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Post by moralhazard on Mar 7, 2019 19:46:13 GMT
“What’s wrong, Thea?” Pip’s eyes were wide. “Don’t you want to go to the circus?”
“Pip, did you read my note?” Thea raised an eyebrow, looking down at the piece of paper in her hand.
“… No?” Pip blushed. “I mean – well – I read it. I didn’t mean to read it! It was folded when it was delivered but I dropped it and it came open and I read it as I was picking it up! I couldn’t help it, honest. I saw it said circus and I just – I – I just – ”
Thea sighed. “It’s fine, Pip. I’m not going.” She folded the paper again and set it on the table.
“But – it’s the circus!” Pip was wide-eyed. “It’ll be fun, Thea! I’ll go with you – I love the circus! I like seeing the animals and the tricks. Have you ever been to the circus? In Waterdeep I mean?”
“No, Pip, but – I don’t – I’m not going,” Thea rubbed her hands through the hair, somehow mussing the cloud of white strands even further. “Just forget about it, okay?”
“… Okay.” Pip lowered her gaze.
By lunch, Pip figured that since the note was still on the table, and since all it had written in it was an invitation to go to a circus that even the note said would be fun from some guy named Phi plus directions to the circus outside the city, and since Thea wasn’t even planning to go – well – Pip didn’t think there was any harm in borrowing it. She didn’t have any work for her apprenticeship after late afternoon, since she’d had a really early morning building up the fire, and while she was tired, Pip wasn’t nearly too tired for the circus! She didn’t think such a thing was even possible.
But… Pip didn’t want to go to the circus alone either; that didn’t seem like a lot of fun, honestly. She had decided to go as soon as she’d heard about it, of course, but it had taken her all day to figure out how. Al? She didn’t think Al would want to go; he’d become such a stuffy head ever since he’d started his apprenticeship! And even though Pip was an apprentice now too, he was just as bad as ever. It was the worst!
Then, just before her shift ended, Pip had a brilliant idea – so brilliant that she dropped the vial she’d been working on, totally shattering it. She’d had to stay a few minutes late cleaning up and apologizing but then she’d changed into her nicest tunic with the brown braid at the collar and her matching brown pants and taken off with a quick good-bye to Salantham, promising to be back at the dorms by lights out.
“Citrine! Citrine!” The front desk had told Pip that the captain was in her room, and so Pip knocked hastily on the door, shifting from foot to foot. Pip had met Citrine a few times already, mostly when Citrine came by the glass shop to see Thea but they had ended up chatting a lot, and Citrine was really cool. Pip liked her a lot. She was sure that, unlike boring old Thea, Citrine would want to hang out with her. That wasn’t fair – Thea wasn’t boring. Pip just didn’t understand why she wouldn’t want to go to the circus.
“Citrine!” Pip jumped for joy when Citrine finally opened the door, grinning. “Come on, we’d better go or we’ll be late to the circus! A real circus, right outside Waterdeep.” Pip paused, a little trickle of doubt suddenly creeping into her mind. “… You do want to go, don’t you?”
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Citrine
Approved
6 Wild Blooded Sorcerer+ 1 Celestial Warlock
Posts: 328
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Post by Citrine on Mar 7, 2019 20:04:33 GMT
She was napping, or, had been napping, when the door to her suite was suddenly hammered against. Groaning, shifting in her bed to shove her head under the pillows the birdfolk she had plans to just ignore it and go back to sleep in order to catch up on the zero sleep she'd gotten last night due to staying out late then singing in the sun before even collapsing into bed and spending a lazy day doing nothing but sleep.
But the knocking continued.
"Oi, fer teh fookin'…" She grumbled under her breath as she now heard her name being thrown into the mix. Was that… Pip? The younger elven girl was always a bit of sunshine I the shop whenever she'd gone over to meet up with Thea for lunch or even just an afternoon walk. Once or twice the girl came with them, but nothing consistent. Maybe something had happened to Thea?!
Popping out of her bed, nearly opening the door, before trilling in annoyance and mage handing an open backed robe of hers to herself so she didn't scar the sprog for life, Citrine opened the door. "Ah circus?" She trilled, bleary eyed focusing on the excited girl and rubbing her eyes, calming when it processed Thea was fine. "Oh! Ah circus!" She repeated to herself, the idea of something so bright, colorful, and exciting now flooding her head. "Aye'd love tae go!.... Did ye say late? Et's today?"
She was corrected. No, the circus was tonight! And they had to hurry otherwise they'd get crappy seats and all the popcorn would be sold out. It never occurred to her to wonder if anyone else knew of Pip's desire to see the circus. Her parents or at least Thea and the other senior apprentices would have known the kid's evening plans, right? Right! Letting Pip in Citrine waved at her to settle in the small sitting area as she excused herself to get actually dressed - leather pants with the corset ties on the side, green chest wrap, leather ankle cuffs, red Captain's coat to at least look like she was aware of the cooler night air despite the cold not really bothering her. A bit of makeup to line her eyes (they were going out in the evening after all! And a smaller headscarf used to keep her hair back and Citrine was ready to go.
"Alright Sprog! Let's gae!"
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Post by moralhazard on Mar 7, 2019 21:50:40 GMT
It was an easy stroll through the city. There were no signs or anything outside, but the piece of paper Pip kept checking in her hand seemed to have directions. They weren’t the only ones heading out of the city either; the gate seemed to be busier than usual, with mostly adults heading out into the woods.
“Over the hill to the right of the path… and then… to the left of the forked tree,” Pip squinted in the distance. “There!” Her face lit up. “There, look, Citrine, there! It’s a flag!” From the top of the hill, the two would be able to see the circus quite well, especially as the sun set. Honestly, despite Pip’s insistence on them, the directions weren’t exactly necessary; there were enough people climbing a thin, well-worn path over the hill that they could almost certainly have found the circus without them.
The circus was set up in a large, empty clearing, with a few stumps on either side suggesting that they had made their own space. A large flagpole was stuck into the ground outside the exit, a bright red and gold flag waving from it, flapping noisily in the wind. A large fence encircled the clearing, with a tall entryway gate just past the flagpole. Most of the space inside the enclosure was taken up by a huge red and gold striped tent, hundreds of feet in diameter, with a few smaller tents out in front.
Two men stood at the entrance, smiling. “Come and see the greatest show on earth!” One called. “Tickets only 1 gold piece each.”
“A whole gold piece?” Pip’s eyes were wide. “Oh… it must be a really good circus!” She beamed up at Citrine.
“The show starts in twenty minutes,” The man at the entryway was more than happy to exchange Pip’s gold piece for a ticket, smiling and waving her in. There was a faintly strange expression in his eyes at the sight of Citrine, but he would happily take her money as well.
The grass beneath their feet looked like it had once been thick and green; now, tromped down by dozens of feet, maybe hundreds, it was splotchy and muddy, with thick boards leading from the entrance to the tent, and off to the sides to get at the concession stands. Most people seemed to be going straight into the tent, but the lines to get ale stretched all the way back to the main path, and the lines at the concession stand were nearly as long.
Overall, the atmosphere of the place was energetic, if not exactly cheerful. Lanterns hung from strings overhead, lighting the entirety of the enclosure. The others who passed by were talking and laughing, and Citrine would be able to catch faint snatches of conversation – “… came up the sword coast…” “… payment on delivery…” “… fantastic beasts…” “… supposed to be unusual…” – just barely audible over the sounds of music drifting from the tent.
“There’s the show area,” Pip bounced about, pointing straight ahead at the big tent. “Should we go sit? Or –“ Pip’s stomach grumbled a little, and she glanced about, spotting a concessions stand and an ale stand on either side of the entryway. “Do you want to get some snacks?”
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Citrine
Approved
6 Wild Blooded Sorcerer+ 1 Celestial Warlock
Posts: 328
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Post by Citrine on Mar 8, 2019 2:01:00 GMT
It was pleasant walking with, for once, someone who had her same stride and walking pace. Her and Pip? They took their time, Citrine humoring her map following skills but keeping an eye where everyone else was walking. Soon enough the high tent poked into view, the noises and lights from the event putting a quickness to both of their steps. While she was still lacking her extremely bright plumage, the phoenix had regained about half of her color potency and was still an eye catching sight to behold. With her matching the colors of the tent fabrics for once? Citrine didn't stand out because of how different she looked, but because of how well she matched.
Always one for showing off and enjoying the limelight the firebird preened and peacocked a bit as they filed into line, confidently and thoroughly enjoying the time away from the city already as she paid her gold piece, and snuck a piece of gold from her pouch into Pip's - she wasn't gonna have the sprog pay for her own stuff, not as a struggling young apprentice. She herself had enough gold from her performances even after paying dues to stay at the Mariners' Hall she wasn't concerned with money. Not tonight.
Stepping into the mud, toes clawing into the slick material without any hesitation - it was no different than stepping in the bilge and other filth that collected in less savory docks across the islands - Citrine kept a steady eye, and her mage hand, on Pip's shoulder. She would deserve another lighting lash from Thea if she lost Pip - something she did not want to experience. Loosing Pip or the lash again.
Whispers of rumors and ideas of what lay behind the big curtain to await in the performing circle had everyone abuzz, and the redhead believed all of it yet none of it at the same time. A dragon? Really, that'd be ridiculous. Jugglers, fire breathers, and acrobatics were more likely! At least, that's what she thought they would be seeing. Maybe a unicorn or other rare steed. It's what she was most familiar with after all, having lived and traveled with a performance troupe twice now in her lives - once as human with her dad, and once as a halfling.
The confidence and swagger of navigating the somewhat similar setup (but a much MUCH larger grand scale than she'd ever seen) was easy. The lines were long, yes, but they'd move fast. "Tell ye what Pippaelthionian - ye go sit, and Aye'll come find ye with snacks. 'Ere." She spread a wing and brought the flight feathers to her, preening out one of the longer flight feathers that had been worrying loose the last day or so, and stuck it in her hair behind Pip's ear. "Tha' way Aye'll find ye en teh stands." Pip greatly disagreed, though she laughed at the attempt at her name.
"Fine, fine. Prolly better we stick tagether anyways. Aye'd hate ta 'ave someone snatch ye." She ruffled her hair, despite how similar in height they were. Little kids were targets, especially near the city. And cute, little blondes? Well, the pirate Captain knew how the slave trade worked - she'd hunted down enough of those slaver ships to know what profile was popular.
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Post by moralhazard on Mar 8, 2019 2:24:40 GMT
Pip shrieked with laughter at Citrine’s attempt at her name. “That’s not it either!” She crowed, pleased. Citrine had gotten it out of her a few weeks ago that Pip was short for – something. Even plied with a few sips of elven mead, Pip had refused to give up the secret of her true name, and Citrine had been guessing ever since. “No way!” Pip reached up to touch the feather, eyes shining, then promptly grabbed hold of Citrine’s hand. “No, I want to look at the snacks with you! What if I don’t like what you get?” She grinned up at Citrine, who knew very well that the apprentice would eat pretty much anything; the shortness of her stature definitely wasn’t due to lack of appetite. “I know what to do if someone tries to snatch me,” Pip said, a bit more seriously that Citrine might have expected. She was still holding Citrine’s hand, swinging it a little. It was easier to be friends with Citrine than Thea, sometimes because – well – Thea was a little bit like her boss. Not that Pip worried about that very much, but it made her a little more shy than she might have been otherwise. Believe it or not. “My mom and dad made us drill a lot when we were little,” Pip explained, hopping forward one place in line. “My father said especially me, since I’m cute as a button and I like to, um, roam,” she grinned up at Citrine. “So I have a special bracelet that I press, and it sends an emergency signal back to my parents! I thought I’d give it back when I went for my apprenticeship but mother started crying and said to keep it.” Proudly, Pip stuck out one skinny wrist, revealing a bracelet that looked like a child had made it from a (dirty) string. “It’s stronger than it looks,” Pip explained, as if imparting a deep secret. Up in front of them, a man darted behind the counter, exchanged a few quick words of conversation with the woman manning the booth, then stepped away. “Good evening,” The woman behind the counter smiled at them both. “What can I get for you tonight? We have crunchy critters, skewers with meat or potatoes, fritter cakes, even,” she winked at Pip, “taece or root pies, and plenty more besides. Just ask, and we’ll provide.” “Taece?” Pip gasped. “Oh, I love taece! Citrine, they’re crunchy little fish, they’re so good!” “Some taece for the little lady, then!” The woman smiled at her, then at Citrine. “And for you, ma’am?” Once Citrine had made her order, the lady would lean forward. "Now - I don't like to tell everyone about this," she said, smiling at them both. "But the booth next door is a game - not for anyone, you understand," she smiled indulgently down at Pip. "There's still plenty of time before the show starts - why not play?"
There was, in fact, a small booth next to the food stand; it had been dark and empty earlier, but now a man - not the same one they'd seen talking to the lady at the food stall - was standing inside it, adjusting a few things. There was even a little path of boards leading across the muddy ground, right to the front of it.
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Citrine
Approved
6 Wild Blooded Sorcerer+ 1 Celestial Warlock
Posts: 328
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Post by Citrine on Mar 8, 2019 2:55:25 GMT
Grinning at the laugh she prompted out of Pip, Citrine repeated the failed name and laughed herself. Of course it wasn't that - what a ridiculous attempt! But that's why she did it. Elves tended to have strange names, she'd get it right eventually.
Eyeing the rope bracelet critically the phoenix finally nodded with an unconvinced fully, but good enough for now, sort of hum. "If ye say so Lass. Let's 'ope ye dan't need tae use et." Hands swinging together, one of her wings wrapped around now Pip's shoulders to help guide her and keep her close buy - crowds could be dangerous for small folk after all, the two were pretty adorable together.
Buying pretty much one or two of everything, this was a night to remember after all! Citrine relied on passing parchment wrapped food to Pip, her own two hands, plus her mage hand. If only she had bothered memorizing the ritual for an unseen servant… oh well. One of the crunch fritters hung in her mouth even as she was more excited to try the fish snack…
At the mention of a game? Citrine's ears perked up. She liked games. Games usually meant a wager, and she was never one to say no to a wager. "Minds well see wut sort o' game et es then, eh sprog? Ef et's short we'll play ah round o' so, ef nae? We'll go get seats an' start eatin' though all o' this." She gestured to the at least 10 gold worth of food she'd purchased for the two of them.
Stepping up to the booth Citrine thought nothing of the 'secrets' of being told of a mysterious game. It was a trick meant to rope in high gold spending customers. No doubt they've proven themselves bigger spenders then the average party go-er based on food alone.
"Ello there Lad. 'Eard from teh Lass sellin' these wonderful snacks tha' there was ah unique game 'ere me an' me Pip might like tae try our hand at?"
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Post by moralhazard on Mar 8, 2019 3:58:34 GMT
“Yes please!” Pip said, eyes bright. She grinned up at Citrine, stomach grumbling as she admired the handsome spread of snack food in front of them. She couldn’t quite resist grabbing one of the crunchy little taece, popping it whole into her mouth as they made their way across the boards to the game booth.
“Evening, ma’am, miss,” The man at the game booth bowed deeply to the two of them, with a little mock-courtier flourish of his hand. “Oh, yes – step right up! The chance to win fabulous prizes awaits,” He raised his eyebrows, “but you’ll have to wager big to win big! One gold piece… if you’d like to play? It’ll only take a few minutes, don’t worry. There’ll be plenty of time for the show.”
“Now, it’s a small booth, but we have a few different options,” The man grinned. “Now I’ll tell you in advance – one of these games is our grand prize for the night. I can’t tell you which, of course, but let me tell you your options. We have the potion bottle game, a simple game where your object is to knock over a simple pyramid of bottles,” he stacked three potions bottles as he spoke, quickly, then moved down the counter, “You’ll have three chances, and you’ve only got to do it once. We have the darts game – now that one’s a bit trickier, I might not recommend it. The goal there is to hit exactly the right number with five darts. I won’t say it’s impossible, but I – well, it might be tough for two little ladies like yourselves,” he winked, gesturing to a darts board on the wall behind him. “Now, the last game is a simple one as well, I call it follow the gold. You’ll put a piece of gold down on the counter, I’ll move it around beneath a few cups.” He mimed shifting cups with his hands. “If those hawk eyes are quick enough to follow my hands? You win.”
“So tell me, what’s your poison?” The man smiled.
Pip turned wide-eyed to Citrine. "What should we play?" She asked, bouncing with excitement.
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Citrine
Approved
6 Wild Blooded Sorcerer+ 1 Celestial Warlock
Posts: 328
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Post by Citrine on Mar 8, 2019 4:21:46 GMT
She couldn't say no to a wager. It'd gotten her into a lot of trouble in the past, but it'd also gotten her to win big. And it always, always, made for a good story.
"Teh cups. Aye'll wager ah gold piece on keepin' an eye on teh coin." She grinned, excitement now starting to flow weakly from her wings in the form of wax and coriander. It wasn't near as strong as it once was, before she'd re-met Orin. But. It was getting there. Slowly. The color and scents that marked the phoenix as being alive, full of life, and enjoying it to the max to boot.
"Pick teh game ye want tae try Pip, Aye'll cover ye first game o' three. Then we'll have tae get back tae teh tent. We dan't want tae miss teh show." She looked from Pip to the man behind the game counter. "Any hint as to what the show is? Aye've heard ah lot o' whispers." She grinned slyly at him, trying to play the age old game o getting someone to spill secrets about a show. It rarely ever worked, but that was part of the game.
She focused then on the game once it was ready to play, keeping a steady eye on the proceedings.
Perception for the cup game: 0LJAPWEm1d20+61d20+6
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Post by moralhazard on Mar 8, 2019 4:35:13 GMT
The man grinned at Citrine. “It has to be seen to be believed!” He said, cheerfully.
“Now,” The man slid Citrine’s gold piece forward, picking up three cups from under the table. He began to shift and slide the cups, so fast it would seem like his hands were almost flying back and forth on the table top – and then stopped, abruptly, bringing all three cups to a halt. “And now it’s your time to shine! Where’s the gold?”
Citrine, with her excellent perception, would easily be able to tap the correct cup. The man raised his eyebrows, fingers lingering on the cup. “Are you sure?” Once Citrine confirmed, he would flip over the cup, revealing the coin.
Pip let out a little shriek. “No it’s on the – oh.” She giggled.
The man laughed. “Luckily your friend has quicker eyes than you, little lady.” He paused. “Now, look, I’m really not supposed to do this, but… unfortunately, you didn’t choose the right game for the grand prize, not tonight! But if you’d be willing to go double or nothing on your little friend here,” he winked at Pip, “then I could put it on the table. That is… if you think she can do it?”
Pip gasped, eyes wide, looking up at Citrine. She puffed up with pride when Citrine agreed, and turned back to the games. “I’ll play – I’ll play,” Pip bit her lip, agonizing over the decision. “The bottles!” She blurted out. “The bottles, please.”
“An excellent choice!” The man winked. “The bottles. Three tries, one gold piece.”
Pip waited for Citrine to put the coin down, eyes wide. She picked up the ball, taking a deep breath and watching as the man stacked five bottles on top of one another.
“Back to the line, young lady,” he nodded at a thin white line a few feet back from the stall.
“Right!” Pip hopped back, took a deep breath, and threw!
The ball missed.
Pip squeaked, gathering the ball up, took a deep breath again, and threw!
This time the ball was so close – so close it even brushed one of the bottles, which wobbled, and wobbled, and – held, the edge sticking just off over the rest of them.
“Very close!” The man grinned. “But… not quite. Let me fix these for you,” He picked up the top and bottom bottle, polishing the bottom one on his shirt as he set the top one in its place, leaving the bottom one on top. “Last chance, little miss!”
“Right!” Pip took a deep breath, clutching the ball. She bit her lip, focusing her gaze on the bottles, and threw!
The ball arced forward through the air, and crashed into the bottle in the same spot as she’d hit last time, a much more square hit this time – and sent the entire pyramid toppling over.
Pip shrieked, jumping up and down. “I did it I did it I did it!” She paused, looking bright-eyed at Citrine. “We did it!” She amended, giggling.
“Ahhhhhh…” The man laughed. “Look, my boss’ll have my head for this, but… I put the grand prize on the line, so here you go.” He reached under the counter, emerging with a box containing what looked like a collar and a bracelet, both looking like costume jewelry, with bright gold and flashy glass jewels. “Not real,” he assured them both, smiling, “but very pretty, and a well-deserved prize.”
“Oh, they’re so pretty,” Pip giggled, adjusting the feather in her hair, her gaze clearly lingering on the bracelet; the collar looked a little big for her anyway. “Citrine, you pick first – please!”
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Citrine
Approved
6 Wild Blooded Sorcerer+ 1 Celestial Warlock
Posts: 328
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Post by Citrine on Mar 8, 2019 4:49:51 GMT
((Phone post in bed because I gotta have my birdy pick a shiny))
Trilling in personal satisfaction at managing the correct coin Citrine preened under the praise and bowed flamboyantly. "Aye tha's 'ow ets done Pipperpirroni." She crowed, only for the sound to fade and stumble into disappointment and annoyance. A hot huff snorted out her nose.
"O course Aye'll gae triple on me Lassie 'ere!" She tugged the metal spring in her hair to send a me talking message to Pip once she picked her game. "Aye believe en ye Pip. Hit teh same spot ef ye can, they're always staked against ye. But en one place? Ye have ah chance."
The advice was solid, and so was Pip's aim - knocking the bottles with the glass toss. And their reward? A gaudy, even for her, necklace and bracelet. The bracelet, more like a bangle, was clearly fit for a smaller wrist. And the necklace? A choker collar like design that was much more suited to fitting Citrine then Pip's very slender, very small neck. Plus? She saw her eyeing the bracelet.
"The bracelet's yer's Sprog." She congratulated, picking up the necklace collar with her mage hand and subconsciously went ahead and put it on, just like anyone handed a hat would, it was the natural reaction. "Need help with ye bracelet? Otherwise we should get our seats."
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Post by moralhazard on Mar 8, 2019 4:51:08 GMT
((Please roll a wisdom check! ))
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Citrine
Approved
6 Wild Blooded Sorcerer+ 1 Celestial Warlock
Posts: 328
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Post by Citrine on Mar 8, 2019 4:52:25 GMT
nceS7Pqo1d20+31d20+3
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Post by moralhazard on Mar 8, 2019 5:04:18 GMT
Pip giggled. “Noooo it’s not Pipperpirroni either!” She had laughed so hard at that one that her stomach hurt, just a little, a sweet and pleasant ache. Winning the game left a glow in her, a pleasant sensation that made her feel like she was on top of the world. “Congratulations again!” The man behind the counter grinned, bowing to them both. “I’m sure we’ll see you here again very soon.” He was gone almost immediately, almost before they had time to thank him (were they so inclined). “Thank you!” Pip beamed, clasping the bracelet around her wrist, right over the little bit of woven string. “Oh – ow!” She unclasped it, turning her hand over. “I think it poked me,” Pip ran finger around the inside of the bracelet, little brow furrowed as she examined it. Citrine's collar wouldn't feel like it shocked her. Instead, hers would feel just - just a little too tight, not so tight that it restricted her air, but tight enough that she was, simply put, aware of it. “Should we go inside, Citrine?” Pip beamed at Citrine, tucking the bracelet into her pocket to examine later, and happily adjusting the feather in her hair. ‘ Good evening, Citrine.’ Citrine would hear a voice in her head – not one she’d heard before, faintly smug. ‘ Tell the little one to go inside and save you a seat, then come around to the back of the tent. Don't say anything else to her - no need for her to get wrapped up in this…’
((Citrine can choose to send Pip off and go to the back of the tent! Otherwise… please roll a DC 14 wisdom saving throw. I’ll let you know what happens after, depending on the roll ))
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Citrine
Approved
6 Wild Blooded Sorcerer+ 1 Celestial Warlock
Posts: 328
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Post by Citrine on Mar 8, 2019 14:59:38 GMT
It was much more snug then she thought it would be, snug enough she tried to relax her throat and bend her neck back and forth to try and make it settle more comfortably - to no avail. If anything the collar snugged even tighter. Her hands darted to the neckline and began skimming her dexterous fingers quickly and efficiently over the metal, ignoring the gaudy gems and engravings to find the latch she had just used to close the 'winning prize'.
~I think it poked me. Citrine immediately zeroed in on the bracelet in Pip's hand, a wave of energy made of pure concern and worry for the younger overshadowing any shadows in her own head about her own situation.
Then the smug as shit voice called to her in her head.
"Oh leik fookin' 'ell Aye'm leavin' me ward." She mentally spat back, doing her best to school her features to not let Pip know something was up to be worried about, easy to do since the elf was busy putting away the bracelet and fiddling with the feather. "Aye, we shall. An' better keep et pocketed like tha', we can 'ave Thea smooth down any edges later. Daen't forget ye snacks, Pip." The only thing that kept her from saying anything, at this moment in time, was the threat against Pip. Whatever 'this' was? Citrine was going to keep Pip out of it, she swore by her code. It was so rare for Citrine to use Pip's name as 'Pip' she hoped it would signal to the girl there was something up, to somehow keep her guard up. Something. But the chance was so slim, especially with snacks on the line, that the signal name would go right over the younger girl's head.
They were still in the private tent - they needed to get out within the crowd.
She opened her wing again and used it like a shield and guiding arm around her shoulders to take them both out of the tent. If she hugged Pip a little closer than usual it wouldn't seem odd. Citrine was touchy-feeling after all, always invading the personal space of others.
SXG29MJH1d20+3
((Was told via Discord she failed the command spell, and now had to follow the demand))
Something gripped Citrine by the figurative scruff of her mental neck, and pinched. Hard. A sort of haze, impossible to see in the evening night as they exited the tent. Her body relaxed a moment as the invasive command washed through her entire being. Letting Pip weave in and up through the stands on her own really was a good idea. She was smaller, less bulky from the fact she didn't have wings to be wary of, and being cute as a button? She could weasel a good set of seats.
"Sae Sprog, ye'll 'ave ah better chance gettin' us good seats. Aye daen't want folks steppin' on me wings o' tail feathers - hurts like ah bitch et does. Aye'll spot e en the stands an' fly up when ye picked us ah spot!" The pinch kept tight on her neck, forcing her to rationalize and go through with the demand.
Pip on her way, assuming she went -loaded with snacks-, Citrine's eyes followed her climbing up the benches to get a spot as high as she could go (kids, always wanted to go 'tall') until she got about halfway up the stairs. And then? She turned and ducked out of the tent the way they'd come to start walking behind the big tent.1d20+3
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Post by moralhazard on Mar 8, 2019 17:01:38 GMT
“Oh, no! I won’t!” Pip happily scooped up an armful of the snacks, beaming up at Citrine. She didn’t notice the use of her proper name, too excited about the crunchy little bits of fish she was now clutching close to her chest. After a moment she pulled them away from her tunic, checking for grease stains – once satisfied, she went back to smiling.
“That was fun! I thought the games would be harder. My brother told me usually you never win at carnivals, but I guess we were just lucky,” Pip said, cheerfully, navigating the little narrow walkway of boards back from the games tent to the main drag, the feather in her hair bobbing slightly.
The inside of the tent was as brightly lit as the outside, lanterns well encased in glass scattered through it, hanging from the walls with a few larger light stands in the center. Stands arced around three quarters of it, tall wooden benches stacked up to create steps, and the rest of the space was taken up by a massive wooden stage, scratched and worn but still impressive looking. There was what looked like a flap in the tent at the back of the stage, where presumably the performers would enter and exit.
Pip paused at the entrance to the main tent, gazing wide-eyed up at the stands. It was getting close to the time of the show, and they were crowded. “Oh, yeah! That’s a good idea,” Pip beamed, pleased at the idea of having the responsibility for finding their seats. “Okay!” She smiled at Citrine. “I’ll see you up there!”
Carefully, Pip began to make her way up the stands, snacks held close, all her attention focused on holding the snacks and not stepping or anyone – or being stepped on. The tent was noisy and hot and close, and smelled faintly of ale, but Pip wouldn’t have had it any other way – this was the circus, after all!
There were no boards leading the way to the back of the tent, not that that would be a problem for Citrine, and increasingly less light. It would have been hard to tell the enclosure even continued past the tent; certainly, they had not been able to see that any back area existed from the hill that they’d approached the circus from.
But as Citrine kept walking, rounding the edge of the tent, she would see it.
There was a mass of wooden carts, with cages propped against them. A loud, angry snake-like hissing was coming from one; if Citrine glanced sideways, she would see a basilisk, rattling the bars, contained in an area much too small for it to be comfortable.
Standing in the center of it was the same man Citrine had seen talking to the woman at the confectioner’s stand. He wore a very fancy red coat, and carried a heavy three-tailed whip, with an intricate brass handle and a large round gem at the base. The three long braids that flowed from the handle were heavy, with sharp barbs at the end of each.
He smiled at the sight of Citrine. “Glad you decided to join me. It will always be easier if you go along with me. The last thing I want is to damage such a beautiful creature.” It was the same smug voice she’d heard in her head. He glanced at an open cage to his left, then back to Citrine. “Go on, get in the cage.” This command she would hear both out loud and in her head.
The cage was a heavy heavy metal thing, the floor and walls built of metal. The side facing them was barred, thick metal bars with about six inches of space between. It wouldn’t cramp Citrine like the basilisk was cramped; it was sized for something a little larger than Citrine, like a human, meaning she would be able to stand upright and move around, at least a little.
((Make another DC 14 wisdom saving throw to see whether Citrine needs to obey the command))
((note: edited to add description of the cage))
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