Editing Session 25

Date: 24 September 2020

Previous: [[Session 24]]

Next: [[Session 26]]

The party returns to the town of [[Redford]] proper. They decide to browse the market on the north bank for the evening and also find food. As they wander, [[Nergil]] is still slightly disconnected from the rest of the group, and searches for some spicy food. He finds a gruff man selling cactus leaves grilled with chilis and orders. Since it’s vegetarian and it’s something he and Nergil can find common ground with, [[Mino]] also orders, leaving an embarrassingly large tip. Nergil largely ignores this gesture, although [[Raen]] is convinced to try the cactus (which Mino manages to avoid paying for, thanks to the tip).

Looking for one-handed food, Raen comes across a kebab stand, Khaos Kebabs, staffed by Kevin and Khloe Khaos. It’s not the most appetizing, featuring inconsistent cuts and chunks of vegetable, dry meat, and absolutely no rhyme or reason or balance in their distribution or assembly. Raen would have passed on, except they looked so happy to have customers – he buys two and passes the extra to a couple of dwarf urchin children on a nearby corner. The party continues to wander, looking for a variety of things – weapons, potions, scrolls, novelty airbrushed t-shirt stalls – but don’t quite find what they’re looking for. 

They do come across a table of carved wooden figures of mythological creatures, sold by an old dwarven woman. [[Corrin]] and Raen search through the figures for a minotaur without any luck. However, Corrin comes up with the idea to see if there’s a satyr figure that could be passed off as a minotaur, and to his surprise there’s a couple of badly-made figures the woman would have otherwise thrown out. He buys it for pennies and explains to Raen he plans to give the figure to Mino and say it was from Nergil, as a peace offering. [[Quill]] expresses his doubt about this plan, but Corrin remains undeterred. 

It’s getting later and later, so the party decides to search for accommodations. They come across a number of taverns as they wander – [[the Werebear Inn]], [[the Scrawny Messenger Tavern]], [[the Carpenter & Sage]], [[The Earl and The Tailor Inn]], [[the Jolly Dove]], and [[the Golden Bush]]. They choose the Jolly Dove for its atmosphere, but the harried blue-haired air genasi hostess inside explains there’s only one room remaining. Nergil and Corrin immediately take it, while Quill decides to head back to The Earl and The Tailor. Mino claims he’ll just sleep outside, but Raen tells him to knock it off and join himself and Quill. 

While they leave, Nergil and Corrin order drinks and discuss the quarrel. Nergil asks if he was really in the wrong. Corrin doesn’t necessarily think he was, but points out that while they’re all usually in control of their abilities, the only other time they’ve encountered a [[shadow demon]] is when it was trying to kill them in [[Eagleton]]. He understands why Mino would be jumpy. Nergil accepts that but explains he was also hurt by Mino’s suggestion that he shouldn’t be in the party. He’s also frustrated that Mino jumps to conclusions about his history and abilities. Corrin suggests that Nergil should be more honest with Mino in general. Nergil acknowledges that but admits it’s also just fun to mess with him. 

At The Earl and The Tailor, Mino expresses his frustration to Quill, Raen, and the concierge, [[The Earl and the Tailor Inn|Balasar]], who does his darndest to avoid being roped into the conversation. Mino just wants Nergil to acknowledge that he’s upset, but he’s worried also that Nergil will just brush it off and continue to be flippant. Quill orders a sandwich to allow Balasar an out, and advises Mino to just talk to Nergil about it. Their rooms secured, Quill stays behind to have a night in and read while Mino and Raen return to the Jolly Dove, continuing to chat along the way. 

When they arrive they find Nergil and Corrin at the bar. The terrible band has moved on, replaced by a tiefling with a lute, and there’s an argumentative calico tabaxi in the corner. Mino orders a couple of shots and passes one to Nergil, who accepts this overture: so the game is afoot. They play a drinking game, asking each other questions and drinking when they answer honestly. Nergil explains that being a warlock just means he made a pact with his father; he’s mostly fine with it, and it used to chafe a lot more than it does now. Mino accepts that Nergil’s magic are like his own punches, in other words, how Nergil deals with threats. The rest of the group plays a game of Never Have I Ever before turning in for the night.