Elizabeth's attempt at levity having fallen flat, her smile fades and her brow furrows.
"I'm lonely, Saleh," she says turning away. "I've felt this way for a number of years. I want someone in my life. I see Melissa's excitement when she meets someone new and I want that. The men I've met have only been interested in my body. Either as a trophy on their arm or as spread legs in bed. I've been waiting for someone that I enjoy the company of, that is interested in me, not just in what I can do for them. Only you can decide if you fit that role."
"I enjoy your company and I think you enjoy mine," she glances back over her shoulder and a trace of the smile returns from earlier. "And you're pretty good in bed."
"But I will place no expectations upon you. You are a free man to stay or ... or to leave. It is your choice."
Saleh nods slowly, "It has really been that hard to find someone? You're brilliant, beautiful, wealthy." He asks, seemingly just to fill the conversational void, before lapsing into silence. "I do enjoy your company," He adds, his lips twisted into a drooping smile thanks to the new scar that drags the right side of his mouth down slightly.
"Saleh, I thank you for the compliments, but most men that would consider themselves my suitor only see the last part - wealthy. Some of the others have commented on the second one, but only how it would benefit them. A beautiful wife is like a well-tailored suit. A simple display of wealth and power. I have yet to find a man that is even interested in actually talking to me, much less in what I have to say."
She meets his eyes and then looks away.
"Until I met you, of course."
"Perhaps not the first time we met." Saleh replies, offering another grin. "I was too hungry to notice you. And then the undead... well." He leaves the sentence as better unfinished. "I would be honored to be your... companion, Lady Adamell." He finishes, sketching a slight bow. "For as long as you want an ex-soldier who seems to collect scars on a daily basis."
He looks at her and then leans in slightly, raising an eyebrow in invitation.
"I already have someone I take care of that's high-maintenance," Melissa answers back with a laugh. "Please don't tell m' miss I said that."
She looks thoughtful for a moment.
"I don't know. I think about it sometimes, but I'd want a good man for that. Someone that I could rely on and wouldn't be running at the first sign o' trouble like the kind we seem to deal with."
Elizabeth's smile widens and, after a moment of hesitancy, she leans in to the man, pressing her lips against his. An instant later she pulls away. "We really should be looking for Miss DiMargo."
"If she's anything like her friends we just need to follow the crowd or the noise of the loudest bar fight." Saleh replies, deadpan.
As they walk he broaches the next topic, the most awkward one. "I... um... bugger. How does Melissa fit into this - us? I don't want to come between the two of you." He catches Elizabeth looking at him and can't help but try for a blush. "I think it would be better with her between us!" He immediately holds his hands up. "A joke, I promise. But seriously... Melissa." He pauses again. "You know that she likes you, as more than a friend, and maybe as more than a sister?"
Elizabeth looks thoughtful.
"Melissa ... " she begins, but then trails off to consider the woman for a moment longer. "Melissa is the sister that I wish I had. I love her more than anyone I know. But I don't love her the way that ... that she'd like me to. I don't feel that way about her. In that way, I feel that I've let her down. She deserves someone like you, Saleh."
Her lips curls up into a smile.
"And if you're asking what I think you're asking. I will say that I'm aware that a man such as yourself may have certain needs that ... needs that I may not be able ... or willing ... to keep up with. I would not stand in the way of you ... and Melissa - if she is willing ... enjoying each other's company. I would, however, prefer that you keep it ... discreet? My social equals gossip about me enough as it is, I would not enjoy being branded as a cuckquean."
Saleh colors slightly before bowing his head and applauding lightly. "I was mistaken earlier Lady Adamell. I praised your brilliance and your beauty, but I should have praised you for your insightfulness as well."
He straightens up and offers Elizabeth his arm if she wants it.
"What will your social 'equals'" the disdain he feels for those people is pregnant in the word, "Think of us? I imagine you will provide them with more than enough gossip. Especially if you don't dismiss me after a couple of weeks. There were some women like that in the capital, although they tended to prefer gladiators to soldiers - more... prestigious. The liasons never lasted long though - I imagine their families put a stop to it, and most weren't exactly serious to begin with."
Saleh smiles and gestures to the now faded bruise which had once adorned Elzabeth's eye. "I know you can take care of yourself, but if you ever want me to speak to your 'equals', then I would be happy to do so." This time his grin has just a tiny edge of anticipation to it.
Kragga chuckles at Melissa’s quip about Elizabeth. ”Well, I do not know many good human men, but there are a few orcs who might be interested if you’re into that sort of thing! In all seriousness, though, when we have some time, I would be honored to help you find what you are looking for. Many priestesses of the World Mother have been known to play matchmaker from time to time. There has to be at least one good man in this besotted city to treat you the way you deserve.”
The sorceress takes Saleh's arm as her eyes resume their search for the woman that they seek.
"If you were to speak to my peers in the same manner as I did, I suspect the city watch would be called. If they wish to gossip regarding your social class, I can ignore that if you can. I can also handle any repercussions from my parents related to that. Being made a public fool would be a different manner."
She glances at the man next to her.
"If the subject of marriage ever came up then there are more steps that would have to be taken to deal with your status. Let's take one step at a time, though."
Melissa laughs good-naturedly at Kragga's offer of match-making.
"I think I'd prefer a man with high stamina over a marryin' man at this point," she says with a grin. She considers something. "How do orcs hold up in that category?" she asks with a sly smile.
Saleh raises an eyebrow, but lets the conversation rest where it is for now. They really should actually do the job they came out for, even if his side objective of clearing up the situation has been achieved wonderfully.
”Most orcs are possessed of exceptional stamina. We were bred for battle, and the qualities neeed to be a good soldier translate well into the bedchamber as well. They are not gentle, though. Do you like things rough?”
"If by rough, y' mean do I like m' hair pulled and m' arse smacked a bit? Then, yes," Melissa answers. "Otherwise, if by rough, y' mean ropes, bruises, and bite marks? Then no, I'll pass."
She gives the orc a wink and then returns her attention to their appointed task.
Kragga is about to respond, but she puts a finger to her lips and points when she spots Marcello, the man she and Melissa are looking for. He swaggers confidently down the street, whistling a merry tune.
***
Meanwhile, Elizabeth and Saleh spot their quarry as well. Alanza DiMargo stumbles out of a dance hall not far from the canal. She drunkenly cries and wipes at her eyes. "I can't believe she would say that about me! How humiliating!" She ambles along, unaware of her watchers. She seems to have foolishly left her bodyguard behind as well...
Elizabeth rolls her eyes at the woman's lack of self-preservation, but with a nod at her companion, they begin following the woman down the street.
Melissa watches Marcello for a moment, getting the gauge of him, before moving along behind him with another wink towards Kragga.
Elizabeth and Saleh trail behind Alanza as she bemoans her loss of reputation and stumbles towards a bridge over the canal. As she passes into the shadows under it, two men suddenly step out of a nearby door and move to block the sorceress and the fighter. "This don't concern you. You'll go back the way you came, if you know what's good for ya," one threatens, hand on the hilt of his sword.
***
Across the district, Kragga and Melissa follow Marcello. Both manage to avoid attracting attention as the fancy man turns down an alley, heading towards a nearby brothel.
He is about halfway down the alley when three humanoids suddenly step forward from the shadows that they had been blending into. They wear black leather clothing along with heavy coats, white gloves, top hats, and black lenses over their eyes. They wield thin knives with serrated edges, and they move in a horrid, skittering dance as they surround Marcello, making it clear they are something far from human!
"Ah! What the hell are you?" he shouts, eyes wide with fear.
Saleh steps forward, partially covering Elizabeth as his own hands drift to his weapons. He lets the sorceress speak for the both of them.
Elizabeth spreads her hands showing that she's unarmed.
"Gentlemen, surely you wouldn't begrudge us checking on our friend to ensure that she's well. Unless, of course, you had nefarious motives," she says. "And if that were the case, then I'm afraid that we'd really have to intervene."
She leans a little to look around the men. "Alanza?! Are you well?!" she calls out.
Melissa draws her knife and moves rapidly to engage the closest of the foes.
Alanza doesn't answer, but you can hear a muffled scream coming from the shadows beneath the bridge. The two thugs draw their swords and prepare to attack!
***
Kragga stomps the ground and the street beneath the strange creatures erupts, throwing rubble into the air. One of them is thrown forward, falling prone, while the others manage to maintain their footing. Melissa pounces upon the prone one, stabbing it twice with her dagger. "You?!?" Marcello shouts, recognizing you from the riot. He keeps his wits though, drawing his rapier and stabbing it into the fallen enemy to finish it off. Exploiting an opportunity, he hurls a dagger at another monster, but that one fails to hit.
The two remaining things skitter forward, lashing out at Melissa wit their knives. She dodges one, but the other knife stabs into her cheek, and the monster jerks it upwards in an attempt to pluck out her eye!
"Us!," Melissa shouts back as she dodges back quick enough to keep her eye. Moving back just as quickly, she lashes out with her knife at the strange creatures.
if attack roll is 20+ ...
Trusting to Saleh to deal with the armed men (and assuming that they'll assume that he's a much bigger threat then she is), Elizabeth attempts to move past the armed men to see what's happening under the bridge.
Saleh meanwhile applies his weapons, slicing at one man and jabbing his long knife at the second thug's eyes.
Saleh slice and stabs both of the men, leaving them badly wounded. "Argh! We ain't getting paid enough to die!" one shouts, and both of them retreat down the alley. Elizabeth rushes forward under the bridge, where she can see a horrific humanoid leaping out to attack Alanza. Though dressed in finery, its clothes cannot conceal the monster's putrid flesh and hideous counteance!
Before Elizabeth can stop it, the thing plunges its long knife into Alanza's eye! The young woman screams and her body starts to twitch as the creature yanks its knife out, pulling the eye out the socket along with it! Alanza falls, body spasming feebly as the monster examines its prize.
Meanwhile, another one of these horrors skitters out of the doorway where the mercenaries emerged from. It hisses at Saleh before slicing at him with its own knife!
***
Kragga batters the two remaining monsters with rubble, but they deftly avoid the worst of it. Elizabeth stabs one of them two times, but Marcello is unable to finish it off.
The wounded creature whirls on Marcello, gashing him across the cheek and nearly ripping it off! He screams in pain, blinking back involuntary tears. The thing catches the tears on its knife and licks them off its blade with a raspy tongue, seeming to gain strength from them. The other one lunges at Melissa but fails to hit.
Melissa's eyes widen a bit at the behavior of the strange creatures. Her resolve hasn't wavered, however, and she continues to slash at the wounded one with her knife.
Elizabeth fans her hands in front of her and arcs of lightning strike out at the two strange creatures.
Saleh by now has seen much worse creatures, and he's more surprised when Elizabeth unleashes lightning than by the creatures themselves. Luckily most things die to cold steel, so he rams his sword into the first creature.
And then rushes past it to strike at the other beast and hopefully distract it from Alanza.
Saleh stabs the monster attacking him, while the other jerkily dances away from Elizabeth’s lightning, avoiding the worst of it. It drops Alanza’s eye into a pouch before lunging at Elizabeth, slicing her face! Saleh parries an attack from the other one.
Kragga knocks down the wounded creature with an earth spike, leaving it open for Melissa to finish it off. Marcello nimbly backs away, recovering some of his stamina. The last creature stabs Melissa in the face!
”Melissa! The Mother will protect you,” Kragga exclaims. She calls upon the goddess to heal the rogue’s injuries.
Saleh lashes out at the creature assailing the women before turning back to the one behind him.
With blood clouding her vision, Elizabeth draws in the energy from everything around her and uses it to empower her magic. With an arcane gesture, she sends motes of energy to strike her foe.
Melissa manages to protect her face by blocking the slash with her arm. Ignoring the stinging pain, she continues to stab at the creature herself.
if attack roll is 20+ ...
As the creature drinks Elizabeth's blood and tears off the blade of its knife, the sorceress blasts it with potent arcane missiles. Saleh cuts it down with one of his swords before turning and driving his other blade into the second creature's gut.
Snarling, the creature returns the favor, jabbing its dagger towards the fighter's eye!
***
Seeing Melissa badly hurt, Kragga calls upon the World Mother and delivers a potent healing spell, sealing her wounds. The rogue misses with her knife, and Marcello finds a safe place to hide and observe the rest of the fight without risking further injury to himself. The horrifying monster slices Melissa again.
Melissa shrieks out in pain as the tearing sensation rips through her skull like a hot poker. The pain doesn't prevent her from slashing out at the creature, though.
if attack roll is 20+ ...
Barely restraining the mana she currently holds, Elizabeth draws in even more before blasting out at the remaining creature with three bolts of fire.
Saleh jerks back just in time to avoid the blade claiming his eye, but takes a raking blow that slices a good chunk of his ear away. He lashes out in return, jerking his head around to splash the creature's face with blood and distract it but misjudges the distance.
"Melissa!" Kragga gasps as she stares in horror at the redhead's empty eye socket. The creature chortles in triumph before stashing the eye in its pouch. Snarling in anger, the orc prays to heal the worst of the injuries. Melissa stabs the creature twice in retaliation. It slashes at her again, but she narrowly dodges.
***
Saleh's slash goes wide as his opponent jerks and dances away. Elizabeth scores one good hit with a fiery missile, burning the creature. It tries to stab Saleh again, but he brings his swords up just in time to deflect the weapon!
"Yeah, you laugh now you freaky c$!&!" Melissa snarls at the creature, pushing past the pain that threatens to bring her to her knees. "I'm gonna cut out your guts and use 'em in m' stew!" She continues to stab and slash at thing.
if attack roll is 20+ ...
Ignoring the damaging burst she just released, Elizabeth draws in more mana before sending seven small darts to the surviving creature.
Pain sears Saleh's back, but he can't afford to be distracted, lashing out again with sword and dagger.
Between Elizabeth's outburst and Saleh's mighty slashes, the monster falls!
***
Kragga draws her sword and hacks at the horrible creature. As she slices into it, Melissa stabs it twice, and at last it crumples to the ground, bleeding profusely.
Marcello steps out from his hiding spot, bloodied and pale. "Okay, what the hell is going on?" he asks.
Elizabeth shudders as she releases the minor amount of strain she's accumulated so far. She invokes a spell of light and then moves cautiously under the bridge to see if Alanza still lives.
Unfortunately, it's too late for Alanza. Her assailant's knife must have gone all the way into her brain, as she stares lifelessly up at the underside of the bridge with her one remaining eye.
Melissa drops her knife and reaches tentatively towards her face, afraid of what the pain indicates. Ignoring Marcello's question, she calls out in a scared and trembling voice, "Kragga?"