Mudchute

The Eye of Hazeus gave its master nearly omnipotent power within the borders of the Kingdom, and Astra was not quite out of Allaria yet. [23569] The Eye had also played a role in the defence of the realm. [24945] Reaibn's attentions were focused on Camelyn, though, and the air of insanity seemed to be milder here.

The townspeople painted their faces and hands white and red, and wore denim leggings, shoes, and jackets, over loose-fitting shirts with neither collar nor buttons. There were kegs of beer and wine, as tables groaning with huge plates of beef.

A stout woman came towards Astra's horse and said, "Hello, Stranger! Are you riding in from up north?"

"Yes, miss. I am going to Aqualaria."

"Aqualaria? Why are you going there?"

By this time, a dozen men and women started walking toward Astra. Astra said, "I am from there, and I have family waiting for me there. But the smell of that side of beef lured me here."

One of the men, an older man with a flap of skin under his chin like that of a turkey, said, "You aren't going to make Aqualaria in one night. Why don't you sit a spell, and eat with us? There is plenty to go around for everyone."

Astra was easily pursuaded to join them. The town was called Mudchute, and she had come at a time when the farmers had harvested the first crop but had not yet begun to till the soil for the second. This was apparently some sort of fair or festival. She would not have to worry about selling her horse, as she received a number of offers to be put up for the night. The townspeople had two motives. Mudchute was isolated from news of Camelyn, and a young woman riding in from that direction, wearing an suit covered in orange sequins, and a chic new style of boots, immediately attracted the attention of the women of the town. Gossip! A new fashion! Everyone wanted to meet and talk to the stranger.

There was another matter. The townspeople wanted to hold a contest to determine which of three sauces was the best on a side of beef, but they could not find a judge. Nobody in the town dared take that job on, as there was nobody that was impartial about this topic, and whoever judged would risk making two-thirds of their neighbours unhappy. A third of the people said that the best sauces was based on the pulp of the tomato. Another third swore by the wonders of a sauce based on mustard greens. And the last third insisted that the best sauce was based on a combination of vinegar and pepper.

Astra first chooses to

1. eat.
2. talk.

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