”I hope he is not always so impatient,” he says to Sasha.
Sasha looks at Zaine, moves a tetch closer, "I've never noticed him to be more impatient than I am."
He offers his arm to Zakkiya. ”If you are certain,” he says to her.
"Quite." She says, a bit dryly. The tall woman leads Faith away from the cleared area near the hut, the near-marsh vegetation concealing them from clear view shortly. You catch snatches of Zakkiya's voice, low and personal.
The other three woman, move in and out of the hut, collecting thing, changing clothes, almost seeming to be moving at half speed.[spoier=A] Sense Motive DC 15]Their eyes are vague and they seem inordinately focused on their tasks.
[/spoiler]
Sasha uses her closer position to Zaine to whisper in his ear, "Áine thinks we should follow them, in case the goal is nefarious rather than licentious."
"Now that we have some privacy from your friends, kiss me like you've wanted to since you saw me?"
Faith complies. He puts his hand behind Zakkiya’s head and pulls her to him, meeting her lips with his. ”You are a sight when wet,” he says.
You feel breathless, weak-kneed, floored.
Sasha looks at Zaine, moves a tetch closer, "I've never noticed him to be more impatient than I am."
Zaine coughs.
Sasha uses her closer position to Zaine to whisper in his ear, "Áine thinks we should follow them, in case the goal is nefarious rather than licentious."
"I can't sneak up on a dead person, let alone two live ones. If hostilities break out, fire your gun, and Tulip and me will come running."
Zaine scratches the chin of the t-rex. "This, incidentally, is why I'm not too worried about them trying anything stupid."
"I can't sneak up on a dead person, let alone two live ones. If hostilities break out, fire your gun, and Tulip and me will come running."
Zaine scratches the chin of the t-rex. "This, incidentally, is why I'm not too worried about them trying anything stupid."
She brushes a quick kiss, before looking at the really not paying attention women and sliding into the thick jungle growth with nary a sound.
Zaine settles back, continuing to pet Tulip under the chin.
Áine slides through the jungle growth as if it does not affect her at all. She casts another spell as she moves.
Your old friends are jealous of your new friends.
A moment later a gunshot and a bullet hole in her thigh.
The sound of a gunshot rings out.
"That'll be it," Zaine mutters. "Life is for the living, lad!"
Initiative Zaine
Initiative Tulip
Zaine swings himself up into the saddle, digs his heels into Tulip's flanks and sounds a shrill whistle. The t-rex begins to run.
Áine fires a volley of cold iron arrows. "Sorry Lady. Trying to make us your paraites was a big mistake. Knowing my friends, it will likely be your last."
”There is no need to be jealous,” Faith says as his hands start to rove Zakkiya. ”I am sure we can all be friends.”
Zakiyya's eyes go wide in pain and she takes a step to put Faith squarely between her and the two ranged attackers. "Why are you doing this? Are you so jealous of the attraction we have for each other?"
Áine fires a volley of cold iron arrows. "Sorry Lady. Trying to make us your paraites was a big mistake. Knowing my friends, it will likely be your last." However, only a single arrow hits, the wound eating into her tanned flesh.
Pakshee starts to move before Zaine, but she is only human. She arrives in the small clearing, very out of breath.
Sasha quickly moves into melee, drawing one of the sabres as she moves, it cuts lightly into Zakiyya.
Zaine swings himself up into the saddle, digs his heels into Tulip's flanks and sounds a shrill whistle. The t-rex begins to run. And they arrive just in time to see...
”There is no need to be jealous,” Faith says as his hands start to rove Zakkiya. ”I am sure we can all be friends.”
Zakiyya, wincing in pain, looks at Zaine, "The women in your party have gone mad, it may be a reaction to the medicine. Please protect me."
1 round later in likely event of failure (from Ronin)
"Pepper, what are you doing to this nice lady? She was going to show us our spirit animals!"
Zaine draws his whip, spurs Tulip forward, and attempts to wrap the weapon around Sasha's ankles and trip her up.
Tulip Sense Motive
Áine's eyes narrow. "Stop that, you mind controlling witch!"
Another volley of cold iron tipped shafts.
He reluctantly takes his hands off Zakkiya to cast.
Áine's eyes narrow. "Stop that, you mind controlling witch!" Another volley of cold iron tipped shafts. This time two of the arrows strike Zakiyya, drawing blood. Zakiyya bites back a small sound of pain.
Pakshee opens her mouth in a silent scream. That does nothing.
Sasha steps so that Faith is not longer shielding the dancer, her sword cutting into Zakiyya's flesh twice.
"Pepper, what are you doing to this nice lady? She was going to show us our spirit animals!"
Zaine draws his whip, spurs Tulip forward, and attempts to wrap the weapon around Sasha's ankles and trip her up. She crashes to the ground, her green eyes wide as she looks up at Zaine.
Faith frowns. "Seriously, let's talk this out." He reluctantly takes his hands off Zakkiya to cast. A divine shield of protection hovers about the dancer, moving between her and harm.
Zakiyya calls upon the spirits... and is answered - by a blood-red bony creature.
"You all right?" Zaine asks Sasha.
"Gods damn it! Get your heads out of your cocks! Do you really want Pakshee & Pepper to be mindless playthings of this demon b%~#& for the rest of their lives? Don't you care about them at all?" Áine spits out a tirade, as much in frustration as anything else. Another flight of cold iron is launched at Zakiyya.
"Pakshee, if you have something that can affect her, use it! If not, maybe the wand will give us the time we need!"
arrow1: 10+22=33
arrow2: miss
arrow3: 13+0
Total: 46
"Me?" Sasha asks, "What is wrong with you? Gunshot means something bad, remember?"
"Gods damn it! Get your heads out of your cocks! Do you really want Pakshee & Pepper to be mindless playthings of this demon b!!~* for the rest of their lives? Don't you care about them at all?" Áine spits out a tirade, as much in frustration as anything else. Another flight of cold iron is launched at Zakiyya.
Which is enough, as her first arrow manages to find Zakiyya's eye, killing the woman in an instant. Her body falls to the ground, changing as it does, growing wings and a tail. Still with a very attractive body.
The bloody creature looks down at the fallen body, "ذکایا، میرا وقت اور آپ کا فضلہ ہے." Looks at the group, flexing bone claws. "لیکن مجھے کچھ مذاق ملنا چاہئے."
"But I should get to have some fun."
Aine manages to get her last arrow directed to the still-there red-bony thing.
"Oh Gods, Pepper, I'm sorry. I'll apologize more later, but I have to shoot that demon-thing a bunch, all right?"
Zaine drops the whip and pulls the musket from the bandolier. "You want brimstone you ugly son of a b%#$*? I got brimstone to spare."
Zaine fires the musket into the demon.
Tulip chomps the demon.
Grapple
Zaine reloads and puts another bullet into the monster.
Tulip tears into the demon.
grapple
"God damn it!" Áine curses again, though this time quite likely to hide the relief she feels as Zakiyya is removed from combat.
She trains her cold iron on the red demon.
Faith looks down at Zakiyya, over at Áine, up to the red creature.
Color drains from his face and he turns to the creature. "Dance with me," he says.
Faith pulls Charity, and attacks.
Pakshee starts to cast a spell.
Sasha rolls backward tumbling to her feet, using Tulip's block to avoid attack from the new demon. She holsters her gun as she kicks one of Zakiyya's wings.
Zaine drops the whip and pulls the musket from the bandolier. "You want brimstone you ugly son of a b!$!#? I got brimstone to spare." Zaine fires the musket into the demon. The bullet just manages to slam into the newly arrived demon.
Tulip chomps the demon but the nimble creature twists out of the sharp grip.
Faith looks down at Zakiyya, over at Áine, up to the red creature.
Color drains from his face and he turns to the creature. "Dance with me," he says.
Faith pulls Charity, and attacks. Tulip's flanking is just enough to give the newly recovered priest a target for his dagger but the steel dagger doesn't do much.
Zakiyya calls upon the spirits... and is answered - by a blood-red bony creature.
The demon tears into Tulip - or would have if Zaine's fancy riding didn't save her from a nasty claw swipe.
"G$$ d%%n it!" Áine curses again, though this time quite likely to hide the relief she feels as Zakiyya is removed from combat.
She trains her cold iron on the red demon. Her arrows drop the creature, which dissolves into smoke and oil even as a large crocodile appears next to Pakshee, chopping its chomps to move into combat.
"Well," Faith says. "That was unexpected and unpleasant." He looks around to ensure there are no more surprises.
Zaine hops off Tulip and rushes over to Sasha. "I'm sorry. She was in my head... made it sound like the most unreasonable things were true."
"My own apologies are in order," Faith says, "but first, shall we check on the other three?"
...and he heads back to where he last saw Alala, Osumare, and Masozi.
Zaine hops off Tulip and rushes over to Sasha. "I'm sorry. She was in my head... made it sound like the most unreasonable things were true."
Sasha reaches out a hand to squeeze Zaine's shoulder, a little hitch in her voice when she says, "Strange women's voices in your head." She leans forward to whisper something then kiss his cheek softly.
"Although if I was attacking an innocent woman, I would want you to stop me."
"My own apologies are in order," Faith says, "but first, shall we check on the other three?"
...and he heads back to where he last saw Alala, Osumare, and Masozi.
When you get back up to the hut, you see Áine moving amid the women, who are collapsed on the ground. They seem to be coming off of something, with shallow breathing and shallow but steady heartbeats.
Alala, as she regains coherence, looks at the cups she handed out, then your group. "The tea..." she winces, "it was drugged, please let me help undo what I did."
"Thank you. I think we are fine... Well, mostly." Áine says, looking up briefly at the others as they arrive. Her attention turns back to the women, "Have some water. I'm not a healer, like Faith, but It may help." She offers her water skin to the women, as needed.
”Water is a good start,” Faith says, and starts to examine people.
Sasha reaches out a hand to squeeze Zaine's shoulder, a little hitch in her voice when she says, "Strange women's voices in your head." She leans forward to whisper something then kiss his cheek softly.
Zaine embraces Sasha. "It was just a spell, Pepper. She's dead. And I'm glad for it."
Sasha leans into the hug, before reaching over to scritch Tulip, "Silly bird, you're supposed to know when there is something wrong with him."
Up at the hut, Alala looks at the three foreigners, her eyes going from Aine to Pakshee, looking relieved, "Neither of you feel drained, close to unconsciousness?"
Slowly Osumare pushes herself to a sitting position, leaning against one of the sitting logs, "Thanks be to the spirits that they sent help in time to keep us from forsaking them."
From the ground, her eyes still closed, "Which means we really should show them their spirit animals, once we have the fire built up."
"Food and water," Faith says to the women. "This is my prescription to you. Food and water and time."
From the ground, her eyes still closed, "Which means we really should show them their spirit animals, once we have the fire built up."
Zaine keeps an arm looped around Sasha's waist. "I don't know what this says about me, but I was actually worried we wouldn't get to meet our spirit animals."
Up at the hut, Alala looks at the three foreigners, her eyes going from Aine to Pakshee, looking relieved, "Neither of you feel drained, close to unconsciousness?"
Áine smiles, shakes her head. "Nope. All good here." she looks to Pakshee for the confirmation she expects.
"I don't know what this says about me, but I was actually worried we wouldn't get to meet our spirit animals."
Áine's smile widens, "Yes, I am looking forward to that, but don't feel you need to push yourselves if you're not yet up to it."
Osumare nods, but then shakes her head, "We are a little drained from the... obessions the demons instilled in us, but that will heal." A half smile from Alala, "Assuming that we fix the wounds on our souls."
From Masozi on the ground again, "Which helping you will just start to do."
Alala moves the pot of fish stew back onto the fire, allowing it to heat. When Zaine and Sasha get back up tot he hut Masozi finally pushes herself up from the ground, going into the hut and coming out with pots, quills and other various items. "It wasn't a lie that we use something to help, but it's just a numbing agent that we coat the quills with when we tattoo," Osumare moves aside her skirt, showing a small image of a lizard warm in the sun.
"But only after we find your spirits, talk to them." Alala says.
"I can help with a little extra numbing," Nkechi says as he moves out of the darkening jungle. He opens his pouch to spill a few hunks of the dried root he gave you previously.
Áine smiles and nods. It appears she is much more looking forward to the procedure now then before.
Faith goes to each person in turn, apologizing. "For my part in what came before, I am sorry. I will do better in the future."
...ending up at Pakshee. "For my part in what came before, I am sorry. I will do better in the future. The crocodile was a good choice."
Faith looks relieved when he sees Nkechi.
Faith goes to each person in turn, apologizing. "For my part in what came before, I am sorry. I will do better in the future."
Sasha squeezes Zaine's hand, "Spells and witchy women, anyone can fall prey to them."
...ending up at Pakshee. "For my part in what came before, I am sorry. I will do better in the future. The crocodile was a good choice."
"Mine better than the one the shadow called, mine almost real." She pats Faith's chest, just above his heart, "She was powerful, I think no one she focused on could have done better."
A smile, "And now she dead, so we more powerful."
The spirit dancers start to feed dried herbs to the fire, which takes on greens, blues, and a brilliant purple flame, the smoke heavy moving in the evening air with swirls in which you can imagine all sorts of animals and other spiky things. Nkechi takes a professional interest in the herbs and the women take a small taste of his dried root. Pakshee takes a great deal of interest in the dancer's tattooing equipment, the simple quills a crude bit effective way of setting ink to skin.
One by one, Nkechi choosing the order starting with Faith, you are brought close to the fire, and the old hermit offers his spirit walking root. After you take it, you feel yourself slip free of your flesh just a bit. The fire is the same in the spirit world, but the dancers are a monitor lizard, a gazelle, and a ibex, the great hermit crab of Nkechi lurking in the background, occasionally scuttling to keep the unwanted at bay.
You see the creature you were in your previous walk with Nkechi form from the darkness, settling into your skin, bonded in place by the tattoo the spirit dancers give you. A giant northern bear for Faith, a sea otter for Áine, a tyrannosaurus that could be Tulip's sibling for Zaine, the small red owl for Sasha and you can barely see the tiny centipede that crawls out of the fire for Pakshee.
Each time, once the bond is finalized with pain and ink, the creature dashes north, away from the river, guiding you towards your goal.
Zaine now sports the stylized t-rex on his right shoulder. He can't stop checking it. "Should I get another one?" he asks. "I feel like I should get another one."
Pakshee looks up from the black and white centipede that peeks out from the traditional style tree tattoo on her leg. "Could do one that looks even more like Tulip, all her colors and feathers."
Sasha glances over from her prone perch on the log. She occasionally fans air over the owl that swoops over her right collarbone. "I can vouch," her voice still unsteady from the root Nkechi handed out, "that this is much less painful when you have that stuff." Motioning at Nkechi, "Also when you get a say in what's going on you."
"I can vouch," her voice still unsteady from the root Nkechi handed out, "that this is much less painful when you have that stuff." Motioning at Nkechi, "Also when you get a say in what's going on you."
Áine nods, "Good to know." she says. "Makes sense, I guess." She keeps her lower right leg stretched out, but seems to be keeping her attention on their surroundings.
She looks over at Pakshee, "I was considering getting something large done, but I'm afraid it would just become clutter. Could I talk to you about it more later?"
Pakshee looks up from the black and white centipede that peeks out from the traditional style tree tattoo on her leg. "Could do one that looks even more like Tulip, all her colors and feathers."
"I was thinking more like... a heart with 'Mom' in it," Zaine says.
Sasha rolls off her log in an easy motion, giving Zaine a quick hug and kissing his cheek.
"Can do that." Pakshee says, "Faith get me magic ink, we can use that if important." She nods. A pause, "I draw first, make sure mom spell correct."
Then to Áine, "Can make sure it had meaning, Then not clutter."
Faith watches the stylized bear on his bicep. "People like to hear the story behind each piece," he says. "I know you would not disappoint."
Sasha rolls off her log in an easy motion, giving Zaine a quick hug and kissing his cheek.
"Can do that." Pakshee says, "Faith get me magic ink, we can use that if important." She nods. A pause, "I draw first, make sure mom spell correct."
"There's a mom spell?" Zaine asks. "Did not know that."
"I had a dream when I was young. About an ancient silver dragon. A good dragon, in combat with a humongous demon with whip and sword. It died protecting others. … I was thinking of maybe something like a silver dragon starting up from around my left ankle twining around my leg and torso, head between my breasts coming down from my back across my right shoulder." she motions with her hands as she speaks to make sure what she's saying is clear. "I want to have a great Phoenix either rising up on my back, or protectively covering the dragon, tail at least partially covering my butt, wings at least partially wrapping around to the front, probably lower torso, and head down crossing over my left shoulder." she pauses, blinks eyes searching Pakshee's. "I want it to be a symbol of rebirth, like I, as the otter, am the spirit of that dragon striving to be reborn through my actions. I think that would mean something to me...and would be worth the pain."