Zin nods, "Right, let's go.  There is much we need to look for."  He looks over toward Velan, and says "Velan, where have you been?  You look paler than normal, is everything ok?"

You bundle up as warmly as you then head outside into the Ice thickened rain falling from the sky. Almost immediately the entirety of your wardrobe becomes soaked with the stuff. And your sight is completely obscured. Good thing you were told and shown where it was on the city map otherwise you might have had a bit of trouble under these conditions to find it. Heading south it doesn't take long to reach it. You use the wall to help guide you towards the door. Upon entering you stand there a moment like a pet shaken the ice covered layer away from your body then head on in.

As you go inside like any other standard store there are multi layered shelves from near to far arranged with all basic adventuring gear one could need. A black short haired Tiefling with long red horns stands behind the counter simply watching and waiting for what comes next. You notice her face is half red and half white. She is wearing a black two piece sexy outfit that has spikes around her shoulders and neck. A yellow symbol of sorts covers her right and left shoulder. And most toned long red legs one has ever seen completes her look.

When your eyes finally look up to greet her you notice she smile devilishly at you as she turns slightly to show you a different angle of her shapely body.

“I’m right after you.” He answered to both Spix and Sohk, but a moment before Zin spoke. The bard pointed out the wizard was pale and Velan had a good idea on the reason.

No time for the past, the hexblood decided. In part he simply didn’t want to tell his history to those strangers, although who in the world was not a stranger to him? In part because he needed to focus - on the gnolls, the cannibal, the hunt and the shopping trip. He knew tales about merchants and how they would take any chance they could get to earn a coin more than they should.

“I am?” He asked Zin. “I wouldn’t have noticed if you didn’t mention.” That much was true, after he didn’t have the habit to look into mirrors. “Hope I’m not getting under the weather.”

As they got outside the tavern Velan learned that it would be easier for the weather to get under him. In less than a minute he was drenched to the bone. I hate Auril, he decided as the group stumbled their way to the general store. As they entered the warm of the place was gentle like the touch of a lover. In the corner a woman of red skin and curved horns stood. Tiefling, he recognized from his studies. She was beautiful and dressed to show as much. No doubt many men and some women, would feel bewitched by her appearance alone.

“Hello there.” He said in a polite tone, wearing an illegible expression. His mind filling with questions about the ancestry of the woman. Did her bloodline trace its origin to one of the Archdevils? And the white face? Was it just make up? The curiosity of a wizard put him beyond the reach of common seduction. “Lady Jessika, I presume. We are looking for snowshoes and crampons.” Then he turns to Sohk and Spix. “How many of them?”

“One set of each for me, thanks!”  Spix smiles. 

Upon hearing her name from a complete stranger her right eye brow slightly raises for a second as her left eyebrow follows relaxing to a more seductive smile. Her black pointed tail swishes slightly as she watches the other members of the group follow Velan inside. She speaks slowly, calmly and clearly leaving always a hint of a bit of seductiveness in her voice.

"Snowshoes and Crampons are..Right over there." as you see her right hand slowly extends pointing in the direction of where there located. 

"Shall I get them for you?" as she gently puts her right arm down looking past Velan catching the eye's of Zin and Spix

It was only when the the tiefling raised her brow that Velan noticed the strangeness of the situation. From her point of view, they were not only strangers, but knew her name when she didn’t know theirs. In a town livelier with tours and trade she would have been, probably, used to this. The guides would recommend her shop in exchange for a commission of sorts. In Kleine it was just unusual.

“Pardon my lack of manners.” He said as politely as he could. “We are hired help with Mrs Goodwinn of the Moor's Hold. It was from her that we heard about your establishment, that you run it personally.”

What old Barbara forgot to mention was Jessika’s peculiarity. Not so much for her race, although Velan believed it to be more on the exotic side, but for her choice of attire. More than a few travelers should have fallen for her at first sight.

“My name is Velan. Those are Spix, Zinhorn and Sohk.” He pointed the woman of elvish features, the half-elf and the dwarf, respectively. “On my part I would also like a set of snowshoes and crampons. By the way, how much would it cost?”

He half expected Zin and Sohk to ask sets of their own, but wasn’t sure about any for Maegwyn or the warrior with no name. The Firbolg, specially, seemed to be experienced and well prepared to deal with the north.

Zin was talking to Velan as they were entering the store, “I meant no harm good Velan, all I meant was that you looked like you just heard something quite shocking…..” 

The last word hangs in the air and Zin’s eyes lock with Jessika, and everything else seems to fade away in importance.  “Jess …”. Zins jaw drops open.  He starts to wander through the store, looking at various items, but eyes frequently darting back to Jessika.  Items that he wasn’t looking for.  You get the feeling that someone else should be doing the price negotiation, because Zin is prepared to pay the full price and more.  He tries to gather himself and look pointedly at anything else but Jessika.  Hmm, these snowshoes are very interesting.

spix finds a pair of each that fit well over her small fur boots, and brings them to the counter.  “You don’t happen to have a map of the local area, showing woods, streams and settlements, do you?   We’re supposed to go hunting and most of us have never been here before.”   She smiles.   She seems oblivious both to the proprietor’s attire or her effect on some of the others.  

Zin nearly blurts out, "I wouldlikesomesnowshoes, crampons... ah (breath) and a shortbowwithsomearrowsaswell.  I have20 gold thats whatIhave 20 gold."  He shakes his head, looks away, takes a few deep breaths.  Then he says "I can certainly make a song, can sing it in each tavern if you wish, of the beauty of the fair, (and naughty? goes unsaid) Jessika."  

Afterwards, Zin is uncharacteristically quiet, a slight pink hue comes to his face, and he walks up to Jessika to gauge her reaction. 

"What's wrong with you Zin? Haven't seen you like this, even with those beasts about." Sohk laughs at Zin as he finds some crampons and snowshoes as well. "Hmm was I supposed to get something else?"

"Oh, I see now. Mrs. Goodwinn did mention a new team will be Coming soon." as she turns her head slightly down looking from the top of her eyes at Zin in a most cute seductive manner possible before straightening back up looking at Velan

"But she failed to mention exactly when. It's nice to meet you Velan under such Hard (glancing at Zin) conditions." she says as looks out the window briefly to see it continue to sleet.

"There two gold a piece."

she says as her eye's then turns and greets everybody mentioned

"Spix." as she nods slightly 

"Yes. I have a map under here. It is also two gold." As  her legs stiffen up while she bends forward using only her hips as she reached down under the counter grabbing the map. She looks up only with her head to expose her chest for just a brief moment as her eyes lock with Zin. With a seductive look she slowly raises back up with the map. She places the map down on the counter then looks at Sohk.

"Sohk" as she bows slightly towards him before once again locking eyes with Zin

"Zin-Horn" You hear she makes the Z sound like a S as she stresses the word Horn as she bows towards him slowly eyeing her way down his body. She winks once with her left eye at Zin before looking back at Velan

"Will there be Anything (glancing at Zin) else I can help you all with?"  while she turns her head slightly to the left as she pulls her hair around her ear as she smiles towards velan politely

Zin struggles to maintain his composure, but now tries to turn on the charm.  "I would like the show shoes and the crampons like my friends, but I wanted a short bow and some arrows as well.  Is there anything I can do for you, anything at all I can do to change your mind?  Can I come back after hours to... do some extra work for you?  I'm really good with my hands..."'

Persuasion :  25 

Jessika stops looking at Velan by closing her eyes for a second then reopening them focusing in on Zinhorn. She lowers her head slightly as a couple of strands of hair on the right side of her face fall out of place covering her right eye.

"I'll tell you what Zsinhorn, Consider the bow and arrows as my personal gift to you in exchange for you owing me a favor if and when I shall ask you for it." she says as licks her lips staring at him.

Zinhorn stops and looks at Jessika, coming a little more aware.  “What kind of favor are we talking about?  I don’t go back on my word and so I need to know what I am signing up for.  I am used to giving all sorts of ..favors, and being on the receiving end, but I need to know more about what you need…”

Starting to come out of his stunned/enraptured state, 

Insight into her intentions :  9 

Jessica smiles as she starts to make a pouty face

"Ahh, I'm sorry if you don't want to accept my gift. But I was kind of hoping you would. It would have well been worth the exchange of a short bow and arrows." 

as she puts a finger to her lips before she starts to slightly giggle

"I suppose we can play another day. 25 gold for the short bow and I'll still throw in the arrows for free." 

she says as she giggles again.

Zin puts 4 gold pieces on the counter and gathers up the snow shoes and crampons.  “I’m sorry Jessika, I don’t have that right now for you.  I’ll just take the snowshoes and crampons.  But I know that I’ll see you around again.  You see, I’m going to be famous one day.  With my voice and my viol I’m going to sing in the best venues!  Someday, I’ll come back here and you’ll give me whatever (he pauses here and looks her in the eye and winks) I want, there won’t be any need for gold, maybe you’ll even close up your shop and travel around to the best towns with me.  You will remember my name, Jessika.  It is a pleasure to know you.”  He takes a deep performer bow and takes her hand, gives a little kiss on the back of her hand, then turns and walks out of the store.  

As they walk to the next stop of their outing for supplies, Zin is saying to everyone ad nauseum “Did you see how she was looking at me?  She was totally into me.  She’s really a good girl, just a little misunderstood, I’m sure she’s been through a lot in her life.  We just shared …. a moment.”  Until you all tell him to shut up.

All sympathy or interest he ever had about the tiefling and her lineage disappeared as soon as she named the alternative price for the short bow. Velan had seen that kind of bargain before, far closer than he wanted to admit. A helpful entity offers a little help charging but an unnamed favor. Then many seasons after, when the trade is all but forgotten, the creature reappears to collect the debt, usually in the form of a life or soul. And not always the one owned but the fool who accepted the pact.

He was ready to step in before Zin could agree. Ready to use magic of his own to stop the bard, if necessary. But before he could do anything, the half-elf himself refused Jessika’s offer. The wizard breathed in relief seeing as his colleague abandon the stupor in which the woman’s beauty had put him as they arrived at the Black Outfitter's.

“Thank you.” Velan said to the tiefling, handing her the four gold pieces and putting the snowshoes and crampons into his bag. Only as they left the store, he remembered that he should probably have asked Sohk if he didn’t need either of the items.

There was also the question of where they should go next. He needed to visit the shrine. If Melody was right that was the only place in whole Kleine where could hope to acquire the material components of Find Familiar and it was wise to have enough for at least two castings at hand.

“You were really wise there, Zin.” He said honestly, tapping the musician in the shoulder. “And I didn’t take offense earlier. It’s just that I grew in a different climate, so I genuinely worried about getting under the weather.” The hexblood then turned to Spix and Sohk. “What’s the next stop? House of the Gods?”

"One moment Jessika." Davis says, stepping forward. He pulls out the required gold and lays it on the table. "We'll be taking that short bow and arrows as well, here is the 25 gold to pay for it." He nods to the others. "We can't go into this without all of us equipped with ranged options."

“Thank you!  I feel I am ready.  I’ll stick with you all-  lead the way. .” Spix says. 

Zin beams at Davis, rubs his new short bow and stows it away, along with his arrows.  "Thank you Davis!  I uh, wasn't the best at, uh, my negotiating skills in there.  This will work nicely!  Thank you for helping me, I will pay you back my friend.   To the House of the Gods we go Velan.  You know, she started to make me think back there, promising to do something I have no idea about, that could have lead to something very bad... no way.  Whew!  Being out in this freezing rain and sleet is just like a cold shower!"  Zin's mind is clear and off to their next stop.