From the coccoon of blankets upon their mattress of padded chairs Sunys' mufled voice can just be heard.
"I c'n too be ac'septible!" Then the blankets shift as Suny tosses and turns within their enfolds.
Felmor sees the elf maid having a nightmare and peeks under the blankets...which proves to be a BIG mistake. He quickly closes his eyes and averts his gaze, fighting a rising blush, and waves Mors over, asking "Kin I git a room, fer this elf lass here, 'n also a romm fer meself."
Amber hurries back into the main room with a couple of platters of various treates and a bottle in each hand. Setting them all down upon the table she looks to Felmor.
She looks at the sailor for a few moments...
"Well, I've brought something for ourselves to snack upon." She invites Keane MacYyndrelle and Felmor both to help themselves, "But...if it's a room you want for the girl, why don't you run upstairs , work off some of that energy I can see on your face, and see which one's are currently empty." Amber suggests cooly,
Doing her best to hide whatever emotion she is currently feeling.
Felmor sees Amber looking at him cooly, and wonders why she was looking at him so long and then realizes, she was hurt by his attentions to the beautiful elf.
He gives a sigh of relief as Mors comes up and says, "Well, since she is now working here, it would only be fair for me to arrange her sleepling arrangements, but thank you, anyway." He then cradles the sleeping elf and carries her upstairs. Just before disappearing, he says to Felmor, "I will get your room ready, momentarily."
He thinks, Well, the temp sure dropped when she came back in 'ere, let's see if I kin, warm things up a little....why do I keep smellin' perfume?
He grabs a bottle of the Port wine, and offers, "Kin I get ya a refill, Lady Amber?"
Amber innitially says nothing to Felmor, though the offer of more Ferkin quickly thaws her mood. She smiles and indicates they should st.
"Come Master Felmor, tell me about the seas and ships of this world called Golarion." She asks, after taking a large sip of her port, then leaning over and begining to assemble the condiments from the platters into a descent snack.
Felmor helps himself to some snacks, quite tasty actually. Whoever is th'cook is outstanding.
"Well, I grew up in the ciy of Korvosa, 'n I always been lovin' th' sea, 'n travelin' most o' th'Inner Sea area." Seeing her lack of comprehension, he adds, "Kinda hard ta show ya, witout a map, but lets say, I been all over, if ya know what I mean." Felmor helps him self to more of the wine, and feels a pleasent buzz coming over him. Thoughts of the odd events earlier were chased away, by the presence of the food and wine, and of Amber.
"Right now, I am in between calls, as m' last voyage ended with a staved mast, so th'ship in drydock fer several months. I know ther's many expeditions comin' out o' Cassomir, and hope I kin catch one afer me money pouch runs out."
Spoiler:Felmor helps himself to some snacks, quite tasty actually. Whoever is th'cook is outstanding."Well, I grew up in the ciy of Korvosa, 'n I always been lovin' th' sea, 'n travelin' most o' th'Inner Sea area." Seeing her lack of comprehension, he adds, "Kinda hard ta show ya, witout a map, but lets say, I been all over, if ya know what I mean." Felmor helps him self to more of the wine, and feels a pleasent buzz coming over him. Thoughts of the odd events earlier were chased away, by the presence of the food and wine, and of Amber.
"Right now, I am in between calls, as m' last voyage ended with a staved mast, so th'ship in drydock fer several months. I know ther's many expeditions comin' out o' Cassomir, and hope I kin catch one afer me money pouch runs out."
Amber nods at Felmores' words.
"Your world, its oceans, sounds very different from mine. Why even our greatest iron clads travel upon the deeps of the Merdius at their peril!" She takes a bite out of her amalgamaiton of two slices of bread and the fillings between. After a moment or two of thoughtfull, and dainty, shewing she swallows.
"It's the moons you see. They cause great swirls and eddies. Shifts in the tides, things like that. Why, it's only rescently that ships have managed to find a path across to the distant continent of Zuu, not to mention that there are whoe areas of the continental map thatare still blank, ven in this day of Archano-tech, alchemistry and steam."
Amber nods at Felmores' words.
"Your world, its oceans, sounds very different from mine. Why even our greatest iron clads travel upon the deeps of the Merdius at their peril!" She takes a bite out of her amalgamaiton of two slices of bread and the fillings between. After a moment or two of thoughtfull, and dainty, shewing she swallows.
"It's the moons you see. They cause great swirls and eddies. Shifts in the tides, things like that. Why, it's only rescently that ships have managed to find a path across to the distant continent of Zuu, not to mention that there are whoe areas of the continental map thatare still blank, ven in this day of Archano-tech, alchemistry and steam."
"Yeah we's only got one moon on Golarion, so ocean going is easier than, would be on yer world. Still, T'would be interesting ta try ta navigate those swirling waters without gettin' entangled, he he." He gives her a wink, obviously more than a little drunk.
Amber laughs a little, "Entangled!? Hah! Sunk is more like! Still, my country of llael is land locked. Our trade mainly traveled down a major river. From the Rhullish mountains," She raises a toast to Keane MacYyndrelle, " All the way down to the sea." Amber smiles back, happy in her remembrances and the effect of the good Ferkin Port.
Felmor looks over at Amber, watching her laugh and seeing how her smile lit up her normally brooding face, Man, fer a landlubber, she ain't so bad. and he wasn't quite sure what was happening to him, but the tremors he had been feeling before have subsided. He takes another long draw of the Port, and seeing the bottle nearly drained, reflects, Eh, jes as well, I'm gonna have a hard time findin' my way ta me room anyway. Knowin' my luck, I'll end up in someone else's room. The idea both simultaneously excited and frightened him.
He breaks out into a bawdy sailor's ditty, regarding sailors who get caught up in the water and end up drowning down in the sea after failing to rise to the surface.
Aye, that's it, I'm gone to the bottom of the sea, he he
Chapter 27: Stanza the Final, of ‘Love and Strife in Limbo’
And so it came to pass, in the early morning hours (if morning could be determined in the magical bar known as Limbo) that Lureene and Rath, having slept (among other things) long and well, came down from the suites in search of Suny. They found the blonde Elf curled up by the fire, clutching her ‘shineys’, in a chair that Rath had called a bed several times himself. It made for a poor night’s sleep. At a wordless sign from Lureene, Rath picked the Elf girl up, blankets and all, and they carried her back upstairs to the suite they now shared… Without waking Suny, they settled down in the bed with her to sleep a little more.
Always a sociable lady, Suny was delighted when she awoke to find that not only was she sleeping in a luxurious bed, but she wasn’t alone in said bed – for Suny was not one to sleep alone when possible. She was even more pleased that her bedmates had, ceding her the hostess’ privilege, decided to match her state of dress… which, in this particular instance, was a profound state of undress. The only thing she had on was a smile, and it was large indeed.
Dear Readers, please note this chronicle is not an account to titillate prurient sexual interests… unlike the infamous ‘Lay of Jalmeray’ penned by Lureene herself with the kindly assistance of Rath and Suny - which covered the matter of their times together in quite explicit detail. So, gentle readers, we will not be straining your ear with every exploit they undertook in the week or so that transpired between the scandalous Changing Room affair, the ‘Brown Hussy’ bar incident, and Rath’s setting sail on the Lady Iona for Arcadia. We will only briefly touch on one incident which occurred, as the astute reader will have concluded, just shortly after Suny woke up fully, snuggled up with the two people she had come to care about greatly in Limbo…
Mostly from the playful ministrations of Suny, they had all, at length, awoke. Though it appears quite clear there was some feigned sleeping going on to coax Miss Suny’s ministrations to grow in scope and scale. Again, please read the ‘Lay of Jalmeray’ for more salacious details. Suffice it to say, they all awoke after a fashion… and it was decided that since Suny had never fully learned to draw a bath and was keen to master the skill, a lesson was in order and they all three hopped in the bath and proceeded to bathe one another in a lively fashion.
Rath thinking far more clearly than he had been the night before – whether due to sheer exhaustion or Lureene’s peculiar effects we will not speculate – remembered the small package he had brought with him the night before. He quickly jumped from the tub and brought the package back into the bathroom. He pulled out an item, a small phial. He explained to the charmingly undressed and thoroughly lathered ladies in the tub that the Vudrani were very much communal bathers and had all sorts of rare plant extracts, oils, and unguents used for bathing. He had one small phial left – brought all the way from Jalmeray - that he had been saving it for a special person which he amended to a special occasion - for between these women he was simply incapable of choice.
The ladies were intrigued – Suny in particular since the bottle glowed light sunset and she was, as is widely known, a fan of ‘shineys’. It was only Lureene, wrapped around Suny from behind – she was washing Suny’s back at the time - that kept the tall Elven girl from lunging at Rath, situated in the middle of the tub, to get at said ‘Shiney’. Rath, laughed and poured the viscous golden molasses in the tub.
Now it is not known what exact extract Rath had squirreled away against such an odd moment. It is known, that he lied about its origin. He brought it all the way from Vudra, when he was 8. It was the only item his mother had given him before she handed him over to his monastic order and put him on a ship bound for far-flung Jalmeray. What are known are the curious qualities of the extract. It provided a pleasant, sweet, smell and turned the water a rich sunset hue. It also turned the occupants of the tub a glowing golden color for several hours. From the tops of their heads to their toe nails… there became luminous and golden. Breathing the sweet air and seeing the incredible transformation, Suny’s large blue (now golden) eyes grew even larger. She was attired in wonder for this was something she had never seen before. She exclaimed, “Oh, luv. Now we ARE lik’en t’ ANGELS!”
Lureene smiled and shared a look with Rath, saying, “Indeed, we are.”
Then Suny noticed a curiosity in the water and said, ”Look. Tis like t’ a little gold'n fish!”
In response to which, Lureene pulled the golden Elven woman closer and said in a voice that only someone of her curious parentage could have pulled off – a tone at once lascivious and demure, “Hun, that isn’t a fish… and it isn’t that small…” and she chuckled wantonly.
Suny’s eyes widened slightly as the fish swam closer and she said, “Oh. OOOhhhhhh…”.
And what more can we say of that afternoon, that fled into evening, that in turn greeted a new day and several more besides? Modesty would have us say no more. But if you were an astute listener, passing by that magical door late at night or in the wee hours of the morning, what might you have heard? You would have heard the rustle of sheets, the splash of water, sighs, gasps, groans, giggles, moans, utter silence pregnant with possibilities… and more than anything else, laughter. For in their short time together, those three very different people found a common ground shared by all sentient beings in the myriad multiverse – the understanding that love is a gift to be offered freely, accepted freely, and treasured.
END
Alis sniffs, "I love a happy ending! Oh wait..."
;D
Alis sniffs, "I love a happy ending!"
;D
And Rajkumari Alis would know this well for who had the money or wherewithal to see to the publishing of the licentious 'Lay of Jalmeray'? Who was it that Lureene and company prevailed upon, based on long friendship, to support their tawdry journalistic efforts? (ed note - the 'Lay of Jalmeray' was written some ten years after the events in Limbo) And who was mischievous enough to thumb her nose at the royal caste system and put her name (well pseudonymously) as the publisher? Gentle Readers, these facts are not in dispute...
Felmor sees the beautiful elf falling asleep and waves the barkeep Mors over and says, "Kin ya get a room ready, think I'm gonna need one fer..." he starts to motion to the sleeping form of Suny, then feels a look from Amber, he interprets this as sailing into shallow reef covered waters, and wisely changes course. "Meself, 'n I be headin' up afore too long. The lass here be fine, I think." He says to Amber, while helping himself to some of the food she scavenged from the kitchen.
Without preamble, a strange-looking gnome enters the bar. He is tall for a gnome but has none of the exotic coloring typical of gnomes. His long hair is blue-black, matching his well appointed robes. His eyes are shiny and black, counterpointed by his pale skin and the dark goatee framing his mouth. He carries dual bandoliers of daggers slung carelessly over one shoulder.
Upon entering the bar, he sizes up the place and occupants.
Finding nothing amiss, he drops his bandoliers on a convenient table and proceeds to the bar, saying only "Port" to whoever is behind the bar at the moment.
Spoiler:Without preamble, a strange-looking gnome enters the bar. He is tall for a gnome but has none of the exotic coloring typical of gnomes. His long hair is blue-black, matching his well appointed robes. His eyes are shiny and black, counterpointed by his pale skin and the dark goatee framing his mouth. He carries dual bandoliers of daggers slung carelessly over one shoulder.Upon entering the bar, he sizes up the place and occupants.
1d20+6Finding nothing amiss, he drops his bandoliers on a convenient table and proceeds to the bar, saying only "Port" to whoever is behind the bar at the moment.
Amber, who is still sitting in the company of Master Felmor (sharing their platters of cold cuts and bread-able condiments), watches the new commer walk in, look around and then mosey over to the bar.
At the smallish feloows request for 'Port', Amber sits up a bit straiter in her chair.
Felmor returns the gnomes interest with a frank look of his own. Gnomes tend ta be more trouble than they're worth. Still..." "Howdy stranger, if yer lookin' fer port, we gots some over heah, care ta join us?"
Straehan regards the seaman with surprise at the open invitation, but smoothly snatches a fresh glass off the bar and wanders over. Sliding a nearby chair into position, he forms a triangular trio. He climbs the chair economically so that he is close to eye-to-eye with them, requiring that he sit with his legs tucked beneath him. He smiles politely showing a bit too much tooth... or rather the teeth he shows are a bit too much on their own. His canines are prominent.
He holds out his hand to the seaman, "Thank you for the kind invitation. I am called Straehan."
Amber adjusts her deportment slightly, deftly adjusting her vest, then she leans forwards and offers the new commer a hand to shake.
"Greetings to you. My name is Amber Di'Glaeys." She says with a freindly smile.
"Me name is Felmor, 'n this is th' Lady Amber. Please ta meet 'cha. What brings ya here ta...Limbo?"
"Me name is Felmor, 'n this is th' Lady Amber. Please ta meet 'cha. What brings ya here ta...Limbo?"
Straehan greets Felmor conventionally, shaking his hand and giving a deferentially nod. He smiles at the seaman's question and answers with no hint of evasion, "Time and tide bring me here, Felmor. Time and tide. I have no agenda, nor no reason to actually be here."
Amber adjusts her deportment slightly, deftly adjusting her vest, then she leans forwards and offers the new commer a hand to shake.
"Greetings to you. My name is Amber Di'Glaeys." She says with a freindly smile.
Straehan, turns his full attention to the tall, aristocratic woman of dark bearing. His eyes glitter. He takes her proffered hand, deftly rolls it over to kiss its back, then re-rolls it gently and plants a kiss on her inner wrist. "A great pleasure it is to meet you... Amber." He says her name as if he is savoring something sweet.
He quickly turns his attention to the both of them and their bottle of Port. He holds out his glass. "If you would be so kind as to provide me with a drop of that beverage, I would be very much indebted."
Felmor, sees the bottle of port is just about empty, so he pours the last of it into the gnome's glass, the gets up from the table. Seeing mors is still upstairs getting his room ready (he assumes),he slips behind the bar, and hunts for a replacement bottle of Port. As he looks around for it, he hears in his mind:
ESP
Felmor jumps a little as he steps behind the bar.
With only a slight hitch in his step, Felmor returns with a fresh bottle of port and proceeds to top off everyone's glass.
Straehan tips his glass at Felmor in a salute of thanks before taking a long, closed-eye, smell of the liquor. The expression on his face moves from discerning to delighted as he opens his eyes. "A toast, perhaps?" He holds his glass up, "To new acquaintances and the Empty Throne." He clinks glasses with them then takes a long sip of the excellent port.
Felmor returns the toast, "To new friends, and a long lasting friendship." His eyes stray to the top of the mantle where a skull looks down on him, and he could swear it was quivering with laughter...
With only a slight hitch in his step, Felmor returns with a fresh bottle of port and proceeds to top off everyone's glass.
Straehan tips his glass at Felmor in a salute of thanks before taking a long, closed-eye, smell of the liquor. The expression on his face moves from discerning to delighted as he opens his eyes. "A toast, perhaps?" He holds his glass up, "To new acquaintances and the Empty Throne." He clinks glasses with them then takes a long sip of the excellent port.
At Straehans' comment about "An empty throne" Amber is suddenly feeling more alert and alive than she has in a long time.
Felmor returns the toast, "To new friends, and a long lasting friendship."
"Aye, to new acquaintances..." Amber adds her raised glass to the toast.
Felmor notices Amber's eyes widen, when the gnome mentions the Empty Throne. He wonders, I wonder if Amber is a member of royalty where she is from. Methink the gnome did this intentionally. He waits to see if the gnome follows up on the toast.
Straehan notices with interest the subtle, and not so subtle, differences in the toasts of his companions. He chooses a different subject since clearly there are things going on here of which he is grossly unaware. "Felmor, you named this place Limbo, I think. Are we among the Outer Planes? That might explain your cordial greeting for me... though I don't recall dying. And Limbo is not where I'd be bound, if I had died. In my world, it would be rare for me to be invited to drink with humans."
1d20+5 => (7)+5=12
"Felmor, you named this place Limbo, I think. Are we among the Outer Planes? That might explain your cordial greeting for me... though I don't recall dying. And Limbo is not where I'd be bound, if I had died. In my world, it would be rare for me to be invited to drink with humans."
Amber has too much experience with the intrigues and politics of her lost home of Llael to give more than a fleeting glimpse of her true nature away so easily. She smiles, though the expression does not reach her eyes.
"Forgive me, I am rude. I am Amber DiGlaeys from a country known as Llael, on a continent named as Immoren of the world Caen." Her smile widens.
"Within my countries military I held the rank of 'Lieutenant Adeptus', to use the full title." She finishes demurely, then inclines her head, to show she is sorry for the remiss of her manners, as well to show she now awaits Straehan comments.
Felmor scratches his stubble, already getting a bit scruffy, in thought, and thinks about the strange Vudrani who had called this place Limbo. He looks over at the sleeping form of Suny, and thinks about the stunning beautiful succubus, who had also been on his arm. He looks over at the gnome uncertinly, and replies, "That is what someone called this place, Limbo. I personally don't think we are in Cassomir now. What world are you from, Sir Straehan?"
Straehan blinks twice, assimilating both Amber's and Felmor's words. "I know of no Caen or Cassomir, I am of the continent called Miir of a world that bears the same name. I come most recently from the Demense known as Kaarstad. While much you have said is new to me and I do not know the truth of any of it... I can say definitively that I am no 'sir', Felmor, just Straehan." He smiles to indicate that he is not offended by being called sir and is genuinely delighted at his ignorance of Amber's and Felmor's worlds.
"Aye, 'tis as I thought, I guess there is some sort o' portal that this place sits on 'th other side of that we all crossed into. So far, only th'e Vudrani gentleman, an' the elf, and th'succubus are th'only people I've seen, n' judgin by th'looks they was givin' each other, we won't see'em for a while. So it's up taus ta figger out what's goin' on."
Straehan sits back on his heels. "Well, if my options are to suffer this 'location' conundrum or return from whence I came... I shall accept the conundrum gladly." He laughs. "I'll get us more food." Without leave, he jumps down from his chair and slides into the kitchen. He returns fairly quickly with a plate piled high with various meats, cheeses, greens, and breads. He tosses a few gold coins on the counter in passing.
Straehan eats with relish and few words, seeming to have no problems with companionable silence. He seems to be thinking all the while. At length, he says "Felmor. You mentioned a Vadrany, an elf, and a succubus... The latter two races, I am familiar with. Do you know what world the elf hails from?" There is something of an edge in his tone.
Felmor looks over at the sleeping form of Suny, and wonders what possible interest he could have in her. "Well I right don't know. I mean, She is an unusual shade o'skin fer an elf, but I be th'first ta admit, I ain't that familiar wit' elves." He shoots a glance at Amber, and hopes she caught the undertone in the gnomes voice.
Straehan follows Felmor's glance, only realising now that the elf he mentioned is sleeping amid the pile of blankets. Without a word to either Felmor or Amber, he cat-walks over to the sleeping elf.
He pulls back the covers to see her face. Amber and Felmor see him staring at her intently for a good long time. The look on his face is inscrutable but his fingers move restlessly.
Felmor, now quite drunk, has no idea what the gnome is doing, but he figured she did need her sleep. He walks over to the gnome, and puts his hand on his shoulder, "Come on, let her sleep, she looks exhausted. Whatever it is can wait until morning."
Amber rolls her eye at the pairs behavior, stands and saunters over.
"Come now." She reaches out and covers the exposed Elf, before firmly placing a hand on both men's shoulders and pushing them strongly back towards the table.
"The Elf has shown more than enough disregard for proper behavior. No reason for the pair of you to also fall to such levels." She whispers some what gruffly.
"As to your previous question Mr Straehan, I believe the Elf said something about a place called 'Golarion'. Not that such a name means anything to me, whether it be land, country or world." She does not stop pushing the two men until they are all three back at their table.
"Felmor, do you remember any more?" She asks as she sits again
"Aye, she did say Golarion wuz her home, as tis my home, but as fer where, eh who knows, she prolly is from one o th' Islands out thar. Aye she a purty lass..." You get the impression Felmor will not be awake much longer.
*yaaaaawn*
Alis' eyes flicker open to the sound of Morgaard snoring and she smiles and rolls over. It is only after another minute or so that she detects the deep breaths of another person sleeping in the same room. Although only a faint amount of the morning's light penetrates the thick velvet draperies, her eyes quickly adjust and the princess sits up very slowly holding her blankets up to her chin as she peers over to find Havelock passed out on a divan.
"Awk-waaaard..." she whispers to herself before pulling the covers over her head. Thus she began the tricky task of changing clothes under the sheets.
"Nodontusemyspellbookforahammer!" Sitting bolt upright with a start, Alexis found herself gripping a small pillow tightly in both hands as if it were made of gold. Although no light shone thru the "windows" of their suite in Limbo, the young mage somehow knew that it was time to get up.
With one big stretch and a silent yawn, she neatly sat up flipping the covers out of her way as she slid down off the tall bed feet landing precisely where she had left her fur-lined bedroom slippers. Breathing deeply, as she instinctively cast a light cantrip to illuminate her way, the princess plopped down in front of her spellbook to find a note left by Miss Nell. Amanuensis? What, did somebody find a treasure map?
*sigh*
With that, she set about preparing the day's spells.