Session 14

O.k. so first not doing a count down as it is no longer needed while I travel back to my first home at Duran’s since I am only a little over half-days travel, so I know I can get there by tomorrow afternoon and have 3 ½ days to prep for this festival. I do hope I covered enough of the cost for Duran to not be losing money for hosting as I only have about 30 gold coins left to cover the rest if needed.
 
While I waited a while for the group to finish talking with a wizard I do not trust or like it was fairly boring but it gave me time to think more. I am certain I don’t have to be friends with everyone I travel with and work with here to do this long-term job. I bet if I get people to be happy to be out here on this waterless ocean I can make certain they do not fall to the bad thing we are supposed to stop. Maybe I should have paid more attention to retain that part clearly as an end of plan goal, besides remove an evil forest. I am still not certain why I was picked for this instead of going to where I should have been.
 
Well the group comes out and instantly Jana and Luka just fall out unconscious. Before anyone can make a big fuss of carrying them I craft carrying stretchers like before out of the tents and we drag them with us back to Duran’s. I’m so glad this travel bit is done with and I can get a chance to focus on the important things. Once at Duran’s I can get cleaned off, then check on Servius and make certain he is doing well (along with make certain he has a good nice meal), then try to figure out how to best get Duran to let me cook for the event, and also decorate for it. I want this to be a wonderful time for everyone that shows. If they have a good time then I helped to make certain the messages of The Brothers is done well, and I can be happy with bringing in a small bit of home to me since I can’t go home. I don’t mind being in the logistics of the festival over enjoying it so that others can see how fun and meaningful a Homecoming Festival can be for people, even those still traveling and not coming or going home.
 
That night when we are coming back it gets dark alittle too early to continue travelling, along with Ignacio and Nual’sha getting tired from trading the time to carry our other 2 people. I just to be certain dig a small break around my tent, since I know Cynica is going to want to invoke the spirits of the efreetis to try and protect us. I know he thinks using their powers is a good thing but does he not get that it brings misfortune to the caster often, and they do not care about the mortal lives beneath them. Well I get woken up partway through Ignacio’s watch as he thinks he heard someone speaking Bhasa. He decides to cast some Emberlights around the person,but does not seem to make it last more than a flash. I can tell the person is some Duskos. I offer from camp to let him have some food if he wants to come in peacefully. But I do not get a response as Cynica also yells out a threat completely ignoring my intentions. So I just make a plate of travel food and full mug of water for the person by my tent and go back to bed. Only a short bit later I am woken again to see this person run away as Rhytlock is in the shape of the bear. I decide to just stay up for the next half of the second watch and all of my own to also have breakfast made for everyone.
 
By the afternoon of the next day we get to Duran’s, and there are a few tents outside the post. I just first have to get cleaned up before I can deal and look appropriate enough for discussing prep work with Duran. I try to talk Duran into letting me rent space to cook and prep food for the festival. After a polite discussion Duran says I can’t work in his kitchen area, but I can use space to make decorations. So, after a short bit of work I decide to take some food out to Servius. I do want to know why some of the travelers are keep looking at me. All the looking and attention makes me even better decide to quickly get heading to Servius home.
 
The next day I wake up a bit late and there are a bit more people here than ever before. I guess The Brothers heard my prayers, as it seems these people are waiting for their festival to start. I just wish a real priest would make it. I know the secular parts well but not certain about the rules of the church itself. But I get to spend a good bit of the next few days making decorations, helping Cynica to have guards, and finding people to play some bard performances.
 
Well the time goes by quickly over the 3 days and on the third day it is like a minor miracle. Around high sun the first major miracle happened. One of The Brothers’ priests showed up, his name is Kalled, and so I helped him get the decorations to be correct. The other best thing to happen is the Vomban family and Servius came. I being a good host offered to give up my bed for one of the them, since space was getting tight. So for the festival, I guess for now I have a roommate during this time. Both things outweigh when appearance of Purahna. I just really hope she decides to be polite and not be a problem like I know she is prone to be.
 
Then the festival begins. There is an opening statement of welcome from Kalled. For people there are 3 festival games (ring toss, triathlon, a guessing game for some sorta grain stuff, and arm wrestling match), plus a formal arm wrestling tournament. Since everyone else in the group is doing it I figure I should join in. Between turns and events of performances I help to run the tavern and build up a bonfire. By luck and blessings I actually win the first round of my arm wrestling bracket. I get up with the Priest to give a speech welcoming everyone and hoping they enjoyed the day. I hope my roommate does not mind afterwards that I hang out and just need some time away from people. Maybe we can exchange stories of the festival and things we each saw that day.
 
On the second day it just got better. Kalled and I both give a good speech I think about remembering loved ones and keeping them with you while one is on the road. This goes as well for the family who are left behind. I think my speech was well received more than Kalled’s or I hope it was. I know it is wrong to hope to do better than a priest, so I hope The Brothers can forgive me on this, but they know why I hope about the reception. As well that day is the second round of this strength test. I do well and make it until the end where I go against this giant saynor. Again, I was blessed to barely win against him. I also get to win a festival cup from the ring toss game and am able to make it a nice gift to my roommate for coming and staying with me instead of family. After, the festive dinner Purahna askes for us to allow her to set up 3 tubes. She then lights them and the explosion of it eventually flies up into the sky. It is as if an omen was shown to all that she may be unlikeable and untrustworthy, but she understands showmanship and eventually I might be able to find something decent about her.
 
The final day of the festival is amazing for everyone there. I have gotten really good with running between the tavern and working other areas of need from what Duran and Kalled need to be done at the festival. As well there is the final grand championship. I sit with my back to everyone, so I do not turn too red and embarrassed. I somehow am able with the blessings of the Son and Door to win and Duran makes me have to show off and everyone is yelling at me. I am standing there for the whole thing red as guardsman pirate hunting ship’s flag. I make it long enough to not just teleport away. Only then at the closing meal I do what I am amazed I the most at. Kalled tells a moving tell of home and feeling welcomes. Then instead of giving a speech as I do not want some people to go away or have this festival end as it reminds me so much of home I opt to sing a loving ballad from my time at home, “The Returning Son and Wayward Breaks”. It is all about the son coming home to his family and bringing with him the joys and sadness of the journey over and over again, along with a love of his life eventually join him on the road until they are too old to travel and their children, nieces, and nephews continue the travelling tradition. After I finish and my eyes are opened but teary I look out to the crowd and see everyone just staring at Kalled, Cynica, Rhytlock. I look out to try and find one person but can’t do it. While overcome with emotions I just decide to quietly head into my room for the evening and try to balance myself. I do hope my roommate is o.k. with that bit until I can go back out and deal with the crowd of people who will not stop giving me looks and things.
 
I do wonder did I do this right? Is this The Brothers’s way of saying I actually can do something correctly? Can I claim that when others were picked for their skills in the woods, with people, magic, or combat; I was picked because I can support and entertain? Was I really good enough to be professional alone? I think I might have been decent but everyone was biased to make it seem like I am better than I really am. I hope I get the chance to talk to Kalled and maybe afew others for some advise before they leave me. I will miss the feeling of home but maybe if I am professional enough as a bard I could be allowed to finally celebrate Welcoming of the Hearth ritual this year. Though I will have to make certain I have a person around me to also do it with.