Absalom Abberations - A Pathfinder Society Tale

Game Master Brian Minhinnick

Cladissa gapes at Hrimnagel's statement as she turns and searches nearby shadows for him. "Smooth? Oh! You didn't hear the bickering this time..."

After a pause, she looks at Nyugusk again. "So, about what I asked you earlier. I shouldn't presume Hrimnagel wouldn't be concerned. Are you okay? Really?"

Hrim's surprise was concealed by shadows, "Telepathy. So, that's why you two seemed to be working so well together. I had hoped that your relationship had turned some corner in the labyrinth. Maybe tell me what happened later over a drink?"

Before Nyug answers, "Something's wrong with Nyug? Why wouldn't I be concerned? What's wrong with you?" The small, thin voice sounds like it turned toward Nyug quite expectantly.

The deep gnome accepts Nyug's answer believing that his divine patron required personal experimentation rather than acceptance of what just comes. He quietly follows Cladissa back to see Venture Captain Dreng.

Hrim makes a point to see Mr. Black before he leaves wishing him well on his travels and for his dear friend's health.

Then, he returns to his growing shrine to Count Ranalc and to tell Madame Batbongle about his adventure.

Cladissa gives Mettera a hug goodbye, understanding completely. She wishes him strength to endure the departure of his friend. "We'll be here when you get back," she assures him. "Take your time."

To Hrimnagel, she enthusiastically agrees to a drink and the chance to talk about her problems with Argor. "Yes! Let's do that. Tonight? I've heard of a darkvision-only place called the Underground. You want to try there?"

Jelani, do I magically get that gold as well? You mentioned that I would receive more once we started.

"Sounds good. Remember that you might look like you are out alone, even with my glass on a table beside you." Hrim grins to himself.

====================================================================

The shrine continued to go well. Madame Batbongle had welcomed some new exiles to the shrine, since he was away. His telling of his adventure to her helped him mentally prepare his journal entry tomorrow. Plus, maybe he could add some of the bickering that he didn't hear but might discover tonight.

He comfortably waited for Cladissa in the living room. The deep gnome had donned his finest outfit with matching jeweled ring and brooch. In case someone might actually spot him, he didn't want to appear too shabby. Fortunately, any mortal looks shabby next to Cladissa if she does not disguise her new form, which might be excellent social armor for all but the most rich and intoxicated.

Cladissa laughs. "That's fine. It's not about appearances, but the company."

===================

Cole casts prestidigitation to clean the dust and grime off his Witch while she goes about selecting her outfit. Cladissa was thrilled to learn that her familiar could cast the useful cantrip himself, which was quite the time-saver and allowed her to avoid Argor.

She opts for the old Tian-style dress that Roald gave her, using the magic sleeves to make the adjustments for her wings, as well as her new curves. She also lets the magic work on her shoes, giving them an elevated heel that forces her to walk nearly on her toes. She missed her cat's paws which had her striding on the balls of her feet, and this was a comforting accommodation.

She joins Hrimnagel in the living room and brings up her illusory disguise over her demonic features once more before stepping out into public. She has to constantly ask for reassurance that Hrim is keeping up, since she no longer can detect him through her sense of smell. However, slowed up as she was with her heeled shoes, Hrim has no trouble.

Part of the appeal of the Underground was that she wouldn't have to worry about someone taking notice of her shadow, which appears demonic and animated regardless of her illusionary disguise. Plus, she was intrigued by a place with no lighting whatsoever, and was interested the moment she'd heard of the place. They move past the upper level with its dim light and bar selling potions of darkvision at an extreme markup,and move down the stairs into the establishment.

When Cladissa's new vision activates, she marvels for a moment at the black-and-white world before her. Few humans mingle in this place; instead the clientele being mostly dwarves, orc-kin, tieflings, aasimar, and a smattering of other races. Then she notices a large number of eyes turning her way.

Her first reaction is embarrassment. She checks to see if she is committing some sort of faux pas, then it dawns upon her that they are likely eyeing her for other reasons. Face flushing, she gropes blindly for Hrimnagel's hand, and when he takes hers she lets him escort her to a table.

By the time their drinks arrive, she's had to shoo away three free drinks and inform two males that she was with someone.

"Well, you warned me," she says resignedly. Her face shows resolve when she picks up her ordered drink, something called a Sekamina Slammer, and holds it up for a toast. "Before we begin, we should at least first remember that we did a good job this time. To many more happy resolutions."

After the second question for reassurance that the deep gnome is keeping up with Cladissa, Hrim puts his small hand in hers. They disconnect at the bustle of the entrance to the busy upper level of the Underground. He dodges several people and loops near the ceiling before gliding down the stairs. He reaches her just in time as she starts searching for his hand again.

It takes them some trial and error with the bartender to discover that they serve Dwimovel vodka that is distilled from rare mushrooms. Well at least, they had an expensive bottle in the back for the discerning home sickness for the Darklands.

He smiles to himself at her resignation at how attractive she is. After being so uncomfortable with her feline appearance for so long, he was happy that she could bask in the glow of positive attention.

"Yes, to a successful mission for the Society and Absalom. Without killing a mortal." Hrim's small, thin voice replies.

After a swig from home, he asks, "So, what's this bickering with Argor that we missed?"

Cladissa takes a sip and makes a face at the sweetly-sour taste of her drink.

Putting a finger to her temple to rub away the feeling of Argor's voice being in her head, she groans softly. "He seemed ready to arrest Celeena, regardless of my assurances that she would not be. Then he chided me for making promises that involved him, and his duties as varlokkur. As if his position was far greater than me keeping my word!"

She takes a few more sips, getting used to the flavor. "No, 'Thanks, Cladissa,' or, 'Good job, Cladissa.' Just nothing except how I'm not doing it right, and how I'm making assumptions for him. I thought he'd like the challenge of getting a noble family back into good graces!"

She looks down and notices her drink is empty. A fresh one is on the table before she has the server's attention.

Hrim savors his drink while Cladissa drains hers. It is amazing how the subject of Argor aggravates her almost as much as Argor himself. He could swear that he saw actual fire in her eyes, but it must be odd lighting down here.

He pauses for more than minute, since she asked no questions. The deep gnome figures that she needs to vent more than advice. "What's a vorlacker? And why do you need Argor's appreciation?" Hrim's small, thin voice replies wondering if he just pushed the proverbial carousel around again.

"A varlokkur. It's sort of a special magical police force for Absalom," she says, then has to turn to the brawny, tusked fellow who approached.

"No, no. I'm with someone!" she gestures to Hrim's seat. "Here, take your drink. She pushes the glass in the orc's direction, then signals the bartender for another.

The distraction over, she shakes her head at the svirfneblin. "I don't need his anything," she says with a humph. "It's just-- I'm not his servant; I'm not his slave; I'm not his sidekick," she ticks off her fingers.

"We're supposed to be partners! Teammates! All of us!"

Her next drink arrives and she takes a gulp that she intended to be a sip. She shakes her head again, leaning forward. "I don't know how you put up with him. You, he just seems to ignore, but how he treats poor Nyugusk? He's so enthusiastic, but Argor doesn't give him any respect. Mettera hasn't been around long, but you know it was Argor that drove Grommuk away."

She slumps in her seat. "Maybe I shouldn't care so much, but I feel that if I don't say something, he's just going to continue to walk all over us." She takes another drink. "Or fly. You know. As he does."

Cladissa's smile is laced with sympathy and a touch of worry. "Well, I'm glad that's all it is. Maybe you can try slowing down a bit; Irori didn't achieve perfection in a day. I think. I hope, if I'm to be persuasive here."

She forces a pained smile, and then inspiration hits to change the subject. "How was your visit with Gianluca? Did he stay long? I-- he was... nice."

Nyugusk gives a genuine grin. "Oh, I'm glad you liked him! Just before we got our orders to stop Celeena, he said he was being sent to Osirion next...but I don't think he leaves for another few weeks. I bet you'll see more of him."

When Nyugusk gets the note from the Lodge

Nyugusk arches an eyebrow. He turns to Gianluca and says, "By all means, come along. I haven't actually gotten to administer it myself before."

The Transmogrifying Lotus swigs a brew of the experimental compound mutagen he's been working on and then goes enters the main hall (followed by Gianluca), hollering, "Hey, big news: We're getting a new freak! I'm heading down to the Lodge in a few minutes to give them the serum."

I'll assume this happens at a time when most/all of us are around, since it's got the potential to be a big RP scene.

When Nyugusk makes his announcement:

"I find it rather troublesome as to exactly how much of this serum seems to remain," Argor replies. "Nevertheless, any insight we can gain to its functionality is of the utmost importance."

Argor was flying straight there with the plans.

That evening, as the sun set, Argor sat at a private table in the Golden Raven, sipping a glass of fine glass of Chelaxian Red, looking over one of his various ledgers. Rutai sits at his side at an elevated seat, eating a small helping of quail. One of his waitresses walks up and says politely, "Pardon me, sir, but your guest has arrived."

Without looking up, he replies, "Show them in."

As the sounds of footsteps approach, he finishes a sip of his wine and closes the ledger. "Good evening. I am glad you accepted my invitation. Please, have a seat," he gestures to the chair opposite to Celeena.

Celeena is still dressed in her adventuring outfit from earlier, a bit dirtier than it was then. She looks very paranoid and is glancing around constantly. "I'll stand. I probably won't be here for long, I've got a ship to board soon. What do you want?"

Jelani, do I magically get that gold as well? You mentioned that I would receive more once we started.

** spoiler omitted **

You get that gold, and 5,874 GP from the previous scenario that Mattera also had.

With Celeena:

"I don't think that is something you need concern yourself with, please," he says again gesturing to the chair.

"I will be frank. You and I both know the true reasons for your entry into your familial vaults, despite what I wrote in my report," he says calmly as he swirls his wine in its glass. "Before you panic, I have no intention of changing my report, nor do I intend to lord the favor to you as blackmail. But it does beg one to wonder...why would I falsify an official statement for an obviously guilty party?"

Argor takes a sip of his wine, "The answer is boringly simple, if truth be told. I understand your reasons for doing it. You had your birthright and social standing stripped from you before you even understood what it was. You were forced to live a life of others looking down on you, detesting you for circumstances beyond your control. And you were willing to do anything, anything, to change those circumstances. And that is something I am intimately familiar with," he says as he gestures to their surroundings. "I have risen from nothing to become a successful businessman, Varlokkur, and respected member of Absalom's High Society."

He sets his glass down and looks Celeena in the eye, "I am willing to make you a very lucrative deal, Ms. Deckland. I have a profound respect for those skilled in the arcane arts, as well as those interested in bettering themselves and motivated enough to do so. You are both of these things. So, I am offering to take care of all of your living expenses in town, anonymously. It is a fairly large stipend that should provide you a very comfortable lifestyle. I will also make certain you are not harassed over the wrongdoings of your progenitors. In return, you agree to the following: if there is a task I need your particular skill set for, you will undertake said task without question, though I assure you upfront, none of these will be demanding or degrading to you in any way. You will not partake in any further illegal activities while under my employ. Legal pursuits of income, however, are encouraged and expected. Should you break these terms, I will cease to provide the stipend, and in the case of breaking the law, will deny any and all association with you. However, as you can see, there really isn't a downside for you in this arrangement, so long as you obey the law and perform the tasks I give you admirably."

He lifts his wine glass and swirls the fruity red liquid within again. "So, still in a hurry to catch that ship?"
__________
Basically offering to pay for her a Wealthy Lifestyle (100 gp/month) in return for her employ for special tasks/side missions (RP flavor only, not our PFS stuff) as well as her obeying the law. Aka: she would become another npc flavor junky for me.

With Celeena:

"I don't think that is something you need concern yourself with, please," he says again gesturing to the chair.

"I will be frank. You and I both know the true reasons for your entry into your familial vaults, despite what I wrote in my report," he says calmly as he swirls his wine in its glass. "Before you panic, I have no intention of changing my report, nor do I intend to lord the favor to you as blackmail. But it does beg one to wonder...why would I falsify an official statement for an obviously guilty party?"

Argor takes a sip of his wine, "The answer is boringly simple, if truth be told. I understand your reasons for doing it. You had your birthright and social standing stripped from you before you even understood what it was. You were forced to live a life of others looking down on you, detesting you for circumstances beyond your control. And you were willing to do anything, anything, to change those circumstances. And that is something I am intimately familiar with," he says as he gestures to their surroundings. "I have risen from nothing to become a successful businessman, Varlokkur, and respected member of Absalom's High Society."

He sets his glass down and looks Celeena in the eye, "I am willing to make you a very lucrative deal, Ms. Deckland. I have a profound respect for those skilled in the arcane arts, as well as those interested in bettering themselves and motivated enough to do so. You are both of these things. So, I am offering to take care of all of your living expenses in town, anonymously. It is a fairly large stipend that should provide you a very comfortable lifestyle. I will also make certain you are not harassed over the wrongdoings of your progenitors. In return, you agree to the following: if there is a task I need your particular skill set for, you will undertake said task without question, though I assure you upfront, none of these will be demanding or degrading to you...

She sits down slowly. "Can I have a drink and think about it?"

"Of course," Argor signals one of his waitresses, and the girl quickly moves to the table and pours Celeena a glass of the same wine Argor is having.

Once they are alone once more, he asks, "Do you have any questions?"

A squee echoes throughout Absalom.

"Bentley! It finally happened!" Sabrina "Churchill" squeals with much glee as she waves a memo in front of an allosaurus. "I get to meet the Freaks! I get to join them! It only took us 10,683 applications, but we did it!"

(The allosaurus does not reply. He is currently a tiny statue thanks to the Carry Companion spell.)

Sabrina finds the nearest mirror and gives herself a look over. Part of the reason she came to Absalom is to purchase some new outfits; while rather comfortable, according to her sister Setsuna, her current dress is only slightly higher quality than a potato sack. As such, if anything happens to it, Sabrina doubts that she will miss it.

(Besides, Sabrina can basically have any outfit she wants thanks to her magic bow; it would just be nice not to have to renew them every ten minutes.)

Sabrina picks up the Bentley statue and says, "Ready as I'll ever be I suppose. Come, Bentley! Let's go meet Dr. Nyugusk Newblossom! ...And then Cladissa, Hrimnagel, Argor, and whoever else is on the team!"

Sabrina promptly dashes off to the Grand Lodge (or wherever the labs are these days).

Upon locating her destination, Sabrina boldly walks up to the front door, puffs out her chest, casts Spider Climb, and then crawls inside through an open window.

Fifteen minutes later, after helping herself to some snacks, she finally makes it to the labs.

"I wonder what they're like? I've... met Dr. Newblossom before but not the other three regulars. According to what I've heard, Argor is really small and quiet. Faint voice. Looks like a living shadow. Keeps to himself most of the time. And Cladissa is supposed to be some bold, hotshot businesswoman who eats thesauruses for lunch and speaks more words in a day than I have in a lifetime. Finally, Hrim is the sensetive, emotional heart of the group. Tries to keep them focused on doing the right thing... Yeah. That sounds right."

Sabrina offers the Bentley statue some pie.

"Not hungry?" she asks curiously. "Yeah. Same here. Putting aside all the food I just ate, I'm so focused on thinking about what will happen to me. A second head sounds fun! ...But I'd probably argue with her a lot. Oh! Maybe..."

Sabrina kills the rest of the waiting time by reviewing mutation possibilities with Bentley.

CladissaVelorryan wrote:

Cladissa's smile is laced with sympathy and a touch of worry. "Well, I'm glad that's all it is. Maybe you can try slowing down a bit; Irori didn't achieve perfection in a day. I think. I hope, if I'm to be persuasive here."

She forces a pained smile, and then inspiration hits to change the subject. "How was your visit with Gianluca? Did he stay long? I-- he was... nice."

Nyugusk gives a genuine grin. "Oh, I'm glad you liked him! Just before we got our orders to stop Celeena, he said he was being sent to Osirion next...but I don't think he leaves for another few weeks. I bet you'll see more of him."

Cladissa falters a step when she realizes the Arshean is still around. "Oh! Is that so?" she recovers, feeling somewhat nervous since she recalled his brazen flirting from before back when she still looked like a cat person. How would he react now, she wondered.

When Nyugusk gets the note from the Lodge

Nyugusk arches an eyebrow. He turns to Gianluca and says, "By all means, come along. I haven't actually gotten to administer it myself before."

The Transmogrifying Lotus swigs a brew of the experimental compound mutagen he's been working on and then goes enters the main hall (followed by Gianluca), hollering, "Hey, big news: We're getting a new freak! I'm heading down to the Lodge in a few minutes to give them the serum."

Cladissa stumbles out of her guest quarters at the shouting. "We are? Do we know who it is?" she stammers, wondering if it's someone they know. She moves back into her room and gathers a few things, then brings up the illusion of her old catlike form to fly to the Lodge.

"Of course," Argor signals one of his waitresses, and the girl quickly moves to the table and pours Celeena a glass of the same wine Argor is having.

Once they are alone once more, he asks, "Do you have any questions?"

"Why me? You could hire any number of successful magicians in this town, yet you choose a failed criminal. You claim you won't blackmail me, yet I can't think of any other reason you'd want me...."

"Unless...Is it because I'm a diabolist?"

Sorry for the delay. It was my RL game night last night

"A varlokkur. It's sort of a special magical police force for Absalom," she says, then has to turn to the brawny, tusked fellow who approached.

"No, no. I'm with someone!" she gestures to Hrim's seat. "Here, take your drink. She pushes the glass in the orc's direction, then signals the bartender for another.

The distraction over, she shakes her head at the svirfneblin. "I don't need his anything," she says with a humph. "It's just-- I'm not his servant; I'm not his slave; I'm not his sidekick," she ticks off her fingers.

"We're supposed to be partners! Teammates! All of us!"

Her next drink arrives and she takes a gulp that she intended to be a sip. She shakes her head again, leaning forward. "I don't know how you put up with him. You, he just seems to ignore, but how he treats poor Nyugusk? He's so enthusiastic, but Argor doesn't give him any respect. Mettera hasn't been around long, but you know it was Argor that drove Grommuk away."

She slumps in her seat. "Maybe I shouldn't care so much, but I feel that if I don't say something, he's just going to continue to walk all over us." She takes another drink. "Or fly. You know. As he does."

Hrim finishes his vodka thinking of his father while Cladissa complains. How long have I been in Absalom? Wonder how home is?

While he pauses to reply for same amount as last time, he actually just realizes that she had stopped speaking. "I don't think Nyug cares or even notices how Argor treats him. I don't think that that's important to him. Me? I'm easy to ignore. Case in point." He puts his empty tumbler down and unsuccessfully waves for attention. Despite the lack of illumination, shadows evaporate from his body.

He sits back down and continues, "Did Argor have a valid conflict with letting Celeena go and his duties as a varlokkur? He probably expressed it like a choker, which you should expect. But maybe, he was trying to be your teammate when you were negotiating for all of us? I didn't hear the telepathic bickering but the request I heard from Argor was reasonable."

===============================================================

After Nyug's announcement, Hrim flies up to join the group heading to the Lodge. Adding a new member was a rare occurrence.

Cladissa helps get Hrim a refill of his drink, then realizes hers is empty again. She tries to resist immediately ordering another.

"Yes, well, he didn't hear that you said she was telling the truth, either. I relayed that to him, for all the good it did. He still insisted on the search."

She studies the patch of shadow in this lightless bar. "I try not to ignore you, Hrim. It's going to be tougher now, since I can't smell when you're around. I mean, does it bother you? When I was little my stepsister once got all the other children to pretend like I didn't exist. That was a lonely year."

Argor Constantine wrote:

"Of course," Argor signals one of his waitresses, and the girl quickly moves to the table and pours Celeena a glass of the same wine Argor is having.

Once they are alone once more, he asks, "Do you have any questions?"

"Why me? You could hire any number of successful magicians in this town, yet you choose a failed criminal. You claim you won't blackmail me, yet I can't think of any other reason you'd want me...."

"Unless...Is it because I'm a diabolist?"

"As I said, it is because I understand your motivations, and respect the drive to do whatever it takes to better ones station. Granted, you made a poor choice in your tactics to reach your goal, but tactics can be taught, passion and motivation cannot."

"Regarding the other magicians in town...that is a fair point, and I do have a number of them at my disposal already, through various means. However, unlike them, you are in fact quite skilled in the Art. It matters not to me the sort of extra-planar denizens you deal with, clearly," Argor says gesturing to Rutai. "So long as both you and any sentient beings spawned by your magics abide by the terms I have set forth, there is no reason we couldn't have an amicable work arrangement."

"Don't let me drink alone here." He encourages her to have another. "Thanks and cheers."

"I agreed with Argor's search knowing Celeena was not lying." He replies letting it sink in.

"Even if she wasn't lying, does not mean that she could not change her mind later. Searching her for copies ensured that she did not have that option. Count Ranalc doesn't tell me what she is thinking only if she was lying. A skilled liar avoids telling complete lies, even to themselves." He pauses to savor another sip.

"As for me, Count Ranalc is the Eldest patron for exiles, which is what I am. I will always have Him, so I'm never alone.

Besides, you act like being ignored is a bad thing. It allows me to set the terms of interaction."

Cladissa glances around and notices the leering eyes on her. She turns back to Hrim and lets her hair fall to the side to block the stares. "Lucky you."

Her next drink arrives and she sips it. "Well, all right. So searching her was wise. But you didn't see that imp of his trying to pick Celeena's pocket. That's a deceitful tactic, all the while I was trying to get her to give up willingly. And I exposed myself-- I mean, I let my guard down. If she detected Rutai, I was the one in danger. And if he'd succeeded? What was the plan then? I don't understand."

She turns to a suitor who had drifted uncomfortably close. "What?!? I'm in a conversation, here!" She scoots her chair away from him and closer to Hrimnagel.

She holds her hand up and studies her nails, the ruby red so deep it almost shows up in her black-and-white darkvision. "He says I need to embrace this. What was done to me. To use it."

She frowns as she balls her hand into a fist. "How I handle this is not up to him, and he can keep his stupid opinions to himself." she finishes with a toss of her hair.

Hrim's shrug at her comment about being lucky is lost to anyone. "Rutai did that? I'm not surprised. It is a devil after all." A small, thin chuckle follows.

"You're right to question Argor's suggestions. His soul possesses a taint of the infernal, so his interests may not be your interests." The alcohol facilitates that little fact drop from his examination of the group during Cladissa's jailhouse visit.

Before she has a chance to react, he continues, "On the other hand, not only have you NOT been tainted by the infernal, but you're the only one of us who possesses a celestial aura. So, the divine believes in you, even if you question yourself."

She mulls over the information Hrimnagel just gave her. She wasn't particularly shocked that she had a good aura -- Cole had confirmed that recently -- but Argor being evil disturbed her. The buzz of the alcohol crept upon her while sits silently, swirling the remaining liquid in her glass.

"I-- I made a promise," she says, more to herself than to Hrim.

The she looks for him in the shadow. "Doesn't that bother you? He's slipping away from us. I'm not saying he needs to become a paladin, but he's taking counsel from a devil! And listening to it more than from you or me! And whose to blame him? Everything's working out for him. Meanwhile, I'm the one who gets kidnapped, tortured, and turned into something I hate, all because I'm the only one who happens to care about other people..."

She had worked herself up and was starting to make a scene. She forces herself to calm down before even more unwanted attention is drawn her way. She again glances around the bar, seeing all the patrons that are giving her furtive looks. Every single one of them would offer their fortunes, their lives, their very souls for a chance to be with you, something dark in her subconscious tells her. You don't even try and they lust for you. Imagine the power you'd wield if you embraced it!

She tears her eyes away from the crowd and squeezes them shut. She puts the heel of her palm to her temple, muttering, "No, no no no."

Hrim stops thinking of a response to Cladissa when she starts to have some sort of problem.

"Cladissa? What's wrong? What can I do for you?" A small, thin voice of concerns elevates.

Considering their conversation, he opens his soul vision to see if there is something afoul attacking her.

Detect Evil round 1

Eventually, the Bentley statue starts to grow impatient with the waiting.

"...You are must certainly correct, Bentley," Sabrina nods in agreement. "I also find our lack of cookies most disturbing. It is a demon that must be slain. Come, my dinosaur friend! We are now paladins on a righteous quest!"

After raiding the kitchens and slaying one of the evilest demons ever to plague Golarion, Sabrina retires from being a paladin and finds herself waiting outside the labs once again.

She starts to spontaneously giggle.

"Bentley, I have an excellent idea for a prank! Alright, so assuming that the serum doesn't immediately kill me..." Sabrina says as she picks up the allosaurus statue and starts quietly whispering to him.

Hrim stops thinking of a response to Cladissa when she starts to have some sort of problem.

"Cladissa? What's wrong? What can I do for you?" A small, thin voice of concerns elevates.

Considering their conversation, he opens his soul vision to see if there is something afoul attacking her.

Detect Evil round 1

Hrim would detect the presence of evil, but is it just the shady characters in the bar?

Cladissa looks up, still rubbing her temple. She blinks a few times, then shakes her head. "No, nothing but the alcohol. And Argor's bad advice."

She grabs her glass and drains it. "Can you get me another?" She stands and gracefully maneuvers through the crowd to the ladies' room, heedless of the gawking stares that follow her.

At the Grand Lodge:

Argor floats down to the paved walkway leading towards the main experimental facilities of the Grabd Lodge, and casually walks in as Rutai alights upon his shoulder. He looks about the place as if appraising everyone and everything present, his eyes searching for the one to be their newest member...

Under her illusion of her former mutations, Cladissa soars across Absalom and lands softly in one of the Lodge's many courtyards. She meets up with the others, noting that now with Mettera taking a leave of absence, all the Freaks could fly. Her wings ruffle in old irritation, the illusion making a convincing display of feathers instead of her leathery demonic appendages.

She forces a smile when she sees Argor, though it fades when her eyes fall on Rutai.

The cookies soon disappear, and Sabrina finds herself tired of waiting.

"Geez, they say one hour, and they keep you waiting days. What is wrong with this world?"

Bentley makes an excellent suggestion.

"Strike up a conversation with someone? ...Eh, might as well," Sabrina mumbles as she picks up the allosaurus statue.

She throws an imaginary invisible dart made of air and watches it hit some random guy with a tiny fiend on his shoulder.

"...Best two out of three," Sabrina nonchalantly says to Bentley.

Sabrina throws two more imaginary invisible air darts; they strike a beautiful Catfolk woman with angel wings.

...Much better!

Sabrina materializes next to her.

"Hi! I've never seen you around here! My name's Sabrina Churchill. Lovely wings. I didn't think I've ever seen a Catfolk with them."

Cladissa's mind was so focused on Other Things that she literally shrieks when the tall half-elf appears beside her. She spins, wings flapping, and looks up -- and up -- at the newcomer. The half-elf had nearly a foot on her.

"Oh! Sorry!" she starts, then processes what was said to her. "Thank you... Sabrina. I'm not actually a... well, it's a long story. I'm Cladissa." She extends a hand to shake.

Hrim watches Cladissa retreat and sighs. Order her a drink? That's funny. He drops his soul vision after she disappears into the ladies' room and before he could examine her. He did not want to know about anyone else in the bar. Some times ignorance is bliss.

He savors his vodka and waits for her while protecting their seats with ominous sounding threats and not so gentle prodding.

================================================================

Hrim stealthily follows the group to the Lodge to meet the new victim for the team.

I'm out of town on business until Friday. Cheers

Hrim watches Cladissa retreat and sighs. Order her a drink? That's funny. He drops his soul vision after she disappears into the ladies' room and before he could examine her. He did not want to know about anyone else in the bar. Some times ignorance is bliss.

He savors his vodka and waits for her while protecting their seats with ominous sounding threats and not so gentle prodding.

Cladissa stares at her reflection in the mirror. Just tell him already!

Tell him what? That you're hearing things? That you have a dark side? No one noticed when you were becoming an animal, what makes you think they'll care now?

I'm good! I shouldn't have these thoughts!

There's nothing wrong with making the best of a bad situation. Isn't it about time?

Though her time in the loo was brief, the alcohol seemed to have caught up to her. She stumbles a couple times on her way back to the table.

"Sorry. That came on a bit sudden. Ah, where were we?" she says when she sits back down.

If you're going to be out for a few days, we can wrap this up. Thanks for the rp.

DM Jelani wrote:

Argor Constantine wrote:

"Of course," Argor signals one of his waitresses, and the girl quickly moves to the table and pours Celeena a glass of the same wine Argor is having.

Once they are alone once more, he asks, "Do you have any questions?"

"Why me? You could hire any number of successful magicians in this town, yet you choose a failed criminal. You claim you won't blackmail me, yet I can't think of any other reason you'd want me...."

"Unless...Is it because I'm a diabolist?"

"As I said, it is because I understand your motivations, and respect the drive to do whatever it takes to better ones station. Granted, you made a poor choice in your tactics to reach your goal, but tactics can be taught, passion and motivation cannot."

"Regarding the other magicians in town...that is a fair point, and I do have a number of them at my disposal already, through various means. However, unlike them, you are in fact quite skilled in the Art. It matters not to me the sort of extra-planar denizens you deal with, clearly," Argor says gesturing to Rutai. "So long as both you and any sentient beings spawned by your magics abide by the terms I have set forth, there is no reason we couldn't have an amicable work arrangement."

"Then I suppose we can give it a try. I can always quit later, right?"

Never seen us around here? Is this woman serious?

Argor looks the strange elf-blooded woman over quietly as she and Cladissa introduced themselves.

The Grand Lodge - Alchemy Lab #77

The lab that the Pathfinders are summoned to is pretty typical. There are shelves lined with jars full of every kind of reagent imaginable. Stone-topped tables hold beakers and small burners, as well as books covered in elemental signs and sigils. The room looks like it would normally be used for advanced studies, having a podium and slate board at the front. Now it is unoccupied aside from Kreighton Shane, whom the original Freaks have not seen since their own transformations. The Master of Scrolls smiles at the Freaks whenever they arrive.

"Nice to meet you, Marissa! I apologize for scaring you," Sabrina chirps as she readily shakes the pretty Catfolk woman's dainty hand.

There is a long pause before Bentley corrects her.

"...What's that, Bentley?" the Halfie says as she places the allosaurus state next to her pointed ear. "...Oh, she said Cladissa. Thanks for- C-CLADISSA?!"

A stunned Sabrina looks from the statue to pretty Catfolk woman and back again. She recovers with a smile.

"...Wow. I feel so silly right now," Sabrina mumbles sheepishly as she blushes lightly. "Nice to meet you, Cladissa. The big kahunas have me away from HQ so often that I didn't recognize you. And I've read so much about you and your amazing deeds too. Anyway, word on the street is that someone else will soon be joining your ranks. What do you think about that?"

Wide-eyed, Cladissa nods slowly. "Word travels fast, evidently. I wasn't aware there was that much interest in our membership," she says neutrally.

"Truth be told, I'm always rather surprised at the attention we get, and the fact that others wish to join our ranks. But I appreciate that you've read about us. That's nice."

She looks around at the assemblage of the current Freaks. "I suppose our new member will be along shortly. I wonder what he'll be like."

"'He', eh?" Sabrina says with a teasing smile. "Interesting that you'd think that the new guy is a guy. Then again, I see where you're coming from. If memory serves, you've been the only woman on the team since it was founded. Either way, whoever this new person might be, I'm sure that you'll get along just fine with them."

As they walk to the Lodge, Nyugusk's childhood friend (and fellow Pathfinder) Gianluca joins the group. He's a tall, slim fellow with Chelaxian features but whose amethyst eyes suggest an aasimar heritage. He is dressed in a flowing tunic of cream and deep purple, but a breastplate is visible under his loose clothing.

Gianluca smiles at Cladissa and then steps up alongside Argor and introduces himself. "A master of the arcane arts, eh? Good to meet you Argor. Nyugusk has told me about you, and how you two are collaborating on experiments to isolate and purify the serum out of your own blood."

--------

When they enter the lab, Nyugusk walks in and nods at the elven master. "Master Shane, good to see you. Who is the new recruit?"

When Master Shane nods in Sabrina's direction, the Transmogrifying Lotus smiles, and extends his too-many-jointed accordion-arm in greeting (offering to shake her hand with his own pincer). "You...have we met somewhere before?"

Gianluca meanwhile starts with surprise, "Sabrina! Hahahahaha, I should've known you were the new freak-to-be. Well, to be honest, you're already a bit of a freak, eh? But it seems you'll be taking that to a new level. Bravo!"

When Nyugusk looks between the two with confusion, Gianluca's amethyst eyes sparkle and he says, "I told you I just got back from a mission in Jalmeray? Sabrina was key to our success, unlocking the secrets of Ssssthetin-Essp-Ymrisss from the tomes we found there."

Cladissa gives a small wave of her fingers at Gianluca when he and the Transmogrifying Lotus arrive. She steps back and watches the exchange.

Freak-to-be?!?

Cladissa's head whips back and forth between Nyugusk, Gianluca and the newcomer and her mouth drops open.

She studies the half-elf hard, trying to figure out why someone as attractive as her would risk it all by taking the formula. Then again, she did appear rather mercurial. "So, it's you, huh?" she stammers, genuine puzzlement overriding what would have ordinarily been a somewhat embarrassing situation. "But, you're pretty."

Sabrina eagerly shakes Nyugusk's pincer.

"I asked for your autograph ages ago," she says with a grin. "It was great to meet you."

Being called a freak doesn't seem to register with Sabrina.

(Mostly because it's somewhat true.)

"Gianluca!" Sabrina pouts with much false indignation. "Why must you always ruin my fun? I was trying to surprise Cladissa here! Oh, well. The jig is up I guess. And for all those wondering, it's true; I have a lot of experience with snakes. Runs in the family; my great-something-grandmother was Nagaji."

Sabrina blushes at being called pretty.

"Feeling's mutual," she says with a wink. "And besides, looks aren't everything, Cladissa. In the unlikely event that I don't like my new appearance, I'll just assume another."

Nyugusk looks at Sabrina seriously. "Well, you clearly know the broad strokes of what you're getting into. And you volunteered, yes?

"Are you ready to take on this journey?"

Cladissa's tail swishes back and forth as she scratches the back of her head. She puts on a pained smile and shakes her head sadly. "The formula doesn't really let you switch back and forth at will. It's sporadic. It's not easy to assert control. It's not like casting a spell."

The possibility of another woman taking the formula has Cladissa somewhat off-balance. She'd never really thought about it much, but it certainly was a male-dominated project. Now she wonders why that is, and why just now Sabrina was to be allowed to take the serum.

"Are-- are you sure you want to do this? There's no putting it back in the bottle. Or syringe, in this case."

"Of course I'm ready and sure. I wouldn't have filled out all those applications if I'm wasn't!" Sabrina answers with much false indignation. She smiles widely. "Besides, I'm sure there are loopholes. For example, say back on Jalmeray, I took a rather nasty stab to the gut. Then if the serum backfires and spontaneously kills me, then my family hypothetically has a piece of cloth drenched in my untainted blood ready to go. Unless the formula works at the soul level, I'll be just fine. Granted, I could be hilariously wrong, but life's full of surprises, isn't it? Nothing ventured, nothing gained!"

Cladissa gets a thousand-mile stare, like she's in shock. "Working at the soul level..." she whispers to herself. She looks at her hands for a moment, then unsteadily moves to a seat and sits down. She puts a hand to her forehead as she thinks hard.

Gianluca's laughs a low, warm belly laugh. "Now that's why it's good to have 'Ssssabs' around. I wouldn't choose it myself--I like my body just fine as it is--but you are eminently suited for this project."

Nyugusk nods, and scratches his chitinous chin. "Fascinating conjecture. It makes me want to try reincarnating Freaks from samples taken both before and after injection. There's so much to learn. Why, perhaps if we--"

The Master of Scrolls clears his throat.

Doctor Newblossom stops mid-train and says, "Ah yes, of course. Are you ready then?" He picks up a syringe and adds, "While the effect seems to be quite individualized, one constant has been a good deal of pain at first."

When Sabrina signals she's ready, the Transmogrifying Lotus motions for her to hold out her arm and carefully guides the syringe into her.

To Gianluca:

"Indeed...when the 'Lotus' feels up to it." Argor replies. I suppose noobe is keeping this serum secret anymore...[/b]
_________

At the Lodge:
[i]THIS is the new recruit? Well isn't that just perfect, another eccentric...

Argor remains silent, observing the mannerisms of their new member and critiquing her statements.

Well, at the very least, she seems experienced and as if to have thought this through...