Dance for the Moon - RPLOG
Participants
Date
16/10/475
Log
A fine friday afternoon. The sun is warm, the wind is cool, and the adventure, you can taste it in the air. Or is that beer? Yes, that's beer. Two men are rolling a casket down the road at an appreciable rate, oddly forest bound with the beer keg.
Walden is with Felix, coming from the other direction on the road in good spirits, perhaps having spent time in the local farmlands. The sight of two men rolling a keg along the road causes him to stop and stare in confusion. "What in the world? You don't see that every day," he considers.
Felix is indeed walking along with Walden, the Deer probably taking the time to explore a bit more of the farmlands himself. "I have absolutly no idea...Some festival going on?" He would muse softly as he watches, arms going to cross before his chest for a few moments.
Rainer sits up out of a patch of tall grass, fists balled and teeth clenched as he stretches arms high over his head. Breathing deep of the crisp autumn air that rolls over the fields then, he finds himself smacking and licking his lips, greeted by a curiously appetizing scent. It isn't long before he's on his feet and emerging onto the road, wandering aimlessly onto the road and into the path of the two gentlemen with their rolling cask, still in a just-awoken daze and rubbing sleep from his eyes.
"Woah woah woah!" calls out one of the two, but Rainer's presence is too abrupt to actually bring the barrel to a stop, and it bumps right into the poor being, threatening to topple him as the heavy casket makes a brave attempt to roll over the obstruction.
Walden shrugs at Felix, but when he sees a figure walking into their path and getting potentially into trouble, he pats Felix's arm and says, "Hey, let's go check it out. Maybe they could use a hand!" With a wink, he starts jogging down the path to meet up with the "trio" and the beer barrel, though he's likely out of range to do anything to actually help yet. "Whoa, watch it, man!" he calls.
Felix is quick to return the shrug, moving to job off after Walden after a moment causing his various equipment to clank gently against the armor he wears when out of town "Oy, what's going on over here, anyways!" He chimes up as he approaches nearer the barrel and those about it, a little more curious about the cask itself than anything.
Rainer hits the ground with a startled yelp and then a whole lot of oofing and owing as the cask steamrolls his torso and only finally comes to a halt when it collides with his jaw. Still, somehow, the wolf seems not too badly off, as he's able to plant his paws onto the barrel almost immediately after and roll it back enough that he's able to lift his head and groan, "Why do these things keep happening to me?..."
The two beings, a puma and a warthog, are swift to assist, rolling the barrel back off Rainer and slowly tipping it up onto its short end. "Sorry about that, guv," says the pig with a foreign sounding accent, "Decidedly unsporting like, running a gent over without so much a warning."
No clan seals are visible on the duo.
Walden catches up to the scene, panting just a little from a bit of quick jogging. "Is everything okay?" the armadillo asks just in time to see things working out without his aid. "Oh, Rainer? I... can't say that's much of a surprise, seeing you under a beer barrel." He chuckles and looks at the two unknown fellows curiously. "That is beer, right? Sure smells like it. What's the occasion?" he wonders. He keeps glancing at their clothes, perhaps starting to notice the lack of something that's usually visible at a glance.
Felix takes a moment to eye the puma and warthog before moving to help Rainer up from the ground, if they needed assistance that is having been bulldozed. "Hey there, you okay then?" He would ask of Rainer before looking back to the two pushers once again "Some sort of festival outside of town I would assume?"
Rainer grumbles up at the dillo, "Just because I enjoy the occasional drink~" At last he climbs to his feet with Felix's aid, slowly but steadily, once the offending cask has been hefted off of him. He takes turns rubbing his chin and stomach, fighting down cringes, until at last he straightens back to his full height. "No harm done, except to my pride." the wolf offers amicably, bearing a sheepish grin at the other four.
The puma gestures at the forest, "We must move swiftly, to appease the forest spirits." Forest spirits? "The offering must reach them before sunset, to say nothing of the ceremony. We don't want them getting riled up."
Walden shoots a quick glance at Felix and Rainer in confusion. Then, he asks the puma, "Ceremony? Forest spirits? Uh... what forest spirits exactly?" he asks. This certainly sounds unusual to him.
"Appease the spirits? That sounds a bit strange, anything we could do to help, maybe?" Felix suggests, glancing from Rainer to Walden as if asking their opinion and thoughts on the matter.
The pig nods his head gravely, "It's a grave matter, gents. The spirits will rise up and devastate the countryside if we don't do it right." They tip the barrel back onto its long end and resume pushing it towards the forest, "Tally ho!" he calls and both get to pushing it, building that momentum back up.
Walden looks to Felix again and blinks a couple times, trying to comprehend this. "Grave matter? Wait..." He picks up his pace to keep up with the puma and the warthog. "If this is so important, m-maybe we can lend a hand?" he asks, glancing at the others. "Or I can. Or whatever. I mean, you can't just tell us something like that and not expect me to be concerned!"
"I've not really heard of some sort of grave matter like this before, let us assist you though, I'm sure we'll be able to lend a hand with setting up, or the like!" Felix remarks in turn, moving as quick as he's able to keep up with the others "Aye! We would be responsible if something went wrong now!"
The two are not prevented from coming along, babysitting the barrel as it rolls up into the forest path, "Of course you haven't," says the puma, "It's a little bit of a unspoken secret. Not an outright one, of course, just..." he shrugs.
The warthog shakes his head, "You make it sound so very shady. We just don't speak of it. We don't ask you what you discussed at noon mass, do we? Fair is fair."
Walden smiles at Felix, glad that his friend is coming with. He nods his thanks, and then he says to the warthog and puma, "I didn't mean to suggest there was anything shady about it. But that being said... all are welcome at noon mass; kindness is something to be offered to all. But aside from even my desire to lend a helping hand, there's the desire to learn. I won't ask you to speak of that which you would prefer not to, but I would like to ask if we- or I, if needed- might be allowed to, um, to stay. See for ourselves, participate if such is called for. Or not."
"I think both of us would like to help, apparenty." Felix remarks softly towards the two rolling the barrel as he stays as close as he can to the group "And if it's a troublesome ceramony, the more the merrier and able hands to help!" He adds, apparently trying to help as he can before giving another nod to Walden, along with a smile of his own.
"All are welcome," agrees the puma, "If you wish to ask forgiveness of the spirits for your wildly uncaring ways. I am sure they will extend their kindness on this day of all days! We bring their favorite drink and will dance their sacred dance," he says with an excited tone in his voice. The barrel is pushed up along until a subtle path allows them to take a left, going up off the trail, becoming harder to shove the barrel over roots and bushes, to a small clearing.
Walden grins excitedly and pats Felix on the back. "Sounds like we've got an interesting evening ahead of us. Thank you, then, sirs. I'm looking forward to this. I believe it's a good thing to understand and respect others' points of view. And... maybe we'll really learn something important."
"Indeed it is, I didn't even know this ceramony took place, it will do well for us to learn." Felix remarks with a swift nod as he continues following. If the others needed it, he might even help push the cask of beer a bit in tough spots.
The barrel is pushed to the center, and hoisted up onto its end. The puma produces an ornate wooden box, waves over it twice. The warthog bows to the puma properly, waits a few seconds, then flips the box open. A spigot. He holds the spigot aloft, "Hear us, powerful and capricious spirits of the land. We bring offering to you, and good song to please you so you will grant us good crop and spare us your dreadful wrath for the year ahead."
Walden crosses his arms casually as he observes all of this. There's a soft smile on his face, and he nods slowly, remaining quiet for the time being out of respect. He sneaks a little glance at Felix though, keeping that smile.
The Deer remains quiet for the time being once the group has assembled in its proper location, not wanting to inturupt the ceremony as it takes place. Felix nods slightly as Walden glances towards him somewhat thoughtfully, woderning how the ritual may play out.
The pig moves over to Walden first, "We bring two mortals to pray at your feet. Absolve them of their crimes and welcome them to your bosom," He moves to tap Wallen on the forehead with the spigot, then to repeat with Felix, "As the divine liquid washes away our mortal limitations, our sins will be cleansed."
Walden blinks reflexively at the tap to his hard scaly forehead. He does certainly look a little nervous about this, but he takes in a deep breath and nods, rubbing his hands together briskly. He shifts his weight from side to side, unsure of what he's going to be doing, though he's trying hard not to speak out of turn and interrupt!
"Uhm.." Felix murmurs as quietly as he can as the spigot is tapped to his forehead, trying to restrain speaking up in curiosity about what this blessing is suppose to do, besides allowing them to pass their mortal limitations! He manages to keep (Mostly) quiet though, and continues watching and in part, participating.
With all due reverence, the spigot is jammed into the barrel, then tapped twice with an amusingly small, but ornate, hammer, "Let the fluid flow, like your blessings and forgiveness," speaks the puma, who reaches down and gives a twist, letting the first bit of the barrel flow out onto the forest floor. An offering perhaps? While this goes on, the pig sets out two tall mugs at the top of the barrel.
Walden licks his lips and breathes in the inevitably aromatic scent that would be coming from the barrel by now. "Two," he whispers to Felix. "Not four? Interesting..." He twitches a little. Part of him is excited about beer. The other is desperately seeking to find meaning in all of this.
"Maybe it's just for them, since we're mostly watching" Felix murmurs to Walden as he leans back towards the Armbadillo. He watches carefully though, pondering if maybe he's wrong and their intent is for them to drink of the beer.
"We didn't expect visitors," explains the pig, "So we only have two properly anointed chalices. Since you two are guests, why don't you have first?" he invites, "Go on, it's good stuff. We brought it with us from far overland. Quite a journey."
Walden looks back and forth between Felix and the other two, and he swallows hard, nervously. "O-oh, us? I... Okay, that's... that's fine! Thank you. I hope it isn't too much of a bother! Um... I suppose I... how rude of me. I should say first, hello, my name is Walden!" He cautiously takes one of the two mugs, glances at the two other men as if making sure he's doing it alright. He then pours the beer into his "anointed chalice", swirls the drink about as he breathes in the aroma, and takes a sip.
"I'd imagine so, especially carrying such a cask the whole way with you." Felix offers with a smile towards their two hosts, nodding almost as if in approval of their long journey before he steps up to the cask. "And I am Felix." The deer adds in turn. He's not much of a drinker, but he sure isn't going to be inpolite as he takes it graciously and fills it as well. Seeing Walden taking a sip of his he quickly does the same, although without smelling it first.
Not local, for sure. It has a heavy flavor that smacks one across the snout and demands attention. But it's not a bad flavor, just powerful and heady. Truly a drink fit for paganism. "Don't be shy. Drink deep. We have to wash away all the filth we've built up during the year," explains the puma, "Drink like a river and don't hold back."
The warthog points at himself, "I am high druid Frudrick. And he is my apprentice, Sapling Timone. We are pleased to meet you."
Walden's ears twitch slightly. He considers the taste, then he nods in approval. "Pleasure to meet you two as well. Thank you for the hospitality," he says with a grin. "I know I've done a few things I'm not proud of, but I do my best to be a good person. So... this is for Mom. Sorry for being a pain the last year," the armadillo then says with a grin, lifts his mug, and drinks much more!
Felix nods slowely as he glances down at the mug he had filled, thinking for a moment "It's a good idea, I suppose." He murmurs, in regards to what has been said so far before he smiles and chimes up a bit like Walden after a moment "I've made plenty of mistakes too, plenty of people I had the chance to help but haven't." He adds before downing the drink, himself.
The two seem pleased, and move up to take their turns. They raise their mugs high to the air, then down them without coming up for air, just greedy gulps of alcohol to set their heads spinning, one would imagine. "Drink as much as you please, until you can't fit any more," assures the puma, "And think on how we can do better in the coming year."
Walden just laughs to himself a little at seeing the way the other two drink. He leans over and whispers to Felix, "I like to savor the taste, myself, but I understand where they're coming from." He grins, and as the mugs are offered again, he fills up and partakes. "I've got lots of ideas! Being more charitable, doing things for the kids of the city, maybe seeing where I can get in some good volunteer work. Maybe help someone build a house," he says with a grin, and he drinks down more, enjoying the taste in a manner he's not really used to but seems to be enjoying well enough!
"As long as there's plenty for everyone!" Felix remarks somewhat loudly to the druid's statement of drinking as much as possible, he doesn't seem to consider that too much though as he takes another mug full of the brew and drinks it down. With Walden leaning in and whispering though he laughs softly "I think it's pretty good either way you know!" He adds before patting Walden with his free hand "I think there's much to do in that department, my friend, there's so much that can be done to better the city and all the land around it."
The two seem to have another part of the ceremony to perform. They touch hands and begin a strange dance, moving at the tips of toes as they circle and throw one another about. It looks ridiculous. Maybe it's why they drink readily during the process. While they twirl and cavort, they sing praises to strangely named dieties, thanking them for bountiful harvests and begging their forgiveness all at once.
