[II. Video.]

[demonbloodblade]

[The screen comes on, showing Meliantha, with two small barrels - about knee-high, each - with markings on them (probably writing, but not Earth languages) on the table next to her.]

It has been brought to my attention that, for the good of us all, I must sacrifice some things I brought with me.

This [She puts her hand on one of them] is a small-keg of Tanagyr's Stout, a dark stout, well-regarded and smuggled heavily from place to place. And this [She touches the other] is a small-keg of Saerloonian Special Red, which is as the name implies a red wine, considered excellent where I am from.

I currently have about nine gallons of the beer, and eleven gallons of the wine, available. In order to keep the peace and help those in need, I will be willing to share these with us who have been brought here. Bring your own cups or glasses.

Since many people do not think well of those that just give things away, therefore I request in return the best joke you know - I am sharing something to improve people's moods, so we can have that in return.

Comments

[ofthegrey]

I fear strange may be the normal here. [A little dryly.]

I'll be over shortly. I may decide to bring a joke along after all if I can think of a good one between here and there.

[He pauses.]

Where am I going? I just realized I don't know where you are.

[demonbloodblade]

The lobby on the ground floor.

...It seemed a good place to go and not irritate anyone more than I have to.

[ofthegrey]

I'm sure your roommates will thank you for not having a group of progressively more drunken louts over, yes.

I'll be down shortly.

((OOC: Actioning it up in here OK with you?))

[demonbloodblade]

(( ooc: no problem at all! ))

[And Meliantha is in the lobby, on a salvaged stool, with the two barrels on either side of her, reading through a book as she waits to see who comes by with a joke for a drink.]

[ofthegrey]

[Duncan approaches with a wine glass in hand, his preferences occasionally more Orlesian than he likes to admit.

With a serious expression, he intones the first part of his joke.]

What do you do with a green dragon?

[demonbloodblade]

[She puts her hand on top of the keg of wine.]

I don't know, what do you do with a green dragon?

[ofthegrey]

You wait for it to ripen.

[The twitch of his lips is mostly hidden beneath his thick mustache.]

It's good to see you intact after our latest challenge.

[He offers the glass for filling.]

[demonbloodblade]

[There's a pause. Then her lips twitch, and then she throws back her head and lets out a burst of laughter. Duncan can, actually, see her teeth for the first time, the fact what she has are jagged fangs instead of normal teeth. She settles down after a bit, wiping her eyes.]

That was a good one. I'm going to have to remember it.

[She fills the glass, returning it with a little seated bow.]

[ofthegrey]

[It's more than a little bit of a surprise to see fangs, although not as jarring as it would have been had she otherwise looked human. More important to him is the fact he got her laughing. His smile widens.]

Perhaps I'm better at this sober. I'll have to remember that.

[He takes the glass with an incline of his head and steps back enough that she doesn't have to crane her neck for them to converse. Trying to sit comfortably on the floor in plate armor isn't an option.]

Had many takers so far?

[He swirls the glass for a sniff. Liking what he smells, he takes a small sip.]

Ahhh. You know, the wine here isn't as good as back home, although the ale and spirits seem better. This is closer to the vintages I recall.

[demonbloodblade]

[She chuckles, then gets off the chair and gestures to it.]

Here. I've worn that stuff, and right now I can sit on the floor. And only a few takers, but hope springs eternal.

[She smiles.]

It's been a strange few weeks. I thought I'd try to be more social, and with people who talk about wanting better drinks, well. I'm glad you appreciate it. I'm not terribly fond of it.

[ofthegrey]

Thank you.

[He steps over and takes the offered seat, testing to be certain it can take the weight before he relaxes.]

It has been a very strange time. Has anyone from your homeworld besides you appeared? From what I can ascertain the recent explosion in our numbers is unprecedented.

[demonbloodblade]

No, no one. But even if they did, I might not recognize them. If they said they were from Faerun, or one of the larger cities, or even one of the smaller ones in the areas I know, then I'd know them by that.

It might be best. There's one branch of a priesthood that's declared me an abomination to be slain on sight, and that would just cause everyone trouble.

[ofthegrey]

Yes, that's one thing I've found very...odd. Most of the people here I've met from Thedas I either know directly or know someone who knows them. All connected. Thedas is a large world. The odds of such a thing are minuscule.

[He takes another sip of his wine, definitely not drinking tonight with an eye to getting drunk.]

If you wind up with that kind of trouble here, let me know. They'll learn you won't go quietly.

[demonbloodblade]

Perhaps there's some interconnection for the people from Thedas, and whatever that is, I lack the connection with others that might bring them here. Or maybe it's just some wizard from back home or another wreaking havoc - not uncommon.

[She leans back, holds out her hand, and suddenly her sword is there. It was nowhere in sight before that.]

No. Not quietly at all. [And she smiles a little mischievously.]

[ofthegrey]

Perhaps. Or we're particularly difficult to resist because of our leagues of charm. [A touch dryly.]

If I could have done something like that, my life might have turned out quite differently. [His mouth quirks in a half smile.]

Handy trick that.

[demonbloodblade]

It's part of our bond, the one we had before we came here.

Indeed. Now. I was reading, if you would be so kind? [The voice is a trifle grumpy.]

Fine. [The blade disappears.]

I've seen some of your people on the talk-glass. Some of them seem very ...sure of themselves.

[The expression on her face says 'I should have said full, not sure', but she's trying not to be insulting.]

[ofthegrey]

Dare I ask how a sword reads?

[He has enough class to hold the question until after the blade in question is gone once more.]

Ha! You must be talking about Anora. One thing she isn't lacking is self...anything.

[That's OK. He'll do it.]

[demonbloodblade]

Not entirely sure. I put his hilt on the book and he seems to do it that way. Some kind of magic, beyond me.

[She nods.]

Yes, yes indeed. You can tell she's a queen, and not just in that she married a king. Not sure if that's dangerous or not for the people she knows. That would depend on the king, I suspect.

[ofthegrey]

At least he's not flipping pages. You'd lose more books that way...

[His expression is a little difficult to read.]

She is very much a product of her father, not one to turn your back toward.

[demonbloodblade]

He likes trashy romances. It boggles me sometimes. No accounting for taste.

[She pauses at that last.]

I'll try not to get into a situation where it might be an issue for me, then.

[ofthegrey]

Literature that spans worlds. I don't know if I should be amused or appalled.

[He looks more the former.]

I should in fairness perhaps explain a bit better. She isn't an outright danger. However, she is most likely to act in her own interest and doesn't seem to mind if that is at another's expense. Her word is only as good as the interest in which it is given.

[He knows that she nearly cost Elissa her life and won't ever be quick to forget that.]

[demonbloodblade]

There's trashy and then there's 'who thought this was a good idea'. Things like 'The Evereska/Mithril Hall Treaty Ceremony', which had sex between the two rulers of the city, in a public situation. Last I heard, the author had spent all the gold he made from that on anti-scrying spells, but the elves had an idea where he was. Don't know if declaring it lese majeste still held, that was sort of a hat-pull, but the really bad novels are finally slowing down.

[A nod.]

As long as she counts her kingdom in 'me' for that, it's not the worst way of looking at things. Sometimes a ruler needs be ruthless in the defense of their kingdom, even if it hurts. But that's good to know, in case she and I run into each other when things are tight. Most of the people I've worked with work for the same organization, so we have a community of interest, but even within that, there's degrees of interest.

[ofthegrey]

Andraste's knickers, that's normal literature in Orlais. [Sadly, he's probably not joking. Much.]

That's difficult to say. I never witnessed her rule beyond what power she held beside her husband. I only know of certain questionable things that happened after the fact from sources I consider reliable. I'd say keep to your own sword and skill, and you can't go wrong.

Are you with a mercenary group, or is it something else?

[demonbloodblade]

The Harpers are... well, they seek a world where people need not fear, where song and history are kept and not lost or twisted to promote a particular belief, where nature and civilization are in balance. What that tends to mean in practice is a lot of running around and fighting those who believe otherwise, like slavers, and crime syndicates, and the less pleasant churches - Bane, god of Tyranny, as an example.

You don't really choose to join; you get recruited after coming to the attentions of other Harpers. There's no formal swearing of oaths until you get your pin, showing you've got enough sense to not leave a mess behind you.

[She unbuttons her vest (there is a shirt underneath) and flips it over, showing a pin in the shape of a crescent moon with a harp between the horns, made of a silver metal, then flips it back.]

In general, the Harpers let people do what they feel they should do, but sometimes you get an assignment. Last one I got was... I think I mentioned it, starting a slave rebellion.

[ofthegrey]

[He listens closely and leans in to have a closer look at the pin when she reveals it.]

Noble goals. I would not envy anyone such a task in any world. I believe no matter where you go there will be others seeking to carve out more than their share or take advantage of the weaker.

In some aspects it sounds like our Grey Wardens, but in others we are very different.