The Dragon's Fire Show

Fiesty Lotus stands by the crowd, watching while Savage does his act

Savage.Taurus: steps in front of the crowd and clears his throat loudly

The Dragon Addresses the Crowd

Talia.Sunsong: rolls the baby carriage with the baby dragon Rorn inside, half concealed by a blanket

Savage.Taurus: “Alright ladies and gents, settle down now.”

Fitheach Eun watches Dragon with interest

Savage.Taurus: “I hear you folks like to be entertained and will give up some of your shiny coins and such.”

Savage.Taurus: “So take a gander at this. I'm sure it will pique your interest a bit.”

Savage.Taurus: puffs on his pipe a few times and then knocks it against the boardwalk railing to clean it out and puts it in his pocket

Warming Up While Talia and Rorn Watch

Savage.Taurus: walks over and picks up a couple long staves wrapped in cloth at the ends

Savage.Taurus: winks at the crowd and holds a finger up to one side of his nose and blows out of the other nostril, shooting a small thin line of flame, igniting the end of a staff

Savage.Taurus: smiles as he hears the gasps of the crowd

Talia.Sunsong: "Look baby Rorn, Daddy is putting on a fire show."

Savage.Taurus: then puts a finger to the other side of his nose and shoots flame out of the other nostril and ignites the other staff

Fitheach Eun readies a small raincloud in case it's needed

Savage.Taurus: holds the flaming sticks out and waves them around, making the fire dance

Lighting the Sticks

Talia.Sunsong: Baby Rorn sticks his head out from under the blanket and looks at his father twirling firesticks.

Savage.Taurus: touches them together to light the other ends of the two-sided torches

Talia.Sunsong: "Da-Da!" says baby Rorn.

Fiesty Lotus watches in awe of the show that Savage is putting on.

Savage.Taurus: begins to spin the torches, slowly at first, but building in speed

Savage.Taurus: twirls them around in different poses, grinning as he sees the effect his display has on the crowd

Getting Into the Act

 Savage.Taurus: starts to get into the act, dancing around as he twirls the torches in a blindingly brilliant display

Fiesty Lotus looks at a girl standing a little too close to the Fire and frets.

Savage.Taurus: teases and taunts the crowd, coming close to them, but careful not to burn anyone

Savage.Taurus: becomes more acrobatic, spinning and flipping around, doing handstands and back flips

Fitheach Eun watches as more and more people gather

Fitheach Eun: Several of them dart forward and drop money into the hat

Talia.Sunsong: "Look at Daddy go, baby Rorn!"

Fire Dancing

Savage.Taurus: smiles broadly as he sees people in the crowd tossing money at him

Fiesty Lotus smiles at the excited crowd

Savage.Taurus: finishes his act with a great flourish, and soaks in the applause, thinking he could get used to this show business

Fiesty Lotus claps happily

Fitheach Eun applauds smiling

Finishing with a Great Flourish

Talia.Sunsong: applauds "Give lots of coins for cotton candy!"

Savage.Taurus: for a last bit of showmanship, he places the ends of the staves in his mouth to extinguish the flames

Savage.Taurus: and then takes a bow as the crowd cheers

Savage.Taurus: “Thank you, folks, for your kind donations!”

Savage.Taurus: leans down and picks up the hat and empties it into his coat pockets

Talia.Sunsong: moves baby Rorn's front paws in a clapping motion

Savage.Taurus: skedaddles out of there, in case the crowd changes their mind, thinking he has just swindles a bunch of chumps out of their money

Plotting....Errrr Planning

Savage: "Hi Saphira."

Saphira: "Greetings Savage."

Savage: "Lovely dress."

Saphira: "Thank you, I think the color suits me."

Savage: "It does."

Saphira coughs gently, "Lady Fiesty suggested I should have a talk with you Savage."

Talia tries to open Saph's chest.
Saphira's Treasure Chest stubbornly refuses to open for Talia.

Saphira hears the chest rattle and giggles, "It's spelled to keep people out."

Talia: "I can't swim in your hoard lol."

Saphira grins.

Saphira and Savage talk

Savage: Saph, what did you need to talk to me about?

Saphira: "Ah yes." Saphira tries to look stern, thinking about what Lady Fiesty had mentioned.

Talia goes behind Saph's back and fiddles with her gold chest.

Saphira: "Savage, since you are, for the moment, stuck in two-legs form, you should learn to act like one of them. Even though you can breathe fire a little you are not strong like you were. They can lock you up and they can hurt you. That will not help your hatchling. We have to blend in, or we will be in big trouble."

Saphira's Treasure Chest stubbornly refuses to open for Talia.

Savage sighs and rolls his eyes, "Can you teach me how to turn back into my true form?"

Saphira: "Hmm, that is a part of the nature of shadow dragons. I'm not sure it can be taught."

Savage grumbles, "These dangs droods have trapped me!

Saphira: "Well, there are worse things than that. Dead for example. Dead isn't much fun."

Savage: "I've never tried it, myself."

Talia paws through the food cabinets, looking for cream.

Savage: "I'm stuck here in this silly body, no hoard, have a kid to look after, and an irresponsible fae to contend with."

Saphira hisses with frustration, "Oh Great Mother! All male dragons care about are themselves -- fill my hoard, fill my gut, satisfy my desires."

Talia: "Huh? What irresponsible Fae? Is there another Fae around?"

Savage: "They say our home world is gone, but I don't believe them. I think it's a trick. I think they stole my hoard. Used this flighty faerie to distract me."

Talia: "I'm distracting? Well I AM good looking."

Saphira's Chest of Gold

Saphira: "I flew home and brought back a chest of gold from my home forest. A small part of my hoard, but I think we can use it judiciously to buy things we need. I am willing to share."

Talia: "Share shiny coins? Like now?"

Savage: "Buy things? Why would you want to waste your horde?"

Talia: "To buy cream obviously."

Saphira's Treasure Chest stubbornly refuses to open for Talia.

Saphira: "That was one of the other things I wanted to talk about. You must know you cannot just take everything you want. So you must barter, trade, or pay for things with gold and silver and copper."

Talia: "Drat the chest won't open."

Saphira: "That goes especially for their animals. I was taught long ago you cannot go around eating all of their flocks and herds. They do not take kindly to that."

Savage: "Heh, I think the little fae burglar is trying to get at your hoard."

Saphira: "Good luck with that, it has a strong magick on it. No one but I can open it, and I don't think it can even be broken open."

Talia whispers loudly, "She got purple spots from eating a cow I fed fae mushrooms to. That's why she doesn't eat willy nilly."

Talia: "You said you would share coins," kicks chest.

Saphira: "Yes yes."

Savage: "Folks around here don't understand the proper use for things. Critters are for eating, and gold is for laying on."

Talia: "I like to swim in gold coins".

Savage: "How else will you get jewels encrusted into your scales?"

Saphira reaches into her reticule and pulls out a handful of coins, and hands them out.

Talia: "Shiny things!" Takes coins eagerly.

Saphira: "I was able to bargain with one gentle here, a collector. He was willing to pay me their local coins for some of my gold. I suspect he is not giving a fair trade, but now we can buy what we need with their coins."

Talia: "I need cream."

Savage looks at Saphira with confusion and reproach, but takes the coins and quickly pockets them, not about to argue with someone who foolishly gives away her hoard.

Saphira notes Savage's look and smiles, "You see Savage, sometimes we have to make sacrifices to fit in."

Saphira: "I need to find an ... assayist, I think they called him. Someone who can give me the true worth of the gold."

Talia: "Give me all your gold and I'll find this Easy-ist."

Savage chuckles.

Saphira: "That would probably not be a good idea. They might wonder where we got so much, and come looking."

Savage: "Give it to me. I'll find it faster than she will!"

Saphira mutters under her breath. "No wonder my clan stays away from bigger dragons. They have all the brains of hatchlings!"

Talia: "Well at least let baby dragon Rorn sleep on the gold."

Savage: "Yes! Good idea."

Saphira: "And that is why I made sure there were strong spells on the chest."

Talia pets Rorn, "Don't you want to sleep on the gold, sweetums?"

Saphira: "Which reminds me, do we know who actually owns this house we are staying in?"

Talia: "Why do we need to know?"

Saphira sighs.

Savage mutters to himself, "I bet all these townspeople have lots of coins and jewels hidden away in their little houses..."

They Have Come a Long Ways in a Few Centuries

Saphira: "I repeat, we cannot just take what we want. We have to blend in."

Savage: "I need to ..convince.. these people to give me all their jewels."

Saphira grins. "Now, you are thinking. Just make sure your 'convince' is not a threat."

Savage: "Maybe they will give me money if they like my fire act. They seem easily impressed, I think."

Saphira: "That is a distinct possibility. They seem to enjoy that sort of entertainment."

Talia: "They gave me money even though I turned apples into a frog, instead of apple pie."

Savage: "Haha, yea, they are stupid."

Saphira: "Hmm, yet, they make things like that floating airship. They have come a long ways in a few centuries."

Savage: "Will be easy to fleece these pitiful humans."

Talia: "I want my own floating airship. I'll ride on it like a queen Fae."

Savage: "Heh, so what? I can fly...err...I could..." Sighs and kicks the timber in frustration.

Saphira: "Yes, and that was my point earlier. Until we can find a way to restore you, you must play more by their rules."

Savage: "Well, the droods changed me. They should be able to change me back."

Talia: "I play, that's my rule."

Savage: "Play hmm?" Eyes the fae, noticing that she's not bad looking for a biped.

Saphira: "The druids are not always sure how they do things. They are all on about balance and such. It may take them a while to find a counter-spell."

Savage: So they did a spell on me they can't undo? This is all a scam. I know it. They have my hoard somewhere."

Saphira sees the way Savage eyes Talia and shakes her head again. "Savage, please TRY to behave yourself."

Talia is totally clueless about the dragon man's look. "Why, is he thinking of eating me?"

Savage the Dragon

Saphira giggles at Talia. "Not exactly."

Savage: "You just keep looking after the baby, nanny."

Talia: "Dragons are always eating things, almost as much as Fae."

Savage: "I may not eat you, just yet."

Talia sticks tongue out at dragon man, "Just you try!"

Saphira: "If Talia eats one of those dratted purple mushrooms, you won't want to eat her Savage."

Savage: (It occurs to him that this form may have some advantages after all.)

Talia nods head vigorously, "Yep, I eat fairy mushrooms, allll the time."

Saphira: "I ate a cow after she fed it one, and not only did I break out in purple spots, I gave a clan of dwarves an entire chest of gold as a welcome gift."

Talia giggles and looks proud.

Saphira glares at the fae.

Savage:" Why would you do that? To dwarves, for crying out loud."

Saphira sighs. "I was not in my right mind. The purple mushroom had odd effects."

Talia: "You should have bought cream instead."

Savage: Hmm...makes a note to self: Don't eat purple mushrooms.

Saphira looks around the room and nods to herself. "I will make discreet enquiries about who owns this house. No one seems to have noticed our dwelling here, and I suspect someone might be willing to sell it since it appears it has stood empty for a time. At least we would have a safe place of our own."

Savage: "Maybe we can get a better place to live in. This place is a dump."

Talia: "I want to live in an airship!"

Savage: "Oh! Good idea!"

Saphira: "Hmm, for a two-legs house, it is not bad. It seems solid enough, if a little dusty."

Savage: "We seem to agree on a lot of stuff, nanny."

Talia nods, "Great minds think alike."

Saphira: "I have to admit, one of those airships would have a lovely view."

Savage: "I bet we could find a sweet airship to live in and explore this world."

Talia: "Buy an airship with the shinies!"

Let's Buy an Airship

Savage: "Sure...buy...yea..."

Saphira: "Well, it would be less work than flying to my home forest. Do you know how heavy a chest of gold is to carry for a small dragon?"

Talia: "Baby Rorn wants an airship." She moves Rorn's head up and down in a yes gesture.

Savage chuckles and feels his stony heart soften towards the pesky fae.

Saphira: "How do they get up and down to those airships? Do they land them?"

Talia: "If we punctured the balloon, the airship would land."

Saphira: "Yes, but then you would have to patch it again."

Savage: "That would make sense. Which means they would need a place to land. An airfield somewhere."

Saphira: "Hmm, we may have to do a little more exploring in the surrounding lands."

Savage: "We should look for an airfield."

Talia: looks at back yard, "There's air over the field in the back yard."

Savage starts to have thoughts of roaming the countryside in an airship.

Saphira shakes her head, "Talia, I think that is a term they use for a place where they land the airships."

Talia: "They should call it an air dock then, less confusing."

Saphira: "Hmm, that is a good point."

Savage slaps his forehead as his dream of traveling with the nanny is interrupted.

Saphira looks at the two. "I was wandering around the city earlier, and I heard several interesting stories about the odd people disrupting a store. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"

Savage: "Disrupting a store?"

Talia: "I'm never disruptive. I always do what a Fae should do."

Saphira: "Taking things without paying? Generally making a mess?"

Savage: "No...we wouldn't know...aaaanything about that, would we? I don't know what you are talking about."

Talia: "Baby Rorn popped out of his baby blanket and scared a customer after baby dragon daddy grabbed a fish."

Talia the Fae and Saphira

Saphira: "Mmmhmm. That is about what I expected."

Talia: "It is? How did you know?"

Savage: "That was clearly some other baby dragon. There must be oodles of them around here."

Saphira: "Right, I'm sure there are dragon eggs hatching right and left."

Savage: "Where?" Looks around. "Oh."

Talia: "There are? Baby Rorn needs friends to play with...." Looks around.

Savage chuckles.

Saphira: "Well, I can assure you I am NOT laying any eggs."

Talia eyes Saph, "How do you lay eggs?"

Saphira rubs her temples and sighs.

Savage decides not to comment on the egg laying abilities of other dragons.

Talia: "I never had sex education in fairy school."

Saphira: "Never mind I brought it up."

Savage grins, "Maybe you need a tutor..."

Talia: "But I want to mind it. Does it hurt to lay eggs? Do you lay one or many?"

Saphira hisses, "Savage, behave."

Savage: "Do fairies lay eggs?"

Saphira looks at Talia. "I personally have never mated. Among my clan, a clutch of eggs would be two or three."

Talia: "I haven't laid an egg."

Saphira: "I think fae are more like elves or other two-legs that way Savage."

Savage wonders what a dragon/faerie hybrid would look like.

Talia: "If I did lay an egg. I would like it to be shiny or colorful."

Savage: "I bet it would be sparkly."

Talia: "A sparkly egg! I want one."

Saphira rolls her eyes, "Especially if she managed to bring along any of her wands."

Talia: "I have a wand! I made the frog apple with it." She pulls a bent wand from her skirt pocket and proudly holds it up.

Saphira cringes, "Does that thing still work in this time?"

Talia: "Yes it made that frog out of an apple in no time at all."

Saphira: "Oh dear."

Savage: "Just keep that wand away from me, nanny."

Talia looks at Savage, "Are you afraid of my great magical power?" Waves wand around and tries to poke  Savage in his chest.

Saphira: "Ack, put that thing away Talia. We don't need to add any more magic to what the druids did."

Savage chuckles at the silly fae, "I am afraid of nothing."

Talia: "Fine." The fae crosses her arms over her chest. A few sparkles of magic fall off the wand.

Saphira: "Anyway, getting back on the subject of ... disruptions. Perhaps I can smooth over everything with the local law-givers. I have found a little gold makes most races much happier."

Plotting....

Savage looks askance at the odd dragon who wants to give away her hoard.

Saphira: "And here I thought my time as an ambassador was at an end. I see I am going to have to mend a few things between us and these two-legs."

Talia: "You can give me more gold to mend things with me two legged."

Saphira: "I tell you what, once I get someone to sell me the local coins at a reasonable price, I will give you more. They don't seem to use gold as much here."

Savage: "I'm getting hungry. I might go out and wrangle up some dinner, and maybe look for that 'air dock'."

Saphira nods. "Just don't create any more trouble Savage. I'm going to have enough work to do as it is."

Talia: "I'll look for food too, and docking air."

Savage: "No worries. I'll be all stealthy-like."

Saphira rolls her eyes. "It's a good thing you aren't your normal size. Stealth and big dragons do not seem to go together."

Talia: "Baby Rorn and I will be all stealthy and inconspicuous."

Savage: "Hmm, yes, I think there are some things I can learn about in this form." Eyes the pretty fae some more.

Saphira: "Watch the two-legs Savage. Try to see why they do what they do. Well, you two behave yourselves. I'm going to plot ... um ... plan my next moves."

Savage: "Yea, I might learn about these queer townsfolk. Have fun plotting and planning."

Talia: "I behave as a Fae should."

Saphira: "That's what worries me Talia."

Fiesty Takes the Stage

Fiesty takes the stage. She seems to be mumbling something as she walks forward, staff in hand, and looks out at the crowd. As she walks she feels something beneath her bare feet. Looking down, she spies an ordinary pebble on the ground. 

Fiesty Picks Up the Pebble

Inspiration strikes her. She bends down to pick the pebble up and shows it to the crowd. She concentrates on the pebble, noting its smooth shape and earth color. As she looks at the pebble, her staff begins to gently glow with a green light.

Fiesty Waves the Pebble

Fiesty waves the pebble to and fro, as if summoning something. All is still for a moment, then a lone butterfly flies to her, circling her head. Another comes, and another. Soon Fiesty is standing in the midst of a lovely storm of butterflies. She smiles and looks at the astonished crowd. 

A  Lovely Storm of Butterflies

There is a young girl at the front of the crowd. Fiesty waves her forward.  The girl walks timidly forward. Fiesty gives her the pebble. The butterflies now hover over the delighted girl. She stands, dazed at the confusion of butterflies. After a while the girl attempts to give the pebble back but Fiesty gestures for her to keep it.

Fiesty Gives the Pebble to the Girl

The girl walks off and Fiesty almost forgets to check the hat for donations. She looks down and sees a nice amount nestled in the hat. She takes the coins and curtsies to the crowd.

Butterflies Follow the Delighted Girl

Lughnasadh Ceremony in the Ravenheart Grove

Druids Ready to Begin

Fitheach Eun: Welcome everyone

Fitheach Eun: Lughnasadh, also known as Lammas is the time when the early crops are harvested and world begins to change.

Fitheach Eun: The harvest has begun; the trees will soon wear their fall colors.

Fitheach Eun: Let us welcome the elements to our circle to celebrate with us.

Fiesty Lotus turns to the North

Fiesty Lotus: Welcome Earth; share your harvest with us

Fiesty Lotus turns to the South

Fiesty Lotus: Welcome Fire; warm our homes in the cold days ahead

Talia.Sunsong: Welcome!

Fitheach Eun turns to the west:

Fitheach Eun: Welcome Water; send your rains to grow our crops

Fitheach Eun turns to the east:

Fitheach Eun: Welcome Air; bring warm breezes to delight us

Talia.Sunsong: Welcome!

The Altar Stands Ready

Fiesty Lotus: The Wheel of the Year has turned once more,

and the harvest will soon be upon us.

Fiesty Lotus: We have food on our tables, and

the soil is fertile and providing more to come.

Fiesty Lotus: Nature's bounty, the gift of the earth,

gives us reasons to be thankful.

Fiesty Lotus: Mother of the Harvest, with your sickle and basket,

bless us with abundance and plenty.

The Dragon Puffs on his Pipe

Fitheach Eun: The power of the Harvest is within us.

Fitheach Eun: As the seeds fall to the earth and are reborn each year,

We too grow as the seasons change.

Fitheach Eun: As the grain takes root in the fertile soil,

We too will find our roots and develop.

Fitheach Eun: As the smallest seed blooms into a mighty stalk,

We too will bloom where we landed.

Fitheach Eun: As the wheat is harvested and saved for winter,

We too will set aside that which we can use later.

Fiesty Lotus: I pass to you the gift of the first harvest.

Fiesty Lotus passes bread to all present

Fiesty Lotus: Let us honor the elements that gave us this bounty

Grain Transformed by Fire

Fiesty Lotus: Months ago, we planted seeds,

and through the summer watched them grow.

Fiesty Lotus: We have tended the fields in our lives,

and now we are blessed with abundance.

Fiesty Lotus: The harvest has arrived!

Thank you, spirits of the elements,

For the gifts yet to come.

Fiesty Lotus: We eat this bread, grain transformed by fire, in your honor,

and thank you for your bounty.

Fiesty Lotus nibbles her bread

Fitheach Eun takes a bite from hers and swallows it quickly.

Savage.Taurus: bites into the bread; hopes its coconut bread

Fitheach Eun: The bright year is waning; the light begins to fade

Fitheach Eun: The dark hours of winter move ever closer

Fitheach Eun: Still the light is holding off the dark for a few more months

Fitheach Eun: Let us revel in the light while it lasts

And celebrate its beauty while we walk within it

Fitheach Eun: We will not fear the dark ahead

While we carry the light in our hands and hearts

Fitheach Eun: The light is our protection

As the world fades around us

Druids and Guests Celebrate

Fitheach Eun addresses the guests

Fitheach Eun: Does anyone present wish to offer any thoughts at this time?

Talia.Sunsong: It is a good harvest when it is shared with good friends such as you all.

Fiesty Lotus smiles

Fitheach Eun smiles and agrees

Fiesty Lotus: We thank the elements for their presence and support.

Fiesty Lotus turns to the North

Fiesty Lotus: Thank you Earth for your fertile soil

Fiesty Lotus turns to the South

Fiesty Lotus: Thank you Fire for your transforming gift

Fitheach Eun turns to the east

Fitheach Eun: Thank you Air for carrying the bees to fertilize our crops

Fitheach Eun turns to the west

Fitheach Eun: Thank you Water for your gift of life

Fae Talia and Baby Rorn

Fitheach Eun: The circle is broken; the rite is ended. Go all now in peace. Thank you all.

Savage.Taurus: That was beautiful and poetic

Talia.Sunsong: sings "May the circle be open but unbroken. May the love of the Goddess be ever in your heart."

Fiesty Lotus nods

Fitheach Eun smiles

Fitheach Eun: Thank you both

Talia.Sunsong: thank you!

Talia.Sunsong: Fae dives into food, discarding eggplants for sweeter food

Fitheach Eun giggles

Fiesty Lotus: Oh, you impetuous Fae

Talia.Sunsong: Looks for cream, finding none, gobbles the creamiery cheeses

Fiesty Lotus: nice spread Druid Fitheach

Fitheach Eun: Thanks :)

Talia.Sunsong: Baby Rorn hops on the altar and licks on a slab of cheese

Rorn Licks the Cheese

Fiesty Lotus: Noo, not the whole slab Rorn!

Fitheach Eun is glad she put the plate of cookies away ;)

Talia.Sunsong: Rorn looks at Fiesty and purrs like the kitten

Fiesty Lotus: Aww, I like cheese too

Fitheach Eun munches on an apple

Fitheach Eun: we should cut up a watermelon

Talia.Sunsong: Baby Rorn sits by the fire, and breathes in the flames and spits them back out

Fitheach Eun: Shall we go dance with Fiesty?

Dancing to Celebrate the Harvest