Part 1: Consecration

Zuriel · 6:41pm

For five years, the faithful of Sandpoint have attended church in smaller wooden structures rebuilt after fire destroyed the previous temple, and while their new pastor, Father Abstalar Zantus was helpful, kind, and wise, church just wasn’t the same. Now, the new cathedral is finally done. All that remains is for the Swallowtail Festival to renew the site’s blessings from the gods and it will be as if the Sandpoint Fire had never occurred.

Every year, the Swallowtail Festival is an enjoyable gathering, but with the added excitement of the town's new temple, this year's festival has outdone them all. The town's streets have been crawling with guests from all across the Inner Sea region, come to witness the event firsthand. The day has been filled with food and drink, fun and frolic, and new friendships that will last long after the celebration has come to a close.

Now, with the sun setting on the western horizon, the town's dignitaries prepare for the definitive moment of the day, the dedication of the newly-built Sandpoint Cathedral. Everyone who is anyone in town will be in attendance, and visitors are invited to join them as well. The ceremony will begin with Father Zantus reciting the sacred Prayer of First Dreaming, giving glory to the Resplendent Goddess of Fortune herself, and his benediction will be followed by a fantastic fireworks display, sponsored by the local alchemist shop, Bottled Solutions.

As the ceremony draws near, a growing crowd has begun to gather in and around Cathedral Square...

Mick the Rogue · May 3 '12, 7:56pm

Tom o' the Six Strings

Brego would arrive at the square before many others, partly out of curiosity and otherwise to perform. He set his hat down in front of him and began to play his lute as people arrived. It was a pleasant enough tune, if disingenuous as the original tune's lyrics were more morbid

This house was burning down
The world looked bleak and gray
But after some time we looked all around
To see the world had changed
'Cause in the end it all comes 'round again.

The dead were buried
The wounds were healed
And all of those sweethearts got married
'Cause in the end it all comes 'round again.

'Cause in the end it all comes 'round again.

The original tune took a left turn however, telling how tragedy would come 'round again too. Brego decided it was better to leave that bit out. When things got louder and closer to the event in question he'd put the lute away, ready to be one of the crowd and see the fireworks display

KingGoblin · May 3 '12, 11:42pm

Gozzik RedknifeGozzik spent the day wandering from place to place, eating street food, watching children chase butterflies. He stayed mostly out of the contests, aware that his stature would likely make him more a source of amusement than a serious competitor. And he certainly did not want to be laughed at. He watched the talent show, visited the Hagfish, even listened to the warnings and history from the people at Risa's place, although he didn't take much of it too seriously.

As the day went on, he found himself drawn to the Church, along with the rest of the crowds. Clutching a smoked turkey-leg in one hand, he settled down to watch the show.

Kuroimaken · May 4 '12, 12:43am

Veritas walks into the town square with three tree trunks of respectable size. They appear to have been moderately carved free of their branches.

But perhaps most ironic is the fashion in which he carries them, enveloped in a golden-reddish aura that apparently grants him the use of two additional pairs of limbs.

Karsh · May 4 '12, 12:56am

Aegon arrived at the square reasonably early. The ceremony had partly been an excuse to extricate himself from the vulnerable position he'd found himself in at Risa's Place, but he also legitimately wanted to arrive early enough to have a good vantage point for the dedication.

He listened absent-mindedly to the lute player's song while waiting for the ceremony to begin, occupying his hands by slowly sharpening the edge of his blade with the methodical care of someone who'd carried a sword far longer than anyone should have to.

LucianV · May 4 '12, 2:39am

Saitylvaness Sylvari The Knight of Stars

Saitylvaness had left Risa's Place in a hurry to catch up to her Elven compatriot, but when she had gotten out the door, he was nowhere in sight. Thinking back on their meeting, she found many of his habits strange and while at first she had just assumed he was used to human customs, something told her it was something else altogether. For the time being she had given up on finding her elusive kin, and made her way to where the crowd was gathering. She managed to find a good spot behind a small child dressed in slightly worn hide armor carrying what must have been a replica of a weapon. At first she assumed he was dressed as some hero of old, but upon closer inspection, she realized the blade was quite real. Did Humans truly let their children run around with real weapons like this? It was hardly any of her business, but a small part of her wanted to find the child's mother and scold her for her irresponsibility!

A short distance away she heard the dying sounds of that lovely lute from earlier. Moving through the crowd, she stopped just in front of the musician who was now busy putting his lute away. Reaching into her pouch she dropped two copper coins into the hat that still lay on the ground. "Singing for your supper I see."

Looking up she spotted Aegon. At the moment she had no reason to go speak to him, some things were much better left unsaid. Saitylvaness was content to exchange words with Tom and wait for ceremony to begin.

Mick the Rogue · May 4 '12, 5:00am

Tom o' the Six Strings

Brego would smirk "No, already had supper. Singing for my breakfast" he said with a smirk "Besides, I'm always one to enjoy a good show... We'll see just how good those fireworks are"

Zuriel · 7:30pm

KA-BOOOOM!!!

A sharp retort, like the crack of distant thunder, slices through the excited crowd and echoes off the walls of the cathedral and down the nearby streets and alleys as the sun’s setting rays paint the western sky. A stray dog that has crawled under a nearby wagon to sleep starts awake, and the buzz of two dozen conversations quickly hushes as all heads turn toward the central podium, where a beaming Father Zantus has taken the stage. He clears his throat, takes a breath to speak, and suddenly a woman’s scream slices through the air. A few moments later, another scream rises, then another. Beyond them, a sudden surge of strange new voices rises—high-pitched, tittering shrieks that sound not quite human. The crowd parts and something low to the ground races by, giggling with disturbing glee as the stray dog gives a pained yelp and then collapses with a gurgle, its throat cut open from ear to ear. As blood pools around its head, the raucous sound of a strange song begins, chanted from shrill, scratchy voices.

If there was any mistaking just what the small creature was, it became abundantly clear as the first verse of the strange rhyme reached your ears...

"Goblins chew and goblins bite.
Goblins cut and goblins fight.
Stab the dog and cut the horse,
Goblins eat and take by force!"

GOBLINS!

Apparently, the nasty little things had taken the priest's detonation of a thunderstone as their signal to attack, and now they could be heard chanting and shrieking throughout the streets, along with the terrified screams of the townsfolk and their guests. Sandpoint was immediately thrown into absolute mayhem! People scattered in all directions in futile attempts to escape the filthy little marauders.

The town's square was rapidly emptying, as several goblins could be seen in the area. On the western edge of the square, near the wagon where it had savaged the stray dog, a single goblin could be seen licking the blood of its victim from a sharp, jagged blade, and there was another just behind him. In the center of the square there was a woman holding an infant in one hand and the hand of her young daughter in the other. In all the chaos, her frightened daughter broke free of her grasp and started heading in the other direction, right into the path of a third goblin who was racing into the town square at that very moment. The woman cried out and reached desperately for her daughter, but she was unable to move quickly due to the baby in her arms.

The goblin appeared to be aiming right for the young girl, but then it was distracted momentarily as it leaped in the air after a rogue butterfly that was still left in the area, but the insect wouldn't hold its attention for long...

Mick the Rogue · 7:35pm

Tom o' the Six Strings

Brego had thought the screams were because of the fireworks. Sandpoint wasn't exactly a large city, such displays were like to frighten people. When it became apparent this was not the case he swore under his breath, looking around to see the cause of the distress. Then he saw them...goblins. He'd only heard tales, but never saw the creatures in the flesh before.

After a moment of indecision Brego rushed forward to move between the girl and the goblins coming towards her "Stay behind me little one" he said softly beginning to sing the reprise of the song he had sung before as he drew his sword and faced the beasts

This house was burning down
The world looked bleak and gray
But after some time we looked all around
To see the world had changed
'Cause in the end it all comes 'round again.

The dead were buried
The wounds were healed
And all of those sweethearts got married
'Cause in the end it all comes 'round again.

'Cause in the end it all comes 'round again.

KingGoblin · 10:05pm

Gozzik RedknifeAt the sound of the explosion, Gozzik smiled, privately, and looked contentedly at the podium. They said there would be fireworks. This should be great. But I almost dropped my turkey leg.

At the screams, however, he became alarmed. The dying dog, the chanting goblins, the fleeing people; as quickly as he could, the barbatian stood up, and began running towards the woman with the baby, releasing a blade fully as long as he was from his back. His grip shifted, as he held the sword in two hands, scanning the area for threats.