Firewater Festival - RPLOG
Participants
Date
27/7/476
Log
Late afternoon on the beach. There is a small line of beings snaking across the sand, a somewhat interesting happenstance considering that queues on the beach don't happen everyday. Nevertheless, there it is, and the reason soon becomes apparent as one steps out onto the sand - a large banner has been hung between two poles, with 'drinking competition today' spelled out in crudely-painted letters. There seems to be no formal registration of any sort, nor an entrance fee, but the tail of the line slithers across the waterfront at a steady pace like a snake stretched out in the sun, its head cumulating at a small makeshift stage not too far from the water's edge, lit by several strategically-placed lanterns. The stage aside, a goodly number of tables have been set up on the sand, presumably for the audience.
Crates and kegs are stacked up on the stage, fresh off some ship or the other - considering their size, it's little wonder this is being held at the beach, instead of a more proper drinking establishment. In the middle of it all, flanked by two bouncers, is a fennec, and he's addressing the audience with no small amount of gusto.
Angus looks around in shock, he didn't imagine that there would be this many people around here for a simple drinking contest. Walking up to the line of people waiting to get drunk he just shakes his head, and moves off to go sit at one of the tables. He didn't feel like drinking just yet.
Ictus hmms as he wanders onto the beach and looks around, he chuckles at the gathering and tilts his head curiously, "Contest huh? Wonder if there's a prize other than getting hung over?" he looks over at Angus when he spots him and waves
Angel has more then a bit of a limp to her walk, still healing, but she was much better for the care at the manor. She had heard Angus had come out this way, and she needed to see him... be with him.. to.. and she holds her head a moment, "Stop right there.." she says to herself and looks around. There is so many.. "Drinking competition?" she asks, why not? She had never really had the good stuff before, but she was here for a reason. She sniffs at the air a moment before she manages to see him, "My Lord!" she cries out and resists the urge to run up to him, instead walking as quickly as she can. "My Lord.. may I join you?" she asks, ears craning around and listening to the fennec.
"...And the one who manages to stomach the greatest quantity of my Shralestan firewater will win for themselves two fine crates of whatever drink they fancy, so long as it is served at the Freeswords' inn!" the rather portly adaptable-clanned fennec cries out to everyone present. "All proudly sponsored by the Freeswords, of course!"
"What's Shralestan firewater?" a gecko in the audience asks.
"Ah! A most excellent question!" The fennec holds out his hands cupped as if milking a giant cow, with much the same motions. Considering his colour and general shape, it would not be impossible to replace him with a large ham... "Far away in the deserts that lie beyond that jewel of a city, true rains only come once a year! It is then that certain species of catcus blossom and bear fruit, which brave beings risk their lives to harvest and bring back to the Creator Church ensconced there! Within the mysterious workings of the Churches' basements, Creator devices process the juice and pulp over weeks - no, months, removing the spines and distilling it into the fine drink you now see before you! Hot as the desert sun, cold as their cloudless nights, and I, Ferric Longear, have gained exclusive license from the Shralestan Church to bring it to the people of Sweetwater! Have some tonight as part of this little competition, and be sure to tell others of your experience!"
Lidiya had been doing things on the beach, mostly making sand castles, but she's easily amused sometimes. She spots the gathering in the distance and after a bit decides she'll go poke around about it. Making her way over, she waves to.. no one in particular and tries to figure out what's going on. Then she hears competition and gets a bit curious, making her way around, looking for a signup while mentally figuring out how to keep any kind of mask on for it.
Angus looks to Angel and nods. "Yes, you may join me." He comments, smiling as she seems to be feeling better now that her wounds were healing. Leaning back in his seat he props his feet up, his hands behind his head as he nods to Ictus. "I guess that answers your question."
Angel takes a seat and her tail wags behind as she looks over to Angus. "Humm.. Drinking contest.. I was never much of a drinker myself." She listens to the process involved and whinces slightly, "Months? The stuff hasn't gone off?" she asks and waves over to Ictus. She was getting a bit better at being in social setting, but her ears still twitch around, and eyes dart this way and that. "Will you be taking part My Lord?" she asks then notices Lidiya. She waves back, a very odd wave.
Ictus hmms? at Angel and nods as she seems better, "Angel, are you sure you are feeling better?" he chuckles as he listens and looks to Angus, "Hmm, I guess it does." he blinks as he spots Lidiya and waves to her before pondering, "Well, I'm not much of a drinker myself... But it's worth a shot I suppose." he chuckles more
Another one arrives on the beach, but it probably isn't quite as expected. The stage itself shudders as something slams into it...from underneath it. This is followed almost immediately by a birdlike shriek, and a couple of seconds later by an air-math amplified voice that fills the area, "Ow! Hey! Whose bright idea was it to build something over the exit to my lair?!" Ummm. Oops?
Lidiya stops and looks towards the source of the screech. She raises an eyebrow behind the wooden mask and resists the urge to bury the sound out of some impish whim. So instead she finds the line after figuring out the... the rules works well enough and stands in it.
Angel looks to Ictus and nods, "I'm feeling much better.. umm.. thank you, I'll feel even better when My Lord gives me my gear back." She looks to Angus, "You will be giving it back soon, yes?" She asks looking a bit hopeful. Then a loud crash and she leaps up to her paws, looking around wildly, hands gripping for daggers that aren't there. She is quiet, very quite, bent over a bit as if ready to strike at the precieved dangers.
"Oh! Pardon us!" At the fennec's command, a number of bouncers on either side of the stage rush forward to the origin of the noise, taking apart the stage. This isn't hard, considering it's simply cloth stretched over wooden crates. A rather annoyed gryphon is eased out from underneath the stage, and ever unruffled, the fennec gives him a bow. "Apologies for disturbing you, my dear sir, but the beach is largely considered public property. Furthermore, we had no way of discerning your presence, otherwise we most certainly would have set up elsewhere. However, what's done is done - might you join in the festivities?" he points at the banner, then turns to the audience once more.
"My dear lady wolfess in the audience, Firewater does not go 'off!' it cannot go off! Improbable! Impossible! Such are the mysteries of the Creator Devices the church possesses! As for the name firewater..." the fennec picks out a bottle from a crate and uncorks it, pouring a small measure of the highly distilled spirits into a glass. Making sure everyone on the beach is watching, he touches a lit match to the glass, and the drink ignites with an intense blue flame. "I think that speaks well enough for itself, doesn't it? Now, let's begin!"
The little display sets all the potential contestants to chattering. Bottles of the clear, colourless firewater are brought out from the crates on stage, and a couple of kegs are uncorked and hoses of sheepgut attached, complete with nozzles. The first to the plate is a skunk, who bravely elects to have a go at the keg - she manages but a few swallows before rushing to turn off the tap, gasping for air and gagging, spilling a small amount of firewater onto the sand before the poor being finally musters up enough presence of mind to turn off the tap. "Creators! It burns!"
Angus nods. "Yes, you will get your gear back soon I promise." He smiles softly as he stands up, giving them a nod in departing. "As for me, right now I need to head back to the manor and take care of a few things."
Sebille casually takes a stroll onto the beach, a look of confusion as she sees the growing crowd, "Huh, curious.", she mumbles quietly before moving to the back of the audience, her tail swaying behind her as she notices the Solacious leaving. Though within a moment the fox laughs before she walks casually to where people are lining up, either she didn't she the skunk or is wanting to try.
Lidiya cracks her knuckles as she watches the skunk run around. She shifts from foot to foot and leans forward, looking over the critter's shoulder in front of her as a gryphon is dug out. Then she just looks baffled, or stunned, a bit hard to tell by body language at most. Who lives in the sands? It doesn't seem worth the effort and high tide would be all wet and funny smelling. She turns to wave to the fox behind her after, grateful for something... different at least.
What is revealed when the crates of the stage are moved...is that of everyone's favorite Raven/Panther Hybrid griffon looking a little dizzy. What is also noticed by those close enough would be that he is coming out of a hole in the ground that closes up shortly after he exits. The voice amplified math is still in effect when he responds to the Fennec, "My lair is under the beach, and I apparently picked the wrong exit point to emerge from." He is a bit wobbly as he moves, only to slump into the sand after taking several steps. The spell dissipates shortly after that, though not before he is heard saying, "Oh, my head."
Angel continues to look around for a long time before she starts to calm. She sits back down and whines a bit when Angus says he is leaving. To go.. or to stay.. to. She shakes her head and turns her gaze to Ictus, "What's the harm, I don't think I can get worse off then I was before. She gets up and joins the line, watching as Sebille, Lidiya wait as well and the griffon she vaguely remembers from before stagger about. She shakes her head and looks back toward the drinks.
Ictus blinks as he hears that voice and blinks a bit, "Well, that's interesting." he chuckles a bit before he looks to Angel with a nod, "Good." he peers at the firewater as it is lit up and chuckles, "Interesting." he ponders a bit as he looks at Angel, "I'd join, but I have patrols today... I'll cheer you on though." he smiles
The next few beings are more prudent after that example, electing to take the good stuff from the bottles instead, but all barely manage to down one to one and a half bottles of the stuff before the sheer strength of the distilled liquor overtakes them. Each and every one of them staggers away, eyes streaming, tongues lolling, fur and feathers standing on end. Notes are taken by the bouncers with a few sheets of paper and a stick of charcoal, and the being determined to have imbibed the most at that moment is asked to remain on stage, only to be eliminated as others have their go.
Eventually, though, the line shortens, and it's Lidiya's turn to step up to the plate, all eyes in the beach on her. Bottle, or keg?
Lidiya pads up to the keg, not saying anything of course. She looks around quietly, then lifts her mask just a bit, exposing at least her lower jaw and the whole it's not a muzzle thing. She gestures to it, then tilts her head. At the go ahead, she kneels down and tilts her head under the tap and begins to drink from it. She ignores the burning behind.. everything, even as her tail frazzles out. She keeps going and going and.. then begins coughing and swallows the last of it before standing up promptly, staggering a bit and wandering off in the direction of the others, having downed a bit more than two bottles and some change.
Angel looks to Lidiya as she tries, then she looks back to Ictus again and waves. She thinks a moment before she decides to first shift her own soul gems around and then, with a bit of focus starts the transformation into a Griffon. The added bulk and stamina would help, or so she thought. "A moment please." she says through her forming beak, "And I'll be ready.. I think Lady Fox here was before me though."
Sebille cocking her brow as she looks over the others in the line, then to the drinks as she nods slowly to herself and suddenly sighs, "Ohh, this is gonna be great.". Smirking, as it seems she'd be the only fox competiting she knew that she was going to have to outlast the others or the rest of the house Solacious wouldn't probably let her forget it.
One of the bouncers gently eases Lidiya, if she will follow, back onto the stage, bumping off the previous champion who happens to be a rather scruffy-looking lion in a coat. "Would you please remain in the spotlight, ma'am? You're our current champion so far!" He gets out a few sheets of paper and a stick of charcoal. "For the record, your name?"
Behind them, the competition continues. More try their hand at the bottles, a rare few at the keg, but none quite manage to beat Lidiya's record even though the bouncers are called more than once to haul some not-quite-there beings offstage. Eventually, though, Sebille's up next.
Mazurek eventually gets his head out of the clouds, so to speak, with his headache subsiding. It is only then that he finally looks around to pay as close attention as he can. He was not known to drink. He was not known for many things most of the time, so...he is late in doing so by a wide margin, but he gets in line to try the stuff out. He was a guest at that desert city once...
Sebille takes a deep breath as she watches the new champion and chuckles nervously. Walking up to the keg as well before sliding herself under the tap and trying to match. Suffering through the burns as she really doesn't want to suffer the jabs, her fur frizzing across until she slides out with a groan. Having only managed to get down one and four-fifths bottles, she staggers slightly, a small bit of quesiness running through her stomach as she sweats a bit and walks over with the others, that weren't winning, still swaying a wee-bit.
The crowd parts to let Mazurek pass as he pleases. Few beings are going to stand in the way of a gryphon, after all, although perhaps due to his peculiar entrance and late arrival, he just so happens to be the last in line at the moment.
More and more beings. The kegs are eventually empied and replaced with fresh ones, the bottles put away. A few of the contestants look ill, but others look positively exhilrated - there're even a few giving the empties a sniff or two, as if to determine if the firewater is what it is. Eventually, though, Angel comes to the head of the line, and into the spotlight.
Angel drinks and drinks, though it is hard for her to hold the bottles in her talons. Quite a little bit dribbles down her cheeks, but she manages to score enough in with each bottle. One... two.. three. She takes a moment to take a few breaths, and waves a talon around a bit before picking up another. She drinks down on it, eyes closing and holding tight, but she is only able to get down a little more then two thirds of it, about four fiths before she can't take anymore and drops it. She pants there, tongue hanging out of her beak and feeling partly lost to her various toes and tail. The world spinning a bit, she waits to be taken wherever she is to go.
Mazurek watches the proceedings from the back of the line. He is impressed by the other griffon's stamina, impressed by how much she is able to down of that very, very strong drink. He has a very strong feeling that he is not going to beat that score at all, but it wasn't really about the score but about having fun. Closer, closer it comes to his turn. Will he make a fool out of himself and gag on the first sip?
Sebille watching the Angel drink with a nervous laugh, Sebille shakes her head as the third bottle is lifted, seeming a bit impressed by the feat, despite still feeling a bit off from what she had drank. "Ahh, crap.", she murrs lightly, wondering if anyone is actually going to beat that one as she stares at the now previous leading drinker.
Slowly, gently, the bouncers lead Lidiya away, assuming she will follow, to the back, where the finished contestants are. "Sorry, ma'am. Guess you got one-upped by that gryphon wolfess, after all. Maybe it's for the best that you kept silent and didn't give your name, eh? Don't mind that wailing and gnashing of teeth coming from the back. Stuff's highly distilled, after all, and I think they put flower petals or cloves or something in it for flavour, too. Some desert spice." Meanwhile, another bouncer eases a rather drunk Angel into the spotlight, her being the current champion. "Well, miss...may we have your name?"
Time ticks by. More beings try their hand, but none ever manage to even come close to Angel's record - or maybe they know there's no way they could ever beat her and are there for the free booze. At long last, though, Mazurek's up, the final contestant. All eyes on the beach are on him, wondering if it'll take another gryphon to unseat the current champion.
Lidiya shrugs and signs something sloppily about the wolf winning. One gets the feeling it's not polite guessing by the gesture at the end, but in the end she just sits down in the sand, then lays back and stretches out before sprawling out finally and getting comfortable.
Sebille giving a nod to Lidiya as she is ousted from her position in the spot light, the vixen smiles as she joins the other losers. "Very nice attempt,", she murrs, still shaking her head as she watches the drunk gryphon wolfess introduce herself.
Angel staggers as she is lead away, stammer and slurring, "Ahnngel." she manages to get out as she is led away. She doesn't look much like she could walk a streight line, let alone anything else. She looks to everyone else and can't help a slight belch. "Umm... ehxush me." she says and smiles as the locks she keeps on herself slowly erode and open. She looks over to the being asking what she'd like, "Urpp.. Honey'd mhead!" she says and her lion tail wags. She looks to Lidiya she sighs a moment, maybe winning wasn't the best thing?
The black Griffon's turn finally arrives, and it is then that he comes to know that the final event has come. He volunteers to have a keg used instead of a bottle, for he can't hold one and actually refuses to even ask for a bowl to lap the stuff out of. Unlike the others who have opted to go for the barrel, he plops himself onto his back and sprawls out in a rather casual display of quadruped underbelly show-offs. Before the drink starts flowing he calls out, "I am Mazurek, otherwise known as Lunch in the Lightbringer Unit!" He then nods to whoever it is controlling the keg's spigot, beak opening to accept the liquid. It comes shortly afterward and he gulps it down quite readily, quite...greedily. One bottle equivilant... two bottles...approaching three. Nope! The poor bird doesn't manage to QUIIIITE get to finish that third bottleful, and his turn at the keg comes to an end rather abruptly with a sharp turn of his head that is accompanied by a round of choking on the stuff. His belly has distended quite a bit from this and...well....there's a loud noise in his direction that is accompanied by a proverbial green gas cloud.
The audience watches with bated breath as Mazurek downs his liquor with remarkable speed and efficiency. The tension is palpable as he oh-so-nearly hits Angel's mark, each and every member of the audience craning to get a better view of the spectacle...and a sigh of disappointment as Mazurek is unable to continue, or perhaps it's a sigh of pain as the contents of the gas cloud pass over a few unlucky contestants still recovering from the firewater. Slowly, gently, the gryphon is led off stage, with promises to get the place cleaned up and vacated as soon as the event is over. On Angel's part, one of the bouncers whispers something to Angel, then having received her answer, whispers to the fennec.
"Well then," the fennec announces to the audience. "The good lady wolfess has made her choice! Run down to the Freeswords' Inn, and get her two crates of their best honeyed mead posthaste! And while we wait for the prize..." he strides over to one of the lamps and pulls something that glints in the light. "I have, as an additional entertainment, an opportunity for our winner wolfess to win herself something more! The Freeswords' has authorised me to dispense two of their very own reward tokens to the winner, if they can pass a simple test of concentration or coordination in their current...delicious state! Well, Miss Angel. Will you play, and if so, what game will you choose?"
Lidiya lifts her head and looks at the sighing woman and makes a weird gesture, no... real meaning to it. She's probably thinking of something else entirely. Then she pushes herself to a sitting position and looks to the fox and nods, leans side to side and nods again.
Angel looks once more to Lidiya, and then over to the vixen. She can't quite understand what is going on, could be the booze, or something else entirely. She looks to Maz and enough of her cold rational remains to just say quiet. At the mention of a game she thinks, long and hard. Then, suddenly shouts, "Hidhe and Sheek!" as she thinks about her old profession and her list of skills.
Sebille smiles at Lidiya, watching her lean to the sides before snapping back to watch Angel, wondering what the gryphon will choose and if she'll win, "Ohh, this'll be soo funny.", she mumbles hearing the game that has been choosen.
Mazurek is led away from the stage, but only really after he has been rolled over and hoisted to his feet. Quadruped he might be, but even that needs some coaxing and some careful lifting to get right. He groans while being led off stage, looking to the fennec without much comprehension of the promise just made to clear out. His leonine tail flares out as another gas cloud emerges, but it is nowhere near as bad as the previous one. He stumbles along the way to where he is being led, only to flop after reaching it.
Angel looks once more to Lidiya, and then over to the vixen. She can't quite understand what is going on, could be the booze, or something else entirely. She looks to Maz and enough of her cold rational remains to just say quiet. At the mention of a game she thinks, long and hard. Then, suddenly shouts, "Cohordinattioan" as she thinks about her old profession and her list of skills.
The fennec clears his throat. "I see! Remarkable! So, while we wait for our dear miss' prize..." he picks up three empties from the crates and hands them to her. "All we need you to do, dear, is juggle these three for...say, ten seconds at a go. Ten seconds! Without! Dropping! Them! And! You! Win! These! Glorious! TOKENS!" Perhaps it's a little too much hyperbole, but he appears to mean every single word.
Sebille laughs as she hears the challenge, partially due to the challenge and the fennec's rather excited tone, a small shake of her head as she waits for the griffon to start, almost debating trying to bet on how well drunken Angel will do.
Lidiya pushes herself to her feet and adjusts her skirt, her mask, then her mask and her mask some more. She makes a weird wheezing noise as she struggles, then flips her mask out, shakes the sand loose and quickly stuffs it back in place before trying to resecure the straps to get comfortable. She's focused enough on it to not notice that she's swaying around a bit.
Angel looks out to Maz as he is led away, he is a cute griffon, and, she shakes her head again, focus, drunk or not, there are things to do. She looks to the crates and ponders a moment. She shifts back, returning to her wolfess form and nods, "Iha can dhoo that." she says and takes the first one, tossing it into the air, then picks up the second, tossing it up, and catching the first. She gets a rythem with the first two for a minute, then, with her paw, kicks up the third! She has all three bouncing around, her eyes focused but also seeming to be blank as she relies on her reactions to take care of msot of the work. A block becomes a catch, and a counterstrike a toss. Ten seconds pass and she is still going for a short while before, finally, a miss motion and one of the clocks her on the head. She looks out to everyone as she catches the other two. Most of her attention is focused on Lidiya though, watching her adjust her mask. She then sets down the crates, and, with a hiccup remembers her reduced size, deciding to shift back to a Griffon the moment she can.
The audience stops and stares a moment at the sight of Angel actually managing what she is while being ravingly drunk - the only way things could have gone better would be if she'd remained as a gryphon throughout the act. The trick is done, though, and the audience bursts into massive applause as the fennec takes the now-gryphon Angel and presses the tokens into her paw. "A marvellous performance, a marvellous miss, and a marvellous reward! Let's hear it for our lovely Angel, then!"
At last, two bouncers arrive with the vaunted mead crates, and after some discussion, decide to lash them to Angel's sides with a bit of rope, not quite trusting a drunk gryphon-wolfess to carry them by herself. The bindings are secure but not tight, lending Angel a complete range of movement, and one of them gives her a friendly pat on the flank to send her on her way.
"And that concludes tonight's events! I hope you all had a good time, even if you may not feel like it tomorrow! More importantly, I hope you remember the strength of Shralestan firewater, and tell all your friends who love their strong and stiff drink! For I am the sole importer of this wonderful divine draught for Sweetwater, and no other! Goodnight!"
The black griffon was not able to watch the entirity of the game. After the second minute of the act he keels over onto his left flank, falling into a drunken slumber instantly. Beware those close by, for his gas is still mighty potent, and will be for a while.
Sebille blinking in complete surprise, the vixen watches Angel go past the needed time and holds her applause until she finishes. Clapping, she looks over the Lidiya, watching her adjust her mask before she turns back to see the wolf turn back into a gryphon, earning another nod. "That was full of surprises.", she murrs, picking herself up from the sand as she brushes her dress off and looks around, a small stagger in her step as she steadies herself before slowly walking, "Hmm, I'm gonna have to buy some of that.". With her mental note to get more, she nods to Lidiya and Mazurek, feeling their pain in not winning, though having to snicker at the griffon passing out. Before leaving, she stops by the fennec, "Was fun.", she murrs before continuing on, intent to either get something more to drink or heading to the manor.
Lidiya looks at the gryphon for a moment and slowly approaches it, nudging it with her foot a few times. She glances over to the contest winner and gestures to him a few times before nodding to Sebille and wandering... somewhere. She hadn't had anything planned and now she was distracted with other things.
Angel staggers a bit after the crates are tied to her, and actually faceplants. The drink is really starting to get to her and she decides it would be best to make an exit. "Shank you all!" she manages to say, but looks again, first to Maz, then to Sebille, finally, Lidiya. Something about Lidiya makes her look a bit longer before she spreads out her wings and, using a small bit of air math to help her lift takes off toward the noble housing and the castle district, far from flying in a line!
