I was almost thrown out of the kitchen until I swore that I would be allowed to make mashed potatoes, or everyone here would suffer...
I got to make up so QL 32 taters, critique the gravies that would be going on the buckets and buckets of them (Sama made sure she was on top of those, just to save face for the other ladies), and, well, they were QL 32 mashed potatoes. They lted on the tongue and kind of evaporated off the tables, as did all the gravy.
The Morningsuns didnt have this kind of tradition, but were certainly happy to enjoy it since I was coming here, and naturally The Mick and Amaretta had shown up to celebrate with her family. The Blooded eldest daughter of the whole Clan was naturally grilled rcilessly by all her sisters and cousins and nieces, which you accumulate quite a lot of over seventy years. Non-human clans live a long ti, save for the urukhar... and if they are Powered or Forsaken, they live even longer.
Shiv was getting rcilessly teased by all her sisters, too. She was naturally working among the Scouts attached to the familys efforts in Russia, and perhaps unsurprisingly had found herself working closely on more than one occasion with one of the new Void Brothers, a Firesword by na of William Blake... who I was politely ignoring noticing had drawn a lethal cordon around the Blakhamar celebration with his Brothers and the Senior St. Paul Citybound, Quiffio. The city had noticed the outsiders coming in with bad intentions, sent the information over, and welp, not a good idea ssing with a family this well-connected and so high Level.
There was a special dinner being set up for all of the Brothers later for their help. Lots of very good pies were involved.
Shiv being in a relationship was definitely an Event, and the young won were heaping advice upon her, making her cheeks very red as they did so. Of course, none of them had managed to land a Void Brother, so she had all sorts of bragging rights on them.
If she was suddenly able to hold her conversational ground with her siblings, well, the 5 Inherent bonus to Charisma Id Wished her way was totally whimsical and in the genie tradition.
All in all, it was a nice pleasant day, where the shop-talking was of the irreverent and funny kind, as all the grim stuff got done in Markspace. The n were complete doofuses, and were roaring out so of the deepest and most thundering choruses of drinking songs you ever heard... except Briggs.
A couple of the Blakhamars hadnt believed the rumors, and egged him into Singing for them so ti back. The horrified stories they retold and the way they very urgently and seriously shut up anyone asking such things of Briggs went a very long ways towards making sure that didnt happen, to everyones sincere benefit.
Daring singing contests seed to be a family thing, where the won started singing immaculately harmonized lyrics that were at total odds with the content thereof, and throwing them back at the n, daring them to not break down laughing.
The Morningsuns were totally willing to contribute to this contest with so Irish, French, and Italian originals, too. A little translation magic into Human, and the after-dinner really got swinging.
---
To everyones delight, The Mick stood up as the evening was drawing to a close, and with a startlingly good tenor, gave them all the first rendition of The Drinking Ga, which was a popular boozing song back on Terra-Luna, but had never been heard here before, supplied by yours truly for this occasion.
Well, The Micks rendition of it ant it was going to be heard in a lot of places rather soon.
I went away to school, and rood with a fool,
A Hayseed plowboy from down on the farm.
He was my go-to punk when it was ti to get drunk,
With a beer and a babe in arm.
He could drink like a fish, and more important, he always paid his bill,
A fine upstanding young drinking man, when it was ti to swill.
The bills were paid, and wed prove our ttle,
By the dares wed trade, and boasts wed settle.
Sotis hed pick off the floor,
Others Id peel him off the wall,
And wed try to make it through the door
After stumbling down the hall.
Good gods that was so drinking,
Lord, wed laugh until we cried,
We argued, bet, and at the last
Agreed the score was tied.
We went up and down the river, and bounced quarters til the dawn.
The liquor foad, it flushed and flowed,
It went on and on and on.
We never drank that way before, and we never will again,
The score was tied, the gas were done,
and thats how it was gonna end.
Ten years go by, and Im out in the sticks, and stop at ol Hayseeds place.
He was happy to see and had so plans, by the look upon his face.
He brought out the homade whiskey, and showed the homade beer,
We got feeling fine on dandelion wine; by then I couldnt see too clear.
Good Lord, that was so drinking; Good Lord, I nearly died,
By the ti the hard cider passed on down, the score was no longer tied.
We went up and down the river, and bounced quarters til the dawn.
The liquor gurgled, it gushed and glowed,
It went on and on and on.
We never drank that way before, and we never will again,
But the ga was on, he was one up on ,
and thats not how it was gonna end.
For five long years I waited, and planned my dark revenge,
Hayseed ca to the big town to visit , and I smiled to see him again.
I waved away to the booze on display, and I could sll his sudden fear,
As I brought out the Hakkaisen Sake, and the Westvletern Beer.
The ouzo from Lesvos, the cachaca from Brazil,
The Don Julio tequila, oh my Lord, we done drank our fill.
We bounced our lot of fifty-quid shots
of Lendores Scotch from 1922,
And he gave up when I prepped our cups
Of glittering Moutai baiju.
Good Lord, that was so drinking. Good Lord, he nearly died.
But over brandy and cigars the morning rise, we knew that the score was tied.
We went up and down the river, and bounced quarters til the dawn.
The liquor burbled, blushed, and shone,
It went on and on and on!
We never drank that way before, and we never will again,
The score was even, the gas were done, and thats how it was gonna end.
Now Hayseed and I still get together, and clink our nobs to toast,
As punks talk smack behind our backs, and think that they can boast.
We down the seltzer water, and dont need to be driven ho,
Any drink that passes our lips these days is fine and well alone.
But those days were bold and fun, a highlight of our youth,
Shining bright in hazy mory, a fools quest for so liquored truth.
Good Lord, that was so drinking. Good Lord, we nearly died.
Fools damn gas for fools to play, and, Good Lord, we tried.
We went up and down the river, and bounced quarters til the dawn.
The liquor, it beckoned with a devils light,
It went on and on and on!
We never drank that way before, and we never will again,
We forgot the score, the ga was done, and thats how it ca to end.
The Blakhamars and everyone roared as he finished, bowing smugly as he did. There were a LOT of Bard and Minstrel types in attendance, all of them clamoring for the proper words and notes and where he had gotten that and whatnot.
It went without saying that leaving off the last stanza really made it a drinking song, and soon enough that Song was being heard on multiple continents as fighting n kicked back with booze in hand and belted it out in simple verse.
The fact a lot of variations of booze could be warped around to fit into the song was lost on nobody, but The Mick also got the first recording of it to see airplay and publication... in the tal records that would be carrying songs going forwards, as vinyl wasnt going to survive the Shrouds death, unless you could afford a magical recording, which cost gold.
It also spurred more interest in the native booze of more countries, which was always a nice boost to international trade, devils drink or no.
I noted Shvaughn, who had co along for this shindig after careful and considerate invitation from Patriarch Hank, was leaving with a certain large purple-skinned ogryn thrown over her shoulder and an expectant smile upon her face. I just shook my head and laughed and reflected that Mohono Blakhamar wasnt going to get much sleep tonight, and had definitely found a woman strong enough to put up with him.
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