the Jester
Legend
Party at the Featherheads
Six wagons hung with brightly-colored sheets of cloth form a perimeter about the party area, which itself centers on a large fire. There is little wind in the center, allowing the aromas of food, perfume and fire to mingle like an incense. The party at the Featherheads’ is full of singing and dancing halflings. The sound of pipes and bells and drums trips through the air. The delicious smells of the various foodstuffs and drinks being baked, roasted, heated and brewed make the air itself almost as good a meal. There are clan costumes everywhere, a healthy amount of midriff and arm and leg showing, sweat building on the dancers, bonfires. Energy builds high amongst the small folk as they amuse themselves with a veritable orgy of food, drink, music and dance. Federico tells jokes and performs amusing tricks for a laughing group of youths. Another cluster of people passes a pipe amongst themselves, thin blue smoke curling from the bowl.
Zenvo Dalais moves through the crowd like a campaigning politician, shaking hands with everyone. There’s a permanent grin on his face- is he enjoying the party that much, or does he just wear the grin like a tie? Perhaps a little of both. He’s constantly and graciously extracting himself from beauteous admirers and moving forward through the crowd to talk to someone else, trying to make sure everyone knows him.
But of course, once they meet him they hardly ever forget him.
Zenvo’s a heartbreaker if there’s ever been one, and experience has taught him that. He really doesn’t want to get himself on anyone’s bad side at this point, so he’s trying hard to avoid bedding all the girls and having it all blow up in his face (Ah, the Glen Lands, he sighs to himself, caught by a sudden wave of melancholy remembrance- not that it reaches his face). In fact, at least until he knows who’s who here, he figures it’s best to remain chaste. Smiling, he kisses a young lass’ cheek. Beaming, her bosom heaving, she tries for his lips but he turns his cheek to her just in time. Giving her a quick hug, he moves on, making excuses that she only half-hears in the crowd anyway. So many pretty ones, he moans to himself. But I must not let my libido ruin things again!
Then he sees one of the adventurers he met- Ed, her name was. He throws her a brilliant smile; it looks like she’s been watching him for some time. Making his way to her, Zenvo cries, “Ed! How are you?”
“I’ve been looking for you,” she starts, and he realizes by the hungry look on her face just how much of an effect he’s already had on her.
“Ah, I’m sorry, I’ve been very busy,” he tells her gravely. “You may have heard that I’ve been in talks with many of the elders. There are things that require my attention.” He sighs. “With any luck, however,” he continues more brightly, “I’ll be having more time free up in the near future and maybe we can get together then!” Glancing over Ed’s shoulder, Zenvo remarks, “And speaking of things that require my attention, I must go speak to Grandpa Featherhead. Please excuse me.” He kisses her hand and then he’s extricated himself from that one nicely. He congratulates himself on a neat escape. Half an hour later, he spots Trinia. He makes his way over to the druidess and greets her.
“Having fun?” he asks.
She nods, her eyes fastened on him.
“Good, good- can I get you something?”
Trinia only nods again. She’s having trouble talking to this fellow. When Zenvo returns with a drink for her, he asks, “Have you considered my proposal? And discussed it with your fellows?”
“Yes.” Talking business seems to have broken her tongue’s paralysis. “Well, I’ve considered it. And talked it over with a couple of my fellows. We were wondering whether you might need help slaying this giant.”
He chuckles. “Yes. I need the rapier. If you’re offering to accompany me, I’m afraid I cannot allow that. I couldn’t live with myself if I got any of you killed.”
Trinia shrugs. “Very well.” She can’t stop staring at him. “Well, I’d love to help you.”
“And not just me! You’ll be helping our folk as well! For this monster that I’m going to slay enslaves halflings.” Zenvo then proceeds to give Trinia a map to the druid’s cottage. “He’s old, too old to fight, or I’d just ask him to join me,” Zenvo remarks, then, with a sigh, makes some excuses, then gives Trinia a light brush of his lips across the corner of her mouth. And once again, he’s wandering through the party.
A quick scan of the partygoers shows that, yes, he’s probably pressed palms with everyone. So he can leave soon- just another, say, half hour, and he’ll have been here long enough to make a good impression for sure. This wasn’t just a token appearance! He snorts to himself.
Then he sees Ed making her way towards him. She looks upset- she’s crying. Crap, thinks Zenvo. I almost made it without incident! But there’s always gotta be something, doesn’t there? Aloud, he asks, “What’s wrong?”
“You kissed her,” Ed cries, pointing towards Trinia. The druidess, meanwhile, notices Ed pointing at her and turns to see what’s going on.
“Well, yes- like I would kiss my sister,” Zenvo explains. “Dear Ed, you’ve no need to worry! My heart is unattached! Listen,” he continues, “I don’t know if she’s talked to you about it, but I’m trying to get the help of your band of adventurers. There’s something I need her to help me get to free some halflings-“
“Why did you ask her and not me?” Ed demands.
“Because she’s a druid, and it’s a druid who has the blade I need. As a druid, she might be able to talk him into giving it up, but you surely couldn’t- he doesn’t care for our kind especially.” He reaches out and takes her hand. “Ed, believe me- I meant no slight against you, I just needed a druid.” And then, hoping it won’t come around to bite him in the ass, he kisses her quickly.
“Are you okay?” he asks. She nods. Releasing her hand, Zenvo says, “Good. I must go- but hopefully we’ll see each other again soon, perhaps after you retrieve the sword and I complete my mission!”
Zenvo flees the party, hoping he hasn’t messed up too badly.
Next Time: Our heroes begin their journey to the druid’s cottage!
Six wagons hung with brightly-colored sheets of cloth form a perimeter about the party area, which itself centers on a large fire. There is little wind in the center, allowing the aromas of food, perfume and fire to mingle like an incense. The party at the Featherheads’ is full of singing and dancing halflings. The sound of pipes and bells and drums trips through the air. The delicious smells of the various foodstuffs and drinks being baked, roasted, heated and brewed make the air itself almost as good a meal. There are clan costumes everywhere, a healthy amount of midriff and arm and leg showing, sweat building on the dancers, bonfires. Energy builds high amongst the small folk as they amuse themselves with a veritable orgy of food, drink, music and dance. Federico tells jokes and performs amusing tricks for a laughing group of youths. Another cluster of people passes a pipe amongst themselves, thin blue smoke curling from the bowl.
Zenvo Dalais moves through the crowd like a campaigning politician, shaking hands with everyone. There’s a permanent grin on his face- is he enjoying the party that much, or does he just wear the grin like a tie? Perhaps a little of both. He’s constantly and graciously extracting himself from beauteous admirers and moving forward through the crowd to talk to someone else, trying to make sure everyone knows him.
But of course, once they meet him they hardly ever forget him.
Zenvo’s a heartbreaker if there’s ever been one, and experience has taught him that. He really doesn’t want to get himself on anyone’s bad side at this point, so he’s trying hard to avoid bedding all the girls and having it all blow up in his face (Ah, the Glen Lands, he sighs to himself, caught by a sudden wave of melancholy remembrance- not that it reaches his face). In fact, at least until he knows who’s who here, he figures it’s best to remain chaste. Smiling, he kisses a young lass’ cheek. Beaming, her bosom heaving, she tries for his lips but he turns his cheek to her just in time. Giving her a quick hug, he moves on, making excuses that she only half-hears in the crowd anyway. So many pretty ones, he moans to himself. But I must not let my libido ruin things again!
Then he sees one of the adventurers he met- Ed, her name was. He throws her a brilliant smile; it looks like she’s been watching him for some time. Making his way to her, Zenvo cries, “Ed! How are you?”
“I’ve been looking for you,” she starts, and he realizes by the hungry look on her face just how much of an effect he’s already had on her.
“Ah, I’m sorry, I’ve been very busy,” he tells her gravely. “You may have heard that I’ve been in talks with many of the elders. There are things that require my attention.” He sighs. “With any luck, however,” he continues more brightly, “I’ll be having more time free up in the near future and maybe we can get together then!” Glancing over Ed’s shoulder, Zenvo remarks, “And speaking of things that require my attention, I must go speak to Grandpa Featherhead. Please excuse me.” He kisses her hand and then he’s extricated himself from that one nicely. He congratulates himself on a neat escape. Half an hour later, he spots Trinia. He makes his way over to the druidess and greets her.
“Having fun?” he asks.
She nods, her eyes fastened on him.
“Good, good- can I get you something?”
Trinia only nods again. She’s having trouble talking to this fellow. When Zenvo returns with a drink for her, he asks, “Have you considered my proposal? And discussed it with your fellows?”
“Yes.” Talking business seems to have broken her tongue’s paralysis. “Well, I’ve considered it. And talked it over with a couple of my fellows. We were wondering whether you might need help slaying this giant.”
He chuckles. “Yes. I need the rapier. If you’re offering to accompany me, I’m afraid I cannot allow that. I couldn’t live with myself if I got any of you killed.”
Trinia shrugs. “Very well.” She can’t stop staring at him. “Well, I’d love to help you.”
“And not just me! You’ll be helping our folk as well! For this monster that I’m going to slay enslaves halflings.” Zenvo then proceeds to give Trinia a map to the druid’s cottage. “He’s old, too old to fight, or I’d just ask him to join me,” Zenvo remarks, then, with a sigh, makes some excuses, then gives Trinia a light brush of his lips across the corner of her mouth. And once again, he’s wandering through the party.
A quick scan of the partygoers shows that, yes, he’s probably pressed palms with everyone. So he can leave soon- just another, say, half hour, and he’ll have been here long enough to make a good impression for sure. This wasn’t just a token appearance! He snorts to himself.
Then he sees Ed making her way towards him. She looks upset- she’s crying. Crap, thinks Zenvo. I almost made it without incident! But there’s always gotta be something, doesn’t there? Aloud, he asks, “What’s wrong?”
“You kissed her,” Ed cries, pointing towards Trinia. The druidess, meanwhile, notices Ed pointing at her and turns to see what’s going on.
“Well, yes- like I would kiss my sister,” Zenvo explains. “Dear Ed, you’ve no need to worry! My heart is unattached! Listen,” he continues, “I don’t know if she’s talked to you about it, but I’m trying to get the help of your band of adventurers. There’s something I need her to help me get to free some halflings-“
“Why did you ask her and not me?” Ed demands.
“Because she’s a druid, and it’s a druid who has the blade I need. As a druid, she might be able to talk him into giving it up, but you surely couldn’t- he doesn’t care for our kind especially.” He reaches out and takes her hand. “Ed, believe me- I meant no slight against you, I just needed a druid.” And then, hoping it won’t come around to bite him in the ass, he kisses her quickly.
“Are you okay?” he asks. She nods. Releasing her hand, Zenvo says, “Good. I must go- but hopefully we’ll see each other again soon, perhaps after you retrieve the sword and I complete my mission!”
Zenvo flees the party, hoping he hasn’t messed up too badly.
Next Time: Our heroes begin their journey to the druid’s cottage!
