Mingle - Emergency Potluck

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WELCOME POTLUCK

Greetings, residents! Those more observant sorts among you may have noticed a large influx of very crowded ferries. In order to welcome our new residents en masse, Town Hall is holding a potluck in Town Square. Please bring a dish if you are able and make a new friend!

All of our newest arrivals need only bring themselves. We look forward to welcoming you all into our community, and may your lanterns always be lit.

This event is open to all! In light of our new influx of prospective players following the Great Sail Migration, we've decided to offer a small public event to tide everyone over until the TDM this weekend.

Comments

[abhorrently]

Her eyes light up. "Oh, you're Magne! Your name came up in conversation when I was asking about where people are going to stay at present - it's good to meet the woman of legend face to face."

There had been nothing but compliments paid, and seeing her in person, Fever's inclined to believe every one of them.

[i_ink_therefore_i_ammy]

Ammy isn't frightened, afraid, or angry. Whatever reaction Nimona fears simply isn't there. Time just seems to drag against the clock for a moment, and then just as quickly she's right there beside her, grinning cheekily and nuzzling against Nimona's side. "That's a good trick."

Sometimes a few words are better than many.

[spaghettification]

"I understand. I do understand. The public can be...unforgiving."

Siebren nods. "Until then, César."

[pineapplesalmon]

"That, and some things are best discussed in private." César smiles slightly at him, having gotten his food. "Until then, Siebren. I'll contact you when planting season gives me some breathing room. But feel free to contact me sooner."

[iamthepyre]

He figured that might get her, with how she holds herself Daisy seems like the type to at least know a good fight when she hears about one.

"Yeah, some weird falling star shit fell into the ocean and suddenly these monsters started crawling out. They were..." He waves a hand like he's trying to find the right words. "Like cosmic flan? Sort of? Think space but in a jelly." Space dango maybe?

Okay maybe he's the one who's hungry...

[apocryphalarchivist]

There's a lot to take in here. He's not surprised that Tim was lost--- it seemed like the poor bastard was going to go in guns blazing, no matter the cost. The fact that it failed was a palpable relief, even if he didn't come out the other side of it.

He's almost satisfied with the idea of the coffin being what brought her here, but there's just an edge of something extra.

He does what he's already done, for better or worse: he digs.

"Glad to hear one of those bastards is dead, and that... a fair few of us survived, at least. Hopefully Orsinov went with whichever one of the deliverymen you were able to get rid of," He mutters, frowning. "Did you make it out of the coffin, then?"

[apocryphalarchivist]

Jon blinks, almost taken aback by the notion.

"I only didn't say so because--- of course it won't. Lot 37 is yours, Cecil. It was always my intention to make it so, and I have no want, need, or motivation to try to take that from you."

[lasthumanvoice]

"Not just that. You won't let things sit, that you discover. You won't buy people's stuff from Calloway and forget you have it. If you're going to try to help people by putting your money down for things that matter...you need to act on it right away. Directly with them. Not through others, not trying to hide the matter."

Because a significant amount of the distress had been not knowing who had possession of Lot 37 after it was sold. It was expecting to lose time and be put into use again, like Dana Mayor Cardinal someone back home had, repeatedly.

Someone who sees Fears might recognize this one, webby and thick, still has its grip on him tightly.

[apocryphalarchivist]

"Ah."

A beat, and Jon clears his throat a bit.

"Yes, of course. With the sending stones and a much more lax schedule with my crew, should it have happened now as opposed to back then, I-I don't think it would have gotten forgotten, but... you have my word. Should anything of deep importance be found, I'll get in touch immediately."

[lasthumanvoice]

"Not just with me. With anyone. With everyone. Please, Jon."

The anger is seeping out of him, but his usual levity isn't running back into the vessel to take its place. Cecil looks, if anything, incredibly tired right now, as if the grudge was a battery that had been powering him and now he's left with very little juice.

(It's okay, he can still despise Calloway freely.)

[apocryphalarchivist]

"Anyone. I swear it."

He's quiet, for a moment, before he speaks again. Any defensiveness is gone with Cecil's anger leaving him. It's a strange place to be in, after several months of harsh feelings - but it's the first step. Always got to start somewhere.

"I think, should anything else, ah... named appear, it'll be a discussion before any buying comes into place. To prevent this sort of thing."

[lasthumanvoice]

"That's...likely a good idea. Though if you had asked, I wouldn't have told you anything about Lot 37. I'm not happy that there's a significant number of people who know, beside me."

Cecil glances off to one side briefly, then back at Jon.

"You remind me of another Scorpio I know."

[apocryphalarchivist]

"Well, any knowledge of it stops with me. I don't intend to even acknowledge that it exists, to be honest with you."

Less headache that way, it goes unsaid.

The remark gives him pause, and he's half-bracing himself for some kind of insult. Curiosity kills, though. He's got to know.

"Who is it?"

[lasthumanvoice]

"My brother-in-law, Steve. He saw the hidden truths of the world, the workings behind some of the fucked up shit in Night Vale, and spoke up about them in a way that endangered him and everyone around him, including my sister and niece. I hated him for that. And I envied him his boldness."

And it's only now, outside his home, that he can admit to all of those feelings.

[lightconductor]

Watson gives a thoughtful sort of hum. "I can't say I blame him for his motivations. Interesting. All right, I can't complain about the opportunity to split a prize like that. Why, I can retire anywhere I like!"

[astrogator]

There is a big white dog right next to Arilanna Tayrey, and she does not know what to do about it. She's sitting alone, picking at the plate of food she managed to put together earlier, and her slightly nervous energy spikes at the sight of an animal.

Lieutenant Tayrey grew up at the top of a Tower. No large animals. Then she lived and worked on a starship. No animals at all. She was never going to be comfortable, but her later experiences imprisoned on the nightmare cruise ship have made her very wary of any four-legged creature.

That said, she's not getting up and leaving. She's curious enough to just stare, for a minute, telling herself that if she's living planetside for now she'll just have to get used to this sort of thing.

[astrogator]

There's something of an awkward pause before Ari realises that no, Elsie isn't going to act on her own initiative.

'There's enough room here now, just set it down. Then other people can take some, and you can take from the dishes that they brought.' That's how it works, as she understands it. She gives Elsie an encouraging look. 'I can get you a plate? Lots of these dishes weren't familiar to me, but this setup means it's easy to try a little and see if you like it.'

[astrogator]

'You're taking the first steps out. I'm sure you'll do much more in time,' she agrees, but then her expression turns slightly troubled.

'I don't really know how to answer that. It was the eighty-third year of the Tower when I went spacer, and that was-' four? five? '-some standard years ago, but standard years don't match Tower years, and it all depends on which planet you're calculating from, yes?' She shakes her head. 'Spacers never really manage to keep track.'

[astrogator]

The smile vanishes. Tayrey pulls back, and her relaxed demeanour is gone; now she's tense and nervous once again.

'I know what a vampire is,' she says, the words slow and careful, feeling thick in her throat. 'I've no trouble with you, if what you do is done with full consent, in fair trade. I value your honesty. But I- I've no interest in being prey for any creature, whatever the bargain.'

She tries to sound firm. Confident. Not to show a scrap of fear. Yet the dramatic change in her manner speaks for itself.

[astrogator]

Tayrey gives him a quick nod. 'More than relieved,' she tells him. 'Back home we have this celebration. Liberation Day. It marks the winning of a war, a long time ago. The day I arrived here - that was my liberation day. Probability smiled, bringing me here.'

Too dramatic? Possibly - but it's true, Tayrey was saved from imprisonment and from death, and she's going to appreciate it.

[astrogator]

'Day labor for now,' she admits. 'I'm helping on a building site for now; much of it isn't any more than fetching and carrying, but they let me start straight away and paid daily, so it'll do until I find something more permanent.'

Tayrey sounds proud of herself for securing work immediately, even though she knows her family back on Cardalek would be horrified by the very thought. It's the sort of work that would make them consider the Tradelines extremely respectable by comparison. Tayrey doesn't care. She has nothing here, profit is profit.

'I'm in talks with a couple of mercenary captains,' she goes on to say. 'Pay's not so bad, you get company housing - I'll be honest, I'll sleep much better somewhere safe.' The Oak and Iron decidedly isn't. Too crowded, too many familiar faces.

[lovethyneighb_or]

“… You must care for him very much,” he says, softly. “I imagine he’s rather lucky to have you.”

[astrogator]

She looks skeptical. You come through famine by being prepared, stockpiling when times are good and keeping to strict rationing when they aren't. Life out in the black has taught her that much. But Tayrey, too, isn't inclined to start any sort of heated debate. She keeps her thoughts to herself.

'All fresh, no powder? Well, that'll be a treat for me, for sure! When the time comes, you can put me down as a regular customer.'

[lordoftheozarks]

Her reaction is a sobering one for him. Gone is his own relaxed and flirty demeanor, replaced with open concern.

"You've been prey to one before. I'm very sorry. You have my word that every person who I feed from gives full consent, but I won't bring the offer up again."

[astrogator]

I've heard that line before, Tayrey almost snaps at him, but she maintains a modicum of self-control, hesitates before speaking. It's not his fault. Nothing that happened to her is his fault, and if she goes around treating new people as if they're just the same as the ones who hurt her, she'll never find any peace here.

'No, no- I apologise,' she says, somewhat stiffly. 'You did nothing wrong, and I value that you told me.' She looks back at him, draws breath sharply. 'It... it wasn't a vampire.'

'It...' There's part of her that wants to tell him everything, but maybe that's the old Tayrey, victim Tayrey who can't help but share her pain, grasping all too often for understanding from people who will never reach it.

She has to be stronger. Better than that. A proper Tradeliner.

'It doesn't matter now. I'm sure we can strike some other bargain.'