If memory serves I believe we were planning on checking out the embassy.

We should play in the central marketplace.

Check the Embassy before or after finding an Inn, and setting up a show?

>>11299900
We were? Why?

>>11299900
The Elf embassy, right? It's probably on the wealthy side of town. We should swing around to that half, we'd probably get robbed if we tried to go through the poos side.
>>11299918
I don't know if there is a 'central' market, a river running down the middle and all.

we should find an inn first and get our stuff stowed before we do other things.

>>11299944
Bah, fine. Market District, or some kind of bazaar. With traffic like this there must be one.

>>11299929
Faral told us that the Elves have set up a small embassy in Capital City and Vimestead, Vimestead being closer then CC.

>>11299944
with a pair of massive dudes with us? not likely.

>>11299993
pick-pockets don;t care if they're skilled enough.

>>11300001
Okay. Lets stay out of the slums then.

>>11299900
>>11299924
>>11299944
>>11299957
You think an Inn, a nice one, would be a good start, get your stuff put up before heading to the embassy. Seeing as how the nicer inns are probably on the nicer side of town, you head that way. It takes you and hour to swing around, but the traffic on this side of the city seems lighter.
As you approach one of the seven huge gates, you take your place at the end of the line of wagons. Traffic is lighter, not non-existent. As you get closer you hear the city guards a few wagons ahead asking for Travel Permits.
Let's see... Tanot had traveling papers for himself, you, Tabby, Zanne, and Newt, Faral had her own set. That leaves Grue, Kirthri, and Ta'kal. To your relief Ta'kal takes some papers out of his bag.
But Grue and Kithri are still permitless.

>>11300068
"Ah, we seem to be short. If you could just direct us to where we could legally acquire some..."

>>11300068
>>11300093
We don;t really need to worry about Kithri. She can turn into a bear. We can just say she's part of the show.

>>11300104
Why not get her a set of papers legally? We'll need it eventually.

>>11300068
If nothing else comes up for Grue, and we can not get papers, we have a potion of invisibility.

>>11300125
and if we cant obtain a set of papers legally, we could always bribe them...
Last option though.

>>11300166
Who needs bribes when we are a gorgeous bardess?

>>11300093
>>11300125
>>11300104
>>11300133
At first you think about sneaking Grue and Kithri in, but it'll be more trouble then it's worth. You rid eyour wagon up the the guards. "State your name and business in Vimestead please. Travel papers." You explain to him that you're a traveling show, and that you recently picked up a few members who don't have papers. The guard, who is a bit overweight and sweating like a pig, sighs heavily ad he looks over the rest of the party's permits. "No papers? You'll be wanting the Travel Bureau then. There's a one silver per wagon tax out here, and papers will be another five silver each... course, for a small fine I could just nip back into the Watchouse and forget about the papers. Say... eight silver plus the tax? Save you a few coins." It would save you all of two silver.

>>11300209
Not worth it in the long run. We'll probably need the papers in the future.

>>11300209
Two silver? EACH party member has 252 silver. Just get the papers.

>>11300209
"Bahaha, no. Whereabouts is the travel bureau?"

>>11300233
>>11300238
>>11300252
You refuse the offer. After all, everyone ELSE in the party has papers anyway. The Guard shrugs and points to a building just on the other side of the Watchouse with a large ornate sign in front of it. Parking your wagons outside, under the watchful gaze of several watchmen who have come outside to make sure you don't try to run away, you enter the building. You're immediately greeted by a long line. Taking a number, you and your party sit down. After about half an hour Tanot stands up. "I've got people I need to see. I'll... crap, we haven't found anywhere to stay yet, have we?" With a frustrated sigh he sits back down.
Another hour goes by before you number is finally called. You head up to the counter with Grue and Kithri. "How can I help you today?" And extremely elderly lady with large glasses sits behind a counter staring up at you.

>>11300209
Like that won't come back and bite us in the ass later. Get the legit papers.

has my vagina been penetrated? or am i still virginial ?

>>11300350
ask for papers for the two inn our troupe.

>>11300350
I need travel papers for my companions here.


>>11300365
wat?

>>11300388


I think that he's either trolling , or he's asking if our Bard has ever been with a man, for whatever reason...

oh, wait. Trolling

>>11300365
We've had sex with other ladies. Don't know about dudes, though we do occasionally flirt to get better prices.
>>11300350
DEAR LORD! It's the medieval DMV!

>>11300406
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Whatever happens, we must NOT get talked into getting into a different line to get the appropriate forms.

Do we have the Fascinate Bard ability?

I say, if they try to put us in another line, we use it, and get the forms ourselves.

>>11300388
>>11300430
>>11300473
You tell the woman you need traveling papers for two members of your traveling show. "Traveling show? So you'll be wanting the Commercial Traveling Permits then? I'll need you to fill out these forms and turn them into the CTB desk, which is desk twelve." She hands you two thick bundles of paper, and points you at the desk, which has a line of it's own. You hand one bundle to Kithri and sit down with Grue with the other. You fill out all you can (Name, species, profession, etc.) But you have no idea on some of the others. You ask Grue his age, and he stops to think. "Grue is... many years old. More then twenty!" You check the 'unknown' box. You ask Grue if he worships a particular deity. "What that mean?" Does he pray to a god? "Nope. Grue not know prayers like Cowman."
The questions go on like this for twenty more minutes, and you have to check the 'unknown' or 'no affiliation' boxes many more times.
At long last you get into the second line. Waiting for another 45 minutes you finally get to the desk. A short gnome man looks over your forms. "Well then... everything appears to be in order. Not many people get it right the first try." He seems disappointed by this. "That will be ten silver a piece. And you will to have their portraits painted over there." Paying the Gnome you head to the booth with Grue. A rough, but surprisingly accurate, picture is painted and attached to the papers.
At long last you finally leave the god-forsaken building! Papers in order and everything sorted out you can finally breath fresh... semi-fresh air again!

>>11300641
Good lord. Fucking DMVs...

>>11300641
I had flashbacks to when I got my first license... and when I had to get the title to my car...
I hate the DMV. We got out lucky though, we didn't have to register the wagons.

>>11300641
NOW to find somewhere to stay. And then to the elf embassy.

>>11300641
God damn it we spend almost three hours in there!
Ask a guard about a good inn.

Find a nice inn to stay at for a while, then do show/embassy/get Newt into school.

>>11300641
Let's find a place to stay while there's still daylight.

@%$!ing bureaucracy.

>>11300641
"You're lucky we love you, Grue."

>>11300728
Probably MORE. He didn't say how long the pictures took.

>Tanot had traveling papers for himself, you, Tabby, Zanne, and Newt, Faral had her own set. That leaves Grue, Kirthri, and Ta'kal. To your relief Ta'kal takes some papers out of his bag.

Wait, what about Ruby?

>>11300787
Probably just intimidated the guard or something.

>>11300787
My fault, sometimes it's hard to keep all the characters in order... I need to write this stuff down. Anyway, she got her papers in the TB as well.
>>11300727
>>11300728
>>11300733
>>11300734
>>11300737
Grumbling about how long that took, and telling Grue how lucky he is to be our friend, you ask around to find a good in. The fat guard from the gate laughs at you from in front of the Watch House. "I could have saved you all that time and effort. And you wouldn't have had to worry about finding a place to stay, seeing as you would be sleeping in the cells. We do that as a kind of test, you see." You ask him about a place to stay. "Well now... That depends on how much you can pay. The Silver Dragon isn't too far from here. Clean rooms, decent food, a bit on the pricey side but you could probably afford it. Then there's the Cut Above, not as good as the Dragon, but better then the street, and you probably won't get robbed. And of course the Golden Spoon, but that's just if your really posh. I couldn't afford it. They want ten silver a night! That's a week's pay that is!"

>>11300862
WHAT A DICK!

>>11300862
The pricier the Inn, the wealthier the patrons will be, the more money is to be made.

>>11300862
We should find out which of those has accomadations for ogres and minotaurs and go there.

Go for the dragon.

>>11300894
But ten silver a night for an Inn?
And places like that wouldn't let us play. They probably have a nice in house band.
Besides, we would only be able to afford 25 nights on what we have now.
I say we go to the Silver Dragon.

If we end up staying in the city for a few months, until the roads open, it'd be cheaper to rent a house of some kind rather than living out of a hotel.

>>11300967
This has a ring of sense to it.

>>11300894
>>11300928
>>11300929
>>11300939
>>11300967
You ask about the prices at the Dragon, and if they accommodate large patrons. "I should think so. The owner and his wife are Minotaurs, like your friend there. Like I said, a bit pricey. About 7 silver." You'll head there for a night or two, until you can find a house or apartment to rent for the remainder of your stay.
Reaching the Silver Dragon, a large building with fresh paint is what you find. It's not as big as the Jingo, but it has three stories. Leaving the wagon and horses with the stable boys, whom you tease Newt about, you head in. The common room has a bar in one corner and a fire at the other, tables spread out in the middle and a small stage opposite from the bar. A female Minotaur with silver fur looks up from the bar and gasps. "Well met sir! It's been a long time since we've seen another of our kind here!" She looks Ta'kal up and down. "You'll be a Bloodmane then. Come, sit. You're friends will probably want to take a seat as well." She motions for the party to sit at the bar.

>>11301087
Well that's pretty cool!

>>11301087
Bring up the idea of performing in the inn.

>>11301101
Indeed. Pretty damn fortunate, really.

>>11301087
Bloodmane clan? Ta'kal is a Paladin of Diablo!

Anyway. Bring up the idea of playing in the common room perhaps.

Also, ask about houses/apartments for rent in the city.

>>whom you tease Newt about,
Beat us to it

Do they have a daughter, and is she good enough to make Ta'kal leave Tabby alone.

>>11301169
It might be a bit early for inquiries like that. Save that for later.

>>11301106
>>11301141
>>11301148
Ta'kal and the Minotaur converse in a snorting and grunting language that you assume is their native tongue. She turns away and calls out across the floor. "Jak! Come on out here, we have a guest you might like to talk to!"
"What is it Hester? I'm a bit busy- Well I'll be damned! A Bloodmane! Christopher, take care of the kitchen for me." Jak calls out a greeting in the minotaur language. After the big cow people get done talking, you ask about rooms, and maybe preforming. Jak shrugs. "I don't see why not. We normally have an open stage. But if you turn out to be terrible, then I'll be forced to kick you off, unless the crowd finds you funny. And I'll tell you what, I'll give you your rooms for only six silver a night. My clan owes a debt to Ta'kal's, so it's the least I can do."
Jak, and Hester now that you looks at it, are both smaller then Ta'kal, but still at least a foot and a half taller then even Tabby. They each have blue tattoos around their left arm, Jak has three rings, which stand out against his light fur, and Hester has two.

> sometimes it's hard to keep all the characters in order.

do a Lord Quest and KILL MAIM BURN

For a non-performer, Ta'kal certainly is just about the most useful person.

>>11301268
Excellent. If the common room is at more than 40% occupancy, set up to do a show.

When it comes time for Gregor, let's stand in the crowd and try to see what it is he does.

>>11301359
Healer, fighter, and now he has connections!

Is it time to do a show, or still early in the day?

>>11301379
>>11301383
After the fiasco at the travel agency it's probably early evening. We should get the rooms and THEN set up for the show.

>>11301401
>>11301383
>>11301379
First things first, time to think about the rooms. Everybody has money of their own, so you choose to let them either share or have a room to themselves.
Newt and Tanot immediately opt for their own rooms, Kithri corrects him and tell Tanot they'll split one. Ruby and yourself will, of course, share. Zanne and Tabby decide they would also like to share, and Faral asks to stay in their room as well. Grue and Ta'kal also split a room.
That out of the way, and your gear stashes, you have a little over an hour before the evening rush, according to Hester.

>>11301485
We should go out and grab some wicked makeup/facepaint if we don't have that already.

>>11301485
Use the time to perfect the Ballad of Grue.

>>11301510
And look about a tailor. We have that silk and we want some jammies.

>>11301553
THIS!

Ballad of Grue all the way.

>>11301558
Tailoring takes a while, leave it for tomorrow.

>>11301589
We could just leave the silk and our measurements... but I've never been to a tailor so I'll take your word for it.

>>11301616
Yeah, you can't leave your measurements, they have to take them themselves. It's a veeeerrrry long process.

>>11301616
We are also looking to costume our entire troupe is all.

>>11301553
>>11301573
>>11301510
>>11301558
You take the paper that Newt's been writing the Ballad on, and start reading it over, making appropriate changes and additions where you think they would get the best reaction from the crowd. As you do this you wonder outside, to take a look around at the nearby shops, of which there are more then a few. Though you don't see any blacksmiths or armorers, there are many clothing and accessory shops int he immediate area.
Popping into a few of the fancier clothes shops, you ask about some custom tailoring. A few outright refuse, some give you an unreasonable fee, and you find two that are willing to do business for a fair price. Having your own silk saves them money.
Tucked away in a short alley you find a little costume shop. Inside you are delighted to find everything a traveling show needs. From costumes to makeup and, displayed in a window, you see something you've been thinking about for a while now, a fancy black frock coat with a matching suit! The coloring even matches your Top Hat. The tag on it reads 10 silver.

>>11301715
We can totally afford this. And the Makeup.

Find a male shopkeep, flirt, haggle.

>>11301715
Agreed.
Also, make conversation with the shopkeep. Ask them what they think an epic ballad needs. If we can, fit it into the Ballad of Grue. If not, atleast jot it down, maybe we can use it in a different tale.

Oh, right. Ruby wants to be a princess.

OOOOH Maybe we should make Newt some kind of evil witch, who uses her magic to seduce young men away from their families to fuel her evil magic. Or something.

>>11301775
>>11301812
>>11301819
You step right up to the counter, disappointed to find that the shop seems to be owned by a middle aged woman. You point right at the suit and set the money down on the counter. The woman laughs and starts taking down the suit. "I'm glad SOMEONE is finally buying the thing. A young gentleman took the hat, but wouldn't touch the rest of it with a ten foot pole. It's been sitting there for... well years. Here, nip behind this screen, will you? Strip down, I'll need to adjust it for you." Without waiting for you, she pulls you behind the screen and takes your clothes off. You make a joke about getting dinner first, and the woman laughs. "You're a bard if I haven't missed my guess. Judging from the fingers... something with strings an a bow. Hmmm... You're too small for a cello. Violin? Popular, violins." Shes putting pins and needles through the suit at different points. Nodding thoughtfully, she starts removing it. "I hope you didn't need this tonight, It'll take me until morning to stitch it. So, what brings you to Vimestead? And will that be all or can I get you anything else?"

>>11301912
"Nothing else, I'll come back around noon tomorrow for the suit."

Then get back to the inn and put finishing touches on Ballad of Grue.

>>11301912
So, we already have sufficient makeup? Go back and do the show.

>>11301912
get makeup... and a pretty tiara for Ruby.

Should find a cartographer later, and get a map of the wider area.

>>11301971
I almost want to do this, but no.

A map sounds like a good idea though. We should do that in the morning.

>>11301948
>>11301971
>>11301930
You also pick up a pack of some stage makeup, less then a silver for several sticks! You also pick up a little something for Ruby, a shiny tiara. The gems are made of glass, but it still sparkles.
As you walk out of the shop, you ask what the shop keep likes out of a story. "Well... romance and happy endings are a weakness of mine, but comedy is something else I go for.
You head back to the Silver Dragon and start setting up for the show. As you do so, more and more people wonder in. Most seems to be patrons renting rooms, and some seem to just be friends of Jak and Hester.
You start off with your usual routines, Singing, dancing, lifting and shooting. When Gregor preforms you try to get a good look, but a big man in the crowd blocks your view. By the time you get around him Gregor is prancing around the stage 'herding' Sam. The crowd gets a big laugh at the cowardly Wolf.
Now it's time for the Ballad of Grue, with some edits. The strong but Gentle Half-Orge slave, who saves a pair of traveling minstrels, played by Faral and yourself, from Glod, the Bandit King. Going on to crumble the evil Tanot's criminal empire and saving the beautiful Dancer, Zanne, whom he falls in love with but she cannot return his love due to a curse. Taking pity of the stranded Wizard, Newt, and her friend the Plucky fighter Tabby, Grue takes them into his band of freedom fighter, righting wrongs and fighting evil. In another bout of righteousness, Grue fights and reforms the Minotaur Ta'kal, whom has abducted the princess Ruby and forced her to try and survive in the woods of the Feywild, where her only friend is the bear Kithri.
This all leads up to the shocking conclusion where Grue sacrifices himself to break the curse of Zanne.
The crowd is captivated by the performance.

>>11302145
End on a high note, collect some cash.

>>11302145
Bwahaha! I love it. After the night's over, head back to our room, count our earnings, slip the tiara onto Ruby, show her her reflection, get beat up, and go to bed.

>>11302145
Send out the Goat and Wolf to get monies!

why did we have to be the feminine one in this relationship?

>>11302207
Because Ruby took charge before we could.
Why?

>>11302207
Don't confuse feminine with not in charge.

So, Grue is playing himself, which is the main role. Pretty heavy stuff for someone as bright as he is.

>>11302207


Well, we're the main character and it seems we're the bitch in bed. Not to happy about that. We should be on top.

...otherwise this will mutate into "Ruby and her sidekick bard Quest

>>11302267
I like the idea that Janice is the more passive one, independent of being team leader. It is not as if we are the heavy hitter or anything, and there is no reason to be the more active one other than you, the player, have an ego.

>>11302193
>>11302201
>>11302197
You send out Sam and Gregor with buckets. They move around the room, coins steadily pouring in among the applause. You see one man put a bottle in one collections bucket and another slip Sam some meat under the table. The two come back to the stage and set the money down in front of you. Surprisingly, the bottle is still sealed. It seems to be a bottle of the house wine.
Taking the bottle and money back up to your room, Ruby and yourself begin counting it. It's warm tonight, so Ruby ends up in nothing but her underthings while counting. You take in about 50 silver tonight. Not as much as what you made in the Jingo, but not bad.
As you finish up counting you dig through your bags and pull out the tiara. Coming up behind her, you put it on Ruby's head and turn her to face the mirror in the corner. She rolls her eyes and laughs, but you notice that she doesn't take it off. You tell her she'll always be YOUR princess. She laughs again. "Thanks, now come on to bed. If I'm your princess that means you have to take orders from me."

>>11302267
it hasn't so far. And Ruby has been in the party for... this will be the 7th thread now.

>>11302313
I love our dynamic with Ruby. She's strong and confident, but we know how to make her adorable.

Really though, I wanna know where Bard Quest gets his ideas for characters.

>>11302313
Harrah for living in profit. But if we start to get a repeat audience we will have to change the show up a bit.

>>11302354
I did the math. If we take out the 30 coins for the rooms tonight, that leaves only 2 silver per person.
It IS still a profit, but not a big one.

>>11302313
"Yes, highness"
Tomorrow: Costumes, Cartographers, Colleges, anything else?

>>11302374
marketplace performances.

>>11302340
>>11302374
>>11302371
You wish you made more money, but profit is profit. You head to bed with Ruby, but declare yourself Empress first. Ruby pauses for a moment, thinking. "You know... I never really understood the difference between an Emperor and a King." She shrugs and pulls you down into the soft blankets of the bed. "You know... That mirror over there, it's in the exact position to reflect us while we're in bed. Food for thought."
Tomorrow will be for errands. Maps, costumes, and finding the school Newt came here to join. Also house shopping and a few street performances. But all that is for tomorrow. Tonight is all about you and Ruby, who is still wearing the Tiara.

>>11302422
Sorry to cut things half an hour short tonight, but I have to get up early tomorrow.
Good night all and I'll see you tomorrow night.

>>11302422
Ah, poor Zanne. We needs to make it up to her later.

>>11302434
I don't follow

>>11302347
Oh, and to answer your question, everywhere. Most of them I just make up as I go, but a few, like Grue, are references to characters in my gaming group.
And, of course, you all steer Janice.

>>11302422
Night!
>>11302434
What?

>>11302444
>>11302479
I'm with these two. What do you mean?

I am so confused.