Realistic or Modern Broken Sword

[Veil Walker]

Abraxas tried to stop his leg from bouncing under the Senior Council table, but it was hard. Today was a special day, and he was already late. His new residents were moving in, and he was excited and very nervous at the prospect of meeting them all. So it had taken all of his willpower not to groan when Mage Thelas had moved for a Senior Council vote on his latest proposal. Of course, this entailed discussion, arguments, counter arguments and more of a headache than it should have been. Finally, mercifully the Council came to a decision. Abraxas rushed to the door, checking his watch. He groaned as he realized the only chance he had of making it in time was to teleport. He let out a heavy sigh, digging his teleport stone out of his pocket.
"Please, PLEASE don't throw up in front of the new arrivals," he pleaded, before activating the stone and focusing his will on the gates of Broken Sword.

Meanwhile, the residents are met at the gates by a tall blonde in a light summer dress. Her eyes are a startingly bright green, and her skin is far pinker than it should be. She carried a clipboard, and checks names off her list as the newcomers arrive.
"Hello and welcome to Broken Sword! My name is Tilly Hobbes, and I am the Resident Manager here at Broken Sword. I'm responsible for all the day to day operations here. Seeing as the owner Mage Abraxas is running late, I thought I would meet you and show you all to your homes." At these words, there was a rush of air and a short young man appeared. He was pale and sweating, and looked queasy. He wore a big blue floppy hat, bright pink mage robes, and had a clawed necklace around his neck. He had various badges related to his skills and positions. He swallowed hard, and seemed to regain his composure.
"Whew. Made it just in time. And I didn't puke. Awesome." Noticing the group of people, he gave an awkward wave.
"Hey all, I'm Abraxas. Welcome to Broken Sword! I am the Owner here. " Tilly glared at him, and hissed:
"I already SAID the welcome, Boss!" Abraxas blushed bright red, and whispered a quick
"Sorry!" He smoothed his robes, before resuming his prepared spiel.
"So I am sure everyone is eager to move in, so why don't we show you to your new homes!" He quickly led each new resident to their front door, and handed them each a very unique looking keys.
"I am sure you all want ttofocus on moving in, so I won't keep you. If you have any questions, concernes or need anything at all, please don't hesitate to ask myself or Tilly. I live in the mushroom at the end of the street, and my door is always open to any of you." After hesitating briefly to answer any questions, he made his was to his home. He had fashioned it similarly to a Telvanni House, with twisting spires that appeared to be mushrooms. Flopping on his front porch, he pulled out his letters and missives from the day and got to reading.

 

[Indigo Knight]

Zee stood on the outskirts of the small group waiting for opening day? Moving day? Odd housewarming? They shook their head. Whatever it was called, the role call felt like they were on a school field trip. As they glanced around, they felt tiny compared to the others. Although the others weren't as towering as they would be if Zee hadn't been using their enchanted pendent to be five foot.



After the introductions, the late coming of the apparent owner (the looks of which did not give reassuring vibes,) causing a minor hitch, they stood with their key in front of their house. The key was a standard house key (Zee will have to colour code it along with the rest of their keys...) and the house was a modest two story. Nothing fancy, though the privacy windows were a surprising touch. Despite being fairly tired, Zee decided to pop in, dump their backpack, and get the lay of the neighborhood.

 

[NanLia]

Stheno stood at the edge of the group of apparent new residents of the Broken Sword community. She raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow over the rim of her designer sunglasses while the woman presented herself as the Resident Manager. Had Eno known there would have been a group gathering and block party she would have arrived later. Her snakes skittered and hissed in protest beneath the hijab that concealed them; she could feel the temperature rising standing this long in the light.

She leaned back on the driver-side door of her luxury car, considering dropping back into the seat and turning the air con on high, and freeing them when the owner of the community materialized before them and welcomed them again. He soon invited them beyond the gates and to their personalized homes.

Eno wasted no time slipping back into her car and waiting, as patiently as she could, for the crowd to clear so she could drive to her house. She tugged the hijab free, sighing in relief as she turn the air con on high. She closed her eyes and leaned back, resting the back of her head on the headrest and letting her red serpents relax and uncoil until they rested their heads on her shoulders at peace.

Eventually, she stepped out of her car and the cool air to take the short walk up the front path to her house, and for the first time in years - decades possibly - she didn’t hide her resting serpents back beneath the silky cloth. She had to admit she felt more than a little vulnerable; physically speaking she had outlasted plenty of self-proclaimed and some legitimate monster hunters. But this somehow felt wrong. Like she was doing a disservice to her mother and grandmother and all of the time they spent teaching her how to hide in plain sight.

Of course, those feelings were quickly forgotten as she stepped into the house that had been custom-built to her specifications. Eno had provided a long list of ‘asks’ among the items she needed for basic comforts and much to her surprise and delight Abraxas had met each of her demands and had even sent back further suggestions.

She closed the door behind her and kicked off her stiletto heels feeling the textured stone floor beneath her feet. She’d been specific that she preferred real stone over poured concrete or even marble. She wanted to feel the fine ridges. He and his construction crew had come through and despite the boxes strewn about to unpack, she smiled.

Eno spent time wandering through the house, no … her home, looking over the design and decor and searching out the specifics she’d requested. She soon found the home panel located in the kitchen, the blue light screen indicating the house settings. Temperature. Humidity. Alarm System. CCTV. Climbing the stairs to the second floor she found the first of two ‘hides’, located in what would be her future library. The walls were built-in empty shelves and in the center of the room a massive chaise chair beneath a heated lamp.

Climbing further to the third floor she found her basking spot, a heated stone floor beneath skylights. The sun beamed down into the room and she knew this would be perfect on the cooler days when she needed to warm up.

In the basement, her second hide and cooling spot; the damp and humid room looked much like the caverns of old Greece - a nice added touch from whoever designed the house - and it led to a sparkling pool of crisp cool waters. At the far end of the wall, she could see a set of doors leading out to the backyard and sandy oasis, and she could see that the pool has a ‘swim under’ feature’.

Eno certainly knew this luxury house would be enjoyable. She only hoped it would last…

 

[Veil Walker]

Bran pulled his old, battered blue Volvo into the side parking lot next to the front gates. He took a deep breath, mentally preparing himself. He hadn't been near... anyone like him since he had fled into the night several years ago. His hands shook slightly as he slowly stepped out of the car. He opened the back, pulling out a large battered trunk and a smith's anvil out. He had had the rest of his things sent ahead, but these he had kept with him. Partly to stay busy, and partly because they were all he had left of his old life. Tucking the trunk under one arm, and lightly picking up the anvil with his other hand, he made his way over to where a group was slowly gathering. He took in the sights around him, admiring the craftsmanship of the various house, though the fungus tower in the back was a new one, even for him. He spared slight glances for the others with him, though he made no judgements. Other than they all seemed smaller than he had anticipated. His family's teachings came to the forefront of his mind, and he had to stop himself from seperating predator from prey. He smiled at the Resident Manager, and allowed himself to speak in public, something he wasn't altogether used to.
"Hello. It is nice to be here." He spoke with a slight Russian accent, and his friendly smile lit up his eyes. He turned to face the newcomer, and couldn't help but widen his eyes. This was the man who had invited him in. He was so young. Not to mention very small. Still, he supposed appearances could be deceiving. He awkwardly took the key, struggling not to set down his belongings.
"Thank you," he said, before turning to the others. "I look forward to getting to know each of you." He turned his warm smile on the others, before moving on to his new home. The outside was a beautiful hall, similar to those he had grown up in. He turned the key, smiling slightly as the smell of freshly sawn wood filled his nostrils. He moved through each room, smiling at the perfect details. The large pillars in the feasting halls. The large bookshelves that filled the library from the ten foot cielings nearly to the floor. He smiled at the reading nook, filled with his overstuffed chairs. His trunks were all packed and stowed in their proper rooms. He'd unpack them later. For now, he needed to see the most important aspect of his requests, besides the dragon-proofing. He headed out into the back yard area. There encompassed a large smithy, with a massive set of bellows and an enlarged trough for quenching. He set his anvil in his appointed place, and made sure everything was in perfect working order before heading in to change. He figured he'd give his neighbors a fair warning before he started smithing anything. He flopped in one of his leather seats, picked up a volume on Longfellow and sighed contentedly. Despite his concerns over Abraxas' appearance, this place seemed perfect. He hoped it could be a home for him. A sanctuary from the threats that had chased him for years.

 

[kevin]

Anastasia stared out the window as the car came to a slow stop. She waited for her door to be opened and stepped out, taking a big inhale of fresh air. She waited and watched as the men in suits unloaded her black leather luggage and sat it by her feet. She stared at the others standing around as she listened to what the Resident Manager had to say. One of the men in suits came up to her, "That's all your stuff ma'am." She smiled. "Thank you so much.", she smirked. "Now, I'd thank and pay you but you won't remember any of this.", she waved her hand in the guy's face and he turned on his heel, making his way back to the SUV and driving away.

Anastasia grabbed all of her luggage and carried it to the door of her new home. She stuck with her roots and chose a wood cabin. She fished around for the key in her bag and unlocked the door. Stepping in she noticed everything was decorated exactly as she requested. Everything she chose was very minimalistic. In her living room, she chose a black L sectional sofa, a black coffee table, and two lamps on each side of the sofa. Her cabin had 1 room, 1 bathroom, and 1 small kitchen. She didn't want to go all out as this was her personal space so she kept it small to avoid having many guests. Anastasia drug her luggage into her room and sat on the corner of her bed. She sighed loudly and thought about what her life would be like from here on out.

She stood up and started muttering multiple spells as she watched all her stuff quickly get unpacked and put away into the correct places. She walked into her kitchen and brewed some chamomile tea to help calm her nerves. Anastasia sat on her couch and kicked her feet up. She thought about her mother and her old life as she slowly sipped her hot tea. Her mother died a few months ago and that had sent her spiraling. She didn't have much growing up, so her mother was the one who kept her entertained and loved. She wiped a tear from her eye and finished her cup of tea.

 

[DovahBeat]

Strunmir walked to the front gates of the community, two suitcases in tow. Yes, he had walked all the way there. The accident hadn't left him with many belongings and a car wasn't one of them. He wished he could have just flown there, but flying these days wasn't safe to do at just any time. He picked up his key with a nod of thanks and headed for the home he had requested. The exterior Looked like a traditional viking longhouse, built with turf that had already grown and blended into the rest of the scenery. at first glance it would look a bit like a hill in an empty lot, until you got closer anyways. The door was on one side, and as Strunmir unlocked it and entered, he was impressed by the attention to detail. It looked exactly the way he had requested it, with a stone interiror rather than wood just to be safe, a fire pit in the center of the room, with proper safety precautions of course, a small kitchen for more modern cooking, and stairs that lead down underground. Strunmir explored that next, finding the semi-damp cave-like room perfect for him to sleep in and keep his hoard. It would also double as a bunker, in the off chance of needing one. It locked from the inside, and a key would be required to enter if it had been locked. Perfect.
Strunmir started to unpack his suitcases, the beginnings of a new hoard. Well, the stuff that survived the fire and wasn't stored in a bank. Perhaps later he would explore outside and see if there was a safe space to fly, and meet his neighbors. But for now, he let the magic disguise fall and stretched his wings within his "cave." It always felt better to be in his true form rather than pretending to be something he was not.

 

[Sunsmiter]

Nines stifled a giggle as she quietly replaced a man's train ticket with the exact same version of the train ticket except stamped with a smiling fox face. The poor soul would be confused, yes, but no worse for wear. Even a few scrapes with the law couldn't persuade the carefree kitsune to change her ways. Sitting back innocently, the kitsune returned to browsing her phone, now wearing a mischievous smirk as she sauntered towards the train station.

Nines was a few twenty bills extra when her stop finally pulled by and the fox-spirit made off with quite a few more passengers going by their day unaware of the petty theft just involved, her ghostly talis swishing behind her in a sight she expected no one to see. Her luggage was simple, tea bags from Japan, several sets of clothing, several sets of stolen jewelry(among which two moonstone earrings ranked first and foremost on the favorites list), the grinning fox mask she was tied to, tea, a delicate china set, multiple books, silk scarves(mostly legimately bought...), a flute, an emergency first aid kit, a sleeping bag(not really needed, since she was a fox after all), three decorated paper fans, a map, stray keys, multiple collections of cosmetics, a few stray trinkets, and several sweets. She trod delicately down from the stop, dragging her rolling suitcase behind her. She tapped at the door of her new home, dragging her luggage inside with a loud clanging of her trinkets. She paid little mind to her newest residence for now, not really caring about its looks aside from hanging up her fox mask above the fireplace(and safely out of way of moonlight) and placing her china set upon the table.

The kitsune looked entirely human for the most part, and even her dwelling reflected that. Aside from the low furniture and the abundance of silk scarves, there was nothing out of ordinary for her house other than the fox mask mounted over the fireplace. Now fully materializing her tails, Nines swished her nine tails behind her as she set about decorating her home with the fans and her trinkets, eccentric touches snagged from far away continents, a reminder of her travels. The fox loved her space, wide and roaming as much as possible to replicate the wanderlust she had been accustomed to. One notable feature was the use of shoji doors in her resistance, and a potted bamboo plant nestled within colored pebbles that Nines immediately took a liking to. The fox didn't get much further than exploring the second floor before getting bored of decorating and cleaning already, slinking out the door and outside to the garden. There she sat down on the stone path, occasionally flicking illusionary pebbles towards the pond in the center, watching the fat koi fish scatter before non-existent pebbles. It wasn't the season for cherry flowers, but NInes could fix that in a pinch. Unfurling into bloom above her, cherry blossoms drifted illusionary petals upon nine swishing tails, Nines' fox ears listening to her own illusionary birdsong that came not from Japan or India or China or Macedonia or Greece, it was a song that existed no where on this earth, rather a blend of all the bird species Nines had encountered on her travels and incorporated into an illusion built for beauty rather than reality.

The pink rain of petals fell all around the kitsune, the illusionist not bothering to restrict its radius. If such a thing was beautiful, what right did she have to hoard it to herself, and what reason did she have to dull its beauty by restraining it?, Nines reasoned.

 

[Blaklyte]

Doe trailed behind the group as they walked through the neighborhood, taking time to gawk at the bizarre houses lined up on each side of the street. This all felt so surreal to him.
Doe picked up his pace as they drew closer to the end of the street, they stopped in front of what appeared to be his home. Doe smiled as Abraxas offered him his key.

"I appreciate that hun."

He said, his voice was warm, with a slight southern twang. He took the key from the mage's hand.

"You'll be the first to know if i have any problems."

Doe gave a parting wave as Abraxas continued to the next house. Once he was gone, Doe turned towards his new home. It was a two story wood cabin, the wood was stained a dark green, the roof and porch overhang were covered in a burgundy tile. These colors would clash in most cases, but the two shades he picked out were made specifically to go with each other. A petite black cat hurried to sit next to Doe.

"Well, what do you think?"

He asked. The cat was quiet as she analyzed the house. After a moment of silence, she yawn and began grooming her paw.

"Mrew."

She replied.

"'I could do better?!' Well excuse me for not thinking to make my house shaped like a shoe!"

Doe replied, he crossed his arms. No one told him the extent of his creative freedom when it came to designing his house. Had he known he might have done something a little more creative with the design. It was fine though, Albatross may be picky, but he was happy with it so far.

"We haven't even seen the inside yet."

As he said that, Doe started down the the cobble path leading towards porch.
A brass bell tinkled gently as he opened the door, sunlight filtered through windows on almost every wall, and where there wasn't windows, there were empty plant racks, ready to be filled. There were even more racks in the center of the room, filled with gardening supplies. Albatross leapt onto the checkout counter that sat against the right wall. Doe followed her, There was a register, a pen cup, some paper and a small basket with some seeds and basic gardening tools.
Doe smiled as he examined the basket, This was the one thing he had been specific about, if there was one thing he was good at, it was gardening, and he was hoping to use that to his full advantage. He was happy to see that they would let him run a business from his home. Doe, placed down the card looked around again. He noticed there wasn't anything leading to the second floor. Strange.. did they forget to put stairs in? No. Why would they do that? Doe continued searching with no luck. He stepped further back behind the counter, moving past the register in search of a way up.

"I don't get it, where in--!!"

Click! Albatross stepped on a button. The floor shook, then began to rise beneath Doe's feet.

"Wh--??"

Doe looked down he rose further from the floor. The platform passed through a circular hole in the roof, stopping right as he reach the second floor. Doe looked around. Oh, interesting. He stepped off the platform and into his living quarters. Doe wandered into the living room, which was pre-furnished with a lovely set of green furniture. Wow. Was this really all his? Doe sat down on a green lounge chair, he sunk into the soft cushions. He could hear the sound of the platform in the hall moving again. A few moments later, Albatross turned out of the hallway and trotted over to him. The black cat leapt onto the chair, curling up in his lap.

"Still not impressed?"

He asked.
Albatross flicked her crooked tail.

"Mro."

Doe chuckled,

"Oh whatever."

the farmer

Doe

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  Doe's House, 2nd Floor

  
  

  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  

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♡coded by uxie♡

Spoiler: Text Only

Doe trailed behind the group as they walked through the neighborhood, taking time to gawk at the bizarre houses lined up on each side of the street. This all felt so surreal to him.
Doe picked up his pace as they drew closer to the end of the street, they stopped in front of what appeared to be his home. Doe smiled as Abraxas offered him his key.
"I appreciate that hun." He said, his voice was warm, with a slight southern twang. He took the key from the mage's hand.
"You'll be the first to know if i have any problems." Doe gave a parting wave as Abraxas continued to the next house. Once he was gone, Doe turned towards his new home. It was a two story wood cabin, the wood was stained a dark green, the roof and porch overhang were covered in a burgundy tile. These colors would clash in most cases, but the two shades he picked out were made specifically to go with each other. A petite black cat hurried to sit next to Doe.

"Well, what do you think?" He asked. The cat was quiet as she analyzed the house. After a moment of silence, she yawn and began grooming her paw.
"Mrew." She replied.

"'I could do better?!' Well excuse me for not thinking to make my house shaped like a shoe!" Doe replied, he crossed his arms. No one told him the extent of his creative freedom when it came to designing his house. Had he known he might have done something a little more creative with the design. It was fine though, Albatross may be picky, but he was happy with it so far.
"We haven't even seen the inside yet." As he said that, Doe started down the the cobble path leading towards porch.
A brass bell tinkled gently as he opened the door, sunlight filtered through windows on almost every wall, and where there wasn't windows, there were empty plant racks, ready to be filled. There were even more racks in the center of the room, filled with gardening supplies. Albatross leapt onto the checkout counter that sat against the right wall. Doe followed her, There was a register, a pen cup, some paper and a small basket with some seeds and basic gardening tools.
Doe smiled as he examined the basket, This was the one thing he had been specific about, if there was one thing he was good at, it was gardening, and he was hoping to use that to his full advantage. He was happy to see that they would let him run a business from his home. Doe, placed down the card looked around again. He noticed there wasn't anything leading to the second floor. Strange.. did they forget to put stairs in? No. Why would they do that? Doe continued searching with no luck. He stepped further back behind the counter, moving past the register in search of a way up.
"I don't get it, where in--!!" Click! Albatross stepped on a button. The floor shook, then began to rise beneath Doe's feet.

"Wh--??" Doe looked down he rose further from the floor. The platform passed through a circular hole in the roof, stopping right as he reach the second floor. Doe looked around. Oh, interesting. He stepped off the platform and into his living quarters. Doe wandered into the living room, which was pre-furnished with a lovely set of green furniture. Wow. Was this really all his? Doe sat down on a green lounge chair, he sunk into the soft cushions. He could hear the sound of the platform in the hall moving again. A few moments later, Albatross turned out of the hallway and trotted over to him. The black cat leapt onto the chair, curling up in his lap.

"Still not impressed?" He asked.
Albatross flicked her crooked tail. "Mro."
Doe chuckled, "Oh whatever."

 

[Veil Walker]

One Week Later
Abraxas smiled as he surveyed the decorations. He had set up a long tent that stretched over a massive mahogany table. To the sides were smaller tables where food and decorations could be placed. He had sent out invitations a few days ago to every resident, and was pleased at the overwhelming positivity he had received. He set his platter of snickerdoodles off to the side, and checked the fireworks he had set aside for later that night. Humming quietly, he scanned the rest of the set up. Zonkers had set up a mobile bar to quench the thirst of the residents. Abraxas had tried to get him to comp the drinks, but in the end, he'd had to agree to pay the bar bill at the end of the night. He had also set up a stage for himself and others where they could show off anything they chose. He'd rehearsed his magic act way too many times over the past few days, but he was still nervous. Flopping in his chair at the head of the table, he watched as the sun began to set. His residents would be here soon.

 

[Sunsmiter]

Nines was the first one there, skipping along with her wagasa in hand and dish of dumplings in the other. The kitsune had arrived bearing dumplings, sushi, a giant collection of milk candies(not for you, for her) and a few too many intricate spoons. Fireworks? Free food? Of course she'll be there! To sow chaos and to find dinner, of course. Nines didn't exactly have an act planned in mind, but her illusions should do the trick. She had one very special practical joke- err I meant performance that would be perfect for this event.

 

[NanLia]

A week previous Eno had discovered an unmailed envelope slipped under her front door. She didn’t know how long it had sat there - after moving in she had been focused on unpacking her personal belongings and accepting deliveries for her work that she hadn’t left the house, or seen the front door, in days. In fact, she couldn’t even place when the last time she’d stepped out front of her home. Certainly, this was a good sign that the house that Broke Sword and Abraxas had curated for her with her requests was well-fitted but she worried that the neighbors would think she was a snob for not introducing herself. She was, in fact, a snob but she didn’t want people to think that of her.

Reviewing the invitation her initial reaction was to politely decline but she quickly recalled her thoughts just moments before and accepted. She elected to wear a simple light cotton dress coupled with a simple light cotton hijab covering her snakes. She didn't quite feel comfortable being her true self in public.

Eno was very aware she was no cook, even after decades of living away from her family. She had no passion for it and the thought of trying to learn for the sake of her neighbors wasn’t appealing. Instead, she sought out a local Greek caterer to deliver a series of appetizers and meals for her neighbors. She’d gone to the gates to collect it herself, using a small trolly she often used for bringing fabrics around her studio while she was designing.

She pushed her cart cautiously up to the tent where they’d been invited to dine, she spied Abraxas seated at the table and she smiled warmly and waved with the fingers of one hand on the handle of her cart before moving to one of the empty tables clearly set aside for the residents to submit their fare. She unpacked and set down her top picks from the caterer: Spanakopita, Moussaka, and Baklava. She tucked the empty packages back onto her cart and pushed it aside, out of the way of other guests that might be arriving.

Eno came back towards the table, “Good evening Abraxas. Do we sit anywhere?”

Veil Walker

 

[DovahBeat]

The past week Strunmir had been... reclusive. He wasn't comfortable being in public without his glamour yet, and he didn't want to use said glamour. The feeling of a home, one you could be yourself in, felt too nice. Especially when that means he can stretch his wings. He kept himself busy, though, reorganizing and managing his hoard, and hunting at night when hopefully no one would notice him.
Then he received the potluck invitation, which changed his plans. He really should get to know his neighbors more, maybe even make a friend, even if the idea of getting close to anyone again seemed daunting.
He spent the day fishing, collecting many fish in nets and cooking them on his fire at his home before wrapping them up and carrying them out to where they were all to meet up for the potluck. He walked up to the tent, glamour in place to look human, and noticed a few other residents and Abraxas already there.
"Hey, I hope everyone likes grilled salmon. It's seasoned with lemon, garlic, and herbs." He greeted, setting down the tray of fish on the table where the other plate(s) of food was.
God, he was anxious, and he had no clue why. Well, he kind of did. They were in a tent and the last time he was in one, it burnt to the ground, and meeting people he wasn't at all familiar with and was expected to be social with was a factor, too. Wonderful.

 

[Sunsmiter]

The previous week the kitsune had done nothing more than hang around, play with her illusions, sneak out and explore as well as pulling off a few pranks in town with the alley cats who now had a nice fox leader.
"Salmon smells delicious. And wow, you guys have amazing food! こんにちは, I'm Akira, but you can just call me Nines." Nines delicately gave a small bow as she greeted Sturnmir. The cheery greeting was conducted by a slim girl wearing a simple white robe inlaid with flowers whose leaves looked like fox tails. "What's your name? And do you like milk candies?"
(( DovahBeat ))

 

[Indigo Knight]

Zee rushed to put their shoes back on. They had spent the last few hours making molasses candy, brownies, and chilli, plus removing glitter from their shoes that was somehow still there from yesterday's craft. The kids made them smile, but glitter and 4 year olds? Bad idea. They were pretty sure they'd eaten at least a pound during lunch, it was everywhere. Why no one warned them when they suggested the craft, they'll never know. They could only hope none of it made it into the food... At least it's non-toxic, right?

Zee snatched a messenger bag up off a hook to shove several off-brand Tupperware bowls into, cursing the glitter in their clothing. They grabbed the pot of chilli, hoping that at least half would be eaten so they weren't stuck eating leftovers for a week. They were pretty sure they'd never eat chilli again if that happened.

As Zee entered the party area, they noticed that, while they weren't the first one there, they didn't seem to be the last one either. That somehow eased the nervousness that had settled in their chest, if only minimally. They checked that their glamour was fully working before setting the chilli onto the table and shrugging their hoodie off, tying it around their waist. They mused how ironic the name chilli was for a hot dish as they unloaded their sweets from the messenger bag onto the table seemingly dedicated to desserts.

 

[Veil Walker]

Bran carefully adjusted the straps securing the keg to his back, before gathering up a platter in each hand. He carefully moved to the appointed pavilion. He set down his platters gently, before turning with a wave.
"Hello all! I am Bran. I brought vegetarian pierogis and some smoked goat and boar nachos. I also have," he grunted slightly, as he slowly let the large keg strapped to his back lower down.
"Fifty year aged Svi Svihem. An alcohol from my home in the north. I hope ypu all enjoy." Bran quickly unequipped the straps from his back, rubbing his shoulders. He had forgotten how heavy that keg was. Or he was more out of shape than he had thought. Bad news, either way. He carefully sniffed the air, drawing in scents both familiar and new. And... wait. There was a scent, drilled into him since birth. He froze, muscles tensing and readying. He let out a soft breath, relaxing slowly.
'You do not hunt anymore. Peace... not war.' He took a steadying breath, the smile returning to his face. He drew out a bung hammer, and carefully drove the tap into place. Glancing around at the gathered food, he let out a deep chuckle and turned to the group.
"This might be enough for me, but what will you all feast upon?"

 

[Blaklyte]

Doe had been very busy for most of last week. He had spent most of it setting up shop and starting up a garden in his backyard. He couldn’t run a flower shop without flowers afterall! Doe had been so busy he hadn’t even left his house. It was a miracle that he found the invitation when he did. He barely had enough time to respond and plan his own dish.

"Howdy everyone—!"

Doe set two containers onto the table. He pulled off the lid of one and slid it underneath its parent container, revealing a hearty salad inside.

"I brought a salad for yall!"

He said as he turned to face the others. From just a glance one could see his salad was filled with a healthy variety of ingredients, including nuts, fruit, berries, grilled chicken, garden greens and even a few flowers were tossed in.

“I also brought some Poppyseed Dressing to go with it—made it myself!”

He said, lightly patting the top of the second, unopened container.

the farmer

Doe

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♡coded by uxie♡

Spoiler: Text Only

Doe had been very busy for most of last week. He had spent most of it setting up shop and starting up a garden in his backyard. He couldn’t run a flower shop without flowers afterall! Doe had been so busy he hadn’t even left his house. It was a miracle that he found the invitation when he did. He barely had enough time to respond and plan his own dish.

"Howdy everyone—!"

Doe set two containers onto the table. He pulled off the lid of one and slid it underneath its parent container, revealing a hearty salad inside.

"I brought a salad for yall!"

He said as he turned to face the others. From just a glance one could see his salad was filled with a healthy variety of ingredients, including nuts, fruit, berries, grilled chicken, garden greens and even a few flowers were tossed in.

“I also brought some Poppyseed Dressing to go with it—made it myself!”

He said, lightly patting the top of the second, unopened container.

 

[kevin]

It had now been a week since Anastasia's arrival at Broken Sword and she was settling in perfectly. She keeps up a small garden in her backyard where she grows all different types of vegetables, fruits, herbs, and many other things for cooking and making potions. She was rather fond of her garden as that was her safe place to think and breathe fresh air. On her way inside, she noticed a letter containing an invitation to a community potluck. At first, she was reluctant since she didn't know how to cook very well but with the help of magic, she knew she'd be able to do it.

The day of the potluck came and of course, she was running late. She pulled out a withering and dusty cookbook from off her bookshelf and set it in front of her. Flipping through the pages she looked at many different recipes but she decided to settle on creamy garlic chicken pasta and for dessert, a homemade dark chocolate mousse cake. Moving her hands in different motions, all her ingredients flew out of the cabinets as she started prepping the chicken and knives started chopping up garlic by themselves. She moved quickly but elegantly as she tossed different ingredients into a bowl. After getting everything ready, she tossed all the ingredients into a pan, muttering a spell, and the food started cooking immediately. With the pasta cooking, she got started on the cake.

She went into her pantry for some flour, oil, chocolate, and everything else she needs. The cookbook didn't hold a full recipe for the cake so she'd have to wing it. Tossing all the ingredients into a bowl, she started whisking furiously. Her batter was made and she poured it into a cake pan. She placed a cloth over the pan, muttered another spell, and when she removed the cloth underneath was a fully baked three-tier mousse cake. She sprinkled a bit of powdered sugar on the cake and set it aside. Moving from her cake back to the pasta. She put it in a container and wrapped the cake up safely. Making her way to her bedroom, she slipped out of her stained clothes and into the shower. Finishing her shower, Anastasia used more spells to get her ready, doing her hair into its usual straight and long style, adding pale foundation to her face, and black eyeliner on her eyes.

She pulled a black dress from her closet, slipped it on, and put on a black feathered shawl, and black heels. Spritzing a few pumps of her perfume on and grabbing her purse, she made her way out. The cake and pasta floated behind her and she made her way to the tent. As she entered, she noticed everyone had shown up but of course she was late. Anastasia set her food on the table and turned to the small crowd.

"Hello everyone, I am sorry for arriving a bit late I didn't realize how late I started cooking until well it was too late.", she chuckled lightly and continued speaking, "I made creamy garlic chicken pasta and a homemade dark chocolate mousse cake. I tried my best so I do hope everyone enjoys it." She smiled a bit and made her way to an empty seat.

 

[Veil Walker]

Abraxas gave each new arrival a huge smile and a complicated bow. He tried to prevent his mouth from watering as they all set delicious looking food down on each of the designated areas. He tilted his head slightly as he considered Eno's question.
"Good evening, Lady Eno. You are more than welcome to sit wherever you like. Would you like to sit at the head of the table? You are much more regal than I am." He gestured at the chair at the head of the table with a broad smile.
"May I also say, I LOVE your hijab. That color suits you well." Abraxas' eyes widened as each plate was shown and described. Each item drew an ever increasing rumble from his stomach. He let out a soft chuckle at the mention of Svi Svihem.
"I don't know how much of that I should have. The last time I had it, during my Journeyman travels, I got into a bit of trouble." Abraxas winced as he remembered the increasingly daring magical (and drunken) stunts that had culminated in setting several manticore tails on fire. Dealimg with the resulting stampede, especially drunk, was extremely difficult. Let alone fixing the property and crop damage. Some say the wheat still grows bright violet in that region. He chuckled as Anastasia arrived.
"Nonsense, Lady Anastasia. This is perfectly informal. Besides, everyone knows those of us in the magical business always arrive exactly when we need to." He tipped her a quick wink, before turning to address the entire group.
"Well, I welcome you all to the potluck. As this technically counts as my residence, I invite you to break bread, remember friendships and forget grievances. This is a place of peace, and follows the Rules of Hospitality." He gave each of them a serious look, before his expression changed into a cheeky grin.
"Now that the old duffer talk is out of the way, please eat up. Help yourself to food and drink as you like. I certainly will be. We have a stage set up, and some impromptu entertainment for you all. The stage is also there in case anyone wants to get up and show off a bit. Or not. Whatever makes you happy. Now let's dig in." With this, he turned to grab a plate. He frowned for a moment before it quadrupled in size in his hands and he began snagging one of everything.

 

[DovahBeat]

Strunmir looked down at the kitsune, Nines they had called themself.
"I'm afraid I haven't tried milk candies before, candy isn't really my thing." He replied first, before gazing out at the group that had assembled.
"My name's Strunmir."
He was momentarily distracted by how Bran seemed to have tensed for a moment as if something was wrong. That also put Strunmir on edge, causing him to scan the area for any possible threats. He only relaxed once he didn't sense any. Before he had time to question Bran on it, Abraxas had already called for them all to start serving themselves.
Putting that thought aside for now, Strunmir grabbed a plate and started to take a little bit of everything, partially because it all looked pretty good and also to be polite.
"Thank you, everyone. This all looks great! Can't wait to try it."

 

[Sunsmiter]

"Well, you should!" The kitsune chirped, apparently unbothered either way. "Here, have one." Well, normally she would reverse-pickpocket the candies everywhere, but hey, sometimes offering it is just the faster way. "Hm....oh dear I think I might need more plates." The kitsune was busy taking a taste of everything, her plate already teeming with delicacies that looked almost impossible for the fox to finish alone.
"Pleased to meet you Strunmir, why so tense? Perhaps you were preparing for a performance up there?" The kitsune was only joking of course, but then again when was she serious?

 

[Blaklyte]

Doe stepped to the side to let his ravenous neighbors get their servings. He hated waiting in lines, so he figured he would just wait for the masses to have their fill before serving himself. There was more than enough food for everyone, he wasn't concerned about losing out on any particular dish. Even if they did run out of something, that would just make it easier for Doe to decide what he would eat. He watched in amusement as people piled food onto their plates higher than they were tall. He wasn't as big of an eater as the rest of them were.
Thankfully it didn't take long for the crowd to recede. Doe picked a little bit of everything off the table. He had just placed his food at a nearby table when some movement caught the corner of his eye. Doe turned and saw Albatross poised on the ground, ready to jump to the table.

"Hey!"

Doe rushed over, snatching the hungry cat away from the food. Unfortunately he was not fast enough to stop her from taking a bite out of one of the dishes.

"No! That's not for you! Bad cat!"

He pried a perogi from Albatross's mouth (much to her protest) before plopping her unceremoniously onto the ground. Albatross glared at Doe before slinking off to the other tables (likely to find other plates to steal from). Doe looked around, hoping his cat didn't disturb any of the other guests. He felt his face heat up with embarrassment when he noticed Bran. He was the one who brought the perogis right? Oh dear..

"I-Im sorry for her--I didn't even know she followed me."

He said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. What a wonderful first impression he was making.

the farmer

Doe

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♡coded by uxie♡

Spoiler: Text Only

Doe stepped to the side to let his ravenous neighbors get their servings. He hated waiting in lines, so he figured he would just wait for the masses to have their fill before serving himself. There was more than enough food for everyone, he wasn't concerned about losing out on any particular dish. Even if they did run out of something, that would just make it easier for Doe to decide what he would eat. He watched in amusement as people piled food onto their plates higher than they were tall. He wasn't as big of an eater as the rest of them were.
Thankfully it didn't take long for the crowd to recede. Doe picked a little bit of everything off the table. He had just placed his food at a nearby table when some movement caught the corner of his eye. Doe turned and saw Albatross poised on the ground, ready to jump to the table.

"Hey!"

Doe rushed over, snatching the hungry cat away from the food. Unfortunately he was not fast enough to stop her from taking a bite out of one of the dishes.

"No! That's not for you! Bad cat!"

He pried a perogi from Albatross's mouth (much to her protest) before plopping her unceremoniously onto the ground. Albatross glared at Doe before slinking off to the other tables (likely to find other plates to steal from). Doe looked around, hoping his cat didn't disturb any of the other guests. He felt his face heat up with embarrassment when he noticed Bran. He was the one who brought the perogis right? Oh dear..

"I-Im sorry for her--I didn't even know she followed me."

He said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. What a wonderful first impression he was making.

 

[Indigo Knight]

Zee frowned a little at Bran's joke. Was it a joke? They slowly stuck one of the tupperware bowls full of brownies back in their bag. They had left some candy back home, but they'd be damned if they didn't get to eat some of the black bean brownies they had to smell for the past few hours. For good measure, they grabbed a piece of the newly brought cake too, before filling the rest of the plate with small bits of the wide array of food.

They then proceeded to awkwardly plop themselves down next to the bringer of said cake. "Heyo. I'm Zee, and I like baking too. Well... Not really baking all that much. But I like eating what I bake?" They smiled sheepishly, hoping that the conversation starter wasn't quite as horrible as they felt it was.

kevin

 

[Veil Walker]

Bran was waiting his turn patiently. He enjoyed watching people grab his nachos, though he was nervous. Had he oversmoked the meat? He hoped not. He hadn't had a chance to taste test everything, so he hoped it hadn't turned to shoe leather. He was just loading his own plate up, when he heard a commotion and saw a cat of all things running off with a pierogi in his mouth.
'Well, at least someone thinks it's good food,' he thought, as a big grin spread across his face. He watched as his new neighbor ran after the cat. He barked out a loud laugh, before Doe ran up to him. He tried to give the other man a reassuring smile, as he was clearly embarrassed.
"Do not worry, my friend. It is all to the good. There is food aplenty. Would you allow me to give your cat a treat?" He returned Doe's nod with one of his own, setting his plate down, before taking a knee in front of the cat's skulking place.
"Hello, little scritchling. Are you hungry? No one should go hungry today." He pulled a piece of dried meat out of his pocket, and held it out to the cat. It was quickly snatched, and Bran gave Albatross some soft scratches under the cat's chin. Standing, he turned back to Doe.
"You see? No harm done. Oh! I nearly forgot. I have something for you. Give me a moment!"
Bran hurried over to the workshop next to his house, before hustling back to where Doe stood, holding an object delicately wrapped in soft cloth.
"This is for you. An apology for making you uncomfortable in your own home. It is a garden statue. All copper. I forgot that some people have iron sensitivities. Please accept my apology." He gave a small bow, before gathering his plate and filling it with all manner of foods, though very little of his own creation. He took a seat a short distance from Abraxas.
"I look forward to seeing what is in store. Perhaps I shall do a small poetry reading," he said, blushing slightly. He hoped his simple poems would go over well. Everyone here seemed so distinguished compared to him.

 

[NanLia]

Eno’s flushed at Abraxas’s extravagant bow, her cheeks growing deeper as he went on to offer the head of the table, complimenting her. It was unexpected, to say the least, but she swiftly shook her head. Before she could answer, he was commenting on her hijab, causing her to reach up and run her fingers along the silken fabric. She wondered if she should remove it, to free her snakes but soon enough several other community members were arriving behind her.

She stepped aside, taking a seat at the far edge of the table to observe her neighbors as they arrived and presented themselves and their foods for the feast. They were quite rowdy and extroverted and while she certainly wasn’t a stranger to people like this, it was far different to find others, like herself, who were. In her experience, people like her were reserved and she wondered if everyone else felt far more comfortable with themselves than she was.

It seemed the very likeliest of reasons, why she sat alone and still concealed whereas everyone else mingled openly.

 

[Blaklyte]

Doe seemed relieved Bran wasn't upset with him. He chuckled softly.

"Oh i don't mind at all--go ahead."

Doe replied. As he said this Albatross poked her head out from under one of the tables. She padded up to the pair and sniffed Bran's shoe, she seemed well aware of what they had been talking about. Albatross took the treat and scarfed it down. She purred softly when Bran scratched under her chin,

"Mrrp!"

She cooed, giving his hand one last headbutt before he pulled away.
Doe tilted his head. A gift? He took the bundle from Bran, gently unwrapping it as Bran continued talking. He gasped quietly, running his fingers along the intricate copper statue. He could barely believe how detailed it was, he knew nothing of metal work, but surely something like this couldn't be easy. He looked back at Bran. He seemed confused at his insistence for an apology. He didn't remember Bran doing anything warranting one. At the mention of iron however, Doe recalled the terrible migraines he had been having this past week. All of which happened while Bran had been working at his forge next door. He unconsciously raised a hand to rub his temple. Just the thought of that hammer on metal caused a headache. Even so, he didn't think Bran was the cause of the discomfort.

"Wh--you don't need to apologize! Its not your fault at all!"

He replied as he rewrapped the statue.

"I have sensitive hearing! That's my problem not yours--?"

He was just about to hand the statue back to Bran, only to find he was already gone. Doe looked around, unable to locate where the man had gone. He looked back down at the statue. Looks like he would just have to return the favor later. He didn't want to spend the entire potluck looking for Bran, that would be weird. Instead, Doe returned to the spot where he placed his plate.
He poked at his piece of Spanakopita before noticing Eno sitting at the other end of the table, far from the others. Doe's expression softened. She looked lonely all by herself. Doe wasn't exactly the most talkative person either, but he felt bad seeing someone all on their own at a place like this. Doe hesitated only a moment. He slid himself and his plate closer to her.

"Howdy dear, I hope you don't mind some company.."

He said, he gently set Bran's gift down beside him before picking up his fork again.

"Did you get enough to eat?"

the farmer

Doe

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  Bran - Veil Walker (concluded)
  Eno - NanLia

  
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

♡coded by uxie♡