Adventure Path Reign of Winter

Game Master Almonihah

"The mistress of words strikes again!" Maka said with a laugh as she followed the others out of the chamber.

Taking Bulvi by the hand, Maka dragged her lover away from the others. "Come on Bull, you have to check out the training area. They have a spot just for blasting elements at!"

Sakitu is relieved when the not-so-brief briefing is over. She walks with the group as they move out into an open area.

"Well, I'm glad that went the way we needed it to. Quasit, you're so good at talking and making everyone agree with us. Getting the keys will be easy now. I think."

When Fin mentions walking around on the parapets, Sakitu sees a chance.

"I'll come with you Fin. Maybe I'll be able to see something useful too."

"I'll come with you Fin. Maybe I'll be able to see something useful too."

Fin’s smile grows wider. ”Of course, m’Lady, your company would be most welcome,” he says as he holds his arm out for Sakitu to take. With a wink, he follows up with, ”Who knows? Perhaps one of the soldiers here might play the flute and we can dance a jig upon the parapets, in full view of the enemy...that might give ‘em something to think about, eh?”

Kalchine nods when the council approves of the newcomers' offer. He adds his congratulations to the others'.

"I fear I was more harm than help in that discussion. I am pleased that you were able to convince the council of the righteousness of your cause, Quasit," he says.

"I'm going to go get Chest Thumper ready for action. We can meet back up at lunch time."

"I'll come with you Fin. Maybe I'll be able to see something useful too."

Quasit gives her friend a surreptitious thumbs up.

She watches everyone start to disperse, then indulges in a broad double-jointed stretch and a tremendous yawn. "It's too bad they don't have coffee here." she says wistfully to herself, then begins to pad about the hallways aimlessly, just to kill time. After about 20 minutes, she finds herself back at the group's assigned quarters. Then realizing that what she really wants is a day for sleeping in, she goes back to her bed, yanks off her boots, and dives back under the furs and blankets of the bed, wrapping herself up tightly and purring a little with contentment.

"Wake me if the world is ending." she mews to no one in particular.

Sakitu's heart races when Fin offers his arm but she doesn't hesitate. She grabs his arm, maybe a little too eagerly, then smiles at him. "Ok. Let's go. And which do you prefer?" She flashes from her fox form to human and back to fox.

Fin grins as he shrugs. ”Saki, you are stunning as both fox and human…whichever form you feel most comfortable in is fine by me…”

"Well. Since it is a bit cold out, I'll stay this way." She settles on the fox form. "I'm not sure where to go so you can lead the way." While seeming calm, inside, Sakitu's emotions are going wild. What is she going to say? And when? And how will Fin respond?

Fin nods, speaking lightly. ”As you wish…”

He leads Sakitu up to the parapets, making small talk as they walk. Once outside, the cold breeze feels exhilarating. As he looks out over the landscape…he turns to Sakitu, flashes a grin, asking, ”Quite a view isn’t it, Saki?”

His eyes go back to the view, fidgeting as he rubs his chin, Fin appears to be pondering something…and then he looks back to Sakitu, giving a nervous smile. ”Saki…I get the feeling you’d like to talk with me…about…something. And I think I can sense you might be…anxious…about it. Forgive me for being forward…but…do you…like me?”

Getting right to the point, I see.

he turns to Sakitu, flashes a grin, asking, ”Quite a view isn’t it, Saki?”

He was looking at her when he said that. Sakitu can't tell, did he mean the 'vista was quite a view' or 'she was quite a view'. Oh. This was just hard and killing her with anxiety. She giggles. And turns her gaze outword. "Yes, it is a great view." She steals a glance back at Fin's handsome face. She did mean that he was a great view. Surprisingly, Fin also looks nervous. Before Sakitu can say anything else he starts speaking again.

Saki…I get the feeling you’d like to talk with me…about…something. And I think I can sense you might be…anxious…about it. Forgive me for being forward…but…do you…like me?”

Oh! Well! Straight to the point. Her eyes grow wide and she is paralyzed for a moment or two. A few heartbeats later, the flood of hormones through her brain calms enough for her to reply.

"Well. I mean, yeah. I did have something I wanted to talk about. And, well, you kinda already guessed it." She fidgets with her hands and drops her chin, unable to look Fin in the eyes. "I mean, you're so handsome and strong and mysterious and perfect. I can't help it."

She covers her face with her hands to hide her embarrassment.

Fin smiles, shaking his head slightly as he speaks in a gentle tone. "Hlao-roo...I can assure you, I am not anywhere close to perfect...and I’m even less sure about handsome and strong…"

He pauses for a moment, before continuing. "Can I trouble you, for just a moment, to switch to your human form? While you are awesome in either form, what I have in mind might be a little easier for me that way..."

Once she switches forms, Fin will gently remove the hands covering her face, put the fingers from his right hand under her chin, lifting her head up gently towards his, looking her straight in the eyes. "I'm fond of you too," he murmurs as he leans down, lightly touching his lips to hers...trying not to linger there too long, he reluctantly pulls back slightly after a few seconds...

With his eyes still closed, he whispers, "Hmmm...that was nice...very nice...well, at least it was for me. I've been wanting to do that since the night we danced at the Centaur's camp, Hlao-roo..."

Sakitu's knees nearly buckle when Fin leans in to kiss her. As their lips touch, she melts. This is different. This is so different than that first kiss with Okado. Fin pulls back and Sakitu is still dizzy. She barely catches what he says. He's been wanting to kiss her since the Centaur camp? Why her?

Sakitu isn't sure how much longer she can remain standing. She looks into Fin's eyes and she's lost. But at the same time she is stronger. His deep eyes, they stabilize her while the rest of the world disappears.

"Uh. I mean..." she starts softly but not even sure what she wants to say. In reality, she doesn't want to say anything. She wants Fin's embrace and kiss again. She leans into him ever so slightly.

Seeing her lean in, Fin grins and does likewise, leaning in for a more protracted kiss this time…

When they both come up for air a while later, Fin runs his fingers through her hair, saying, ”Even better the second time around, Hlao-roo…”

He pauses a moment, sighing longingly as he looks into her eyes…and then with a wink, he asks in a playful voice, ”Hmmm…what are your intentions, m’Lady?”

"I don't know what those intentions might be, but perhaps finding a room would be a good idea. You can at least get money out of the voyeurs that way." Came a very recognizable voice from between a couple crenellations nearby. Her expression that of a teenager that is not exactly comfortable with such things yet.

Sakitu's eyes are shining when she finally lets the long kiss end. She can't believe how alive she feels. Fin's green eyes seem to penetrate into her very soul and she doesn't mind! "Yes. Way better." she breathes.

He pauses a moment, sighing longingly as he looks into her eyes…and then with a wink, he asks in a playful voice, ”Hmmm…what are your intentions, m’Lady?”

Overwhelmed with emotion and giddiness, Sakitu is about to reply with something but she doesn't know what. Before she can form the words Selena pops out from the shadows.

"I don't know what those intentions might be, but perhaps finding a room would be a good idea. You can at least get money out of the voyeurs that way."

Sakitu gasps and pulls sharply away from Fin with shock all over her face. She immediately flips to her fox form so that the fur will cover her flaming cheeks. "Selena! How long have you been there?" Sakitu takes another step back. "Oh no! This is the worst!" She turns quickly and races along the top of the wall, trying to remember the way that she and Fin had come earlier. She just wants to hide.

Fin turns to Selena, rolling his eyes. ”Erastil’s antlers, Selena! It’s one thing to crack on me or Q, but you should know better than to do that with Saki! This stays between us, not a word to anyone!”

The Elf takes off after Sakitu, catching her before she gets too far…

He gently reaches out to her, hugs her, slowly stroking her fur while whispering softly in her ear. ”It’s OK, Hlao-roo, you did nothing wrong…we did nothing wrong…

“I told Selena to keep her mouth shut…and I think she will…but that does raise a question. Do we want to keep this between us for now? I have no expectations, Saki…we can take it as slow as you’d like…whatever makes you comfortable…and I’ll tell Izzy to give Selena a ‘kiss’ tonight while she sleeps…”

Sakitu tries to hide when Fin catches up to her but she allows herself to be caught and folded up into Fin's arms. She absorbs the warmth from his embrace and breathes in his scent. After a few moments she looks up at him with reddened eyes. "I know we didn't do anything wrong. But Selena? She's the last person I wanted to know about this." Sakitu sniffles a little. "Do you think she will be quiet? I hope so. I just, I mean, I just don't know. This is all so new for me. Quasit said that she knew that I had a 'thing' for you and that I needed to talk to. But no one else knows. What will they think? Oh. I don't know."

Sakitu buries her face in Fin's chest. The emotions swirling but then a sudden surge, almost like anger, or rather righteous indignation, blossoms.

"But why should we have to hide? Right? I mean, we have a right to be in ... Uh. I mean, we have a right to like each other. Don't we? So I don't want to hide it. I don't care if the whole world knows!" She watches Fin's face carefully as she speaks searching for and sensitive to every facial expression. A defiant look crosses her face. Still in her fox form she reaches up to Fin and tries to kiss him.

Fin tries to match her but the difference in anatomy leads to several awkward attempts. The two giggle and Sakitu switches back to human and they kiss again.

"We'll have to practice that other way," Sakitu says with a smile when they finally pull apart. "I'm sure it can work." She grabs his hand. "So, are we going to find the others now?"

"But why should we have to hide? Right? I mean, we have a right to be in ... Uh. I mean, we have a right to like each other. Don't we?”

Grinning, Fin nods. ”Aye, we have that right…”

"So I don't want to hide it. I don't care if the whole world knows!"

Still grinning, he says, ”As you wish…”

"We'll have to practice that other way," Sakitu says with a smile when they finally pull apart. "I'm sure it can work." She grabs his hand. "So, are we going to find the others now?"

”Aye, Hlao-roo, we can make it work…”

As Sakitu grabs his hand, his grin widens into a smile, thinking, I haven’t held hands since…seems like ages…feels nice…again…

”Yes, we can go find the others now, if you like…and perhaps we can go to the baths later? That’s something else we can practice,” Fin says with a wink, as he leads her back to the group quarters…

Tezuzu shows up where Maka has dragged Bulvi off to. He watches for a while as they spar, and comes forward once they take a break.

"You may want to stop hitting Bulvi in the head. At least for a while. The way his attention wanders these days, I wonder if you haven't given the poor fellow a concussion. Work the body... well, you know what I mean. Ahem."

He scratches at his beak thoughtfully, then pipes up with his real reason for being there.

"Maka, may I speak to you? I consider you the most sensible person in this group. There is something that's been bothering me. Well, nagging me might be a better way of putting it."

"Maka, may I speak to you? I consider you the most sensible person in this group. There is something that's been bothering me. Well, nagging me might be a better way of putting it."

"I am? That's probably not good but I'm happy to help with whatever is 'nagging' you." Maka slowly sounded out nagging, being unfamiliar with the word but understanding through context.

"Good, good..." says Tezuzu as he begins to pace back and forth. "Well. I won't beat around the bush. I'm beginning to wonder if we're doing the right thing. Seeking to free Baba Yaga, I mean. I wonder if future generations won't curse us if we succeed."

He throws up his hands and raises his voice, as if arguing with himself.

"I know! I know! Queen Elvanna and her portals and her mad war! But honestly, her war has no chance of succeeding, does it? She can't hope to conquer the world simply by making it cold. And the world of Golarian has many, many powerful elements in it that won't sit still for her attempted tyranny. A few dragon flights, a couple arch-liches, the Chelaxian hordes... her war will be destabilizing for sure, but ultimately hopeless. She may even come to realize this and be content with the eternal crown of Irrissen once she's been checked in battle. At any rate, she faces many dangers aside from a ragtag group of adventurers who have stolen her pet Hut."

"And why are we doing it? Baba Yaga is a nightmarishly evil creature who literally fuels her magic with the souls of innocent children. She is a paragon of wickedness. We should be viewing her disappearance as a boon of fate. If we free her, will we not be responsible for every child she steals from that day onward? How will we answer the combined peoples of our world when they come to ask us what we were thinking? Shall we be content to tell them 'Well, it just seemed to us like the lesser of two evils'? Will the world agree with us?"

"Maka, you and I have something in common. You and I never met the Black Rider back in Taldor. I believe he may have laid a sort of magical compulsion on the others to free his mistress. You and I have aided the group because they are good people who seem motivated by noble intentions. But this whole quest may all be a tragic mistake."

Tezuzu stops pacing and crosses his arms, cocks his head to one side and looks at Maka with one eye.

"There, I've said my piece. Tell me I'm wrong, if you can."

Maka listened to Tez quietly the gave the tengu a toothy grin. "I've thought about that too, though I didn't think about our friends having magic on them. That sounds like the kind of trickery trick trick witches would try too. You'd make a good master at a monastery."

Maka stretched and then leaned against the wall. "Quasit keeps talking about rewards and favors that Baba Yaga will owe us. I figured I would ask for Baba Yaga to stop being so mean or make thinks nicer in Irrisen or something. Then if she won't do that I'd blast her with fire and go from there. But I guess that's just my usual plan huh..."

Maka's attention moved away in a moment of self contemplation before returning with a shrug. "Oh well, it works pretty good for me. I suppose if we could stop Elvanna and leave Baba Yaga trapped, that would probably be better."

"Let me ask you this -- let's say we find Baba Yaga. We find her looking like a sweet helpless old woman locked up in a cage. She promises to give each and every one of us an unconditional wish once we release her. Would you trust her? Would you let her out?"

"Or you would you remember that she's a demigoddess of terror and secrets and lies with a heart as black as night and pause, knowing that the moment you set her free she might change everyone in the party into gingerbread men and gobble you all up?"

"Or she might even grant you your wish -- and attach some sort of wicked curse to it that made your remaining life a living hell."

Tezuzu shakes his head and begins to pace again. "In the Hut, you didn't spend any time in that library. Most of the books are just inane things she's filched over the years -- books on gardening and cooking and dressmaking. But every once in a while, I would find these books of fairy tales and poems, all filled with grotesque little yarns about naughty children being eaten or punished or mutilated. Look at how she treats her own daughters -- she makes them queens and gives them everything they want, and then one day she comes for them and kills them. It's always the same story. She offers you all the candy you can eat, then throws you in the oven once you're full."

"But this is a creature we expect to feel grateful to us? I have my doubts."

Maka paused in thought for a time. While she loved fighting, she took no joy in killing. She much preferred when people chose the friend route. But Tez's words carried truth to them. Baba Yaga's nature, her long history of atrocities, did not leave much room to interpretation. "Yeah...well what do we do then?"

"I don't know. I was hoping you could tell me." says the tengu with a shrug.

"I have a plan then!" Maka slammed her fist into her hand in a display of confidence. "Let's ask Quasit."

Tezuzu's mouth hangs open for what seems like several seconds, then he exhales.

"Yes, well, I suppose it was always going to come down to that, wasn't it?"

"Return to you training. I'll speak with her quietly when the opportunity arises. In the meantime, I can see nothing wrong with our plan to help these Triaxians against Yrax. That still seems like the right thing to do."

"Yes, well, I suppose it was always going to come down to that, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, even is she is magically compelled I'd probably still trust Quasit to know what best to do. She's so good at thinking and words."

"Return to you training. I'll speak with her quietly when the opportunity arises. In the meantime, I can see nothing wrong with our plan to help these Triaxians against Yrax. That still seems like the right thing to do."

"Of course! Even if they didn't have a key we'd do that. Goodnight, I'll see you in the morning." Maka added a back breaking hug to her goodbye before jogging back to the training area.

However, she soon found herself wishing she had sprinted, as she was too late to stop one of her most dreaded events; Conversations about swords. Bulvi and two Triaxians had exchanged weapons and were using various tilts, gesturing hand movements, and slow displays of use to communicate. "Uggh, of course!"

Maka loved Bull; He was kind, steadfast, honest, and brave. But she hated how much he talked about swords. Not just him, all boys really. Even ones from other planets that don't speak the same language. Swords were fine, Maka guessed, but there was no need to go on and on about them. Not wishing to get caught up in yet another conversation, Maka decided to turn back.

Tez's words still weighed on Maka's mind. If they shouldn't free Baba Yaga, should they keep following the trail? Memories of her friend Hace flashed through her mind. The wound of his mysterious departure, leaving without saying goodbye, had healed given time. With fresh perspective, she couldn't help but wonder if Hace had figured something out.

Maybe she wouldn't wait to talk with Quasit. Maka was becoming familiar with the fort's layout, but she still got turned around a few times. After checking the baths and mess hall, Maka finally found their fabulous leader in bed. Quickly striping down to her small clothes, Maka crawled into bed and snuggled up with her friend. The fire monks body heat soon had the blankets nice and toasty.

"Quasit, do you think we should let Baba Yaga free?"

Fin walks back to the group quarters, hand in hand with Sakitu, making small talk, enjoying her company. As they get to the door, he sees Maka and Quasit in a bunk, talking…

He looks to Sakitu, grinning. ”Looks like girl talk…you might want to join them; I know you and Q are thick as thieves. And you might want to tell them about…us…before the others…or not, whatever you think best. Kalchine mentioned meeting in the mess hall, so I can run over there and bend his ear about any insight he has for us concerning the upcoming assault…”

The Elf bends down and brushes his lips lightly across hers, then smiles shyly, murmuring, ”I’ll catch up with you a little later, Hlao-roo…”

Fin walks idly to the mess hall, unconsciously bringing his hand up, rubbing his lips, thinking fondly of the past hour or so. When he arrives at the mess, he spots the Triaxian, waves, and moves to sit at his table after grabbing a mug of that fermented lichen; the swill apparently was growing on him…

”Greetings, Kalchine! So, the briefing went well, I think; thank you for your help there. As for the expected assault, any advice as to what we should be prepared for?”

"Yeah, even is she is magically compelled I'd probably still trust Quasit to know what best to do. She's so good at thinking and words."

"Except when the magical compulsion is coming from a satyr, I suppose." Tezuzu points out while he's being crushed in Maka's arms. "Or when she's drunk so much honey mead that she completely loses control of herself. But she's glib enough, that much I'll give you."

Once released, Tezuzu walks off and finds himself wandering the halls in thought, but he knows what he must do.

After retrieving his pack, the shaman finds a nice quiet, dark place where he can be sure of being alone and uninterrupted. He takes the time to purify and bless a bowl full of water, mixes a unique combination of herbs and incense within a brass censor and lights it, allowing the smoke to fill the room. Then sitting crosslegged on the floor, staring into his bowl as he rhythmically shakes his bone rattle, he reaches out to the spirit world for answers...

Casting 'Commune', looking for answers about (a) whether it's wise to find and free Baba Yaga, and (b) whether he himself should continue this mission, among other things.

Maka crawled into bed and snuggled up...

Quasit perks awake immediately as Maka begins sneaking into her bed. She smiles drowsily and warmly and addresses her friend in a husky, sleepy voice. "You knucklehead. Get in your own bed." she admonishes, not at all seriously. In fact, she flips around and presses her back to Maka in a nice warm spooning position.

"Quasit, do you think we should let Baba Yaga free?"

Quasit laughs at this. "Well, yeah. If not, we're going to an awful lot of trouble just find you interesting fights." She looks over her shoulder at Maka, a slight slant of confusion in her eyebrows. "What brought this on?"

But before Maka can answer, Findurel and Sakitu come in, and Quasit sits up, fully alert and awake.

"Oh. Hey guys. My lazy butt decided to go back to bed and sleep in, and the next thing I know the monk is assaulting me. I'm thinking of pressing charges." She bops Maka across the face with a pillow.

The Elf bends down and brushes his lips lightly across hers, then smiles shyly, murmuring, ”I’ll catch up with you a little later, Hlao-roo…”

Quasit drinks in this scene with barely concealed excitement. She sits as still as a partridge in a shrub until Findurel leaves, then she throws back her covers, reaches out and grabs Sakitu and yanks her onto the bed.

"I take it things went well! He kissed you right in front of us and the gods and everyone! And he was hlao-roo-ing you! You little minx, I told you you had nothing to worry about!"

She grabs Sakitu's wrists.

"Tell me everything. Don't you dare leave anything out."

"What brought this on?"

"Well I was talking Tez and that got me thinking about Hace and..."

The Elf bends down and brushes his lips lightly across hers, then smiles shyly, murmuring, ”I’ll catch up with you a little later, Hlao-roo…”

She grabs Sakitu's wrists.

"Tell me everything. Don't you dare leave anything out."

Maka nearly crushed Saki's shoulders as she pull the kitsune in for a tight hug. "Yeah tell us, tell us!"

Eventually Bulvi finished his pantomimed discussion across the language barrier with the Triaxian. On average they seemed physically weaker than humans in terms of raw strength but seemed to have quite the stamina. Eventually he reached the limits of what new knowledge and insights they were going to yield to him today and he moved to catch up with the others.

He moved over in time to catch Maka and Quasit hugging and grabbing Sakitu. Raising an eyebrow he paused and read the room. "You're all having a girls talk kind of moment where I should give ye a few aren't ye?"

The Elf bends down and brushes his lips lightly across hers, then smiles shyly, murmuring, ”I’ll catch up with you a little later, Hlao-roo…”

Sakitu lifts on her tippy toes to press her lips a little more firmly on Fin's for their brief kiss. Will she ever get over the dizzy feelings that threaten to overwhelm her? She smiles at him and waves. "Ok. See you later."

When he leaves she turns to find Quasit and Maka staring at her. Quasit grabs her hand and yanks her to the bed.

"I take it things went well! He kissed you right in front of us and the gods and everyone! And he was hlao-roo-ing you! You little minx, I told you you had nothing to worry about!"

Sakitu glances as Quasit and Maka, feeling a fierce blush rising on her cheeks, then turns her gaze into her own lap. "Yeah, I mean, I think so. I mean, I was trying to talk to him and then he said stuff and then the next thing I knew he was kissing me. And, I mean, wow. I've never felt anything like that before. You know, where your insides start tingling and then it was like my heart was going to burst and then all I could think about was how he smelled and his warm lips and... I don't know. It's all so amazing!"

She looks up and her eyes glisten with excitement and happiness.

Leaving room for a response before Bulvi comes in.

You know what ignore my last post. I was trying to catch up and had been skimming, I didn't realise where they were... which became obvious with Sakitu's latest post. Bulvi's not going barging into people's bedrooms.

Maka eye's watered with joyful tears as her smile stretched ear to ear. "I'm so happy! And just wait until you try other stuff, there is this thing Fin does with his hands. Oh you're going to love it."

Kalchine is not eating when Findarel arrives and is drinking only water, though a bit of steam rises off of it. He is talking to some of his fellow soldiers, at least when he can distract them from the game of chance they're playing.

He seems almost relieved to talk to Fin, instead.

"I wish I could say for certain," he replies to the man's question.

"Our enemies have extremely diverse tactics, troops and abilities, as you no doubt saw in your fight with them. They are too clever to depend on one tactic, though so expect a combination of brute force and subtler approaches," he continues.

"Getting involved with a war is probably not what you hoped for when you came here, is it?"

Bulvi, honestly, I don't think it's any problem at all that you popped in when you did. It will give Maka and Quasit an opportunity to act like "big sisters" and shoo you away. But I'm ok whatever way you want to play it, obviously.

"I'm so happy! And just wait until you try other stuff, there is this thing Fin does with his hands. Oh you're going to love it."

"Oh, I know what you mean! We were holding hands already and when he would intertwine his fingers with mine... It was heavenly. His hands are so strong and gentle."

"Oh, I know what you mean! We were holding hands already and when he would intertwine his fingers with mine... It was heavenly. His hands are so strong and gentle."

Maka's eyes flicked to Quasit and back to Suki. "Yeah...holding hands is nice!"

He moved over in time to catch Maka and Quasit hugging and grabbing Sakitu. Raising an eyebrow he paused and read the room. "You're all having a girls talk kind of moment where I should give ye a few aren't ye?"

"Yes! Go back to swords."

"Yeah, I mean, I think so. I mean, I was trying to talk to him and then he said stuff and then the next thing I knew he was kissing me. And, I mean, wow. I've never felt anything like that before. You know, where your insides start tingling and then it was like my heart was going to burst and then all I could think about was how he smelled and his warm lips and... I don't know. It's all so amazing!"

"There, you see? I told you! He's felt the same way all along. You were all twitter-pated over nothing."

"Did he talk about what's-her-name? The girl that got murdered on his boat-- Kesha or whatever it was? Or did he just go straight into the smooching?"

"Oh, I know what you mean! We were holding hands already and when he would intertwine his fingers with mine... It was heavenly. His hands are so strong and gentle."

Maka's eyes flicked to Quasit and back to Suki. "Yeah...holding hands is nice!"

Quasit looks at Maka like a night owl. "Yes. It is." she says in a voice laden with the emotional current of 'don't you dare take this girl off the bunny hill and put her on the Olympic slalom track'. Then she turns back to the kitsune and beams at her.

"Aw Saki, I'm so happy for you. Fin is a great guy. He's kind and noble and warm and a little dorky, but in a good way. That's essential in a man, or they get to be too full of themselves. I kinda had a feeling he was on the lookout for love a few weeks back--remember how he was with that elf girl who was looking for her gnome friend? For a while I almost thought he was gonna leave us and follow her."

Quasit swivels around and flops her head down on Sakitu's lap.

"I remember when me and Nevar were first going out and we were doing a few jobs together for my brother. Nevar wasn't crazy about the kind of jobs we were doing, but it didn't matter because we were just SO into each other, it made everything fun. And he was just so handsome and dashing and funny... it just inspired a whole 'nother level in me. Life just surged through me. And when we celebrated after a job...?" She squirms happily at the memory, then looks up at Sakitu's face. "He had nice hands too."

She bites her lip for a moment, letting the memories rattling in her skull fizzle out, then grins up at Sakitu again.

"And Fin is such a softy, you're gonna have him wrapped around your finger. You've seen the way he treats me? Like he's a knight in service to a noble lady. He's got chivalry so bad that you can practically hear the bard songs when he talks. Now that he's actually got a Maiden Fair devote himself to -- I bet he's the romantic type, under all that tragic ranger exterior. Just looking for a lady to devote himself to, all so she'll give him a rose after he wins the tournament for her."

"Fortunately for him, you're so sweet you won't take advantage of him. Too much. But a little is ok."

"But my main piece of advice to you--don't push it. Just let things happen when they feel right. Enjoy it. Don't worry about tomorrow or yesterday or three weeks from now. Today is all that matters. Savor the nice stuff. Like his cute little tushy."

Casting 'Commune', looking for answers about (a) whether it's wise to find and free Baba Yaga, and (b) whether he himself should continue this mission, among other things.

Tezuzu gets a 'yes' to the question of if it's wise to free Baba Yaga, and a 'no' to whether he should continue along.

GM, would you like to write him out of the story or shall I RP out a farewell scene to the group?

Go ahead and RP out how he leaves.

"Getting involved with a war is probably not what you hoped for when you came here, is it?"

Fin smiles at the Triaxian as he shrugs. ”Not exactly, my friend…but one thing about this quest is that nothing surprises me any more. We didn’t even know we were on another planet at first…but we’ve learned to adapt…

“Since you’re going to be assigned to us for the assault, you might as well know a little about us. It’s a long story but I’ll summarize as best I can…”

He lets out a long sigh, takes a huge swig of fermented lichen, winces, and begins. “Whew! This stuff is lethal…but I’m acquiring a taste for it…

“Hmmm…I think you know the rest. Quite an adventure, eh?”

I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one who had near TPK's in the beginning of this AP. That's the reason I stopped in the first book.

Kalchine's eyes don't widen as Fundurel's description of their quest so far continues. His ears to rise with every revelation, though until they are standing almost parallel to his head.

"Yes. Quite an adventure, indeed. We definitely made the right choice in allying with you. You're obviously powerful and dangerous.

"What was Selena before she was a halfling?

"And, pardon me for saying, but it seems significant that you mention something as...mundane...as dancing with Saki in the midst of a tale about fighting dragons and other powerful beasts, searching for a...semi-goddess? and travelling from one world to another in a hut.

[b]"Not that she doesn't seem lovely..." he hurries on.

If I recall correctly, we had three near TPKs total in book one; two in the beginning and one at the end, not mention a few other very tough fights…brutal. The Paizo Online Venture-Lieutenant was in our original party and she dropped out as she said it was no fun playing an AP that was actively trying to kill you. There are four original PCs left (Q, Fin, Saki, & Bull); Maka has been with us since the beginning of book 2. Selena dropped out in book 1 but joined us again later in book 2.

"Yes. Quite an adventure, indeed. We definitely made the right choice in allying with you. You're obviously powerful and dangerous.

Fin gives a sardonic grin. ”Mayhap so…or perhaps we just have powerful and dangerous enemies and have been lucky enough to survive. But I like to think that we’re a pretty effective team when it comes to combat; our varying skills complement one another…”

"What was Selena before she was a halfling?

”She was a white witch also known as a Jadwiga, a very stubborn one at that…and I guess she technically still is as she has the same spell capability…and she’s still stubborn…but she has her boons. She doesn’t care much for me as she thinks I always shoot first and ask questions later. Before though, she was in the form of a human woman, like Q, but that’s the only thing they share…and make damn sure you don’t make that comparison in front of Q unless you want to be emasculated both verbally and physically. And I’m speaking from experience…”

"And, pardon me for saying, but it seems significant that you mention something as...mundane...as dancing with Saki in the midst of a tale about fighting dragons and other powerful beasts, searching for a...semi-goddess? and travelling from one world to another in a hut.

"Not that she doesn't seem lovely..." he hurries on.

Fin blushes as he smiles. ”Just a very fond memory that I like to recall…and one that led me to view her in a different light…”

”So tell me, my friend, have you had many adventures here?”

Kalchine is clearly processing the word "Jadwiga" even mouthing it slowly as Fin explains.

"And a halfling is the...?" he gestures with his hand to indicate Selena's current height.

"Quite a change." He strokes one ear thoughtfully. "I wonder if anyone has ever studied how a planet is tied to reincarnation. Perhaps it has happened before but clearly, between Selena, Saki and Tezuzu there are races on your world that do no exist here. And reincarnation is rare yet I've never heard of anyone being reincarnated on this world as anything but what is native to this world."

He shrugs dismissively. "I've done some scouting. Helped kill the dragon that went into this," he points to his white scaled breastplate.

"Some people find my childhood interesting. My master, the woman from your world, found me living with Chest Thumper and his family. I didn't know where my parents were, couldn't remember anything but the frost ape troop. I don't really remember it because I was young but I have the feeling that I thought I was just a strange frost ape.

"I think they were less than upset about getting rid of me because she didn't seem to have much trouble taking me along with her. It's part of the reason I know your language so well. It's really the first one I learned.
My brother insisted on coming with me, though.

"She brought us...civilization adjacent is probably the best way to describe it and, we, Chest Thumper and me, I mean, worked as scouts and guides for the military. I think we both thought they looked impressive in their armor and with their weapons and with the partner bonded flying out to fight."

He shrugs again. "When she left to find a way to where she was going, I joined up officially. Not much has changed except I usually sleep in a much larger structure than I used to."

Fin nods, clearly impressed. ”Killing a dragon is no easy feat…and a very interesting childhood you had to boot…and that explains why you speak the common tongue of our world so clearly, with very little accent…

“It will be an honor fighting alongside you and your brother…we could ask for no better liaison than you. Once I finish this swill, I think I’m going to head back to our quarters and see what Saki…and the others…are doing. See if I can persuade ‘em to hit the baths; we Elves are suckers for a hot bath. You and Chest Thumper are welcome to join us…and I mean any time. You will always be welcome in our company…”

Fin chugs down the swill, makes a sour face as it goes down, then sighs. ”Ah, refreshing…reminds me I’m alive…and if I want to stay that way, perhaps I better not go back to the bunk room and interrupt the girl talk, just yet,” he says as he eyes his empty mug. ”Perhaps just one more…”

"Fortunately for him, you're so sweet you won't take advantage of him. Too much. But a little is ok."

"What do you mean by take advantage?"

"But my main piece of advice to you--don't push it. Just let things happen when they feel right. Enjoy it. Don't worry about tomorrow or yesterday or three weeks from now. Today is all that matters. Savor the nice stuff. Like his cute little tushy."

Sakitu grows red again and she gently slaps Quasit on the arm with a giggle. "Don't say that! You're embarrassing me. I've never noticed his, uh, that part of his body. Honest. Well, ok. A little." She bends her face down to Quasit's head, still giggling. Embarrassed but also savoring the explosion of novels feelings inside she touches her forehead to Quasit's.

"Your such a good friend. Thanks for telling me to talk to Fin."