Fuck it. Diana probably knows what she's doing, she's a smart girl this'll probably net you free rooms or something. And you'll be damned before you let down your side. Besides it sounds like most of this crowd are betting on the clearly tipsy nord rather than Diana.
"Twenty five septims on the Imperial!" You announce to the crowd, a fistful of golden coins melt out of your palm. No one argues with the walking, talking, gambling suit of armour. A khajiit, acting as bookie, takes your money and notes down your name in Diana's supporters.
You edge through the crowd, joining in with the chanting naturally, until you're squarely in Diana's eye line. She looks up and chokes on what appears to be her eighth tankard. You give her a thumbs up. She goes back to drinking with renewed determination.
Now to answer the most important question. Can you drink? To find out you order a pint from the bar. The barkeeper pours it for you with a bemused expression on his face. "You're gonna need to take that helm off at least if you want to drink, friend." He points out. You shrug and take your pint.
Settling at a table a little away from the shouting gamblers you contemplate your drink. The obvious thing, maybe, would be to act like nothing's changed. Unfortunately you don't think that will work but it won't hurt to try.
Ale slops over the front of your helm and onto your breastplate. Damn. You try absorbing the liquid like you did to wake Diana and Morlia up on the way here.
Well... you can do a paltry impression of a beer fountain now but that's all. No taste to speak of so you haven't managed to drink it. It's a reasonable facsimile of doing so though. Hmm, maybe this needs something more esoteric.
You raise the tankard to your non-existent lips again and will yourself to drink it rather than simply absorb it. If you had eyes to screw up in concentration you would.
Nothing.
Dejected you set the tankard on the table and stare sullenly at it. Jyggalag probably didn't appreciate food or drink like Sheogorath and Sanguine do. It was only natural that Jyggalag wouldn't think to include any mechanisms to drink or eat. Absorbing loot just about made sense, even Jyggalag probably had use for some items and absorbing them was more efficient than toting them about.
You sigh and stick your finger into the tankard and absorb the rest of the ale. You paid for it so you're going to damn well keep it. Might come in useful. Then you go back to the drinking contest. Diana needs a cheerleader.
"CHUG! CHUG!" You're standing opposite Diana again, thumbs way up and cheering fit to shake the inn down whenever she finishes her drink. The competitors are on their ninth. The nord is still swaying tipsily. Diana goes to put down her empty tankard but misses the table and it clatters to the ground. The nord gets hers on the stack but she looks a little green to you.
"G-Gonna givup yet prinsheshsh." The nord woman slurrs, barely getting her fingers around the next drink.
"Imma drin u beneeffff tabl..." Diana's not much better. Arguably worse. The nord laughs hysterically and starts drinking. Diana glowers darkly at her opponent and does exactly what the crowd wants and chugs. She downs the whole tankard in one and the crowd roars.
The nord attempts to imitate Diana, turns green, chokes and sprints for the doors. The whole inn can hear her throwing up. Diana is promptly declared the victor.
"Yeah, go Diana! Way to show her who can hold their drink!" You cheer.
"Gooooo meeeee~" Diana sings... badly. "I amda beeeesht~" She tries to stand and wobbles dangerously. You catch her shoulders and keep her upright. "Fersht wyssa... wyssa fing spinnin'?" She hiccups and starts giggling.
The barkeeper comes over there's a politely bemused smile on his face. "Alright lass, you've won you and your friends a room for the night." Vindication is sweet.
"Yay!" Diana cheers through hiccups and giggles. Then she squints at you. "I luvu Fersht... besht bigbro." Without warning she's hugging you and it doesn't look like she intends to let go any time soon.
"Uh... thanks for being so generous." You tell the barkeeper. "Do you often do stuff like this?" Because you could win all of them easily with your little trick. If you don't get disqualified anyway.
"Not often no, but Madds figured it'd pay for itself in sales." The barman admits frankly. Madds, you think, is the nord Diana trounced. "And I'm pleased to say it has." That's great. Of course now you have a very drunk former necromancer hugging you. Which begs the question of how Diana was intending to tell you and Morlia about what she planned.
[ ] Get the room keys/number from the barkeep and get Diana to sleep it off while you go find Morlia and tell her what happened.
[ ] Get the room keys/number from the barkeep then go find Morlia with Diana.
[ ] Did someone say shenanigans?
Drunken Necromancer Get! :lol
