The New Year dawned on Freelancers Tavern with a rather depleted staff of adventurers. Manu, Lorcan, and Maghris were on some mission to Marshfork; Peb was visiting their family in a village near there. Meanwhile, Ondar, Glesni, and Nix - as well as long-time Freelancers Kaelani, Kaikoa, and Osric - had departed, to seek fortune, adventure, and intrigue on Commerce.
Dominic didn't know them too well, but he did know Commerce, and he wished them luck. But in the spirit of a celebration of The Cat, his attention was elsewhere. He found a garden shop in Guildstrom, and got a low but broad square planter. Then using druidcraft he grew a lawn on it. Once the holiday arrived, he placed it squarely in the way between the back and front taverns, and sat next to it in a rocking chair. Anyone who stepped on it, he yelled at them to get off his lawn.
A lot of people stepped on it. Arnari had decreed Freelancers Tavern would serve an all-day buffet. Perhaps she wanted to recruit; perhaps she wanted to entice business. Anyhow a lot of people stepped on Dominic's lawn.
Vin sat behind Dominic, watching the scene play out, sipping a dark stout. When Dominic stepped on the grass himself (after all, it was his lawn), Vin projected a mental voice at Dominic as if he was the grass. "Get off me yourself, asshole!" Dominic knew it wasn't actually the grass, but could not figure out it was Vin. After all the all-day buffet ensured the tavern was busy.
Sabah was circulating, doing their best to be social. It didn't take Sabah very long to run out of the energy for that kind of interaction; they longed for peace & quiet. So, retrieving their things from upstairs, they left to go to the Park, thinking that was the best place to be away from others. Dominic yelled at Sabah too. On their way out the door, Sabah used prestidigitation to put a squirrel shape on Dominic's lawn.
Once at the Park, Sabah realized they'd miscalculated badly; it felt like half of Cliffshadow was there to enjoy the Holiday. Resigned, Sabah circulated a bit and by twilight, ended up on the fringes of a big group that had raised an impressive bonfire.
At about this time, Peb arrived back from their family visit. They'd brought their Papa, Poopoo, and Peepee more coin than the entire village had seen, and declared their intention to continue with Freelancers, instead of carting dung. At this declaration, Peb's Poopoo brought out a large, heavy shovel, and gifted it to Peb. Their Peepee produced a prized 3-pronged stick as his gift. Lastly, Peb's Papa endowed them with a large, flat, hardened brown disk with straps.
Thus equipped with weapons and shield, Peb returned to Freelancers on the first day of the new year. They entirely avoided Dominic's lawn.
The next day, Dominic moved his lawn into the barracks, and Lorcan, Manu, and Maghris returned. Lorcan, in the barracks, studied the lawn planter, wanting to alter it. As Manu and Maghris regaled Freelancers in the tavern with the tale of Mighty Zorcan and all the bats, Peb mused about bat guano and all its useful properties. Vin sat in the corner, listening and sipping a stout, just like any ordinary person would do. Sabah kept to themself, to balance out the prior day's revelries.