event Round 8: Toteharu's Feast & The Tiaho-Pouri Fair

[Veradux]

Altarin's known world was ever-expanding. The frogs, the nanx, the toteharu were all growing their borders as the known world grew ever-larger. But Altarin was in flux. Leviathans in the waters, dragons on the wing, strange technologies in the mountains, and the coastline being mapped bit by bit.

Tete-kāno had begun to broach the strange secrets of the horned-folk and had managed to avoid the ire of the other travelling peoples. Thus, on the eve of a marching day, an idea was had. Nanx spearmen, frog warriors, mangrove slingers, and even the strange humans adorned in roses all came together to deal with one of the continent's persistent issues.

What better way to mark the occasion than a test of might and what the food-ready people called a feast?

---

In the newly-built city of Tiaho-Pouri, Tete-kāno announced the city's gates open and began to show one of the odder features a city of plants had built:
A huge, oval circus ground. A wide field of soft grass and cleared spaces for vendors, competitions, and - with Tete-kāno's direct involvement and blessings of Taumaru - dozens of betting and ticketsellers.

Races, wrestling competitions, and common dice and board games lined the avenues as the human knights quickly setup somewhat serviceable food stalls. With the food resources of plants being largely luxury or ceremonial, little of the fruit, fish, and other sea oddities were even being sold, but merely handed out. Any real money or goods changing hands were done so as great vine toteharu challenges teams of frogs to wrestling matches, as strange flax-formed horse toteharu took on all comes in a "foot" race, or as Tete-kāno themselves whispered prayers into their dice.

With a grand battle against a dragon, all were invited.

[SerakHawk]

Sister's Embrace

A contingent of the Sister's Embrace faithful have made their way to the Feast&Fair to mingle with the peoples of Altarin and to tend to those who need aid, as well as to seek arrangement with the various rulers attending. A good number of the sisters and initiates were present and mingling with the peoples partaking in the feats and the games and contests. Several of the leading group in this area of Altarin were present mingling and finding their way in the festival.

Elevated Sister Marigold, a tall fair woman dressed in a pristine flowing white gown with a silk veil covering her face and lacy gloves covering her hands. A red rose was embroidered over her heart and she passed through the crowds with a few other sisters and two fully plate armored figures.

Sister Ytaris, a Mykran sister flitted and laughed with the children gathered, her white dress now muddied and dirty from the play and activities her had partaken in the fair.

Open Palm Commandant Gregor had striped down out of his plate armor to wrestle with the zabka and toteharu in the arena.

Open Palm Initiate Marcus awkwardly watched his commandant while trying his best to keep his armor clean.

Elevated Sister Marigold

Floating through the crowd with her retinue in tow the elevated sister made a circuit of the festivities before finding Tete-kāno at a dice table. Waving her guards to the side Marigold sat down in a seat by Tete-Kano and dipped her head in their direction.

"Tete-kāno, Largest of the Berries, I am Elevated Sister Marigold - I have not had the pleasure to speak with you in person before now, some of the Sister's in my care have visited your lands before however. If you have it I would request a moment of your time to discuss something that could benefit both of us."

The Mist Tribe

A group of Mist Tribe Zabka are eagerly partaking in the events of the festival, wresting and running in the games along with the other participants. With so many of them present it only makes sense their leader Mist Keggie could be nearby.

Petal Rose

Petal Rose newly freed from the Maenos prisons due to the instability and unrest ambled slowly through the crowd, trying to keep his Rose briar barbs away from the children playing on his vines and smelling his roses.

 

[Chimi]

Where there are goings-on on Altarin, there are Nanx. Nanx pitch in to put up awnings for stalls. Nanx haul produce to and fro, their own and anyone else's who doesn't shoo them away. Nanx pottery, clams, berries and berry mash, and of course fine boat cheeses are given away in the spirit of neighborliness. With the Nanx come other members of the Throng, Maenos who tagged along for safety in the journey, and hardy humans and driftwood toteharu from up the coast.

This isn't to say the Nanx are all working. To them, chipping in and helping is just a part of the celebration. When there isn't anything that 'needs doing' they join the rest of the festivities. They have no chance wrestling, but they wrestle anyway. The only hope they have in the race is if they bring in their horses. They don't entirely seem to grasp the point of gambling, wagering chunks of Shimmerstone and rejoicing in victory, or celebrating their new friend's good fortune when they lose. About the only event they particularly excel at is a sling stone competition, where their lower strength is compensated for by loads and loads of practice.

Shaman Abah

A notable Nanx figure partakes in the festivities, marked out by their ornamental shimmerstone jewelry and staff topped with more of the stuff. Though really one of the two slightly more burly guardperson Nanx beside them hold it as often as not.

The Nanx Throng has set up a small pavilion near the other more formal areas, staffed with Nanx eager to exchange information, talk about trade, and perhaps most importantly, send a runner to find Abah for more serious talks. Abah makes sure to stop by occasionally, just in case anyone awaits for their counsel.

 

[Veradux]

The man clad in metal shed his carapace, causing Ta-Kāpeti - no longer child - to step into the ring with him. Having grown to just under a normal human's height and rather broad for a bean, he had begun to shape himself into something more akin to the Myrkran, minus the horn. At least for now.

While Te-Raupea had been seen briefly, he was not one for raucous events like this. His participation in the Rose Tournament was due to its specific nature as a test of arms. While wrestling was not unfamiliar to him, doing so as a game was. He felt he was better suited to testing any wise men for advice on fishing lure for... very large fish.

Tete-kāno Is immediately surprised to see someone of apparent import approach so candidly. However, upon introduction, they immediately beamed.

”Marigold? A wonderful name and a pleasure to meet someone brought so high! Come, roll with me.”

Punctuating this, they pull one of their fruits from their “hair” and place it in the literal pot at the center of the table.

[SerakHawk]

Elevated Sister Marigold

Raising her gloved hand Marigold drops some shining pieces of amber into the pot and joins the 'game' in play.

"Very well, you will have to go easy on me as the Sister did not bless me with luck. I trust these gems would suffice for wagers."

Gesturing to the gem in pot as its internal light seems to pulse to a steady beat.

"I have more of these, or I could find something else worthy of your table."

Taking the dice gingerly in her hands she inspects them closely to her veil.

"These are finely crafted, you must tell me who made them - perhaps I can ask for a commission from them - but alas later."

Shaking the dice between her hands she attempts to throw them like she saw Tete-kāno do when she entered.

"I hear there is a rot plaguing some of your people, my sisters and I are quite proficient at healing - the Sister has blessed us with certain... abilities. We would offer our services - if you would have them - we but ask that we are given the chance to share our ways with those we heal."

The dice finish their roll on the table.

"Ah, a 6 and a 1, what does that give me?"

 

[Veradux]

"The dice? Most grow them themselves. Grumo grows mine. Paints them himself, as well. Take the set after I roll. He sheds all shapes and sizes by the dozen weekly."

Tossing the dice a fair bit harder than would be usual to push them towards the Sister's reach, Tete-kāno seems a bit confused by the question of rot.

"Normally such diseases are easily culled by trimming. I have heard of humans doing the same... ampotato? to their own limbs when circumstances are dire. Normally such cutting is not a worry for us - like these dice - but the rot persists even when cut to the stalk. But circumstances are not yet dire enough to shake our Faith. Taumaru's repose watches over us as we tend our wounds and ills. I will see to that personally as soon as I have the beasts of air and sea served on this table alongside my dice.

If you still wish to aid, you are always welcome in that and any other capacity."

[SerakHawk]

Elevated Sister Marigold

The sister stares at Tete-kāno, seemingly taking measure of the plant man. She drums her fingers on the table in thought before replying

"Thank you for your hospitality and allowance for my sisters to work in your lands, it is our duty to heal and provide succor. As you say your faith is unshakable, we will hold our tongues while we minister aid. If one asks however may we anwser or shall we be gagged?"