The Main Tavern

[Ira the Elf]

Ira returns to the main area of the tavern having prepared the now very large batch of cider for mulling. Carefully placing the gigantic cider filled soup pot on the wood stove she looks around for Horns. Finding him absent she inspects the fire and sees that it has died out. She ponders for a moment wondering if she should try lighting it herself and wonders where the fawn has gone. Thinking the better of it she adds a few fresh logs to the wood stove and calls up the stairs to the bunkhouse:

"Hey Torvallis! Do you have a moment? I have something I need you to set on fire!"

Grinning from ear to ear she adds two more logs just to be sure, and waits for the pyromancer.

[Torvallis!]

"MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!", Torvallis appeared behind her like magic.

"Oh. A stove. I was hoping for a bigger fire, like a bonfire, or a brush clearing, or possibly a rat. Ah well. I'll just take some of this charcoal, I need it for an alchemical recipe to wake up Melba."

Torvallis! chucked a fireball in the stove and it grew to a full fire in seconds. The cider began boiling and spitting far sooner than one might expect. The fire mage had already disappeared again, with an apple in hand.

[Ira the Elf]

"Ahhh!" Ira quickly moved the cider to a cooler part of the wood stove. Once finished she stared incredulously after Torvallis! wondering how he managed to sneak up on her.

"Wait, wake up Melba? What? Who? ... Oh, Malva!" she exclaims.

"...Why is Malva asleep?" she says to herself. "Oh, maybe fawns hibernate! But then why is Horns awake... Oh dear I hope those sheep aren't back! I'd better go investigate, it will take a while for the cider to mull anyway, and Phineas won't be pleased if Torvallis! starts badgering customers that don't want to be badgered."

Ira carefully placed the lid on the giant pot to simmer quietly. Walking into the hallway she calls up to the bunk house: "Horns?! Are you up there?! Where are you?! We need to find Torvallis!!"

[Horns]

Horns, hearing his name, poked his head out of the bunkhouse door. "Oh, hi, Ira!" He called cheerfully. "I'm right here! Why do we need to find Torvalis!? They're with me! Malva's deeply asleep, and they said they have some sort of alchemical recipe to wake her up!" Remembering why Ira wasn't with himself and Torvalis! earlier, he added excitedly, "Is the cider ready?"

[Torvallis!]

"Horns! There you are!" T! said from behind Horns. It took a lot of effort to sneak up behind people, but it was worth it! They'd have to hide these moccasins later to keep the method a mystery . . .

"Do you have any extra sulphur, per chance?"

[Horns]

Horns jumped. "Torvalis!, you've got to stop sneaking up on me like that." He rooted around in his medical bag. "I think I have some leftover from last time I tried to make your... Ah, yes, here it is!" He retrieved a vial full of a yellow substance and held it up triumphantly. He handed it to the surprisingly stealthy fire mage. "Here you are!"

[Torvallis!]

"Excellent, excellent! I've gathered the rest of my ingredients, but it is time to praise Lord Fire, so I may be a little longer yet . . . bring some water to a boil, please? I'll be back in the bunkhouse shortly"

[Horns]

"Not a problem!" Horns crossed from the bunkhouse to the tavern and reached up to a cupboard for a pot. He took it around back to fill it with some water, then carried it back in and put it on the stove, and shifted it around so that it was on the part which usually got hottest, so that it would boil quickly. The smell of the cider, boiling beside it, was fantastic. Horns grabbed a mug and dished a little up for himself. He took a sip, and recieved the most terrific-tasting burn he'd ever inflicted on his tongue. "Ow!" He muttered. Louder, he called, smiling, "Hey, Ira, this is wonderful, thank-you so much for making it!"

[Ira the Elf]

"Thanks Horns, but be more careful, cider can really burn you if you aren't careful." Ira walks over to the stove top and gives the cider a sniff.

"It does smell good though." she says with a grin. "So what's all this about Malva? You say she's asleep and Torvallis! is, um well, they are trying to wake her up? Are you sure Phineas would approve of this, I mean Malva is a good customer and we don't want to wake her up if she doesn't want to be woken up right?"

[Timmean]

Timmean walks into the room, glancing around.

"Ah! Ira, Horns! Have you seen Phineas around anywhere? I wanted to finalize the plan for the farm plot before I start doing any cutting. Also... what's this about Malva? I thought I heard some shouting on my way over from the forge?"

[Horns]

Horns filled in Travis first, so his answer to Ira would make more sense. "I haven't seen Phineas; I'm sure he's around, but I'm not sure exactly where. As for the Malva thing, well, she's been asleep for a while now, and Torvalis! and I are trying to wake her up." Horns turned back to Ira. "And, well, I mean, we don't really know if she wants to wake up, but it seems she's been asleep for a really long time, and Torvalis! and I are just worried about her. Contrary to popular belief, fauns don't hibernate, but that's basically what she's doing! We just want to make sure she's okay, is all. If she is, she can go right back to sleep!" Horns smiled broadly and took another swig of cider, but this time more carefully, to avoid burning his tongue again.

[Phineas J. Pennefeather]

The Halfling Tavern-keeper, Phineas J. Pennefeather, stomps through the door of the near the kitchen bush carrying a large sack of what he has picked up on his quick trip away.

“Hi everyone!’ he says somewhat absent-mindedly.

Wiping his boots on the mat, he walks directly to the work-table in the Tavern’s kitchen. He carefully puts the sack on the floor behind the counter, takes off his coat and starts to unpack his stuff. There are a few smaller bags within the larger and a few loose items.

“Horns, a hand, if you don’t mind,” he says as he continues.

The Halfling ties on his well-used leather apron and returns to his collection.

[Ira the Elf]

Time: 8:08 AM NST

"Hello Phineas! What's that in the bag? Did you meet another trader on your travels today?" Ira asks excitedly. "Oh, and I know you are busy but Tim wanted to talk to you, and, according to Horns and Torvallis!, Malva may or may not be in a sheep induced sleep upstairs."

[Timmean]

Timmean stepped forward to help put away the various items.

"Nothing that should take long, but I wanted to finalize our planned farm area; Borin finished the ax, and I'd like to start cutting as soon as possible. Winter is coming, and the work will only get harder the longer we wait."

[Phineas J. Pennefeather]

Phineas is quickly going through his newest collection of trade-goods.

“Yes, Ira and Horns, can you please with these sacks and things. I need to get all of this stuff organized.”

Then he picks up three of the medium sacks that were somewhat deceptively inside the larger one.

“Timmean, these are for you!” The Halfling places the sacks on the floor next to the doorway. “These are seeds, as much as I could get. One each of barley corn, sunflower and winter wheat.”

He lowers his voice and continues speaking with Timmean.

“It’s a little late for planting the wheat, but I think that you really should get this seed into the ground as quickly as possible! The other two must be stored in a dry, secure place.”

[Phineas J. Pennefeather]

Genuinely happy and relieved to see that Ira is safe and sound, even after his brief trading trip, the Halfling takes his Elven assistant aside for a moment.

“Don’t worry about Malva. As odd as it may seem, I am sure that she is just catching up on her rest.”

Phineas takes a long look out the window, perhaps keeping a watch for whatever else might come them their way.

“Getting over the effects of what those sheep did to all of you may not be as easy for some as it is for others!”

[Ira the Elf]

11:00 AM 16/11/14

"Certainly Phineas!" Ira says brightly. She begins to look through the sacks and sort the goods based on value and type. Realising she may need a basket to carry some of the items downstairs to the pantry, she quickly darts out into the hall.

[Timmean]

Timmean nods and smiles slightly.

"Certainly! I'll try to find a spot that'll be easy to clear, we can get the area ready, get these seeds planted, and then deal with preparing the rest of the land..."

Timmean picks up the three sacks, carrying them downstairs for the time being until the ground is ready for them. Once the seeds are in storage, he makes his way back out toward the forest, chuckling to himself.

"Torvallis will be delighted... we'll need to do some burning sooner than I expected."

[Phineas J. Pennefeather]

Immediately, Phineas returns to his work as Timmean walks out the door. However, as the human walks away even through the muffling of the door, the Halfling hears the human saying “Torvallis will be delighted” and “burn …”

He drops the items in his hands and runs to the door. Phineas leans out the doorway and shouts after the town’s local farmer.

“Make sure that it’s a controlled burn!!!” he yells. ”And make sure that you have plenty of water on hand, just in case!”

[Ira the Elf]

Timestamp: 6:07 PM NST

"Did I hear the word Water?" said Ira. "I can help with that!"

Ira bounds forward, basket in hand, ready to be of service. "I'd like to finish putting the goods you brought back in the cellar first though."

[Timmean]

Timmean paces back into the main room, glancing about and noticing Phineas and Ira still in the room.

"Hello again! I've started in on removing those trees, but it looks like it might take some time. Is there any paper around here... ah! Yes, there we are."

Timmean pulls a sheet of paper from a nearby stack and begins writing out a notice.

"I certainly don't want to distract anyone who's otherwise busy, but if anyone has a little free time, we could use some help clearing out the new plot. And Torvallis pointed out that Horns and Malva might find some useful alchemy ingredients among the rocks and plants we're bound to dig up. Fun for all! Or at least, anyone who'd like to join in."

Pausing for a few moments, Timmean finishes writing out his message, sticks it up on the notice board, and turns to head out the door. He pauses for a moment and turns to smile once more at Phineas and Ira.

"Feel free to spread the word! Hopefully, this can benefit everyone."

With that, Timmean strolled back outside toward the new work site.

[Ira the Elf]

11:30 am NST

"That sounds like a good idea!" says Ira as she begins placing the goods destined for the cellar and pantry in the basket.

"I'll be back in in a second!" and with that she carefully picks up the basket and walks into the hall towards the door to the cellar.

[Timmean]

Timmean pokes his head through the front door.

"Ira? Phineas? We've got things cleared our, are either of you around to help control the burn?"

[Ira the Elf]

Ira pops her head around the corner giving Tim a huge grin. "Definitely!"

With that Ira follows Tim out to the clearing.

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