City of Cresthall

"Hmm, not separate party though. Member of guild, with recent payment of membership, yes?" Karra advises.

Persuasion: 23

"Oh, not in that way, I mean as the crafter and servant. But you are right nonetheless, as a member of guild you can deliver the wares. Please come back tomorrow for the rings, we shall have them ready by then." The receptionist answers.

Karra nods and the proceeds to leave. He would like to try and find a general store to stock up on certain items (more arrows, perhaps see if they sell studded leather and maybe some fresh clothes)

The receptionist bids you farewell and after a half hour of searching, you manage to find a shop selling general wares. A young halfling lass at the desk tells you that a bundle of arrows will cost a gold, a set of studded leather for 55 gold, and a new set of clothes for a silver.

Ashley slept. And as she slept she dreamed. A pleasant dream at first, Of Crispy and herself on a grand adventure. But before she awoke, the dream shifted. A vision perhaps, of a demon erupting forth from Crispy like some monstrous chest burster.  Dispute Crispy fighting it, it kept towards Ashley as if to consume her. But the light of Lathandar that burned with in his chosen was bright. So bright it devoured the demon in turn and purged its presence from this plane of existence. With a start Ashley awoke. Crispy had already left to do her morning exercise. Ashley prayed hard that morning, wishing to know what the dream truly ment. After prayers, she did her morning exercise of streaches and awkward positions designed to strain the body and increase blood flow and burn fat, not that she had much after the boat ride. She was just about to draw a bath when Crispy returned exhausted.

Goodmorning, I was about to take a bath. Care to join me? she smiles brightly at her bikini clad lover.

Cora got up from the ground and put the logs back where she found them, Ashley would probably be up by now. Why aren't there formal gyms in these cities, she wondered. She walked back into the inn to more stares. Not in the mood, she called out, "I lost a bet, ok? Stop staring!" she puffed and walked upstairs, stretching her arms as she did. She opened the door slowly, not wanting to wake Ashley if she WAS still asleep, but she wasn't, and the smile on Cora's face was wide and vibrant.

"Good morning, I was about to take a bath. Care to join me?" Ashley asked, as Cora closed the door. She looked at Ashley, noticing a drop of sweat on her chest trickling down the middle of her perfect breasts. Cora gulped. It wasn't fair how beautiful she always was. In response to Ashley's question, she scooped her up in her arms with a smooth and practiced lift. Cora's lean arms and shoulders were hard and sculpted like stone, and shone of sweat and strength. She held Ashley in them easily, and started to walk to the bath. 

"I can't think of a better way to start this day." she purred.

The water was warm, and soothing. They took their time and cleaned each other, and tried not to make a mess again as they bathed and became intimate again. They laughed, told jokes, and Cora told her a few more stories. They were happy ones - as she told them, she smiled and giggled with a radiance, as if she had recently been touched spiritually by a force of light, and it showed. 

Later, Ashley was in the bedroom dressing up, and Cora was in the bathroom combing her hair. She was softly humming a bedtime song her mother used to sing to her and she ran the elven comb through her hair, and made a ponytail. She looked at the counter, and in her pack was also a small box of elven makeup she never used. The colors were beautiful - reds, pinks, fleshtones, blues and greens. If anyone knew how to make something beautiful, it were the elves. She smiled and took it out. Something inside her told her today was the day she might try it. When she looked up at herself in the mirror, the image she saw looking back at her was not her own. The reflection was her, but darker, more evil, wicked, and with a very obvious naughty look on her face.

Cora stood there and looked at herself, and hardened. Finally, her reflection spoke.

"Why bother. You're just going to hurt her, too, you know."
"Leave me alone." Cora whispered so softly.
"So naive. It's only a matter of time. You cannot hide it. It eats at you, from the inside."
"Stop it." 
Her reflection looked surprised, as if discovering a secret. "You love her!"
Cora said nothing back. She just glared in complete hatred at herself.
"Father will have you. You cannot hide forever. And she will take, her, too."
"NO!" Cora screamed, and she punched the mirror, it shattered, splintered, and returned to normal. Except broken.

"AHH!" She immediately dropped the makeup, breaking all over the floor, pieces of glass tinkled on to the floor, and she grabbed her fist in pain. "****!! Ow.." she said, looking at it - it was broken.

Ashley heard Cora yelling in the bathroom before a crash of class hitting the floor. She rushed in and saw Cora's hand bleeding and a mirror all over the floor with a noticeably familiar style of makeup kit. Are you alright? What happened?.. Was it him ? She walks slowly into the bathing room. Reaching down she mends the shards of glass back together and replaces it on the wall. She takes Cora's Hand and casts a small healing word to mend the bleeding knuckles. There, all better. She gently kisses the hand that was recently damaged, now made whole. 

She then picks up the makeup kit. a decent portion was ruined as it spilled on the floor. That's a shame. But these were winter colors anyways. Lets go see if we cant find some makeup more suitable for you. Summer colors. Warm colors, to match our overly passionate personality. 

Like a child caught in a naughty act, Cora fumbled for the words. 

"Ah, shit.." she sighed, trying to get her heart to stop thumping like a jackhammer. "I'm sorry.. I..ah..I didn't mean..!" She wanted to explain to Ashley what she saw, but..didn't know exactly how, nor wanted to, because it might put her in harms way - and Cora was momentarily scared. "No, I'm not..exactly sure..I just..ow.." her hand shook from the pain, she tried to move her fingers but could feel the shards of bone writhe under the skin. Ashley healed her hand, and instantly the pain was gone, and the functionality returned. She puffed out a sigh of relief.

Ashley knelt down and started picking up the elven makeup, and Cora immediately became embarrassed, and inwardly frustrated. She stood there awkwardly as Ashley cleaned, and looked away, feeling stupid. It was silly of her to try and think for a moment she could be happy, and actually try something new for the girl of her dreams. She grew more and more annoyed that she was her own worst enemy that she was constantly fighting against. She shut her eyes and tried to think about anything else, when Ashley stood up in front of her, and made a sweet, kind remark about her overly passionate personality. She looked at her for a few moments, just because she loved to, and she was so beautiful. She nodded weakly. It was amazing and mystical how Ashley always calmed the beast inside and knew exactly what to say to make her feel better.

"That sounds great." She said, honestly, and pressed her lips against Ashley's. She held it there, and smiled as their noses pressed up against each others side by side. She closed her eyes and just felt Ashley's warm face on hers, their foreheads touching. She hugged her tightly and didn't want to let go. Ever.

Karra will purchase the above (spending 56 gold, 1 silver) and will return to the tavern, changing into his new armour and clothing before returning and knocking on Hatt's door. "Hmm, have got audience with Opsola, yes? Go tomorrow morning."

Hatt, having removed his armour and spent a little time cleaning and polishing it to deal with the effects of the sea voyage, looks up as Karra knocks, and invites him in.  We have... what?  An audience?  Goddess preserve me, no, why would we want to go back... I mean, to speak with him?  Unless Bennett and Gasp need our help, of course, he adds dutifully.  But I would be happy never to see that... individual... again.  I don't think he's anything but trouble for us. 

He sighs, and sits down on the bed, inviting Karra to take the only chair in the room.  I don't know anything about this city.  I think I will try to find a temple tomorrow, somewhere I might hear Chauntea's guidance, and then I think I will spend some more time listening, trying to know these people, to understand where we are.  But tonight, all I can think of is my family, and how much I miss them.  I've never been apart from them this long before.  My sister's birthday is in a few days - he smiles as he thinks of her - she's young, just coming of age, and wants to join the city guard.  She might be in uniform by the time I get back to see her.  If they let her join, of course; she'd make a fine guard, but I never saw many halfling guards in Cresthall.  He trails off, thinking about Cresthall, his weird new home city, and is surprised to find that he misses it, just a little.

Ashley and Crispy are a bit ahead of the group. So, what are Gasp and Bennett up to?

((Gasp and Bennett are in a far away land ruling as kings. We won D&D. *finger guns* we are almost wrapped up in PMs, so sorry about holding up everyone! Just something that HAD to happen. Everyone gets a free punch at Bennett when he returns.))

A free punch at Bennett?! I must have won the lottery. Get ready for your knuckle sandwich, boy.

Ashley: We are? 

DM: Can we get an update as to where everyone is?

ALL: I say we all meet up and go find Bennett and Gasp.

((See the problem with that is you guys are technically ahead of what Gasp and I are doing. So it's gonna be super confusing when we come back.))

well, its the next morning for us, and i think its the previous evening for Hatt  and Kara.

Ok, so Crispy and Ashley will wait for Karra and Hatt "to catch up", and then we'll wait for Bennett and Gasp "to catch up" to finish up Hells know's what you two are doing? I think I got that right...? Right?

They are having sexy time, but not like Ashley and Crispy, who are unashamed of their sexy time.

I know right?? They took it to PMs. :P

Hey, everyone wants to take their time? That’s fine with me - I gots meeself a hot ass girlfriend that I can’t get enuff of. Come here, you. :P