Completed New Year's Party! (Part 3)

[Sayana]

Sayana breathed a soft sigh of relief. She was glad that Devi was around. She only had the barest hint of what to do in cases of medical emergencies and she was glad that the healer was able to take charge. Despite Sayana’s efforts to make Orin comfortable on the couch, it seemed as though the cook would need better treatment and care than Devi could offer, or at least more than she could offer here. The Eypharian looked on with concern as the knight… Ser Lorden? … carefully picked up Orin to carry him out. It still unnerved her that the zith was so close to her friend, almost watching Orin hungrily, but she figured that Ser Lorden was more than capable. As Sayana turned back to the healer, she was surprised by Devi’s sudden embrace. Yet she welcomed it fully and returned the hug warmly. At Devi’s whisper, Sayana smiled. Yes, there was a lot to catch up on since her fever those many many days ago. There was Aren, the redecorating of her apartment, her encounter with the zith… She instinctively looked up to see if she could spot the cursed thing. And… Oh. Of course. Her pregnancy. No wonder Devi was wanting to talk. The surprise must have shown on her face but before the doctor was on her way, Sayana managed to reply, “Yes, yes. We’ll have to see each other. And soon too.” The Eypharian gave a smile and waved goodbye to both Devi and the knight carrying Orin. Despite some of the unwanted guests that had come, there had been some really good people too. Sayana was glad that Aren would be staying to help “clean up” and “take out the trash” if necessary. The Eypharian gave a light chuckle at the choice of words, but appeared that they had summoned the creature. There were some glares and stares, and Sayana almost found it a little comical. Of course, at this moment she had a strong warrior at her side, and her party was winding down. She was still surrounded my many friends who would probably help her at a moment’s notice. And then Garland was stepping between the zith and the akalak hauling a very drunk April with him. “Sayana, I guess I'll talk to you later or something. It's something really important, but it can wait. I've ruined your new year enough.” The Eypharian frowned a bit at his comment. What exactly did he mean by the fact he ruined her new year? Him siding with the zith? “Garland, it’s okay. I’m glad you came. And I’m glad April did too. You seem quite the pair even though right now she’s a little… well you’ll take her home.” By now he had practically slung his girlfriend over his shoulder, so Sayana simply gave a light comforting touch on his free shoulder. “Get home safely,” she added softly. Even though she had raged at him earlier, the zith was now more just a nuisance than anything else. Trash to be taken out. When she looked up again to see where the creature had gotten to, and if it had finally left, she saw it with Nivel’s mount Patcha. What the petch did it think it was doing? She took a step forwards as if to try to prevent the creature from doing any harm, but then forced herself to stop. If Nivel trusted the thing then perhaps that was Nivel’s choice to make and not hers. Even as the creature made to leave through the door, it gave a lingering look at Sayana. She made a rude Ahnatep gesture with her hands directed at the zith and finally it was gone. She let out a long breath. It was now just Aren and herself, and maybe one or two stragglers packing up to leave. Even though it had been great fun, she was now thoroughly tired from it all. She could hardly even imagine that only this morning she had been out buying the food for the party. Sayana approached the tall Akalak and gave him a peck on the cheek before starting to clear up dishes scattered around the apartment. Glancing in his direction she quietly spoke, “You know… this wasn’t the first time I had seen that… thing. Treachery, or so he calls himself. If our last visit hadn’t been so hectic with you, well, almost dying and all, then I would have told you then.” She paused to stack up some dishes in the washbasin. “It was maybe ten days before your injury. You don’t know how bad I wanted to kill that thing right then and there.”

[Alexander Ross]

Alexander Ross With the crowd buzzing about around the unconscious Orin, it seemed that Alex's offer to help had gone completely unnoticed, which irritated the boy just a little. He didn't care for too much attention, but it did seem a bit rude for everyone in the party to just ignore him, not to mention the feeling of uselessness slowly digging into his chest like a hungry parasite. Of course, he didn't exactly expect any more or any less. Orin needed medical attention from people with experience, and it there was no doubt in his mind that there was not much he would be able to do anyway. He stared intently at the woman who began caring for Orin and working to make him feel more comfortable. He could tell that she was nervous by the way she flinched whenever Orin began rambling in his confused daze. Perhaps a situation like this was beyond her experience? The fact that she didn't have any tools with her more or less confirmed that suspicion. But then again, who would have known that someone could get injured this badly at a New Years party? Alex felt sorry that Orin had to be the the one sitting in that chair the moment the assassin kicked it over. All the stress he was going through trying to keep the party enjoyable for everyone, yet he seemed to have more bad luck than Alex did, which he thought was impossible until tonight. He figured that once Orin was feeling better and on his feet again, he would pay him a visit some time to help out with whatever he needed. He nodded in agreement when the woman stated that they needed to get Orin to Soothing Waters. “Lift him carefully and support his head. No slinging him around like a sack of flour in a baker’s shop...” Well, no shyke. Alex thought privately, rolling his eyes at the last comment. What, did she expect us to just drag him out the door and along the bumpy road by his friggin' leg? Although his mind flooded with sarcastic remarks, he couldn't help but acknowledge the fact that the woman was only trying to ensure the cook's safety. He stepped aside as Ser Lorden bent and gently picked up the unconscious man, making sure to support his head. "Careful..." Alex said, though he was fairly sure that the knight could manage on his own. Alex looked up suddenly when Treachery approached him, carrying a passed-out Pycon and her mount she had rode in on earlier. Alex was surprised, considering this was his first time acknowledging the boy's presence. “We need inform higher up. You come with too?” The Zith asked him. Alex glanced back at Sayana and Aren, noticing that the two seemed to be engaged in conversation. "Um, yeah. I'm coming, just give me a second..." He replied. He noticed that Sayana and her lover were exchanging deadly glares with the winged creature. I should get this over with and leave before something else happens... Seeing a lull in their talk, Alex approached the two, being careful not to interrupt. With a sigh, he began. "Hey, I'm sorry your party didn't go very well. You must feel pretty stressed about it. But, I'd like to thank you again for having me. Even though it could have gone better, it certainly provided some much-needed excitement for me. If you two need anything at all, let me know and I would be happy to help out in what ever way I can." With that, he flashed a smile and followed Treachery and Ser Lorden out the door, feeling quite pleased with himself. He felt terrible with the way Sayana's party turned out, and he only thought it necessary that he should offer his aid at their time of need. Returning the favor for trying so hard to make everything enjoyable for their guests. It was then that something else piqued his curiosity, and he sped up to a jog to catch up with the Zith. He had to start some conversation in order to keep his mind off of the series of events that had occured earlier. Hey! Um... Treach, is it? If you don't mind me asking, how is it that you came to be a squire?" He asked. He didn't know everything about Zith, but he knew enough that their reputation would deny them any chance of joining the Order...

[Sayana]

There would be a lot of dishes to do but Sayana was glad Aren was around to help. And besides, she might just forgo some of them until the morning. An involuntary grin crossed her face as she thought about the night to come. She loved the intimate time she spent with the Akalak. As the Eypharian gathered up some more of the cups and tankards, one of the last remaining guests approached her. He thanked her for the party and offered his services to help if need be. Sayana gave a smile to Alex and nodded in appreciation. “Even though it was rather hectic, I’m glad you all came. It might have been the most fun I’ve had since arriving in Syliras. And thank you for your offer. If anything comes up I’ll be sure to ask, but for tonight I think me and Aren have things under control.” She slid up next to the big blue Akalak and wrapped an arm around his waist. She was gracious, but her message was also quite clear. She wanted some time to be alone with the father of her child. Once the last of the guests had left, Sayana reached up to plant a quick kiss on Aren’s lips. Then thinking better of it she gave him another deeper and longer kiss. “To life and new beginnings,” she spoke softly with a hand gently upon her stomach. “And to the joy and happiness of us all.” OOCIt seems like we’re all done with the party thread (since no one has posted in a week). I just wanted to do one final wrap up post to give it a nice conclusion.

[Archailist]

Sayana :

Skills:

• +1 Socialization
• +2 Observation
• +1 Planning

Lores:

• Aren/Seros: Quite something.
• Aren: A true love, if there ever was such a thing.
• When guests are unconscious on the floor, the party's probably over.
• Garland and April: Cute, even while overly-inebriated.
• Treachery: A nuisance, no matter what.
• Parties: Hectic but hilarious.

Lorden :

Skills:

• +2 Leadership
• +2 Socialization
• +3 Investigation
• +1 Rhetoric
• +1 Subterfuge
• +1 Observation
• +2 Running
• +1 Bodybuilding
• +1 Endurance

Lores:

• Better to make friends than enemies.
• Knights don't apologize for doing their job.
• Long-lasting friendships begin at squirehood.
• Assessing from a distance can reveal hidden secrets.
• Guilty men run.
• The bad man killed someone.
• Zith: Animalistic, but effective.
• Caring people, the reason of the knighthood.

Devi :

Skills:

• +2 Observation
• +1 Investigation
• +1 Medicine

Lores:

• Sayana: She makes some crazy parties.
• Medicine: Signs of head injury and concussion.
• You never know when you'll need to treat serious injury!
• Head injury: Stemming further damage.

April :

Skills:

• +1 Observation
• +1 Seduction
• +1 Socialization

Lores:

• Garland: Apparently doesn't care if people are watching.

Keris :

Skills:

• +1 Socialization
• +1 Observation

Lores:

• Parties are great places to meet people.
• Maybe Zith aren't dangerous after all.
• Orin: Like a mother, but a man?
• Parties: Not always what you expect.

Alexander :

Skills:

• +1 Investigation
• +2 Observation
• +1 Philosophy
• +1 Socialization

Lores:

• Lorden: The first understanding knight.
• Moral questions: The struggle is real
• Even pieces of paper can be extremely valuable.
• Medical attention is more important than boredom.
• Politeness is the key to sympathy.

Holland :

Skills:

• +2 Socialization
• +1 Seduction
• +1 Philosophy

Lores:

• Seduction: Being Blunt
• Words can't be taken back once spoken.
• Without competition, men cannot know their strengths or weaknesses.
• Claudia: Gets far too drunk.

Orin :

Skills:

• +2 Observation
• +1 Socialization
• +1 Leadership
• +2 Intimidation
• +1 Rhetoric
• +1 Endurance

Lores:

• Sayana's Party: A fantastic start to the new year.
• Keris: A late arrival.
• Anger: The catalyst for confidence.
• Phaylix: Assassin (not-so)-Extraordinaire

Claudia :

Skills:

• +1 Rhetoric
• +1 Observation
• +1 Negotiation

Lores:

• Orin: Even the timid can become the most ferocious.
• Holland: Doesn't do any of that flowery shyke.

Treachery :

Skills:

• +2 Observation
• +1 Running
• +1 Endurance
• +1 Morphing

Lores:

• Sometimes, it's better to just stand still and let the world work around you.
• Humans: Noisy.
• Garland: Has kiss kiss too much.
• Claws: Break wood
• Speed is useless without balance.
• Sometimes, patience is forced upon us.
• Arguments: Why back down?

Aren :

Skills:

• +1 Observation
• +1 Socialization
• +1 Rhetoric
• +1 Philosophy

Lores:

• Seros: His methods work, even if they're not the best.
• Orin: Keeps getting knocked out, apparently.
• Zith: Stubborn even in the face of severe adversity.

Garland :

Skills:

• +1 Seduction
• +1 Leadership
• +1 Bodybuilding
• +1 Socialization

Lores:

• Sayana: Very unlucky.
• Mystery man: Who did he kill?
• Assuming command under stress.
• Some people just have opinions.
• April: One heavy Svefra.

Phaylix :

Retired, so the grades haven't been added.

Notes :

Well, that was.. well. Well well well.
Massive thread and you all pulled it off really well, I gotta say. The fact that there was no real structure to the posting meant that it felt like certain people were posting more often with more detail, so there's quite a bit of imbalance in the grades, as well as it made it a little difficult to really keep up with the story as there was a lot of repeating.

Really good thread though. Orin's babbling and Aren's brash attitude had me in tears; Treach's plight really hit a soft spot as well. I hope you all enjoyed writing as much as I did reading, because I enjoyed this quite a lot and I hope you're all happy with your grades - just PM me if you have any problems.

Was I a little too nuts in my grading?
If you've got concerns, just call me.