Nathrae Khalazza |
"We wait for him to fall asleep. Dwarves need to sleep longer than we do anyway." Nathrae sits next to Lorelei, glancing between the dwarf's... well, 'singing' would perhaps be the most polite term to use, and her.
"Did my magic help at all?" She asks with a quirked eyebrow.
I don't like wasting magic...
Lorelei |
"I do feel better, thank you. I am not sure how you handled your encounter with the half orc so well. He looked rather massive. Drow males just are not that scary too look at naked. I must say that this is one aspect of gladiator life that I never anticipated."
Nathrae Khalazza |
Nathrae can't help but smirk and lie down on her mattress. "It helped that I wanted to try him out." She says, looking at the ceiling, folding her arms behind her head. "I was... interested in seeing if his prowess with a blade extended to the bedchamber."
She sits up, her loincloth shifting a bit. "I'm pleased to say I was not found wanting." She frowns, looking down. "Still... I wish I wasn't drenched with wine. It made everything stickier..."
And the nobles pawing at me, trying to break my concentration didn't help either.
She sighs. "Still, it beats getting an axe through the neck."
Radric Hessel |
He smiles. Glad that's over with. Maybe I can help him out. He walks over to where the two drow females were lying, chatting in the high drow language he didn't understand. "Listen," he says, keeping his voice quiet and apologetic, "the dwarf is a lot of things. He's stubborn, he's stupid, and he's arrogant. But we need him, and he needs us. And Segovax is right, we're in this together. I'm sorry he's acting the way he is. I'll try to talk some sense into him. Try not to kill him."
Quiet Crocus "The Forest Jade" |
Crocus tries to filter out the noise of her stablemates, but their incessant prattling, complaints and politicking, regardless of the tongue it is carried on is as much a match for the drow society. She wonders if her performance at all caught the eye of the one named Rann… Until then, she was stuck here.
As above, so below she muses. I will get no sleep.
Kyzrak |
Kyzrak listened with half an ear as the massive half-orc, the dwarf, the drow and the halfling carried on. Segovax looked so serious as he boomed something in the uplander tongue that it made the drow wonder just what he was saying. He gestured at Ivan - was he staking a claim? The idea tickled him so much that he couldn't help but laugh quietly. He almost missed Radric explaining a little of what Segovax had actually meant.
In this together. I suppose we are... until we aren't. Part of the 'safety' of being a slave. He turned to eye Aspexia, who didn't seem bothered by all the noise. Another mage on our side wouldn't stink. Of course, we may have to kill her in our next bout, but maybe she'll hesitate and give us that moment if we seem friendly now.
Rapping on the bars between them, he spoke up so his fellows could hear him. "Anyone have any healing left in them? Aspexia there might appreciate something for those welts."
Over the following days Kyzrak will do what he can to improve both his tactics and his strategy, talking to Pharnox if he can. Part of his strategy is also to be friendly toward the other gladiators. He also waits to see if Ilvaria calls on him again. In addition, he'll try to learn as much Common as he can, maybe from Radric? (Preparing for learning a new language.) Enough to communicate in pidgin Common over time, hopefully.
Lorelei |
When the male half-orc had spoken while she was still in the dwarf's cell, Lorelei could only stare at him in bewilderment before shaking her head and walking out. The stupid beast thinks that the only reason I am upset is because the damn dwarf performed badly!?
To Nathrae back in their own cell again. "Yes, most things do beat an axe in the neck, but only barely."
Lorelei frowns when the halfing walks into their cell. In elven: "Now what does this little one want? I swear we are never going to get any sleep tonight."
She will listen to Radric speak, her fury now spent, she just doesn't have the energy to just get up and toss him out. Speaking in undercommon to the hafling: "I can make no promises of not killing if he ever tries to have sex with me again. If you can get him to curb his tongue though, I can likely manage to not inflict any fatal wounds upon him."
Nathrae Khalazza |
Nathrae doesn't speak, only nodding at Radric as he speaks with Lorelei.
At this point, her fatigue finally catches up with her, and she yawns.
"At least it's a start." She says in Elven before curling up on her bedding and drifting off.
Lorelei |
Lorelei will nod in agreement with Nathrae and then lay down to sleep herself, thoroughly worn out by the day that they have had. I hope tomorrow is better. At least thanks to Nathrae I don't feel like I am walking funny anymore. Stupid men.
Radric Hessel |
He starts to make a quip about other people having sex with her, but with the immediate crisis averted, he suddenly realizes just how exhausted he really is. He smiles a tired smile and responds in Undercommon. "That'll do." He leaves her and crawls back into his own straw, succumbing at last to sleep. Hells of a day.
Until his next match, however long that is, he'll be talking with the other "senior" gladiators (since he's proven himself now, hopefully they'll actually talk to him instead of just telling him to get lost) to learn what he can of how the system works-- getting a patron, the benefits thereof, the betting tables and whether there's any way he can access them.
ProfPotts |
When Segovax claims his new cell, the human male gladiator he finds in there takes one look at the hulking half-orc, then quickly grabs his own stuff and exits (to find, one assumes, someplace safer to sleep...).
The next morning when the gladiators stir (some more the worse for wear than others...) the latest additions get a chance to appreciate their new surroundings a bit more...
From the cells a short passageway leads off to the communal bath the group got to use the previous day: a large, low, carved stone affair which appears to be fed by a hot spring... or perhaps magic... as it always contains clean, hot, water, which also causes the rest of the stone room to fill with steam (not enough to obscure Perception or anything, but enough to give it a steam-room-like ambiance). Low stone benches line a couple of the walls, and bowls, buckets, and other cleaning implements are available, along with a supply of body oil.
A different passage leads to a meal hall, again with carved stone benches, this time also with long stone tables as well. Behind the serving counter on one side are the kitchens, staffed by non-gladiator slaves (and well guarded to prevent the gladiators from getting in too) who prepare and serve hearty meals of porridge, or potage and bread, served with wooden cups of water, to the hungry gladiators three times daily. Compared to the leftover swill served to the new gladiators in their cramped cage when they were mere recruits, it seems a big step up.
Across the central training yard from the gladiator’s cells is where the recruits’ cage was located, along with other cages for animal stock (currently empty), and a rather well-equipped and well-used ‘punishment room’ resplendent with shackles, whipping posts and crosses, hoists to suspend ‘guests’, braziers of hot coals with branding irons, racks of whips, canes, and floggers of all kinds, boxes of hooks, needles, scalpels, and other such unsavoury devices... all of which help to explain some of the disturbing noises which had drifted to the recruits' ears in past weeks... that room, and the store room for weaponry next to it, are always kept locked and guarded, as one may expect. The infirmary – the realm of Dala, the ludus’s healer (a quiet, branded, female drow slave whose face and body are so covered in brutal and disfiguring scars it’s hard to even tell how old she is) – with its wooden beds and stocks of healing herbs, drugs, and potions, is situated disturbingly close to the punishment room...
The third wall of the training yard leads to the private cells, reserved for champion gladiators and the most loyal of slaves who serve the ludus... most stand empty, awaiting those worthy to occupy them... although Dala claims one as her own (which the other slaves are generally happy with, as it spares them too much of her horrific visage...).
The fourth and final wall of the training yard, opposite the private cells, has a passage leading to the stairs up to the villa, as well as caged side chambers used as general storage for the villa and ludus both. Access here is, unsurprisingly, strictly controlled by the guards.
After the ex-recruits get to enjoy their first meal (porridge) in the gladiator’s meal hall, it’s back to the routine of daily practice... although compared to the brutal training endured as a recruit it seems tame by comparison... not to mention the thrill of not being the very bottom of the proverbial barrel any longer. That day the talk is all about the ex-recruits’ victory in the demonstration... and the party afterwards, with the other gladiators keen to hear all the gory details. Kyzrak and Radric both make progress gaining the ears of their new brethren, simply by filling in some of those details, whilst the other gladiators generally steer clear of Segovax in particular: both because of his brutally effective performance in the demonstration, and because he’s showing signs of trying to impress the Mistress of the House and her offspring, which hushed whispers and side-comments seem to suggest makes most think he’s ambitious – a dangerous sort of man to be around when one’s a gladiator!
When Aspexia emerges that morning (having missed breakfast) it can be seen that the welts of her whipping have faded somewhat, although still visible, and she winces as she picks up a practice rudem and weighted wooden dagger before moving across the yard to work one of the pali, striking the wooden figure in one of the series of rote attack routines drilled into the gladiators...
‘Aspexia!’ Pharnox calls out across the yard, cracking his cat-o-nine-tails expertly and loudly for emphasis, causing the pale Chelish woman to let slip a frightened gasp, and fumble her rudem – the rod slipping from her fingers to the sand. Those facing her notice her swearing under her breath and screwing her eyes shut for a moment, before turning to face the muscular drow man. ‘Take up the net and trident,’ Pharnox orders, ‘we need a new retiarius.’
‘But, I...’ Aspexia starts to protest, eyes wide with panic, ‘... my spellcasting... the crowds love it, I need my rudem to...’
‘Then perhaps you should have learnt to keep it in hand?,’ Pharnox retorts curtly, cutting off any further dissention as he turns his attentions elsewhere. Aspexia opens her mouth to reply... but clearly thinks better of it, as she hangs her head instead, meekly accepting the unfamiliar wooden practice trident and net one of the ludus slaves hurries over to place in her hands. Just as the other gladiators resume their practice all round, and Aspexia tries her first clumsy thrusts with the trident at the palus, Pharnox adds, loud enough for all to hear, ‘Anyway, Nathrae may need someone to help her repeat yesterday’s showing when she gets to the arena...’
As for betting... they suggest that he talks to Aspexia... if she lasts that long, the way she’s going...
While Ilvaria eventually appears at the balcony to watch the practices after the midday rest and meal, she shows no obvious signs of singling Kyzrak, or any of the gladiators, out... just lazily sipping wine and taking in the sights as seems to be her want...
After the day’s practice, when the gladiators retire to their cells, Segovax finds none other than Ragnar lying on one of the beds in there! The Ulfen has a fresh scar across his entire chest from Segovax’s near-killing blow the previous day, but otherwise seems fine. He glances up and nods as the half-orc enters the cell,
‘You Ragnar’s new roommate, berserkr?’ he asks in heavily accented surface-world common, ‘You leave Ragnar alone, Ragnar leave you alone... and maybe next time we meet on sands we try no fróðleikr, no magic, yes?’ He snorts a sound that could almost be a laugh, then scowls and adds, ‘Ragnar hear word you stóðhross with villieldr álfr... with flame elf... yes? Not to be doing this here... Dron and his Shoanti bikkja keep at it all night... hard to sleep... Ragnar likes sleep, yes?’
Meanwhile... Hull makes an even less pleasant discovery, when he returns to find that the room he selected was unoccupied because it was the room of Vors and Narsius... the latter of whom has returned from the healer, acid burn scars across his chest and the right half of his face, and a less-than-happy look in his eyes as he suggests to Hull,
‘Come in... close the door... and let’s you and I talk about our new sleeping arrangements...’
Nathrae Khalazza |
Nathrae yawns and stretches when morning comes, rising from her bedding with a happy look in her eye. Her legs, groin and back still ache a bit from last night, but otherwise she's not complaining at all.
She sets her pouch of silver inside her footlocker and looks over at her roommate, already starting to stir. "Sleep well?" She asks, somehow cheery after what happened between the gladiators last night.
Radric Hessel |
He gulps down his porridge eagerly. It's a far cry from the lavish meals he used to enjoy at the temple (and he always had a hearty appetite), but this stuff isn't bad. Certainly better than what he was eating as a new recruit. After breakfast he spends some time training, then watches Pharnox's mocking treatment of Aspexia out of the corner of his eye.
Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20
He easily noticed that she'd been playing the broken-wing gambit all morning, exaggerating her pain, though if she was hoping for pity Radric thought it unlikely she'd get any. His guess is confirmed when Pharnox strips her of her signature fighting style and assigns her a new one, with a healthy serving of scorn. After watching her go through some (rather clumsy) routines with her new net and trident, he decides that now is probably the best time to ask her about bets. If she has connections, perhaps making her feel useful would improve her mood (and her opinion of him). He catches her eye and flashes some quick hand gestures, not wanting to attract attention to either of them. We need to talk.
Bluff (secret message): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10
Darn, heh... What message she gets is up to you, but it isn't the one I tried to pass her.
Segovax Halfblood |
Satisfied enough that the bickering had died down, Segovax returns to his cell. A fierce glare and a snort breaks the will of the room’s previous occupant. A disappointment the big orc notes as the human makes himself scarce. Still, he wasn’t going to complain about some time alone and lays down to get some rest.
The following morning, after breaking his fast on the much improved food, Segovax throws himself into his training, still high off the previous day’s victory and the evening secondary performance with Nathrae. The dark elf had proven to be a worthy partner, enduring his thorough and intense mating in stride. He savored the idea of a repeat performance but discarded such thoughts. She was a gladiator and would be respected as such – for now.
He notes that many avoid him during the hours of free training, averting their gaze or busying themselves with the nearest palus. Good. Let them fear me. They recognize a champion rising.
Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 4
Returning to the cells at the end of the day, sweaty and worn but fulfilled, Segovax is surprised to see the ulfen there, both for his courage in sharing a room with him and his surviving the monstrous blow he was dealt. He listens when the hardy northman speaks though, as usual, there’s a bit of a language barrier.
”When it is time for me to kill you, it will be inside the arena for the audience to enjoy. Until then, I will give you the same grace I do any that has earned the title of Gladiator. Yes, I rutted the flame-touched dark elf. I’m impressed she performed as well today during training as she did – perhaps another boon from her patron”, he explains while reminiscing a bit.
”If I have need of a whore, I’ll warn you so you can find some other place to rest your head.”
Lorelei |
That morning:
Speaking in undercommon for the day:
Lorelei wakens from a rather restful sleep. "Morning Nathrae. I slept fairly well, the straw mattresses might not be the best bedding, but it does beat a blanket on the ground."
She will walk with Nathrae to go get breakfast. "At least the food we're being served looks a bit better."
Over the course of the day, Lorelei does her best to ignore Ivan and though she will discuss yesterdays fight with any other gladiators curious to hear about it, she will not say anything about the party at the villa.
As Aspexia is reassigned to a different fighting style, Lorelei comments to Nathrae. "Seems like she is being set up as fodder for the next fight. She will never master a new style in time and I am betting she is next to useless in a fight without her magic." I know I certainly would on the losing side if I had to fight without any of my magics.
Lorelei tries to refrain from shooting too many angry glares at Ilvaria when she makes her appearance on the balcony. Though she casts more than a few looks towards Pharnox as she begins to contemplate how to get his attention.
Kyzrak |
Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5
Thoroughly taken in by Aspexia's performance, Kyzrak shrugged as she was told to change her fighting style and put her in the mental box marked "dead meat." I suppose it was inevitable, given the way everyone ignored her last night.
Determined to put his time to good use, he fought hard with anyone who would train with him. He moved with a stalking grace that exploded into a flurry of slashes when he judged the time was right.
Nathrae Khalazza |
Nathrae nods in approval. "Glad to hear it."
-----------
The morning meal gives Nathrae a chance to really mingle with the other gladiators--some of them have been gossiping about the party at the villa last night, and how she was one of the centrepieces of it. She's happy enough to talk about her part in it, but pointedly avoids speaking of Lorelei's... experience, claiming she was enjoying herself too much to really notice.
-----------
Once breakfast is over, Nathrae's training routine for today consists of attacking the most armoured palus available for gladiators to use. She hopes Pharnox is watching--she knows Lorelei is.
Trying to gain Pharnox's favour with this...
Attack! (Vs. Inanimate Object): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
Damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7
The gladius is Nathrae's favourite weapon by far, and it shows. She makes several decisive strikes, effortlessly blocking the palus' return blows. She's in top form... would it be enough to catch Pharnox's attention?
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20
One thing is clear to Nathrae, however, as she glances over at Aspexia between blows--the Chelish mage's efforts at playing up her injuries only served to get her into deeper trouble. The trident and net style of fighting was always difficult for a gladiator to master, as it required good hand-eye coordination to make their net throws count as well as the strength to control their opponents within the net. It was blatantly obvious to anyone watching that Aspexia had neither.
Nathrae nods at Lorelei, then speaks up loud enough for Pharnox to hear. "Master, I do not claim to know more than you about combat, but I wish to ask: if she is to fight me, would the crowds not be more entertained by an even match?" She takes care to remain in the role of a submissive slave, ensuring her tone never turns flippant or confrontational.
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26
-----------
Once training is complete for the day, after the evening meal, the baths are Nathrae's next stop. She doesn't spend too long washing herself--once she's done, she looks over the other gladiators, pausing on Segovax & Lorelei before returning to the room she shares with the latter.
Hull Korel |
Hull situates Rich on his shoulder and gazes back at Narsius. He yells:"I've had enough of you, Narsius. I'm not closing the door; if you come any closer, you'll be headed back to Dala...or the morgue!"
Readying an action to burning hands the stew out of him if he moves towards me.
damage: 1d4 ⇒ 3 DC 15 Reflex save for 1/2
Segovax Halfblood |
On his way to the baths Segovax hears the halfling’s challenge and pauses. He crosses his massive arms across his chest and watches the scene unfold from a distance.
***
Within the baths, Segovax sees to his own bathing with little wasted time but does make note of Nathrae's continued attention. He matches her gaze and gives an appreciative nod. The baths never disappointed. Perhaps we should take advantage of each other's strength.
ProfPotts |
Whatever hand gestures Radric thought he was flashing Aspexia, the angry scowl on her face when she catches sight of them makes it pretty clear that she thinks he’s mocking her in her moment of weakness...
Nathrae’s attempt to catch Pharnox’s eye seems eminently successful as her perfect form in her maneuvers proves enough to be rewarded with that most rare of commodities: a brief smile of genuine appreciation from the man!
"Master, I do not claim to know more than you about combat, but I wish to ask: if she is to fight me, would the crowds not be more entertained by an even match?"
Pharnox gestures for Nathrae to join him just inside the shadowed entrance to one of the passages leading from the practice yard, where he casts his eye up and down her body... almost as if he’s properly seeing her for the first time... and a hint of a smile tugs at the corner of his mouth as he whispers his reply...
... having said his part, it seems that Pharnox lingers a little longer in the shadows with Nathrae than is absolutely necessary, before sending her back to continue her drills...
Nathrae has, indeed, earned herself Pharnox’s Favour (1 Fame) for this month... and with those rolls, more than his passing interest too...
That evening, in the cells...
Ragnar snorts his deadpan almost-laugh at Segovax’s comments,
‘Berserkr try to kill Ragnar... Ragnar try to stay alive... so far, Ragnar winning, I think...’ he shrugs, even as he turns over to sleep, adding, ‘... but Ragnar agree: no point in wasting good fight, yes? Maybe one day berserkr is kappi, is champion... worry about whose whoring kicks out who then, yes? Sleep now...’
... and down the corridor a ways...
"I've had enough of you, Narsius. I'm not closing the door; if you come any closer, you'll be headed back to Dala...or the morgue!"
I rolled an Intimidate check on Hull’s behalf... it wasn’t pretty...
The big Taldan doesn’t seem fazed at all by the threats of someone less than half his size... he steps forwards, only to yell out in pain as the flames Hull evokes scorch fresh burns across his already scarred skin (and ignite some small fires on the sleeping pallets within the room)... but it seems the bronzed human is too stubborn or too dumb (quite likely both...) to stop as he swings both mighty fists at Hull, one after the other... and one after the other they find nothing but air as Hull narrowly avoids the first, but easily ducks the second wild haymaker...
Well, next round Hull gets to go first... anyone else joining in needs to roll Initiative to see where they act... although Narsius was pretty badly burned by Hull’s opening volley, so it doesn’t really look like the little guy needs any help...
Lorelei |
sense motive: 1d20 ⇒ 9
perception: 1d20 ⇒ 12
Lorelei baths quickly, not caring to be in the bathhouse any longer than absolutely necessary. Seeing Nathrae looking at her and being ready to leave, Lorelei quickly catches up to her, a few questions on her mind.
Speaking quietly in Elven: "So, what exactly was it that Pharnox pulled you aside to talk about? I noticed you managed to catch his eye, though I haven't managed to do the same yet..." Lorelei's lower lip seems to pout slightly as she mentions Nathrae catching the eye of Pharnox.
ProfPotts |
Correct: a palus has no moving parts... but just skip over Nathrae's bit about 'returning' blows... must have been in her head! :)
Hull's acidic blast catches Narsius in the chest again with a distinct sizzling noise... but the Taldan refuses to give up, stepping after the halfing to swing two more punches... the second of which finally connects! ... for all of 2 points of non-lethal damage... ho hum...
Segovax can jump in if he wants... but my money's still on the halfling...
Nathrae Khalazza |
@Kyzrak: I thought it was one of those training posts that have bits sticking out so that when you hit one, the force of your blow causes it to spin and one of the bits knocks you upside the head, forcing you to learn to block or dodge. Evidently I was wrong--perhaps Nathrae's taken so many lumps during training that ducking and dodging has become second nature to her now. XD
@ProfPotts: Why do people always make comparisons to chess when they're manipulating someone? Diplomacy would be more accurate... XD
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
Nathrae completely misses out on everything else--Pharnox's smile has caught her eye first.
She has a slightly worried look in her eye as he pulls her off her drills, but his words chase those thoughts away. She doesn't miss the looks he gives her--Is he really that interested in me? Interesting...
She says nothing as Pharnox speaks to her, but gives him a grateful nod. "My thanks for indulging me, Master." She whispers in return before she returns to her drills.
-----------
Segovax's nod of approval makes Nathrae smile, but she gets up to meet up with Lorelei once she's finished bathing.
-----------
Nathrae isn't especially surprised when Lorelei presses her for details on Pharnox.
"Well... he told me that he put Aspexia on a different style to challenge her, and that Mistress Loscivia allowed us to execute the others in our first fight as motivation. She's found a way to survive in the arena, but not thrive." She whispers to Lorelei in Elven.
"He seemed more interested in me than he let on..." She says as she sits down on her mattress. "If you're trying to get him to notice you, perhaps you could try putting in more effort in your drills."
Lorelei |
Lorelei sighs at Nathrae. "Most of my skill is in the arcane, not the martial arts. I doubt he would respect that as much. If anything I would fail so badly he would never look at twice at me again. I guess I can see what I can accomplish with my spells...."
Lorelei pauses in mid-speech as they begin to hear some shouting from one of the cells.
"What is all that caterwauling about? Was that one of the small ones yelling?"
Nathrae Khalazza |
Nathrae peeks out from around the corner of their cell.
"Oh, one of the halflings picked a fight with... oh, what's-his-name... Vors?" She scratches her head. "Or was that Narsius? I forget."
She shrugs. "Looks like he's handling himself well, and Segovax has his eyes on him. I think the halfling will be fine."
"Most of my skill is in the arcane, not the martial arts. I doubt he would respect that as much. If anything I would fail so badly he would never look at twice at me again. I guess I can see what I can accomplish with my spells...."
Nathrae looks down at the floor in thought.
"Hmm..." She looks up at the ceiling. She appears to be coming up with something...
ProfPotts |
Another of Hull's conjured splashes of acid hits home, searing Narsius's flesh still further, as the halfling begins to back slowly down the main passageway towards the baths... seeming to almost mock his opponent as he slowly burns him piece by piece... but the bigger human keeps on swinging, again one of his two meaty fists managing to clip the retreating halfling... Another 2 points of non-lethal damage for Hull.
Segovax Halfblood |
At this point Segovax is more worried for Narsius than Hull.
Grunting loudly, Segovax lumbers forward interjecting himself in the pseudo brawl.
”That’s enough. Narsius, you’d best stop acting like a fool before the halfman melts off what’s left of your face. Keep it up and you’re going to end up like your brother.”
Lorelei |
Lorelei nudges Nathrae as the two combatants work their way into the main hallway, in sight of everyone.
"Well, looks like the half-orc is going to play peacekeeper."
"Now, back to you. You have that look that says you are plotting something."
Nathrae Khalazza |
"Oh?" Nathrae looks back at Lorelei, sitting down on her mattress. She gets a quizzical look on her face as she sits down, like she just sat on a lump.
"Well, here's what I was thinking: Pharnox, perhaps, wishes to bed me. If I ask him politely, maybe he'll let you join in?" She shrugs. "Simple, I know, but I don't think there's much chance of it going wrong..."
She shifts on her mattress, reaching under her loincloth and pulling out her pouch of silvers. Her quizzical look shifts to one of irritation. "Again?" She grumbles as she places the pouch back in her footlocker.
Radric Hessel |
The red-haired woman's scowl makes it pretty clear that she had misunderstood. He rolls his eyes. Guess I'll just have to find her the old-fashioned way. But not now. The moment had passed. Maybe tomorrow.
Sense Motive: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (15) - 1 = 14
Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 1 = 18
He notices Ilvaria's expression change ever so briefly when Nathrae catches Pharnox's attention, but he doesn't quite catch what the expression says. Then it's back to the Ilvaria they already know. He snorts when he overhears Pharnox's justification for his actions. So their opponents were allowed to be slaughtered just to motivate the others? Tough crowd.
*****
He watches Hull's fight with amusement but does not get involved-- at least, not right away. He hopes that if a gladiator turns up dead in the barracks, that the drow slavemasters wouldn't care overmuch.
Nathrae Khalazza |
"Yes. Yes, you did." Nathrae sits on the footlocker and crosses her legs. "From what I've found out, it has something to do with my magic... my connection to Flauros."
She looks down, biting her lip slightly. "It's actually how I got here."
Lorelei |
"What? Someone put you in a footlocker and you ended up on a bed here?" Lorelei grins at her attempted joke as she sits down on her own bed.
"Come on, you may as well tell me how you ended up here. Better to pass the time that way than silently staring at each other. Unless of course you want to start practicing for that future threesome. Though we could end up with an unwanted audience coming in here. I am positive that dwarf wants a second go round with me."
Hull Korel |
After Segovax interjects himself, Hull says: "Listen to him, Narsius. I don't want to kill you; you just need to understand that you can't bully us anymore. Oh, and-if you need somebody to replace Vors-look elsewhere: if anything of yours comes near me, you'll be lucky if I cauterize the bloody stump with acid." With that, he steps back, and tendrils of dark energy dance on his fingertips.
casting touch of fatigue and holding the charge until he moves towards me.
Nathrae Khalazza |
"I wish. It would have been preferable." Nathrae replies.
"Unless of course you want to start practicing for that future threesome."
Nathrae quirks an eyebrow. "What, can't I do both?"
She sighs, leaning back against the wall as she looks at Lorelei. "Unlike you, I was no one of importance--just another commoner merchant, serving House Caldrana as best I could. I was a dealer for House Caldrana's weapons, selling them to mercenaries, soldiers and, of course, gladiators."
"I was dealing with a particularly unruly customer one day--some uppity noble twit who wanted a new rapier to fight with. After giving me no end of grief for being slow and incompetent, he finally snapped and tried to kill me with a knife when the rapier I was about to give to him flew out of my hand." Nathrae frowns. "We struggled for a bit, and in the end, I impaled him through the eye with the rapier I intended to sell him." She takes a breath and sighs. "That's when Flauros thought it'd be funny to use my rapier to light his head on fire."
Ivan "dangit" Rockboulder |
Just to make sure they continued to put up with dwarven antics Ivan wanted to make sure pharnox knows he's worth it.
hammatime: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17
damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
After getting a bit too much into the training Ivan's hammer slams into the training dummy, smashing an area where his hammer hit. He looks up and half shrugs.
ops.. Me apologies , as well as fer the floor the other day. Dwarves don't know there own strength sometimes.
dwarfception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
Ivan notices nothing as he sinks back into his battle hardened training mode.
dwarfception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15
During the scuffle Ivan hears enough to run in and shout.
that's the way show'em what for! making sure its hard to tell if he is speaking too halfing hull or not.
After the fight ends Ivan mumbles
can't land a punch with form likin' to a orge. Gotta set yer base and center of gravity. Swinging like a bloody battlerager....
As an after thought. jus' without the rage ferocity.
As he passes he will clap the halfling on the back and whisper
nice job lad, ye knocked em' down a keg or two by me reckonin'
Nathrae Khalazza |
Nathrae's eyes widen slightly, taking in Lorelei's form sprawling across her mattress. Really?
Her eyes linger on the 'spider webs' covering Lorelei's breasts, the oil covering her body highlighting her curves. The sight makes her lick her lips--for a brief moment, Nathrae is completely fascinated by her.
She gets up off the footlocker, moving to the door to their cell and closing it. A small, nervous smile appears on her face as she looks back at the sorceress before her. "As you wish..." She takes a breath and sits next to her. "I have to admit, I... haven't had the pleasure of doing this before."
Oh, if you could f**k the half-orc in front of an entire room of nobles, you can do this.
-------------
Whenever Lorelei chooses to start...
She slides her sandals off before tentatively removing the rest of her barely-existent clothing and bringing her mouth close to the tip of Lorelei's ear.
"Don't worry--I can't possibly be worse than... him." She says before gently nipping her ear...
Perform (Act): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20
Throughout their 'practice session', Nathrae is content to let Lorelei set the pace as she explores her. Though her inexperience shows, she's very attentive to her, running her hands and tongue across her anywhere she will allow her to... teasing, caressing, refusing to stop until she's told... or until Lorelei's pleasure finally overcomes her.
Nathrae Khalazza |
What seems to be hours later, Nathrae lies spread across her mattress next to Lorelei, panting and covered in a thin sheen of sweat. Throughout their coupling, she made very little noise, perhaps out of courtesy to the other gladiators. Her jaw and fingers are tired, and she writhes slowly, letting the last pleasurable tingles of her peak subside before she speaks again.
"Well... I'd call this a successful practice." She whispers in Elven, giggling a little before turning her head towards her partner. "How was it for you?"
Lorelei |
"Most successful indeed. Anyone would be a fool to deny us together."
Like Nathrae, Lorelei had also tried to make as little noise as possible. Though not because she cared about the others getting any sleep, but because she just didn't want them to get any idea about coming into their cell to watch. She had enough of that sort of thing already.
Nathrae Khalazza |
Lorelei's words bring another happy smile to Nathrae's face. She raises her head, looking for her wayward clothes.
She finds her sandals and breast band easily enough, and (reluctantly) slips the latter on. Her loincloth, on the other hand...
...somehow ended up peeking out of Lorelei's footlocker. Nathrae sighs in irritation and points a finger at her loincloth. "Come here." She whispers in Elven.
As bidden, the loincloth is plucked out of its resting place, drifting over and coming to a rest in Nathrae's hand. She moves to put it on while still lying down.
Radric Hessel |
He uses the distraction of the fight to go find Aspexia. With Pharnox and Ilvaria elsewhere, he doesn't expect the other gladiators would care if they saw him talk with her. He leans against the bars of her cell, his arms folded, trying to appear non-threatening (as if he could appear threatening even if he wanted to). "Sorry for whatever you thought I said earlier. I've got some questions for you."