felix vesper sanctorum [p][thread one!]

[Sifr]

You got 48 hours! @all Good Luck!

The mansion was a cheery sight, even in the twilight hours of the afternoon. The ruby red glow of the setting sun cast shadows from the house all over the grand front lawn, giving the perfect setting for the lanterns that were already lit across the lawn. The winding path to the front door was framed by these lanterns. The front porch had a rustic feeling, the porch was made of wooden boards and grand columns, with a stone base. There was a shelter to the porch as well, and two grand mahogany doors that towered at an easy fifteen feet off the ground. When one entered the front hall, it seemed that they were thrown straight into the festivities. The walls were lined with tables that towered with food; everything from corn to turkey and everything in between. It was a great way to show how bountiful the harvest had been in Lord Wrys' lands and to feed the poor. Partygoers were already mingling; peasants and lords alike, some with the eyes of a Ylissean, others with the face of a citizen of Chon'sin. It was a welcoming environment for all. The front hall was expansive and vast, probably one of the largest areas of the house. It also had many doors branching off of it; two large ones on the foyer floor that mostly servants were bustling through when they were asked to do something specific for guests, and three on the first floor balcony. Two of the doors on the balcony were on opposite sides, presumably leading into the wings. One was in the dead center, between the two curving staircases that lead to the first floor balcony. At the top of the balcony, an old man was standing beside a beautiful woman who looked to be his daughter, and two young lads who looked to be his sons. The man rested heavily on his cane, a peaceful expression on his face, and the woman was resting a hand lovingly on his shoulder. He coughed a little to clear his throat, and the speech that came out of it was thin and wheezy. "Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the 35th annual Harvest Festival. This grand tradition was started by my beloved first wife, Lady Claira, who passed five years ago. We hold this every year in her memory; she had a passion for helping the gentle folk of our province-" The speech continued onwards for quite a ways, the babbling of an old man, until the young woman beside him prodded him and startled him. "Wh-Wha... Oh yes, thank you Shiida." The elderly man gave her a kiss on the cheek, which caused the quiet woman to blush. "So this night, in the memory of my beloved Lady Claira, and in the name of my beloved Lady Shiida-" at this point, he motioned to the woman beside him, who had now placed an arm around his, "-eat, drink, and dance, for this is a time of celebration. May the Gods smile upon us for many years to come." He bowed with some effort, kissed the woman beside him, and started to hobble off with the help of his two sons into the door behind him. Lady Shiida came down to the floor and started to  mingle amongst the partygoers, laughing and having fun, and the festivities continued. One of the sons, Lord Barst ((left)), came back to the party first; Lord Castor ((right)), the other son, followed about thirty minutes later. welcome to the harvest festival. happy hallow's end.

Made by Sifr @ GS. Portraits by Veri of KoC.

[cassius]

“ GIMMIE THE BOOTY I WANT THE BOOTY ”

Sent off by the side-burned dolt of the booboisie (A.K.A. Matthias) again, Cassius finally arrived at the front porch. Not that he minded. This was an event he looked forward to and the sounds and smells of festivity ran through the air. He was just perturbed by the fact that Matthias had told him to go to the party for him. Typical. Even when sent off for an event that's for self-indulgence and personal entertainment, it was somehow for the benefit of his boss.

Thankfully, the rustic decor was easy on the eyes for Cassius. He was reminded of the garish throne room Dorian had conducted his speeches in and although this place still reeked with the bitter musk of "rich people," he could let the columns slide—just this one time.

Of course, Lord Wrys was a benevolent man and his charity towards the poor was something Cassius admired. While others may have scoffed at Cassius' poverty, the Wrys family had embraced it with open arms: arms that were filled with food. And like last year, the year before, and the year before that, he was here again to reap the benefits of the property's selfless harvest.

And reap them, he did. He checked out one table, easing his broad shoulders into a tight fit between some hungry guests before scanning its contents. Steamed corn, roasted chicken, potatoes, grilled pork cutlets, butternut squash. Wait. His eyes flickered back to the center. Like a Pavlovian dog his mouth dropped open and one could swear that a drop of drool had oozed from the corner of his eager maw. Glorious. Best festival. Tenouttaten.

The speech did little to stop his massacre and despite Lord Wrys' gorgeous daughter and handsome sons, his attention was mostly centered on the divine beauty of the baked potatoes that had graced the party with their presence. Although admittedly, the PDA between the old man and his wife almost made him lose his appetite. Almost. He couldn't lose his appetite now.

Not when there were potatoes on the line.

When Lady Shiida descended from the staircase, there were too many potato chunks on his face to provide her with proper greeting and discourse. Nevertheless by the time Lord Barst had arrived, he had cleaned himself up. He greeted the man with a slight bow and an introduction, mingling with him and the rest of the partygoers with a hand ready for shaking and a hand ready for potatoes. 

TAGGED @errone
NOTES POTATOES. BLESS.

MADE BY ★MEULK FOR SHIV <3

[Maeve]

The queen did not wear her crown. Because it was actually very heavy, and for a dinner party in a country where she wasn't their queen, Maeve thought it'd be a little unnecessary to wear so much sparkly metal upon her brow. Also, it was hard to eat gracefully in full regalia--not that Maeve couldn't. It'd just taken a great deal of practice. In fact, she'd eschewed regalia altogether, dressing instead as a particularly wealthy Plegian sorcerer in sheer black mesh and rich silk. Save for the silver circlet anointed with a ruby the size of a quail's egg. It was, she realized, perhaps a little too chilly and autumnal in Ylisse for her outfit. Maeve had been a bit of a wallflower. Others mixed and mingled, but she wasn't sure where to even start. She had played host to such festivals before, but as a common guest, what was she to do? She applauded for the speech like the others, exchanged idle pleasantries with those that spoke to her, but her discomfort in a Ylissean manor was obvious to see. A little nervous, she stayed off the side, not straying too far from the small Plegian retinue she'd brought with her. It was only for food (perhaps that would warm her up a little!) that she chose to leave the safety of her flock. Judging by the man at the tables, the potatoes were good. Expression uncertain, Maeve helped herself to a dainty little serving of herb-roasted potatoes. @comeatmebro

[Eric]

The sound of hooves plodding against the dirt path by now was so natural the young lord could hardly hear it, there was only the knot forming in his stomach. In all his years, he had been dragged to this event by his parents who had befriended the endearing old man... this was the first that he would attend without their supervision. After the trouble at Halebend, his father the Lord Eldrich had needed to attend to details concerning the reconstruction of the village. It was up to him to represent his family at the Harvest Festival. He could only imagine the horror that would befall him. After having spent a solid year organizing the Duchy's defenses, learning military sciences, and going on tours within the Halidom to supplement the country's weakened army it had been so long since he had needed to think of the mannerisms required of a Ylissean Nobleman.

His mind wandered behind him where a girl he'd run into was riding along.  He'd seen her walking along the path aimlessly and had offered passage to the festival.  She'd refused at first, but as a gentleman he wasn't about to see her beset by bandits or the like.  More than not he was doing it out of sense of obligation, but as soon as they reached the manor his duty would end, at least there she would be more safe than wandering about the woods at night no matter how many times she'd said she'd done so before. 

The boy's gaze shifted to his right putting thoughts of the girl aside for now, the manor already within view. It was a beautiful sight in the evening light. Though he didn't live here, it was familiar and filled with warm memories. Now, however, he might have taken fighting off fifteen more bandits at Halebend rather than attend this important festival in his father's place. In all honesty, he had never really met the Lord Wrys aside from being being presented to him as a child only to hide behind his mother's overly puffy dress. Even as he had matured, he had always felt his stomach squirm upon arriving. Whether it was out of excitement of the season or the embarrassment of attending such festivities without having really met the family-- Eric assumed it was perhaps a bit of both. He stopped the horse before the stable and dismounted, looking back at the girl still on it.  

"We're here."  

It was a matter-of-fact statement and perhaps an obvious one, albeit it had been a few of the only words he'd shared with her since he'd picked her up.  He offered her a hand off the horse.  Once she'd dismounted he saw to it a stable boy took care of the rest.  "This is where we part ways.  Forgive me if I was a bit forceful."  He gave her a shallow nod, his air still professional as ever, especially around a stranger.  With that, he walked slowly toward the manor's entrance going about straightening his garb trying to make himself a bit more presentable before he went inside.  He knew he was being a little rude to her, bringing her to this place and then leaving her to her own devices-- but he could feel a slight antagonistic vibe from her and didn't want to impose any further than he had.  He shook his head, such thoughts still couldn't stop his heart from thundering in his chest, knowing scrutinizing eyes were waiting for him.   He took a deep breath, soothing his nerves as best he could before striding through the open double doors.

A faint smile befell the young man's lips almost in habit. The place hadn't changed a bit, not from how he remembered it. As always, it was an unchanging and solid rock that he could always return to and find everything as he had left it. The smell of the roast beef, the laughing of the guests, even the servants' faces were familiar to him.  Lost in memories, he did his best to blend into the crowd, though his purple hair never allowed it.  His left hand brushed the bronze sword at his side equally in habit.  He knew he wasn't in any real danger but of late it had become a security blanket that reassured him even in the hardest of circumstances.

"Milady."  Eric gave a short bow, his breath caught in his chest.  His cheeks flushed the slightest bit as Lady Shiida made her rounds.  He couldn't help but wonder if she remembered him.  Probably not without the faces of his parents to spur her memory.  He had never really stood out among social gatherings.  As she left Eric let out the breath he hadn't noticed he'd been holding.  Well, this was a time of celebration and here he was acting so nervous.  It wouldn't do for him to dampen the spirits of the holiday.

Still, he couldn't shake the twisting of his gut.

---

Tag: Tsan'lo

[victorie]

I'm not even mad,

Just very impressed, and a little disturbed.

Victorie would pause at the sight of the home, her right hand resting on her hip and head tilted ever so gently to the right as she purses her lips some. Well... This was not the type of party she had had in mind when father suggested she represent the family since her wonderful, graceful, beautiful sisters were busy and he himself could not be asked to take such time from his busy schedule! So, that is where the Pegasus Knight would stand, looking positively high class in her silver armor, a high collared blouse with fluted arms and just the most egregiously frilly pleated skirt before the door. Instead of the highlights of blue and white, the clothes under the armor look to be a soft lilac and made of quite an expensive looking thread. She's even changed her blue corset to a lacy white deal that contrasts the lilac quite nice. Those in the know with Ylissean nobility should be able to identify the purple and silver coloring as that belonging to House Superior, though for everyone else it should just be a rather aesthetic change. And the blue ribbon secured to the silver band that decorates her hair is quite catching as well, probably just for a little decorative taste as well.

And pretty was not exactly the one thing Victorie wanted to be right now, in fact, she couldn't help but bemoan the opportunity for free food as she sauntered her way through the door and into the crowd. She was a knight, a warrior that struck fear into the hearts of others!

"Aah, Good Evening Duchess! And how is little Ebert?"

The unrivaled master of the skies!

"Eeee! Scarlet, daaaahling how good it is to see you!"

She's killed people!

"Oh I know, I could not imagine being caught looking like that.

She wooed a Princess!

"Did you see the Lords? My word, I could barely contain myself."

And that last bit of gossip would be followed by a mock waving of her hand, the young noblewoman barely hiding her sneer as she turned about from one of the many wandering nobles that she would call quite begrudgingly friends. The Lady Shiida was far more interesting anyways. Eventually, after navigating a mine field of ladies in waiting, minor lords looking to marry into her lands, adorable children (Paws off!) and already tipsy men and women both she would find herself at one of the many tables which seemed to stretch from one wall to the next. The young knight would nod her head to the sorceress already seated and gently slide on the bench. The young Ylissean now seated next to Maeve seems to take up two whole seats with how ludicrously large her skirt is. To say nothing of the fact she smells so sweetly of mint. Normally the young woman would try to build a conversation with the other, but at the moment she could do naught to peel her eyes off of... Gods, is that thing even real?

It. Won't. Stop. Eating. Is all that the young knight could think to herself, leaning a bit over the table and staring at Cassius as he slaughters the potatoes whole sale. How could one man eat so much starch?! Of course, she will look positively aghast the whole way through, her nose scrunching up as she takes some small part in a potato massacre through the sheer action of not doing anything. In fact, she will be so engrossed in the assault she'll barely have time to catch the meeting and mingling, but each time, even if it's a bit late, she'll raise from her seat (She's taking two with the size of that skirt) and curtsies... But she'll keep shooting a look back at Cassius.

All of those poor spuds.

She's so engrossed in the threat against all potato kind she hasn't even noticed the sorceress.

### | @tagged | notes

❖ nox ❖

[Tsan'lo]

She had expected the night to be pure hell. First picked up by a young lordling on her way to the nearest tavern and then informed they'd be going to a castle where some party or similar would be held. If he man thought she was some simple charlatan he could take as his arm candy or as some consort, she'd prove him wrong once they reached some privacy. She had both of her swords ready. She already held them ready on horseback... Before she was helped to dismount and then blandly told that this was where their ways would split.

She held her mouth agape in a state of anger and puzzle as she thought about what this meant. Why in Naga's naysayers would he just drop her for no reason? Had he just decided to give her a ride to the feast?... Or maybe he had just seen a more charming arm candy candidate on the way and had just decided to drop her off. She... She took insult to that. Surely she would be fitting for such. Sure, she had not much to offer in the matters of chest or bottom, but one could say that she was... Kinda nice looking facially? And she COULD give off that exotic flavor most nobles tended to favor.

She shook this small panic out of her head as she made her way inside, ignoring the speeches and the people moving around and whatever else was going on as she then sat herself down against the nearby wall, simply drawing out her swords as she then begun to sharpen them. She'd use the shelter she was provided, but she would not take no food nor any alms. It fit her just fine.

[Kieran]

This Carousel Spins Round and Round words: 614. tag: Everyone involved. notes: Kieran induces perverse sexual lust in everyone. No exceptions. When had been the last time he had been to Lord Wrys' festival party? Not since his father had been murdered. Not that his father had taken him a great many times, merely twice in the past. Kieran had tried to avoid doing things that reminded him of his father but his fascination with the occult and the dark bayed him to once more travel to Talys. Not that he suspected anything foul was afoot just that this time of the year was both associated with the harvest and things that were far darker. In fact, going to the party had been an after thought to him. Initially he had asked Lord Dorian if he could go to Talys to study at some ruins. It was only after finishing there that he had decided he would visit Lord Wrys and his family. Of course large groups of people where never really Kieran's thing so he had found himself a nice secluded corner of the hall to stand against and try to blend in without standing out too much. Unfortunately, as someone raised to show up to these things wearing the proper attire, that was a bit difficult without his normally present hooded long robe. What he wore was something far more befitting of a noble than a commoner like him. The elegant black silken longcoat was decorated with very fine dark red embroidery long the folds. With the ruffled shirt he wore underneath, the black pants, and wine red long boots he wore on his feet Kieran looked for all the world like someone of the upper class. The jacket had been his father's once when he was still a nobleman in Plegia. It was one of the few fancy outfits that Kieran owned. He always traveled with it just in case he was dragged along to some kind of event like this. Despite being a perpetually shy and withdrawn youth there was a part of him that enjoyed being stared at. It was easy to stare at him. Lord Dorian had been the only one of the knights so far to be privy to his face. Most of the time Kieran hid himself behind the shadow of his hood. Now his full fair countenance was laid bare for the world to see. Kieran's skin was impossibly smooth and of a light shade that gave him an almost doll like look when combined with his soft, feminine, features. Amber orange eyes scanned across the gathering of people and his crimson colored hair was well kept and brushed. To say that Kieran got some whistles and cat calls was an understatement. Though the attention made him blush there was always something thoroughly amusing about crushing some poor boy's hopes that he was about to have a chance at a lay with a beautiful maiden. Like, Lord Wrys' sons for example. Though that had been some time ago at the second time he had come to the festival. That moment had elicited a chuckle from his father who had to break it to the boys that his "beautiful flower of a daughter" was in fact his "beautiful flower of a son". Though speaking of beautiful maidens Kieran happened to spot Plegia's queen mingling among the rabble. Well... mingling wasn't the word for it. She was being a wallflower just like he was. That brought a small smile to his face. He was still far too shy to actually interact with anyone though unless they came directly up to him and forced him to. For now he was merely content to stand where he was and watch people turn their heads towards him and their jaws dropping.

ⒶⓀⒾ

[Eric]

The building was filled as one might expect a festival of this magnitude would be. There were people here of all countries and positions, ranging from nobility to baker, Feroxi and Plegian alike had joined in the festivities... except a familiar figure sat alone vigorously sharpening a pair of swords. The young lord set his teeth, his indigo orbs lingering for a moment before turning back to the crowd, and a peculiar red-headed girl... or was that a boy?  Whichever, Eric's interest was short lived as he let out a small sigh.  As it turned out, he wasn't the only one not cut out for festivals after all. He'd been planning to forego the food since the true meaning of the festival was in sharing the bounty of a good year with everyone-- nobility such as himself was already accustomed to filling one's stomach, something that wasn't shared between the classes. Though he'd been here plenty of times before, he'd been able to roam around the gardens without anyone having missed him before.  Now that he didn't have such a luxury all he could do was be in the same room as the girl who'd probably pout the entire night and tug at his conscious.  Why should he care what she did anyway?  He'd already washed his hands of responsibility.   He picked out food, putting it on a plate, hesitating for a moment at a thought. Then again, it was his fault she was here in the first place. Perhaps he could attempt a bit more civility, if not for the sake of the holiday.

That's right, it was a day of happiness. He could already see one of the guests digging into a plate of spuds. Though it was an odd choice of food if not a bit plain, Eric could tell the guest was enjoying himself. A pair of ladies sat looking at him as though his eating food was the most interesting thing since people had started wearing pots on their heads as a fad. One of the women looked... unaccustomed to the dress of nobility while the other adorned in dark colors with jewels setting around her head looked as natural as a swan-- if not an oddly colored and slightly foreboding one. Even they looked as though they were enjoying themselves.

"Oh... fine." He muttered to himself, walking through the crowd. It was almost a fight to get anywhere in this place.

"Here." He spoke as soon he reached the corner the girl he had brought was sitting in, holding out a plate to her. "You may as well enjoy yourself as long as you're here." He said it, but the absence of a smile made him a hypocrite. "My name is Eric. I don't believe I introduced myself to you before." he continued, taking a seat next to her but giving her a bit of space, he picked up his fork and started eating his food in small, manageable bites.

---

Tag: Tsan'lo  and noted all previous posters

[Deleted]

[attr="class","guh"]NOT THE KILLING
TYPE

[attr="class","guhh"]NOT THE KILLING
TYPE

Security here sucked.

Rowan grimaced upon entry to the place - too many blind spots, way too many points of ambush, and no notable variety in exiting the building, so it was pretty obvious where you would be coming and going from. While the mansion itself seemed isolated enough to keep away any kind of trouble, the entire point of being at the mansion seemed to be a combination of a blessing and curse; one on hand, everyone from all nationalities was here, mingling and enjoying the festivities offered by the gracious host. On the other, with everyone in one single building, it could easily become a melting pot of trouble should someone desire.

But... it was the night of harvest, she should relax. Rowan was oft told she had to give her duties a break at times, but she could never quite put herself at ease. Not when there was quite so much at stake... speaking of, she turned to ensure the queen was in eyesight. She was. Moving on.

. . . speeches. Rowan had heard more than enough of those in her time, and this was didn't change anything. Instead, she spent the time studying the two sons more carefully; the heirs to this entire shindig. Rowan knew nothing of their exploits; she could only judge that they were youthful and in their prime, based on appearance. Finally, the old host turned to leave and she could go back to intermixing with everyone here to see if anyone was up to anyth-

Dammit, where did she go off to? Rowan had only paused for one moment to see the lady of the night arrive at the party official before losing Maeve to gods-knows-where. Like a hawk among mice, Rowan's walk turned into a hunting saunter; while she seemed to be just moving through the crowd with little twists and turns, she was looking for one person specifically. Unfortunately, she didn't quite think of the food table right off the bat.

It would be more than a few minutes before the blonde discovered her liege's location, somewhere between Potato Armageddon and the skirt to end all skirts. Taking precious steps forward, Rowan came up to her right and positioned her hands behind her, as usual when addressing the mage. "Does the meal provided suffice, your highness? Do you have any recommendations on what to taste? Anyone of note to see and speak with?" Cool, calm, and even-paced. Rowan didn't skip a beat when switching questions and subjects, as per usual.

TEMPLATE BY NOCTURNE

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[suna]

let's go far, far far from home!

It was readily apparent (to anyone willing to pay attention) that Suna was out of place. Though she managed to don a rather fancy looking dress, that hardly accounted for the fact that her ears still stuck out above the heads of most - if not all - of the crowd, and the fact that, well, she was perhaps just a tad too... fluffy... to really fit in with a crowd of humans. For all that her appearance stuck out like a sore thumb, though, Suna looked mighty comfortable - only tripping over the hem of her dress like... 10 times during Lord Wrys' speech and managing to almost - but not quite - spill the wine all over herself. She had been busy fixing that... er... slight issue when the Lord finished his speech, and it dawned on Suna that she looked... a little bit silly, with her arms around a few winebottles and her eyes as wide as saucers. Might want to put those down, gently. Right, the lady training that Rowan tried (and somewhat failed) to give her. Right. Might want to do something about that.

     How to be normal, rule number one. ...What was rule number one, again? Suna put the wine down carefully, bottle by bottle, and then hiked up her dress so she could walk about safely. Sure, doing that revealed the fact that she had long-since ditched the uncomfortable shoes that humans so loved to wear, but it was still better than tripping, she figured. And then she had to go find Rowan, right? Rowan knew what rule number one was. Truth was, though, Suna went off for the wines as soon as she arrived, drawn by her curiosity. Rowan made a grave miscalculation in allowing the taguel to join her, and that miscalculation was called 'when Suna's in a place with a lot of stimulation, she can be unfavorably compared to a non-leashed dog'.

    Suna perked her head up, even stood on her toes, but she couldn't quite catch sight of her traveling companion and the others amongst the throng of people. Well... that might be a slight issue. Maybe. But maybe Suna could take advantage of this slightly unfavorable situation, and spend more time checking everything out! It was the first time she had ever been to a human party, after all, and this seemed like a very, very good example of one. Simply full of merry things and fancy clothes and people chattering away as far as she could hear. And you know what, Suna could hear quite far, even if her ears hadn't adjusted enough for her to be able to pick out individual voices.

    Nothing to be done about that! She could find Rowan in a little bit. Maeve was probably safe and sound, too! In the meantime... discovering what sorts of food they had was Suna first - er, well, second - target, and she moved her way over there, carefully weaving through all of the people to come across a table... full of... cheeses? And... carrots? Vegetables? Where was the meat?? The taguel wrinkled her nose at this development. She wasn't going to ruin her first human party by trying to eat a carrot! Even if there were some people in this universe that liked carrots (cough, Red did), Suna was not one of them, and she would not stand for this travesty. but where...? She muttered - quite loudly, considering she was talking to herself. Where to begin looking? Where was the real food at? Those were the most important questions.

text

@anyone hanging around the food i guess

[Dao]

To the left, from the right. Several behind, and a plethora of---Dao had to breathe in. This wasn't good. There were so many openings, so many faulty points in the structure, so many negatives that could happen and the kind of thinking was going to get him killed. It didn't matter what he was supposed to do here, he had to get out. There were too many people, too many witnesses, and just too many ways to find himself killed with a knife to his back. All of those looks, meandering and condescending, being thrown about. So many lies and fluttering words that it carried no actual meaning. His ears grated to hear what was happening and the loud buzz of the people around him was making it nigh impossible to even think. He couldn't even hear his own footsteps due to the significant amount of laughter and swishing of cloth and and and Dao had practically unsheathed the blade hidden within his long coat when the young Feroxi felt a hand place itself on his shoulder. 

It was painful to take note that someone had managed to get so close without him even having a spark of note within his area of influence. It was, however, a cold sense of comfort to find out that the person was the only other person who was here with him. He was a fellow bandit, one that had the prettiest of faces that even Dao had a hard time believing that the other person was a male by birth. Yet the other person was, definitely, male. Standing at an impressive height of 6 feet and 2 inches, built like the kind of man that nobles would simply want to be in their entourage. It didn't help either that the man was dressed in the finest imitation of noble clothing that this portion of the brigade could find. He saw the person smile, full of glittering teeth and the perfect air of a nobleman that he might as well have been one. Yet, begrudging at it was, Dao had to accept the fact that seeing the guy here did help his already frayed nerves from burning away.

Muted words left through moving lips as the younger of the two watched---and read the movement."Remember your orders…and stop fidgeting so much." Furrowing his brows in arrogant disbelief, Dao thanked the porcelain like mask that covered his face and his expressions. He gave an exaggerated nod of his head to get his own point across; subtle movements were very difficult to make known when one's face was covered after all. The Feroxi teenager fluffed up his clothing once more, roughened skin beneath all of the fabric unused to the kind of comfort they gave. Very much unlike the scratchy and annoying clothes he had gotten used to, these things felt like he might as well be moving around naked! Still, it was horribly easy to move in. It didn't matter that he wore some kind of draping black cloth that hid majority of his body, or the long sleeved fabric that reached all the way to his wrists before being pinned to tightened up.

He had to admit the black gloves felt good though.

Unnecessary thoughts aside, Dao discretely adjusted the sheathe belt he had with him in order to avoid his swords from clanging against each other whenever he walked. He was supposed to be a Bodyguard of some random noble. The mask he wore was there to ensure that no one knew who he was, and mostly because the young man refused to show off a face that had been altered by those make up artists. He hated the feeling of powder and lining on his face, and the black clad bandit turned bodyguard vowed that he'd be washing the entire thing off the very first chance he got. And the duo had continued to move, Dao moving like the man's shadow as the the latter simply talked and flirted with whoever was there.

It had even brought them from area to area to the godhood tier of a spread that the young man once more thanked he had a mask to hide the evident hunger in his eyes. He turned to look back to his companion, the person he was supposed to be 'protecting', and was given the signal that he was allowed to go get some food. Make it for two while they he was at it. Ignoring the pang of annoyance that would have normally arose from being ordered around, Dao cleanly moved towards to the table of food and collected the treasure.

Any other word would have paled in comparison.

[Cyrus]

When things don’t go your way, the best way to deal was to improvise. Wandering through Ylisse looking for odd jobs was unfruitful, and he’d only managed to nab himself a job cleaning up a shopkeeper’s stall. Broom in hand, he had swept away dust for a whole day, for just a few extra coins. It was hardly enough to earn him more than a day at the inn, and that didn’t include food or personal spending. Even if he did a bad job, he should have been paid some more for his efforts. He was a mercenary not an errand boy, dammit. He had to commend the local militia for doing a decent job at dealing with bandits.

Slowly collecting up funds, he had decided to skip out on things he could last some time without. When he caught news of a party being hosted celebrating autumn, it was like an answer to unspoken prayers. Fun and food were the perfect combination. It seemed more like an event for nobles, but there shouldn’t be any harm in coming.

Upon arrival, he had to stop himself from gawking like a country bum at the sight of the magnificent home. Growing up in a simple village meant he’d never seen this kind of stuff before. Feroxian palaces were built of stone. Perhaps the insides were beautifully decorated. As he walked up the road into the front hall, the sight of banquet tables covered in food greeted him. People ranging from the typical villager to the important noble were present. Weaving his way through the crowd, and occasionally pushing some out of his way, he started to meander towards the tables of food. The last time he’d seen such good food was…well almost never.

Passing by people, he noticed partygoers who seemed perfectly at ease amongst the nobility, likely nobles themselves. Others in particular had an equal fascination with food, but one was zealously attacking some potatoes lying on silver platters. Other faces were rather unhappy. He couldn't understand why, since the festive atmosphere was rather infectious.

Grabbing a plate, he began piling on as much as he could. May as well fill up while he had the chance. His eyes glanced away from the delicacies on the table briefly when the old man onstage made his speech. Words slipped in and out of Cyrus’s attention, but he got the idea of the speech. Somewhat. What was more important were the gleams of silver he spotted. Staring intently at them, he briefly considered two options. If he just took one utensil, he may be able to pawn it off somewhere… This home wouldn’t miss a couple spoons here or there. Discreetly (or indiscreetly), he slipped one utensil into the folds of his shirt. Casually walking off in a different direction, he occasionally slipped pieces of food into his mouth, taking in the sights of the adorned room.

@everyone
((Cyrus isn't being naughty, no he isn't))

[Trinity]

A party. That's why I'm here, right? Open invitation. Maybe something interesting will happen. Whether anybody notices my presence or not, I'm here to see if I can do anything fun for myself. Trinity thought to herself as she arrived at the front porch of the grand mansion. Indeed, it seemed like a very well-off estate. Fortunately and unfortunately for Trinity, she had no orders to target anybody this time around. She wasn't going to earn any money for killing anybody at this party but perhaps she could forget more of her troubles here. Besides, unlike most of the rich contingent in the land, this Lord Wrys was generous and kind, so there wouldn't be much reason to have him killed in the first place. Truth to be told, Trinity was not educated in the series of festivities that took place here, so this would also be somewhat of a learning experience here.

Trinity made her way inside after she noticed others, unfamiliar figures, making their way inside. Her own garb and dress made her blend in with the rich crowd, though most who recognized her face would probably start to look a little concerned and terrified. Trinity kept her cool and calmly walked around the establishment, looking around at the tables and trying to see anyone worth of interest. As befitting of a harvest festival, the food being served was composed of a smorgasbord of vegetables and other such food. Looking further, Trinity noticed that people of all walks of life were here. Truly, Lord Wrys must have been a generous man to have let in anyone and everyone.

Trinity tilted her head as she saw various folks assault the buffet in strange ways, they reminded her somewhat of barbarism, but fortunately, it could have just been attributed to a ravenous appetite or a rather infectious hunger throughout the partygoing contingent. The blonde looked around and crossed her arms, eyeing a strangely conspicuous Plegian contingent off to the side. She decided to ignore them, not wanting to take any chances with triggering their ire with her past antics. Instead, Trinity decided to follow over to the food. As suspected, most of the food there were vegetables. And the potatoes were being violated at a scarily fast pace.

She heard the sound of a taguel wondering out quite loud about where the meat was. Trinity sighed as she stood next to the taguel, but looked at the food instead of her. "This is a festival to celebrate a bountiful harvest. I doubt they will be serving meat right now. Perhaps it would come later, if at all. I would be remiss to expect meat to be served at a party that is held to celebrate the bounty of vegetables."

(poking suna)

[Maeve]

The roasted potatoes were a let-down, at least in the sense that Maeve had no idea why Sir Potatoes-A-Lot next to her were so keen on them. They carried a pleasant aroma, and they were roasted to perfection. Still, Maeve didn't think she could eat another serving without, well, getting a little bored. Perhaps it was a Ylissean thing to be so fond of potatoes? She smiled at @rowan, a little blank in the way that smiles had to be when they lose capacity for coherent thought. Suddenly, it was much warmer in here. "Why, yes," she said, not actually certain which of the questions she was answering. Just yes, because yes. Maeve tried to regain herself, finding it easier when making eye contact with the dinner array before her than with Rowan. "Yes, um, the food is lovely, or the potatoes are. I would recommend the potatoes. In fact, they're the only thing I've tried so far. They taste like potatoes." Maeve paused, glanced over at Cassius and then the rapidly depleting supply of potatoes. She added, smoother this time, "Alternatively, I recommend eating anything but the potatoes. This gentleman may fight you for them. In fact, I shall try the rest and submit to you my favorites. It shall be an excellent opportunity for me. I am ever so eager to taste Ylissean cuisine." Try the rest she did, with the emphasis on try, because there was a limit to what she could fit on her plate. Even with only the tiniest samples from each dish, Maeve had only gotten past two of the tables of food before her plate cried for sweet mercy. @comeatmebro

[Nascha]

A party, was it? Nascha hadn't actually been to any fancy gatherings of this sort, least of all one for inherently human causes for celebration. Supposedly, it was a festival for a bountiful harvest, something that surprised Nascha when she approached the place and saw the ridiculous amount of food laid out. Sure, okay. Celebrate a good harvest by eating a good chunk of it at once. Made sense. Nascha, of course, was almost exclusively a carnivore except when eating among humans, so she didn't have a problem with it. The family putting on this party, though? She could only hope that they knew what they were doing.

Nascha hadn't really been sure what to wear to such an occasion. Actually, she hadn't planned on going at all until hearing that several of the Knights were in attendance and figuring that it would be a good chance to get to know people. So, she was woefully unprepared, and ended up going for one of her usual outfits, cleaned up a bit to at least look nice. It was nothing compared to the massive skirt of the woman she spotted next to Maeve, or the out-of-place but still fancy dress of Suna. But it at least looked good for Nascha. And while she was picking out people she recognized, Nascha scanned the crowd to see if anyone else stood out. At least one she recognized from the Knights (and a guy she wasn't sure of, but had definitely seen at Dorian's speech, currently attacking potatoes with a very familiar ferocity), but most of them were strangers.

For the moment, she just wandered, occasionally stopping to nod or briefly talk with someone, or to try some food. Vegetables weren't terrible by any means, but Nascha greatly preferred meat. Which, unless she did something that would be terrible in every way, was in short supply. As she passed back by Suna, she heard someone explaining just that to the taguel. "You'd think that a festival for a bountiful harvest wouldn't be intended to squander so much of it at once," she said, approaching the two of them and giving Suna a nod. Despite how much she'd scared the taguel the last time they met, she at least wanted to come off as normally friendly. Of course, then she probably ruined it by sighing and saying "Where's a stray goat when you need one."

Trinity suna