"You can use Lula," Rhoana confirms with a nod to a curvaceous young woman with long amber tresses, glancing toward a fuzzy, black and white miniature cow before stepping aside, allowing the cows to be lead to the starting place. "Four, it seems to be. Please line up your cows." And she motions to a mound of sweet feed hay, bound in a tight length of twine. "Hay helps." [Rhoana]
Andorig ab Nesmith takes the hint and goes over to get a handful of the sweet feed hay, walking back over to his particular cow, the one named 'Rita', and nudging the fuzzy cow over to the line, holding the hay in front of her to get her to move, saying, "Heeeeeere we go.", with a little smile, because talking to cows is clearly how you get them to move. Once they are there, he gives the cow some of the hay, and awaits the others.
"Excellent, Karstedt, then!" Marisa dul Damassande declares with pleasure. "Fair luck and cow wheespering, Meester Karstedt!" She turns to look over the refreshments, eyes casting doubtfully over the sign with the coamjar-laden lemonade. "Henry, I think I could use a beet of a drink. Not that lemonade, yes?" she directs a tall, slender manservant with light brown hair, who bows in response.
Rhoana lifts a hand, waving toward a tall, slender manservant with light brown hair before gesturing toward a large, wooden cask of sparkling pear-apple cider as an alternative offering to a tall pitcher filled with lemonade iced-tea labeled as 'Coamjar for added energy. Drink carefully.'s shifting a little on her feet.
Safir, first daughter of Mara does not go for the hay - instead she gives a fuzzy, fluffy miniature steer with large ears a slap on his rump with her hand to get the cow moving.
Sophia mal Ducollette seems delighted to be participating, and takes a sip of the infamous lemonade from her cup before passing the cup to her maid, and lifting her skirts to trot over to a fuzzy, black and white miniature cow . She pauses, plucking up a handful of hay, and gives the cow a tentative pat the rump, then wiggles the hay enticingly.
Sophia mal Ducollette drinks from a wood cup carved with jumping horses inlaid in silver leaf.
A tall, slender manservant with light brown hair pours cider from a large, wooden cask of sparkling pear-apple cider into a wood cup carved with jumping horses inlaid in silver leaf.
A tall, slender manservant with light brown hair gives a wood cup carved with jumping horses inlaid in silver leaf to Marisa dul Damassande.
Karstedt rolled 1d10 for a pool of: 8. [Rh715]
Andorig ab Nesmith rolled 1d10 for a pool of: 5. [Rh715]
Sophia mal Ducollette rolled 1d10 for a pool of: 2. [Rh715]
Safir, first daughter of Mara rolled 1d10 for a pool of: 8. [Rh715]
Karstedt leads his cow forward with the grass in his hand keeping it just out of reach for 8 steps before letting her get a bite.
"Let's go, Rita!", Andorig ab Nesmith says, nudging the cow forward and holding some hay in front of the cow. The cow moos once, and steps forward about five times before managing to snatch the hay out of Andorig ab Nesmith's hand, which makes him chuckle, "Come ooon! You gotta go further than that!", but the cow is not listening to him, instead chewing on hay. Because cows. [Andorig ab Nesmith]
Marisa dul Damassande accepts the cup from a tall, slender manservant with light brown hair, attention drawn back to the starting race. "Oh, an excellent start!" she remarks upon seeing Karstedt's progress, back to her servant. "He ees already out along the front, I think!"
Sophia mal Ducollette doesn't seem that great with her cow, stepping slightly on her skirts as she tries to tempt the cow forward with hay, ending only 2 steps from where she started.
"Come, Gunderson." Safir, first daughter of Mara informs a fuzzy, fluffy miniature steer with large ears, slapping him on the rump again. "Slow cows become rations." Safir, first daughter of Mara warns a fuzzy, fluffy miniature steer with large ears, as the cow moves forward eight paces. [Safir, first daughter of Mara]
Rhoana seems amused, an odd sort of expression on the woman's features, as she watches the participants with their cows. From the looks of it, Karstedt and Safir, first daughter of Mara have their cows neck and neck at 8 steps down the course, Andorig ab Nesmith is following not behind at 5 steps down the course, and Sophia mal Ducollette, poor thing, is suffering a bit at only two steps down the course. Feel free to roll the next round. "Keep going," she encourages, "Still all close."
Marisa dul Damassande drinks from a wood cup carved with jumping horses inlaid in silver leaf.
Andorig ab Nesmith rolled 1d10 for a pool of: 4. [Rh715]
Safir, first daughter of Mara rolled 1d10 for a pool of: 5. [Rh715]
Karstedt rolled 1d10 for a pool of: 8. [Rh715]
A small woman with green eyes and upswept hair arrives from the south.
A big aloof dog with a dense coarse black coat and a beard has arrived.
A small woman with green eyes and upswept hair slows to a halt.
Action set to:
Rhoana is monitoring as four people are racing... cows?
[Action: Safir, first daughter of Mara is competing in the race with a fuzzy, fluffy miniature steer with large ears. ]
Stepping off to the side to grab another bit of grass Karstedt leads his little brown n white cow another 8 steps before letting her munch. "good girl" he says as he pats her head. [Karstedt]
Andorig ab Nesmith simply pushes on the cow from behind when the encouragement of hay fails, saying, "Forward, Rita, forward!", perhaps providing entertainment for those around, if not encouraging the cow to actually move. The animal moves four paces before stubbornly stopping, looking back at Andorig ab Nesmith with dull cow-eyes. Andorig ab Nesmith makes an 'aaargh'.
A small woman with green eyes and upswept hair horribly fails her charisma check! [Rh715]
[Action: Karstedt is leading his cow forward in the race just doing his best. ]
[Action: Sophia mal Ducollette is participating in the cow race. ]
Sophia mal Ducollette rolled 1d10 for a pool of: 1. [Rh715]
A fuzzy, fluffy miniature steer with large ears glances aside, seeing a miniature brown cow with large, gentle eyes, and gives a stamp. This display for the other cow has cost him some speed - he only makes it five steps before he starts showboating for the other cow. "Focus." Safir, first daughter of Mara grunts to henderson, trying to block the view of the other cow with her torso - but a fuzzy, fluffy miniature steer with large ears just peeks her nose through her armpit. "Tell your cow to stop showboating." Safir, first daughter of Mara complains to Andorig ab Nesmith. [Safir, first daughter of Mara]
"Ah, well done!" Marisa dul Damassande calls out for Karstedt with another round of applause. "Excellent technique!" She gives an amused grin from her place on the sidelines.
Sophia mal Ducollette still seems to be having issues tempting her little cow along only managing a single step before the little beast grabs the hay out of her hand. "Tioo papaopponn paratinch," she mutters, reaching down to hike up her skirts, flashing some very scandalous ankle and the lacy petticoats beneath to allow her to move more freely, pouting slightly.
Rhoana watches as Karstedt moves ahead at a full sixteen paces, Safir, first daughter of Mara isn't far behind at thirteen paces, Andorig ab Nesmith is struggling a bit with his cow at nine paces, and Sophia mal Ducollette finds her cow the most stubborn of all at only three paces. She clears her throat quietly, inching over toward a large, wooden cask of sparkling pear-apple cider to pour herself a cup. "Karstedt is in front," she says less-than-helpfully toward all of those who can see that. (Please roll for the third round.)
Sophia mal Ducollette rolled 1d10 for a pool of: 7. [Rh715]
Andorig ab Nesmith rolled 1d10 for a pool of: 1. [Rh715]
Karstedt rolled 1d10 for a pool of: 4. [Rh715]
Safir, first daughter of Mara rolled 1d10 for a pool of: 9. [Rh715]
A small woman with green eyes and upswept hair steps towards the cafe, now sans nanny and baby. She looks over the people gathered, driving speedy cows forward, and blinks. And blinks again. And starts laughing hard, bending over and holding her stomach.
Karstedt goes to get more grass but as he does so his cow takes 4 steps in the wrong direction so though he makes her take another 8 steps only 4 were in the right direction.
Rhoana glances away from the races briefly as she pours a large, wooden cask of sparkling pear-apple cider into a wood cup carved with jumping horses inlaid in silver leaf, looking toward the newcomers. "There are drinks. Please feel free to get some drink." And she dips her chin toward the cider and then lemonade. [Serve]
Andorig ab Nesmith rolls his eyes at Safir, first daughter of Mara, saying, "She's not showboating, I'm not even in first place!", looking over at a small woman with green eyes and upswept hair for a moment, then saying to the cow he's trying to herd, "Stop showboating!", this proves to be a dumb move, because the cow takes one step and stops, looking at Andorig ab Nesmith with a 'what?' look in her cow eyes. Andorig ab Nesmith frowns and says, "Dammit."
The secret to moving a cow must be mobility. With her skirts hiked, Sophia mal Ducollette manages to tempt her cow further along, waving the mostly-eaten, sparse handful of hay in front of the cow. "Come on Lula, that is the spirit," she encourages. [Sophia mal Ducollette]
Perhaps it is a small woman with green eyes and upswept hair's laughter that breaks a fuzzy, fluffy miniature steer with large ears from his attention to Andorig ab Nesmith's cow. "She is no good for you." Safir, first daughter of Mara informs a fuzzy, fluffy miniature steer with large ears before she capitalizes by poking him in the side with a smoothly curved blunt hook coupled to a square steel post, causing him to jump just slightly and go forward nine solid paces. [Safir, first daughter of Mara]
A small woman with green eyes and upswept hair pours cider from a large, wooden cask of sparkling pear-apple cider into a wood cup carved with jumping horses inlaid in silver leaf.
"Safir has pulled ahead," Rhoana offers, probably more to those who are coming in just now as she looks toward Safir, first daughter of Mara and a fuzzy, fluffy miniature steer with large ears that she guides, the woman and cow standing at twenty-two paces down the trail. Karstedt falls just barely behind at twenty paces, and Sophia mal Ducollette is able to get a great coax forward from her own cow to lead it to where Andorig ab Nesmith's is, standing almost still. Please feel free to roll for the next round. [Rhoana]
Andorig ab Nesmith rolled 1d10 for a pool of: 7. [Rh715]
Safir, first daughter of Mara rolled 1d10 for a pool of: 2. [Rh715]
Karstedt rolled 1d10 for a pool of: 8. [Rh715]
Sophia mal Ducollette rolled 1d10 for a pool of: 6. [Rh715]
"Ah, you can steell do eet, that ees not so far behind!" Marisa dul Damassande encourages Karstedt, resting her cup down in front of her without really seeming to remember it often.
"Okay, here we go! Come on Rita!", Andorig ab Nesmith says to the cow, all bright and encouraging like. He moves in front of the cow and claps his hands, beckoning to the animal, saying, "Come on, come on!"; maybe it's the hay he still has in his hand, because the cow named Rita starts again, and he manages to lead her for 7 paces before she catches up and nabs the hay again. [Andorig ab Nesmith]
Safir, first daughter of Mara only momentarily pulled ahead, before nature makes its call - a fuzzy, fluffy miniature steer with large ears manages only two more steps before he pauses in place and lifts his tail up, plopping out a cow patty.
Karstedt having grabbed enough grass for another walk he keeps leading the little cow along muttering to her "hey girl my potential new boss is watching don't let me down. Need to show I can at least get you to move in one direction"
"That's right, come along!" Sophia mal Ducollette urges her cow, walking backwards with one hand hiking her skirt up, the other sort of waving the hay at the cow's face. [Sophia mal Ducollette]
It takes her a bit to calm down but a small woman with green eyes and upswept hair soon straightens and moves over to the drinks to serve herself. With a cup in hand she moves to the side of the cow track to watch, still looking amused. "Didn't think I'd see something like that since I left home..." she mumbles. [a small woman with green eyes and upswept hair]
"Karstedt is ahead again," Rhoana claims as she watches he and Safir, first daughter of Mara trade places with the cows again, she then looks back to Sophia mal Ducollette. "... Miss mal Ducollette is not ahead." Understatement. But, it appears she isn't far behind! Karstedt is standing at twenty eight paces down the track, Safir, first daughter of Mara at twenty four, Andorig ab Nesmith at seventeen, and Sophia mal Ducollette at sixteen. Roll for the next round. [Rhoana]
Karstedt rolled 1d10 for a pool of: 5. [Rh715]
Sophia mal Ducollette rolled 1d10 for a pool of: 2. [Rh715]
Andorig ab Nesmith rolled 1d10 for a pool of: 6. [Rh715]
Safir, first daughter of Mara rolled 1d10 for a pool of: 6. [Rh715]
Karstedt rushing to get some more feed karstedt trips over his own feet and in a hurry to get back doesn't keep track properly and gives her some after only 5 steps.
The last bit of hay is snatched from Sophia mal Ducollette's fingers after a few paltry steps, and she puffs her cheeks out in frustration. She circles the cow and tries to give it's rump a slap to send it going. [Sophia mal Ducollette]
Andorig ab Nesmith succeeds his dexterity check! [Rh715]
"Seriously?" Safir, first daughter of Mara claims to a fuzzy, fluffy miniature steer with large ears after he takes the massive dump on track - good luck for those coming up from behind - Safir, first daughter of Mara nudges him again with a smoothly curved blunt hook coupled to a square steel post and he lowers his tail and plods on along for another six paces. [Safir, first daughter of Mara]
With his previous semi-success at tempting Rita forward via hay, Andorig ab Nesmith tries to repeat it, hopping back from foot to foot, tempting the cow with hay, saying, "Come on! Let's go Rita, you can do it!"; his foot catches on an inconvenient rock, but he manages to not fall over. This DOES let the cow catch up and steal his hay again, moving only 6 paces. [Andorig ab Nesmith]
Rhoana sucks in a breath at the sight of the soiling of the path, sliding her eyes back toward Andorig ab Nesmith and Sophia mal Ducollette behind. "Don't fall," she claims to both. It appears that Karstedt is at thirty three paces with his cow, Safir, first daughter of Mara is at thirty, Andorig ab Nesmith at twenty three, and Sophia mal Ducollette at eighteen. Roll again!
Sophia mal Ducollette rolled 1d10 for a pool of: 5. [Rh715]
Safir, first daughter of Mara rolled 1d10 for a pool of: 5. [Rh715]
Andorig ab Nesmith rolled 1d10 for a pool of: 10. [Rh715]
Sophia mal Ducollette lifts her skirts again, lest they be soiled, and settles for prodding the cow from behind, puffing a bit, though she smiles. "I am losing rather badly, but this is fun. And a little silly," she admits with a laugh.
Andorig ab Nesmith reaches out and grabs the hay back from Rita, saying, "No, no, no, we gotta run to get this, come on!", tempting the cow forward by standing on the side, holding the hay forward and starting to nearly jog next to the cow, carrot-on-a-stick style; which proves to be more successful, reaching another ten paces forward. Andorig ab Nesmith chuckles and says, "I think I found the key!"
Karstedt rolled 1d10 for a pool of: 10. [Rh715]
Safir, first daughter of Mara As a miniature brown cow with large, gentle eyes comes jogging up with Andorig ab Nesmith, a fuzzy, fluffy miniature steer with large ears lifts his neck up, and begins to prance. While a fuzzy, fluffy miniature steer with large ears looks a mighty fine cow, prancing is a bit slow and exact, and he only makes it five paces while showing off.
Karstedt Manages to lead his cow a full 10 steps before giving her the rest of the hay. "Good girl he says and lets her have a bit extra this time"
"Oh, well ran, excellent progress!" Marisa dul Damassande calls out for Karstedt. "Look out for Nesmeeth behind you! He ees keeping a good pace!"
It appears that Karstedt is only seven paces from the end of the course at fourty three paces down it. Safir, first daughter of Mara is in second place with thirty five paces, with Andorig ab Nesmith trailing just a bit behind at thirty three paces. Sophia mal Ducollette got a nice boost with her recent attempt, and is nearly halfway at twenty three paces. Rhoana lifts a wood cup carved with jumping horses inlaid in silver leaf to take a sip, watching the actions of the racers carefully. Please feel free to roll. [Rhoana]
Safir, first daughter of Mara rolled 1d10 for a pool of: 2. [Rh715]
Sophia mal Ducollette rolled 1d10 for a pool of: 10. [Rh715]
Andorig ab Nesmith rolled 1d10 for a pool of: 8. [Rh715]
A fuzzy, fluffy miniature steer with large ears is feeling his oats. He prances forward another two steps before he turns sideways, looking back at a miniature brown cow with large, gentle eyes. Safir, first daughter of Mara complains to a fuzzy, fluffy miniature steer with large ears, "Males are idiots." [Safir, first daughter of Mara]
"Honestly, at this point," Sophia mal Ducollette pants as she gives another solid slap to a fuzzy, black and white miniature cow's cow butt, startling the animal forward, "I just want to finish. I never thought this would be so difficult!" [Sophia mal Ducollette]
Karstedt rolled 1d10 for a pool of: 8. [Rh715]
Andorig ab Nesmith keeps up his 'jog-alongside-cow' thing, saying, "Come on, Rita, come on Rita! Ignore the prancing other cow!", probably talking about Safir, first daughter of Mara's cow, leading Rita forward another eight paces, "I know we aren't gonna win, but we gotta give a good showing.", speaking with a grin.
Karstedt just gently leads his little cow past the finish line not even bothering to get more grass. "Good girl" he gives her a little hug.
The church bells ring twice, announcing the hour of complina.
A small woman with green eyes and upswept hair claps at the winner. "Congratulations, Mister Karstedt!"
A small woman with green eyes and upswept hair drinks from a wood cup carved with jumping horses inlaid in silver leaf.
"You picked him," Rhoana offers back to Safir, first daughter of Mara before looking over at the others. She nods to Karstedt as he passes the finish line. It appears that Andorig ab Nesmith has made his way into second place at fourty one paces, Safir, first daughter of Mara is in third at thirty seven, and Sophia mal Ducollette is quickly approaching the rest at thirty three paces. "You can still finish," she states to the others with a shrug of her shoulders. Roll again to keep coaxing your cows to the finish line. [Rhoana]
Andorig ab Nesmith rolled 1d10 for a pool of: 3. [Rh715]
Sophia mal Ducollette rolled 1d10 for a pool of: 4. [Rh715]
"Ah, well done!" Marisa dul Damassande calls out heartily to Kardstedt as he passes the finish line. "An eempresseeve showing eef I do say so myself!"
Safir, first daughter of Mara rolled 1d10 for a pool of: 6. [Rh715]
Safir, first daughter of Mara simply grunts in response to Rhoana's admonishment. She gently pushes a fuzzy, fluffy miniature steer with large ears's head around towards the finish line and gives him another slap on his rump to get him going another six paces.
Andorig ab Nesmith keeps going, trying to get the cow across the finish line, which completely fails, since Rita stubbornly slows down instead, apparently not interested in hay anymore. Andorig ab Nesmith chuckles and rolls his eyes, reaching only 3 paces, saying, "Come on, Rita, we gotta finish!"
A courier hurries over to a small woman with green eyes and upswept hair with a bit of merchant news. [Message]
Sophia mal Ducollette resorts to putting both hands on the rump of the cow and pushing, huffing and puffing a bit. "Just--keep moving," she says, smiling. "I am going to smell like cow until I bathe because of you."
"Everyone is within seven paces of one another," Rhoana offers as she looks over the three still participating. At this point, she's holding a wood cup carved with jumping horses inlaid in silver leaf over her lips, so her expression isn't fully seen. Andorig ab Nesmith is at fourty four paces with Safir, first daughter of Mara right behind at fourty three. Sophia mal Ducollette is right close, still at thirty seven! Rolling with the crowd will keep this going. [Rhoana]
Andorig ab Nesmith rolled 1d10 for a pool of: 1. [Rh715]
Safir, first daughter of Mara rolled 1d10 for a pool of: 6. [Rh715]
Sophia mal Ducollette rolled 1d10 for a pool of: 7. [Rh715]
Andorig ab Nesmith beckons to the Rita cow saying, "Come oooon!", almost despairingly. The cow looks at Andorig ab Nesmith and steps forward once, and only once, because cows don't understand Lithmorran. Andorig ab Nesmith sighs in frustration, saying, "Rita, you're letting me down!"
A fuzzy, fluffy miniature steer with large ears is coming along with Safir, first daughter of Mara, pulling ahead so he is now only one pace from the finish line - but a fuzzy, fluffy miniature steer with large ears, still longing for a miniature brown cow with large, gentle eyes, stops to pause and turn his head around to look for her. [Safir, first daughter of Mara]
Who will win in this battle of cows, the robust, puffing Vavardi woman or a fuzzy, black and white miniature cow ? It's uncertain as she continues to try to brute force the cow forward, which, for the cow's part, mostly looks bewildered. Sophia mal Ducollette is giggling now, a little helplessly. "We are so close Lula, just... keep walking." [Sophia mal Ducollette]
"Go, Lula!" a small woman with green eyes and upswept hair shouts at the fuzzy bovine under Sophia mal Ducollette's care and then takes a sip from her cup. [a small woman with green eyes and upswept hair]
A small woman with green eyes and upswept hair drinks from a wood cup carved with jumping horses inlaid in silver leaf.
Oh dear, Safir, first daughter of Mara seems to find that her steer pauses only ONE pace from the finish line. One. Sophia mal Ducollette is quickly gaining on everyone else at fourty four paces, with Andorig ab Nesmith just ahead at fourty five paces. "Your cow is in love," Rhoana issues toward Safir, first daughter of Mara. [Rhoana]
Andorig ab Nesmith rolled 1d10 for a pool of: 1. [Rh715]
Safir, first daughter of Mara rolled 1d10 for a pool of: 10. [Rh715]
Sophia mal Ducollette rolled 1d10 for a pool of: 6. [Rh715]
Andorig ab Nesmith walks behind his cow and starts pushing the beast again, saying, "Come on! It's just a little bit ahead!", but behold, cows are stubborn, and even someone as big as Andorig ab Nesmith doesn't have much luck in convincing them to move via pushing, because Rita takes only one step, and then stubbornly digs in, probably done with Andorig ab Nesmith trying to get her to move.
"I will turn her into a steak if you do not go over that line." Safir, first daughter of Mara warns a fuzzy, fluffy miniature steer with large ears, giving him another slap on his rump. a fuzzy, fluffy miniature steer with large ears gives an unexpected burst of speed then, running past the finish line and out into the field. He gives a little kick in the air as he runs away from Safir, first daughter of Mara. [Safir, first daughter of Mara]
"Cows are stupid things." Safir, first daughter of Mara complains to Rhoana, brushing her hand off on a tasset kilt of black and sienna cloth, layered over armor. [Safir, first daughter of Mara]
Sophia mal Ducollette has already resorted to pushing her cow, though it's probably more the pressure than any actual force that causes a fuzzy, black and white miniature cow to move ... and catching sight of Safir, first daughter of Mara's steer making a break for it, it seems the fluffy Lula is inspired, going full out in a mullish cow run. The Vavardi woman gives a huge sigh and claps for the cow. "We did it! Oh, that silly thing!" She says, offering a wide smile to the Charali and Andorig ab Nesmith, and to the defacto winner. "That was so silly! And charming!" She coos, delighted, as she sorts of holds her hands out in front of her, uncertain what to do with Cow-Scented Hands.
Rhoana drinks from a wood cup carved with jumping horses inlaid in silver leaf as she eases up from her absent lean against the wall, watching as the cow racing finally comes to an end. Karstedt had finished some time ago, his cow already finding the left over hay near the northern door and chomping happily, Safir, first daughter of Mara easing her cow across that last step with amazing speed. Sophia mal Ducollette did not come up last! Andorig ab Nesmith did. Sophia mal Ducollette came in third. She clears her throat quietly, glancing over the poor cows, before saying, "I think the cows are tired now." To be truthful, she doesn't seem serious. She looks back to the others. "You can each pick a cow to keep, if you want to keep it. In order of the winners. Karstedt, do you want a cow?"
A small woman with green eyes and upswept hair claps for the cows and Cow owners that have made it. She giggles at A big aloof dog with a dense coarse black coat and a beard's rather stubborn bovine. "They say you may lead a horse to water," she muses to him, "but it seems leading a cow to the finish line is a little more difficult, isn't it?"
