Xykhazi

Timeline

Major Events in Xykhazi's life

Backstory

Early Years - "Flowers and festivities"

Xykhazi was born the 23rd of Kythorn 1468DR while many Satyrs were still recovering from a multiday revelery planned every summer solstice. When compared to nearly all boisterous and energetic young Satyrs, Xykhazi would be considered quiet and contemplative. Early on the Sibyls had a vision that Xykhazi would be an agent of change, but the impact to the grove was unclear as if it were indirect or somehow distant. As with any child who figured in a vision, she was carefully observed to try to understand the significance of the vision.

At around age 10, the first signs became evident, gaining Xykhazi the nickname "FlowerFaun". The gift of a flower seemed to have a ritual to it and have an outsized impact on the recipient. But understanding what she was doing did not come easy to those trying to keep her under watch. There were many reasons for this difficulty. The grove was often overrun by one revelry or another. Xykhazi was already smaller and more slight of stature than most kids 2 years her junior. As with most young Satyrs, Xy was prone to darting off at unexpected times in seemingly random directions. Finally, even older Satyrs love their revelry so would often get pulled away from the (relatively) boring task of figuring out what made this young child special.

By the time Xykhazi turned 14, one thing was clear - she had established a new tradition all her own in the grove. How she had done it was not clear, but apparently for nearly everyone this was the fourth year she had given every resident their favorite flower on their individual favorite day of the year. What finally made it obvious was the realization that for those for whom it was less either had their favorite day coming soon or their favorite day would come less than once a year. For all that this included the Sibyls, they were still somewhat perplexed as no one could recall being asked what their favorite day was.

The insight Xy showed led the Sibyl's to wonder if Xykhazi herself was having visions and therefor a Sibyl. Asking her made it obvious it was simply the form of her revelry leading her to resonate with the joys of those around her. And equally simply, she hit upon a thought on how to amplify their joy and therefore her own. So on her tenth birthday she took action an gifted her parents with their favorite flower. This was no easy task for her father's favorite did not grow in the grove. The realization that she had acquired the flower herself and not from a gatherer as her father believed led the Sibyls to the realization that Xykhazi is a natural and intuitive Dawngreet. So while Xykhazi not the most inspired follower of Nylea, her knack for learning news and making friends meant her training would begin immediately. And in honor of her passion she was gifted the nickname "FlowerLove".

Becoming a Dawngreet and leaving the Grove - "Music and Heartstrings"

After three seasons of training, the Sibyls put a challenge to their newest Dawngreets for the Summer Solstice - travel up to a day from the grove and bring back a new friend. Most of the group were back within two days with a new drunk "best-bud". A few found a dryad or nymph up for a bit of fun in about the same time. After a tenday, Xykhazi's continued absense caused the Sibyls to fear her death was what they'd seen. It was near another tenday later that one of Nylea's Favored spotted Xykhazi during a patrol.

The Favored asked "FlowerLove, did you get lost for you have been gone near two tenday? Or have you simply hid after failing the task set before you? There is no shame either way as we all have are own paths though this life we must follow. Your parents missed you on your birthing day, you should perhaps go to them now so they know you yet live".

Xy's responded with "Most revered Favored (Xy poking fun), I have been neither lost nor hiding, but instead working hard to obtain a true friend for the Grove. Please call a Sibyl here as there is much to discuss to ensure this bond of friendship is a lasting one. After this is accomplished I shall speak with my family, it was hard to be away but it seemed the right thing. I am sorry for any worry, but truly were the others back so soon that I was missed?"...

When the Sibyl was brought, Xy brought forward one of the hunters from a new foresters group who was authorized to speak on their behalf. This foresters group had just begun to establish an advance camp nearly a full day's trot from the Grove closer than any camp had been attempted previously. The time it had taken Xy to return with the hunter was due to Xy's careful approach spending a week listening and near another talking with that group.

Xykhazi had taken the time to learn that the forester's were unaware they were harassing and killing creatures that helped protect the grove. And, while they were initially uncaring, Xy found they were amenable to handling other game. So her proposal was for the grove to give bounties to this group for them to go after creatures harassing the grove in exchange for items of little value to the Satyrs but of great value to the foresters. The Sibyls finally had an answer that fit as Xykhazi had approached the challenge in a way no prior Dawngreet had considered. For her success in turning a possible enemy into a friend (after a sort), Xykhazi's nickname changed again to "ChangeTheDawn"

Over the course of the next few weeks, the new Dawngreets were sent into the world, some with particular targets in mind, others with more of general direction to explore. Xy however would not leave until after the season had changed and when she did leave it was armed with a goal. Find somewhere that humans, elves, or dwarves study and be a teacher to them by being a student of them. Find a way to show them that there are ways in which a Satyr's values can bring joy to those more dower races. And with that in heart and a fond goodby to her parents, Xykhazi set off to speak again with the foresters she had befriended to get directions. Two days later and at least mostly sober, Xy set off from their camp with directions to "A place of learning in dire need of loosening up" (Xy remembers [or embellishes] that someone said they had sticks up their butts that they needed a good laugh to remove).

Joining a monastery and learning The Way - "The Hand holds The Hops"

The directions Xykhazi was given were thankfully easy to follow. There was a stream in sight of the foresters settlement (such as it was, most of the buildings were still temporary). Follow the stream in the direction of its flow to the river and then follow the river the same way. All that was lacking was any sense of time to get to the low cliff on the southern side of the river. It also didn't help her progress that Xy would chat with every traveler regardless of the direction they were traveling. Based on later journeys, Xy believes it should have taken her 7 days to complete. At the time, the journey took 20 days to complete.

Xykhazi found the cliff in question as the sun was setting. Rather than face injury climbing in the dark, she took the remaining daylight to look for a trail. Once found, Xy returned to a nearby way-meet where she spent the night swapping stories and generally lighten up the mood with song and dance. With first light, Xy returned to the trail and made a game out of traversing each switchback in a different fashion. On reaching the top, it was not hard to spot "the school", but there was slight problem. Her directions said to knock at the door with the hand holding grain, but neither of the two doors had such a mark. To the left several paces was an older door with an open palm carved in its cracked surface. And to the right, about the same distance from where the trail ended was a door that looked newer with a stein carved in its surface. Figuring the door must have been replaced, Xy chose the door on the right and knocked. After what seemed to be an age of waiting with Xy bouncing from hoof to hoof, the door opened.

A boy stared out glassy eyed and very stiff of posture. Xy stifled a laugh while trying to look round to see if the boy really did have a stick up his posterior like it looked. The boy, completely flustered (and likely hung over), blurted out "A headbutt is not the same as a kiss" at which point Xy really did laugh while taking a step back. Still struggling with his composure, the boy tried again with "the sensei only allow fighting on the training square but for a kiss I'll show you the way" and giving a slight unsteady bow. In response, Xy bumped heads with the boy sending him sprawling. Through bouts of laughter, Xy spend the next several minutes apologizing saying "I was only saying hello, do human's not bump horns... well heads... when meeting at dawn?" and similar statements while the boy just gaped at her from the ground.

(Note, Xy knew from her time spent observing the hunting group that humans did not in fact bump heads. But she felt it important to set the precedence early that it was one thing to flirt but something else to expect flirting was permission for something more)

During the extended apology, and older dwarf of gruff complexion but a stride of fluid grace had approached. After giving the boy a hand up, he sent him on his way with a gentle (but firm) shove to the back. At which point the older gentleman turned to Xy and asked "And who might you be to come to the monastery so early in the morn and enchant my student young Satyr?"...

Event: Intruder! It's a nearly naked Drow!?! - "The break-in and the near naked dance of Doooom!"

The prelude: Two missions collide and become one.

In the year plus since dancing her way through to being one of three aspirants selected to receive training, much had happened. First there was the issue of not having the full tuition and Sensei Arsath Magmabrew (the older dwarf) declaring Xy would do all the foraging for the monastery for the three years she would be at the school (assuming normal progression). Then there was Sensei Borte Jusin (middle-aged female half-elf) who declared Xykhaki was a natural drunk and refused to "ruin her by teaching Open Hand techniques when she already exemplified the way of the drunkard when completely sober".

(apparently the first year boy - Hadrian - who let Xy in was still needing to get ripped to loosen up enough at that time and had fallen into a stupor by the door when he was roused by Xy's knocking)

Finally, there was Xy's discovery that Sensei Arsath had fond memories of a student who graduated a year prior and was especially fond of a night orchid that would only begin its annual bloom two days before the anniversary.

To pull this off Xy bribes one of the night guards with a promise to give him some of the leaf Xy has been preparing for a party. That gets Xy outside at dusk with a way back in that won't wake the sensei. On the second night Xy goes out armed with the tools to bring back the whole plant after discovering the night before that the cut flower fades almost immediately. This second trip was costly in another way as the bribe became all the prepared leaf, so Xy would also be using this time to acquire more.

This same night new aspirant of the goddess Eilistraee, Shynlyth A'Daragon has gotten herself turned around and is now following a game trail, not the village trail she intended for her first ever "Run". Both excited and nervous, her freshly silvered hair practically glowed in the moonlight as she raced down the unfamiliar path.

(Note: it is possible the village in question is Amphail as it is approximately the right distance from Waterdeep. However this would mean that Shynlyth got lost in the Underdark as it is unlikely she would have accidentally crossed the river Dessarin and the monastery is located a short ways from the opposite bank.)

As would appear inevitable in retrospect, Xykhazi was half laying across the trail Shynlyth was racing down, carefully trying to ensure she had the whole plant before transplanting it to her makeshift "pot". Shynlyth of course proceeds to trip over Xy causing them both to be very startled and Shynlyth to fall. Xy initially fears some large animal has come to play rough, jumping up to look around while weaving slightly to make a more difficult target. At the same time Shynlyth gives a yelp of surprise (and possibly a little pain) from the fall.

As she makes to stand up, Xy spots her and says "With your hair, I'd say you are a ghost, but you tripped over me so you must not be. What has you running through this forest so late at night?"

Shynlyth replies "I am Shynlyth good sir and take this path to approach your village so I may provide any help that may be needed or perhaps bring happiness by playing my harp!"

"I am afeared you may be lost as this is but a game trail of extensive use. And to my knowledge there is no village within a day's travel this side of the river. Do you know the name of this village? Perhaps someone at the monastery may know how to reach it." Xy says in turn.

"Oh? The name of the village? I'm afraid I don't know of it. But perhaps I could give help at your monastery instead?"

"Well in that case it is settled, you can come back with me to the monastery. But, please understand, it is not my monastery, I am only a student. And as for help, please hold this pot steady"

The return: The prank and a new nickname!

Setting out to the monastery, the pair discuss all manner of topics. Shynlyth learns how Xy came to be here both tonight and in general. Xykhazi learns Shynlyth is a Drow (Xy had never heard of Drow before) and that this outing is in service to the goddess Eilistraee. Neither give any thought that they might be overheard. So, when Xy returns to the door only to find it locked, she is momentarily at a loss.

"Did they lock you out? Does that happen often?" asks Shynlyth

"Well, we aren't really supposed to be out past dusk, but the night guard for this door likes his leaf so normally lets me back in. Sensei Borte must have woken up and locked it. There is another way, but I can't carry the plant... Would you wait here and hold the plant?"

(It is important to note here that not only was Shynlyth an ardent devotee of Eilistraee but aspired to the priesthood. As such she was dressed in a simple chest binding and light pteruges [hardened cloth strip skirt] which she had dyed with silvery moons, abstracted silvery dancing women and glittering swords. Her pack was more plainly ornamented although some faded needlework of crescent moons and swords could be spotted by the keen of eye in better light than was provided by the full moon presently in the sky.)

Xy skipped over to a nearby tulip poplar, tightening her Gi on the way. While this aged sentinel of monastery students was quite the majestic specimen, there was still a significant gap to the courtyard wall. Stopping halfway, Xy made a bit of a show of stretching out before breaking out into a trot ending with a hop, skip and finally a jump. Hitting the trunk with both hoofs, Xy deflected her momentum back out and up, snagging a branch and flipping onto it. With a *crack* Xy leaps upward passing intermediary branches to grab a branch from which to overlook the courtyard. This feat of athleticism and acrobatics was somewhat ruined by Xy accidentally pantsing herself by quickly pulling herself up to stand on the new branch without throwing a leg over first and her pants snagging on an intermediate branch.

(If it wasn't obvious, Xy was hamming it up and being a horrendous flirt, lapping up the giggles and guffaws bubbling from Shyn the entire time. Also, Satyr lower anatomy isn't really designed for the pants of a Gi, so her pair was originally intended as shorts for a large half-orc or perhaps a small half-giant. As such it is quite voluminous and falls mid-way between Xy's ankles and hooves at the bottom. For those wondering, this article on the tulip poplar includes an image of the full tree that is likely very similar to the one Xy climbed.)

"Ugh, I guess I deserved that for trying to show off to someone I've just met, Ha". And with that, Xy backs up to the trunk and takes a running leap along the branch and lands on the top of the wall and immediately drops down to the floor of the courtyard.

Or at least, the floor was where Xy expected to end up. Instead, she slid straight into the rain barrel that was normally under the corner gutter of the roof half the courtyard away. Worse, it was full and Xy made a huge *splash* when she entered.

Completely soaked, Xy climbs out and heads towards the door, hanging her Gi top with the cloaks in the hope it will dry by morning.

(Note: while now "out of uniform", Xy is still dressed as she was when she arrived - in a cross bound top and flowing shorts suited for a Satyr's shape. Also, now out of the formless Gi, Xy nolonger looks quite so androgenous)

Lifting the bar and opening the door, Xy motions for a blushing Shyn to hold the door while Xy goes back to grab her Gi pants.

Once back inside, Xy asks "Are you up for playing a prank on the guard who locked me out? Annnd, how well can you dance?".

Shyn gives a shy smile, drops her pack and performs a graceful flowing dance for a moment. "Is this to your liking?"

"That will do nicely. Can you put on these pants and cloak? And then give me your skirt?"

After a few quick alterations and a bit of coaching on what to do, the prank was set in motion.

"Haveron! Haveron! What did you do to the rain barrel?" said in synch by both Xy and Shyn together with Xy getting quieter and Shyn getting louder. While Shyn pounds on night guard Haveron's door, Xy hovers on the roof above just out of sight. Once it was obvious that Haveron was heading to the door, Xy motioned for Shyn to start dancing around - staying in sight of the door.

"Of what do you speak little Xykhazi? Everything was left as you asked. Did you bump your head and addle that wit of your's?" Haveron said while opening his door. Upon seeing Shyn when expecting Xy, Haveron took a look at his pipe and then smelled the bowl. "Xy? No, something is wrong here, Xy didn't take a cloak when she went out. Who are you?!? Intruder! INTRUDER IN THE COURTYARD! Why are you dancing you.. you drow?"

At this point three things happen at once... Haveron grabs at the cloak while Shyn takes flight while shedding the cloak; Xy carefully drops off the roof to try and intercept; Sensei Borte strides into the courtyard. In the next moment, Xy intercepts Haveron effectively blocking him from reaching Shyn who proceeds to try and hide behind the smaller Xy as both Xy and Haveron block her path to the door to leave.

"What have we here? Haveron, the door is agape, are you not the watchman? How is it opened? Xykhazi, why are you out of bed and who is this Drow wearing half your uniform? AND WHY ARE YOU DRIPPING WET AND WEARING AN ARMORED SKIRT?" said Sensei Borte as if building up a head of steam.

Fortunately Xy caught the slip as she could see the door had closed, but was just not barred. For Sensei Borte to say *open* when it was simply *unbarred* suggested Borte new more than she was letting on. Well that and how calm she appeared to be about a Drow in the Courtyard. "Sensei Borte! I am wet because you moved the rain barrel to catch me when dropping from the wall after you locked me out. As for why Shynlyth is wearing my pants and I her skirt was to prank Haveron for failing his side of our bargin and no ensuring the door remained unlocked so I could re-enter. And as for why I was out, it was to acquire this flower to place where Sensei Arsath would see it when he awoke."

"Thank you Xykhazi for telling me everything I wanted to know without embellishment. It almost.. almost makes me wish to have another Satyr student after you leave. If only you could instill such forthright honesty into the other students when they misbehave. But, I suspect you may be unique even among Satyrs as for all you are generally a concentrated cacophony of chaos.. no, no.. don't act surprised, I've been a year at coming up with that and nearly as long figuring out how to prank you back for managing to swap everyone's uniforms two weeks into your training here. Oh and do take your Eilistraeen friend and settle in for the night. We will decide in the morning both what your punishment will be and how.. Shynlyth is it?.. how Shynlyth can help, depending on how Arsath reacts..."

Next morning, the entire monastery is unexpectedly awoken to the attendance gong. Xykhazi gives Shynlyth her spare Gi top before they race over to collect her top from where Xy'd left it to dry last night. Before they can get to the assembly, there is a bellow from the hall.. "Xykhazi! Stop flirting with the staff and get your butt to the assembly hall at a gallop!"

"Aaah! Sensei Arsath must not be happy to shout like that" and with that Xy pulls Shyn along and goes into a full gallop for the assembly hall.

"Xykhazi! You wonderful rascal! Did you deliberately choose to be last just so everyone would hear me sing your praises?

"So I take I'm.. not? .. in trouble?"

"Heaven's no! While I sorely do not want you... or ANY student leaving the monastery at night, your heart was in the right place. Now everyone bow to the Dravatgarthor, gather your spears and line up at the training square... No Xykhazi, you can leave your spear in the rack, your practice today is the four D's.. dodging, deflecting, disarming..."

"While dancing, well played Sensei, and thank you."

(Note: Using creative license here that the night orchid in question is "Dravatgarthor" in dwarvish where it sits on the mantel at the front of the audience hall.)

Event: The Run or How to get arrested in Waterdeep without really trying. - "Passion and Revelry under the light of the moon"

Prelude: The Letter

"Xykhazi! Xykhazi! Oh come on, don't make me track you down! You have MAIL!!! Come collect it so I can go back to bed.. no idea how I got stuck on mail duty on my day off..."

"Rahdirim, lol, you old grump, your only job is to handle mail and watch me maintain the flower garden"

"For what must be the hundredth time or more by now, it is an herb garden, that your flowering plants keep the weeds down that would otherwise choke the herbs out doesn't make it a flower garden. Now take this letter before I read it myself, it certainly smells lovely enough."

Tapping Rahdirim's wrist to knock the letter into the air, Xy leaps up, snags the letter and dances away while inspecting the seal. "Oh my! This script on this seal is so flowy, do you think it could be a form of Elvish?"

"Ouch.. Don't play me for a fool Xykhazi, that seal is obviously a Drow script. Now leave me be to nurse my wrist, read that somewhere else."

"Oh poo, you spoil sport. It isn't like I've gotten a letter before, my parents see me every year and my cousins and siblings have too much sawdust in their heads to bother to write me"

"Yeah? And just how many letters have you sent to them?"

"That's different. I see them every year *and* no one but me would take a letter .. To the Satyr Grove uphill from the Lonely Heart Hunter's Forward Camp .. so how would it even get there?"

"Ha, Xy, that is exactly the same as they'd have no one to post a letter themselves. And seriously.. now they're the Lonely Heart Hunters? Weren't they the Puffed Up Hunters when you returned from visiting your parents just two weeks back?"

Xy guffaws and trots off laughing to the courtyard wall where it runs past a wall of the audience hall. In a couple of hops deflecting off each wall in turn, she lands on the roof where she finally settles down to open the letter, sure enough it was Shynlyth's handwriting...

Amidst much prose, poetry, and instructions on how to address a return letter so that it would reach her without getting intercepted, there is the following invitation... "Xykhazi, I know it won't have been a year, but I turn 110 next month. Will you join me three days before the coming full moon on the Long Road just south of Amphal? It would mean so much to me to share this with you. Please say you will be there, we will have you back at you monastery in a tenday. Please say you will come, this Run may show I am ready to join the clergy".

"Rahdirim! Rahdirm! Wake up you sleepy old codger! I have questions!", Xy slides off the roof after confirming the water barrel hadn't moved and trotted back to where Rahdirim was resting his eyes.

"Rahdirim! Oh please, I can tell you are awake... Where is Amphal and how long would it take to get to the Long Road just south of it?"

"Xykhazi, your graduation trial is in two months time at the new moon, do you really think your Sensei will let you cross the river so close to that time. If you are firm on this fool notion, which I can see you are, you will need to speak to Sensei Borte both for permission and how to get across."

Trotting over to where Sensei Borte was evaluating the newest aspirants, Xy waited impatiently (hoping hoof to hoof) for Borte to set the aspirants to a challenge before talking quietly. "Sensei, I have a request to ask"

"Oh? This should be interesting. Aside from asking to spend each Kythorn back home, I don't think you have asked for anything. I think I heard old Rahdirim shouting about you having a letter, is it related?

"Yes Sensei. Shynlyth has invited me to meet her just south of Amphal and says to prepare for a Tenday trip. I am to meet her in two days."

"Well, that sounds like it will be an adventure. You are scheduled to graduate in one and a half months, so normally you would be too busy to go. But, I can check with Arsath to see if his assessment is the same as mine. How were you planning to cross the river? I don't know that I have ever seen a Satyr on a boat, would you have the same discomfort as a horse? Sorry, but I guess I could have asked Rahdirim if he knew why are horses have such trouble with ferry crossings"

"I can't say I've been on a ferry, but movement under hoof can be a tad unsettling. I would just sit down if that got too much. And Rahridim said you knew where there is a boat?

Did he now? I may have to have words with him. But nevermind that for now, I will talk to Arsath and one of us will find you and let you know if you have our permission"...

The next dawn finds Sensei Arsath knocking on Xykhazi's door. "Wake up you sleepy Satyr and don't give me no gruff about being hungover, I know you are the only of my students who stayed sober last night. You might be able to fool your classmates into thinking you were the most drunk of the lot. Your punishment for that prank is to do your katas in the main courtyard with me."

Xykhazi steps out fully dressed. "I would love to do katas with you Sensei! I'm not understanding why it is a punishment though."

"Well okay, I guess that is fair. It really isn't your punishment exactly. But you are to be loud enough in each kata to wake your classmates. If you can get them up by first bell, have them convinced you never stopped drinking and defeat each one in single duals, you will not only have my permission for your little trip, but I'll take you across myself." Arsath walks off mumbling something about giving Borte a speaking to about comparing him to a boat...

The Run: Waterdeep is not amused (or is it?)

"Shynlyth, when you said you had an aspirant you wanted to go on a run with, you failed to mention he was a Satyr. You are intended to be offering help not practicing pranks in Waterdeep. This is not a promising start." says Priestess Chesdyrl Fiderea

"I beg your pardon my dark lady for the oversight, but Xykhazi has been nothing but helpful. She has a very caring nature which I am certain you will see as we travel to Waterdeep."

"It is your choice to bring along who you will. We may experience an issue with preparing him as we did not prepare anything that would do more than darken the skin and lighten the hair to a silvery tint. He will remain distintly non-drow in appearence."

"My dark lady, I must beg pardon again, I do understand Xy appears fairly androgonous in a Gi, but calling her a him would not be correct."

At this point the Xykhazi has closed the distance enough to hear Shynlyth's last statement. "Shynlyth, dearest of mine, that you protect my honor so is heartwarming, but Satyrs generally and myself in particular place little weight on that outside of having children, so do not be afeared that such confusion will cause me offense."...

Four days later in sight of Waterdeep's North Gate, Priestess Chesdyrl is both pleased and exasperated. Pleased for two reasons, first Xykhazi has shown herself to be even more gargarious than Shynlyth had stated and they had managed to acquire a jongolier's hat that hid the presence of the Satyr's horns enough that she looked passibly drow like from the waist up. Her exasperation had two causes also. First, Xykhazi was *so* gregarious there is unlikely to have been anyone on the road she didn't talk to and that occassionally cause her to be going the other direction, ultimately causing the trip down to take nearly a full day longer than expected. Finally, no solution could be found on route to disguise Xy's lower half such that anyone would mistake her for anything other than a Satyr or possibly a goat Drider. Given that Driders were uniformly considered abominations of Lolth and attacked on sight, emphasizing that aspect would seem to be several steps too far. Ultimately Xykhazi would wear Shynlyth's light pteruges and Shynlyth would wear pantaloons...

The plan was that the two of the would enter near dusk, early enough that there would still be many travelers arriving, late enough that the light would begin to dim but not so severly that lanterns would be yet lit. The idea was to blend into the crowd and avoid notice as much as possible at the gate itself lest they be asked of their business or otherwise detained. They would then be expected to conduct their mission of offering help in the Field District until heading back two mornings hense once the outbound flow of traffic was sufficient.

The reality was that shortly after noon a thespian troupe "The Glorious Goslings" came rolling down the High Road with three ponderous wagons, the largest of which contained a wall indended to be folded down to use as a stage. Xykhazi's eyes go wide in amazement on seeing the wagons, two pulled by six and the largest by eight large bovines. Compared to all the other traffic, not only are the wagons by far the largest of the day, but the animals are of unusual size (and likely strength) and are being guided by a halfling on a lute. Utterly entranced, Xy grabs Shyn's hand and goes to talk with some of the troop walking with the wagons.

...insert discussion with thespian troope members where they ask about her disguise and note as a fey should she start to feel it itch, it should be washed off immediately as some fey can react to the pigment used. Ultimately the conversation leads to Xykhazi being dared to play counterpoint on her flute to the highly intricate tune guiding the bovines forward. This must be accomplished in such a way to encourage happy lowing from them without altering their pace or direction...

...interaction with Waterdeep inspectors made far more difficult by the continued lowing and Xykhazi getting a harsh rebuke from the halfling Quobin Highstride when Xykhazi stops playing as the troope resumes moving through first the Outer and then the Inner gate resulting in Xy and Shyn passing into Waterdeep as if they are part of the troope...

...Xykhazi given invitation to play with Quobin to entertain the crowd between sets during their performaces over the next three days at the Field or Triumph.

...Xykhazi and Shynlyth attempt to return to the Field District, but on the way there Xy's skin begins to itch where the pigment is present. Xy very quickly reaches the point of total distraction and decides to jump in a fountain to get the pigment off. As she leaves the fountain a guard patrol spots them, calls out, Xy approaches while Shyn fades to the background. Xy is arrested for suspected attempt to poison the water supply (they are assuming she is addled as she approached instead of running). Shyn makes it back to Quobin and enlists the troupe's help to free Xy which they eventually do. After the performances, Xy is approached about being sponsored to the Musician's Guild, but Xy declines as she still needs to return to finish her studies. Xy and Shyn then leave with The Glorious Goslings until the High Road and Long Road split and they join a very concerned Priestess Chesdyrl for the journey back to Amphal. END Event

Leaving the monastery and moving to Waterdeep - "Musicians, Mischief, and Merriment"

Event: Harping on the Harpers - "Wait, what? You were serious?"

Event: Embarrassment and the Emissary - "All that glistens is not green"