, watching with great interest, and trotting after the men carrying the fish once they're out of sight.

The villainous giggling girls make their return after a brief reprieve. They've calmed down a bit, and the focus of their staring and whispering has returned to Emberly as she tends to leading the food drive.

"It is our pleasure. It's moving that people are willing to look outward at this time." Aconite assures the noble and stepping back in time for Orick to toss the coin purse in the direction of Emberly and she's given another askance wry smirk. "I meant asking your Assistant." The tall Courtier remarks dryly with a little shake of her head. The fishmonger is also given a nod as Aconite drifts off in an opposite direction.

Emberly looks to the girls she casts them a little scowl but she remains polite. She collects the food and she smiles a little her sweet blue orbs dance from one to the other before she takes a deep breath and she gives a bit of an incline of her head when she is praised "Thank you for your words Master Orick".

Rysen smiles warmly as Orick fluffs his hair. "It seems she has no end of talent. She has shared with me some of her poetry, and her paintings." The giggling girls again attract his attention, and he leans towards Mikani and says softly, "God and spirits, I hope I am not looking into Emma and Cady's future," speaking of his infant daughters. Aconite's words bring a nod of agreement from the knight. "It's true: with everything going on, those at home who need our support are often neglected." Rysen finishes his mug and sets it aside. "Alas," he says to Aconite and Orick, "We must be on our way. It's been a pleasure, however brief." He turns to Emberly and says, "Thank you again for organizing all of this. It makes a difference."

Orick cuts a look at Aconite as if he isn't sure he has to ask these next words but he does regardless, "Have you seen Gorty?" He narrows an eye at her, "The boy looks like he sleeps in a barn, I can't ask him for fashion advice... the last time I asked him seasilk or duskweave on a mask he told me the 'pretty' one. The boy is a bit dim, what I need is a protege with some sort of fashion sense to help me run the shop."

Orick nods to Rysen's words and then when the man says farewell he raises his glass (when did he get a drink?) and remarks, "Safe travels, well met indeed."

Emberly laughs warmley "your praise is well needed and very kind Lord Rysen." she pauses before she smiles a bit as they announce they are on their way out. "thank you for coming."

Rysen is overheard praising Emberly: Serving amid adversity is a true mark of nobility.

Orick is overheard praising Emberly.

Aconite makes a non-commital noise Orick's way. "I'll remind you to add it to the list." Aco chuckles before nodding to Rysen and offering a proper curtsey this time. "May Jayus bring you visions, Gild prosperity, and Lagoma bless your desire to bring change, My Lord." She smiles towards Emberly as well though those three girls are given a sidelong look again. She gently smooths her hands over the Eurusi styled lace of her dress.

Aconite is overheard praising Emberly.

Aconite is overheard praising Rysen.

Aconite is overheard praising Orick.

Orick is overheard praising Rysen.

Aconite is overheard praising Rowenova.