<strong>Location:</strong>The Lost Coast Road, roughly halfway to Sandpoint - The Tinker's Fancy<br/><strong>Characters involved presently: </strong>Hugh Longfellow, Shadi Bahar<br/><strong>Characters nearby: </strong>Ranna Walstad<br/><strong>NPCs involved presently:</strong>Aldous Foxglove, Silar Mortwell, Lutsag, Riata the bartender, Gulliver Dane<br/><br/>Riata paused a moment at hearing Shadi's response and held up a single finger.  Her hands were busy beneath the bar for a moment when she produced another earthenware tankard.  Nearly full to the brim with a rich, amber hued liquid and a layer of frothy foam atop.  Riata smiled at Shadi and placed a slender finger alongside her pierced nose before offering a wink.  She claimed the two previous tankards she had brought Shadi and whisked away to deliver them to other patrons of the Inn.<br/><br/>Shadi could see that while it looked like ale, it was cool, tart apple cider with a splash of grape juice from Varisian vinyards and orchards.<br/><br/>Aldous seemed altogether comfortable with Hugh and Shadi.  Quite unaware of Hugh's discomfort and he proclaimed shamelessly.<em> "Ah yes.  The festival.  I make it a point to attend every year.  We have a villa near Sandpoint but I find myself so enrapt with the goings on that I just rent a few rooms at one of the Inns and continue the revelry there!"</em><br/><br/>Lutsag offered Shadi a sagely nod of his head in response to her prompting and took a hearty pull from his tankard, nearly finishing it in a matter of moments and taking a moment to wipe the foam from his moustaches.<br/><br/>Silar stayed close by; keeping his eyes on Aldous and Shadi in turn, clearly conflicted over what opportunity to pursue first.<br/><br/>Aldous continued to talk unrestrained.<em>"And yes, good Master Longfellow.  I have failed to answer you in a straight forward manner.  I do indeed travel to Sandpoint!  Not alone however as that could prove reckless."</em>he motioned with his tankard in the direction of the man seated nearby with a broadbrimmed hat.<em>"That is Master Gulliver Dane.  He is quite handy with a sword and shield and he's from the Sandpoint area." </em>, he paused a moment.<em>"Well...that's not altogether true now is it?  He's from a small island off the coast called Grubber's Hermitage.  An enclave of fishermen and netmenders..."</em>, Aldous grinned at Gulliver.<em>"Don't let his silence put you off.  He's friendly enough once you talk at him for six or seven hours."</em><br/><br/>He had been making eye contact in turn between Hugh, Shadi, Lutsag and Silar but he was able to take a moment and properly address Shadi.    He bowed in a practiced manner, doing an adequate job despite his state of intoxication.<em>"Aldous Foxglove at your service, Lady Bahar.  I daresay you being a representative of Shelyn could not be more fitting and at the risk of being too bold, I believe it to be a tragedy that there is not a crowd of artists following you about to capture each and every moment of you."</em>