Carmilla Caliphvaso

'Kat' Dansing's page

27 posts. Alias of stormraven.


RSS


The next day dawns and while the others sleep in or putter around in the morning, Xing is out the door and off to the Slattern for her first day of work. Thankfully, it is a sunny-faced Kat not sour-faced Burt who is there to greet Xing and train her in the mysteries of barcraft. Xing learns that a sharp knife is the barback’s friend because the first half of her day is spent washing then cutting fruits and vegetables – some are merely halved so they can be squeezed and bottled. Some are delivered to the kitchen for meals. And some are cut in more curious shapes – quarters, wheels, bunny-ears, thin slivers, and others – to be used as ‘garnishes’ with drinks.

While Xing works on different fruits, Kat cleans the bar, fills bottles, cleans taps, and organizes her station, all the while explaining how each fruit and vegetable – whether as a juice or garnish – is integral to the drinks. That explanation is usually accompanied by a list of drinks that use that particular fruit. At first, Xing tries to commit it all to memory. But it is too much to remember at one time. Eventually, Xing realizes that Kat is just conveying the breadth and complexity of the trade. Xing officially gives up trying to keep up with the bartender when she dives into discussing the six basic flavor profiles of gin (herbal, juniper, citrus, floral, spice, and heat) and how to pair them with the right fruits, bitters, and sugars to achieve ‘balanced’ drinks.

Xing enjoys her provided lunch in the kitchen and gets to meet some of the ‘back of house’ staff. They generally seem a friendly bunch. The second half of Xing’s shift is spent lugging and cutting ice into a variety of sizes. Again, Kat explains the uses and importance of the different cubes, while hacking up ice alongside her.

As Salli has heard about Xing’s mission to retrieve goods slated for the town, she is let go early for the day and her shifts will resume when she gets back. And so, at the second hour past noon Xing is done for the day and outside the Slattern with the wagon and oxen provided by Uller, as well as her comrades, ready to set out.

OK, if you want to interact or do anything, now is the time. Otherwise my next post will have you on the road to adventure.


Kat sharply rings a ship’s bell perched in the tray ceiling above the bar before belting out with authority, ”A’right! Last call for drinks before our guest performer arrives. While she’s here, the bar is closed – no exceptions. If you even look like you are going to ask me for a drink, I will personally shove you headfirst through a cheese grater. Clear? Great! If you want something to drink, get it now.”

People begin to immediately sidle up to the bar.


Kat gives Xing a rye look… then lifts the hinged section of the bar and pulls the monk in. ”I hear you’re working here. Here’s lesson one. Breck mainly drinks Boilermakers – that’s a shot of whisky (of any sort) in a glass a beer.” She hands Xing a specific bottle of whisky along with four shot glasses. ”Fill each one of those while I get the beer.” Kat throws tankards beneath the taps and pumps both sticks at the same time while speaking with other customers. After she has 4 tankards filled with a thick, dark, beer she brings them over to Xing. She looks at the shot glasses critically then pushes them together so they are in a straight line and touching. She takes the bottle of whiskey and tops up each glass in a single sweep of her pouring arm. ”Good work. There are different ways to serve a Boilermaker which can change the name of the drink, if we’re being precise. So, if the shot accompanies the beer, or if the shot glass is dropped into the beer, or if it is just poured in… it matters. To keep it easy with a crowd this size, just pour one shot into each of the beers.” Kat watches Xing do it. ”OK, now deliver them and try not to spill. Thanks! And welcome to the world of pubtending. I’ll be your teacher when you start for real. Enjoy the rest of your evening.” She lifts the bar top again and gently pushes Xing out with the armload of tankards before dropping the top and hustling to build more drinks.


Kat nods. "You're quite welcome... And you'll be seeing those 'glowy bits' for another hour or so."


Xingxun Zhe wrote:
"If you don't mind me asking, did she speak into your mind?"

"Yeah. She does that on occasion."


Xing wrote:
She looks back at Kat, "Are there any good book stores in town?"

Kat smiles at the sudden shift in the conversation - from tattoos to animal spirits to pubtending to literature. "Well, yes. We have several good book stalls and sellers. What kind of books are you..." her voice drops off. She seems to listen for a moment, then nods. "She, the architect, is free now. You can head over whenever you folks are ready. She says 'no hurry'."


”The more you sip, the more sober you’ll get. Pick your own stopping point.”


Gauging how the Kicker affects her customers, Kat starts tossing ingredients into a mortar and pestle below the bar. The vigorous grinding of stone on stone can be heard. Angst Accompanies Sunrise is next, right? For all five of you?” Kat’s hands find a variety of bottles and pour contents even as her eyes scan the tavern and fall on each of you, quietly assessing.

All the ingredients - ground and liquid - go into a silver urn with a dozen small blocks of ice. She shakes the container like she is trying to kill it.

She pours the froth-topped contents of the shaker into short rocks glasses. It looks like the result of folding a sunset into a glass of angst, riddled with an angel’s regrets. She twists a lime rind over each glass to release their oils and garnishes each one with a thin wheel of lime before placing the drinks in front of you. Angst Accompanies Sunrise, this will straighten you out. You should sip it.”


Lady wrote:
“I waaaannnt. Something that feels like I've just fought a mongoose and won!"

”Oh, a challenge!” Kat leans against the bar and glares at the bottles for a long moment, searching for the right answer. ”Ah!”

She grabs a half dozen, small glass globes from a closed cabinet on the far side of the bar and pulls a stalk of celery from an icebox along with what appears to be a couple ampules of blood. As she shaves the celery, builds the drink, and drips the blood in it, she relates, ”We had a regular some years back, a kobold paladin with a giant weasel for a steed. Curious fella, really into tall women. Anyhow, his steed was prone to fits of depression. Took awhile but we figured out this recipe as a ‘pick me up’. There!” On the bar she places a small globe of effervescent liquid spewing golden smoke from its neck. She deftly rolls the celery into a straw and channels the smoke through it. She angles the other end of the straw towards Lady’s delicate nose. ”Inhale deeply. Trust me.”

Lady breathes in a cloud of the vapor that smells of autumn, celery, and vanquished foes…

Lady sees the small two-legs lining the bar, watching her. They are insignificant now. She isn’t a fox… has never really been a fox or a familiar. She is Morgarath, Queen of the Dire Wolves! Her bones are thicker than an ox’s! Her jaws crush plate armor! All creatures are her prey and run before her! She clearly recalls racing through the forest by the light of dusk with her pack. They cornered the mastodon bull. She fought it one-on-one while her pack circled, preventing its escape. She dodged beneath its fearsome tusks then tore out its throat and dragged it to the ground like a rabbit. Her muzzle was awash in hot blood as she drank and ate her fill. Then she and her pack howled their victory!

For everyone else in the bar… Lady sucks in a cloud of smoke and freezes in place, every hair on her body standing on end. She looks like a cute ball of fuzz. For three minutes she doesn’t move. Then she drinks an entire bowl of water and does a single, high-pitched, elongated ‘yiiiiiip!’ before falling asleep for five minutes.

Prof:Bartending: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (14) + 15 = 29


Kat doesn't quite laugh at Xing's 'enthusiastic' response to the drink, "Sneaks up on ya, doesn't it?"

"I don't actually know the story behind these statues or even if there is one. It wouldn't surprise me."

She raises an eyebrow at the talk of work. "Some of us work a single tavern and others have more than one gig. I'm here most of the time but I do work the Slattern and a couple other joints, if they are short-handed for some reason. I don't think anyone teaches pubtending like a class. It's more of a 'learn by doing' job. If you're serious about learning and earning, you'll have no problems getting a bar-backing gig to learn the ropes and get some experience behind the stick." She taps on the thick, stick-like tap handle to shed light on the turn of phrase, "...then you just keep adding to your knowledge by working different spots. I'd start at the Slattern. Salli is great, you get fed on your shift, and the drinks are pretty simple."


Kat stops across from the fox. "Every place sets their own rules but I can't think of a one that bans animals - especially talking ones. We have too many spell-slingers in town for that. Mostly, whoever is behind the stick sets the policy. If I'm working the Slattern, you are certainly welcome. The only rule we have here - for animals or people - is don't eat the other guests."

She places as empty bowl in front of the fox, "What are you drinking? First one is on the house to make up for the poor first impression. We can't go offending our guests."


Kat pours water for your group and offers a fresh towel for anyone feeling especially sweaty. She glances at Cookie as she wipes down the bar, making idle conversation. "If you like the committee's tea, you might be interested to know the same herbalist had a hand in several of the cocktails we serve here."

She notes the pig trying to remain inconspicuous, "Animals are welcome here, just not in the gambling arena. At least twice a week, a fella comes with his weasel. He buys a drink for himself and a raw egg for the weasel."


The statues are:
A weary and bent man with the second story resting on his shoulders
An exultant woman on her knees raising a sun (nearly as tall as she is) above her head (the second story rests on top of the sun)
A short male humanoid (possibly a halfling) standing in a column of fire that splashes against the bottom of the second story
An angled two-handed sword with the second story resting on the pommel and the point penetrating the lower floor

Xing wrote:
”…I am intrigued, but should I also be worried?”

Kat just smiles. ”You should really sit down for this.” She indicates four seats next to the one Cookie just leapt into. On the lacquered bar, she deftly lines up five crystal glasses the size of thimbles.

Senna takes a seat next to Cookie.

Cookie wrote:
”…I think my liver might be invincible. Or already dead. Either way, let's have those drinks.”

Kat chuckles, ”Let’s test that, shall we?” She peruses the many rows of bottles looking for the right one.

While you wait, you spy a small placard resting on the bar, near your spot. Written in chalk, it says:
We accept the following next to an arrow pointing down at the bar top.

Trapped beneath the lacquered top of the bar, like bugs caught in amber, are a bewildering array of currencies. There are coins you recognize in gold, silver, and platinum. There are also dozens of strange coins some in metals you’ve never seen, along with shells, polished stones, common gems, pearls, beads of various sorts, and even some braided strings of interwoven beads in some sort of pattern. More curious than that are a set of tiny portrait paintings. They actually look a bit like scrimshaw due to the fine details and intricate patterns laid down by someone with a steady hand and needle-sharp paint brush. You realise that level of perfection is only possible because the scrimshaw-paintings are done on some sort of smooth paper not canvas or skin.

The bartender returns with a thick but common-looking glass bottle. With a single sweep, she fills each of the thimbles with the golden-brown liquor, spilling only two drops. She clucks at her carelessness, then places a full crystal thimble ceremoniously in front of each of you.

”The Titan Kicker… a shot allegedly taste-tested and named by a true Titan. Enjoy.”

Do you dare drink?
Prof:Bartending: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (1) + 15 = 16


The bartender spots you instantly and waves you over. She is slender and athletic, judging from the firm muscles on her bared forearms. Her eyes are sharp - sizing you up - as she sets down a newly-cleaned mug and wipes her hands on the bar towel looped through her apron. ”I’m Kat. Welcome to Crossroads, the finest dive you probably can’t afford. Can I help you?”

DM Stuff:
PER: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (2) + 13 = 15
SM: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (15) + 15 = 30


: The cheerleaders in the short skirts and the overstuffed blouses jump up and down enthusiastically:

Jak! JAK! JAK! JAK!


Jayse wrote:
"I think I'm hallucinating. The blob just said we were stuck here. Did you here that, too?"

Kat finishes her drink and gets another kick in the gut for her trouble. "Not exactly. That door still leads to Miir, just not Orfallen. It's still the road home - but it may be a hike."


Jayse wrote:
Jayse, still waiting on a response from the guys, shoots a look back at Kat and Ushari,"So what's the card game? I mean, other than a seemingly quick trip into a furnace?"

Kat smiles. "Ever heard of an artifact called the Deck of Many Things? Well, that game is played with the Deck's Grandpappy - the Tarot of Wonder - 78 cards to bliss or damnation. I don't exactly know the rules but only the highest and lowest hands 'win'. And then a card from each of those hands gets pulled randomly. The Winner and Loser have to accept the card dealt. The Loser can fight the influence of the card... and sometimes they walk away no worse for wear. Other times, depending the card, they aren't so lucky."


Kat wipes the instant perspiration from her forehead with a bar towel and then pours another set of doubles for herself and Ushari, since the gentlemen are arriving for a toast.


Ushari Velnokal wrote:
Ushari gives the redhead a sympathetic look. "I say we drink to MEN! AAND the trouble they get into...although we care for them still."

Kat nods, quite willing to accept that toast. She glances at Jofram and says quietly, "If he'd call me 'trouble' than I'll definitely drink to that."

She clinks the tiny glasses with Ushari and slugs down the liquor. She immediately leans over and grips the bar, the drink living up to its namesake.

For Ushari, the liquor rolls smoothly down her throat with a pleasant nutmeg-like woody taste... that transmogrifies into a snarling lava-based Demon that sucker-punches every one of her internal organs on the way down. It triggers the release of endorphins to damp the flash-pain and leaves the blonde sweaty and completely euphoric.


Ushari Velnokal wrote:
Ushari gives the redhead a pointed look, "Do you see who I travel with??"

Kat's eyes wander to Jofram, who is moving through the crowd, desire evident. "Yes, I do." She sighs a little and pours herself a thimble-full of the Titan Kicker as well. She holds her glass near Ushari's, "So what are we drinking to?"


Ushari Velnokal wrote:
Quickly waving Kat over to her, she says "I will get a shot of the strongest whiskey you have...NO...make that a DOUBLE!"

The red-head looks concerned, "You sure you wanna do that? We have stuff that kicks like a enraged Titan. Rumor has it, they even had a Titan come in once to test the theory."

Whatever your choice... Kat shrugs, pours a thimble-full of a brown liquor and pushes it in front of the cleric.


Kat returns with an egg the size of a breadloaf and places the massive prize before the ferret, on a clean bar-towel so it doesn't roll away.

"You'd be surprised how many drinks require egg whites."

Jayse wrote:
Jayse finishes the first glass and slides it back towards Kat, "So how many would be too many? Ya know, for a guy like me?"

Kat slides Sunrise Angsts to Jofram and Jayse. She evaluates the monk briefly, "I think this one hits your limit, friend."

Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (12) + 12 = 24


Right!

The buxom bartendress smiles. "Your head will never hit the table if you're drinking that. Sort of the opposite of your traditional hooch. Just don't drink too many. Hallucinations of Acid-Vomiting Devil Monkeys do sometimes occur... and you don't want to mistake another patron for one of those and haul off on them."


Jayse wrote:
Jayse considers with a dubious look, "Um.. honestly, I just want to try something new, but I don't really want to be fuzzy-minded or clumsy-limbed, if that makes any sense."

Kat nods and moves to the other side of the circular bar, a sound of grinding is heard. She returns and slides a glass over to Jayse filled with what looks like the results of folding a sunset into a glass of angst.

Before he can more than touch the glass, she barks, "Wait!" She decorates the edge of the glass with a slice of lime. "OK. Now it's ready."

Does Jayse dare drink? Tune in next time to find out...


Kat delivers another round of drinks as well as five glasses of water with little tiny blocks of ice in them.

Jayse wrote:
"Can I get something that tastes good but will leave most of my faculties intact?"

"Which faculties don't you mind losing?" She's wearing a smile but her question is sincere.


She looks Jayse up and down, with approval. "As a matter of fact, I did. I think you gents scared off the big rats, leaving only the little ones for me and my broom."


The bartendress nods, "They were 'miscreanting' all over my bar. But they tipped well so it all evens out." She looks at Jofram, "Nice seeing you again."