BirdGirl has returend carrying a large basket of fruit, unsure of where it ame from.

The road is uneventful. The hedgegaurds are a bit perplex at the giant golum, “clearly they’ve never been to a rave, they wouldnt have the connections.” ...Narcel'Uss

We enter the city and park the wagon near by. Dorian goes to see Reg (and his young son) at his shop. “Pull it around back...geeze that thing is huge” Reg says someone is coming in to pick it up shortly.

Narcel'Uss is annoyed “are we getting paid” - “Not yet, Reg has never let me down yet”. WE drag the cart around back. “Leave the cart here for a day for an extra day? There’s extra gold in it for you”. We agree, but not to leave the poor donkey (who looks releieved).

“You brought the sword, good good - the last one didn’t hae a sword”.
“There was another one?” - J
“300 gold right? and an extra 10 for the cart?”
“and the sword” - Narcel'Uss
“An extra 50 for the sword - oh and I got five tickets for that wizard rave, sorry that’s all I could get.”
“5 should be fine, it will be a bit late at night for some of us” - Dorian

We take the tickets for “An EXtravegance at the Dega House” and bugger off. Narcel'Uss has a strange moment of where she spends time preening and puts on her formal cerimonal robes. Dorain breaks out his fine clothes, and takes the bag of ballberrings just in case. Birdgirl fluffs. J bathes and finds thier least disgusting pair of clothes. We then realize that the tickets are for tomorrow and slow down our montage. Dorrian takes J out to buy decent clothes.

Aside, at home, the glaziers are busy measuring up for windows. The forman is rather non-plussed “look, blood and curses are extra”. “Extra? This was not discussed before hand...do you know who we are?” - Narcel'Uss “No, is it someone impressive” she replies. Dorrian is a bit twitchy to pull Narcel'Uss away as she reaches for her spell book. To everyones suprise, her impulsive act to intimifate the forman turns on Dorian, “if this is what I do to my friends imagine what I can do to you”. There is a bombing command “sit boy” and Dorian is visserally aware of Narcel'Uss’s power which compels him to sit like a dog. Jerima shambles over and sits beside Dorian. “Gotcha”, says the forman, “we will be finished up tomorrow”. Narcel'Uss gives Dorian a smile nod that says ‘we did it’, in return she gets a look that says ‘I will kill you’.

The next day we get properly cleaned up and preped for the EXtravegance. It’s only Dorian, Narcel'Uss, J and BirdGirl. We debate slightly on who to offer the 5th ticket. Vani asks where we are going and Dorian says we have joined a “standing still”club, she loses interest quikly. BirdGirl asks about the last ticket and no one has an answer so she shurgs and leaves it on the front desk.

BirdGirl looks very fluffy and somehow has more feathers than normal and her scale mail is replaced with leather and silks, adorned with every piece of jewlery we own. The others try their best to explain that we should leave it mostly home, so she pickes a sing ruby necklace instead. Dorian has dressed J in a set of leather pants and a beautiful cloke and fancy necklace. Narcel'Uss is in priestess regalia of the gru, like a heavy metal goddess. Dorian in his fine clothespolished his boots (and everyone elses because they wouldn’t).

Dega house is one three places in the area. The Degas are a powerful family. Their patriacc Vincent dies a few years ago, they have been throwing parties to maintian their status and position in the town. Always looking to showcase something new. We arrive and there are wide variety of people and devils mingling together. It’s raher electic there. We are possibly underdressed - if you can imagine. Inside the great hall, the golum is the centerpiece. Strung together with wire, sword held aloft, it glows. The glow shifts as people approach it. Dorrian approaches and it glows yellow. Narcel'Uss approaches and it glows a deeper purple, she turns to Dorian and says “I win”. Birdgirl fliy up to the head of the gollum and boops it in the nose, it glows yellow. As J approaches, it beats a clear and deep red...she slowly backs away.

“So what are we calling the TIP tonight?” - Dorrian “Just so we’re clear”
The group cannot come to a consenus so Dorrian suggests we say whaeer we want so as to get people talking about us. “Okay off we go, try not to make us look bad”

J follows Dorian around like a lost puppy. Narcel'Uss finds the bar. BirdGirl finds the girl with the birdcage hair and hovers (litterally) around her. The ladies are rather taken with her and BirdGirl becomes an attraction, to which she is pleased to dance for.

The headlinging act for tonight is Early Dusk, a collabrative vocal group. They fill the air with a deep soluful warbling, not something you can really dubstep - somthing like mermaid dubstep. The party is in full swing when we arrrive, havin just missed the opening act, Crossbows and Crysanthumums.

The host, Vincnt Dega jr is holding court near the stage. Dorrian attemps to maanuver himself to the inner circle surrounding him. He makes small talk with some war wizards, asking about tactics and abiliies, narrowly avoiding more than one demonstaration. Ask Dorian makes his wasy into the court, he hears a voice “Dorian Keen” … its Victoria handing off the arm of Vincent. She makes a few snide remarks, and Dorian shifts the conversation “How you do like the golum sir” … it comes out that Dorian’s group was the one that brought it back. Vincent is entrathed askng to hear about our adventures. Victoria just rolls her eyes totally bored. Dorrian spins a few tales for him, starting with the truth...embellished...but the truth.

Narcel'Uss has been stiiting alone, nursing a drink, watching the people out of part facination, part borum. A man settles across from her and slides her a drink saying “you’ll need this”. He’s and older, much older, like 100 years older, white skinned elf. He bares the marks of the gru warrior. She accepts teh drink gractiously,”I don’t think we’ve mer” “we have but you were far too young I knew your mother” “oh you’re from home, what brings you here?” “I came to talk to you actually, I heard you’d taken a house near by, might be settling down”. Narcel'Uss doesn’t recognize him, “you have me at a disadvantage”. “I left my name behind when I was exiled,, they call me Lucien here, I trade in artifiacts and curios”. He explains a bit of his past and then says that a small item has come to his attention, he congures an image of a ring, a ring that should never have found its way to a pawn shop. “It’s safe, for now” he tells her. “Lucien, I can tell we shall be friends, adn friends help eachother out, what I can do to help you out?” “I am glad we have this friendship, I have something perculating that might be of interest soon.” He assures her in several was that the ring will not return to its owner, but he is delighted to have his friendship. He leaves Narcel'Uss anothe drink before he leaves, she pounds back the alcohol as he walks away.

Meanwhile, Vincent has been enthralled wth the story, as most 16 year olds would be. Dorrian excues himself and J to find the rest of the group. He finds Narcel'Uss drunkly stumbling across the floor. Dorian takes the opportunity to throw his bag of ballbbearings across the floor (sadly she manages to dance around them and stays upright). Dorrian then hears a voice “you too”? Dorrian end up in conversation with a character who refuses to shake hands … when Dorrian hands him, Peter, a business card it disintegrates in his hands. Since the ballbearings didnt work, he attempts to stumble push Peter into Narcel'Uss, who has somehow ended up dancing with someone in the middle of the room. He’s hoping that Peter’s special fingerswill affect Narcel'Uss’s clothes… and it does. Narcel'Uss was spinning when Peter lands on her, she feels hands on her back and hears an embarrassed yelp. There is an acrid smell of doom fart in the air. There is a large swath of fabric simply gone from the back of Narcel'Uss’s robe. The dance stops immediatly, Dorrian attempts to cover her back but her dance partner beats him to it, placing his cloak around her shoulders. Narcel'Uss is getting louder and louder. J manages to take her by the elbo and lead her away. Dorrian attempts to console Peter before a young Orc comes to collect him.

As an aside, none of the other group members have noticed that at some point Early Dusk has becokned BirdGirl to the stage as their muse. She has been dancing up there for a while and everyone is convinved that she is just aother extravegent addition to the party.

Dorrain finds J and Narcel'Uss. J is preping a mending spell for the robe. She’s wearing a white cloak with gold trim. Dorrian switches cloaks and return it to the elven priest. Dorrian strieks up a conversation with Markus O’Brien. Who was there with a group of staunch companions. Dorrian starts talking “group” shop. J soons come over and returns Dorrian’s cloak to him. He’s perplexed but accepts it. J looks up and recognizes the elf “oh hi Markus”.

And this is the same time that Vani shows up to the party. She found the ticket on the desk, and proclaiming “god dammit you guys” she gets cleaned up: making a quick flower crown for her hair and finding something bright green to wear. She hopped and skipped her way to the party. She is well beyond fashionably late. She sees one of her favourite bands on stage and she beghins dancing towards the stage. Early Dusk reaches down and and lifts Vani high into the air and the rest of the party takes notice. Narcel'Uss grumbles “I hate parties”.

Dorrian leaves J to talk to Markus as he panics at the sight of Vani on stage. Markus introduces J to his other party members include an Orc named Redrigo. J hesitates on her words “Its good to see you” … they make small talk and the Orc seems “okay” with things. Markus goes on to tell her about their new party, one that include Early Dusk, they go by the name The Pen is Mightier than the Sword … or “The Pen Is” for short. They continue in friendly awkward conversation.

Dorrian makes his way to the stage, and Vani waves. Early Dusk announces, I can feel the ennergy between them...and the floor parts so that Dorian can make his way forward. He begins to dance awarkwrdly. At the end of the song, Early Dusk leans forward to Dorain and with spirity fingers around his head speaks “I can feel your heartbeat”.

Narcel'Uss finally gives up and head out. J takes note and artfully detracts from her convesation to see her home. The performance with Early Dusk ends and Vani seems to lose interest in the party, BirdGirl offers the little one a ride home. Giving her a piggy back ride home, Vani is facinated with the extra feathers BirdGirl is adorned with. Dorrian makes sure they’ve all left and is about to head out when Victoria sends him a drink, it’s water. On his way out, Dorrian enquires with the staff their opinon of Victoria. He learns that she has been an advior to the young lord for a while now, she’s proved a valuable, prospous asset to the court. There is no romantic involvement, she is an exacting task master. She has taken to manage many things in the house, helping the young master wield his power. The party is finally winding down and Dorrian heads home near dawn.

As they stumble home, Narcel'Uss has been slurring her personal earnst emotions “have you ever wondered where your life didn’t turn out the way it expected it to? what do you do?” J offers nothing more than “just take it one day at a time”. Narcel'Uss seems to take this to heart and contempate these very deep words. When Narcel'Uss staggers in with J, Ren is still awake, she greets them. Narcel'Uss, totally forgetting Ren wasn’t there, starts babbling about danincing and the stage show, before yelloing out Illden’s name loudly a few times as she stumbles up the stairs. J tries to explain the night to Ren - it;s disjointed to say the least. J decided to wait up with Ren for the others to come home. Ren is perplexed at the “raving mess” the group is and why on earth we would want to attend such a thing. We all retire as the next day we have to retieve the cart and attend dinner with the Baggon Boys.

In the morning, Dorrian reminds the group that we should bring some food to the dinner. Birdgirl offers the berries she collected four days ago, but is devliened. She conjures some magic berries instead, and Dorrian tatste one and is suddenly full. Vani heads into town and buys 1 gold worth of fresh fish. Dorrian remembers the elven wine and goes to fetch it. He finds that the seal have been restored rather poorly, and uncorking it finds vinegar instead. He mutters Illdans name under his breath and heads to town to buy a keg of beer and loaf of bread. J spends the morning gathering root veggies.

Vani heads over uncoftrably early, but is greeted by the half ling. She, and her freh fish is welcomed in and brought to the kitchen. She sits and chats and helps to prepare the meal. Vani is lost in the romantic fantasy of being back home with her mother.

J arrives and is greeted by John, and directed to take the root veggies to the kitchen. John seems distracted and there is an awarkard exchange of J pressing for answers and John saying “don’t worry about it”. The halfling chef in the kitchesn welcomes the root veggies and promiese to make a delightful spiced dish with them.

Ren has been slaving away in the kitchen all morning making a dish like congi. She pours it into the nicest pot she can find, which is still somewhat rough. Angela greets her at the door and seems rather enthusastic that Ren has arrived. Birdgirl had been following close behind.

Dorrian returns to the house and finds it empty. He shrugs and heads over to the Brother’s house. He’s welcomed by Gregory who leads him to the dining room. There is a large and beautiful spread on the table. Dorrian notices Birdgirls good berries on the table and artfully sneaks them off the table.

We sit down to feast. It should be noted that Narcel'Uss just doesn’t show up. Dinner conversation is awkward. John sits in stoney silinced but is mostly igored. Dorrian starts telling stories and Greagory listen enthusastically. Ren is snorting and grunting every time there is any sort of odd emblishment and cheering when the emblishments make her heroics more bold. Eventually Dorrian turns the conversation to the local area and searches out information. Dorrian asks about the family busiess “there is none! what would we even do?” Greagory goes on to explain how his grandfather was gifted the land and they’ve been living off of it ever since. The family seems entralled with our group. They speak of the events of the town but don’t mention Samantha who lived in the house before us, curiously avoiding the topic to be specific. Dorrian asks about money and investment. Vani pipes up “have you ever thought about investing in an adventure party? Dorrian tell them about us” clearly Vani hasn’t been paying attention to the conversation at all. John pipes up and says “I dont think that would be a good idea, it seems like it will end in tears”. He goes on in conversation to say that he’s been investing in shipping ventures and things are going well enough. There is a horrible awkard sicelince at the table. John stares at Dorrian and visibly doesn’t say anything.

After dinner Gregory invites us all to the parlour for drinks and Traveler… for toothpicks of course. Our group indulges Gregory and Angela’s hospitality. Vani sneaks off to speak to John.

She makes her face level with his and asks “why did you tell me not to listen to the box” “because you did” “but why” “my sister got the fire, and I got the sight - I see all of you - I told you not to listen to the box”. He doesn’t seem agressive about hte situation, rather visibly shaken. “what else can you see” asks vani and is replied with “more than I should, I can see you” “what do you see?” “the snake with the other side” Vani appolgies sincerly for the events with Samantha and John replies knowing that there was no other way. Vani asks about the party….

The only gru who’s afraid of the dark.
The man who drinks because he made a mistake.
The warrior who lacks a war.
The severed sign.
The cowardly swoardsman.
And the Half a Hero and Half a traitor.
I told you not to listen to the box.

This all seems to deelp bother John. Vani is quiet. As JOhn speaks his eyes get greener in a very untatial way. The green fills his entire eye and then fades when he finsihed speaking. It’s the same green we saw in Samantha’s eyes when she was flinging fire at Ilden. He speaks honestly at Vanis question “The Sorrows always have the devil in them… there is no way to escape it.” Vani wants to stay but is aware she’s stolen away for too long and heads back to the group. As she leaves she says “let me know if there is anothing I can do.” John replies “secrets kill”.