Sigil

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

@rivaan@Shoe Thief@Sigil@Arty Fox

Before we get into the pleasantries - Kathryn: The Perception roll in the Discord was not ideal, but it did bear a little fruit. The bits and pieces of smoked Morty that was ingested reminded Kat of something. She couldn't quite put her finger on it at first, but damnit if that meat seemed like it would pair amazingly well with the wine she was guzzling the evening before. Something similar about them, just out of mental reach.

Now, for the rest of us. Your characters may arrive at any time after Cecily answers her first question, about the Medician in town. Past that, feel free to react. Plenty of information to be soaked up there. The last bit, with the stablehands, can only be directly noticed if your characters are coming up from the front of the Estate House. Remember that Cecily bid you all to walk around the place to get to the terrace in the back.

Further, as this takes place over a full season (give or take), there are going to be significant lapses in time between events that need to be accounted for. To this end, be thinking about how you wish for your characters to spend their time. If it can be worked out within the context of the storyline, there are skills to learn, tools and weapons to familiarize yourself with, languages to pick up, etc. Any character who puts consistent in-game time toward something along these lines will acquire it, along with their milestone level at the end of the Act.

Per usual, hti me up in the Discord for questions, concerns, or die rolls. Or if I forgot to address something in the IC.

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

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Rose River Vineyard

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Coach House

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Weather: One experiences a cool morning under clear skies. While the ambient temperature has increased a little bit, the wind still bites with a promise of weather to come. The distinction between the two is becoming more apparent at the morning progresses.

Time: Still early. It is morning, approximately a half hour from the last time we checked in.

Ambience: One's breath can be seen in smallish wisps in the cold morning air. This has lessened little by little as the growing (relative) warmth of the sun, marking it as an event soon to expire. The clouds in the distance seem to have approached a little bit in the last half hour, an expected thing considering the prevailing direction of the wind. The vineyard and moors about it are grand and bright, demonstrating the industry of agriculture for which Avonshire is known.

Movement around the Estate House and immediate rows of vines has become more noticeable, as additional employees of the vineyard have emerged to start their day. The ripples of wind across vegetation serve to better illustrate the ocean-like appearance of rolling hills which appear as silent, standing waves dotted with dwellings, gazebos, and stables making a metaphorical mimicry of ships in the near and far distance. A main footpath paved with grey flagstones and a vital, lifegiving river cut through this near idyllic scene, the latter seeing more use than the former as persons both Human and Halfling gather water, cast their fishing lines in, or walk along its banks - though not in great numbers. Almost as a portion of the day's distant ambience, one can barely make out one of the fishing folk utter, _{"G'mornin'! Nice day for fishin', ain't it? Huah huh!"}

The Taproom remained mostly as it was from prior, except that one could make out an occasional shuffling footstep from the floor above, likely from the man going about his business straightening things up, sweeping floors, and changing out bed linen. He kept as quiet as he might be except for what was necessary to do a proper job tidying up. Smells of rising dough compete with the glory of steam rising from freshly baked bread and savory notes of quickly sauteed bits of meat.

*****

The Estate House blocked the worst of the wind gusts from fluttering cloak, cape, and shawl. Coupled with the braziers (even the one set up as a tableside cooking station), the overall temperature was bearable, even for a late fall/early winter morning. The farther away one might travel from the set tables, the less influence either had on one's comfort; at the distance of the terrace's edge overlooking the river it was effectively nonexistent, the prevailing conditions of the weather reasserting hold fully. Lizbeth didn't seem to mind, her heart full of unvoiced joy at their guests and the novelty of outdoor breakfast with a few of her favorites being delivered. Cecily chose to keep nearer to the warmth, as her own levels of excitement were quite depleted by the events of Harvestide. While she did not wish to move too far away from the braziers, she put a little extra volume to her voice to respond to Victoria's questions. "Yes. Yes there is one in Southmoor, Madame Annick Floquet, but..." There was a sharp quality to her voice, as if sudden reluctance to elaborate had to be pushed through. "A lady who was a midwife, before the last war. She got conscripted as an army medician. She came back a different person, as what happens in war sometimes, I hear. I knew her when I was but a girl. She lives just outside of Southmoor, near to a large copse of trees. Madame Floquet, hmm... She does not generally give of herself unless you have something she wants in trade, save for her oath to act as Apothecary and Healer. I hope this helps."

The next question as posed to Cecily was actually answered by Lizbeth. Her general manner was still upbeat, even if her words issued forth in more of a monotone. "We lost my mommy and daddy when I was younger. It was a wasting disease of some kind. I had it, too, but I lived. Aunt CeeCee came here to live with us and take care of me, after that. But then Uncle Hugo passed..." She looked at Cecily like she had crossed a line of some kind, her lightly shocked voice issuing an apology. "Oh, I'm sorry! I... That wasn't my place to say."

"It's all right. It will always hurt a little, and I have to get used to it." Turning to Victoria, she continued the thought as Lizbeth had left it, "It was a rough few years there, to be certain. Especially for Arnaud, my father-in-law and Lizbeth's grandfather. He kept almost fully to himself, after lost both of his sons. I was going to give him another grandchild, but... but it didn't come to term. Suddenly, too. Arnaud even seemed angry about it. He was so looking forward to the birth. And then he withdrew from everyone again. Leaving the house for days at a time sometimes. Most of the time, we didn't know where he went. Sometimes, we would find him coming back home from the Coach House. Or he would lock himself in his study." Cecily shook her head and changed the course of the subject just a bit, "This makes Lizbeth the last remaining birthright L'Rose! When she comes of age in a little over a year, all of this becomes hers, short of a Will showing up to say otherwise." She forced a smile, "When she takes over, I do hope my dear Lizbeth will want her poor aunt to stick around. It is lovely country, and I doubt I shall find a moneyed suitor now that I am approaching my middle years." There was yet a sense of joviality in her voice, even though it showed some strain.

Lizbeth gave a sympathetic look to her elder and appeared to wish to address the last point made, but was swiftly cut off by the arrival of three scullery workers, two pushing carts adorned with white cloths and silvery cloaches, and one carrying a basket of tools and small bowls with prepared ingredients therein. A bountiful but relatively simply prepared feast was set out upon the table, which was listed out by Cecily as it hit the table. "Coffee, if you've never had it, tea, fresh milk, or wine dilute to drink. Mille feuille pastry with walnuts and honey, croissants and hot pepper jam, sorghum cakes, fruit preserves, a whole basket of boiled eggs (for some reason) with thick, tangy aioli, red wine jelly, fresh country butter, baked apples and blush pears, heavy crust bread, and shredded, fried potatoes. If you wish, the gentleman to the right will be happy to prepare a scratch omelette on the spot for any or all of you. This is a token of my appreciation and an official welcome to the Rose River Vineyard. Please enjoy yourselves."

With nothing left for two of the scullery folk to set out, they gave a curt bow and backed away from the table for three steps before turning their backs and returning to the kitchen. Those particularly astute in their observation may notice that the demeanor of professionalism drops as soon as they get more than a few meters away from the breakfast, showing an eagerness to get back inside paired with the occasional glance to one another, as if counting down the seconds until they may gossip about something in earnest. Likewise for those arriving from the front, stout armed men can be seen headed toward the stables, murmuring among themselves about, "More footprints found. No shoes this time. Who in their right mind goes about barefoot this time of the year?" They clam up once the realize new people are nearby, offering neighborly smiles and many a tip of the hat.

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

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Victoria Belmont Half-Elf, Bard, Level 5 HP: 33 / 33 Armor Class: 15 Conditions: N/A Location: Vineyard Grounds -> Estate House (Terrace) Action: N/A Bonus Action: Familiar Reaction: N/A

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The bracing air of the morning was felt with appreciable notice by Victoria as she kept her cloak about her. It took a few moments for her to acclimate to the colder air of the moors, even in part, as compared to the warm and comfortable interior of the Coach House. By the time they all got down to the main pathway - Cecily, Lizbeth, and herself - she felt more at ease. Enough, anyway, to allow her cloak to drape about herself without the desire to hold it closed. When Cecily began to speak about the lands around them, Victoria actually began to cheerfully ignore all but the gusts of wind, insisting upon reminding her that the start of winter was upon them.

The idea that Cecily didn't always live in the big house hadn't really occurred Victoria. It made sense, though. This was a rambling estate with lots of room to spread out, and she was more accustomed to the closer living of more populous cities. It did make her wonder how many people usually lived in the grand residence at by the river, and whatever else they might do with the space inside. "This is quite a lovely piece of land you have here. Like a shard of the Twin Paradises. I should love to experience as much of it as I can while I am welcomed here."

The gazebo nearest to the house piqued Victoria's interest. It was large, almost large enough to stage a one-act play in. Certainly a superior spot to play music or practice dancing. A similarly worthwhile spot was nearby to the gazebo as well, paved and mostly cordoned off by stone markers, but without a pavilion to keep inclement weather off of one's brow. This was an absolutely beautiful, if a bit rustic, place to center herself and assimilate the new abilities into her proper repertoire. In fact, this vineyard getaway seemed like the perfect place to delve into more new things that she might find complementary to her already varied skill set. And of course, the wine. It was a factor that couldn't be wholly ignored.

Along their way back to the terrace, Victoria raised a question that might have appeared a little out of place. "Madame L'Rose, if I may hazard an inquiry? Is there a practitioner of medicine operating nearby? To clarify, one who uses physical medicine as opposed to magic - a healer, or anatomist. A doctor of medicine, perhaps, if I might count myself as very lucky?" She stopped short before saying something to the effect of "in this rural locale." While accurate, it might not have been the most polite thing ever to say. "I've no need of one for myself, but I do like to be useful and learn new things." She quickly added, "While I've the time to, of course."

The continued walk to the breakfast area, so thoughtfully set up but not quite ready to receive guests, found Victoria keeping quiet. The view was amazing, as was the mosaic stonework of the area back here. She most assuredly joined Lizbeth at the side of the terrace overlooking the river, noting the drop down to the water. She noted the beach landing; another good spot to ply her talents and likely had some good acoustics to work with. "It is breathtaking, Lizbeth. I am quite jealous." This as only partly a polite statement. While not precisely her cup of tea, it was something that Victoria could see herself becoming accustomed to. This family was as wealthy as her own, obviously. Conceivably even moreso.

During her look at the far countryside from this scenic place, Victoria focused her senses to her raven, circling above. It was a different vantage from their present location, giving yet another brilliant perspective on the lands around them. During this temporary peek through the eyes of her Familiar, she caught sight of a familiar silhouette upon the nearby, simple lookout tower, prompting the Bard to break contact and call up to Kathryn, out for her constitutional. "Hey there!" She didn't quite go as loud as she possibly could, but did utilize her vocal training to project like a seasoned professional. A grand, welcoming wave followed.

Turning her attention back to Cecily, Victoria spoke, "If I speak out of turn, Madame, I apologize. That said, may I tentatively inquire - You mentioned that you had lost family, more than your husband and his father. Is it just you and Lizbeth in this place now? Or might we be graced with the meeting of more of your people before the winter is out?" Her voice was pleasant. Sweet. Honeyed, even. But her eyes were inquisitive and mind working with a sudden burst of inquisitive suspicion.

Spiraling down from above, the great, black corvid landed net to the vanity pool, absently pecking at something crawling nearby. Be it a spiritform made flesh, it was still a raven.

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

@rivaan@Shoe Thief@Sigil@Arty Fox

Being that we discussed this at some detail in our Discord, I'll keep it short and sweet. Kosara and Baronfjord have full run of the kitchen, do as you will. If you mess something up, there is a housekeeper who is already a little nervous and willing to help in any way he can. To a point. Kathryn has the best view ever and can see damn near to the town. In fact, this spot looks like an excellent place to have some epic, final duel. Not that it would ever happen, of course. Victoria is being personable and schmoozing the hosts, in a good position to ask questions and deal with her own pursuits.

And for the attentive reader - yes. That is an omelette station.

Per our usual, if I missed anything or if you have questions, need rolls, etc., let me know in the Discord and I'll give that DMish assist. At the end of your posts this cycle, decide if your characters will be attending the breakfast, because that's when it's starting. If you won't be there, let me know so that I can account for that with the update and detail your actions otherwise.

Best of luck; the fuckery is officially afoot.

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

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Rose River Vineyard

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Coach House

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Weather: Still cold. With the raising of the sun, things have ticked up a few degrees from nighttime, but overall still a brisk morning. A touch of wind gusts every so often, letting you know that chilly air is still inbound.

Time: Still morning, naught but a few scant minutes from when we checked in last.

Ambience: Mostly clear skies greet you this morning, except for a puffy, light grey patch still in the distance. Judging from the wind direction, that patch promises to arrive with greater abundance eventually. For now, you have the day; and what a crisp, enchanting day it is. The sun now giving glorious illumination to all but the lowest hollows of the Rose River Vineyard. From the high position of the Coach House exterior, one has an excellent, nigh panoramic view of the immediate vineyard.

The windows of the Estate House stood uncovered by shutter and curtain, both, simultaneously allowing the morning sun's rays to brighten the rooms within and reflecting enough radiance to prevent one at a distance from peering within. Around the estate House and the main buildings thereabouts, the rise of the land obscured a good portion of the river as it traveled southward. Nevertheless, farther down one could pick out faraway figures dropping fishing lines into its steady waters. Locals, most likely, or employees of the vineyard with the morning off. Those beginning their day's labors were clearly visible walking along the rows nearest to the buildings, looking over the clean, light green fruits which bobbed lightly in the breeze, many of which had begun to droop and turn the slightest colors of tan. Beneath their wide brimmed hats, people made their notations with satisfactory expressions and moved along their rows.

The Taproom saw its doors open and close a couple more times in the interim, leaving the differing conditions of light and temperature to war with one another. Almost instantly, the hearthy lights of the fires take over from the pale morning light outside, and in short order the cold is banished, leaving those who wish to stay inside for a time longer in relative comfort.

*****

The domestic worker made good on his promise to exit the premises with an assertive gait, trying hard not to look like he was nervously fleeing the situation he was in, though he almost assuredly was. He caught up to his wife who, luckily, never made it farther than the bottom of the hill, almost. It was not certain what was discussed in this moment, but in three minutes or so the near to paranoid lady was sent on her way back home while her husband returned to the Coach House to cover her part of the tasks. To his credit, he was holding himself together fairly well, considering that he was a touch nervous being around real life adventurers who had magics beyond his reckoning a their disposal, else were larger and stronger than himself by orders of magnitude. "If it's all the same to you, I'll keep myself away from your personal effects and just change the bedding out upstairs, empty some things, you know... And just get to the rest when you make your ways about today, again, if you please, if this suits your plans." He suspiciously eyed the entire, preserved pig wrapped in burlap, somehow standing up by itself near the wall. Then he got to his business.

Those inside the Taproom interested in the contents of the kitchen would find a fully stocked pantry, larder, and dry storage. The cellar attached held all manner of goodies, absolutely complete with any kitchen staple that the region had to offer. Even a few preserved items that weren't native to Avonshire made it into storage. Those interested in something as simple as flatbread or the makings of a good sandwich will find the contents significantly more than acceptable. The stove is even still hot, the pans seasoned, and lighting just perfect to throw something together in short order. In the event of a messy cook, the domestic worker was still on premises and had to yet do an accounting of the supplies in these rooms. In short, one with the ability to cook may do so at their leisure.

A practiced gait saw Cecily stepping down the trail which led in the general direction of the Estate House. She occasionally glanced back to make sure she wasn't going too fast for those following her to keep up, knowing that her footfalls carried the steps of experience of one who had been here for some years, and others did not have such experience. Lizbeth kept up readily enough, keeping to her aunt's heels like a squire to a vineyard knight. When they reached the paved path which split the front end of the Vineyard with access, she began to give a very basic tour of things they were about to walk past in the distance. "These rows have stopped producing grapes. The rest have been harvested and processing now, but these..." She trailed for a moment, "The longer they stay on the vine, the more sweetness develops. When the first true frost of the season hits, they will be harvested still frozen if possible and immediately crushed into syrup. This makes a very sweet, strong wine, and it why it's called 'icewine' by most folk. That building there? That's guest or servant accommodations. It used to be a family cottage. Point of fact, I used to live there myself, until... Well, the Family L'Rose has suffered many losses in recent years. My own husband included."

She dotted her eyes with her shawl, cleared her throat, and moved along with conversation. "Up here at this roundabout we have stabling for personal and riding horses. The draft horses are kept elsewhere on the property, nearer to where the work is done, but they have a shared grazing area with lots of room to run. And here is the Estate House. You'll notice two gazebos out front; one of them is for gatherings and leisure, feel free to use it as you see fit. The farther one out is actually underground access. We produce and store most of our wine right here, underneath our home. There are some other cellars elsewhere on the vineyard, but this is the main one. There's enough wine down there to stain the river for days. Oh, let us take the long way around. Breakfast will be set up on the terrace, overlooking the water. Right this way, please."

Evenly lain stone surrounded the Estate House, turning into the occasional short few steps up or down to suit the lay of the land, while one great set of stairs made of the same stone as the walkways led up to the main doors of the structure. But Cecily did not use these, preferring to keep to the perimeter until they were all led to the back of the great house. The ground around them changed into a series of three-color mosaics, all as flat and even as the stone walkways, surrounding a vanity pool which stretched very nearly to the stone fencing along the edge of the terrace to the back of the house itself. A large, round table sat on the other side of this pool, presently tended to by two of the domestic staff, one Human and one Halfling, putting out cloths and placesettings for the upcoming meal. Great brass braziers, four of them, were placed strategically to allow easy access to the table while giving needed warmth from the hot coals inside. Next to one of the braziers was a small table holding a series of dishes, a basket of eggs, and a few sundry ingredients. This was arranged as if it was to be used for tableside cooking specifically. "Make yourself at home, please. I doubt that the scullery staff needs additional help, but one can always ask; they are at your disposal should you wish something, nevertheless."

Lizbeth dashed over to the side of the terrace, lifting herself up on the low fencing along the edge and looked out over the river. The terrace itself oversaw a respectable drop to the water below, and one could see a landing beach below. "The view is amazing here! Come take a look!" she insisted.

Elsewhere, was unloading the not remotely full buckets of other people's urine into a basin near some leatherworking equipment. He did not seem especially happy to be doing so, but a deal was a deal, and he was coming out of this deal reasonably well. Even after the Half-Elf turned on her sylvan wiles and renegotiated. He picked up one especially useful-looking piece of Ankheg carapace, held it to his own chest for perspective, and made it ready to be worked upon. Very candidly, he made sure to add his own micturitions to the basin. If the "adventurers" couldn't pick up the slack, the hard-drinking Duergar would have to bring them up to the fill line himself. A craftsdwarf's job was never done, apparently.

The path up to the lookout point, as ran by Kathryn, took her on a slightly different route than the troupe moving toward the Estate House, proper. A more direct path saw more trees and less even ground, affording a less than admirable view of the surrounding lands. That is, until she actually got there. The even stone steps led to a large, flat area with wooded railing to help prevent accidental falls. But once up there, a wondrous sight unfolded before Kathryn. This was the highest point for a long way around. The river stretched for miles in either direction before being fully swallowed up by the rolling seas of grass, dotted with occasional copses of trees. One can even see evidence of Southmoor in the distance, easily reachable by the road (which is good, considering that the population there work for the vineyard seasonally, as Cecily explained the previous day). Several outbuildings were visible from here that simply weren't from the Coach House due to the constraints of vision offered by the hilly countryside, including several worksheds dotting the fields of neat, slightly curved rows of grapevines that seemed to go on for an impressive distance. In addition, due to Kathryn's history with forge work, she could recognize a building not far at all from the Coach House that had all the earmarks of a blacksmith's shop and personal dwelling. The scope of how much this piece of land produced was made very apparent by the height and view. While the great expanse of vines and vine accessories stretched indeterminably in every direction, it did seem to stop short (comparatively) a ways to the south, as a dotted line of scrub and uncultivated trees marked a boundary to a place of lower elevation that, in the nature of moors, vaguely resembled a wetland.

Also from this vantage, Kathryn cold see a clearly marked path that led directly to the stone terrace at the back of the Estate House, where Lizbeth, Cecily, and Victoria were ambling about between the river and the vanity pool in the shade provided by the large house itself.

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

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Victoria Belmont Half-Elf, Bard, Level 5 HP: 33 / 33 Armor Class: 15 Conditions: N/A Location: The Coach House: Taproom -> Vineyard Grounds Action: Casting Prestidigitation Bonus Action: Morty, Familiar Reaction: N/A

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"Slapped?" mused Victoria, one finger to her chin as if in contemplation. "Ah. Apologies, Kathryn. That might be the lingering effects of the quick tactile test I administered while you were dead," remarked Victoria cheerfully. She practically beamed, satisfied with both herself and the succinct way in which the explained the abrupt and not inaccurate accusation of slapping the much stronger woman. This, and maintaining an open dialogue with positive body language would hopefully assist in relaxing problems that may arise from the tall Knight if she took offense at the (almost) completely innocent tap she has received. Maybe it was time to go.

And being as it was time to go, Victoria would have to let Baronfjord down a little bit, if he had hoped to see a magical duel between Warlock and Bard. "Paradises above, Baronfjord," remarked the lady, "We shall have to postpone the 'marvelous spectacle' at the very least. I've no wish to throw about damaging magic carelessly in this fine vineyard unless I have no other option, and a struggle might lead to injury which will, at the very least, make breakfast less enjoyable. Another time, perhaps."

She did have one point to bring up with Kosara, however, but it did not involve incantations nor the gathering of necrotic energy. "Absolutely, Oh Dancer of the Southern Sands. I would be honored for my name to find itself in the conversations of Celestials. But for now, if you will please excuse me, I am going to visit the terrace of what I'm positive is a lovely and welcoming Estate House."

Victoria gave a bow which was just a tad too extravagant for the occasion, bending at the waist and touching a hand to her forehead, then bringing it out wide in a sweeping motion. When Victoria rose, she finally retrieved her personal effects and arranged them about her person, buckling on her swordbelt and shouldering her violin. Her fine, charcoal cloak made its way into her shoulders with a flourish, followed swiftly by her especially Bardy hat. The knapsack which contained her ritual book hung loosely at her back opposite of her violin. She looked equally as ready to travel a great distance as she did to simply greet the day officially. When she noticed this about herself, there was a sudden bit of introspection. This was indeed how she would ready herself to leave for parts unknown, with the exception that there would be a Morty at her heel, pulling her loaded errand cart behind. Maybe she just wasn't fully comfortable here yet. The fact that they engaged in mortal combat just yesterday might have been a factor. Or maybe it was just her nature to be prepared for a hasty exit. Victoria would have to see if this habit continued, longer into their stay.

To this note, the Bard of Requiems gave a quick mental command to her porcine thrall, bidding it to act in a manner inoffensive to those around it and generally stay put. She did not need someone hurling a pot at the undead beast, only to have it retaliate. A new smoked, cured boar carcass was not worth someone getting hurt, nor losing their place for the season. Dodge only, return to its master if attacked. If it couldn't carry the last one out, it would just stay put.

Mental commands didn't stop there, as Victoria was slowly building herself a bit of a macabre menagerie. She stepped outside, following Lizbeth and Cecily, and extended an arm. Her raven, perched on the railing above the door, took to wing and lighted upon her forearm, at least until she cleared the archway leading out. Even then, it stuck around until after they caught sight of the group of people near the bottom of the hill - the horror stricken domestic lady and field hands - and rose to circle in the air above them with a series of croaking caws. Victoria drew upon the least of her magics to darken her eyes to pitch and cause the visual effects of her magic, the likeness of black tears, to manifest. Yes, it was childish. Maybe even a little foolish. But she waited until the woman noticed her presence, caught her gaze with instant, and gave her a wink with a full, mischievous grin. She even tilted her head to the side, just a little bit. This situation of this lady reminded her of the men in front of Neil & Bob's, or any amount of people who thought they could treat her in amazingly prejudicial ways because of her preferred magic, her mixed heritage, the stereotypes commonly associated with Bards, or just the fact that she was objectively a conventionally attractive woman by any standards of either Humans or Elves. Giving a little scare felt like a tiny piece of vindication. And yes, it was foolish.

"So, Madame Cecily?" inquired Victoria, dropping any physical manifestation of her spellcraft before anyone else noticed, "What is on the menu for breakfast? I am decidedly curious." Her smile had become warm and innocent, in contrast to the immediately previous incarnation of the expression.

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

Double post. That was weird. Carry on!

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

@rivaan@Shoe Thief@Sigil@Arty Fox

"Did you ever get the feeling that we're not really off adventuring in the world of Priomh, stuck in a series of strange and evolving events in the Avonshire region that threaten to drag us into something potentially fatal and/or epic? That we're really figments of a collective group of people's imaginations, and we're going through all of this purely for the amusement of these enigmatic figures? If this why almost all of us have a tragic history and abilities that elevate us over the average farmer or artist by leaps and bounds? Is everyone we meet and get to know going to die a horrifying and dramatic death right in front of us?"

- Legacy Adventurer, after way too many Svirfneblin "relaxation" mushrooms

Okay, deal here is that you have an open block of time to do things, explore, get in a task, etc. before you have a scheduled place to be. However, there is nothing forcing you to attend that breakfast. Even if you do, let me know what you're doing in the meantime. At present, there is a Duergar exile carrying buckets of piss to his workshop, a small gathering of workers around a rather distraught lady, a domestic worker running to meet up with them, the new lady of the estate returning to her home, workers in the field, and yeah, full hills of grapevines to get lost in. For later on, there is a river that hasn't frozen over yet and a town a short distance away, in case anyone wants to do a little sight seeing.

Questions, issues, I missed something, or you need a die roll handled, get with me on the Discord. Good luck. Things are in motion.

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

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Rose River Vineyard

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Coach House

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Weather: Cold, with perhaps a soupcon of chilly. Mayhaps a trace of damp clinging to the morning. It's still within the ranks of tolerable for those accustomed to changing seasons, which is a wholly appropriate set of circumstances to the day.

Time: Morning. And what a lovely morning it is, too. The immediate chores of the earliest hours are handled, and people begin considerations of ante meridiem repast.

Ambience: The sky remains mostly clear, as it had been since dawn. The small interval of time has allowed the still rising sun to dispel the last of the fog in the low areas, leaving an excellent view of the whole of the vineyard, save for the spot just the estate house. The building itself is by no means the only structure within sight of the Coach House, but it is the dominant building of the area. The Rose River Vineyard employees, few of them that were out in this, their off-season, now wore the typical, broad brimmed hats of agricultural workers as they walked up and down the rows of the few areas still producing this late in the year.

One gathering of people remained separate from the rest, however. One lady, just calming down from an earlier fright, buzzing like an anxious bee to a trio of others and pointing in the general direction of the Coach House.

With the door now closed, the Taproom begins to warm back up a bit. The whitish light of the outdoors is banished to the exterior, and the casual, flickering orange of the fires and few lit candles returns. The scent of herbs and apples takes the occasion to concentrate in the now still air, a gentle and pleasant reminder of Lizbeth's steaming herbal tea on this cool morning.

*****

Hushed voices and glances up the hill toward the Coach House seemed to be the preferred social interaction of one group by the nearest cultivated field. Nothing exact about their discussion could be discerned except for sentence, which cut through the air like a sudden, harsh wind, "GODS ABOVE HE'S STILL IN THERE!"

These words were barely heard within the Taproom, and as the person still closest to the door, the remaining cleaner heard it better than anyone else within the building. This did not mix well with the anxious feelings of uncertainty already swirling around within his brainpan. "Oh!" he exclaimed, taking this as an opportunity, "I'm going to go catch up with her now, Madame L'Rose, Mademoiselle L'Rose. And, um, if it's okay with you, I'll send her home and handle the Coach House m'self, yeah?" He nodded hopefully, almost desperately, before backing out of the door once more. As the door was closing, he intoned something nearest to a response to Kathryn and Baronfjord, both, "Yes, all a big joke, big joke among Adventurers. It's all fine, no one hurt, I'll just pop off and find the missus..." The door came to rest closed within its frame with a soft clacking of wood upon wood. He was remarkably easy with it, perhaps out of a desire not to aggravate the people within - his employers or the likely insane, magic-dabbling Adventurers within.

Cecily adjusted the shawl about her shoulders and took another sip of her tea. She gave a polite smiled in the direction of the retreating domestic worker, and gave an amused "Sure," to the now closed door. It wasn't a huge issue and as long as the job got done, she wasn't especially picky as to how. Cecily even went as far as to give a terse explanation as to why she was taking what could be considered insubordination lightly. "I have more important things to worry about than this drama. My husband's father just died and we had to get him out bef... " She paused suddenly, a quick look of alarm apparent for a second, maybe, then continued, "Sorry, excuse me... and then this thing at Harvestide, the autumn production just ended - and it ended late - so it's going to cut into icewine times, and now we're shortstaffed with our house staff. I'll be honest, it's all overwhelming. Arnaud, er, that is Monsieur L'Rose (my father-in-law) usually ran these things. The people that manage the Vineyard and Winery know their jobs, but I'm half-certain that Lizbeth knows this business better than I do. I can handle money and balance a budget, but again, it's just so overwhelming."

It looked like Cecily felt a touch better, getting the little rant off of her chest like that, but she suddenly looked a little self-conscious. "I apologize, I don't mean to dump this on all of you. It's the slow season and we don't have to worry about work matters really until spring. Clear out the old harvest, put in some new vines. Grape growing as in life." Cecily finished her tea and set the cup back onto the table. She gave a little sigh. "In any event, no, no one here has committed any unforgivable acts to which I am aware. It's genuinely nice having you all as my guests for the season. It will be lovely to have you for Frostval and for Lizbeth's birthday. Yes, and to our private gathering where we cask up this year's icewine and sample a batch of last years'. It's a small, but exclusive event here at Rose River."

Lizbeth had taken the moments that her aunt was speaking to clear the table except for what people were immediately using, but as soon as Cecily seemed like she was stopping, added, "It's okay, Aunt Ceecee. We can figure this stuff out. And having the Ones Who Answered around would be really good in case something happens, right?" This earned a sudden, sharp look from Cecily, so Lizbeth took a different approach, "Like the Ankhegs, right? Hey, let me get this finished and I'll help out with breakfast!" She suddenly seemed bubbly.

But Cecily did regard the question giant bugs and rat monsters, "Not really. I mean, I've heard of Ankhegs, even seen them at a roasting party, but until today I've never seen one alive before. The ratmen? That's new to me, as of Harvestide. Our staff issues... no. We have a couple domestics that didn't come in. It's a scheduling issue. We are fine for this morning. But I will not say no to the company from Mademoiselle Victoria, nor from my lovely niece. As for the legendary (?) Piss Buckets, I have no idea what they are for, nor do I wish to involve myself. I wish you fruitful results in ...whatever this is. If you will excuse me, Dame Kathryn, Miss Kosara, Master Baronfjord; I shall see the rest of you in a half hour." She stood and made for the door, glancing back expectantly for those who would follow to do so. She gave a polite nod to Urmdrus before exiting.

Lizbeth gathered her things and left behind her aunt, giving the same expectant look to Victoria. On her way out, she slid a plate of prepared toast over to Kathryn, who had mentioned being hungry earlier.

Urmdrus seemed particularly unimpressed, overall. When he found out that the barrels weren't fully utilized over the evening, he gave a short huff and turned to grab the buckets from their resting spots, wherever they might be, in the meantime. Kosara's offer to help with the buckets was met with a gruff, "No." It was carrying buckets that he had already carried up here before, and according to those present they were barely filled anyway. Brief consideration had him follow up with, "Help? Piss more. Your Ankheg takes more time now." The group's Dragonborn associate was met with a strange reaction: The stoic, wiry Dwarf looked at Baronfjord with a perplexing gaze for a hard moment, then barked out, "HA," followed quickly by another, equally stony, "HA." He nodded his head and continued, "Funny. Drink more at night." He balled up a disproportionately large fist and gave him two quick, harmless taps on his arm. "Funny." Urmdrus exited to tend to the buckets.

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

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Victoria Belmont Half-Elf, Bard, Level 5 HP: 33 / 33 Armor Class: 15 Conditions: N/A Location: The Coach House: Taproom Action: N/A Bonus Action: Morty, Familiar Reaction: N/A

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Smugness of expression wouldn't have been too out of line of an accusation, were it to be aimed at Victoria. Thoughtfulness, too. She had a lot to think about. The initial suggestion from Baronfjord concerning keeping the "YET" part of her musings about magic (specifically the part where she might remove life from a living subject and then returning it via necromancy) left unsaid was heard, processed, and silently rejected. Sure, she flashed a quick smile and wordlessly let him know that she was aware of this suggestion, but did not go into it further. Maybe she would look into it, if she ever became powerful enough to do so. And if she was capable of actually doing this, there was no way that she wouldn't make it known - within the appropriate circles, of course. Still, for the moment, Victoria had successfully completed a new piece of Ritual Necromancy, and this was an accomplishment worth some amount of celebration. She hadn't even flexed all of her arcane muscles yet, either.

The simple acknowledgement of the Dragonborn fellow's words turned into a look that might have included an eyeroll, were it not for Victoria's tendency to maintain a plausibly acceptable facial expression for most situations, be it persuasively or deceptively. But there was some truth to his words that she was not willing to get into right then, as he referred to the fact that her demonstration of magic might damage a reputation or two. It reminded her of the locals back in the Township who accosted her in from of Neil & Bob's Public House, demanding her womanly attentions before they would let her by. She handled it bloodlessly, with the application of the simplest of magics to darken her eyes to a shiny tar-black and used her words to promise them truly abyssal tortures. It solved the problem, but admittedly, did start others. Her reputation took a hit. But Victoria penchant for certain magics, her natural beauty, and a flair for the dramatic sometimes did that. She was ever the darker showmistress.

With all of this in mind, Victoria gave a shrug and turned her attention to her magical test subject. The change in demeanor was direct, but fluid. "Kathryn!" she began, speaking as if greeting an old friend after a month's absence. She even extended her arms as if to initiate a hug, but did not immediately approach. "You did so well, Kathryn. Everything went through with nary a snag nor hitch, and you were an excellent recipient of my magic. You should be proud of yourself. Truly." It might ave been layered on a bit thickly, but her delivery sounded downright sincere. She was feeling a little guilty about essentially dragging her into a situation that didn't involve her, and using the opportunity to test out a new spell for the first time under the guise of cheering up Lizbeth. But it did cheer her up. And the spell did function exactly as expected. And Victoria did learn things from this. Nevertheless, she wasn't exactly pure of intention, and she hoped to alleviate some of this. "Thank you. And yes, it was only a couple of minutes. We established that you had no signs of life, I did a quick tactile test," that involved her open palm and Kathryn's face, but she wasn't going into details here, "and I brought you back. Otherwise, it would have persisted for about one hour. Let me know if you have any questions, or if you feel a little 'off' for the next little while, okay? Just in case. You should be fine."

The call of her raven could be heard from the front of the Coach House; three dull croaks against the relative quiet of the morning. This went along with the mental command she gave the spirit-given-shape before sending it outside. Something was approaching. Victoria tensed for a moment, her hand reflexively but discreetly seeking the hilt of her sword on the table, even if it wasn't the most potent weapon she had in her arsenal. The smile returned to her face when she saw that it was Cecily. "Oh, good morning, Madame L'Rose! This is a truly breathtaking place in the country you have here, especially in the early light. And yes, I should positively adore to join you for a proper breakfast in a little while. Do we need to ...hmm... dress for the occasion? I am, afraid that I do not know all of the customs in this area - but I would like to learn."

In contrast, her interaction with Kosara in this moment began with something akin to a threat from the curious Tiefling. But her words addressed the situation with something akin to snarky grace. "I agree; that is good, then. I would hate to be Celestially Blasted. It sounds most inconvenient, now that the lady of the Vineyard has invited us to breakfast." Victoria smiled, content in the humorous sarcasm of her words and inflection, but inwardly her mind was calculating the potential damage Kosara could do with her preferred attack spell, as compared to her own application of debilitating psionic energy which she could inflict with her voice, supplemented by her backup attack of necrosis. If it came down to an actual brouhaha, Victoria might have to cheat. And while it was almost for certain that Kosara was just having a bit of fun, the fact was that she was a Celestially inclined spellcaster and Victoria herself leaned toward Necromancy. Were they not brought together by the fate of receiving those letters from Sheriff Arbalest, it would not be an impossibility to have seen them on opposing sides of a conflict. Victoria hoped nothing of the sort would come to pass.

The raven croaked again, sounding three calls before falling silent. This time it preceded the appearance of Urmdrus. "Good morning, Master Urmdrus." She intentionally used the honorific which Lizbeth insisted upon the previous evening, mostly because Victoria did not know what the usual term of address was in this instance. "I left one by the main archway, to the side. i hope it is sufficient. And, um, I look forward to seeing the fulfillment of our agreement." The last part was rather diplomatic in delivery.

Back to Cecily and Lizbeth, Victoria seemed eager to explore her new surroundings a bit. Maybe it had something to do with what Urmdrus was saying just a moment or two ago. "If it pleases you, Madame Cecily, Lizbeth, I wouldn't mind in the least helping set up. Even if all I might give is moral support in the face of vastly superior epicurean talent. Oh, and I still have a good bit of lovely smoked pork to contribute, if you would accept." Victoria smiled pleasantly, moving to get her belongings from the table.