048.1 Aaeru and Veserya

[Corwin]

[19:55] <Kobrb> Stepping out from the worshipgrounds of Waukeen, Veserya looks about. The sky above is a slate grey, not quite raining but promising it soon. Ahead of her stretches a long street, full of prosperous sale. Humans dominate, but she is able to see some of her kinsmen, dwarves, and stranger things yet.  The street goes on farther than she can easily see, a cachophony of noises crashing against
[19:55] <Kobrb> each other. Before her is the Free City of Balmuria.
[19:56] <Veserya> Well, it's still warmer than Pallanth this time of year, so if it rains at least it means she'll still get some use out of wearing her cloak, a pristine white thing trimmed in gold that currently hangs over her slim shoulders, framing the flatteringly cut and somewhat ostentatiously patterned dress of vivid red she wears. A leather satchel hanging over her shoulders and mostly concealed
[19:56] <Veserya> under the cloak completes her garb. Deciding to prevail upon one of her kinsmen, she approaches any elf that doesn't seem too busy in order to ask, "Excuse me, but could you help direct me to the temple of Ilmater?" in her lyrical native tongue.
[20:00] <Kobrb> The elf in question is a male, tall and muscular. In one hand he carries a flute, lightly grasped. He walks along and takes in the air, nodding to Veserya and replying in Elven, "It's in the Old City, not too far from the Elven Mission."
[20:03] * Veserya nods in understanding, although that really doesn't help her any when she's never visited Balmuria before... she really should have, on reflection. It would've been useful to do so back when the Baronies were first making overtures of alliance with Pallanth, but she never quite found the time. "This is actually my first time in Balmuria, I don't suppose I could trouble you to point
[20:03] * Veserya the way?"
[20:05] <Kobrb> He points to the north, "You'll need to go aroudn the temple here and north into the Old City," With a suave smile he nods, "Do you desire company on your walk?"
[20:08] <Veserya> That is what she had been intimating! "That would be most kind of you," she smiles upwards, long past any annoyance about having to look up when addressing anyone except children or dwarves. Or goblins, she supposes. "Veserya Desjardin, pleased to meet you. Have you been in Balmuria long yourself?"
[20:10] <Kobrb> The elf's eyes widen a little bit at that name, "A mere 5 years, not long at all." He starts to lead you along, past all the humans and shops, past glass windows showing rich and beautiful things for purchase. "I am Naya, formerly of Elandra's Rest."
[20:14] <Veserya> "Hmm, it seems the humans don't want for trade and crafts," Veserya comments, glancing in the shops as they pass and making a note to do some browsing when she has the time. "From a glance it seems to rival anything I could see at the Citadel of Light. How have you found Balmuria during your stay, Naya?" she asks, looking attentively up as she addresses her companion.
[20:17] <Kobrb> Naya pauses a moment before he answers, "I had thought the humans to be short lived, talentless oafs before I came here." He leads you down the street, "I'm having to revise that opinion. Perhaps humanity is starting to grow up." A beat before he replies again, smiling over, "It's an amazing city, the human's Citadel of Light. Not all of it is agreeable to us, but doubtless that it has it's
[20:17] <Kobrb> own splendor. The things they've done with magic and the mythal are things our ancestors would respect."
[20:20] <Veserya> "Yes, I've heard about the mythal," Veserya glances upwards to see the sparkling motes barely visible overhead, "Although one can't forget it was one of Pallanth's children who created it, even if we did not treat her as well as she deserved," her head is cast down momentarily with regret.
[20:24] <Kobrb> "Truth." Naya agrees with a solemn moment, "Nor can we forget they are the ones who tamed the Amaryl Mountains, slaying it's silver dragon lord. The humans generally welcome half-bloods, while we scorned them." The streets are growing a little less nice as you proceed on, people giving you occasional looks but mostly letting you be. "King Lorthan wisdom was ahead of the times once again,
[20:24] <Kobrb> for her welcomed Seira into his court and the alliance with the Baronies."
[20:30] <Veserya> "Something we've all prospered from," Veserya agrees rather than sharing any court gossip she happens to be privy to from back then. It wasn't exactly a smooth acceptance, by any stretch. "It's unfortunate all around... a half-breed is only slightly slower to mature than a human, but far faster - and shorter lived - than an elf. Even with acceptance, those hurdles are difficult to overcome."
[20:30] <Veserya> Breathing out and putting on a smile, "Still, we cannot change what we are. So what brought you to Balmuria, Naya?"
[20:34] <Kobrb> The buildings here start to shift, more and more older stone buildings. Sturdy things, not all that far removed from dwarven-works in places, if far less elegant. "My siblings and parents left Elandra's Rest to join a fey band. Such a life..." He looks on as you walk, "I could not commit myself to. Instead I chose to wander, to see the world instead."
[20:39] <Veserya> "I hope it's been more rewarding for you," Veserya smiles up at him as they walk, "I think for many such changes in lifestyle are motivated by curiousity and boredom. Sooner or later I'm sure they'll tire of the sylvan lifestyle and come back to us."
[20:41] <Kobrb> "I hope you are right," Naya agrees, leading you ahead. You walk past a great forested area in the middle of all the stony building, going around it. Past that you come to a poor, quiet street. Here before you is an overgrown shack. It looks well kept, but at the same time poor and simple. Here Naya stops, "Here we are."
[20:46] * Veserya tries not to let the disappointment show on her face. She'd hoped for something at least made of stone... wooden plank construction is so ugly and shoddy looking. At least it does seem very well cared for, which is what she'd expect from followers of Ilmater. "Thank you, Naya, I should be able to find my own way back. I hope to be in Balmuria for a little while, so perhaps I'll see
[20:46] * Veserya you again?"
[20:47] <Kotono> "I stay at the Elven Mission. Come any time, I'll play for you," With a bow he steps back and departs, leaving Veserya before the House of Suffering.
[20:50] <Veserya> First impressions are important, so Veserya takes a moment to ensure she's as clean and well pressed as she was when she stepped foot into the temple of Waukeen this morning before she advances forward to open the door and enter the House of Suffering. Hopefully she can start alleviating some of that suffering.
[20:52] <Kotono> Within you see there are several mats, sick and wounded people laying about. An old man with a careworn, patient face tends to some of them, while another...OOC: Go ahead and intro yourself, Aaeru.
[20:55] <Aaeru> Impeccably clean and wearing simple if tidy blue peasant clothing, Aaeru is focusing before a woman with a broken arm. Calling upon the power she had recently been provided by Ilmater feels different than the normal healing ability she can draw with just a thought, but in a sense quite similar to her spells. Therefore, it is only a matter of training it right!
[20:55] <Aaeru> roll 1d8+3
[20:55] <Rei-chan> Aaeru rolled : 1d8+3 --> [ 1d8=2 ]{5}
[20:59] <Kotono> The man's broken arm shivers and mends, bone becoming whole once more!
[21:01] <Aaeru> "Yay!" Aaeru cheers at the very visible effect. She doesn't go into celebrations, however, asking instead, "How do you feel? Any pain? Can I do something else?"
[21:02] <Kotono> "I'm okay," He slowly rotates his arm, rubbing it with his other hand. "I t hink it's healed. Thank you!"
[21:02] <Veserya> The woman at the door wears rich clothing, her hair done up in an elegant weave that accentuates her delicately pointed ears. Her almond-shaped eyes confirm her elven heritage if the ears did not, although she's somewhat shorter than most of her race, but boasts a proportionately more shapely figure that her clothing does little to obscure. Seeing so many sick and ill people present, she
[21:02] <Veserya> decides it would only be proper to offer her assistance first before asking for help in seeking out Aaeru. "Excuse me," she speaks up in elvish-accented common, her voice a light soprano, "Can I volunteer to help?"
[21:04] <Aaeru> "Yes please!" Aaeru immediately raises her voice, turning to look at the speaker and flashing her a smile. "Broken bones are first because they're really painful and stop people for weeks and stuff! But any help is fine!"
[21:07] <Veserya> "I can certainly help with those," Veserya returns that smile, following her host's example and putting more importance on healing than introductions. First thing's first, a spell to boost her healing powers... "Empress of Love, grant me your insight into the ails of the needy," she intones in elven, before she moves amongst the patients to locate the four with the worst broken bones.
[21:08] <Veserya> roll 1d20+12 heal to diagnose? Healing Lorecall just cast
[21:08] <Rei-chan> Veserya rolled : 1d20+12 heal to diagnose? Healing Lorecall just cast --> [ 1d20=11 ]{23}
[21:10] <Kotono> There are only two more with broken bones, at least. One has a broken leg and the other has three broken fingers. Looks like his hand got smashed. The former is in the worst shape.
[21:11] * Aaeru takes a moment to observe their newest volunteer so that she could be there if she needs help.
[21:15] <Veserya> That being the case Veserya picks two more lucky victims who have the worst physical injuries after broken bones and positions herself amidst all of them. "Hello, my name is Veserya Desjardin," she looks around all four, "If you'll all hold still, you'll feel much better in a moment." Switching to common now for her spell so they can understand, even if it's a little bit awkward for her,
[21:15] <Veserya> "No injury nor pain shall hold back a martyr's will, by Sulia's grace be renewed for another day!" she completes her spell and a wash of luminescent positive energy settles over them all before fading, though their wounds continue to heal at an accelerated rate.
[21:15] <Veserya> OOC: 21 rounds of fast healing 1. Can also cure various conditions, so if anyone was fatigued/exhausted/sickened/nauseated I'll take care of that
[21:19] * Aaeru tilts her head in consideration. Maybe her healing power would go much better if she makes a little chant, too? "Pain, pain, go away!" she calls, focusing very hard and touching a man whose face is one giant bruise.
[21:20] <Aaeru> roll 1d8+3
[21:20] <Rei-chan> Aaeru rolled : 1d8+3 --> [ 1d8=6 ]{9}
[21:25] <Kotono> The healing spreads amid them, wounds mending every second! The sick are restored in good time, Aaeru restoring another as well! Within half a minute the wounded are wounded no more, health and vitality regained!
[21:26] * Aaeru nods at herself in satisfaction. She felt a bit silly saying what she did, but it really did work! Can she argue with success?
[21:28] * Veserya spends a moment checking upon her four patients as the healing slowly flows through their bodies, helping to ensure everything goes smoothly. "That should be feeling better now," she takes hold of the broken legged man's foot to hold it straight as the bone mends. "How did you break it?"
[21:29] <Kotono> "Fell off my roof," He groans softly as the bone heals, "Was trying to fix a crack in the roof and I slipped."
[21:32] <Veserya> "It has been quite rainy here lately, I take it?" the elven woman asks, guessing based on the dark clouds in the sky. "I hope you're not planning to go right back up there for another go at fixing it, though?" she chastises lightly.
[21:32] <Kotono> The old man turns his attention to Veserya at her words and healing, approaching. "Aaeru, would this be another friend of yours?"
[21:33] * Aaeru pauses in her confirmation that there are no residual problems or issues with the healing at Croger's question, and gives the pointy-earred figure a second glance. "It depends," she says afterwards. "Not, like, in the sense we were friends before today. But maybe we can be friends from today on!"
[21:34] <Veserya> "Ah, you're Aaeru?" the raven-haired elf looks up towards the blonde human girl, "We haven't met, no, but I have heard of you. Veserya Desjardin, and I do indeed hope we can be friends!"
[21:35] <Aaeru> "Great!" Aaeru exclaims, smiling at her again before she flashes a victory sign to Croger. "See?"
[21:37] <Kotono> Croger inclines his head to Veserya. Once done, "I am Croger of Ilmater. You've heard of Aaeru?"
[21:38] <Aaeru> "It's nice to meet you!" Aaeru chirps, concluding the introductions.
[21:42] <Veserya> "You could call me a follower of Empress Sulia, but though she inspires many martyrs I've made myself an expert at keeping heroes from martyring themselves," Veserya explains. "I'd heard of Aaeru back home in Pallanth, of her work here with the needy," she gestures at the recovering patients, "And in bringing light to dark places. I had also heard how many who fought with you have sacrificed
[21:42] <Veserya> themselves nobly for the sake of others," she lowers her head out of respect for the dead. "That is why I felt compelled to come to Balmuria myself, and see if I might be able to help."
[21:44] <Aaeru> Aaeru's smile slips somewhat. "About that." She gives Croger a hopeful look. "Can you, like, help me train? When we have enemies they always mock me and call me weak, and I want to be stronger and stop them!"
[21:48] <Veserya> "That is something I can also help with," the elf volunteers, "But your continued survival already tells me you're not as weak as your foes might claim."
[21:49] <Kotono> "Aaeru's lot is a hard one," Croger says, slipping into a stern, seriousness that permeats the air around him. "Perhaps the two of you can aid each other as well. How advanced are your clerical studies?"
[21:49] * Aaeru rubs the back of her head. "Thanks. I know I'm not, like, weak like they say. But if I were, like, really strong, I would be able to save everyone, right? So if I don't, then I'm not. But I want to be!"
[21:55] <Veserya> "Strictly speaking, I'm not a cleric at all," Veserya admits openly, "Though I suppose I'm close enough in most respects. What you just saw was my best healing spell."
[21:58] <Kotono> "You're fairly talented," Croger says after a bit of contemplation.
[22:00] <Veserya> "Others are perhaps moreso," the elf demurs modestly, "But I am confident in my abilities where it comes to aiding others overcome adversity. And I'm certain I could be of great help to Aaeru," she flashes a smile at the blonde to hopefully further cement their newly formed friendship.
[22:02] <Aaeru> "You... want to help me?" Aaeru asks, not really looking like she can believe her ears. "Sorry, it's just, people who heard about me always just wanted to fight me and stuff. Sometimes they tried to blame me for all sorts of things and tried to kill me, too. But this is really new!"
[22:05] <Veserya> "How odd," Veserya murmurs in consternation. "I felt quite a sense of admiration and sympathy when one of my friends passed on news of your trials. It might be I'm missing something, but since meeting you I don't think so," she puts on a reassuring smile.
[22:07] <Aaeru> "They were mostly Sharrans," Aaeru elaborates helpfully. "It's why I want to get stronger. I hoped to train in some secret technique since I have some free time! But I don't know any secret techniques, and I just asked Croger, and he didn't say he knew anything either...."
[22:11] <Veserya> "Well that solves that mystery," Veserya observes dryly. "I'm sorry that I'm of less help when it comes to training. My talents lend more to improving what you have in the heat of battle, for I doubt I could teach much about unarmed combat."
[22:12] <Aaeru> "Oh! I decided to try something new, actually!" Aaeru exclaims. "I really want to try fighting with a staff, because most of my unarmed moves are sealed techniques anyway and only really horrible monsters or Sharrans who don't surrender when they're asked should see them anyway so why not?"
[22:15] <Veserya> "That's something I have a little bit of practice with, although it's not really my forte. Still, I'm sure I could offer some helpful advice if you need it?" the elven woman offers politely.
[22:16] <Aaeru> "Great! It's been ages since I trained with a staff so I bet I'm really rusty! Like, there was this time I went to see how the soldiers were training so I wanted to keep it really fair and I used this wooden practice sword just like them? It was really hard, like I was holding back!"
[22:18] <Veserya> "Well if you want we can do that and you can tell me a bit about your exploits, Aaeru?"
[22:19] * Aaeru grins. "Sure thing! I'm kinda out anyway on all the healing stuff. It's really hard to train those!"
[22:21] <Veserya> "We all have our focuses," Veserya allows lightly, turning to her side and opening up her leather satchel. From it she pulls a sturdy looking beech quarterstaff, far longer than should fit inside the modestly sized bag.
[22:22] <Aaeru> "I don't really have, like, my own staff or anything," Aaeru explains, perhaps needlessly, "but wanna come along for a bit? I bet Josa has spares. I know he makes swords and all sort of stuff, so it'll be okay if I borrowed one."
[22:25] <Veserya> "You can always find a good sized stick of wood somewhere," the elf nods, using hers as a walking stick and falling in alongside Aaeru. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr Croger."
[22:26] <Kotono> Croger nods his head, "Be blessed in this city, follower of Empress Sulia."
[22:27] * Aaeru waves at Croger as she leaves the House of Suffering and starts leading the way. "I guess," she admits. "But you wanted to, like, hear a bit about me, right? And it's really easier to see, I think. I'm not really sure how it all worked out, but I kinda ended up working at this candy shop? And we also help all sorts of good people, and then they donate to a really important orphanage! So I want to show you that place!"
[22:29] <Veserya> "Yes, I would like to see the places you consider important," Veserya nods, "I'm glad you don't think me strange, coming halfway across the world and pledging my aid to a complete stranger, but I think followers of Ilmater and Empress Sulia have that sort of kinship that eases the way for us," she goes on.
[22:30] <Aaeru> "Oh, totally! I know people think I don't know stuff, and there's lots I haven't read about, but I know that much!" Aaeru heartily agrees. "Besides, there was a very nice person who came to find me before! He wanted to fight, but not in a bad way, and when he left we were friends! So I think it's okay!"
[22:33] <Veserya> "That makes for a nice story; two proud fighters battling to see who is best, and emerging wiser with mutual respect," the elf notes thoughtfully, filing that one away for later.
[22:35] * Aaeru grins anew. "Yeah! He was this wrestler, see, and he's like with a whole group of them. They work in Victoria, which is the capital, and I never went there but he asked me to visit. But I really can't until I can teleport all over on my own, so it will probably be a while? But if he needs my help I'll totally rush over!"
[22:38] <Veserya> "That's heartening to hear. Things are all the better when we can work together and make our problems smaller by sharing," Veserya opines supportively.
[22:42] * Aaeru nods enthusiastically. "So he was really nice. Umm, and the people at Whimsical Sweets -- that's the sweets shop! -- they're also all really nice except the little fairy because she lies all the time and is really mean. And everyone I met in the Guard is nice, but, like, the Crimson Guard feels kinda strange? I mean, there are all those stories about how they were cool and stuff but the ones there now feel kinda snobbish? Oh! And Waukeen's temple has nice people. At first they kinda looked down on me and tried to give me different clothes but now the Holycoin is really friendly with us! And there are people from Seira's temple who are nice, too! And the orphanage! I wonder if we'll have time for everything...."
[22:44] <Veserya> "If not today, then tomorrow," Veserya nods sagely, in testament to her elven patience. "I'll be sure to watch out for deceitful little fairies, though."
[22:45] * Aaeru frowns. "It's hard to, like, say it. But she's happy when our friends die! Like gloaty happy! But she's, like, Josa's familiar or something so she has to stay there...."
[22:49] <Kotono> The rest of the walk is without incident. Whimsical Sweets awaits, the duo heading inside! Within you find Marianne floating above the cases, Silver sitting on her shoulder. The two watch Josa stock the cases, the verby elf's words heard, "...declare that only under a miasmic pall of great misery could such go forward, but it was with even greater bravery that we continued on!"
[22:49] <Aaeru> "Oh, and Josa talks a lot," Aaeru mentions, before raising her voice. "Hi! I came back, like, much earlier than I thought!"
[22:53] * Veserya nods at Aaeru's explanation, smiling pleasantly at the three present as she waits for an introduction.
[22:53] <Kotono> Josa turns, as does Marianne and Silver, "Ah, splendid! A guest, no less!" Josa switches to Elven and bows to her, "Good day, m'lady." Then back into Common, "Please, introduce this fine flower of Pallanth to us."
[22:56] * Aaeru blinks, pauses, thinks and then nods to herself. "This is Josa," she starts with the introductions. "He's a Candymancer. That's a wizard that makes candy! And this is Marianne, and--" Aaeru pauses again, considering how to introduce her. "--well, I guess she feels scary to people, and you can totally get why, but I think she's a good person so just ignore that when you feel it around her. And this is Silver, Josa's familiar." She takes a breath, and continues, "Everyone, this is Veserya! She's my new friend! We're gonna train together, too!"
[22:59] <Kotono> "Scary?" Marianne chuckles at that, an umbrella resting against her shoulder and shading her face, "My, my, you think I'm scary now?"
[23:00] <Kotono> "Oh, more meat?" Silver looks up, "She looks softer than Janson. Hope you don't get murdered by insane Sharrans, okay?"
[23:01] <Aaeru> "Well I only ever really was scared of two people my entire life and you're one of them. It's like being caught out on a really chilly day in your underwear, except even that wouldn't really bother me after my training. I can't help it! But I think what my body's telling me about you is wrong so I just ignore it!" She smiles at Marianne for good measure and ignores Silver, as she has started doing more and more often recently.
[23:01] <Kotono> Josa bows deep, giving Silver an utterly poisonous glance before clearing his throat, "Fair Veserya, welcome to my humble candy abode. Here you may find whatever sweets you desire, from the simplest candy to the most complex treat. I am at your service."
[23:02] <Kotono> "Oh oh hahahahaha," Laughing lightly at that, a hand hiding her mouth as she does, "Well," Marianne casually steps down to the ground, obeying gravity once more, "It is a pleasure, Veserya."
[23:02] <Veserya> "Veserya Desjardin," the elf adds, dropping into a brief and casual curtsey. Perhaps the green-haired woman might be scary if she wasn't offering a nice view up her skirt, she thinks, but decides it best not to say. "I follow the teachings of Empress Sulia, except where she rewards martyrs, I do my best to keelp them alive in the first place. I had heard of Aaeru's - and all of yours -
[23:02] <Veserya> struggles, and determined that I could put my talents to a lot of use here." At Silver's jibe she smiles serenely up at the fairy, "Aren't you the sweetest little thing in this shop? Why don't you come down here and I'll play you a song, little one?"
[23:04] <Kotono> "Nah," Silver stays right where she is, "Don't wanna get any of Josa's spray on me when he explodes over having an elf noble here."
[23:05] <Kotono> At the same moment Josa's face reddens as he bows again, "Desjardin?! Of House Desjardin?" He doesn't quite sputter, but it's a close-run thing. "M'lady, why didn't you say so in the first place? You honor our candy store greatly!"
[23:07] <Veserya> "It was exactly the second word out of my mouth," Veserya points out, deciding not to bother making an example out of the fairy. It'd be rude to everyone else, after all. "And I beg you not to feel under any obligation, I'm only a minor member of the family and carry no great weight in the courts of Pallanth," she reassures Josa.
[23:08] <Aaeru> While Josa has fun groveling Aaeru looks through the displays for a staff made of candy.
[23:10] <Kotono> Nothing immediately catches Aaeru's eyes. Meanwhile Josa continues, "Of course, of course! I lose myself a moment, pardon!" Clearing his throat loudly, "M'lady, as a descendant of the great elven nation, I cannot help but be at your disposal! Anything less would be improper!"
[23:11] <Aaeru> "Hey, Josa, do you have a candy staff?" Aaeru calls out, her search having been fruitless. "I really wanna borrow one!"
[23:12] <Veserya> "In that case, please consider me a servant of Empress Sulia rather than a representative of Scion Desjardin," Veserya bids, "That is what has brought me here, after all."
[23:12] <Kotono> "Yes, it's upstairs by the closet," Josa says, "As you wish, m'lady. Empress Sulia...I confess I am not particularly familiar with her doctrine. Could you care to enlighten me?"
[23:13] * Aaeru dashes upstairs with a cry of, "Be back in a sec!"
[23:17] <Veserya> "Happily so!" Veserya is content to agree, even if he's only saying that for an excuse to talk to her. "Martyr's Mother is the guardian of those who sacrifice themselves in the name of love. Romantic love is the most considered, but filial and platonic love can inspire sacrifices no less profound, and all will be celebrated in Her name. Those who deserve to rule do so with compassion and
[23:17] <Veserya> self-sacrifice, thus she is also a patron to any proper noble..." she probably should have skipped that last part after asking him to disregard her nobility, but too late, now! "She is a new deity compared to old faiths such as Ilmater or Sune, more aptly compared with Alicia or Seira."

[Corwin]

[20:04] <Aaeru> "So, like, this is nice!" Aaeru says happily, making her way downstairs, candy staff in tow. "Is this chocolate, but white? It smells like it!"
[20:23] <Kotono> "It is," Josa replies, before focusing again on Veserya. "She does sound new," Josa agrees, "I've not heard for her before."
[20:25] <Veserya> "A pity, I had hoped She might be more regarded in human lands, not being one of the Seldarine," Veserya admits, turning to look up at Aaeru and her... staff. "Do you actually intend to use that as a weapon, Aaeru?" she asks, puzzlement clear, "It doesn't seem like it would last long."
[20:27] <Aaeru> "You mean Empress Sulia, right?" Aaeru asks, rejoining them. "Everyone at the House of Suffering knows about her! And if we visit Helm's temple, too, I'm totally sure!" She holds her newly-gotten staff before her and focuses, imbuing it with holy magicks! "I'm sure it'll be fine!"
[20:30] <Veserya> "That's a relief... on both counts," Veserya nods, happily to the first point and simply curious on the second. "Do you want to practice right now?"
[20:31] <Aaeru> "Sure thing! Hey, can you fly? We can fly, like, to the rooftop and not bother anyone, and maybe it will even be like the shows we sometimes do so people will come!"
[20:33] <Veserya> "No..." Veserya answers at length, a momentary glance aside at Marianne and Silver. "I'm afraid flight is not among my talents."
[20:34] <Aaeru> "I know that spell," Aaeru says with a grin and reaches out for Veserya's shoulder, pausing just short of it. "Unless you don't, like, think it'll be fun?"
[20:38] <Veserya> "Forgive me, but I'm not very good at fighting so it's not something I want to make a spectacle of. Likewise," she glances down at her flowing ruffled skirt, "My clothes aren't well suited for flying over people's heads."
[20:38] * Aaeru pauses to consider, and then nods in agreement. "Yeah, that's really pretty much why I wear pants."

[Corwin]

[19:58] <Kotono> At that Marianne snorts, "The proper skirt can cling and keep you decent, plus if anyone is caddish enough to try..." she merely smiles, "A direct lesson can always be applied."
[20:01] <Veserya> "If it's only a look it can be flattering," Veserya admits, "But only if you're in that mood and receptive. Since I'm not, I shan't take the chance," she nods decisively at her conclusion. "But perhaps you can recommend a good tailor in Balmuria in case I'm ever inclined to try, Marianne?"
[20:06] <Kotono> "Misya's Boutique on Dragonwater Street," she answers right back, "The woman there understands the needs of fashion and utility."
[20:08] <Veserya> "Excellent!" the elven woman beams, "Is that where you got the dress you're wearing now?" she then asks with an appraising eye over Marianne's attire.
[20:12] <Kotono> It's a fancy enough dress, yet keeps her decent even when you have a view. It looks fairly rich offhand, made for her and fitting as such. "Oh yes. I cannot recommend her enough."
[20:12] <Kotono> Silver flutters over to Aaeru at this, "Doesn't it suck when the conversation goes on about something you couldn't possibly care about?" Not quite alighing on her shoulder, Silver settles to be besides Aaeru, "Pretty dresses, nice clothing..."
[20:13] <Aaeru> "I... don't really have anything to say," Aaeru adds reluctantly. "If it's clean and fits you, that's all you need, right?"
[20:14] <Kotono> "Oh come on," Silver grins, "Don't you imagine wearing a pretty dress and being the belle of the ball as a Princess dances with you? Doesn't wearing the same thing get so horribly boring?"
[20:15] <Aaeru> "I can, like, imagine it just fine," Aaeru admits. "But I just... don't really care? I mean, like, you can just ask if breathing is boring. You don't think about that, right? That's what wearing something is."
[20:16] <Veserya> "And a fine model you make, too, Marianne," Veserya approves, "If I do buy from her I'll be sure to mention your recommendation." Turning now towards Aaeru, "Indeed, for many that's enough, Aaeru. But a well put together outfit can captivate the eye, and speak volumes about the person wearing it. Just as birds have their bright feathers, we must make our own plumage," she smiles widely and
[20:16] <Veserya> smooths down her own ostentatious dress.
[20:17] <Aaeru> Aaeru's answering smile is polite.
[20:20] <Veserya> "Yes, well, you wanted to try sparring with staves?" Veserya breezily moves on at Aaeru's lack of enthusiasm for the current topic.
[20:20] * Aaeru instantly perks up. "Ah, yes! We can! And we should!"
[20:21] <Kotono> "Man, are you sure you aren't a man," Silver calls as she flie s back to Marianne, "Hell, you sleep with a woman, you don't care about clothes...are you packing something under that outfit after all?"
[20:22] <Aaeru> "That's, like, so shallow!" Aaeru exclaims, turning to glare at Silver.
[20:23] <Veserya> "Really," Veserya backs Aaeru up with a dim look at the fairy. "There's nothing wrong with two women - or two men - sleeping together. Love should be celebrated regardless."
[20:25] <Kotono> Marianne rolls her eyes, "Really Silver, if you must mock Aaeru, at least mock her with zest and vigor."
[20:25] <Kotono> "Hmph," Silver glowers and flies up and off towards the upstairs.
[20:26] <Veserya> "Disagreeable little thing, isn't she?" Veserya notes as the fairy absents herself.
[20:27] <Aaeru> "Yeah, I tried to warn you before. So, uh, wanna go see more of the city?" Aaeru asks, trying very hard to dismiss Silver's existence from her mind. "You said you came, like, from way far? It's been ages since I visited Helm's temple but I think we can spar there even if we have skirts and stuff.""
[20:28] <Kotono> "Quite droll," Marianne pauses, "I do believe I shall join the two of you," she announces, "Veserya, have you come to join Whimsical Sweets?"
[20:30] <Veserya> "I doesn't feel very far with the benefit of Seira's portals, but yes," the elf nods to Aaeru before she similarly nods to Marianne. "I had heard of your troubles and wanted to try and alleviate them. Martyrdom may be rewarded, but it's still something that should be prevented where possible. My skills are more supportive than direct, but I think that could be an area where you're most needy,
[20:30] <Veserya> anyway."
[20:32] <Kotono> "Yes," Marianne says but a word before she alights onto the ground, falling in with the other two, "You and Yuria would get on well, from what little I know. She wields some restorative magics, though I'm not certain to the extend of them. Aaeru, do you know?"
[20:35] <Aaeru> "Well, yeah." Aaeru shrugs, starting to lead the way at a leisurely pace. "Like, you know how I can burn away demons and zombies and stuff? But Sylvie and Yuria can do it kinda different. I mean, it's still a holy light, but it heals people all around you, too."
[20:37] * Veserya nods as they head out of the candy shop. "The world rejects undead so thoroughly that that which nourishes and fosters life is deadly poison to them."
[20:39] <Kotono> Outside the gray weather continues, yet the streets are busy. Humans hustle around all over. Carts carry goods, well dressed messengers come to and fro, guardsman patrol. "Yes, we've had our own trials with them. Shadows in particular."
[20:39] <Aaeru> "She gave me my strength back when shadows tried to eat me," Aaeru adds, grimacing. "It's pretty horrible when they do it."
[20:42] <Veserya> "Yes... I was there years ago when the undead threatened to raze the Citadel of Light and murder every soul in it," Veserya's own expression turns grim. "It was living through that that set me on my current path in life."
[20:45] <Aaeru> "They're always making trouble," Aaeru finds herself easily agreeing.
[20:45] <Kotono> "I've heard the stories of what Balmuria went through during that," Marianne says, umbrella folded up and carried with her. "You're fortunate. It took the Crimson Guard here to staunch the attack."
[20:48] <Veserya> "An attack that included many elves who had earlier fallen defending their home," Veserya nods, her gaze becoming distant. "I might have been one of them, but for others who sacrificed themselves to save me. That's why I work so hard now to save others, to keep them alive even through such horrific trials."
[20:50] * Aaeru nods sadly. "I get that. I'm only here because others died when we all fought together."
[20:52] <Kotono> Marianne bows her head at that, "As am I, in a way."
[20:55] <Aaeru> "And hey, I really like that bit where you go about how it's okay to be a martyr but, like, there's no rush if it can be avoided," Aaeru says suddenly.
[20:56] <Kotono> "Yes. For one of Ilmater's followers, you seem quite attached to life," Marianne glances towards Aaeru, "Stories prefer to paint them as near-suicidal crusaders and healers."
[20:57] <Veserya> Looking back and forth between the two, Veserya nods at sensing kindred spirits. She may have a place here, after all. "Another thing Empress Sulia encourages is to celebrate love and life," she volunteers, reaching to take a hand of either woman. "The ones no longer here, we should toast their memories, just as we would no doubt find a reason to share a toast with them if they were here
[20:57] <Veserya> still. Before visiting Helm's temple, what say we stop by a tavern to share a drink?"
[20:58] <Kotono> "A drink would rouse the spirits," Marianne agrees, "A fine offer, I accept."
[20:59] * Aaeru nods again. "I know. I think it's, like, because I follow what Ilmater says. But he wants us to think a bit, too, right? I was never into the whole suffering part. I mean, so some monks whip themselves up, right? It's not like I have to do it. And if I die without doing my best all the important people to me will be sad, so I try not to." Holding onto Veserya's hand, she smiles at the elf once more. "You're right. We should always remember everyone gone."
[21:02] <Veserya> A vibrant city like Balmuria surely has no shortage of fine drinking establishments, thus Veserya puts her keen elven senses to the task of locating one on the street they're walking through. "The Gods can have no reason to complain at an interpretation of their tenets that only brings prosperity and success to their followers."
[21:03] <Aaeru> "Yeah, totally!" Aaeru agrees. "Plus it was kinda creepy when I went to Hell and Croger told me to go and die there. But Neve asked me not to, so I didn't, and hey, nothing happened. So Ilmater probably didn't mind?"
[21:05] <Veserya> "You've been to Hell and back? Now there must be a story!"
[21:05] <Kotono> There's one nearby - it looks nice inside too. "I suspect the point was that you need to be ready to die for your friends," Marianne murmurs in thought, as a few raindrops start to fall from the leaden sky above. "How about we hear it over drinks before it starts raining?"
[21:07] <Veserya> "Lets!" Veserya agrees, letting go of their hands just as they reach the door so everyone can go inside without being some weird human/elf pileup in the doorway.
[21:08] <Aaeru> And Aaeru is all too happy to share it, stepping inside after Marianne and Veserya! "So we had this client, right, and he had a magical puzzle. But it was made in Hell and it brainwashed him to badly he forgot who he was or where he was and thought that life was this huge game with dungeons and monsters, right? Well he was wrong but when I destroyed the evil puzzle thing it took him and some of our friends to Hell, so I had to go rescue them with Sylvie and Josa and everyone else!"
[21:11] <Veserya> Picking out a cosy table for the three, Veserya orders a bottle of the house wine for them to share as they all get comfortable to hear Aaeru's story. "And obviously you did," she approves, "But what trials did you have to overcome? I can't imagine Hell being anywhere simple to traverse."
[21:15] <Kotono> The wine is swiftly brought, along with three glasses. Marianne pours for everyone as you get comfortable, "Yes, do continue."
[21:16] <Aaeru> "Right!" Aaeru agrees, settling into her seat. "So, like, we went there and like right away, there comes this group of devil soldiers! So we fought them, and their leader was really powerful, like totally stronger than all of them put together, but we still kicked his ass. But Hell was really horrible, because it was always hot and very, very... hateful. Like, you could feel that on your skin all the time? And anyway, everyone there was really horrible to us! People pretended to be escaped slaves but tried to kill us, or they suddenly showed up at night and tried to kill us or they sent terrible nightmares to us and wow like the sky itself hated us and threw fireballs all over at us! Like, even when we were fighting other people! And there was even a dragon, but we just ran away because it was huge and it could fly and we couldn't."
[21:17] * Aaeru nods firmly to herself as she adds, "I fixed that now."
[21:18] * Veserya chuckles gaily at Aaeru's addendum. "Does that mean you'd have no qualms about facing a huge dragon, now?"
[21:18] <Aaeru> "Maybe a house-sized one," Aaeru muses. "I actually wrestled down a small dragon once but that's another story and really I kinda want to start small?"
[21:20] * Aaeru continues with her story, then. "So we kept on walking through Hell, and it was so horrible Hell even drove Andrea to despair and she tried to kill herself but we stopped her and then when we finally find our friends?" Aaeru pauses for effect, and then says, "They were at an inn, just like this one! Drinking!"
[21:21] <Kotono> Marianne nods along at the right places, "Hell has inns?"
[21:21] <Veserya> Veserya's eyes widen and her jaw drops. It's like the perfect sting to any bard's tale! "Noooo!" she gasps, delighted just at the sheer rightness of it.
[21:21] <Aaeru> "Yeah I know! Such a shock!"
[21:22] * Aaeru shakes her head. "The inn even had a portal out of Hell in, like, its back yard! They were just kicking back until it opened again!"
[21:23] <Veserya> "There must have been some archdevil amused at your struggles who thought finding your friends that way would be even crueller than finding them in torment, after all your own struggles," the elf reflects. "Devils do love irony, I suppose?"
[21:23] <Kotono> "I suppose Baator is more civilized than the stories say," Marianne drinks down and shaking her head.
[21:25] * Aaeru snorts. "Yeah. There's plenty of that around me, at least? Like, Marianne used to be my enemy but now we're friends! And Yuria too, actually, kinda? First we face each other, all serious like, and then we're great friends! That's ironic, right?"
[21:27] <Veserya> "But isn't that the best outcome to any relationship?" Veserya looks between the two of them over her wineglass. "There might even be hope for you and Silver, at that rate."
[21:27] * Aaeru considers that. Maybe if she defeated Silver in savage combat?
[21:28] <Kotono> Marianne hums, "Perhaps,t hough Silver is...interesting, I daresay."
[21:31] <Aaeru> "I used to think that," Aaeru muses. "Actually, I even played along a lot and we got along just fine. We joked about Josa and everyone and it was just light and fun and carefree? But then our friends got killed in a really, really horrible way, and she just... mocked them. And us. She didn't feel a thing." Aaeru shakes her head. "It... really got to me, you know? She's kinda cute and kinda funny but she is this... thing. She can't be a friend."
[21:35] <Kotono> "Why does Josa keep her around?" After a long sip of wine Marianne asks this, "I declare that I find her entire routine tiresome at times, even ifs he can be sharply amusing at other times."
[21:36] <Aaeru> "He said something about a botched familiar ritual?" Aaeru shrugs. "I dunno what he meant. It worked for me when I did it."
[21:36] <Veserya> "That... sounds really disturbing, actually," setting down her glass, Veserya looks at Aaeru. "Many fey claim kinship with elves, and they behave so naturally one can almost feel it, but there's always something just a little bit off, at least to my mind. What you describe of Silver sounds like that but far moreso." Reaching over the table to comfortingly clasp Aaeru's hand, "Loss should
[21:36] <Veserya> never be mocked. That I expect your friends were close to her as well makes it even more unsettling."
[21:37] * Aaeru nods at Veserya. "We were all together. We even went together to Hell. She was there all the time. We always joked together...."
[21:38] <Kotono> "Mmm, a botched ritual?" Marianne hums on it a bit, "Perhaps there is more there than things let on."
[21:38] * Aaeru blinks at Marianne's words. "Like what?"
[21:41] <Kotono> "If the ritual was botched, perhaps there were other effects?" With a pause to consider, "Such poorly matched creatures would not be likely to become master and familiar to begin with, no?"
[21:42] <Aaeru> "Mmm." Aaeru doesn't dismiss the idea out of hand, instead asking, "Hey, Veserya, what do you think?"
[21:47] <Veserya> "Generally familiars start off as unintelligent animals, and thus their mentality imprints on their master's - they think and act alike, to better work in concert, yes?" the elf posits thoughtfully, going back to her drink as she considers. "Taking an already intelligent being as your familiar is different, though - you can't well overwrite the existing personality, so it's much more a case
[21:47] <Veserya> of matching up and finding one that's compatible, becoming partners?" She shrugs, "There's a famous example of Alicia Reynes, the orderly paladin of Mystra being paired with a free-spirited eladrin as her familiar, and by all accounts it was a very successful partnership. But also one blessed by the heavens at the outset... I rather doubt any deities blessed Josa and Silver."
[21:49] <Aaeru> "You know, this is, like, a good point," Aaeru muses. "It's always a... partnership, right? Like, by choice? If Josa really didn't want to be with Silver like he always says, it's not like something's forcing him, yeah?"
[21:50] <Kotono> "I know," Marianne says, "So he hasn't dissolved the familiar pact...or perhaps can't, considering the circumstances."
[21:51] <Veserya> "Breaking a pact once forged is supposed to have traumatic consequences, isn't it?" Veserya asks, though she's not completely certain on that point.
[21:54] <Aaeru> "I think that's only by force," Aaeru objects. "If you're both fine with it, it should really work."
[21:55] <Kotono> "I'm not sure, I've never had a familiar," Wrinkling her nose, "Who want a ferret or raven bothering them all the time?"
[21:55] <Aaeru> "Ah, well, a ferret is very nice!"
[21:56] <Kotono> "If you're a bored child," Marianne tsks, inclining her wineglass towards Aaeru, "Come now, who needs a talking pet?"
[21:57] <Veserya> "It sounds quite nice, the way it's described - a friend and confidante you can always count on, devoted solely to your happiness and well being while being empathic enough not to bother you with anything you dislike," Veserya chimes in. "Clearly the ideal is far from realised with Josa and Silver, though?"
[21:57] <Aaeru> "Well maybe sometimes a ferret really likes you and follows you around so you keep him," Aaeru says just a tad defensively.
[21:58] <Kotono> With a wave of her hand, "If it's that, I have Lyris to do that." Marianne chuckles, "I have no need of an animal in the same position."
[21:58] * Aaeru blinks.
[21:59] <Veserya> "Lyris?" Veserya prods, intrigued!
[21:59] <Kotono> "My friend. A good one, we go back a very, very long time." Reflectively taking another drink of wine, "She's always had my best interests in mind, even when we don't agree."
[22:00] <Aaeru> "She really does," Aaeru agrees. "She thinks about you all the time, more than about herself, even!"
[22:02] <Kotono> "Doubtless," Marianne says with agreeableness, sipping again. After that single sip, "Plus I daresay she's better in a pinch than any familiar."
[22:02] <Veserya> "It sounds like you're lucky to have her, and she's lucky that you appreciate her so," the elf smiles approvingly.
[22:06] <Kotono> "Mmmm." Marianne's expression grows pensive, "To that there's no doubt. A Queen has many retainers, but how many are truly loyal to the death and beyond?"
[22:07] <Aaeru> "You know, it'd totally be nice for her if you told her that more. Not the retainer stuff or the death stuff, but that you're lucky you have her!"
[22:08] <Veserya> "I'm sure she already knows, but it's the sort of thing that always makes a person smile," Veserya agrees with a nod of encouragement.
[22:11] <Kotono> "Perhaps I should," Marianne confesses, "Though I doubt I could do anything to make her leave."
[22:12] <Aaeru> "You really should!" Aaeru says empathically. "It's not about keeping her here, it's about making Lyris happy and stuff!"
[22:13] <Kotono> "If I were to make her happy, I'd find her another man." With a slightly pensive sigh, "The last one was lost when I was recovering after Senaril."
[22:13] <Aaeru> "I'm pretty sure she can do it on her own?"
[22:14] <Veserya> "Still, doing her a favour is a nice way to show your appreciation, and if you're as close as I presume then I'm sure she'll understand it for what it is," Veserya puts in, enjoying this topic. "What kind of man does Lyris like?"
[22:19] <Kotono> "She's not picky...or no, it's not that as mucha s that her tastes change with her mood," Marianne says, "She does prefer the capable and rich as a general rule."
[22:20] * Aaeru tries to recall what little she can of that situation. "I know last time she was into someone who was visiting Balmuria from some other city, right?"
[22:21] <Veserya> "Were we in Pallanth I might make a few recommendations, but I'm afraid I'm ignorant of the talent pool here in Balmuria," the elven noblewoman admits, freshening up her depleted wine glass before taking another sip. "But that gives us something to work on..."
[22:23] <Kotono> "Good men are so hard to find," Marianne sighs long at that, "Josa is too round, Janson was taken even before this, Whurric is...unsuitable, I think. That exhausts our local chances."
[22:24] <Veserya> "Three? There has to be more than that in a city as big as this one!" Veserya asserts disbelievingly.
[22:25] <Aaeru> "She meant, like, working with us!"
[22:28] <Veserya> "Well if you cast such a small net it's no wonder you don't catch much," the elf states. "I'll keep an eye out myself and if I see any good prospects I'll let you know so you can see if they're suitable for your Lyris, Marianne?"
[22:29] <Aaeru> "I can help out too," Aaeru offers. "I actually, like, know lots of the city and plenty of people! And hey, temples have lots and lots of strong and, umm, capable people!"

[Corwin]

[20:01] <Kotono> "Oh yes, starting close and working out," Marianne says, "Admittedly, the fairer gender seems to be on the rise within Whimsical Sweets."
[20:03] <Veserya> "Who else is there that I haven't met yet?" Veserya asks.
[20:05] <Aaeru> "There's Lyris, of course," Aaeru educates Veserya. "And there's Sylvie, but she went to visit Jannath to bring Janson back. There's Simmer, but she's on the plane of fire and she can't get back for ages. There's Neve, and she's a really nice fey! And then there's Whurric and Orval, but I think Orval quit? And Archie and Yuria, too."
[20:07] <Veserya> "Quite a large group," the elf thinks aloud. "I look forward to meeting them all."
[20:08] <Aaeru> "Yeah. There's been lots of resurrections."
[20:09] <Kotono> "Too many, from what I hear," Marianne thoughtfully sips at her wine, "It's a surprisingly hard lot, though the Sharrans can be blamed for it."
[20:09] <Aaeru> "No kidding!"
[20:10] <Veserya> "Good thing you have the capacity for that already, then, it's not something I'm capable of I'm afraid. But one day, perhaps..." her pointed ears perk up at mention of Sharrans, "I hear they're a plague upon human lands... it sounds like I'll see them for myself at this rate."
[20:12] <Aaeru> "Well, it's really mostly our Lunatic friends. And sometimes Croger," Aaeru volunteers. "Speaking of, you should really meet Balyss some time! She's a really nice Lunatic that likes to party a lot, and we're always welcome to Selune's temple!"
[20:14] <Kotono> "Mmm-hmm, she does seem like an interesting sort," Marianne concedes, "A celebration also sounds like a fine tonic."
[20:15] <Veserya> "And who doesn't appreciate a good party?" Veserya grins.  "I take it they're scheduled by the phases of the moon, there?"
[20:16] <Aaeru> "Yep! It's been ages since we went to one as a group, too! It could be a pretty nice chance."
[20:17] <Kotono> "Mmm," Marianne smiles at that, "I say, how about we head over there and do your staff practice there, as well as inquiring to one such of those celebrations."
[20:17] <Aaeru> "I... guess we could," Aaeru admits. "But it's kinda far and you didn't want to be out while it rains, right? I mean, I don't mind."
[20:18] <Veserya> "Well, how long is it likely to keep raining? We can always just stay in here until it dries," Veserya suggests, taking the liberty of refilling everyone's glasses to drain the bottle before she orders another.
[20:20] <Kotono> "Pish-posh," Tot hat Marianne waves a hand, "If needed be I have an umbrella, and I doubt any of us will melt in the rain." A thoughtful hum, "We could just fly up over the rainclouds as well if we wish to travel dry."
[20:22] <Aaeru> "Sure," Aaeru responds, draining another glass of wine.
[20:24] <Veserya> "I did wear this cloak for a reason, but we should at least finish off the next bottle before going anywhere..."
[20:25] <Aaeru> "So whose turn is it to tell a story?" Aaeru asks eagerly.
[20:25] <Kotono> "Indeed," Marianne says, "What better way to go meet Balyss than being tipsy?" At that she pours herself another glass, drinking a good long draught. "Tell us more of the people we're working with now, Aaeru."
[20:26] * Aaeru blinks. "It's... mine again?" She peers at her empty glass suspiciously.
[20:26] * Veserya isn't stingy with the wine herself, easing back to hear Aaeru at Marianne's suggestion. At least that shows she's not the only new arrival.
[20:27] <Kotono> "It is," Marianne agrees, "Come, don't be stingy with your words."
[20:28] * Aaeru shrugs. "Okay." She goes through her stories, but far too many of them feature an unacceptably high percentage of dead people. "How about a second-hand story?"
[20:30] <Veserya> "A story is a story, I'm sure you can do it justice," Veserya encourages.
[20:31] <Kotono> "CErtainly," Marianne has another drink of wine, going to freshen up Aaeru's empty glass.
[20:39] <Aaeru> "Right!" Aaeru agrees, absent-mindedly drinking as she starts. "So there's this pair of dwarves, and they just got into town, right? And they're talking about their dwarf stuff in their dwarf language, when all of a sudden the door to their inn gets kicked clear in! Like, it flies off those hinge thingies and goes on flying and there she is! A pretty girl with a huge mace, and she's all like, 'Surrender, villains!' and the dwarves are all like 'Wow, the city is really exciting, huh?' and she's then, 'I'm serious, pay attention to me!' and they go 'You have to pay for this door or the inkeep'll kick us out.' And, like, they never raise their voice or whatever, so the girl gets really confused and just figures she got the wrong guys cause they're not really doing anything... villainous... I guess?" Aaeru shrugs. "So she leaves but they decide to come along and keep on badgering her to pay for their door and then they go all the way to the docks. Somehow they decide to look for the villains too because she totally doesn't care about their stupid door, right? So they figure they'll help her with that first before they talk about that. And so she's like looking around and they go into a bar, I guess because they're dwarves? And there in the bar is Yuria!" Aaeru shakes her head in disbelief. "So long story short Yuria was, like, the villain all along because this shady guy tricked her into abducting the mace girl, but when Selune told her that in a vision she must've been like super-drunk so she mixed it up and just went looking around the city at random until something made sense! And then Josa got mixed up in things and just hired all three of them and that's how Whurric, Orval and Yuria joined Whimsical Sweets while Balyss had a huge laugh over the whole thing."
[20:43] <Veserya> "Fascinating!" Veserya gushes with the utmost sincerity. "You really do have interesting people here! But did anyone ever actually pay for the door?" she asks the most pressing question.
[20:43] <Aaeru> "I think they were just kicked out in the end," Aaeru admits.
[20:44] <Kotono> "All things said that's not a bad deal," Marianne chuckles at that, "So that's how the Lunatics work?"
[20:46] <Aaeru> "They drink a bunch and then go and smack things until something works," Aaeru agrees. "I went fighting zombies with Balyss once in this abandoned Selune temple, and like some freak worshipping this demon prince settled there, but we kicked his ass. It was great fun! I could go all out without worrying about hurting anyone!"
[20:46] <Veserya> "Remember, this is the woman gifted with the power to bring back the dead by her goddess," Veserya feels obliged to point out considering Balyss's unorthodox methods at the start of that tale.
[20:47] <Aaeru> "She's great. She's, like, never let us down. And we never let her down. So it all works out really well!"
[20:47] <Kotono> Marianne finishes another glass, and after freshening everyone's, she glances out the window. "The rain's about done," she announces, "Shall we finish these drinks and head over there?"
[20:48] <Aaeru> "Sure!" Aaeru agrees, doing just that. "I could tell you guys how we all went to fight this group of fishpeople monks!"
[20:49] <Veserya> "After hearing all that I definitely want to meet her," Veserya enthuses with a giggle, taking a long draw on her beverage.
[20:50] <Kotono> Marianne doesn't quite match that giggle, but her laugh comes fast and loose. She matchest hat draw as well, drinking down. "Mmm, I feel so good," she sighs, "One can't afford more than a single drink while on business."
[20:50] * Aaeru grins. "Good thing we're not on business, then?"
[20:51] <Veserya> "We're not dwarves, but we should still be allowed to put away a few now and then," Veserya nods her head happily. "Wine is a great social lubricant."
[20:53] <Kotono> "We should get a bottle for the walk, I daresay," Marianne says, sitting back in her chair. She starts to float up a bit, hovering a few inches above the wood.
[20:56] <Aaeru> "This one's actually a story I'm in," Aaeru starts saying, eager to share that one. "So Sylvie, she likes lots and lots of books. She was in a bookstore and she found a treasure map, but the map was all in code or something so it took her ages to tell what it said. But she did because she's a genius, and then we had a treasure map! I didn't really care but everyone was going and it sounded dangerous so I tagged along cause maybe I'd have to protect people, right?"
[20:56] <Aaeru> Aaeru snorts. "And yeah, I had to, because when we get there it's this cave on this small island near the shore and it's got this gong. And we ring it, and this booming voice asks who wants to challenge the mighty sea fist school! So we all announce ourselves properly, and then a whole bunch of fishpeople rush out and try to charge us! And we fought them all and then we won, and we kept going inside, and there were lots of traps... but suddenly, there was a really hideous woman and I think she was a hag or something and she burned my eyes and she was all 'You walked into my trap, my pretties!' and we had to fight her!"
[20:58] <Veserya> "How devious!" Veserya gasps, sitting forward and looking over the rim of her glass.
[20:59] <Aaeru> Aaeru brings her fists up for demonstration. "So of course we fought, and we decided to go back because that was just some place where they would lure people in and then kill them and we wanted to warn everyone. But there were lots more hags and lots and lots more fishpeople, and it was really hard to get out! But we did, and they kept coming after us, and so we went back in. And we got there, and we went past these huge doors which are like three stories tall and there is a totally huge throne at the other end of the room. And you know who's sitting there? A dragon!"
[20:59] <Kotono> "Dangerous,"Marianne appends, "A dragon! My, that's a new one..." She considers a few moments, "Was it a trap to enrich it's hoard? That sounds like something adragon would do."
[20:59] <Veserya> "Yes, but you usually expect them to lie on piles of gold, not sit on thrones..."
[21:01] <Kotono> "Perhaps it was a golden throne?" Marianne banters back after more wine.
[21:02] <Veserya> "That would be very majestic," the elf agrees reasonably.
[21:03] <Aaeru> Aaeru nods at Marianne. "Yeah, that's pretty much it. He made this whole speech about how he liked lying to people and then killing them and taking their things, and we told him we would stop him! Janson -- he's Sylvie's boyfriend that she went to get back -- he attacked the dragon right away, but the dragon was ready because the doors slammed shut and water started, like, pouring in and all the hags we fought before were brought back from the dead, just like that! So we had to fight them again, and the dwarves were kinda short so they almost drowned and while Janson and the others were attacking the dragon I tried to draw the hags to me so I flew up and I punched the doors right at the top and I punched it really hard and on the fourth time they broke down and all the water started rushing out in this huge torrent! And the dragon was surprised and yelled, 'You haven't seen my full power!' and breahed on me and I almost died but that was the last thing it did! Because it was such a show off all the time when he decided to, like, get serious he was already wounded and really close to us so we all took him down!"
[21:06] <Veserya> "A thrilling battle," Veserya nods her head up and down, savouring the tale. "An a fine moral of the dragon being hoist by its own petard, to boot. I approve!"
[21:07] * Aaeru giggles. "I probably shouldn't say it, but Sylvie found some letters after, and it sounded like he was writing to this female dragon and kept talking about his hoard and-- what's the word? Oh, right. Totally exaggerating its size, yeah?"
[21:07] <Kotono> "Very thrilling," Marianne nods along with it in tune to Veserya, "I approve of it as well."
[21:08] <Kotono> "Hahahhahaa!" Marianne breaks into laughter, hiding it with her hand. "Oh my, that's just so perfect. He was THAT sort of man, was he?"
[21:08] <Aaeru> "I really didn't check but Sylvie's really good at appraisal!"
[21:10] <Veserya> "Awww..." Veserya's expression slips into one of maudlin sappiness. "Even a dragon understands love. Now I feel bad for him... if only he'd been honest to the other dragon and not gone so far to increase his hoard, things might have been better..."
[21:11] <Aaeru> "I guess, but we really couldn't leave it there to, like, kill people, right? Because all sorts of really hard-working monks would come there to train in their style and then they'd all just be tricked!"
[21:13] <Veserya> "He got what he deserved, I won't argue," the elf nods, draining the rest of her wine morosely. "But isn't it harder to hate someone you know is capable of feeling love?"
[21:14] * Aaeru shakes her head. "I didn't hate him. I hated what he was, like, doing, I guess. But I think the only person I ever hated was Senaril."
[21:14] <Kotono> "No, when he meant to kill you," Marianne gives Veserya a long look, a pause, "So you really loathed Senaril that much? At least you have good tastes in hate."
[21:15] * Aaeru sighs. "I know I shouldn't, but I can't help myself. She's just really horrible."
[21:20] <Kotono> With that Marianne drains the rest of the bottle down, "Let's go, the rain's stopped and we can discuss more cheerful things on the way. Do you all want a bottle for the trip?"
[21:21] <Veserya> "She certainly sounds horrible... I'm fortunate not to have met her, although I wish I could have been here to help anyway," Veserya shrugs and gets up, nodding to Marianne. She paid for the last two so if Marianne wants to cover this one it's fine with her.
[21:22] <Aaeru> "Cheerful things?" Aaeru tilts her head. "Why not?" She follows Veserya to her feet. "If we're gonna see Balyss I could tell you about the festival I visited. Hey, Neve sang at that one! Maybe she'll do it again when we go again?"
[21:23] <Veserya> "Neve is the fey you mentioned, yes?" Veserya confirms as they start towards the door.
[21:23] <Kotono> Marianne gets a bottle of strong wine, uncorked and taking a drink from it. She passes it along as you head outside...
[21:23] * Aaeru nods enthusiastically. "We live in this cove close to Balmuria. You can come visit if you want! Or stay, if you don't have a place."
[21:30] <Kotono> It's a long walk, but wine and company make it pass quickly. The giggles come over the girls as they proceed, the bottle mostly gone by the time they stumble onto Moonholm. The gates open, a short man with a breastplate emblazoned with a crescent moon. "You have business in Moonholm," he says, sniffing. "Or are you here looking for a revel?"
[21:31] <Aaeru> "Tell Balyss Aaeru says hi!" Aaeru brightly announces to the guard. "I want her to meet my new friend!"
[21:33] <Veserya> "Hello!" Veserya carols in elven, beaming at him before she blushes and straightens her posture, speaking in more formal common, "Greetings," she amends with a faint rosy blush.
[21:36] <Kotono> At this the short man's face lights up, "Oh Aaeru! We've met before, back during that whole Paskan Grove business. Palasu," With a polite nod to the other two, "Early start to celebration today? Anyway, come on in."
[21:36] <Aaeru> "Thanks!" Aaeru giggles. "That's Marianne and that's Veserya!" she adds, pointing out her companions.
[21:38] <Kotono> "It's a pleasure," Marianne flashes a smile, Palasu for some reason stopping and going a little pale. He turns away quickly, shaking his head. "Nice to meet the two of you."
[21:41] * Veserya giggles at the reaction to Marianne's friendly gesture. "Charmed!" she returns happily, heading through the gate.
[21:42] * Aaeru is all too happy to follow!
[21:43] <Kotono> You are lead inside. Through quiet hallways of a fortress, to one room in particular. "Balyss is in there," Palasu grins a moment, starting to hurry away at a good pace. He waves, "Just let yourselves in."
[21:43] * Veserya lets Aaeru do the honours, lingering by Marianne. "Do you often get those reactions?" she asks quietly.
[21:44] * Aaeru walks right in, of course!
[21:46] <Kotono> "Many can find me quite terrifying," Marianne says! Ahead is a room. It's a bedroom. There's a small bed, a dresser with a few drawers open, clothes glimpsed inside. A set of heavy armor lies on her bed. Another wall has a wall mounted mirror, with various little, feminine things all about. Balyss is there, her hair up in a towel. The rest of her clothing isn't, as she whipturns, "What do
[21:46] <Kotono> you think...!? Ack!" In a golden flash she's at the dresser, a robe thrown on in a split second, "OUT! I'M GETTING DRESSED IN HERE! CLOSE THE DOOR!"
[21:48] <Aaeru> Giggling, Aaeru does just that. "I think we got tricked!" she announces to Marianne and Veserya.
[21:49] <Kotono> Marianne can't seem to help but giggle as well, stepping backa nd out of sight, "How juvenile. Not what I expected here at all."
[21:49] * Veserya is glad she's not at the door to receive Balyss's feminine ire, but also somewhat disappointed not to see whatever Aaeru must have seen. "That's not very nice!" she glances back down the way Palasu went. "I think he needs some terror in his life after all..."
[21:50] * Aaeru can't help but break into giggles anew at Veserya's words.
[21:52] <Kotono> Marianne giggles yet more, "Perhaps we can after we discuss things with Balyss." After a few moments the door opens. Balyss is there, clad in a long, moonlight-silver robe and with her hair still up in it's towel. "Nice to see you, but what's so urgent that you came into my room...and..." A sniff, "Have you three been drinking? I smell wine."
[21:53] <Aaeru> "That Palasu guy, like, told us to walk right in," Aaeru instaltly says, raising her hands in surrender.
[21:54] <Veserya> "What better way to get to know new friends than over a drink?" Veserya asks, smiling at the aasimar. "Veserya Desjardin, a pleasure to meet you!"
[22:03] <Kotono> "So that's how you want to play it, Palasu," Balyss mutters darkly, before looking up. "Nice to meet you. Come in." She steps back, "I have some applejack if you're drinking right now."
[22:04] <Aaeru> "Veserya is my newest friend!" Aaeru announces, placing her arm around the elf's shoulders. "She wanted to meet you!"
[22:04] <Kotono> Marianne matches that gesture, another arm over the elf's shoulders, "She's most delightful and cultured!"
[22:08] * Veserya is happy to be embraced in the spirit of loving camaradarie. "Even if Empress Sulia wasn't a cultured goddess, I come from a cultured family!" she nods obligingly. "Decades of finishing school, more decades of working in Pallanth's highest courts! And a couple of decades roughing it up fighting to keep heroes alive against overwhelming odds!" she rattles off her resume.
[22:09] <Kotono> Balyss steps back, "Make yourselves comfortable," she invites, going back to where she was sitting, "Sounds like you've had a good career so far. So what brings you here?"
[22:15] <Veserya> "Well, people go their own ways over time," Veserya doesn't extricate herself from Marianne and Aaeru but maneuvers nonetheless towards a seat, "Triss went off to preach up in the frozen North, Kivan and Holyleaf wanted to spend a century raising a family, Jellica wanted to retire and open a restaurant, and Teyala..." her expression falls a moment, not completing that sentence. "But Triss
[22:15] <Veserya> told me about stories she'd heard about Aaeru here!" she gives the blonde a squeeze, "A devoted servant of Ilmater, asking nothing for herself, always fighting against overwhelming evil to make the world better! But suffering the pains of loss herself. And I thought to myself that my talents could be really useful to her! So I packed up and came to Balmuria just this morning, and found her
[22:15] <Veserya> almost straight away, tending to the wounded in your city's Old Quarter!"
[22:17] <Aaeru> "We, like, totally drifted close!" Aaeru agrees, nodding for good measure. "It was fate or something!"
[22:24] <Kotono> Marianne ends up sitting besides Veserya, letting her arm fall away. "Indeed, it does seem fated that we're together."
[22:25] <Kotono> Balyss smiles and listens to the entire thing, "Pleasure to meet you, then. Empress Sulia...she's the martyr mother, as I remember?"
[22:28] <Veserya> "That's right," the elf smiles and nods. "A goddess who favours and rewards martyrs as much as compassionate nobility. I come from a noble family, but as far as martyrs go I want nothing more than to keep them from dying even while giving everything else for what's right." Her expression turns grim and serious, despite the faint flush of tipsiness on her face, "Two decades ago, when the dead
[22:28] <Veserya> struck at the Citadel of Light, seeing brave elves lay down their lives to protect me is when I swore I would do everything I could to keep such sacrifices from happening in the future."
[22:29] <Kotono> "Oooh, THAT incident," Balyss smiles a moment at that, "My father told me stories about that day. He was in this realm when it happened."
[22:32] <Veserya> "In this realm?" Veserya cocks her head and regards the silver-haired and golden-skinned woman, "Normally when someone says that I'd think it means their father has passed on and offer my condolences, but with you I'm not so sure..."
[22:36] <Kotono> "My father came from Above." Balyss even looks up to add emphasis, and after a moment, goes to her dresser. From a drawer full of silky unmentionables a brown bottle is extracted, as well as a few little thimble glasses. She pours for everyone, presenting them out. "For whatever reason I was only born as an aasimar and not a half blooded celestial."
[22:37] * Aaeru could hardly refuse a drink like this! "So, like, your dad showed up to help and then, uh, met your mom?"
[22:38] <Kotono> "Oh, the timing works out," Marianne murmurs and takes the drink as well. It tastes of apples with a boozy, sweet aftertaste. "Yes, I know several celestial touched children in Balmuria can trace their parentage back to that time."
[22:39] <Veserya> "That night was a revelation for many in just how actively the heavens marshalled themselves to lend direct aid against the undead plague," Veserya nods, accepting the beverage and taking a long sip. "The First Temple of the Seldarine was a beacon for many in the Citadel of Light during that dark eve."
[22:40] <Kotono> "In essence, yes. He's come a time or two since then, but he has responsibilities," Balyss explains as she sips her own drink, "But did you come just to find out my family history?"
[22:41] * Aaeru shrugs. "Sure? It's nice to know you better!"
[22:43] <Veserya> "We're all sharing, aren't we?" the elf agrees. "Really Aaeru and Marianne are just showing me around... there was something about practicing with quarterstaves, but it'd be pointless now," she shrugs happily. "A revel, on the other hand..."
[22:46] <Kotono> "There's not one today most likely, but that doesn't mean we can't have some drinks and think about one," Balyss grins at that, draining her drinka nd refilling. "This stuff is really strong, by the way. Normally applejack isn't strong stuff, but I had this specially made. Anyway," Sipping her new shot of it, "Well...My father visits once every few years. Though strangely, it was my mother
[22:46] <Kotono> who got me into the Lunatics."
[22:47] <Aaeru> "Oh, really? She's one too?"
[22:48] <Kotono> "Not quite," That gets an amused look back, "But she's always like nighttime and looking at Selune, and always had me doing it. After awhile, I got curious about the moon, and started reading. From there I ended up in a local chapter and the rest is history."
[22:49] * Veserya does feel quite buzzed after her first sip, it has to be admitted. Still, she takes another, smaller, one. "The moon is very romantic on a clear night," she agrees warmly.
[22:50] <Kotono> "Yes. Selune also glows over the darkness, providing protection to anyone who sets out against those who live in the darkness of the night. No matter how horrible the things that hide in the shadows, Selune is always above."
[22:50] <Aaeru> "I like watching the stars more," Aaeru muses, taking a very generous sip, "but the moon's pretty nice too, when you can't sleep and just want to watch the sky."
[22:50] <Kotono> "Mmmm..." Marianne's own sips are conservative, "A romatic, protective voyeur?" She says, raising an eyebrow, "I confess, when I think of Lathander or Selune watching from above, I find it mildly disconcerting."
[22:51] * Aaeru snickers.
[22:52] <Veserya> "Don't worry, I'm sure by now they've seen enough to not bat an eye at anything we do!" Veserya reassures Marianne.
[22:52] <Kotono> "Indeed," Marianne smirks, "Considering the reputation the Lunatics have, I'm sure she's seen everything that happens in those revels."
[22:53] <Kotono> Balyss coughs and reddens just a little bit, "That wasn't quite what I meant! We celebrate life and joy, but you don't have to be like THAT about it!" Her voice picks up a bit of sternness, "Selune is is the Holy Mother of the sky, the Moonmaiden. Emphasis on MAIDEN." Clearing her throat and starting to chuckle, "But hell, those revels do get wild sometimes...'
[22:55] <Aaeru> "So she just watches the girls?"
[22:55] <Veserya> "Well the Empress of Love isn't shy about those things if anyone wants to come to *my* revel!" Veserya giggles hotly, knocking back the rest of her drink and letting out a contented sigh afterwards.
[22:56] <Kotono> "If I didn'tk now better, I'd say you were talking about Sharess," Marianne giggles as well, drinking yet more. Her eyes are a little hazy after that, smiling at nothing at all. "I could use a good man in my life...but knowing men, I'll settle for one that's at least entertaininga nd doesn't get in the way."
[22:57] <Kotono> Balyss clears her throat and follows it up with a drink, "We aren't Sharessians or Syalans," With a slightly sterner look, "We don't really want THAT exact type of reputation. Revels are fine. Being pleasure-hounds and sex priests are not fine."
[22:58] <Veserya> "Empress Sulia lives in Brightwater along with Sune and Sharess... Waukeen and Hanali Celani, too!" the elf asserts brightly, though at Baylss's protests she tones it down a notch, "Waukeen isn't romantic in the least either, is she?"
[22:58] <Aaeru> "We like you just like you are!" Aaeru assures Balyss, reaching out to pat her knee.
[23:00] <Kotono> "Waukeen is the odd one out," Balyss says, freshening drinks for all, "Maybe she's just a slut?" After a beat she groans, "I shouldn't blaspheme like that." After sipping again, "Empress Sulia is closer to Sharess then?"
[23:02] <Kotono> "Today's lovely observation," Marianne laughs anew, "Well, as long as you don't get smited by golden lightning I think you're safe. I daresay I've said worse about some Gods and I'm still here. It's not like you worship her."
[23:02] <Veserya> Veserya's eyes widen at Balyss's profanity. "You really shouldn't!" she agrees earnestly. "But no, not really. Sharess is very focused on physical and sensual intimacy. When Empress Sulia talks about love, She means *love*. Romantic love - She's even more reserved than Lady Firehair in that sense, though admittedly not by much. You can't embody love and be uptight, after all."
[23:04] <Kotono> "More like real love and just bump and grind then?" Balyss murmurs, "I met a Sharessian once. I didn't thinks he was worth much - half the time she was lazing around as a cat, the other half she was trying to seduce anything that caught her interest. Forgive me if I'm a little wary. So...how so? Finding romance, sort of?"
[23:09] <Veserya> "Well, honestly? As it was the first thing I mentioned, I care more about the martyrdom and nobility aspects of Empress Sulia," Veserya admits, holding out her empty glass hopefully. "But I try to help love grow wherever I can - matchmaking, counselling, weddings, that sort of thing. If you're asking about my own loves, though..." she grins and rubs her left ear up its pointed length, "A Lady must keep her secrets!"

[Corwin]

[19:52] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "Of course. To kiss and tell is," A drink follows from Balyss, as Marianne smoothly cuts in, "It is absolutely disgraceful...unless it's worth sharing."
[19:53] * Aaeru blinks in confusion, before drowning it with alcohol and asking, "So it's supposed to be, like, secret? You should hide who you're dating and stuff?"
[19:54] * Veserya laughs at that addendum to the end. "Well, it's doubtful you'd care much about my former lovers back home. We'll just have to see if Balmuria provides any useful fodder for gossip." Then to avoid any confusion for Aaeru she turns to the blonde, "No, it needn't always be a secret, Aaeru, but it always depends on the situation. For some, discretion is preferred, for others there's no
[19:54] * Veserya reason not to shout it from the rooftops. One must always judge the situation first, though."
[19:55] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "Indeed." Marianne agrees with a knowing look at Aaeru, "Lyris cares little for who knows what man she is dating. I myself prefer slightly more..." she drawls on it a moment, "Discretion. It's a matter of higher breeding and restraint."
[19:56] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "I was going to say it's a lot of fun," Balyss grumps lightly and takes another shot, putting her glass down after that, "With the right people, the right amount of drink in you, the right mood...
[19:56] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "
[19:57] <Aaeru> "Really?" Aaeru asks curiously. "I'm supposed to talk a lot about that sorta stuff because I'm, like, from a farm? And it's a lot of fun?"
[19:58] <Veserya> "Mystery is an asset," Veserya nods seriously. "For example, a man might look upon Marianne and me intrigued by her talents, perhaps wishing to take on the challenge himself of satisfying all her deepest desires. But to say for example Lyris - if my understanding here is correct, if it were widely known that she has taken a great many lovers in the past and discarded them just as easily, a
[19:58] <Veserya> potential lover might be put off there, afraid of being discarded as well, or worried about not matching up to all her previous lovers."
[19:59] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "Mmm yes, Veserya grasps the point," Marianne nods, "What women doesn't have her secrets and allure? A man who knows everything about you becomes bored, after all. Romance is a quest and a battle."
[20:00] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "On the other hand, for someone like Lyris?" Balyss pipes up for this, eyeing the bottle and then shrugging, pouring another shot, "Sounds like it's about the physical parts and satisfaction. Such a man-eater from the sounds of it!"
[20:01] <Veserya> "A Sharessian at heart?" Veserya wonders aloud. "I'm curious to meet her, now!"
[20:02] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> Marianne laughs, "It's not quite that," Holding her glass out for a refill, as giggles take her before she composes herself amid a sip of applejack, "Lyris is to the point and holds nothing back. No man yet has been able to keep up with that combination and random, sometimes prolonged absences due to work."
[20:05] <Veserya> "She should try an elf, then. We're nothing if not patient!" Veserya laughs herself, taking a slug of her own recently refreshed glass. "Ahh, I suppose we also like to dance around things a lot, too... that's part of being patient, though."
[20:05] <Aaeru> "Or a wizard!" Aaeru pipes up. "Because he could, like talk to her with magic and maybe even, like, teleport around to see her if he wants to!"
[20:06] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "Mmmhmm. She dated at elf once. It did not go well," Marianne reflects on that silently for a few moments, "I was there for the breakup. He called her a hyperactive bitch-whore and slapped her." A beat, "He wasn't even one of those male elves that looks like a woman. They drove each other quite crazy despite some passion."
[20:07] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "Magic is the great romantic aid?" Balyss laughs, "Now you sound like that Sharessian I mentioned."
[20:07] <Aaeru> "Magic is great! For everything!" Aaeru agrees, before looking properly horrified at Marianne's description of a typical suitor for Lyris.
[20:07] <Veserya> "Oh!" Veserya gasps at Marianne's story. "Not a credit to my people, then. There's being passionate and being petulant, and that's by far the latter."
[20:09] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "Oh yes. To be fair," Marianne reflects as she drinks, closing her eyes as a curious little smile blooms on her face, "She called him a twig dicked fop that was more interested in poetry than her body, and that he should go hump a tree instead." After another pause to reflect on that further, "I had to pay her fine to get her out of jail after that incident."
[20:10] <Aaeru> "Someone hit her and she's the one who, like, went to jail?!" Aaeru exclaims, leaping to her feet. "That's just wrong! Where was that? Was it here? Here in the city, here?"
[20:11] <Veserya> Tutting and shaking her head, "If he just composed poetry *about* her body I'm sure it would be fi- oh. Yes, Aaeru is right, that is odd."
[20:11] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "It's not like she just took the slap," Marianne grins at that, "Do you think she just stood there like a weeping maiden and moped?"
[20:12] <Veserya> "Say no more," Veserya smiles softly, indulging in some more applejack.
[20:12] <Aaeru> Deflating, Aaeru decides she doesn't want to hear the rest of that story and refills her glass, following Veserya's example.
[20:14] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "That is a bad breakup," Balyss murmurs, refilling drinks all around. "So is Neveril your first, Aaeru?"
[20:14] <Aaeru> "We didn't break up!" Aaeru protests instantly. "And I didn't go to jail!"
[20:15] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "I mean your first relationship," Balyss corrects as she snickers, "Your first relationship, not breakup!"
[20:16] <Aaeru> "Oh! Yeah, totally," Aaeru agrees just as readily, finishing yet another glass of applejack. "I don't really care about other people that way but she's different!"
[20:16] <Veserya> "What's different about her?" Veserya asks curiously with her head cocked facing the blonde, wondering what Aaeru's type will be.
[20:17] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "So wait," Balyss cocks her head at the same time, "You mean, you like men and Neveril or...?"
[20:20] <Aaeru> "I mean I never really bothered with, like, all this stuff? I think it was a pain to my folks, but I can't, like, help not caring about anyone they tried to set me up with?" Aaeru shrugs. "And I dunno what's different about her. It's not like I really cared about any nymphs we saw, even the not horrible ones. Maybe it's because we lived together for like really a lot first?"
[20:21] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "Maybe it's a fey thing?" Balyss considers as she drains her class. Her cheeks are turning rosy as she sits back, apleasured sigh escaping. "Mmm, I've heard that when a fey finds a soulmate, they're destined to be together."
[20:22] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "Rubbish," Marianne clicks her tongue at that, "Soulmates are just lazy, wishful thinking by people who can't find someone to love, and can't live without them."
[20:22] <Aaeru> "Maybe I'm fey too, like really secret-like!" Aaeru happily suggests. "When I meet them, like, they say I feel a lot familiar!"
[20:23] <Veserya> "Well, you're young yet, though it's strange not to experiment a bit when you were starting to develop," Veserya makes a vague gesture over her chest. "Not unheard of, though..." She sways her hand at the developing argument, "Anyone can fall in love, really, it all depends on circumstances. No harm in calling it soulmates after the fact."
[20:24] <Aaeru> "And you really can have them," Aaeru adds, "because if you, like, die, then you can totally find each other again! But you won't know it's you because you don't have your memories or anything so it's just your soul and you're, like, mates, so soulmates!"
[20:26] <Veserya> "Well yes, but that's because of experiences built up together over your life, not something determined before you were born?" Veserya then suggests, taking a hearty sip of Applejack and smiling happily. "What about you, Balyss, since kissing and telling is so fun?"
[20:26] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "Whatever makes you happy," Balyss says, "I can't comprehend how you'd like a woman, though. I mean...men seem to love these," A pointed look down at her chest, "And they're just so boring. It's not like they're anything new." After that Balyss starts and blushes a little more, her red cheeks glowing, "Weeelllllll..."
[20:27] <Veserya> "Oh, Balyss! If you think they're boring you clearly haven't had the right men playing with them!" Veserya blurts out, before blushing and sinking back into her seat. "Uh, but lets hear your story?"
[20:29] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> Marianne starts snickering loudly at that, Balyss clearing her throat and speaking. "R-right! Selunites aren't chaste unless we want to pursue that particular path. So most of us have lives and loves...and including within the chapter. No matter how much we're not supposed to..." A lingering smile crosses her face, "You saw Palasu there?"
[20:30] <Veserya> "Oh?" the elf smiles crookedly, recalling the little prank he played on their way in and wondering how that fits in with their love life.
[20:34] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "We dated. It didn't last long." She sighs, "I liked him, but he saw me like a little sister and called it off. Since then he's treated me just like that...even to the point of pranks like that." A full shot followers, a sad little smile showing, "It's too bad. I don't even look at short men normally, but something about him just..." She waves her empty glass about, "I don't know, he just
[20:34] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> has it. He's so confident, and the way he smiles...and his eyes..."
[20:35] <Aaeru> "I... don't think you should do that sorta stuff with your sister?"
[20:35] <Veserya> "Little sister? Hmph... that doesn't sound likely," Veserya frowns thoughtfully. "What was that you said about you not supposed to have relationships with other Selunites, though? That doesn't sound right to me... maybe he just used the sister thing as an excuse to keep out of trouble if it's a real rule?"
[20:36] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> Balyss facepalms, "But I'm NOT his sister, he just saw me like that!" After a long sigh, "It's an official rule. It's usually ignored, but it is there. I asked, he said that wasn't it. He just didn't see me like that."
[20:37] * Aaeru blinks. "So... he didn't see you like that after, like, sleeping with you?"
[20:37] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "Move on then. Go find good men of taste and have innuendo tinged conversations until you find one you like," Marianne says with a slightly flushed smile, "Or follow Lyris' example and get drunk and bed a few 'till you find a keeper, or you're a mother."
[20:38] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "We never even slept together," Balyss says, "It never quite got that far."
[20:38] <Veserya> "It sounds like the sort of rule you'd hear about in a Helmite place, not Selune... Empress Sulia certainly doesn't have one like that!" Veserya exclaims, giggling afterwards and blushing visibly before she composes herself. "But yes, it soulds altogether strange. We ought to either get him to start seeing you as a woman or find you someone else even better, Balyss!"
[20:40] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "Mmm." Balyss closes her eyes and leans back heavily, staring up at the ceiling after opening them. "I could just serve Selune, I don't need a relationship...I don't need Palasu..." Her voice drops quieter as she speaks, before she exhales loudly, "Oh, who the hell am I kidding?" She sits up and takes the bottle, a long drink from it. "One or the other, yes. I revere Selune with all my heart,
[20:40] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> but I'm a woman too!"
[20:41] <Veserya> "If nothing else, Selune wants you to have children who can worship Her, too!" Veserya adds supprotively.
[20:42] <Aaeru> "Hey, Balyss, wanna come look for great guys with us?" Aaeru decides to offer. "We're already, like, looking for someone for Lyris. So we can do it for you too!"
[20:43] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "You know, despite that logic, the Gods seem quite content with women forging relationships." Marianne gives Veserya a sidelong look, "I would think they would oppose it for exactly that reason. If not chaste, homosexual followers would detract from the pool of devout."
[20:45] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "Sure, why not?" Balyss says, "I'm half in the bag, and you guys are all the way there." Balyss stretches and takes another swig from the applejack bottle, "Got any ideas?"
[20:45] <Veserya> "It's more important for existing worshippers to be happy than to worry about hypotheticals who might never exist," Veserya retorts. "If Neveril is Aaeru's one and only, what good depriving her if she's never going to end up with a man anyway? And as Aaeru said earlier..." she lowers her voice, "There's magic for everything." She does her best but can't quite keep from grinning.
[20:46] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> Marianne's eyebrow goes up as her color turns distinctly green. "I daresay that I've heard the bawdy stories of that. I find the entire concept to make my skin crawl."
[20:47] <Aaeru> "Bar or temple, right?" Aaeru tells Balyss, blissfully ignorant of Marianne at the moment. "That's where you find men?"
[20:48] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "That or at the bottom of a scroll of shape changing," Balyss rises and stretches, "I say bar. What the hell, let's go hunting and wonder who's bed we're gonna wake up with a hangover in!"
[20:48] <Veserya> "Your face matches your hair!" Veserya giggles, reaching up to pat said viridian tresses. "If it helps you sleep at night, imagine a cherub comes from heaven to deposit a baby in a woman's belly without any tawdriness," she suggests, before pausing and tapping her chin, "Oh, wait, that doesn't work if it's two men..."
[20:50] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "Oh that," Balyss says, "I heard," A suddenly wicked grin comes onto her face "That if the magic is used, the baby grows in their stomach and comes out of their..." she gestures down below. "Isn't that an strange idea?"
[20:50] <Aaeru> "Let's go hit a bar!" Aaeru suggests, remaining ignorant of that particular conversation by an unnatural stroke of luck.
[20:51] * Veserya makes a face. "Very... but the strangest part is I'm just now remembering when I was a young girl and my nanny explained the facts of life to me, I thought the reality was just as strange. Hmmm..." she hums thoughtfully, getting up at Aaeru's suggestion.
[20:51] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> Red and green battle on Marianne's face, green eventually winning out. A hand goes to her mouth as she gurgles, eyes squinting tight! After a moment of this she exhales, "You sound quite knowledgeable about this," she says tn no one in particular.
[20:52] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "Oh yes, I got the talk from my mother," Balyss says, "I thought there was no way I'd bleed if I wasn't hurt, or that I'd get fat if I fell in love with a man. The truth is often the strangest thing of all."
[20:54] <Aaeru> "Mom told me all about that too," Aaeru agrees, frowning after. "She told me about it a few times. I think she kinda thought I didn't get it?"
[20:55] <Veserya> "When you live for centuries you tend to pick up a lot," Veserya breezily tells Marianne, though she giggles at Aaeru's words. "Considering what you said before, maybe she was trying to drop hints to get you to experiment with some strapping local boys?"
[20:56] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "Mmm-hmm. If a country girl like you got in a family way, wedding bells would come the moment your dresses didn't fit," Balyss leads the party out of Moonholm, into the gloom of the day.
[20:56] * Aaeru giggles. "I just got really bored. I get now why she looked so excited at first, but then just stopped."
[21:00] <Veserya> "I'll be relying on you local girls to pick out a good place for us," Veserya says as they leave the Selunite fort, "Any near here or do we have to go back into the city proper?"
[21:01] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> Marianne flies along, her course slightly erratic. She flies along with a grin replacing her old sickness, "Yes, men that bore you must be swiftly discarded. There is nothing so poisonous as some oaf who wooes you while you would rather be doing anything but."
[21:02] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "Ah, ah, ah," Balyss says, "I know a good spot out here. There's a 1 mark charge to get in, but it covers your first drink and a snack. It's supposed to keep out the idiots."
[21:02] <Aaeru> "It'll totally keep me out," Aaeru says sadly. "Does that, like, make me an idiot?"
[21:03] <Veserya> A woman of Veserya's standing certainly has no troubles with such a fee, but Aaeru tugs at her social conscience after the fact. "Yes, 1 mark isn't a small amount for a lot of people. It must be quite exclusive."
[21:06] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "Well yeah, that's true," Balyss rubs her chin, "C'mon, we'll go to a place in the New City without a cover charge. It's a themed bar and they're open early."
[21:06] <Aaeru> "Okay!" Aaeru agrees, immediately perking up.
[21:07] <Veserya> "Off we go, then!" Veserya happily skips along, looking up at Marianne who's thankfully flying low enough to avoid upskirts, "Is flying easier than walking for you?"
[21:07] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> roll 1d100
[21:07] * Hatbot --> "Infinite_Ko_Loop rolls 1d100 and gets 39." [1d100=39]
[21:08] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "It is," Marianne says, lying on her back in the air as she floats, dress keeping down and her modesty intact. She just has a big, drunken grin on her face, "I do say, it's like drifting on the breath of angels. You just have to know exactly how to terrify the natural force of gravity to do it."
[21:09] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "I wasn't aware natural forces had feelings," Balyss grins as she walks along, whistling a little off-tune.
[21:09] <Aaeru> "She sounds like she's kinda drunk," Aaeru confides in Balyss, dissolving into giggles afterwards.
[21:11] <Veserya> "That must be just how terrifying she is!" Veserya laughs herself. "But now I'm even more curious. Is there something you say to threaten it, or is it a matter of glaring at it just right?"
[21:13] <Aaeru> "Hey, there's a thought!" Aaeru suddenly exclaims. "If you can, like, scare gravity into stuff, can you seduce it instead?"
[21:13] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "I did it a long time ago," Marianne giggles, the people walking about giving the drunken, partially flying women a wide berth and several looks. "It was just like imposing my will on it, like kneading clay into a compliant shape." Her voice becomes a little more distant, "When I had that power, reality itself felt malleable. The power of a Queen, the power of to change the world to my whim!
[21:13] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> I remember bits of it, how reality itself serves your will."
[21:14] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> At that Marianne's reverie is snapped, suddenly laughing, "Gravity isn't a man! It's just gravity!"
[21:15] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> Balyss listens but breaks into laughs at that, "Aaeru, that's terrible!""
[21:16] <Veserya> "That sounds like a story," Veserya hums, looking up at Marianne, "But one for another day. Today is a day for new meetings and romance, after all, not maudlin memories." So nodding, she can't help but add, "Besides, she obviously scared gravity into leaving her alone. If she seduced it she wouldn't be able to do so much as jump an inch into the air!"
[21:21] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> With that the foursome makes it back to the New City. The guards on station give the four a look. One sniffs the air, "Bit early in the day for that, isn't it?"
[21:22] <Aaeru> "This is, like, our new friend!" Aaeru introduces Veserya, grinning at them. "We're very friendly!"
[21:22] <Veserya> "It's evening in Pallanth," Veserya retorts, drawing herself up indignantly.
[21:24] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "Sure, sure. It's not my business," he says, "As long as you don't make trouble. Who cares if you're drunk just barely past noon?"
[21:24] <Aaeru> "If it's evening there now," Aaeru asks Veserya, focusing on her words, "then what's there when it's evening here?"
[21:25] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "Niiiight?" Balyss grins, "In the name of Selune and the Moon, I give us permission to be drunk, day, night or any time in between!" Sauntering forward, "It's our sacred duty to revel in the name of the Moonmaiden."
[21:26] <Veserya> "Night, of course!" Veserya replies. "Just whatever time it is now, add a few hours and that's the time in Pallanth. Really, I had lunch right before I came to Balmuria, and then I saw people having breakfast!" she marvels, moving past the mean spirited guardsmen.
[21:26] <Aaeru> "That's so weird! So, like, do you sleep when it's night there, or when it's night here?"
[21:28] * Veserya stops and fixes Aaeru with a deadly serious look. "Elves don't sleep." Holding that for a moment longer she's all smiles again and continues after Balyss.
[21:29] <Aaeru> "Oh, wow! But, like, aren't you bored when you're up but everyone else's, like, asleep?"
[21:29] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "So what do you do after..." Balyss lets it trail off, "Just lie there awhile?"
[21:31] <Veserya> "We meditate for a few hours, it serves about the same purpose as sleeping does so I understand," Veserya explains breezily. "It just means we have longer to be active - if nobody else sleeps it's not like you have to be up on your own... oh!" she then turns towards Balyss after taking her meaning, "Well yes, we do. It's a good time to cuddle!"
[21:33] <Aaeru> "Can you teach me?" Aaeru asks the elf, taking Veserya's hands in her own. "I really want to train myself and, like, stop sleeping!"
[21:35] <Veserya> "Oh?" the elf blinks, "I'm not sure it can be taught, but... well, I suppose if I'm living among humans I'll have time to kill at night after all, so why not?"
[21:36] <Aaeru> "Great! Thanks!" Aaeru exclaims, bouncing in excitement. "I'll practice really hard!"

[Corwin]

[20:18] <Kotono> On you goto the bar. It's a tucked away building near the coastline and the western wall, not too far from the Wonderworks. The front door to it is ajar, a man standing just outside it. He's a thin man with a vaguely pleasant look on his face, whistling as he keeps an eye out.
[20:19] <Aaeru> "Hiiii~!" Aaeru greets the nice, whistling man. "Are you open? You're open, right? The door's open, so that means yes?"
[20:20] <Kotono> "Sure is," he says with a smile, "Now be careful..." The man's voice lowers into a whisper, "Within this building is a terrible creature, a basilisk! It's lair is inside...but as long as you're not afraid you won't get turned to stone."
[20:21] <Veserya> "A basilisk?" Veserya blinks and turns to Balyss. "This is a very strange tavern!"
[20:21] * Aaeru hits her fist against her chest, insisting, "Sure thing! I'm not afraid of nothing!"
[20:22] <Kotono> Balyss matches that with a grin, and in a loud stage whisper, "It's harmless, it's eyes have been neutralized. It's just the bar's style."
[20:24] <Veserya> "Well, so long as it's not cruel or anything..." Veserya allows, settling down and heading inside.
[20:24] * Aaeru barely avoid stumbling into Veserya, heading in after her and quite eager to prove her fearlessness!
[20:26] <Kotono> Heading inside, you find all the tables about to be carved of gray stone. The chairs all look soft, colored a dull brown. There's no proper bar, but there is a fireplace. A few people are about here and there, drinking. At a roaring fireplace it lies. It's about five feet long and rather fat looking, all dull brown scales as it rests before the warmth. Most of the groups are drinking up and
[20:26] <Kotono> having fun, though one group is being accosted by a fat man in golden robes, adorned with lucky symbols. As you look, a lanky, scarred, middle aged man comes forth. He has long, slightly greasy black hair, walking with a bit of a limp. "Ladies," he says with a nod, "Have you come looking to tame the dread basilisk?"
[20:26] <Kotono> Balyss giggles at that, "I think Aaeru has!" she calls, "Give us a round of the house ale to start, too."
[20:27] <Aaeru> "I'm, like, not afraid!" Aaeru affirms, nodding for good measure.
[20:28] <Veserya> "It looks plenty tame already, I think..." Veserya glances at the overweight reptile. At least she can't have concerns about it being poorly fed... "But a drink, that sounds more like it to me!"
[20:28] <Kotono> "There's only one way the basilisk can be tamed! It's by a beautiful woman," A nod at Aaeru at that, "Taming the wild beast with a kiss on it's scaly hide! Only the bravest women have the guts to do it! Plus, those that are so brave get the first round on the house!"
[20:29] <Kotono> The lizard turns it's gaze over to the women. Oh, it looks at you...for a moment each of you is sure you feel yourselves stiffening up, but it passes as it's gaze stays on you.
[20:29] * Aaeru blinks. "So, like, lots of women kissed it?"
[20:30] <Veserya> "Maybe one day a princess will kiss it and it'll turn into a handsome prince?" Veserya titters, going to find a table to fit them all at.
[20:30] <Kotono> There's no answer as the man steps forward. "Everyone! We have a brave, beautiful woman who will tame the basilisk!" At this attention turns to the group, as Veserya can see a table big enough for them.
[20:31] <Kotono> Balyss whispers back in a stage whisper that fails as giggles take her, "I know I have. It's not so bad, the thing's so tame you can handfeed it if you want."
[20:31] <Aaeru> "I guess it's okay if I, like, clean the scales," Aaeru mutters quietly, before stepping up to the lizard.
[20:32] <Kotono> Cheers fill the air, "Go, go, go, go, go!" Clapping follows, steady and rythmic.
[20:32] * Veserya doesn't go to the table just yet, sticking close to Balyss where she has a view of Aaeru doing her deed.
[20:32] <Kotono> Marianne floats over to the table, settling down into a chair, "How beastly! How delightfully, insanely beastly!" Adding in a lower voice, "Despite the weight, it's rather fetching for a basilisk..."
[20:33] * Aaeru comes closer still and carefully uses the edge of her sleeve to wipe what passes for the basilisk's forehead as she pats it on the head, before leaning in to place a kiss upon those scales.
[20:35] <Kotono> The scales are rough and warm, the lizard staying still as it's kissed! A great cheer erupts out at this, "Lo, the basilisk is tamed once more!" He comes over and claps Aaeru on the back, "Well done, well done! You've helped save us all!" As you chat, a woman comesto yoru table. Pretty thing, clad in what looks to be a dull brown-scaled one piece bathing suit. She puts drinks down with a
[20:35] <Kotono> wink and joins into the cheering, before sauntering off.
[20:35] * Aaeru laughs, rubbing the back of her head and taking a seat by the table.
[20:36] <Kotono> Balyss claps as Aaeru comes back, "Nice!" She raises a foamy tankard, "To free drinks!"
[20:37] <Aaeru> "The best kind!" Aaeru agrees, raising her own mug.
[20:37] <Veserya> "Good job, Aaeru!" Veserya joins the cheering, before catching up to everyone else and taking off both her cloak and her satchel, setting them by the feet of the chair so she can recline comfortably upon it. Taking her tankard and matching Balyss's toast, she muses, "I suppose even if it's not really a prince, if you think it fetching then a bit of magic could make it one for a little while?"
[20:37] <Veserya> she then suggests to the green-haired woman.
[20:38] <Kotono> Marianne laughs and reddens a little bit, "Perhaps so. Dragons are by far the most attractive of the lizard and reptile types, and they invariably make beautiful humans, from what I remember."
[20:39] <Kotono> Balyss raises an eyebrow, "Oh...kay..." Taking a long draught of her drink, "So when the hell did this turn into lizard dating advice?"
[20:39] <Aaeru> "I think dragons are okay," Aaeru voices. "When they're not evil and stuff."
[20:40] <Kotono> "When you spend a few millenia as a giant reptile, you pick up a few things up," Marianne retorts, drinking down her ale. "How terribly common this ale is! Waitress," Fishing into her pocket for a few coins, "Something more pleasant."
[20:40] <Veserya> "You kissed it before, you can't talk," Veserya primly tells Balyss. "And yes, more than one noble house of Pallanth has dragon blood in their veins. Pity I haven't heard of any recent conquests..."
[20:41] <Kotono> "Which houses?" Balyss asks, blushing and giggling again.
[20:41] <Aaeru> "And, like, are they dragons or do they date dragons?" Aaeru adds, giggling herself.
[20:44] <Veserya> "Drake and Aryn," Veserya nods, taking a drink of her ale and agreeing with Marianne, setting it down to wait for something more refined. "The name of the first is a bit of a giveaway, they all but flaunt their draconic lineage. Aryn doesn't just have a dragon, though, it's a dragon *goddess*!"
[20:44] <Kotono> Soon enough a dark brown bottle of something comes, as well as little shot glasses. Each one has claw-designs on it, as if a tiny basilisk hand was grasping it. Once back Marianne cracks the bottle and pours, something brown-tinted. Passing out shots to everyone, "Ah yes, Seira..." she murmurs thoughtfully, settling for taking her shot instead.
[20:46] <Kotono> "Ladies, ladies, ladies!" A voice approaches. The man in golden clothes comes forth. He's quite fat indeed, clapping his hands together. His teeth are all gold, lucky symbols covering his attention getting garb. "You seem to of good spirits and the p roper refinement to appreciate the finest things in life!"
[20:46] <Aaeru> It's only proper to finish her previous drink, which Aaeru does before moving on to the shot Marianne had poured for her.
[20:47] * Veserya nods. "I never knew her terribly well, but she was like a lightning bolt through Pallanth, a discontented half-breed from a scandal-ridden... hmmm?" she looks up at the intrusion curiously.
[20:47] <Kotono> Balyss peers at him, "Dolomir, are you tavern crawling again? We're having a revelry soon, you know."
[20:48] <Kotono> Claping his hands together, "Ah Balyss, a fine afternoon to you. I am Dolomir, a man of exquisite tastes and the finest gambling for discerning gamblers. I offer gambles of incredible potency and power, with blessed items from the Lady Tymora!"
[20:49] <Veserya> "Oh, Tymora!" Veserya snaps her fingers. "I forgot her earlier!"
[20:49] <Kotono> After this Balyss shrugs and takes her shot, blinking after. She peers down at the bottom of her empty glass, "Bourbon. I'm going to have a bad hangover in the morning. Bourbon always gives me a hangover."
[20:49] * Aaeru wants to hear about the scandal, despite herself, but she has to pay attention to the golden-clothed man as well or it would be rude. She drinks after Balyss, and asks, "What do you, like, do to gamble?"
[20:50] <Veserya> Distracted again, the elf looks down at her glass. "That's a bit heavy... I can help with drunkenness or hangovers, but we really ought to pace ourselves."
[20:50] <Kotono> "Indeed, m'ladies," With a grand bow, "For a mere 50 marks, you can open the pages of an amazing book! Those who are fortunate will find great wisdom inside! For a mere 200 marks, you can gamble with the dice of Tymora! The results can be worth more than 100 times the mere 200 marks to play!"
[20:51] <Kotono> Marianne shrugs, "Then we sip," she says, barely sparing Dolomir a glance. She pours herself half a shot and does that, "I declare we've had a lot to drink already, so what's a little more?"
[20:52] <Aaeru> "It's just suffering and, like, Ilmater says that's okay," Aaeru disregards the warning, refilling her glass anew. Besides, it's not like she can gamble with money she doesn't have.
[20:53] <Veserya> "True," Veserya agrees, lifting her glass for a dainty sip. "So, Balyss, what's this about your friend's offers here?" she asks for a recommendation from a trusted source before considering further.
[20:54] <Kotono> "They're legitimate," She says with a shrug, going for sips as well. "He's really with Tymora's faith. Worked out well for Janson from what I heard, Sylvie too, according to his stories. The downsides can be considerable."
[20:54] <Kotono> "We go to great lengths to bring gaming and gambling to the world," Dolomir clears his throat, "Who better to gamble than those who live life on the edge! The rewards are great beyond comprehension!"
[20:57] <Veserya> "Hmm, well... we are all friends in Sune's realm, aren't we?" Veserya starts to smile, straightening up and looking over Dolomir. "Tell me more about this book, good sir!"
[20:58] <Kotono> With a grand gesture Dolomir withdraws a worn, well read book. The title is printed on the front: "The Comprehensive Book Of The Best Traps For Beginners and Practitioners." Tapping the cover within, "If you open the book and Tymora is with you, you shall gain great knowledge of traps and how to survive and disable them!"
[20:59] <Veserya> "And if Beshaba is with me?" the elf asks lazily, deciding it's probably not worth the likely risk.
[20:59] <Kotono> Clearing his throat, "Perhaps a trap may come - but nothing that a lady of your refinement and skill canont handle, surely!"
[21:01] * Veserya shrugs. "Traps aren't really my forte. What about your dice, then?"
[21:01] <Kotono> Marianne laughs a little bit around a sip of bourbon, "Yes, wh at of those dice then?"
[21:03] <Kotono> Slowly and with obvious, great reverence, Dolomir reaches into his pocket. Out comes a silk bag, drawstrings opened. Slowly he withdraws it - a white die, twenty sided. It is placed with the utmost care, "This die adjudicates fate and fortune. Oh, what mysteries lie within it? Those blessed can find truly superb things indeed! At 200 marks, such a gamble is a steal! An absolute travesty,
[21:03] <Kotono> for any other would want much more for a chance at Tymora's favor in such a primal way!"
[21:06] <Kotono> Marianne eyes the die, "Mmmmmm. 200 marks is quite a bit for just tossing an odd shaped dice. I don't think I've seen one in that shape before." Sipping away, "So is it really that powerful?"
[21:07] <Veserya> "Hmmm..." this piques Veserya's interest a little more, and she leans forward to peer at the die. "I admit, I'm curious... is it purely up to chance, or is there any way to cajole Tymora into showing her favour?" she asks, looking up at Dolomir with a coquettish flutter of her lashes.
[21:07] <Kotono> "Oh yes! It can grant desires and wishes, if fortune so smiles on you! What it can grant is beyond your scope of imagining," Dolomir reddens at that, "Perchance properly asking Tymora for aid would help, but the die itself is of powerful magic."
[21:08] <Kotono> "What about you, Aaeru?" Marianne speaks up, "Are you interested?"
[21:08] * Aaeru spreads her arms to the sides, palms up. "Two hundred marks is, like, two hundred more than I have."
[21:09] <Veserya> roll 1d20+14 religion, any good ways of catching Tymora's eye?
[21:09] * Hatbot --> "Veserya rolls 1d20+14 religion, any good ways of catching Tymora's eye? and gets 25." [1d20=11]
[21:10] <Kotono> "I could spare two hundred. I know you can't pay me back, but I could use a favor later," Marianne says, a little smile hidden as she drinks.
[21:11] * Aaeru blinks in confusion. "But I'll do you a favor anyway if you ask!" she then insists.
[21:11] <Veserya> "Hah, that's no way to fool me!" Veserya asserts, digging into her satchel a moment and then handing over a fistful of Pallanth minted fullmarks, "Tymora would spurn asking when it's better just to trust her!"
[21:12] <Kotono> "Well then," Marianne considers, as the marks are taken! Dolomir steps back, "Then take the die in your hand and roll! Trust yourself in the Lady of Luck!"?
[21:13] <Veserya> Picking up the die in her dainty fingers, Veserya twirls and bounces it on her fingertips a moment before she sends it rolling over the table to bounce off Balyss's tankard!
[21:14] <Kotono> OOC: 1d20, Veserya. G'luck.
[21:14] <Veserya> roll 1d20
[21:14] * Hatbot --> "Veserya rolls 1d20 and gets 5." [1d20=5]
[21:15] <Kotono> Veserya shimmers! Her body grows longer, her clothing shifting with her! For a moment it's like she's being stretched about, but then she's about back to normal. Maybe an inch or two taller and a bit more muscle?
[21:16] <Veserya> Veserya's eyes widen considerably and she reaches up to pat her head, looking down over herself in surprise. "This isn't right..." she remarks in confusion, the change in proportions in no way helping the condition caused by indulging in lots of alcohol of various types.
[21:17] <Aaeru> "You don't wanna be taller?" Aaeru wonders out loud. "It looks fun, but maybe it really isn't?"
[21:17] <Kotono> Veserya feels off - her chest looks rather flatter on a glance, too. Something about her face is off. Balyss peers, "What happened?"
[21:19] <Veserya> "I'm taller, I think...?" Veserya pokes at her face with one finger, subsequently cupping her chin as she looks down, her other hand feeling her hips. "But it's been made up from other places. I don't think it was a good trade..."
[21:20] <Kotono> "You look...wrong somehow, different," Marianne says at lenght, as Verseyra finds her hips less curvier, stronger. More muscled overall. Her chin is a little sharper.
[21:20] <Veserya> "Oh, Sulia, forgive your foolish servant..." she sighs, reaching down into her satchel for a mirror so she can look at her face.
[21:21] <Aaeru> "Did it turn you into, like, a guy?" Aaeru asks Veserya with some concern. "Want me to check?"
[21:22] <Veserya> "No... really, I look like my sister, now. My proportions were always a little off, but I liked them," the elf complains, biting her lip. "Other people liked them, too."
[21:22] <Kotono> Verserya's face looks off to herself. Just more masculine, really, if in a faint and elven way. Balyss blinks at Aaeru's words, "Dolomir, so help me," she mutters, "I swear I'll have the moon smite you if it did something that can't be fixed!"
[21:23] <Veserya> "Yes, can it be undone?" she pounces on that chance, looking up at the overweight human.
[21:23] <Kotono> Dolomir promptly clears his throat, "AHEM. Such is the way of Tymora, fortune is her domain. Perhaps the removal of a curse, dispellation of magic or other such can undo it."
[21:24] <Aaeru> "Balyss, you know how to do that stuff, right? There was that time with Whurric and the third eye?"
[21:24] <Kotono> "I can cast removec urse," Balyss gets up, finishing her drink off. She's just a bit unsteady on her feet, using Veserya's shoulder to support herself, "Just stay still and be patient. Drunkcasting is hard."
[21:25] <Veserya> "Well lets find out!" Veserya springs to her feet - and almost overbalances, having to grab onto Aaeru's shoulder to keep upright with her new proportions. "Ahem," she clears her throat embarrassedly, but stops at Balyss's words. "I only had dispel magic, so go ahead, please!"
[21:25] * Aaeru feels she should feel worry after those words, but for the life of her can't think why. Instead, she stands up as well, helping steady Veserya as best she can!
[21:26] <Kotono> Balyss helps Veserya into place, starting to chant, "Moomother...I mean Moonmaiden! Break...break this curse!" Balyss giggles, "Break it now, no matter what it is and why!"
[21:26] <Kotono> roll 1d20+7
[21:26] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+7 and gets 11." [1d20=4]
[21:27] <Kotono> For a moment Veserya feels warm, then her body twists again! When it's done, her proportions are right once more! Balyss cheers and falls back into her seat, "Got it!" She pours herself another shot, tossing it back!
[21:28] <Veserya> "Ahh, much better!" Veserya beams, leaning down to gratefully hug Balyss before dropping back into her own seat. "That was two hundred marks well wasted. The next round is on me!"
[21:28] <Aaeru> Why was she being worried, again? Time for another drink!
[21:29] <Kotono> Marianne chuckles, "A curious thing, but fixed." She sips, as a waitress brinsg over a round of wine! As that's started Marianne eyes the die, "Well, if you want to roll it? If nothing else, it could be entertainment," Marianne says at length, "At worst if what you said is right, you can date Lyris if it happens."
[21:30] <Aaeru> "I think it's okay if it's just once," Aaeru agrees, not finding anything wrong with this either. "You just pick it up and, like, drop it? That's it?"
[21:30] <Kotono> Marianne pays the money, as Dolomir nods, "Ah yes,j ust roll and trust in Tymora!"
[21:31] * Aaeru trusts in having fun and holds the dice in both hands, before suddenly drawing them away from it and to the sides!
[21:31] <Veserya> "Make sure to tell Beshaba you don't need her around," Veserya tells Aaeru, "That's what I forgot to do. Tymora doesn't need you to flatter her, but Beshaba hates being ignored!"
[21:31] <Kotono> OOC: If you're rolling, roll 1d20, Aaeru.
[21:31] <Aaeru> roll 1d20 whee~
[21:31] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20 whee~ and gets 7." [1d20=7]
[21:34] <Kotono> OOC: Make a wills ave.
[21:34] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+16
[21:34] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+16 and gets 17." [1d20=1]
[21:36] <Kotono> The die lands, Aaeru looking lost a moment! Dolomir peers at her, "Well?"
[21:36] <Aaeru> "I forgot too!" Aaeru exclaims, slumping in her seat.
[21:37] <Kotono> Marianne gives Aaeru a critical eye, "What happened?"
[21:37] <Aaeru> "You know how I like punching bad people who deserve it?"
[21:37] <Kotono> "Yes...?" Balyss says, leading along. "You're good at it."
[21:38] <Veserya> "You forgot how to punch them?" Veserya asks, blinking.
[21:38] * Aaeru sniffs. "I don't wanna do it anymore! It feels stupid. I'll just read a whole lotta books for, like, a decade and become a wizard!"
[21:39] * Veserya looks at Dolomir, then at Aaeru, and then back again. "You! Are a very bad man," she concludes darkly.
[21:40] * Aaeru thinks no one will blame her as she pours herself another shot and slams it down. "I'll be the bestest wizard ever!" she insists, starting to sob.
[21:40] <Veserya> "Hang on, Aaeru, believe in yourself!" she then focuses on the distraught blonde, waving her free hand, "All martyrs deserve another chance, Empress Sulia make it true!"
[21:41] <Veserya> OOC: Resurgence, make that will save again!
[21:41] <Veserya> She then leans over and touches Aaeru's knee to complete the spell.
[21:44] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+16
[21:44] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+16 and gets 22." [1d20=6]
[21:45] <Kotono> Balyss shakes her head, "Dolomir...You know what? I'm going to roll." she announces, taking the die, "You'd better pay to Tymora I get a good result, or Selune is going to wax you."
[21:45] <Kotono> Aaeru doesn't feel the sensations lift at all!
[21:47] <Kotono> Dolormi clears his throat, "Ah, I am not a bad man! Tymora acts as she will! I merely give you the chance to earn her favor!"
[21:47] * Aaeru is somewhat reassured by Veserya's concern, but finds it hard to find pleasure in the very act of doing the only things she knows how to do well.
[21:49] <Kotono> Giving Dolomir an evil eye all the while, Balyss rolls the die!
[21:49] <Kotono> roll 1d20
[21:49] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20 and gets 10." [1d20=10]
[21:50] <Veserya> "I think it did something, hold on I can try again, you just have to keep believing Aaeru, believe in Ilmater and what he thinks is best!" she encourages, giving the blonde another chance!
[21:50] <Veserya> OOC: resurgence x2
[21:51] <Kotono> Balyss promptly yawns, putting her head downa nd falling fast asleep! She starts to snore softly, out cold!
[21:53] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+16
[21:53] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+16 and gets 28." [1d20=12]
[21:53] <Kotono> This time Aaeru feels her head clear! Her mind is crisply composed, the former feelings of regret leaving!
[21:54] <Aaeru> "I can... I can punch people again!" Aaeru exclaims, leaping to her feet and slamming her fist into Dolomir's jaw! In a way that wouldn't really hurt him, of course!
[21:54] <Aaeru> OOC: I wanna trip him~
[21:55] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+11 few people deserve it as much as you do!
[21:55] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+11 few people deserve it as much as you do! and gets 25." [1d20=14]
[21:57] <Kotono> Down Dolomir goes, the punch enough to stun him to falling onto his ass! Marianne laughs and takes the die, rolling it between her fingers. "It does show magic," she announces aloud, "Curious little thing..."
[21:57] <Kotono> roll 1d20+14 Spellcraft
[21:57] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+14 Spellcraft and gets 26." [1d20=12]
[21:57] <Aaeru> "Punching bad people... is so great!" Aaeru cries, tears trailing down her cheeks.
[21:58] <Kotono> "Mmm-hmmm," Frowning as she looks at it, "It's magic is formidable. It eludes my grasp for the moment."
[21:58] <Kotono> Meanwhile Balyss snores away, out like a light.
[21:58] <Veserya> While she wants to see if Dolomir is unhurt, Balyss is more important right now. Leaning forward, she takes the aasimar's shoulders and shakes them. "Hold on a moment and I can try looking."
[21:58] <Kotono> Dolomir rubs his chin, "Ooooow! What was that for?!"
[21:59] <Kotono> Slowly pondering and ignoring Dolomir, "Hmm, I daresay I know who should roll this die," she finally announces, "Silver. With her karma, something interesting will occur."
[21:59] <Aaeru> "Ilmater, like, wanted me to do that!" Aaeru tells Dolomir sternly, swaying slightly as she gestures down at him. "Did you get it? Did you?"
[22:00] <Kotono> The big man gets up, "Get what?"
[22:00] <Kotono> Balyss is shaken, but she looks quite out and aslumber.
[22:01] <Aaeru> "He, like, thinks it's best!" Aaeru insists, grabbing onto the front of Dolomir's tunic. "Bad people should be punched! Do you, like, get it now or I gotta punch you again?" She makes a fist with her free hand.
[22:02] <Kotono> "
[22:02] <Veserya> Frowning, Veserya takes out a pair of dice of her own, tossing and catching them as she casts a pair of spells before looking at the cursed die they were so tormented with. Hopefully a clue to help Balyss can be figured out as well.
[22:02] <Veserya> roll 1d20+18 spellcraft, +4 via improvisation
[22:02] * Hatbot --> "Veserya rolls 1d20+18 spellcraft, +4 via improvisation and gets 29." [1d20=11]
[22:02] <Kotono> "I'm not a bad person!" Cringing back from Aaeru Dolomir steps back, taking a few more steps back and turning tail, retreating out the door!
[22:03] <Aaeru> "Only bad people run away like that!" Aaeru cries after him, before stumbling back and dropping into her seat anew.
[22:03] <Veserya> "Ah, a mystery to me as well," she sighs in defeat, turning her attention on Balyss to try and figure out how best to wake her...
[22:03] <Veserya> roll 1d20+16 heal, +4 via improvisation
[22:03] * Hatbot --> "Veserya rolls 1d20+16 heal, +4 via improvisation and gets 25." [1d20=9]
[22:04] <Kotono> "Good work, Aaeru," Marianne murmurs, "It saves me the bother of scaring him off." Pausing to sip at her drink again she eyes the die, "Mmmm." Meanwhile Verserya can tell Balyss is magically asleep. A magical counter would be called for, like dispel magic.
[22:05] <Veserya> "So many spells I'm having to cast just for going out drinking!" she complains in pique, unleashing her magic in opposition to that which holds Balyss in the grip of morpheus!
[22:05] <Aaeru> "So, like, what's up with Balyss?" Aaeru finally asks, blinking at the aasimar. "Is it like a story, and someone needs to, you know, kiss her?"
[22:05] <Veserya> roll 1d20+7 dispel magic
[22:05] * Hatbot --> "Veserya rolls 1d20+7 dispel magic and gets 22." [1d20=15]
[22:05] <Kotono> Such a quesiton is not answered, for Balyss rises at Veserya's magic! She blinks her eyes, "What happened? One moment I was rolling, the next I'm falling asleep."
[22:06] <Aaeru> "You need to wax," Aaeru tells her seriously.
[22:06] <Veserya> "That's what it did, it sent you to sleep. Such a benighted die!" Veserya huffs, though she smiles after. "You missed Aaeru punching your friend before he ran off, though... and left the die."
[22:06] <Kotono> "What?" Balyss stares as she sits up and clears her eyes, "Wax?"
[22:07] <Aaeru> "Well, yeah? You promised! And you should do what you say or people won't, like, listen to you," Aaeru asserts.
[22:07] <Kotono> Marianne chuckles, "Indeed. I wasn't going to leave an uncultured, garish rube like him with this anyway. Slowly and carefully placing it down on the silk bag, "I have ideas on what to use it for, though if anyone else wants to try again...?"
[22:08] <Kotono> "Oh, right!" Balyss looks around, "He's gone? I'll just get him at the next revel he shows up to." Stretching and going for her drink, "Wait, he left the die?"
[22:08] <Aaeru> "You should just make him roll it!"
[22:09] <Veserya> "Did you at least dream of anything nice?" Veserya asks hopefully, settling back with her own drink.
[22:09] <Kotono> "I don't think I did," Balyss says, back to her own drink.
[22:09] * Aaeru celebrates with another shot. How can she ever take the simple act of punching villains out for granted?
[22:10] <Kotono> "Ladies," Marianne clears her throat, "I say, we have something far more entertaining now. We have the chance to allow anyone to test Tymora's will! Let us think - who could deserve good fortune, or who should have a chance to channel ill fortune?"
[22:10] <Veserya> "Really is worthless, then. We'd best forget it," the elf subsequently puts the die out of mind entirely.
[22:10] <Veserya> "Oh, you did say something about Silver, didn't you?" she remembers, looking at Marianne.
[22:11] <Kotono> "Yes, yes I did." With a grin as she looks down at the die, "What manner of fortune do you think Silver deserves, Aaeru?"
[22:12] <Aaeru> "In her way, Silver is, like, more terrible than any devil or Sharran I met," Aaeru says with alcohol-granted total honesty, "but it's wrong to use tricky magic on her to hurt her."
[22:12] <Kotono> "Oh, come now!" Marianne tsk-tsks, "It's merely giving a fate a chance to judge and punish her! We aren't doing anything wrong at all!"
[22:13] <Veserya> "But... if the die already punished us, what if that means it would reward her?" Veserya asks in dawning horror.
[22:13] <Aaeru> "Well..." Aaeru relents. "If it's, like, not dice but, you know, just talking? Silver should totally become, like a human. Or an elf. Or in between, like Josa! And date Josa!"
[22:14] * Aaeru gets more excited as she goes, topping her suggestions off with another slammed shot.
[22:15] <Veserya> "She might gain a better understanding of people's feelings, and even come to learn love..." Veserya finds herself swayed by Aaeru's enthusiasm.
[22:16] <Aaeru> "I think they totally like each other, even if Silver is, like, a horrible monster!"
[22:17] <Kotono> "Well then!" Marianne rises, "I say this: To Whimiscial Sweets!"
[22:18] * Veserya puts down a few coins to cover that bottle of wine she bought that no one actually drank anything from, and gets up to go! Of course she doesn't forget her cloak and satchel, though. That'd be irresponsible!
[22:19] * Aaeru finds it her duty to finish any alcohol still left at their table and as-yet unpoured. Waste not, want not!
[22:20] <Kotono> The trip to Whimsical Sweets is a drunken, laughing blur! The four women find their way to work at last, Josa and Silver downstairs. They're setting out candies and working...or Josa is at least. Silver watches, looking profoundly bored.
[22:21] <Aaeru> "See?" Aaeru drawls out, grinning stupidly. "She's always watching him and stuff!"
[22:22] <Kotono> "Ah, salutations and good day!" Josa calls, "What manner of circumstances bring you here?"
[22:22] <Kotono> Silver peers at Aaeru, "The crushing doldrums of your life finally too much for you to take sober?"
[22:23] * Aaeru grins back at Silver. "I don't care what mean people say at aaaaaalllll!"
[22:24] <Veserya> "She also punches bad people no matter what Tymora says," Veserya backs her blonde friend up. "Now! We got a present from Tymora for you, too, Silver!"
[22:25] <Aaeru> "Yes!" Aaeru nods so firmly she almost loses her balance, and finds herself teetering precariously before regaining it. "Bad people should be punched! Says Ilmater!"
[22:25] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> Marianne steps forward, taking the die out of the bag and holding it up to Silver. "A special blessing. This magic die will give you exactly what you deserve!"
[22:25] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> "Magic? What magic?" Josa comes forward, as Silver flies down and stares at the die. She tsk-tsks, "You want me to roll THAT?" she abruptly laughs.
[22:26] <Veserya> "We had bad luck with it, but we figured if it would work well for anyone it would be you," Veserya beams down at the cute little fairy.
[22:28] <Kotono> Silver eyes the die, before grinning, "Well, if you put it like that?" She flutters and takes the die with both hands, "Give me one good reason."
[22:28] <Aaeru> "If you wanna confess to Josa just go ahead."
[22:30] <Kotono> Silver smirks, "Oh, don't you wish?"
[22:31] * Aaeru nods. "Maybe it will, like, make you, umm, a better fairy? And all the other stuff Vessy said."
[22:31] <Veserya> "It might even free you from the cruel bondage of familiardom," Veserya nods happily.
[22:31] <Kotono> "Oh, what the hell?" Silver laughs, "You'll see..." And the dice falls, rolling!
[22:31] <Kotono> roll 1d20
[22:31] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20 and gets 11." [1d20=11]
[22:32] <Kotono> Abruptly, magic goes over Silver! She smells wonderful after it, pristine and clean! OOC: Spellcraft, anyone paying attention.
[22:33] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+4 okay
[22:33] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+4 okay and gets 6." [1d20=2]
[22:33] <Veserya> roll 1d20+14 yes
[22:33] * Hatbot --> "Veserya rolls 1d20+14 yes and gets 28." [1d20=14]

[Corwin]

[20:17] <Kotono> roll 1d20+12 Marianne
[20:17] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+12 Marianne and gets 26." [1d20=14]
[20:17] <Kotono> Marianne watches a moment, "...clean?" she mutters, "That wasn't..."
[20:17] <Kotono> Silver casually dusts herself off, sniffing the air. "Ah, that's the stuff! All squeaky clean!" Flying back up and going back tow atching Josa, "Thanks you four!"
[20:18] <Veserya> "Maybe it cleaned her heart or at least her mouth, too?" Veserya offers weakly, watching the fairy fly away.
[20:19] <Aaeru> "She's evil like Tymora so it, like, gave her the best gift ever," Aaeru mutters, shaking her head. They knew it would happen like this, didn't they?
[20:20] <Kotono> "I need more booze," Balyss says, facepalming. She goest and picks up the die, "What good IS this thing? It p ut me to sleep, changed Veserya, then that entire thing with Aaeru and it rewards Silver?"
[20:20] <Kotono> Josa listens to all of that, "This die is magical, and it rewards miscreantism and penalizes good, clean living?"
[20:21] <Aaeru> "Wanna roll it and see if you're, like, nice or naughty?" Aaeru offers, quite past caring at this point. "Balyss can drunkcast and cure you if something happens!"
[20:22] <Veserya> "You might get some bleed-over luck from your familiar, if nothing else," Veserya adds herself, though she doesn't really want to play with the die any more now that it's maliciousness is proven.
[20:23] <Kotono> Josa shakes his head, "I am a soul of virtue, removed from such depredations of the soul such as Silver's malicious machinations! However," His gaze turns to Marianne, "By any metric you have far outdone Silver, if the stories of the Destroyer are true. By this knowledge, you will surely be greatly rewarded by this preverse item."
[20:24] <Aaeru> "Hey!" Aaeru exclaims, whirling towards Marianne and then some as it gets her to spin. "It totally doesn't matter if you're nice now!"
[20:25] <Kotono> Marianne pauses at that, "I...I am not certain that logic is sound," she frowns, "Yet it does make a certain sense, for this thing does seem to pleasure in perverting our expectations..."
[20:25] <Veserya> "I don't really understand those hints you've all been dropping, but maybe you can frighten luck the way you frightened gravity?" the elf suggests, turning to the green-haired woman.
[20:28] <Kotono> "Oh, why not?" Marianne takes the die, casually glaring at it and tossing it onto the table! "Give me a good result or ELSE!"
[20:28] <Kotono> roll 1d20
[20:28] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20 and gets 6." [1d20=6]
[20:30] <Kotono> Marianne looks wobbly on her feet for a moment, before holding her head! "I declare, I feel..."
[20:31] <Veserya> "Do you feel all out of sorts and like your body is wrong?" Veserya frets, recalling her own experience. Marianne doesn't look even a little different, though, but it is a different number.
[20:31] <Kotono> "I feel slightly fuzzy-headed," Marianne grumps, "But nothing more."
[20:32] <Aaeru> "Wanna drink some more till it goes away?"
[20:32] <Kotono> Silver whistles and flies back over, "See, that thing rewards people who deserve it. Clearly, I deserve it and none of you do. I suppose I could help you deserve it more..."
[20:32] <Veserya> "Sound like another curse you need to remove?" Veserya asks Balyss.
[20:33] <Kotono> "I feel alright," Marianne says, "Another drink is good."
[20:34] <Aaeru> "Josaaa," Aaeru calls, picking up the die with some effort and presenting it to him. "Your turn! And then, like, more drinks!"
[20:34] <Veserya> "Both good ideas!" Veserya beams, though she looks sidelong at the fairy. "But out of curiousity, what exactly makes you so deserving?"
[20:35] <Kotono> Josa sighs, putting the die into his pocket. "I'll fetch some wine," he says, going into the back to do just that. He comes back with that and glasses, herding the women upstairs. "However did you come across such an eldritch possession? It seems to be of curious disposition and fate."
[20:35] <Kotono> Silver flutters along with them, "I'm me, myself and I." With a happy smile, "See? I'm deserving by myself. I'm stuck with fatass there, so the universe owes me a few thousand favors."
[20:36] <Aaeru> "Wha?" Aaeru just decides to filter Josa out until she can understand more than a word in a sentence, and bluntly asks Silver, "How didya get like that, anyway?"
[20:38] <Kotono> Balyss flops down at the table, taking a glass and waiting for Josa to fill it. She starts on it immediately once he does, Silver meanwhile replying as she smirks, "Idiot couldn't even summon a familiar right."
[20:38] <Aaeru> "But you don't hafta stay together, like, if you summon and stuff!"
[20:38] <Kotono> "What I mean is that how did this die," he takes it out and holds it in his hand, "Come to be obtaiend by a quartet of drunken belles?"
[20:39] <Aaeru> "A bad man gave it to us! I punched him and he flew away!"
[20:39] <Veserya> "Dolomir dropped it," Veserya announces as she sits next to Balyss, taking one of the freshly filled glasses herself.
[20:40] <Kotono> Josa murmurs a few words,a s...
[20:40] <Kotono> roll 1d20+17
[20:40] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+17 and gets 34." [1d20=17]
[20:40] <Kotono> "...ah." Josa eyes the die in a most peculiar manner, focusing on it. "Dolomir...I don't believe I have the acquantence," he murmurs, attention fully on the magical item.
[20:41] <Kotono> roll 1d20+11
[20:41] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+11 and gets 15." [1d20=4]
[20:44] <Kotono> Josa stares at the die another few moments, "...ah yes, you said something about rolling it? Smashing! A splendid idea, Aaeru! One that we must follow to the utmost of our potential and skill to achieve bountiful returns!"
[20:44] * Aaeru pours herself drink, before gesturing with the glass first at Josa and then Silver. "Whatever. So why are, like, you two still together?"
[20:47] <Kotono> "Don't you think I haven't tried to get him to break the contract," Silver grumps, "Lord Lard over there, when he's not too busy engaging in vocabulary masturbation, can't get it to be undone since he fucked it up so bad." Silver crosses her arms and sits atop the supply closet, as another magic effect cleans the dirt and grime from her.
[20:48] <Aaeru> "Balyss! Can you, like, help? With the casting and the moon stuff?"
[20:48] <Veserya> "Aaeru said she has a familiar and didn't have any trouble. Maybe she can help?" Veserya suggests, relaxing back and swirling her glass in hand.
[20:50] <Kotono> Meanwhile Josa focuses on the die, not seeming to pay any attention! Without any fanfare, he drops it and lets it roll!
[20:50] <Kotono> roll 1d20
[20:50] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20 and gets 14." [1d20=14]
[20:50] <Aaeru> "Yeah, like totally!" Aaeru insists. "Never trouble! He's nice and really helpful!"
[20:51] <Kotono> As this rolls nothing seems to happen, but Balyss rises, "Sure, I can try," she says, coming over to Silver, "In the name of Selune and the Moon, magic be gone!"
[20:52] <Veserya> Hearing the dice clatter on the table, Veserya looks towards Josa. "Feel any different?"
[20:53] <Aaeru> The moment of truth! Is Josa secretly evil?!
[20:53] <Kotono> After a moment Silver shrugs, "Nope, still stuck to fatass...oh hey, you didn't vanish." With a glance over at Josa, the fat elf replies, "I feel like my mind has been liberated!" he nods, "Truly, this splendifiorous artifact is of the utmost fortune and whimsy, given to us by the fair hand of lovely Tymora and her endless bounty of good fortune!" A look towards all, "Truly, there is no
[20:53] <Kotono> greater honor that we can indulge in than testing ourselves with this die, so that Tymora's blessings may come onto us!"
[20:54] * Aaeru holds out a hand, palm facing Josa. "Please stop talking."
[20:55] <Veserya> "Her blessings disagreed with those of us that aren't fey," Veserya knocks back a drink on that pronouncement. "But if you want to roll again by all means do so."
[20:55] <Kotono> "Nonsense!" Josa retorts, "Suchs peech cannot hope to fully illuminate the divineg lory of this rarified artifact, but I must try unto my last breath!" Gesturing wide, "I bid and cajole all of you to again put your faith in fair Tymora, so that you may fully appreciate her bounty!"
[20:56] * Veserya doesn't look convinced.
[20:57] <Kotono> "God," Silver facepalms, "Josa, did that die suck your dick or something?"
[20:57] <Kotono> Balyss stares at Josa and drinks down, "You seem awfully happy with it, yes. What did it do for you?"
[20:59] <Kotono> "Fair Veserya!" Looking to her next, "Fair Aaeru! Fair Marianne! Fair Balyss!" Gesturing wide to encompass all of them, "I am certain you will find your just reward with this die. If you are women of taste, refinement and grace, I bid you to take your destiny in your own hands and trust in Tymora."
[20:59] <Aaeru> "You're just sayin' that cause you're evil and stuff," Aaeru says miserably, drowning her sorrows in alcohol. "I was totally fooled till now!"
[21:01] <Veserya> "Maybe his roll made him obsessed?" Veserya speculates, pushing herself up a bit in her chair. "Do you think we should take it away for his safety?"
[21:01] <Kotono> "At this point there is only one word that I can think to say: Whatever." Marianne polishes off another glass, sighing and pouring herself another half glass, "Oh well, that is a thought. Obsession can't be good."
[21:02] <Kotono> "Nonsense!" Josa snorts, taking a step back. "It is merely a result of my good fortune! See here!" Josa takes the die and tosses it! "I shall prove it again and show you what you shall gain by trusting in Tymora!"
[21:02] <Kotono> roll 1d20
[21:02] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20 and gets 16." [1d20=16]
[21:03] <Kotono> roll 1d20+30 this actually calls for a caster level check.
[21:03] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+30 this actually calls for a caster level check. and gets 42." [1d20=12]
[21:04] <Kotono> For a moment the die swells and throbs, pulsing once! Then....OOC: Fortitude saves, all.
[21:05] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+18
[21:05] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+18 and gets 27." [1d20=9]
[21:05] <Veserya> roll 1d20+12 damn you
[21:05] * Hatbot --> "Veserya rolls 1d20+12 damn you and gets 19." [1d20=7]
[21:05] <Kotono> roll 1d20+9 Balyss at least it's not overly harmful
[21:05] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+9 Balyss at least it's not overly harmful and gets 11." [1d20=2]
[21:05] <Kotono> roll 1d20+9 Marianne
[21:05] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+9 Marianne and gets 23." [1d20=14]
[21:06] <Kotono> Woooooohmph! Darkness falls in an instant...ooow...urgh...Aaeru's vision clears at long last. Her head is clear, save for a throbbing headache. It's dark here, so very dark. Her eyes are hazy, her mouth dry as cotton and tasting full of ashes.
[21:07] <Aaeru> "Hey!"
[21:08] <Kotono> Aaeru speaks, her voice a bit slurred. Blinking her eyes clear, she can see it is indeed dark. Nighttime? She's sitting where she was. The others are about, slumped over and out, save for Silver, whom you don't immediately see.
[21:09] * Aaeru stumbles over to Balyss and tries to shake her awake.
[21:11] <Kotono> Balyss is shaken and stirred! She blinks and groans, a hand to her head, "I knew bourbon gives me a hangover, but did I stop?" She rasps that out, grimacing and looking up. With a grimace she chants a few words, the room lit up! Her eyes are bloodshot, "What happened? Wow, I blacked out? I don't think I had that much to drink...I think." Checking down, "I'm wearing my clothes, I know where
[21:11] <Kotono> I am, I'm not curled up besides someone...okay, this isn't so bad. Right?"
[21:12] <Aaeru> "I totally didn't do anything bad!" Aaeru promises, before gesturing at the others. "That die, like, exploded or something! It's what I remember! What do you remember?" She moves on to shake Marianne awake, and then Veserya right after.
[21:13] <Kotono> "That I'm hung over," Balyss croaks, chanting a few words! Her bloodshot eyes clear, a long exhale! To this shaking Marianne stirs, "Urgh...Lyris?" she says groggily, "Aaeru? Mmm...I think I had fun. I think."
[21:15] * Veserya jerks awake with a gasp, unconsciousness not a pleasant state for any elf, and the lingering effects of a hangover doing nothing to improve her disposition. Putting a hand over her chest and breathing in deeply, she looks around, "What happened, I remember Josa throwing the die...?"
[21:15] <Aaeru> "I'm suffering," Aaeru proudly says, for her part. "Ilmater must be super-happy!"
[21:16] <Kotono> "Could you do something about that, Veserya?" Balyss speaks up, "I wasn't really prepared to cure a bunch of hangovers today."
[21:16] <Kotono> Marianne rubs her eyes, licking her lips and finally sitting up. "I feel like I marinated in wine for a few hours." Gently rubbing her temples and closing her eyes, "I remember Josa rolling that die again and then I woke up."
[21:17] <Aaeru> "It's all stupid Josa's fault," Aaeru mutters. "I remember he's evil!"
[21:17] <Veserya> "Yes, that won't be any trouble," the elf nods, first casting a spell to augment her healing abilities which allows a simple cantrip to alleviate the symptoms of a hangover.
[21:17] <Veserya> OOC: Healing Lorecall, then Cure Minor on Aaeru, Marianne, and self with removal of fatigue/sickened tagged on
[21:18] <Kotono> Josa is still too out cold to protest that statement. Meanwhile Balyss goes to the window, "It's the middle of thje night, looks like," she peers out, as Aaeru finds her hangover dissipating.
[21:18] * Aaeru shrugs. "Ilmater had enough, I guess. Thanks, Vessy!"
[21:19] <Kotono> "Me too," Marianne groans, "Please."
[21:20] <Veserya> Ministering to the other ladies and herself last, Veserya follows up with another cantrip to do something about her currently odious breath. "Does anyone mind if I make us a bit more presentable?" she asks before intruding to do the same on anyone else.
[21:20] <Kotono> "Please," Marianne repeats, "Thank you."
[21:21] <Aaeru> "Oh! Right!" Aaeru is more than eager to fix herself up with her magic, intending to help Veserya take care of that aspect after.
[21:21] <Veserya> A little bit of dilligent magic and soon all four of them are as fresh and clean as they were before their first glass of wine! "So, what exactly happened? We were knocked out by the die and no one came to check on us since then?"
[21:22] <Kotono> "Hey, are you all up?" A voice comes up from downstairs, loud. A familiar voice, Silver's.
[21:22] * Aaeru grimaces. "Yeah, not like she'd care or anything."
[21:22] <Veserya> "We are now!" Veserya calls back. "What happened after Josa rolled the die?"
[21:25] <Kotono> Silver flutters on up, arms crossed. "Near as I can tell, the die was trying to give Josa a companion." Her face has a look of distinct pique on it, "It didn't mix with our unique circumstances."
[21:26] <Veserya> "So not even Tymora can get split you two apart?" Veserya covers a giggle with her hand. Her expression returns to a bit of pique of her own afterwards, "Did it have to knock us out, though?"
[21:28] <Kotono> "Hell if I know," Silver says with a shrug.
[21:30] <Veserya> Well, she might as well wake up Josa since he's just sitting there, so Veserya goes to shake him awake so he can hear all this as well.
[21:32] <Kotono> Josa is so stirred! He sits up and rubs his head, "What happened?" he asks, "Oooooh!" He rubs his temple, "I have a lingering malaise of a headache."
[21:33] <Veserya> A quick healing cantrip will fix that! "Apparently the die tried to replace Silver."
[21:33] <Aaeru> "And failed."
[21:35] <Kotono> "Ah. Woe become us." Josa sighs dramatically, "I remember attempting to study the die and becoming utterly enraptured with it."
[21:38] <Kotono> "Where is it, anyway?" Balyss looks about, "That thing is a menace."
[21:38] <Aaeru> "Didn't it blow up?"
[21:39] <Veserya> "Did you pick it up, Silver?" Veserya asks the fairy who seemed unaffected.
[21:40] <Kotono> "It vanished, blew up, gone," Silver adds, going on downstairs, "I figured all you should sleep it off after that."
[21:42] <Veserya> "Probably for the best. The thing was a menace," Veserya nods. "Hmm... we've lost the nice mood we had earlier. Want to try and pick up where we were or call it a night?" she asks the girls.
[21:43] <Kotono> "Call it a night," Marianne says, "'twas fun, but another time I think."
[21:45] * Aaeru isn't really sure herself, but Marianne's answer helps her come to a decision. "Neve's probably waiting for me," she says, even though she's not really sure where Neve is, "so see you all tomorrow?"
[21:45] <Veserya> "I'll see about finding an inn to stay at for myself, then. Shall we meet here tomorrow?" Veserya then asks Aaeru. It was a nice day even with being cut short, at least!
[21:46] <Aaeru> "You bet!"