abraxaslogs | ( open ) an informal family dinner

Who: the summoned of cadens
When: beginning of august
Where: the sarstina inn and tavern
What: the welcome committee (sam wilson, hilda, jesper) has come back together again for another cadens welcome event! everyone might remember the last event and this one will be much of the same. Including, but not limited to, another invite by hilda! | sam art credit!
Warnings: will update as needed!

THE DINNER

Just as before, this is kicked off with Hilda's invitation, and if any of the Summoned come by Sarstina's that evening, they will find it set up a little differently than usual, but very similar to last time.

There is a long table set up near the bar that has a whole party-spread, a ye-old-southern-party kind of set-up, if you will. There are dips, charcuterie plates, sandwiches, drinks, a pastry/dessert bar and almost anything else that Sam could get his hands on. It is all, of course, limited by what’s available in Cadens, but thankfully he’s been here long enough to figure his way around the food options. Behind the bar is Mag (because no one else is getting their hands on the alcohol stash, thank you very much) and she will serve whoever it is that comes up to ask for a drink and will refuse any sort of payment - it appears someone is covering the tab tonight.

The rest of the tavern is set up for a party, with tables and chairs scattered around, a stage set up in the corner, and a decently sized space in front of the stage for dancing if the night gets to that point. There may or may not be some live music later in the evening, no promises have been made, but if anyone else wants to get up on the stage they are more than welcome.

Nadine has been kind enough to provide little apothecary bags filled with a mild sleeping tonic and things to help settle the nerves that new (and old) Summoned can take with them. There’s a table near the door and by the bar that have these bags in wicker baskets with a small sign that reads: Visit Salves and Stitches for all your medical needs!

The vibes are definitely low-key and casual – come get an ale, come eat some food, and if you're new there is a very good chance you'll end up (gently and in the most friendly way) cornered by either Sam, Hilda, Jesper, or any of the other Summoned. They are here to help answer questions and give a bit more background on what the hell is going on. And also let you know about the deal that has been going with Mag and the Inn for almost two years now. Aka, if you're looking for a room, there is one here for you in exchange for work. You can leave whenever you have a job, or you can stay as long as you like. It’s all about helping Summoned get more settled, and as long as you’re good at taking instruction and picking up after yourself, Mag hasn’t had any issues. Not a bad gig, right?

And if being social isn't your thing, or you’re just not the party kind of person, the Welcome Committee understands. But also, really, who is going to turn down free drinks and free food? The Cities work on coin and commerce, so turning down a free meal isn’t really the smartest thing. Plus - there’s alcohol. And the food is pretty damn good.

OOC INFO

- this is a totally open post! There will be some TL’s below from the Committee Members, but otherwise, have fun, meet some people, and put up a TL of your own! there are various places to run into people around the tavern, and if you find someone who is willing to help you into the Horizon (Sam is happy to help, but he’s helping Host), Sam's been letting people know they can use his room upstairs.

- the only Rule is there will be no fighting. You want to duke it out? Take it somewhere else. There will not be warnings or second chances, so don't be an ass. Summoned have lived in this Inn since they were all portaled here ages go, this is their home. and if ANYONE is seen giving Mag a hard time, there are a few people here who will not hesitate and who are not afraid of squaring up. Also, you cause problems, and you will not be invited back :)

- The whole purpose of the Welcome Committee is going to be going overboard to be welcoming, especially to new faces. Even if your character didn't see the big invitation, feel free to have them invited by word of mouth, or chased down by any of the members. Some Summoned may have also checked the barracks for any new Summoned to bring them into town.

- Mag is an NPC who you can read a little more about in the NPC section of the Cadens setting page. Feel free to have her come in and out of your tags as needed!

THE INN

Magmara (or Mag) has run the inn for years and has been a familiar face in that neighborhood as a woman who always made ends meet, almost in spite of the way she took care of her friends and neighbors above all else. Most weren't always sure how she managed to run the place on her own, but she made due, though she always seemed a bit overwhelmed and exhausted. When the Summoned arrived in the Cadens through that first portal, Sam managed to stumble in and make quick friends with Mag. In exchange for manual labor, fixing up and cleaning up the inn, as well as whatever other various tasks Mag needed to be done around, Sam would be given free room and board (a deal she now offers to any Summoned that arrives in the city for as long as they need it).

The inn itself is 4 floors tall, with the top three floors making up the 15 or so rooms (around five rooms per floor), and the entire bottom floor reserved for the restaurant area. The tavern makes up the entire first floor and is a large open floorplan, with a small stage in the corner, a walled-off area for the decently sized kitchen, and a large wooden bar where Mag does all her business for both the inn and tavern (where can almost always be found standing behind). It serves drinks of some variety (though not nearly as large a selection as some of the more well-known taverns) and some food (usually a single, large meal that will be served to the tenants and whoever comes in throughout the night for a moderate price). It can be busy some evenings, but in general tends to keep a more 'dive-bar' kind of feel, filled with more locals and regulars than a casual dinner-going crowd.

The rooms themselves vary from fairly simple, single-bed inn-style rooms with a small bathroom and little else, up to a two 'bedroom' suite style with small kitchenettes and spaces for sitting rooms. Each bedroom has its own small bathroom for the tenants, with cleaning, washing, and chores left to those who live there. What used to be more of a working inn now serves as a kind of boarding house for newly arrived Summoned (or simply those who won't leave), and Mag has found herself quite okay with that.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Well. This was a wake-up call Finn's been needing. And, really, it all should have been obvious from the jump, but there was a comfort in community and an even bigger comfort in a shared goal. The possibility of getting home. Soon, even.

As it is, he stops idly toying with his pastry as some things finally settle. ]

... Huh. [ It's a lot. And he's quiet for a long moment, but if Finn's good at anything, it's recovery. ]

So, what do you do around here then?

[ He just really wants an idea. Finn going stir crazy isn't something anyone here wants. ]

[ As far as reactions go, that's a fairly subdued one.

There's community to be found here. Family. Just not one formed solely of being summoned. Though in fairness, the conflicts have been less as of late. And few remain who remember Thorne's decisions in the earliest days. ]

Depends. [ He tilts his head. Do is a broad question, but he assumes Finn—like most of them—is seeking to earn a living. Doesn't matter which world you land in. Tough to get by without some coin. ] Where do your skills lie?

[ Finn looks sturdy enough, so. Likely no shortage of work to be found regardless of talents. Cadens is a city perpetually in need of labor; Geralt spent the first few months loading and carrying shit until he could afford a horse and a sword. ]

[ Ah, well, that's part of the problem. Finn nearly pouts. ]

I was a soldier. Combat, mostly. Not really keen on signing up, though.

[ The dream was to not fight anymore, not join a military just to join. And he definitely doesn't trust these people. ]

I could do physical labor, at least.

Wouldn't recommend it, either.

[ Are there those who have? A rare few. Geralt does not begrudge them, exactly; coin is coin, and besides, there are uses to having someone he knows within the ranks. But at the same time, he finds it a...complicated decision, at best. The Free Cities does not merely have an army. It is its army.

He gestures at Sam—easily spotted across the room. ] He'll find something for you. Though any blacksmith around here could use an assistant.

[ Fetch water, work the fires, clean the forge. If there's something the Free Cities produces much of, it's weapons. ]

[ Finn wasn't the biggest fan of the "volun-told" type of military long before he arrived. Even though he hasn't really talked to many about it, he's happy now to find someone else who openly opposes the whole thing, for whatever reason Geralt has.

It's also nice to hear that there are some options, and he perks up at the suggestion. ]

Blacksmithing. That sounds interesting. [ Even though he glances over at Sam, he's kind of already decided where to put his resume, so to speak. ] I think I'll give it a shot. I already know weapons. Couldn't hurt to ask around.

Thanks.

[ If a blacksmith is where Finn finds himself, they'll likely cross paths again soon. He doesn't need weapons forged for himself—his two swords are sufficient—but he occasionally accompanies another to find something suitable for them. Or to repair nicks in his blades.

He could leave the conversation there; small talk is rarely of interest to Geralt. But something Finn stated earlier catches his attention. ]

You said you were a soldier?

[ He's met a few here. Sephiroth, for one. Most retain the present tense when they identify as such. ]

[ Oh, they'll definitely cross paths, then. Finn's already setting up big blacksmithing dreams for himself over here. But for now, he sort of shrugs. ]

I am, I suppose, just not for the people here. Feels strange to say I am when I'm not doing the work.

[ Feels weirder to say he's not, but there's some weird level of guilt there to claim that he is in this place. ]

But I'll always be a soldier. [ Whether he likes it or not. ] What did you used to do?

[ Fair point. He imagines it is a far different thing to enlist for a nation that effectively abducted you from your home. ]

A hunter. [ A Witcher, really, but he has long since learned that term means nothing to those here. All roads lead back to him describing himself as some type of monster hunter. ] I kill monsters for coin.

[ Still does.

A touch more lucrative here than it was on the Continent, though that's only because Geralt often rides out for weeks at a time. The desert has no shortage of beasts, if one can face them. ]

[ Far different. Such a thing has happened to him before, though the First Order had left him with far less of a choice. This time, even if they tried to force the issue, he would have gladly died first.

So, good thing it didn't come to that.

Anyway, Finn's eyebrows raise, his interest piqued. A hunter sounded like someone who went after deer or boar, not someone slaying... monsters. ]

They keep you busy?

[ How many monsters are actually out here if Geralt's making a living off of this? ]

[ He does that, too. If Finn shows up at more of these gatherings, he'll eventually catch Geralt handing a whole hog or a shank of deer over to Sam at some point.

Then promptly leaving, because this is perhaps one of the only times he's ever sat to eat over the past two, nearly three summers. ]

Busy enough. [ He tilts his head, sensing the implication behind the question. ] Most lie far beyond these walls. You've nothing to worry about in here.

[ Besides, Geralt calls them monsters, but some are no more dangerous than a nest of vipers or a bear. Depends on what one chooses as a mark. Either way, they're primarily contained to the Badlands. You'd need to seek them out to find them. ]

[ While that is absolutely comforting to know, the monsters attacking are only half of what was on his mind. Still, he nods. ]

And you're partly to thank for that, I'm sure.

[ Finn likes throwing thanks around, even if Geralt didn't really have a hand in that. It's something. ]

If you ever come across something you might need help with, I'm willing. Won't even ask for a cut.

[ Honestly, he's mostly curious. ]

[ Not really is the thought that crosses Geralt's mind, but he senses the sentiment is more of a courtesy than anything.

But he's always willing to accept an offered hand. Never know when he'll need it. ]

I may take you up on that.

[ With his tankard empty, he rises from his seat. He never means to linger at these sorts of parties long—hell, he usually isn't here in the first place—and now that he's eaten his fill, he's ready to fuck off. ]

Look after yourself.

( open ) an informal family dinner

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im so sorry i lost this notif ;-;

you're totally okay ♥

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