OOC: just to clarify the value issue, one day's wages is comparable to $100 USD. $1 is one day's wages. So $10 is comparable to $1000 USD

IC:

Looking carefully, Bozon saw two gemstones that looked like the one Tine used to buy the bag, where his arm would've been - a violet one and a light blue one.

When Bozon came up, he was holding a fake pirate hook over his hand. The hook was attached to a giant balloon sword.

Edit: wrong colours of gems originally, now fixed
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:50, Fri 31 Jan 2020.

Hmm? A pirate hook, and a funny sword? Well, it was a start to trying to blend in... if it could be called that given how he looked anyway. But it seemed like something a clown would do. Bozon remembered one jester he'd had who had liked to follow members of the court, mimicking their body language like a mocking monkey might do.

The barbaric clown looked left. He looked right. He bent over and looked under someone nearby. Straightening up again, he focused on the scrawniest pirate man he could spot in the court, and swaggered towards him, balloon sword in one hand and carpetbag in the other (temporarily putting his igil in the bag if it didn't reject it).

Pointing the rubber tip of the sword at the fellow's chest, but still a foot or two away from him, Bozon tried to ape the man's reactions from that point. Even letting himself be 'tricked' into bonking or mock-stabbing himself with his own balloon sword if the pirate tried.

The scrawniest pirate in the room was the perfect target for a new jester. He was the sea-dog everyone respected to his face, but laughed at behind closed doors. And he knew it.


OOC: I'm taking liberties with this, LMK if too much
IC:
First Bozon stood hyper-straight back, even overextended backward, arms folded across his chest, deep frown on his face, and nose stuck up higher than any other part of his head. The pirate grunted as if unimpressed, but then the other pirates all broke out into laughter. The scrawny guy knew they were laughing at him.

They were actually laughing at the fact that Bozon was about to get real close to the sharp end of a sword.

But Bozon caught the gleam of the fear of judgement in his eyes, so he overacted a fearful response to the jeers of the other pirates, biting his nails and shaking his knees. This brought out deeper laughs, this time at the irony of how true Bozon's interpretation was, and how dangerous this was for the balloon buffoon. The reaction of the courtroom encouraged Bozon and when he noticed the scrawny pirate put his hand on the hilt of his sword in a frowning superman pose, he exaggerated the same pose but drew his balloon sword and held it out at the scrawny pirate.

At that moment, the scrawny pirate swung up and over Bozon's head, popping his balloon sword as he yelled, "Be off with ya, or I'll off yer head!"

Bozon froze for a few seconds, staring at the popped sword and the real sword. Thoughts spun in Hergot's head.

He dropped the fake pirate hook that had held the balloon sword, and backed away. Soundlessly pantomiming bawling like a little kid whose toy had been broken, the barbarian clown retreated with his carpetbag, heading for the burliest pirate he could spot at a moment's notice. To try and hide behind like that was his "daddy," peering out at the scary, scrawny guy from this supposedly safe vantage.

Before pulling another random prop from the carpetbag, letting it make the choice rather than him visualizing a specific item.

The scrawny pirate took the opportunity to laugh and point at Bozon and get the attention off of him. A look in his eye dared the other pirates to keep laughing in his direction.

When Bozon reached into the carpetbag, he pulled out a 4' long gigantic bright neon yellow and orange wand with a long ribbon of yellow, foam tipped cylinders. It was all far lighter than it appeared it should be. It had the word, "Narf" written in friendly lettering on top, and a very easily understood pictogram of a clown holding the wand with the ribbon-attached end between his hands like in these images: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1sYZ7RI90A

Though he couldn't know at the time, the toy Narf gun had 1000s of disappearing-ink soaked narf bullets of ammo.

Being laughed at was a good thing, from Bozon's point of view. He was a clown, a buffoon, a plaything, a jester like this, not a king needing to maintain some measure of dignity. He could make an utter fool of himself and any embarrassment would be purely in his own mind.

The spiked collar around his neck still scared and worried him, nonetheless, but he wouldn't let that hinder him from trying to be entertaining. Now what was this thing? He eyed the picture of a clown holding the wand, and decided that it would be funnier if the pirates understood this thing one way, and he used it differently.

It seemed soft. Hmm. The barbarian pretend to try and bite the wand, and gave a disgusted look finding it to be inedible. He looked it up and down a few times, feeling things with his hands. Then tried to use the wand as a broom or mop, 'cleaning' the floor with the ribbon. Hergot kept an eye on how his audience reacted from the corner of his eye and with his ears, judging how this attempt at comedy was received.

The entire room was in absolute uncontrolable hysterics. Everything Bozon did that was even remotely funny was dangerously guffawed at. When he was setting up a joke, every eye was placed squarely on him, and not a single breath was taken until the joke became clear. And when clarity struck one, it hit them all with perfection. He could tell that they were picking up on his precise nuances in every way, so much that he might conclude they could even sympathize with his kingly origins and the pangs that brought him to this place. They were awed, they were brought to tears, they were ecstatic through it all, and he was The Clown.

And in the midst of his height of enjoyment, a man dressed in greens and reds burst into the room. The room became fuzzy and everyone else seemed to slow down. The red and green leaf-clad ninja grabbed Bozon by the collar, ripping it open and tossing it aside. He pulled Bozon through the air as if through thick oil, saying, "I'm Summer Knight. This is all part of the Prince's education. You are doing well. Keep up the good work. We are watching." Then he dropped Bozon outside the Pirate courtroom mezzanine, and standing right behind Tine and Jen who were spying on the proceedings, and themselves giggling at Bozon's performance. Where Bozon had been, a large puff of smoke was now billowing upward. The man in green and red leafs left the area and the fuzziness of light and oiliness of the air went away back to normal. The children hadn't noticed him yet.

The very confused clown looked at the kids, then at the latest prop in his hands, and stuffed the prop back into his bag. His hulking barbarian presence tip-toed up behind and between the two young Elfs to try and see what they were giggling at.

"Bozon?" he asked above Tine's head quietly, trying to be unobtrusive.

Tine and Jen squeaked in surprise, too quietly to be heard by the pirates below, and quickly hugged Bozon saying, "You got out!"

Tine was the first to pull away, "Quickly, we have to leave before we're caught. Follow me." Tine lead the way and Jen followed behind Bozon as they crawled through a vent duct and emerged in a library. No one was in the library with them. Jen and Tine moved a series of books while chanting under their breaths and just like in the Cloud Library, a Portal opened up. Having gone through, they emerged in yet another library. This one on board a moving vehicle with a 10' tall ceiling. Looking out the sides, Bozon could tell that they were inside a large metallic shell structure and moving at incredible pace. About 50 mph. This wouldv'e been less impressive if they were riding on some sort of track. Instead, there were giant mechanical legs that moved along the structure like an impossibly large centipede, and they were travelling through the trees of a very dense forest.

"Welcome to a Scuttlebus, Bozon!" Tine celebrated. "There's no classier way to travel than by Scuttlebus - especially this behemoth  brand. Normal Scuttlebuses have one floor. This one has 3 levels - each one taller than the lower deck. This is the lowest deck. Would you like to see the lobby?"

Bozon was glad that he didn't squeak too much when hugged, and followed the kids happily. The vent was a tight squeeze with his musculature, and he feared that they'd need to deflate him if it narrowed anymore.

In this new library, he looked left and right, wide-eyed and acting amazed. Then through the portal, to even more books. It was astounding, seeing so many libraries so close together in time. But, he couldn't try to read anything, because his clown character was an illiterate one. Trying to hide his regrets over that clause - who could have expected to encounter such a vast plethora of written works as an inflatable plaything? - he peered out of a side window, one hand flat against the wall on either side as he boggled at the sight before and beneath him.

He looked at Tine, round-mouthed in surprise and pretense of (silently) whistling in astonishment, then back out the window, and back to Tine again. He looked up at the ceiling. There were more floors above them! He looked back at his young master and slowly nodded yes, wide-eyed.

When looking out of the Scuttlebus he noticed incredibly beautiful trees spanning every color of the rainbow, and in an incredible variety of shapes. Some looked like coral reefs, some like webs, some like antlers and many other shapes besides. There were large spires of variously coloured translucent crystals (non-magical) that reached far above the treeline. Birds similar to those in the children's world flew around, as well as others. A herd of tiny-headed 10-spindly-legged black-skinned beasts that towered over the trees slowly moved about. One was apparently drinking through a long trunk from a lake it was standing in. A t-Rex wandered beneath the legs of one of the beasts.

When he accepted Tine's offer to visit the lobby, Tine lead the way down a corridor, up a spiral staircase and onto a 20' tall level. This area of this level was populated by a variety of sports related arenas, fields and courts. Numerous people were playing games. They ascended another stairwell and came out in the Lobby. The 40' tall Lobby was fairly open, with a dancing floor, perches for winged flying people, and a clear ceiling showing the vast sky outside. The variety of people was breathtaking, there was even a 30' tall couple dancing on the dance-floor.

Jen said, "I'm hungry, so I'm going to visit the restaurant. Want to join me?"

There was so much to see here! Games known and unknown to him being played on the middle level. The dancers were of great interest as well... the tallest (uninflated) people he had ever seen back home were the Lhààshàà-àdyé and Apnié, and he had heard tales of the legendary L'àqu-àlu who were as tall as the lesser gods.

Folks who could fly. A lovely talent, and one he'd seen tourists and some native magic-users possessing quite a few times. And a nice, high ceiling, should someone blow him up with one of the alchemical gasses that were lighter than air.

Were those Ca'ùna? No. The people he was eyeing were similar, but not the same.

A restaurant? Hmm. He looked at Tine for that decision. Was the boy hungry too? If so, encouraging him into going along with Jen seemed like a good idea. If not, well, it was in the prince's hands where he went, and Bozon with him.


OOC: What luck! I found a copy of the files in a different format, and can copy & paste from them, unlike the pdf files. So, proper accent marks :>

Lhààshàà-àdyé = A civilized, purple-skinned humanoid race of willowy build, reach 10' in height. Frequently transformed into a more muscular state to play "giant" roles for tourists.

Apnié = Barbaric ursoid folks from a distant part of his world, sometimes imported as guards. Can reach slightly over 11' tall in extreme cases, but are heavy with muscles under their fur, unlike the above civilized folks.

L'àqu-àlu = Rare mutants of the ape-like Shélèggi people. Whereas a normal Shélèggi is a fair bit shorter than humans, these exceptions can tower to King Kong-like dimensions. Assuming that they survive long enough to reach such heights, as the L'àqu-àlu are plagued by health problems caused by the stress their enormous size places on a body not adapted to it.

Ca'ùna = The minotaurs of his world. In their own culture, they dress in flowing, loose robes and tend to be shrewd merchants, but for tourism they dress and act more like stereotypical fantasy minotaurs, playing the role assigned to them

Jen noticed Bozon noticing the people so she said, "The tall couple are newlywed 200 year old adolescent Djini. They're on honeymoon from their normal job in the Sun Vault back home in Summer Court. You wouldn't believe the kind of magical powers they have. That furry man over there who looks like a fluffy bull is a descendant of the Draconians. Eons ago, the Dragons sent a virus as retribution for humanity's crimes against the Dragons. Those who survived passed on various genetic alterations. Of course some people like that are just different kinds of people from different Oners."

---

Tine said, "I'm starved!"

They made their way to the tables and chairs by the wall, and a bat-winged waiter flew down and landed by the table from somewhere above. The waiter handed out menus and said, "Good day to you all! I am Alfred, and I will be your server. Can I start you off with anything to drink?"

Tine said, "Himbleberry Soda for me."

Jen said, "I'll have a glass of Pskaena 78."

"And for the ... gentleman?"

"Oh he can't talk, wait a minute," Jen interrupted. Then, without asking permission, she projected her thoughts into Bozon's mind, Just think the drink you'd like to drink and I'll read your mind and tell him.

Adolescents? He didn't know a thing about Djini, but if they were not fully grown yet and were already so imposing... Well, at least he could wish their marriage well and hope for them to have a beautiful and happy future together.

He didn't have the slightest idea of who she meant by 'Dragons' and 'Draconians,' though he was familiar with the words (in the common tongue) themselves. Nika'Khàdra were sometimes employed to play dragon roles for tourists, as a reptilian race and closer to the desired build than the Hoyoté-Gò, Ri'ìm, or Hnàhhu. Chàngalà were even closer, but being on the verge of extinction the Watchers had opted to keep that folk away from tourism. And, of course, the legends of Ràan Tsìyah who had allegedly been able to breathe fire without need for spells or artifacts.

He looked at the furry man again and nodded a few times.

--

Bozon started, not expecting anything like that. What? Jen was a sister of the Mahkàilh? Or had studied their arts in addition to those of her own brotherhood? He didn't know what to think, and memories of several drinks he'd enjoyed in the past flickered across his mind's eye, betraying that he hadn't always been a clown or inflatable. Also that his people's actual skin tone was a distinct brown shade OOC: Think Hindu, with some green-skinned (Bènli) individuals. What would be a more appropriate beverage, given his barbarian role as Bozon, though? He tried envisioning salak fruit and their sweet/sour juice.

He eyed the menu, looking at the pictures (if any) rather than words.
This message was lightly edited by the player at 22:49, Sat 08 Feb 2020.

Jen said, "I don't know what Salak fruit is, but..."

The waiter eyed Jen and then said, "Oh! I think I've seen that in one of Chef's new exotic foods order. I'll see what can be done. Take your time with the menus, I'll be back with your drinks as soon as I am able." And he flew off to a compartment about the size of a large kitchen attached to the roof.

The menu had pictures of wildly exotic foods from various places, including one dish from Bozon's world which was considered to be extravagant even for kings. Mostly the meal options were unrecognizable to Bozon, and their descriptions were written in some dialect he hadn't seen up until now.

OOC: Describe the dish from Hergot's world if you like, or if not I'll describe one of the other dishes.

Playing up his 'barbarian' nature, Bozon tried to smell several of the menu pictures. He pointed to one which appeared (to his eyes) to have something resembling raft spider in it, and tried to 'think' a questioning look to Jen. What this?


OOC: Salak is a real-world fruit: https://www.indoindians.com/ev...nake-fruit-or-salak/

OOC: Cool fruit! I'd never heard of it before.


Tine and Jen laughed amusedly at Bozon's antics.


Jen read the description aloud, "Drako Spider Cultivar were produced 1000 years ago by the Sdrankhn Clan Dragons as a culinary gift for the Humagus Wizards in remembrance of their alliance in so many battles through the ages. The Dragon-Designed arachnid was given an edible shell & succulent flavour and texture reminiscent of fresh-baked bread. The flavours play with the nervous system to evoke a joy-of-life sensation filled with the paradoxical juxtaposition of simultaneous existential satisfaction and nostalgia. This dish doesn't seek to explode on your pallet, but it will change your experience of bread forever after, leaving you with a permanently improved love of freshly baked bread. Served with the Ancient Paley Sugarloafs for dessert, and best when paired with warmed Honeymilk of the Nectartree."

Hergot/Bozon had to think that description over for a bit. Why would anyone try to make a meat taste and feel like bread? A gift of remembrance and celebrating an alliance, that he understood quite well (or so he thought), but the culinary concepts here baffled him. That cooking methods and seasonings might differ greatly from what he knew back home, yes. The same variety of meat or fruit might be prepared entirely differently in Javvré than it was in East Roctien, and both wholly unlike how that ingredient might be utilized in cuisines from south of the Nòlan Oblé.

He pantomimed, a crude imitation of a hunting raft spider catching a small fish, then pantomimed mixing bread dough with a hand and patting it into flat rounds for cooking. Then an 'I dunno?' shrug at the end, trying to express his confusion without relying on Jen's Mahkàilh-like mind magic.

After he listened attentively to any explanations or attempted explanations, he pointed at another pictured meal and tried to ask What this? again with questioning look and thought.


OOC: Nòlan Oblé is a significant mountain range dividing the northern and southern portions of the continent that Havony is on. Havony, like the other cities and nations he has narratively mentioned so far, is north of them. Salak fruit, on the other hand, is from the southern portion in his world, and grown in hothouses or with magical assistances in the north.

Jen and Tine laughed at Bozon's pantomime. Bozon was pointing at an image of a conch shell with a squidlike creature sticking out. Tine read the description this time, "Escargot of Scahy are a breed of floating shelled cuttlefish-like creatures called Flignuts from the gas-giant planet, Scahy. When cooked, Flignuts have a nutty texture and hazlenut flavour with a walnut-like softness.  In addition to the delicious buttery nutty flavour, perfectly seasoned by top chefs selected from the most proficient cooks in the known Onerverse. The Flignuts produce copious amounts of nitrous oxide and oxygen, which effervesces in the mouth as it is chewed, and absorbed into the bloodstream for a delightful effect. The gasses are released at just the right pace to maximize fun and minimize forgetfulness or sleep."

Hmm. Havony was a landlocked nation, but he'd seen the sea when he was in Javvré, and had enjoyed various fish dishes in New Fasiltum as well. He did not know what 'nitrous oxide' was, but did know that oxygen was an important part of the element of air. This sounded like something to try, if the kids didn't mind. He kept in mind that all monies being handled here were under Tine's control, and he had no real understanding of the specifics of this wage-currency system himself as of yet.

He nodded several times, pointing to that same picture of the Escargot of Scahy, and patted his stomach trying to say that it sounded good.



OOC: Walnuts are soft? Hmm. I've never had them fresh from the tree, so may be interpreting that wrong.

OOC: Talking about the soft oily nutty flesh of a fresh walnut - especially an English Walnut, which is tastier, but much harder to extract.

IC:
When the flying waiter returned with all of the drinks, he took the orders. Tine ordered the Drako Spider Cultivar, and Jen ordered Bonhemotin infused Metaltree Fruit salad.

Bozon's dish came exactly as pictured, as did Tine's. Jen's salad was various fruits sculpted into an elaborate dragon, swimming in a gelatinous ocean. After thanking the waiter and closing their eyes to take in the smell of the food with gratitude, they ate their dishes with glee.

Admiring all of the dishes, in sight, in scent, and (for his own) in taste, the self-exiled king of Havony greatly enjoyed this, his first meal in a world other than his own. He found that he did have a little trouble chewing the interesting meat, his teeth being somewhat softer and more like tough rubber than like bone in his inflatable jester state.



OOC: I'm not sure that I (the player) understand the relationship in time between the normal IC roleplay and the backstage IC roleplay of the Sideways. Does Bozon already remember what Scord said about a coming tragedy, at this point?

OOC: Good question, and yes he does remember (if you want). Everything that happens in 0C is remembered in 0B as soon as you post (you can say that Bozon is blocking the memory if you like - that would likely happen in reality anyway).

IC:
Tine paid for the meal, and the waiter seemed quite pleased with the gratuities. Afterward, one of the musicians who was playing in the orchestra approached the two Elf children with their instruments visible, and said, "I'm so pleased to see Elfs with instruments. Would you mind terribly filling in? Some of our players neglected to come and we could really use your help! If that jester is any good, we'd appreciate a 3rd extra musician."

Jen and Tine looked at each other smiling, Jen said, "I've been itching to play since I called the birds back home."

Tine replied, "Me too. Bozon, do you want to join in? Can you play along as you sight read the music, or improvise with the band?"

Not understanding the concept of restaurant gratuities as practiced here, Bozon merely understood that Alfred was very pleased with what Tine gave him.

He listened to the words exchanged between the musician and the children. The musical style(s) here were unknown to him, but he could certainly make an attempt to improvise. He tried to indicate via body language and pantomime that, yes, he would like to try. But also that he wasn't sure of his skills.

Retrieving his igil from the carpetbag, the clown was ready to try.


OOC: He's likely to have an easier time figuring out the tala of the music being played than what classical raga best fits it, if the music is of a somewhat European style.
His own people's music has shades of Central and Southern Asia to it. I had a link to a video that included Fasiltumian-style music, but I'm removing it due to some of the visuals which might violate a General game rating.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:33, Wed 12 Feb 2020.

The scenery through the massive translucent walls changes as the sun begins to set to the side. The Behemoth Scuttlebus curves to chase the sunset and extend the beauty of that magical time of evening.

Bozon Jen and Tine sit with the orchestra to play with them. The notes are certainly in a different written form than what Bozon is familiar with, but after a few bars, he's able to figure out the chord progression, and he joins in. The whole room is captivated by the sweet melody, and the dynamic that the 3 unique instruments add. Many of the dancers stop to listen with closed eyes, while a number of people who had been sitting get up to dance.

After a few songs, a lounge singer and pianist relieve the orchestra.

As the orchestra leaves, the conductor talks to the 3, "Thank you each so much!" Looking at Bozon ze says, "I've never heard that style of playing before, what was it?"

After Jen tries to read Bozon's mind to hear his response and voice it, the conductor continues, "I can't pay you directly, but I won 3 tickets to a space walk on a Comowe Portalship. They have to be redeemed in the next month, but I can't make it because I'm committed to staying here for the next 3 months. Would you like them?"

Tine's eyes light up like fireworks, "Oh yes I would! Jen, do you want to go?"

Jen says, "I don't know, I've never been in space before. What do you think, Bozon?"