Ask By the Candle Fire

[Heidi Vulpis]

(OPEN FOR JEDI!)​

Shili, "The Heart of Winter", 7 PM
​

Heidi was still in the holiday spirit even though Life Day had passed. No, she wasn't done celebrating yet. And after everything the Jedi had been through, they deserved to feel warm and happy. So, the tiny Jedi Padawan searched and searched for the ideal location where the Jedi could gather and enjoy a warm meal. Her search unexpectedly led her to Shili, where she discovered a village she dubbed "The Heart of Winter". It wasn't the village's official name, but who could argue with her?! It had it all: pine trees, snow, cute houses with plenty of warm light, and, most importantly, a tavern fit for her needs.

Heidi failed to check if any rumors were going around the village. Or why the tavern keeper was both shocked and delighted to learn that Heidi wanted to make a reservation for a large group, as if he hadn't seen a single traveler in months. He didn't complain about her lack of wealth, either, which she assumed was because she asked very kindly and offered to work as a bard for the tavern for two weeks in exchange.

It took Heidi only two days to invite every Jedi she could think of. It wasn't the most detailed invitation, but it did tell the Jedi to dress warmly, come with an empty stomach and be prepared to have fun. And, of course, the coordinates to the tavern.

And when the eve finally arrived, the Jedi who walked into the tavern would be greeted by a long table in the center of the warm tavern. There were more candles than one could count, and the aroma of cinnamon, hot chocolate, and roast hung in the air. The tavernkeeper and his wife were both behind the bar, preparing what seemed to be a few loaves of bread and cheerfully calling out instructions to someone in the kitchen. Heidi was also there, sitting at the table, her large green eyes twice as wide with excitement, ready to greet anyone who entered the building.

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Spoiler

While it's open for all Jedi, I'd love it if we had a slight focus on Padawans and young Knights! I have some ideas about where this thread will go, to give the Jedi a fun adventure/mystery. But Knights and Masters are welcome too as long as they won't be butts who solve the adventure/mystery in one post! Let the younger ones learn/practice, basically, with guidance!

 

[Alhazred]

Alhazred held a clump of snow in his hand and simply held it for a few moments. A small smile crept over the green squid-esque face. Alhazred absolutely loved the snow.

True, he didn't like the cold at all. Some Nu-Vaal had been designed to resist the cold better than other aliens, but he was not one of those. But there was something wonderful about the snow itself. He knew it was nothing more than water particles frozen into ice crystals that fell from on high. But whenever he saw snow, he felt more at ease with the Force than anything. His host said it was because on Vaal, the only place with snow was the Great Mountain, the most sacred place for all Nu-Vaal.

Whatever the reason, Alhazred would have to thank Heidi for choosing such a magical looking place.

The tavern was in sight. Alhazred gestured for the others to follow. Leading the way, the small Nu-Vaal trudged through the snow as quickly as he could, leaving a trailed path behind. Once at the door, Alhazred closed his eyes, focused on the music of the Force, did a slight wave of his hand to get the handle too high to reach. Another smile crept his face. His training with Scorpio was paying off.

"By the stars, Heidi you have chosen the placements ably. And ah! Is that the smell of a roast i detect? I must have died and returned to Vaal!" Alhazred said outloud, straining his voice above the usual whisper while taking off a coat. His typical gold-trimmed black robes and turban flopped loosely, now unrestrained by the coat. In his haste to get more presentable, his turban fell off, revealing the mass of flailing hair-like head tendrils.

"Blasted degeneration in shrinkage" Alhazred cursed as he sat down at a chair to retie his turban. As he spoke, his head tendrils flailed wildly with each word, speaking Aklo to any other Nu-Vaal who could see. All except the main tendril that is, which was significantly larger, pulsating and engorged.

"Heidi my dear, you must tell me how you came upon this place. None of my academial cullies have ever recommended an enclosure of unparalleled beauty. "

@LilyNion

 

[Zessel]

Zessel stretched his hand left, watching a lonely snowflake fall over it. It immediately melted against the tissue of his green glove, but the brief sight of it was enough to make him smile. He always loved snow. These tiny pieces of frozen water were something so simple, but each of them had different formats. When he was younger, the half-Arkanian thought that they were made by ice fairies up in the clouds.

He catched another snowflake, admiring it becoming water. The Padawan did it three more times, before finally remembering the reason why he was in Shili. A late Life Day dinner in a tavern organized by another Padawan, it would be a lovely thing. Zessel restarted his walk toward the meeting place. He loved Life Day and the event was an amazing opportunity to meet other Jedi. And eat good food.

Although, he had no idea of who was going to make the food. He could only hope that it would be good.

After some other moments of distraction, Zessel finally arrived at the right tavern. Confident that this was the right one, the boy had stopped in three others before finding this place, the Padawan entered. The first thing that he noticed was that the place was clean, the second was that the smell of the food was amazing. Only after that he saw the other Jedi.

These were his priorities.

While he didn’t know Heidi in person, Zessel recognized her as the Fiani girl talking with a octopus-faced Padawan. He approached them, thinking if the guy could spill ink. This would be cool. Must be nice to have his own source of ink to paint and write.

“Hi! I’m Zessel.” he said to his fellow Padawans, before offering a bag that he had been carrying since he left the Temple. “I made white chocolate dipped cookies.” the white-haired boy pulled a plastic container, full of said cookies. Then, his focus already changed to something else. “I like this place. It’s nice and clean.”

@Narzen @LilyNion

 

[Johanes av Holsen]

Cold! It almost felt like home. Almost being the keyword. Nothing could beat the wide snow covered tundras of Sverend. But the quaint little village Heidi found on Shili certainly gave the Northern Kingdom a run for its money.

The chilly wind nipped at the boy's cheeks as he skipped through the snow, forming and flinging snowballs at the towering pine trees and the cute little houses as he made his way over to the tavern. It's been waaay too long since the last time he held snow, and he couldn't help but have a little fun while he was here. Well, maybe a little too much fun... accidentally hitting one of the village elders with a particularly big one. Then again, maybe she shouldn't have dressed up like a snowman begging to be hit with a snowball! A displeased grunt was all she could muster in response— not even a snowball fight. How lame...

Oh well! He thought as he stepped into the tavern, laying eyes on the group of padawans that were already here, immediately noticing his friend Zessel. The startling white hair gave him away in an instant. Without skipping a beat, he slid over to the group with a bright grin on his face. "Hey!" he blurted jovially, his strong Sverendish accent peeking through his words. "What you guys doing?" His attention shifted as he noticed Zessel holding a plastic container full of treats. "Nice cookies!"

His mind paused for a moment; were they meant to bring something? He was fairly sure the invitation didn't say so, explicitly remembering how vague it was. Just dress warmly, which he did. Come with an empty stomach, which he also did— the lovely aroma of the roast was a constant reminder of that one. He was certainly ready to have fun, as the lady outside found out. And he evidently found the tavern from the coordinates, so no, no mention of having to bring a little treat.

Good thing, too, because he didn't bring anything— anything but a healthy dose of his usual fun self.

@LilyNion @Narzen @LouJoVi

 

[Shaw Amaris]

Shaw's invitation didn't have a lot of info, just the basics. Dress warmly. Check. So long as an oversized hoodie counted. Now that he wasn't in a heated shuttle anymore he was starting to rethink that one. Be ready to have fun. Check. An empty stomach. Double check. It growled as soon as he pulled the door to the tavern open and got a whiff of some kind of roast. Lucky for him the creak of the door's rusty hinges covered it. That could have been embarrassing. Especially since the tavern was.. kinda dead.

There was a table in the center of the room, a Knight sitting at one end. The others sitting around the table must have been other padawans since they looked about his age. Except for the green one with the tendrils. Hard to tell his age. Shaw joined them and sat down. "Sooooo. Open bar tonight?" he asked, looking around. He gave an innocent shrug and flashed them all a smile. It didn't hurt to ask.. right?

 

[Heidi Vulpis]

AH! So many Jedi have joined! Her hard work has paid off! Heidi's eyes grew bigger and bigger with each new arrival, and her tail swooshed so excitedly that it nearly hit the chair.

Starting with the mysterious Padawan Alhazred (@Narzen), she'd seen him in the hallways before but had always passed him. Feeling... nervous because of how mysterious he was. The black robe and the turban to hide something. It was all very different! And yet, she had misread him. He sounded incredibly nice, full of excitement about the location she discovered. "Yes!" Heidi replied cheerfully. "I don't recall what meat I ordered anymore... but it's a roast!" She smiled vibrantly at him. Her gaze followed him as he sat down and removed his turban, revealing the tentacles that moved with every word he said. But, while she was clearly fascinated, nothing in her expression indicated judgment. "Well! I was looking on the holonet, going through some pages for snowy areas for people with a low budget! And this place showed up!" She grinned excitedly, her wild mane of hair swaying with every movement.

Next, a white-haired Padawan (@LouJoVi) entered the room. She believed his name was Zessel? Like Alhazred, she'd only seen him in classes and hallways. But, unlike Alhazred or herself, he seemed to fit in PERFECTLY with the weather. His pale skin and bright white hair looked almost magical against the winter's windows. To make things even better, he brought cookies. Actual winter cookies. "Hai! I'm Heidi. You're an absolute angel for bringing cookies. Especially with... white chocolate..." She nearly drooled at the thought, her ears dropping with delight. "Thank you for coming!"

Heidi was so preoccupied with the cookies that she hadn't noticed the third Jedi(@Wills) join the group. So his joyful greeting caused her to jump, quite literally. Still, it didn't kill her happiness. If anything, she responded with the same joy as the new Padawan, who spoke in an accent she'd heard once or twice before in some of the taverns she used to play in. "Heello! We're not doing much. I was debating whether I should ask if I could eat a cookie right away, or if I should wait until dinner and eat a cookie afterwards! Welcome, though!" She grinned radiantly at the Padawan. At a closer look, she realized he was the only one she had a hard time placing. But he seemed to be pretty relaxed with Zessel. "Please, take a seat!"

To avoid being startled again, the Fiani focused on the surroundings this time. This time, she heard the sound of rusty hinges and saw a Padawan wearing an oversized hoodie entering the tavern. Shaw! (@throwitintothefire) She'd seen him before too, his robes having always caught her attention because of how cool they looked. His fashion taste explained his hoodie though, or so she thought. She wasn't sure whether that hoodie would keep him warm. But, at the very least, there were enough candles to keep the tavern warm enough that no one would freeze. She waved excitedly at him and smiled when he asked about the bar. "Yeh! People can order whatever they want; I'm covering everything!"

Before Heidi could say much more, the tavernkeeper grunted and moved away from the counter to the table. He was a tall human with brown curls framing his cheeks, dressed in layers of wool and a butcher's apron. "Well, well. And here I thought you were lying." The man smiled crookedly at Heidi before looking around the table. "It has been months since we last had a customer. Ah. It's good to have you all. I hope your trip was safe. It... Well. I am sure you have heard the stories?" He laughed. "Harold!" His wife hissed at him, glancing at the Padawans with a frown. "Don't scare them away." Her voice, while hushed, was loud enough for those with sensitive hearing. "So! Who wants some warm bread and a drink?!" The woman, a zabrak barely shorter than her husband, let her voice cheerfully ring through the tavern. "Lob! Prepare the beer." She shouted at the kitchen before smiling sweetly at the Jedi.

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Tag: already tagged!
​

 

[Zessel]

”Hi, Heidi.” Zessel said, while backing a step away from her. The Fiani enthusiasm was unnerving in his opinion, being even worse that she got too close for his own tastes. The half-Arkanian had his personal well delimited and wanted it to be respected, especially by people that he didn’t know well. However, he remained with his arms stretched, holding the container for the others to pick the cookies.

After all, he made them for the others to eat.

Johanes arrival made Zessel smile. “Hey, dude! How are you going?” he was already excited to taste the food that was smelling so well, but the fact that someone that he knew was present made the white-haired boy even happy. Now he could appreciate the party better, without being in a corner with his own thoughts.

He found a place for himself at the table, while looking around. Zessel would give a ten for the decoration, it was very good. When his eyes fell upon the cutlery and plates in the table, the half-Arkanian frowned. He immediately got annoyed by the fact that they weren’t perfectly organized.

Not being able to control himself, the Padawan immediately organized the ones that he was going to use, putting a fork and knife perfectly aligned with his plate. He smiled, satisfied with the result. Unfortunately, he and his healer were still working to control his OCD.

Before he could start to think about reorganizing all the cutlery in the table, Zessel turned his attention to the owners of the tavern. What do they mean about stories and scaring? However, the most important at the moment, there would have drinks!

"Can I have hot chocolate?" he asked excitedly, ignoring the fact that adults basically offered beer to a fourteen years old.

@LilyNion @Narzen @Wills @throwitintothefire

 

[Akari Moriko]

Force Light! The Situation is Resolved

A'kari had heard of Shili, homeworld of the Togruta, but had never truly visited the world. And yet, after the events of Rago, she had made it a proper goal to set her eyes upon; to shift from her comfort zone of holocrons, ancient texts, and tablets that made up the temple library. After acquiring an EZPhone, A'kari received Heidi's invite and decided to make it a point to make an appearence. But what A'kari hadn't counted on, was the venue.

The moment she walked in, her sensitive nose reeled at the smell of roasted flesh and she made all of an appearance to not show her disgust in such a rudely mannerism. So she choked back the need to vomit and put a smile on her face as her gaze met those of the others. First to catch her eye was that of the Padawan Alhazred, his Master was Scorpio Armegedon if she recalled properly. The two gathering around him and another she had never seen before. But as a Knight of the Jedi Order, that wasn't unheard of. And lastly was the one who invited them all here.

As A'kari hailed from Annwfyn adoptively, she was taught their traditions and customs, so for A'kari to show up without a gift for the hostess was considered quite shameful. So as she approached the quadruple, she bowed her head out of respect and brought forth a small wooden box containing rare and exotic chocolates from across the Galaxy to which she offered Heidi with a humbled smile. And yet, inside, A'kari was deeply terrified. Anyone attempted to read her mind would find themselves lost amidst a sea of self doubt and loathing to return to her safety net.

"I am A'kari Moriko." She spoke calmly and almost hesitantly as she stood back up but remained holding the open box of chocolates she had come to present. "Thank you for your invite. It was most generous and welcomed with opened arms."

As she spoke, A'kari made sure to note the three others in her introduction. "I am pleased to meet you all, although one of us have already met. Nice to see you again, Alhazred was it?"

Tags: @LilyNion @Narzen @Wills @throwitintothefire @LouJoVi

 

[Shaw Amaris]

Shaw's eyebrow shot up. Wait. For real? He had expected the Knight's answer to be a flat "no" with no room for discussion. Then she'd follow it up with some quote from a Jedi manual he had never heard of but that she conveniently had memorized. The legal drinking age on most planets was 17. He knew because he and some of his friends had tried to sneak into some cantina on the lower levels of Coruscant and gotten kicked to the curb. Maybe Shili was different. Maybe the Jedi were different.

Either way, it was shaping up to be an evening of fun and new experiences. The tavern was warm and cozy and the smell of cinnamon and roast made his mouth water. He didn't think twice before reaching out to take one of the cookies the pale teenager was handing out. "Thanks dude," he said, not worried in the least about spoiling his appetite. Not when he was this hungry.

A second Knight approached the table and introduced herself. It was probably about time Shaw did that too. It hadn't occurred to him until now. There had been too much to distract. He hadn't actually met anyone here before. Swallowing the rest of the cookie and brushing away any remaining crumbs from his lips he gave a little wave to the rest of the group. "I'm Shaw."

 

[Macote Hassan]

Actual winter was something Macote had never been able to adjust to. Why anyone would willingly host a party in this hostile environment confounded him; would it not be easier to host a beachside party with free cocktails by a lustrous sea? Or atop the luxurious heights of an ecumenopolis's skyscrapers? Why here, in this random, frigid hamlet in Shili? He asked all these questions as he shivered through boot-high snow, wearing the biggest, heaviest coat he could wrap himself in.

The warmth of the den's roaring fire was a welcome contrast to the snow-laden streets behind him. As he stepped inside, he delicately dusted the snow off his boots before entering, withdrawing a slim pair of house slippers from within his coat. As if a Coruscanti gentleman would be caught dead without their own house slippers, even on this frozen eve.

The party was roaring, but full of unfamiliar faces. It wasn't surprising; he had spent so much time on Denon, he lost touch with most of the Jedi he knew. It was exciting to see new faces, at least. Better than moping around in the pallor of death that seemed to hang over the galaxy.

He entered just in time to hear his two favorite words: Open bar. Macote got himself a glass of hot chocolate with the ever warming taste of some cinnamon whiskey added for flavor, taking a poignant slurp and sigh of relief after said slurp. He slid next to Shaw (@throwitintothefire) because dude had a solid haircut. "That cut is clean, my guy. You do that yourself?" Had to appreciate a well-maintained fade. "Or did the Crusade pick up a barber when I wasn't looking?" Crusade Barbers...had to add that to the list of things the Jedi needed if no one else had.

To the rest of the group, he offered a smile and a two fingered wave. No one had brought out the cards yet, it seemed. "Thanks for the invite!" Honestly, he didn't realize that anyone even knew he was a part of the Jedi Order these days.

 

[Alhazred]

"Heidi, you sell your foraging skills short" Alhazred chuckled as he complimented the girl (@LilyNion ) again. As the other Jedi arrived, he nodded in greetings to them as he continued to rework his turban. It was obvious he was having troubles with it. the thing seemed a half-size to small for his head and his especially engorged main head tendril. Such was the life of a Nu-Vaal eating 'too well' over the period of pre-gestation. He would soon be ready to cut off the excess. Still, eventually he got it back up.

Alhazred's eyes noticed the younger (relative to all the jedi around him, considering his own age), white haired Jedi's (@LouJoVi ) reorganizing the table's cutlery. He raised an eye in curiosity, pondering at the humanoid's reasoning. Was this a religious thing, or something more psychological? Should he ask? Would it be rude to ask? Better not. Still, Alhazred decided to play along, in case it was some obscure human ritual he did not understand, and began to rearrange his own silverware in a similar fashion, with a wink to the younger being.

Alhazred looked up when he heard his name. At the sight of the of her (@Mythos ), he stood up and bowed his traditional greeting, as well as announced himself to everyone else (@throwitintothefire @Fine Dining Set ). Hopefully they could hear his whispering voice.

"Yes, yes, Alhazred, though feel free to call me Al or Red or any other term should the name evince advanced complexity. Lets see, last I saw you, it was with those bugs, yes? We shall have to make a toast to that battle no doubt"

The wife of the tavernkeeper said the magic words that Alhazred loved to hear. Beer and food. Especially food. Contrary to most other species during their primagravidas, Nu-Vaal did not need to worry about drinking alcohol during it. Their system was truly unique compared to most.

"Ah, I'll take a drink to make a drink to our generous hosts!" Alhazred declared jovially as he anxiously awaited the lager. "Though your husband's words pique my ear's interest. What stories does your husband mean?"

 

[Shaw Amaris]

"Edge it up myself every week," Shaw replied with a welcoming jut of the chin and more than a little pride in his voice. @Fine Dining Set He ran a hand over his head. Wouldn't be long until he needed a cut. "Don't know any good barbers do you?" His barber back on Coruscant was a solid guy. Only barber he'd gone to for years. Shaw wondered where he was now? If he had been able to make it off world or not. If he was even still alive. Kritt he sure hoped so. The man was more than just a solid guy and an excellent barber. He was a friend.

Shaw had left in such a hurry. He hadn't gotten a chance to say goodbye to anyone really. Not his barber. Not his friends. Not his teachers. Not old Mrs. McGrady down the hall who made the best panna cakes he'd ever had in his life. Not even the cute girl two floors up that had finally let him have her number. He wondered what had happened to her, too. Hopefully she'd made it out okay.

Luckily there was no shortage of company tonight. There was conversation and the warmth of the fire and roasted meat and even the promise of beer to take his mind off of everything he had been forced to leave behind. Brown eyes slid to the floor, and he stared at his newest companion's feet.

"Did you bring your own house shoes??" he couldn't stop himself from asking. He meant no offense. It had just taken him by surprise. He had never met anyone that wore slippers, let alone brought slippers with them to a party. That was a whole other level. Bundled up with hot cocoa and slippers by the fire, bro was ready for a long winter's nap.

Not sure what else to say, Shaw just said the first thing that came to mind. It was kind of a bad habit of his. "Nice slippers bro." Those were three words Shaw could honestly say he'd never said before.

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

Prani still felt a bit out of place since arriving at the Jedi Order. She was the quirky nature kid that came from a gypsy caravan. Although she was confident in her abilities, she knew she wasn’t up to speed with a lot of trends and slang. Prani had a habit of bringing a gift for anyone when it was a one on one encounter, but this was an entire group of people. She took the time to craft handmade friendship bracelets for everyone.

The Padawan arrived dressed warmly as requested, wearing a coat and an oversized poofy hat. She had her hallikset on her as well, never going anywhere without it. Prani looked around at the others, not even sure how to introduce herself since everyone was in conversation already. She decided to join in the tavern, placing the box of bracelets on the counter. She looked over at them all, noting the boy with house slippers with a smile. She turned to the bar and shook her head at the offer of any alcohol.

“Hot chocolate, please..an’ please don’ hold back on them marshmallows,” Prani said with a smile, her thick country accent bleeding through. She was thrilled to be here despite not knowing anyone.

@LilyNion @LouJoVi @Fine Dining Set @throwitintothefire @Narzen @Mythos @Wills

 

[Macote Hassan]

Macote grabbed Shaw by the shoulder with pure excitement at the mention of Coruscant, his homeworld. He, too, had lost a barber on Coruscant, along with everything else that he had once called normal. He didn't realize there was another Jedi refugee from his homeworld - a brother, with a clean fade, who he could shoot the shit with. Perfect. "Oh shitttttt you're from Coruscant too? Even out here, we stay DRIPPED OUT!" Macote didn't have a barber, though, and he needed to keep his edges buzzed. "I'll have to come to you for a cut next time, Shaw."

"I'm Macote." He offered a fist to bump to the crowd. "And yes, they're homemade." He sipped his boozy hot coco and fluffed his toes in his soft, shear-lined slippers. His mother had made them for him, some years ago. He cobbled them himself to keep them in good shape, and lines of practiced stitching ran across the His eyes narrowed in on Prani's friendship bracelets, and he raised his black eyes to meet hers. "Did you make those? They're awesome!" He didn't want to be too gauche by asking for one first, but his eyes became saucers so big it was obvious he was pleading for one.

"Alhazred. Did I say it right? Al-haz-red. Not that complicated. You don't have to shorten for me, or anybody." A quiet smile settled on his face as he took in the warmth of company, drink, and bread. This was already fun, but...the party was lacking something right now. When he saw Prani's hallisket on her back, he knew exactly what it was.

"Anyone in the mood for some music?" A grin accompanied a look of hope towards Prani, as he began to tap a beat on the floor of the tavern. "Keep the rhythm!"

He didn't wait for an answer. A tiny piccolo appeared from his giant puffer, and he began to play a traditional tavern song, hopefully popular enough that the Padawan stranger armed with the Hallisket would be able to hop in without incident.

@Sreeya @Narzen @throwitintothefire

 

[Johanes av Holsen]

"I'm great; missed the snow so much. How've you been?" Johan turned to Zessel with a jovial smile. "We should have a snowball fight later." He enthused with a challenging undertone in his voice. Even after his earlier mishap, he still couldn't get his mind off of having fun in the snow.

He kindly turned down the offer of a beer, completely ignoring whatever the tavern keeper was talking about. 'Scary stories' or something. Oh well; stories were just stories, right? A hot chocolate sounded far more exciting. That, and he was far too preoccupied enjoying the party. Stories and mysteries could wait.

"I'm Johan," he introduced himself to the others in the group, taking Macote's fist bump with a playful grin. His attention quickly shifting to the box of bracelets; "Can we have one?" He beamed at Prani. The one thing probably everyone else was also thinking.

@LilyNion @LouJoVi @Fine Dining Set @throwitintothefire @Narzen @Mythos @Sreeya

 

[Zessel]

”I’m good. Got some cooking classes.” Zessel said to Johanes (@Wills ), while pointing at the plastic container that was on the table. He was particularly proud of this batch, having made the decoration perfectly. It took him a long time to get it right, with several failures in the process.

What happened to them? He ate some, of course, while the rest was left in the Temple. Let’s say that the Jedi of Sernpidal would have enough ginger cookies with white chocolate as an option for breakfast in the next few days.

“A snowball fight sounds cool. Ah, maybe we could make a snowman too! I never did one before, but always saw people doing it on the holonet. It always seemed fun, with them using a carrot as the nose.” he giggled, imagining how his own snowman would be.

His attention turned to a girl (@Sreeya ) that arrived in the tavern. She was carrying a box that Zessel first thought to be full of some type of candy, like those that Knight Moriko had brought. However, he noticed that they were full of pretty bracelets. “They are so nice!” he didn’t ask for one like Johanes, even if he was itching for that. They could be for her friends present in the party. “Did you make them by yourself?”

@LilyNion @Narzen @Fine Dining Set @throwitintothefire @Mythos

 

[Heidi Vulpis]

The party grew bigger and bigger, with an undeniable cheerful mood lingering in the air. Heidi was unaware of the drinking age limit, but she trusted the tavern owners to handle the drinks responsibly. Much to the delight of the Zabrak, who was offering beer to any Padawan who was interested, with a glint in her eyes. Those who requested hot chocolate were met with less enthusiasm. "Hot chocolate for you... And for you hun... And oh- ... ah. Extra marshmallows. Of course." The woman responded perfectly politely to the newcomer, the girl carrying the friendship bracelets. The Zabrak stared at the bracelets for a moment, a distant expression on her face, before smiling politely again and preparing the hot chocolate. "Here you go, dear." She moved the cup over the bar towards Prani before focusing on the next order.

________​

While that was going on, Heidi happily waved at any newcomer who entered the tavern but couldn't say a personal hello due to the group's busyness. She didn't mind; there would be time for it later. One of the newcomers who did approach was the Jedi Knight, who looked to have stepped right out of a fairytale (@Mythos). It was no secret that Heidi took a moment to admire how whimsical she looked before she got her act together. "Nice to meet you, Akari! I'm Heidi!"

Heidi's gaze wandered the room after the friendly introduction, and she came across someone she hadn't met before. A Padawan in... slippers? (@Fine Dining Set) Oh! Oh, how kriffing brilliant. Heidi loved her firm leather boots, but wearing those comfy slippers to a party? Yes. Heidi smiled brightly at him as he passed her on his way to Shaw. I love those slippers, such a good idea! Happy to have you here!" She smiled as she stood up, her gaze drawn to the friendship bracelets.

As someone who has never had a house with a foundation to call home and instead travels and plays music to pass the time and entertain others, she saw the girl (@Sreeya), her instrument and the braided bracelets and instantly recognized the wind in her hair and smelled the grass in her clothes. She wasn't sure where the girl was from or what her story was, but she was a traveler as well. "Hello." Heidi smiled softly and lifted her flute, which was always dangling from her belt. "I love that you brought your instrument as well. Please let me know if you ever want to play something together. I am Heidi, by the way!"

________​

It didn't take long for music to follow not long after. But while those Padawans were introducing the music and no doubt a dance, the tavern keeper let out a hearty laugh at Alhazred (@Narzen). He had asked him for the story, and now that he was finally done serving the bread, he sat down at the top of the table. "Ahahaha! There we are, sorry son. Now, you wanted to know about the stories, right?" He ran his large hand over his red cheeks, his gaze drifting away as he began to recall the story. "You see. People in this town have... disappeared... Visitors who enter our town tend to risk not returning. They explain to the grieving family members that it is due to the mountains, dense forest, and frequent snowstorms. But I know better." He let out a belly laugh. "Because I have seen it. I saw it around this time, as the sun set and the stars began to appear in the sky. A silhouette, wandering through the town center."

"Our mayor does her best, mind you. Every time there is a disappearance, she is the first to contact the families and locate any traces of the missing person." He finally came back to reality. "But no one seems to want to listen to me, Master Jedi. Not even my wife!" He let out another laugh, his shoulders shaking with delight. "Isn't that right, Roza?!" "Oh, will you please shut it?! I told you not to tell our guests these stories!" She yelled back at him, trying to sound playful. However, those who looked at her would notice her sour and irritated expression.

But before anyone interested enough to listen to the man's story could react, a husk voice creaked "Jedi?" into every Jedi's ears. However, the sound did not originate within the room. It did not come from the outside. It was right in their minds, loud enough to drown out the music and laced with a layer of hatred. An icy wind swept through the room as quickly as the voice had entered their minds, enveloping everyone's bodies and chilling their spines. The fires of the many candles flickered brightly, resisting bravely, before extinguishing with a puff of smoke, leaving the tavern in pitch-black darkness, with only the moon shining through the windows to provide light.

A hushed silence followed.



And a shadow moved in front of the window.

---

Tag @Sreeya @LouJoVi @Mythos @Fine Dining Set @throwitintothefire @Wills @Narzen
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[Alhazred]

Alhazred's feet began to unconciously tap along to the beat of Macote's (@Fine Dining Set) music. He couldn't help himself. He was a sucker for lively beats ever since he first encountered a glimmik band, and doubly so when he discovered his own force-touched music hearing synesthesia. Still, that didn't stop him from hearing out the tavernkeeper's talk.

As the man began, Alhazred folded his hands over his tendrils while eying the man with curiosity, much like the academic he was at heart. All he was missing was a pair of glasses or a book (which he did have in his traveling satchel, but no reason to bring that out). As the man spoke, the Nu-Vaal's interest only intensified. It sounded eerily familiar with his own tale involving nightmare demon monkeys on Ektra City.

Alhazred moved to speak, but was stopped. His skin shriveled slightly at the cold breeze. His mind roiled briefly at the intrusion of the voice inside. When the fire went out, he nearly jumped up in surprise. His mind was flashing back to Ektra City, and to deep space with the Starweird, and to the Killik Hive.

"Is this what you were referring to, master host?" Alhazred asked the tavernkeeper while eyeing the window. He didn't want to react too strongly, jumping at mere shadows. But given his experiences lately, the shadows were making him more and more paranoid with each passing day.

@LilyNion @LouJoVi @Fine Dining Set @throwitintothefire @Sreeya @Mythos @Wills

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

Prani was used to the other Padawans usually giving her a wide berth since she was a bit ‘odd’. However, this group warmed up to her instantly and it made her internally giddy. She smiled at the Zabrak woman offering the hot chocolate. She didn’t miss the way the woman’s gaze flicked to the bracelets, “Would ya like one, m’am?” Prani asked politely before offering one.

She looked over when one of the Padawans walked over, a hot chocolate mustache over her lip. With an embarrassed chuckle, she quickly wiped it off before greeting the boy with the slippers, “I did make ‘em! For all o’ ya,” She said as she glanced over at the Jedi, “I’m Prani,” She said to everyone with a smile, “Come ‘ere,” She said to Macote before grabbing a bracelet and tying it around his wrist.

“Hi Johan!” Prani said cheerfully before eagerly tying a bracelet around his wrist, followed by the same to Zessel and every other Jedi present. By the end of it, there were only a few bracelets left and her heart was full.

“I figure we’ll always be runnin’ into trouble bein’ Jedi an’ all so…maybe y’all will be able to look at these bracelets no matter which corner of the galaxy y’all are in and remember us all bein’ here together,” Prani said fondly as she gazed at them all.

When Macote suggested a jam session, she giggled and drew out her hallikset, easily strumming along. It was a cheerful tune that would hopefully encourage some dancing. She was oblivious to the story being told to Alhazred, but she stopped playing the moment she heard that creaking voice. Prani whipped around, expecting to see someone standing there. But no one was.

She saw a shadow move in front of the window and she slowly put the hallikset away, “What’s…goin’ on?” Prani asked softly, the hairs on the back of her neck standing.

@LilyNion @LouJoVi @Fine Dining Set @throwitintothefire @Narzen @Mythos @Wills

 

[Shaw Amaris]

Macote was a Coruscanti too?? Shaw already had a buddy. The thought warmed him more than the fire burning across the room. As gushy as that sounded. Making friends back on Coruscant had been easy, living there his whole life and running with the same gang year in and year out. It was a stupid little thing to be concerned about considering everything else going on, but he hadn't been sure if there would be anyone he could really connect with in the Jedi. Macote seemed chill. Maybe a little older than Shaw, definitely more experienced.

The last girl to arrive was handing out handmade friendship bracelets to everyone. It was a little more kumbaya than Shaw was used to coming from a big city, but it was oddly gratifying. A gift was the last thing he had expected tonight, especially from someone that didn't even know him. He held his wrist toward the light to examine the colorful fabric and grinned big. "Thanks! The detail is insane. Definitely my new favorite accessory." Next to his earrings of course.

One of the other girls was gushing over Macote's slippers. Ahhh. So that was the deal with the slippers. Shaw understood now. Tiny, transportable wingmen. Girls loved soft, plushy stuff like that. At least his sister did. Shaw gave him a knowing little nod before the Zabrak waitress caught his attention. She had food!

Now that food was an option, Shaw left all the chit chat for the others and dug into that roast he'd been smelling. It was tender and juicy and a little bit sweet and he couldn't get enough of it. Mater said he was in a growth spurt, but she always said that. His interest in the conversation didn't return until the tavernkeeper's deep voice caught his attention.

Disappearances? Missing persons? A creepy silhouette? A ghost story straight out of a Scooby Doo episode wasn't enough to ruin his appetite—

A chill swept the length of his spine. All the lights went out, and an otherworldly, disembodied voice spoke to him. Directly into his mind. The fork slipped from his hand mid bite and fell to the plate below with a clatter. Or maybe it was enough to ruin his appetite.

"Did everyone else just hear that or am I going crazy?"

@LilyNion @Narzen @LouJoVi @Wills @Mythos @Fine Dining Set @Sreeya