He allows a rare smile to cross his face while gazing at her, and says quietly to the stoic monk, Aye she be a beauty, rivaling the shiniest mithril diamond eveah crafted by Yuelral.”
Rath smiles at Pete and says quietly "That is quite compliment from a dwarf and miner, I think."
”If’n ye tell ‘er I said that, I be denying it ta me grave.”
Rath chuckles and then stifles it, making sure the motion didn't wake the Princess. "Don't worry. Will not repeat that, Pete. By Vudrani standards, she is a bit too light-skinned but still very pretty. Think her personality is more hm... alluring to me. Keep that private, please."
He looks directly into Rath's eyes, and says, "She couldna picked a betteah man ta pertec 'er."
Rath nods at the compliment. "Very kind of you to say so, Pete. I will do my best for her." He regards Alexis for a moment, particularly her wax coated fingers, "Have you met her twin sister, Alis? Like Rajkumari but more hm.. vivacious. Watching Rajkumari with three drinks makes her seem more like her sister... more carefree and a bit more relaxed. But both women have depth." He seems to consider the characters of the women carefully for a minute or two.
He regards Alexis for a moment, particularly her wax coated fingers, "Have you met her twin sister, Alis? Like Rajkumari but more hm.. vivacious. Watching Rajkumari with three drinks makes her seem more like her sister... more carefree and a bit more relaxed. But both women have depth." He seems to consider the characters of the women carefully for a minute or two.
Pete leans back trying to wrack his memory, Nay, neveah talked ta her directly, though i seem ta re'member 'er seeing 'Lexis off, t'ink I had me hands full at th' time." He chuckles quietly at the memory. "Did ye git a chance ta know her sister well?"
"Outcast? Hm... not sure. Was not driven out if that is what you mean. But I gave up much to become what I am. Also, being Vudrani among Avistani peoples is not easy." He shrugs, "Does that make me outcast? How are you one?"
Pete stares back at Rath with a haunted look in his eyes, "Neveah meant ta say ye was driven out, jes it be th' choices ye made, ta leave yer home, ye traveled farther th' I eveah did. I be an outcast, 'cause I be chasin' me dreams. Dreams o' strikin' it rich, more money than Torag 'imself, he he. Aye, threw evr'thin' I had for me dream, 'n lost it all. Now I be 'ere, 'cause I be desperate, I got no where else ta go."
"Tracant doess not drink mead... don't like it at all" as he joins Pete, Rath and the now skeeping Alexis "I knowsss her pain... because I know us suffer it too..." as he approaches very close to Alexis "We have our waysss, life isss harsh and we've know thatss, like Alexisss... is only half she thinkssss... but she is full like us" as he looks at Bursnten who is drinking mead and eating with the other ones, or more likely already half drunk, "Each one fightsss with what he hasss... she has uss... but we are used to have none..." as he steps away from Alexis and rest besides them.
"Well lads how much are we betting in this drinking competition" as he sips another mug of mead "that's my..." looks at the rest "Someone counting, I think I forgot it"
Fortitude saves
Drink #1 save
Drink #2 save
Drink #3 save
"I think this is to fast drinking for me..." looking a bit dizzy and drunk
"Did ye git a chance ta know her sister well?"
Rath gives Pete a long look, trying to figure out how to phrase a complex answer in the common tongue. "I think I know her some on emotional level. We shared a... a moment, we hm reflected each other. Different lives but some same scars. Don't know her story but know her character. Understand?"
He regards the sleeping Princess again before continuing, conjuring up some pleasant memories. "Alis gave me special gifts - beyond price - me, a stranger, a foreigner. Just because she hoped they would make me happy. Rare thing that. Kirmoons are unique creatures."
Pete stares back at Rath with a haunted look in his eyes, "Neveah meant ta say ye was driven out, jes it be th' choices ye made, ta leave yer home, ye traveled farther th' I eveah did. I be an outcast, 'cause I be chasin' me dreams. Dreams o' strikin' it rich, more money than Torag 'imself, he he. Aye, threw evr'thin' I had for me dream, 'n lost it all. Now I be 'ere, 'cause I be desperate, I got no where else ta go."
Rath senses the shift in Pete's mood. "My story is someways better, someways worse, maybe. Was sold or maybe given to monastic order when very young. Just handed over and put on boat in Vudra and taken off boat in Jalmeray to be trained as Monk. Training hard, lots of beatings. Put me on Irori's path though, which is good. Other things, chose to give up... caste, family, even name. Everything gone. Still, I am me and I am here. Didn't have to come on this trip but chose it... in part to repay Rajkumari Alis and partly to test myself."
Rath gives Pete a long look, trying to figure out how to phrase a complex answer in the common tongue. "I think I know her some on emotional level. We shared a... a moment, we hm reflected each other. Different lives but some same scars. Don't know her story but know her character. Understand?"
He regards the sleeping Princess again before continuing, conjuring up some pleasant memories. "Alis gave me special gifts - beyond price - me, a stranger, a foreigner. Just because she hoped they would make me happy. Rare thing that. Kirmoons are unique creatures."
"Aye Rath, I kin see it in yer eyes."
Rath senses the shift in Pete's mood. "My story is someways better, someways worse, maybe. Was sold or maybe given to monastic order when very young. Just handed over and put on boat in Vudra and taken off boat in Jalmeray to be trained as Monk. Training hard, lots of beatings. Put me on Irori's path though, which is good. Other things, chose to give up... caste, family, even name. Everything gone. Still, I am me and I am here. Didn't have to come on this trip but chose it... in part to repay Rajkumari Alis and partly to test myself."
Pete nods and says almost in a whisper, "I t'ink I unnnerstand now, 'bout th' choices ye made, ye did it ta be true to yeself, 'n mebbe i kin learn from ye, how ta do that."
He notices the lizard Tracant along with Burnsten approaching, and murmers quietly, "Aye looks like we is 'bout ta 'ave c'mpany. Mebbe continue dis later, methinks."
murmers quietly, "Aye looks like we is 'bout ta 'ave c'mpany. Mebbe continue dis later, methinks."
Rath nods, responding quietly, "Another time, Pete."
as he approaches very close to Alexis...
as he steps away from Alexis and rest besides them.
Rath watches Tracant with wary detachment, unsure why it feels the need to get so close to Alexis. Perhaps it is near-sighted? His arms close incrementally around his charge. While Tracant isn't a threat, still prudence demands that Rath be cautious about her safety. He watches the Linnorm until it settles down.
Elorin wakes grogily curled up in a ball in the crow's nest. He has a slight hazy memory of sneaking up the rigging ad climbing up into it to get away from all of the humans. He likes them, but at times it can still be difficult to never be around his own people.
He looks down and sees a small group talking on the deck and Alexis sleeping happily in Rath's arms. A spark of jelousy flows through him, fueled by what's left of the drink. It takes him a few minutes to get a grip on himself. She has already removed you from your duty for someone she favors more, you saw it coming and did nothing. Ha, a princess fancied you, yeah right. You are a hired hand, a mercenary, she wants nothing to do with you. You are not even a Pathfinder, sent to take orders for a Goblin. At least he is a decent sort overall even if he doesn't know yet how to lead men.
Takes a 10 on climb.
Elorin drops down onto the main deck. It seems our lady also had a bit too much to drink. Well I suppose it had to be done. It will be a while before I want to play that game again I think. Pete, I expected more out of you, that a Goblin beat us, it is unthinkable he smiles at the dwarf knowing that it probably stings both of our prides.
You watch Biter stumble out of the main galley, the sounds of muted celebration spilling out with him. The swaying of the ship exaggerates his drunken staggering, and you're struck again just how much (in this dim light) he looks like some staggering child, one huge pint of ale in each hand. Some crazy improptu tune tumbles screeching from his lips.
His eyes fall upon the group of you and his drunken smile returns, "Friend *hic* Rath… anj Friend Long-EArshhhhh and Friend Shtinkky…. what….. uh… what ishing all to dooooing out here?" He tries to aim a pinky finger at Rath, but it sways crazily, "Biter washing to seeeeeee… to seee that'ing Friend Rath notting *hic* hashing some drinking game…" his eyes unfocus for a bit as a mighty swoon rocks his body, then he recovers, "Notting to worry.. Biter takesh caring of Friend Rath." His staggering body comes dangerously close to spilling one of the steins, "Like ole'timmmmmes… Friend RAth and Biiiter ishing to drink a VIC-*hic*… VICTORY SHOOICIDE!"
He is of course referring to the drinks you and he would partake of after a particular fun evening of causing trouble, whre Biter would mix any alcoholic or fermented beverage he could lay his hands on, and the two of you would slam them down in one pull.
"'Lessh Friend Rattth ish'ing too busy fooor'ing old Friend Biter" His eyes sparkle at his own little quip.
He holds it out expectantly for you.
If Rath declines, he turns to one of his new scouting buddies and makes the same offer... possibly the first friendly gesture he's made.
Alexis mumbles a bit as she stirs, "Biter, quit scouting in my panty drawer, I don't keep any cats in there..."
"CATSHH!?" The drunken red eyes swing hungrily about the deck, "Where?"
Elorin drops down onto the main deck. It seems our lady also had a bit too much to drink. Well I suppose it had to be done. It will be a while before I want to play that game again I think. Pete, I expected more out of you, that a Goblin beat us, it is unthinkable he smiles at the dwarf knowing that it probably stings both of our prides.
Pete returns the smile easily from the elf, and replies in a voice without rancor, but filled with irony, "Aye,seemed like Desna 'as 'er way wit' us earlier. Ta think a goblin coulda beat a dwarf at 'is own game. I shoulda be ashamed o' meself."
Pete grabs the tankard from the goblin's hand and says, "Tahnkee thar, methinks this be good redemption fer me dwarf ancestors, who be beggin' me ta shave me beard, fer losin' ta a goblin! 'Ere's ta the scoutin' Party!" before he downs the concoction in one gulp.
Elorin turns a shade of green at the rest of the scout team having another ale, Yes my friends to the scout party! But I think I will pass on another drink, my stomach is boiling like a hags kettle right now...
Rath smiles at the evil brew. Knowing Biter's humor, he can well imagine all the nasty ingredients in the mug and actually seems faintly regretful at having to turn it down.
"Sorry, Biter. Must say 'no' since Rajkumari," His eyes fall on the Princess curled against him, "Has not released me from duty. Poor bodyguard getting drunk on duty. POORER bodyguard getting sick on duty and throwing up on Princess... and think that drink will make Friend Rath sick. Think THAT drink make Zombeargle sick." He winks at his buddy and passes the drink into the eager hands of Pete. Rath settles for toasting the gentlemen with the remains of his glass of wine.
"Pete, maybe you should drink that aimed AWAY from Rajkumari, hey?"
"Pete, maybe you should drink that aimed AWAY from Rajkumari, hey?"
Just before downing the concoction, Pete replies, "'Ey, 'tis a natural reflex, ya see? We learns that early as we grows up, he he."
Rath eyes Alexis clinically and motions for someone to hand him a couple large goblets of water... She will need this when she wakes up or her head may split. Pretty sure non-drunk princesses don't dream about cats in their panty drawers or Biter rooting around for them... Then again, who knows?
Rath amuses himself for many minutes speculating on the possible odd dreams of the Princesses Kirmoon.
About a half-hour passes while Alexis remains asleep before you hear her talking in her sleep again, this time, not so quietly.
She jumps up with a start, and an empty barrel along the ship's opposite rail bursts and falls overboard with its side smashed in.
The startled princess trips over Tracant nearly setting the cuff of her right sleeve in the candle before Rath catches her. For a moment, she stands still as a statue, eyes blinking in astonishment.
"Rath?!"
Quickly she looks around at everyone and in an instant somehow turns even paler. Upon realizing that she was having a dream, she turns beet red and quietly says, "My sister used to play some interesting pranks with my spell component pouch..."
Rath hands Alexis the ready goblet of water. "Drink. Too much wine can give strange dreams, Rajkumari." When she seems stable on her feet and fully awake, he releases her.
Alexis nods and says simply, "Yes, quite..."
She takes a deep breath, smooths out her dress and hair with a prestidigitation, gives a reserved smile and then accepts the glass of water. "Thank you."
After finishing the goblet, she hands it back. "Well," she says, "now that I've awoken everyone in the fleet, what's everyone up to?"
Alexis nods and says simply, "Yes, quite..."
She takes a deep breath, smooths out her dress and hair with a prestidigitation, gives a reserved smile and then accepts the glass of water. "Thank you."
After finishing the goblet, she hands it back. "Well," she says, "now that I've awoken everyone in the fleet, what's everyone up to?"
Sobering up milady, it has been quite an evening...
After finishing the goblet, she hands it back. "Well," she says, "now that I've awoken everyone in the fleet, what's everyone up to?"
Pete stands up to reply to Alexis, but everyone around him, even Pete is rather surprised to hear a rather large rumble coming from the dwarfs midsection. Pete sways back and leans against the railing, his eyes looking heavenward, and he pauses there for a moment.
Unsure of what is going on, the others just watch Pete face grimace, and it look like he will need to bend over the railing, but he gulps, once, twice, three times, and then turns his head away and over the open railing, as a large belch escapes him, lasting for several seconds.
After he lets loose that, he moves back towards Alexis and Rath, surprisingly steady, and replies, "Aye, not much, 'Lexis. Enjoy ye nap?"
"Sobering up milady, it has been quite an evening..."
"Oh well that's a good thing I hope, correct?"
She looks up at Rath and says quietly, "And hopefully not for anything amusing I said whilst sleeping or otherwise..."
Rath sits back down in his original position and continues to sip from his wine glass, "We were just talking, Rajkumari... about winds that brought us here, drinking, cats... all sorts of things."
She looks up at Rath and says quietly, "And hopefully not for anything amusing I said whilst sleeping or otherwise..."
He responds in equally low tones, "You muttered only once and not sure who heard it aside from me and Pete. We were closest. Nothing scandalous, Rajkumari. Though if you have something scandalous to say, I am hm all ears." He gives the Princess a little wink.
"Aye, not much, 'Lexis. Enjoy ye nap?"
Alexis' jaw hangs open a bit after Pete's thunderous belch. She blinks twice and says, "I... never knew... that is, I simply thought only creatures such as dragons were capable of such vocal dynamics. That was... truly a feat of biological engineering..."
She leans over placing a hand on his shoulder and asks, "Are you quite intact Pete?"
"We were just talking, Rajkumari... about winds that brought us here, drinking, cats... all sorts of things. You muttered only once and not sure who heard it aside from me and Pete. We were closest. Nothing scandalous, Rajkumari. Though if you have something scandalous to say, I am hm all ears."
"Cats?" Her eyes narrow a bit and she folds her arms and looks at Biter, a slight smirk on her face. "I do recall having a dream about Biter hunting cats in my ah– dormitory room back at the academy. Did I happen to mention something about that while I was asleep, hmm?"
Rath gives her an innocent and mischievous look. "Hm, yes you did mutter something about cats... but Biter wasn't just in room. Seems he was in your dresser too." He adds, unable to resist, "Mice are sneaky. Apparently like to burrow into soft fabrics."
She leans over placing a hand on his shoulder and asks, "Are you quite intact Pete?"
”Aye, neveah felt betteah. I neveah knew that Biter wus such a grate ‘tendar, he must ‘ha’e a spot o’ dwarf in ‘im.”
Sense Motive DC 0
You get the sense Pete is shocked he is still conscious.
She drops her serious tone and laughs lightly, "Really? Hmm..."
Alexis sits back down and tosses her hands up. "It was the strangest thing, I can't tell you how many times I caught him in there! I'm pretty sure Alis told him that there were cats in there or something because he'd always give a bit toothy grin, screech something about 'cats' and go running off with unmentionables on his head!"
"Mice are sneaky. Apparently like to burrow into soft fabrics."
"Mmhmm... goblins and twin sisters too it seems..."
"We don't like catsss..." as Burnsten is still half asleep mumbling things "Alexisss deep slumber... no harm on me" looking towards alexis footprint in his hard scales.
"...and go running off with unmentionables on his head!"
Rath says mock-seriously, "Hm doesn't explain why he'd do the same thing with MY unmentionables. Maybe he just likes them? No cats required."
As amazing as his inborn constitution and rapid metabolism are, Biter's body is obviously still struggling to rid itself of the amazing amounts of alcohol imbibed.
Two glazed, watery, and unfocused eyes shift to Alexis, "Whaaaaaa..... Bisher'sss nottin*hic*... to remmmmmber thashhh. Alekshish to *gulp* maaaaaakesshhhhh it up." A stupid, drooly grin spreads across his dumb face, "Dashhhh funny. mahaaaaaaaaaa!"
"I can hear you Tracant ya know..." as he wakes up still half drunk but trying to keep his composture "This is a good evening to celebrate now that we are all together even if some of us" pointing at himself "Are probably just half here and half somewere else" suddenly holding his mout shut for a moment with his hand "That was close... as I was saying, let's have a toast for new adventures to come, new friendship and companions, the experience of interacting with diffrent cultures and hope we all do get along, even if we have our own personal agendas whatever they might be" as he raises his mead and takes a sip "Well if someone else wants to add something or say something now is a good time, of course I'll rest for a moment and..." goes running to vomit into the ocean and rants about getting a bit dirty about it.
"Mmhmm... goblins and twin sisters too it seems..."
"It is nice? Having siblings that are close to you, despite the hm shenanigans?"
"That was close... as I was saying, let's have a toast for new adventures to come, new friendship and companions, the experience of interacting with diffrent cultures and hope we all do get along, even if we have our own personal agendas whatever they might be"
Alexis lofts another goblet of water via to her hand via telekinesis and raises it. "Here, here!"
"Well if someone else wants to add something or say something now is a good time, of course I'll rest for a moment and..." goes running to vomit into the ocean and rants about getting a bit dirty about it.
Alexis sips some water with her pinkie held out while she points the index finger from her left hand at the sickened Ulfen and cleans him up with a cantrip.
"Aren't you glad you don't like meade, Tracant?"
"It is nice? Having siblings that are close to you, despite the hm shenanigans?"
Alexis gets a mischievous look in her eyes and smiles whimsically before nodding slowly. "Oooh yes! When we were younger? We would take turns playing pranks on Miss Nell. We even did so at the academy a few times back before I cut my hair you know."
When Rath gives her a questioning gaze, she says, "Do you remember when I passed the obstacle course with flying colors and Alissariel aced her spellcraft practical?"
She grins broadly, kicking her legs back and forth and says, "I believe the term my sister used was 'the old switcheroo'."
Alexis' face brightens as this revelation gives her an idea. "Oh, this just reminded me of a game that we would play back in the ladies' dormitories:
Holding a finger up in the air and sitting up very straight she begins to explain the rules with great seriousness, "The way it works is, someone starts and asks another person who is playing, 'Truth or dare?' If said person answers 'truth' then the one who did the asking poses a question for them to answer. If the answer was 'dare', the questioner dares them to a certain course of action. After that has been resolved, the person who answered the question or performed the dare then gets to ask someone else 'truth or dare'."
Looking to Rath she winks and continues, "Guess what Alis always answered?"
"Here, I'll start with..." she holds her hand out to the monk sitting next to her, "Ravarath! OK Rath, truth or dare?"
Rath is surprised and delighted to hear that Alexis cheated in school.
He is more surprised by the game being proposed...
"Hm..." He looks at Alexis to see how much mischievousness she might bring to a dare. "OK, TRUTH."
He adds, "Played this game once too - in the women's dormitories as well. Along with a game where we spun a bottle."
"Spin the bottle hmm?" she taps her left forefinger on her lip and finally notices that her fingertips are still covered in hardened candle wax. As she sets to peeling it off, she asks, "Did you ever play spin-the-bottle with my sister?"
He looks at Alexis cagily, "Is that your TRUTH question... or are you just curious?" He gives her an un-monkish smirk.
Alexis gives a coy, hmmph! and turns her chin up. "Both!"
Rath is torn on how to answer. A succinct 'no' would be strictly true but seemed out of the spirit of the game, as he understood it, and went against his scrupulously honest nature. When it comes to siblings, though, how will such news be taken?
Rath goes with his gut...
He looks at Alexis with an odd smile and says, "To my great honor, one time Rajkumari Alis shared a kiss with me... no bottles, spinning or otherwise, were involved." He watches her looking for a reaction - for good or ill.
Rath scans the folks for a good victim, his eyes fall on Biter then Elorin then Tracant... but his hand shoots out to point at... Pete.
"Truth or Dare, Pete?"
Pete is still feeling the effects of the strong drink and also his mind is in turmoil as he digests what he has learned from his companions so far. He had always been a loner, trying to figure out the way to riches on his own. Now, looking at the giggling, mirthful look in Alexis’s eyes, and the laughing look mirrored in Rath’s eyes, he feels that rare sense of connection with these people, about as different from him, and yet alike. Alexis was a member of royalty and at the same time, she was an outcast, like Rath, and himself.
He feels comfortable now, and relaxed, at he looks Rath in the eyes, replying, ”Aye, Rath, I be takin’ th’ TRUTH, as me ain’t gots nuttin ta hide, he he he.”
Rath raises a quizzical eyebrow at the dwarf's declaration that he has 'nothing to hide'. A set of questions based on their previous conversation run through his head but he discards them all...
"OK, Pete. Under what hm.. circumstance, IF any, have you wanted to give up mission here, jump overboard, and swim all way back to Avistan?"
Elorin, knowing that he has no interest in speaking the truth about many things, I must bow out of this game of amusement friends, I am decididly finished for the night, if you will please excuse me. as Pete is being asked his question, it seems a good time to exit while everyone was focused on Pete. He gets up rather quickly and heads below deck to try and get some rest and avoid this game.
Pete gives a hearty, gravelly laugh, and replies to Rath, "Aye, tha be a simple one, seein'as 'ow ye was thar. I believe th' 'xact moment wus when the zombehemoth 'ad grabbed me 'n wus carryin' me up ta be...assimilated. Neveah been mor scared n' that moment, he he."
"Aye, tha be a simple one, seein'as 'ow ye was thar. I believe th' 'xact moment wus when the zombehemoth 'ad grabbed me 'n wus carryin' me up ta be...assimilated. Neveah been mor scared n' that moment, he he."
"I think that moment has us all scared! I feared what I might have had to do had you not somehow wriggled free! Alright then, your turn to ask someone else truth or dare, Pete!"
Rath watches the retreating form of Elorin with interest, almost to the exclusion of hearing Pete's answer. What could he have to hide that would prompt such a hasty departure? Or do the possible dares concern him?