Ilyse, a potentially reformed troublemaker arrives, following Reve.

4 Redoubt Buccaneers, Orion, a healer's surly Assistant, Fernando, the pygmy bear, Reve arrive, following Azova.

The sun is bright and the crowd is cheerful. People wander freely between the booths of the alegivers - nothing costs money at this carnival, everyone is welcome and the Faith has spared no expense - sampling wares, talking, laughing. The disciples of Mangata are organized into teams wearing white favors, green ones, or purple, and are chivvying people to express their preferences for one beer or another, while some disciples on loan apparently from other discpleships have volunteered their services to offer people different breads, cheeses, and fruits, apparently selected by the teams to match with the ales.

At the center of the carnival is an elaborately carved case where fragrances are being placed. Two godsworn hold pitchers of cold, clear water and glasses nearby so that people may be sure to clear their palates - and also drink of the cold, clear water for no reason besides water is both good for you and delicious.
Though the fragrance festival itself has been scheduled for a set time, it is clear that the beer brewers and the food offerers have been here all day, and the musicians started playing well before time as the crowd started to accumulate to inspect the free food and drink on offer.

"I wonder if there's an ale that tastes like rum." Probably not, but surely Azova can wish for it. Eventually someone may brew an ale that tastes of Darkwater's best liquors! Until then, she gestures towards the darker and malty offerings to try and lead Reve that way. Familiar faces are spied and she waves cheerfully their way.

Aconite wanders the little festival, enjoying samples of fruits and cheeses though she's brought her own flask of water which she drinks from on occasion. The tall Whisper stops for a moment in front of a lively busker and sways to the music while she savors the last of a bit of apple.

It's just a lil' bottle, but Fairen arrives ready to set out a whole damned _table_ with _posters_ and _citations_ and explanatory pamphlets. And samples! Who doesn't love samples! And-- And there are plenty of tables already, and there is not room for his posters.

With a sigh and a gesture, Fairen waves his assistant away. He takes two things from her care: one, a bottle; two, a paper. He might not have room for a whole poster arrangement on fractional distillation and enfleurage, but he's not going in without _context_. He slides his offerings in among the others, then lingers to study the scents.

Alejandro, a gravely sober middle-aged Torean leaves, following Aconite.

Fairen puts a bottle of sparkling faceted glass and satiny walnut burl marked with a star with 13 points in an elaborate carved display for the contestant perfumes.

Fairen puts a scroll displayed near Fairen's bottle in an elaborate carved display for the contestant perfumes.

"Do you think there might be? Or something more refined?" asks Reve of Azova, both of his brows moving aloft with a keen amount of interest. Let us just say that he is quite easily led in the direction of the ale, eyeing the selections curiously.

Oswyn is probably not supposed to circulate with food or anything. He may have tried and his templar may have made some noises that he should maybe appear more official. So he looks about official as he can, which is like... an accountant. With sandals. He looks like his templar's accountant. He circulates, nibbling on an apple, in search of cheese.

3 House Velenosa Guards, Gracie, an extremely patient lady's maid arrive, following Sofia.

Brutus, a large regal looking rooster with ebony coloring arrives, following Bonibel.

Aureth drifts cheerfully among the tables set out for people to sample things, looking a little overdressed for the sunny weather, his hair bound up in a queue at the nape of his neck. He seems pleased with the turnout so far, and gives Oswyn a little upnod as he ambles through, not yet selecting a place to perch himself. His templars are hard to miss, a whole dang entourage following him around, and the wide berth that forms around him despite the cheerful, noisy throng is just the cost of doing business and not dying, one supposes.

Ailys has been drifting through the celebration for a little while and looks quite relaxed, though she still takes in her surroundings with open curiosity. There's a glass half-full of something murky in one hand and a little plate of cheese balanced in the other. "Lady Azova!" she exclaims, on crossing paths with her fellow Mercy. "Have you just got here?"

It's a beautiful summer day and Denica arrives with a bounce in her step and a bright smile on her face. Wearing whites and yellows, reminiscent of sunshine, she is closing up a parasol once she nears the shine and festival, handing it off to her assistant. "It's a pity Stojan couldn't join us," she murmurs to Sivas, who doesn't look all that bothered, and yet, somewhat lost without his other half. Eyes scan around immediately, taking in the sights, while her nostrils flare a little, smelling the air, which is no doubt fragrant with the food on offer, even if the perfume is still closed up. There is an easy look of wonder ever present in her eyes, seeming to find a moment of reprieve to merely enjoy herself, and keep to the side-lines in observation of the day's events. Passing by a tray of food, the princess snatches up a cube of cheese, before popping it into her mouth. "This is delightful!," she says to no one in particular.

Aureth has joined the purple team's perplexing pitchers.

Bonibel arrives to the festival in good spirits. The petite red-headed Commoner finds drink forst, heading for the strongest she can find and making sure she has one for each hand. She walks the crowded festival with a cheerful smile that splits her freckled features. Eagerly the Apothecary wanders towards the perfume case to see what's being offered for the contest.

"Princess Ailys!" The Darkwater mercy knew who it was as soon as she heard the voice, and half spins around to greet her fellow disciple. "We did just get here. Have you met my husband? I don't believe you have! Reve, this is another of the Mercies, Princess Ailys Grayson. Your Highness, this is my spouse Lord Reve Darkwater. He makes sure I don't spend /all/ my time at the House of Solace." she informs, with a great deal of amusement behind the words. "What ales have you tried so far?"

Eiran can only tolerate standing helpfully with a pitcher of water so long before he feels the itch to wander off. He spares a hand to wave at Denica, and ends up near Fairen, eyes dancing. "...Pamphlets? You wrote pamphlets?"

Aureth sits down at one of the stools at the purple table with one elegant heel hooked into the wooden rung of it, watching people amiably while he takes a sip from the ale that has been offered him here. He shows no signs of being /too/ perplexed by the contents of the perplexing pitcher, but definitely content to relax here for a few minutes while people are getting set up.

Standing near the case, Fairen glances over at Bonibel as she approaches. He gives her an easy nod and shifts to give closer access, unsubtle in his curiosity as he watches to see what, if anything, she might place in the case. "Good day," he says, his tone lightly shading toward almost OUTRAGE as he looks at Eiran. "Of course! I think of this as an opportunity to educate as well as entertain. The entire process has been quite educational _for me_, as well. Do you even know the difference between enfleurage and steam distillation? Would you like to learn?" RUN, EIRAN.

"Naturally." Sofia, her perfume carefully set in the display, steps up just behind Eiran. "I wager it was originally three times as long, but someone made him edit it down." Something about enflueurage. "See?" she says, holding a hand palm up in his direction. "It's lovely to see you, Lord Eiran. Do you have an entry to the competition?"

Oswyn tips his chin with a smile to Aureth; Azova, too, gets a nod. He pauses by the display and smiles more broadly. "Oooh. A pamphlet," he says enthusiastically.

Eiran does, in fact, look about ready to eel away from Fairen's dreaded education, and he's not even subtle about it. "Oh gods," he says, then stops short of Sofia, smiling brightly. "No entry! But I have water! Everyone loves water. Do you think I could win with water?"

Bonibel humms quietly. She glances over the beautifully crafted bottles and nods her head. Fairen's greeting is met with a chipper beaming smile, "Hello. A.. pamphlet? Hmm." She chews the inside of her cheek. "Perhaps I misunderstood what was desired." She gestures to the ottles, "Which is yours?" She wonders of Fairen while looking over the crowd with a curious energy.

"It's lovely to meet you, Lord Reve." Ailys manages to offer a gracious nod in addition to hanging on to her ale and cheese. "Oh, I...hmm. I think I tried all of them. Maybe some of them more than once. Look at this one!" The glass is lifted a little so Azova and Reve can gaze into its murky depths. "It has a nice finish though. A bit like burnt sugar. In a good way."

Reve had just been about to make his selection. He ceases his efforts with no small amount of amusement when Azova is making with the greetings. As soon as the Princess' introduction is made, he bows low and deep and without any small amount of flair. There's a certain style to it, as if he had spent hours making his bow just so. "Well met," he greets the Grayson. "I am indeed her worse half." To Azova, he offers forth, "And you are correct, I have yet to make her highnesses' acquaintance."

After the little snack, the princess diverts her path and catches Eiran's wave. A hand lifts, finger-tips stained in a variety of colours and she wiggles her fingers at him with an easy smile. It's split in intention as she spies Fairen next to him, and offers him a similar wave. Thick Islander brows perk upwards catches the tail end of the conversation, something that has her looking a tad bewildered. Never shy, she asks immediately, "steam distillation?," she wonders out-loud, she probably missed the part that there are pamphlets that probably explain this. Rather, she seems intent to go to the source.

Revepeers at the ale as well. "Interesting," is his sole commentary for the moment.

As Oswyn circles near the display, Fairen favors him -- and his enthusiasm for pamphlets! -- with an appreciative gleam of his eyes. "Good day, Archscholar. I hope to consider my enthusiasm for pamphlets to be a part of my duties as a disciple." He bows his head in a gesture suggestive of prayer and devotion without quite reaching it, his humor light and mild. He taps the bottle of cut glass and wood, moving so that the pamphlet is closer to it. "This one." As Denica approaches, Fairen gets a terribly enthusiastic expression. "Your highness, are you curious as well?"

Ksenia slips into the shrine with slightly tentative steps, chestnut eyes taking in the parade of highborn and other such dignitaries as she lingers first off to one side. A side step soon takes her away from those surrounding the perfume display to briefly peek instead at the various kegs and casks.

Oswyn has just taken another bite of apple, so he's nodding while he's chewing and is sure to swallow before telling Fairen, "Very informative. I like it. I hope you're well, by the way. It's been a while since we last spoke, I think. Good luck."

Water? "There's wine, my lord," Sofia replies to Eiran. "Shall I get you some?"

With bright, airy cheer and the lungs of someone who has been speaking to large crowds for most of his life, Aureth stands from the stool he perched upon and walks towards the case where the alchemists have been accumulating, and declaims: ""Thank you all for coming today, it's lovely to see so many at Mangata's Shrine enjoying Her plenty and the brilliant sunshine!"
As Aureth calls out, the musicians pause in their playing to allow him to be better heard.

"And as we enjoy the bounty of Mangata's disciples and the bounty of Mangata, we welcome the creative work of the alchemists, both professional and amateur, who have brought their lovely work for us to review. Please everyone give welcoming round of applause to our contests so that we can meet them and then have a chance to smell their amazing work, by the inspiration of Jayus!"

Azova looks into the murky depths of the glass, and decides - "Sure, I'll try that. Burnt sugar." she muses, lifting a hand to wave at Oswyn as well. "That sounds like it would be interesting." A keen gaze sweeps its way around the room. "It looks like... over there. One of us gets the food, the other gets the ale?" she suggests for Reve. This is why having a spouse join you to these events is so handy. It's very efficient. "My worse half; that's terrible." she adds, chidingly.

Bonibel's attention darks, mud-and-moss hazel eyes blinking against the bright sun and luxury in the clothing of others. Oswyn gains a lift of her hand and a wave. Nervous energy has her hopping from one foot to another as she casts a look back towards the perfume case.

"Oh, yes, wine would be nice!" Eiran readily abandons his water. "But you don't have to fetch it." As Aureth speaks up and the music pauses, Eiran lingers beside Sofia to offer applause.

6 Grayson House Guards, Wyla, a small wisp of an assistant arrive, following Keely.

Oswyn squint in Bonibel's direction; the templar at his side murmurs something, and Oswyn smiles and raises a hand to wave back. Then he puts his apple up to his mouth and holds it between his teeth so as to be able to applaud.

With a flutter of cotton skirts, the princess turns to peer at the pamphlet in question, considering it with the rise of thick eyebrows. A smile forms, and she turns her head to look down the length of her shoulder at Fairen when he asks the question. A delighted sparkle lights in her eyes, and she places her hand on her heart like she is about to make a serious confession. "I am curious about all things. Even better, if I don't know anything about them." This is probably true, this is not Denica's element, but she is interested in everything going on around her. Her series of questions don't come quite yet, for she goes quiet as Aureth begins to speak turning her attention to the Dominus. When he mentions applause, Denica is quick to oblige and she puts her hands together, clapping excitedly for everyone.

"This is from the green folks," Ailys supplies helpfully. The ones over there. Stalwart author of her own snack fate, she smiles as the Darkwaters make plans to divide and conquer and takes a little sip from her glass.

"I am well, thank you. And thank you as well for the luck." And then Fairen turns to Denica, and he waves at his assistant, and he takes from her arms a pamphlet and he says, "Steam distillation is in many ways similar to the process by which brandy is made, which makes it particularly appropriate for-- oh." He breaks off as Denica turns and begins clapping, rather belatedly releasing that there is a call for attention elsewhere and sparing her for the moment.

As the clapping of the crowd dies down the real question may be whether Aureth asked them to applaud simply because he loves the sound of it but never mind. He approaches the contestants' case and reaches to pull the first scent down: a heavy glass bottle that shines in the sunlight. He takes a sniff of it, and calls: "Do I have a volunteer to wear the first of our scents of this afternoon, so that people may more easily smell it? After all, a scent changes from bottle to skin."

"What I am not terrible about, however, is acquiring food," remarks Reve in the wake of Azova's commentary. The grin that he offers his wife and Ailys is a sharp little thing, followed by a momentary brush of his shoulder against Azova's before he is disengaging and tipping his head to the princess. With that, he is off to make his selections.

Aureth takes Fidelity, in a heavy bottle made of golden glass from an elaborate carved display for the contestant perfumes.

Sofia offers up polite applause when prompted before she gestures at Eiran toward the drinks, bidding him to join her. "Have you looked at the scents yet? I admit I'm quite happy about how mine turned out, for an amateur beginner." She takes the liberty of taking a glass for herself, /and/ choosing one for Eiran. She offers it to him.

"Bring back lots of cheese!" Azova calls after Reve, because of course. "You going to volunteer?" she wonders of Ailys, when Aureth makes that request. "I'm going to get the burnt sugar stuff from the green place!" she adds, "Be right back!" To which, she races over to fill some cups before walking more sedately back towards the Grayson Princess. Assuming she didn't wander off to greet others of course.

Ksenia joins those approaching one of the casks to accept a cup, presenting herself first at the table attired in green to sample some ale. With a drink now in hand that she allows herself to take a tentative sip from, she turns slightly to watch Aureth and the presentation of the scent.

Bonibel's brows lift towards the Archscholar but her stoat-like smile doesn't fade from her plain features. She fairly easily gets lost in the crowd while waiting her turn. Waiting for the volunteers.

Keely slips into the temple, her eyes growing as she notes the size of the crowd. She hesitates, looking back over her shoulder as if rethinking her attendance here, but after a rather deep breath complete with closed eyes and subtle, soothing hand motions, she presses on. Her dark gaze flits hither and yon, and quickly begins making her way toward Denica the moment she spies her fellow princess, pausing only to turn and vaguely applaud when it seems others around her are doing so. "Denica," she whispers as she draws near.

"I haven't, no, I'm... uhh," Eiran looks a little scattered. But he gladly takes the glass of wine offered, only to set it right back down again, and lifts his hand to Aureth after catching a whisper. "I'll try it!"

Aureth warns the crowd, "If I get no volunteers I may cause one to happen!" which is obviously a dire threat to spritz someone with perfume at random like a department store-- oh good, Eiran is stepping up. "Ah, good, Lord Eiran, Devotion of Limerance, devoted to duty. Come on up. And while our model is arriving here, would the artist behind this entry like to explain their work?"

"I'm not sure I want to be sniffed all afternoon," Ailys admits before Azova and Reve head off for supplies. She stays where she is in the shuffle of people, balancing her plate carefully on the rim of her glass so she can nibble at a piece of cheese.

1 Iron Guardsmen, 3 Black Fleet Reavers, Moonsilver, the pale-feathered raven arrive, following Raven.

Oswyn squints up at Aureth and Eiran, now free to actually hold his apple and eat it properly. A bit of juice runs onto his hand, so he licks it off without really thinking.

1 Iron Guardsmen, 3 Black Fleet Reavers, Moonsilver, the pale-feathered raven leave, following Raven.

Eiran, ever happy to flaunt, steps up and does a flourishing pose, as if perfume can somehow be demonstrated visually.

Once the applause dies down, the princess turns her attention back to Fairen and queries him with, "Brandy is made from steam?," who knew? Clearly not Denica, "do you steam the...," she goes blank, an Islander, she is probably more familiar with things like rum and gin, she blinks a few time, "the ingredients," save, "or?," she isn't quite sure the outcome in order to ask the question. But, before she can stumble any further, there is Keely and she recognizes the voice immediately and her expression lights up noticeably. The princess offers an escort arm to the Grayson, "Princess Keely, what a bit of good luck to see you here. It's quite splendid. The music is lovely, and they are about to judge the perfumes!," she catches the other woman up. "And," she gestures to Fairen with her gaze, "Marquis Leary is explaining something called steam distillation." It's all kinds of excitement for the Thrax princess.

1 Iron Guardsmen, 3 Black Fleet Reavers, Moonsilver, the pale-feathered raven arrive, following Raven.

"Good day, your highness," Fairen says as he offers Keely a pamphlet to hide behind. He and Denica stand near the perfume display, which is not exactly the quietest corner -- but the pamphlets do provide a shield to hide behind. It helps that they appear to be on the various methods of extracting perfume compounds. It only draws a very particular kind of crowd, such as Denica. "I was just explaining that steam distillation is not dissimilar from the process by which brandy is made. Wine is boiled, strengthening the drink and making it more potent. Items that you wish to extract a scent from may be boiled, or have steam passed over or through them, with the steam recaptured and cooled. It's all explained in the pamphlet," he says, which is definitely in more detail than anyone needs. "But that's just one method! There are others. Would you like to hear more?"

"I would be happy to." Sofia steps forward behind Eiran and turns to face the assembled group. "I have created a scent that I've named 'Fidelity', in honor of Limerance's virtue." She turns to look at Eiran, waiting for him to apply it (as though anyone will be able to tell from a look). "I recently found a book for a friend, on the language of flowers, and I used that to guide my selections. The base of the scent is oak, which represents strength both literally and metaphorically. Strength of character and will is fundamental to keeping one's oaths. The heart notes are heliotrope and gladiolus. In turn, they represent devotion and integrity. Both virtues, of course, also essential to fidelity. Finally, the top notes of ivy and chrysanthemum. Both of those flowers represent fidelity itself - both built upon the scents and virtues that support it."

Sofia checks charm and propaganda at normal. Sofia is successful.

Ksenia sidles over to another color-coded table to fill her free hand with yet another drink, this time accepting a glass from the white team's disciple. With that, she drifts off again, now armed with two glasses. Eventually, she ends up loitering near Fairen, seemingly overhearing his alchemical explanation to stoke her interest.

"Excellent, thank you very much. What a fortuitous volunteer for an oil to honor Limerance. Lord Eiran, if you would be so good, please stay handy so that people can smell you. That's a sentence I've never spoken before," Aureth adds jovially, and reaches for the next festival entry. "Please return Princess Sofia's bottle to the case, also, will you?" he asks.

Aureth gets Glory in Repose, a virtuous scent from an elaborate carved display for the contestant perfumes.

"Oh, I do so love the process of distillation," Keely says as she wraps her hands around Denica's offered arm and gives a gentle squeeze before leaving one to rest at the crook of it, giving her friend a brillaint, warm, and certainly relieved smile. A smile which grows in all of those categories and adds in some wonder as Fairen offers her a pamphlet, which she immediately accepts in gentle fingertips to open and look over. "You brought pamphlets?" she asks of the Marquis, delighted. "Oh, my lord, these are so detailed! Everyone will come away with a greater understanding of the process from beginning to end. Oh!! You included a bit about glass just here. A blurb is better than leaving people entirely in the dark, I think..." She gets lost in her reading for a moment, stepping more off to the side with the two as the perfume modeling has begun.

"Cheese." Reve repeats that request with an exaggerated shake of his head but in the end? He is likely to acquire no small amount of choice bits. A variety of them, in fact, so each selection can be savored. He might be taking his sweet time however.

"Certainly," Eiran says, beaming at Sofia as he moves for the case. "It's a really wonderful scent. I like the almond in there."

Eiran puts Fidelity, in a heavy bottle made of golden glass in an elaborate carved display for the contestant perfumes.

"Thank you," Sofia returns to Eiran with a warm smile. "It's from the heliotrope, actually - it smells a bit like vanilla and almond when it's distilled down to a scent. It's quite fascinating, isn't it? Who would've ever guessed that an ivy flower smells a bit of spice." With an arch of her eyebrow she steps closer to Eiran and leans in until she's a foot or so away, giving a delicate sniff. "I hadn't had a chance to smell it on anyone but myself," she explains. A second sniff and she pulls back. "Yes, I'm very happy with that. You smell devine." Devine. Get it? GET IT?

Since no immediate volunteer leaps to the front for the next perfume, Aureth sighs dramatically - like someone who has sighed dramatically before crowds for much of his life - and says, "Very well, I am to the matter forced; I shall apply this scent to my own skin. The templars will hate this, you understand, but needs must drive, and I believe from the label that this scent must be in honor of Gloria. Would the artist behind Glory in Repose like to explain their work?"

Aureth puts Glory in Repose, a virtuous scent in an elaborate carved display for the contestant perfumes.

Bonibel watches as Aureth pulls out the acid etched round bottle from the case and her hopping turns to rocking on her heels a bit as she looks at the large crowd. She's still grinning and listening to Fairen is certainly giving her a place to focus all that edgy energy. When Aureth uses the scent on himself Bonibel darts forward and says, not meekly but uite overwhelmed. "Uhm.. it's.. It's what reminds me of Gloria." Her eyes dart bretween people and she gestures to Aureth. "It's.. there." She encourages people to sniff the Dominus before darting to hide behind someone again.

Bonibel checks mana and alchemy at normal. Bonibel is successful.

"More?," her brows lift upwards in unison, noting the excitement of the man, the princess is not one to discourage such inspiration. "Please tell us all about it!," she encourages the Marquis, and then smiling at Keely admits her love for the distillation process. "I suppose I've used steam to extract certain types of pigment, or at least I've boiled things, or well, with some assistance" she says in afterthought, seeming curious none-the-less to find out more. The pamphlet is given to Sivas for safe keeping, who flips through it, seeming to be more knowledgeable than Denica is, for he just nods, like the information is catching him up on a new chapter in a favourite series. As perfume is tested Eiran, her attention drifts from time-to-time, but then returns to Keely and Fairen.

"I knew mixing scents was complex but... Gods, there's layers I hadn't even considered." Eiran says, and keeps a "handy" pose as Sofia samples her own wares. He grins, pleased at Sofia's verdict. "I'll really have to make use of the day and swan around the city while the scent is still fresh." He turns his attention, then, to the next perfume.

Raven sways in, walking into the back of the guard infront of her causing the Reaver to give a soft grunt and stagger forward a bit to catch himself. One of the Reavers behind her reaches out and clasps her shoulder to steady Raven. Raven's red-rimmed jade eyes widen and her gaze sweeps the room, "Woah. I hadn't expected so many." The tone is a whisper but the volume definitely is not.

Aureth gives Bonibel a warm, encouraging smile, wiith a little clapclap of his hands as it seems to him quite apparent that while stage speaking is HIS favorite thing it can be difficult for other people. "Thank you! I too shall circulate amongst the crowd so that you can all get a good sniff. Now... can I get a volunteer for the next one? Hmmmm?"

Aureth gets Watcher, an unwavering cologne from an elaborate carved display for the contestant perfumes.

Oswyn finishes eating his apple and looks awkwardly at the core in his hand. His templar makes impatiently flappy hands at him and takes the core, though the man pauses to look out into the crowd, brow furrowing.

Sofia laughs warmly at Eiran. "I'm perfectly happy to make you a bottle," she informs him, before letting him continue on his way to be sniffed. "I would be happy to volunteer," she says in Aureth's direction, with a little raise of her glass to identify herself.

Fairen speaks in a lower voice to those nearby as he continues on about distillation and so on and so forth. "Mm-hmm, and as we discussed before, the qualities of the glassware can be quite important to the final work," he says to Keely in an aside as he watches her get lost in the reading. He looks quietly pleased, and quite unable to stop himself from going on as he's given the _slightest_ encouragement. "Enfleurage captures the _whole_ of a scent better than distillation. You layer an item in fats pressed between glass or else stir them in a heated fat of some sort. I'm sure you use something similar with pigments. Distillation, however, produces far more _interesting_ results in that you can draw entirely different scents from a single item through the use of fractional distillation as you draw out different vapors--." He flips to the back side of the pamphlet. There's more. Oh no.

The moment's silence stretches as people in the crowd look at each other, shuffling-- but then before Aureth can happen to anybody, Sofia steps forward. He beams at her. "Excellent! Thank you, Princess Sofia, here is the scent. Would the maker of this creation like to present it for the crowd now that we have a model for it?"

Sofia puts Watcher, an unwavering cologne in an elaborate carved display for the contestant perfumes.

Bonibel peeks out and notices the helmet shaped bottle is next. Again the little Alchemist appears from where she'd went to hide. She glances between those present when a call for a volunteer goes up and she waits to see if anyone will brave it. A hand lifts to curl over her medallion. "Uhm.." Again she stares out at all the people and at the Princess who's using her scent. "It's.. a It's called Watcher, the unwavering. Sentinal." And that is that. She moves to hide again.

Bonibel checks mana and alchemy at normal. Critical Success! Bonibel is spectacularly successful.

Ksenia takes a sip from one of the glasses she holds, both hands currently occupied with drinks to sample. Letting her attention wander briefly, she spies a rare, recognizable face amongst the crowd and lifts her cup towards Raven in greeting, even if the action might get lost in the crowds.

Eiran meanders back in Fairen's direction and looks /supremely/ amused that Fairen is still going on at length about the science of it all. "Enfleurage," he repeats, more to himself.

Oswyn's templar murmurs something to him; Oswyn immediately looks very concerned and turns about to squint at the crowd. The templar touches his arm with his apple-free hand and gestures toward Raven, so Oswyn trots thataway.

Aureth claps again for Bonibel as she makes her simple presentation. "Now," he says, "do I have a volunteer to wear the creation of our final contestant?" He pauses for a moment as he glances back at the case, and his smile ticks wider, "Who has offered reading material, I see, along with his work."

Aureth gets a bottle of sparkling faceted glass and satiny walnut burl marked with a star with 13 points from an elaborate carved display for the contestant perfumes.

"Fats," Keely echoes thoughtfully, dark gaze scanning the pamphlet. "Just any kind of fats? Surely not... butter, for example," she muses, eyes lighting up when there is -more- on the back of the pamphlet. "Oh, Marquis Leary, you truly outdid yourself on these. Is this a tiny diagram?" She is enchanted, her smile impossibly wide as she peeks up to Fairen and then glances toward Denica to make sure she is equally enjoying this. Then Aureth speaks. "I will do it," she volunteers for this next perfume, standing as tall as she can on flat feet and lifting a delicate hand to about shoulder height. Except her voice is soft and not made for carrying, so she stands on her toes and tries again. "I w... I will do it." She clears her throat, trying to make her way through the crowd to get to Aureth, but her unwillingness to jostle anyone or indeed touch anyone uninvited makes it a slow-going, weaving, sideways-turning, shuffling process.

Aureth gets a scroll displayed near Fairen's bottle from an elaborate carved display for the contestant perfumes.

"Courage," Fairen encourages Keely in a low voice as she volunteers, which is not the kind of thing he probably should be saying for someone who volunteers to wear something he makes. HOW BAD COULD IT BE?!

"Excellent!" Aureth beams again at Princess Keely, even as he looks down at the scroll in his hand and reads it. "My word," he says, "preparation must be what's expected from one of Oswyn's scholars." Because Oswyn keeps them, like pigeons? Or something. "My lord Marquis, if you would care to present your work? Should I give Her Highness this scroll in case people wish to inspect it while she models it?"

Sofia meanders through the crowd with head held high for anyone who would like to sniff her. "Best of luck, Marquis," she says as she passes by Fairen. "Does it include any ginger? It's my latest favorite scent." On she goes, for more people to sniff.

Raven is ushered out of the way and another Reaver takes the other side to make sure there's no accidental bumps of anyone's science or artesan projects. Raven parvels, "All that's holy, *look* at all of this!" still in a not quiet inebriated 'whisper'. As one of the guards tries to hook her slung arm to guide her she recoils and hisses, "M'fine, get off!" her gaze suggesting next time she objects it might not be with her words. She remains oblivious to Oswyn's approach but the dropping of the mention of the scholars draws her attention curiously towards Aureth.

Keely looks resolved as the perfume is spritzed onto her, lifting her chin and looking quite stalwart, preparing to be sniffed. After a moment though, her eyes light up again and looks down at herself. "Oh, this is actually quite lovely," she murmurs quietly, her smile shadowing a return.

Bonibel is headed out. She stops for a quick chug of one of the ale's and then she's scurrying past the crowd, weaving in and out until she can dart out of the crowd.

Brutus, a large regal looking rooster with ebony coloring leaves, following Bonibel.

Oswyn glances up at the mention of his name and waves kind of absently. He's apparently occupied, stepping over to Raven to try to get her attention. It may involve an arm touch.

"Does the fat help carry the scent, or protect it from the heat?," she asks, it's probably in the pamphlet, but the princess sees to be the type to listen more than read. Though, she does lift her gaze upwards to see the diagram that Keely refers to. Curious, she looks at Fairen and listens to him, seeming to enjoy the conversation, as it all seems new to her, and she can absorb the information. When Keely volunteers, Denica flashes her an encouraging smile and watches as the woman spritzes perfume on, seeming interested to see the reaction. "It does not surprise me the amount of effort and process that goes into perfumes, some are so complex, I find it rather amazing how notes are layered in a way that you notice some immediately, and others might creep on you, or how a perfume smells different when first applied, and later on. Though I imagine one's own skin and well, scent has something to do with that?," she asks, looking at Fairen briefly, seeming to think he might know the answers to her questions.

Eiran finally finds that glass of wine and watches as Keely makes her way up. "I feel like I should've actually read the pamphlet."

"Excuse me, your highness, I'll have all your answers in a moment," Fairen promises Denica.

THEN: "I'm afraid I rather overprepared for it, Dominus. To begin, one must go back to the history of the original scented oils used in Sanctum, which included--." Fairen goes on for a bit. Aureth should have set a time limit. In the end, the sum of it is that he used what he could, and "--and so I sought to represent each of the gods in their own manner, as they are each part of the Dream that Aion embodies. Some of the inspirations are fairly direct -- Lagoma and the transitory nature of burnt incense, of course -- while others are more abstract, such as the Iris, which is a flower for wisdom whose root leaves a subtle, powdery smell, not unlike books." He pauses and clears his throat. "It is, ah, on the pamphlets." Of course.

Fairen checks mana and alchemy at normal. Fairen marginally fails.

Ailys makes some polite farewells and slips out of the shrine.

Raven blink-blinks owlishly at Oswyn, staring at him blankly, "Are you a perfumer? I know you dabbled in salves and shit but-perfumes? Huh." She looks around curiously, "Which one of these is yours?"

And then Fairen's performance catches her attention and she snicker-snorts and too-loudly whispers to Oswyn, "Gods, I'm glad he's back in the city. The Marquis is *GAS* , Ain't he?" her tone and her grin clearly airing her opinion is a good thing. She seems oblivious to any questions asked of her.

Sofia steps her circulation beside Eiran and reclaims her glass of wine, as well. "I have no doubt he would be thrilled to go over it in person with you," sghe assures him.

Azova appears to have been quietly conversing with Ailys, and when she leaves - tugs on Reve's arm so they can follow.

Ilyse, a potentially reformed troublemaker leaves, following Reve.

4 Redoubt Buccaneers, Orion, a healer's surly Assistant, Fernando, the pygmy bear, Reve leave, following Azova.

Oswyn reaches up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "I only know some very basic things, mostly medicinal. I don't have an entry. I'm more here to support the Faith. Also there is some excellent cheese. And a bit of bread. Maybe you should have some bread? And water," he coaxes Raven.

The beaming smile that finds its way across Keely's face cannot be helped, certainly tinged with pride as Fairen gives his thorough presentation, during which she circulates, stopping by to gently collect a stack of pamphlets from him to distribute to the crowd. She smiles the most disarming smile she can muster and makes eye contact for as long as necessary until each person she offers one to takes it. "What do you think, Raven?" she asks the Blackheart as she passes, using a pamphlet to gently waft the perfume she wears the woman's way before offering it to her and carrying on, after a flash of a smile to Oswyn.

"Before you leave today," Aureth adds, waving an arm as he drifts among the crowd for people to sniff, "please do let a disciple know which beer was your favorite, as well! The winning ale will be featured at the harvest festivals this autumn as well as transported as part of an annual gift to the Seraph of Sanctum from the Seraph of Arx."

It is _somehow_ a _surprise_ to Fairen that he doesn't get a lot of people interested in his pamphlets after he spends 10 hours on the history of Sanctum's sacred scents. What could possibly be off-putting about a history lecture while drinking?

Pausing just a moment near Keely, Fairen says, "You wear it very well, your highness," with a warmer smile before carrying on to rejoin Denica. "Ahhh. Let's see." He looks just a bit flustered as he sheds the more public speech for a quieter one, but he still can't resist Informing and Sharing Knowledge. "Right, the fats. They help to carry the scent. I think some of it might have to do with the the vapors of the scents come up when they are distilled as well. Some of the things that you notice right away are the things that you get right away, while the more lingering ones can take longer, or perhaps can only be captured with the fat. It's all very interesting. It's still very much a subject of _active_ study."

Ksenia takes a last sip from each of her glasses before finding some place to set them down out of the way. Seeming to have reached her limit on being socially adjacent, she also slips from the shrine after pausing to tell the white team's disciple of her vote for their ale.

Oswyn offers a quick smile to Keely and sort of distracted sniff. "Could I have a pamphlet, please? I only got to skim over the one in the display. If you have spares."

Raven's nostrils flare and Oswyn gets a LOOK, her chin lifting a bit. Then suddenly Keely is incoming and wafting something her way. Distracted, "It's lovely, your highness. I had no idea you had so many Talents. I think, however, I shoulder make my way out. Enjoy your day, Highness. Archscholar."

Several disciples walk among the crowd, taking votes for ales and votes for perfumes, and there's a cheerful few minutes spent as the musicians strike up a sprightly tune. Some people even start clearing an impromptu dance area, although the heat of the day is such that the folks hanging around nearest the stream and splashing water on their faces make more SENSE. The water carriers are doing almost as much business as the ale givers.

"Oh, of course, Archscholar," Keely enthuses to Oswyn with a brilliant smile, pausing to pass a pamphlet to him so carefully one would think it was made of the most delicate glass, rather than paper. "I think you will find that Marquis Leary was very thorough, without being too ponderous, though of course a fondness for knowing things is required to fully appreciate his work. So I am certain you will enjoy it."

Oswyn takes the pamphlet with a wan smile to Keely; he looks to Raven and sighs, adding something more quietly to the woman.

Aureth absolutely is having someone from Gild's discipleship do the actual adding on the votes as he takes a seat on a stool and looks thoughtful while he nurses a glass of ale that has been handed him. He looks very thoughtful. The Gildy disciple passes him a note, and he looks at it, and then puts it down on the table beside him.

Keely smiles warmly to Oswyn and Raven, scooting away to give them their private farewells and making her way back to Fairen and Denica. "I think yours was a triumph," she informs the Marquis softly, wafting the perfume at her Thraxian friend as she nears. "I love the smell of roses at the fore. I am always enchanted when floral smells are captured as they smell fresh rather than dried, aren't you?"

Raven shakes her head to Oswyn, "Nothing to say." She bows carefully to Keely, "Good luck, highness." and with a lil help from her guards her wobbley self is turned around without knocking anything over.

"I think your _modeling_ was a triumph," Fairen says as Keely rejoins them. "I saw that subtle fanning. Very cleverly done." He looks like he's taking notes. "The rose is such an interesting flower for perfuming. It's easy to see why they call it the queen of flowers, but truthfully I wished to capture it in a genderless whole, all of the elements drawing together for a single expression, working with traditional ingredients. The _Tehom_ note was one I found fascinating, in that it drew out facets of all the other scents, and was produced through something that we'd typically few as horrifying: rot and decay producing something wonderful."

Oswyn's brow remains furrowed; he blinks at Raven and watches her go for a few moments. Then he looks sidelong at his templar with a puzzled look.

Aureth stands again, and raises a hand for the music to quiet.
"I am happy to announce the following results. Glory in Repose, crafted by Bonibel Barlicorn, is our third place scent fragrance and a favorite of many of amongst the crowd. Bonibel Barlicorn has a local shop here in Arx and I'm very pleased that we were able to sample our work in honor of this festival, and I shall be personally making a substantial donation in her name. While her work in honor of Gloria will not replace our anointing oil, it is absolutely lovely and I encourage any of you who are interested to seek out Bonibel and pursue her work." Aureth winks, and then goes on: "Our second place fragrance was crafted by Princess Sofia Velenosa in honor of Limerance, and we are impressed with her work as a student alchemist. The virtue of fidelity seems well-represented by the fragrance of the same name and we will be providing her, also, with a substantial donation."
"But our first prize, receiving a good deal of the vote, is the oil crafted by Fairen, Marquis of the Leaholdt, in honor of Aion and the Dreaming. We appreciate the thoughtfulness of the work, as well as the careful hand of the artist bringing the Lost gods to the forefront of a work that contains them all. I will ensure that the explanatory pamphlets are provided to our alchemists along with the scent and ask you, Marquis, to meet privately with them so as to instruct them on your process most directly so that we may ensure the fragrance may be reproduced for ceremonial purposes."

"An active study, is the best kind, it means there is still plenty to learn and discover, and that is exciting," she muses to Fairen as Keely returns from the demonstration. Taking a slow inhale to catch the perfume Keely wears, she breaths in the scent of the perfume, letting it linger on the nostrils. "That is delightful, and it smells fresh. I am always captivated by a scent that takes me back somewhere, to running through a field of flowers, or walking barefoot through the dew. It's not only a lovely indulgence for the senses, but one for the mind as well. Evoking memories, can be quite powerful," she laments about perfume a moment as she sniffs the air.

Raven is overheard praising Bonibel.

Aureth puts a scroll displayed near Fairen's bottle in an elaborate carved display for the contestant perfumes.

Aureth puts a bottle of sparkling faceted glass and satiny walnut burl marked with a star with 13 points in an elaborate carved display for the contestant perfumes.

Oswyn is overheard praising Fairen.

Oswyn is overheard praising Bonibel.

Oswyn is overheard praising Sofia.

Eiran brightens and then sort of flicks the lapels of his waistcoat. "Well done, Princess Sofia. I'm going to enjoy gliding through rooms and leaving everyone wondering if it is in fact almond and vanilla."

"Yes, precisely! When there is more yet left to learn--." Fairen is _definitely_ going to go on in his enthusiasm, but then Aureth's words register and he lifts his head and--! OH. He nudges his glasses back up in place as his fingers grip his book that much more excitedly. "I very much look forward to the discussion, Dominus, and speaking with the alchemists of the Faith to learn more of their work as well." He dips his head to Sofia as well, and says, "Your highness, my congratulations on an exemplary study of fidelity."

Keely is about to continue excitably speaking with Fairen and Denica when Aureth announces his results. Third place is announced, and she applauds politely. Then second place, and those eyes are lighting up again, applause a little more enthusiastic. Finally, when first place is announced, she cheers a soft "hoooo!" hopping a little in place and looking aside to Fairen with a radiant, beaming smile. "Oh, well done, my lord!" Once she calms again, she quietly confides to both he and Denica, "I think it was the pamphlets. Everyone loves to learn more about such mysterious processes, and they made it so accessible!" She perhaps doesn't have her finger on the pulse of what everyone loves, or what counts as 'accessible' as far as information is concerned, but she is quite earnest as she says it.

Aureth abandons his glass to pull a small woven cloth bag from his pocket to present the Marquis with the SUPER SECRET first prize: a small stone for his study or perusal, maybe. He says, "Thank you for your work." His smile is warm and amused. "And for the education you offer along with it, my lord."

"Congratulations, Marquis." Sofia turns away from murmuring something to Eiran, to offer Fairen a perfect smile. "Well deserved. Most Holy," she turns to give Aureth a nod of respect. "A lovely event." She ducks to give Eiran's cheek an air-kiss, and makes her exit with a flutter of fingers.

3 House Velenosa Guards, Gracie, an extremely patient lady's maid leave, following Sofia.

Oswyn is guided back in Fairen's direction; he offers a smile once he's neared, and a simple, "Congratulations."

Eiran pauses on his way out to bow low to Fairen. "Exemplary, Marquis Fairen. I'm not surprised in the least."

3 Laurent Guards, Melli, an excitable aide leave, following Eiran.

"Oh. Oh!" Fairen lifts the small stone to study it, and it's fairly obvious that he is holding a piece of jade for any who wish to examine. "I have lacked a sample for my mineralogical display. This is perfect." Of course he has a mineralogical display. Don't you? "Thank you, Dominus. It was sincerely a pleasure." He looks over at Keely, absolutely foolish enough to say, "I should like to think so as well. I hope it leads to more interest in the arts and science of alchemy."

Clapping her hands together for the excitement, she seems to favour all of the contestants with the equally applied clapping. Though at the winner, she is quick to congratulate Fairen, "well done!," she says to him, nodding her head at the mention of the pamphlets helping. "I will admittedly look at my perfume a little differently, after all this," she says, seeming fond of the information she's learnt, the company she's kept and the overall festivities. "What a great event, and a truly lovely way to spend a summer's day" she says, catching sight of Aureth, so her compliments can carry in his direction. Sivas murmurs something to Denica then, it looks like a reminder, and she blinks, "oh right of course, thank you Sivas," she says in response. "Enjoy the rest of the day!," she says to those around her, this seems to be her queue to exit.

Keely is overheard praising Aureth.

"Ooh. Jade. You have a mineral collection?" Oswyn asks Fairen, apparently intrigued by this idea. "I never thought to have one of those. Huh." He offers a smile and a nod to Denica as well, since she is RIGHT THERE.

Aureth beams. "The weather was perfect for it, wasn't it? Have you all tried the ales?" He gestures towards the multicolored tables. "The white team is winning the public vote by a landslide just now, the purple is my favorite but I'm willing to be overruled."

"See you soon," Keely says, with an odd sort of smile and a Look Denica's way as she bids her farewells. She murmurs an aside to Fairen, handing off the remaining pamphlets to his assistant and smoothing her hands over the fluttery layers of her skirt. There is a smile for Aureth, for Oswyn, for the others who departed, but her attention returns to Denica several times as the princess makes her way out.

"I do. I'm lacking a number of specimens of the more rare and valuable gemstones, but I have _geologically_ interesting stones that may not be quite so valued in gems and trade," Fairen explains to Oswyn with a warming enthusiasm. "I'll have to share them at some point. If you'll excuse me, Archscholar. Dominus." He bows his head to them both, then to Keely and Denica, as he makes sure his assistant has collected all stray pamphlets. No littering in Mangata's shrine.

Oswyn nods to Fairen and then reaches up and rubs his face. "I think that's enough for me. Lovely event, though, Dominus." Another wan smile and the Archscholar begins to make his way out of the shrine again.

1 Templar Knight guards leaves, following Oswyn.