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[h2][color=darkorchid][i][b]Victoria Belmont[/b][/i][/color][/h2][i][b][color=9932cc]Half-Elf, Bard, Level 3[/color][/b][/i]
[color=9932cc][i][b]HP:[/b][/i][/color] 23 / 23	[color=9932cc][i][b]Armor Class:[/b][/i][/color] 15	[color=9932cc][i][b]Conditions:[/b][/i][/color] N/A
[color=9932cc][i][b]Location:[/b][/i][/color] The Infamous Pear, Meeting Table 
[color=9932cc][i][b]Action:[/b][/i][/color] N/A
[color=9932cc][i][b]Bonus Action:[/b][/i][/color] N/A
[color=9932cc][i][b]Reaction:[/b][/i][/color] N/A 
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[right][img]https://i.ibb.co/8r6nxVw/Victoria-FC-11.jpg[/img][/right]
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	Another guest had arrived. This might be taken as a portent that this table was going to eventually become too crowded for her liking. That might not be such a bad thing; Victoria fancied herself a bit of a social butterfly unless the situation called for different. Such crowding may just be the motivator to excuse herself and work the patrons, maybe start up a song so that she might put out her hat for tips. This new arrival bore the details of a child of the forest, though in reality was very likely over three times her age. Probably four. [color=9932cc]"Well met, Naivara. I'm just sure we might make room."[/color] A sweeping gesture to any open spaces at the table came next, and the dynamic, multifaceted conversation continued.

        Victoria took some comfort in the encouragement provided by Kosara, owing to the Tiefling's bubbly desire to be friendly, but a shadow of passing indecisiveness crossed the resplendent Bard's face as she mentioned "summoning evils beyond our comprehension". An uneasy shrug did what it could to assure her that it [i]probably[/i] wouldn't be an issue. But a question was posed for which she had a more positive answer. [color=9932cc]"Ah... yes. I do know some songs which translate very well to violin from the southern deserts."[/color] 

	She cast a furtive glance around to make sure that others in the establishment were seeing to their own devices[sup]*[/sup] before elaborating, [color=9932cc]"I know a little music which inspires the [i]Raqs Sharqui[/i] dances of the Desert Nomads, a [i]Baladi[/i] or two from the rural portions of Alhazred, and (though I'm not [i]supposed[/i] to know it, persay) an [i]Almeh[/i] from a noble house of the Amenteph Empire."[/color] The types of songs and dances described, to those in the know, traditional belly dances, a more grounded swaying dance, and a style of play derived from entertainers with specific, upper class clients. [color=9932cc]"Please forgive me if I have said anything incorrectly,"[/color] continued Victoria as she assumed a temporarily remorseful expression, [color=9932cc]"I've only seen these words written down, and well, sometimes things are lost in the transition."[/color] She shrugged, then smiled sweetly again. Victoria seemed to be the type who attempted to communicate with not just her words, but liberal use of expression and body language. 

	Conversations tended toward the same sort of "getting to know you" discussions, with some getting to know others a bit too much too fast, or at least attempting same, and others being remarkably standoffish. Such was life with an adventuring party, Victoria supposed. She raised her glass to her lips once more, contemplating this fact of life on the road, only to cut a disappointed expression when she found that her goblet of mulled wine had grown empty as she absently sipped from it. 

	Surely as moth to flame, or ants to extended al fresco dining, another figure silhouetted the entryway to The Infamous Pear. This one was more diminutive than most, and of build different than the Halflings which called this place home. A Gnome, uncommon but not unheard of in these parts, who made his way unerringly to the table containing the motley collection of wayfarers to which Victoria found herself part. His intent being that of a grand introduction, it did not go unnoticed. Jorlton, by means of introduction, gave a simple but memorable display of his arcane skills, prompting Victoria to give the extroverted Gnome a short series of claps. In response, [color=9932cc]"And how lucky we are to have your skills at our disposal, our Most Illustrious Sir."[/color] If he wanted to ham it up, he came to the right table. Not just her own proclivities as it came to socializing, but for the many examples of weighty extroversion she had witnessed from some of the others among their number. [color=9932cc]"I daresay, "[/color] Victoria continued, [color=9932cc]"that our group shall not want for [i]panache[/i], whatever else our shortcomings may be."[/color] A satisfied and showy smile found its way onto her face, speaking to this most recent member of the "Why Are We Here Club". 

	The apparently respected if colorfully provincial form of May made her rounds, invoking a few basic questions involving humanoid reproduction and possible hasty, unplanned crossbreeding thereof in Victoria. The woman was the master of these floors, even if she wasn't a proprietor. When she came to their table to ask them what from among the things prepared for the evening they might want, Victoria listened to the others place their orders (especially Kathryn to was eating to maintain those muscles) before finally selecting something for herself. [color=9932cc]"I do adore lamb. That stew sounds [i]delightful[/i]."[/color] Then again, not having eaten since supper the previous day might have a lot to do with it, seeing as a prepared stew was a quick and easy matter of dumping something in a bowl. [color=9932cc]"Oh, and a little something side-ish that's prepared, if you would please? I'm not picky."[/color] Indeed, that day she was not. She was, however, grateful that Guido refilled her mulled wine, though ultimately she decided to slow it down until she could get something solid on her stomach. 

        When the inevitable entry of the one who would be their benefactor entered the walls of The Infamous Pear, Victoria's face showed a glimmer of recognition, followed by a little wave that was cut short by the man's seeming desire to ignore it in lieu of speaking with the proprietor, Owen. She had met the man earlier, while she was a guest of Fort Darenby following her recent arrest for squatting in a site of interment. He appeared to be all business upon approaching the table, so Victoria kept her mouth shut for the immediate and simply produced her letter for the man; she had kept it in her hat. Her big, jaunty, bardy, epically conspicuous hat, so that it would not easily be lost. As the other letters were collected by the Sheriff, Victoria sat and waited, curious as to what mysteries would be revealed by Gregory's next words.




[hider=footnotes]
*	=	DC 10 History check, this being fairly recent - Her reason for wishing not to be overheard was the continuing bad blood between many northern lands and their southern counterparts, owing to the widespread war which had ended some thirty years ago. Owing to the magical practices of the aggressors (elements controlling Amenteph and Alhazred, respectively), there was a notable amount of necromancy involved. 
[/hider]