Hello, Everyone!
I'm so sorry I missed an update last Friday! I completely forgot that I didn't have a scheduled post and by the time I figured it out, it was almost time for the next update. Because of my blunder, today's episode is going to be a longer one.
Hope you like it!
Last time, our friends visited Dynatos Perres and talked about their Myth Adofhaer mission. Mentioning that they were going to Ekoba next, the ruler of Pamagos told them that he actually had another mission for them in that general direction. Then, he reminded them about the dinner they'd agreed to, and told them that they were going to have to get themselves some fancier clothes in order to fit into the restaurant he'd invited them to.
They went shopping. Bruno said that from now on--having his deity’s support--he was going to make his own clothes. He went into the first store and found the fabrics he needed in two minutes. Mary and Aurum took a bit longer.
“We came here because you're not the ‘Red Carpet’” Aurum announced when they came eye to eye with the thin-as-a-stick half-elven employee of the store. “Their clothes suck.”
The elf looked him up and down and raised his eyebrows.
“Then why are you wearing them?” he said.
“What?” the bard scawled. “I am certainly not! These are from an esteemed fashion house from Zerakas tol!”
“Yes, it's an esteemed branch of the ‘Red Carpet’,” the elf said. “The clothes are virtually the same.”
Aurum glared at him as if he was going to incinerate him at any moment. Mary smiled apologetically and pushed the bard out of the store.
“Let’s try out another place,” she said. “Where they won’t be as rude.”
They tried several more places. At the end of the day, Aurum, outraged by everyone’s insistance that the ‘Red Carpet’ was a good place, didn’t buy anything. He said he had some fancy clothes stored in Mary’s Pocket of Holding and was going to put them on.
Mary didn’t share his biases. She was ok with shopping in whatever place was available at the moment. So, after managing to convince him to help her, and with his excellent fashion sense, she found a beautiful long dress, white, red and black, with bare shoulders and long flowy sleeves. She made sure to purchase a black silk shawl to go with it and cover the scar on her neck.
When it came time to pay for the dress, the cashier looked at her with confusion.
“It’s already payed for, Miss,” he said.
“What?” Mary said.
Again? she thought. It was the same as in Myth Adofhaer. Did the ghosts follow her here?!
“How much was it? Who payed?” she asked.
“Y-you did. I think? It was seventy gold,” the person said, now suddenly looking confused.
Mary checked her money pouch. To her surprise, she was exactly seventy golden pieces down. So, it wasn’t like it had been in Myth Adofhaer. She hadn’t been missing money when her bills were mysteriously payed for there.
What was going on?!
It was late afternoon when the trio was finally ready to go out. They’d put on their new outfits and Aurum had done everyone’s makeup, so they looked as presentable as possible.
Bruno was the least fancy of them all. He wore a light-beige linen shirt, brown leather trousers and a short vest in the same colour. His hair was in an elegant bun prodded up with a few skewers and his beard was twisted into a complicated braid. The beads Aurum had gotten him from Zerakas tol had finally come into use.
The bard looked magnificent. He had a white shirt on, wide-sleeved, with golden cuffs at the ends. His pants--dark purple with the same golden edging on the side--were so tight that Mary felt it inappropriate to look below his belt.
Finally, Mary was wearing her new red-black-and-white dress, feeling equal parts wonderful and overdressed. She worried that they were going to get all kinds of unwanted attention while walking the streets in these outfits. After all, they couldn’t ride horseback to the ‘sophisticated establishment’ the ruler of Pamagos himself had invited them to.
She also worried about having another dining-themed meeting with him. She couldn’t get rid of the feeling that there was going to be another situation like the one with the assassins. Just in case, she made sure to pack her spellbook and wand in her Pocket of Holding, along with a nice big potion of healing.
Ready for anything, as the saying went.
Anything but the sneers and booing of Paulina and her company when they came down the stairs into the common room of the inn.
“I don’t knooow you!” the dwarf girl barked after them. “Peacocks!”
It wasn’t hard to find the restaurant. It seemed like everybody in the city knew where it was. The building was tall, with grand windows divided into a grid of small glass panels, and a large open double door at the base. Upon looking at the facade, Mary was hit with a strong feeling of home. It was made out of the same red bricks as the neighbourhood Lilly and Bramble lived in. A giant sign with an elegant font hung on it.
The guests coming in the restaurant were… glamorous. Even that was a weak word to describe the way they presented themselves. These people wore tailcoats and evening dresses like they were born in them, sparkled in all kinds of jewelry and decorations, and travelled via the grandest of carriages. Mary mentally congratulated Aurum for the choice in clothes – they were definitely not as overdressed as she'd feared.
The trio got over the big steps leading to the entrance and went inside. Their feet immediately sank into the fibers of a soft red carpet and the light of a dozen magically lit chandeliers caught their eyes. Soft music came from the far end of the big open space and filled the air without being intrusive.
Nothing here seemed intrusive. The lights in the interior were dimmed and the tables were away from each other, with enough space between them for people to enjoy their privacy. The waiters--each and every one of them gnome--shuttled between the tables in bee-like patterns, always moving, always on the alert for the patrons’ every desire.
It was nothing like the places Mary and her friends had dined in before.
Dynatos Perres and his wife Anabelle were already sitting at one of the central tables, hands joined together, deep into a soft conversation. When the trio approached, the man stood up and greeted them, then introduced them to his companion.
“Yes, I remember you,” Anabelle said. “Last time we didn’t have much time to get to know each other, on account of my husband being in danger of passing out from blood loss.” Her eyes narrowed as she side-glanced Mr. Perres,
Now that Mary was seeing her in the light of the crystal chandeliers, she realized that, despite her girl-like beauty, she was maybe about thirty years old. She felt embarrassed thinking she was too young for Mr. Perres in the darkness of their last meeting.
The trio sat on the table and spent the next few minutes wondering how to behave and what to order. Or, at least Mary did. Aurum was quick to adapt to the high society mannerisms and Bruno didn’t even try.
“What, um…” Mary turned to Annabelle Perres, ”what would you recommend here?”
“Oh, everything is really delightful,” she said. “It’s very multicultural, you can find cuisine from all corners of Eastern Erathos and even beyond. But, honestly, today the fish should be great!”
Mary ordered fish because that seemed the least complicated thing to do.
When that was done, she finally thought she could relax and enjoy the evening. She remembered Mr. Perres having been a pleasant company when they last spoke and prepared herself for a nice conversation.
Then, there was a commotion at the door and she felt all the blood drain from her face.
Nurvureem’s servant Kalien had entered the ‘Gastrognome’.
Uh-oh! What does that mean? Do you think our friends are in trouble? I hope not! It was such a nice evening!
See you next time when we're going to see what Kalien is doing in the 'Gastrognome'.
Until then,
Take care and be well!
P. S. Here is Mary's dress in her fullness. Isn't my baby precious??? <3
(Also, here's a link to the Chapter Guide, the Glossary and the Map for the series. You're welcome!)
An important disclaimer: These are my notes from a D&D game turned into a narrative. All the worldbuilding and NPC encounters belong to our DM, and all the actions of the other main characters (Aurum and Bruno) belong to my co-players. My contribution to the story is only everything Mary-related (actions, reactions, inner thoughts), as well as the writing itself.