Mabelle has joined the a luxurious apple wood kitchen island.

Sir Floppington the Soulful Hound arrives, following Rowenova.

The scents of baked goods and the oven heat create a lovely atmosphere that makes you more cozy and hungry than eager to bake. But alas, you've come to work. Mabelle is standing by the kitchen island with her cookie girl, Cupcake, waving to those who arrive, "Good afternoon! Welcome , Welcome. Sit in, have some cake and a drink! We will begin shortly!" She then points out the favor chest and comments, "If you like your clothes, I recommend an apron!"

Vale, A Baby Arctic Fox, Pearl, A Baby Arctic Husky, 2 House Crovane Guards, Rose - A Pretty Red-haired Research Assistant arrive, following Clara.

Wash gets I survived Baking with the Laurents 1013, silk and glass apron from PARTY FAVOR CHEST.

Clara gets I survived Baking with the Laurents 1013, silk and glass apron from PARTY FAVOR CHEST.

Wearing not her direwolf cloak but a grey apron with blue trim (instead), the Scout Rowenova shows up. Sir Floppington does so, too, but he is the Bestest Good Boy Ever, so he makes sure to take up an out-of-the-way place and does not beg like other dogs. Though, those soulful eyes certainly say that he would definitely accept a tasty treat if they were brought his way.

Wash is here, as promised, and at Mabelle's urging he looks down at his clothes and decides not to test the disapproving sniffs of his house servants. He gets an apron. "This is nicer than I usually wear." He comments.

Adalyn takes I survived Baking with the Laurents 1013, silk and glass apron from PARTY FAVOR CHEST.

Svana gets I survived Baking with the Laurents 1013, silk and glass apron from PARTY FAVOR CHEST.

Jael takes I survived Baking with the Laurents 1013, silk and glass apron from PARTY FAVOR CHEST.

Rowenova gets I survived Baking with the Laurents 1013, silk and glass apron from PARTY FAVOR CHEST.

Having arrived a few minutes early, Zoey ties on one of the aprons before going to stand before Wash. "Well, this should be interesting," she tells her fellow Kennex with a smile.

Ryhalt gets I survived Baking with the Laurents 1013, silk and glass apron from PARTY FAVOR CHEST.

Just as Mabelle gives her opening recomendations, Clara comes in. She shrugs her shoulders but goes to get an apron and slips into it, tying it off before sitting down.

Drake shows up jus a few minutes late and slightly hung over, but otherwise put-together enough, considering. He assumes he's just here to eat cookies, because he comes to parties for the food. He did not attend the pre-meeting preparation instructions. But everyone seems to be putting on aprons. Wait, so this isn't just about eating the baking?

Svana follows in sometime after Rowenova - enough time that when Svana sees the wolf scout, she is relatively surprised to see the other woman. She immediately rushes over and hugs her, looking at her with some excitement. "Nova, you have prayed very well. I spoke with Lady Clara yesterday, and err..." She leans in and whispers something to the scout, giving her a firm hug as she does.

Mabelle beams as the kitchen begins to fill and flashes smiles all around, "Yes yes, guard yourselves, you have been warned though - do not flour the host!"

Jael is in a nice new ironwool gown, so while she has no real intent to get her hands dirty, she snags an apron anyway. "Quite a crowd," she tells Mabelle on her way throught he door, and then perches on a kitchen stool on the outskirts of the gathering group.

Norwood rubs his hands together. "I am sure that my survival training has prepared me for this." FAmous last words

Ryhalt smiles at the smell as he enters the Laurent kitchen and again to Mabelle as she greets them. Anticipating making a mess of himself, probably, he fishes out one of the aprons and puts it on. "My daughter will love this, thank you."

Oh, look! It's Cristoph. He's here for the food. The duke gives polite waves and such before finding a place to sit with his assistant, Rupert. The two sit and chat as the activities commence.

Adalyn strides into the Laurent kitchen with a cheery wave for those gathered, familiar and unfamiliar alike. Moving to snag an apron, she slips it over her own clothes despite her already casual attire. "Well, this ought to be fun."

Upon being hugged, Nova turns from the party favors (one draped over her arm), and then she hugs Svana tightly. She head tilts her wolf-framed visage and curiously regards Svana, then perks up at the latest news with a sly grin. "Well, good!" says she before squeezing the woman a bit tighter but not too much.

Svana looks excited as she finally breaks away from Rowenova, standing her ground somewhere between the scout and Lady Clara. Svana gives something of a nervous smile to Lady Mabelle and casts her eyes to the ground before she waves over at Zoey, then looks to Clara. She waves broadly. "It's been at least a day since I've seen you. That news was taken better than expected, by the way..." Svana says, pulling her apron on.

Mabelle glances around the room with suspicious looks, "Did you all think you've come here to eat? You're wrong! You have come here to be judged!", she cackles and notes, "While we wait for any late arrivals, I will explain the rules". Mabelle stands behind the island and quirks her lips, "This is a three tier baking contest - mind you, the 3rd tier is for the brave only so you can participate in the first two and still get a prize".

She points at the two piles of cookies on the island, "First, we check your .. senses. You need to eat the cookie and try to figure out the ingredients. There are 11 total." Her smile gets bigger and you can tell she gets eviller, "Second, you will get the recipe and you will have to bake it. Now, while the Laurents in the room are participating, they will also JUDGE YOU! Because honestly if I eat a lot of horrible cookies, I will develop aversion to cookies, and we really cant have that, can we?"

Drake gets I survived Baking with the Laurents 1013, silk and glass apron from PARTY FAVOR CHEST.

Nova sends Svana off with a pat to her shoulder before she swaps out her own grey apron with the party favor. She rolls up the old apron and quickly stows that one into her Messenger Bag before stepping up to the cookie table. "Wow, judging me already?!" says she to Mabelle with a grin before looking out over those various cookies. "Are they the same or different?"

"What." Wash says. "We have to figure out what is in them ... by eating them?" That's a strange concept to him. "Can't we just... watch someone cook and then do what they do?" Wash looks around for help. "Zoey? Have you done this before?"

On being named a judge, Jael sits up a bit straighter. She is here to serve.

"I really am actually just here to eat," says Drake, but then someone shoves an apron into his hand anyway. He throws it over his shoulder. Then he sees Rowenova is here, again, and has a gleam in his eye as he almost hates the idea of losing yet another challenge to her. And with that he walks up to the cookies and looks over at them, even though he has no idea what he's doing. Well, the first step is, in fact, to eat. He's good at that.

"So long as there aren't any exotic spices in here," Norwood mumbles to himself. Lack of culture on display.

"Of course I have not," Zoey answers Wash. "I grew up with other people doing that for me, just like you."

Clara just chuckles at this entire affair as she joins the cookie table. She seems happy to be here, just amused by all the cookies! She looks to Nova and Svana and gives both women a hug.

Mabelle curves her lips and specifically aims her words to Wash and Drake, "The third tier, in case you were wondering, is a cookie eating contest. The first to finish a plate full of cookies, win. But again, You dont have to join that tier to win a prize. The prizes will be determined by how you did in the first two rounds." She wonders at Wash, "Can you really not tell what's in the cookie you eat? I mean a little bit?"

"Okay. Well. Let's muddle through this together. Gotta be flour in here." Wash approaches the cookie tray and picks up a cookie. "And... sugar. Must be sugar in the cookie. Probably about half and half." He is literally pulling numbers out of the air. "Of course I know what's in a cookie. Nut cookies have nuts in them. And chocoloate cookies have chocolate in them. But I assume you mean all the rest of the stuff around the... nuts and chocolate."

Kiera gets I survived Baking with the Laurents 1013, silk and glass apron from PARTY FAVOR CHEST.

A perceptive scout, Nova peers back toward Drake with a humorous grin before merrily hugging Clara, doing so with back pats. She analytically scans the entire room, possibly looking for something helpful, then steps away to go and pour up apple cider in a Laurent glass for herself. After that is done, the wolf scout turns back.

"I wonder what sort of secret ingredients have been added in to throw us off," Adalyn muses aloud, rubbing her hands together as she sidles up next to Norwood.

Keso, a totally legit assistant arrives, delivering a message to Rowenova before departing.

Damien Pierce - A Charming Assistant, 1 Redreef Warden, Vagari The Cinder Cat, 1 Order of the Firebird, 2 House Crovane Guards, Biorna - The Protective Mastiff arrive, following Mikani.

Mabelle adds quickly, "Are you all ready? Any questions before we begin?", she then chuckles at Wash, "I dont need quantities".

Ryhalt eyes Mabelle. "So you're saying the rest of us should have been training for this by eating sweets... Pretty sure there the smell from our 'cookies' might turn us all off sweets."

Svana looks over at Drake, smiling at him. "Lord Drake, I'm sure you can be good at baking. You're good at most other things I've seen you do." She hugs Clara back and then looks terrified at the rules that Mabelle has laid down. "Alright, Svana, you've been training for this moment since at least the past month. You can do it." She takes in a deep breath and then starts to listen to Wash, as if he's really an authority on the subject.

"I'm just here for fun. I'm probably gonna to suck at this." Clara laughs in her amusement as she gets ready to taste the cookies. She waits for the go in any case. She's curious what's in the cookies afterall.

Drake starts tying on an apron, because he really is the sort of guy who has to rise to even a silly challenge. "I'm good at two out of three parts of that contest, so the middle part can't be that hard." He has no idea. When Svana encourages him, he smiles at her. "Now, that's just flattery. But I'm quite weak to it."

"Things I probably don't even know the names of." Norwood replies to Adalyn, then lifts a hand to wave Jael over. "You'll be kind, right?"

Nova quickly asks something something then looks up to Clara, "I bet you are gonna do fine! You run a medicinary after all!"

Mikani takes I survived Baking with the Laurents 1013, silk and glass apron from PARTY FAVOR CHEST.

Kiera grims "well at least i've got a shot at round one " she grins over her brother

Jael hops up from her stool when Norwood waves her over and resettles next to the Baron. "Of course I will. I've eaten your camp cooking, I am sure I can handle anything."

Mabelle indicates two piles of cookies on the table, "Alright, lets begin. These are chocolate chip cookies. EASY. But, its Lottie. So 11 ingridients. No quantities. Taste, think hard". She chuckles. Or cackles. Then Adds, "Good luck"

Mikani enters the hall curiously and sans children. She looks around and is handed an apron before being handed a list of rules. With a few steps she makes her way to stand by Zoey. "Okay so where is the cookie we .... taste?" She asks after reading the instructions.

Clara checked intellect + alchemy at difficulty 20, rolling 29 higher.

Drake checked perception + investigation at difficulty 20, rolling 16 higher.

Zoey checked intellect + investigation at difficulty 20, rolling 28 higher.

Mikani checked intellect + investigation at difficulty 20, rolling 5 higher.

Rowenova checked perception + alchemy at difficulty 20, rolling 44 higher.

Wash checked perception at difficulty 20, rolling 11 lower.

Adalyn checked intellect + investigation at difficulty 20, rolling 5 lower.

Svana checked perception + investigation at difficulty 20, rolling 8 higher.

Ryhalt checked intellect + investigation at difficulty 20, rolling 18 higher.

Kiera checked intellect + investigation at difficulty 20, rolling 37 higher.

Norwood checked perception + alchemy at difficulty 20, rolling 12 higher.

Jael checked intellect + investigation at difficulty 20, rolling 17 higher.

Jael checked perception + alchemy at difficulty 20, rolling 16 lower.

Ryhalt takes one of the cookies for testing and takes a bite. Though he makes several guesses, only one of them is right. With a chuckle, he shrugs. "Do we get kicked out of the kitchen if we make something that *isn't* a cookie?"

Adalyn casts Jael a sidelong grin. "Just hope none of us forget a necessary ingredient or two. You may wish /not/ to be judging." Reaching for a cookie, she takes a small bite and chews slowly. "This is um... well, it's made of delicious morsels and fine baking obviously. And I think..." She pauses, taking a bigger bite -- and then another and another. Clearly she enjoys the eating part but is failing terribly at recognizing the actual ingredients. "Papa, you let me spend too much time on the training ground and not enough in the kitchen clearly." A phrase he probably never thought he'd hear his daughter say.

Clara picks up a cookie and nibbles into it. "Mmmm." She makes the noise appreciating the cookie before she adds, "How am I supposed to guess what is in these when they are just melting in my mouth?" She closes her eyes and takes another bite, slowly chewing it to see if she can figure out exactly what is in this beyond the standard ingredients that go into most baked goods.

"Is that what flour tastes like?" Wash wonders. "I know what sugar tastes like. None of this tastes like bread. Wait. There's some salt and it feels oily. Okay. I can do this. I got this." He says with extraordinarily misplaces confidence.

Mabelle faints a cough and blurbs, "You. Are. In. The. Laurent. Kitchen". She glances at all the bees on the walls and remarks, "I'm not crazy, you will get a recipe or I'm not eating that".

No stranger to ingredient detection and cookie eating (or eating everything that she can possibly see during opulant parties, for that matter), Nova picks up a Laurent cookie then gets out a beige paper. She pulls out a crow-feather quill from her belt vial and quickly pens a short letter sent off right away before the next sheet is ultimately readied for ingredient listing. She breaks open that lovely cookie and then bites out a center piece of one half before then carefully chewing it (with mouth closed, of course, she is a ducal servant!) before writing down the base flour(s), the likely sweetener, any nibbly bits, along with whatever flavoring might have been used. Maybe even one more.

Norwood chews slloowwwlllyyy. Then nods firmly. "There is //flour// in this cookie." IT's announced as he turns and looks at Jael, does he win?!

Jael grins at Adalyn and snags a cookie from the platter going around. She takes a nibble, eyes closed and expression deeply thoughtful as she chews. "I think I need another one to properly judge."

There are no guesses coming from Svana. She at first eats her cookie and attempts to savor the taste, but quickly the entire thing is gone, and she's looking around in case someone didn't finish theirs. "Oh! Oh! Oh no. Err, well it was absolutely delicious anyway," she says, looking somewhat embarrassed - but her stomach grumbles loudly. She looks around at everyone making guesses.

Zoey selects one of the cookies from the tray and takes a bite. She closes her eyes while she chews thoughtfully. "Well, they are tasty, but this is not my realm of expertise," she admits after swallowing. "I think I got a couple though."

Drake picks up and eats a cookie. He picks up the chocolate chip cookie, because that is an obvious one. He's pretty sure it has chocolate in it. Simple enough. But now, how do you actually get it to be the cookie part, he's not... entirely sure. Probably an egg or something. He eats with more thought than usual.

Mabelle checked charm + performance at difficulty 35, rolling 15 higher.

Mr. Hops arrives, following Jules.

Mabelle stares in utter disbelief at all of her guests. "Honey. How did none of you guess honey?"

"I guessed honey!" Wash chirps brightly. "Sugar and honey are the same thing right!"

Jules checked perception + investigation at difficulty 20, rolling 2 lower.

Kiera takes a cookie as if it is an object worth of serious study examinining and sniffing before finally tasting, checking very carefully " well sugar is obvious, as is flour but it must be a complex receipe to have 11 ingredients

Jael turns her cookie over and over, a little crinkle between her brows. "Oh. Well, I just assumed there was honey."

Nova lifts her paper up and shows off the honey on there. She could not speak, cause cookie in her mouth!

"Yes, obvious. Goes without saying." Norwood deadpans. He had no idea. Just tagging onto Jael.

Mabelle complains about Wash to Jael, "He just said Sugar and honey are the same thing"

Jules has been here the whole time, really. He's probably been off sampling some of the local vineyard or something of the sort. His eyes scan about as he seems to be looking for something. In the process, he waves here and there to people as he makes his way towards Svana, wait veering to some random person...wait, refocus back to Svana.

"They are both sweet?" Jael says uncertainly, probably not what Mabelle was hoping for.

"No, Wash, honey has a distinct flavor to it and is not the same as sugar," says Zoey. "You can tell the difference when you add them to your tea." She shakes her head and eats the rest of the cookie in her hand.

Jules takes I survived Baking with the Laurents 1013, silk and glass apron from PARTY FAVOR CHEST.

Nova sets her paper down and then goes about meticulously devouring this cookie and writes down anything else she may or may not deduce about its formula.

"I mean, isn't honey a given when we're in the Laurent kitchen?" Adalyn responds with a shrug as if she didn't just completely miss recognizing that ingredient (or any others).

Mabelle glances between Jael and Cristoph, "You should disown her for that". She winks to Jael

Svana leans in and gives Jules a brief peck on the lips when he joins her, stroking his hand softly. "Look, some people actually took bites of their cookies. Unbelievable. I did not know that people chewed sweets."

"They're both sweet. Once you cook them, I can't imagine the difference is that significant." Wash mutters mostly in his own defense. "And how would you know how I take my tea?"

"Whatever, Cris doesn't know anything about ingredients either," Jael retors mildly before taking a good big bite of her cookie.

At this point, Cupcake moves about the people in the room, offering them all a piece of parchment with an actual recipe. She unveils the baskets on the table for all the items they could have guessed, right in front of them. "Well. Now we get dirty. Cupcake just handed you the recipe. Its very easy. But how well do you follow orders?" The bakers begin to surround the contestants and giving them metallic bowls. At this point Mabelle steps away from the table. "Good luck". She shakes her head and finds a strategic place where her precious velvet will be safe.

"Aye, I assumed the basics... honey was me very first guess but then thought maybe they'd trip us up by just usin' sugar... still... I'm leanin' honey." Clara nibbles at her cookie some more and continues to form the ingredients in her head. She smiles at Svana's observation and after she swallows, "Don' ya chew yer food?" She chuckles.

Jules looks to Svana, nibbles on a nearby untouched cookie and chews slowly. He finishes chewing then smiles to her and says, "The secret ingredient is rum, Lady Mabelle drinks rum non-stop." His tone teasing. He looks back to Svana and says, "You don't chew your sweets?" He lifts one eyebrow and says, "Why, you would get along with someone else here." He gives a slight snicker then glances at the cookie more carefully.

Nova slides away her feathery quill into the pierced cork on a dark vial on her weapons/alchemy belt then quietly thanks Cupcake before reading through the entire recipe (front and back) before she does anything.

Mabelle shushes at Jules, "There are Oathlanders in the room", she grins at her family, "I melt sweets on my tongue, anyway"

Damien Pierce - A Charming Assistant have been dismissed.

1 Redreef Warden have been dismissed.

Vagari The Cinder Cat have been dismissed.

1 Order of the Firebird have been dismissed.

2 House Crovane Guards have been dismissed.

Biorna - The Protective Mastiff have been dismissed.

Keso, a totally legit assistant arrives, delivering a message to Rowenova before departing.

Jules checked composure + manipulation at difficulty 25, rolling 22 higher.

Clara checked composure + leadership at difficulty 25, rolling 19 higher.

Jael checked willpower + leadership at difficulty 25, rolling 22 higher.

Mabelle checked command + manipulation at difficulty 25, rolling 27 higher.

Ryhalt checked command + leadership at difficulty 25, rolling 25 higher.

Rowenova checked command + leadership at difficulty 25, rolling 3 lower.

Zoey checked composure + manipulation at difficulty 25, rolling 0 higher.

Wash checked command + leadership at difficulty 25, rolling 52 higher. Wash rolled a critical!

Adalyn checked willpower + manipulation at difficulty 25, rolling 20 lower.

Kiera checked willpower + leadership at difficulty 25, rolling 8 lower.

Svana checked willpower + manipulation at difficulty 25, rolling 19 higher.

Drake checked composure + manipulation at difficulty 25, rolling 5 higher. Drake rolled a critical!

Adalyn peers at the recipe for a long moment, then goes completely rogue instead. She takes a pinch of this, a spoonful of that, reaching for whatever ingredients strike her fancy and paying no attention whatsoever to the instructions she has been given. Poor judges, having to taste this odd concoction.

Apparently distracted with a new messenger which shows up, Nova gets lost in the reply back and ultimately forgets to bake well, clearly distracted with it! At one point she accidentally adds way too much of a few things while trying to write back.

Mabelle walks around the table as if she is Gordon Ramsay, nodding, humming, and generally looking mortified when she observes Adalyn.

Svana leans in and whispers something to Jules, giving him a slow smile before she looks at Clara. "Of course I chew my food, but I also tend to gobble it. I gobbled that cookie, which is why I only know that it was delicious and couldn't care a /lick/ about the ingredients!" She looks at the ingredient list, carefully measuring and taking her time. She's a novice cook, and even more of a novice baker, and she gives everything a tedious amount of care. "Jules, does this look right?"

Norwood checked composure + leadership at difficulty 25, rolling 27 higher.

Wash gets all of the ingredients together to mix the cookies and purposefully turns his back on whatever other people are doing to prepare. "So. I think the relative size of these containers is our best guess at how much of each goes -in- the cookies." He tells Zoey. "Why is there eggs? Who brought over eggs? Are we making breakfast cookies?"

Jael hops off her stool and sets to work. Maybe it's the Laurent home field advantage but she pretty much powers through the process with confidence except for a brief moment when, passing behind Adalyn, she accidentally inhales a cloud of wayward ingredients and experiences a brief coughing fit.

Ryhalt squints at the recipe like it's a map he has no intention of following. "Well, guess this might turn out better than a lump of chocolate." Chocolate cookies *had* to have chocolate in them, right? He tosses the ingredients together with a liberal coating of various ingredients on his apron and preparation surface.

Kiera is normally a good study at directions but operationalizing is quite another. for one thing there's the matter of egs which she can't seem to break cleanly. cookies with eggshells are unacceptable. she'll probly owe laurent a chicken she's ruined so many

Norwood rolls up his sleeves and DOES THE THING. "You might remember this," said to Adalyn, "It was one of your aunt's favorites." Guys, there is so much honey in that thing. SO MUCH HONEY. It's like a blondie, but with honey as the base.

Zoey cracks a couple of eggs into the bowl, measuring out ingredients and substituting a couple of them when Wash is not looking to make sure he adds the right things. "Somehow I doubt this is intended as a breakfast food," she tells him.

Mabelle stares at Zoey, "Excuse me? Cookies are breakfast, and lunch and dinner"

Clara is an alchemist and can evidently bake! She is very particular about how she does things too. Incredients are lined up in order of need all premeasured out. She double checks what she needs just to be sure. No mixing up ingredients. She adds this and that, baking soda, flour, butter, salt, honey, vanilla, and then eventually the chocolate chips, etc. She stirs in each thing with apparent knowledge of what she is doing, though others may be doing better she's only paying attention to her own task.

Wash gives instructions with confidence, but doesn't pay close attention to whether or not Zoey is following them. He's flustered in the kitchen, clearly. He mixes the dry ingredients separately, but only because Zoey seems to have the wet ones all in hand already. "Wait. Sugar is a dry incredient. I should mix it with the flour." He tells Zoey. "You mix the honey in your bowl."

Jules giggles randomly and does a little half-dance as he moves about the little table, he has no idea what he's doing but he does it with excitement and flair. He looks over to Svana and says, "Uhhh" He squints for a long moment as he feet continue to tap, "Sure!" He smiles and continues his movements about and then after a moment seems to be really focused, studious, in the zone. He then looks to Svana and asks, "Do you think it would look funny for Hops to wear a pair of pants and a shirt?"

Drake is not the most organized guy. But he does have a bit of luck on his side, apparently. He did know, at least, about eggs. And chocolate. And maybe the rest will work itself out. Cookies clearly have flour, right? And... there's a debate about honey versus sugar, but sugar seems less sticky, so he'll go with that. And then he realizes that there's more than one type of sugar. Well, maybe use a bit of both, just to be on the safe side. This turns out to be probably a good answer, in the end. Seeing Kiera struggling a little with an egg, he hands her a fresh one. "...Probably just two." Mabye she's already cracked two.

Adalyn glances toward Norwood, brightening as she sees what he's making. "Oh, I LOVE those!" There can never be too much honey, clearly. "Wait til you taste mine. They'll become a new family favorite, too," she announces proudly as she mixes her dough into what looks like a clumpy, very unappetizing hodge-podge of ingrdeients.

Mabelle claps her hands, encouraging the contestant like a drill sergeant, "Come on come on come on, shape those cookies, give them to the bakers, while they bake, you can have some cake!", she eyes Wash with some disbelief at the fact it actually looks right. And he's seperating ingredients. The world is going crazy. She moves onward toward Drake, "Not bad not bad"

"Wet with wet, dry with dry, I get it," Zoey says, pausing to wipe her hand on the apron. "Belle, just because you eat them any waking hour of the day does not mean they were *intended* as a breakfast food."

Jael dabs at her nose with a corner of her apron, then leans over a little to look at what Norwood's got going on. "Needs more honey," she proclaims with utmost confidence before popping a chunk of her own dough, raw, into her mouth. "Needs more bacon."

Svana hands her cookies over to the bakers and looks uncertain of herself doing so, but she's there to oversee the rest of Jules' mixing as it is. His question about Hops catches her off-guard, then she laughs softly. "Mmm, I don't think it's a matter of whether it would look funny or not, I think it's a matter of whether or not Hops is going to stand to be covered up like that. You may have a miniature shirt and pants ripped up if you try that!" Svana tells him, looking at his cookie mix with interest.

Wash didn't separate the ingredients on purpose, those were just the only ones Zoey let him have once she started with the eggs. It's almost like she knows more about this than she let on. "Ready? Okay. So... uh... does mine go in yours or yours in mine?" He looks with confusion between Zoey's bowl and his own.

Mabelle peers over Svana's shoulder and comments, "Those are cute little lumps", teasing her as she moves over to Clara, widening her eyes in some interest, but Zoey. Oh Zoey. Mabelle complains to Ryhalt, "You eat cookies with coffee. And coffee is breakfast food, tell her"

"Um... Wet into dry!" Zoey starts pouring the content of her bowl into Wash's, hoping for the best. "Still doesn't make them a breakfast food!"

"And Lord Farshaw believes that coffee goes with everything." Wash adds. "So I'm not sure he is your best reference."

"Bacon?" Adalyn pauses, sitting back to peer at her cookie dough for a second, then turns toward Jael with a grateful look. "Yes! Thanks, Jael. That's what I was missing. Something to give it a little extra crunch." And there she goes, sprinkling a handful of bacon into her bizzare concoction.

Nova shakes off what she can from her paper which she sends off before then coming back and trying to pick up from where she left off, but it ends up an absolute failure. She certainly seems to be quietly mulling something else, and she mixes up the baking powder and baking soda item levels. After the actual baking, these are going to be no good!

"I have coffee with all meals... it doesn't necessary follow that cookies are a breakfast food from my coffee-drinking habits." He chuckles at Wish, but grins at Mabelle. "See? I have a witness or something. "I'm afraid I'm siding with Zoey on this one, sweets are for later in the day."

Norwood eyes Adalyn's concoction and just... shakes his head slowly. "I should have sent you to live with your aunts..." IT's not the first time he's muttered it, and also not the first time he doesn't sound like he believes it. Then at Jael, "Please tell me you cooked that bacon first."

Mabelle glances between Adalyn and Jael, "Follow the recipe!", she walks over to watch Jael and Adalyn's bowls. Adalyn's looking very runny. "Oh dear". She relaxes more when she looks at Nova's bowl. That's solid. Good. A side-gaze to Ryhalt, "You will regret this"

Svana blushes at Mabelle's jest and lets out a slight noise, which she covers up with a cough, looking... flattered? Embarrassed? God only knows.


"Muffins are a breakfast food. Aren't those just like large, soft cookies?" Somehow Drake is baking semi competently anyway, putting the cookies in the oven and looking at the timer. He doesn't think they take too long to bake. That or he's just impatient to remove them.

Ryhalt grins widely at Mabelle. "I live a dangerous and exciting life, I'm ready to fend off mauling from your tiny dogs."

"I didn't put any bacon in, Ada did," Jael replies absently to the Baron. And she helped! "Oh, I am," she assures Mabelle as her cousin passes by. Yep. Totally following the recipe.

"They couldn't have handled me, Papa, you know that," Adalyn remarks matter-of-factly, casting Norwood a wide grin. She laughs as Mabelle expresses concern in passing. "Don't worry, it'll turn out great." No. No, it won't. Such a misguided baker.

The master baker of the Laurent kitchen looks horrified at the mess they make and Mabelle slips him a silver duke. "Thank you Drake!", Mabelle exclaims.

"They would have wooped proper respect into you." Norwood quips back in the long-standing back-and-forth. stirrrrrrr stirrrr stirrrrr.

"Uh. Is this supposed to be so inconsistent?" Wash asks as the batter gets done in reverse. "Hold on Zoey. I got this." He pours the whole mess out onto a counter and starts kneading it like flour. Unincorporated wet mix drips off the side, but that's okay, because an equal proportion of dry floats gently in the air around him. "This is how they shape pie crust. And pie crust is basically just a big flat cookie."

Nova spoons out the cookies on metal then slides those into the stove, too. Then, she goes back and cleans up her own space. At least that she cleans better than her 11-ingredient cookies!

Zoey holds up her hands and backs away. "This is your show now," she tells Wash.

Jules nearly makes a comment at Mabelle's lump statement but clearly catches himself midway. He then glances to Svana and says, "Well, something he couldn't tear up, high quality materials. And /perhaps/ a little cane. I know he can't use the cane but it'd be so cute ...." He's still moving about and then hands his cookies to the bakers as he's quickly dishing them out. His final cookie he's taking time to shape into some lump with four protrusions on the bottom, a strange protrusion in the front. He pulls out a knife and looks as though he's carving a little face on the front, it will be gone in the oven but he's not minding. He looks to Svana and asks, "How many whiskers does Hops have, I've never looked." He whispers over to Svana real quickly, then goes back to his work.

After a while there are little balls of cookie dough on Clara's cookie sheet. They are all fairly evenly sized and fairly evenly spaced so that they don't meld into one giant cookie or have to be cut apart. She is aiming for perfectly round cookies that don't touch one another on the pan. When she is done she slips the cookie sheet into the oven to bake.

Mabelle asks around the kitchen, "So while the cookies bake, who is interested in going into the third tier with real cookies?", she teases her guests?

Rowenova says in Northlands shav, "Me!"

Svana belatedly chimes in, "Muffins are just cupcakes without frosting and fruit! They're still good!" She turns back to Jules and laughs. "I think it's completely hilarious that you want to dress Mr. Hops in little outfits like that, do you think you could think of some nice outfits for the babies, perhaps?" She makes a casual guess at the number of whiskers that the stoat has. "Like... eight?" She half-tells, half-asks Jules. "Maybe six." Whatever Jules whispers to her, she blushes and just watches him make faces in his cookies. Mabelle mentions eating cookies though, and Svana waves her hand. "Me, me, me!"

Clara raises her hand, wordlessly entering the contest.

Nova finishes up cleaning up and randomly shouts something shavvy there, and then clears out her vocal cords and actually speaks actual Arvani, "ME!"

"I don't know that I'm suited for an *eating* contest," Zoey confesses to Mabelle. Though she does take another cookie left over from round 1.

Clara doesn't have much of a mess to clean up but she still respectfully ensures that everything is all in the mixing bowl and easy for the servants to clean up after. She even dusts the counter space and pushes the excess flour into the bowl so that that part of clean up is easy too.

Wash leaves the 'cookie dough' in a more or less mixed shape, at least it's only slightly marbled by the reversed methodology. It's lumpy from where he tried to beat it into a more or less flat shape. He also cut out half a dozen hearts in varying sizes with his useful knife.


Eating. The third part is eating. Drake claps his hands together once. Having not failed entirely the baking portion, the eating portion he's pretty confident about... perhaps to a fault. He slips cookies out of the oven to let cool and puts in another tray. "I'm ready to eat basically any time."

Ryhalt makes a face like he isn't too keen on stuffing himself with sugar. "Are they bacon cookies? As in, mostly bacon?"

Mabelle pffts, "This is going to be easy, they are peanut butter cookies", she gives an evil grin. Peeking at Wash she asks, "Are you putting them in? I suppose you'll want to participate"

Once the cookies are in the oven, Cupcake lays out plates filled with cookies in a high stack tower in front of the contestants. Once they are all settled, Mabelle calls, "3....2.....1 - Go!"

Jael checked dexterity + performance at difficulty 35, rolling 55 higher. Jael rolled a critical!

Rowenova checked stamina + athletics at difficulty 35, rolling 2 lower.

Svana checked dexterity + performance at difficulty 35, rolling 17 lower.

Clara checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 35, rolling 5 lower.

Drake checked stamina + athletics at difficulty 35, rolling 15 higher.

Norwood checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 35, rolling 25 higher.

Ryhalt checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 35, rolling 20 lower.

Adalyn checked stamina + athletics at difficulty 35, rolling 3 higher.

Jules checked dexterity + performance at difficulty 35, rolling 40 higher.

Mabelle checked dexterity + performance at difficulty 35, rolling 22 higher.

Nova must not be on her game today. She starts eating cookies, but then the wolfy scout is somewhat distracted with introverted concerns, despite the glorious taste of the Laurent cookies. Also, one cannot just devour these, no. One must savor these! So, she ends up doing so, taking time with said cookies and not rushing it, sometimes uttering the quietest moan, too.

The plate in front of Jael only has a few crumbs on it. Did they forget to serve her? No. No, she has eaten them all neatly and gracefully and looks as though she has no cares in the world. She's like a black hole. A baked goods void.

Peanut butter cookies are just not Ryhalt's taste, so he gives up after one or two and goes scouting for the coffee.

Drake maybe did not, in fact, eat the most cookies of anyone, despite his usual appetite. But he certainly digs in with enough gusto at first... before that slight edge of a hangover starts to catch up with him, and the sugar is turning into a lump in his stomach. At which point, he taps out. But he DID eat more cookies than Rowenova, apparently. "Ah, well, you drank more than I did, so now we're even," he says with a laugh, pushing away his last plate. He's going to have to work out a lot to make up for this one.

Zoey finds herself a cup of tea while the Wash takes over their contest entry and others compete to see who can eat the most cookies in the least about of time. She stands off to one side of the room to watch.

Wash is late to the cookie eating contest. "Wait! Wait!" He was cutting hearts into the dough. The salty, overly saturated with soda ash cookies.

Wash checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 40 higher.

Nova half moans then cuts off the inappropriate noise to nod back to Drake before swallowing down her cookie bite then nodding twice. "That, we are!" Then, she gets up to go get her own cookies out with an oven mitt.

Adalyn is far better at eating cookies than baking them, but even she can't seem to make very quick work of the food in front of her. She blinks, gaze shifting to Jael, her empty plate, and back. "Truly an impressive skill, Jael," she remarks with a wink.

Mabelle blinks thrice at Jael. "I think you just took my title as cookie monster". She begins to survey the trays coming out of the ovens by the bakers, eyeing in some despair the pool that is Adalyn's cookies, "I'm not eating this"

Svana has been all too eager to get her hands on a plate of cookies to wrecklessly devour. She eats a first cookie, but even she isn't quite gobbling at this point. She eats a second one. Her stomach starts gurgling instead of rumbling. She looks over at Jules and reaches for a third one, but just bringing the cookie to her mouth and smelling it makes her recoil. She looks at Jules, quickly shakes her head, and says, "Uh oh. /Uh oh/." And then she is running from the kitchen, to the nearest door out of the manse where she can throw up in the yard.

Jules continues his little side-stoat project there as he talks to Svana and says, "Of course we can get them clothes, do you think we could affix a little cane to their wrist?" He squints his eyes at the cookie but then the peanut butter. He shifts his attention to ... whatever it is you're suppose to do here. He hmms and then says, "We need to get Hops clothes first, he's been unclothed a lot longer than them once they're born."

At first Clara looks like she is just going to dig into the cookies but after the first four or five she slows down and just eats cookies. She shakes her head. "Nope, I don' got this. Amazin' cookies... my tummy is too tiny." She chuckles and takes a drink from a flask, giving up. She waits for her own cookies to be done baking before she pulls them out of the oven and sets them go cool, not touching them or trying to move them while they are still so hot they would fall apart.

"What?" Jael looks at Adalyn with some puzzlement. "Doesn't everyone eat cookies that way?" Apparently not! She goes to retrieve her own sheet of cookies, which are nothing showstopping but appear perfectly palatable. So long as she doesn't inhale them on the way to the counter.

Out goes the trays of Drake and Jules. She bites a cookie from Jules' variety, and coughs, "Did you put any fluids in this?", carefully returning the cookie to place. Eyeing Jael she meanwhile informs the group, "This is what I grew up with, so now you know". Drake's cookie gets chewed as well, no sugar. She silently returns it to the tray.

Adalyn shoves the rest of her uneaten cookies at Jael, shaking her head in wonderment. Her gaze flits to Mabelle, a pout forming on her lips. "I'm sure it's much tastier than it looks," she protests, craning her neck to peek at the mass of goo coming out of the oven. "It's just... a new style of cookie in... gooey puddle form." Mmhmm.

Before Mabelle gets to her cookies, Nova tests one, herself. Wide eyed by it, whatever she tasted, Nova suddenly trashes the whole pan and the rest of that same cookie she just bit, which she spits into the bin, too.

Drake watches Mabelle carefully, to see what her opinion might be. He really shouldn't care, but... he'll do just about anything to impress a lady, regardless of what else is going on or how odd the challenge is. So this is no different. He almost eats another cookie absently, before realizing he really doesn't want another, and putting it back down.

Jael flashes a rareish brilliant smile. "Thank you!" But she has other cookies to eat before plowing through Adalyn's leftovers, including Adalyn's creations. She reaches for one, only to have it ooze through her fingertips. She manages to pop a remnant in her mouth and her expression goes stony.

Mabelle samples some of the rest of the trays, nibbling here and there, nods some an mumbles, "Not bad, not bad". She winks to Drake from afar and gives him a thumbs up, hoping he sticks to flowers in the future. She spares Jael the judging assuming there is no room for more. A heart shaped cookie is going into her mouth a moment after Nova gave her a heart attack. She stares at Wash for a moment, "Are these yours?"

Jules looks up from his stoat-cookie crafting when he fails to see Svana, he looks around again, "Where'd she go? Probably just had to tinkle I guesss." He states with a cheerful smile as he, obliviously returns to the cookie which shall likely never be cooked, "He /needs/ a hat! I've forgotten the hat!" His frustration with himself evident.

"Well?" Adalyn demands of Jael with a twinge of hope.

Nova seriously explains, "It was not good." She sets down the empty tray, then meanders back to the cookie stack to pick up one more of the good cookies.

Actually, something dawns on Nova, and she gets out her lidded, woooden box from inside her Messenger Bag, opens that up, and starts to line it with the Laurent cookies (the good ones).

Jael swallows, hard, and dabs at the corner of her eyes with the edge of her new apron. "Maybe a little less bacon," she replies to Adalyn hoarsely.

"Don't eat thofe!" Wash tells Mabelle around a mouthful of cookies. Real cookies. "I mayhem foray knife ankets!"

Svana enters after spilling the contents of her guts outside, looking a bit green around the gills. She has an arm over her stomach and she stares over at Jules, "What?" She asks, before wandering around to find something to drink. She settles on a cup of tea if there is one, and heads back to the table. "I know that Hops will always be your first baby," she tells him, having not picked up on a good deal of the conversation before due to her need to tend to more urgent matters.

"Ea down wiffle no harse." Wash indicates the cookies shaped by the staff rather than by his Useful Knife.

When the cookies are still warm but not ready to fall apart, Clara takes her cookies and carefully puts them onto a plate. She lays them on her counter spece and then leans against the counter nest to them and waits for the results of the contest.

Adalyn watches as Jael dabs at her eyes. "But otherwise, it was so delectable it nearly made you cry with joy?" She flashes a beaming smile before turning to catch a glimpse of how some of the other cookies turned out.

Mabelle rolls her eyes at Wash amusedly, "You made them for a contest and dont flatter yourself." Yes, Mabelle speaks cookie mouthful. Its a gift. She moves on to stand between Ryhalt and Clara, sampling both cookies, humming. Mummmming, thinking. "Well. Its so close, Duke Farshaw, I did not know you knew how to bake!" she winks to him and turns to Clara, "But those are delicious!!!".

Jael checked composure + etiquette at difficulty 25, rolling 6 lower.

Jules turns when he hears Svana return and he smiles to her, kissing her on the cheek. This is probably a good thing as a kiss on the lips might have a very negative reaction. He smiles and says, "Hops isn't a baby, my dear. You ought to know that. He's a stoat, a very distinguished one at that but I appreciate the affection you have for him. Don't worry, the baby doesn't need to be naked too long. I'll try to find some clothes for Hops beforehand anyways. No baby should see a naked stoat running around." He blinks and looks around, "Oh yes, we're .... cooking?" He forces a smile and then asks, "Is your stoat cookie coming along?" Not looking at her area.

"Definitely," Jael chokes out to Adalyn.

"No fatterin myfelf." Wash says, stuffing cookies in between mumbles. "Chuss wanna kiffem tooma knife. Wish mince kiss neeyum too."

Mabelle begins to scan the empty plates and notes, "So for the eating contest its: Jael first, Wash and Jules tied at second, then Norwood, then Drake". She begins to hand out all savory treats as gifts before she reaches the big win. She observes Wash and asks Zoey, "Can you translate him?"

Zoey checked intellect + linguistics at difficulty 15, rolling 30 higher.

Norwood blinks as he was off in his on world for a while. He has a cookie halfway to his mouth. "I was in a competition?" Glance down at the cookie, "Oops."

"He says is is not flattering himself, and that he wants to give one to his wife. Which means his children need some too," Zoey explains to Mabelle.

Ryhalt claps after Mabelle announces the winners of the eating contest, smiling.

Drake came in fourth, it seems, and the prize is... more cookies! He takes them gracefully, making eye contact with Mabelle in the process. "Well met, but since I'm full enough already, I'll have to save these for later. Who knew an eating competition would take such specialized training." He then looks over at Jael again. Really, it's always the ones you don't expect that win an eating competition, isn't it.

Wash coughs, and begs for a drink. "War. War." He probably should have washed some of those cookies down with milk while he was eating them.

"Mmm? No, I... no." Sometimes she doesn't exactly follow along with what Jules says, but God bless her, she tries. Svana leans in and kisses his cheek while she listens to him talk about stoat clothes. "But Hops has fur, that's like clothes for animals anyway." She gives a soft laugh and drinks some of her tea, pushing away the peanut butter cookies at the table. Something which she will not be able to eat again for the duration of her pregnancy.

"Thank you!" Jael's voice is a little bit thick still, but she accepts her winnings from Mabelle happily. Almost as though she could eat it right this second. She doesn't...but she looks like she could. Don't go up against the Black Cookie Pit of Laurent.

Mabelle eyes Wash, "Then stop eatting. Now, we didnt come here to eat, we came here to back so...". She eyes Wash, "Oddly, you came in third". She hands him a little brooch looking like a Cupcake, with silken ribbons.

Nova did not cook by the book. All those cookie are now in the trash, with the baking tray set aside. She fills up her to-go box with the lovely cookies from the Laurent kitchen, effectively stacking them for efficient space use!

Adalyn oh-so-helpfully thumps Jael on the back. "Congratulations, Master Cookie Consumer!"

Rowenova says, "Yes, Congrats!"

Wash smiles, crumbs on his face and on his beard. "Third? My cookies were good?" He looks at Zoey. "We did it!" And holds out the brooch he was give. "I'm going to pin this on you. Or... you can. It's fine."

Zoey finds a pitcher of water, pours a glass, and hands it to Wash. She grins at Jael. "That was impressive almost to the point of frightening," she tells her. "I honestly don't know how you did it."

The white-eyed Northern woman cheers from the counter. "Go Lady Jael!" She laughs a little after that noisy cheer is given.

Mabelle then turns to Ryhalt and Clara, "Stiff competition, really difficult, but... Duke Farshaw, your cookie was tasty but Clara's... was delicious". She hands an idential brooch to Ryhalt with Ironwool ribbons and to Clara with velvet ones".

Rowenova says, "Good job, all of you!"

Jael lifts one arm in triumph...her bundt cake is in the other hand. "Thank you, thank you." She burbles a light laugh at Zoey and shakes her head. "They were really good cookies!"

"She even has a bear's appetite." Norwood says in an aside to Adalyn. "Should have left her in that tree."

Clara looks surprised when Mabelle hands her the ribbon. "Thank you." She looks at hte ribbon and smiles. "It is a beautiful ribbon. I will have ta put it up in The Black Axe." For now though she pins the brooch to her apron.

Svana claps her hands in support for the winners of the competition. "Congratulations, everyone! Well done!"

Zoey is overheard praising Mabelle: What a fun little contest!

"Wait... there's a competition?" Jules asks when he hears placing, having missed any placing earlier. He glances back to Svana and says, "Hair and fur, hair and fir." He laughs and then takes a moment to consider, "I suppose that the baby won't know anyways." When he hears the clapping, he starts clapping and says, "I say, delightful!" His eyes scanning around with a smile.

Jael is overheard praising Mabelle: She did a marvelous job with the kitchen remodel, and hosted a fantastic party as well!

Adalyn applauds cheerfully for all the winners as she nods sagely to Norwood. "Probably."

Mabelle claps her hands pleasedly, "Yes! I hope you all had fun. I did! And I ate the least of all of you here so there's that!"

"Yes, I would have eaten the bear," Jael asides to the Clements, amused.

Zoey smiles at Wash and helps affix the pin to his clothing. "I would say you earned this one," she assures him.

Svana is overheard praising Mabelle: Thank you for welcoming us and attempting to let us bake!

Svana is overheard praising Mabelle.

After filling the box and closing the lid before strapping it with leather, Rowenova tucks away the box into her Messenger Bag with a giddy grin.

Drake is overheard praising Mabelle.

Ryhalt looks surprised as Mabelle hands him a ribbon, but more for her comment. "Your sense of taste must be a bit off." He chuckles at her, but smiles. "Thank you."

Kiera is overheard praising Mabelle: a master of both the craft of baking and the art of hospitality

"Well done," Drake says of the baking winners. To Mabelle, he adds, "I'll take any contest where I don't ENTIRELY make a fool of myself. You never know." He finally tries one of his own cookies. Nothing special certainly but palatable enough. He offers one to Kiera. Then he finally seems to remember he's wearing a rather uncharacteristic apron. He gets the strangest memorial objects sometimes.

Drake is overheard praising Norwood: For a very amusing party favor.

Jael snags one of the remaining peanut butter cookies to wash down Adalyn's experiment, then pats her stomach with satisfaction. "Well, I could use some tea and a lie-down. What a lovely party, Belle." She swans out.

Nadine, an adorable bearded puppy leave, following Jael.

Norwood checked luck + sewing at difficulty 15, rolling 9 lower.

Svana kisses Jules on the cheek softly, laughing. "Yes, it was a competition. Shall we go ahead and go? Unless you want to stay and visit with Lady Mabelle..." She murmurs, stroking along his back. "I'm quite fine with whatever you'd like to do."

"This was fun. Thanks for hosting, Belle!" Adalyn flashes a smile as she wipes her hands on her apron. Turning to Jael, she waves and calls, "There's something I need to ask you about later, Jael, but I'll come find you." Ominous? Who knows.

Kiera takes her brother's cookie with a smile "you did a fine job brother, though i do believe i shall avoid making omelettes ever

Nova gently nudges Clara, "Good work! See, I knew you would not suck!"

Mabelle realizingly glances between Kiera and Drake, "You're siblings"

"I must go, but thank you for inviting us into your home." Ryhalt smiles and exits the kitchen, probably to clean up.

Rowenova puts I survived Baking with the Laurents 1013, silk and glass apron in Messenger Bag.

Drake nods to Mabelle, and then gives a smile to Kiera. "That's right. I think we work a little better as a team. She can do the brain stuff, and I'll do the heavy lifting."

Clara looks over her brooch and then smiles at Nova. "It is a beautiful little brooch. Shall we take some of these cookies home to our loved ones?" She smiles. She smiles at Ryhalt hefore he leaves, probably about to shake hands with him or something. Instead she turns back to Svana, Jules, and Nova.

"That's generally a good way to divide duties," Zoey says to the Wyrmguards.

Mabelle smiles warmly to Kiera, "Well its very nice to meet you, I'm Mabelle, you did great and welcome to the Laurent home". She wiggles her fingers to Ryhalt and assures everyone, "You may take the cookies, or ask Cupcake for real ones", she teases.

Nova momentarily admires the pretty brooch, then looks back to Clara's eyes, "Very beautiful. I already packed up a whole box." She reaches back and momentarily raps her knuckles on the side of the Messenger Bag which sounds with the knock of wood behind the leather.

Adalyn waves to those still gathered and slips out the door to head back to the Clement house.

Wash collects at least three of the remaining heartshaped cookies. "Thank you Lady Laurent. It was an entertaining and delicious experience. I can see why milk is so popular with cookies. I am glad that it wasn't a complete waste of ingredients."

Svana shakes her head quickly, "No cookies for me, thank you. I'm not feeling particularly well. In fact, I think I need to go," she murmurs. The smell of cookies is getting to her! She looks at Jules and kisses his cheek. "Meet you back home!"

Frosty, a friendly English sheepdog leaves, following Svana.

Mabelle chuckles at Wash, "I am pleased you enjoyed yourself, Lord Kennex, Lady Adalyn, Messere Svana, Nova", she keeps on waving and waving, "THANK YOU FOR COMING!"