He offers his arm. "You look lovely this evening, Miss Sorn. Shall we?"
He spends the walk to the Vudrani place periodically looking over at her, as though he can't quite believe she's there.
"As for powers, well, I'm a warrior. We generally don't have much in the way of powers. So most of what I have is what I've always had, only with more training and experience behind it. Attatoq and I have been working on making our charging attacks more effective and formidable (as we saw with the troll). But that's nothing new. It's just the old skills being more frighteningly lethal."
Alaric sits down in the big section with the ladies, looking skeptically at the decoration. Then, a shrug, turning his attention to the menu. "I'm going to need food. Lots and lots of food."
Alaric looks for the menu, but cannot find one. Instead, a small voice from somewhere below you pipes up:
"Hello, I'm Virt. I'll be your waitrix tonight."
Craning your heads, you discover a small blue gnome with a shock of bright, crayon-yellow hair.
"The chef has prepared three different dishes tonight you can select from," she says cheerily. "Green stringy things with red bits, a purple loaf of some kind cooked sous-vide with an orangish sauce, and a quivering white mass that we think might be derived from some kind of egg. All are served with complimentary extremely strong alcohol. Do you need a few moments?"
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Rhost offers his arm. "At us."
Coincidentally, every time Alaric looks over at Melinda, she is looking at him. As they get to the restaurant she whispers, "Reta was right, you are much too pretty for me to stay mad at you." She smiles, "But, I'm luckier than that, because you don't do stupid things that would make me made in the first place." And she gives his arm a squeeze.
Hrunndalf sounds impressed. "Quite a feat. And it seems you made it, too. Did you find out what had happened to the caravan?"
"They were all dead," Ulf says shortly. "Got trapped in a blizzard until they froze or starved. But I was able to bring back proof that Inuk wasn't to blame for it."
Mel looks at her dinner companions with a smile, "One of each? To share?"
<Works for me.>
"Well -- for ovarian syngamy, for example, you merge two eggs, one from each of the women involved. It's very similar to the regular process, actually, just involving a bit of fey ... tinkering. It's very hard to produce a boy that way, as only women are involved in the process, but it has the advantage of producing a child that is truly the offspring of both parents. There are other methods."
"Umm, magic right? Wait, humans have eggs? I know I've seen snakes and fish and birds and things lay eggs, but...are you sure?" She seems a little skeptical, like she's not sure if Buttersnips is teasing her or making something up, or if she really knows something new and wondrous.
Buttersnips pauses. When she finally answers, she says. "Well. Yes. I'm a freak. Or so I've been told."
"You are not a freak." Myri seems to be somewhat, but not overly forceful on that point. Coming to her friends defense against...herself? "You are different and new and improved and wonderful and special in ways that make it possible for the two of us to be sitting across the table discussing whether or not it's actually possible for two girls to have a family" the heat rushes back into her face and she stumbles somewhat, but gainly tries to recover, "...or...or at least a..attempt a relationship...er, get to know one another better and be friends, instead of lying in ambush trying to eliminate each other. All in all, I'd say a much healthier prospect for all involved, don't you think?"
"The food arrives. With your knowledge of nature, you think what Buttersnips has ordered is a stew made of frog organs.
Myri stares at Buttersnips stew apparently a bit curious. It seems a childhood growing up eating insects, worms, frogs, bark, roots and whatever else could be found in the wild has inured her a bit to things that might make a typical western city girl cringe. If she does so in the future, she's probably selling something.
She looks over at another table to see how other patrons are using the two sticks, which are apparently what passes for eating utensils here.Dex chk:
"Do you mind? Can I try some of that?" She leans over the table and pauses for a sign of assent before taking a few morsels of stew from Buttersnips dish. She keeps her plate underneath the chopsticks as she moves it back over just in case. Oh, and would you like to try some of this? I think it's ummm..." she stares at it critically and possibly accusingly for a moment, then back up at Buttersnips. "seaweed and pulverized, shaped, plant matter soup...I think." she holds out the bowl with a small white spoon inside, while taking her small mouthful of the frog innards(?).
He's never been to the Vudrani place before, but faithfully follows the concierge's directions. There will be curry. Oh yes. There will be curry.
Shalelu's hands find your own hair and twist their way in, clenching instinctively for purchase as your bodies shudder against each other. Her tongue dives into your mouth and slides against yours. Her wordless scream of pleasure is muffled into your mouth, but is still loud and long as the orgasm courses through her.
You taste each other, tongues dancing, her body slides against yours just long enough to draw your orgasm out, to make you scream in wonderful ways until you want to cry , until she herself can't take any more. It is all she can do not to land hard, as she collapses on top of you. Shaking, boneless, she lays there, head pillowed upon your chest, light enough that she's hardly an encumbrance, her warmth and heat seeping into you; her arms wrap around you, as far as she can reach. She clings to you, wordlessly, breathing hard, still spazzing from orgasmic after shocks, recovering for a long moment.
"Umm, magic right? Wait, humans have eggs? I know I've seen snakes and fish and birds and things lay eggs, but...are you sure?" She seems a little skeptical, like she's not sure if Buttersnips is teasing her or making something up, or if she really knows something new and wondrous.
"Mammal eggs ripen into the fetus internally," Buttersnips says, appearing quite serious, "Rather than their laying hard-shelled eggs externally."
"You are not a freak." Myri seems to be somewhat, but not overly forceful on that point. Coming to her friends defense against...herself? "You are different and new and improved and wonderful and special in ways that make it possible for the two of us to be sitting across the table discussing whether or not it's actually possible for two girls to have a family" the heat rushes back into her face and she stumbles somewhat, but gainly tries to recover, "...or...or at least a..attempt a relationship...er, get to know one another better and be friends, instead of lying in ambush trying to eliminate each other. All in all, I'd say a much healthier prospect for all involved, don't you think?"
"I ... know that," Buttersnips says, pushing her food around on her plate a little. "But it's difficult to have complete perspective what one was told in childhood sometimes."
"Do you mind? Can I try some of that?" She leans over the table and pauses for a sign of assent before taking a few morsels of stew from Buttersnips dish. She keeps her plate underneath the chopsticks as she moves it back over just in case. Oh, and would you like to try some of this? I think it's ummm..." she stares at it critically and possibly accusingly for a moment, then back up at Buttersnips. "seaweed and pulverized, shaped, plant matter soup...I think." she holds out the bowl with a small white spoon inside, while taking her small mouthful of the frog innards(?).
If Myriana is the kind of person who would like frog offal stew, then it is the kind of thing she would like (and the opposite is of course also true.) Buttersnips gamely tries some of your soup.
"Well," Shalelu opens, "To start, perhaps it should be asked ... Is there anything that went wrong which could have been averted in some way?"
Hrunndalf thinks on it a while. "At one point, we were locked into a tight corridor by a mass of zombies. That made it hard to bring our offensive power to bear. But Suishen can confer the ability to tread on thin air, which could help resolve such situations in the future."
Myri pipes up, "I think I have become quite good at hitting my target, regardless of what obstacles are in the way, if there is a hole to target, I should be able to hit it. Better than average chance, anyway, at least once. Also, I have made a particular study of humans and undead...as far as how to take them out with an arrow.
I guess, one thing concerning the narrow corridor situation. If I had been able to make it to the corner, which I had movement for, I think my arrows would have lent a great deal of support. Perhaps not as much as Alaric's positive energy true, but they would have had an immediate impact." "It might be good to make sure ranged support can be of help, when possible...or at least in a similar situation. One or two melee fighters in front, sure, but archers can contribute too, you know." she winks and smiles, not meaning her statement to be offensive in any way."Yes, getting trapped in single file, in a stairwell, wasn't good for anyone's effectiveness. Since most of my battle training relies on speed and mobility, I felt especially useless then. But that walking on air bit should be helpful. I'm going to train Attatoq to use the spell effects. Myri, I can do the same for Silmemir if you'd like."
"Would you? Please?" Myri looks at Kalimac expectantly, flashing her eyes, then smiles broadly, trying to let him know she may be attempting to tease (perhaps poorly), but would genuinely appreciate it very much.
Inside the restaurant, Mel breaths in deeply enjoying the exotic smells that remind her of home. After they are seated, Mel stays well within arm's reach of Alaric on floor mats. She beams at the order of curry and suggests naan and dosa to go with it, as well as a the house thali which should have more meaty dishes for the healer as well.
As they wait for the food to come, Mel looks over at Alaric a few times. Finally in her quiet whisper, pulling at the edge of her skirt "Why am I so nervous?" And with a small glare at her skirt, "And it is much easier to sit this way in pants."
"Also, I know Alaric's been doing a great job as primary um, medic person?, but um, I know there were some of us that got really messed up in that fight with the purple ogre. Do you think it might be beneficial to have some uh, way to categorize how hurt an individual is so that he and the support healers can make an easier snap decision on whether or not to break away from what they're doing for extra healing or not?" Myri looks around, she doesn't really expect anyone to tie a brightly colored band around their arm in the middle of combat or something. She's just curious if anyone has any suggestions.
"Not really saying anything about that particular fight. I wasn't much use after that anyway. Couldn't get up with big, ugly and purple hangin right over me. just a thought for the situation...and maybe afterwards. ... wands 'er real useful. Kudo's to whoever brought up getting those."
You taste each other, tongues dancing, her body slides against yours just long enough to draw your orgasm out, to make you scream in wonderful ways until you want to cry , until she herself can't take any more. It is all she can do not to land hard, as she collapses on top of you. Shaking, boneless, she lays there, head pillowed upon your chest, light enough that she's hardly an encumbrance, her warmth and heat seeping into you; her arms wrap around you, as far as she can reach. She clings to you, wordlessly, breathing hard, still spazzing from orgasmic after shocks, recovering for a long moment.
Shalelu remains lying under you, holding you, quietly, for quite some time, seeming content to simply be there, resting with your skin against her own.
Inside the restaurant, Mel breaths in deeply enjoying the exotic smells that remind her of home. After they are seated, Mel stays well within arm's reach of Alaric on floor mats. She beams at the order of curry and suggests naan and dosa to go with it, as well as a the house thali which should have more meaty dishes for the healer as well.
The naan is brought out first, along with your drinks.
She turns to Ameiko, "If you would like to go on this date with Hrunndalf, I'd be happy to ask Suishen to make it possible. For you."
"Date? It's just a hiking trip," Ameiko says. "Anyway ... I think our enemies are temporarily out of commission enough that using a couple of Suishen's spells probably doesn't present a grave danger."
"Mammal eggs ripen into the fetus internally," Buttersnips says, appearing quite serious, "Rather than their laying hard-shelled eggs externally."
"How do you know all that." Myri says in apparent wonder, then "No, cancel that I...maybe I don't want to know." As sudden thoughts of Buttersnips cutting animals and possibly humans open to see how things work crosses her mind.
"I ... know that," Buttersnips says, pushing her food around on her plate a little. "But it's difficult to have complete perspective what one was told in childhood sometimes."
Myri puts her chopsticks down, takes Buttersnips hands in hers softly but firmly, at least for a moment. "Buttersnips. Yes, you were different, and yes, I'm sure you were treated probably as an outcast by those you grew up with. But it's given us at least the chance to be together at this table, so whereas I'm not happy for the pain it caused you, I am happy that it has at least caused you to make the choices you've made to bring us together tonight. Am I making any sense? I'm not sure, but I'm trying to say I'm happy you're here with me and are willing to share at least this brief time together. ... ...and I hope you're okay with that too." Myri is again looking directly in Buttersnips beautiful piercing green eyes.
sense motive:
If Myriana is the kind of person who would like frog offal stew, then it is the kind of thing she would like (and the opposite is of course also true.) Buttersnips gamely tries some of your soup.
Myri tries not to make a "not my favorite dish face".
bluff: +1 trait included
** spoiler omitted **
Lio takes the hand, "Is everything alright?" She asks. Possibly guiding Zaiobe to a comfy chair in Lio and Shae's room, where they can't be disturbed by anyone but Shae.
"How do you know all that." Myri says in apparent wonder, then "No, cancel that I...maybe I don't want to know." As sudden thoughts of Buttersnips cutting animals and possibly humans open to see how things work crosses her mind.
Buttersnips looks puzzled. "All right," she says.
Myri puts her chopsticks down, takes Buttersnips hands in hers softly but firmly, at least for a moment. "Buttersnips. Yes, you were different, and yes, I'm sure you were treated probably as an outcast by those you grew up with. But it's given us at least the chance to be together at this table, so whereas I'm not happy for the pain it caused you, I am happy that it has at least caused you to make the choices you've made to bring us together tonight. Am I making any sense? I'm not sure, but I'm trying to say I'm happy you're here with me and are willing to share at least this brief time together. ... ...and I hope you're okay with that too." Myri is again looking directly in Buttersnips beautiful piercing green eyes.
Buttersnips returns your gaze. Her face flushes a little, and her breathing becomes just a little bit deeper, but she does not break eye contact. "Well," she says quietly, "I certainly can't argue with that."
She swallows, although she had not been eating anything just at that moment.
Lio takes the hand, "Is everything alright?" She asks. Possibly guiding Zaiobe to a comfy chair in Lio and Shae's room, where they can't be disturbed by anyone but Shae.
<Oh, gods below, no,> Zaiobe says in your head. <I desperately need someone to talk to, but I warn you it's going to be terribly angsty and mopey, so if you'd rather not do it I understand completely.>
Buttersnips returns your gaze. Her face flushes a little, and her breathing becomes just a little bit deeper, but she does not break eye contact. "Well, she says quietly, "I certainly can't argue with that."
She swallows, although she had not been eating anything just at that moment.
Myri holds Buttersnips gaze for a few moments longer, then glances down. "It...doesn't look like you're eating much. Would you like to share with me?" Myri's plate holds a dish of seared ahi tuna with wasabi on the side, shiitake mushrooms and sauce over white Tian style rice and greens.
She is just finishing the miso soup.
Myri holds Buttersnips gaze for a few moments longer, then glances down. "It...doesn't look like you're eating much. Would you like to share with me?" Myri's plate holds a dish of seared ahi tuna with wasabi on the side, shiitake mushrooms and sauce over white Tian style rice and greens. She is just finishing the miso soup.
Buttersnips shakes her head slightly as if to clear it. "Sorry," she says, seeming a little bit embarrassed.
"I'd be happy to share mine, too," she says. She finally begins eating.
Lio smiles, encouragingly. "Will you require something to take your mind of things while you tell me? I can offer you some hooch that we liberated from those people who took you." She prepares to listen, she's not sure what you want to talk about, but she's been through a lot, and is perfectly willing to lend a mental ear. "Should I ask Shalelu to give us space, if she comes in?"
<Hooch sounds lovely,> says Zaiobe. <However, one of the few benefits of being a mute telepath is that I really can't be overheard if I don't wish to be, so it's no bother if she comes in.>
Shalelu remains lying under you, holding you, quietly, for quite some time, seeming content to simply be there, resting with your skin against her own.
"I... wow." She whispers. "I did not know that... skin could be so... wonderfully sensitive. I have not felt... anything like that... ever." She admits, in regards to being kissed by you, caressed by you, without the scars deadening so much of every sensation. "Is this... what it's like for you, every time... I touch you?" She asks, suddenly shy. She props herself up a little on one elbow, so she can look you in the eyes.
"I... wow." She whispers. "I did not know that... skin could be so... wonderfully sensitive. I have not felt... anything like that... ever." She admits, in regards to being kissed by you, caressed by you, without the scars deadening so much of every sensation. "Is this... what it's like for you, every time... I touch you?" She asks, suddenly shy. She props herself up a little on one elbow, so she can look you in the eyes.
"Yes," Shalelu answers.
"Yes," Shalelu answers.
"Oh." Lio's amazed. Also, very embarrassed to be so shamelessly wanton. "Ohhh." She breathes, blushing deeply. "Uhm..." She doesn't know what to say to that, really. She's so happy she could burst, feeling so wonderful and so content, that surely the world could end, and she might not notice. All there is, your soft embrace, your beautiful warm body, your full lips. She licks her own lips in anticipation of kissing you. Wanting to feel you come again and again. And she wonders, how many things could she explore with you, with this new found ability of hers. How wonderful she could try to make you feel, how amazing it felt in return. Her thoughts likely written across her face, she doesn't really try to hide them, although she's not sure how to vocalize.
Buttersnips shakes her head slightly as if to clear it. "Sorry," she says, seeming a little bit embarrassed.
"I'd be happy to share mine, too," she says. She finally begins eating.
"Already had some, remember?" Myri eyes dance as she smiles, perhaps teasing just very slightly, "So, what do you like to eat most?" She takes a bite of the ahi, "hmmmm." makes a pleasurable sound then puts a little wasabi on another piece. "try some?" she makes a small motion with the bite of food in her chopsticks towards Buttersnips, but does not actually move it over the table unless the quickling indicates acceptance first.
<Hooch sounds lovely,> says Zaiobe. <However, one of the few benefits of being a mute telepath is that I really can't be overheard if I don't wish to be, so it's no bother if she comes in.>
Lio nods. "Fair point, hang on one sec." Lio lets go of Zaiobe's hand, just long enough to pull the pricey (40gp) Korvosan wine from a bag and produce some cups. She pours the wine, and offers it to Zaiobe, before putting the bottle within easy reach of both of them. When Zaiobe has re-settled herself comfortably, Lio offers her hand. "What's on your mind?" She asks.
Profession Mental Health (counselor, shrink, etc)
To not say something wrong making things worse, but rather, to be a really good listener.
"Already had some, remember?" Myri eyes dance as she smiles, perhaps teasing just very slightly, "So, what do you like to eat most?" She takes a bite of the ahi, "hmmmm." makes a pleasurable sound then puts a little wasabi on another piece. "try some?" she makes a small motion with the bite of food in her chopsticks towards Buttersnips, but does not actually move it over the table unless the quickling indicates acceptance first.
Buttersnips looks across the table at you.
And, just enough so that you can see it, nods yes.
"Oh." Lio's amazed. Also, very embarrassed to be so shamelessly wanton. "Ohhh." She breathes, blushing deeply. "Uhm..." She doesn't know what to say to that, really. She's so happy she could burst, feeling so wonderful and so content, that surely the world could end, and she might not notice. All there is, your soft embrace, your beautiful warm body, your full lips. She licks her own lips in anticipation of kissing you. Wanting to feel you come again and again. And she wonders, how many things could she explore with you, with this new found ability of hers. How wonderful she could try to make you feel, how amazing it felt in return. Her thoughts likely written across her face, she doesn't really try to hide them, although she's not sure how to vocalize.
"Anything you want," Shalelu whispers in response to the look on your face. "And when you are feeling very, very nice, maybe anything I want, too."
Lio nods. "Fair point, hang on one sec." Lio lets go of Zaiobe's hand, just long enough to pull the pricey (40gp) Korvosan wine from a bag and produce some cups. She pours the wine, and offers it to Zaiobe, before putting the bottle within easy reach of both of them. When Zaiobe has re-settled herself comfortably, Lio offers her hand. "What's on your mind?" She asks.
<Well.>
<After being tortured and staring my death in the face, I decided life was too short, and declared my love to the object of my affections. Poorly.>
She drinks a healthy gulp of wine.
<At which point I was nicely, politely, regretfully, and very, very thoroughly rejected.>
<That's about it, really. But I think I need a shoulder to cry on now.>
"Anything you want," Shalelu whispers in response to the look on your face. "And when you are feeling very, very nice, maybe anything I want, too."
"What..." she breathes, "do you want?" She is clearly willing to do anything Shalelu asks.
"What..." she breathes, "do you want?" She is clearly willing to do anything Shalelu asks.
A grin spreads its way across Shalelu's face. "I want a lot of things," she says. "I am very, very greedy for you, in every possible way I can think of. So why don't you start by ... showing me what you can do?"
"No one we know," she adds. "Not while we're naked in each others arms. Why don't we start with ... species."
<Well.>
<After being tortured and staring my death in the face, I decided life was too short, and declared my love to the object of my affections. Poorly.>
She drinks a healthy gulp of wine.
<At which point I was nicely, politely, regretfully, and very, very thoroughly rejected.>
<That's about it, really. But I think I need a shoulder to cry on now.>
"I'm sorry." She says truthfully. "You're welcome to cry on my shoulder if you'd like. Or to tell me more, or both." She offers.
Sense Motive on Zaiobe:Diplomacy
"I'm sorry." She says truthfully. "You're welcome to cry on my shoulder if you'd like. Or to tell me more, or both." She offers.
She drinks more wine. Tears indeed start streaking down her face.
<I tried so hard,> she says. <I know that doesn't mean anything. But it should mean something, shouldn't it?>
A grin spreads its way across Shalelu's face. "I want a lot of things," she says. "I am very, very greedy for you, in every possible way I can think of. So why don't you start by ... showing me what you can do?"
"No one we know," she adds. "Not while we're naked in each others arms. Why don't we start with ... species."
Lio blushes. She takes a moment to think, and all of a sudden, a pretty little female gnome is in your arms. With lime green hair. Lio as a gnome is blushing just as brightly. The look in her eyes, still dark blue, is filled with trust and love, and a tad bit mischief. She's enjoying this.
Lio blushes. She takes a moment to think, and all of a sudden, a pretty little female gnome is in your arms. With lime green hair. Lio as a gnome is blushing just as brightly. The look in her eyes, still dark blue, is filled with trust and love, and a tad bit mischief. She's enjoying this.
"Oh, I like you in that outfit," Shalelu says. "And that's potentially a very ... useful height. Show me more," she begs.
Buttersnips looks across the table at you.
And, just enough so that you can see it, nods yes.
The ends of Myri's chopsticks move over the table to just a bit in front and slightly to one side of Buttersnips mouth, and stop there. She will have to move forward and turn her head just slightly but not much at all, inviting her to take a bite, but not in her face. She becomes extremely conscious of her own breathing while sitting there. Her mouth is a little dry. She wets her lips with her tongue...and waits.
She drinks more wine. Tears indeed start streaking down her face.
<I tried so hard,> she says. <I know that doesn't mean anything. But it should mean something, shouldn't it?>
Lio nods. She doesn't know who broke your heart, but she's there for you. Moving closer, she carefully wraps her arms around you and holds you. This is something she's never really done for anyone, holding them while they cry, but she remembers Shalelu holding her, and how safe she felt, and she hopes that maybe it will help you. She wordlessly encourages you to go on, if you're ready to tell her more. If not, she is content to hold you gently as you cry.
"Oh, I like you in that outfit," Shalelu says. "And that's potentially a very ... useful height. Show me more," she begs.
"More as in... how potentially useful this height could be?" She stays blushing, "or more... as in another shape?"