The Campaign Builder's Guild

[ooc]Sorry all, my move is in full swing and it's time to pack up the computer. I'll be internet-less for a few days (Monday at the latest) so feel free to NPC me.[/ooc]

[ooc]Yes they're inside[/ooc]
 [ic]Miss Elsa begins to shudder convulsively, covering her face in her hands, bawling.  She runs across the tavern floor up the stairs at the far end of the room, spilling two or three drinks on her way.  The sound of a door slamming can be heard, and her moans travel downstairs for several minutes before quieting.[/ic]
 [ic=Brew Master Eluf]"Blast it all!  Look what ya did.  Me poor Elsa, she gets so emotional.  She'uz just bein playful and now ya gone and made the poor thing cry.  I think sirs, it's best for you all to get on yer way."[/ic]

[ic=Jelma'c]"I think you rush to her defense a tad bit too quickly." Jelma'c says calmly. "We have already paid for our rooms, and quite a bit besides. I assure you sir that I meant no ill feeling towards Elsa, despite some of my more pointed opinions. If she plays a trick on someone, she should be old enough to expect retribution in kind. She has, quite honestly, no justification in playing on her delicate emotions after what she did to me."

"Allow me to go up and talk to her. If I cannot remove any ill-feeling between us, I will leave this place with nothing but deserved praise on my lips. In either case, my friends had nothing to do with it, and you would be evicting innocent, well paying custom from your tavern, custom I am certain is much needed."  [/ic]

[ic=Brew Master Eluf]Eluf looks slightly put out.  "They usually take that seriously.  Ah well.  I ain't really angry with you.  Just trying to amuse meself.  Didn't take, though.  In truth this kind o' thing happens quite a bit.  Elsa takes herself too seriously, but we love her just the same.[/ic]

[ic]"You may find, brewmaster, that I am a difficult person to intimidate. I mean no disrespect, I assure you. It is simply that many months of traveling has somewhat hardened me to the common tricks."

"If I may, I would greatly appreciate your permission to speak to Elsa. She seemed very put out, and I would be guilty if I did not attempt to remove any animosity that may exist between us." [/ic]

[ic=Brew Master Eluf]"I dare say she'll regain her composure ere ye're off to bed.  It's really probably best to just let her get over it on her own.  Still, if you're intent on trying to make amends, you have my permission to speak with her.  Garcin, would you do me the favor o' accompanying our friend here to see Miss Elsa?--That is, of course, if ya still want to talk to 'er."[/ic]

[ic]"Thank you Garcin. Eluf, if my friends inquire, please tell them I have decided to put in early."

Jelma'c follows Garcin up the stairs to Elsa's room and, knocking softly, asks if he could talk to her.[/ic]

[ic=Miss Elsa]A somewhat muffled voice responds "Go away!  I don't want to talk to you!"  Nevertheless, the door opens on a still bright red Elsa, her face lined with tears.[/ic]

[ic]"We make quite a pair, do we not?" Jelma'c says, still bright pink, "A pink soldier and a devil barmaid conversing in a hallway. I sincerely hope that I am the only one who can see the humor in this situation. May I come in? I would rather not make my apologies standing in a tavern hallway."  [/ic]

[ic=Miss Elsa]"We are not a pair."  She retorts.  "Come in."  She lets you in and closes the door behind you, saying "Good evening, Garcin."  The door clicks shut.  "Now, I have no intention of accepting your apology, so you might as well just leave now for all the good it will do you.  Now get on with it.  You were apologizing."[/ic]

[ic]"I have a confession. I might have spoken a slight deception for the purpose of obtaining a private conversation. I have some questions and, depending on the answers, perhaps an apology."

"What exactly did you do to me?"[/ic]

[ic=Miss Elsa]Elsa was clearly not prepared for this question, and appears slightly disappointed that you aren't indulging her.  "Oh," she actually gives a small smile "that.  It's nothing really, just a trick.  Some alchemists in Gambodel came up with it.  I guess they were trying to come up with some sort of salve and found instead that this root would give ladies the most lovely pink to their cheeks if used in little bits.  I happened to get some, and I had the idea to use it on you as revenge.[/ic]

[ic]"So no lasting harm done, good." Jelma'c moves his hand over his face, returning his color to normal. "Revenge for what, may I ask?"[/ic]

[ic=Miss Elsa]"Perhaps 'revenge' is a strong word, but I meant to get even with you for making devils out of us females."  Elsa realized that you had been tricking her as to the effect of her root.  "And what is that?  Then it didn't work?  You tricked me!  You lied!  So what am I, eh?  Your little plaything?"  She turns and faces away from you, refusing to make eye contact or speak.[/ic]
 [ic=Garcin Leblaque]You hear Garcin's voice from the door.  "Is everything alright in there?  I thought I caught a exclamation."[/ic]

[ic]"Did it occur to you," Jelma'c says as patiently as he can, "that I might have good reason for not trusting females, and taken my exaggerated speech as the effects of too many mugs of Eluf's finest? As for the root," He continues, "it worked, I just have a way of masking its effects. I did not lie to you, you merely assumed that my affliction was wholly your doing. I did trick you, which is exactly what you did to me. All accounts considered, I would say that we are even."[/ic]

 [ic]"We're fine, although was our conversation loud enough to hear downstairs?"[/ic]