Session 5 - Talking into Twilight

VOD: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CL_cG6ckRhg&ab_channel=Tyler%27sTavern
Tavern Therapy: https://youtu.be/bk03bLcZYzY
Previous Inspiration Awarded: Tatho Wildheart for scenes at Smelt & Sparks Blacksmiths and Old Ben's Bookstore

Tuesday, March 23rd, 765

Scarlet Nichols inspired by Gasgol from the painting exhibition from the Rougeford Conservatory of the Arts decides to take his advice and pick up some inexpensive art supplies from Copperpinchers. Overwhelmed by the number of odd things there, Meatball Hell began playing and the store owner helps her pick out a full painting set and she heads away.
The Investigator S.Q.U.A.D. all meet at Ned's Noodle Bar and place their orders. They talk about the exciting things they have done so far and how they are looking forward to the evening event they are all attending. Ned's Noodle bar has a very eclectic menu that they all order various different things from, basically, anything with a noodle in it is there. The owner recognizes the coin from the The Resturant Cooperative and gives them the meal on the house, but as soon as they are done eating they hear a commotion from outside. Sounds of people cheering erupt, and as they step outside to see what is going on they find a cart decorated with streamers, flowers, and banners that reads "War Heroes - The Blackiron Bandits". And atop are the titular Blackiron Bandits. Leon nips at people reaching up, while Al "Rex" Jones flexes on them. Romero "Shepherd" Theriot ignores most of what is going on, and Zelroth feels completely out of place and nervous.
Next all of the Investigator S.Q.U.A.D. head towards the The Conservationists in Bloom Wharf to go on the Expedition to the Endangered. They are escorted by Stepinov Antonovich, a local who seemed passionate about protecting the various wildlife native to Bollothglade. They embark on a very wide and shallow vessel, a swamp boat similar to the one Veiyanitara Lero saw at the Bollothglade Historical Museum. They travel down the river and get to see various endangered wildlife such as manatees and turtles, and eventually turn into a tributary and head into the swamps. They first see a crane which he mentions is one of their first real successes, as the popular enjoyed these birds and wanted to help out, and they have mostly rebounded. They see further animals such as frogs, which he mentions a theory that they may be sensitive to the low magic crystals that are being created. They continue until they hear a howling in the distance. Stepinov says to keep quiet as they get closer, and eventually into view they find some Bollothglade Howler. They seem like shaggy black bears with horns that give a wail that is between a wolf's howl and an elk's call. They head back to Bloom Wharf after this where Stepinov says they are especially low in population and are their main concerns at the moment.
That evening after all of the events of the day had subsided Veiyanitara Lero and Yaros Loubert walk around to find a quiet spot, and settle on Willow Park. They both talk and notice that they both have deep connections to the stars. Talking in metaphors and around the exact nature, they find solace in their similarity and chat into the night.
Meanwhile Brand, Tatho Wildheart, Scarlet Nichols, and Kriss Keeton all head to Bloom Street. When they arrive they see a party outside of anything they had ever seen before. Brand sees someone vomiting on the side of the street and attempts to give aid but eventually leaves the man. The party then splits to different bars and Meatball Hell begins.
Brand heads to Divetonk Saloon where he gets some whisky and watches as many of the patrons do line dances on the wooden floor. The next song is a slow sad couple dance, and he eventually heads over to where some people are playing darts and bets a man to play. He easily wins and the man walks off in shame. Brand decides to talk to some of the other men around and learns they're all workers at the Fitzsimmons LMC Factory and doing their best to get by, and talks into the night.
Tatho heads to Agave Azul where he spends most of the night drinking fruity drinks and talking to the bartender who says he likes how Tatho is confident in what he likes.
Scarlet and KK head first to Rum Libre where they witness people on the second story throwing beads to people on the street for showing skin. When they get inside they see all the patrons have paper pirate hats and are singing sea shanties. They have a couple of drinks here and they get rather drunk. They then head to In Clear Spirits. They talk to the bartender for a bit and grab another round. KK eventually gets Scarlet to drink some water, and they decide that the bartender here is now their friend.
The four of them all close tabs, and head back to Fort Marshope where they loudly walk back to their barracks. In this time Vei was secretly reading her Red Bear Comics but managed to hide them before Scarlet saw. Everyone then goes to sleep.

Wednesday, March 24th, 765

The Investigator S.Q.U.A.D. are woken up by the 12 gun salute, this time being even more painful than usual from their previous night of drinking. They quickly make their lunch plans and head to their morning activities.
Brand and Yaros Loubert head towards Riverfront to do the custom clothing. They are greeted by Taylor Fisher of Taylor's Tailors who gives them ideas of things to do. Brand asks if they can do another mask, but she isn't confident to do it today, potentially later. The two of them decide to get cloaks. Taylor assists every step of the way, and Yaros gets the feeling that something is strange as she begins to flirt with him. Soon the cloaks are completed.
Veiyanitara Lero heads towards Midtown and enters the Brotherhood of the Fighting Spirits. While there she is taught by the head monk some specific techniques for self-defense. The entire time this goes on it is clear that he is intoxicated and keeps drinking barrelfuls of alcohol between lessons.
Scarlet and KK go to the Sunrise Theater where they watch the Rougeford Conservatory of the Arts dance recital. It is a beautiful performance in which they had a solo lyrical dance in black clothing eventually have a fog come over that then revealed a line of dancers in white. They did a ballet routine and their skirts eventually began to sparkle with light. The last routine was a dance routine in which their costumes changed between all the colors of the rainbow. Eventually, it ends and they all give a big bow to the crowd. The two of them head to the lobby where they talk with one of the performers who say how they managed the magical portions of the routine.
Tatho at this time heads to the The Couriers Head Office and talks to the postmaster general about the inner workings of the Courier's office and how they managed to deliver so many things to so many people.
The Investigator S.Q.U.A.D. to Pappa's Pizza for lunch. They have a hard time deciding what to get but settle on a pepperoni pizza for Brand and Tatho, a pineapple and ham pizza for Vei and Yaros, and a BBQ Chicken pizza for KK and Scarlet. They all have a bit leftover. The same noise from the street that happened the day before occurs again, but this time the investigators ignore it. They all then split ways to go to their afternoon activities.
Brand goes to the Bloom Wharf Meat Markets where the building is split into two for land and sea animals. The first is the land, where they butcher a chicken and pig and explain how it would work on other animals. The owner also makes sure to give lessons about using the full animal, limited suffering, being careful about conserving endangered species and using a sharp knife. The sea portion of the activity talked about the same lessons and this time showed cleaning shrimp, clams, crabs, lobsters, and a fish.
The rest of the party heads to the Fitzsimmons' Zoo where they have a petting zoo in place. There is a long line and when they get to the front the gatekeeper remarks at how strange it is for grown adults to come to the petting zoo, but lets them in any way. Inside is the usual set of farm animals such as sheep, goats, and pigs. Some farmers have donkeys and ponies on leashes next to the fence. On person has brought llamas and alpacas from Yorkett. They are some nutrias running around, as well as very fast jackalopes.
After this these 5 leave and Veiyanitara Lero rushes out saying she wanted to head to the museum, but instead runs over to Old Ben's Bookstore where she buys the next 9 issues of the Red Bear Comics and an introductionary martial arts book.
Tatho pulls Yaros aside while the other two leave and they talk about how their personality is the same, but realize how very different their backgrounds are. They seem to be two different sides of the same coin. Yaros had a big happy family that they had to work hard to keep, but Tatho grew up in hard times and had to do the same to stay afloat. While this goes on Brand makes his way over from Bloom Wharf and meets those two. They continue their talks about hard work, and then their family dynamics. Tatho talks about his worries about his father's life he learned about recently and being scared to confront his parents about it. Yaros has a harder time relating, but Brand chimes in about how he no longer has a family, and Tatho needs to take advantage of every moment he has, but in a very gruff way. Tatho takes this to heart and runs off to the The Couriers Head Office he was at earlier in the day and manages to get there as they are closing. The postmaster general allows him to write his two notes to his mother and father.
Scarlet and KK head to Bloom Street and decide to go back to In Clear Spirits where they give the BBQ chicken pizza from lunch to the bartender as a gift for helping them last night. They also do this to gain favor with the The Alcohol Brotherhood which they know they will have to deal with in the coming week.
Everyone then heads back to Fort Marshope to see Vei holding a post from the martial arts book she had gotten that evening, and she falls as they enter. They all head to sleep.