The young half-elf looks momentarily bewildered at the exchange between Ling and Nikolai, and pales a little when the sorceress's voice murmurs in her ear. Doubling down on her lot, the girl sidles over to Ling and drapes an arm around her with a hungry expression on her face.
"I'm afraid the lady spoke first..." she tells Nikolai, running a tender finger down Ling's cheek as she purrs in the tiefling's ear, "should I fetch the wodka?"
"At ease, Sir Forien," Bronislaw tells the paladin. His tone is gruff, but not unfriendly. "Disturbing news indeed. I'll have a contingent secure the site. Which way did the smoke flee?"
Having sauntered over and into a seat, Shiva pours and quickly finishes her third glass of wine. Setting the empty glass on a coffee table beside her, she sits back and watches with a silent grin as the exchange before her unfolds.
"At ease, Sir Forien," Bronislaw tells the paladin. His tone is gruff, but not unfriendly. "Disturbing news indeed. I'll have a contingent secure the site. Which way did the smoke flee?"
Alaris relaxes their posture visibly -- not much, but enough to acknowledge the commander's words. "North, sir," they answer, "up towards the more... affluent areas of the city." An unconscious nose wrinkle accompanies the mention of the neighborhoods affluent enough to pay club-swinging grunts to literally drive the poor out of their view. "Have any reports crossed your desk about missing children?" The paladin rubs their neck again where the fleder's fangs had drawn blood, thinking about those creatures preying on the young.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Eshuvenniel Kazander Ravid,Valor Bard and Acolyte of the Goddess of Luck Caradoc Langham, Halfling Rogue - Lost Magics - Epic of Pre-made Proportions! I'm not looking for heaven or hell... just someone to listen to stories I tell...
Nikolai watches as the half-elf slides over to Ling comfortably and Nikolai grits his teeth, his jaw muscles flexing angrily against his skin. "Indeed she did. Then fetch the wodka, woman, and then fetch more entertainment, enough for all our voracious appetites." He snarls at the serving girl all the while keeping his eyes upon Ling. "Make sure the next ones aren't so easily swayed..." He gathers up his cards, shuffling them carefully before slipping them back into the protective holster. Once the half-elf was gone he locks eyes with Ling. "Do not do that again."
The half-elf barely suppresses a flinch in response to Nikolai's aggressive response, and hurries out of the room as quickly as she can.
Commander Bronislaw nods in understanding.
"Nothing out of the ordinary, but I'll keep an eye open. In the meantime, I have need of a Bogatyr like yourself. Three days hence, brother Ludomir and his priors will leave for Paragon with a relic of Vida. You know better than I that the gap of Hirn is not as safe as it once was, especially at this time of year. They need an escort."
Hard eyes watch Alaris carefully for their response.
Ling grabs the girl's wrist when she touches her cheek, but then softly runs her thumb over the maid's pulse. Affectionately, threateningly? Impossible to say. When Nikolai tells her to fetch the vodka, she grins and lets go of her hand. Once she has left, Ling goes to perch on the sofa. She sways slightly as she walks and is wobbling precariously on the wide armrest of the sofa as she takes another hearty drink from the wine bottle. Crossing her arms - while still holding the bottle in one hand - she rolls her eyes at Nikolai. "I don't know what you're talking about, it's not like you'll find any of your favourites at this place anyway. It's just filled with girls like me who barely read. They probably can't read at all." she retorts with a smirk, "and don't grin like that, Shiva, you're not helping! I think you need more wine. And then maybe I'll drown you in the bathtub later, mh? Worse ways to go than naked and wet with me, right?" Ling sticks out her tongue at her. She keeps looking over at Nikolai to see how he's taking her comment.
Astrid shakes her head as two tieflings argue over the affections of the half-elf. She lets out a sigh and drains the contents of her mug. Clearing her throat, "If it's any matter to you,"looking to Ling. "Yes, there's is someone." She grabs the pitcher of ale and retreats to sofa hoping Ling is occupied in her carnal endeavors to push the issue. After refilling her drink she goes back to working on her watch.
Nikolai rolls his eyes at Ling's antics. 'She's more than a child, Nikolai. Let her show you...She wants to...' He blanches at the voice in his mind as he glances about. "It's not about finding a favorite. When one of us shows preference for another, it is only respectful not to steal that object away, little Ling. When I was traveling the countryside, trying to claim something already called for was a good way to get knifed. I, of course, would never knife you. I might punish you in other ways that you wouldn't find pleasant. I know your penchant for such things, little one." He graces her with a vicious wink. "Now, let us have no more pettiness. That half-elf is yours for the night. I will choose another, but should you use your magics on that one there will be problems."
"Nothing out of the ordinary, but I'll keep an eye open. In the meantime, I have need of a Bogatyr like yourself. Three days hence brother Ludomir and his priors will leave for Paragon with a relic of Vida. You know better than I that the gap of Hirn is not as safe as it once was, especially at this time of year. They need an escort."
Hard eyes watch Alaris carefully for their response.
This is a test this is a test this is a test pings off the walls of Alaris' brain as their thoughts race, trying to sort out the best response. Conflicting duties are maddening...
"Is this a mission for me alone, Commander, or for the irregulars for whom I've taken responsibility as well? They have already provided much service to Piotrgrad and the Lady this week, and I'm not sure the priors will feel secure traveling with a trio of tieflings. I serve at the pleasure of the Lady, of course."
Eshuvenniel Kazander Ravid,Valor Bard and Acolyte of the Goddess of Luck Caradoc Langham, Halfling Rogue - Lost Magics - Epic of Pre-made Proportions! I'm not looking for heaven or hell... just someone to listen to stories I tell...
Not two minutes later the half-elf girl returns, this time with a cold bottle of clear liquid and two additional companions. Giggling, they bustle into the room, accosting whoever will receive them.
"Well, I'm afraid that this time their sensitivities will have to take second place to their security," Commander Bronislav replies gruffly. "You lead a capable team, Forien. If they're to do the Lady's work, then so be it. The journey to Paragon is almost a month's ride across hard terrain. I want those scholars arriving alive and well."
Nikolai turns away from Ling as the two ladies burst into the room giggling and laughing seductively. His eyes fall upon the beautiful tiefling lass and his lips turn into a grin as he glances to Ling while he strides across the room and to put his arm around her shoulders, leaning in to whisper into her ear. "Your mine tonight, beautiful. Do not listen to anything anyone says. I'll take good care of you." Before much else could be said, he leads her over towards a comfortable couch near the fire while they wait for their baths to finish being drawn... As they take a seat, Nikolai pulls the lass onto his lap and rubs his hands over her stockings as his tail comes up to tickle her calves. "I enjoy a girl with a tail." He flashes her a pointed-tooth grin.
"Well, I'm afraid that this time their sensitivities will have to take second place to their security," Commander Bronislav replies gruffly. "You lead a capable team, Forien. If they're to do the Lady's work, then so be it. The journey to Paragon is almost a month's ride across hard terrain. I want those scholars arriving alive and well."
"And their compensation, sir?" Alaris leans forward a little, fixing their own silver eyes on Bronislaw's features. "I won't have them taken advantage of - their trust and my respect for them - these things are essential to our leading them towards the Lady's Light. Plus I will not have their own beauty, love, and laughter extinguished through ill treatment. They've been through enough of that at the hands of humanfolk."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Eshuvenniel Kazander Ravid,Valor Bard and Acolyte of the Goddess of Luck Caradoc Langham, Halfling Rogue - Lost Magics - Epic of Pre-made Proportions! I'm not looking for heaven or hell... just someone to listen to stories I tell...
"Oh?" Ling raises her eyebrows and smiles with genuine interest, "do tell! Is it a good love story?" She leans forward, keen to hear something romantic.
"The half elf? I told her to get lost, I don't think-" Ling bites her lip as she realises she said more than she wanted in her tipsy state. Not keen to actually incite Nikolai's wrath, she tries to think of something to say, but before she can open her mouth, the half elf and two new girls burst into the room. When Nikolai immediately claims the tiefling, she pouts and crosses her arms. Not one to sulk for long, she gets herself another drink and stares into the fire. Covertly, she reaches into the mind of the girl to search out her fears - without causing any disturbances this time. The alcohol is beginning to get to her and she rubs her temple with her other hand. This setting reminds her of something else, somewhere else... a similar place, a place where people come to relax and forget about their worries, sometimes leaving feet first. What place... A yin fen den, little demoness. You haven't been there, but I have. So has Nikolai, although that was only to drag me out of there. Doesn't look like this Nikolai would do the same for you, does it? I guess I can't blame him, you have hell's blood running through your veins. Ling shakes her head, trying to disentangle herself from the images she has glimpsed in the girl's mind. The voice was not part of it though, she was lucid enough to recognise that much. Tomorrow, I will talk to him about it tomorrow...
Lost in her thoughts, Ling doesn't realise she has been staring at Nikolai and the tiefling for a while. She shakes her head and looks over at the half elf with a wicked smile. Might as well have some fun then.
Acting as if the interaction between Ling and Nik hadn't just happened, Shiva hops up and approaches the woman in the purple dress. Her cheeks are flushed purple from the wine as she beams at the beautiful woman, and when she speaks, her voice is melodic and a little higher than normal. "Hello, my name is Shiva. You're very pretty, and I'm currently in need of a bath. Would you like to help me?"
"It would be my pleasure," Shiva's partner purrs back at her in a strong Ruslan accent. "The bath water should be warm any minute now."
Intertwining her fingers with the blue beauty's, the woman leads her from the suite and down the corridor towards the bathrooms.
The tiefling girl enjoying Nikolai's attentions presses herself back into him, wiggling side to side with a giggle.
"Would you like to find out what it can do?" She asks with hooded eyes and the flicker of a forked tongue.
Meanwhile, the poor half-elf girl looks a little lost, suddenly unoccupied as she is with Ling ignoring her. The other tiefling girl's thoughts swirl as the sorceress probes them. There is fear on her mind, but of Ling, of what the vicious young mercenary might do to her now that Nikolai has chosen her.
Bronislaw's eyes harden, but he can't rightfully refuse payment for such a contract, and Alaris knows it. Without saying a word, the commander takes out a key and bends to the side to unlock a secure box in his desk, before fishing out a heavy sack of coin and setting it down between the two of them.
"Alive and well, Forien," he emphasises. "Dismissed."
Ling finishes her sixth or seventh glass of wine, having lost count. She finally puts the young half elf out of her misery and waves the her over, pulling her down onto the sofa that she is perching on. Ling plays with a strand of her hair and leans in close, whispering in her ear: "What's your name?" Breathing in the scent of her hair, her lips move against the girl's neck as she murmurs an incantation under her breath, unintelligible to the half elf. The tiefling sitting across from them suddenly hears a voice cut through her thoughts: Play a game with me, you might even see dawn. She looks up from the elf's hair, smiling like a predator, and then slowly runs her finger along the girl's collarbone while looking at the tiefling. Did that look like cutting someone's throat? No, it was just a caress, surely.
"Astrid, I forgot your question. Alaris works for the temple, they're all holy and proper. Much like you. But they've kind of grown on us... like a fungus."
As Shiva is led out of the chamber, she turns to regard Nik and Ling, and the lower resonance of her voice returns "I will be very perturbed if I have to break you two up. Play nice."
"Yes, sir!" Alaris snaps off a vigorous salute to the commander, then tucks the heavy bag under their arm and steps backwards out the door before turning to make their way down the hallway. The paladin pauses in the hallway to tuck the sack into their pack, not wanting to advertise their newfound wealth. Once they get their pack buckled up again, they head for the temple library and ask the librarian on duty, "Is there a scholar in residence that could tell me about Paragon, and the Gap of Hirn? I have a mission for the Lady and I am in need of all the information I can gather quickly."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Eshuvenniel Kazander Ravid,Valor Bard and Acolyte of the Goddess of Luck Caradoc Langham, Halfling Rogue - Lost Magics - Epic of Pre-made Proportions! I'm not looking for heaven or hell... just someone to listen to stories I tell...
"Lena," the half-elf replies softly, almost whispering with apprehension. Goose bumps rise on the girl's skin as Ling's lips brush her neck. "Would you like your bath now?" She chances. Across the room, a slightly confused expression dances across the tiefling girl's face, but nothing more.
Meanwhile, Shiva's companion leads her away down the panelled wood corridor. Candles flicker overhead in iron chandeliers, casting dancing shadows on the carpet underfoot. They pass through another door and into a warm room with a roaring fireplace and varnished floorboards. The heat is sweltering, and three claw-footed copper bath tubs stand spaced along the length of the room, each full to the brim with steaming water. Gauzy curtains swish between them, more for effect than because they provide anything beyond an illusion of privacy. Soft fingertips dance along Shiva's shoulders, inviting her to shed her clothing.
"Oh! Hello," the librarian greets Alaris, clearly caught off guard by both their presence and the request. "A scholar? Um, I can offer you a book on the region? Or would you prefer to make an appointment with Master Gul?"
The room's temperature causes sweat to begin beading on Shiva's skin almost immediately, making her want her clothes removed all the more. As the fingertips trail across her shoulders she moves into the space of her partner, keeping eye contact as she gets close enough to feel the moisture on the others' lips. Shiva lingers, then steps back and disrobes, putting on a bit of a performance as she does so. When she is entirely nude, she steps close to the woman, then gestures towards the baths
The young half-elf looks momentarily bewildered at the exchange between Ling and Nikolai, and pales a little when the sorceress's voice murmurs in her ear. Doubling down on her lot, the girl sidles over to Ling and drapes an arm around her with a hungry expression on her face.
"I'm afraid the lady spoke first..." she tells Nikolai, running a tender finger down Ling's cheek as she purrs in the tiefling's ear, "should I fetch the wodka?"
"At ease, Sir Forien," Bronislaw tells the paladin. His tone is gruff, but not unfriendly. "Disturbing news indeed. I'll have a contingent secure the site. Which way did the smoke flee?"
The Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - DM for Aiden, Bründir, Jex, Thurston, Valaith and Vark
The Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - DM for Alaris, Astrid, Caio and Shiva
Having sauntered over and into a seat, Shiva pours and quickly finishes her third glass of wine. Setting the empty glass on a coffee table beside her, she sits back and watches with a silent grin as the exchange before her unfolds.
Alaris relaxes their posture visibly -- not much, but enough to acknowledge the commander's words. "North, sir," they answer, "up towards the more... affluent areas of the city." An unconscious nose wrinkle accompanies the mention of the neighborhoods affluent enough to pay club-swinging grunts to literally drive the poor out of their view. "Have any reports crossed your desk about missing children?" The paladin rubs their neck again where the fleder's fangs had drawn blood, thinking about those creatures preying on the young.
Eshuvenniel Kazander Ravid, Valor Bard and Acolyte of the Goddess of Luck
Caradoc Langham, Halfling Rogue - Lost Magics - Epic of Pre-made Proportions!
I'm not looking for heaven or hell... just someone to listen to stories I tell...
Nikolai watches as the half-elf slides over to Ling comfortably and Nikolai grits his teeth, his jaw muscles flexing angrily against his skin. "Indeed she did. Then fetch the wodka, woman, and then fetch more entertainment, enough for all our voracious appetites." He snarls at the serving girl all the while keeping his eyes upon Ling. "Make sure the next ones aren't so easily swayed..." He gathers up his cards, shuffling them carefully before slipping them back into the protective holster. Once the half-elf was gone he locks eyes with Ling. "Do not do that again."
Valaith "Rimehand" Kalukavi - Chronicles of Arden
The half-elf barely suppresses a flinch in response to Nikolai's aggressive response, and hurries out of the room as quickly as she can.
Commander Bronislaw nods in understanding.
"Nothing out of the ordinary, but I'll keep an eye open. In the meantime, I have need of a Bogatyr like yourself. Three days hence, brother Ludomir and his priors will leave for Paragon with a relic of Vida. You know better than I that the gap of Hirn is not as safe as it once was, especially at this time of year. They need an escort."
Hard eyes watch Alaris carefully for their response.
The Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - DM for Aiden, Bründir, Jex, Thurston, Valaith and Vark
The Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - DM for Alaris, Astrid, Caio and Shiva
Ling grabs the girl's wrist when she touches her cheek, but then softly runs her thumb over the maid's pulse. Affectionately, threateningly? Impossible to say. When Nikolai tells her to fetch the vodka, she grins and lets go of her hand. Once she has left, Ling goes to perch on the sofa. She sways slightly as she walks and is wobbling precariously on the wide armrest of the sofa as she takes another hearty drink from the wine bottle. Crossing her arms - while still holding the bottle in one hand - she rolls her eyes at Nikolai. "I don't know what you're talking about, it's not like you'll find any of your favourites at this place anyway. It's just filled with girls like me who barely read. They probably can't read at all." she retorts with a smirk, "and don't grin like that, Shiva, you're not helping! I think you need more wine. And then maybe I'll drown you in the bathtub later, mh? Worse ways to go than naked and wet with me, right?" Ling sticks out her tongue at her. She keeps looking over at Nikolai to see how he's taking her comment.
Astrid shakes her head as two tieflings argue over the affections of the half-elf. She lets out a sigh and drains the contents of her mug. Clearing her throat, "If it's any matter to you," looking to Ling. "Yes, there's is someone." She grabs the pitcher of ale and retreats to sofa hoping Ling is occupied in her carnal endeavors to push the issue. After refilling her drink she goes back to working on her watch.
Nikolai rolls his eyes at Ling's antics. 'She's more than a child, Nikolai. Let her show you...She wants to...' He blanches at the voice in his mind as he glances about. "It's not about finding a favorite. When one of us shows preference for another, it is only respectful not to steal that object away, little Ling. When I was traveling the countryside, trying to claim something already called for was a good way to get knifed. I, of course, would never knife you. I might punish you in other ways that you wouldn't find pleasant. I know your penchant for such things, little one." He graces her with a vicious wink. "Now, let us have no more pettiness. That half-elf is yours for the night. I will choose another, but should you use your magics on that one there will be problems."
Valaith "Rimehand" Kalukavi - Chronicles of Arden
This is a test this is a test this is a test pings off the walls of Alaris' brain as their thoughts race, trying to sort out the best response. Conflicting duties are maddening...
"Is this a mission for me alone, Commander, or for the irregulars for whom I've taken responsibility as well? They have already provided much service to Piotrgrad and the Lady this week, and I'm not sure the priors will feel secure traveling with a trio of tieflings. I serve at the pleasure of the Lady, of course."
Eshuvenniel Kazander Ravid, Valor Bard and Acolyte of the Goddess of Luck
Caradoc Langham, Halfling Rogue - Lost Magics - Epic of Pre-made Proportions!
I'm not looking for heaven or hell... just someone to listen to stories I tell...
Not two minutes later the half-elf girl returns, this time with a cold bottle of clear liquid and two additional companions. Giggling, they bustle into the room, accosting whoever will receive them.
"Well, I'm afraid that this time their sensitivities will have to take second place to their security," Commander Bronislav replies gruffly. "You lead a capable team, Forien. If they're to do the Lady's work, then so be it. The journey to Paragon is almost a month's ride across hard terrain. I want those scholars arriving alive and well."
The Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - DM for Aiden, Bründir, Jex, Thurston, Valaith and Vark
The Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - DM for Alaris, Astrid, Caio and Shiva
Nikolai turns away from Ling as the two ladies burst into the room giggling and laughing seductively. His eyes fall upon the beautiful tiefling lass and his lips turn into a grin as he glances to Ling while he strides across the room and to put his arm around her shoulders, leaning in to whisper into her ear. "Your mine tonight, beautiful. Do not listen to anything anyone says. I'll take good care of you." Before much else could be said, he leads her over towards a comfortable couch near the fire while they wait for their baths to finish being drawn... As they take a seat, Nikolai pulls the lass onto his lap and rubs his hands over her stockings as his tail comes up to tickle her calves. "I enjoy a girl with a tail." He flashes her a pointed-tooth grin.
Valaith "Rimehand" Kalukavi - Chronicles of Arden
"And their compensation, sir?" Alaris leans forward a little, fixing their own silver eyes on Bronislaw's features. "I won't have them taken advantage of - their trust and my respect for them - these things are essential to our leading them towards the Lady's Light. Plus I will not have their own beauty, love, and laughter extinguished through ill treatment. They've been through enough of that at the hands of humanfolk."
Eshuvenniel Kazander Ravid, Valor Bard and Acolyte of the Goddess of Luck
Caradoc Langham, Halfling Rogue - Lost Magics - Epic of Pre-made Proportions!
I'm not looking for heaven or hell... just someone to listen to stories I tell...
"Oh?" Ling raises her eyebrows and smiles with genuine interest, "do tell! Is it a good love story?" She leans forward, keen to hear something romantic.
"The half elf? I told her to get lost, I don't think-" Ling bites her lip as she realises she said more than she wanted in her tipsy state. Not keen to actually incite Nikolai's wrath, she tries to think of something to say, but before she can open her mouth, the half elf and two new girls burst into the room. When Nikolai immediately claims the tiefling, she pouts and crosses her arms. Not one to sulk for long, she gets herself another drink and stares into the fire. Covertly, she reaches into the mind of the girl to search out her fears - without causing any disturbances this time. The alcohol is beginning to get to her and she rubs her temple with her other hand. This setting reminds her of something else, somewhere else... a similar place, a place where people come to relax and forget about their worries, sometimes leaving feet first. What place... A yin fen den, little demoness. You haven't been there, but I have. So has Nikolai, although that was only to drag me out of there. Doesn't look like this Nikolai would do the same for you, does it? I guess I can't blame him, you have hell's blood running through your veins. Ling shakes her head, trying to disentangle herself from the images she has glimpsed in the girl's mind. The voice was not part of it though, she was lucid enough to recognise that much. Tomorrow, I will talk to him about it tomorrow...
Lost in her thoughts, Ling doesn't realise she has been staring at Nikolai and the tiefling for a while. She shakes her head and looks over at the half elf with a wicked smile. Might as well have some fun then.
Acting as if the interaction between Ling and Nik hadn't just happened, Shiva hops up and approaches the woman in the purple dress. Her cheeks are flushed purple from the wine as she beams at the beautiful woman, and when she speaks, her voice is melodic and a little higher than normal. "Hello, my name is Shiva. You're very pretty, and I'm currently in need of a bath. Would you like to help me?"
"It would be my pleasure," Shiva's partner purrs back at her in a strong Ruslan accent. "The bath water should be warm any minute now."
Intertwining her fingers with the blue beauty's, the woman leads her from the suite and down the corridor towards the bathrooms.
The tiefling girl enjoying Nikolai's attentions presses herself back into him, wiggling side to side with a giggle.
"Would you like to find out what it can do?" She asks with hooded eyes and the flicker of a forked tongue.
Meanwhile, the poor half-elf girl looks a little lost, suddenly unoccupied as she is with Ling ignoring her. The other tiefling girl's thoughts swirl as the sorceress probes them. There is fear on her mind, but of Ling, of what the vicious young mercenary might do to her now that Nikolai has chosen her.
Bronislaw's eyes harden, but he can't rightfully refuse payment for such a contract, and Alaris knows it. Without saying a word, the commander takes out a key and bends to the side to unlock a secure box in his desk, before fishing out a heavy sack of coin and setting it down between the two of them.
"Alive and well, Forien," he emphasises. "Dismissed."
The Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - DM for Aiden, Bründir, Jex, Thurston, Valaith and Vark
The Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - DM for Alaris, Astrid, Caio and Shiva
Ling finishes her sixth or seventh glass of wine, having lost count. She finally puts the young half elf out of her misery and waves the her over, pulling her down onto the sofa that she is perching on. Ling plays with a strand of her hair and leans in close, whispering in her ear: "What's your name?" Breathing in the scent of her hair, her lips move against the girl's neck as she murmurs an incantation under her breath, unintelligible to the half elf. The tiefling sitting across from them suddenly hears a voice cut through her thoughts: Play a game with me, you might even see dawn. She looks up from the elf's hair, smiling like a predator, and then slowly runs her finger along the girl's collarbone while looking at the tiefling. Did that look like cutting someone's throat? No, it was just a caress, surely.
"Astrid, I forgot your question. Alaris works for the temple, they're all holy and proper. Much like you. But they've kind of grown on us... like a fungus."
As Shiva is led out of the chamber, she turns to regard Nik and Ling, and the lower resonance of her voice returns "I will be very perturbed if I have to break you two up. Play nice."
And with that, she's gone.
"Yes, sir!" Alaris snaps off a vigorous salute to the commander, then tucks the heavy bag under their arm and steps backwards out the door before turning to make their way down the hallway. The paladin pauses in the hallway to tuck the sack into their pack, not wanting to advertise their newfound wealth. Once they get their pack buckled up again, they head for the temple library and ask the librarian on duty, "Is there a scholar in residence that could tell me about Paragon, and the Gap of Hirn? I have a mission for the Lady and I am in need of all the information I can gather quickly."
Eshuvenniel Kazander Ravid, Valor Bard and Acolyte of the Goddess of Luck
Caradoc Langham, Halfling Rogue - Lost Magics - Epic of Pre-made Proportions!
I'm not looking for heaven or hell... just someone to listen to stories I tell...
"Lena," the half-elf replies softly, almost whispering with apprehension. Goose bumps rise on the girl's skin as Ling's lips brush her neck. "Would you like your bath now?" She chances. Across the room, a slightly confused expression dances across the tiefling girl's face, but nothing more.
Meanwhile, Shiva's companion leads her away down the panelled wood corridor. Candles flicker overhead in iron chandeliers, casting dancing shadows on the carpet underfoot. They pass through another door and into a warm room with a roaring fireplace and varnished floorboards. The heat is sweltering, and three claw-footed copper bath tubs stand spaced along the length of the room, each full to the brim with steaming water. Gauzy curtains swish between them, more for effect than because they provide anything beyond an illusion of privacy. Soft fingertips dance along Shiva's shoulders, inviting her to shed her clothing.
"Oh! Hello," the librarian greets Alaris, clearly caught off guard by both their presence and the request. "A scholar? Um, I can offer you a book on the region? Or would you prefer to make an appointment with Master Gul?"
The Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - DM for Aiden, Bründir, Jex, Thurston, Valaith and Vark
The Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - DM for Alaris, Astrid, Caio and Shiva
The room's temperature causes sweat to begin beading on Shiva's skin almost immediately, making her want her clothes removed all the more. As the fingertips trail across her shoulders she moves into the space of her partner, keeping eye contact as she gets close enough to feel the moisture on the others' lips. Shiva lingers, then steps back and disrobes, putting on a bit of a performance as she does so. When she is entirely nude, she steps close to the woman, then gestures towards the baths
"How do you want me?"