With residual warmth of the setting sun all but siphoned away from the thick blanket of snow enveloping the city, it's to a bonfire that rages beautifully within its rock-lined confines of a shallow fire pit for respite from the bone-chilling winds that nip and tug at heavy cloaks and layered woolen garments. Heated stones twined through heavy-knit blankets are a luxury in abundance for attendants, while no shortage of gourmet sausage links and other roastable meats and delicacies make their way around on platters, skewered on sticks and ready for a quick grab.

The mastermind behind this impromptu gathering stands near the pit, shrouded in no less than two divinely stone-warmed blankets with a stick and bits of ham - no bacon here, dun dun - being roasted by the fire. Katarina brushes back her hood, lifting her hand in warm salutations to Waldemai. "Very good indeed, right? Help yourself to a warm drink or something to eat. I don't expect very many to turn out and suffer the snow for a bit of fun, so that makes it all the more easier to get a good game going here shortly."

Waldemai is hogging up as much of the bonfireside space as possible. "Thank you, your highness," he says when offered a drink. "Grog, hot and strong." They serve rum...someone must know how to make grog the right way.

Anya, the cool as an ice cube Champion apprentice, Renn, the mousy, scholarly brunette arrive, following Caspian.

Katarina gives a humored smile toward Waldemai. "We aim to never disappoint with refreshments," she quips. "I've seen you at several events I've had now, but I don't believe we've ever spoken at length. You're a master of a smithing trade, I recall?"

The fun has arrived! And his name is Caspian! In he comes, bundled up against the cold and near constant snow Arx has been in. Whoever has to shovel all this must be pour souls indeed. In he comes, giving a wave to the crowd, heading over to the bonfire to warm up.

Waldemai is just getting his grog. It's hot and the aroma os cinnamon wafts off it. But with a Princess talking to him the grog can wait. "Yes, your highness, an armor smith." He waves toward the southwest. "My shop is down on Southport Square, across from the Malvici mension."

"Weapons, then, I presume?" is Katarina's tentative inquiry of Waldemai, craddling her own mug of heavily spiced coffee between her mittened palms. When a second face joins them by the bonfire, she turns her head to welcome Caspian with a dimpled grin and bow of her head in welcome. "Ah, Grandmaster Wild! You grace us with your wily presence this evening, I see? Come, here. Have a good sip of this. I think it'll put the fire back in your spirit."

"Pfft," is Caspian's answer for Katarina as he heads over to her, grinning her way as he says, "I always have a fire in my spirit." He takes the drink that she is offering and takes a sip of it, breathing out a sigh as it burns the back of his throat. "How are you, Princess Katarina? Life been well since we last met?"

Apollo heard of some kind of goings on and so the leatherworker is braving the snow, at least it's not sticking for now, to head here. The man takes a look around to see the others, he overheards mention of an armorsmith. "Metal armor is fine and all." He says cheerfully, "But for the finest leathers, you ought to visit my shop." He says cheerfully, "Hello your highness, and others."

"Good to hear. I'd be terribly disappointed were I to find you lacking in your usual fervor and party cheer," Katarina laughs brightly, reclaiming her mug from Caspian and extending it out to an attendant who refills it with more alcohol than actual coffee. "Dreading the winter, but doing my best to keep the days full of merriment and interesting moments for those like me who don't want to waste away indoors the entire time," she makes a gesture to the bonfire and guests, sparse, but brave. "Once everyone is nice and warmed up, I intend to teach everyone daring a new trick and maybe get some good stories going about our worst encounters in the world. I'm thinking the time I faced down a kraken in the Darkwater a few years ago as my big tale of the night." Apollo is received with the same welcoming; a gracious smile, a fire-warmed blanket around his shoulders, and mug of grog in his hands. "Ah, Apollo! How good to see you. Come to join the fun?"

Waldemai hears Apollo dissing good steel armor, but the grog is hitting bottom and he's in a forgiving mood. "I ran into a scout tonight...She'd be looking for good leather armor. Rowenova, something like that." He has to rub a hand across his bald head to jar his memory. "Was at the beard contest. That was a lot of fun.

"That sounds fun," says Caspian back to Katarina with a lift of his drink given to her, smiling her way. "A kraken in the darkwater? I didn't even know people could sail into The Darkwater and survive," he says back to her with a lift of his brows, then a lift of his cup to his lips.

"I think I met her once." Apollo says casually and adds, "If you see her again, feel free to send her my way. The Leather Paean, off Valardin Way. Near bold espressions." He glances towards Katarina, "I would hope I didn't weather the snow for the sake of not joining the fun, your highness." He answers cheerily as he takes the mug and sits down with the blanket. "Perhaps the kraken is why people generally don't." He suggests in response to Caspian.

Katarina checked dexterity + performance at difficulty 30, rolling 7 higher.

"They usually... don't," Katarina vaguely affirms to Caspian. "But now there is no longer a Darkwater, but the Bloodwaters that come and go unpredictably," she recounts, turning her eyes upon Apollo with a humored smile to crest her lips. "Let's not start the stories and musing over the Darkwater just -yet-. I really want to get the fun going before we're too full of good drink and food to want to move." With a bend of knees, she reaches for a bottle of spirits to imbibe a mouthful and gathers a torch. With a wiggle of brows, it's /clear/ what she's about to do. So clear. And that's mist out that drink to ignite and fill the air with rolling flames briefly. No singed brows over here. "Aha!"

"Sorry, I'm still not fully up to speed on these things," says Caspian back to Katarina and Apollo as he takes a few steps back to give Katarina some space. He's not about to get set on fire as Katarina does her little trick.