WHO: Anyone who wants to come
WHAT: Tree fort building party with a barbecue during/after
WHEN: Wed, April 15 at 12:30 am EST, 9:30 am PST (moo time) (For all you early
risers out there.) The barbecue will start around 1:30-2:00 EST
WHERE: Southern Boll crossroads
WHY: To help, gossip, gather, and have fun!
HOW: Come by dragon, boat, runner, or even your own two feet, just come and
have fun
Shel, Southern Boll's little terror
Hey, all you kids out there! Hie yourselves over to the Southern Boll Crossroads
for a treefort building party! Just @move to #2833 and join the fun. There'll
be free food, too!
Southern Boll Crossroads
The terraced road from the north flattens into a rounded area of cobblestone
here. Despite the best efforts of locals, tropical winds constantly scatter
sand across them. Dunes to the east roll gently towards the seashore. To the
south, the walls of Southern Boll Hold can be seen jutting up above the palm
and fruit trees. To the east, the public docks provide boat access to Ista Island
and other nearby ports of call; you may also take a wagon to the rest of Pern
('look wagonmaster' for help) or head off on the trail if you're riding a runner.
It is a spring before dawn. It is very warm with a gentle but steady breeze.
You see wagonmaster and Tree here.
Obvious exits:
Courtyard Docks Runner Trail
Tree
Branches just the right thickness that is perfect for climbing and for supporting
a fort goes up this tree. Under the tree is a small pile of lumber and tools
that look like they are waiting to build something, but what is the question.
If you are daring enough and climb up further you can see most of the hold and
the beaches and some of the sea. It would make a great lookout spot for any
kids daring enough to climb up and stay for any length of time. Looking down
you realize just how far up you are, the people look quite small and if there
is any wind at all it makes the top sway, reminding you of just how unstable
the top branches are.
Markis comes up the road from the hold.
Markis
Not too tall, but whipcord strong, with long dark hair flowing loose over his
shoulders and a meticulous Van Dyke beard setting off the sparkle of deep blue
eyes. Trim muscles play under tanned skin, evidence of long Turns of hard work.
On his left ring finger he wears a thick bronze ring, subtly etched with a double-diamond
design and set with a large amber stone. Simple yet impressive, it has special
meaning to Auryn.
A dark brown tunic hangs to just above his knees, belted at the waist with black
leather. Lighter brown leggings trace his legs to disappear into black leather
boots. Over his shoulders hangs a long linen hooded duster, all in black save
for the gray braided sisal trim running up the front and around the edges. Over
the right breast, he wears a singular pin -- a large green stone, set in white
metal. A flash of gold flutters near Markis's shoulder. Dusty brown hunches,
a small shape wrapped around Markis's throat. A leather roll hangs from a belt
around Markis's waist.
Markis is 29 Turns, 7 months, and 7 days old.
He is awake and looks alert.
You say, "guess what I found on the beach!!"
Markis grins at the girl. "What did you find on the beach?" He nods at the wagonmaster,
and sits down in the dust by Shel.
Shel carefully takes Neptune out of his pouch and shows him to Markis
You release Neptune, who launches into the air.
You say, "isn't he pretty?"
Neptune
Streamlined and elegant as a serpent, the young firelizard seems to have been
created from the very depths of the sea. Long sinuous body's hue the tone of
frothy ocean, large eyes the gleaming gems nestled in the mother-of-pearl ridges,
the long neck and tail forming the curve of the incoming tide, capped opalescence
of breakers on a distant shore. His bearing is at once proud and fickle, his
favor turns more readily than a teasing breeze, and his ire awakens at the slightest
sign of disrespect. He isn't mere 'lizard, he is elemental, the raw force of
Nature's grandeur shines in his every action.
Neptune is 7 days old.
Markis smiles at the young pair. "Oh, my, isn't he, though." Looks like Shel
has met her match in Neptune.
Iriane preens from Markis' shoulder, casting an eye on the hatchling, as well.
Ooooh, pretty blue.
Markis idly stirs the dust of the road, sketching carving designs in the flour-fine
earth.
Shel scrambles up the tree and dangles down from one of the lower branches.
Shel swings back down from the tree and lands on the ground with a slight thump
Hari comes up the road from the hold.
Hari
Brown eyes set deep in a ruddy face gleam with a canny eagerness; baked-brown
cheeks and salt-and-pepper braids, along with the matronly padding of her generous
frame, add to the overall picture of a woman comfortable in a kitchen.
On her left shoulder, a simple knot of lavender and white shows her to be Weaver
Hall staff.
Off-white linen drapes from shoulders to floor, the simple dress covered from
collar to knees with a thick linen apron; full sleeves rolled up to the elbows
sport a few faint stains on the bottom of the roll, evidence with the smudges
on her apron of her calling in life. Hari is 35 Turns and 1 month old.
She is awake and looks alert.
Serving Table
Bright, cheery table linens, dyed pink and embroidered with berries and vines
and leaves and flowers drape to the floor, the perfect setting for the sculpted
feast displayed there. Spring flowers, arranged around a triple-tiered tray
of fresh, steaming, sticky sweetrolls, add their wild perfume to the mouthwatering
aroma wafting from the breads. Beside the sweetroll tree sits a large platter
of chilled sliced meats, carefully rolled and skewered with brightly colored
slivers of wood, each with a blossom atop it. Next to the meat tray, cheese
cubes stack high, adorned with sprigs of fresh herbs and carrot curls. Candied
fruits come next, strips of mangoes and orangefruit peels and other exotic fruits,
boiled in thick syrup until translucent, then dried to glistening rigidity and
arranged here into the form of a large rose. Finally, a pitcher of fresh-squeezed
juice stands surrounded by cups and plates and forks and napkins.
Auryn comes up the road from the hold.
Auryn
* Long, dark-copper waves fall down her back, or, more often than not, she has
them confined in some braided configuration. Even then, rebellious strands constantly
work their way loose and drift around her face. Large brown eyes nearly match
the color of her hair, and tilt just enough to give her a pixie-ish, mischievous
look. They usually twinkle with curiosity, especially if games of chance are
afoot - a passion she tries to suppress. She is just a tad tall for a girl,
around 5'10 when she stands straight. Although she detests the description,
she'll grudgingly admit 'big boned' is appropriate, and therefore is careful
to keep herself fit and trim. The result is a lithe and graceful figure, long
lines of arm and leg, hips and chest making pleasant curves. Appearing shy at
first, she might seem to be quiet, but once she warms to you a bubbily, highly
imaginative personality reveals itself.
* A simple round of olivewood adorns her wrist, delicately carved with tropical
flowers and smoothed to a warm sheen. She also wears a knot of red and white,
the colors of Southern Boll Hold, which has been fashioned into a pin.
* Shimmery saffron gauze drapes over a snug sleeveless shirt of a paler yellow.
Two thin shoulder straps criss-cross against her back. A wide, cream-colored
waistband wraps loosely around her hips, providing numerous niches for storing
the small treasures she's always picking up or carrying around with her. Her
pants are a patchwork of the saffron gauze and paler yellow material, stopping
just below her knees. Leather slip-on sandals cover her feet. Mocha regards
you, perched atop Auryn's shoulder.
Auryn is 21 Turns, 7 months, and 26 days old.
She is awake and looks alert.
Markis grins at his lady. "Hey, you," he says from his sitting position in
the dusty road. "Shel's been showing off her Neptune again."
You say, "hi mommy!!"
Hari hustles and bustles around her table, complaining about the very dust that
Markis seems to enjoy so much. "It'll /ruin/ the food, you realize that," she
says, as if continuing an argument.
Auryn waves at everyone, quick hugs for those she can reach. Plopping down beside
Markis she wraps an arm around his. 'Ah, Neptune. Pretty little thing. How's
everything going?'
You say, "it's going good we're almost ready to start."
Markis grins across at Auryn, the motion cracking a sifting of road dust from
his beard. "Oh, it's coming along just fine, isn't it, Shel?"
Auryn smiles. 'Good! I was afraid I'd miss too much.' A second glance at Markis
brings a tilted grin. '/You/ are filthy!'
Shel nods her head enthusiastically and swings up to one of the lower branches
and makes a little nest for Leslie and Neptune so that she can swing about without
fear of dislodging them
Shel carefully places Neptune in the nest and sets Leslie to watch out for him.
Markis chuckles. "I may be filthy, but I'm dirty-minded, too."
Shel goes up a little higher and flips around one of the branches, her purple
hair flying around behind her.
Auryn watches Shel warily. Giving Markis a playful nudge in the ribs for his
gibe, she grins, 'You aren't getting /one/ kiss until you clean up.' As Shel
goes higher, she grimaces, 'I swear she's going to fall any second. I don't
know how she hangs on, the little monkey.'
Shel does a couple of more flips back down to the ground and lands next to the
pile of lumber
Markis beams. "She gets it from me, I'm sure." Not that he had anything to do
with Shel's coming to be, but she's surely been climbing around in his lumber
piles in the shop. Witness the 'missing' lumber and tools at the foot of the
tree.
Markis applauds his foster-daughter's agility.
Shel giggles and skips over to the table and gets a glass of juice to quench
her growing thirst.
Hari smiles as the little girl samples her wares. "You like it, do you? Squeezed
it myself," she says.
Shel smiles "it's really good!
Auryn shakes her head, but can grin now that Shel's feet are safely on the ground.
'I see your hair is still purple, Shel,' she observes.
You say, "yep it didn't come out in the water."
Shel eyes the spot a little ways up in the tree, the one with the two fairly
even strong branches perfect for the fort.
Shel points at the spot and says, "right there is perfect for it."
Auryn gives Markis a 'what do you do now? grin and shrugs. 'So any ideas on
how we're doing this fort?' she says to everyone. She looks up at the tree.
'Hmmm, looks pretty sturdy. What do you think Markis?'
Shel climbs up to the spot and eyes it closely.
Hari bustles about, directing her offspring with the same efficient wooden-spoon-wielding
manner as she uses with her kitchen staff. And they follow, boy do they follow!
Lissy sets out chairs, while Ardin refreshes the refreshments. Hari, meanwhile,
usurps one of the chairs and settles her pudgy body into it. Ahhhhhhh.
Lissy
Taller than her mother, Lissy reaches a whopping five-foot-five, and fills it
in nicely, too. Youthful curves in /all/ the right places only accentuate the
lack of curves in the wrong places. Still, she has her mother's mousy brown
hair and ruddy skin, though on her it gleams like robust health instead of too
long over the ovens. Her eyes sparkle the sea-gray of her long-departed father's,
and her nose, too, echoes his lines.
From the straight slash of a boat neckline, her midnight blue linen tunic falls
in gentle folds to tuck into her midnight blue woolen skirt, gently swirling
at her ankles. Over her tunic wraps a creamy linsey-woolsey shirt, tied at the
waist, long sleeves rolled casually to her elbow; an apron of the same pale
fabric wraps over her skirt, fanciful hand-printed firelizards of midnight blue
dancing and flitting along the bottom and up the sides. A jute belt, braided
of two strands blue to one strand white, encircles her waist and ties loosely,
the free ends dangling at her right hip. Black leather boots kick out from under
her skirt.
Lissy is 16 Turns, 6 months, and 21 days old.
She is awake and looks alert.
Ardin
Short and rather pudgy, he barely tops five-foot-seven on a bad-hair day, but
his straw-brown, straw-stiff hair usually adds that crucial inch to his height
anyway. Grey eyes blink out from behind thick glasses, the lenses precariously
perched on his incongruously large nose. Poor thing has his father's face, but
he has his father's sense of humor, too, and the laugh lines framing those young
eyes to prove it.
Layers rule the day, from the black linen tunic to the gray and white striped
linsey-woolsey shirt buttoned over it, to the creamy woolen cardigan buttoned
over that, to the dark green quilted leather jacket with furred collar toggled
over that! Soft pleated trous of klah-with-cream suede, belted by silver-tipped,
silver-buckled gray leather, snuggle down into dark brown wherhide boots.
Ardin is 18 Turns, 11 months, and 9 days old.
He is awake, but has been staring off into space for a minute.
A dusty wagon rolls up along the road. The driver pulls on the reins and the
wagon stops.
Tomar hops out the back of the wagon.
Tomar
Stands about 5'2 and his slim frame looks about one size too small for his white
shirt. Long blond hair is tied back in a long tail that falls to his mid back.
With his hair pulled back, clear deep blue eyes peer out from a tanned young
and honest face. His voice is still high and has an almost harper quality to
it. But a well used pack that hangs from his slim shoulders, seems to contain
clean bandages that over flow the bound cover flap hint at his hope to someday
be a healer.
Tomar is dressed in a clean white shirt that is tucked into a worn but fine
pants.
Tomar is 13 Turns and 3 days old.
He is awake and looks alert.
Tomar grabs his pack and with a wave of thanks to the wagon driver move away
Tomar says, "Hi "
Tomar moves toward group
Shel looks down at the new person and waves at him from her spot up in the tree
You say, "hihi! Have you come to help?"
Tomar says, "Um help with what? "
Talyka comes up the road from the hold.
Talyka
Deceptively small, Talyka seems younger than her Turns warrant. Long, jet-black
hair curled into wild, thick ringlets, tumbles down to her lower back. Large,
expressive eyes, more black than brown, peer out from behind the loose curls
halloing her face. A pert, pointed nose, often the only part visible under the
curls, at least lets you know which way she's facing. Her skin seems extremely
pale against her hair, but her cheeks boast a healthy glow, and her dark red
lips curve often in a shy smile. A small furrow on her forehead, when it shows
from under her tousled hair gives her a worried look, as do her stubby-bitten
nails.
From the straight slash of a boat neckline, her creamy white linen tunic falls
in gentle folds to tuck into her forest green woolen skirt, gently swirling
at her ankles. Over her tunic wraps a pale green linsey-woolsey shirt, tied
at the waist, long sleeves rolled casually to her elbow; an apron of the same
pale fabric wraps over her skirt. Black leather boots kick out from underneath.
Talyka is 16 Turns, 2 months, and 20 days old.
She is awake and looks alert.
She's here... but is she all there?
You say, "help build the tree fort."
Tomar looks up at what they have done so far.
Talyka wanders out from the hold and waves at everybody. 'Hullo!' Lots of people...
Hari stretches her short legs out in front of her chair, and watches.
Markis sits still in the dust of the road, idle scribbles surrounding him in
the flour-fine dirt. Carving designs, perhaps?
Tomar walks over to the table and puts his pack by it.
Tomar looks back with a smile
Shel does her flips back to the ground and skips over to see what Markis is
scribbling
Lissy waves at the girl coming up from the hold. "Hello. Care for something
to nibble on?" She waves a lithe hand towards the spread table. "My name's Lissy,
that's my brother, Ardin, and my mother, Hari. We work at the weaver hall."
Tomar says, "Oh Hi I'm Tomar. Its nice to meet you"
Tomar says, "That would be great it was a long ride down from the fort complex"
Markis glances up. Oh. "Hi, I'm Markis." Introductions all around. "And Shel
is our little girl," he adds, casting a fond glance at his bride, Auryn.
Shel looks up from trying to figure out what Markis is doing to introduce herself.
"I'm Shel" and then goes back to the scribbles
Ardin just waves.
Tomar says, "Hi"
Talyka nods. 'That would be good.' She grabs herself a plate and piles it up.
'I'm Talyka. Well met.' She pours herself a mug of juice, one-handed, and sets
to. 'What's the occasion?'
Hari reaches over with her wooden spoon --long handled for a reason-- and baps
Ardin's hand. "Now, Ardin, you can do more than that." She's already been introduced.
Tomar Grins
Auryn watches Markis's fingers trail through the dirt and wanders over to Hari.
'Did you happen to bring some water and cloth, Hari?' Some people are going
to have to wash their hands before eating.
Ardin grimaces', shaking his bapped hand, and says, "Hi. Ardin. Dig in." He
sidesteps another swing from that spoon, and grins at the young man.
You say, "we're going to build a tree fort!"
Hari nods up at Auryn. "Of course," she says, and, again using the wooden spoon,
lifts the berry-toned tablecloth to reveal a pitcher and basin and a stack of
towels on a lower rack beneath the table.
Tomar Grabs a cup and pours something cool.
Talyka grins at Shel. 'Right now? Oh, wicked!'
Tomar says, "ahhh by the first shell that's as good and wanted as a fine wind
on still seas"
You say, "yup it's gonna be really awesome!"
Auryn nods. 'I should have known, Hari. You're always prepared,' she chuckles.
Markis quickly brushes that last design into oblivion, pulls himself into a
standing position, and pats the dust off his backside. And his thighs, and his
legs, and his arms, and his hair -- sharding dust gets everywhere.
Tomar looks over the tree trying to fathom how it will be done
Auryn turns to watch Markis's progress (he better /not/ be going straight for
food) as she says toward Tomar, 'Shel has a spot picked out and the supplies
are all ready to go.'
Tomar scratches head a little looking up
Talyka takes a step away from the rising dust cloud that's enveloping Markis,
puts her now empty mug down and bites into a meatroll. 'Have you got a plan
for it?'
Markis strides over to claim Auryn's hand in his dusty own. "Thanks, Hari, you're
marvelous." He takes a good look at the spread table, as well. "Oh, candied
mangoes!"
Lissy grins at Talyka's meatroll. "You have a firelizard, don't you?" Most folks
with firelizards always have meatrolls on them.
Shel giggles and carefully washes her hands under her mothers' close scrutiny
and then grabs some of the candied fruit and a couple of meatrolls.
Talyka grins at Lissy, 'Yep, but I like /em too, just finish this up then I'll
start on all the sweet stuff, see?
Auryn laughs, tugging on Markis's dusty hand. 'I knew it. Here, this first.'
Taking his other hand too, she pulls them into the water basin and splashes
away all the dust. Then picks up a towel and rubs them dry. With a grin, she
tweaks his nose with the towel. 'There, love, now you're all set.'
Auryn grins after Shel - I saw that.
Hari ahems a little, coughing the dust away, and wonders where people are getting
all the meatrolls . . . .
Tomar walks around the tree
Shel grabs the meatrolls out of her pocket and carefully feed Neptune his in
small pieces and sets the other one next to Leslie
Markis meekly submits to the washing, grinning at Shel's hasty grab of candied
fruits, and plants a kiss on Auryn's hair before turning toward the more important
things in life. Snacks.
Talyka grins, still eating... having finished all the stuff in her pockets,
she's now got room to fill them up with other stuff. As well as putting a decent
amount of it into her mouth, of course...
Ardin grins at Talyka's progress. "Here, try some of this," he says, pointing
to the cheeses stacked so carefully.
Shel puts her firelizards back down in their little nest she had made for them
in the tree and skips over to Markis
You say, "hey daddy we have to make the bottom first right?"
Auryn takes a moment to look over the decorative feast. Debating between chilled
and skewered meat, or herb adorned cheese cubes, she says, 'Hari, you've really
outdone yourself. Everything looks so appetizing.'
Markis nods, his mouth currently full of rolled and skewered meat. "Mmmph,"
he says, to Shel. Then, to Hari, he adds, "Bbpmph."
Hari takes Markis' comments in stride. "Thank you. I think."
Ardin slips a sweetroll onto a plate for Talyka, adding four cubes of cheese
and a sprig of mint to balance the dish.
Tomar turning to Markis
Markis catches Tomar's motion, and turns to wink at him.
Talyka gets going on the cheeses and turns just in time to see another plate
coming at her. Whoa! Better slow down or she's get indigestion!
Tomar says, "Well sir if ya want Ill climb up and you can hand the wood up."
Hari beams at Auryn, though. "You work hard enough, you might just train him
yet."
Tomar says, "Don't look no higher then the rigging I'm use too."
Auryn decides to be diplomatic and try a little of everything. At Hari's comment,
she glancing toward Markis and grins, 'I don't know... maybe...' Reaching the
other end of the table, she asks Talyka, 'How're those cheese cubes, Talyka?'
Tomar says, "Though I am more sure on ropes then these trees. But can't be any
harder"
Talyka casts a sidelong glances at Tomar, then goes back to her plate, just
popping another cube into her mouth as Auryn asks the question, so it's while
before she responds. 'Good. /Very/ good.' She takes another one.
Shel decides to show off her great skill in the trees and scrambles up and does
a quick little flit from one of the branches to another.
Auryn almost chokes on a bite. 'Shel! Be careful up there!'
Tomar jumps a little when she did that
Tomar says, "wow don't fall"
Tomar says, "but you're sure good at climbing"
You say, "don't worry I wont I'm good at this."
Tomar grabs a branch and pulls himself up.
Tomar climbs around starting to enjoy it
Auryn watches and munches, looking ready to spring forward and catch someone
at any moment.
Tomar climbs as high as he dares and get seated in a notch
Tomar leans against the tree and closes his eyes then has to grab with one hand
to keep steady
Tomar looks up into the sky
Shel carefully flips down to where she put her firelizards and checks on the
m to make sure they haven't wandered off.
Auryn finishes snacking and wanders over to the woodpile. Inspecting the tools
she picks them up one at a time. Looking at the wood, then u-u-u-u-u-u-p into
the tree, she says, 'I'm glad someone knows how to do this because I don't.'
Brynna
Slender and slightly taller than most girls, Brynna shows quiet grace in feature
and form. Thick wavy black hair, the color of a midnight sky, subtly cascades
past her shoulders almost midway down her back. Her deep brown eyes twinkle
with some hidden amusement peering from long black lashes that intensify her
equally brown skin. Liquid and full, those eyes hint at the warm, gentle personality
within or the quiet fury of a winter storm when she is upset. Her lips are slightly
upturned in a faint ever-present smile, ever since getting handfasted though.
Graceful hands, long and slender echo the similar lines and subtle curves of
her tall, slender figure.
Around her neck, is a delicate, slim sliver chain. An oval gem of light blue
is on the outside, inside a gem of light pink rests. Inside the inner gem, two
silhouettes, glistening different colors can be seen. A small gold ring centered
with a heart shaped ruby and diamonds on either side encircles her right ring
finger.
A crisp ivory white sleeveless flaxen blouse is tucked into a cinnamon brown
split skirt that flows gracefully to the floor. A simple brown belt is fastened
at her waist. As she walks, soft white leather sandals with wide straps are
on her feet. Kiwi regards you slowly from her perch on Brynna's right shoulder.
Nightwind regards you from Brynna's left shoulder, eyes whirling a gentle blue
with hints of green.
Brynna is 21 Turns, 5 months, and 26 days old.
She is awake and looks alert.
Brynna waves as she walks out, "Hi!"
Auryn grins. 'Wicked? Did you pick that up from Talyka?'
Auryn waves, 'Hiya Brynna!' She gestures up into the tree, 'See Shel's new fort?'
And nods at the table, 'There's still a few munchables left if you're hungry.'
Brynna chuckles, "So this is what she's been working on?"
Tree
Branches just the right thickness that is perfect for climbing and for supporting
the fort that is in this tree. Being just newly built it is sparse and doesn't
have anything in it yet. The treefort is just a little short for a normal sized
adult but it is perfect for kids to play in. If you are daring enough and climb
up further you can see most of the hold and the beaches and some of the sea.
It would make a great lookout spot for any kids daring enough to climb up and
stay for any length of time. Looking down you realize just how far up you are,
the people look quite small and if there is any wind at all it makes the top
sway, reminding you of just how unstable the top branches are.
Inside the tree
This little fort is still plain but there are big and colorful plans coming
up for it.
Shel climbs down to the lower branch where her firelizards are sitting and
gathers them up and brings them up to the fort.
Brynna steps closer to the tree and nods, "This is really cute Shel"
Shel grins "thank you lots of people helped!"
Auryn selects a few pieces of candied fruit as everyone admires the fort. 'Mmmm,
Hari really outdid herself,' she mumbles to herself.
Brynna tilts her head to look up the tree and chuckles; "Too bad I'm too big."
Auryn chuckles at Shel's comment, 'Yah, we even resorted to drafting some poor
visitor who happened by. He was wonderful though, Tomar was his name.'
Brynna turns around; "Just how many ended up helping?"
Auryn pauses to count. 'Eight.'
Brynna blinks, "Wow."
Auryn ticks off on her fingers, 'There was Hari and her two kids, Markis, me
and Shel, Talyka, Tomar.... Yep, that's it.'
Shel climbs up into the tree and falls asleep exhausted from all the work
How the inside looks now
Shel's Tree Fort
As you step into this little fort colors assault you from all sides. The curtain
covering the door and window were made out of small pieces of many colors of
scrap fabric. Even the blanket over the floor was made out of the scrap pieces.
At first it seems like all the colors in the rainbow are there but as you look
closer it seems like purple is the predominet color on everything in this little
fort. Even the walls have been painted with handprints of purple color. Even
the branch and nest of fabric scraps are purple.
Thanks everyone who came it was alot of fun.