Billu nods, satisfied with Ushari's feelings on the matter. But he watches Jayse far more closely and the coin remains offered.
Straehan stands unobtrusively to one side, considering what Billu's word say about this Ursuul fellow. Not for the first time, the little gnome wishes he knew more of the undead. Overwhelming a boatload of the worst marauders to ply the seas isn't a task for a few skeletons - top-hats or no. And how many undead constitute a 'swarm'?
He draws on his knowledge of spellcraft and necromancy to get some ideas about Shiv's patron. The only tentative conclusion he reaches, upon imagining a boat swarming with undead, is that he must be a heavy hitter to control so many undead at one time.
Jayse throws up his hands in a hopefully-disarming gesture, "I meant no harm. Just never heard of such a thing, but if you say it's so, Bill, I believe it. I say we toss all preconceptions out the window; probably do us all some good, right? Might even wanna meet this guy; he seems interesting. You keep that gold; if you can keep this girl safe, it'll be worth it."
Billu pockets the coin and steps out of the way. "Fair enough. Don't worry about your boat, she'll be fine. Enjoy yer stay."
As soon as Bill moves to let you past, the ballistae crews return their aim to the inlet. You walk off the dock with your small kit-bags as the sun kisses the tops of the surrounding hills.
Jayse laughs and rubs his hands together excitedly, "I hope to. If you're around later, Bill, I'll try to bring you a drink. You can tell me more about this place."
He begin walking up the dock, stopping when he reaches the end of the dock and turning to wait on Straehan. He takes the few moments he has to let his eyes and ears take in the strange, small town, also taking a moment to check that his stone is in his pocket and his coat covers his distinctive tattoos wherever possible. When Straehan catches up, he grins as he begins making his way to the Near-Sighted Slattern, "I don't have a clue what to make of this place. I can understand a place that wants to keep a low profile, and I don't mind rubbing elbows with all kinds of folks. Hopefully we can have a bit of fun before crashing for the night, right?" He elbows the gnome as they walk, "So what's your poison? Gambling? Women?" He puts up his fists in a mock-combat stance, "Little bit of rough-and-tumble?"
Ushari walks behind Jayse and Straehan, trying not to let her unease show on her pretty face. While she was somewhat concerned about this Ursuul fellow, her more pressing concern was dealing with all of the ruffians who would look at her face and body and see a romantic prospect. She was not sure if the feeling in her stomach was fear, or excitement.
Somehow she was sure of one thing; she would find out sooner rather than later.
You amble along the uneven wooden promenade that runs the length of the beach, from the docks to the Slattern. Several people sitting in the doorways of their driftwood shanties call out to you offering homemade booze, a bit of 'fair' gambling, or pleasant companionship that, frankly, doesn't seem quite so pleasant. None of the offers seems particularly reputable or without hazards. If you were outlaws, truly strapped for cash and desperate for action, you could understand the appeal of the cut-rate prices. But given the weight of your pouches as Bill suggested, the Slattern seems more promising.
...elbows the gnome as they walk, "So what's your poison? Gambling? Women?"
Straehan smiles, wondering if Jayse meant to ask a poisoner about his preferred poison. "Women, my friend, are a pleasure and a vice, not a toxin... well, usually." Straehan scans the townsfolk as they walk. "Unfortunately, I'm seeing far more working girls than chamber-maids here. And I doubt the reputable ladies would be caught dead in the Slattern. Still, I may be in luck."
...puts up his fists in a mock-combat stance, "Little bit of rough-and-tumble?"
Straehan scoffs, "Please! I'm a lover not a fighter. 'Rough-and-tumble' usually means I get roughed up and then I get sent tumbling. No thanks. But you go have fun... I'll be at the bar trying to talk demure ladies out of their undergarments."
Ushari follows along discreetly, watching for the over-eager eyes of predatory men. She gets more curious than amorous looks but does receive a ham-handed offer or two for 'servicing' from passably attractive boys who are clearly looking to supplement their income. She doesn't even have time to be offended by the first offer before the gnome snorts derisively and grumbles to the group, "Amateur! What kind of approach is that, honestly?"
Halfway down the promenade, you pass the Victorian house. You're not sure what to expect from a necromancer's abode, but the normality of it seems vaguely disappointing. There is no sepulchral feel, macabre music, or fencing made of bleached bones. The windows aren't even ominously blocked with dark curtains stirred by an unexplained wind. It is just so... typical.
Your gait slows allowing you to examine the house in detail as you pass by. As you do, you hear an odd rattling behind you. You stop and turn. The skeleton in the coat and hat approaches, carrying a wrapped parcel. The red embers in its eye-sockets regard you and it checks its speed so it doesn't bump into your group. Its eyes sweep across your faces then it tips its hat and says through its slack jaw, "Excuse me."
It moves around your group and steps through the open gateway in the picket fence saying, "Have a pleasant day."
In three swift steps it ascends the stairs to the porch and enters the house.
Usahri stares at the skeleton, trying to determine if there is anything unusual about the skeleton....well anything other than the fact this skeleton was apparently a delivery boy, as opposed to a killing machine.
The fact that this skeleton is an 'errand boy' chills Ushari's blood more than anything else when she correctly deduces that no normal skeleton could interact and speak with them as it had. The skeleton is clearly intelligent. After a brief moment, she realises that it must be a Skeletal Champion... which mean it could be both a highly efficient killing machine AND an errand boy. It is possible that it has more combat experience than anyone in their group.
You continue down the promenade under the eyes of locals looking to turn a profit and other 'visitors' who wonder what sort of nefarious trade would require such a strange crew.
Long before you actually reach the roughly cut doorway in the massive galley your senses are tickled by the smell of cooking meat, the sound of music and laughter, and the bursts of light emanating from the many windows that have been carved along the hull, practically all the way to the keel. The weather-vane you spied from the dock is evident. It is a large phallus and balls of shaped steel. Apparently it knows which way the wind blows.
A burst of cheering from the doorway draws your attention downward and you see the swinging sign above the door carved from a piece of hull and skillfully painted. It is an ample woman in a state of undress, parts falling out as it were, with a lurid smile and absolutely massive glasses magnifying her eyes ridiculously.
A couple of working girls with a bit too much make-up hover near the entrance, tight dresses emphasizing their wares. They watch you all coquettishly. One looks between Jofram and Jayse. "Fancy a go? Start the night out right, eh? Or are you bundling that one?" She asks looking at Ushari.
Straehan ignores the strumpets and takes a quick peek through the wide doorway. The interior of the Slattern doesn't disappoint. Its nautical pedigree is evident in the wide variety of original gear that is attached to the 'ceiling' of this upside down ship. Coils of rope, a portion of the mast, belay pins, a map table with sextant and compass, and other equipment all sit realistically on the ceiling.
The first floor (the ship's deck) is divided into three spaces. The largest is the central tavern and common room. Two dozen people are here - eating, drinking, laughing, and bickering at a dozen long trestle tables. Three locals with dubious musical gifts and beaten instruments play rousing tunes in the corner. Jayse's concern about his tattoos is misplaced. Many of the hard looking men in the tavern are covered in tattoos, scars, brands, or all of the above.
To one side of the tavern, separated by a bulkhead, is a small quiet bar with more intimate tables. Adjacent to the bar is a circular staircase winding upwards watched over by a small office. Sitting in the office is a plump but pretty middle-aged woman. There are five patrons in the bar, most of whom are sitting at the bar and talking quietly. The balding barman wipes down the L-shaped bar with a dirty rag.
On the other side of the tavern is a largish room with gambling and a modest bloodsport arena with a sand floor. The card tables are quiet but a small group of men are betting noisily on a fight between a skeletal chicken and a skeletal cat.
Jayse has to be pulled away from the incredibly mundane house with the skeleton, and as they pass the women, he's still fighting an incredulous look… so much so that the women go unnoticed, at least until the final question. Jayse looks over at Ushari and barks a laugh, "Hell no! Are you kidding me? This one wouldn't touch me with a ten-foot pole, I'm thinking." He gives her a playful punch on the shoulder, "Apparently I'm not hairy enough for her tastes."
As they approach the Slattern, he points up at the weather-vane, "Not sure whether to take that as a good sign or a bad one." As they walk through the door, and the wave of sound and activity wash over them, he can't help but try to take it all in. "Wow. Bill wasn't joking… no lack of things to do. So should we grab a table and a round and figure out what to do first?"
Jayse smiles as he looks around, "I say we make a game for ourselves… the guy or girl to bag the most/most attractive local wins the pot? The guy/girl who makes the most money in whatever fashion wins the pot? I don't know, what do you guys think? And while we're at it, we should try to get the lay of the land. Who's who in town. What's going down. Any recent news they have of Orfallen."
Ushari smiles embarrassedly at Jayse's jibe. "Ha, he probably does not even remember me now."
As the group enters the Slattern, like Jayse she is nearly overwhelmed with the sensations of this place. As Jayse points to the side table, she eagerly nods her head.
Once they have settled in at their table, Ushari smiles at Jayse, a little more at ease with herself. "You're on, Jayse. Just give me some time to...loosen up." She glances at the bar and motions for Jofram to accompany her. Once they have reached the bar, she motions for the bartender, "Wine, please."
As she looks around at the other patrons, she keeps an eye out for any unusual happenings.
"You're on, Jayse. Just give me some time to...loosen up."
"Yes, because you've been so straight-laced and stoic, lately," Jofram says with a smirk. Addressing the bartender, he signals in the Elven tradition. "And three pints of dark ale, if you please."
Feigning interest in Ushari, Jofram looks over her shoulder at the activity in the tavern.
"I say we make a game for ourselves... the guy or girl to bag the most/most attractive local wins the pot? The guy/girl who makes the most money in whatever fashion wins the pot? I don't know, what do you guys think?"
Jayse and Straehan grab a small table and drop their gear as Jofram and Ushari head to the bar. Straehan smiles at the monk's game. "So would bagging two 5's count the same as snagging a '10'?" He taps his kit bag with a foot and gets a shade more serious. "I'd rather not leave my bag lying around. I'm inclined to get a room now, drop my gear, and then play. The question is - how many rooms? If you really want to try bedding one or more girls, you might want your own." He casts an eye over to the small office by the stairs. "My guess is we can make arrangements there."
Ushari's request for wine draws more than a few looks and chuckles from the rough patrons. The fat barman merely nods and slides over a glass as requested along with three mugs at Jofram's gesture. "4 pieces of silver."
Jofram scans the tavern and bar area. Despite the music and people milling about, the night is young and the place is scarcely a fifth full. Aside from your group drawing more than a few casual looks, the ranger doesn't spy anything too out of the ordinary. The tavern is populated by common revelers. In the darker and quieter bar, there are a few intense private conversations - quite possibly illicit deals being struck. You suspect a fair amount of the larcenous business is conducted around the Slattern.
"So would bagging two 5's count the same as snagging a '10'?"
"HA! I guess I thought they were two separate games. Either general hot-ness OR sheer numbers. I don't even want to think about how we'd go about mashing them up. So the rules are you can't pay the woman for the fun, though I'd say gifts to win their favor is okay. 10 gold buy-in for any of us that wants to play the game? Winner takes the pot? So how do we prove our... victories?"
"I'd rather not leave my bag lying around….My guess is we can make arrangements there."
Jayse looks down at the bag, "I forget you all don't travel as lightly as I do. Rooms would be good, though. If they're not too expensive, I say we all get our own… hopefully we can get 4 next to each other."
He watches the room for a while, "So what all should we try to accomplish tonight? I'm assuming we're only staying the night, but that should be plenty of time to pick up any rumors we can about Orfallen or the local happenings. You have anything you want to do?"
Ushari accepts the glass of wine with a smile, and she turns her gaze to some of the ruffians who questioned her choice of beverage. Seeing them not even worthy of a response, she simply returns a cool gaze to each one of them in turn, before giving Jofram a smile, while murmuring under her breath, ”What do you make of this crowd?”
"I wasn't sure what to expect. So far, it looks like any other town that I would imagine; with the exception of some of its residents." He nods toward the doorway, where a skeletal figure in livery passes along the street.
"Though, to be fair, I don't actually remember much of other towns, but this has a familiar feeling to it. And nobody seems disturbed by the presence of a group of newcomers."
"As for this game, Ushari - I'm not sure how we could fairly judge your submission, assuming you plan to pursue a gentleman for this wager."
Ushari smiles and Jofram notices a wicked gleam in her eyes. ”Oh, Jofram, I think I can gather my share of…gentlemen, if I should put my mind to it.” She glances towards the stage where the musicians are trying to entertain the other patrons. ”I know I have more talent than those musical hacks!”
"I think you missed my point - who's going to judge the quality of our women and your men? Unless Straehan or Jayse have an eye for the lads..."
"Fortunately, I need no additional help determining who meets MY exacting standards!"
Jofram rolls his eyes, realizing that Ushari is oblivious to his words. Downing his beverage, his tosses coins on the bar, and orders another.
Straehan laughs. "I'm in for 10 Sovereigns. In terms of judging our victories, I think the honor system will suffice. If we're going for quantity as well as quality, then perhaps we need two pots... say 5 Sovereigns to each pot per competitor? Personally, I won't be going for quantity but I don't object to contributing to that pot." The gnome looks around and spies a somewhat attractive middle-aged woman entering the office. "Perhaps that is Salli. I'll go see about our accommodations."
Straehan heads over to the office and engages the woman. Their conversation is extensive and the gnome gestures at his friends more than once. He ends by pushing a sizable stack of coins towards her and kissing her hand. She laughs and pats his cheek.
His mood up-beat, Straehan returns to the table and grabs the drink Jofram has returned with, giving him a silent salute of thanks. He looks like a cat that swallowed a fat canary. "So, if you want to have adjacent rooms, we have two choices. We can pay a Gold each and get rooms on the 3rd floor. They have cheaper private rooms on the 2nd floor, but not four together... so I rejected those. The other option is we get 4th floor penthouse rooms - very extravagant. Normally those are 5 gold each. I've talked Salli into letting us have those for 3 gold each. I've already rented one for myself. They include breakfast and other 'perks'. If you don't want to go that lavish, I understand. I trust I'll be safe enough by myself if you decide to go with more reasonably priced options. Just let Salli know what you'd each like. If you want to see my room before deciding, I'm going to drop off my bag after this drink."
Jayse nods "Sure, let's check it out." Jayse begins to work on his drink as he takes another look around the place, both looking for opportunity and danger.
Ushari notes the look in Jofram's eyes and cannot help but smirk slightly to herself. As Straehan and Jayse talk of bagging their 'conquests', she wonders how successful she would be. She did know Despair's Daughter was evidently quite good at such games.
As she asks for a private room next to Straehan's, she wonders whether she should change into her blue dress....Hmmm, maybe later...
Once they have returned to the common area, she starts to scope out the eligible males to see if any would be bold enough to make the first move....
After you finish your drinks, Straehan signals Salli with a nod and grabs his bag. You meet the proprietress at the stairs.
"Mistress Salli, these are my companions: Ushari, Jofram, Jayse... and Vaelos, of course." The eagle chirrups in greeting.
"Welcome all!"
Salli leads you upstairs while providing a light, friendly narrative...
The second floor is marked by a large central sleeping/sitting room and a few private quarters. It is clean with woven mat beds. "Most of our guests stay here. It's affordable. Unfortunately, the sound carries up from the tavern. So on raucous nights, it can be a bit hard to sleep unless you are dead tired or dead drunk."
You mount the next set of stairs and arrive at the third floor. There is a comfortable sitting room with a window on one side and a variety of private rooms of different sizes evident down a long hall that seems to stretch for three-quarters of the boat's length. At the end of the corridor is a red door. The sounds from below are well muffled. Sitting unobtrusively in the window sill is a guard in the livery of the Inn. Salli answers the unspoken questions. "We don't usually have trouble here and the door-guard ensures that. When you pay a gold for a night's sleep, we try to ensure you get what you pay for." She walks you briefly into an adjacent bedroom. It is 10' square, well appointed, with a large feather-bed, nightstand, and a window overlooking the bay. The door is sturdy oak. After you've had a chance to inspect it, she leads you into the hall and back towards the staircase, saying over her shoulder. "The brothel is on the other side of the red door. The quality of the girls and boys goes up on each floor."
You mount the next set of stairs which are carpeted and arrive at the 'top' of the boat - a luxurious sitting room filled carpets and leather furniture. The ceiling has a gentle slope conveyed by the curving hull of the ship. On both sides of the room sunlight streams in through large glass windows that look out on the bay and hills. No sound from below penetrates to this level. Again a corridor stretches away fully half the ship's length and terminates at a red door. The guard here is also in livery and has the look of a man who really knows how to handle himself in a fight. He nods politely.
Salli announces the obvious, "Top Floor - where our high rollers stay." She rings a chime and a beautiful girl steps out from a room down the hall, leaving the door open. She is all of 5' tall with wavy blonde hair that flows past her rear and enough curves that you have NO doubt as to her gender. Her maid's outfit is designed to reveal more than be a practical uniform. She moves quickly towards the group and curtsies, revealing tantalizing hints of even more of herself. Her green eyes regard your group but settle on the gnome. She kneels down to his level, providing all sorts of distraction.
"Master Straehan, I presume. Thank you staying with us. I'm Elsa, the floor attendant. My job is to see to your needs, unless you'd prefer a gentleman attendant. Olan." At her words, a handsome young man steps inconspicuously from another room. His outfit is no more efficient than hers.
Straehan's smile grows. He glances at Salli and chuckles. "No, Elsa, I vastly prefer a female attendant. No offense, Olan."
Elsa nods, takes his bag, and swiftly rises in one fluid motion. She beams prettily, "Very good, Master Straehan, your room is this way, if you'd care to follow me." You chase after her semi-curvaceous form down the hall. The gentlemen don't pay much attention to the hall's decor with such a guide. Ushari is tempted to comment until she realises she is paying far more attention to the muscled and chiseled Olan than the furnishings herself.
Salli says quietly, "In addition to taking care of your rooms, drawing baths, fetching food and the like, the floor attendants are skilled masseurs and masseuses. Massages are gratis for the duration of your stay. Any other 'arrangements' you make are entirely between you and them."
You are registering that comment when you enter Straehan's room. It is 15' square. All of the ceiling has a nice slope. The entire wall overlooking the bay is gone. A few feet in, a full-sized set of glass doors segregate the room itself from what becomes a private balcony facing the water. The doors are propped open, allowing a breeze to blow through the room. On the balcony are a small table and chairs with a fruit bowl and a claw-footed bathing tub. The furnishing in the room are equally lavish with a four poster bed, wardrobe, and nightstand.
Elsa, with an economy of motion, unpacks, folds and puts away Straehan's clothes in the wardrobe.
The gnome takes in the view, the quality of the room, and the attendant. He grabs an apple from the bowl; his comment speaks volumes. "Worth every copper, Mistress Salli. Every copper."
Salli smiles and gives a curt nod. "We try, Master Straehan. When Masters Jayse and Jofram and Mistress Ushari decide on which floor and accommodations they would prefer, you can find me downstairs. If you need anything at all, Elsa is here to assist you. Have a pleasant evening all." She turns to leave.
Ushari's face is a rather pleasant crimson shade as she watches the young man Olan move around. In response to Straehan's comment, she mutters "Speak for yourself, Strae....". As Salli mentions mentions the massages provided, Ushari knows right away which floor she will be staying on.
Before Salli leaves, Ushari speaks up, "Please, I would like accommodations next to Straehan's room, if that is not too much trouble." While she addressed Salli, her gaze is still completely fixed on Olan. The others also note there is a husky note in her voice as well.
The proprietress nods. "It is, of course, not a problem. We have no others guests staying on this floor currently." She calls out into the hall. "Olan, please prepare a room for Miss Ushari and take her things." The sculpted young man moves quickly to obey.
He smiles at Ushari on his way out. "It will be just a few minutes Mistress Ushari. Do you need a bath drawn?"
Ushari smiles back, "I think a bath would be...delightful. Thank you."
Olan nods, "Very good, Mistress. I'll prepare it." He disappears down the hall.
#1 - Elf (9)
#2 - Human (6.5)
#3 - Human (8)
#4 - Elf (10.5)
#5 - Human (6)
#6 - Elf (9)
#7 - Elf (8)
#8 - 1/2 Elf (8.5)
#9 - Human (9)
#10 - Gnome (5)
#11 - Elf (10.5)
#12 - 1/2 Elf (9)
#13 - Gnome (5)
#14 - Human (5)
#15 - Elf (9.5)
#16 - Elf (9)
#17 - 1/2 Elf (10.5)
WOMEN - Race & Score
#1 - Elf (9)
#2 - 1/2 Elf (6.5)
#3 - Human (8)
#4 - Tiefling (10.5)
#5 - Human (6)
#6 - Elf (9)
#7 - 1/2 Elf (8)
#8 - 1/2 Elf (8.5)
#9 - Human (9)
#10 - 1/2 Elf (5)
#11 - Tiefling (10.5)
#12 - Human (9)
#13 - Elf (5)
#14 - Human (5)
#15 - 1/2 Elf (9.5)
#16 - 1/2 Elf (9)
#17 - 1/2 Elf (10.5)
Jayse is only a second behind Ushari getting a room on this swanky floor, "Mistress Salli, thanks for the welcome and the offer. I'll definitely stay in one of these rooms. I'd like to get some of this sea-grime off me before the evening gets too late; may I have a bath drawn? I forgot a few things on our boat, so just let me know which room to return to when I'm finished."
He turns to the group, pitching his voice low, "Just thought I'd have another conversation with our new friend Bill. You have anything you want me to say or get while I'm out there?"
He gives you all a wink, "Good luck tonight, everyone."
As Jayse walks back through the common room, he casts his eyes once more across the crowd. Let the games begin...
Ushari shakes her head in reply to Jayse's question.
As she retires to her chambers, she soaks into the steaming hot water, scented with the faint smells of roses and lilacs. She sighs in pleasure as she lets the water soak into her skin, removing the accumulated levels of dirt and grime from her adventures.
Once she has dried off, she thinks back to Jayses' look in his eyes. He is NOT going to win this contest! She turns to the closet where her blue dress hangs in there. She reaches for it and slips into it like a glove.
She then turns her attention to her face, applying some makeup by darkening her eyes and rouging her cheeks. Slipping into a pair of heels, she then readies to enter the arena...
"Skitter, I am gonna knock them dead!"
The gnome does his best poker-face at Jayse's obvious gambit, "I think I'm set for the evening, Jayse. Give Billu my best."
Jayse, three gold pieces lighter for the extravagant room, glides down the stairs and out the door, heading to the docks...
Upstairs, Elsa prepares Jayse's room and helps Olan in drawing baths for their guests. She wonders if Jofram will take yet another suite or if the quiet warrior will choose other arrangements.
Jayse is just about to step out into the evening when a thought occurs to him, and he heads back to the bar. He smiles to the bartender, "Hey, I have to go take care of some things on our boat, and thought I'd see how Bill is doing. You guys have any rules about people taking drinks off the grounds? I promise to bring the container back in." He cocks his head to the side, "And do you have any idea what he drinks?"
Without missing a beat, the barkeep pulls a bottle of whiskey and pours a double in a tankard and tops it off with a thick dark beer.
"Give him my compliments."
Jayse grins and nods, sliding the payment across the bar to the balding barman as he grabs the drink, "I will. Thanks. I didn't catch your name."
When the man gives Jayse his name, Jayse goes out of his way to thank the man by name before heading back out into the cool evening air. He makes his way quickly to the dock once more, watching for Bill as well as anything else that might be worth seeing. When he finds Bill, he stops, holding up the drink. "I thought a hard-workin' guy like you might appreciate a drink of something special to keep his spirits up. A happy worker's a hard worker, right?"
He hands the man the bottle, finding a seat and offering Bill a seat with him. As he does so, he checks the boat to see if anything has been moved or touched.
When Bill joins him, Jayse looks over, mischief in his blue eyes. "So, Bill... how'd you like to make a bit more money tonight? There's some fun and some money to be made tonight, and I think you might be the man to help me make it." He waits for Bil's response before spelling out what it might be.
Jayse finds Bill sitting on a stool right beside the Mako. On casual inspection, the boat looks untouched. Bill smiles and takes the drink gratefully.
After a long pull on the tankard, Bill raises a bushy eyebrow at Jayse's offer. "It kinda depends on what I have to do for the coin, Jayse. What are ya offerin' and what would do I have to do for it?"
"Skitter, I am gonna knock them dead!"
Skitter crouches on the wooden ball atop one of the bed's posters. Its antennae seem to scowl. A sharp set of chirps and squeaks emanate from the small metallic box.
:: Are you crazy? Tell me you are NOT going to perform some weird biologic coupling with these thugs, cutthroats, and smugglers. You might as well have bedded that big furry man-beast at this rate! Ugh! And I suppose I have to watch all this to ensure your safety... ::
Ushari's face blushes as Skitter mentions Vargr to her. Honestly, she had been trying to forget about the stoic beast-man ever since she had left Forestal. Now her feelings for the enigmatic man returned in force. Trying to keep her voice steady, she finishes applying her makeup, as she responds to him,
::"Relax, Skitter, this is just a GAME! I do not plan on getting involved with anyone after this evening.":: She turns to smile at her faithful constuct, ::"Besides, just think of what you have the chance to learn by watching me..."::