abraxaslogs | ( open ) an informal family dinner

Entry tags:

( 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

[ Jesper is one of the welcome committee so he can be seen wandering the party the whole time, usually on his feet, filling drinks, picking up finished plates, generally being helpful. He is the poster boy for being helpful in exchange for a room, and from the outside, he would seem like the person who knows everyone there. And he does. He's chatty, friendly, energetic, quick to laugh, and seems to notice when people need a refill before even they do.

Jesper is also observant. His gray eyes might be warm but they are also very sharp as they glance around the space, fixing on new faces and sizing them up quickly. He dresses in bright shades of green, intentionally something of a peacock, and he is probably the only person in the room with guns at his hips. He never takes them off, and they're hard to get around here.

He notices James and figures as a new person he's trying to take it all in. It's overwhelming. He gets that. So when he approaches the man it's with an ale jug, flashing a smile. ]

Need a refill?

[ It's as good a reason as any to start a conversation, and he nods at the question. ]

Yeah, this is basically the free housing for the Summoned. Mag is the best, we help her out around, maybe throw her coin when we start making it, and in exchange, we've got a place to go. Most Summoned end up here, although some move out when they rent their own spaces, or even buy.

[ Well, he certainly looks helpful, and maybe a little too friendly and cheerful for James's taste. He's not exactly used to people like that, honestly he can't remember anyone back in his reality being like that. That's probably been the most jarring thing to get used to here. (Haven't all these people been kidnapped too? They all seem a little too happy about it, honestly.)

At least this guy's armed, that immediately piques James's interest. He got his hands on blades as soon as he managed after getting here, and he hasn't parted with them since, although he's keeping most of them tucked away under layers of clothes for this gathering, with just one sheathed to the back of his belt. He eyes Jasper's weapons first, then up to his face, finally to the jug in his hand. ]

Sure.

[ Not his favorite drink, but it's what's most easily available here, so. ]

My own space would be ideal, but I'm guessing that might take a while. I've been debating enlisting anyway. Just trying to consider all my options.

[ There are few people here as extroverted and cheerful as Jesper, outside of Hilda and Sam, who are also part of the welcoming committee so really they end up drawn to this kind of situation. He is a very carefree person, no weight on his shoulders, at ease in this place and the life he's currently living. The Cadens crew are some of the most naturally independent types and prone to simply going about their business, kidnapped or not. Sometimes even to the barracks. ]

Ah, a military man, then.

[ Jesper pours the drink for him. It's solidly good ale, not the fancy types found in Nocwich or Thorne, but pleasant. He saw the look James shot toward his guns so that isn't a hard guess to jump to. There is no judgment in his tone about the military, a statement of fact. Although he doesn't like the military and never will, but sometimes it's easier for people to go with what's familiar. ]

You could do that. They'd cover room and board, food, hand you a weapon or two, give you things to fill your time with. We're in a ceasefire of a war right now, so you'd have something to do if they start it up again.

[ And from Jesper's tone, it's clear that he thinks that is very likely. As if the Free Cities and Thorne could be dissuaded from their violent path. They want to destroy the other and take over the world. Pretty normal. He's used to that endless war in his own land. ]

If you see a red-haired woman named Shepard around, or her giant alien boyfriend Garrus, they're good people to ask about that. They're space military.

[ James nods in response. Not hard to guess, given the way James carries himself, although it would be more obvious if he had firearms on him. He'll fix that soon enough.

The lack of judgment is appreciated, especially as James is all too used to it. Then again, Imperial forces aren't too popular back in his reality, sometimes even among other Imperial forces. James won't even pretend like he doesn't know why. ]

Wouldn't mind getting my hands on decent weaponry.

[ Or getting involved into some conflicts. It's what he knows best, and it's what he's most comfortable with, so why not? It'd be a sure way to keep him busy, as well as offer the best opportunities for him to gain some power and influence while he's here.

His reserved demeanor opens slightly when Jesper mentions space military, eyebrows arched and eyes bright with keen interest. ]

Really? I'm space military too. [ He won't even care that the guy's an alien. It's not like James would trust him more even if he weren't. ] Do you know if they're in the military here?

I don't think they hand out guns. Maybe if you prove yourself good with one, guns aren't real easy to come by. It took me months to save up for mine. Graff Rosen's a local gunsmith, the best in the city in my opinion, and I know my guns.

[ The revolvers on his hips are not cheap or the type of easy quality someone might have if they just wanted to buy something that would make them happy. They're specifically designed and made for him in mind so he spent quite some time going around, finding the right people, figuring out prices. His ones back home were inherited. ]

But if you're space, just so you know, they don't have blasters or anything like that here. It's old-fashioned. I've seen spaceships and all that through Shepard and they're real far from that here.

[ The revolvers Jesper has are state of the art here but would be considered many centuries before what James might know. He's from a world where that is the height of technology, he'd never even heard of most technology or put it in his head until he met people from worlds like James or Shepard, and they were further than Sam who at the time he thought was futuristic! ]

Yeah I believe they live at the barracks. I saw Shepard around here somewhere earlier. She's a Commander in her world, very competent, brilliant, a badass.

[ Jesper's fond of Shepard. She might be a little too serious for him, he's too bright and chattery, but they've been friendly since she arrived and she's looked out for his friends too. She was one of the people in his mind when he was looking for the kidnapped friends. Almost everyone he knew and cared about ended up snatched.

He doesn't think she's loyal to Cadens in the way he'd be worried about with anyone working with the military. Just keeping an eye on things in her own way. He's a criminal so law enforcement, not always his best friend. He is studying James at the moment, wondering which kind of military he was. ]

And if you do live and work there, it isn't like you can't come hang here. I'm just not very trusting of the Cadens government.

[ James nods, none of that surprising him in the least. ]

I expected as much. This whole place is pretty outdated in comparison to what I'm used to. But I know my way around firearms, and besides, I like bladed weapons.

[ Daggers and knives, particularly. He'll miss the added security of a phaser strapped to his thigh, but he'll manage. He's more concerned about the fact that pretty much anyone here is capable of using magic (or whatever these powers they call magic are). ]

I'll have to see if I cross their paths, then.

[ He still doubts their backgrounds are similar, but there should be at least some commonalities. He's curious to see how they've adapted to this place. ]

Does any Summoned trust the government here? [ And by 'here' he means Abraxas in general, not just Cadens or the Free Cities. ] Especially if they're all so eager to wage war. We'd all be pawns, expendable.

We used to have a Summoned who was a master blacksmith and he'd provide swords to people, but he was sent away. Hilda's been working on hooking people up that way, if you wanted something different from military grade.

[ Viktor had no interest in making swords for people and he is an inventor more than a blacksmith, so Rio Enterprises changed drastically. Still, there are other people who stepped up, or made local connections to keep going. He has about a half dozen knives on him at the moment and not a single one of them is showing. He has a little trick to it that no one can see but him.

For someone armed to the gills, he rarely actually gets to fight. The unfortunate part of no longer being a criminal in an exciting city. ]

No, nor should we. They're literally kidnappers, we're nothing more than interlopers from another world they forced here. And pretty sure the Free Cities and Solvunn just started Summoning so Thorne didn't have all of these secret weapons.

[ There are people like Wanda and Diana with near god-like powers. The angels are pretty powerful from what he's heard. He's supernaturally lethal. He's fairly certain that outside one or two Summoned, they'd all make excellent weapons for their factions if they were willing to be them. The question mark is about the willing part. ]

They haven't forced us to fight yet, but it may only be a matter of time.

I'll look into it. [ His attention shifts momentarily. ] 'Sent away' how?

[ He's yet to hear of all the details of this place, but yes, he's aware some Summoned simply disappear. He's intrigued by this, by the how and the why of it most of all. Why bring them here only to send them back, after all? Seems like a waste of energy and resources. ]

Well. I can't blame them for that, frankly.

[ In their situation, James would have thought along the same lines. Wouldn't want to be severely underpowered when facing an enemy like this, even more so when they all are capable of learning magic, effectively granting themselves powers. James sure as fuck plans to get on that as soon as possible. ]

Mm. That's the general opinion I've gotten from the people I've spoken to so far. And the environment here does seem... aggressive, so I wouldn't be surprised.

[ He also plans on being ready for it, if it does happen. Thankfully war and conflict is something he's very used to, one might say even comfortable with— as long as he's on the winning side. ]

We actually don't know how or why someone goes. They're just here one minute and gone the next. It's one of the things you come to live with here. We don't know if it's the factions, the spell itself, or the Singularity doing it.

[ Jesper's lost people, and while it always sucks, and he has a lot of sympathy for the people who are hurting because said blacksmith is gone, it's also something he's adapted to. If one day he wakes up and all the Crows are gone, it'll make him want to carve his own heart out, but he'll live with it, because that's what he does. Survive, adapt, find reasons to go on. Not everyone is made for that kind of suffering though. It hits harder. ]

For taking their own Summoned? Yeah, that's logical. Thorne's kind of like the big bad enemy to most of the world here, so no one wants them to have an edge.

[ Jesper doesn't want them to have the edge either. He'd like to get all the Summoned out and somewhere else. Unfortunately that would mean then Free Cities would get all of them, but he hasn't thought that far. Save Thorneans and then worry about the next piece is his plan. ]

It's been especially tense here since the Queen of Thorne decided to magic bomb Libertas. They were always a little militant here, but it ramped up to infinity after that. Also the Prime Minister declared martial law after that, so there's been no elections since.

[ AKA, they are literally living in a military state at this point. ]

[ The fact that people leave at random and with no warning is not as surprising as hearing that no one's even figured out how yet. Well, he is assuming at least some of the Summoned have tried looking into it— but on the other hand, considering the technology level in this place, maybe it's not so surprising that they haven't been able to figure out much. Without computers to help him, he also wouldn't know how to even begin. ]

Is that also the general consensus among the Summoned? I haven't been here long, but I'm not sure I'd call the Free Cities the good guys, either.

[ There's just a whole other level of irony in James Kirk of all people discussing about good or bad guys, but it's more a passing thought that he keeps to himself. ]

I'm not personally familiar with the process of elections, so— [ He shrugs. Doesn't make much of a difference to him. Neither does the thought of a military state. Works just fine for him, actually. ] Did Summoned even get to vote in those elections?

Thorne's the bad guy in the sense that the Summoned there are basically living in a gilded cage. They're under tight control and watched closely. They live in the castle and the people there are very sensitive to any displays of "disloyalty." [ In quote marks. ] There's the threat of being thrown in the dungeon all the time, they tried to execute a Summoned once. It's a tense place to live.

[ Not where he would choose to have so many of his loved ones trapped, to be honest. Jesper didn't intend to make so many close connections there, but that happens. No connections are planned, they simply grow. But he's continuously stressed out and worried about them. Some day he'll get them out. ]

The Free Cities and Solvunn aren't the good guys, they have their own motivations and pitfalls and everything. But I prefer it here because we've got more freedom to work and make our own lives. And I hate farms. And cults.

[ Jesper grew up on a farm. He hates farms. Luckily Inej agreed to swap over to the Free Cities when he first arrived rather than making him go to Solvunn. He knows he would have hated it there. He's never really come across religious zealots like there were in Solvunn too. So upsides, downsides. It's all what you'd expect of a weird situation like theirs. ]

Nah, we're not civilians. The people don't seem to care that much that she took over. I haven't seen any riots or arguments. I'm from a place where the merchants and rich folks are in charge.

[ No democracy in Ketterdam. ]

[ Well now, doesn't that sound familiar? Granted, James had heard that about Thorne, but it's different to get the same information from a Summoned, someone who has presumably had more contact with some of the people living over there. James has only met Nikolai so far, but it was brief and they didn't even talk about their respective factions. He'll have to ask more about it next time. ]

More dangerous than here, you'd say?

[ James gets the feeling they're pretty free to carry on with their lives as they please, within reason. There's definitely more freedom than what James himself is used to, but that works in his favor. He likes not having people constantly breathing down his neck. ]

I've had more than enough of farms, myself.

[ It's a slight exaggeration. James detested growing up on a farm, but he probably could hack it if he had to work in one. But the overall feeling he gets from Solvunn is it's a lot less technology-leaning than here, so it probably wouldn't be a great fit for him. ]

Given the current tensions, chances are the locals feel safer with who's in charge over here. They seem... capable. [ Said cautiously, because 'capable' means different things to different people, but it looks like they all know what they're dealing with; not just the other factions, but even the tensions and nuances within their own. ]

Ehhhh. [ Jesper gives a so-so gesture with his hand. ] The major difference is that so far we are mostly left alone so theoretically they could make us do something at any time, but they haven't. As opposed to Thorne where they have been put in those positions, so it's experience vs. theory.

[ It doesn't mean that the Free Cities will never do anything to them, and it would be naive not to think they're capable of it, but they haven't flexed their muscles yet. Thorne is day by day a bit of a terror to its Summoend. Jesper would rather deal with the Free Cities than Thorne though, he has slightly more experience dealing with militaristic issues and urban life than royal mages. ]

Oh yeah, she's capable. That's not really up to question. Moral or good, unlikely, but it's not as if many places have the option of perfect leaders, you know?

[ He assumes Marlo is very good at what she's doing, that is why she managed to get martial law passed in the first place. He won't trust her, as he doesn't trust any authorities at all, but Sam seems to think she's fine. Tolerable. Better than what Jesper is used to. ]

Most of us like it here, to be honest. Not so much that we wouldn't be pissed if they tried to drag us kicking and screaming into anything, but the Cadens group is tight-knit.

[ James can probably guess that is why people seem settled at the inn and having adapted to their lives here quickly. ]

Sometimes that can be worse. The dangers of the hypothetical.

[ At least when things are happening to them, they may be forced to deal with it, but it's more of a practical approach. Better, he thinks, than not knowing when the other shoe might drop. Or how bad it might be.

But for now, it's good to know he has freedom to move around and do as he pleases, within reason. Knowing he won't have anyone constantly looking over his shoulder, cataloguing his every move. Bit of a change from home, honestly. ]

Oh, I know. [ Perfect leaders are a complete illusion where James comes from. Efficient, demanding, ruthless, sure. Morality has absolutely no weight in the equation. ]

Yeah, I can see that. No judgment. [ Well, maybe a little judgment. But James can easily imagine a lot of worlds being much worse than this one. People to whom a place like this would be the closest to peace they've known. ] It's not like I don't get it, it's just... strange. But I've only just gotten here, so. What do I know.

Yeah I'm always thinking about the dangers of the hypothetical.

[ As in he's still waiting for the Free Cities to do ANYTHING about the Summoned in their midst. Now the Summoned have willingly worked for them and with them before, improving the cities and saving lives, so they've done that without being asked. But Jesper can't imagine them going into full out war and not finding a way to use their most prized possessions. Their out of worlders. ]

I've been here a year and a half. Give it time. [ Jesper winks at him. ] I've got to go refill glasses, if you ever have any questions, you know who to talk to.

[ He's that kind of guy. ]

[ So, Jesper's smart, James can figure that much. Anyone who wouldn't consider the possibility of them all being forced to get involved in this conflict at some point down the road would be a fool. In that instance, people who come from harsher realities at least have the advantage of not being unpleasantly surprised if and when that does happen.

James nods, but won't say anything on the matter for now. Time will tell, indeed.

He lifts his drink to Jesper, returning the wink with a small smile. ] I'll keep you in mind. Thanks.

[ Not a bad introduction. Easy. James thinks he'll do just fine, here. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

( open ) an informal family dinner

no subject

no subject

no subject

wow one tag in and I already got his name wrong... I'm sorry

It happens all the time, especially with a Jasper in game lol!!!

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

Sorry for the wait due to vacation but also maybe wrap on this!

no problem! and yeah, it seems like a good point to wrap up