The Ballad of Adler Young, Canto 2.5

>Estvan: Fully realize that it's Adler, enjoy the sight nevertheless. Tag along just in case something funny happens, and to his growing discomfort.
>To the embassy!

I like the padlock medallion, it's pretty cool idea!

>To the Embassy or the Thaumaturgy Den? Such a weighty decision cannot be made lightly. Flip a coin in full view of your gawking entourage.

SALV Chesswick, realize that SALV Relda Fauxfox has her medal pinned to the wrong side of her chest (which is unsurprising for a Lengra-Cha hick) and smells rather strongly of skunk (which is unusual even for a Lengra-Cha hick). Interrogate the new vixen further.
Relda, do your best to keep ahead of the questions. Do well, until Sophie gets involved. Then lose the interrogation, badly. Be taken to the embassy for further questioning. Maybe you should try pulling a Bavarian fire drill instead of playing on the "shy new girl from the boondocks" card.

Boo-Boo's truth sense, refuse to be quiet. Also, unlike what Yolanda thought, actually mean the medal and monocle to be fake.
Yolanda, start believing that your son is hitting early puberty.

Vulpitanian embassy, be heavily decorated for saint Reynard's day, which is a Vulpitanian national holiday (that nobody can agree on what day it is supposed to be held, so it can be held on any day, as long as it's only once per year - or the people celebrating it don't get caught more than once per year), where it's traditionally expected to lock a bunch of people in a building together over night and have them play practical jokes on one another.
Relda, realize that this might be a perfect cover to steal the part needed and get some intel. Until you realize that you will have to stay the whole night among the foxes.

SALV Relda Fauxfox > explain the skunk smell due to having a liaison with the kings hand Adler over the... er... the vulpitanian contractual trade agreement renewal! Cant loose our supply of medal polish!

SALV Relda Fauxfox > Be curious that the young silverbrush can see through your disguise. Maybe his true sight could be of use to you later

Sgt. Avogadro & Marshal T > Muse over what adler is involed in. Be alarmed what the thaumaturist are planning for the king, the scuti "maybe" being royal blood, a possibility F.E.L.F. are backed by the vulpitanian state and a possible all out war with vulpitania if alder is caught!

Marshal Theronmyathus > Pull out a bottle of strong booze, start drinking.

>FauxFox: Act more confident, if you act like you belong, people are less likely to ask questions.

SALV Chesswick, realize that SALV Relda Fauxfox has her medal pinned to the wrong side of her chest (which is unsurprising for a Lengra-Cha hick) and smells rather strongly of skunk (which is unusual even for a Lengra-Cha hick). Interrogate the new vixen further.
Maybe you should try pulling a Bavarian fire drill instead of playing on the "shy new girl from the boondocks" card.
Boo-Boo's truth sense, refuse to be quiet. Also, unlike what Yolanda thought, actually mean the medal and monocle to be fake.
SALV Relda Fauxfox > explain the skunk smell due to having a liaison with the kings hand Adler
>FauxFox: Act more confident, if you act like you belong, people are less likely to ask questions.

"SALV Fauxfox, your medal is pinned to der wronk side," Ambassador Chesswick pointed out suspiciously.

"It's on the right side," I retorted, with absolute truth.

"FAKE," Boris yelled again, followed by a yelp as Yolanda pinched his ear.

"Vhy do you schmell zo schtrongly of schkunk?" Alberta asked, sniffing.

"I've had very close personal contact with Prince Adler," I hedged.

"Ach, he has der impressive Viles, does he not?" the Ambassador sighed. The young vixen at her side groaned disgustedly and wrinkled her nose.

"He certainly does," I replied.

"Und vhat exactly vere you doink in zere, zat led you to vhat schmells like ein VERY intimate conference mit der Prince und Right Handt?"



"Don't interrogate me, SALV Chesswick!" I snapped imperiously. "My mission, which I am on for Important Reasons, is my own, not yours."

"Okay, okay, fine," the Ambassador shrugged. "Headqvarters likes to keep its zecrets. Zo be it. Take ein chill pill, SALV, I vill not pry into der matter any furzer."

"See that you remember that," I sniffed.

The little vixen glowered at me sullenly but said nothing.

SALV Relda Fauxfox > Elf mind estvan ask him to keep a eye on the thaumaturgists and quickly give him the gist of whats going on
>Estvan: Fully realize that it's Adler, enjoy the sight nevertheless. Tag along just in case something funny happens, and to his growing discomfort.
>To the Embassy or the Thaumaturgy Den? Such a weighty decision cannot be made lightly.

"Estvan," I thought with Elfmind. "It's me, Adler. I have transmogrified myself into this vixen so as to stay incognito."

"Sure, and a fine job of it you've done too, me boyo," he replied, inspecting my disguise appreciatively.

"My eyes are up here, Estvan," I reminded him. "There are two things I need to do, and I don't have much time to do them. I've got to get into the Vulpitanian Embassy and fetch some spare parts for Alice Chetsweeks' mechanical body. I also have to go to the apartment where Rotnev Nidab and Nexivydah Semos are conducting their experiments, and stop them from completing their work. Can you help?"

"It's forbidden I am from the Embassy, by a restraining order," Estvan explained. "But sure and I wouldn't mind stoppin' in to visit Rotnev and Nexy at all, at all."

>Adler: Off to the Embassy with you!
SALV Relda Fauxfox> Goto Embassy, go quickly, go straight
Vulpitanian embassy, be heavily decorated for saint Reynard's day, which is a Vulpitanian national holiday

"SALV Chesswick," I said, turning to the Ambassador. "If you are going to the Embassy, I shall accompany you."



After a short walk, we entered the Vulpitanian Embassy, where we were greeted by a trio of foxes armed with pies and a seltzer bottle.

"HAPPY SAINT REYNARD'S DAY!" they yelled in unison.

SALV Relda Fauxfox > Before you could say "what?" Both pies hit you in the face. The back of the Pie pans have a smiley face with googly eyes

Trio > Apologize to SALV Relda Fauxfox as they where aiming for SALV Silverbrush and SALV Chesswick. They know them but not you.

Bored office vixen > Think that SALV Relda Fauxfox is the new "Sly Attractive Looking Vixen" they have been expecting. Give Relda a access pass and send her to the marshals office. The bored office vixen doesn't even bother to ask for your name or even look at you. She waves Relda off and continues doodling on her pad 3 stick foxes being stab in the back

>Vulpitanian marshal: Receive word that the entertainment has arrived, instruct her to be delivered to your quarters right away.

Because I care~

Embassy receptionist, look eerily familiar.

SALV Chesswick and SALV Silverbrush, react to the holiday with a mixture of reverence and pure dread.

Pies, be rhubarb flavoured. Relda, enjoy the taste, but not the delivery.

Relda, try to gather some information on the holiday. Succeed, but also draw some attention to yourself. Also learn a few interesting facts about the Vulpitanians in the process.

An actual Lengra-Cha native, be present in the embassy. Try to get some alone time with your fellow contryvixen.

Boo-Boo, be very bitter about the way your mother is treating you every time you just want to help. Decide to rebel against her at every opportunity.

Estvan, before going to the experts, go check on Meadow first. See if she has acquired any useful information.

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There's a wiki now? Nice. I'm tempted to go read the Winterbough saga now... I copied one of the stories to my Kindle a while back, but just hadn't gone around to reading it yet...

Estvan SilverBrush > Stick googly eyes on everything including Meadow

SALV Relda Fauxfox > Try and get into other areas of the embassy to find the Gizmo you need to steal while avoiding prank traps

>Vulpitanian Revelers: A new face? Time for orientation. Begin the holiday hazing!
>Adler: Become far more immersed in Vulpitanian culture than you ever wanted to be...
>Adler: After the festivities, come to the conclusion that Vulpitanian customs are dumb and you hate them.

>SALV Chesswick: Graciously accept the "Delightful Derriere" award from the Council of Callipygean Connoisseurs.

Vulpitanian marshal > Designate Relda to "silent assassin, leathal vixen" tell her she will be tasked in killing the kings hand before the Thaumaturists hybrid is born and King estmere is removed from the throne.

(Wise Professor Skunk) Explain who St. Reynard is, and the meaning of St. Reynard's Day, including certain debates on the sanctity of types of pastry.
(Moe, Larry and Curly) Bombard the three vixens with pie and seltzer.
(SALV Silverbrush) Produce a pair of seltzer bottles, and be a two-gun mascula.
(SALV Fauxfox) Try to escape the area.
(SALV Fauxfox) Promptly get lost in the Embassy.
(SALV Fauxfox) Find an icon of St. Reynard. Read the caption beneath it.
(SALV Fauxfox) Get sprayed by the flower in St. Reynard's lapel.
(SALV Fauxfox) Collapse.

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>SALV Chesswick: Graciously accept the "Delightful Derriere" award from the Council of Callipygean Connoisseurs.

"I vish to zank der Academy und der Vulpitanian Embassy, und mine personal trainer, Breugel..."

SALV Relda Fauxfox > Before you could say "what?" Both pies hit you in the face. The back of the Pie pans have a smiley face with googly eyes
SALV Chesswick and SALV Silverbrush, react to the holiday with a mixture of reverence and pure dread.
Pies, be rhubarb flavoured. Relda, enjoy the taste, but not the delivery.
(Moe, Larry and Curly) Bombard the three vixens with pie and seltzer.

Before I could react, I suddenly had a face full of rhubarb cream. I heard some snickering and a muffled "nyuck nyuck nyuck" as I pried the pie pans away and scooped pie filling out of my eyes.

Trio > Apologize to SALV Relda Fauxfox as they where aiming for SALV Silverbrush and SALV Chesswick. They know them but not you.
>Vulpitanian Revelers: A new face? Time for orientation. Begin the holiday hazing!
>Adler: Become far more immersed in Vulpitanian culture seltzer than you ever wanted to be...

"A 1,000 pardons, SALV!" the tod with the seltzer bottle exclaimed apologetically. "We were totes aiming 4 teh other 2 vixens, I cant even understand Y they both hit U, Xcept maybe UR new & teh new girl always gets teh pie in teh face. Hear, let me help U get cleaned up, LOL."



He sprayed me with a generous amount of seltzer.

Bored office vixen > Think that SALV Relda Fauxfox is the new "Sly Attractive Looking Vixen" they have been expecting. Give Relda a access pass and send her to the marshals office. The bored office vixen doesn't even bother to ask for your name or even look at you.
>Vulpitanian marshal: Receive word that the entertainment has arrived, instruct her to be delivered to your quarters right away.
Embassy receptionist, look eerily familiar.

"Hey. New SALV," the receptionist muttered, after the seltzer fox went "nyuck"ing down the corridor. "The Marshal is ready for you. Take this pass and go on up."

I took the slip of paper she held out to me. "Do I know you?" I asked. "You look strangely familiar."

"I doubt it," she sighed. "The Marshal does not like to be kept waiting."

Relda, try to gather some information on the holiday. Succeed, but also draw some attention to yourself.
SALV Relda Fauxfox > Try and get into other areas of the embassy to find the Gizmo you need to steal while avoiding prank traps
(SALV Fauxfox) Promptly get lost in the Embassy.
(SALV Fauxfox) Find an icon of St. Reynard. Read the caption beneath it.
(SALV Fauxfox) Get sprayed by the flower in St. Reynard's lapel.

I stepped through the double doors on the other side of the room, and looked around. The stairs that used to be here were not here ... then I remembered that the old Embassy had exploded when I was there on that First Day of Winter so many years ago, and this was therefore a new building.

I wandered down a hallway and turned left at an intersection. After going through two empty anterooms and a small meeting hall, I was lost. The entire Embassy seemed deserted. All the foxes must have been off celebrating Saint Reynard's day somewhere. I stumbled past a set of unoccupied carrels and rounded a corner to come face-to-face with an elaborate carved shrine.

"BLESSINGS OF SAINT REYNARD," the plaque at the bottom stated. "SMELL MY FLOWER FOR LUCK."



I leaned in for a closer look at the carved flower on the icon's lapel, and it squirted me.

An actual Lengra-Cha native, be present in the embassy. Try to get some alone time with your fellow contryvixen.

"Believe you fell for that, I cannot," a raspy voice murmured behind me.



I turned to behold a short, stocky, sand-colored fox in a brown robe. He gazed at me with an enigmatic yet baleful expression.

"Back in Lengra-Cha, how are things?" he asked.

>He's obviously going to inflict some juvenile prank on you, don't fall for it. Get him before he gets you.

>Cold and borring as usual

> He's speaking phrases in the wrong order?? is that a Lengra-Cha thing?

Relda > Remember what Chesswick said, most Lendra-Cha foxes live else where

Lengra-Cha Fox > Grumble about southern softies and real Lengra-Cha live in the harsh north, hunting with there bare hands

Lengra-Cha Fox > Hear "HAPPY SAINT REYNARD DAY!" behind you and tilt slightly to the left without looking back and dodge the key lime pie, which instead hits Relda

Speculation: The "monk's" name is "Adoy" or something similar.
Robed fox, be completely serious and have no intention to perform any kind of trickery on the vixen. Try to get an honest conversation out of her.

Relda, believe that the robed fox is going to trick you at every opportunity and act accordingly.

Flower fluid, do not be just water. Relda, start feeling very ecstatic and giggly all of a sudden. Get an urge to break out in a song and dance.

SALV Silverbrush, secretly follow Relda around. Try to get as many pranks as possible to affect her. Have a hard time accomplishing this due to Relda's boon of luck.

SALV Chesswick, go get a fresh uniform. Do not realize that it's been tampered with until it's too late.

(Wise Professor Skunk) Put down that scone with sweet persimmon jam, and explain for us, already, some St. Reynard lore, including the whole thing with pies 'n seltzer.
(Amatuagat Rahddis) Do not wait for an answer from the white-furred fox, but immediately enquire as to whether a butterfly has Reynard nature.
(SALV Fauxfox) Immediately counter with an enquiry as to what is the sound of one paw clapping.
(Rahddhis) Smile mysteriously at the counter-question.
(SALV Fauxfox) Smile nervously at the mysterious smile.
(Rahddhis) Demonstrate what the sound of one paw clapping sounds like.
(SALV Fauxfox) Be gobsmacked.
(Ominous Clown Horns) Be heard, very VERY close by.

>Monk: Your taciturn nature is completely at the odds with the japery of st. Reynard's Day, and being the Head of Festivities understandably chafes you.
>Monk: As does your thong. Lash out at someone, anyone!

Monk > Recognize "The Honking" to be a warning of worst things to come. Clowns with semi-auto pie cannons! go somewhere else to continue the conversation

Relda > Step on a rake and be whacked by the handle. complain this place is covered in gag traps

Monk > Point out the rake wasn't a gag trap. Watch your step around the garden area. Comment on Relda clumsiness

>Monk: Ask how are things in Lengra-Cha?
>Monk: Ask is that little brook still leaping there?
>Monk: Ask does it still run down to Maree cove?
>Monk: Ask through Anyhaym, Ah Soosa and Kukh...?









>Monk: Ask Ah Klayre?

On the way to X location (before or after the Embassy)

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https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/8332.../Relda.jpg

Fixed seems dropbox doesnt like image links

Cheers all ;D

On the way to X location (before or after the Embassy)

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The link doesn't seem to work...